Page 84 of Born in Sin

Talk to me. Please.

Hours passed but there was still no response. He was about to leave when he saw the screen flashing Majid’s messages light up with a new one. He wasn’t messaging Cara’s burner. He was messaging Kabir.

Virat walked up to the screen and read the message again.

This Saturday, welcome to an experience like no other. As a new member, you will need to be initiated and offer tribute. Await further instructions.

A chill ran down Virat’s spine as his gaze switched between the screen with the messages and the one with Majid, sitting on his couch, on it. As he watched, Majid tossed his phone aside, buried his head in his hands and started crying.

Why was he crying? Why did sending Kabir this message cause him that much distress? Clearly it was some kind of rite of passage and not something he’d done for the first time. So, what was different now? Or was his reconnection with Celinajogging his dead conscience? But hadn’t he set fire to that same conscience all those years ago, on that night?

A foreboding of ominous proportions settled in his gut. There was a storm coming. Again. This time he couldn’t afford to be unprepared.

“Shourya,” he called out and the boy appeared beside him like a genie popping out of his lamp.

“Sir.”

“Trawl all of Majid’s messages and emails for the word ‘tribute’.”

“Yes Sir.”

He disappeared, heading back to the computer.

“Send me everything you find, the minute you find it,” he called out. “I’m heading out now. I have something to do.”

He left from the back entrance, the one that led to the little alley between buildings and was hidden from the main road. It was what they’d all used to enter and leave the building. He didn’t think the DD’s would know of this place, and his team had monitored everyone’s staggered arrival to ensure they weren’t followed but why take a chance. So close to what looked like the final confrontation, the last thing they needed was a slip up that threw it all away.

He'd just gotten into the car when a call from the burner he’d given Kabir came through. “I’m thinking tonight’s a great night for a fancy dinner. Would you be able to join us?”

The worry that had been thrumming in his gut turned into a raging hurricane. “Send me details and then lose the phone,” he said brusquely before disconnecting.

He waited only long enough for the address to come through before throwing his car into gear and peeling out of there.

Whatever had gone down at Cara’s place had obviously not ended well. Not if she felt the need to leave home for the night. He didn’t know what had happened, but he knew that he had to be there.

For once in his miserable life, he needed to be there for her when she needed him. Not before, not after…but right in the moment.

Crestwood

“Hi Daddy.” Celina’s voice trembled as her father finally answered the call.

“Celina?” Her father sounded surprised but not very welcoming. “What’s wrong? Why are you calling?”

Celina leaned against the wall, sliding down into a sitting position on the floor. The long, coiled cord of the phone receiver stretched with her movement.

“I miss you,” she said, twisting the cord around her finger, her confidence faltering at the stiff formality in his tone.

Her father’s voice softened. “What has happened? Did you fight with your mother again?”

Silent tears streamed down Celina’s face, the still sore flesh of her right cheek stinging with it. She hiccupped, rubbing her eyes with her knuckles and feeling like a toddler who was complaining to her father about her mother.

“Will you come for my graduation?” she asked, her voice small as she wiped her cheeks carefully, acutely conscious of the administration staff standing by and eavesdropping on her conversation. She was sure every word would be repeated to her mother.

“Celina.” Her father sighed. “You know I can’t come right now. Things aren’t great between your mother and me.”

“But this is about me. Not her.” The last two words came out with venom she couldn’t mask.

“I can’t Celina.” Irritation lined the words. “You know I can’t.”

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