Ariya Of Roses and Thorns - Page 12

Part 6

But her screams fell on deaf ears. The men dragged her away with them……………………

ETF office-

Ayesha collapsed in her chair. Chotu was hogging down a burger while the others started working on the formalities of the raid.

Sameer: ek aur jagah gayi, Arjun what’s next?

Arjun: main mila hi nahi usse in saari raids ke chakkar mein, raat ko jaunga

Shree: par sir agar aise gap hoga toh woh log bhaag sakte hai, already humne uska bahot nuksaan kiya hai, Sikandar pakka bhaagne ki taiyaari mein hoga

Arjun: main jaanta hun Shree, lekin main use sirf raat ko mil sakta hu

Sameer: phone kar le na tere khabri ko

Arjun: uske paas phone nahi hai

He was about to ask why when Ayesha piped in.

Ayesha: par sir, aise bhi toh ho sakta hai ki woh palat kar waar kare, I mean woh hai toh gangster. Aisa zaroori nahi hai ki woh bhaagne ke hi plan mein ho

Sakshi: ha Ayesha sahi keh rahi hai, ye log usually badla lene ke liye zaroor aage aate hai par ho sakta hai ki woh abhi ke liye underground ho jaaye aur maamla thanda hone ke baad aakar attack kare

Ayesha: or vice versa, attack karke underground ho jaaye

Arjun: attack toh woh 100% karega par mujhe lagta hai ki…

Just then the landline rang. Shree picked it up.

Shree: hello?

Other side: ETF?

Shree: ji kaun?

A man answered on the other side: mere paas tum logon ke liye ek information hai

Shree gestured Sameer: ek minute

He kept the receiver down and put on the speaker.

Shree: ha bolo

Man : ek ladki maari jaanewaali hai

Arjun waved his hand, gesturing to Shree to trace the call.

Sameer: kaunsi ladki? Aur tum kaun ho?

Man : main?....main use maarne waala hun

The team alerted.

Sameer(sternly): kaun ho tum aur kis ladki ki baat kar rahe ho?

Man: batata hun, batata hu… ek kaam karo, ladki se hi baat kar lo

On the other hand-

Pathan put the phone near Lailla, who was tied to a chair. She refused to open her mouth. Glaring at her, he slapped her.

The team heard the noise but before they could figure out what happened, they heard the man’s voice again.

Pathan: muh khol!!!

Still, she didn’t say a word. Angry, he bent down to bite her neck harshly.

Lailla: AAAAHHHHH!!!!!

Arjun jumped out of his chair: RIYA?!!?!?

All eyes turned to him, still confused. Silent winces filled their ears.

Pathan chuckled: Riya? tera naam Riya hai? hume toh sirf Lailla pata hai…ajeeb baat hai, tumne ye naam hume kyun nahi bataya?

Arjun balled his fists: KAMINE CHOD USE WARNA…

Pathan: chodne ke liye thodi pakda hai? agar bacha sakta hai toh bacha le… 2 ghante ke andar-andar Kamal Mills ke godown mein aa jaa warna….teri ye Lailla toh, Lailla hai hi

Arjun punched the table: AGAR USE HAATH BHI LAGAYA TUNE TOH MAIN…

Pathan: pehle aakar toh dikha

Riya(distressed): nahi mat aa…

Pathan disconnected the call.

Sameer: Arjun? What the hell is going on?

Arjun picked up his gun: woh…Riya! Sam! We have to save her!

Sameer blocked his way as he tried to leave.

Arjun(irritated): Sam tu…

Sameer: Arjun ek second, bata toh sahi ki ho kya raha hai?

Arjun: Sameer Woh Pakdi Gayi! Woh Pydhoonie Mein Kaam Karti Hai! Wahi Mujhe Information De Rahi Thi!

Sameer: ok (turning to the team) move out!!! Shree back up ko inform karo!

Arjun: Sameer woh log waqt par nahi pahunch…

Sameer: hum jaa hi rahe hai, baad mein toh help milegi na? chal ab! Time kam hai!

The team ran out of the office. Arjun and Sameer drove like there was no tomorrow. Arjun mv “please Riya…please bhi safe…please…let me get there…I promise tumhe kuch nahi hoga bar tab tak sambhal lo….please!!!!”

The Kamal Mills godown was a dilapidated structure in the wilderness bordering the Aarey forest. Two SUV’s screech to halt in front of it. The officers jumped out with their guns. Arjun took the lead sprinting towards the door.

He put his ear to the door to hear any sort of sounds but there was complete silence. That worried him further. Adrenaline rushed through him as he broke the door open. The sight made him root to the spot.

Riya was tied to a chair and gagged. A bomb was tied to her waist. A timer was beeping. Her eyes widened in horror as she vigorously nodded her head in negative, telling him to leave the place.

Arjun: Riya!!

He ran to her and kneeled in front. She tried to speak but was unable to. The team was shocked as well, there was no one else in the vicinity.

Ayesha: sir yaha toh koi bhi nahi hai

Arjun opened the gag: obviously bhaag gaye…

Riya snapped: Tum Paagal Ho Gaye Ho?? It’s A Trap!!!

Barely had the words left her mouth when the door shut behind.

Horrified, Shree tried to open it: Sir! lock hai!!!

Sameer: what the..?

He and Chotu immediately moved towards it. Ayesha and Shree came forward and started looking at the bomb.

Riya: tum kyun aaye yaha?

Arjun: Riya please mujhe

He stopped abruptly as his gaze fell on the dark purple, bluish mark on her neck. Blood had dried around the injury. His veins burnt with fury.

The timer made a long beep. Another minute gone. Only two were left now.

Riya: Arjun leave!!!

Before he could answer, the door broke open making heads turn.

Riya heaved a sigh of relief: Pathan aur Sikandar Pawan Hans se helicopter mein desh chodne waala hai, tumhare paas use rokne ke liye sirf ek ghanta hai jao!

Arjun: Sameer tum log jao! Main Riya ko lekar aaunga

Sameer: lekin Arjun…

Riya: Arjun bevkufi mat karo!!!!

Ayesha shifted her focus from the bomb: sir, ye diffuse nahi hoga

Arjun stared at her in horror. She looked at him apologetically.

Shree: nikalne ki koshish kar sakte hai sir par uske beech agar kuch…

Riya: please tum log jao! Roko use! baahar chala gaya toh nahi pakad paoge!!!

Their brains were firing, unsure of which duty they should follow

Arjun blasted again: SAMEER TUM LOG JAO!! Pakdo Use!!! main aata hun!!! Time Nahi Hai!!!

She protested again but he would hear none of it.

Riya: Arjun tumne vaada kiya tha ki is ring ko khatam karoge, jao yaha se!!!

The timer long beeps again.

Arjun: LEAVE!!!

Sameer nodded and bade the team. They rushed out getting into one car. Sameer sped away towards the city’s helipad.

Here Arjun removed his pocket knife and started cutting he ropes.

Riya: Arjun please go!!! Tum kyun apni jaan khatre mein daal rahe ho?!!?

Arjun: Riya Please Shut Up!!! Main kahi nahi jaane waala tumhe chod kar!!! Get it? (cupping her face) I’m Not Leaving You!!!

And for the first time ever, he saw her eyes glisten with water. Not having time, he focused on the cutting again.

The ropes came loose but the bomb was still tying her to the chair. 30 seconds more.

Arjun was getting frustrated. He almost cut his finger while trying to cut through the pad on which the bomb was attached. Making sure to avoid all wires, he tore it apart. Grabbing her hand, they ran out.

The time reached zero. The bomb detonated. Calculating the time, Arjun pushed Riya to the ground. The blast resonated throughout the area. Debris flew out. He kept her below him so as to guard her if any shrapnel flew their way.

Riya was still in a daze, unable to process what had happened. The fire in the ruins crackled while giving out black smoke.

Their heavy breaths hit each other’s face as Arjun stared into her eyes. As the dust settled, he came out of his trance.

Arjun: are you okay?

She nodded lightly. He exhaled deeply and tried to get up. Riya followed suit. His hand slipped and he fell on her again.

Riya: Arjun!

Arjun: sorry!...ek second

Taking a proper grip he pushed up and got away. Riya straightened but did not stand up. She rubbed her temple trying to ease herself. The entire episode was giving her a headache. She was thinking too much. The only time she had probably felt so much cortisol in her veins was the first two months after she had been kidnapped.

A handkerchief came near her. Startled, she looked up.

Arjun: tumhe….tumhe chot lagi hai

Riya appeared confused but then realized what he was talking about. She glanced towards her neck and shrugged it off.

Riya: koi nayi baat nahi hai

Arjun(irritated): Riya please!

He placed the kerchief on the wound and applied pressure. Riya winced.

Arjun: sorry, par blood clot ho raha hai

Riya sighed : tumhe apni team ke paas jaana chahiye

Arjun felt like screaming at her but knew she was right. He gestured her to take the handkerchief. She placed her hand on the cloth as Arjun took his hand away.

Arjun: chalo

Riya: main?

Arjun glared at her: aur nahi toh kaun?! Kaun yaha par?

She lowered her eyes. He shook his head in disbelief and got into the car. Riya obeyed him silently. Arjun sped towards Pawan Hans. Almost crashing through the gate, he braked a few metres inside. They could hear gunshots in the distance, probably coming in from the runway.

He snapped off the seatbelt: Tum yahi ruko, main aata hu!

Riya had barely nodded by the time he left. Arjun ran towards the sound while loading his gun. Riya sighed and put her head against the headrest. Taking the handkerchief away from her skin, she stared at it. The white cloth had a few red marks. Shaking her head in disbelief, she closed her eyes as she waited. The shots continued to blare in the background.

A few minutes later, footsteps fell in her ear. Her eyes shot open. Through the rear view mirror, she saw a man was running towards the direction of the gate. Before she could realize anything else, her door was forced open and he dragged her out.

Riya tried to free her hand: chodo mujhe!!!.....Nahi!!!

He grabbed her waist to limit her movement. His fingers dug harshly making her yelp.

Arjun: SIKANDAR!!!

He pulled Riya in front of him, putting her in a choke hold. That’s when Riya saw the team advancing. All their guns were pointed to him.

Sikandar: Ae ACP!! Agar iski jaan pyaari hai toh mujhe yaha se chup-chap jaane de!!

Arjun: na use kuch hoga na tu yaha se jaayega samjhe ya samjhau?!

Sameer: tumhare paas jaane ke liye koi jagah nahi hai! acha hoga agar tum surrender karo

Sikandar: chup-chap apni gun neeche karo warna…

He gripped her neck tighter creating friction on her injury.

Riya: AAAAHH!! ………………………