Chapter 18

Riya: nahi!!! nahi!!! nahi!! Maine uski shakal dekhi hai records mein

Arjun heaved sigh of relief: oh…kaun hai

Riya: Uska naam Javed hai, aur bahot kale dhandho mein naam hai uska. Aur kuch yaad nahi hai, office jaa kar file check karti hun

Arjun: theek hai, tum pakka sure hona usne tumhe pehchaana nahi? Kyunki tumne koi bhes nahi badla

Riya: ha sir, woh kaise pehchanega? Hum kabhi aamne saamne nahi hue, maine toh apni saza kaat te waqt uska photo dekha tha record mein aur ha, ek aur baat. Jab maine Naved ke baare mein pucha toh Jasmine ka chehra utar gaya tha, mera andaaza hai ki Pathan apni beti se bhi zyaada nahi milta

Arjun: ho sakta hai, pehle Javed ko pakadte hai

Riya: hmm

ETF office-

Riya bina change kiye ya conference room mein jaaye seedhe record room mein bhaagti hai. Arjun conference room mein jaata hai.

Rathore eagerly puchta hai: Pathan aaya tha?

Arjun: nahi

Shree: toh sir ab?

Chotu: sir Pathan nahi par koi aur toh aaya hoga na?

Arjun: ha, Riya pehchaanti hai use, woh pata karne gayi hai

Sakshi: iska matlab tum dono ka mission flop ho gaya?

Arjun use irritated nazar se dekhta hai.

Liza: kya bol rahi Sakshi?

Sakshi: are Riya use pehchanti hai iska matlab woh bhi pehchaanta hoga, maine pehle hi kaha tha ki mujhe jaane do par….

Arjun ko Sakshi ka Riya ki kabiliyat par shak karna bilcul nahi khalta hai.

Woh gusse mein table par haath bang karta hai: Shut Up!!! Ek Aur Lafz Nikala Toh Mujhse Bura Aur Koi Nahi Hoga!!!

Sab startle hota hai. Shree Chotu aur Liza glances exchange karte hai ye soch kar ki woh kab sudhregi?

Sakshi: lekin Arjun….

Arjun: I SAID SHUT UP!!!

Ab Sameer bhi Sakshi ko glare karta hai use chup rehne ke liye kyunki itna toh logic hai ki agar cover khul gaya hota toh dono itne calmly office nahi aate. Sakshi unwillingly chup ho jaati hai. tabhi Riya file lekar enter karti hai. uski nazre file mein hi atki hai, woh bina nazre upar kiye, apni jagah par ja baithti hai. Sab uska wait karte hai. Kuch seconds baad woh shuru karti hai.

Riya: sir, Javed purana paapi hai.

Ayesha: Javed kaun?

Riya: wahi jo Jasmine ka guardian ban kar aaya tha. uska haath kaala-baazari, money laundering, smuggling, illegal arms supply, trafficking…yaha tak ki land mafia mein bhi hai.

Shree: kaunsi type ki smuggling?

Riya: the usual, drugs, gold, diamonds, weapons…jo uske haath aaye (Shree nod karta hai) aur (smile karke) pate ki baat ye hai ki, (Arjun ko dekhkar)woh Pathan ka right hand hai

Arjun ki aankhein chamakti hai. Sab khush hote hai.

Rathore: thank god! Ayesha, Chotu! Apne informers ko activate karo! Ise range haathon pakadne ke ilawa aur koi raasta nahi hai, I’m guessing iske normal identity par tinke bhar ka bhi daag  nahi hoga

Riya: ha sir, jaise Naved ko koi nahi chu sakta par Pathan ko faasi par chada sakte hai waise hi Ravi ko koi nahi chu sakta lekin Javed ko koi jail se baahar nahi nikal sakega. Aur mujhe lagta hai hume sirf Javed hi nahi balki Ravi par bhi nazar rakhni chahiye kyunki Javed ke baare mein Ravi ke ilawa aur koi achese nahi jaan sakta

Rathore agree kare usse pehle

Arjun: woh toh hum karenge hi, lekin hum mein se koi bhi waha aas paas jaayega toh use shak ho sakta hai. hume admiyon ko hi kaam par lagana padega.

Chotu: theek hai sir, hum woh kar denge

Arjun: aur dhyaan rahe ki woh bharosemand ho

Chotu: ji sir, ho jaayega

Arjun nod karta hai.

Rathore: I guess ab tum logon ko school jaane ki zaroorat nahi padegi

Arjun: kal vacations ke pehle aakhri din, doesn’t matter aur waise bhi ek cheez confirm karni hai abhi Jasmine se

Rathore: kya?

Arjun: jise karna hai woh kar degi

Rathore(sternly): Rawte! Aadhi-adhuri baatein mat karo! Kaunsi baat confirm karni hai tumhe?

Arjun(irritated): tumhe karni hai? nahi! Toh fir sawaal mat karo

Rathore: I don’t believe this!

Woh gussa hokar apne cabin mein chala jaata hai. Aur koi kaam nahi hai isliye Arjun bhi chala jaata hai.

Chotu: in dono ka jhagda kab khatam hoga?

Ayesha/Riya: is janam mein toh nahi

Dono chouk kar ek dusre ki taraf dekhti hai. Baakhi sab confuse hote hai.

Shree: matlab?

Riya baat ko sambhal leti hai: matlab…ye ki dekho na, har baat par shuru h jaate hai dono. Aisa lagta hai kya? Is janam mein ye dono ek dusre ko samajne ki koshish karenge?

Ayesha relief mehsoos karti hai.

Riya: anyway main change karke aati hun

Shree: ha, acha Riya suno, aate waqt coffee ka order de dogi please

Riya: sure!

Shree: thanks!

Riya change karne chali jaati hai. Ayesha bhi uske peeche jaane ke liye uthti hai.

Liza: ab tu kaha jaa rahi hai? mat jaa..ye paperwork karna hai

Ayesha: washroom ja rahi hun baba…had karte ho tum log

Liza hasti hai: pakka washroom ja rahi hai ya fir pati de….

Ayesha(blushing): Liza shut up!!!

Aur woh baahar chai jaati hai. Woh washroom ke baahar jaa kar Riya ka wait karti hai. thodi der mein Riya change karke aati hai. Woh Ayesha ko casual smile deti hai.

Ayesha: Riya, mujhe tumse baat karni hai

Riya: kaho

Ayesha: tum…jaanti ho? Arjun sir aur Sam ke baare mein?

Riya thodi stiff hoti hai: ha, jaanti hun

Ayesha: tum…

Riya apna haath upar karke use rokti hai: dekho Ayesha, mujhe us baare mein koi baat nahi karni. Unke ego clashes kaafi hai. mujhe kisi se jhagda karne ka koi shaukh nahi hai. main tumhe koi advice nahi dena chahti toh behtar hoga ki tum bhi mujhe na do.

Ayesha(incredulously): tum sab kuch jaane ke bavjud Arjun sir ki side kaise le sakti ho?

Riya sigh karti hai: tum apne pyaar ki side par ho aur main apni Ayesha

Ayesha: iska matlab tum sahi aur galat ke beech ka bhed bhul jaogi?

Riya: sahi kya hai aur galat kya mujhe nahi pata. Mujhe sirf itna pata hai ki Arjun sir ka humesha saath dungi. Ayesha mujhe tumhare saath koi issue nahi create nahi karna. Kya hum is baat ko yahi khatam kare?

Ayesha kuch sochkar sar hilati hai: theek hai, tumhari baat sahi hai. ye baat undono ke beech hi rakhe toh behtar hai.

Riya smile karti hai: no hard feelings?

Ayesha bhi smile karti hai: none at all!

They seal their friendship with a firm handshake. The rest of the day went uneventful. Everyone retired to their homes now a little more specific about their target.

DAV school-

The students were easily coaxing their teachers for free periods as it was the last day and under the pretext of preparations of the party that was going to happen. Riya’s class was no different. She too fell prey to their antics and gave away the hour. The class rejoiced as the 6th period got over. It was time to celebrate.

Riya(standing from her seat): Jasmine

Jasmine was talking to her friend when her voice caught her rapt attention: yes miss?

Riya(leaving the class): come with me

Jasmine was confused and exchanged glances among her friends but they just shrugged and gestured her to go. Jasmine followed Riya till the end of the corridor where she stopped at a turn. Riya turned to her.

Riya: Jasmine if you don’t mind can I ask you something?

Jasmine: why will I mind Shivangi miss?

Riya smiled: you seemed a little upset yesterday

Jasmine’s face fell: no..it’s nothing

Riya: your father doesn’t stay with you?

Jasmine: he does….kind of. I mean he’s usually away on business trips. He’ll barely be at home and…(lowering her eyes) and I don’t get to see him much so that’s why

Riya: Why don’t you go to him during holidays?

Jasmine: I can’t, there’s no fixed place that he goes to. He’ll just be hopping around from here to there from there to here, he can’t stay put so it becomes inconvenient besides, he doesn’t like me being involved with any of his businesses

Riya: I understand, what business does he do?

Jasmine: textiles

Riya: oh…anyway. You take care okay?

Jasmine smiled: yes miss

Riya: run along now!

Jasmine nodded and left to her class. Riya turned into the second corridor where Arjun was leaning against the wall.

Arjun: toh ye ghar nahi jaanewaali

Riya: aisa lagta toh nahi hai…ye khud Naved ko mushkil se mil paati hai. mujhe toh lagta hai ki agar hum uska use karte, toh bhi woh saamne nahi aata

Arjun: ho bhi sakta hai…khair…

Aarti: Atharv! Shivangi!

The couple jumped, startled at the fact if they were discovered but Aarti was at a significant distance.

Aarti: yaha kyun khade ho tum dono? Chalo celebration shuru honewaala hai. Principal sir aate ho honge.

They nod and follow her to the main hall where the celebration began. It wasn’t long before Riya was pulled away by other female teachers into their talks. Arjun took a fruit bowl and slipped into a corner not wanting to socialize. He gaze settled on Riya as he ate who was busy talking and watching the performances by the students.

Riya on the other hand felt him looking at her. She subtly looked in the direction of her 6th sense and found him staring at her. She blushed and raised her eyebrow. He nodded in negative as a smile appeared on his face. Riya looked away and brought her focus back onto what was going in front of them.

As the day ended, Arjun and Riya left to the secluded lane as per their routine. Arjun fastened his seatbelt and ignited the engine.

Riya: sir, Jasmine se toh kuch aur pata chalne ko raha. Iska matlab Ravi ke ilawa humari aur koi lead nahi hai. we’ll have to be careful

Arjun: ha Riya, agar Pathan ko bhanak bhi lag gayi ki hum uske peeche hai toh woh bhaag jaayega.

Riya: hum aisa risk nahi le sakte, woh bhi tab jab humne commissioner ka diya hua plan follow nahi kiya hai, agar kuch bhi hua toh woh sabse pehle aapke khilaaf kaarwaahi karenge

Arjun’s head suddenly spinned a little. His grip on the wheel tightened as he regained control mv “Shit! Ye kya tha? Riya ko drive karne ko kehta hun…nahi! Agar aise achanak kahunga toh use shak hoga. Utna kuch serious nahi hai.”

Riya: sir?

He came out of his thoughts: huh?....ha, tum…tum sahi keh rahi ho. Vikram sir bahot ajeeb behave kar rahe hai. kabhi kuch karte hai toh kabhi kuch…hume Pathan tak pahunchna hi hoga aur kisi tarah se..

He suddenly starts coughing and slows the vehicle but it doesn’t stop. He was forced to apply brakes and pull over………………………………