Chapter 80
Madhu opened the door to find the kidnapper impatiently waiting for her on the other side. As she walked out, she swayed slightly to the side. Instinctively the kidnapper grabbed her arms to support her, and asked concernedly, "Are you okay?" Madhu cringed and took a step back to escape the touch of the person. "Don't touch me," she announced. "I was just trying to help you. You looked as if you were going to fall." the voice said hard and grim, but still holding on to a hint of concern. Madhu bit her lower lip, stopping herself from saying something sarcastic and hurtful. "If you don't mind could you hold on to the candle?" she asked. The kidnapper gazed at her at her sudden change and tried to figure out the root of this changed behaviour. Cautiously, the kidnapper extended one gloved hand to take the lit candle from her hand. As they walked towards the bed, she walked close to the kidnapper and as she swayed a little again she grabbed onto the kidnapper's hand for support. She walked close and tried to peek at the kidnapper's face but found that the kidnapper had a type of a gas mask that covered the nose and mouth. Who is this guy? Yes, he has to be a guy given his height and built. Maybe that mask also works as a voice scrambler so that I cannot recognise him. I need to find out who he is. I have to.
As they moved towards the bed, she swayed some more and this time around she let go completely and fell. The kidnapper immediately held onto her with his spare hand and pulled her up slightly. Struggling with Madhu's limp body in one hand and balancing the candle in the other, the kidnapper reached the bed and transferred Madhu on the bed. "Madhu... Madhu..." the kidnapper called out her name repeatedly as he held her face gently between the palms of his hands. When there was still no reaction from Madhu, the kidnapper got frantic and ran outside the room turning on the lights of the room.
He came running back with a bottle of water in hand and splashed some water on her face, in the same way one sees in the movies, when the girl has fainted and her loved ones are trying to bring her back to consciousness. When there was still no response from her, he started getting hysterical. "Oh God!! What should I do? Madhu wake up. You can't do this to me... Oh no...No...no..." He said pacing around the room. He began sweating profusely and looked into his jacket pocket for a handkerchief to wipe off the sweat off his brow and upper lip only to find the mask. He yelled out some profanities at the situation and took off his mask and threw it to the side in frustration, "Damn this mask."
Madhu's eyes shot open as she recognised his voice and turned to face her kidnapper. "You... but...but...why??" she asked in anger and confusion.
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Abby was surprised to see Akash when he walked into the house with Rishab and Adam. "Akash.." she called out running towards him, hugging him with everything she had. She cried for a while in his arms. And when she was reasonably calm she turned towards Rishab and hugged him. Rishab patted her on her back, "Look at me Abby... " and when she moved back a little, he looked into her moist sad eyes and with full conviction he said, "We will find Madhu soon."
Akash dug into the pockets of his jeans for a handkerchief to wipe away the tears of his beloved Abby when a piece of paper fell. Nobody noticed the piece of paper except for Rishab whose sharp eyes were noticing everything about everyone, since anyone of them could be the kidnapper.
He bent down and picked up the piece of paper. As he read the paper, his face turned red with fury. He turned towards Akash. "Akash.." he hollered and charged towards him, like a raging bull stampeding towards a soon to be dead matador. Abby fell back into Adam as Rishab grabbed Akash by the collar and raised him, like bullies at school trying to give a nerd a veggie. "Where is she?" he bellowed fiercely.
"Rishab what happened?" Adam and Abby held onto Rishab, trying to free Akash from the grip of death. Rishab tossed Akash towards a nearby wall like he weighed nothing more than a mere used hand-towel. Akash hit his shoulder against the wall and fell to the floor. "What are you talking about, Rishab?" Akash asked slowly rising from the floor holding on to his slightly hurt left shoulder. It took all of them, Abby, Adam, Mr. Malik and Maya to stop Rishab from going after Akash again. "Rishab, what is going on?" Mr. Malik asked Rishab as he tried to call him down. Rishab looked Mr. Malik in the eye, "He took Madhu", pointing towards Akash.
All of them turned to stare at Akash who looked more confused than a teenage girl who is trying to chose clothes for an evening out.
*******
"Why?... why are you doing this?" Madhu asked yet again. "Don't you dare turn away from me. I want my answers and I want them now." Madhu asked raising her voice at his silence, ire and indignation dripping from her voice.
He turned towards her slowly, furrowing his brow, "Don't pretend like you don't know." When she continued to remain silent, he laughed, a slow malice and scorn filled laugh, "Look around the room Madhu and then tell me you don't know the reason."
It was now that she changed her focus from her culprit who stood before her unremorseful to take in the room itself where she spent hours or days as a hostage and recoiled in disgust as she looked at the walls, all of them covered in pictures and paintings of her. She began shaking as fear took over. She covered her mouth with her hand to keep from screaming out. As she was looking around distracted, he moved closer and closer, so close that he sniffed her hair, taking in her vanilla scent. Startled, she turned around facing him and stepped back finding him so close to her, still covering her mouth to stop the screams, which she knew once escapes she won't be able to stop. He grabbed her by the shoulders and brought her close, close enough to whisper in her ear, "Now you know how much I love you Madhu."
*******
He took two big strides and stood in front of Akash, "Just tell me where you have kept Madhu and I might just spare your life." "I don't understand.." Akash tried explaining. "Don't..." Rishab yelled, loud enough to wake the dead Pharaohs in Egypt. He raised the piece of paper to his face. "Now try lying to me." Akash was silent as he looked at the paper. "No more lies, Akash, no more lies."
Akash nodded slowly. He looked over Rishab's shoulder at Abby and hoped she would at least believe him. "Fine... I came in the same night Madhu disappeared."
Adam moved forward equally ready to pounce on Akash because now it wasn't just about his friend Madhu but also his sister Abby. "Why did you lie to us then? And what is this piece of paper?"
"Yes, I did lie. But believe me when I say there was no hidden malice or agenda behind my lie. I did come that same night but didn't tell you guys because I didn't want to look like a fool."
"What do you mean?" Abby stepped forward wanting answers.
"I arrived at the Mumbai Airport and took one of those airport cabs to your place Abby," he said looking at her in the eye, "and that piece of paper is the proof, it is the bill for the ride. The bill will tell you the location and time too, Andheri to Mahim. And I swear Abby I sat outside your apartment all night waiting for you. I wanted to surprise you. But when you didn't turn up till morning, I went over to Rishab's place."
"If that was it, then why did you lie?" Abby probed. Akash managed to turn a little red. "Because I didn't want the guys to think I was whipped." At last Abby smiled at his cuteness.
"But what about the paint on your sleeve?" Rishab inquired not ready to clear Akash so easily.
"Oh that... Abby's building is undergoing a painting job. It must have rubbed off on my sleeve when I was there."
Adam, Abby, Maya and Mr. Malik were satisfied with the explanation and believed him. They all turned towards Rishab for his response. Akash looked at Rishab as he stared back at him. Finally Rishab crumpled up the bill and tossed it aside, "Don't ever lie to me again. That will be the end of us." Akash nodded in acknowledgement.
*******
Madhu shivered in pure unadultrated fear as she watched him talk to her with that crazed gleam in his eyes. "You want more proof?" He whispered bending a little, so that he could look her in the eye. "I will give you more proof." He took the glove off his left hand and lifted up his sleeve to his elbow. She let out a stiffled scream as she saw his bruised arm, where he had carved out his proof of love, Sikander loves Madhu
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
