Sorry for the very late update becuz of health reasons!
Thanks to all your comments! 😳
PART 67
The day dawned dark, gloomy and overcast! It was going down today…..the business deal that would supposedly guarantee ceasefire and lifelong safety for Godfather and his associates. That would ensure peace between the two gangs.
The two diehard enemies would meet for the first time that day…..face to face instead of targetting each other from afar.
Kripa had no idea about all this……she was kept in the dark. Her father and Angad didn't want her to be stressed out in that condition!
After breakfast, she asked Angad if they could go to town for some shopping, she needed some clothes for Prateek and medicines for herself.
A visibly tensed Angad almost blew a fuse : Nahin, Kripa! Aaj nahin….aaj humara sheher mein jaana namumkin hai.
Damodar and his men were in town, he couldn't dream of taking Kripa and Prateek to town in those circumstances.
Kripa was suspicious: Kyun? Aaj kyun nahin? Aaj mein kya khaas baat hai?
Godfather quickly intervened…he didn't want her to suspect anything: Beti…..aaj humein Hotel ke kaam se Dubai jaana hai. Ek important meeting hai….isiliye aaj nahin…tum kal chali jaana"
Kripa smiled and nodded: Theek hai…..phir hum kal hi jayengey"
Godfather suggested: Kuchh zaroori ho toh driver ko apna list de do, wo le aayega"
Nahin, main khud jaana chahti hoon…..Kripa insisted….koi baat nahin, hum kal chalengey"
Godfather and Angad exchanged glances…..kal kisney dekha hai? Who knew where and how they would be the next day……..
****************** ****************************************
Nishant and his men had arrived in Dubai 3 days ago…..they were staying incognito at a secret location and were in constant contact with Dubai Crime Branch. That morning, their contact informed them that the meeting between the two Crime Bosses had been fixed for 4 p.m. at the Clubhouse, just outside the city.
The meeting had been scheduled for late afternoon…..4 P.M.
Godfather, Angad, Kartik and Shabbir..…..that was Godfather's group supposed to meet Damodar and his group in the Clubhouse.
Four against four….that was the equation.
Shabbir was the lawyer from Godfather's side; Damodar's nephew Mahesh was the lawyer from the other side.
The transaction was all ready to be completed.
Shabbir arrived in Dubai 2 days before, but he wasn't staying at the Villa He knew he was still persona-non-grata with Godfather so he was keeping his distance, especially from Angad, whom he had betrayed to the CBI.
2 P.M.
Godfather, Angad and Kartik closeted themselves in the Study after lunch, going over the fine details of their plan.
At 3 P.M. they emerged, all ready to proceed to the final destination, which will decide their fate and future existence.
Kripa and Prateek were taking afternoon naps in the main bedroom.
Godfather went in first to bid them goodbye….he stood near the door, gazing at his daughter and grandson with tears in his eyes: Beti, Bhagwan naa karey yeh hamari aakhri mulaqat ho. Tum dono ka pyaar mujhey phir se tumharey paas kheench layega. Aur agar main naa laut sakoon toh mera aashirwaad tumharey saath hamesha rahega. Khush raho beti…..Angad ka aur apney bachchon ka khayal rakhna. I love you, my child! Alvida!….. Nahin alvida nahin…..I will return to you, I promise you that!
He slipped out as silently as he had come in, brushing the tears from his eyes, strengthening his heart with resolve to survive for the sake of his family.
Angad sneaked in after him and gazed for some time at his wife and child. He prayed to God to keep them safe, to make their mission successful so he could return safely to his family. Finally, he tiptoed to the bed, slipped a letter under Kripa's pillow. He bent to place a tender kiss on Prateek's head, then kissed Kripa's lips.
Her eyes opened a chink….she peered sleepily: Tum jaa rahey ho?
Haan, meeting ke liye Dubai jaa raha hoon. Shaam tak ghar wapas aa jaoonga (he lied with a comforting smile) Don't get up! Tum aaram karo, Prateek uth jayega! He whispered and kissed her again.
She smiled sleepily at him and stroked his cheek : Jaldi aana! ….he left the room, she drifted back to sleep.
Their car left the Villa compound and proceeded to Dubai city. Mr. Mittal and Kalyani watched them leave from the window with worried faces. They knew about the transaction taking place that day and were extremely worried about their safety.
Kalyani had assured Godfather that she would take care of Kripa and her kids, no matter what happened! Javed and 2 Bodyguards guarded the Villa.
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4 P.M. The Clubhouse.
A stretch limo pulled up in front of the Clubhouse. Damodar, Mahesh, Rocky and Jaggu got down, looking incongruous in expensive suits. They puffed up their chests, stuffed their hands in coat pockets, trying to look business-like.
Don Aziz was the facilitator for the meeting. His men greeted Damodar's group at the Clubhouse door.
Aayiye….Janaab! Idhar tashreef rakhiye! Humein aapki talashi leni padegi, iskey liye maafi chahtey hain!
Damodar rolled his bloodshot eyes at the courteous guy: Bajaj aa gaya kya?
Nahin, Mr. Bajaj abhi tak nahin aaye…..lekin jaldi aa jayengey"
As they were speaking, the Lincoln Navigator pulled up at the Clubhouse steps.
Godfather, and his group descended, similarly dressed in dark business suits but looking a lot more distinguished and polished in comparison.
Damodar turned his face away, he didn't want to greet his enemy first.
Godfather went up the steps, shook hands warmly with Don Aziz and thanked him profusely for his cooperation.
Aziz smiled and patted his hand : Yeh hamarey liye khushi ki baat hai jo hum aapkey kaam aa sakey….ab ayiye, hum meeting shuru kartey hain….lekin ussey pehley sabki talaashi leni padegi"
Don Aziz's men frisked all the 8 men for guns, knives or other weapons, then checked them thoroughly with metal detectors. Nothing metallic was found on them except keychains, watches and rings.
The Clubhouse was searched swiftly once more for any possible bombs or weapons.
Finally Aziz declared it safe to start the transactions.
The meeting had been arranged in the Main Parlor of the Club, adjoining the Dining-room and Kitchen.
The two groups proceeded to the Parlor, accompanied by Don Aziz and 2 of his men.
A long Conference table had been set up in advance, with crystal wine glasses, dinner plates, and flower arrangements. It looked more like a dinner party than a business meeting. Damodar curled his lip at all the fancy arrangements. He belonged to a different class of gangsters and didn't appreciate such finery for a business deal.
FINALLY! The two antagonists stood face to face at the table!
Aziz introduced them formally. They sized each other up. The taller Bajaj looked down upon the shorter and scruffy Damodar with a slight sneer.
They didn't shake hands….just looked at each other with a quarter century of virulent hatred, bitter enmity and untamed violence simmering between them!
Eventually, Godfather tilted his head and greeted his enemy: Hello, Pandey!
Damodar glared up at him: Bajaj!
If looks could kill, both would be dead!
To lighten up the charged atmosphere, Don Aziz butted in: Kyun na hum meeting shuru karein?
They sat down on opposite sides of the table, Aziz at the head.
Both groups of men looked poisonously at each other, especially Rocky and Jaggu cast murderous looks at Angad and Kartik. They wanted to avenge the deaths of their mates.
Shabbir passed the transaction papers silently to Mahesh….who took a look at them and whispered in his uncle's ears.
"Bajaj ne apna Hotel, apna makaan aur ek Health-Club….sab aapkey naam kar diya….badley mein hum unhey ya unkey saathiyon ko future mein kabhie attack nahin kar saktey"
Damodar nodded in satisfaction. This Bajaj was such a fool…..did he think he would honor that vow….that contract?. As soon as the deal was done, he would send his men to kill Bajaj and his adopted family of riffraff.
Damodar looked virulently at Angad and Kartik…..those two had killed many of his men….at the first chance, he was going to off them: Pehley toh un dono ku**on ko khatam karna hai…..phir baaki sabko. Aur phir Angad ki biwi ko…….he smiled lecherously…..paanch saal pehley sa*li haath se nikal gayi thi…..abki baar usey jaaney nahin doonga"
Shabbir spoke up : Deal sign karney se pehley 2nd page ki shart ko padh leejiye. Agar wo shart poori nahin kee gayi toh…..yeh contract radd (cancelled) ho jayega
Damodar shrugged his bushy eyebrows at his nephew: Bachhua, yeh kya keh raha hai? Kaun sa shart? Kaisa shart?
Mahesh pulled the contract towards him and turned to the 2nd page, reading carefully. Then he spoke to Damu in a low voice: Chachajee, yahan likha hai agar aapney iss deal ke baad Bajaj ya uskey kisi bhi saathi per hamla kiya toh yeh deal radd ho jayega. Aur Dubai sheher ki Council wo saari property zabt (seize) kar legi.
Damodar looked very disappointed. On the one hand was the property, on the other hand, revenge and gratituitous violence! He relinquished all future plans of slaughter and rape. He frowned, looking uglier than ever: Theek hai, humein manzoor hai! Bol, kahan sign karna hai?
Mahesh pointed out the spaces, Damodar quickly scribbled his signatures. Then the contract was passed on to Godfather, who signed it with nonchalant grace.
3 copies of the contract were signed by both the Bosses. One copy was passed on to Aziz for safekeeping. The other 2 copies were taken by Shabbir and Mahesh.
Damodar grinned suddenly. He finally believed that he was the owner of Hotel Regency, Dubai and Godfather's lavish seaside Villa.
Wo makaan humein kab milega? He asked with a greedy gleam in his beady eyes.
Godfather smirked: Contract ka waqt shuru hoga ek haftey baad. Tab tak hum makaan khali kar dengey.
Damodar's smile widened, he felt like a victorious King! He owned properties abroad, like an International Crime Boss!! He puffed up with importance, with pride. Best of all, those properties had been ceded to him by Bajaj....who had accepted defeat and surrendered his wealth to him in exchange for safety!
He was in a jovial mood, so when Aziz suggested they should have refreshments to complete the deal, he didn't demur.
Just as tea, coffee, wine and appetizers were being served, Don Aziz got a phone call. It seemed urgent because he suddenly got up and announced : Excuse me, Gentlemen! Mujhey ab jaana padega! Ek zaroori baat aa gayi hai! You all continue!
While passing Godfather's chair on his way out, he quickly bent down and whispered: Bajaj, get out of here! CBI ka team yahan aa raha hai!!
Godfather just nodded, he didn't move an inch!
As soon as Aziz and his men left the room, Damodar pounced on Godfather: Usney kya bola? Bataa…..kahin tu humein double-cross toh nahin kar raha? His suspicions were aroused at once by the Don's abrupt departure.
Godfather looked haughtily at Damodar: Main kahin nahin jaa raha, aap bhi chupchap baithiye! Aziz Bhai ko kahin jaana tha. Unhoney mujhey wahi bataya. Aap kyun itna pareshan ho rahey hain? Deal is DONE! Mera Dubai ka saara jaidaad ab apka hai. Phir bhi aap itna shaq kyun kar rahey hain?
Damodar sat down again, slightly placated. The two groups silently sipped on their beverages and snacks, eyeing each other warily. Suddenly they heard a sound in the Kitchen.
Angad sprang up: Uncle! Main dekhkar aata hoon.
He ran out before Damodar or his men could stop him. Jaggu said: Boss, main bhi dekhkar aaoon?
Damodar suspected something fishy was going on. What if Angad was waiting in the Kitchen to pounce on Jaggu?
Nahin, tu yahan baith….koi darkaar nahin jaaney ki.
Suddenly there were sounds of a helicopter whirring over the Clubhouse, and LOUD police sirens.
Damodar and Godfather both sprang up from their chairs and ran to the window.
The CBI team had arrived …..Nishant got down from the Dubai Crime Branch Van and took a bullhorn : ATTENTION! MR. PANDEY AND MR. BAJAJ! AAP DONO APNEY SAAREY ADMIYON KE SAATH ISSI WAQT BAAHAR AA JAYIYE! HUMNEY AAPKO CHARON TARAF SE GHER LIYA HAI! BACHNEY KA KOI RAASTA NAHIN. APNEY HAATH UPAR KARKEY CLUB SE BAAHAR NIKAL AAYIYE! WE PROMISE WE WONT SHOOT IF YOU ARE UNARMED!
Damodar jumped at Godfather's throat: SA**A, KA***NA, K**TA! TUNEY POLICE KO BULA LIYA? YEH HAI TERI CHAAL? MAIN TUJHEY NAHIN CHHODUNGA! He tried to strangle the taller Bajaj, while hanging from his neck.
Godfather flung him away like a piece of trash, harshly grinding out with clenched teeth: PANDEY, HOSH MEIN AAO……MAIN KYUN CBI KO BULAOONGA? WO HUM DONO KE LIYE AAYE HAIN! HUM DONO KE GANG MEIN SE KISINEY HUMEIN DOUBLE-CROSS KIYA HAI.
KISNEY? MAIN USKA KHOON PEE JAOONGA! Damodar's bloodshot eyes rolled around the room. Shabbir, the rat, sensing trouble, tried to sidle out of the room.
Godfather pointed at him: Hum mein se kewal Shabbir hi India gaya tha. Usney shayad…..
Jaggu and Rocky ran after Shabbir and caught him near the door, bundling him in their arms and dragged him back to Damodar.
KYUN BEY! TUNEY CBI KO BATAYA? BOL…….Damu slapped Shabbir really hard with his huge, slabby hands!
Shabbir's nose started bleeding…..he looked terrified: NAHIN, PANDEY JEE, MAINEY NAHIN BATAYA! BAJAJ JHOOTH BOL RAHA HAI! MAINEY KUCHH NAHIN BATAYA!
Bajaj sneered at him: Main jhooth bol raha hoon? Hongkong mein bhi toh tum CBI ke contact mein the…..tab humney tumhey maaf kar diya tha wo hamari galti thi. Tum ek namak-haraam ho"
Kyun bey Saaley! CBI ki dalaali karta hai? Jaggu and Rocky started beating up Shabbir!
Nishant was getting impatient outside: BAJAJ! PANDEY! AAP DONO ABHI CLUBHOUSE SE BAAHAR NIKLIYE! NAHIN TOH HUM ANDAR AA RAHEY HAIN! AAP BHAAG NAHIN SAKTEY…..KOI FAAYDA NAHIN…..HELICOPTER SE AAPKO MONITOR KIYA JAYEGA! Nishant repeated his warnings on the bullhorn.
Suddenly there were loud sounds of gunshots! Bajaj, Damodar and their men looked stunned. Who was firing guns? They didn't carry any weapons! Then who was……???
The sound seemed to be coming from the kitchen. Damodar howled with rage: ANGADD! AAJ MAIN TUJHEY DEKH LOONGA! JAGGU, JAA MAAR USEY!
Jaggu and Rocky ran towards the kitchen. Damodar lunged at Bajaj again with his bare fists : DHOKHEYBAAZ! APNEY AADMI SE HUMPAR GOLIYAN CHALATA HAI?
Godfather side-stepped him and gave a neat Karate chop on his neck, knocking him out cold!
Mahesh tried to run out the door……Kartik caught and flung him against the wall, knocking him out too! Now there were only two left.
Jaggu and Rocky ran out of the kitchen: BOSS! ANGAD TOH WAHAN NAHIN….KAHIN BHAAG GAYA….AUR KOI GUN BHI NAHIN WAHAN !
They stopped short at the door, staring with horror at Damodar and Mahesh lying on the floor, unconscious. They didn't notice Kartik and Godfather standing behind the door with two heavy chairs raised to hit them!
BAMMMM! They brought down the chairs on their heads…..Jaggu and Rocky dropped to the floor unconscious!
Godfather and Kartik brushed off their hands with satisfied smiles…..they looked at the 5 unconscious men on the floor, including Shabbir!
The first part of their plan was complete!
Nishant kept on blaring over the loudspeaker but there was no effect. It had been 15 minutes, yet nobody appeared at the door.
He announced: BAJAJ! PANDEY! NOW YOUR TIME IS UP! WE ARE COMING IN! DON'T TRY TO SHOOT! WE HAVE 30 MEN WITH US! YOU ARE OUTNUMBERED!
BOOOMMMMMM! BOOOMMMMM!!! BOOOMMMMMM!
Three gigantic explosions tore through the Clubhouse! Nishant and the CBI Officers sprang back, looking horrified as the whole building burst into a ball of fire! Doors and windows flew out with the impact of the bombs! CBI and Dubai Police ran for cover!
The building burned down within half an hour!
When the fire engines arrived, it was already half gone!
The Dubai fire Brigade managed to extinguish the fires after 2 hours.
The CBI team went inside at last. They found 8 bodies, charred beyond recognition. Some of them were missing limbs and faces!
The bodies were taken away for post-mortem and identification by DNA testing!
****************** ***********************************
Meanwhile Kripa had awakened from her nap to find Prateek quietly playing with his video games in the bedroom.
She got up quickly: Sunny Beta, tumney mujhey jagaya kyun nahin? Kitney baj gaye? She looked at the bedside clock: Hey Raam! Chhai baj gaye? Angad aur Papa abhi tak wapas nahin aaye?
Her eyes fell upon the letter stuck near her pillow: Yeh kya hai?
She opened the letter and froze….it was Angad's handwriting:
Kripa,
Jaaneman, Sweetheart! BE STRONG! Yeh chitthi padhney se pehley apney dil ko mazboot kar lo! I don't want anything happening to you or our baby!
Ab dhyaan se padho! Main aur Papa aaj hum sabkey Bhavishya ka faisla karney jaa rahey hain! Please don't be afraid! Darney ki koi baat nahin…..main tumharey paas jaldi wapas aaoonga. Whatever you hear, don't believe it! Main zinda hoon, aur zinda rahoonga. Tumhara pyaar mujhey zinda rakhega! I'm not DEAD! Lekin duniya ki nazron mein mujhey phir se marna padega. Main pehley bhi wapas aaya tha, iss baar bhi tumharey paas wapas aaoonga!
Wait for my signal!
Raat ke theek dus bajey….samundar ki ore dekhna…..merey pyaar ki nishani aasmaan mein hogi. Samajh lena main bilkul theek hoon!
Yeh chitthi padhney ke baad isey turant jalakar raakh kar dena. Ek bhi tukda bachna nahin chahiye
I love you, Jaan! Mera Intezaar karna!
Tumhara Angad!
Kripa's hands shook violently, the letter fell from her hands. She quickly picked it up and followed Angad's instructions. She burned the letter to ashes, making sure not a single speck remained.
She was shaking inside, calm on the outside. She took deep breaths to calm her terrified anxiety. She didn't want to harm her baby!
Prateek came running up to her: Mama, Dad abhi tak kyun nahin aaye?
She forced a smile to her lips: Abhi aa jayengey, Beta! Chalo, hum dinner kar letey hain!
She went to the Dining-room…..Kalyani served dinner, looking equally tensed and worried. The two women exchanged glances…..Kalyani bent near her ears and whispered: Beti, tu chinta mat kar! Bhagwan sab theek hi karengey! Angad zaroor wapas aayega. Bhaisaab ko bhi kuchh nahin hoga"
Mr. Mittal looked 10 years older in his worry. But they all had dinner in silence and retired to bed.
Exactly at ten, Kripa was waiting on the terrace for Angad's signal. Prateek was sleeping…..she paced restlessly on the terrace in the semi-darkness under the moonless sky.
The clock struck ten! She looked towards the sea…..her eyes searching for her beloved's sign. Suddenly a red flare shot up in the sky above the sea! Then another one followed…..2 red flares! Did that mean both Angad and Papa were safe?
She sobbed out with relief: Angad! Papa!
The flares were quite far off….at least 2 miles offshore! She wondered where they were? Were they in the yacht? In the speedboat?
Wherever they were, she fervently hoped they were safe and would return soon to her.
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Next: Last Part!
pallavi
Edited by pallavi25 - 17 years ago
Anupamaa
142