Chapter 4 - Tug of War
"Up! Up! Hands up! Paapa, hands up! Ha ha!
Bangaru Kodipetta vachhenandi...
Hey Paapaa, hey Paapaa... hey Paapaa..."
The blaring ringtone jolted Akshay from his sleep. His phone buzzed incessantly on the side table, but instead of answering, he drummed his fingers on the pillow in rhythm with the song. He let the call ring out, only stirring when silence returned. As he sat up, the familiar strains of the *Suprabhatam* floated in from the living room. It had to be around 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. he thought in his mind.
Groaning, Akshay rubbed his eyes and muttered, "Who even calls this early?"
Picking up his phone, he saw a missed call from Jared Hobbs, his colleague at the security services firm. Reluctantly, he hit redial.
"Yo, man," Akshay said, voice groggy. "Do you have any idea what time it is? If this isn't urgent, I'm coming for you."
Jared's laugh crackled through the phone. "You ungrateful brat! You begged me to call you early, remember? Something about alarms not working? And just for the record, even if you miraculously showed up on time for once there is no way in hell, he'll be taking you seriously and hand you the job you want as long as you keep running that mouth of yours. And I'll be there to say, 'I said so' to your face buddy"
Akshay yawned, leaning back against the bed. "Oh, right... Thanks for the reminder. Hehee.. your man got a secret weapon and you'll see this time I'm getting it for sure and 'boom' you'll get burned "
Jared's mocking laughter continued as Akshay hung up. He stepped into the hallway and shouted toward the kitchen, "Ma! Tea!"
The crash of silver vessels greeted him, he smirked. Satisfied that he'd caused some chaos, he headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day.
---
By the time Akshay sat down at the dining table, a steaming cup of tea and a plate of idlis awaited him. His parents were already seated, exchanging wary glances. They looked at the clock—6:40 a.m.—and then back at their son.
"Stop staring and eat," Akshay said, grinning. "If you don't hurry, you'll be later than your famously tardy son. And then I'd be the one to give you a lecture."
His father raised an eyebrow. "Don't forget, your car's still at the mechanics thanks to your last stunt. I'm your only ride, so let's not get cocky."
Akshay winked at his mother, who immediately sided with him. "Oh, don't act like you've never wrecked a car before," she said, nudging her husband. "At least he remembers important dates and actually shows up to planned events."
His father froze, realization dawning. "Wait… what did I forget?"
Akshay stifled a laugh as his mother began a lengthy lecture about her forgotten birthday. Slipping away, he grabbed the car keys and headed outside.
---
Fifteen minutes later, his father climbed into the passenger seat, looking thoroughly chastised. "Why didn't you remind me about her birthday?" he grumbled. "If you had, she wouldn't be this mad. And when did you even have time to take her out and buy that necklace? I thought I assigned you to a job yesterday."
Akshay started the car, his smirk widening. "I tried telling you yesterday, but you threw me into a babysitting gig the moment I step in to your place. Remember... And believe me, that job was walk in the park. Unlike you, Dad, I make time for the people who matter."
His father scoffed. "That 'babysitting gig' involved escorting Clara, an A-list celebrity, to an award ceremony. Do you know how many people would kill for that assignment? And you went during the job, it's shows how irresponsible you are"
Akshay's grip on the steering wheel tightened and said "then you should have handed it to them and besides, I know what I'm doing, Dad. I spoke to Clara beforehand and arranged Jared in my stead, and the dinner spot was near the venue. I handled it responsibly, even if it wasn't the most thrilling job."
---
As they pulled into the office parking lot, Akshay turned to his father. "How much longer are you going to hold that one failed mission over my head? And talk about responsibility... It's been a year, Dad. Enough with these low-priority assignments."
His father's face darkened. "One failed mission! You nearly died! Akshay!.. It took you eight months to recover, and you needed two organ transplants and the main reason it got that worse is because you butted in other's business like a reckless fool. How can I send you on high-risk assignments again knowing what happened last time?"
Akshay followed his father into his cabin, refusing to back down. "Getting hurt is part of the job. You've always said that and I told you the reason I behaved that way, they were dying Dad and they killed innocent... what do you expect me to do? Watch them dye... I can't do that and I've no regrets failing that mission, abd you agreed with me; besides I've caused no property damage and no one in our team got badly hurt other than my own car and body, so stop using the past as an excuse to keep me side lined—"
His father interrupted, his voice firm. "This isn't about excuses and agreeing your noble reasons to hit the client. The Bacchlien Woods aren't a typical mission. You've read the reports, Akshay. Dozens of people have entered, and not one returned back… Not one! It's not just dangerous—it's a death sentence."
Akshay clenched his jaw. "I know the risks, Dad. But Blaint asked for me. He's sick, and you know how important this is to him. He trusts me."
His father's expression softened, a flicker of pain crossing his face. "I wouldn't even be considering this if Blaint hadn't called me personally. He begged me and said it might be his last chance to explore the woods with you and that's why I accepted the mission. But that doesn't mean I'm okay with you going there."
Akshay placed a hand on his father's shoulder. "Dad, I've wanted to explore those woods for years. You've always said no, and I get why. But this isn't just for me. Blaint needs me there. You know how much this means to him and you know I'm the best in here, If I can't no one else can in our company, so Please put your feelings aside and think rationally... let me do it.. please send my team"
His father sighed heavily as he sat down on his seat and rubbed his temple and said "You've been pestering me about those woods for ages. I thought… I thought that I could keep you safe by saying no. But Blaint… I can't say no to him right now. If this expedition gives him even a shred of hope to live, then I'll allow it. But only because of him."
Akshay smiled faintly. "Thank you, Dad. I won't let you down."
His father's stern demeanour returned. "You better not. And remember, if anything happens to you out there, I'll never forgive myself—or you."
Akshay laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Don't worry. I've got this."
"Wait!, The mission is today and starts at 8 am, is that why you got up early, you brat!, I thought you got some sense finally.. get outta my face before I beat you to pulp myself"
He Laughingly stood and ran to his van, He called his buddy Jared in his phone and said, "make way for me buddy, I'll be joining with you all for the trip" and hung up before he the other could reply.
The Bacchlien Woods had called to him for years, and now, finally, he had the chance to answer. He mumbled to himself as he started the van to join with others with determination gleaming in his eyes., "In the game of Tug of war, it will be my win"