Venom : Part 4

Over the week Meera and Raina's case had gathered much attention. After visiting the Forensics lab for the recorded prints, the case twisted. Now everyone saw Venom with a sense of suspicion and awe. But this time she puzzled everyone. Once again, Venom's tactics clean as slate. She had left everyone pondering over the deceased physicist's prints on Dr Kumar's body.

'Why would Venom wear his prints?' Meera tried to think as hard as she could.

'Maybe Dr Kumar and Dr Ivan knew each other much more'

'That's a well known fact, Vashisht. But why him only? Have we got any information on any lost possessions?'

'No, we checked everything. She was supposed to go for a conference in New Delhi'

'What was it about?'

'Nothing that we could use. However, I called up her research station and there are things you might be interested to dig in'

***

'Raina!' Meera shouted and hurried herself into the parking lot. 'Raina, wait!' she called her colleague who was moving towards the exit.

'What happened?'. Meera was panting. She caught her breath and spoke

'What do you know about Time-out pills?'. Raina waited for a moment, the term had been familiar. In fact, it really intrigued her too. 'Time-out pills were special pills designed to stop the heartbeat and then start it again. It actually doesn't stop it, it sort of tricks the pulse. Time-out pills soothes the system to such a level that pulse or heartbeat can't be felt. Once the drug wears off, everything functions back to normal again.'

'You're a genius, Raina!' Meera exclaimed.

'What's going on?' she asked, still unaware about the whole situation and abrupt questioning of meds.

'Dr Kumar was working on these pills. As a biologist, she was seeking for such toxic properties in various plants and animals'

'But that isn't possible. This research never got a break-through. There were serious risks in these pills, if the heart rate slowed to a very low level then the person would die instantly. In fact, Health Organisations argued against the existence of such pills'

Meera was perplexed. If the pill wasn't a success, there was no reason for Venom to look out for Dr Kumar. It was the only tenable theory she could think of. 'What happened with Dr Ivan's prints? Anything surfaced?'

'No, we are assuming it was one of Venom's impudent trick to put us off track' Meera scowled.

'But we can't rule out a possiblity' enthused Raina. She had her own vivid theory of Russian-Indian connection. 

'And I've got some more news'

'What?'

'We're being joined by a Russian Interpol officer'

***

In the dark and dense expanse, somewhere in between secluded by all means of livelihood. She travelled her way in the night. Started from a local bus and shifted to an abandoned vehicle. She had to reach home, and meet her father. It had been two years, she had killed seven people on his wish. He gave her the love of both parents. She had always been the apple of his eyes. Though, her childhood was not an easy one, she heard the guns echo much before she played music. Spouts of blood were seen much before the colour of horizon. It was horrid and unnerving. Her juvenile days were spent training as an assassin. Her gift for poisons and ability to sustain emotions came handy.

Finally, she arrived at her destination. Venom inhaled the freshness around her surroundings. Far from chaotic cities, completely isolated. She went closer but someone shot fire at her, luckily it didn't hit her.

'Papa?' she shouted. 

'Intruder alert!' one of them shouted.

From the dark, emerged her father's henchmen. They were equipped with heavy weapons. And certainly in no mood to entertain visitors. Venom took out her gun, she shouldn't have done it because that perpetrated them to fire again. The firing started again, bullets roaring everywhere. Venom's vehicle served her as a shield. Suddenly, a gas bomb popped beside her.

'Stop!' she heard someone yell.

'She's my daughter you fools!Stop!' screamed her father. Before anybody could realise, the gas bomb took  effect immediately, she knew it wouldn't kill. After all, she designed it. However, it made her teary. But before she could realise, she fell on the ground, unconscious. She heard someone rushing towards her.

'Areem! Areem!' he shouted her name. In half dreamy state, she knew she was being picked up by a person.

Her father asked his followers to get the antidote to help minimise the effect.

'Those bastards! Who the hell asked them to fire!' he bellowed to his men. None of them dared to answer. The antidote was injected into Areem's body. 

'Papa?' she whispered

'I am here my child. I am here' Da-ul replied. His fatherly instincts hadn't worn out in the years of war and mafia. Whatever his portrayal as Naseer Da-ul was, his approach to his daughter was very different. 

Areem regained her consciousness, however, she was still in pain. Da-ul had been infuriated. 'Kill them all' he ordered his men.

To be continued...