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PART 47
Kripa drifted in and out of consciousness. She was half-aware of a gentle rocking motion in her grey world.
She was floating smoothly on the sea……. it was a calm, serene, blue sea…..but it was still cold, icy cold ! She shivered violently, goosebumps on her skin…..somebody covered her securely with a thick blanket. Then someone was whispering soft words of comfort in her ears……..gentle hands soothed her, caressed her temples and hair slowly, held her hands in a warm clasp….. It was so reassuring….then placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
She knew him then….she whispered: Angad……and smiled slightly. Then she drifted off into a dreamless state.
The Yacht sailed from Hongkong Harbor at dawn. It sailed gracefully on the high waves of South China Sea like a giant white water-bird.
Zaib sat by Kripa's bed in a spacious cabin.
He had boarded the yacht from a Stanley Island speedboat. The first thing he did was to go to Kripa, who had been brought aboard the previous night. Kartik and Cheng's man, Jimmy had extricated Kripa from the Hospital, disguised as a doctor and wardboy. Nobody had suspected anything. They had boarded the Yacht with their patient without any hassles.
He was fiercely glad to see that Kripa had been rescued from the Hospital by Kartik before those killers could reach her. But she was in a delirium, unconscious…..unresponsive. He sat beside her on the narrow cabin bed, and enveloped her cold hands in his strong palms, rubbing it gently, trying to warm her with his body heat!
He stroked her arms, her face, the soft hair falling on her temples. She started shivering suddenly, still in the throes of deep traumatic shock. He covered her securely with a thick comforter, tucking it in to keep her snug and warm.
His eyes were wet with tears of regret: I'm sorry, Kripa! Tumhey wahan chhodkar aana pada. Meri vajeh se tumhey kya-kya nahin sehna pada….Prateek ko kidnap kiya un gundon ne mujhey pakadney ke liye , Josh ke maut ka sadma ….sab kuchh meri vajeh se…………
Zaib cried, holding her fingers to his lips, warming them with his tears.
Main vaada karta hoon Kripa….aaj ke baad tumhey koi taqleef nahin sehni padegi, tumpar kisi bhi khatrey ka saya nahin padney doonga. Hum yahan se bahut door ek nayi duniya basayengey…tum, main aur Prateek. You will be safe, I promise you, Sweetheart!
He bent over her sleeping face and placed his lips on her forehead. Her lips curved in a smile, she whispered "Angad" softly ……then her breathing became normal and deep. He placed his finger on her neck….her pulse was steady and regular. Zaib smiled with satisfaction, took off his Jacket and relaxed in a couch near the bed, watching over her like a guardian.
There was a light knocking on the door….Godfather entered the room and stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at Kripa compassionately. He glanced at Zaib, his mind in a turmoil…should he tell Zaib about his real identity now?
It was the right time to reveal the truth to Zaib about his real past….his true identity. And tell him that he was Angad…that Kripa was really his wife, Prateek his son.
Godfather asked Zaib: How is she doing?
I think shes better now! Zaib smiled at him and got up from the couch : Sir, Main aapka bahut shukrguzaar hoon, apney Kripa aur Prateek ko un kaatilon se bacha liya…..warna….(he literally shuddered, imagining what terrible torture those two vicious hitmen could have inflicted upon a defenseless Kripa and Prateek)
Godfather smiled slightly: Yeh toh mera farz tha….I had promised you I will get them out of there….isiliye mainey Kartik ko agley din subah hi bhej diya. THANK GOD, Kartik ne un gundon ko Parking Lot mein dekh liya. Jaisey hi Khera car leney gaya, Kartik ne Jack ko kaboo mein kar liya aur Prateek ko lekar bhaaga wahan se. I think those two then went after Kripa….aur iska….pati... unka saamna kartey huey maara gaya. Poor girl….ek saath itna sadma...…but she will be fine in a day or two…..Khair, usey aaram karney do, mujhey tumsey kuchh baatein karni hai.
Zaib was reluctant to leave Kripa: Sir, hum yahan baat nahin kar saktey ? Kripa abhi tak behosh hai, I don't want to leave her alone. Agar usey kuchh ho gaya toh….
Godfather smiled again….it was heart-warming to see Zaib so caring and concerned about the woman he loved…..even without knowing she was his wife in reality.
"Theek hai, Beta, hum yahin baat karengey…..I want to tell you something very important. Yeh ek raaz hai jo ab tak mainey tumsey chhupaya hai……Godfather looked rather guilty and uncomfortable…….tumharey pehchaan ki asliyat hai yeh….
Zaib looked astonished, staring at GF with avid interest: Kya raaz, kya asliyat ? What do you mean?
Just then, there was a loud knocking on the door. Kartik's voice came through : SIR! EK KHAAS NEWS HAI…..DON CHENG AAPSEY ABHI BAAT KARNA CHAHTEY HAIN"
Godfather was startled : Main abhi aata hoon…..I will talk to you later…..he left the cabin in a hurry , leaving Zaib on tenterhooks: What did GF want to tell him? What news did Cheng have for them? He hoped Prateek was safe in Bangkok!
Cheng congratulated Godfather on the ship's radio: Great news, Mr. B! Those two hitmen…are off your charts now! CBI got them! Theyre DEAD! You and your son can relax in peace now! Goodbye, Friend! We will meet again someday if both of us are still alive!
THANK YOU, MR. CHENG! THAT'S REALLY GREAT NEWS!
Godfather felt as if a load had been lifted off his chest. The two killers were dead, Zaib was safe for now…..but he knew Damodar wouldn't sit quietly. Now that he knew who Zaib was, he would send more men to kill both Zaib and GF…….but in Dubai, GF had more power and clout. His house was like a fortress which couldn't be encroached by any intruder. Security was tight…..and Dubai police was in his hands. Right now, he just wanted to reach Dubai safe and sound….with Zaib and Kripa. He knew the kid would reach safety sooner….he had a head start alongwith Mrs. Mittal.
Godfather called Bangkok and confirmed that Prateek was already on the flight from Bangkok to Dubai. He heaved a sigh of relief…..at least Angad's son was out of harm's way. As for the rest of them, nothing was certain! Damodar might send more men in Bangkok to greet them…..he hoped not!
**********************************************************
CBI Headquarters the previous night:
Kanan was brought in….bound in handcuffs! Neeraj and Tony had placed her under arrest from her room at the Hotel.
Nishant felt like bashing her head in…so terrible was his rage at his friend's death. But years of training and work as a field agent helped him to control his fury. Still his eyes blazed with hatred and contempt as he spewed forth his diatribe against her, accusing her of being a traitor, a black mark on the Agency, a treacherous snake ! When Kanan protested her innocence, Nishant played the incriminating tape ….Kanan collapsed after that and confessed.
She had been approached by the D-gang right before she left Mumbai for Hongkong assignment. They had offered her a large sum of money to leak out information about CBI trying to ferret out the assassin in Bajaj's organization. That assassin had killed 3 of their men so far. They wanted revenge….they bribed and threatened her to help them. In short, they made an offer Kanan couldn't refuse!
In Hongkong, she got the ideal job for snooping as she was assigned the duty of protecting Mrs. Kripa Kapoor and her son. The very first night, Kripa identified Zaib as Angad. And a day later, CBI's informer in the Organization leaked out the identity of the assassin: it was ZAIB!
Kanan called her D-gang contact from a pay phone and told them about Zaib being the suspected assassin….and Kripa claiming Zaib was somebody called Angad! The mobsters in Mumbai were very happy and excited about her news! They were sure Zaib WAS Angad….that he had avenged his parents' deaths 4 years ago in Mumbai. They asked Kanan to send proofs … photos of Zaib and Kripa. Kanan followed them, photographed them, sent them to D-gang. D-gang identified Angad and Kripa from those pics.
They sent two hitmen to eliminate Zaib/Angad…….when he escaped before their arrival, Kanan was ordered to help them kidnap Prateek. The mobsters knew Prateek was Angad/Zaib's son…..Kanan staged the whole kidnapping….in the lift, she handed over Prateek to Khera and Jack…Prateek was struggling so they had to drug him. But somebody knocked down Jack and rescued Prateek. Kanan had no idea where Prateek was….she didn't want to help the hitmen find Kripa….but they forced her. When Josh called Kanan to Zaib's room to question her, she had to call the hitmen to help her….she knew Josh had caught her lies.
Kanan cried and lamented that Josh had died because of her: Please Sir, believe me, ismein mera koi kasoor nahin….un logon ne mujhsey kaha tha wo Zaib ko khatam karengey…I didn't know they would kill Josh too……(sob-sob)
Nishant gritted his teeth to control his fury: Did you think they would just kiss Josh and let him go? They are DAMNED KILLERS, FOR GOD'S SAKE! YOU LED THEM TO JOSH….….NOW EITHER YOU COOPERATE WITH US….OR I WILL SHOOT YOU RIGHT HERE! WE WILL FILE A REPORT THAT YOU DIED IN AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE KILLERS.
Kanan literally grovelled for mercy: I will help you! I swear, I will do anything you ask me to…..main vaada karti hoon…main kuchh bhi karney ko tayyar hoon….mujhey maaf kar deejiye….
OK! Nishant took a few deep breaths: We will release you ….get out and make a phone call to Khera….tell him you know where Zaib is hiding. Don't try to escape, we will be close behind you! Tell Khera to meet you at Pier 3 at the Harbor….tomorrow at Dawn! We will take it from there.
Kanan obeyed all orders ….she didn't try to escape or play any tricks….Nishant and Neeraj were right behind her. Khera agreed to meet her at Dawn at Pier 3. He was quite frustrated….Kripa had gone missing from the Hospital. He and Jack had disguised themselves as Hospital workers and gone searching for Kripa….but they found out she had been moved to an overnight room upstairs . When they went to that particular room, she wasn't there. They realized that Godfather's men had beaten them to it again!
Kanan's call came at that juncture when they would do anything to get Zaib. Their lives and livelihood depended on it. Their Boss wouldn't be happy at all if they returned without killing Zaib.
At Dawn, Kanan took a cab to Pier 3 and waited for Khera and Jack inside a warehouse. After waiting half an hour, she heard sounds behind her….she turned to see the two goons approaching her.
She smiled nervously: Tum dono aa gaye….achha hua, main abhi ek speedboat ka intezaam karti hoon….mujhey khabar mili hai….Zaib doosrey Island mein chhupa hua hai….we have to go there.
Kanan tried to escape from there before the gunfight started….but something in her eyes or demeanour gave her away to Khera's cunning eyes: AREY EYY SAALI, TU KAHIN NAHIN JAAYEGI…..BOAT BULANA HAI TOH JACKO BULAYEGA, TU YAHAN SE HILNA MAT!!!..…..Khera turned to Jack and ordered him to hire a speedboat from the Pier.
As soon as Jack tried to exit the warehouse, the CBI agents hiding behind boxes near the door started shooting at him…he fell down with a grunt as bullets struck him all over!
Khera turned at Kanan with a ferocious growl: HAR**MZ*DI! TUNEY HUMEIN DOUBLE-CROSS KIYA? TERI TOH KHAIR NAHIN…..he whipped out his gun in an instant and shot Kanan right in the head before she could even move! Kanan fell down silently…..spot-dead!
Khera tried to run but bullets riddled his body within seconds! He fell on his face…..Josh had been avenged! Nishant and 4 of his agents emerged from their hiding-places and looked down with satisfaction at the 3 bodies lined up in the warehouse!
Nishant sent up a silent prayer to heaven: Ab terey aatma ko shanti milegi , Dost! Mainey terey maut ka badla le liya! Ab yeh dono Kripa ya Prateek ka bhi nuksaan nahin kar saktey! I hope they are safe with the Big Boss!
The CBI filled out reports of an Encounter at Dawn, in which two notorious Underworld killers were shot dead alongwith their Agent Kanan!
****************** *************************************
It was almost Noon! Kripa stirred slightly and moaned. Zaib jumped up at once from his vigilant watch by her bedside: Kripaaa….he called her softly….Kripa, can you hear me? Main Zaib….I mean…main Angad hoon….aankhein kholo, Jaaneman….main yahan hoon, tumharey paas . Tum ab safe ho….koi tumhey kuchh nahin kar sakta….Kripaaa… He sat on the bed, leaning over her .....
His fingers caressed her cheeks and temples as he peered anxiously into her pale, worn-out face!
She moaned again at his urgent voice and opened her eyes slowly. It took her a long time to focus her sight….everything seemed grey and hazy at first….then her vision slowly cleared…she saw HIS face then….that beloved face, so close to hers!
An-gad….she whispered in disbelief….perhaps she was dreaming. Her trembling hand lifted slowly, painfully slow….she touched his bearded cheek, brushing over the bristly growth. She looked into his light brown eyes blazing down at her with warm affection! She touched his eyes, his lips with tremulous fingers…..HE WAS REAL….A LIVING, BREATHING ANGAD….not a figment of her imagination. Not a hallucination of her hopeful heart.
Angad…..tum kahan ….chaley….gaye the? She croaked out painfully, tears falling down her face as she smiled with gladness at having found him again.
Zaib caught her hand and kissed her fingers lovingly: Im sorry, Kripa….mujhey jaana pada….Im sorry….tears fell unbridled down his cheeks : Meri Vajeh se tumhey bahut sadma pahuncha….mujhey maaf kar do…
Their eyes met, streaming with tears, ecstatic yet sad…….Kripa reached over with weakly trembling fingers and touched his tears: Phir se ….mujhey…. chhodkar mat jaana,… Angad….main marr jaoongi…..zaroor….
Sshhhh…..he covered her mouth with his fingers…..marney ki baat bhi mat karna….ab hum ek saath jiyengey….maut kabhie humein chhoo bhi nahin sakti…..
He bent over her and kissed her dry lips gently, moistening them with his tongue….I love you, Kripa! Main ab kabhie tumsey door nahin jaaoonga, I promise.
MAUT! The word suddenly struck her…..DEATH ALL AROUND HER….FLOATING ON A SEA OF BLOOD!
IT WAS JOSH!! JOSH SITTING ON THE CHAIR WITH A BULLET HOLE IN HIS HEAD…..HE WAS DEAD!
She suddenly pushed him away and rose hysterically: JOSH! JOSH KO KISINEY MAAR DALA…..HEY BHAGWAN ! JOSH…..she started sobbing loudly as she remembered everything….what had happened before she had lost consciousness.
ANGAD….JOSH KO KISINEY MAAR DALA……she shook with terrified tears….looking up at him.
Zaib pulled her close and engulfed her in his muscular arms, in a warm, comforting embrace: Ssshhh……I know, Kripa, Main jaanta hoon,…..ab bhool jao un sab baaton ko…..sshhh…..Kripa….sab theek ho jayega, main hoon na ab tumharey paas…..he rocked her gently in his arms, crooning words of comfort, words of love….to make her forget….to help her cope with the Loss, with the horror of the murder!
Suddenly her mind went further back……Prateek? Where is he? THEN she remembered….she jerked out of Angad's arms and looked around wildly for her little child: PRATEEK KAHAN HAI?
She grabbed Zaib's collar and started pulling it hard : PRATEEK….PRATEEK KO KOI UTHAKAR LE GAYA….PRATEEEEKKK……KAHAN HAI? BATAO MUJHEY….KAHAN HAI WO? WO LOG USEY BHI MAAR DALENGEY…..she sobbed wildly in terror….her mind a jumble of fear for her child….that he would meet the same fate as Josh!
KRIPAA…..MERI BAAT SUNO….PRATEEK IS SAFE….PRATEEK BILKUL THEEK HAI….USEY KUCHH NAHIN HUA….Zaib yelled and shook her, trying to make her listen but she struggled against him violently, in a frenzy of terror.
PRATEEK……USEY YAHAN LE AAO….KAHAN HAI WO? MAIN USEY DEKHNA CHAHTI HOON…..
KRIPAA….MERA YAKEEN KARO, PRATEEK THEEK HAI…WO AB BANGKOK MEIN HAI….HUMNEY USEY GUNDON SE BACHA LIYA…..
JHOOTH! Kripa suddenly turned to him, her eyes blazing….TUM MUJHSEY JHOOTH BOL RAHEY HO…..PRATEEK KO ZAROOR KUCHH HUA HAI….TUM CHHUPA RAHEY HO…..
She suddenly slipped out of his hold, and jumped off the bed…..she ran to the door, opened it and sprinted out at full speed of a desperate, half-crazed mother in terrible fear for her child's life!
She ran down the passage, Zaib chasing her: KRIPAAA….RUK JAO….PRATEEK IS SAFE, I SWEAR! MERI BAAT SUNO….KRIPAAAA…..
Kripa ran, unheeding his cries and swearings…..she
sprinted blindly to the door at the end of the passage, opened it and was out in the sun….on the deck of a moving Yacht!!!
Kripa was stunned, shocked…..her mind couldn't take it in anymore!... she was on a large yacht, mid-sea…..Hongkong was nowhere in sight. they were in the middle of a sparkling blue ocean!
YEH KAUN SI JAGAH HAI? TUM MUJHEY KAHAN LAYE HO? she yelled hysterically.
KRIPAAA…..Zaib caught up with her and tried to grab her …..but she ran backwards: ANGAD….YEH BOAT KAHAN JAA RAHI HAI, BATAO…..her eyes looked wild, accusing.
Hearing all the yelling and shouting, Godfather, Kartik, Mittal and 2 other sailors came out on the deck, staring at a wild-eyed Kripa in a white Hospital gown….and Zaib slowly advancing towards her, trying to placate her.
Please, Kripa….listen to me….Hum sab Bangkok jaa rahey hain…..Prateek wahin per hai, I swear….main apney pyaar ki kasam khataa hoon, Prateek ko kuchh nahin hua hai……hes safe, and okay….KRIPAAA…
Kripa looked with wide, terrrified eyes at Godfather, Kartik, at the sailors: YEH LOG KAUN HAI? TUM KAUN HO? MUJHEY BANGKOK NAHIN JAANA….MUJHEY HONGKONG WAPAS LE CHALO…..PRATEEK WAHAN HAI…..
KRIPAA, MERI BAAT SUNO…..PRATEEK HONGKONG MEIN NAHIN , BANGKOK MEIN HAI…..Zaib's head was pounding with tension as Kripa backed further into the rails on the side of the Yacht. He was afraid she was going to fall over! He was suddenly horribly afraid!
Godfather also advanced towards Kripa slowly: Dekho beti, Angad ki baat maan lo….main bhi jaanta hoon, tumhara beta Hongkong mein nahin hai……usey humney Bangkok bhej diya hai…uski jaan ko khatra tha isliye….
NAHIN…..TUM KAUN HO? MAIN TUMHEY NAHIN JAANTI…..Kripa looked wildly at Godfather, screaming madly ….TUM SAB JHOOTH BOL RAHEY HO…..KYA KIYA HAI TUM LOGON NE? MEREY BETEY KO KAHAN BHEJA HAI?
Please Kripa…..Zaib moved towards her…..Kripa backed further into the side….suddenly a giant wave swayed the boat violently from side to side. The stern (right) side of the boat where all the drama was going on, dipped widely into the sea……Kripa screamed as she went over the side…..she fell into the swirling waves with a splash and disappeared underwater.
KRIPAAAAA……Zaib screamed in terror….he ran to the side, so did the others. He looked desperately over the side, there was no sign of Kripa in the wild, churning waves splashing against the side of the boat!
USEY TAIRNA NAHIN AATA……he suddenly yelled…..USEY TAIRNA NAHIN AATA…..
He felt darkness descend in front of his eyes…….he was rushing back through a long, deep, dark tunnel…..to a bright, sunlit sea, palms swaying in the wind..…..a swimming pool, Kripa lying lifeless at the bottom of the pool…..Kripa didn't know how to swim…..her mother had drowned to death! Goa, Mishti, Prithvi……he remembered everything…..those days in the sun and sand, Kripa and him….confessing their love through songs, fishing trip, Kripa kissing him in front of all their college friends…..their parents, his mother disapproving of Kripa, his ring of promise that night when she wore white, her parents' deaths, Kripa's birth secret, that stormy night when they became one, body and soul….their wedding in the temple, and then….the Blast….that killed everything….killed Angad and Zaib was born!
USEY TAIRNA NAHIN AATA…..usey tairna nahin aata…..he muttered to himself, repeating in a chant, gripping his pounding head as he crumpled to his knees by the side….he vaguely heard 3 loud splashes as some people jumped into the water after Kripa. But he was completely in the grip of a paralyzing flood of memories…..that washed away all his doubts of being Angad forever!
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pallavi
Edited by pallavi25 - 17 years ago
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