Chapter 20
*~Part 22 (Finale)~*
It happened fast….one moment Riddhima left Armaan's side to go and sit into the passenger seat and the next moment she felt herself being caught from behind, her mouth gagged as she heard the screeching of tires behind her. Infront of her eyes she saw the same happening to Armaan before she could alert him they caught him too and gagged him. Before she knew they were thrown into the car infront of then and blindfolded and tied with such swiftness that Riddhima felt herself in ropes before she could exhale out the air she inhaled in a breath. Riddhima could feel the car in motion again. she knew Armaan had been thrown in with her as well……but what chance did the two of them stand….tied, blindfolded against their unknown captors??
*************************
Groggy and his vision blurry, Armaan shook his head to clear it, immediately regretting the action when it sent spiking pain behind his left eye. Damn, that felt like a migraine. He'd only ever had one once before, when he'd been injured on the training field, this blinding pain seemed some else…… His lids cracked open only to make him wince in pain again at the light. He didn't shut his eyes again, though.
He was buckled into a plush leather airplane seat next to the window on what looked like a private jet. The tinted windows didn't entirely block the sunshine, but no doubt blocked view of him from the outside. His hands were tied with a plastic tie in front of him, but his feet were free.
The sound of small planes droned intermittently from outside.
How the hell had he gotten here?
He thought about it while trying to unbuckle his seat belt with his constricted hands.
It came back…as fast and painful as the blinding pain in his head……the bank…the documents…..and with a jolt he remembered RIDDHIMA!!! Ofcourse…Armaan felt his brain working overdrive as he divulged into the flashes of his memory which temporarily seemed to be dysfunctional owing to the terrible ache. It seemed as though his nerves would soon burst open wide and blood would ooze out. He closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. At this rate how could he focus and stay alert. There seemed to be momentarily no one about in the cabin he was confined too. And the condition he was in seemed to restrict his movement, making him feel handicapped. He tried recollecting what had happened.
"Riddhima…" was the last name he had uttered….as they had been captured…..just outside the bank. how could he have been so lapse. How could he have not foreseen something like this?
He remembered hearing her struggle as they both had been blindfolded and bundled up in the car. In between somewhere he had heard her whisper to him…saying she had managed to untie her bonds…..and had opened his blindfold. The ones who had captured were amateur and Riddhima had deftly untied herself and him……they were in the back to some van….seemed like some cargo van….then together they had managed to work up a plan…they would jump out of the van through the back door ……the pistol Armaan had kept had obviously been taken away…..without any weapon it was impossible to fight……so they would jump…right out their sole aim was to get to safety….and Armaan had to concede that there was no time to plan more…just following their instinct was the way out….he remembered convincing her to jump out first….then assuring her he would jump out next within the next minute. The moment she had jumped out he felt the van slowing down….he had breathed a sigh of relief as he saw her running off with a last backward glance as he had given her a thumbs up of reassurance…….the van had stopped and then………Armaan strained himself to recollect……all that he could remember was……he'd felt a small prick and the world had gone black.
And now he was here….kidnapped…the head o the operation was kidnapped…he just hoped Riddhima was safe…..as he forced his eyes open to take a look around…..the drug had not only given him a nauseating headache but also left him weak and devoid of any stamina…he could barely keep his eyes lids open……how could he get out of this alone? Did anyone outside even know where he was??????
**************************
Rahul....they have been kidnapped..." Muskaan swore loudly as she put the phone down and rushed to meet Rahul who was still in the kitchen clearing up the breakfast remains after his daughter left for school.
"Did you here....they couldn't prevent this from happening..." Muskaan cried as Rahul dried his hands and rushed towards a hysterical Muskaan. He had never felt so shameful in his life……he knew he was partly responsible for this outcome….he closed his eyes trying to swallow up the over bearing guilt surging in him.
"We have to do something…" he heard Muskaan give out a sniff as he hugged her closely.
"They have taken Armaan away…Riddhima managed to return…but Armaan hasn't been heard since then….we have to do something Rahul…"
She looked up and stared into his eyes…..the guilt, the confusion….so clearly visible…she hugged him tighter.
"Its not your fault….." she whispered softly.
"It is….." Rahul sighed holding her feeling all the more worst.
"No it isn't. You stopped passing on information long ago…..what ever has happened….its noway connected to you….so stop cursing yourself and think of what we can do…"Muskaan glared at him sternly….willing him to believe her…..trust her. Accept her belief that he was indeed not so treacherous as he imagined himself to be.
"We cant do anything Muskaan. I have been fired, suspended. You have been staying with me past two months. You are my fiancee. There is nothing we can do Muskaan." Rahul answered flatly.
"But Rahul…." Muskaan stopped as she glanced into his dejected yes. The emotional turmoil, the upheaval she had seen past few days was now suddenly gone. While she still thought he might reconsider his decision of never going back to his job….there wasn't a tinge of a doubt left in her that he had taken his stand.
"I always told you honey. I am not going back…not now…not ever. Agreed at one point of time….that life was everything to me…..I loved my job….but now…I love you, my daughter and my life much more. And I don't ever want to go back there ever again….I hope you understand me…"
"I have always understood you…." She placed a hand on his cheek and smiled through her tears.
"I just thought maybe you are running away your life…for us….because of what happened…but now…"
"You are my life Muskaan…" he whispered and lightly kissed her….sealing his declaration.
"We can only support Riddhima now…emotionally…that's the least we can do I know…but the only we can do…"
Nodding Muskaan allowed him to hug her again…..he had left a part of himself forever in the life he chose to give up…he gave it p by choice again….out of fear, due to past experiences…..whatever the reason…..she had tried convincing him otherwise…..but if this was what he truly wanted…she would be there…supporting him….forever.
********************
Riddhima checked her watch for the umpteenth time….where was he???? Had he managed to get away??? A really bad feeling settled in the pit of Riddhima's stomach. She had managed to hitch and hike her way……back to the head quarters. There she was greeted by a worried Frank and the rest of the team.
"We had been tracking the group activities" Frank informed her.
"Since you were the victim here, there was no way we could discuss the plans and the hunches we had. We are sorry Riddhima....it was against our policy." Frank had apologized as Riddhima stood there demanding an explanation.
"But Armaan knew...." Frank had offered.
She had waved aside all the apologies and had asked him to now explain what was going on. Why a kidnap now??
"We had been trying to track down the activities of the group which had been threatening us. we had our hunches about two international smuggling organizations. On had been traced to all the way to southeast Asia.....and the other was a well known smuggling group located in South Africa. " Frank had explained.
"But it seems they were after the documents because it contained not one but two of the blueprints of their plans. And they couldn't afford to have that exposed to us as it not only gives us an idea of their next operation but also gives us an insight regarding how they form their plans....so well in any way it was dangerous for their own organization to have us in possession of their plans......we hadnt anticipated this move though. We had our men watching you and Armaan both.....it was a surprise attack....and before we could react you'll were whisked away..."
"But they were amateurs.....you could have easily captured them...I mean they had tied us so loosely...and they were so many mistakes they made....it was as if they were doing it for the first time....I cant believe the entire force out here couldn't capture a bunch of unskilled kidnappers.." Riddhima had snorted giving an exasperated sigh.
"I know Riddhima...." Frank had sighed.
"We are working on tracing them down now.....we should have them nailed in no time...you can go and...."
"I am not going anywhere Frank....unless Armaan comes back safe and sound...." Riddhima had countered giving him a deadly glare.
"Ok ok..." Frank had raised his hands and allowed her to stay back watching the rest of the team work.
It had been five hours since then....there was no sign or contact from Armaan...was it possible he hadn't managed to escape??? Her stomach curled and she could feel goose bumps rise at the very thought. She voiced her concerns to Atul……who had been tracking one of organizations since hours……
"Nothing worth pursuing yet Riddhima……. Listen though, I did some checking on a hunch. You know me and my hunches…... But I don't think you're going to like this."
"What?" Riddhima looked at him alarmingly.
"A private jet registered to a subsidiary company of one known to associate with the South African smugglers flew into a municipal airport outside of Washington yesterday."
"And?"
"They left early this morning with a flight plan for a small airport in East, one that doesn't have their flight plans accessible on any computer database."
"In other words, they could be in New York right now. They are trying to confuse us by their flight plans……" Riddhima grimanced.
"Maybe. But maybe there's more to it." Atul spoke looking away.
"Is that what your gut is telling you?" Riddhima probed
"Yes."
"Mine too," she admitted.
"You are safe and sound here….there have been no threat calls demanding you….and Armaan hasn't yet shown up so…….."
"So?" Riddhima swallowed feeling sick…Atul was going to voice exactly the same doubt nagging her……
"Now that they have what they believe that the plans are out of their reach….., why not take the cheif?"
Armaan? No. This was not happening. Riddhima felt her feet grow cold….it meant he hadn't escaped……
"But what will they gain capturing him? The plans are with the government now…there is noway they can be released now…why take him….." Riddhima whispered feeling herself go into a shock. It had been nagging her since the time she jumped…but she had forced herself to be positive….Armaan couldn't be captured just like that…no this couldn't be happening.
"Right," Atul said.
"Their first objective was to get the plans, Very effectively. They tried their best but since they didn't succeed they tried taking you….whatever it cost them…and not just you alone….else they wouldn't have taken Armaan…being our chief….they planned to keep him to blackmail us…..:
"Atul, call Frank and see if he knows where the van went…if they have been tracking it….. call John and get the plane's takeoff delayed," Riddhima instructed.
"I'd would do that Riddhima….." Atul said, "but we don't know what airport they're flying out of."
"Oh yes, we do," Riddhima replied as the smuggler's van hadn't slowed down near the domestic airport…..if her calculations were correct….they wouldn't waste much time traveling by road…as they were probably in more danger of getting caught if they were going by road….. She named the airport another fifteen minutes away. And jumped up…..she wasn't going to sit idle and allow this to happen….just sit back and watch the action happen…...no way was Riddhima Gupta doing that. She rushed to her cabin and grabbed her gun securing it firmly in her waist……she ran out of the building followed by a huffing Atul.
"Where are you going Riddhima….??" He asked even though he knew the obvious answer.
"To get them Atul…..I am not allowing them to take away Armaan…I wasn't there for my father…but this time I am there and I wont allow this to happen. You want to join?" She asked him raising a brow as she opened the car door and sat in quickly.
As she started the engine she heard the car door slam beside her and saw Atul buckling the seat belt with grim determination.
"You are working and going against Frank's orders?? " She asked as she sped the car along the main road.
"I made a mistake by not doing so two years ago…..I don't want to repeat it again…" he said quietly.
"Two years ago…..I did not support my wife….she had acted on impulse just like you and saved a hundred lives….but she was fired as she had acted without orders….I supported Frank…justifying she broke rules…not only did I loose my wife but I lost any respect and love she had for me…I don't want you to loose Armaan today…."he added seeing her eyes grow wide confusion and then sudden understanding. Just then his cell phone rang….
"Frank's hyperventilating at the other end of the phone." Atul muttered listening to the caller….
"Tell him to chill, that we're on it." Nothing was going to happen to Armaan. Riddhima wouldn't let it.
This time, she was on the scene and she was going to stop the idiots from taking the man she loved out of the country, or hurting him.
"They're turning in to the airfield," Atul said listening to the update on the phone…..as his men tracked down the van…. said. "Good deduction, Riddhima. You were right about them flying away and the airport….."
Riddhima just grunted and got a chuckle from Atul.
Atul's positive attitude helped keep Riddhima's fear at bay. This was Riddhima's job, what she did best. Take down the bad guys. She'd done it in person more often than most FBI agents, and she had no doubts in her personal abilities.
She allowed her need for speed to take over and pulled into the parking area for the airfield only moments behind the van and right behind.
"Don't worry, Riddhima, we're taking these b******* out," Atul said in her ear. He sounded deadly and she appreciated that.
"We're not going to let Armaan get hurt." He squeezed her hand lightly.
"We can't stop a bullet no matter how much our will might want to," Riddhima felt compelled to say.
"We'll shoot first, if that's what it takes," Atul said.
Riddhima nodded as she checked her gun.
Her phone rang in her other ear on the Bluetooth headset. It had about fifty feet of range and she'd left it in the car. The ring tone was Frank's but she ignored it. He'd either gotten the takeoff delayed or he hadn't, but she didn't want to talk to him right now.
He would tell her to wait for the FBI to get there to go in. And there was no way on this green earth that was happening.
Riddhima felt like she was going to puke as the engines started warming up on the idling plane ……..Then cold calculation took over and she measured the distance between herself and the plane. There had to be about five men…considering three had captured them…two more maybe as a pilot and co-pilot….she hoped her desperate calculation was correct…..
"Atul, you take the men on the ground. I'm boarding the plane."
"You have no way of knowing how many men are on board," Atul said.
"It doesn't matter. They aren't taking Armaan."
" I will be right behind you," Atul said, instead of arguing further.
Riddhima smiled grimly. He was good backup.
When the door at the top of the ramp opened, they started moving as one smooth, extremely fast machine.
Riddhima trusted her partner to take out the men on the ground while she took a running leap at the stairs. She landed exactly where she'd expected. She grabbed the handrails and used them to leverage a full-body flip, sending her sailing into the body of the man standing on the top step.
He'd been trying to get his gun from its shoulder holster, but she heard a sharp crack as her designer boots connected with the arm crossing his chest. She landed on top of him and used a quick forward thrust with the heel of her hand against his nose to further incapacitate him. Then she was up and assessing her situation in a split second.
Another man to her right went down under a damn fine tackle from her beloved former football hero.
"Good job. How many more?" she asked.
"I don't know. One, maybe two, but they'd be in the cockpit."
The plane started to move. The pilot must have seen something. Riddhima ran for the door as she heard clattering on the stairs outside the plane. Then Atul was there as well, securing the two downed men.
Grabbing her gun from the thigh holster, Riddhima ran to the front of the plane. She kicked the cockpit door in and immediately put her gun to the head of the pilot. "Stop the plane."
There was no copilot, or maybe one of the other men was supposed to be, but he wasn't in the cabin.
The pilot hesitated and Riddhima cold cocked him in the temple. Then she lunged forward and cut the plane's engines.
"Nicely done," Atul said from the doorway. Riddhima nodded as she followed him out into the cabin.
'Here's your lover boy." Atul chidded quietly as they gazed at Armaan knocked out, lying still with his head carelessly lopsided against the arm rest.
"Seems like they knocked him out." Atul muttered swiftly untying him and freeing him from the bondage. Riddhima bent down and held his head between her palms, after gently caressing his swollen upper cheek bone.
"Armaan??" she softly called out.
He didnt come around immediately. Slowly, very slowly after what seemed an enternity he seemed to open his eyes.
"They knocked me out again.." he muttered sitting. "I came around sometime a ago, but they punched me back...."he started to explain glancing up.
"You are safe now..." Riddhima whispered helping him up.
"Yep, your lady aved the day." tul grinned supporting him from the other side.
"I agree, but damn I've got a headache." Armaan was smiling, but there was no mistaking the grayed-out pain in his face.
"At least you're alive," Riddhima said with fervent gratitude.
"Yeah, thanks to you, sugar."
"You had a pretty nice tackle back there."
"And that's about all I could handle. One tackle."
She grinned. He was a fighter, but he wasn't an arrogant macho jerk who had to insist he didn't need a woman's help. "I love that about you, you know?"
"What that exactly?"
"That you can admit you needed my help."
"I need a lot more from you, Riddhima. I see that you are not just a great fighter yourself but a woman in love…..so great is her love…..that she single handedly decided to tackle the bad guys all by herself for the man she loved…..need I tell her how much I love her…" Armaan whispere….as she supported him as she stood up swaying.
"Cant believe I missed the action……I mean I just sat here watching a woman take down the goons….and me sitting here idle, no knocked out actually...... and whimpering in pain? Disgusting…"he sighed dramatically…..immediately clutching his aching head as she helped him down from the plane….
"Admit it Mr Mallik…you need someone to fight for you…to take care of you…to save you when you get caught…" she mocked gleefully as he managed to glare at her….
"You need my amour…admit it…"
He smiled as he felt her hands slid across his waist…their grip tightening s she supported him…
"You are right.." he sighed.
"I need an armour…your armour of love…
***************
They didn't get to go home right away.
It was a messier collar than Riddhima was used to, but not every job went according to plan. The FBI arrived eventually……after the local authorities. The Feds weren't happy she'd gone without them, but she didn't care. Armaan was safe and that was all that mattered.
She wasn't trying to save her career at FBI now or make a new one with the Feds. She was done working for the government. That part of her life was over, but she had a lot to look forward to, and the knowledge that the job she loved was lost to her didn't hurt anymore.
It was all about priorities, she told herself. While she loved working with FBI….she saw Armaan's point of view as well…if he could step down from his position for her sake so could she……The questioning went on for longer than she wanted, but it could have been worse.
Which is what she told Atul when he came out of the building the FBI had used to question them and started complaining about her and the others being detained for so long.
As Armaan and Riddhima left the parking lot, she waved a goodbye to Atul…….
"I am proud of what he did today…." She muttered as she helped him sit in the passenger seat and she slid into the drivers seat.
"I do hope Anjali sees that as well..' Armaan nodded as she started the car engine.
"Riddhima we are going to my place today…" he added quietly looking at her.
Riddhima didn't bother to protest. She was coming down from the adrenaline rush and wanted nothing more than to snuggle up on Armaan's arms and feel that he was safe…..that he was there….and he was hers…...
He suggested she take a hot shower to relax when they got there, and though she felt like she should be taking care of him, she went with it……after getting a promise from him to take something for his headache, which thankfully had gotten better during the questioning, not worse.
When she got out of the shower, there was a man's robe hanging on the back of the door and she slid into it. Entering the living room a few seconds later, she saw that Armaan had a fire going in the grate and two glasses of wine already sitting on the coffee table.
He'd changed to a causal shorts and a tee and looked frankly edible. She curled into the corner of the couch and took a sip of her wine.
"Armaan…" she started not knowing how to start the talk. She would tell him she was done working with FBI much as she enjoyed it….their being together was much more important….
Instead of sitting beside her, Armaan came around to kneel in front of her. "You saved my life, princess."
"It could have gone differently." She shuddered at the thought. "It did for my father. I wasn't there for him……"
"Uncle's death wasn't your fault. You weren't there, but you were here and I'm grateful for that. If you hadn't been on the case, I would have ended up in South Africa, and probably dead when I refused to get the plans the plans for them….
"You stick by what you believe in. I love that about you."
"You can go on to tell me what else you love about me" he smiled wickedly.
She swallowed around a suddenly dry throat. "I love you, Armaan" she meant it…..truly and forever.
He leaned forward and kissed her until they were both breathing hard. "I love you too. So much. I don't want you to leave and take up that job, but if you go, I wont stop you. I am here supporting you…whatever course of life you choose…..you have proved your worth more then once…and after tonight, I cannot stop your progress or force you to give up the job you love….."
"I'm leaving"
"No you are not…you can continue this job if you want…do anything else…I am stepping down because I want to…for myself…" Armaan cupped her face and smiled.
"But Armaan this job is too dangerous, I could be gone for months…..and its not a job to pursue if I want a family…" Riddhima shook her head determinedly.
"I know you will handle it Riddhima….there is no hurry to decide. You think of what you want….and I am here by your side. We will make this work together. Regarding a family. Yes I do want a amily…kids and all of that with you…but not rightaway. Kids after sometime…..right now just you and me…..and now there something more important then this discussion that I want to do…."
Riddhima smiled and asked staring up in his eyes.
"And that is?"
"This……" And then he was kissing her and she felt the final walls around her heart crumble into dust. Loving someone was a risk, but Riddhima was good at taking risks.
She would have been a lousy government agent otherwise.
She might not be a field agent any longer, but that didn't mean she was going to start balking at the hard stuff.
Especially when the potential for good was so strong. She had a whole life shared with the most amazing man she'd ever known ahead of her. Definitely worth it.
~Epilogue~
The get together dinner at Rahul's place was a successful one.
Rahul had introduced Muskaan as his fiance, and among the cheering that followed……Riddhima told them she'd agreed to marry Armaan. His father was elated and so were Muskaan's parents. Anjali had agreed to give Atul and their relationship some time to see if things were indeed working between them.
"Happy now?" he asked Riddhima as he got off the phone. Riddhima had been adamant about leaving her job with the FBI and it had taken all his efforts in Armaan to convince to her to stay on. Finally she had agreed to continue as the security consultant which included providing Z zone security to the top bunch of Vip's and also over seeing the design and implementation of security and not to mention rushing to the spot when there was a breach. Not that it was as exciting as her previous job, but it had a zing…
Lying across their bed, she was dressed in a summery one piece…... "The question is, are you happy?"
"Sugar, as long as I have you, I'll always be happy."
She grinned and then pounced, landing on top of him spread-eagle on the bed. "Good answer, Mr Mallik….to please your wife to be…I take it you are playing your cards skillfully."
"I am….as I love her a little too much….." he grinned turning them around. Just inches apart from her face, he gently kissed her jaw and looked into her eyes.
"I will do whatever it takes to make our relationship work Armaan."
He didn't doubt his beautiful, ber-smart, ultra proficient not to mention sometimes bull headed, emotional and highly impulsive fiance.
"Not a chance of us not working out together honey…... I love you too much to ever let you go!" he drawled
"I believe you." Riddhima would never lie to him, no matter how their relationship had started.
"Love you."
"I love you. Now let me show you just how much."
And he did.
*********************
This one was speacially or Nidha, Sanjana, Niks, Su (sunainaTM007) Suvi, Niju. Hadnt been for u guys, i didnt have the courage to post this!! Love u guys!!
I know its been ages, three months to be exact. And trust me if hadnt been for a few threatening pms, i wudnt have had the courage to push myself!! As to why this was super delayed, well, past couple of days, err lets say a month, i just cant seem to write, like this part of armour took me ages to pen....its turned out to be the crappiest i ever wrote, i just cant seem to write....honestly i hateee maing u guys wait like this, i knw how it feels to wait desperately for ur fic to be updated.....i am truly, deeply sorry folks!!
If it hadnt been for ur support...i wud have never ever had the courage or the zeal to do this, there r a bunch of folks i want to thank dearly for all their love and support.....starting with Sonu, Aravi, Nsm, Niju, Kat and Robin...for listening to my banters without a complain!!
And well......Nidha (love u hun), Smriti(smriti.tweety), ashuluvdmg, aanchal_c, Ritu (janu1610),mar-,Nezzy, Nats, Komal_loves_Ksg, Niz (Kashcrazy), ..kashish..,Mira, chocofreak, Mia, sonia(sonia_kashion), Niks_angel, Pari, Aarora, Su (SunainaTM007), Anu, Saira,Hinnu Di, Sumedha, zhasan2, Aarti, Riddz, Debadrita Saha, Prerena, Suvi, Mahalakshmi, kashishk, Avanti, gia005,Swancy, shilpa4eva, Sonali, Simplynice, madz786, Sanjana(Tanyarox), sonalkulhar....each one of them, i thank u all for ur love and support!!
Ok dun glare at me if i have missed out any names,
just human errors!! My speech has def lasted for awahile, so i'll just shutup now. Hopefully i'll update others this week, just need all ur love!! Muah guys!! nd if this dose of my speech was ultra cheesy, u guys can just excuse me, i do havethe tendency to go all mushy at times :D
Your reaction
Nice
Awesome
Loved
LOL
OMG
Cry
37 Comments