ETF ran into the hospital. Shree was outside the operation theatre. He was pacing up and down confused, surprised and worried all at once.
Rathore: Shree!!
Shree looked up and breathed a sigh of relief on seeing them.
Ayesha: Shree! What the hell happened?
Shree: mujhe khud kuch bhi nahi pata hai sir. jab main dono sketch artist ko lekar waha gaya toh...
Flashback
Shree entered the compound of Arjun's house. An SUV was blocking their inside. Shree honked wildly but no one replied. Sensing something fishy, he removed his gun and got out.
Shree: Mahesh, Ravi tum dono yahi ruko agar kuch bhi gadbad ho toh seedhe Rathore sir ko inform kar dena
They nodded. Shree cautiously went up the steps. The door of the house was wide open. The living room was empty. He slowly treaded forward towards the bedroom. He carefully pushed the door further open and stepped inside only to have the ground beneath him sweep away.
Dead bodies were lying all around the room. Riya was covered with blood. Arjun was half on top of her. His head and wrists were bleeding. Another man lay dead near them. He had been stabbed repeatedly. A knife lay beside. The sound of his shoe splashing the pool of blood shook him out of his daze.
Shree: Sir!! Riya!!!
He rushed to them and checked their pulse. Both of them were alive. Oxygen filled his lungs again. He ran outside to take Mahesh and Ravi's help.
Flashback Ends
Shree: Riya ke body par koi chot toh nahi dikhayi di mujhe, thode bruises hai. use sedative dekar sula diya hai. doctor ne kaha ki 4-5 ghante mein stabilize ho jaani chahiye, uska blood pressure bahot high ho gaya tha. Arjun sir ke sar par bahot chot lagi hai, doctor operation kar rahe hai. waha par khoon bhi bahot saara tha par pata nahi kiska kitna tha. maine bas local police ko inform kar diya crime scene take over karne ke liye
Liza: oh god! Aisa kar kaun sakta hai?
Rathore: ye toh Arjun aur Riya hi bata sakte (glancing towards the theatre) bas dono theek ho.
The team waited impatiently for the operation to be over. Finally an hour later, the doctor came out. He was immediately surrounded by the officer.
Rathore: doctor Arjun...
He calmed them down: dekhiye ghabraane ki koi baat nahi hai, ab woh khatre se baahar hai. Blood loss hua tha humne chadha diya hai.
Sakshi: thank god! Kya hum use mil sakte hai?
Doctor: abhi nahi, aadhe ghante baad khoon chadh jaayega, fir hum unhe room mein shift kar denge. Fir aap mil lijiyega
Rathore: thank you so much doctor
Doctor: koi baat nahi
He excused himself and left.
Rathore: Shree, staff se baat karke dono ko room share karwao
Shree: ji sir
Chotu: sir main local police se update le leta hun
Rathore: ha aur agar koi witness wagera ho toh check karna, unka statement bhi bahot maayine rakhega
Chotu: yes sir!
Rathore took a deep breath and sat on the bench mv "ye zaroor Sikandar ka kiya karaya hoga, jab tak dono hospital mein tab tak mujhe inki safety ka intezaam karna hoga.
Rathore: Ayesha, get a few good men, ho sakta hai ki hamlavaar firse attack kare. Is waqt dono mein se koi bhi ladne ki haalat mein nahi hai
Ayesha: yes sir!
Sometime later, Arjun was shifted into the room. Riya was on the second bed still under the influence of the sedatives. The team gathered around Arjun's bed knowing he would gain consciousness soon. Sakshi sat beside him on the bed.
His eyes twitched. He moved his fingers. A soft whisper escaped his lips. His body tensed as if it were going through abominable pain.
Arjun: Ri...ya..
Rathore placed his hand on his shoulder: Arjun relax...sab theek hai, aankhein kholo
Arjun recognised Sameer's voice and slowly opened his eyes.
Arjun: Sam...
Rathore: ha main yahi hu
He heaved a sigh of relief and registered his surroundings. His head felt numb due to anaesthetic effects.
Sakshi: Arjun kya ho gaya achanak, hum kitne dar gaye the pata hai? tum theek toh ho?
Arjun: Sakshi stop overreacting! Main...(suddenly) Sam! Riya kaha hai?
Rathore gestured to the opposite side: Riya bhi theek hai, use doctor ne sula diya hai taaki woh rest kar sake
Arjun(relieved): thank God, mujhe toh lag raha tha ki...par hume yaha laaya kaun?
Shree: sir, main sketch artist ko lekar aanewaala tha na
Arjun(weakly): are ha
Rathore (angrily): ab tum kuch batane ka kasht karoge ki ye sab ho kya raha hai?!?
Arjun: Sikandar maara gaya
His statement came as a pleasant surprise to everyone.
Ayesha: sach?
Rathore: par kaise?
Arjun: usine toh hamla kiya tha hum par
Rathore: Detail Mein Batao Arjun!!!
Arjun: are chilla mat, sar dard kar raha hai mera (Rathore glared at him) long story short! Usne hum par attack kiya, humne counter kiya, lekin mujhe chot lag gayi aur Riya stress ko handle nahi kar paayi but ultimately she killed him
Another wave of shock passed.
Chorus: She killed him?!?!
Arjun: ha
Rathore: aur...tum kya kar rahe the?
Arjun: main marte-marte bacha
Rathore raised his eyebrows: fair enough
Shree: but sir, Sikandar achanak kaise pahunch gaya? I mean humne toh kuch kiya bhi nahi ki use aapko dhamkaane ki zaroorat padi ho
Arjun: mujhe kya pata? Shayad mujh par nazar rakh raha hoga
Sakshi took his hand: tum kaisa mehsoos kar rahe ho?
Arjun took his hand away: jaisa pehle tha waise, ab agar tum logon ke sawaal khatam ho gaye ho toh please get out, mera sar dard kar raha hai, mujhe sona hai
Ayesha smiled: aap aaram kijiye sir, hum jaa rahe hai. aapke theek hone tak, aapke ghar se crime scene ka tape nikalkar ache se safayi kar denge
Arjun: oh safayi karna saari ladkiyon ki fitrat mein hai
Ayesha: kya matlab?
Arjun: kuch nahi, bye!
Ayesha(confused): ok...bye?
The team bid goodbye after telling him to take care of himself. However, Rathore stopped at the door.
Rathore: tum log office jao, main doctor se baat karke aata hun
Shree: theek hai sir (Rathore turned to leave) sir! woh nurse se please kehna ki Riya ko hosh toh hume inform kar de
Rathore: ha keh dunga
Shree smiled: thank you!
Rathore nodded and left. He went to the end of the corridor and waited for the others to leave. Once they did, he went back to Arjun and Riya's room. The sound of the door opening made Arjun open his eyes. Rathore pulled a stool beside his bed.
Arjun rolled his eyes: mujhe pata tha tu waapis aayega
Rathore: good, ab saaf- saaf bata ki kya hua?
Arjun: wahi hua jo maine tum sab ko bataya
Rathore: main woh jaanna chahta hun jo tumne hume nahi bataya
Arjun sighed: tum sahi the
Rathore: main humesha sahi hota hun, tu kaunsi baat ki baat kar raha hai?
Arjun rolled his eyes: Sikandar aur Riya ke beech mere ilawa bhi ek connection tha
Rathore(surprised): kya?
Arjun: he...he loved her
Rathore did not reply. His brain was still trying to register what Arjun said.
Rathore: hold on, what?
Arjun took a deep breath: I told you ki woh mujh par nazar rakh raha tha? (Rathore nodded) and usi chakkar mein uski nazar Riya par pad gayi and he fell for her. Isliye usne Riya ko jhoot bola ki humne use chod diya, isliye woh uska bharosa jeetne ki koshish kar raha tha taaki Riya ko uski sachayi na pata chale aur uske jaal mein fas jaaye
Rathore: Riya ko ye baat pata hai?
Arjun: ha usne uske saamne hi toh kaha
Rathore: tum toh keh rahe the ki Riya physically kuch karne ki capable nahi hai toh fir usne Sikandar ko kaise maara?
Arjun: mujhe already sar par chot lagi thi, usne fir se maari aur woh mera gala ghotne ne koshish kar raha tha. tab tak baakhi sab mar gaye the. uska focus mere upar tha utne mein Riya ne us par peeche se waar kar diya
Rathore: lekin Shree ne kaha ki jo admi chaaku se mara us par kayi waar kiye gaye the aur Riya toh, ek waar bhi mushkil se karti hai toh...
Arjun: jo admi ek criminal hokar, use kidnap karke use apni life se door le jaata hai aur fir waapis aakar uska rape karne (Rathore's eyes widened) ki koshish karega, usko woh chaku nahi maaregi toh kya aarti utaaregi?
Rathore glanced towards Riya mv "pata nahi 3 din mein kitna kuch seh liya isne.
Arjun: waise hume ek kamre mein rakhne ke liye shukriya
Rathore smiled: you're welcome
Arjun: bye!
Rathore made a face: fine! Jaa raha hu, aaram kar
Arjun: uske liye toh tujhe jaana hoga
Rathore(standing up): jaa raha hu..huh! dost ki toh koi value hi nahi
He dramatically banged the door shut as he left. Arjun shook his head at his antics. He straightened himself and slowly got out of bed. Walking across to the other bed, he took Riya's hand in his. He sat on the stool beside and rested his head on the bed falling into sleep.
A few hours later, the effect of Riya's sedatives started wearing down. Her fingers moved, her eyes twitched as her brain played out the last moments before going unconscious. Arjun woke up with a start. Riya was shivering all over. He immediately put a hand on her forehead in order to calm her down.
Arjun: Riya relax...it's ok, kuch nahi hua...main hu, Arjun
She screamed, waking up in alarm just as Sikandar's body fell to the ground: ARJUN SIR!!
Arjun: Riya I'm fine
She turned to the source of the sound. Relief washed over her as she recognized the hospital surroundings. She was sweating badly.
Riya: aap...aap...hum, yaha kaise?
Arjun smiled: kismat achi thi humari
Riya: main kuch samjhi nahi (suddenly noticing the bandages on his head) aap yaha kyun baithe hai sir? (tensed) aapko aaram ki zaroorat hai, please let jayiye
Arjun: main theek hu Riya
Riya: kitni chotein lagi hai sir aapko, aur aap keh rahe hai ki theek hu? Jayiye Jaakar Aaram Kijiye!
Arjun: chala toh jaunga Riya par aaram nahi kar paunga
Riya: sir please paheliyan mat bhujayiye, Rathore sir bhi nahi hai
Arjun raised his eyebrow: acha? Tumhare sawalon ka jawab nahi deta kya main?
Riya looked away: pata nahi
Arjun: pata nahi ka kya matlab hai?
Riya gave him an accusing look: subah se toh itna bhaav kha rahe hai
Arjun shifted to the bed and caressed her cheek.
Arjun: naraaz ho?
Riya: nahi par (sighing) aapko pata tha ki Raunak hi Sikandar hai?
Arjun: ha, jab kal raat ko maine uske gale par woh tattoo dekha tha tabhi pehchaan gaya tha isliye tumhe waha se lekar gaya tha
Riya: aapne mujhe kyun nahi bataya?
Arjun: kyunki mujhe laga ki, woh meri wajah se tumhe lekar gaya tha par fir samaj mein nahi aa raha tha ki woh tumhe waapis kyun lekar aaya, ab pata chala ki woh tumhara bharosa kyun jeet na chahta tha...mujhe laga agar tumhe sachayi bata dunga toh tum chup hokar nahi baithegi, tumhe fir se khone ka risk nahi lena chahta tha
Riya looked up in surprise and their eyes met.
Riya: aisa mat boliye, ulte meanings aate hai
Arjun smirked: acha? Kaise ulte meanings aate hai? (Riya lowered her eyes) waise sach kahu (leaning forward) tumhare ulte meanings bilcul seedhe hai
Her eyes widened in surprise. Arjun smiled and was about to kiss her when...
Rathore: sorry to disturb
The couple sprang apart only to find the entire ETF team at the door with their mouths open except Rathore who had a mischievous smile on his face. Riya immediately turned red and looked away trying to hide her embarrassment.
Arjun groaned: Go To Hell Sam!
The End...
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Financial markets and global economy
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