Arith : The Undiscovered Planet
CHAPTER 6

In a dark hallway, two figures stood ; one furious and theother pleading and trembling.

“That was so careless of you! It was supposed to be a swiftclean job, without suspicions”.

“I didn’t mean it to happen like that boss, I am very sorry”the voice said trembling.

“What? You made the first mistake of not administering theright dose of the sleeping drugs. That was why he wasn’t deeply asleep”! Theboss reprimanded.

“I promise to be careful, I promise… I promise” the shakyvoice said.

“Well , Let’s see how you will carry out this lastassignment”.

The shaky voice nodded with their head bowed.

*********

Two weeks after the incident, Eric and his aunt went out fordinner. He had lots of things to say to her. The past two weeks were the mosttrying period if his life. For the first time in his life, he felt death. Whywould someone want him dead so desperately? Why would this someone be his best friend ? What were they hiding ? If theywere hoping to silence him, they had no idea that they just made him determinedinto action. He would never stop till he got to the bottom of this.

Derek his dad had ordered Eric to move in with him . He feltEric would be more secure in his house.

Eric had told his dadabout Zach, the food and how weak he felt after eating it.

“He drugged you son, I’m very sure of it” his dad had said.“He should be arrested”.

Derek was about making some phone calls to his friend whowas a cop. But Eric had stopped his dad and said :

“Well, we’re not really sure dad. Could be I was just weak,because I had been feeling weak for the past weeks . I will just have to watchhim to be really sure”. Eric said, trying to reassure his dad , but he wassuspicious of Zach.

“In that case, I will hire a private detective to watchhim”. His dad had concluded.

Presently, he was having dinner with his aunt .

“I’m so glad you’re okay dear. I remembered when your dadcalled . I was so dismayed . So how is your head now love”?

“I am all right now aunt" Eric said . Although, he was okay,he still had some tingles in his head. Well, he wasn’t planning on sharing thatwith his aunt.

“What really baffles me is why Zach would do something likethat. You’re practically brothers. Everyone love you two together”. She saidunhappily.

“I feel so betrayed aunty”.

“Now you know what? Remember the phrase that goes: bringyour enemies closer. Do you”?

Eric nodded and she continued:

“Sure that’s the exact thing you will be doing . Do not makehim know you’re suspicious of him. Get closer to him. Pretend you know nothingabout what happened“.

“That’s what I’m doing already” . He told his aunt how hehad gone for class the first day after the ‘incident'. He recalled Zach’s shock.

“I’m sure he was shocked that I was still alive but then hesurprised more when he asked what happened to my head. Well I being a master,told him that I had hit my head when I fell. Aunty, could you believe that he had the graceto look sympathetic and innocent? I wasreally amused. Well two can definitely play the game” he told his aunt.

Aunt Tessy was very proud of him

“That’s right son. Your enemies shouldn’t know how close you are in getting to them and… oh …that reminds me , our space exploration will take place in two weeks”.

“Ooh great aunt, this is unbelievable. What did you say tomake them accept”?

“Trust me dear, I told them that I would going for going forconstruction work on the ISS with my best student and pilot. Some parts of theISS need amendment and no astronaut is as good as you. Hence they were veryglad”.

Eric smiled. It was awkward to listen to these complimentsfrom his aunt.

“Thank you so much for your help” he said.

“The C. S. R didn’t go for their exploit again . Rather, itwas postponed to … who knows when. Information reaching us is that they havediscovered something extraordinary in space . Well no one knows what it is . So they had tobe much more prepared. We are sure toreplace out when both of us get there.

Eric wasn’t interested in exploits, he was just bent on'siredanium’, the element which held many secrets. With these thoughts on hismind, he just nodded to whatever his aunt said.