Chapter 25

Shree( hurriedly aaspaas dekhkar): oye chup! Dheere! ..koi sun lega

Liza realise karke apni tone niche karti hai: Specky…Tumhe Pata Bhi Hai Tum Kya Keh Rahe Ho? Woh Bhi Kiske Baare Mein? Woh Arjun Sir Hai!!!

Shree: lekin iska matlab ye nahi ki woh insaan nahi hai…..tumhe pata hai jab unhe pata chala ki mere bhai ki shaadi hai toh unhone khud mujhe 3 din extra leave de di

Liza: Specky! Idiot! Iska matlab ye nahi hai ki woh itne sentimental hai ki ek drawback ke chakkar  mein aisa kadam utha le

Shree: par…

Liza: Specky! Tu khud senti ho raha hai….na ki Arjun sir!

Shree: toh tu bata ki aisa kya ho gaya ki woh marte-marte bache?

Liza: mujhe nahi pata! Par…

Tabhi use Arjun interrogation room se baahar aate dikhta hai. woh chup hokar Shree ko ishara karti hai. Arjun un dono ko baahar, woh bhi kone mein khade Khusur-phusur karte dekhkar confuse hota hai

Arjun: tum dono yaha kya kar rahe ho?

Shree: woh….woh sir…hum..hum aapke paas hi aa rahe the, (Arjun apni eyebrow raise karta hai) woh aap interrogation kar rahe the na toh maine socha woh recording on hai ya nahi pata nahi, ek baar dekh lun

Arjun: on hai, aao

Itna kehkar conference room mein chala jaata hai. Shree aur Liza ek dusre ko glance karte hai aur chup-chap Arjun ko follow karte hai. Andar Chotu ke ilawa sabka khaana ho gaya hai, Arjun ko dekhkar Chotu abruptly ruk jaata hai.

Arjun(baithte hue): kha lo                      

Chotu khushi-khushi continue karta hai.

Rathore straight hokar calmly puchta hai: um….kuch kaha usne?

Arjun use calm dekhkar surprise hota hai, tabhi use Rathore ka chehra nazar aata hai. uske gaal par laal nishaan hai aur naak bhi slightly twist jaise ho gayi. Woh confuse hota hai par fir field par gaya hoga ye soch kar chod deta hai.

Arjun: nahi

Ayesha: toh ab?

Riya: hum zyaada der wait nahi kar sakte uske arrest hone ki khabar aag ki tarah fail jaayegi pure underworld mein

Rathore(Arjun ki taraf dekhkar): par uska muh khulwayenge kaise?

Arjun fir surprise hota hai: tum..mujhse puch rahe ho?

Rathore: ha

Arjun usse nazre chura kar Riya par rest karta hai: mujhe nahi pata

Ayesha: toh kya hume Jasmine ko…?

Liza: woh bachi hai yaar

Ayesha: jaanti hun Liza par agar humne uska muh nahi khulwaya toh saari mehnat bekar chali jaayegi

Shree: ye khabri kyun kisi kaam ke nahi hai?

Riya: ek minute! Aap sab log ek baat bhul rahe hai

Sab use confused look dete hai.

Sakshi: kya?

Riya: yahi ki woh Pathan Lala hai! The Pathan Lala! Sikandar ka right hand…woh log use jail mein sadne nahi denge! Woh kuch bhi karke use chudaane ki koshish karenge!

Arjun(sternly): Riya, tumhara dimag kharab hai? Tum Jaanti Ho Pichli Baar Us Intezaar Ki Keemat Kya Thi!!!

Riya jaanti hai ki woh kya kehne ki koshish kar raha hai: lekin Arjun sir, jab tak woh baahar nahi aayega tab tak hum use pakdenge kaise? Dusra raasta hum nahi Apnana…

Achanak Ayesha ka phone bajne lagta hai.

Ayesha: ha bolo….WHAT? kaise? Aur tum….acha theek hai phone rakho! (woh desperately call cut karke team ki taraf mudti hai) sir!! woh log Jasmine ko kahi lekar chale gaye

Sab shock hote hai.

Riya: lekar chale gaye matlab? Woh toh hostel mein thi na?

Ayesha: ha, lekin abhi subah jab woh gaya toh raat waala khabri jhaadiyon mein behosh pada tha, school waalon ne bataya ki Jasmine ka koi relative aaya tha aur woh uske saath chali gayi

Shree: iska matlab unhe tumhare khabri ke baare mein pata tha aur use thikaana laga kar woh log Jasmine ko le gaye

Ayesha: ha lagta toh aisa hi hai.

Rathore: toh fir hum ya toh wait kar sakte hai ya fir Pathan ko maar maarkar usse ugalwaane ki koshish kar sakte hai.

Arjun gusse mein mutter karta hai: Is Pathan Ki Toh…

Woh frustrate hokar, firse uthkar interrogation room ki taraf jaata hai. is baar baakhi sab bhi follow karte hai. Arjun, Rathore, Chotu teeno Pathan ki haddi pasli ek kar dete hai par woh kuch nahi bolta. Teeno irritate ho rahe hai lekin aur koi option nahi hai.

Baahar Shree aur Ladkiyaan wait kar rahi hai aur glass ke through sab kuch dekh rahi hai Pathan ka pura shareer khoon se latpat hai. ye teeno use torture kiya jaa rahe hai lekin uske muh se uff tak nahi nikalti hai. Arjun toh jaise 100 janamo ka badla le raha hai usse.

Riya: inhe rokna hoga, warna kuch bolne se pehle hi woh mar jaayega

Sakshi: woh toh hume bhi dikh raha hai lekin unhe control karega kaun?

Shree: Ayesha, Riya jao re, kuch karo warna Jasmine ke saath-saath ye bhi humare haath se nikal jaayega

Ayesha aur Riya dono room ki taraf jaate hai. Riya darwaaza kholti hai.

Ayesha: bas kijiye! Mar jaayega woh!

Uski awaaz se teeno hosh mein aate hai. Rathore aur Chotu toh ruk jaate hai par Arjun nahi rukta hai.

Rathore use rokne ki koshish karta hai: Rawte ruko!

Par Arjun nahi rukta. Riya aage aati hai aur Arjun ka haath pakad leti hai.

Riya(comfortingly): sir, sambhaliye

Arjun Riya ki awaaz se ruk toh jaata hai lekin abhi bhi bas Pathan ko ghure jaa raha hai.

Pathan finally bolta hai(weakly): kya…baat hai ACP? (Riya ko dekhkar) ladki humesha achi mil jaati hai tujhe

Isse pehle ki Arjun react kare Riya use punch maarti hai. Pathan ka daant tut jaata hai. Pathan use glare karta hai.

Riya(angrily): Muh Band! Chaliye sir!

Sabko baahar aata dekh Shree, Liza aur Sakshi chain ki saans lete hai. par sab abhi bhi wahi ka wahi atke hai. unhe samaj mein nahi aa raha hai ki aage kya kare? Kaise Sikandar tak pahunche?

Arjun kuch pal baad khud ko compose karta hai: Riya, Ayesha, Chotu… apne saari khabriyon ko kaam par lagao aur shehar mein honewaali choti se choti aur bade se badi drug deal ke baare mein pata kare. Mujhe har admi, har customer, har peddler ki khabar chahiye khaas kar un areas mein jaha par Sikandar operate karta hai.

Rathore: lekin Rawte usse kya hoga? Hum kitno par nazar rakhenge? Aur Sikandar akela drug mafia nahi chalata. Uske jaise aur bhi bahot saare dons hai.

Arjun Rathore ka sawaal dene ke bajay Liza se puchta hai: Liza tumhe Pathan ke ghar se kya mila tha?

Liza: 200 kilo drugs

Riya: 200 kilo? Iska matlab..ki woh kisi deal ke liye prepare kar raha tha, warna itne saare drugs aise khule mein nahi chodta

Arjun: exactly, ab jab uska maal pakda gaya hai toh use apni deal puri karne ke liye kahi aur se drugs dhundhne bhi honge aur bechne bhi honge. Pathan humari giraft mein hai. agar hum uske chote-chote admiyon par tut pade aur uska dhandha tight kar diya toh us deal ko pura karne ke liye woh khud baahar aayega aur shayad use pre-pone bhi kar de (Rathore se) ab kuch samjhe ya samjhau?

Uske point ko samajkar puri ETF kaam par lag jaati hai. aur fir kya? Pure shehar mein jagah-jagah par raids padne lagti hai. pure underworld mein problem shuru ho jaati hai, kyunki Sikandar ke chakkar mein unka bhi dhandha thap ho raha hai. lekin ETF kisi baat ki parvah nahi karti hai, woh ek-ek ko dhundhkar, pakad kar ya toh upar pahuncha rahe hai ya fir jail ki salakhon ke peeche. Aise hi 4 din beet jaate hai.

team mein se koi bhi ab tak ghar nahi gaya, bhook, pyaas sab chodkar bas kaam mein lage hue hai. 4 dino mein pure Mumbai mein Underworld ka saara kaam ruk jaata hai. Police sabko jhapat rahi hai ye dekhkar koi apne admiyon ko baahar hi nikal raha hai, jo thode bahot bache hai unhe underground kar diya gaya hai. Ab bas Arjun ke plan ka aakhri hissa bacha hai, Sikandar ka baahar aana.

Rathore aur Arjun dono local police se baat karke conference room mein jaate hai aur puri team ko waha dekhkar choukte hai. sab adhmare hai chair par baithe-baithe so rahe hai. woh dono bhi bahot thak gaye hai.

Rathore: team!

Sab mushkil se aankh khol kar use dekhte hai

Liza: sir please sir! aadha ghanta rest sir, warna main mar jaungi sir…please sir, daya karo. Bhagwan aapka bhala karega sir…

Arjun: Liza rona band karo aur chup chap ghar jao!

Aur isse pehle ki woh ya koi aur uske sentence ko register kar sake, Arjun Riya ka haath pakad kar use le jaata hai

Riya(protesting): are rukiye, mera purse!!

Lekin Arjun nahi sunta, Ayesha uska purse lekar kisi tarah jaldi-jaldi handle uske haath mein deti hai

Riya: thank…

Par pura bolne se pehle hi Arjun use lekar chala jaata hai. Baakhi sab unhe dekhkar smile karte hai. ab tak unhe Arjun aur Riya ki ajeeb harkato se aadat pad chuki hai.

Rathore baakhi sabko dekhta hai: chalo ab tum log baithe kyun ho? Ghar jao! Kal subah 10 baje…sharp!

Sabke andar naya josh aa jaata hai aur do second ke andar-andar sab apni cheezein pack karke baahar bhaag jaate hai. Rathore disbelief mein sar hilata hai. Ayesha sabko dekhkar hasti hai.

Ayesha: ab aap kyun ruk gaye?

Rathore: kuch nahi! Chalo…taxi lele? Drive karunga toh pakka accident ho jaayega

Ayesha: ha par yaha se nikaliye! Kehte hue woh use kheench kar le jaati hai.

On the other hand-

Riya had fallen asleep the second she reclined the passenger seat of the car. Arjun decreased the speed of the car so as to not disturb her. A soft smile appeared on his face as he saw her peaceful face.

She was still fast asleep. Arjun went and opened the door. He switched on the lights in the house and then went back to Riya. Carefully cradling her in his arms, he picked her up and took her in. Making sure not to awaken her, he took her to the bedroom and gently laid her on the bed and tucked her in before leaving.

Next morning-

Sharp at 10 am, everyone was present in the office. Chotu and Liza briefed everyone about all the men and drugs that they had caught so far. It was one of the biggest operations of the Mumbai Police till date Vikram was all in appreciation but like everyone else, he too was waiting for the opposite king to make his move on the board.

Chotu’s ringtone ended their waiting period. Everyone looked at him in anticipation as he talked to his informer and noted down the details. His head snapped back at them after disconnecting the call.

Chotu: sir! khabar pakki hai, Kamala mills mein deal honewaali hai isliye Sikandar aur uske admi abhi kuch der mein saara maal lekar waha pahunch rahe hai. 150 kilo heroine, 200 kilo cocaine, 100 kilo ka cannabis aur 50 kilo charas.

Arjun: woh mill kitni der mein pahunchega?

Chotu: ek ghante ke andar pahunch jaana chahiye

Arjun: deal kitne baje hai

Chotu: ye toh nahi pata sir

Riya: agar hum unse pehle pahunch jaaye toh?

Rathore: nahi Riya, hume Kamala mills pahunchne mein kam se kam 45 minutes lagenge, agar woh ek ghante mein aayenge toh hume waha pahunchkar position lene aur taiyaar hone ke liye sirf 10-15 minute milegi….

Arjun: aur by chance agar woh log usse pehle aa gaye toh dur se hi Sikandar hume dekh kar bhaag jaayega. Hume unke pahunchne ke baad waha jaana hoga, puri taiyaari ke saath. Taaki unhe bhaagne ka mauka hi na mile

Shree: hume back up…

Ayesha’s ringtone disturbs the conversation. She answers the call but 2 seconds into the conversation her eyes widen in shock and confusion. She hurriedly disconnected the call and turned towards the rest.

Riya: kya hua? Tumhare chehre ka rang kyun ud gaya?

Ayesha: Chotu, pakka ek ghante mein woh Kamala Mills aane waala hai?

Chotu uske cross question se confuse hota hai: ha. khabri ne toh yahi kaha

Ayesha: sir, mere informer ne kaha ki Sikandar S.R. Industries ke godown mein pichle kuch time se bahot aa jaa raha hai, jab se Pathan pakda gaya tabse aur abhi thodi der pehle usne Sikandar ki gaadi ko firse us taraf jaate dekha.

Riya: S.R Industries 3 saal pehle bankrupt ho chuki hai, uska godown pakka band hoga isliye woh us property ko use kar raha hai aur Kamala Mills toh 10 saal se khandar bane pade hai

Rathore: godown mills se kitna dur hai?

Shree: main check karta hun sir.

Shree immediately opened his laptop and turned to the common man’s saviour…Google

Shree: sir, maps ke hissab se dono ke beech 10-15 minute se zyaada ka faasla nahi hai.

Riya: ho sakta hai ki usne saare drugs us godown mein chupa rakhe ho aur fir wahi se woh Mills par le jaane waala ho

Liza: toh kaha jaayenge sir? godown ya fir mills?

Arjun: hum do teams mein bat kar dono jagah ek saath raid maarenge!

Rathore: lekin hume Mills par zyaada dhyaan dena hoga, deal wahi honewaali hai. Ayesha, tum aur Shree…

Arjun: nahi, Shree ki zaroorat hume pad sakti hai. Ayesha aur Riya ko godown sambhalne do, hum chaaron Mills par jaayenge.

Shree: par sir woh dono akele…(Ayesha aur Riya dono Shree ko glare karti hai, Shree dar jaata hai) are nahi, waise nahi….main toh bas ye keh raha tha ki mere hissab se aapko ya Rathore sir mein se ek ko waha hona chahiye

Arjun: nahi, hume Sikandar ko ye nahi pata chalne dena hai ki hume uske godown ke baare mein pata hai, agar usne waha se bhaagne ki koshish ki toh usi adde par jaayega. Usne ab tak humari saari information nikal li hogi. Agar usne dekha ki main ya Rathore waha nahi hai toh use shak ho sakta hai.

Riya: toh fir tay raha, Liza aur Sakshi yahi office mein rahenge aur zaroorat padi toh extra units ko bhejenge. Main aur Ayesha back up force ke saath godown par nazar rakhenge aur jaise hi Sikandar waha se nikalta hai, hum aapko inform kar denge

Ayesha: till the time Sikandar apne maal ke saath waha pahunchta hai aur aap log attack karte hai hum godown ko apne kabze mein le lenge aur jab tak Sikandar pakda nahi jaata hai, hum wahi wait karenge in case agar woh wahase bhaag kar waapis aaya toh hum us pakad lenge

Arjun: toh fir der kis baat ki?(ordering) Everybody On Your Toes!!

Sab uthkar raid ki taiyaari mein lag jaate hai. mauka dekhkar Riya Arjun ko side par le jaati hai.

Arjun(surprised): kya hua?

Riya: sach-sach bataiye aapko Shree ki zaroorat hai ya fir mujhse peecha chudana chahte hai?

Arjun sighed realising she had caught his lie: I just don’t want you near him…main risk nahi lena chahta. Please tum maan…

Riya uske state of mind ko samaj kar argument nahi karti hai: theek hai main waha nahi aaungi lekin aap mujhse vaada kijiye ki aap apne aap par kabu rakhenge, aapke dimag ko gussa control karna hai na ki gusse ko dimag….aur aap apna khayal rakhenge

Arjun smiled and hugged her: vaada (he kissed her forehead) tum bhi khayal rakhna apna

Riya gave him a reassuring smile: ji

They parted and joined the others before anyone could even realise that they were gone……………..