THE FALL
ONCE again climbing up the hairpins of Madikeri Joe felt like Déjà vu. He was travelling long distance to meet Lisa in a church, again. Like then, this time also he wondered why she chose a church. Joe had never thought that a church would be such an important part of the most crucial moments of his life. But such is life. The most important moments of life often happen unannounced and often in places unanticipated.
Last time Joe made this journey, he was driving his favourite sedan, listening to his favourite mix. Unlike this time, hands tied, sandwiched between two oversized thugs in a poorly maintained SUV and followed by another. Mr. K who was sitting in the front seat was not a man of many words. He did not speak anything other than asking directions.
The kidnappers were not harsh on him but they weren’t exactly nice either. They didn’t give him any food not even water. But Mr. K honoured his agreement with Lisa and left Joe in one piece. He must need the disk so desperately. Joe and Lisa had managed crack the code that protected the contents of the disk but at that time they didn’t know what to make out of the information they had acquired. After hearing Lisa’s parents’ confession, Joe was confident that he would be able to understand it. But fortunately or unfortunately it was not going to happen.
“Turn Right” Joe said once again glancing at the signboard that said St. Thomas church 200 meters to the right.
“I’m not blind. I can see the signboard.”
Mr. K has figured it out. Joe didn’t know if he was supposed to be happy about it or sad.
Joe watched the church standing tall as they entered through the gates. His eyes spotted his dark blue sedan parked in the compound. That was a bit odd considering Lisa always walked from Jolly villa to the church. Didn’t she go to the villa? No wonder if she didn’t, Joe figured. Things have been far from normal. With abnormal times comes abnormal actions.
The SUV came to a standstill, facing the church entrance. Joe found himself caught between the past and the present. It all started here at the church, exactly seven days before. Perhaps these seven days would be the most unforgettable seven days of his life. It had romance, it had mystery, and it had action. In short it was a cocktail of genres.
Mr. K took out a gun and checked if it loaded. “Let’s go”, He said. “I thought this was a truce.” Joe spoke out.
“Well that, my boy, depends on what your lady love has in mind”
“She called this truce. Didn’t she?” Asked Joe after they alighted.
“Don’t take me for a fool, boy. I won’t be fooled by her sweet voice.” He turned to his men and said “check the surroundings”. That is when Joe saw how many men Mr. K had brought with him. There were at least ten men. All of them armed. All but two of them walked away. Walking at gunpoint to the church entrance, he told himself ‘it all began here, it might as well end here.’
Through the large door, he saw her once again at the far end of the church. She wasn’t kneeling this time, rather she was sitting. At the left end of the first bench on the left side.
“We meet, finally”, Lisa spoke out without turning around.
How does she do it? Joe wondered. Before he could say something Mr. K spoke out. “Too afraid to show me your face, girl?”
“It is not me who is afraid. It is you, of me” Lisa stood up and turned around.
“Really?”
Lisa started walking. “You are here as I demanded. Doesn’t that say something?”
Lisa stopped at the end of the aisle. She had the floppy disk on one hand and on the other….. Joe was stunned to see it. She was holding a gun, with finger on the trigger. It must be the one he saw at the villa. Her eyes met with Joe.
Mr. K did not flinch. He pressed the gun against Joe’s face. “You don’t listen to warnings, do you? Now drop the gun and hand over the disk to me.”
“I’m sorry, Lisa”
“No, no, no. I am the one who should apologize. Not you. You are in this situation because of me.”
“Shut up you love birds. I don’t have time for your nonsense. Give me the disk, Lisa.”
“I’ll do you one better. I’ll put a hole in it”. Lisa stretched her hands forward and pressed the gun to the disk.
“No, no”. Mr. K yelled.
“What?” Joe was absolutely baffled. Lisa said she would destroy the disk contained evidence against him and he said no? What is happening?
“This is both the key to your salvation and your damnation. Isn’t it. If it’s with you it’s your salvation. But in the wrong hands it is your damnation.”
From the look on Mr. K’s face Joe could see that Lisa was telling the truth. But how does she know all this? Someone else put his thoughts into words.
“How do you know all this, girl?”
“Now that, is the question. Isn’t it? But before I answer that, I need some answers. Why did you kill my parents? ”
“Why are you stalling?”
“I’m not stalling. I want to know. I have asked you before. Answer me or I blow a hole in this thing.”
“It seems you are out of options.” Joe interjected.
“Shut up boy. You want to hear it, girl? Then hear it. But I warn you. You are going to regret asking this of me.
Your father and mother. They were no saints. They worked for me. One of my oldest and best. One fine day they came to me and tell me they want to quit. They said their daughter will know the truth about them if they continue. They even promised me they would cause me no trouble.
But come on, I couldn’t allow that. They wanted to quit. What if one day they decide they want to come clean? So I had them killed. You know what? You are the reason they are dead. You. You happy now?”
Lisa remained mum. She walked to the nearest bench and sat down. Joe was confused. Lisa was acting like she just heard it all for the first time. But she already knew all of it. She had heard it from her parents.
That is when it dawned upon him that Lisa is doing it for Mr. K. She is playing him. She is indeed stalling him. But for what exactly.
“I did warn you”, and he was falling for it. “Now give me the disk” “Joe first”. Lisa stood up stone faced.
“Okay kid, walk to your girlfriend.” He commanded Joe. “Go on” Joe walked with quick strides.
“Forgive me”. Lisa said as and when Joe approached her. Joe felt her palm on his cheeks. She shifted her gaze to the disk in her hand and tossed it to Mr. K who caught it effortlessly. Then she began untying Joe.
Mr. K put the disk in his jacket pocket. “Thank you Lisa. When I came here, I was actually thinking of a truce but you dug your graves when you asked me for the confession. Nice meeting you. But I’m afraid it’s time to bid adieu.”
Three guns pointed at Joe and Lisa by the time he was finished. Joe swiftly snatched the gun from Lisa and aimed at Mr. K.
“Don’t be a schmuck, Joe. You know this place is surrounded by my men. We both outnumber you and outgun you.”
“Do you know what happens to people remain unchallenged at the top for long. They become overconfident and sloppy. So have you.”
“Drop your weapons. Hands in the air. You have been surrounded.” Police officers marched in through doors of the church. In seconds the place was swarming with cops.
“You were right. I was stalling you. For them. Now you will rot in prison, answering for your crimes including killing my parents.”
Mr. K took out the disk and broke it into two halves. “You don’t have any evidence that I killed your parents and I just destroyed what you had against me and it was impossible to copy it.”
Lisa stood there unflinchingly.
“Oh, don’t bother yourself with that it was just a decoy. And this whole place is bugged.” The officer who seemed to be in charge announced.
“I will make you suffer for this.” Mr. K and his men dropped their weapons. The officers stepped forth and cuffed them.
“You continue to surprise me” Joe whispered in her ears as they started walking outside.
“You must be mad at me. Will you ever forgive me?” “Mad? Yeah. But shouldn’t I be the one who should be apologizing. I mean, I messed up your plans.”
“You didn’t mess up anything. You actually became the cornerstone. ”
“Really?”
“Yeah”
“How so?”
Before Lisa could answer to that she was interrupted by the sound of a gunfire. The next thing she sees is Joe lying on the floor with blood coming out of him.