A NEW HOPE - Page 3

@ Everyone - thanks a lot for all ur comments and i am sorry for not updating earlier, i had some prior commitments to handle.... i am giving you all a big update right now...

It took them around 2 hours for them to reach the place where Rajveer was staying. And what a safe place it was; Gunny had led them to place that was ahead of KMA, through a forest and up a hill where a huge chalet was. This was the safest place in all of Ambala and the perfect hiding spot for a while. Navin had already woken up and he was now shaking Naina.

"Naina, utho… hum pahunch gaye." Navin whispered, as the others slowly got down from the van.

Naina stirred a bit and then she opened her eyes. "Hum kahan hai bhaai?" she asked him.

"bahar aake dekho, Raj yahan par tehra hai." He told her smirking to himself.

Hearing Rajveer's name got Naina to her senses. She woke up and together with her brother, got down from the van and was amazed by the view in front of her. They all were on a hill from where the view was spectacular. It was around 9:30 pm, and from where they all stood, the whole of Ambala could be seen. Turning around, they saw a huge chalet all lit up and made for the perfect safe place. Naina's heart began to beat wildly with each step that she took towards the house.

She knew that in a few minutes, she would come face to face with Rajveer, after two long years. She became worried all of a sudden, what would she say? How would he react in seeing her like this? A hundred questions scared her for the first time in her life as a soldier. Aalekh seemed to have noticed this and he took her hand in his as they walked up to the gates of the house.

"Naina, kuch nahi hoga. Apun hai na." Aalekh told her.

"Thanks Aalekh, lekin… main kahoongi kya? Aur kaise?" She tried to explain to him what was going on in her mind currently.

"Jo bhi kehna hai, kehdo… apun ke paas ek tarika hai, agar tereko chahiye toh…" Aalekh said to her.

But before either of them could say something else, Abhimanyu had taken them past the gates and rung the bell. Naina shivered once and then waited. She knew that it was too late to do anything and decided to do whatever her heart told her to do. They all heard some footsteps shuffling around inside, and soon the door to the chalet was opened by a young girl. She recognized Navin and Shalini and led them inside the house.

The house was really huge from inside; Shalini went upstairs to one of the rooms to check on Rajveer while the girl, led the others to a big den where a fireplace was burning. She told them that dinner would be served in half an hour and then she left.

"bhai wah, yeh toh bahut hi shaandar ghar hai, kiska hai?" Huda asked jumping on a sofa next to Pooja and Neelu.

"Raj ka hai, usne kahin saal pehle isse kharida tha taaki chuttiyon mein woh yahan aakar manaaye… hum sabko yahin par bulaate the…" Navin told Huda.

"Sir ka ghar bahut hi accha hai, right guys?" Yudi asked.

"haan Yudi bhai, ghar bahut sundar hai…" Ali remarked, "Par kya hum yahin par rahenge?"

"hmm… kuch dino ke liye yahan par rehna theek hoga, jab tak hum koi faisla na le, tum sab yahan par hi rahoge… don't worry about the clothes, main aur Abhi kal jaake woh sab sambhal lenge… filhaal main Raj ko dekhkar aata hoon, kabse humein wait karwa raha hai…" Navin said.

He headed for the door when suddenly Shalini came inside, alone. Much to Naina's relief, the extra few minutes that she got would be enough for her to calm her nerves down.

"Dr. Shalini, Raj ka haal kaisa hai?" Gunny asked her.

"He's perfectly fine, Captain. Maine abhi uska bandages change kiya hai, he should be done in a few minutes. Usne mujhse kaha hai ki aap sab yahan aaram se baithe rahiye…" Shalini told them all.

They all sat down and waited in silence for a few minutes. Naina, who was sitting near the fireplace with Aalekh had her back towards the door.

She didn't realize when Rajveer came down until she heard her brother's voice.

"Raj, mere dost… sab log aa gaye hai aur tumhaara intezaar kar rahe hai…" Navin told his friend.

Naina knew that this was it, the moment had arrived when she would finally meet him had come. Taking a deep breath, she stood up and turned around. She didn't see his face as he was hugging Abhimanyu at the time, but as soon as he let go, she saw his face, for the first time in two years, she saw the face of the man she loved and once thought she had lost.

She was still standing far from her, watching him as he greeted all his favorite cadets, Huda, Ali, Yudi, Pooja and Aalekh. Their eyes finally met, locked on to each others gaze, the two of them didn't realize that their friends were busy smirking at them and exchanging glances amongst themselves. Rajveer was the first to break the contact and he walked over to Naina who stood there, completely still.

"Cadet Naina 'Ah' Singh… how are you?" He asked her, a small smile forming across his lips.

"Fine sir, aap kaise ho?"

"Great… bas yeh patti nikal jaaye then I'll be as good as new."

"Ahem ahem… Raj, I think it's time ki hum sab ko hum dono ki survival story bata de…" Navin asked.

"Huh? Haan, yeh theek rahega…"

Navin and Rajveer sit down with everyone else and they begin to explain their story to their friends. The first is Navin's story as to how he managed to survive the bullet that Rajveer had shot at him, what the mystery behind his dead body was and where he was all these years.

"Right, so let's all go back a couple of years to the time when I was being held responsible for the stealing of the triggers. Mujhe jail mein kaafi samay tak rakha gaya aur phir ek din kuch hafte ya mahino baad court ne faisla sunaya ki mujhe ek doosre jail mein shift kiya jaayega."

"Raj, uss team ka commanding officer tha… aur woh mujhe Ambala se dusre jail mein lekar jaa raha tha ki main van se faraar ho gaya aur jungle mein jaake chip gaya."

"Maine Navin ka picha kiya… mere saath ek poori team thi jo Navin ko shoot at sight ka orders mila tha… I found him hidden under a bridge before the other soldiers did aur usne mujhse kaha ki 'Raj mujhe maro… kuch nahi hoga mujhe…iss tarah hi mujhe in sabse chutkara milega… Naina se kaho ki main usse bahut pyaar karta hoon.'"

"Uss waqt, officers aa rahe the, aur main majboor hokar, Navin par goli chalaayi. Mujhe laga ki maine usse mara tha, sabko aisa hi laga ki Navin mar gaya tha… lekin aisa tha nahi…." Raj completed one part of the story and told Navin to continue…

"Jab mujhe goli lag gayi… mujhe laga ki main mar gaya… but I was still conscious… not breathing at all, but still alive…the bullet had missed my heart… jab tak meri body Naina ke paas pahunch gayi, main zindagi aur maut ke beech mein jhool raha tha… meri laash ko maa aur baba ne nahi jalaaya… kisi ko bhi meri funeral par aane ki permission nahi thi…"

"lekin Col. Chandra uss waqt aa gaye the and he felt some life inside me aur usne mujhe ek private hospital mein admit kiya… jahan par unhe pata chal gaya ki main coma mein chala gaya tha…"

"Lekin humne suna tha ki aapke laash ko jalaaya tha…" Yudi asked Navin, wondering how he must have fooled everyone in the army including his friends and family.

"Jab Col. Chandra ne mujhe hospital mein choda tha, woh uss ghat par phir se chala gaya jahan par usne ek putle ko jalaaya aur nakli asthiyaan baha diye…" Navin told them.

"Toh agar aap coma mein the… aap uss jungle ki kutiya mein kaise pahunche?" Naina asked her brother.

"Main samjhaata hoon… mein paanch saal pehle coma mein chala gaya tha, right? Lekin mujhe hosh, do saal pehle aaya, kareeban uss waqt jab Raj ka accident hua tha." Navin told her.

"Jab mujhe hosh aane par pata chala ki Col. Chandra ab duniya mein nahi the, aur Raj ka accident mein maut hua, main waapis uss jungle mein chala gaya, jahan par Raj ka accident hua tha…"

"wahan pahunchne par maine Raj ki laash dekhi aur usse uss kutiya mein leke gaya, jahan par ek old couple reh rahe the…"

By now, it was time for dinner. They all stood up, got freshened and went to eat. Once their dinner was over, they all came back inside the den to continue with their story.

"Lekin ek baat batao, Raj… tum uss gaadi mein baith gaye the… phir bomb se kaise bach gaya?" Abhimanyu asked him.

"Main gaadi mein baith gaya tha… magar jab main raasta mein tha… accident se kuch second pehle, kisine meri jeep par goli chalaayi… do tyre puncture ho gaye, I lost control of the car, aur mein niche khaai mein gir gaya…uske paanch second baad bomb burst hua and I was knocked out." Raj told them.

"Jis waqt Navin wahan jungle mein pahunch gaya tha, main behosh tha aur usne mujhe uss kutiya mein laakar, teen mahino tak mera khayal rakha tha… I was in a worse state than this…"

"Lekin sir, jab aap theek ho gaye, tab uss waqt aap waapis kyun nahi aaye?" Pooja asked.

"Jab Raj theek ho gaya… hum dono kuch der ke liye jungle se bahar nikal gaye aur kisi tarah se hum dono ne Major General se mile… unhone humein orders diya ki Lala ko pakadne ke liye humein duniya ki nazron se kuch der tak chipa rehna padega… humaara ek mission aur bhi tha… uss mission chhe mahine pehle hum log shuru kiya tha aur wahan par hi pakde gaye…" Navin told them…

"Isliye, Major General ko majboor hoke, Abhimanyu aur Gunny ko sab sach bata diya aur humein rescue karne ke liye, tum sab ko bulaya…that's it." Raj said, finishing the story.

Before they all could ask either Navin or Rajveer anything related to what they had just heard from them, they all were interrupted by the doorbell which was ringing continuously. All 12 of them looked at each other, exchanging worried glances; with the same question on their lips, "Who knew that they were here? Not B.C, not Suriji or Lolita Ma'am, then who was it at the door?"

**********************************************************

Before they all could ask either Navin or Rajveer anything related to what they had just heard from them, they all were interrupted by the doorbell which was ringing continuously. The doorbell rang again and the young girl went to answer it. A few minutes later, she came back followed by an officer, Major General R.S Gaur.

"Sir, aap yahan? Koi problem toh nahi hai?" Navin asked his senior officer.

"No, no Navin, koi problem nahi hai… bas main tumse aur Raj se baat karne aaya tha…" M.G Gaur replied sitting down.

"Sir, aapko iss jagah ka pata kaise lag gaya?" Rajveer asked him.

"Raj, mujhe Dr. Dixit mile the… ussi ne yahan ka address diya… isliye main chala aaya… I'm sorry agar aap log thode darr gaye the… mujhe pata hai ki yahan par security nahi hai, aur agar bahut log yahan aayenge toh dushman ko shak ho jaayega." M.G Gaur told them.

"Nahi sir, ismein sorry kehne ki zaroorat kya hai? Aap jab chahe, yahan aa sakte hai…" Navin told him.

"Thank you Captain. Filhaal, kya hum main issue par baat kar sakte hai?" M.G Gaur asked them.

"Yes sir, kahiye…" Rajveer said.

"Tum dono ko kal ek live and national telecast interview dena hoga… iss interview mein tum poori desh ko sachai bataoge ki kaise yeh plan ko execute kiya gaya tha paanch saal pehle jab Navin faraar ho gaya tha… yeh bhi batao ki Navin ki maut ek well executed plan tha… uspar tumne janbooj kar goli chala liya taaki sab ko lage ki woh mar chukka hai…"

"yeh bhi batao ki doctors ne jab uske body ko examine kiya tha aur usmein thodi si jaan bachi thi, kaho ki usse officially dead declare karwaaya… aur baaki sab kuch bhi…"

"Kya? Bhaai… tumhaara maut planned tha?" Naina was shocked when she heard that her brother had purposely escaped from jail transfer, purposely gotten shot by his best friend and purposely lay in a coma for three years.

"Haan Naina, main, Major General Gaur, Raj aur Col. Chandra ne yeh plan banaya tha…" Navin told her.

"Lekin kyun? Itni khatarnak plan banane se pehle tumne socha tha ki agar aapko goli seene mein lag gayi aur tum mar jaate…?" Naina was still horrified that her brother had undertaken such a big risk.

"Naina, yeh plan tum sab ke liye hi banaya gaya tha… taaki tum KMA mein aakar muje begunah saabit kar sako aur Lala ko sazaa dilwao…agar mujhe kuch ho jaata toh… well,mujhe kuch hua toh nahi… sirf teen saal ke liye coma mein tha… and I was prepared Naina…"

"Ek minute… yeh plan isliye banaya gaya tha taaki main KMA mein aake, aapko aapki izzat waapis dila sakoon… aapko kaise pata tha bhaiya?" Naina asked still confused about the whole thing.

"of course mujhe pata tha kit um mujhe begunah saabit karne ke liye kuch bhi karogi… tabhi toh Major Gaur ne Raj ko bhi KMA bhej diya… taaki woh tmadad kar sake… aur wahan jaa kar tumhe aur bhi hep mil gayi, itne saare dost jo mil gaye…" Navin said.

"Lekin Rajveer sir ka accident… kya who bhi planned tha?" This time it was Yudi who asked the question.

"Haan, Raj ka accident bhi planned tha… jab usse pata chal gaya tha ki gaadi mein bomb hai, who gaadi se niche khaai mein kood gaya…." Navin said to Yudi.

"Alright then… Rajveer, tum bhi yeh sab interview mein batana… aur yeh bhi kaho ki agar yeh plan bana hi nahi hota toh Lala ko aaj iss anjaam tak koi bhi nahi pahuncha sakta tha… yeh sab tum dono ke marne ke baad hi mumkin tha… ok?" Major Gaur said to the two of them.

"Yes sir." Navin replied.

"Yes sir… kya main ek baat jaan sakta hoon sir. Kaun hai woh reporter jo hum dono ka interview lega?" Rajveer asked.

"Interview legi… Captain… famous news reporter Roma Shetty tum dono ka interview legi… kal subah 9 baje… studio mein report karo… hum bhi wahan honge…main ab chalta hoon, headquarters jaana hai… goodbye Captains." M.G Gaur said standing up and heading for the door.

Once Major General R.S Gaur had left, everyone else decided that it was best that they all go to sleep as Navin and Rajveer had an early day next morning.

They were shown to their rooms and after changing they all went to sleep; all of them except three people, Rajveer, Naina and Dr. Shalini.

Naina wasn't getting sleep at all because something about this whole issue was bothering her, so she decided to go downstairs into the den where she knew she could be alone to think stuff over. Dr. Shalini was awake because there had to be someone watching over Rajveer who needed his medication once in every three hours. And Rajveer was awake because he was busy thinking about Naina. He needed to speak to her but he had no idea how to, with Shalini watching over him…suddenly as he lay in his bed thinking, Shalini's pager beeped.

"Uh-oh… Captain, mujhe iss waqt KMA jaana hoga, ek emergency case aaya hai… I'll do one thing, main kisi ko yahan aapke saath baithne ke liye bhej deti hoon. Main subah mein hi aa paoongi, ok?" Shalini told him.

"Ok Doc, I'll see you in the morning then." Rajveer said to her, with a little hope thinking that she would send Naina to look after him.

Shailini gathered her stuff and headed downstairs to leave for KMA. It was only when she reached the hall did she remember that she had forgotten to send someone up to Rajveer's room to look after him and give him his medication. She was about to go upstairs to wake Navin when she passed by the den and saw Naina sitting there curled up near the fire lost in her thoughts. Shalini went inside the den and placed a hand on Naina's shoulder waking her up from her thoughts.

"Shalini ma'am, aap?" Naina asked, looking worried.

"Yes, actually mujhe iss waqt KMA jaana hoga, ek emergency case aaya hai and I have to go, baaki sab toh so gaye hai, isliye if you don't mind, kya aap Captain Rajveer par nazar rakhegi? He needs his medication in another hour. Main kal subah tak waapis aa jaoongi." Dr. Shalini asked Naina.

"Yes ma'am, main sir ko medication de doongi, aap jao… I'll handle everything here." Naina told her, feeling a little light-hearted.

"Thanks; here's the medicine. Captain iss waqt shayad jag rahe hai, you can go upstairs then. Bye."

"Bye ma'am." Naina said before she got up and went upstairs to Rajveer's room with the medicine's in her hand. When she reached his room, she knocked on the door before she entered the room to find that Rajveer was indeed awake.

"Naina, tum…?" Rajveer asked her looking a bit surprised and happy at the same time.

"Woh, Shalini ma'am ko KMA waapis jaana tha, isliye usne mujhe yahan bhej diya…" Naina said, trying not to meet his eyes.

"Naina…"

"Yes sir?" She replied looking down at her feet.

Rajveer got up from his bed and made his way to where Naina was standing.


"When I saw you standing there
I about fell off my chair,
when you moved your mouth to speak
I felt the blood go to my feet"

He stood about a foot apart from her and slowly he placed his hands on her shoulders and told her, "Naina, meri aankhon mein dekho." Naina did as she was told and when their eyes locked, Naina felt her heart beat faster.

"Now it took time for me to know
what you tried so not to show
something in my soul just cried
I see the want in your blue eyes"

"Naina…" Rajveer said again… he wanted to tell her how much he loved her then and there, but was hesitant about something. So was she. They both stood there their eyes looking into the others.

"Baby, I'd love you to want me
The way that I want you
The way that it should be
Baby, you'd love me to want you
The way that I want to
If you'd only let it be"

"To hell with it," he thought, "I've waited too long for this. Rajveer told himself and then removed his hands from Naina's shoulders and took her hands in his.

"Naina…"