EPISODE-30

 

 

TWO HOURS LATER

 

 

"Raj mujhe kuch samajh nahin aa raha... what the hell is happening?"

"Jis aadmi ne mujhe Navin ke baare mein information di thi he's dead."

"What? Par Kaise?"

"His body was found at his place this afternoon.....He supposedly commited suicide."

"Suicide?"

"Haan atleast us article mein to yehi likha tha."

Naina looked confused and lost. She could not figure out what all that implied.

"Naina... no need to look so confused. Seedhi si baat hai. He was caught. So either he was forced to commit suicide or was killed. And it's quite possible ki marne se pehle he told them about me."

"Aur ab woh log tumhein dhoondh rahein honge."

"Agar lodge tak nahin pahunche honge to sirf mujhe, warna hum dono ko."

 

Rajveer and Naina were tensed. They were on a run now and chances of being caught were much higher. Rajveer has disguised himself with the help of a fake beard and moustache while Naina hid herself behind a Burka.

 

"Wait a minute... In that case hum log yahan kya kar rahe hain? Humein jitni jaldi ho sake Wazirabad chod dena chahiye.... But instead you have checked in into the biggest hotel around."

"Kyunki according to me, even they would believe ki hum dono Wazirabad se nikalne ki koshish karenge ya phir kisi bahut hi choti si jagah pe chupne ki koshish karenge, jahan hum par kisi ki nazar na pade."

"And won't they check this place?"

"May be or may not be. But even in that case...."

 

Before Rajveer could answer there was a knock at the door. Naina's heartbeat increased. She was scared to death. She didn't want to be caught. After so many days she has got news about her Bhaiyya today only and she didn't want the game to get over like that... then and there.

"Naina you stay back quietly. Main dekhta hoon."

He opened the door. It was the local police.

 

"Aap hi Salim Khan hain."

"Jee haan. Kahiye main aapki kya khidmat kar sakta hoon." Rajveer replied.

"Aapne abhi ek ghante pehle hi yahan apni begum ke saath check-in kiya hai na."

"Jee haan."

"Kahan hain woh."

 

Naina came there. She was sweating behind that viel. Her eyes were moist and her legs were quivering. They didn't even take her weight. She lost her balance as she reached the door. Rajveer held her hand and supported her.

"Aap ko bistar se uthne ke liye kisne kaha tha. Doctor ne aapko aaram karne ke liye kaha hai na." Rajveer pretended as if she was ill.

"Naam kya hai aapka?" The officer asked Naina.

She tried to answer him but to her horror she was not able to speak. Her voice was choked. Rajveer turned his face closing his eyes tightly. They could get into trouble because of her fear. And he now had to find a way out for that.

 

"Inka naam Nagma hai.Yeh bol nahin sakti. Ek haadse ki wajah se inhone apni aawaaz kho di hai. Uske baad se hi inki tabiyat bhi kuch nasaaz rehti hai. Isliye Doctor ki salaah pe hum bade sheher ki bhaag-daud se door kuch dinon ke liye yahan aaye hain."

"Oh!"

"Lekin baat kya hai. Aap itni poochtaach kis liye kar rahe hain."

"Kuch nahin hum kisi ki talaash mein hain."

"Oh. Waise agar aapko hum logon par yakeen na ho to aap hamara passport dekh sakte hain."

"Nahin. Uski zaroorat nahin padegi. Takleef ke liye hum maafi chahte hain."

"Isme takleef ki kya baat hai."

The officer turned to his subordinates and signaled them to leave.

"Chalo."

 

Rajveer closed the door immediately and took a sigh of relief. But Naina broke down into tears and clung to him.

"I am sorry Raj."

"Relax Naina. It's absolutely fine. We are safe now. Yeh log yahan sirf ek formality poori karne ke liye checking kar rahe the."

"But meri wajah se..." Naina could not complete her sentence. She was badly crying.

"Naina relax...Kuch nahin hua hai tumhari wajah se. infact you gave us such a nice excuse. Everything is just fine."

 

Naina took a little time but she finally controlled herself. But she was still scared.

"Agar woh log dubara aa gaye to?"

"Nahin aayenge..... Rest assured about that."

"Tumhein nahin lagta humein Alekh ko inform kar dena chahiye yahan ki situation ke baare mein."

"Nahin. Neeti ko agar pata chal gaya to woh unnecessarily tension legi. Is haalat mein use zyaada stress nahin lena chahiye."

"I guess you are right."

 "Anyways woh sab chodo. I think you need some rest. Tum aaraam kar lo. Aage ka plan hum subah discuss karte hain."

"Okay."

 

********************

 

Sometime around midnight Rajveer got up from his sleep by a shout. Naina had got up with a scream, "Bhaiyya". Probably it was some Nightmare. But she was shivering badly. She was unable to get a grip over herself. Rajveer felt that she didn't even realize that what she just saw was just a dream. He went closer and shook her.

"Naina.....Naina are you okay?"

Naina turned towards him. He was quite shocked to see her state. She was sweating badly and her eyes were wide with horror. Besides they were moist. She was looking at him without blinking even for once.

"Naina sab theek hai. Everything is just fine....Relax."

Naina didn't speak anything. She just clung to him.

"Raj please hold me."

Rajveer took her in his arms and tried to console her.

"It was just a nightmare Naina. Please calm down."

 

It took her about half an hour to calm down a little. She stopped shivering but that fear was still there in her eyes. She didn't let Rajveer go. She was still holding him tightly. Rajveer lied her down on the bed and himself lay next to her. She was still holding him and within a few minutes she slept in his arms. She looked calm but Rajveer knew there was turmoil inside her. He remained there right next to her, holding her, for the entire night. He was feeling pathetic for not being able to help her out. He was helpless. Besides, there was a constant fear of getting caught. Rajveer knew that if they are caught, no one would ever come to know that any one called Rajveer and Naina ever existed who dared to cross the border. He could not let that happen to Naina.

 

When Naina got up in the morning she saw Rajveer next to her, wide awake. She got up. Rajveer was lost in his own thoughts so he didn't realize that Naina was up until she got up and sat.

"Raj... tum...."

"Naina how are you feeling now?"

"I am fine Raj but didn't you sleep for the whole night?"

"Don't worry about me. I am habituated for sleepless nights. Humein army mein is cheez ki bhi training di jaati hai. But you look much better. Kal raat tumne bahut bura sapna dekha tha kya?"

"Haan woh actually I saw.... forget it. Raj I am really sorry to bother you."

"Don't be...I am not!  But ek baat kahoon Naina.... Maanogi?"

"Kya?"

"Go back.... It's very unsafe here. Tum laut jao. I promise you I won't return without Navin."

Naina stared at him in utter disbelief. Then she turned her face and after a small pause she said, "Raj what's gonna be our POA now?"

She got up to get ready. Their mission wasn't over yet.