Chapter 41

1 years ago

NoeticLife

@NoeticLife

CHAPTER 41

QUESTIONS

Sid stared down silently at the front of the academy from the terrace.

Param Shergill.

He stood with his wife, his daughter and his brother, a small smile on his face. Sid's gaze travelled lower to his legs, and he tilted his head. Were those prosthetics he saw a hint of? Was he disabled? He felt his insides twist slightly at the thought.

Deepak pointed to the door. 'Param Shergill, aaj ke baad meri beti ke aas paas bhi mat dikhna. Out! Door raho.'

Param stared at him for a silent second. Sid peeked out from behind the wall with hopeful eyes. He would protest, wouldn't he? He would fight him. He would stay. 'Okay', Param said. Sid's eyes welled up with tears. 'Main aaj ke baad kabhi nahi aaunga aur Monami se milne ki koshish nahi karunga.'

'Good', Deepak said. He turned around, storming deeper into the interior of the house.

Param looked at Sid's general direction. 'Sid', he said.

He stepped out from behind the wall. 'Aap jaa rahe ho', he accused.

He sighed. 'Sid, Sir Monami ke Papa hain. I-'

'Aap jaa rahe ho', he repeated louder.

'I am sorry. I think yeh hi best hai, Sid. Agar tumhe aur Monami ko kabhi bhi meri zaroorat hogi toh tum academy aa sakte ho. Mujhe call kar sakte ho. Whatever you want.'

Sid's jaw clenched. 'Kabhi nahi hogi', he vowed, a scowl marring his face. 'Hogi bhi toh aapke paas toh kabhi nahi aayenge.'

Param shook his head. 'Sid, tum-'

'You know where the door is', he said. He turned around, walking upstairs to Monami's room.

Sid's jaw clenched. He stepped away, turning around and walking back into the interior of the academy.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

'A-Ask your b-brother.'

"Sun", Karan said. Faizi hummed. "Main kal Monami se baat kar raha tha."

"Aur tumhe yeh finally realize ho gaya ki tum use kitna chahne lage ho?" Faizi asked.

Karan glanced at him. "Nahi", he said. "Maine usse puchha ki use kisne hurt kara? The reason of her trauma."

His teasing smile faded. He tilted his head. "Usne kuchh bataaya?"

"Usne kaha... Bhaiya se puchhoon", he said.

"Kya?" Faizi asked incredulously.

"Bhaiya aur Monami ki trauma ka relationship hai?" He asked. He shook his head. "Mujhe kuchh samajh hi nahi raha. Aaj se pehle Monami ne kabhi aisa kuchh nahi kaha hai jisse yeh lage ki woh Bhaiya ko jaanti hai."

"Are you sure tumne kuchh galat nahi sun liya? Tumhe painkillers di thi, na, usne?" Karan scowled at him. "Hum bas confirm kar rahe hain."

"Faizi..."

He sighed. "Tum jaakar seedha Monami se puchh lo, na?"

"Puchha tha. Kuchh nahi kaha. Ignore kar diya. Main zyaada poke nahi karna chahta, yaar. Uska trauma... I don't want to scrape her wounds. Main Bhaiya se puchhna chahta tha, par woh kaafi overwhelmed the aaj, isliye main kuchh zyaada puchh nahi paaya." He looked at him. "Kya karoon?"

He paused. "Monami se nahi, Bhaiya se nahi, toh usse puchh lo jise Monami ke bare mein sab kuchh pata hai. Sid."

Karan nodded slightly. That seemed like a safe option.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Karan opened the door to the room, seeing Raichand sitting on a desk, writing something. He walked closer, peeking into the paper.

'Badha plan', was written in a mix of Hindi and English characters. 'Desh ka nuksaan. Log marenge.'

His feet seemed to pull him away from the room, guiding him somewhere else. He opened the door again, stepping out. But instead of the corridor of the club, the familiar walls of the academy greeted him.

He recognized it well enough. It was the third floor of the academy.

He walked into the room. There were boxes lined neatly along. He paused, seeing a page on the ground. He bent down, picking it up. 'Security codes. Parakaram SAF, Deolali.'

The paper disappeared from his hands. His feet pulled him away again, and he found himself in another corridor. He turned a corner, almost startled to see himself talking to Mridul. 'Naam hai Virat. Last name unknown. Common alias hai- Mask.'

He barely caught the words before his feet were taking him away again. He turned another corner, finding himself in the familiar hallway where the colonel's office was located. He opened the door and sat down on one of the chairs. He blinked, Faizi and the colonel on their chairs when he opened his eyes.

'Mission Blue Bird, Mission Euphoria, inn sab mein unhone sirf apne log peechhe kare hain, apna paisa peechhe kara hai. They're gathering their strength.'

His chair spun around on its own, the office fading away to the view of his room. The next moment, he found himself sitting on his bed, talking to Faizi. 'Agar Virat hiding se bahar hai, matlab... they could be planning something big. And if they're planning something big, then chance hai ki aur leaders bhi bahar ho.'

He looked at Faizi. 'Security codes', Faizi said. 'Security Codes, Karan.'

Karan's eyes snapped open. "Security codes", he muttered to himself, mostly stuck in the scenes he had recalled. "Security codes matlab academy ki information. Academy ki aisi kya information chahiye? If he's high enough to get security codes then he is high enough to get majority of the information on agents and floor plans of the academy. Toh woh bhi nahi."

He stood up, rubbing his eyes slightly. His arm throbbed violently and he almost cried out in pain when he pushed himself up. His body was sore. That was why he hated painkillers. It made his entire body feel like lead. He quietly got up, turning on his laptop.

He entered the new codes, scrolling through the confidential information. He paused on one. Alarm codes. He clicked on it. 'Intruder alarms', one of the files said. He frowned, checking how often they changed. Twice a year.

One of the only ones that were changed that less. Most others were changed every week.

His eyes widened lightly.

They were planning an attack on the academy.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"Three teams", Karan said. "Hum teenon lead karenge. Sabse pehle, tum dono jaakar Ecstasy dekhoge. Agar bina raid ke baat banti hai, toh that will be the best way. Main security update karta hoon. Sirf chaar logon ko codes pata honge- Batra Sir, mujhe aur tum dono ko. Uske baad hum apni teen teams mein split honge. Faizi Ecstasy aur uski information ke saath deal karega, Sanju academy ki security dekhegi aur main Laxman ki location ki lead follow karunga."

Faizi looked up from the blueprint of Ecstasy. "Laxman ki location ki lead?" He repeated.

"Laxman kaafi verify karke mujhe khabar bataata tha. Agar use kuchh pata chala toh uske physical footprints retrace karne se kuchh toh milna chahiye."

"Sir ji, Ec..." She trailed off, stumbling over the word. "Club", she rectified. "Club mein jald se jald chalto hain. Jaise Raichand shehar chodkar jaa raho tha, kahin yeh log idhar udhar naa ho jaaye."

"Choose your agents today for the team. And make sure unhe kuchh naa batao."

Both nodded. A watch beeped and the men looked at Sanju. She sighed. "Jhingoor", she said. "Class hogo."

"Tu jaa. Tum dono achhe se Ecstasy ko study kar lena aaj. Logon ko, blueprints ko."

They nodded again. Sanju saluted the two before darting out of the room. Karan shifted uncomfortably, rubbing his arm as the pain flared up slightly.

"Dard ho raha hai?" Faizi asked.

"Nahi", he lied. "Main theek hoon."

Faizi shook his head. "Tum kabhi sach nahi bol sakte ho, na? Hum Monami ko bulaa rahe hain." Karan opened his mouth. Faizi held up a finger. "Tumne zyaada nakhre kare, hum Batra ma'am ya Sir ko bata denge." Karan closed his mouth. A knock interrupted them. Faizi held up a hand when he started to move. "Hum dekh rahe hain. Tum rest karo."

He stood up, opening up the door. His eyebrows rose, seeing Monami. "H-Hello", she said.

"Andar aao", he said, smiling at her.

Karan straightened up slightly, seeing her. "Monami? Kya hua? Tum iss time par... kuchh chahiye tha?"

She shrugged. "Aa-Aap kh-khud toh a-apna dh-dhyaan r-rakh nahi r-rahe hoge. Naa dh-dhang se d-dressing ch-change kar r-rahe hoge. Yeh w-waala class ka s-slot khaali tha, i-isliye m-main y-yahin le aa-aayi ch-cheezen. Aa-Aapka k-koi bh-bharosa nahi."

Faizi laughed slightly. Karan stared at her. "Tum mujhe taunt kar rahi ho kya? Mujhe sach mein samajh nahi aaya abhi", he said.

Monami chuckled. "T-Taunt n-nahi tha", she assured. "Shirt u-utaaro, p-please."

"Kya?" Faizi asked.

Karan glared at him. "Dressing change karne ke liye shirt utaarni hai, Faizi", he gritted out.

Monami frowned. "Of c-course. A-Aur kiske l-liye?" She looked between the two.

"Nahi, nahi", Faizi said. "Hum... Hume bas dhang se suna nahi. Continue. Hume kuchh kaam hai. Monami, tum dekh lena. Theek hai?" He grinned at Karan behind her back. He glared at him lightly. Faizi stifled a laugh, moving out of the room and closing it behind him.

He looked at Monami. She didn't seem to understand what Faizi was thinking, and he was glad she was too innocent to follow Faizi's gutter mind.

"Sh-Shirt?" She said.

Karan unzipped the tracksuit, taking off the upper, revealing his sleeveless undershirt. She gently unwrapped the gauze. He winced slightly when the bandage pulled at his wound slightly.

"As e-expected", she muttered softly, shaking her head. "Aa-Aapne ch-change n-nahi kara. K-Kaam mein b-busy ho g-gaye h-hoge. Apna dh-dhyaan r-rakhne ke l-liye k-kahan hi t-time hota hai aa-aapke paas? N-Nahi?"

"Tum phir se mujhe taunt kar rahi ho?" He said. "Tum apne har patient ko hi itna taunt karti ho ya ek main hi hoon special?"

Her mouth curled up in an amused smile. Her gaze dropped back to the wound as she started cleaning it again. It had bled a little, the blood smeared around and staining his skin. "M-Mere p-patients usually aa-aapki t-tarah itne z-ziddi nahi h-hote hain. They t-take care of th-themselves.

"Main apna dhyaan rakhta hoon", he protested.

She hummed. "Tab hi aa-aapne p-painkillers n-nahi li?" She asked.

"Maine li hai", he lied.

"A-Agar li h-hoti, toh aa-aaj s-subah d-drill par n-nahi aate. Aur i-itna alert toh b-bilkul n-nahi dikh r-rahe hote. P-Painkillers h-have a d-drowsy ef-effect", she said nonchalantly. He closed his mouth. How was he supposed to argue with that?

She took the painkillers, holding one out. "Lo."

He accepted it, staring at it. He suppressed a frown. It would be bitter. "Haan... theek hai. Le lunga." She held out a glass of water. "Bola toh le lunga. Baad mein."

She crossed her arms. "Abhi!" She demanded. "Kya p-problem hai l-lene mein?"

He looked down at it and then up at her. He shook his head. "Nahi. Lene mein kya problem hogi? Bas... abhi thodi der mein le lunga."

"A-Abhi lo."

"Maine kaha, na, baad mein le lunga", he said. She narrowed her eyes slightly. She sat down on the chair, crossing her arms and staring at him stubbornly. He sighed. "Tum nahi maanogi, na?" She shook her head. He stared down at the medicine. He took a deep breath, before popping in the tablet and quickly washing it down with water. She chuckled slightly. "Kya hai?"

She shook her head. "Aa-Aapko d-dawaai lena p-pasand n-nahi, na?" She eyed him. "Aa-Aapko kadwi l-lagti hai?" He glanced away. She chuckled a little. "Special A-Agent M-Major K-Karan Shergill. B-Bandook ki g-goli se toh d-darr nahi l-lagta par d-dawaai ki g-goli se lagta hai. How c-cute."

Cute? He looked at her, raising his eyebrows. Her smile waned slightly.

"S-Sorry. I'll, uh..." She pointed to the door awkwardly. "Go." She gathered the stuff she had brought, moving out of the room quickly.

He followed her with his gaze. "Cute?" He muttered to himself. "Really?" He shook his head.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"So?" Barkha asked. "Kya lagta hai tumhe?"

Param smiled slightly. "It wasn't that bad", he said. "I... I liked it."

Her mouth spread in a smile. "Tum join karoge phir?"

"I was thinking... ki thoda soch loon dhang se. I don't want ki abhi emotional hokar decision le lo, aur baad mein I won't be able to deal with it. What do you think?"

She nodded. "Not a bad idea. Bas... bahut zyaada time mat lena. You will keep yourself hung up." He nodded. She pointed to the box. "Aur haan, yeh jo tum academy se cheezen utha kar laaye ho, khud hi jagah banana ab inki."

He chuckled slightly. He nodded. "Okay", he said. He leaned forward, kissing the corner of her mouth gently.

"Mumma", Baby called.

She sighed slightly. "Haan?" Barkha called back. "Aa rahi hoon." She shook her head. "Main abhi aayi." She kissed his cheek, before moving out of the room.

Param looked at the box. "Yeh bhi sab set karoon", he said to himself. "Warna yeh daant degi." He picked the box up. "Duniya jahan ke liye sweet hai yeh, pata nahi saari daant mere liye hi kyun rakhti hai yeh." He shook his head.

He opened it, pausing when his gaze fell on a photograph. It was him with the rest of the team of Mission Pari. He kept the picture down, before picking another up. It was one of him and Juhi, a random one taken by one of their other teammates.

Juhi had her head thrown back in laughter, as Param stared at something off the camera in disbelief. He didn't remember what had happened, but the terrace in the background sprang another memory.

'Kya baat hai, ma'am?' Param asked. 'Everything alright? Aap thoda disturbed lag rahi hain.'

She stared out at the city in a distance for a few silent seconds. 'Tum mujhe ek cheez promise karoge?' She looked at him. 'Agar... Agar kisi mission se main waapas nahi aayi, toh mere bacchon ka khayal rakhna.' He opened his mouth. She held up a hand. 'They have people to look after them. Jaise tumne apne bhai ko badha kara hai, waise koi responsibility nahi aayegi tumpar. But... I will be assured ki mere jaane ke baad, someone will be there jo unhe sahi raaste par guide kar paayenge. Be there for her... as a mentor.'

Param nodded. 'I promise.' He hesitated slightly. 'Aapki personal life hai, ma'am. Main zyaada intrude nahi karna chahta. Par... sab theek nahi hai kya?'

She sighed. 'Just problems jo har relationship mein aate hain. I am not sure mere husband aur Monami ek hi cheez chaahenge. I want ki koi ho jo meri bacchi ko support kare. Sid hai... par woh khud bhi baccha hi hai.'

'I will be there for her.'

Param felt the tears well up in his eyes. "I am sorry", he whispered. "I failed you. In a lot of ways. I am so sorry."

He kept the photo down, pausing when his gaze fell on a band. He picked it up, turning it over in his hand.

'Yeh lo', Monami said, pushing the band through his hand. 'Yeh aapke liye, Sir.'

He inspected it. 'Yeh kis liye?'

She shrugged. 'Sid ko lagta hai yeh sab silly hai par I believe meri wishes aapke saath hain toh aapko kuchh nahi hoga. Like... a good luck charm?'

He smiled. 'Thank you.' She beamed at him brightly. 'Tum superstitious ho?'

'Maybe. But agar mera faith kisi ko hurt nahi karta, toh kya nuksaan hai? Aapke yeh pehne naa pehne se zyaada kuchh nahi hoga, bas mujhe achha lagega.' He nodded, gently patting her cheek affectionately. She clutched his wrist when he started to turn away. She stared at him. 'Aap... Aap please mere Mumma ka dhyaan rakhna, okay? I don't want anything to happen to her.'

He nodded. 'Main tumhaari Mumma ko kuchh nahi hone dunga', he said to the 10 year old.

'Thank you', she said.

He kept down the band. "I wish..." He whispered to himself softly.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Faizi clicked on a key, changing the view of the club. Karan was sleeping quietly, his sleep uninterrupted for once, courtesy to the painkillers Monami had made sure he took. He had refused to take Faizi up on the offer of him taking his classes but had all but collapsed on the bed as soon as he was done eating and Monami had checked him up again.

Faizi opened up the information of the head that managed the Mumbai branch.

Gurmeet Singh, Age 47, divorced, two kids in full custody of the ex-wife, a widowed mother. The Mumbai branch had its fair share of drug charges- some ongoing and some dropped but none proved, which coincided with the report the police had sent.

He pulled up the list of employees, pulling up the personal files he had requested and beginning to read. His eyes started to fall shut slightly, and he yawned.

Beside him, Karan moved slightly, and Faizi looked him over. Was he in pain? He stood up from the desk, moving closer. He checked his wound. The gauze hadn't darkened in color, so at least, it wasn't bleeding too much, if even a little. He shifted again.

"Tum theek ho?" Faizi asked.

"Faizi?" Karan muttered sleepily. He hummed. "Suar aur saand ke saath ullu banne ka bhi shauk hai kya? So jaa, na?"

He laughed a little. "Tum aadhi neend mein bhi sarcasm nahi chodoge, na?" Karan groaned in protest to his talking. He gently patted his chest. "Haan, haan, jaa rahe hain. Good night."

"Teri chabar chabar band hogi toh apne aap hi good ho jaayegi night."

Faizi chuckled, standing up and moving to his own bed. He laid down, welcoming the sleep that came easy to him.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Koel entered her room, disappointment having her face fall. Faizi apparently was set to leave for somewhere about 10 and was missing from both the morning drill and the one class she had of him.

She felt a gaze on her. She lifted her head, finding Suman ji staring at her. "Koel..." She eyed her. "Suman ji ko tujh mein teen chaar hafton se kuchh badla badla lag raha hai."

"Badla badla matlab?" She asked. She held up her arms. "Muscles tone ho gayi, na?"

"Suman ji behavior ki baat kar rahi hain", she said. Koel dropped her arms. Suman ji crossed hers. "Tera kisi ke saath chakkar chal raha hai kya?" Her eyes widened. "Faizi Sir ke saath?"

Koel's eyes widened. "Nahi", she lied. "Of course not. How ridiculous."

Suman ji narrowed her eyes. "Tu jhooth toh nahi bol rahi?"

"Nahi, nahi. Main jhooth nahi bol rahi."

"Tu keh rahi hai, toh theek hai." She looked at her. "Par agar Suman ji ko kahin aur se kuchh pata chala, toh Suman ji ko bilkul achha nahi lagega."

Her stomach dropped slightly. She sighed. "Achha, theek hai", Koel said. She hesitated. "Main... Main Faizi Sir ko date kar rahi hoon."

Suman ji stared at her. "Sacchi?" She asked. Koel nodded. "Suman ji ko pata tha! Kab hua? Aur tune hume bataaya kyun nahi? Suman ji ko bhi nahi bataaya?"

"Main nahi chahti thi sab log mujhe Faizi Sir ki girlfriend ke naam se jaane."

She gave her an unimpressed look. "Kamini", she said. Koel smiled slightly. "Ab Suman ji ko sab kuchh jaanna hai. Kya hua, kaise hua, sab kuchh." She smiled, launching into the tale.