Short Story : The Missing Links

Abhijeet's head ached like crazy, which was normal for him after that injury he suffered years ago. A slight hit on the head or a dose of chloroform would give him agonising pain. He woke up and found himself tied to a chair. He struggled against the ropes but his kidnappers had tied him firmly. He was still in a daze. He tried to recollect what had happened.

Flashback:

He was on his way back from the bureau. Normally Daya would drop him home and go to his own house, but on that day Daya had gone to meet an informer, and he was stuck in a meeting with Chitroley, since ACP was out of town. He reached a deserted street and suddenly found a lady lying on the street. He got out of the Qualis and tried to help her when someone came up from behind and put a handkerchief smeared with chloroform on his nose. Someone pulled the Qualis' key from his hand and then...did he see himself entering the Qualis or was he hallucinating?

Back to present:

He heard the Friday afternoon prayers from a nearby mosque and was surprised that it was Friday! The last time he remembered, it was Monday night. He wondered why his team mates had not found him for 4 days. This was just not like the ACP and Daya he knew.

As he wondered what happened, 2 guys opened the door.

Goon: kyon Sr Insp Abhijeet, hosh mein aa gaye?

Abhijeet: Kaun ho tum log? Mujhe is tarah baandhke kyon rakha hai?

Goon: Humein CID ko barbaad karna hai. hahaha...

Abhijeet: Mujhe bandhkar rakhne se CID team barbaad nahi ho sakti. ACP saab mujhe dhoond nikaalenge.

Goon: ACP saab tujhe tabhi dhoondenge jab unhe pata chalega ki unka right hand Abhijeet gaayab hai.

Abhijeet: Kya hua? ACP saab ko kyon nahi pata chalega? Kahin tum logon ne unhe bhi...???

Goon: ACP saab apne ghar sahi salaamat hai...aur chain ki neend so rahe hain...kyonki Sr Insp Abhijeet bhi apne ghar mein sahi salaamat hai.

Abhijeet: Kya matlab hai tumhara??

Goon: Yeh Rocky saab ka kamaal hai...tu baad mein samjhega. hahahaha

...and they both leave.

Abhijeet suddenly remembers what he had seen when he lost consciousness. e had seen another man resembling him enter the Qualis and drive off. Then he realises what these goons had done - they had planted another Abhijeet in the CID team and had taken him hostage. The false Abhijeet could do anything!

He thought of how he would get out of this place or somehow warn the CID team. ACP was out of town, so it was entirely upto Daya to see through this Rocky's disguise. And he felt confident Daya would surely know. But why had Daya not found him till now?

Scene : Road

Daya was driving the truck as fast as he could, but the CID qualis was catching up. He hated to fire at the Qualis, but this was the only way he could escape. He had to wait till he found the real Abhijeet before he exposed the fake Abhijeet.

Daya took aim and shot at the tyre. The Qualis lost control and had to stop. Daya drove off as fast as he could. He got off near the highway and asked the other guy to take the truck back. He hailed a taxi and decided to stay away from his house till be found Abhijeet.

Daya checked into an ordinary lodge and paid for his room in cash. He couldn't go home as he as sure his team mates would be looking out for him. He couldn't use his credit card/ATM card as he knew they would be tracked. He was shown into a cheap room. He sat down and thought of what he could do now.

He remembered something. When Abhijeet was about to enter the car before the blast, he had received a call from someone. if only he could get information about where that call came from, he would know something about the fake Abhijeet's accomplices.

He picked up the landline phone and called the bureau's landline number, hoping that ACP wouldn't pick it up. Luckily it was Vivek.

Vivek : Hello

Daya: Vivek, mein Daya bol Raha hoon. Mujhe tumhari madad chahiye.

Vivek : Sorry sir, jab tak mujhe yakeen nahi hota ko aap asli Daya sir hain, main aapse baat nahi kar sakta.

Daya: Vivek, tumhe sab kuch waqt aane par pata chal jaayeega. Filhaal mujhe Abhijeet ko dhoond nikaalna hai. Parson shaam 4 baje ko Abhijeet ke mobile par kisi ne phone kiya tha. mujhe sirf itna bata do ki woh call kis number se aaya tha aur woh number kahan par hai.

Vivek: Parson shaam 4 baje - jab car ka blast hua tha?

Daya: Haan. Aur Vivek...mere number ko trace karne mein waqt barbad mat karo. Main Sundar nagar ke National Lodge room no 14 mein hoon. Main yahan ke table mein finger prints chod raha hoon. Aakar utha lo...tumhe pata chal jaayega ki main hi asli Daya hoon.

Vivek didn't need any more proof. He traced the number from where Abhijeet had received the call just before the blast. He got the address from the telephone company and gave it to Daya.

Daya: Thanks Vivek

Vivek: Sir, main bhi aaon?

Daya: Nahi Vivek, filhaal us nakli Abhijeet ko pata nahi chalna chahiye ki hume uspar shak hai. Main Abhijeet ko dhoond nikaalta hoon, uske baad use arrest kar lenge.

Vivek disconnected the call and turned to see 'Abhijeet' standing behind him.

Vivek: Sirr...aap?

'Abhijeet': Haan, kisse baat hi rahi thi?

Vivek: woh mera ek friend tha...ek dost ka address pooch raha tha.

'Abhijeet': Accha...?? Tum is waqt bureau mein kya kar rahe ho? Yaad nahi, kal ACP sir ko independence day function mein award milne wali hai. JAldi ghar jaake so jaao.

Vivek: Ji sir

(and leaves)

'Abhijeet' quickly called his goons.

Scene: The house where the real Abhijeet was tied up

Phone rings.

Goon1: Haan boss? Achcha? Theek hai.

Goon2: Kya hua?

Goon1: Us Daya ko shaq hi gaya hai..woh shayad hume dhoondne yahan aayega. Boss ne kaha hai ki yahan se nikal jaao.

Goon2: aur us CID wale ka kya karen?

Goon1: Use bhi lekar chalo.

Abhijeet heard the conversation and smiled. After all, Daya was going to find him. He had to leave a hint for him somewhere. He used his nails and written the name 'Rocky' on the back of the wooden chair to which he was tied, as a hint to Daya, that he was indeed there.

The goons dragged him out of the door towards their car. At that moment he got an idea.

Abhijeet: Mujhe kahan le jaa rahe ho?

Goon1: Usse tumhe matlab?

Abhijeet: Mujhe washroom jaana hai.

Goon1: Chup chaap gaadi mein baith

Abhijeet: Theek hai, tumhari gaadi hai...kharab ho gaya toh main zimmedaar nahi hoon.

Goon2: Arey yaar, washroom hi to jaana chahta hai. Main lekar jaata hoon.

Goon2 accompanied Abhijeet to the washroom. Abhijeet entered, locked himself in and used his nails to scratch the car's registration number on the bathroom wall. He was sure Daya would search the place thoroughly and find it.

Goon2 (bangs the door): Hey, jaldi niklo warna main bhi darwaaza thodna jaanta hoon!

Abhijeet came out. As expected, Goon2 didn't suspect anything. He tied Abhijeet's hands, tied a scarf around Abhijeet's eyes, pushed him into the car's back seat floor and drove off.

(15 minutes later)

Daya reached the house. He stealthily entered through a wall at the back side. He had his gun loaded and was ready to shoot. He went around the building, but it was silent and appeared deserted.

He entered through an open window and searched all the rooms. But the house was completely empty. Finally he arrived at a room where there was a chair and a rope. He realised that this was where Abhijeet was imprisoned all this while. He kicked the chair in frustration and found 'Rocky' scratched on the chair. He knew this was a clue left for him by Abhijeet. He was sure Abhijeet would have left more clues if he had got a chance. He decided to search the whole place thoroughly.

After some time, he reached the washroom. He found a car's registration number scratched on the wall. He understood that this was the number of the car in which the goons had taken Abhijeet. He immediately called the police control room and asked them to locate the vehicle and let him know immediately.

It was early morning when Daya finally got the call. A constable had located the car parked on the roadside, but it was empty. Daya immediately rushed there. He saw marks on the road which indicated someone being dragged towards house (Abhijeet pretended to be unconscious and unable to walk, so the goons had to drag him...this left clear marks on the mud)

Daya followed the marks and reached a small deserted house. He peeped inside the and finally saw Abhijeet (tied up) and the 2 goons with guns keeping vigil.

Daya barged in and arrested the two goons. He started to untie Abhijeet's ropes.

Abhijeet: Thanks Daya, mujhe pata tha tum mujhe dhoond nikaaloge.

Daya: thanks baad mein kehna Abhijeet. Wahan independence day award function mein bohot badi gadbad hone wali hai.

Abhijeet: Kya hua? mere humshakal ko ab tak arrest nahi kiya?

Daya: Nahi. Ulta ACP saab ko mujhpar shak ho gaya. Woh samajhte hain ki main koi behrupiya hoon.

Abhijeet: Kya? Aise kaise samajh liya unhone?

Daya: Woh sab main baad mein samjhaata hoon. Hume pehle Rocky ko rokna hoga. Chalo Jaldi...

We know the rest of the story...Rocky tried to shoot ACP, Daya tried to stop him, got shot, almost got killed..and later returned to duty, fully fit and fine.

Later, one day in the bureau:

Abhijeet and Daya were having a convo.

ACP(walking in): Abhijeet, Daya Kya baat hai?

Abhijeet: Sir, Abhijeet ko aapse ek baat poochni thi

ACP: Kya hai Abhijeet?

Abhijeet gave Daya a glare, as it was Daya who had wanted to ask ACP the question, but it was not in Daya's nature to question ACP's actions.

Abhijeet: Sir, aapne Daya par kyon shak kiya? Aap mujhe pichle 12 saal se jaante hain (story is set in 2009 August) Us Rocky ke bartaav se aapko pata nahi chala ko woh asli Abhijeet nahi hai?

ACP: Mujhe pata tha ki woh asli Abhijeet nahi hai. Lekin Rocky humare beech mein tha aur agar maine us waqt Daya par shak nahi kiya toh tumhe dhoondna mushkil ho jaata. Isliye maine Daya par shak karne ka naatak kiya. Mujhe Daya par poora bharosa tha.

A big smile appeared on Daya's face.

Daya: Thank you sir. itne dino se yahi baat mujhe khaye jaa rahi thi...ki ACP saab ne mere baaton par vishwaas nahi kiya.

ACP: Aisa ho hi nahi sakta Daya.

...and all was well again.