Before anyone could raise a question (especially Arjun), Sameer focused on the screen and started shooting instruction.
"Shree, iske bare mein sab kuch pata karo."
"Already did sir. Mohit Rene ek chota sa AdAgency mein kaam karta hai. Par uski lifestyle doesn't suit his job." Shree said.
"How so?" Asked Liza.
"He has a banglow where he lives alone and a posh car. Given that his salary is not that much and he doesn't have a family according to the records. It's weird." Shree replied.
"Weird and planned. It's just a cover. Uski asliyaat toh kuch aur hi hai." Sameer said. "Shree, dekho uska cell on hai ki nehi."
"usse koi fayda nehi hai Sir. Yeh bhi koi bogus number hi hoga. 60% cases mein terrorist satellite phones ka istemaal karte hai, apni cell phones ki nehi." Aisha voiced in.
"Right.. par yeh khud ko kuch jyada hi shateer samajh ta hai. Isse lagta hai ki hum uss tak kabhi pohoch nehi payenge..isiliye yeh apna phone apne paas hi rakhega. Aur wahi uski sabse badi galti hogi." Arjun said in a hard voice.
"How can you be so sure Rawte?"
"I think Arjun sir is right. Uska phone active hai.. par iss waqt off hai. But I'm sure woh apna phone apne paas hi rakhta hoga. Ek bar who cell on karde, I'll be able to locate him." Shree exclaimed in.
"Utna waqt nehi hai Shree." Arjun murmured, absentmindedly staring at Saakshi's picture.
All of them noticed the distant tone of his voice and this time, Sameer found the courage and walked upto him. "We will find her Rawte."
Arjun replied a second later.
"We have to.. Rathod."
Or he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.
He turned and faced his team with a fierce determination this time. "Shree, dusra location locate hua?"
"Yes sir! Satellite se zoom in karne par kuch tasveere mili. Waha Saakshi nehi hai but definitely dusra bomb planned hai." Shree notified, feeling a little relieved.
"Good... so you and.." Sameer started to say but Aisha's ringtone cut him off.
She murmured a quick sorry and picked it up. She silently listened for a minute and then faced the team again.
"ek location pata chal gaya hai..Pins(keele) bechne wale ne ek ko pehchana tha.. usiko follow karke aur ek location pata chala hai."
"Sir, we know where she is." Shree voiced out.
"Where is she?" Arjun asked, breathlessly.
A few hours later
As the spineless cowards they were, they fled as soon as they could. Mohit however, stayed back. Call it his arrogance or stupidity.
He stood there, pointing the gun to our hot cop, who was now stepping forward like a predator to its prey.
Mohit shoot a few verbal threats like he'd shoot if he doesn't stop.
And Arjun didn't stop.
So Mohit shot at him while Saakshi stared in horror.
But Arjun gracefully had ducked and in return, kicked Mohit right on his chin.
Mohit wavered but recovered quickly and lunged at Arjun. The fierceness and rage probably had blinded him by then.. So he beat him to a pulp.
Mohit clawed at the floor reaching for the gun.. But Arjun stepped on his approaching hand; crushing mohit's fingers. Saakshi could swear she heard them crack.
"Arjun.." She whispered, more scared at his demeanor than at the death lurking right under her wobbling feet.
She had hoped Arjun would regain his sense back but then one look at her distressed form, his rage increased more; if that was even possible.
He let out an animal growl and pulled Mohit from the ground only to twist his neck. And Mohit was dropped on the floor, on his knees first; then his head was on the floor.
And he kept staring at Saakshi with wide eyes.. Dead.
This happened so quickly, giving Saakshi no time to even gasp. With her teary, fearful eyes, she stared at mohit's dead body.
Seconds passed.. Minutes even. No one said anything. Arjun kept panting.. His eyes staring at the ticking bomb. Saakshi wondered whether he was trying to dissemble it or just trying to calm himself.
Saakshi gathering her energy took a breathe. Time was ticking away.. And there wasn't anything he could now.
This was it.. The bomb squad won't be here in time and being military grade detonation, there wouldn't be enough time to dissemble it.
She was going to die and there was no way she was letting him waste his life on her.
"Arjun.." She called out softly.
He didn't respond right away. He was stiff.. Flexing his fists over and over again; Probably tiring off the adrenaline.
And when finally he lifted his head and looked at her, she forgot what she was about to say.
Various emotions flashed on his face and Saakshi fought with her dozy state to figure his emotions out.
Regret for killing Mohit? No, he deserved it.
It was guilt.. He felt as he took a step towards her. He wished she didn't have to see all these. Her innocence.. He'd always try to preserve it. He never wanted to lose control and kill that monster so mercilessly in front her but he did.
He didn't know what possessed him but one look at her teary eyed.. Bleeding lips and torn clothes, he lost control and lashed on him.
Sad..he was sad, Saakshi concluded, noticing him glancing at the detonation again.
And she knew he'd realized that it was a lost case.
But he kept moving forward and she panicked. "Arjun please.. Jao yaha se, please." She pleaded him for the nth time.
"Shhh" he crossed the distance with two large step and softly held her face. To reassure her or just to memorize her face for one last time, he didn't know.
He lowered his head..until their foreheads touched. Saakshi closed her eyes and let a small sob escape her lips.
She'd rather die now than to hear his last goodbye.. She couldn't do it now, she wasn't that strong!
"No Arjun please!"
"Sshh.. You are gonna be fine. You hear me? Tumhe kuch nehi hoga..kuch nehi." He told her, hiding her face on the nook of his neck.
"Kuch nehi.." He repeated.
And with that Saakshi found herself standing on a solid ground, safe and sound while Arjun took her place on the detonation.
"Nooo.."
"Arjun yeh tumhe kya kiya? Why, Arjun?" Saakshi panicked.
Arjun sadly smiled at her. "Go" he said.
"No.. Main tumhe chod k kahi nehi jaa rahi." Saakshi glared at him. Dragging her beaten body around, Saakshi searched for a remote or anything that could help him.
Damn him! He distracted her with his embrace and took her spot, balancing on the panel so that he could skid her down.
Frustrated, she shot him another glare but he stood in his all I'm-a-badass-ACP glory, unaffected at the death looming around.
"You can't disarm it." He called out.
"Quiet!" She barked, amusing him. She knelt before the detonation with a small knife she found.
Yeah, he was right. She couldn't disarm it.
One, she didn't know how to disarm a bomb.
Two, this was a military grade landmine, no wires to cut.
Arjun patiently waited till she slowly stood up, defeated and devastated.
"Tumhe yaha aana hi nehi chahiye tha." She muttered.
"Mujhe koi rok bhi nehi pata.." He replied, determined.
She roughly wiped her tears. "I'm not gonna give up. You are not dying on me. Samjhe tum?"
"Saakshi..tum.."
Their gaze was broken by a siren and rathore's voice. Help was here!
"See.. help is here. " Saakshi wiped her stubborn tears and gave him a smile laced with relief and hope. He returned her smile but it was a sad smile, one that meant he was giving up.
But Saakshi was too happy, too relieved to notice it. Taking the chance, Arjun said. "Good. Now, get to Sameer and ask him to bring the detonation tool for E67 grenade landmine."
"But I can't leave.." she protested.
"You have to.. or else bohot der ho jayega. Agar time pe Rathod help leke aa gaya that I can be saved, Saakshi." He quietened her.
When she still looked hesitant, he locked her gaze with her and said in his commanding voice "Go." with a slight nod.
"Okay.." She rushed out the house, looking back at him one last time.
She tried running faster.. but her body was giving up. She passed the way that parted the lake house she was abducted in from the lake itself.
Sameer rushed to her along with Ayesha and Chotu. "Saakshi tum theek ho?"
Sameer hugged her briefly.
"woh Arjun.." she huffed. "Arjun.."
"Arjun sir kaha hai?" It was Chotu who asked. Other two were too shocked to denote something.
"Usne kaha ki E67 grenade landmine ki tool leke jaana hoga." Saakshi said and felt Sameer stiffen beside her.
"No..Rawte.."
Saakshi looked from Ayesha to Chotu and both of them looked as if they've seen some ghost.
"Guys, humari paas time nehi hai.. tool kaha hai?" there was urgency in her voice.
"There is no tool.. as there is nothing called a E67 grenade landmine."
Sameer muttered before breaking into a run towards the house.
But he was blown backwards as the whole lake house blew up into little pieces.. consuming everything that was inside.
And they watched the reflection of it burning on the lake.
"No.. .."
Cricket
Kumkum Bhagya
Tum Se Tum Tak
Sampoorna
Jhanak
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