Rina and a Secret Game - Rina's Childhood Mysteries – Part: 3
Rina's Childhood Mysteries - Children's Adventure Thriller Novel Series
Chapter: 1
The kids in the Gang (Rina, Ajay, Reshmi, Swathi, James and Seema, are good friends and are fifth standard students of Bharat Public school in the city of Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. They are lovingly and teasingly called as 'the Gang' by their classmates (this is because they are always seen sticking together and talking in private). Sitting on a bench in their school garden, they are discussing among themselves about the man they had seen in Goa during their last excursion. He looked like a criminal and seemed to be performing an illegal act. But, this time, how can they find out who he is and what he is up to? They cannot certainly persuade their teacher to take them to Goa for the excursion every year! Excursions don't work like that. Each year, the teachers and students select different places to visit.
Swathi: There is no point even discussing this. Those officers did not tell us that we would be helping them every year. They just needed help with one of their missions and we helped them, and it is over. Swathi is a cute girl with large eyes and she is a responsible, mature, intelligent, caring, simple, and proactive girl.
Seema: She's right. Why should we keep talking about it? Seema is a beautiful girl with expressive eyes, who is quiet, mature, soft, intelligent, and a deep-thinker.
Ajay: It’s nothing. I'm just curious about that man, that's all. Ajay is a smart boy with a pleasant face and he is responsible and acts like an elder brother to his friends though they are all of the same age group. He is smart, mature, intelligent, and enthusiastic.
Reshmi: You seem to be more than just curious, Ajay. Better drop the matter or you will voluntarily go in search of adventures next. We are not detectives but just normal school kids. Remember that. Reshmi is fun-loving, humourous, smart, mischievous, and affectionate.
Ajay: Last year also, we were just normal school children, but I don't have to remind you of everything that happened.
Reshmi: Enough. I'm going to class. You guys listen to his wild imaginations.
Ajay: Hey, Reshmi, wait. Hey, look, there is an adventure for us so soon. Oh my goodness! There is a spaceship outside our school gate. Turn and look, Reshmi. An alien is getting down from it, and hey, she looks just like you, Reshmi, with two ponytails.
Reshmi turns around and bursts into laughter. The other kids begin laughing too.
It is their first period on the first day of their fifth standard academic year.
Ajay: I wonder who our subject teachers will be this year. I really hope they assign good teachers for us.
James: Who cares? I'm thinking about the Basketball team selection. Do you have any idea when it would be? James is tall and smart-looking and he is a quick-witted, mischievous, fun-loving, caring, humourous, and curious boy, quick to take action.
Rina (rolling her eyes): Ajay, it is only our first day in this class. Our seniors have not left a trace for us about the activities we would do this year. See, there are no charts or materials left in the classroom for us to refer to. How unhelpful! We would have to do everything ourselves from scratch. Rina is a pretty and smart girl with beautiful, medium-length wavy hair and she is a sensible, quick-witted and caring girl, more mature than most kids of her age.
Their classroom this year is on the first floor, near the staff room.
Their Science teacher for this year, Ms. Rinanka arrives. She has already taught the kids Science in their second grade and they have grown to love her ever since. She is humorous and tells them a lot of stories and facts related to Science, which they eagerly look forward to.
As usual, since it is their first day at school, they persuade all their teachers to not teach lessons and chat with all of them and have fun. From the second day, routine school life begins for them and they get quite busy learning more advanced topics than the previous year, and their assignments and projects have also increased this year.
On their way to their classroom one day, the Gang overhears their Principal getting angry about money matters (for the second time, as this has already happened before).
Principal (to someone on the phone): I don’t know what you will do. I need the funds within one week.
The kids get shocked once again as she is not a money-minded person.
Chapter: 2
During the middle of July, the much-awaited Basketball team selection takes place.
From the Gang, Rina, James and Reshmi get selected in the team.
James: Yes, my long-term dream has come true. Basketball is my life.
Rina: Yeah, James, I’m also so happy. Basketball is my passion too.
Reshmi: Yippee! We made it. We have to celebrate today.
They are about to have their first match with a school that is one of the competitors of their school in the city.
The school management is relying on the team to bring glory to their school, as these two schools are the ones competing to be the best school in their city.
Their practice sessions are to be held every alternate Saturday.
During their first day of Basketball practice...
Their PET teacher who is supposed to arrive at 9am has not yet arrived, even though it is 11am and the kids begin to wonder about what happened to their teacher. He arrives half an hour late but has bruises on his arms and legs, and he says that he has had a minor accident. He is Mr. Sundar and he is a tall, bespectacled man with a well-built body (apt for a PET teacher) and thick, curly hair. He is usually a jolly and happy-go-lucky person, but, today, he is in a serious mood.
When the kids ask him how it happened, he says he fell from his bike but there is no vehicle around, so they become puzzled. At this time, a group of men come to their practice spot and they look like rogues. They call their PET teacher aside and talk something to him in secret and then leave.
When their teacher returns, his face looks apprehensive and anxious. The kids get shocked and wonder what the men could've told their teacher that made him so nervous. He is disturbed during the entire practice session and sends them home earlier than the planned ending time as per the schedule. At the end of their practice, everyone notices that he looks even more disturbed and distracted.
After practice…
Reshmi, Rina and James rush to meet their friends at one of their favourite parks (they have already called them up and asked them to meet them there) and tell them everything that happened. After they narrate what happened...
Ajay and Swathi (at the same time): What on earth...
Swathi (continues): What on earth was that about? I think Ajay had a point the other day about adventures following us.
Seema: I don't think so. The whole team witnessed what happened, not just us. Any of them could be involved in this adventure, if at all this turns out to be an adventure. Sundar sir might have had just an ordinary conversation with those men and he might have been anxious about something else totally, something personal, maybe.
Reshmi: She has a point.
James: Yeah, she's right.
Swathi: Why do you guys keep thinking about adventures too much? If something is bound to happen, it will happen, how much ever we try to stop it. Okay, let's say something leads to an adventure like last time. So what?
We would be able to help people, if something like that happens. I still remember the grateful smiles of the kids after we saved them from their hard labour and troubles. Anything is worth seeing those smiles.
Seema: What you said is correct, but do you remember the risk we were put into?
Rina: True, but that was because of our carelessness. We planned everything very well, but we were put into risk since we were not careful with the camera.
Ajay: That was our mistake, not being careful with the camera, but how can we say we will never make mistakes again? We must think realistically.
James: She's right, actually.
Rina: Do you guys remember what Nikhil told Ms. Neema last year about his father and his business partners planning to convert our school building into a shopping complex? I heard that some businessmen are planning to turn certain school buildings into complexes. So, could what he said be true?
Ajay: It could be true. We never know what people do for business.
At this moment, Nikhil walks to them and says, "I heard my name. What's up?"
Swathi: Nikhil, last year, you told Neema ma'am about your father and his business partners planning to convert our school building into a shopping complex, right? Is it true?
Nikhil: Yeah, it is true and a few days back also, they were talking about it.
Reshmi: But you are studying in this school, right? How does your dad support this plan?
Nikhil: No, my dad is not for it. He tried to make his business partners change their plan but they didn't.
Rina: If he doesn't support their plan, will they continue with the plan?
Nikhil: They will continue, I think. It didn't seem like they valued dad's decision in this. It seemed as if they had already made up their minds about this.
Swathi: Did your dad tell you anything about this?
Nikhil: Yes. One day, he spoke to me sadly about this matter. He said many schools are at stake and some of them are schools offering education for fees that middle-class and poor people can afford. So, the education of many children and the jobs of many teachers are at risk. He also told me his business partners have also planned other illegal activities in the city, but he didn't tell me what those activities are.
After Nikhil leaves...
Ajay: What illegal activities could they be planning to do?
Reshmi: I have no idea, but it sounded scary.
Swathi: Yeah, it sounded really scary. I don't know what those people are up to.
Chapter: 3
Solomon: Why didn't you do your homework, Swetha? Ma'am is going to impose a fine on you.
Swetha: Who said? The teachers don't give fines to students for not doing homework anymore.
Solomon: Really? It's surprising.
Swathi passes by them and hears their conversation.
Swathi: What is surprising, Solomon?
Solomon: Swetha is saying the teachers don't give fines to students for failing to do homework anymore. Earlier, they used to be very strict in this matter, right?
Swathi: Yeah, they used to be very strict in this matter earlier. How are they not imposing fines now?
In the next few days...
Many instances of inappropriate behaviour of students going unfined take place. There are many complaints from parents about the school beginning to lose its standard.
Principal: The businessmen are playing a secret game to acquire this school building. Can you find out what secret game they are playing?
Reshmi: Why have you chosen us to find this out, ma'am?
Principal: Well, I know what all of you were up to in the excursion last year.
The kids get shocked at their Principal's words.
Rina: Who told you, ma'am?
I was the one who asked those officers to contact the six of you and vouched for your smartness and intelligence.
The kids exchange shocked looks.
Ajay: Is it true, ma'am?
Principal: Yes.
Swathi: Why didn't you tell us you were a part of it, ma'am? If we had known, we would have been bolder.
Principal: I didn't tell you as I wanted to distract the criminals and make them think I was doing the investigation alone. That is why no one suspected you and you were free to do whatever you had to.
Also, last time, there was a black sheep in our school who passed information to those colleagues. We caught her red-handed and sent her out of our school.
Reshmi: Who is it, ma'am?
Principal: I'm sorry. I'm not able to tell you now, but I will surely tell you when the right time comes. So, as I was saying, Nikhil's dad and his fellow businessmen friends are playing a secret game to trap our school's owner and myself to make the owner sell this school building but both of us are not able to figure out what game they are trying to play.
After they leave the Principal’s office…
James: Guys, if we find out who the sacked teacher is, we will be closer to solving this mystery and finding out what the secret game of the businessmen is.
Swathi: James, as Reshmi often tells us, there is no mystery that has demanded our attention till now. We are the ones who are actually searching for mysteries and adventures.
James (grinning mischievously): Maybe you're right. Do you think we are getting addicted to adventures that we are not able to live without them?
Ajay: You're right, bro. I think we are.
James: Now, back to the topic we were discussing, it's not that easy to find out which teacher was fired by our Principal.
All his friends together: Why not?
James: Our Principal, as we all know, is a kind-hearted person, so, when she fires a teacher from the job, she would never certify that the person was fired, but would give the teacher a normal experience certificate.
Reshmi: Okay, but there may not be many teachers who left the job in the last one year, right?
Her friends agree to her point.
One day, in the Science period...
The kids’ Science teacher for the year, Ms. Anita, walks into the classroom.
She is wearing a pink salwar and has tied her hair into a ponytail.
Ms. Anita: Okay, kids, have you completed your models?
All together: Yes, ma'am.
Viky: Ma'am, I finished my model by the rat in our house ate it, as I made it out of chocolate.
Everyone makes sounds of 'oohs' and 'aahs' and many smack their lips at the mention of the word ‘chocolate’.
Ms. Anita: Be quiet, kids. Viky, are you telling me the truth? How can I believe you?
Viky: Yes, ma'am, I made a chocolate factory out of chocolate. All the people and machines in the factory were also made out of chocolate. When I woke up today, all the machines and people were gone and the factory itself was gone. It must be the rat which was roaming around in our house for the past few days.
Ms. Anita gives a shocked expression.
Ms. Anita: How can I believe you?
Susan (a tall girl with long hair): Ma'am, don't believe him. You are new to our class, so you don't know about him. He always plays pranks with everyone.
Viky: No, ma'am. I am telling you the truth. The rat's name is also Susan. You can ask it if you want.
Everyone bursts out laughing, including Ms. Anita.
Susan (glowering at Viky): This is too much. Ma'am, give me permission to throw this pen on him, please.
Ms. Anita (laughing): Okay, okay, cool down. He is just playing with you. Sit. Okay, kids, enough of fun. Now, let us display the models. First of all, Viky, let me see your chocolate model. I doubt if you really made one.
Viky: Ma'am, actually, what I told you was not entirely a prank. I did make a chocolate factory but it is made out of thermocol and not chocolate. This is my model, ma'am. How is it?
Viky had created a chocolate factory using thermocol and had placed dolls of people and machines in the factory.
Ms. Anita: Good job, Viky. It looks great!
Let's now continue from the first row. Everyone, keep your models on the table for me to see.
Ms. Anita (walking across the classroom, checking each row): Good, Prem. The model looks real. Fantastic job, Rina, you have portrayed the sugar making process very well in your model. Great work, Ajay, you have chosen a unique subject and have created a wonderful model of it.
Ms. Anita (after checking everyone's models): Wonderful work, everyone. All of your models are excellent and you have put in a lot of hard work into them.
Rina had created a sugar factory from thermocol and she had included the entire sugar making process in the model, using different food ingredients for the raw materials. Reshmi had created a model depicting the process of photosynthesis and Swathi had made a model of the different kinds of forests.
James had created a model of the solar system and Ajay had illustrated about water and how to save it in his model. Seema had employed the topic of eclipse in her model, showcasing the solar and lunar eclipse. The six friends show each other their models excitedly and appreciate each other.
Ms. Anita: Vishal, collect all the models and keep them in the staff room common table and I will rate them. The models will be rated out of 25 marks and the marks will be added to your Half Yearly exams marks.
Rina and team and Viky and team, are you ready for the South India-level interschool competition which is coming up in two weeks?
Both the teams together: Yes, ma'am.
Rina: We are almost ready, ma'am.
Viky: We are also ninety-five percent ready ma'am.
Ms. Anita: That's great to hear. All the best!
Both the teams together: Thank you, ma'am.
Chapter: 4
After two weeks…
The competition day arrives. The competition is to be held in a city called Bangalore which is in the state of Karnataka in India.
The kids travel by a special mini bus arranged by their school for the trip. Viky's team consists of Monit, Sonu (a short and thin boy), Rohan (a tall boy with thick hair) and Riya (a beautiful girl with brown eyes) and Rina's team consists of everyone in her gang of friends, except Swathi, who didn't join because of the nearing Half Yearly exams (she is quite studious and takes her studies very seriously, probably more seriously than needed, but her friends appreciate her for it and find her inspiring). Rina is wearing a pink baba suit, Reshmi is wearing a maroon frock and Seema is wearing a green salwar. Ajay's outfit is a blue t-shirt with black jeans and James is wearing a brown t-shirt with blue jeans. They are wearing their school badges, for identity purpose.
As the bus nears Bangalore…
Viky: Whoa! Look at the huge buildings. Wow, Bangalore is much more developed now than when I came here two years back.
James: Yes, Viky. Hey, look at that mall. It's so huge and I think it is new. I also came here two years back only and it wasn't there at that time.
Reshmi: Wow, if we get time, we must surely do some shopping there.
All the girls make sounds of 'ooh' and 'yay' on hearing the word 'shopping'.
Ajay (rolling his eyes) to the boys: Girls will never change, do you know?
Rina: Hey, shut up. Girls are born to enjoy life.
Swathi: And you boys are jealous of us because of it.
Mano: Oh man. See what she's saying. It is girls who are jealous of boys since we get to enjoy more freedom than them.
Seema: Hello, hello. That’s not true.
James: Okay, let's not start a 'girls versus boys' fight now. In a few hours, it is going to be Bharat Public school versus the other schools in South India. We will show them that we are the best.
The rest of the kids (cheering): Yes!
Mr. Hari (a Social Science teacher who is accompanying them on the trip): Yes kids, you must win the overall winner's trophy and gain pride for our school. I believe in all of you. You performed very well during the final rehearsal, so just go with confidence and rock the stage.
All the children together: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hari: Kids, listen up. There are still four hours left for the competition to begin. What do you say about us visiting a lovely tourist spot before going to the event? It will also keep all of you refreshed.
The kids express their excitement and happiness, agreeing to the plan.
Nithin: Where are we going, sir?
Mr. Hari: We are going to the Bannerghatta Biological Park. There are many temples there and we can also see cattle and sheep farms. We can also go on a bus tour and see the diverse forms of wildlife there.
They go to the Bannerghatta Biological Park and also enjoy seeing the cattle and sheep farms. Then, they go on a bus tour and have a marvellous time seeing a lot of wildlife like a gaur, two sloth bears, a flamingo, a barking deer, three pangolins, two kraits and some more. After having fun there, they go to the competition venue half an hour before the event to select their slots.
They participate in events like Just a Minute, Mock Ad, Fashion Parade and Mime and some others.
When the kids are getting ready for the Mock Ad event,
Reshmi returns from her Story Writing event to join the Mock Ad event which is the next one, due to begin in half an hour.
Reshmi (softly to her friends, so that Viky and his team cannot hear): Guys, I need to talk to you about something urgently. I need five minutes. Let's go to a place where no one can hear us. We will go to one of the empty classrooms allotted for practice and tell people we want to practise there without disturbance.
The kids inform Viky's team and go to an empty classroom.
Inside the classroom…
James: We have only twenty minutes for Mock Ad, Reshmi. Let's do a quick rehearsal now and then talk after the event.
Reshmi: No, I just need five minutes and then we can rehearse for 15 minutes. Please, this is important.
Her friends (bewildered): What happened?
Reshmi: One of the judges of the Story Writing competition was Mr. Rajesh, a friend of our PET sir. After the event, he called me and enquired about PET sir and told me he is his friend and an alumnus of our school. I just casually told him about my anxiety about our school building being threatened to be sold and he told me what exactly is going on behind the scenes relating to the threat.
Her friends (shocked): What?
Rina: Really? What did he tell you?
Reshmi: Yeah, actually, it was a threat given to our Principal to make her admit to have been a part of a crime which she was never a part of. We totally forgot about the case on her. Do you all remember the case on her which Rina told us about last year? PET sir is the one who has been helping our Principal to clear her name. One day, during sports practice, the men who came and spoke to PET sir and made him nervous were from the businessmen’s group and they had threatened him to stay out of this matter.
Rina: This is really shocking.
The others agree.
Seema (looking at her watch): Guys, this is really something that is out of the blue and appalling.
Her friends agree to what she said.
James: Okay guys, let's discuss this after the event. Now, we will rehearse the ad ideas for the products we thought of quickly and be done with the event.
They win the first prize in most of the events (Just a Minute, Fashion Parade, Mock Ad, Story Writing, and Singing) and win the second prize in some events (Group Dance, Mime and Quiz). In the Mock Ad event, their on-the-spot funny toothpaste ad using zombie characters that make a bet to get cleaner teeth than humans receives a standing ovation. In the cultural fashion parade, their depiction of their state culture by wearing traditional sarees and dhothis and holding and rotating silambams in their hands symbolising the Kai-silambam folk dance of Tamil Nadu impresses the judges greatly.
The second prize is won by the kids in a school in Andhra Pradesh who portray their famous 'tholu bommalata' or the shadow puppet tradition of their state. The third prize is won by the children of a school in Karnataka who dressed up in colourful costumes illustrating the Yakshagana, the popular type of dance drama in Karnataka.
The kids of Bharat Public School bag the overall winner trophy and get extremely elated at their victory.
Their teacher also feels very proud of them and congratulates them a lot during their return journey to their city.
After the competition gets over and the kids return to class...
The first thing that Rina and her friends do is tell Swathi about the incident that happened at the competition venue.
Chapter: 5
Swathi: So, we have found out some important information about those businessmen. All these days, we have been talking about and trying to stop something that is not their plan at all. The incidents that have happened in our school over the recent days have nothing to do with the businessmen.
Her friends together: Yeah.
Swathi: It's a good thing that you guys met that uncle, a friend of our PET sir and that he told you what is going on behind the scenes relating to the threat our school building is facing.
Reshmi: Yeah, actually, it has been a threat given to our Principal to make her admit to have been a part of a crime which she was never a part of. We totally forgot about the case on her right? Also, we never thought that PET sir could be helping our Principal.
James: He is the one who has been helping our Principal to clear her name. That is really nice of him. That day, during sports practice, those men who came and threatened sir were from the businessmen’s group and they had threatened him to stay out of this matter. That is why he got all worked up.
Rina: Principal ma'am is always open to us about everything, then why did she hide this matter from us?
Ajay: She hid it maybe because she didn't want us to know about the police case on her.
Seema: Or she could've hidden it because she did not want us to get scared that there is a large possibility of our school building being sold.
Rina: Hmm, these points make sense, but something is not right.
James: What is it?
Rina: Why did Principal ma'am tell us she doesn't know what game the businessmen are playing if she was being threatened by them?
Reshmi: Good point. Why didn't I think of it before? Something certainly doesn't fit in.
James: Maybe if we get to know what case was on our Principal, we will get some clues. That uncle told us he didn't know as our PET sir has kept it very confidential, even from him, his friend. How disappointing!
Ajay: I guess it is time to follow someone, again.
Seema: Yes, one of us has to follow PET sir and find out what the case is about.
James: Ajay and I will do it.
All together: Okay.
Rina: When?
Ajay: We will start following him tomorrow, inside the school as well as outside. Inside the school, we will see if we can catch anything from his conversations with our Principal. Outside the school, we will check if we can gather anything related to the case.
Swathi: Why don't we ask Principal ma'am about it directly?
Rina: I doubt she will tell us the truth, as, from what we know about her, she is a person who always likes to maintain her dignity before us, students.
Reshmi: She's right, guys. Ma'am will never tell us about the case, even if we ask her.
One day, during Art period...
Mr. Shankar: Vimal, mix the paint colours well. Red and white will give you pink.
Vimal: Oh, okay sir. I was wondering how to mix colours and make it pink. I was trying purple and yellow.
Mr. Shankar: This is why you should always ask and not assume things.
Vimal: Sorry, sir.
Mr. Shankar: Okay, no problem. Mix fast and get going.
James (to his friends, softly): Guys, let's meet in the canteen during the break. I have found out something.
His friends agree to the plan.
In the canteen,
The children of the school like to buy food from the canteen occasionally and eat since the food is very tasty there.
Swathi, Rina, Reshmi, James and Seema are sitting at a table and eating their samosas (crispy potato samosa is one of their favourite dishes in their school canteen), waiting for Ajay to return after meeting their Maths teacher, Ms. Saroja to clarify a doubt.
Ajay enters the canteen and joins them at the table.
Ajay: Oh man, I had to wait for a long time for Ms. Saroja to come to the staff room. Okay, we don't have much time left. Guys, I found out something important which would help our mission.
All together: What?
Ajay: The teacher fired by our Principal for betraying her is Satish sir, who used to handle Social Science for 2nd standard and for some higher classes.
Seema: He is the one who used to help Principal ma'am with her office work, right?
Ajay: Yeah, that is where the problem began. He had accepted bribe from Nikhil's father, using our Principal's name, for admitting Nikhil in our school. Our Principal didn't know about the bribe until the day a case was made on her for bribery. The eye witness for this is Satish sir. PET sir is trying to help our Principal ma'am get freedom from the case by finding proof that Satish sir is the one who accepted the bribe. Satish sir is also in touch with the businessmen who are trying to acquire our school building, so if we keep a close watch on him, we will be able to get more information.
James: How do you know this, Ajay?
Ajay: Nikhil told me. I was talking to him casually and he brought up the topic of the fired teacher. He said he deserved the dismissal. Then, I asked him what happened and he told me all this.
Rina: Let's do one thing. We will meet him and talk to him casually and find out what his mindset is now.
James: Every evening, he goes for jogging in HKR road. There is a children's park nearby. We'll meet him after he finishes jogging and pretend as if we came to the park and casually saw him.
The rest of the friends agree to the plan.
Chapter: 6
The next day, the kids meet the teacher after his regular jog in the evening and pretend as if they see him there casually after coming out of the park and have come to talk to him. He is a man in his late thirties and he is wearing a maroon t-shirt and black track pants. He looks tired after his jog and he also seems to be in a hurry to return home, as he looks at his watch about two or three times within five minutes.
Ajay: Hi sir. Good evening.
Mr. Satish: Good evening.
He then proceeds to walk past them as he doesn't recognise them from the school, since he has not handled any classes for them so far.
The kids look at each other nervously, not knowing what to do next.
Suddenly, Seema walks up to him and says, 'Sir, don't you remember me? I am from Bharat Public school. I once met you to clarify a doubt.’
Mr. Satish: Oh, sorry kid. I don't remember. Which class are you all in?
Ajay: We're in the fifth standard, sir.
Mr. Satish: Ok ok. Are you all in Ms. Geetha’s class?
Rina: Yes, sir.
Mr. Satish: Did you come to the park?
Swathi: Yes, sir. We like this park and so we come here often to play.
Mr. Satish: Ok kids, it is getting late for me, so I'll leave. See you.
James looks anxiously at the others after the teacher turns away and then suddenly, goes near the teacher.
Mr. Satish: What is it, my boy?
James blinks awkwardly without knowing what to say, as he didn't plan anything before stopping the teacher.
Mr. Satish: What do you want?
Reshmi (thinking quickly): Sir, Principal scolded me for going for basketball coaching outside school. She said PET sir is the best. I am learning from PET sir too, sir, but just for some extra coaching, I am going. Is it wrong, sir?
Mr. Satish: Who said it is wrong? For your Principal, everything that the PET teacher does and says is correct and all the others are wrong. Sometimes, you Principal is just blind to certain things.
The kids exchange curious looks with each other.
Reshmi: Ok sir, I had this doubt in my mind. Thank you for clarifying, sir.
Mr. Satish: No problem. Ok children, now I really have to go or my wife will call me for the tenth time. I don't know why women can't buy all the needed cooking ingredients in one shot instead of pressurizing their husbands to buy new ingredients too often.
Saying so, he laughs and walks away.
After he goes…
Reshmi: I've never seen a teacher more loyal to our Principal than him. Since he talks in a negative way about our Principal today, was he acting all those days?
Swathi: Since he seems to have something against our Principal, we should watch him closely. Then, we will be able to get some clues.
The other kids agree.
Chapter: 7
After a few days…
The kids find out the house address of Mr. Satish and go near his house.
Mr. Satish is walking in his garden and talking on the phone. The kids hide behind some bushes near the house and from this distance, they are able to hear what he is talking. His house looks big and beautiful and modern.
He is talking to one of the businessmen obviously as he says, 'I will make sure you get that building'.
The kids exchange apprehensive looks.
Mr. Satish: Yeah, the kid's father doubts me.
Swathi (whispering to the others): He thinks Nikhil's father doubts him. Actually, Nikhil and his father know very well that he is the culprit.
Mr. Satish: Make sure you bring him to the spot. I don't know how you will do it, but you have to.
Reshmi (getting anxious): Oh no! They are going to kidnap...
She is stopped by Seema who closes her mouth with her hands.
Seema: Shh…wait. He's saying something important.
Mr. Satish: Yeah... yeah, I remember.
He then continues his phone conversation and discusses the meeting venue.
It's the empty floor in … plaza.
After he finishes his conversation…
James: What plaza? I didn't catch the name.
The others shake their heads indicating 'no'.
Rina: I think the name started with S.
Ajay: But we have many shopping complexes with that name such as Sterling plaza, Shivaji plaza and Souvenir plaza.
Swathi: How do we find out which plaza it is and what if we go to the wrong place? Their conversation might get over before we find out the correct place.
James (shouts): That's it. Yes.
The others: What?
James: In our anxiety, we forgot an important clue that Satish sir gave us. He said 'empty floor', do you remember?
Rina: Oh, yeah. Only Shivaji plaza is new and has an empty floor.
Swathi: No, Souvenir plaza also has an empty floor. Do you remember? There is one floor fully dedicated to shows and it has no shops.
Reshmi: Yeah Swathi, but that one cannot be their meeting spot as it is a famous hall and it has many CCTV cameras.
Seema: Oh, yes. Correct.
Chapter: 8
The next day happens to be a Sunday, making it easy for the kids to go to Shivaji plaza and find out what their old teacher is up to.
At the time decided upon by Mr. Satish and the person on the telephone, the kids reach the spot and wait behind a banner from which they will be able to see Mr. Satish and who he meets and hear the conversation.
Before Mr. Satish could arrive, a few other men reach the place.
Seema gives a loud gasp of shock and one of the men turn towards the banner and then shrugs and goes back to the place where the others are present.
Rina: Seema, shhh. Be quiet or they will hear us. Later, we will discuss.
Seema: Okay, sorry. That man...
Rina: Yeah, I know.
The man who gave Seema a shock is the same man they had seen the previous year in Goa. It turns out that their suspicion the previous year is partly false and partly true. The man is not related to the gangsters who were caught the previous year because of enforcing child labour, but he is related to some other people who have plans of acquiring their school building and planning some other illegal activities in their city. Or both the groups could be related to each other too, which the kids are yet to find out.
A man with a beard speaks to the others (three men): We have to give him an answer soon, or he will become more furious.
The kids exchange shocked looks and then, they hear the noise of the front door opening and they see their ex-teacher, Mr. Satish walk in.
As the men were discussing, he looks angry and as soon as he goes near them, he says, 'I need proof soon. It has been so many days since I gave you this work.’
A short man with a moustache: We are following the PET teacher closely. We will surely get proof very soon.
Their ex-teacher nods his head and then says, 'I have to go now. Give me the proof soon and then collect the money from me.
After they leave, they quickly lock the main shutter of that floor with the kids inside, without giving the kids time to leave the place.
The kids exchange nervous looks and then run towards the closed shutter.
Ajay is about to knock the shutter door when James stops him by taking hold of his hand firmly.
James: Ajay, wait, I can still hear the men's voices. Won't they ask us what we are doing here and won't they become suspicious if they see us here?
The others nod in agreement.
Ajay: Sorry, guys. I got scared when they locked the shutter door.
The kids wait for some more time and then, gradually, those men's voices begin to fade away and the kids realise that they must be walking away from the place. After some more time, the voices completely disappear and then, the kids start frantically knocking the shutter door. They knock the door for a long time but no one seems to be around to hear them.
Swathi: Oh no, we have got locked inside this empty floor. No one comes here usually. What do we do? We are in big trouble now.
Reshmi: Swathi, relax. Don't panic. We can't do anything by panicking. Let's think and see if we can come up with a solution.
Swathi: Okay.
Seema (in a panicked tone): Guys, we're done for. The time is now 4pm and they close this center at 4pm on Sundays.
Chapter: 9
Reshmi: It is a bad idea to have decided to come here.
James: Who did we think we were? Did we think we were like 'Scooby Doo mystery-solving kids'? We are not. We are just ordinary school kids.
Ajay: Okay. Let's stop blaming each other and see what can be done. Come on, let's check out each window.
Rina: But this is the eighth floor. Even if we shout, nobody will be able to hear us.
Seema: Instead of assuming things, why don't we at least try?
Ajay: Yeah, that's right. Okay, come on guys, we are braver than we think. Think of all the difficult situations we encountered last year.
Still, we were successful in our mission. In this mission also, we will be successful and save our school and our Principal from wicked plots against them. Are you all with me?
His friends, together: Yes.
Ajay: Okay. Let's not waste time. Rina, you check out the window there on the right side. James, you take a look at the window on the right. I will check the window there at the back. The others, keep exploring the place and thinking of ways to escape.
After a few minutes…
Ajay (shouts): Guys, we need to hide. Come and see this.
His friends go to the place where he is standing, a place near the window which he was exploring.
Rina: Oh no, they are talking something by pointing to this floor so many times. Do you think they saw us and deliberately locked us inside?
Ajay: That is the same doubt I had and that’s why I told you guys that we must hide, but if they had seen us, then there is no point in hiding.
The kids get scared, and, as if to confirm their doubt, one of the men enters the plaza building entrance again.
The kids get very scared and they don't know what to do. They stand in the same place, trembling.
Suddenly, Rina lets out a sigh of relief.
Rina: Thank God!
The others: What?
Then, they follow her trail of vision and see the man who entered the plaza building being escorted to the main gate by the security officer who points to his watch and tells him something and the kids are able to guess what he is telling him. Since it is 4pm, the time to shut down the plaza, the security officer is asking the man and those accompanying him to leave.
The men immediately leave and the kids breathe sighs of relief.
Reshmi: Phew, that was close. What if the time is not 4pm now? We will be in danger.
Seema: I don't think so.
The others turn towards her in surprise.
Swathi: What made you say that?
Seema (watching the men from the window): Did you see how casually the men left the place after the security officer told them to leave? They were also laughing among themselves and talking casually, so I don't think that man tried to enter the building again to catch us.
Ajay: What she says is right. The men showed no sign of disappointment when the security officer asked them to leave. Maybe he tried to enter the building to buy something.
James: You both are right. I also don't think that that man tried to come into the building again to catch us. It must be for some other reason. Let's not worry about those men.
The others agree.
Reshmi: Guys, look. They are in a shop on the opposite road.
The others look out of the window and see the men talking to each other.
Then, they move away from the window so that the men should not see them. They begin exploring the other windows and other means of escape from there.
James: We have to act fast, before the security officer leaves this building.
Swathi: Guys, come here.
Her friends go to the place where she is standing.
Swathi (looking out of a window near her, the window on the right side): See, that is the balcony of a house in that apartment. We can write a note and attach it to any object and throw it there. The people inside the house will hear the noise and come out to the balcony and then they will see the note and give information to the security guard.
Rina: Wow, great. But the apartment seems to be a little far off. Will we be able to throw the note to that distance?
The kids try but they are not able to throw the note that far. Then, Rina notices some children playing in the apartment park as she looks out of the window again. The kids throw the note at them but since the kids have finished playing, they leave the place and the note goes unread. The kids wait for someone to pick up the note but no one else comes there again for a long time. It seems as if the park has some timing restrictions, to the Gang's misfortune.
The kids look out of the window on the left and they notice a deserted ground with overgrown bushes and there is no human movement there. Then, after a long time, one lady comes to pick garbage and the kids act fast and throw the note at the garbage and she picks it up. But she seems to be uneducated and so she doesn't seem to understand what is written. She crushes it but then again opens it and stares at it. The kids get more and more tensed by the minute and to their relief, she gives the note to a man and he walks over to where she found the note and examines the surroundings and reads the note.
Then, he looks up and the kids throw Reshmi's dupatta down the window and wave it. The man gets the clue and alerts the security and the kids are able to get away from the building. They tell the security guard that they came for shopping and that they went to the empty floor by mistake and that someone locked them in.
Security guard: Be careful hereafter, kids. If no one had seen your note, you people should have slept inside the complex only tonight and your parents would have become worried and complained to the police.
The kids, together: Sorry uncle.
As soon as they leave the building, those rogues who had spoken to their teacher a few hours back suddenly come running very fast towards them, they don't know from where.
The kids get extremely scared.
Ajay: Guys, run, fast...
They run as fast as they can and after sometime, they look behind them and they see the men still chasing them. They become more scared and apprehensive and they run even faster.
After some distance, they see an empty shed and they enter it, not knowing what to do. There is a pile of rods there and it looks like a warehouse. They hide behind it, scared and tensed. The men enter the shed but they don't search it thoroughly. They glance inside from the entrance and seeing that there is no one there, they leave that place and continue to run in search of the kids.
Reshmi (in a nervous and perplexed tone): Let's go away from here before they come here again, doubting that we may be here.
The others agree to what she said.
They get up from their hiding place and run as fast as they can in the direction opposite to the one which the men took.
They are interrupted by two of those men who come running to them, totally unexpected by them. The Gang gets scared like anything and they begin to sweat profusely and their hearts begin to beat very fast out of fear.
One of the men (who is short and having a roguish tattoo on his hand): Stop.
Ajay (stuttering): U...u…uncle, we were playing hide and seek at the m...m----------------.
The other man: Who cares what you were playing? Did you see any man with a grey shirt and black pant running this way? He has a thick moustache and thick hair on his head.
Ajay (stopping his sentence short quickly, feeling relieved and at the same time scared thinking what would have happened if he had mentioned the word 'mall' which he was about to say to them): No uncle.
Then, the men begin running again in search of whoever they are after.
After they leave, the kids decide to go to Ajay's house and talk there instead of talking in this place, as they are too scared to talk here, after what they had been through. Ajay's house is near the place where they are present.
Chapter: 10
In Ajay's house...
Ajay's mother, Mrs. Lily comes to them with a tray of juice and laddoos.
Lily: Why are you all sweating like this? It's okay to run and play but you could've sat somewhere and rested and then come, right?
James: We thought we’ll come here and then rest, aunty.
After they talk to her for sometime, they go to Ajay's room and close the door behind them.
Swathi (sitting down on a couch): Oh man, were we in a situation to sit and rest and come as aunty asked?
Rina: Yeah dude, we were not able to stop running till we reached here, right? I won't forget this day, ever. I got so scared. I thought we were about to get into danger.
The others tell her that they became equally scared.
Seema: Ajay, it’s a good thing you didn't specify the word 'mall' to that man. If you had done so, they would have doubted us and even kidnapped us to find out the truth.
James: Yeah, thankfully, he didn't say the word 'mall' to him.
Rina: Yeah, let's not attempt anything like that hereafter without informing at least any one elder about where we are going.
The others agree.]
The next day, at school...
James: Man, what a narrow escape we had yesterday!
The rest agree, shuddering at the memory.
Rina: I wonder what proof Satish sir was talking about.
Seema: Yeah, I am also wondering about the same thing.
Ajay: Do you think he is trying to collect false proof about our Principal? How badly he scolded her that day to us! He didn’t even worry if we would tell her what he said.
Seema: Yeah, maybe. Do you remember another thing? He told us that he has a spy inside the school to prevent the PET teacher from doing anything to help our Principal.
James: Yeah, he wants to take vengeance on Principal ma'am, so obviously he wouldn't want anyone to help her.
After a few days...
The kids have gone to an ice cream parlour opposite to their school to enjoy the weekend.
James: Man, I love the Falooda in this shop.
Reshmi (slurping her tongue): Me too. It's so yummy.
All of them eat colourful faloodas which the shop is famous for
Seema (suddenly become serious): Guys, don't turn your heads immediately after hearing what I am about to say now, but wait till we decide what to do. Principal ma'am is talking something very seriously to Peter sir near the school gate
Rina: So what?
Seema: He is a close friend of Satish sir. I will tell you more later. Reshmi, casually turn and look at them. We five will just pretend to have a conversation.
Reshmi casually turns and looks at them. Then, she turns back towards her friends.
Reshmi: I saw them. Now, they have gone inside. Tell us, Seema. How do you know he is Satish sir's close friend?
Seema: I know very well as he used to be my tuition teacher for one year. Later, they changed the teacher. In the tuition classes, I have noticed him getting frequent calls from Satish sir and talking to him in a very friendly way and sharing many things about his life with him.
Rina: Okay, so there are a lot of chances that he could be the spy.
Seema: Yeah, let's watch him closely from Monday.
From the next day, the kids follow Mr. Peter to find out if he is the spy. They notice him following the Principal.
Chapter: 11
One day...
In dance class...
The children are learning one of the Indian classical dances, Bharathanatiyam.
Ms. Shanthi (their dance teacher): Girls, stand in the Aramandi position and do the first Thattadavu... one, two, three...
Rina, Reshmi, Swathi and Seema have joined the dance class and Ajay and James have joined the keyboard class. There are totally eight extra-curricular classes and the kids can join any one activity of their choice.
Ajay enters the classroom.
Ms. Shanthi: Yes, Ajay. What do you want?
Ajay: Ma'am, can you please allow Rina to come out for a few minutes? She is sick and she forgot to take her tablet.
Ms. Shanthi: Oh, is it? Okay. Rina, go and take your tablet and come back. Or, take rest if you want, today. You can join the class next week. You could've told me that you were sick, right?
Rina: Okay ma'am, thank you. I thought I will manage and so I didn't tell you. But I am still quite unwell. I will join next week.
Ms. Shanthi: Okay, take care.
Rina: Sure, ma'am. Thank you.
Rina (going out of the classroom): Ajay, it is just cold and cough, right? Why do you make a big fuss out of it?
Ajay: It's severe cold and cough and sometimes, cold and cough lead to fever if you exert yourself by dancing and all. Your mom had called Ms. Geetha (she is their class teacher) and had asked for permission to exempt you from dance class today and she had also requested her to tell us, your good and responsible friends to remind you to take your tablets.
Rina: Okay, okay. It is fine, my good and responsible friend. Give me the tablets.
Mr. Peter walks past them in the corridor and he seems to be nervous and in a hurry. He is talking to someone over the phone and from the way he is talking, it looks like he is up to something wrong.
Ajay: I'll go after him and see what he is up to.
Rina. Let me come with you.
Ajay: No, already, you are not keeping well. Just take rest. I'll be back soon, okay?
Rina: Okay (as he leaves, she calls after him): Hey Ajay, be careful.
Ajay gives her a 'thumbs up' sign and begins to follow the teacher.
Mr. Peter is sitting in an empty classroom and talking to someone on the phone. The Principal is going to be caught in our false scheme today. Just wait and see.
Then, a student enters the classroom and he becomes quiet and ends the phone conversation.
Peter sir: Why are you not in your PET class?
The student: Sir, tomorrow, I have my National-level certification exam and I have to prepare for it. So, I asked permission from sir and came here.
Peter sir: Oh, are you one of the ten people selected from your class? Very good. All the best!
The student: Thank you, sir.
Ajay returns to the class to meet Rina and the others but they have already left the class as the school day is over. But Ajay is sure that they will be waiting for him at their favourite meeting place to hear from him about what he has found out.
As he had expected, his friends are waiting for him in their favourite meeting spot which is the tree shade near the library.
After he reaches there...
James: Ajay, tell us everything. We didn't take the school bus today so that we can talk to you. Let’s go home by a private bus. I have informed our parents.
Ajay: Yeah, yeah. Okay.
He tells them everything he overheard.
Reshmi: Oh, no. We have to warn our Principal.
The others agree to what she says.
The next day, they warn their Principal about Mr. Peter without revealing anything about what they have been doing so far about this mission and about Mr. Satish as they still don't have proof that Mr. Peter is his spy and that Mr. Satish is trying to take revenge on the Principal.
The Principal is confounded in the beginning but later, she tells them that she will pay heed to their warning and be careful about him. But, later, it turns out that nothing happens.
Three other incidents happen where the kids overhear Mr. Peter talking to someone over the phone about the Principal being caught, and in all those instances, the kids warn the Principal, but even after they warn her, nothing suspicious happens.
The Principal begins to think that the kids are wrong about Mr. Satish and Mr. Peter but during the fourth time in which a similar incident happens, the kids shoot a video of Mr. Peter talking in a similar way to someone over the phone (to make the Principal get caught) and show the video to their Principal and then, she believes them. She promises them again that she will be careful with him.
Principal: I thought your suspicion might be wrong guys, since I didn’t notice anything about him after your earlier warnings. But after seeing this video, I’m suspicious of them. I will be wary.
The kids: Ok ma’am.
After some days…
It is the Computer period for the kids and they are waiting for their Computer teacher, Ms. Roslin to arrive.
Beena to Swathi (a friendly girl with thick short hair and a pleasant face, who is a classmate of theirs, seated near Swathi in the computer lab): It will be superb if ma'am allows us to play a game while we wait for her to come to class.
Swathi: Correct, but sadly, she won't.
Beena (sulking): You're right, she won't.
The kids look at the computers (about fifty in number in the computer lab which is spacious and designed with information about computers) with longing, wishing that they had permission to play games while waiting for the teacher.
The children get information that Ms. Roslin is on leave, so they wait for a substitute teacher to arrive.
Chapter: 12
While they wait for a substitute teacher, they begin chatting with their friends.
As usual, the Gang is seen huddled together in one of their serious discussions.
Seema: Till now, we have been concentrating on protecting Principal ma'am from Mr. Peter’s schemes, but nothing fishy happened so far. What if we are wrong? What if he is not the spy?
Rina: Do you think so?
Seema: Yeah. In our concern to keep our Principal safe from Peter sir, we forgot to keep an eye on Peter sir. What if he had been up to something else?
Reshmi: Seema, but we overheard him plotting something against Principal ma'am on the phone, right?
Seema: We did, but what if he is doing something indirectly? Then, he wouldn't approach our Principal directly, right? Instead, he would be working behind the scenes.
Reshmi: Hmm, I see your point.
The kids follow Mr. Peter and they get shocked to notice Mr. Peter following the PET teacher, Mr. Sundar. But nothing happens as someone arrives and Mr. Peter stops following him.
Another day...
The kids follow Mr. Peter as usual and see him following the PET teacher as usual. This day, something strange happens.
The PET teacher goes to a quiet place in their school ground and talks to someone over the phone.
The kids follow him and so does Mr. Peter.
Sundar: 'Don't hurry me and give me tension. I am already doing what you asked me to do, right? I am your head, remember that. Don't go about ordering me like this.
After the meeting, the kids wonder whose head he is. Each come up with different theories.
Rina: Maybe, he is the head of some illegal activity group.
James: Or he could be the head of a group working for the businessmen.
Ajay: We can follow him instead of speculating among ourselves. Mr. Peter, the spy (or that’s what the kids think about him) is also confused. Both the spy and the kids follow the PET teacher but are not able to find anything out.
One day, they see their PET teacher talking to a man outside their school. One of the kids recognise the man as a notorious gangster and wonder what their teacher has to do with him.
They follow the gangster as he goes to a house. Inside the house, the businessmen talk to him and other gangsters and PET teachers from other schools about their plan of acquiring the school building but they speak in code language, to the kids’ dismay!
They are unable to find out what they want to do with the school building and why they keep changing the members in their group. The whole process looks complicated for it to be involved just in acquiring a school building. The kids begin to think that the illegal activity and the network of criminals could be much larger than they expect.
Fhpn - 4
The kids decide to watch the businessmen closely and see which of them remains in the group consistently. Not even one person remains consistent in the group since the group keeps changing its members.
James: How do we crack this mystery if the businessmen keep their identity so secretive?
Rina: True, but all criminals leave some loose threads which we need to find out.
Swathi: I have an idea. People in the same group should have something that connects them. Why don’t we find out what is common in each of those people?
Seema: Brilliant idea, Swathi! Yes, though the group members keep changing and new people keep replacing the old ones in the group, they must have something in common.
Reshmi (suddenly whispering very softly and in a shocked tone): Guys, don’t panic after hearing what I am about to say. There is a man following us. Thrice, I saw him observing us very keenly. He might even be able to hear what we talk since he is standing a little close to us. All of you don’t turn at once. One of you, maybe, Rina, first turn casually and see him after some time and not now.
After a few seconds, Rina casually turns and sees a man who is standing near them and keenly watching them. He appears to be an ordinary and decent person, so Rina wonders if he is harmful or harmless. He appears to be in his forties, and has a beard. When Rina sees him, he turns towards a roadside shop and pretends to be buying something.
Rina (whispering to her friends): Yes, he seems to be following us. When I saw him, he was looking at us, but then, after seeing me, he turned away.
The kids pretend for a few minutes that they did not see him and after a few minutes, they plan that James will turn and check if the man is still following them. As planned, after a few minutes, James turns and checks but the man is gone. They never see the man who followed them after that day and curiosity about who he is continues to be on their minds.
One of the men they had seen during the most recent incident in which the kids followed the businessmen was a politician, and so the kids wonder if there are any other politicians in the group and if the reason for the businessmen trying to acquire the school could be political. There is one more person they can consider but he is an ex-politician and not a current politician.
Recently, crimes by rogues have increased in the city. The bad reputation of the politicians and police is increasing.
They plan to acquire the school building to build a shopping complex in one floor and the office of a politician in another building, according to the latest information that the kids received from Viky.
One day, in Seema’s house…
Seema’s mom, Mrs. Sunita is preparing tasty chicken biriyani for the kids.
Rina: Wow, such a delicious aroma! Aunty’s biriyani is the best in the world.
Her friends agree and smack their lips in appreciation.
Seema: Why are they making so much fuss about a shopping complex or a political office? I think the businessmen are planning for something else with our school building and that is why they are trying to acquire it. Also, they are planning something else to trap our Principal, which we are missing.
Ajay: I also have the same doubt.
One day..
The kids follow the businessmen to their meeting spot and notice them celebrating something.
Swathi: What are they celebrating for? Could it be someone’s birthday?
Rina: It could be.
To prove them wrong, one of the businessmen speaks up. He is tall and is wearing spectacles.
The businessman: Thank you once again, gentlemen, for coming here to congratulate Mr. Sundar for becoming our head. Well done, once again, Mr. Sundar!
One of the men (a middle-aged man who seems to be from a state in north India as per his accent): Okay, everyone. Let’s meet next at our planned date and venue.
The group disperses.
The kids are returning to their houses from the businessmen’s meeting spot.
On their way…
Ajay: Gosh, these people have changed their meeting venue for their next meeting. How can we find out the new venue?
Reshmi: I don’t have any idea.
James: What if it is in another city? How do we follow them there?
Seema: There are a lot of possibilities for their next meeting to be in another city. The group seems to comprise people from different states.
The next day…
The kids take a look at their previous year’s excursion photos, during their group studies at Swathi’s house.
Seema takes a short break from studies, picks up the newspaper in the living room to read her favourite ‘Kids’ section’ in the publication and goes outdoors.
After a few minutes…
Seema comes running towards her friends.
Seema: Guys, there is a shocking thing that I just found out.
Ajay: What happened, Seema? What is it?
Seema shows them a page in the newspaper she was reading. She points to a man in a picture on that page. Look at him. He is Mr. Rajesh, the person who met Reshmi at the competition. He is accused of the crime of acquiring the buildings of others illegally to expand his business.
We thought he supports our Principal but the situation seems to be the opposite.
The kids finish their Half-yearly exams and enter into their Christmas holidays.
Reshmi: Guys, my dad and Seema’s dad have some official work in Cochin and Seema and I are going along with them. Would you guys like to come along?
Swathi: Yes, Reshmi, we would love to. We will get permission from our parents and let you know.
The other friends agree to what Swathi says.
They get permission from their parents and join the trip.
The day of the beginning of their trip arrives.
They go by train to Cochin and on the first day, Reshmi’s father and Seema’s father don’t have official work, and so, on that day, they go for sight-seeing. They visit the famous Chinese harbour.