Rina's Mysteries in an Island - 'Rina's Childhood Mysteries' - Part: 2

All the characters and incidents in this novel are fictitious.
Acknowledgements
This book series is dedicated first to Almighty God for His love, providence, encouragement and guidance and next to my family, friends and well-wishers for their encouragement, love, support, for inspiring me to read even as a child, and much more. I also dedicate this novel to my grandfather, Mr. S.M. Kulandhaiswamy (a renowned fiction author who has written for publications such as Tinkle, Champak, and more) for the inspiration he gave me to write, even when I was a child, by making me read his stories and narrating his stories to me.
Rina's Childhood Mysteries: Part - 2
Rina's Mysteries In An Island
'Behave yourself, kid. Don't they teach you manners at school?', the rogue with a bald spot on his head said to James.
I'll knock your head if you don't give it NOW.
The ancient-looking door suddenly shuts behind them.
Three months back…
In Rina's school…
Rina is sitting in her classroom dreading the moment when she will reveal the terrible secret she has been hiding since summer vacation to her friends and it seems to her like she would really have to do the job soon. She comes back to reality where a man is waiting for her right at this moment in their school ground. She had seen stress and anxiety evident on his face.
She is wearing her chocolate brown-and-white-mixed uniform frock and her wavy hair has grown somewhat longer over the holidays and she has tied her hair into two ponytails. The uniform for the boys is white shirt and chocolate brown pants.
Rina (thinks sarcastically): What a perfect way to begin the new academic year!
Rina and her friends are back from their summer vacation and have entered into their fifth standard at their beloved school, Bharat Primary School, situated at Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, a state in India.
The kids look around their fifth standard classroom and notice that it is bigger than their fourth standard one. Their class teacher for this year is Ms. Gayathri, a young and slim woman, with long hair and she is a lady who wears salwars more often than sarees. She is also their Biology teacher.
Rina looks at her visitor again from her classroom window and sees him fidgeting with his fingers and looking around him searching for something or someone impatiently. It was someone and that someone was her, she
thinks, as a thrill goes down her spine. She realizes that he was not the one who had spoken to her during last year's award ceremony but she notices a striking similarity in features that he has with the man who had spoken to her at the event. They both have large eyes with a secretive expression and they both have long noses and French beards. The only difference is that the man who spoke to her at the ceremony was well-educated whereas the one who is waiting to meet her now looks either disguised as an illiterate person or is really illiterate.
She goes and meets him and as if to confirm her guess, he tells her that he is the younger brother of the man who had spoken to her at the ceremony and that his name is Shekhar. He tells them that his brother's name is Shankar (the man who had spoken to her during last year's ceremony) and that he is a famous businessman. He looks even more mysterious at a closer angle and he is wearing clothes that look like they are from the museum.
He has a file in his hand and is constantly adjusting his spectacles like how a learned man does (still, this does not prevent some teachers and students from casting suspicious glances at him). Rina realises that he is acting like a learned person but his behaviour and the way he talks show that he is uneducated.
Rina: What do you do? Are you a businessman as well?
Shekhar (evidently changing the topic): My brother wants to meet you and your friends at his house. Take this paper, quick. Come to the venue written on the paper at the time specified, and most importantly, be on time. Saying so, he goes away, leaving Rina frozen in her tracks, shocked and perplexed.
In the lunch break…
Rina musters up strength and decides to tell her friends everything, right from what happened at the award ceremony to what happened at school during today's morning break. Rina and her friends gather together in one of their top private spots, a tree shade near the library which is almost always deserted.
Rina: Guys, we're here to discuss something important and let me warn you, the news would shock some of you and make some of you scared, but I have to tell you about it.
Riya (her large eyes getting even larger): Hey, you sound like our Principal making an important announcement on the common speaker. Why are you so serious all of a sudden?
Rina: No jokes please, guys. I am serious. There is something terrible that you all should know about.
Swathi (now with a new fringe on her forehead and adjusting it): I have my Science record to complete, so stop playing with us, Rina. I should go. Bye. I will catch up with you all later.
Rina (getting more tensed): Don't go, Swathi. All of you listen to me, please. I am telling you that this is serious, right? I am playing no game here.
Ajay (with a new hairstyle that he describes often as being 'cooler'): Hey, hey…guys, stop, let's listen to her first. She does look really serious and pretty shaken.
Reshmi is a smart girl with a sweet voice, who is one of their friends and her short shoulder-length hair is tied into a plait. She is their new friend this year and she has begun to replace Vidhu (as their friend in school) who has got a TC because of her father's transfer to Delhi. Reshmi is a slim girl with a cute smile.
Rina: Ok, here it goes. Do you remember last year's award ceremony? All in unison: Yeah.
Rina: When the event was about to end, mom sent me to the parking lot to take her bag from the car, and when I was taking it, a tall man with a thick beard who was one of the chief guests and a school sponsor came walking towards me in the parking lot. I thought he was going to his car, but he came straight towards me. He said something to me and I still don't understand the full meaning of what he said: 'There is a horrible situation in a place I know of and I need you and your friends to help me unravel the mystery and solve the problem, as I heard that you kids are among the brightest in the school. I don't want to involve adults in this as only kids of your age can do what I have in mind'.
James: What is happening? Where?
Rina: Wait, James. Let me finish. I asked him what the problem is and why he chose us instead of other kids and he said that another reason why he chose us was that the mystery to be discovered had something to do with my father's colleague, Lokesh uncle and he also said that my father doesn't know anything about it.
He told me that Lokesh uncle was innocent and that he just needed some information from him. I refused to help and told him that we might be in danger for which he said he will ensure our safety one hundred percent. He also said that his people know what we are about to do and that they will protect us and not allow anything dangerous to happen to us.
He then told me that if we got to know the real cause for which he wants us to help him, we would not say no. Saying these things, he turned abruptly and left.
Guys, what is shocking is, the man seems to know that Lokesh uncle is close to our family and that he loves me and my brother as his own children. How does he know so much about me?
I really don't know what to do. Then, he told me a few things about Ms. Mini, which really shocked me. He told me that she was once accused and suspected of burglary by the police. He and his group suspect that ma'am is supporting some criminals and is up to some crime.
Reshmi: What? Did she go to jail?
Rina: No, he said she bribed the police and escaped from the case.
Now, it is the turn of Ajay, James, Reshmi, Riya and Swathi to be frozen with shock and fear. They look at each other, perplexed and scared.
Rina: There's nothing to be afraid of, I think, as he sounded sincere and what he said somewhat made sense. But wait, I am not done yet. Today, during the morning break, that man's brother came to meet me.
Her friends (all together): His brother?
She then tells them what happened during the break.
Ajay: He might be a good person but how can we trust him and the people behind this who are total strangers and go with them to a strange place to meet some more strangers?
Rina: Actually, Vivek's dad is also in their group and I came to know this only after school reopened.
Swathi: If he is there in the group, then they must be harmless, as far as I know. Vivek has often told us that his dad is a genuine and honest.
I am a little convinced to go and meet them once and listen to what they have to tell us.
Riya: I also think we can meet them once. I also believe Gowrav uncle is a good person. What's your take, guys?
She looks around at the others.
Everyone gives consent to meet the strangers once and get to know what they have to tell them.
Mr. Gowrav (their classmate Vivek's dad) is a popular award-winning international social worker who has visited their school often and conducted many awareness programs. He is known for his compassionate nature, simplicity and humility. His NGO is famous all over the world for the services it offers for the less privileged people in the society.
Rina: Okay, thanks dudes. I feel a little relieved now that you all are okay with meeting those people. During the whole vacation, I was troubled and worried about what I can do about the shocking things that happened during the award ceremony and how to tell you all about them.
James: Hey Rina, be cool. We're all in this together. You should have told us about this earlier.
The rest of the Gang agrees.
A few days later…
The day of their meeting with the strangers arrives. Mr. Shekhar waits for them outside their school and after school, he takes them to a house. The house looks like the perfect hiding spot for criminals. It also looks like it hasn't been painted for many centuries as the paint is coming off in many places. The walls are painted a dark shade of grey and the house gives quite a depressing look.
The friends look at each other, anxious and scared.
Ajay (pointing to a coffee shop opposite the house): Girls, you wait in that coffee shop. James and I will go first.
The boys convince the man that they will go with them first and the man agrees.
They enter the house and take a look at the living room in which they are standing. It looks a bit new, when compared to the exterior of the house. The interior is painted at least and looks a little more modern than the exterior. It appears like the interior part of another house and not like that of the one they have entered.
There is a decent couch and furniture that is somewhat elegant. A handsome man emerges from one of the rooms and he has a sling bag in his hands. He looks tired, as if he has just returned from work. He keeps his bag on a table and sits on the couch. He tells them that his name is Mr. Babu and that he is working in the Education sector as a top professional, but he doesn't disclose his designation to them.
He asks them to pull chairs and sit, and they do so.
Mr. Babu: There are people in the society who are living lives that can be made much better. The help we need from you will save many lives and give them a better standard of living. We will not allow you to get into any trouble but will always keep an eye out on you. What we are saying is that you will not be on your own in this work that you will be doing.
We will be with you throughout the mission, supporting you in every way we can. We just need some help from you and after we get your help, we will get involved in the situation at the right time and relieve you. We will also make sure that we don't involve you in anything dangerous and in anything that will make people suspect you.
Another reason for you to not worry is that this mission is known by Mr. Gowrav, your classmate's father and he will sign an agreement saying you all are helping his NGO. You know very well about his NGO and its international reputation. For helping the NGO, you will even receive awards and become famous, and Mr. Gowrav will make sure that the help you offer is not revealed, for your safety.
Another man enters the house and he also looks very decent and a look at his attire tells them that he is a doctor. He has a well-built body and looks youthful, but he must be in his thirties. He sits down beside Mr. Babu who introduces him to the kids as Dr. Yasar, a famous heart surgeon. All of the men who have met them so far to talk about this mission must be in their thirties.
Dr. Yasar: Babu, who are these kids? Are they your relatives?
Mr. Babu: No, Yasar, I called them here as I thought they can help us in the case. Their friend's father knows Dr. Lokesh personally and his family is close to him.
Dr. Yasar: Fantastic. These are exactly the people we need. Kids, if you help us, what you do will be something that you will be proud of, all your lives.
Ajay and James look at each other, not able to decide.
James: What do you want us to do?
Dr. Yasar: We need some information from Dr. Lokesh as Babu must have told you.
Mr. Babu: Shekhar has already explained everything to them.
Dr. Yasar: Good. Boys, we need your help to get some information from Dr. Lokesh but before that, we need you to keep a close watch on the teacher who joined your school recently, Ms. Mini.
Mr. Babu: As Rina must have told you, we suspect Ms. Mini to have something to do with the group that our mission is fighting with. We doubt that she is supporting that group and we have our reasons to doubt her. We saw her talking often to a man we suspect. We are keeping an eye on her outside the school but we need someone to watch her closely inside the school. You can do that and find out what she is up to.
Ajay: Please give us some time. We'll discuss this with our friends and let you know our decision on Monday.
Mr. Babu: Sure.
Ajay and James meet the girls at the coffee shop and tell them everything that happened.
Swathi: I think we should help them. Maybe someone somewhere needs our help.
Rina: She's right. They are assuring us that we will be safe, right? We're going to do this with the help of adults and one adult is willing to even sign an agreement with us that we are helping his NGO. They will also keep our mission a secret, so I think we need not worry. They will take care of most of the mission. They just need our help for the things that only we can do easily.
Reshmi: Yes, we can help, but we have to make sure of one thing. We have to gather information about those men, including Gowrav sir and find out if they are really trustworthy. We know Gowrav sir but only as a well-wisher for our school and not personally. It's convenient for us that tomorrow is a Saturday. We'll enquire with some people about those men over the weekend. It's good that you asked them for two days' time.
Riya: Let's each enquire about each one of those men.
Ajay: Great idea. You find out about Mr. Gowrav. Swathi, you enquire about Mr. Babu. Reshmi, you get information about Dr. Yasar and Rina, you find out about Mr. Shankar. James and I will see if we get some news about Mr. Shekhar. Do all of you agree?
All of them express their agreement with the plan. Over the weekend, they carry out their plan and they happen to get only good reports about the men from the people they enquire to. So, they decide to help the men. They make the decision to meet them on Monday and tell them their decision.
Dr. Yasar: We are happy. We knew you would help us as you seemed to be good children. Babu will give you more details. I have some work now and have to go out.
Babu: First, I think it would be helpful if you follow your teacher and find out what she is up to.
We need to know that to proceed with our mission.
One day, at school…
The kids are waiting for their Hindi teacher, Mr. Chand to arrive, as it is their Hindi period.
Reshmi: Hey, Shabana, what's up? Why were you on leave?
Shabana (a tall and pretty girl whose seat is near Reshmi's): I went to Hyderabad for my cousin's wedding. We had so much fun there. All my cousins came and we enjoyed ourselves like anything.
Reshmi: Wow, that's awesome. Which cousin? The one whose photo you showed me last week? She has won Miss. Chennai award once, right?
Shabana: Yeah, exactly. She's the one.
Reshmi: In normal outfits itself, she looks very pretty. She would have rocked in her wedding dress, right? Show me the wedding pictures.
Shabana: Yeah, she looked so gorgeous in her wedding dress. It was a maroon and golden colour-mixed lehanga. I'll show you the pictures from dad's mobile today evening.
Reshmi: Wow! Where did she buy the lehanga from?
Shabana: She bought it from Hyderabad only. There is a famous boutique there selling really awesome wedding dresses.
Karthick (a smart boy wearing spectacles sitting on the bench behind them): Hyderabad? Let's go somewhere else.
Shabana: What?
Karthick: I already went there during the last vacation.
Reshmi: Hey, dude. What are you saying?
Karthick: You're talking about our excursion, right?
Shyam (a tall and slim boy with straight hair): I've also gone to Hyderabad many times. Let's go to Agra and visit the Taj Mahal.
Shabana: Hey, we're talking about my cousin's wedding which took place in Hyderabad last week. Without knowing what we are talking about, you both are talking something else, ha ha ha.
Karthick: Ha ha ha. Sorry. Shyam only told me you're talking about the excursion. What is this Shyam?
Arul: Hello. Don't bluff. Shabana, he only told me that you both are talking about the excursion. After getting a nose cut from you, he's putting the blame on me.
They both pretend to hit each other for fun and scream in pain and the girls in the front row start giggling and then finally, the boys also start laughing.
Reshmi?
The kids turn to see Rina standing with her hand on her hip and having an angry expression on her face. The sight aggravates their laughter and they laugh even more uncontrollably. Rina, not knowing why they are laughing like crazy, becomes even more angry.
Rina: What's so funny?
They keep laughing and are not able to reply because they are too busy laughing. Rina gets fed up and takes Reshmi by the hand.
Rina: Enough laughing. Come. You have to help me with yesterday's homework. I think I wrote something wrong. Chand ji will come now. Hurry up.
They both go to Rina's bench, which is the second last bench in their row of benches.
Rina: Shh. Listen. I don't need any help with my homework. I called you to tell you something important. I found out Ms. Mini's address, She lives very close to your house, just five streets away from your house.
Reshmi: Is it so? That makes it easier for us to follow her. I'll follow her after school today and see what she is up to.
Rina: Ok, that's great. I'll come with you.
Reshmi and Rina follow Ms. Mini by cab in the evening as she leaves school after work in her two-wheeler.
They ask the cab driver to stop the cab some distance away and then they go on foot to the street where the teacher's residence is.
Rina: Hey, wait!
Reshmi: We can talk later, Rina, as we don't have much time now. Hurry up.
Rina: Look at the street board.
Reshmi: Aarrgh! You're testing my patience. This is the exact 'VK Nagar' you told me. Come on, we're wasting time.
Rina: Look at the number. It's the 6th street and not the 9th; the board is upside down. Her house is on 9th street, right?
Reshmi (with an embarrassed look): Oh, yes. Why didn't I notice it before? Sorry.
Rina: Why on earth is she on this street then?
Reshmi: Maybe she also misread the board like us.
Rina: Hey, stop joking.
Reshmi (with a confounded look on her face): I am not joking. I'm confused.
Rina: Dude, look!
They notice her ringing the doorbell of a house and after sometime, a lady opens the door. Their teacher goes into the house and remains there for a long time.
After a long time…
Reshmi: Is she going to come out or not? I don't have any more patience, so I'm going to go and peep inside.
Rina: I don't have any more patience either. Also, I think she is doing something suspicious inside the house. Come, let's go and see if we can get a glimpse of what's happening inside.
They both creep towards the house slowly, careful not to make noise, and then, all of a sudden, the house looks vaguely familiar to Reshmi.
Reshmi (in a hushed tone): Wait a minute! I know this house. I've either seen it or I have actually come to this house for some reason, but it was long back. So, I don't remember when I have seen this house before and if I have come here, I don't recall why or with whom I came to this house or for what purpose I came here. But, I didn't enter the house. Did I come to enquire about any address? Or, why else did I come? Ok, when I remember, I'll tell you. Let's not waste time but quickly do what we have to.
They go nearer and search for an open window but strangely, there is no open window to be seen anywhere. Given the summer season and the extreme heat, it is very odd. Then, they move slowly towards the back of the house and see a window that is open. Covering their mouths with their hands, they slowly creep towards the window and peep inside but cannot see a thing as the house is pitch dark; another strange factor. Usually, people turn on the lights in their houses in the evening after it becomes dark.
Then they hear muffled voices and there are two voices, one of a woman who they instantly recognize as their teacher and the other of a man, which is unfamiliar to them.
Though they can identify two distinct voices, they are not able to understand the words that are being spoken, as the voices of the two people are extremely muffled, as if they are conversing about something that is top secret.
They try hard to understand what is being spoken but they can't and so they grow increasingly disappointed as the time passes. Then, after sometime, they suddenly hear the words 'second door to the right and thirty-five is the number' in the man's voice and they look at each other in confusion. Where possibly could he mean and thirty-five of what?
Reshmi (bewildered): Do you think there could be a treasure of some sort? We could discover it and share it with the poor and we would be the next
Robin Hoods.
Rina: Stop imagining too much. Have you forgotten what the men told us? He said we would impact lives and help someone and everything. But, when we were about to leave their house, do you remember what Mr. Babu told us? After telling us that, he also laughed like anything.
Reshmi: Yeah, he said, 'kids, it's all about money' and then he laughed like a maniac. Do you think the 35 could be, hmm, well… currency?
Rina: Hmm, could be. The possibilities are there. Let's listen and see if we can catch anything more from their conversation.
Rina: Okay.
The voices become muffled again, more than before, as if they guessed that someone was listening. They aren't able to decipher even a single word from the rest of the conversation and they get disappointed. Rina and Reshmi then hear noises of the people inside the house getting up from their chairs and moving out of the room. The kids peep into the window again and see a faint light in the room when the people inside open the door. In that faint light, they get a glimpse of the man and are shocked to see that he is wearing prison clothes. They get shocked again when they see their teacher handing over a large suitcase to him. Rina remembers that he was the same man to whom Ms. Mini had given a suitcase and spoken something in secret last year, when they were making preparations for the award ceremony.
So, they move away from the house's backyard and into the street where they can get a better view of their teacher when she comes out of the house. They reach a spot from where they can see their teacher without being seen themselves and wait there. Ms. Mini checks inside her bag with an expression that looks as though she makes sure that something inside is safely hidden.
Then, the same lady who opened the door earlier comes to close the door to see Ms. Mini off and Rina and Reshmi wonder where the man who had spoken to their teacher went.
The kids then move a little closer to check if they can hear anything that Ms. Mini talks to the lady. Their teacher takes an umbrella out of her bag and says to the lady, 'I will inform him to meet you at the planned spot. Give him all the details'.
Saying so, she walks away, her long dress almost sweeping the dusty road beneath her and Rina and Reshmi immediately think of her appearance on their first day of class and how they suspected that something was strange
about her from the very beginning and shoot each other understanding looks. Speaking out the unspoken, Rina says, "No wonder we named her
Miss. Strange in the beginning and to think of it now, she seems more than just strange. What if she is… well…you know, dangerous?
Reshmi: She could be. I'm scared of what those three people could be up to.
Two days later, in Physics class…
As their Physics teacher, Mr. Vineeth proceeds with his lecture, Reshmi passes a note to Benita (a chubby-faced girl who is their classmate sitting two rows behind her in the left section of the classroom) asking her to pass it to Ajay and James. Ajay is sitting in the last third row in the middle section and James is sitting in the row behind him in the same section. Rina and Swathi are sitting in the same row and Riya is sitting in the front row of the right section.
Ajay reads the note and in it, this is what is written, 'We are meeting at the cafeteria during the morning break. No excuses." Ajay shows the note secretly to James and James, after reading it, passes it to Swathi and the note gets passed to all the others in the gang. Ajay then turns to look at Reshmi and gives her a quick thumbs-up and puts his hand down immediately to prevent himself from being caught by the teacher.
During break time, in the cafeteria…
Rina and Reshmi wait for their other friends to arrive.
Rina: What's taking them so long? I guess I'll just go and call them. It's getting late. As she is speaking, James, Swathi, Ajay and Riya arrive.
Rina: Okay, we've just got ten minutes left. Now, listen up. Reshmi and I discovered some weird things yesterday as we followed Ms. Mini on her way back home from school. She lives close to Reshmi's place, so it was
easy for us to find the way. Rina narrates everything that she and Reshmi had seen and heard the day before, while her friends look at each other with bewildered expressions.
James: This sounds extremely fishy. What did you say the man said again? Rina: He said, 'second house to the right and thirty-five is the number'.
James: It is definitely an address and if 'second' denotes the door number, what is 'thirty-five' then?
Rina: No clue. It could mean anything, for all we know. What are your guesses?
James: No idea. Do you think it's the street number probably?
Ajay: Possibly. But do you think streets would go up to thirty-five in number?
I hardly know areas which have more than fifteen streets. Maybe it refers to currency.
Swathi: Yes, there are a lot of chances that it could be currency. Maybe it is some kind of bribe for whatever illegal activity they are doing.
Reshmi: Maybe, but the man was on the hide-out from prison and he was the one who received a suitcase from Ms. Mini and the expression on his face looked like he was the one getting bribe money from her. Then, how can he be in a position to bribe her? A bit of logic seems to be lacking here.
Ajay: How do you know for sure that the suitcase had bribe money? It could have been something else.
Rina: Yeah, it could have been something else, but if it had been a bribe, then the 'thirty-five' cannot be a bribe too. What else could it be?
Swathi: Could it be time?
They all give her furious looks.
Riya (sarcastically): 'Thirty-five' what? 'Five thirty-five' or 'six thirty five'?
Swathi: It need not be like that. It could mean thirty-five seconds, minutes or hours.
Reshmi: She's got a point there.
They all nod in agreement and James looks at his clock and says 'Hey, time's up. Let's get back to class.' They all head back to class and get
ready to go to the computer lab for their next period which is Computer practical class. During the Computer lab session, Ajay suddenly looks at James with shock. James is staring at something out of his window and for a moment, he thinks that one of the men they met has come to their school to visit them.
He is immediately proved wrong when he follows James's trail of vision. They both see Ms. Mini talking secretly to the man they saw at the creepy house they went to and he hands over some papers to their teacher. She keeps them inside her bag, seemingly hurriedly before anyone else could suspect them. In her hurry, she accidentally drops one of the papers and doesn't notice it.
They both keep looking out of the window now and then to make sure that the paper is still there and it is in the same spot till the end of the period. Heaving sighs of relief, they both rush out of the classroom as soon as the bell rings and go to the spot where the paper had fallen. James picks it up and they both read it, and shocked and perplexed expressions cross their faces as they read it.
They then follow their teacher who enters the staff room, which is empty, except for her. She keeps the papers in her file and doesn't let go of the file even for a second. She then sits back, closes her eyes and rests, still clutching the file tightly in her hands. After about two or three minutes, she opens her eyes again, sits up straight and smiles wickedly to herself and thinks deeply for a long time, with the same cunning expression. Ajay and James exchange suspicious looks.
Ajay (murmurs in a low tone and with a puzzled expression): What do you think she is up to, dude?
James: Shhh. She's coming.
The teacher then gets up for her next class and Ajay and James leave the spot as fast as they can and stand some distance away and watch her. She comes out of the staff room and proceeds for her next class, taking the file along, as if she fears that even if she lets the file out of her sight for a few seconds, her secret activities might be revealed, whatever they are.
Since the kids have continuous classes after that, Ajay and James don't get a chance to track their teacher or the file and when they see her again, they don't see the file with her.
When they get a five-minute gap before their English class, as their teacher is late, they leave their classroom and go to the staff room which is still empty.
James keeps watch at the staff room entrance while Ajay searches for the file in Ms. Mini's seat. The file is not there. He also searches in other places, but it is nowhere to be found. They guess that she must have given it to the Principal as they still suspect that their Principal is also behind whatever she is upto. They think of a particular day in the previous year, when the Principal became nervous when she told them and their classmates about the camera she had given Ms. Mini for official purposes. They think of how they felt at that time that their Principal was hiding something from them. Then, their thoughts come back to the present.
James: I guess we will have to wait to find out what is inside the file.
Ajay: You're right. We don't have any other choice as of now. Come, let's go back to class.
In their classroom…
When Ajay and James enter the classroom, the students are still waiting for their English teacher to arrive and they are busy chattering that they don't take much notice of them.
Ajay and James get settled in their seats. Their English teacher is usually on time for class, so the kids think that maybe she is late due to any personal reason.
Ajay pokes James.
Ajay: Hey buddy, Rina is calling you.
Rina points to him and to Ajay and to the ground outside the window and gives both of them a look as if to ask "what on earth was written on that paper?"
James and Ajay understand that they were not alone in witnessing the
suspicious scene.
James writes the words, 'I'll tell you during PET. Sir is on leave' on his hand, moves to the edge of the row and shows his hand to Rina as she sits just a few rows behind him.
Rina writes "OK" on her hand as a reply. Their teacher arrives and begins her lesson.
During the PET period…
Reshmi (to Swathi): Hey, give me that diary. You're not supposed to read it. It's my personal diary.
Swathi (smiling teasingly): That makes it all the more fun to read it. There's no way I'll give it to you. Why did you bring it to school first of all? You should have left it at home if you didn't want us to read it.
Reshmi (her face burning red with anger): Swathi, if you don't give me my diary now, I will never talk to you again. I'm serious.
Swathi: We're friends right, so you would've shared everything that is written in this diary with us. So, nothing's going to be new for me, so stop making a show.
Rina goes up to them and snatches Reshmi's diary from Swathi's hand and gives it to Swathi.
Swathi (begins to say): What in the whole wide world… but, Reshmi asks her to be silent.
Rina then tells them about the paper that the boys had discovered.
Reshmi (to Rina): What are we waiting for then? Let's go and see the paper for ourselves.
Rina: There's no need for that. See, there they come.
The four of them turn to look at the boys as they enter the ground and wait with eager anticipation and curiosity as to what this new revelation could be and are relieved that they will come to know of it soon. James and Ajay come to the place where they are waiting.
The six of them sit on the benches which are near the ground.
Rina to James and Ajay: Hurry up. Show us the paper.
James takes out the paper from his pocket and they all begin to read. It is written: 'Note that the number is thirty-five. Soman will meet you at Panaji to give instructions about the ferry to reach the spot.'
Ajay: Panaji is the capital of Goa, right?
Rina: Yes. What business do they have in Goa? Still, there is no answer for what the thirty-five refers to. This grows fishier day by day.
Swathi: How do we go to Goa to find out? That point adds to the complication.
Riya: Let's tell those officers what we found out so far and stop things here. Anyway, we can't catch the rogues ourselves. We shouldn't try too; it's too dangerous.
James: What she says is correct, guys.
Everyone agrees to what Riya says and they decide to meet the officers and tell them about what they have found out.
When they go to their house, only Mr. Babu is there.
Ajay: Hello sir. Where is Dr. Yasar?
Mr. Babu: Do you think we live here? We have our own families and our own houses. You know that, don't you?
Ajay: Yes sir, sorry. So, is this your meeting spot, sir?
Mr. Babu: Yes, it belongs to one of our friends and he is abroad. So, he has given us permission to use it as a meeting place.
Rina: Sir, we followed Mini ma'am and we found out a few things.
Mr. Babu: Wonderful! Tell me.
Swathi tells him everything that they found out.
Swathi: From now on, I don't think we can do anything, sir. We can't catch
the rogues ourselves. First of all, we can't go to Goa for this.
Mr. Babu: We have three people in Goa to guide you and be with you, if you decide to go. All of them are top officials like us. Trust us, we won't allow you to get into any trouble or even to face any situation where people might doubt you.
Reshmi: But, how do we go to Goa?
Ajay: Simple. The excursion is coming up.
The other five turn towards him in unison.
What?
Ajay: I overheard the teachers talking. They are planning for class excursions next month. So, Miss. Gayathri will ask us about our place preference.
Riya (her face lighting up): So, we persuade ma'am to take us to Goa for the excursion and we go there.
Rina: We will get to go to an interesting place for the excursion and also do something exciting and useful there. I agree with the plan. What about you, guys?
James: Let's do it.
They all agree to the plan, one by one.
That evening…
The Gang is waiting for the school bus. (The six friends have got the nickname 'The Gang' by their classmates, as they are always huddling up together and talking in private.)
Reshmi (sarcastically): Guys, we have agreed to go to Goa. I have also agreed and I am not blaming anyone, but we all have missed out something important. If you remember what was written in the note, the place we have to go to is not exactly Panaji but it is another place accessible by ferry from Panaji, and for shouting out loud, we don't know what that place is but only know that it is an island.
Ajay: Excellent. We need Mr. Google at this point. How many islands can there be near Panaji? It should be easy to find out. Let's see if Mr. Google can help us a little here. He takes out his tablet and WiFi router, turns on the internet and then types 'islands near Panaji' on the keyboard. Mr. Google responds with the results as quick as lightning and Ajay clicks the first website on the list and quickly writes down his findings in a notebook. He visits some more sites and compiles all his findings into one document. He shows his notebook to James.
James: Did you browse so soon? Cool, bro. Hmm…let's see…'Divar island' and 'Chorao island' near Mandovi river, Panaji and 'Sao Jacinto island', Panaji Vasco Highway, five kilometres from Bogmalo Beach, Panjim (Zuari bridge). Obviously, the third one is ruled out as we can't reach there by ferry but only by taking the highway and then crossing a bridge it seems.
Ajay: Yeah, but still I wrote it down, just in case.
'Hey, children, I'm so sorry I'm late. Hop in', comes a voice from behind them startling them from their serious conversation. They turn around to see a bearded and plumpy man smiling a wide smile at all of them. He is their school bus driver.
Inside the bus, the gang sits together.
James: Do we go to ma'am and say to her, 'Please take us to an island near Panaji, but we are not sure of the name of the place? I don't think so.'
Rina: What we have to do now is to watch Ms. Mini closer than ever and find out the name of the place we have to go to, near Panaji.
Ajay: Meanwhile, I will find out about the places accessible by ferry from Panaji and make a list, and then we'll see if we can guess which place it could be.
Reshmi: It sounds reasonable now.
Swathi: We have to compare what Rina and Reshmi overheard from the conversation between Mini and the escaped prisoner with the note on the paper. There might be some connection. Riya: It's 'second house to
the right and thirty-five is the number'. If we compare it with the note on the paper… 'The number is thirty-five. Soman will meet you at Panaji to give instructions about the ferry to reach the spot'.
It doesn't give us much information. All we know is that the address is in a place near Panaji. We still don't know what the 'thirty-five' refers to.
Ajay: Then, I guess the list I made is the first thing we need now to lead us somewhere. Now, let's see if Mr. Google can help us a little here. He takes out his tablet and WiFi device, connects the device to the internet and then types 'islands near Panaji' on the keyboard. He gets the same results and
nothing new.
The Gang settles into its deep conversation mode again. After Ajay's list crosses all the hands in the gang, the heads of those in the Gang get even closer together. This makes their classmate Viky tease them with his friends. The Gang ignores him.
Rina: Ajay, give me your list.
She takes the list from him.
Rina: Okay, so there are three islands near Panaji in Goa, one is Divar island, the other one is Chorao island and the third one is Sao Jacinto island. There are no ferries from Panaji to Divar island and so it is ruled out. Sao Jacinto island can be accessed only through a bridge and not through a ferry, so it is also ruled out. That brings our search down to Chorao island.
Ajay (banging his fist on his bag with excitement): Yes, so we've got our answer. It's Chorao island. Have you guys ever heard of it?
James: No, I've only heard of Goa and its beaches, but not any particular place within Goa.
Swathi and Reshmi, together: Me too.
Rina: No.
Riya: I've never heard of it.
Ajay: So, what's next?
Rina: We persuade ma'am to take us to Goa of course.
Reshmi: Not Goa, but we persuade her to take us to Chorao. But what is famous in Chorao that we can point it out to ma'am and ask her to take us there? The island seems pretty simple to me. Hey, take out your iPad. Let's Google the island. Ajay takes out his iPad and types 'Famous places in Chorao' in Google.
But, at this moment, his house arrives and he gets down from the bus after assuring the gang that he will find out about the famous places in Chorao at home.
The next day passes as usual at school. The gang decides to meet during the lunch break and discuss what Ajay found out by browsing at home.
During the lunch break…
The gang sits at its usual lunch spot and begins a deep discussion as usual.
Ajay finishes telling the rest of the gang everything he found out by browsing the internet at home the previous day.
In the classroom…
The students wait for their class teacher to arrive. Meanwhile, the gang decides to spread curiosity about the excursion like wildfire and lights a little spark. It then spreads as a huge wildfire and by the time their teacher enters the classroom, the whole class is busy chattering animatedly about the excursion.
On the blackboard are written the words, 'Don't teach any lesson today ma'am, please. Let's plan for the excursion' in big, bold letters, accompanied by a big smiley.
Miss. Gayathri: Kids, be silent. What is going on here? Why are you all so noisy today? I was able to hear your noise from the other end of this corridor.
Viky: Ma'am, don't teach any lesson today, please ma'am, please, please.
Miss. Gayathri: Why? Stop playing around. Take out your textbooks and open page number forty-two. We're going to learn about parallel and perpendicular lines today.
The whole class (in one voice) Please ma'am…
Miss. Gayathri (bewildered): Then, what do you want me to do if you don't want me to teach any lesson?
Aafik (a slim boy with big eyes): Let's plan for the excursion, ma'am.
Miss. Gayathri: The excursion is only next month. Why do you want to discuss about it now itself? No kids, we are not discussing now. We have our Geometry lesson today. You are all doing this to escape from the lesson today. Take out your textbooks and open page number forty-two. Come on. Make it fast.
James: No, ma'am. We want to plan for the excursion as there is only one more month for it. Only if we decide the place now, we can inform our parents. Please ma'am.
Ms. Gayathri looks around frantically at the increasing noise of pleas from her students and finally gives in.
Ms. Gayathri: Okay, there's no need to make this much noise now. All those in the next class will come here soon to check what's wrong with you people. Alright, let's plan for the excursion today and I am not going to teach any lesson now. Are you all happy now?
The whole class erupts with cheers and then after sometime, slowly becomes quiet and waits with rapt attention for what their teacher has to say.
Ms. Gayathri: Let's start. Please come up with place suggestions for the excursion. Do it one by one, after raising your hands.
Giri (a boy wearing spectacles and with a brainy look, who is their class leader): Ma'am, we'll go to Cochin. The beaches are beautiful and we get good fish there.