Verma paced around the main room... moving left and right "Main soch liya hai... I will leave after a week... yaha rehna ka koi bhi matlab nahi... saare gadgets aur equipments ke saath... ab I have to do what I have not done for a long time... track Sikandar's movements through Kapoor..." Verma sighed out of exhaustion and walked towards the sink...
"I have never discussed the second informer of Arjun... the strongest, sharpest and most dangerous of all... isliye he's my favorite choice...yeh kaam sirf woh hi kar payega..."
Verma washed the face repeatedly... it was time now... "I have to activate the second informer..."
Verma walked to the corner of the room and let the held back tears fall... true about being upset, angry and hurt on Kapoor's actions.. "To decipher Kapoor's moves were impossible... had this attack not happened toh shayad mujhe pata bhi nahi chalta ki... forget it... double agent!"
"Main tujhe kaise batavun yaar... tu mujhe na bolke yeh sab... ussme utna dard nahi hai... dard aur gussa yeh baat pe aa raha hai ki anything could have happened to you... you could have damn died! And if you died then... mera kya hota... yeh Verma toh Kapoor ki beghair kuch bhi nahi..." Verma let out the tears recalling the first time they had got their names...
Flashback...
"Ashi!!!!!!" I screamed while running towards a confused Ashi...
"Arrey..." Ashi started...
"Na - undercover agent Verma reporting ma'am!" I stood with pride on my face...
"OH MY!" Ashi's eyes filled with tears and hugged me tightly...
"Oye drama queen ab mujhe chod... gussa toh uss Kapoor pe aa raha hai... can you believe it... till now neither I nor Sakshi know that we have an undercover agent Kapoor in the house!" I pouted to see Ashi giving me puppy eye look...
"Ashi that is so not going to work!" I turned away to hear her soft voice "Verma please... please forgive poor Kappy!" she smiled...
That is where I found the short name - Kappy...
"Yeh emotional blackmail band kar...!" I said gruffly and looked at the other side...
Ashi left I guess chuckling while after a few minutes I hear... "Hi!" it was Kappy...
"Abbey teri toh mai aisi ki taisi!" I barked and charged towards Kappy who ran around the house trying to be saved from my blows!
Exhausted we both collapsed on the sofa... I still managed to give a slap to Kappy..
"Arey mere bhagwaan maaf kar de yaar! Undercover agent reporting!" Kappy said wearily...
"Oye atleast remember to add your name after agent!" I laughed and hugged Kappy tight... "Acha sun - hum humesha ek saath kaam karenge... kyunki mere paas akal to tere paas style... we both compliment in skills yaar!" I hugged Kappy tightly again...
"Waise Verma... congrats!!!!" Kappy had tears in eyes...
"Uffo... tu phirse shuru ho gaya! Shaadi ke baad tere toh gayi!" I laughed while receiving a punch on my stomach from Kappy...
Present
Verma came back to thoughts with a notification from the phone... it was from the second informer... "Par main Arjun ki madat kaise karoon... without letting Sikandar know..." knitted brows in deep thought...
"Is it time that Arjun knows... itne jaldi... par kyun? Sikandar aur kya ab plan kar sakta hai? Maybe the next half.." Verma muttered and left the coffee cup there - untouched...
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"Aap yeh kya keh rahe hai.. Kapoor... aap aur Verma ab saath kaam nahi karenge!" A man asked enraged...
"Sirf kuch din ke liye Zuber... Verma will be back to us... as my dearest frined... bas only some evidence is left - if Verma was in my state I guess Verma would have reacted in the same manner as me... and me too..." Kapoor contemplated...
"Hum Sikandar ka badla lenga na Kapoor..?" Sanjana asked in a doubtful manner...
"Agar yeh nahi hua Sanjana toh that day will be the last one in my life... waise Sani kaha hai?" Kapoor said looking around...
"Bas main yahi hoon... kuch cheezein laane the..." Sani spoke and proceeded to the sitting area...
"Sani - kitne dafa humne aapko kahan hai aise bahar na jaaya karo.. Sikandar humme dhoondne ke koshish kar rahe hai!" Zuber said exasperatedly...
"Sorry jiju - agle baar se yeh ghalti nahi..." Sani held her ears and went to the other room... along with Sanjana...
"Toh kya lagta hai Kapoor - Kya Verma will help Arjun? Iss masle ka hal toh yahi se hoga..." Zuber said scratching his head and working on the plan given to him...
"I know Zuber... par iss ke liye Arjun ko Sakshi ke baare main jaan na hoga... no one knows her better than me... oh God I am confused..." Kapoor sat on the chair...
Zuber kept a hand on Kapoor's shoulder "Aap fikar mat kijiye... aapne waqt ka saath diya hai - waqt aapka saath dega... bas Inshallah sab theek ho jaye.." Zuber said emotionally while looking at his Sanjana dosing off at the chair itself...
"Jee ab agar aap ijaazat de... hum chalte hai - Sanjana ko nend aayi hai, main usse kamre tak chod ke aata hoon..." Zuber said...
"Sanjana waapas aayi hai - you know, as your fiancee..." Kapoor asked...
"Nahi Kapoor... naahi woh kabhi shayad waapas aayegi... par hum uspe kabhi zabardasti nahi karenge... mohabbat toh karta rahoonga... shauhar banne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai ab... usse ab humara support chahiye... aur apne zindagi ke anth tak hum hamesha uske paas rahenge... aur intezaar karenge jab woh beetey hue pal ko bhulake... saari gham ko mitaake humare saath aage badna chahegi...chahe yeh poori zindagi khatam kyun na ho jaye... ab uski jang humari hai..." Zuber said softly and walked towards a sleeping Sanjana...
He softly carried her in her arms... she seemed to stir so he cradled her back to sleep... planting a soft kiss on her forehead he took her to her room...
Kapoor smiled at the sight in front... immense deep love Zuber harbored for his Sanjana... that reminded of the other love stories around...
Each one of them affected by one individual... Sikandar... that cost the friendship of Kapoor and Verma as well...
"Ab tu nahi bachega Sikandar... kyunki Verma iss baat pe gussa nahi hai ki I am a double agent... but rather that meri jaan ko khatra hai... dosti bahar se toot sakti hai - ander se nahi... Verma yaar, tujhe jald sab pata chal jaayega..."
A determined Kapoor walked out of the house...
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"Arrey Karan yeh toh kuch bhi nahi! Tuje..." for the past half an hour an over excited girl was constantly chatting with Karan... she had a beautiful tendency to hyperbole every single incident...
"Yaar Karan - tu isse kyun sehta hai!" Karan smirked and continued to look at her, his real interest being at the combination of the blue green salwar she wore... with the set of bangles that she had... he hadn't seen them before... she was looking pretty nice...
"Beta Karan.. tu toh ulta thinking main jaa raha hai!" Karan alerted his slipping mind and controlled his thoughts...
"Toh you know na ki main kitni fadu actress hoon.." she continued her blabbering while Karan kept on looking...
From the side his Shera came out and seemed particularly surprised by this chatterbox in front of Karan...
"Yeh Karan kam nahi tha joh iss express aayi - am sure Karan ka 18th pehli girlfriend hogi!" He smirked...
Karan got up to receive him when the damned bullet shot pained him again! "Ow!" he scowled... "God ab yeh Simran meri jaan le legi aur ek naani ki tarha mera khayaal rakhegi!" he smiled but after five minutes when he didn't receive any reply he looked up to find Simran looking astonished at Shera...
*Jealousy strikes*
"Aap pakka actor hai na... actually maine aapko kahi baar dekha hain but you know I have a bad memory toh yaad nahi aa raha hain aapka naam.. but aab kya lagte hai... by God kya figure, looks... la jawaab!" She continued her praise...
"Hey bhagwan yeh ladki! God Sakshi bhi kabhi mujhe itna khulke praise nahi ki.." his mind stopped for a second then he came back to reality when she started her non sense again... "Aapka pakka 6 packs hai na!" she said excitedly..
Arjun just shook his head to her question... "Haila! Matlab 8 packs! uffo tum toh Rambo ke baap nikle! You know mujhe bhi acting ka bohot shock hai... main hoon total filmy, paidashi defect! Isliye meri naam bhi Simran hai!" she said excitedly and raised her hand to shake...
Arjun just nodded then looked at her hand... something snapped in him... he immediately removed his aviators and looked at her hand again... "Yeh... kaise ho sakta hai..."
"So I am Simran.. aap?" she asked again confused by his staring on her hands...
Before Arjun could introduce Karan butt in "Yeh koi hero shero nahi hai - yehi hai mera dost Shera - woh ETF main tha.. ACP Arjun Suryakant Rawte.." Karan told... "Iske haath main aisa kya dekh raha hai!" Karan grumbled mentally...
"Yeh Karan itna lazy hai ki coffee bhi paas waale dukaan se cheek cheek ke maangta hai aur bas mera naam kehne ke liye janaab injured leg lekar bhi uth ke 10 m chalke aaye? Kuch toh choot raha hai Arjun..." Arjun smirked and walked towards Karan...
"Toh tera per kaise hai - aur kya tu bhaag raha hai dhar udhar, advise le - rest kar.. ab yeh bhagam bhaag theek nahi hai." Arjun said
"Haan karan yeh Arjun na sahi keh raha hai - ab tu bas beth ke kaam kar... oh wait.. tujhe goli lagi thi.. kab? Maine dekha hi nahi!" Simran said
"Tujhe teri baaton aur Shera ke gun gaana ke sivaah waqt kaha mila mujhse baat karne ke liye!" Karan grumbled...
"Waise bhi ek hafte ke liye wait kar - uske baad Olympics main gold, silver, bronze mai lavunga!" Karan said proudly
"Teeno ke teen tu hi layega?" Arjun said sarcastically...
Karan just sulked at Arjun...
"Mr. Arjun.. yeh aap ke liye.. ek file.. kisine bheja hai!" A 9 year old girl with round specs and two plats told Arjun...
"Thanks Anjali! Toh kaisi ho?" Arjun asked while giving a slight ruffle to her head..
" I am fine.." Anjali smiled...
"Aur tumhara per ka check up karwaya?" Arjun asked while going through the file... he hissed in pain as the folder hit his right palm... it had dried blood stains now (while thinking about Sakshi he had crushed the glass into pieces and without bothering to wipe it off he walked into Karan's garage..)
"Arrey Mr. Arjun aapko kya hua? Aapka toh haath kat gaya..." Anjali said slightly panicking
" Shera - tera haath kab kata.. yaara maine toh dekha hi nahi!" Karan asked and got a wet tissue for him...
"Tu jab kisi ko kisi aur pe interest dikhane pe jal raha tha, uss waqt yeh sab nazar nahi aate - yeh bat samjhe ya ?" Arjun smirked and took the wet tissue and rubbed his palm softly..
Karan "Beta- woh baat tera antar atma ne kaha yaa sach main Shera ne bola!"
"Uff.. chota sa cut hai par kitna jalta hai..." his thought trailed off when he recalled when the taveez had pierced into Sakshi's arm when they were on their way to see off Sam and Shree...
"Arrey Shera- tu kaha beech beecha main Golmaal 3 ke Johnny Lever ke tarha bhool jaata hai! Sun yaar... mujhe na kuch gadbad lag raha hai - tujhe sab kuch baad main batavunga. Anju aur Simmi ke saamne nahi, chal bye!" Karan said and walked away...
Arjun walked towards the stall when he dashed with someone...
His eyes widened ... he knew something... the fragrance ... his brain told him to search for that... immediately Arjun looked around and ran back in the direction he came from... he looked here and there... the someone whom he dashed with... disappeared... Arjun was about to leave when he noticed the fallen bamboo sticks...
Someone had crossed through them - in a manner that no one would be able to follow...
Arjun wracked his brain - no ordinary person would do this... there was a certain training background... looking carefully Arjun noticed further - a person in hurry would just dash along the bamboo sticks but here all the sticks were in perfect criss cross...
But why would a person do this? Arjun immediately checked his pockets for anything... nope... nothing at all... in fact that scent had been just put as Arjun's hand smelled of that scent... then an idea clicked in his mind... he went to a nearby stall and bought some biscuits... he went near a stray dog and pet him... he knew that specific dog for some days as he would often feed him biscuits... then Arjun let the dog smell the scent on his hand... it took some time for the do to understand what Arjun was saying...
After a few minutes getting Arjun's signal the dog walked around the path where Arjun had run... "Yes.. finally scent pick up kar liya..." then the dog stopped before the bamboos and rather smelled the wall and scratched on the wall... higher and higher...
"Yeh kya?" Arjun frowned and then slowly understood the point... that someone had climbed the wall... wait... if that someone climbed the wall what was the need to throw the bamboos?
Arjun gave the dog few more biscuits and ruffled him... bidding the dog bye he walked back to Karan' s garage.. his mind rattling with questions...
He shook his head and picked up a glass of cutting chai... as he dug into his pocket to give change he felt a cold metallic thing...
Leaving the chai as well as the full note he went straight to Karan's garage and found one of Simran's bangle on the floor - the same one that he was staring at...
He removed the cold metallic thing from his pocket - Sakshi's molten bangle... he had always kept it with him...
He kept both side by side and was shocked to see the identical design and company they were from... it's not too surprising that it's from the same company... it's just that it's from an expensive one.. the usual high funda ones... Sakshi could have these... but Simran... how? Maybe a gift..
"Arjun tu kuch zyaada hi soch raha hai... har jagah aaj kal Sakshi nazar aati hai..." his heart clenched at the thought... he couldn't save her...
He picked up Simran's bangle.. intending to give it to Karan who would duly give it back to Simran when a small carving hit his mind.. on the back of the bangle a date was written 4th October 2013... "Sakshi ke janam din se ek din pehle..." he thought and then picked up the molten bangle to see the date... it only showed tober 2013...
"Yeh kaise ho sakta hai - meri instincts keh rahi hai ki yeh bhi 4th october hi hogi...forget it Arjun... tu paagal ho jayega..." his mind said...
Arjun sat next to the table and saw a chit "Post mortem report phirse check karlo... Aur haan tumhare upar jo faulty case tha uska bhi details! :)"
"Yaha toh main sabki madat karta hoon... yeh mujhe kaun madat kar raha hai?" Arjun thought puzzled and then looked at the chit again...
"Kuch toh choot raha hai!" he quizzed...
"Garage main toh mere nikalne ke baad koi tha hi nahi.. matlab uss insaan ka maksat tha ki main yaha se nikal javun taaki yeh message mujhe mil jaaye..." he thought and his eyes turned round in realistation...
"Par yeh sab kar kaun raha hai..." he thought
He closed his eyes...the day's work had tolled on him hard... he tried to sleep but only one face kept coming in front of his eyes... unknown to him a tear rolled down from his eye... he clutched the bangle tighter... from somewhere he heard "I love you Arjun..." and he whispered back "I lov..." and sighed... closing his eyes again to see her face etched in his memory .. he remembered her fragrance very well... especially the day he had carried her...
Unknown to him someone looked at Arjun from behind... "U were right informer... Arjun ko madat karna was a right choice..."
Before silently leaving Verma noticed Arjun clutching a molten bangle tightly... "He feels for Sakshi? Does he really lov..." the sentence was left to rest as Verma walked away... happy tears blurring the vision...
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