Chapter 9

Thank you everyone for your replies dearies . I couldn't thank you enough for your support to me and this story. 

PS - this is gonna be a very long update. 





Chapter Nine  


Her


"he shot Tasha! Those words froze me. All the boundaries I have drawn to bottle up my emotions started breaking. I remember the day she left. She was in so much hurry. But I have never thought she'd gotten herself with him. Her madness for him is overgrowing. And HE needs to understand this. For a moment I really thought something like this is coming. His face was telling me this. That something is wrong. I heard it unmistakably. She's shot. 

I looked at his glum face morphing into fury, seething with rage his whole body shivered. "she's sleeping! I could have killed him right there if he'd have said anything worse. But the worst was just coming. I know the vibe, when all the bad will come crashing down with a thud. "she's paralyzed! My whole body stiffened. I was never relived for the sake of my own sanity. "I will kill that bas***d, I cursed. Others be damned. She's my sister. All eyes were upon us. 

"let's take a break for lunch, Rathod sir said much to my relief. Because right now I just wanted to be left alone. Everyone from ETF left well except the one person. I don't know why is he still here. I can't stand him. There is only one person in this room with whom I can be weak. And no way Arjun Sir is the person. I stared at him silently as I felt pressure on my hand Anshu was holding. His presence assured me at the same time exasperated me. How could he let that happen to Tasha. He was supposed protect her. The anger building up inside me could have smacked him dead. But we had audience. 

"you'd be late for lunch ACP, I was brash with my voice and just hoped he wouldn't say anything to give my temper a hike. "cafeteria is down there! He stood there for some second with a pained expression and left. 

I threw away his hand, which was consoling me. But I was beyond consolation. A fair part of me was telling me to punch him in the face. But it was my rage telling me. Right now I need tranquility in this chaotic situation. I punched the conference table instead. My voice was never normal. "What the hell was she doing here Anshuman! When she left that day I thought it was just a routine. But I just failed to notice how restless she was. I am just realizing this now. Anshu himself was unsure about her presence. He couldn't reply. "I am sorry Riya! 

"where is she! "hyderabad, Reema and Veer are with her! That relived me for a brief second. Reema and Veer are the forensic experts of NIA. Reema was recruited directly from DNA profiling laboratory and Veer is her assistant. And both of them are very cordial with Tasha. It somewhat relived me that she's with these two. I looked at Anshu again. He looked ever so guilty. As if he couldn't take the weight anymore, his shoulders were falling away. I have done enough to make him feel like a criminal. He's more than regretting. He's puzzled and is in his own world of dismay. "I myself don't know what she was doing there. All of a sudden she appeared out of nowhere to push me aside, I don't know how she located me. I.. I never got a vibe of anyone following me. She took a bullet for me Riya! He of all people knew very much what Tasha can do if she'd ever find HIM at line of danger. 

"then I don't blame you Anshu, she knew what she was doing! I could say some soothing words to keep him out of the guilt trip, which is least required for the mission at hand. I have seen it all my life. Sometimes culpability is a worthless affliction. It brings interference. It consumes all the sanity one has harbored and leaves behind a ghost of everything. Even though my inside was burning with the pain his revelation has caused, I braced myself for the burn. I thought I could be weak with him, but now is not the time when he himself looks broken. Someone got to be strong. "I don't know why it pained so much, seeing the blood rushing out of her wound! His voice cracked again. He couldn't let go of that memory. They've started haunting him. Not again. It's just a while he's reviving from the burns of his agonizing past. But seems this time he's in a different dilemma. "what is troubling you Anshu? "I myself don't know. "May be you should let it surface, don't deny it okay. Denial has never brought comfort. Never. It's a plan of destiny or whatever? But why it chose to bring me close to people with bad infuriating past and of course... dead wives. 

Moments passed in silence. I offered him to take his own sweet time. This time I couldn't let emotions overrule me. And my thoughts progressed towards the possible threat. One thing is clear, if Anshuman don't know what Tasha was doing in Mumbai, she must have some motive behind this. May be she knew something and before she could tell him she was shot. The thought pinched me. So I tried to distract myself. Lately she was digging more into the blast case, journals and papers and reviews all filled her laptop and fact board. what did she found? What was her conclusion. Else She wouldn't have risked everything coming here. 

"what do you think he wants this time, I don't know why I am feeling uneasy about his unpredictable intentions. "you don't worry much. You need a clean mind to work properly and that's when you do your best! About his intentions, we'll find out! I felt somewhat relaxed from the positive words he's speaking. I needed that. And more than me he needed that. 

"one thing I don't understand. How even after all our efforts he still managed to regulate them! He said again. "what? About how he recruits? He nodded in a yes. This question is troubling him for quite sometime. "Okay let's think again, last time the bombs were in tiffin box of normal people. They don't even know how it got into their box. Or who stole the box or who kept it near the city center. But it all happened, I still can't let go of the theory Anshu. The first thought of doubt came into my mind was about those people. They could have done it all by themselves.

"come on Ri, not again. We had a hell lot of procedures just get to the truth out of them, even they came clean with polygraph. I don't believe that you still doubt them! "yes! May be I am overthinking! It's a possibility but without evidence my theory is pointless. 

"Okay! Then tell me how strong his alliance was the day you ambushed him! 

"perfectly trained, they can slay you anyway they like. Get in their way and you'll lose your head! That strong!! "they are shadowing him then, they are not from his cell, core members may be. Well then you got lucky! I weakly smiled. 

He didn't smile but replied, "all thanks to her! "I never really thought she'd take a bullet for me! "geez!!! She's all over your mind, and you still think you are in love with me! I couldn't stop laughing. This must be very confusing for him. "come on Rii, what you'd have done if you'd be placed in her place! "you know I can take a Bullet for you too. what do you think Anshu? You are a person worth risking everything. Never have that doubt on your team! He finally smiled. I don't know how that comforted him. But how could not I? I have promised two important people. We can be there to save each others ass.

I didn't realize when we had audience. he was standing, with a coke in his hand looking dead into my eyes. I took a bullet for him too. He was worth risking everything that was under my possession. What's with this man. Why can't he just leave me alone. Why he keep intruding into everything. 

"God I am so hungry! I heard a yelp from the other end of the room, from where chotu emerged with a stack of paper in his hands. His dark face looked a bit tanned. He smiled at me and placed the paper on the conference table. 

"hey chotu! You missed the lunch, Kapoor said as other members started entering the room along with her. "we had masala bhindi, dahi vada and..., Sakshi Anand was interrupted by chotu, breaking her teasing stance. Looks like there was a lunch party down there. And we were the uninvited ones? No he did invite us. 

"I guess I will have it with Riya. Looks like she didn't have her lunch too! 
"Me neither, hope party is still there, Anshu was cheerful again. One thing I love about him is he never let his guards down in front of the unknown. 
"what party, it's just we are all having lunch together, like a family! Sakshi said disappointing Anshu. But wait!! Lunch? Together? Link a family? I couldn't stop myself from laughing out loud this time. "ETF, like a family. Oh heaven! Thanks to this girl I had good time laughing. "why are you laughing! Sakshi was confused at the same time irritated. "as far as I remember we survived on energy bars. Lot many for Chotu! I still didn't get the family part. And that made me laugh too hard again. The ladies were just too surprised to reply and the men, they better not reply. Rathod sir went to his cabin silently as aisha followed behind . Shree was uneasy while Chotu was in some other trance, a smile plastered on his face. Arjun sir. His face was blank again. "heaven knows where did I fail! I said in a low voice to myself but he did hear it. 
"change is not a selective thing Riya, it occurs simultaneously. To everyone. At every place! He said. Is he taunting me? That just made me feel like, all I have done to be what I am today has no worth. His words pained. Like it used to six years ago. Just like acid. I couldn't stop myself from moving towards him. He was still looking into my eyes. That didn't faze me. I looked back, like a repellant. Then I looked at his hand as he placed the coke on the table. He opened the drawer, his hands working inside while he was still looking at me. My eyes followed inside the drawer. His fingers traced the packet of tissue as he grabbed one. But that didn't what caught my attention. A pen and a coin did. I smirked, and he noticed where my eyes followed. And he still says change is a simultaneous phenomena. He handed me the coke and tissue, "you know what, black coffee was still a better choice! "you are such a hypocrite! I said in a tight voice. He was unfazed by my comment. He just extended his hand to give me the can. He kept his calm and just smiled and said, "you are welcome, you can thank me later! "You owe me one, so no thanks!

The ground floor it is. I took the stairs as Anshu and Chotu followed behind. They could have taken the lift. I could make them walk through hell with me. And they would! Huh. "what's with you taunting him all the time Rii? "why? Should I be afraid of him? Or his wrath. I am not seeing it coming. I am missing all the fun. Such a tiger he was, who just forgot how to roar now! Where did all the fire go and what's with him getting me coke eh? He didn't answer.

Chotu lead us towards the cafeteria and we settled for lunch. "what should I order for you? "anything except masala Bhindi and dahi vada..., he passed me a look of annoyance and ordered Rice and Dal with a mix veg curry. The food here is tasty. We used to crave for food like this at duty hours. Food was our least concern at that time. But now it is.

"what was that paper? I said between munching my food. He looked like he didn't hear. His full concentration was on stuffing himself with more and more. "I'll explain! He said and I didn't persist much.

"Rii you have a flat in here right! Why all of a sudden Anshu is asking me about my flat. I don't know in what condition it would be now. The secretary of the society called me many times telling about clients interested for rent. But for reasons I couldn't agree. That is the only thing in this whole city I can call mine. Nothing else. Not even the people. But I don't know if I have the courage to step inside the flat again. Last time I went there three years ago. We brought Anjali for treatment. I could only watch the apartment from the other side of the road. 

"Yes. Why? "I need a place to crash. The hotel is making me too monotonous and someone might just be keeping a tab on me after the shootout. I need to relocate! "and what made you think that I will allow you stay in my house? "what's your deal! "here's the key. Send someone to clean it, I might use it after your... err relocation done! I said. Hotel is not safe. We can't have eyes upon us always. With all that I noticed Chotu was displeased with our agreement. I ignored him and we again went back to our food. 

"You know Rathod sir made this rule of us all eating together... to know each other better! Chotu said, I don't know where it's going. "he thinks it should be better if we all know each other.. Uh.. Intimately! "how do you expect me to react Chotu! "they are changing Riya, the way you wanted them to be. "I am giving them the same in return. A fair deal. "no! You missed the point. They are still regretting...! They are? "look Chotu, what happened has happened. Nor do I want to remember that. If you are thinking of a reconciliation, that's no way possible! I faced worst after I left ETF. I thought I wouldn't struggle much. But I have never thought about the life awaited for me after that. Sometimes I just wonder, may be. May be if I would have accepted the order! May be if I would have tolerated the humiliation. That would have been  better. Everything I have ever lived with looked like a pretense. The whole purpose of my existence was a question. Whatever I endured as a child was worthless. My remorse was the sole reason why I couldn't be normal in the field. For that reason I was labeled as a mentally unstable person, who's endangered the life of her own teammates. I with my mind and body turned into a danger to ETF . And it all happened in front of my team. The team I thought was my everything. The team as Sakshi said is a like a family now. But it was not a family then. It was just a team. Where one is judged by actions, not for intentions. Killing someone was actually easier than talking it out. Where emotions took a backseat. 

"if you want you could mend it. They are not anymore the machines you thought they were! 

"Do I look like I care Chotu!

"you might not but they do!

"should I send greetings to them... what good it will do to them Chotu? This time he was silent. 

"shree hated them. He almost hated everything after you left. I have never seen him so hyper, when Rathod sir announced that you resigned! Now that's worse. I could never forgive myself for hurting him. Again. 

"I am talking it out with him. I don't expect him to forgive me Chotu, but he's still a part of my family! 

"you just kind of vanished! 

"he knew where to find me. He just chose not to...! 

"he was just angry! 

"he still IS! I exclaimed. He was unconvinced with whatever I said. "But hey he has a girlfriend.. I said to cheer him up. "who could have thought... Chotu laughed. 

I looked at the Coke still placed on the table and wiped it with the tissue he handed me. I opened the cane and started drinking. Suddenly I felt like it's gonna be a long day and a sleepless night. Endless. 

Once we were back to the conference room Chotu explained about what he found. 

"I went to the morgue, to find out about the dead bodies after the shootout in the warehouse. Most of them had no record of anything. Three of them were drivers. The local police retrieved their driving license. And all of were for heavy vehicles. Other than that nothing. I think the others were with Bhadra.

"if that's the case, local police won't have any record. We need to do a profile search, I said and everyone agreed. 

"If they have this license then they must be involved in transport, Chotu said. 

"trafficking..., Aisha corrected him. "we need to do a run on the gate checks too, shree! Can you trace a path? "if all their paper is clean, it'd be easy! Shree replied. "then go for it! Said Rathod sir.

"we still have to talk to the Doctors family! Arjun sir said. Rathod was puzzled. "I have a meeting with the DG, we need clearance to access the data of Hyderabad blast case. You and Riya, go and talk to the family ! He ordered. Just like the old times. And for a moment I felt like I was never away. But I brushed away that feeling. I looked at Anshuman. " I have some stuff to handle. The looks he was giving me was like I am going to clean your house so shut the hell up.



[NOCOPY]