Map of Patna

It was almost 10.30. Raunak was waiting for Drishti but she didn't show up. He was getting irritated. As he remembered, she left the house almost an hour before him. If she would have walked all the way, she would have reached an hour ago. He thought to call her but he remembered he didn't have her number. He just heard her name from Dadu. It's Drishti.

He thought sometimes and called Dadu. She informed him she didn't even return home. Raunak got her number from Dadu and asked his assistant to trace it.

After half an hour he informed the location was almost 120 kilometres away from the office. Raunak frowned and thought to have a look.

" Sir we have a meeting now." The assistant informed.

" With whom?" He asked

" Deep Roy, the owner of Roy group of companies. "

Raunak hummed. It was an important meeting for him. This deal can help his company to be the toppest company in the country. He chose to leave the thought about Drishti and went to meeting.

In the meeting room:

Deep Roy was bargaining too much about the deal. He was okay with it last time but now he wanted to redo the plan of the project. Raunak was having too much pressure on his head. He was about to convince him but suddenly the door of the meeting room was open with a bang. Raunak's assistant Mayank hurriedly entered. Raunak gave him a death glare. He said hurriedly, " Sir, someone broke into the secret room and messed with the maps." He was breathing heavily.

Raunak eyes went big, " What???! Find if any map is missing. " He ordered.

Deep was having a hard time to control his laughter. He suddenly said, " Seems like it's an emergency. No problem we will meet again after someday an talk about it."

Raunal nodded and shook theirs hands. Deep left. Raunak went to the secret room. Raunak's father was fond of maps and he had a huge collection of it. Raunak kept them to the office to keep it safe. He didn't thought anyone would ever try to mess with it.

" Sir only one map is missing. It is a map of patna."

" On which time?"

" Sor it's hard to tell. There are a lot of maps and all the information are not sufficient. So..."

" Useless, check the CCTV footage. "

________________________________________

Raunak returned home around 8 at night as there was a disaster in his office. He tried to trace the information of the map but all he could get it was a map of Patna. He never needed this but he was having a hard time as it was of his father. He sat on the sofa with a tired face and closed his eyes.

" Tired? Have some mint lemonade and go freshen up." It was Drishti's voice. It was so cheerful. Raunak snapped his eyes wide open.

" You? Weren't you so far from the city?" He asked.

" Far from the city???" She asked in. confusion, " Ohh, yeah. I just came back." She composed herself and gave him a sweet smile.

Raunak had a warm bath and relaxed himself. He went to the dining room to have supper.

" Why are you looking so tired? What happened?" Dadu asked softly.

" A map is missing from dad's collection. It was a map of Patna,"

" Who would do this? Who would need the map in these times?"

" I don't know but I couldn't find anything from CCTV footage. Someone hacked it."

" Map of Patna? Is there any development issues now a days?" Dadu asked.

Drishti laughed out loud and said, " No development issues and it is not a map of Patna. It is the map of Pataliputra, ancient Patna. It was about that time when it was the capital of Magadh.Maurya empire was ruling then."

Raunak and Dadu was looking at her with confusion. Raunak's mouth was wide open.

" Do you want to know how I knew about that? Well, I am the one who stole it." She gave a smirk.

" What!!! Weren't you far from the city?" Raunak asked.

" No way. I knew you would trace my number if you couldn't find me in the office. So I just asked a hacker to do this job. The same was with the CCTV " She winked.

" Why did you do that?" Dadu asked softly.

" Actually I promised him to go to the office. So I fulfilled it."

" You were said to join office." Raunak said irritatingly.

" But I never agreed. By the way take this map. I don't need it now."

She handed an envelope to him. Raunak was loss of words. He was angry but he didn't knew why, because she made him tensed about herself or because she took the map. He became confused about his feelings.

Drishti finished her meal and went to the room. She dialed a number,

" Thank you ,you saved me today."

" How can I let the shareholder of my company to be in trouble? By the way presentation was good but I still bargained. I think next time I will sign it."

" What to do with me? I never wanted those shares and moreover I never helped you in business. "

" Huh! Seems like I wanted to give you shares. It was dad's wish." It was a playful tone. He then become serious and said, " But as a benifichor you deserved it. If it was not for you, the company would have died eight years ago. leave it. Tell me what to do about the map?"

" I made a copy of it. I will go to Patna soon, I think."

" Best of luck, gold digger. Dig it with your life."

" What a nickname! I don't dig gold at all."

" But it sounds cute. Oh did you check your email? You got nomination for the best writer this year?"

"What????! Shit!!! That's why Rajiv bro was calling me that much. Let me call him."

" Writer got the publisher and forgot me. Okkay bye."

She was about to call Rajiv but found a text, " Hey!!! Gold digger. Today I helped you with hacking a lot. Now give me a menu what are you going to feed me for those. If I didn't like the menu, I would leak it to the CEO, take care.".

She smiled and muttered, " Foodie. "

Please, do comment and let me know what do you think about the map. Why do you think she needed it? And what do you think about Raunak's confusion of feelings?