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Here's the next part...hope you all like it...do comment and hit the like button...i'm a greedy soul...😉
PART 5
NEXT EVENING IN ETF DELHI:
"Sir please may I come in?"
"Aao Poornima. Kaho kya baat hai?"
"Sir…vo…main ab yahaan kaam nahi karna chahti. Yahan rahungi toh kabhi aage nahi badh paungi. Ateet hamesha mera peecha karta rahega. Ab iss andhere se bahar aana chahti hun. Please sir…"
She was having a hard time keeping her voice from trembling.
"I understand. Jaanta hun ki yeh tumhaare liye kitna mushkil hai…par resign karne se tumhaara career…"
"I know sir…" she interrupted him. "tabhi toh resignation ka idea drop diya hai. Main bas transfer chahti hun. Yahaan se kahi dur." She seemed a bit lost as she said that. Composing herself a little, she added," please sir,…ab mat rokiyega mujhe…"
"tumhaari jaisi honhaar officer ko khona toh nahi chahta par tumse tumhaari zindagi kef aisle lene ka hak bhi nahi cheen sakta. Tumhaare paas do opytions hain—Mumbai ya Jaipur."
"Mumbai." She said firmly.
It didn't take her even a second to make that decision. She was no stranger to the city. In fact it seemed like she was going home at last. And to an extent it was true…after all Mumbai indeed was her original home.
"fine…" her boss' voice brought her back to the present.
"Tum packing start karo. You'll be leaving by tonight's flight. Tumhe tumhari tickets orders sham tak mil jayenge. ETF Mumbai ki website se tum team members ke baare mein jaan sakti ho."
"thank you sir." Her voice was filled with heartfelt gratitude.
"don't mention it. And all the best."
He smiled at her fondly. Over the years, their acquaintance had progressed from that of a subordinate-senior to brother-sister.
"thank you sir" and she left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
ETF MUMBAI:
Sameer had gone to Delhi for a conference. Shree, Liza and Chotu were chatting in the cafeteria. The case had been solved and Arjun was in his cabin, going through case files.
Aisha entered his cabin with a cutting chai.
"ahem..ahem…" she cleared her throat to catch his attention.
"Hmmm…" he said without looking up.
"tumhaari chai." She said, keeping the glass on the table and taking a seat, waiting for him to look up.
"ainvayi toh aayi nahi hogi. Bolo kya baat hai?" he asked nonchalantly without even sparing her a glance.
"kuch khaas nahi. Bas tumhaara faisla jaanna tha. Kya socha hai tumne?" she asked expectantly.
"I hate to admit this but I guess you are right. Akansha ko aur andhere mein nahi rakh sakte. Maine usse already baat karli hai. Aaj sham 8 baje, 'Fire and Ice' mein.shock ho gayi thi voh jab maine usse milne bulaya."
And he chuckled remembering her dumbfounded silence on the phone.
Then he added, "tum mere saath chal rahi ho."
"fine. Ab boss ho, mana toh kar nahi sakti. Vo kya hai na, tumhaare samjhe ya samjhaun se bohot dar lagta hai mujhe." She smiled.
Turning these jests out of service, he asked her on a serious note, "aur kuch pata chala?"
He was referring to the culprit of the biological attack case.
"bas itna hi ki uski bhi funding Delhi se hi ho rahi thi. "
She sighed dejectedly. For the past three months she'd been digging up information on that ba****d with no result.
"Aisha, I guess humein usse fir se interrogate karna hoga.riya ki kurbaani ko hum bekaar nahi hone de sakte. Pehle toh ye pata lagana hoga ki voh choota kaise? Itne sabooton ke baad bhi voh bach kaise gaya?"
Confusion and determination were clearly etched on his face.
"don't worry Arjun. Hum iss mission ko poora zaroor karenge. Sikandar ko hamare har aansu ki kimat chukaani hi hogi. Par tum Akansha se kya kehne vale ho?"
"pata nahi Aisha. Pata hai, isiliye main kabhi bada nahi hona chahta tha. Jab hum chote hote hain, toh humaari problems bhi choti hoti hain…par jaise jaise hum bade hote jaate hain, hamari problems bhi badi ho jati hain…humse bhi zyada badi.."
His tone was defeated…without his usual confidence.
"haan…par jab hum chote hote hain, toh voh choti choti problems bhi kitni badi lagti hain na?" she said trying to cheer him up. "yaad hai, 8th standard mein tumne science prohect bohot late submit kiya tha aur jab Sunita Ma'am ne tumhe daantna shuru kiya toh tum rone kage the."
Aisha laughed as his weeping picture flashed before her eyes. Arjun too smiled sheepishly.
"aur vo Harshit yaad hai Arjun?" she continued, "jo 4th standard mein tumhaara tiffin cheen leta tha aur tum rone lagte they…"
"haan…aur tumne 12th mein ek baar usse chata bhi toh maara tha jab usne sabke saamne kaha tha ki usse tumpe crush hai…" Arjun added.
"haan…bechare ne uske baad meri taraf dekhne ki bhi himmat nahi ki…" she said in a pitiful voice…
A moment of silence ensued and then they both burst out laughing.
"vo sab chodo…ye batao tumhaari aur sam…I mean tumhaari aur Rathore ki story kahaan tak pahuchi?"
"sam zyada accha lagta hai Arjun…" she stopped seeing the look on his face…"anyways,", she continued, " mujhe nahi pata tha voh asal mein itne sharmeele hain…"
"voh haan??? Abhi se usse 'voh' bulaane lagi? Typical Indian pativrata naari…" he winked at her…
"shut up Arjun…"
"apne boss ko shut bhi bolne lagi?? Pyar ka kuch zada hi gehra asar hua hai tum par…" he nodded his head knowingly…then added…"par usse better life partner tumhe kahi nahi milea…uski aankhon mein tumhaare liye saccha pyaar dekha hai maine…usse miss kar rahi ho na…?"
"hmmm…." Aisha could feel a blush creeping up…"accha main chalti hun…sab ujhe dhoond rahe honge…yahan tumhaare saath gappe ladate dekha toh hazaar explanations dene honge…"
Arjun could see she was in a hurry to leave and he knew why…he was really happy for both his friends…
"fine. " he said grinning. "tum jao and sham ko ready rehna.." he added more seriously.
"Sure." She said before adding "vaise I don't think hum zyada din apne mission ko secret rakh payenge…"
"jaanta hun…par jab tak hamein solid proof nahi milta, Rathore…"
"tension mat lo Arjun…everything's gonna be fine…" With a reassuring smile, she left.
Arjun finally lifted his previously neglected cutting chai to his lips deliberating about how he was going to reveal the truth to Akansha.
P.S.: please pardon the mistakes... and don't forget to hit the like button and leave your comments.
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