Chapter 26

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 26[MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

Riya and Arjun glance at each other. Their eyes met and locked with each other. A flicker passed through hers. Before Arjun could realise anything else, she gulps the ball, falling down. The others freeze.

Arjun’s gun goes straight up: RIYAAA!!!!.....................................

His bullet rips through Rajat’s skull.

The boys run up in shock.

Shree: Ri!!!

Arjun rushes to Riya, taking her in his arms.

She breathes heavily: sir… maine apna aa… aakhri mission, pura kar liya

Arjun: Chup raho Riya! tumhe kuch nahi hoga! please… himmat mat haaro, main tumhe kuch nahi hone dunga, trust me!!

He picks her up in arms. Rathore races to the driver seat.

Riya: Arjun sir….

Arjun: Tumhe kuch nahi hoga Riya (patting her) aankhein khuli rakho ok?

She struggles to talk: sir… main…

Arjun shouts in terror: SAM PLEASE JALDI CHALO!! Come on Riya, aankhein khuli rakho, kuch nahi hoga, trust me please

Rathore pushes the accelerator.

Riya breaths heavily: Mujhe… thand, thand lag rahi hai sir

Shree immediately removes his half jacket. Arjun tries to cover her with it. Pulling her closer, he embraces her trying to give her warmth.

Arjun keeps patting her cheek: Aankhein khuli rakho Riya please… khuli rakho, come on talk to me

Riya: sir… papa…

Shree panics: Sir Iske Pair Se Khoon Bhi Beh Raha Hai!

Arjun: Ghaav ke upar patta baandho

Rathore: saanp nahi hai Rawte goli hai, ghaav par patta baandho, khoon band hoga!

Arjun: Mera Matlab Wahi Tha Rathore! TUM GAADI CHALAO JALDI PLEASE!!! Riya… Riya!

Riya struggled to speak: …. Si…A….

Chotu pulls out the first aid box from the dashboard and passes it to Shree. He removes a gauze and attempts to tie it. Riya screams in pain. Arjun pauses for a second. She was barely responding. The scream was the only thing that she was able to do. He realizes she would stay awake if she was in pain.

Shree was crying by the time the gauze was tied. Chotu looked on in worry.

Arjun: I’m sorry Riya

He intentionally presses the wound. Riya cries out. Tears flew out of her eyes. Rathore gets goosebumps. His skin crawled. His eyes moisten as he tries to push the accelerator further than it could go. Arjun continued to press the wound. Riya writhes in his arms. It was pure torture for the men to hear her blood-curdling screams..

Arjun: sorry Riya, I’m so sorry, par tumhe hosh mein rehna hoga… I’m so sorry

She screams again.

Tears rolled down Chotu’s cheeks: Arjun sir please, main Ri ko aise tadapta hua nahi dekh sakta, use aur dard mat dijiye!

Riya bawled in pain: ARJUN SIR!!!

Rathore: OH GOD NO! NO! NO! NOO! NOOOOO!

All eyes turn to look up ahead. The entire road ahead to the hospital was jammed.

Rathore barks orders: Chotu Rasta Clear Karo!

Arjun: Uska Waqt Nahi Hai Rathore, Hospital Door Nahi Hai

Rathore: Kya matlab…

The door had opened by the time. Arjun picked up Riya in his arms and ran ahead. Rathore leaves the car in the middle of the road as the trio follow.

Rathore: Shree Uske Saath Raho! Chotu Chal!!

He and Chotu run ahead to shift people out of the way clearing a path for Arjun.

Hospital-

The four bolt in, screaming for the doctor. Two ward boys quickly bring a stretcher.

Rathore: Doctor Isne Pura Capsule Kha Liya Hai Please Kuch Kijiye!

Doctor: inka blood transfusion karna padega

Arjun grabs his collar: TOH KARIYE NA DOCTOR, KIS BAAT KA INTEZAAR KAR RAHE HAI?!!?

Shree: uska blood group b+ hai

Frightened, he gestures to the nurses to prepare the operation theatre immediately. The stretcher is taken inside. That’s when the doctor notices blood on her leg.

Doctor: pair mein…

Chotu: goli lagi hai

Doctor: oh ye toh acha hai

Shree/Chotu: WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN BY ACHA HAI!?!?!

Doctor: mera matlab, blood loss bhi hua iska matlab blood clot bhi hona shuru ho gaya hoga, toh flow slow hone ki wajah se Xora ko failne mein zyaada time lagega, aur aapne capsule kaha hai toh ab is situation mein dissolve hone ke liye normal se zyaada waqt lagega, unke bachne ke chances hai

Arjun shouts again: TOH TIME KYUN WASTE KAR RAHE HAI? JAYIYE JAA KAR USE THEEK KIJIYE!! AGAR USE KUCH BHI HUA TOH USKI CHITA PAR TUM SATI CHADHOGE SAMJHE YA SAMJHAU?

Rathore grabs his collar now: CHANCES? CHANCES NAHI MUJHE RESULTS CHAHIYE DAMMIT!! AGAR MERI OFFICER KO KUCH BHI HUA TOH MAIN IS HOSPITAL PAR SEAL LAGWA DUNGA!! GOOO!!!

Frightened out of his wits, the doctor nods and hastens inside the theatre. The men were looking at him as if they would eat him alive.

The light on top of the OT turns on. The men collapsed on the benches outside. Rathore silently tries to comfort Shree and Chotu as they sobbed uncontrollably.

Chotu: hey deva! Agar Ri bach gayi na toh main, do din upvaas rakhunga

Shree: Durga maa, main 11 din tak roz chal kar mandir aakar 11 nariyal chadaungha, promise!! Please use kuch mat hone dena

Rathore tries to control his tears but they betray him, rolling down his face. He closes his eyes and joins his hands praying for her safety.

Arjun’s eyes moisten. Every memory of hers flashes in front of his eyes. Her smile, her blush, her mischief danced in front of him.

“mujhe aap par pura vishwas hai, ant mein jeet aapki hi hogi”

“maine suna toh tha ki aap ek ache officer hai lekin yaha aane ke baad mujhe ye pata chala ki aap ek ache insaan bhi hai”

“haaye! Kaha aisi kismat ki karele ke saath flirt karu?”

“aap smile karte hue aur bhi ache lagte hai”

“aaj aapko haste hua dekh kar bahot acha laga”

“I hope ki kisi din, aapki khushi laut aaye”

Arjun mv “meri khushi tumhare bagair adhuri hai Riya. Aaj ye sochkar nikla tha ki tumhe aage nahi aane dunga, ye sochkar nikla tha ki aur kuch nahi hai mere paas khone ke liye lekin ye nahi pata tha ki tumhe kho dunga… nahi Riya, tum mere saath aise nahi kar sakti, tumhe ladna hoga Riya, hum sabke liye, mere liye.”

His feet start walking outside. They stop in front of the hospital’s temple room. Removing his shoes, he enters. He had never prayed before, never believed in God. All he would do was join his hands for the sake of keeping his wife happy. But today?

Arjun swallows the lump in his throat. Hesitantly, he lights a diya in front of the idol.

He joins his hands: mujhe nahi pata, ki aap hai ya nahi… par agar aap hai, toh please use bacha lijiye. Usne toh acha kaam kiya na? laakhon ki zindgi bachane ke liye apni jaan par khel gayi, itna inaam toh use milna chahiye na? log kehte hai ki aap insaaf karte hai toh… toh uske saath Nainsaafi nahi karenge na?

His voice cracks as the feelings choke him. He clenches his eyes shedding the water they held.

Arjun(cracked): please bacha lijiye use

He composes himself after a few minutes and goes back outside the Operation theatre. Sameer, Shree and Chotu were all in the same position. They hadn’t even noticed him disappearing and re-appearing.

Around half an hour later, the commissioner arrives. He stares at the scene in front of him. Arjun was standing against the wall with his arms crossed and gaze fixed on the door of the theatre. Rathore was sitting on the opposite bench with his head in his hands. Shree and Chotu were sitting beside him. A tear rolled down Shree’s eyes every now and then. Chotu was biting his nails. The one thing that was common and clear in all four of them was the devastation on their faces.

He clears his throat to gain attention. None of them looked up. Not even Arjun. He raises his eyebrow and coughs a little. Yet, he received no response. Sighing, he spoke softly.

Vikram: boys?  

Still, no one bothered to turn. Vikram muttered under his breath.

Vikram(firmly): ACP Rathore?

His voice finally breaks their chain of thought. The four of them turn. Rathore composes himself and stands up

Rathore: ha… ha sir?

Shree and Chotu too stood up assembling in front of the senior.

Vikram: Riya?

Rathore: abhi tak… theatre mein hai sir

Vikram: oh, kaun tha?

Rathore: Dr. Rajat sir, Rawte ne use goli maar di

Vikram: kaise hua ye sab?

Rathore: woh sir, usne Riya ko hostage le liya aur woh use dam mein virus milane ke liye force kar raha tha, toh, toh Riya ne

He stops being unable to speak further. Vikram nods in understanding.

Vikram: I know tum log occupied ho but media baahar bahot halla macha rahi hai, unki aadhi information panic create kar sakti hai public mein, itna bada case hai, tum chaaron ko ek baar statement dene ke liye jaana hoga, abhi jaoge toh behtar hoga

Rathore took a deep breath: theek hai sir, hum dekhte hai

Vikram nodded: main aata hun saath mein just in case

He nods. They were about to leave when Vikram noticed Arjun was still there.

Vikram: Arjun mujhe pata hai tumhe media mein interest nahi hai lekin tum second-in-command ho, aana padega

Arjun cursed him mentally and started walking without sparing him a single glance.

Outside-

The reporters immediately surround the team and start throwing questions. While Shree, Chotu and Arjun remained quiet, Rathore patiently tried to answer all of them. Vikram stood a few steps behind.

In the midst of this, a man’s face turned smug. He set his extra gelled hair and pushed forward through the crowd. He placed the mike in front of Rathore, showing his crooked tobacco red teeth.

Reporter: sir, aapne kaha ki aapki lady officer, Miss Mukherjee ko hostage liya gaya tha toh iska matlab kya hum ye samjhe ki unki incompetency ki wajah se puri shehar par khatra aa sakta tha?

Rathore stops short, taken aback by the question. The other men’s gaze turned sharply.

Rathore: I’m sorry?

Reporter: you should be officer, sochiye woh paani mein mil gaya hota toh kya hota is shehar ka? Aapne kaha ki unhone capsule kha liya. Musibat mein bhi toh wahi thi, capsule khaana kaunsi badi baat hai?

Rathore balled his fists. Shree and Chotu fumed.

Arjun stepped forward, glaring at the reporter. Placing a hand on Rathore’s shoulder, he moved him aside.

Arjun: sahi kaha tumne, Xora khaana kaunsi badi baat hai? woh mar bhi gayi toh medal toh mil hi jaayega

The others looked on in confusion. Before anyone could respond or react, Arjun grabbed the man’s shirt at his chest.

Arjun: Chal Tujhe Bhi Medal Dilwata Hu!.................................