Back at Daya's, Kishan confided in him about Jiya and the information she provided. Daya listened patiently, his wisdom a calming presence in Kishan's chaotic mind.
"Trust your gut, beta," Daya advised. "If something feels wrong, it probably is. But sometimes, you have to take a risk to find the truth. Just be careful. Very, very careful."
Kishan spent the next few days trying to verify Jiya's claims without directly contacting her. He cautiously used public computers to search for news about the hospital, Dr. Sharma, and any unusual deaths or disappearances. He found nothing concrete in the public domain, which only reinforced the idea that this was a well-covered-up operation.
He also started paying closer attention to his surroundings, noticing if he was being followed. The city, once a symbol of his escape and new beginning, now felt like a maze where danger lurked around every corner.
The Dawn Show continued, and Kishan found solace in the familiar routine. He received calls from listeners with their everyday problems - relationship issues, career dilemmas, financial worries. Helping them, even in small ways, reminded him of the good he could do, a stark contrast to the darkness he was now entangled in.
One night, during a call about a listener's fear of public speaking, Kishan had an idea. The Dawn Show had a small but dedicated audience, mostly people who were awake in the quiet hours of the morning. What if he could use the show, subtly, to gather information or even send a message? It was a dangerous thought, but the isolation and fear were making him desperate.
He decided to test the waters cautiously. During his next show, he steered the conversation towards the importance of speaking up against injustice, using veiled language and hypothetical scenarios. He watched the call screen, wondering if anyone connected to the hospital or the ring was listening. No unusual calls came through, but the thought lingered.
A few days later, Jiya contacted him again. She said her contact, the former IT technician, was willing to meet, but only in a secure location and with a guarantee of anonymity. Kishan, after much deliberation and another conversation with Daya, decided to take the risk. He chose a neutral, busy location - a large, multi-story library with numerous exits.
The meeting was even more concealed than the one with Jiya. The technician, a nervous young man named Rohan, was jumpy and spoke in hushed tones. He confirmed Jiya's story about the encrypted files and the hospital's illegal activities. He explained that he had stumbled upon suspicious data transfers and communication logs while working there, but was too afraid to report it. He had been fired after raising some indirect questions.
Rohan examined the pen and the corrupted file Kishan had given Jiya. His eyes widened. "This... this looks like a proprietary encryption used by some high-level security firms. It's not standard hospital equipment. This pen isn't just a camera; it's a secure recording device. If you have the original..."
Kishan's heart leaped. He still had the original. Rohan explained that with the original device and the right software, he could attempt to decrypt the recording. He also said he could try to decrypt the files Jiya had obtained, which might contain crucial evidence.
The risk was immense, but the potential reward - exposing a criminal enterprise - was too great to ignore. Kishan agreed to work with Rohan, but on his terms: complete anonymity for Rohan, and Kishan would handle the final exposure. He also made it clear that if anything happened to him, Rohan should go to the police with everything he knew.