Chapter 30

EPISODE – 42

 

"Damn it! Is tarah se radio pe public announcement kar ke inhone hamara kaam aur bhi difficult bana diya hai." Rajveer was fuming and disgusted.

"Ab thodi der mein yahan media ki bheed lag jaayegi, then police officials, Ministry ka pressure... Smart move they have played." Navin agreed with him.

"It's 900 hours right now... Deadline in logon ne 1400 hours tak ki di hai. I really hope we find a way inside before that." Neetika had different concerns and Maya's concern was altogether different.

"Just pray ki apni dhamki ki seriousness ko prove karne ke liye deadline khatam hone se pehle they don't do something nasty."

 

Her statement sent a shiver down their spine. Though their job was to protect each and every person trapped inside, they were bound to be partial with Naina.

 

********

 

Naina was brought back to the room she was kept before with the others on the second floor. Her steps were unsteady and brain filled with their words that spelt destruction. She was in a state of shock, going pale and numb with every passing moment.

 

As she entered the room, Alekh saw the sleeve of her jacket soaked with blood and the cheek that was red. He went up to her and brought her at the end making her sit against the wall. All the eyes were fixed on her. They have always seen Naina full of life and smiling. Her condition at this moment was unusual and vexing.

 

"Naina are you okay?" Alekh asked her softly.

She looked up at him. Her eyes brimming with tears. She gently nodded her head. He tied his handkerchief tightly on her wound. They both sat quietly for a while. After a long pause Naina wiped the tear that was strolling down her cheek. She looked in control of herself. She turned to him.

"We have got to do something Alekh." She whispered in his ears.

"What can we do here? We can not afford any stupidity or mistake. The stakes are quite high."

"But their plans are very dangerous. It's devastating."

"I heard the announcement."

"But you didn't hear what I did. Infact no one else did. Bhaiyya, Raj aur sab log jo baahar khade hain.... they are absolutely clueless about what they have planned. Unhein koi idea nahin hai."

"What are you talking about?"

"Humein kisi bhi tarah unhein batana hoga." She continued speaking ignoring his question. Her mind has started racing and she needed a way to tell Rajveer and Navin what she heard in the RJ console. They didn't have much time.

"Naina..."

"Tumhare paas paper aur pen hai?" She again cut him in between.

"Haan hai."

 

He took out a paper and pen from one of the pockets of his coat.

"Here you are." He slipped it to her making sure that the two men in the room don't see them.

 

She placed that piece of paper between her thighs in a way that it can not be spotted. She scribbled down all the information she had on the piece of paper making sure she isn't caught.

 

Alekh read it as she wrote. His eyes widened as he read that. The piece of information, now he knew, why needed to be conveyed to the army officials outside immediately.

 

********

 

Police siren filled the atmosphere withing 20 minutes of the announcement being aired. One of the senior police officers, ACP Tiwari approached the four captains and introduced himself.

 

"Yeh case Army ka hai." Navin dismissed him curtly.

"Sorry Captain Ahluwalia.... Delhi mein hone waala koi bhi incident jismein Delhi ke logon ki jaan stake pe ho comes under the purview of Delhi Police."

"I still don't think there is anything Delhi Police can do in this."

"Sorry to say sir but Army ne bhi to abhi tak koi action nahin liya hai."

"Listen..."

"Navin bas kar yaar... I agree Army and police need to co-operate in this case." Rajveer cut him in between.

"Raj..."

Rajveer didn't let him complete and dragged him to a secluded corner.

 

"Tera dimaag kharaab ho gaya hai kya? Mujhe pata hai ki tu abhi bahut zyada tensed hai but by asking police to stay out you are not making sense."

"Yaar yeh log yahan ruk ke kar kya lenge."

"I am sure they can help... Aur waise bhi hamari tarah hi yeh log bhi orders follow kar rahe hain."

 

********

 

"Lekin yeh letter tum un logon tak pahunchaugi kaise?"

"Maine abhi window pe se dekha tha... Building ko charo taraf se Army ne surround kiya hua hai. I just need to throw it down from the window. I am sure yeh kisi ke haath to lag hi jaayega."

"Lekin window se bahar phekte hue agar in logon ne tumhein dekh liya na to pata nahin tumhare saath kya karenge."

"I am sitting very close to the window...I just need to stretch my hand a bit. Just a matter of few seconds... Bas woh log kisi tarah se distract ho jaayein kuch seconds ke liye."

"Theek hai... Main dekhta hoon... But you be careful."

"Tum karoge kya?"

 

He looked thoughtful for a while and then said.

"Just a few seconds na? Lemme try!"

 

He got up and went to one of the terrorist. He pointed his rifle at him the moment he came closer to him. His attention was diverted but Naina's movement could still be noticed. Alekh turned a little bit and the terrorist also turned with his back towards Naina. One was successfully distracted.

 

"Kya kar raha hai tu?" He yelled at Alekh.

The moment he yelled at him the other one turned to look at them, out of his sheer curiousity.

 

Alekh remained silent. Both of them fixed their eyes at him waiting for their answer. These few seconds were more than enough for Naina. She crushed the paper in a ball and threw it out of the window.

 

As Alekh saw that she has done what she wanted to he said,

"Mujhe paani chahiye."

"Hum yahan tumhari khatirdaari karne nahin aaye hain... Chup chaap jaa ke baith udhar."

"Okay!" He said coolly and returned to Naina. He winked at her and for the first time in last couple of hours, a smile came on her face.

 

********

 

"Is tarah tension lene se kuch nahin hone waala Navin. Calm down."

"Yaar.... I know I am overreacting but..... Naina ander hai yaar!"

"Uske alawa hi bahut se log hain Navin aur woh sab bhi hamari zimmedari hain."

"You won't understand." Navin said in dismay and went to ACP Tiwari.

"Kaash mere liye yeh situation itni aasan hoti jitna tu samajh raha hai." He said to himself as Navin left. He followed him.

 

"I am sorry ACP. I was just... Forget it! I appreciate your co-operation. Thanks!" Navin apologized for his curt behaviour.

"It's okay Captain. That's our job."

 

Rajveer, Neetika and Maya joined them. They were discussing the current situation and the possible courses of action when they were perturbed by a soldier.

"Sir yeh kaagaz mere upar aa kar gira hai.... Kisi ne shayad khidki se phenka tha. Kuch likha hai ispe."

Rajveer snatched the piece of paper and opened it to read.

"Yeh to Naina ki handwriting hai."

"What?" Navin snatched it from his hand and hastily read it.

"OH MY GOD!" He shrieked.

"Kya hua?" Rajveer asked. He silently handed him the piece of paper and as he read that there were thin lines of frown over his forehead.

"Hell! This can't be true! Hamare paas sirf Dhai ghante hain and we don't even know where to start from."