# Chapter 9 — The Return Signal
Infirmary corridor ki hawa mein antiseptic aur stale coffee ka ajeeb sa mix tha, jaise kisi ne campus ke darr ko thermos mein bhar kar yahin rakh diya ho. Wall ke paas bench par Arjun ka phone half-dead pada tha, screen pe sirf ek dim light, aur uske neeche Kunal ke disappearance ka torn notice — ek corner se phata hua, ek corner pe rain se smudged, aur beech mein woh line jo ab sabko ek ghanti ki tarah chubh rahi thi: Last seen near hostel side.
Rohan notice ko itni dhyan se dekh raha tha jaise words se code nikal lega. “Yeh notice bhi incomplete hai,” usne dry voice mein kaha. “Campus administration ka signature missing, timing vague, aur font alag hai. Matlab ya toh jaldi mein print hua, ya phir kisi ne jaan-bujhkar mess create kiya.”
Kabir ne ek short laugh diya, par usmein mazaak se zyada tension thi. “Wah, Sherlock. Ab bas yeh bata de Kunal ne khud hi gayab hone ke liye form fill kiya tha ya nahi.”
Imran chup tha, bas phone ke cracked screen ko dekh raha tha. Uski ungliyaan uske pocket mein thi, shoulders tight. Arjun ne uski taraf dekha aur phir corridor ke end pe khade security officer ki taraf, jo chai ke paper cup ko ghuma raha tha aur unke beech ki silence ko weigh kar raha tha.
“Sir,” Arjun ne casual tone banane ki koshish ki, “Kunal ke baare mein koi update?”
Officer ne ek baar unhe, ek baar notice ko dekha. “Update campus notice se zyada hai,” usne low voice mein kaha. “Aur jitna tum log soch rahe ho, utna simple nahi.”
Kabir seedha hua. “Matlab?”
Officer ne corridor ke dusre end pe nazar daali, jaise walls bhi sun rahi hon. “Lost bolke matter close karna easy hota hai. Par kuch logon ko lost nahi, moved bola jaata hai.” Usne cup ko ek side rakha. “Off-site. Temporary. Private. Bas itna samajh lo ki jo log sawal puch rahe hain, unhe sahi jagah se door rakhna chahte hain.”
Rohan ka chehra thoda pale ho gaya. “Off-site? Kunal student tha, parcel nahi.”
“Exactly,” officer ne kaha, aur uske tone mein warning thi, sympathy nahi. “Isliye main keh raha hoon, jo bhi tumne dekha hai, campus ke andar hi rakhna. Bahar wali hawa dangerous hai.”
Arjun ne apna jaw set kiya. Panic se zyada ab suspicion aa gaya tha. “Aap keh rahe ho koi usse yahan se le gaya?”
Officer ne koi direct jawab nahi diya. Bas ek second ke liye uski nazar infirmary ke glass door par tik gayi, jaise uss reflection mein kuch aur bhi ho. “Main keh raha hoon, missing aur moved mein farq hota hai. Aur kabhi kabhi jo log disappear karte hain, woh khud nahi jaate.”
Kabir ne ek low whistle ke saath apna head shake kiya. “Great. Campus thriller ka season heavy chal raha hai.”
“69 hostel ka bhi,” Rohan ne bina smile ke add kiya, “aur yeh line bhi officially unfunny ho gayi hai.”
Tabhi corridor ke opposite side se Dr. Meera Kapoor aayi, file folder under arm, white coat crisp, step sharp. Unki presence aate hi corridor ka noise aur bhi controlled lagne laga..
Library ke back stacks mein shaam ki roshni peeli aur thaki hui thi, jaise purane pageon par jam gayi ho. Dusty shelves ke beech ek narrow aisle tha, itna tang ki do log seedhe nikalte hue bhi ek pal ke liye ruk jaayein. Arjun wahin se tez kadmon mein guzar raha tha, shoulders tense, dimaag mein ek hi baat ghoom rahi thi—Kunal ka naam, jo har jagah se gayab tha aur phir bhi har jagah se jhalak raha tha.
“Tum library mein ho?” Naina ne halka sa eyebrow lift kiya. “Ye toh campus ka most suspicious event hai.”
Arjun ne weak sa smile diya, phir turant serious ho gaya. “Bas... kuch dhoond raha tha.”
Naina ne uski face par ek beat tak nazar rakhi. “Exams ke liye dhoond rahe ho ya kisi aur cheez ke liye?” Uska tone casual tha, lekin question seedha tha.
Arjun ne book spine ko bina dekhe touch kiya. “Aisa kuch.”
Naina ne usko force nahi kiya. Bas thoda sa side ho kar aisle mein space banaya aur low voice mein boli, “Student forum dekh lo. Ek thread chal raha hai—service road ke paas ek van dekhi gayi thi. Different timings, same route. Log likh rahe hain ki do din se repeat ho raha hai.”
Arjun ka face instantly sharpen ho gaya. “Van?”
“Haan. Aur forum wale itne sure nahi hain ki admin notice karega bhi ya nahi.” Naina ne apni file adjust ki. “Official silence ko truth mat samajhna. Kabhi kabhi bas inconvenience ko hide kiya jaata hai.”
Arjun ne dheere se saans li. “Tumhe kaise pata?”
Naina ne ek half-smile diya, thoda dry, thoda knowing. “Campus mein sab kuch eventually thread ban jaata hai. Attendance, rumors, missing keys, missing people.” Usne last word par zyada emphasis nahi kiya, bas itna ki Arjun usko samajh jaaye.
Woh move karne lagi, phir ek second ke liye ruk kar boli, “And Arjun—jo bhi ho, solo hero mat ban jaana. Ye college hai, 69 ka masla nahi ki har cheez joke mein nikal jaaye.” Uske tone mein halka sa sarcasm tha, lekin warning clear thi.
Arjun ne bas head nod kiya. “Thanks.”
Naina aisle ke end par mud gayi, aur uske kadam library ke soft carpet mein almost vanish ho gaye. Arjun kuch pal wahin khada raha. Phir usne apna phone nikala, thread open kiya, aur scroll karte hue service road ke mentions dhoondhne laga.
Tabhi notice board ke paas ek stapled sheet par uski nazar atak gayi—anonymous tip sheet, edge se thodi phati hui, jaise kisi ne jaldi mein pin ki ho. Uske margin mein pencil se ek van ka plate number likha tha.
Arjun ka dil ek beat ke liye ruk sa gaya.
Wahi number.
Wahi alphanumeric sequence jo forum thread mein ek user ne “suspicious vehicle” ke naam se post kiya tha..
Terrace par raat ki hawa seedhi kapdon se nahi, thoughts se guzarti thi. Cement ki deewar ke paas khade Rohan ne ek gehri saans li aur niche canteen ke band signboard ko dekhta reh gaya, jaise uss andhere mein koi answer likha ho. Piche se halki footsteps aayi.
“Tum yahan bhi calculation kar rahe ho?” Pooja ki awaaz thi, low aur familiar, bilkul waise jaise koi class ka last note jo sirf tab sunai deta hai jab baaki sab shor thak jaaye.
Rohan ne thoda sa mudkar dekha. “Calculation nahi. Observation.”
“Same thing, tumhare case mein.” Pooja ne apna bag kandhe se adjust kiya aur uske saamne ruk gayi. “Waise, tumhari face se lag raha hai jaise tumne hostel ka electricity bill khud solve kar diya ho.”
Rohan ne dheere se hansi dabayi. “Koshish kar raha tha.”
“Hmm.” Pooja ki nazar uske haath par gayi aur uski expression ek pal ko sakht ho gayi. “Aur ye kya? Phir se hero banne gaye the?”
Rohan ne apni ungliyon ko band kiya, jaise bruise ki yaad kam ho jaaye. “Bas halki si takkar thi.”