Chapter 1

Bloomie

@bloomie

Humsafar

Unable to control himself any further, Rathore bursts out in front of the commissioner.

Rathore: sir! Arjun Rawte team ke liye liability hai! apni biwi ke maut ke baad paagal ho gaya hai woh admi, kahi bhi 3 mahine se zyaada nahi tikta, use include karna matlab musibat aur risk dono ko nyota dena hai

Raghu: tumhare liye Arjun risk ho sakta hai Rathore lekin mere liye woh is baat ki gurantee hai ki meri beti sahi salaamat mil jaayegi! Mujhe ACP Arjun team mein chahiye, that’s it!

Commissioner(Vikram): Raghu please shaant ho jao, Rathore tum bhi

Rathore: lekin sir ye jo bol rahe hai woh practical nahi hai

Raghu: bilcul practical hai! aur yahi humara trump card…

Vikram: boys please…

Raghu: mujhe kuch nahi pata! Mujhe Arjun Is Case Par Chahiye Matlab Chahiye!

Rathore turned to Vikram: nahi sir, agar aisa hai toh main resign kar raha hun. (glaring at Raghu) Waise bhi voluntary retirement lene ke baad toh orders chalte hi hai. Atleast inhe dekh kar toh aisa hi lagta hai

Vikram sighed: tum dono please shaant ho jao, ye waqt jhagadne ka nahi hai

Raghu(firmly): Vikram Mujhe Arjun Chahiye!!

Vikram: ha theek hai main…

Rathore(shocked): Sir!

Vikram blinked in assurance: Rathore please ek case ki toh baat hai

Just then the P.A came running in: sir! woh, woh…

Vikram: kya? Aur andar kyun aaye? Maine Kaha Tha Na Ki Mujhe Disturbance Nahi Chahiye! Phone Nahi Kar Sakte The?

P.A: sir woh ACP Arjun aaya hai

Vikram glanced at the other two: bhejo use

He nodded and left.

Rathore(irritated): aapne already use bula liya hai?!?!?

Vikram: maine nahi…

Arjun entered and saluted.

Raghu: maine bulaya hai use

Rathore(exasperated): I don’t believe this!

Raghu: Arjun, I need your help, Sheen ko kisine kidnap kar liya hai

Arjun: What?!

Vikram cleared his throat to bring attention to himself: maine decide kar liya hai, Arjun Sheen ko dhundhne mein ETF ki help karega (Rathore glared at him) sirf help, aur ETF ki investigation mein dhakal nahi dega, he’ll be an outside source, and that’s final!

Rathore grumbles: Yes sir!

Vikram stared at Arjun. He glanced at Raghu for permission and then nodded.

Raghu’s house-

Shree was setting up his system to trace all incoming calls. He connected all the lines of the house to a telephone that further linked to his laptop. Sheen’s mother was sitting near him and crying.

Shree: ma’am, koi bhi call aaye toh koshish karna ki ek minute tak baat ho toh hi trace ho paayega

She nodded. Just then Chotu came from the balcony.

Chotu: sir aa gaye!

Rathore, Arjun and Raghu entered the house after a few seconds. Shree and Chotu are confused at the newcomer and look towards Rathore.

Rathore: ye ACP Arjun Suryakant Rawte hai, hume (emphasizing) externally help karne aaya hai, chup-chap!

The juniors looked at each other. They had all heard about the hot-headed officer. But they did not have time to dwell on it. The phone rang. Shree took his position as Raghu put the phone on speaker.

Raghu: hello?

Man: teri beti humare paas hai, 1 ghante baad Marina Dock ke teesri gali mein 10 laakh lekar aa jaana aur ha! police ko khabar ki toh teri beti seedhi upar!

Call Disconnect.

Shree: sir trace nahi hua

Rathore: koi baat nahi, ek ghante mein case khatam, aap paison ka intezaam kijiye

Arjun: ye ransom call nahi hai

Rathore: tumhare kaan kharab hai ya dimag?

Arjun: kaunsa kidnapper pehle hi call mein paise, jagah aur time sab kuch bata deta hai? ek kidnapping ke liye uske dost ka murder? Ye normal nahi

Rathore glared at him: Chotu! Headquarters phone karke back-up bulao, docks ko ghero! (turning to Raghu) aap paison ka intezaam kijiye

Chotu: yes sir!

Raghu nodded. Arjun stiffened and walked out. That’s when he sees Sheen’s car parked. The police had taped around it. He entered the proximity and checked the petrol tank. It was full.

Marina Dock-

Shree wires Raghu, connecting him to the rest of them.

Rathore: Rawte tum yahi ruko! Investigation mein tumhara koi kaam nahi, Shree iske saath raho

Shree: lekin sir main…

Rathore glares at him to shut up. They spread around taking position. Raghu walks into the designated place. A man is waiting for him. He starts going towards him.

On the other hand Arjun is still unconvinced. He replays the entire thing in his head.

Arjun: Shree walkie do!

He stares at him baffled unsure of what to do

Arjun: jaa nahi sakta walkie toh use kar sakta hu!

Shree hands him a set.

Arjun: Raghu sir!

The sudden voice startles the others.

Arjun: aap Sheen ko bachane ke liye 8-10 crore toh aaram se de sakte the na?

Raghu hums not giving away the plan to the man.

Arjun: toh fir kis khushi mein kidnapper ne aapko itna bada discount diya? Sheen yaha nahi hai! use paise mat dijiye!

Rathore: Rawte! Tum end waqt par confusion create mat karo! Raghu sir aap jayiye

Arjun: sir trust me Sheen yaha nahi hai! ye sirf thug hai!

He had reached the man by now who attempted to take the bag.

Raghu: nahi! meri beti kaha hai?

Man: paise de!

Arjun: main aa raha hun!

Rathore: Rawte No!!

As Raghu argues, the man sees Arjun running towards them and removes his gun. A shoot out ensues killing all the 6 goons there. As they searched, they realised Arjun was right. Sheen was nowhere to be found.

Rathore: Dammit!!

Chotu: sir isme se ek admi ke paas petrol pump ka ID hai

Arjun: highway ke paas

Chotu(surprised): ha par aapko…

Arjun: petrol tank full hai, ab kuch samjhe ya samjhau?

He bent to examine the body. His gaze fell on the shoe. Picking up a small stick from the ground he removes dirt from the crevices of the sole. It was wet but not due to water mv “Sarson ka tel?”

Shree: sir guard ne bola ki ye log ek truck mein aaye the, use bhi check kar liya par koi clue nahi mila

Arjun went to check the truck himself. It was empty. As he got out, he noticed that it was a company truck not independent…TIMA.

They regrouped outside the dock. Raghu received another call.

Raghu: hello?!

Sheen: papa!

Raghu: Sheen!!!

All headphones immediately went up.

Sheen: papa… main…

Her voice was weak. She was breathing heavily.

Arjun: Sheen kaha ho tum?

Sheen: main…main cupboard…mein hu, Arjun bhaiya… bachao

Arjun: Sheen aaspaas dekho, kya hai?

Sheen: woh…pata…pata nahi ek, ek strong smell hai, badbu jaisi….(she peered through the crack) Amit... container…

Raghu: beta tum theek toh ho? kisne tumhe..

Sheen hears voices: woh… aa raha hai

Arjun: Sheen meri baat suno, aur kuch dikhayi de raha hai?

Sheen: woh…AAAAHH!!

Raghu: Sheen!!

The phone fell from her hand: chodo mujhe!

But the men caught her.

Man: mil gayi boss!!

He walked towards the phone. Footsteps sounded on the receiver. A wooden block shuffles in sync. The officers go quiet lest he hear them. The boss keeps the receiver in place shutting the phone.

Shree: sir! trace ho gaya! TIMA ke kisi godown ka hai, ye log Sarson ke tel mein deal karte hai

Arjun: koi faayda nahi, agar hume use dhundhne hai toh Goa jaana hoga

Rathore: kya bakwas kar rahe ho?

Arjun: Pathan Lala Goa se operate karta hai, use pakadna hai toh wahi jaana hoga

Rathore: tum fir shuru ho gaye?! Ye Time Tumhari Personal Dushmani Nikalne Ka Nahi Hai!

Arjun: tumne lakdi ke pair ki awaaz nahi sunayi di Rathore? woh Pathan Lala hi tha!

Rathore: tum..

Arjun: Amit kisi ka naam nahi hai

He shifted the rear view mirror to reflect TIMA. Rathore clenched his fist.

Rathore: Shree! Chotu!! Mumbai Goa expressway par naakabandi karwao! Koi bhi bina checking ke nahi jaane paaye khaas kar ki ye TIMA ke trucks!

Chorus: yes sir!

Arjun: bevkufi mat karo Rathore, Pathan ache se jaanta hai ki police ko chakma kaise dena hai

Rathore: hum use Goa jaane se pehle rok denge

Arjun glared at him. As the ETF busied in the naakabandi all night, Arjun proceeded to Goa. It was afternoon by the time his informer directed him to a bungalow. Unfortunately, he only finds leftover food and ropes in a dark room. Fortunately, a silver foil catches his eye. He rushed out and called Rathore.

Arjun: woh log samundar ke raaste jaa rahe hai! unhe khaane mein sea sickness ki davaiyaan di hai, main port jaa raha hun, mujhe back up chahiye immediately

Rathore: hum bhi abhi Goa pahunche hai, aate hai

Call disconnect.

Arjun headed to the port. A little force on the watchman and he told that Pathan had just left in his boat. He picks up a ski and goes after them.

Pathan was peacefully looking out on the sea, glad to have left the shores without any hindrance despite the police checking. One of his men came running.

Man: boss! Koi aa raha hai

He turned to see a ski coming in full speed towards them. He orders them to shoot. Arjun shoots back. A bullet hits his arm but he manages to jump on the boat. The men engage him in a fight. He had almost overpowered them when Pathan came out with Sheen at gunpoint.

Pathan: apni gun chod aur paani mein kud jaa warna ye ladki seedhi upar

Arjun loosened the trigger but didn’t lower his gun.

Pathan tightened his hold: jaata hai ya thoku ise?

Sheen(weakly): bhaiya

Arjun lowered his gun. Pathan smirked but the next second a bullet hit his calf.

Pathan: Rawte!!!

He fell to a side, in the process throwing Sheen into the water. Arjun dived in after her. The leftover of Pathan’s men started shooting inside in hopes to hit them. Just then, the ETF arrived with backup crossing fire with them to provide cover. Arjun managed to catch hold of Sheen and swim up. They were helped on board by Shree.

Pathan and his men were arrested and the girls rescued. Raghu and Vikram arrived at the beach. Sheen ran to him and the father- daughter had a tearful reunion. Arjun’s heart warmed seeing them as he tended to his wound. They turned to him. Arjun walked to them and Sheen hugged him while he comforted her.

Vikram watched all of this from a distance. The newly formed ETF had potential. Though, it only had three members so far, they had been able to work diligently despite the clashes between Rathore and Arjun. That was something only time could mend. If they could work successfully with fights then they would work miraculously if they got along. Thinking something, he made a decision. He decided to talk to Arjun later about it.

However, there was something else the team needed. A glue that could bind them together, a lubrication that would take care of their frictions and most importantly, an asset that could contribute not only to the efficiency of the team but also ground them, bridging between reality and humanity………………………..

bloomie2020-10-12 06:01:55