Chapter 23

Sheetal: sir?

Arjun mudta hai: ha?

Sheetal: sir ye Pune se Inspector Deshmukh aaye hai. aapse aur Rathore sir se milna chahte hai...

Arjun nod karta hai Deshmukh ko follow karne ka gesture karta hai.

Conference room-

Arjun: Rathore!

Rathore(bina mude): Arjun agar tumne firse plan cancel bola na toh dekh lena!

Arjun(irritated): SHUT UP AND TURN AROUND!

Uski awaaz sun kar sabki neend ud jaati hai. Deshmukh bhi choukta hai.

Rathore(surprise): relax! Itna kyun chilla rahe ho aur ye kaun hai?

Deshmukh salute karta hai: Inspector Deshmukh! Pune police

Rathore uthkar uska hand shake karta hai: ji kahiye

Deshmukh: sir, woh darsal aap jis gang ke peeche hai usse related humare paas ek choti information hai

Rathore mv "aur bhi kuch baakhi hai? : ha boliye

Deshmukh: sir, do din pehle hume Nanded mein teen laashein mili

Nanded sunkar Arjun ki senses alert ho jaati hai.

Rathore: kiski?

Deshmukh: sir, unke naam Chetan, Babu aur Javed hai. Babu aur Javed ke toh bahot records hai, typical gunde hai lekin ye Chetan, Chetan bahot pahunchi hui cheez hai, humari investigation se pata chala hai ki woh bhi Raana ke liye hi kaam karta tha. Pune mein jitni bhi jagaho par drugs laashon mein bhare jaate the woh sab yahi dekhta tha, in fact hume toh yeh bhi pata laga hai ki Nagpur aur Kolhapur mein bhi iska bahot aana jaana rehta tha. ho sakta hai waha ke areas bhi ye control karta ho.

Rathore: ek minute! Aapka kehna hai ki ye Chetan jo Raana ke liye kaam karta tha uska murder ho gaya?

Deshmukh: apparently, yes sir...

Ab tak Arjun ke mein ghantiyan bajni shuru ho gayi hai par woh kisi tarah apna poker face maintain kar leta hai. fir bhi uske dimag mein sawal badhte jaa rahe hai mv "teeno ka khoon ho gaya? Chetan ka khoon ho gaya? shayad uske gang waalon ne kiya hoga par kyun? Kahi unhe ye toh nahi pata chal gaya ki unke baare mein Riya ko pata hai? kahi Riya ka cover toh nahi khul gaya?

Deshmukh: forensic ke hissab se unki maut 25 tareekh ko dopaher ke aaspaas hui...

Arjun ke pairon tale jaise zameen khisak jaati hai mv "par us waqt toh Riya wahi hogi, toh kya usne...?

Deshmukh(file aage karte hue): aur ek chaku use kiya hai

Rathore file lene ke liye haath badhata hai lekin usse pehle hi Arjun woh file cheen leta hai aur check karne lagta hai. andar laashon ki photographs hai. ek admi ka pet kaat diya hai, uski intestines baahar aa gayi hai, ek ke gale par waar kiya hai, teesre ke maathe ke aar paar chaku ka nishaan hai...chaaron taraf khoon hi khoon hai.

Arjun mv "Riya ke paas bhi toh chaku hi hai.

Rathore Arjun ko stare karta hai par Arjun file padhne mein hi busy hai.

Rathore (sigh karke): kisne khoon kiya, kuch pata chala?

Deshmukh: nahi sir, surprisingly humare unke criminal hone ke ilawa is case ke criminal koi lead nahi hai. woh admi jo koi bhi tha, use kisi ne nahi dekha aur dopaher ke time par zyaada log hote bhi nahi hai, padosiyon ko tab pata chala jab agle din newspaper waale ne darwaaze se khoon baahar behte hue dekha. fingerprints toh door ki baat hai, us admi ne itna khoon hone ke bavjud jooton ke nishaan bhi nahi padhne diye ghar mein. Aur murder weapon bhi apne saath le gaya woh.

Ayesha: admi kyun? Aurat bhi ho sakti hai

Arjun: nahi Ayesha, jis tarah se inhe maara gaya hai uske liye bahot physical strength ki zaroorat hai (photo dikh kar) iske skull ke aar paar chaku karna, ye koi aurat nahi kar sakti unless and until ya toh woh bahot zyaada trained ho murder karne ke liye ya fir koi wrestler ho.

Liza aage aakar us photo ko haath mein lekar inspect karti hai: Arjun sir sahi keh rahe hai, logically ye koi admi hi hai

Rathore: aur kuch pata chala

Deshmukh: unfortunately nahi sir, aap log case se deal kar rahe the toh socha aapko kuch madad mil jaaye

Rathore: never mind thank you for the information

Deshmukh(salute karke): jai hind sir!

Rathore: jai hind!

Deshmukh chala jaata hai.

Shree: sir, par in teeno ka murder karega kaun?

Rathore: pata nahi (Arjun ki taraf mud kar, sternly) file milegi?

Arjun use file thamata hai: itna dukhi mat ho. Aur apne cabin mein chala jaata hai.

Ayesha: ab inhe kya hua?

Rathore already thak chuka hai upar se Arjun ke tantrums: chodo, aa jaayega! (file table par rakhte hue) dekho kuch milta hai toh, thoda break lete hai fir agli jagah par jaayenge

Sab nod karte hai.

Arjun's cabin-

Arjun andar ghuste hi darwaaza lock karta hai aur immediately Kushal ko phone karta hai.

Kushal: yes sir

Arjun(impulsively): kaha ho tum?

Kushal: sir bas aapke ghar hi ja raha hun, abhi gali mein enter kiya

Arjun: jaldi jao aur Riya ko phone do

Kushal uski awaaz mein tension bhaanp leta hai: ji sir

Kushal speed badhata hai aur ghar ke compound mein enter karta hai. woh tezi se chal kar doorbell bajata hai.

Riya darwaaza kholti hai: ayiye bhaiya, main aapke liye chai laati hun, (mudkar andar jaate hue) aapke saab ke paas toh waqt nahi hai ghar aane ka

Kushal immediately uske peeche jaata hai: madam sir ka phone hai, aapse baat karna chahte hai

Riya khush hokar phone leti hai:  Arjun!

Arjun: Riya!

Riya(confused): kya hua?

Arjun: ye tum batao

Riya: main kya batau? Main toh ghar par hi hun, field par toh aap hai

Arjun: Riya...aaj Inspector Deshmukh aaya tha!

Riya: kaun Deshmukh?

Arjun: woh inspector jo Chetan aur uske admiyon ke murder ki investigation kar raha hai

Riya ka gala sukh jaata hai: murder?

Arjun: ha Riya murder! Dekho Riya...Mujhe Sach-Sach Batao! Kya unhe tumne...maara?

Riya: woh main...main...

Arjun: Riya!

Riya aur anxious hoti hai: main...main karna nahi chahti thi Arjun, aap, aapko toh pata haina main...main...woh sab (sofa par collapse hokar) main...

Arjun apni tone ko shaant karta hai: Riya...Riya shaant ho jao, dekho tum mujhe puri baat batao ki waha hua kya tha?

Riya: Arjun...woh maine kaha tha na ki usne mujhe pehchan liya tha?

Arjun: ha

Riya: aur uske saath do gunde bhi the. Teeno ne mujhe gher liya aur...aur maine...maine...main toh sirf unhe injure karke bhaagna chahti thi par...par woh sab...apne aap hi ho gaya...aur...aur woh Chetan pata nahi mujhe kya ho gaya tha, maine khud jaan kar uske gale par waar kiya, main karna nahi chahti thi par...main...tab...Arjun ab kya hoga?

Arjun: Riya tumne mujhe pehle kyun nahi bataya?

Riya: main...dar gayi thi, main aapko batana chahti thi...I'm sorry...Arjun, par main dar gayi thi, maine...maine socha ki, Raana pakda jaaye uske baad bata dungi...I'm sorry, please kuch...main, murder...mujhe arrest nahi hona

Arjun: Riya tum ghabrao mat! Kuch nahi hoga okay? Main hu na? aur waise bhi ab woh investigation humari hai, main handle kar lunga, tum daro mat.

Riya(longingly): aap ghar kab aayenge?

Arjun ko na chahte hue bhi use disappoint karna padta hai: I...I'm not sure Riya, ab bas ek hi jagah baakhi hai, agar waha Altaf ya Raana nahi mile toh, operation aur lamba chal sakta hai. main abhi kuch nahi keh sakta

Riya khud ko sambhalti hai: hmm...ho sake toh jaldi aana

Arjun: koshish karunga...rakhta hun

Riya: ji

Call disconnect

Riya Kushal ko phone waapis karti hai: thank you bhaiya

Kushal ko kuch samaj mein nahi aa raha tha ki kya hua par uska kaam ho gaya hai isliye,

Kushal: main chalu madam?

Riya nod karti hai. Kushal chala jaata hai. Riya ko firse wahi din yaad aata hai. un teeno ki cheekhein aur Chetan, Chetan toh cheekh bhi nahi paaya. woh apne haathon mein chehra chupakar rone lagti hai.

On the other hand-

Arjun apni chair par collapse hota hai mv "Riya ye tumne kya kiya? Off duty hokar encounter? Woh bhi is tareeke se...mujhe kuch bhi karke is case ko rafa-dafa karna hoga. Agar Riya zinda hai ye baat ETF mein pahunch gayi toh baahar bhi chali jaayegi.

Woh darwaaza unlock karke conference room mein jaata hai. waha sab waise ke waise hai. Ayesha file padh rahi hai. Arjun apni seat par baithta hai.

Arjun: kuch pata chala?

Ayesha: nope! Inki report se toh kuch bhi nahi, hum waha hote toh baat alag hoti (woh file rakh deti hai) ya toh killer bahot shatir hai ya fir in logon ki investigation ek dum bakwas

Arjun (trance mein): investigation hi bakwas hogi mv "killer toh machar bhi mushkil se maarti hai

Rathore apni eyebrow raise karta hai: tumhe kaise keh sakte ho

Arjun presence mein aakar realize karta hai ki usne kya kaha: killer chahe jitna bhi shaatir kyun na ho, koi na clue zaroor chodta hai, there's no perfect crime.

Shree(complaining): are sir, Ayesha chodo na criminal hi toh the, dharti se thode paap kam hue! Hume toh us killer ki puja karni chahiye ki humara kaam kam kar diya

Rathore: Shree! Tum ek police officer ho

Shree: isliye toh keh raha hun sir aur waise bhi aaj nahi toh kal encounter mein maare jaate, chodo na unhe aur woh toh gaye na, unka killer dhundhke hume kya milega, hum Raana ko dhundhte haina

Arjun mv "kya dost hai tumhare Riya, anjaan hokar bhi tumhe bacha rahe hai.

Rathore disbelief mein sar hilata. Woh apni coffee finish karke watch mein time dekhta hai.

Rathore: back to work! Let's finish this off! Kaha jaana hai hume?

Shree: sir, Kandivali mein, ek godown hai

Rathore: let's go then!

Sab raid ki taiyaari mein lag jaate hai. aur kuch hi der mein site ke liye nikal jaate hai.

Kandivali, godown-

The men were hurriedly packing crates of drugs. A man was instructed them.

Admi: chalo! Chalo jaldi karo!!! Ye saara maal jald se jald Altaf bhai ke paas le jaana hai, jaldi haath chalao!!

Another stopped amidst the chaos: par Jagga bhai, agar udhar abhi tak raid pad gayi hogi toh? Ye maal bhi itna mushkil se bachaya hai, main toh kehta hun police aaye usse pehle ye maal hu hi aapas mein baant kar underground ho jaate hai.

The supervisor looks at him in anger! His man steps back.

Jagga: Gaddar!!!

He pulled out his gun and was about to shoot him when...

A voice interrupted from behind: desh ke gaddaro ke saath yahi hota!

Jagga turns in shock only to find the ETF surrounding them with their guns straight up. Frustrated at the turn of events, Jagga fires the first bullet. The ETF take cover as they shoot in defence. Firing ensues from both the sides.

Taken by surprise, the goons had no chance against the ETF.

Rathore communicated via the Bluetooth: us admi ko zinda pakadna hai, woh Altaf ka pata jaanta hai.

A chorus replies: yes sir!

One by one Jagga's men fell. Seeing the destruction he found it fit to save himself and run away. He shielded behind his men and scampered out of the building. He ran to his motorcycle whilst throwing his gun and kick-started it.

Unfortunately for him, Arjun saw him getting away. Arjun sprinted behind. As soon as Jagga's bike sprang to life, a bullet pierced his shoulder from behind causing him to lose balance and fall. The motorcycle fell on his leg trapping him.

Jagga: aaahh!!!

He struggled to free his leg. Arjun approached him with a fire in his eyes.

Arjun: kahi jaa rahe ho?

Pain screeching through his leg he tried to reach for his fallen gun. Arjun stamped his hand. Jagga screamed again.

Arjun: sochna bhi mat! Warna...he pointed his gun at his head.

Jagga: nahi...please...mat maaro mujhe...

Arjun: chup-chap bata Raana kaha milega?

Jagga: mujhe nahi pata

Arjun flicked his wrist and shot his arm

Jagga(screaming): MUJHE SACH MEIN NAHI PATA!!!!

Arjun: Altaf?

Jagga(panting): unhone kaha tha ki...ye saara maal lekar Dockyard pahunchana hai...unhone kaha tha ki 2-3 bajay tak hume sab kuch, woh Sea and Seal company ke cargo mein rakhne hai aur fir...kal raat ko woh use lekar desh ke baahar bhaag jaayenge

Arjun: Sea and Seal? Lekin tumhari saari companiyon par toh taala lagwa diya tha, ye kaunsi hai?

Jagga: ye...private hai aur emergency mein jab radar ke andar rehkar maal transport karna ho toh hum iska istemaal karte hai, koi police use rok nahi paati

Rathore runs to them from behind: Arjun!!!

Arjun turns: hume inhe chodna hoga

Rathore: WHAT? Kya bak rahe ho?...