Next morning, 6 AM, Shooting Range, Mumbai Police Academy, Madiwala
"I have only one rule for friendship, Friends for life"
"Friends for life"
"You think you will defeat me in race? mind you, i was always champion since my school days."
"never underestimate the capability of a woman, understand Mister?"
"really? but who is the woman here?"
"I dont dance."
"correction, You dont dance with others, but you will with me."
"Oh really? and why you think so?'
"because you will do so. i wont leave you any other choice, you just wait and watch"
"dream on!"
"Dreams do come true if we do hard work."
"One day, i will surely defeat you in marshal art. i swear i will!"
"Aww, poor guy cant take it that he is bad in something, such a pity."
"Is it necessary to add salt to my wound?"
"Ok ok, you carry on your practice, but remember two things.''
"and what are those?"
"I will always be the best"
"Arrogance at its best. and second?"
"always keep your eyes open"
"Ouch! you just twisted my wrist. you will pay for it, just wait!"
"Why my target dont hit at bulls eye?"
"aww, poor girl cant take it that she is bad in something, such a pity!"
"Using my own words to me, eh? create something new."
"now i dont have a smart mouth that i create something for you, but tell me one thing, are you trying to compete with me in shooting?"
"I dont compete with someone. because then you wont ever succeed, got it or not?"
"Yes Ma'am. If you dont mind, i can give you some tips. its coming from a experienced, hard working, amazing. . ."
"blah blah blah."
"Fine. let me show"
As each memories surfaced in her mind, she shot faster to the target which was some 5 feets away from her. each target hit the bulls eye, and she sent a thanks in mind to the certain person who had taught her to shoot correctly, but she never got the chance to thanks him, did she?
she emptied the gun and threw it away, frustrated by her ownself. she clenched her fist, trying to calm herself down and not to throw something else. it didnt prove to be easy, but she succeed. she untied her hair and pulled them, an action she always does to control herself, then she took several breathes, told her mind to calm down, and in some mins she was fine.
as the frustration went away, the old familar emptiness filled her whole body. this feeling of emptiness was so strong, that even if she cut herself she wont feel the pain. her mind was telling her coming back to this city was a mistake, and the more she will stay here the harder the survival will become. she cant run away now, she has some commitments. someone is depending so much on her, and this time she cant let him down. we cant erase our past, but we can do something about the mistakes we did in past so that next time it wont hurt when we look back, so that we can remember those old memories without any pain or anger in heart.
she dont know if she can do something for HIS forgiveness, but she owed it to HER. owed it for the sake of the friendship they used to share. it was her fault that it ended on a bitter note, but SHE never kept any grudge for her. this is the least she can do for HER, for HIM.
sighing for the last time, she tied her hair and bend down on floor. picking up the gun, she clutched it tightly in her palm, thinking if she should do another round of shooting. she snapped out of her own world when she heard someone is clapping behind her.
"Well done. each bullets hit the bulls eye." The voice was deep and aged, and her face lit up hearing him. Raghu sir, their mentor during Academy days.
"But of course, i am talking to the best shooter of the batch." he smiled kindly at her, his eyes twinkling. she kept the gun to a nearby table, walked to him and touched his feet for blessings.
"God bless you." he blessed and she looked upto him, her very famous dimple smile coming from her lips. Raghu sir's eyes went to the bandage on her arm and he sighed, the smile fading little.
"I will take it as your come back." he pointed toward the injury and she laughed.
"you may, but i assure you, next time the best shooter wont let anyone to hurt her."
Raghu sir nodded, satisfied with her answer. they both walked out of shooting range and headed for outside. the soothing breeze hit Riya and she took deep breathes in it, filling her lungs.
after several minutes of silence, Raghu sir, who didnt looked away even for once from her face the whole time, opened his mouth.
"I am sorry about your family."
Her face hardened hearing this, but she didnt answer to it. He sighed, looking outside now.
"I wont say you were wrong to leave department for that incident, but you surely had realised in this profession, everyone linked to you is under constant danger. you cant save everyone."
"maybe i should have think about it, Sir." she said in quiet voice, not giving away any emotions, "but they were not supposed to die, you know. it was for me, not them."
"you and me both are right in this matter. you did what you felt was right." Raghu sir didnt drag the matter further, not to pain her more, "i am very curious to know what exactly Sameer said that you came out of your ex officer mode."
a smile appeared out of nowhere on her lips, "Nice try, sir, but i am not giving anything away about it."
Raghu sir narrowed his eyes, muttering something like i didnt know it. Riya chuckled at him, and looked outside again.
"So. what do you think about ETF? how are others treating you?" Asked Raghu sir. she looked at him, and understood what he meant by that question. the underline question was how HE is treating her.
"Its nice, everyone is helpful." she carefully avoided taking anyone's name.
"And HIM?" asked he straight away, looking at her with a mixture of concern and intensity. she could not look away from him.
"He is not happy that i am there, no point of denying it." she answered, "but i can manage it. i am here for some work, that is keeping me busy. we didnt get much chances for interraction."
Raghu sir sighed, shaking his head, "he is getting worse day by day. i told him to join ETF so that we all can keep an eye on him. such a valuable asset for department, i feel so bad for him. he is destroying himself. why cant he just give up? is it so difficult to accept his own mistake? why cant he understand, the person he is chasing, he doesnt even exist!"
Riya opened her mouth to say something, but kept mum. half part of her wanted to tell Raghu sir about her and Sameer's finding, but other half said to wait till they get some solid proof regarding this. she searched something in her mind, maybe to comfort him, or drive this conversation to some other direction, but nothing came out.
"What if the shadow does exist?' the words escaped even before she composed herself, "what if what he said all along was a truth, sir?"
Raghu sir looked at her with the same irritated look, but maybe he had noticed something in her face. the irritation was replaced by curiosity. he didnt ask anything, cause she wont answer it ever. now he was totally convinced Sameer had surely got something, that was the reason he dragged Riya out of her ex officer mode, and if he was right they both are investigating this matter right now. he was dying to know what is going on, but decided against it.
"if the shadow does exist, Riya," he chose his each word very carefully, looking at her intently, "then the entire department will make sure the living person becomes a corpse. but if it turn out to be a mere shadow, then the only person who will be totally destroyed by this will be Arjun."
of course she know this. thats why she is here, to find out the truth. she prayed to god that the shadow turn out to be a human being. she can face the terror, Sikandar, but she certainly cant face HIM and a dejected Sameer.
ETF office, same day 11 AM, forensic department, ground floor.
"the autopsy is complete, sir." announced Liza, pulling away the white sheet from the body and revealing it to Sameer, who was feeling a numbness seeing the body. the way he had thought the plan will go didnt go, of course. he had no hope left now. he snapped out if it, sighing inwardly and looked at Liza who was explaining.
"The poison, of course, the cause of death. Nothing we got from the wallet for identification of the body." Liza signaled one of her asst to come and a guy came hurriedly. they both turned the body so that it was now resting on its chest. the asst went away and Liza resumed.
"Maybe this can help us to identify him." She removed the sheet and Rathore's world stopped right there. that was a dragon tattoo on his shoulder, dragon spitting fire, the exact same like the paper he got from the home guard's house.
"If we spread the photo of this tattoo to all the tattoo making parlours maybe one of them identify them. . . Sir? you alright?" Liza was explaining, then she noticed rathore sir really was not listening. his face looked as if electricity passed his body.
"Sir?" she said a bit too loudly and Rathore snapped out of it. he looked at her with confusion, then without another word he left the forensic room. Liza kept looking at his retreating back, confused by his behavior.
Rathore really was not seeing where he was going, so in result he banged to Riya outside. One look at his dishelved face and she knew something was very wrong.
"What is it?" she asked urgently. he looked at her, then pulled her with him toward lift. in his excitement he had completely forgot about her phobia, and even she didnt mention it. her phobia can wait, not the reason of his excitement.
"I am just coming from forensic department." Rathore start speaking in a hurry and punched the button of lift, "Liza finished the autopsy. you wont believe what i saw there."
"what?" Riya concentrated on his face so that she wont feel the suffocation cause of lift.
"There was the tattoo, on the man's shoulder. the same tattoo, remember? dragon. . ." he trailed off, but Riya finished it for him, "spitting fire. of course i remember."
"you understand what is the meaning of it?" The 3rd floor had came at last, but Rathore punched the stop button so that the lift stop moving. he resumed his sentence, and Riya felt the suffocation coming back with full force. even concentrating on his words and face is not doing any good.
"It means the man died, he was a man of Sikandar?" he asked himself, then his face filled with rage, "Was that man in Arjun's house too? was that man there when HE killed HER?"
"It is not necessary." She said in breathless whisper, the words coming hurrily, "it is not necessary that the man was in his house."
"you are right." the rage lift from his face, but not the determination. his phone beeped and the chief was back, "Aisha's msg. the team found something." he pushed the stop button again and Riya sighed in relief as the lift started moving. Rathore went outside in a hurry, and she slowly came out, holding on the wall for support.
"You fine?'' hearing the voice Riya felt the familiar nervousness again, this time mixed with frustration. why he always sees me in my weaknesses, she kept wondering and nodded to his question.
"you used lift?" she looked at him, taking deep breathes and saw his face was both concerned and angry. why he is always so angry? is this specially reseved for me or his face become like that, she again thought to herself.
"Fancied little attack of claustrophobia." she said sarcastic. He narrowed his eyes, then saw Rathore entering the office. he added two and two and understood he was with her in lift.
"You were with him." he stated the obvious.
"Dont start the boyfriend business again." she muttered, and he snapped, "I was not going to!"
she rolled her eyes, now feeling much better. she had barely took a step toward office, when she felt his grip on her wrist.
"What are you doing in office?" he asked, getting angry yet again, "you were supposed to be in house resting."
"No need to show like you care." she freed her arm and felt bad for saying it. but it was truth, he doesnt care. she half expected him to say something, but he kept his mouth shut and continued to glare. she sighed, then walked toward the office, leaving him behind.
What had gotten into me! Rawte thought to himself and punched the nearby wall in anger. what was the need to show even mere concern for her? see what happened? she doesnt care, so why wasting your precious time on her? she doesnt even deserve any concern or care, he thought to himself and cursed once again for slipping. his mask of indifference, i-dont-care-a-damn-for-anyone was slipping in front of her and it was not the first time. he have to stop it, he cant cover up his slip by anger for much time, and he dont want her to ask why he care, because the answer is not there in his mind.
he pushed the thoughts in the back of his mind and walked toward the office. everyone was in the discussion room. Rathore gave him a look as he entered but like he ever cared about his looks. he sat in his usual seat, so angry with herself that didnt even look at her to shoot daggers. he focused totally on the discussion, hearing everyone's pov.
the discussion was going on about the hostage situation in the bank yesterday. except one, everyone from the criminals were dead, and the sole survivor was in police custody. this was a gang engaged in various other crimes, but this was not the issue. Aisha, the ammunition expert, handed over a photo to Rathore and distributed some pics to others.
"Sir, when i was checking the photos from crime scene i saw the arms they were using." Aisha's eyes ran on everyone, making sure all were listening, "and i was surprised. this guns are not even available in india!"
"he had surely bought them from some mafia." Said Chotu and other nodded to him. Aisha shook her head, dismissing it.
"Its impossible. according to my sources no Local mafia or gangsters are powerful enough to import these to india and sell them. it must be some big shot gangster."
Riya looked at the pics carefully, then looked at Rathore. they both nodded to each other, silently agreeing something was miss in it. Rawte noticed it, but didnt say anything.
"The case is closed. the sole survivor died and everyone else is dead." Rathore announced and kept the pic on the table. his phone rang, and he announced there was a new case. the team left the room and headed for SUV in downstairs. Riya and Rathore delibarately stayed behind so that they can have a quick word.
"Are you thinking the same like me?" asked Riya as the walked hurriedly, taking the steps.
"If you thinking the arms are from HIS gang then i am also thinking that." answered Rathore, "maybe its time to visit our sole survivor and do some interrogation to him."
Evening, 7 pm, Thane police station, interrogation room
"Please, please dont kill me" The sole surviving criminal, co incidentally the one who had shot Riya said quickly in panic as Chief Rathore and she entered into the interrogation room. he must be thinking they had come to finish him off like they killed his other gang members.
"We are not here to kill you," Said Rathore, dragging a chair and sitting infront of him and Riya leaned near the wall, observing them, "not yet, unless you dont answer our questions properly."
"what question?'' asked the guy suspiciously.
"About the arms you used in the bank." spoke Riya for the first time and the guy looked at her, quizzically, "where you get those guns?"
"Those guns? I got them from a Mafia."
"i need the name." Rathore stated and the guy's eyes shifted on him again. he licked his lip nervously.
"He dont meet new people. i had to go with one of my friend and meet him."
"then i need your friend's name and his name too." Rathore said, looking to him coolly. the guy nodded, sighing.
"Rafik Bhai. the mafia's name."
Sameer and Riya made the guy call his 'Friend', said one of his cousin needs new gun and he needs his help. the friend agreed to fix a meeting with this Rafik Bhai. the friend didnt know he was calling from jail, so he was least suspicious. they gave him Rathore's phone no for future contacts, and Sameer Riya walked out of the police station.
"If i am correct," Said Rathore as they walked toward parking lot, "This Rafik Bhai is the key to the gang. if we can get a hold on him, maybe we can reach somewhere."
"and we will." Riya replied, assuring, "we have come this far, we will reach till the end."
"How thankful i am to you for staying back." gratitude was dripping from his voice and she gave a smile in reply, "I dont know what i would have do without you."
"you would have survived." she teased and he chuckled, shaking his head. suddenly Riya remembered something and she opened her mouth to ask.
"you didnt find anything about that Tattoo, did you?"
"no." he sighed, "nothing about it. its like we are chasing someone invisible, eh?" he smiled sadly, "or maybe throwing stone in darkness in the hope it will hit in correct spot."
"You are forgetting one thing." she said. he looked at her, frowning and she smiled yet again.
"After every darkness, there is sun rise waiting for us."
Next day, a famous chawl of Mumbai
a SUV screetched to a halt and came out Arjun Rawte from it. everyone gave him looks, thinking how come a man who doesnt look like he belong here came here? then they saw the SUV with ETF sign on it, then wondered who is going to jail today!
Rawte ran his eyes on the chawl, that poker face intact. his eyes stopped on a room on the first floor, and he started walking toward it, ignoring other's eyes on him.
he knocked the door and waited. after a while, a woman in her late 50s opened the door and gave him a painful smile, her clear eyes suddenly filling with unshed tears.
"May i come in?" he asked in kind voice, totally un-Rawte-ish. she nodded, letting him in and closing the door behind him.
This woman was the wife of the same home guard who had died some 15 days ago. She was totally alone in this world, having no child of her own. Rawte felt it was his moral responsibility to meet her and ask how is she doing.
"I am surviving." the woman said in choked voice, "now waiting for the day when God will call me and i will see him again."
Rawte looked away, not able to meet her tears and words. he know exactly how this feel when someone close to you leave you all alone. the instant reaction after the heart shattering pain is that you want to commit suicide, so that you can reunite with them in after life. the only reason he is stopping himself for doing so is the constant driving force of revenge.
He shook his head to clear his mind and then took out a small envelope. he gave it to her, who looked quizzical at this.
"here is some money, dont refuse it." he added in hurry as she opened her mouth to argue. she took the money without saying anything, wiping her tears with the corner of saree.
"I am sorry i could not come earlier." he said, feeling ashamed, "i just came to know yesterday."
"its ok." she whispered, clutching tight the moeny in her palm. she suddenly remembered something and looked upto him.
"Sir, do you know if he was anyway related to ETF?" her question caught Rawte off guard and his eyes narrowed, "Maybe some work or anything?"
"why you are asking about it?" he asked, more like interrogating.
"the day when he. . ." her voice stopped abruptly, but she nevertheless carried on, "before i got the news, someone came from ETF and searched his room."
"Who?" Rawte asked, and she shook her in negative.
"I dont know his name. he just said he was from ETF and needed to see his room. i could not refuse, of course."
"how does he look?" Rawte was getting impatient. so many things are going under his nose and he have to idea why. the woman tried to remember.
"Tall and fair. he has little long hair. thats all i can remember, sorry Sir." she looked apologetic. the description instantly remind Rathore, but there was no way rathore will be interested in searching a home guard's room, so he dismissed it. he mentally made a point to think more about it, and stood on his feet, preparing to leave.
as he was driving toward ETF, he could not help but feel again that something was going right under his nose and he had no clue about it. somehow everything feel connected, everything, right from HER reentry in his life, Rathore and HERs occassional vanishing to somewhere and returning together, their hushed conversation in Rathore's cabin, even their silent conversation between team meetings. He felt even this searching in a home guard's room is somehow linked to all this, but he didnt have any clue, did he? he can only create a wild theory about all this, and for the first time Arjun Rawte totally failed to link all these in a single thread.
every impossibilities has a start!
As he failed to link all these, he took the alternative route. he decided to talk to Rathore, cause surely he will know who had come from ETF and searched the home guard's house, he is the CHIEF, as he always love to show off his powers. Rawte was confident that he wont tell anything, but he can slip. one slip is all what he want right now.
He called in his no, but it said unreachable. he hold the phone in his palm, feeling the metal's coldness against his skin, and thought to meet him straight in the office. he kept his phone back in pocket and started the SUV, heading for ETF and leaving the chawl and its curious onlookers behind.
Around 1 pm, a shadowy lane of north Mumbai
"We will be connected through bluetooths. I will go with him and you will stay here, no more arguments." Rathore cut Riya across even before she opened her mouth, "I will go and try to get anything from that Rafik."
"i am still telling you, we should have bring those officers." Riya said worriedly, totally not liking this plan. she had thought atleast those officers back from Hospital who had helped her to catch the hospital-bill guy will be here to back him up, but was stunned to see and hear Sameer thinking to go alone there. this all plan sounding too risky and she had already expressed her displeasure countless times, but he didnt listen.
"I am the chief of ETF dammit, i can take care of myself." he said rather too harshly and she glared.
"Fine. you are the boss. do what you want."
Rathore sighed, feeling guilty to be harsh toward her. He was tired to failing each time, tired of returning empty handed after each link. he was being reckless in desperation, he was feeling it, but he wont have it another way. he had opened his mouth to say sorry, when he saw this 'Friend', as per plan, had sent him message and told him to get ready, he was coming in 2 mins.
"He is coming." he announced and the irritated look was gone from Riya's face. she gave him a nod, and rathore came out of SUV, adjusting the bluetooth which will keep this two connected. he vanished out of Riya's sight and she waited to hear anything.
after what felt like eternity, she heard Rathore greeting someone and understood the Friend had arrived. they both were talking about arms, and the friend was asking why he needed special guns. she was concentrating on Rathore's answers, when she felt her phone buzzing.
It was Arjun, she looked at the caller ID and frowned. why on earth he will call her? this made no sense, and though she is far away from him, she felt the familiar nervousness engulfing her. she blamed it on the current situation, and pressed the answer key.
"Rathore?'' came his greeting, and Riya cursed herself. Rathore's all calls will come in her phone now, he had diverted them all so that none can disturb him in this time. she cut the call without another word, feeling stupid and angry at herself.
on the other hand, The friend and Rathore had reached a small, dark house at the end of an lane and walked inside it. There was a man, around 40, was sitting on a chair. Rathore felt once upon a time this place used to be a bar, now its used for deals like this.
"I told you not to bring new parties." Rafik bhai glared at the friend, apparently not pleased, "Who is he?"
"He is cousin of another party. He came last month for guns, remember?" Answered the friend nervously. Rafik eyed Rathore suspiciously, not clearly listening to the other.
"You look like you belong from good family." He observed, his face hardening with each passing seconds. Rathore had a feeling in mind he had recognised him. he rubbed his neck, feeling the cold metal tugged near it.
"Looks can be delusional." He shrugged, not leaving his gaze even for a moment. Rafik also continued to look at him, engaged in a staring game.
"You look familiar. . ." He said, and Rathore knew what was coming, "You look exactly like ETF chief."
The friend looked horrified, his eyes shifting from rafik Bhai to this cousin, hoping it all turn out to be a big joke.
"That is because,'' Rathore smirked evilly, "I am the ETF Chief."
Rawte could not believe his eyes. First he could not get Rathore on phone because it was out of reach, now when he got him, he answered his call but cut it without saying anything! he was feeling so much anger towards him, and called him another time. to add fuel in fire, Rathore cut the call once again. this process repeated for another 4-5 calls. He was about to throw his phone away in anger, but composed himself and called again.
Riya, who was cutting Rawte's phone till now, cursed aloud this immensely stubborn person. then she thought maybe the matter must be something big that he is calling Sameer this much. seeing no other option, she picked up the call, sending a prayer to God.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Rawte roared as soon as she pressed the answer key, "Dont you dare to cut the call now!"
"Its Riya." She tried to keep her voice as stable as possible. She could hear Sameer had now come face to face of Rafik bhai and trying hard not to bite her nails in tension.
"What are you doing with his phone?" His voice turned curious, then he suddenly yelled more, "So you were cutting my calls?"
"He is not here. Any message for him?" Rafik bhai now talking to Sameer and Riya felt something big was coming. she wanted to focus full on that, not on Rawte.
"Where are you two?" He asked. She had lost her temper now.
"Can you just shut up and . . ." her words got stuck in throat as she heard a gunshot, then a yelling, then another gun shot.
"Sameer." She whispered, the phone slipping. she didnt realise that even Rawte had heard the gun shots. he was frantically asking her what is going on, but she was already out, running toward the way where Rathore had vanished along with Friend.
Rawte cut the call and felt his heart beat had increased rapidly. these two are upto something, it was now confirmed. that was gun shot in the BG, he was sure of it, and Riya's terrified voice was its biggest example. was Rathore hurt? this uncomfortable question made his stomach drop, and he tried not to think about it. he called once again, but none picked up the call. as He didnt have Riya's no he could not call her. he slumped on his seat, hoping all is fine and they will be back soon.
he started to think where are they and what they are doing behind everyone's back. then he remembered something.
we can always track mobile phones.
"Shree!"
Shree, who was till now enjoying his burger along with Chotu, gulped down as he heard Khadoos Rawte was calling for him. Chotu gave him a 'what you did?' look, and he shook his head. nevertheless, he kept back his burger, glaring to Chotu not to eat it, and went to discussion room where Rawte sir was looking at him coolly.
"I need you to trace Rathore's phone." Rawte ordered without beating around the bush and Shree's mouth opened in O shape in shock.
"I. . . trace. . . phone. . . Rathore sir's?" his words didnt form any proper sentence. he was thinking which was worse, telling Rawte No, or getting shot by rathore sir.
"Yes. And now." Rawte said again, crossing arms over chest and Shree gulped. he had understood that he dont have any other choice, so he opened his laptop and sat on the nearby chair, already on his work.
some 10 minutes passed, and Shree announced Rathore sir is in some shadowy lane of North Mumbai. Rawte kept thinking what the hell he is doing there, when Shree announced Rathore's phone is moving. that means he is out of here, maybe totally fine. He dismissed Shree, ordering not to tell anyone about it, and Shree went out, thinking what had gotten into Arjun sir.
Back in the shadowy lane of North Munbai, Riya was running toward the direction where Rathore had vanished, praying to god he is safe. she clutched the gun tight in her grip, abruptly coming to an halt when there was a three directional road, thinking where she should go.
her breath got stuck and then the next moment she run as Rathore was walking toward her, making another man come with him on gun point. Riya hugged her, finding relief and he hugged back, closing his eyes.
"Who got shot?" She broke the hug and took a step behind, observing if Rathore is unharmed. Rathore took a glance toward Rafik before answering.
"The friend. i had to shot him because Rafik had recognised me." He chuckled, earning a eye brow rise from Riya, "like i had thought."
"you thought Rafik will recognise you and do this?" Riya glared at this stubborn person in front of her, "what if he was with his gang?"
"I was sure enough he wont be." Rathore defended. Riya sighed, shaking her head at him.
"next time, no solo adventure. you will take police men with you, and no arguments." she ordered and he rolled his eyes. they all started to walk toward SUV, now she also keeping Rafik at gun point.
"so whats next?" she asked as they all reached near SUV. Rathore gave a evil smirk.
"I have planned it all." his eyes flashed while looking at Rafik and he gulped. thousands scenerios were running in his mind and before he can pick up one, Rathore banged his gun on his head. he slowly fall unconscious, and the latter carefully made him lie in the back seat of SUV.
"I have picked a place where we can keep him. there are some officers whom i trust, they can keep an eye on him." rathore explained and Riya nodded, now driving toward the high road. she informed him about Rawte's calling and also said he know nothing about all this, little does she know finally Rawte had a solid proof where are these two upto.
they reached ETF office, and when rathore inquired Rawte about why he was calling him repeatedly, he just answered to know when he was coming. Rathore sighed in relief and walked away, thinking he didnt have any doubt about his mini adventure. the day passed in usual way, and at around 8 everyone took their leave. Riya was gathering her bag, trying to get as fast of the discussion room as she could so that she can avoid another heated argument with him. to her relief seemed like Rawte had forgot today to fight with her, his eyes were busy in the LCD screen, watching some news. She also turned toward TV to see what was so interesting there, when her heart beat stopped.
the news was showing about some killing in north mumbai. if she can remember correctly the journalist is standing exactly there where she had met Rathore and Rafik. she turned toward her bag again, trying to be normal so that Rawte wont notice, but too late, as he had already noticed that her face had become pale hearing it.
"So, which one of you killed this man?" he asked in conversational tone and she gaped at him, stunned, "because around that time you were in this place," he pointed toward the TV screen and Riya felt her blood turning ice, "Right?"
she could not even answer a yes or no, neither she can ask how does he know. does it matter how he know? bottom line is he does. she tear her gaze from her, focusing back to her bag.
"I am asking you something." His voice turned hard and she flinched, still keeping mum. she had finally gathered all her things and before she can took one step toward the door, he jumped from his seat and stood exactly in front of her, blocking her way.
"Step aside." She tried to keep her voice intact, but she can feel it was slipping, like it always does around him. He glared at her.
"I am asking you something." He repeated once again, crossing his arms over chest. she sighed.
"I dont know what you are talking about." She mumbled, but damn, it was a bad move. He uncrossed his arms and hold her arm tightly, pulling her toward him.
"Really? you dont know? then let me explain. around the time of killing you and rathore were there in that place. is this so difficult to put two and two together?"
"You remember where you are holding me its the same place where i got shot, right?" She said in soft voice as pain shoot in her body. his grip was too tight and exactly on her wound. he looked momentarily blanked, then at once left her arm. though he could not say sorry, for whatever reason, his face said it for him.
"What are you two upto?" He asked, getting back to his no-nonsense avatar. this time she meet his eyes.
"Why dont you ask Sameer?"
"Like he will answer me." He scoffed.
"And why do you think i will answer you?" She counter argued. it was a good question actually, why he thought she will answer? maybe he thought fighting and getting his answers will be much better from her, but he had thought wrong. she is not that weak like it looks.
he become tongue tied, and it was all what she wanted, "You are not getting any answers from me. if you can, find out what are we two upto, like you find out where were we two this afternoon."
"Sure as hell i will." He warned. she smiled little, adding more salt to his wound.
"Good luck." and with that, she was going away. she heard him talking when she had just pulled the door and stepping out of the room.
"Is this about Sikandar?"
Her inside screamed to let him know he was on the spot about his guessing, like always, but she composed herself. like always, she asked him the most unusual question.
''tell me one thing, Arjun," He looked at her, his angry eyes mixed with sadness gazing to hers intensely, "Why do you want to find him? only because he killed your wife, right?"
He didnt answer, but observed one thing, how carefully she avoided taking HER name. he looked at her for the verdict.
"You know, you are not the only one who had lost their loved ones." Her eyes were suddenly filled with tears, "look around, and you will see there are people whose wounds are more deeper than yours. maybe its one of the reason you didnt find him yet, because you are searching him for revenge, not because you want to catch and finish off a criminal."
finally she walked away, as he continued to look at her retreating back, her words echoing in his ears. for the first time he was questioning himself, was not he selfish? the person he was searching, he didnt only killed his wife, he had harmed many people too. not once this thought crossed his mind that he want justice not only for his dead wife, but for those innocent people too. was this the reason he was a failure to search him? was she right?
now he had another reason to pass a sleepless night. he slowly sat on his usual seat, pinching the bridge of his nose and thinking deeply on her words
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shailja @shail_j15
3 years ago
Amazing...loved it... continue soon