Ch 16: Absko provides a clue

 Written by Kavya and Concept by Sidhant First go to previous blogs if you have not already....

The detectives agreed to meet the following morning to continue their investigation. But as they returned to their room—a lavish Royal Suite generously provided by the Maharani—the weight of the case began to take its toll. The early morning flight had offered little rest, and they had barely any sleep. But the case had reached an impasse. The WhatsApp incident had taught them one thing: they needed rest, some clarity, and, above all, a fresh perspective.

Just as Cloe was drifting off to sleep, she was startled by a video call from Absko in Kenya. She answered, already sensing the urgency in his manner.

Without the usual pleasantries, Absko began reading aloud. "Privacy is a hoax. Here’s the headline for two days from now. Leak it." Cloe interrupted, perplexed. "Absko, some context, please."

Absko, speaking quickly, explained he had just received a letter, and now he read aloud: "Many became severely ill at a celebrity wedding at the palace. Is the air in Jodhpur infectious?" Cloe was taken aback. The timing couldn’t have been more suspicious. "This cannot be a coincidence," she muttered to herself. "I need to go now. Thank you, Absko—you may have just saved many lives."

Rushing to Shree’s room, Cloe relayed Absko’s message. The two detectives tried to contact Agent Anirud, but he was unreachable, and the Maharani was at the ceremony for the Maharaja’s last rites. Time was slipping away.

They had to act quickly, and once again, they resorted to a plan, however foolish it might seem. But this time, Shree was determined to be more cautious. Cloe, seeing no other option, agreed.

Shree’s plan was simple: “USB drives are popular for their ease of use. However, simply attaching one to a computer can infect it. I’ve reprogrammed the firmware on this drive. I reverse-engineered the firmware and inserted my own code. All we need to do is connect it to the receptionist’s computer. Once they do, we’ll have access to the system files.”

The plan was executed flawlessly. Cloe took the pen drive to the reception, requesting a printout. As expected, the receptionist connected the drive to the computer, unaware of the ruse. Meanwhile, Shree had gained access to the system files, and through them, the detectives learned of a wedding scheduled at the palace the following night. The bride was none other than the famous Bollywood actress, Savi Bajaj, who had arranged to keep the event private.

But why this wedding? What was the connection to the looming catastrophe? The questions remained, and the detectives needed more answers.