PART-25
Naina was sitting in the interrogation room, all alone. Alekh came inside. He had a big grin over his face and it became all the more bigger as he saw her staring at him in anger.
"How are you doing Captain Singh.... Oops... I am so sorry, Ms. Singh. I forgot that you are not a Captain anymore."
"Why?" That was all she could ask. Her voice was trembling with anger and her eyes were moist. He kept quiet. He didn't find it necessary at all to answer that. He owed her no explanations. They both kept staring at each other.
After a while he leaned over the table and said in almost a whisper.
"Should I tell you a little secret?"
"What?"
"You are an idiot."
As she heard it she lost it completely.
"Listen you...."
"Shhh... pehle yeh to poocho, why am I saying that."
Naina didn't say anything. She just turned her face away from him.
"Looks like you are not interested to know but I want to tell u. You know it's too human to perceive others the way you yourself are. Look at yourself. You know you can't be trusted that's why you don't trust anyone else... Not even the love of your life."
Naina looked at him. Her anger was taken over by a surprise. She could not figure out what exactly he wanted to say. But one thing was for sure... she wanted to know that.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that... tell me something... you really believed that Rajveer, the guy who was so madly in love with you would ever betray you? Huh! I don't think so. I think he loved you way too much to even think about that."
"What... What are you trying to say?" She was stuttering.
"Simple. I planted that file in his room. It didn't belong to him. He never intended to cheat you. But as I expected, you didn't even let him explain that. Because you loved him but not more than yourself."
Her heart sank as she heard that. Tears came down rolling on her cheek. The guilt that was hidden somewhere deep inside her heart overflowed from her eyes.
"But why did you do this?" She was shouting. But this time she wasn't mad at him, she was angry at herself.
"Because I had proof against you but not against him. There was only one way to secure that.... To frame you. And now I have all the proofs against you and Rajveer. Besides this way or that, he had to die... Because he was a traitor.... Just like you."
Her tears had turned into sobs. She started crying, like a lost child. Alekh showed no signs of mercy. She didn't deserve that. She had got all that she deserved.... Pain, guilt, loneliness, suffering and her punishment was to come the following day.
It took her around half an hour to calm down. Her pain had lessened. She felt better after crying. Besides she knew she can not change her past and her future is ruined. Alekh had told her correctly.
'She was doomed.'
But there was one thing she still wanted to know.
"What did you get out of all this? Probably a promotion... that's it!"
Alekh just smiled back at her in reply and turned around to leave. He had gone just a few steps when he came back.
"I was just doing my duty... Something you never did."
Saying this he handed her something. She opened it and read. All the stress over her face disappeared. She looked relaxed. She kept it on the table. Her eyes were closed and her face had a smile... A smile that didn't had deceit, a smile that had no traces of her cruelty, her wickedness. It was, for a change, an honest smile. It showed her acceptance.... Acceptance of her defeat. The game was over and she had lost not just game but everything else. She opened her eyes and looked at him and chuckled.
"Lieutenant Alekh Sharma... Officer on Special Duty... Army Intelligence. Not bad.... Not bad at all."
"Well thank you so much. But I think this small story will interest you. Almost 18 months back 2 terrorists were killed in an encounter in Srinagar. The ammunitions army found with them, surprisingly, belonged to the Indian Army. Their serial numbers were tracked down and it was found out that they belonged to Guwahati base camp. The case subsequently was transferred to Army intelligence. We were a team of four officers working on the case. We followed each and everything at Guwahati base minutely and zeroed in on three suspects. Then we set the trap. Three of them got transferred to different places and you being one of them were transferred here to Simla. We knew that the culprit would continue to steal ammunitions and well, you did. But before the three suspects were transferred, one officer from Army Intelligence was posted beforehand to keep an eye on them. I followed you closely and realized that something was not right. I could see an overpowered influence of yours over Major Rastogi and therefore recommended a surprise inspection. But the things went wrong with Rajveer getting involved in all this. But Captain Huda was an honest and sincere officer. He worked on the case very honestly and after a while he happened to find out my identity. Since we were working on the same mission we worked together. I warned him to stay away from you but he fell for you. He happened to overhear you on phone one night and realized that I was right and then we set another trap for you. We knew you had used major Rastogi and now your next move will be to prove him guilty. So he asked me to set a camera in his quarter and I did. Couple of days later he messaged me asking me to go to his quarter and remove the camera immediately. I did as he told me to and while I was coming out with the camera, I bumped into you three and then I realized why Huda asked me to remove those camera in a rush. You all were going to check his quarter. Later that evening he gave me a file and a CD... all the proofs I wanted against you. Half an hour later I saw you and Huda leave. Then I saw Rajveer followed both of you and I knew something was not right. I followed him but could not take my gun in rush. I could not save Huda. Thereafter as you left the place with Rajveer I followed you to the base because I had no idea what Rajveer was up to. I could not save Major Rastogi as well. It was my failure and your success."
He sounded gloomy. Then he continued.
"But I promised myself I'll not let you both get away with that. That's why I intimated my seniors to instruct Lieutenant Colonel Prassana to buy all your theories and make Rajveer the acting head. And the rest... well you know all of that! And you know what, the tears you were shedding just a while ago, if they were for real and you are feeling guilty for anything give me your confession statement. Here's the paper and pen and now it's your call. But with or without that, I promise you that I will prove Captain Huda and Major Rastogi's innocence."
Saying this he turned away and walked out of the room. Naina was left in the room all alone staring at that blank paper with teary eyes.
"You won Alekh.... Please forgive me Raj." She whispered to herself and broke down into sobs again.
******
Next Morning while Naina was being taken to the court for her final hearing, she snatched a gun from one of the officers escorting her. She had to commit one last crime... One last murder. A gunshot was heard by everyone and the corridors were filled with chaos. Alekh who was standing there at a little distance talking on his phone came running. He bent down and looked at the body lying on the floor. He wasn't actually surprised at the sight. But something took him by surprise. An officer handed him a paper that he had found with the body. He was smiling. She had committed one more crime... She took one more life but he was holding her confession in his hand... It was probably the only right thing she had done in her life. He turned to the officer and said,
"Case Closed."
*****THE END*****