Farishtey (last part: Pg 114) 2/10 - Page 29

Part 10:

"Sree?? Tum yaha kya kar rahe ho??" Arjun was surprised to see him there.

Sree looked ahead and saw a surprised Arjun. Of course, he wouldn't have expected him there. Anjali and Karan were looking at each other getting a hint of tension building up.

Sree moves closer to Arjun and stands infront of him. This Arjun was very different from the old Arjun in the outer look. The crisp shirt in changed to a vest and a jacket pulled over it. The tidy kept hair is now found free. But he knew well, only the outer look was changed.

There was still a fire in those eyes. The face maybe hard, but the eyes display some emotions at heart. The jaw was hard and a nerve was still throbbing on the temple, indicating the think process inside that head, making and remaking innumerable possibilities if anything and everything he was watching. And now it just showed the surprise of watching him infront.

"sorry sir, puche bina hi agaya. Aapne call nai ki... aur waise bhi ek-do din off lene wale the... socha aapse milu..."

There was a silence in air. Arjun looked up and saw Karan and Anjali watching them. "come in..." he said and walked in. Sree just looked back at Karan and Anjali and followed Arjun to the garage.

Anjali looked back at Karan. "ye wahi hai na, jo hospital me the?"

"haan... lagtha hai, purane teammate hai... Sir jo bula rahe hai... shayad unme se hai, jo uss din bach gaya tha"

"hm... par wo ab kyu aye hai?"

"patha nai... let them talk. Waise achi bath hai, Shera ko unke asli teammates se milne ka chance bhi mila"

Anjali saw Karan abruptly going back to his work.

"aisa nahi hai ke wo hum logonse dur rehna chahthe hai. Jo unke sath hua, wo bhoolna bhi uthna asaan nahi hai na? Par fir bhi hum sabke bare me fikar hai. Lekin zyada dikhathe nahi hai"

Karan knew it well too. He smiled and looked up at Anjali. "oye Nani Maa, meine kab kaha ke use hamare fikar nahi hai? Mein bas ye keh rahe the, ke use apne purane zindagi se aise bhaagne ke zaroorath nahi hai. Haan, wo puri tharah apne duty bhoola tho nahi hai, par fir bhi, ye uska duniya nahi hai. Uske duniya wahi hai..."

"hm... wo tho hai"

"ab wo sab chodo aur mujhe wo spanner paas kar do"

"ye wali?"

"oye wo spanner nahi hai. Kya re Einstein, spanner nahi patha hai?"

"oye mechanic saab, mein koi garage me nahi, balki hospital me paida hui thi.. ab samjhe ya samjhau?"

"copy cat!!"

"ji nahi... its Anjali!!"

Their banter went on. Mean while inside the garage, Sree was looking around. It was well kept, and Arjun had walked to a place that seems like his work station. There was a table, 2 chairs, bulbs to light the region, a few drawers etc. Arjun nodded at the chair and Sree sat down placing his bag on the table. Arjun just stood infront of him, supporting the chair's headrest in his hands. "yaha kyu aye ho, Sree? Akhir tum kya chahthe ho?"

"sir, mein bhi wahi chahtha hu, jo aap chahthe ho. Par mere samajh me ye nahi aya, ke aap abhi bhi ithna time kyu lerahe ho?"

Arjun looked disturbed.

"sir please... we need to look into it. Please..."

"aur tumhe kya lagtha hai, ke meine kuch dhoondne ke koshish nahi kiya? I tried from my side too, Sree. Par kuch nahi mila. Uss minister, aur dongi baba, aur kuch beiman officers ke alawa kuch nahi mila."

"mujhe patha hai ke aap koshish ki hai, lekin wo video... wo un logonko kaise mila? Sir, mujhe patha hai hamare office ke systems ke bare me. Its not that easy to crack from outside, unless someone try from inside. Aur uss hadse me sirf 4 log hi... (he stops), aur fir pure office band kar diya... kisine ye dekhne ke koshish nahi kiya ke wo kaun tha jo ander se khela hai. Even I didn't think about it. Aur jisne bhi ye kiya hai, use gum hone ka poora time mila. Kyunki sab aapko arrest karne me aur aap pe ilzaam lagane me tule hue the. That person is still out there sir. He/she is still free out there"

Arjun gathers what he is implying. Even he hadn't thought about this angle before.

"tho tum karna kya chahthe ho?

At last Sree was seeing a silver lining. "Sir, hume ek bar wapas office jana hoga. Mujhe check karna hai. Sare systems ko block kar diya hai. Tho kuch bhi internaly check karne se pehle higher officials ke permission lene hoge"

"aur upar se enquiry aye tho...? ithne sare formality ke kya zarooratha hai? Jo hume chahiye, wo khud kyu nahi dekhthe?"

Sree smiled. There he is. The one who was ready to break all protocols to get justice.

"sir... firbhi... ek bar..."

"tum actually kisse puchna chahthe ho?"

Sree knew the reference. Obviously he wanted to know if Rathod was inside the loop.

"hm... Rathod sir aur Coehlo sir"

Arjun thinks for a while. "Coehlo sir se mein bath kartha hu.wahi kafi hai"

The stubborn Rawte was not yet dead. "ok sir"

They sat silent for a while. "sir... aap yaha kab thak...?"

"patha nahi"

"are you comfortable here sir?"

Arjun looked directly at him. "agar aish aur aram ke bare me puch rahe ho tho math pucho. Par haan, yaha pe kisiko koi jawab nahi dena padtha hai. Issi bath se sukoon bhi hai"

Sree sat looking at him for a while. "you mean, yaha pe kisiko apke chinta nahi hai?"

He stood silent. "nahi sir, galath socha aapne. Yaha pe bhi sabko apka fikar hai. Meine dekha hai sir, uss din hospital me. Shayad aapne wo miss kar diya"

Arjun was analysing the guy infront of him.

"kafi badal gaye ho tum Sree. Kafi bath karne lage ho"

"karna padtha hai sir. Agar meine ab thak kuch seekha hai, wo bas yahi hai, ke jo bath kehna hai, use keh deni chahiye. Sahi waqt ke intezaar kare, tho wo bas nikal jathe hai. So aajkal jo kehna hai, wo keh dethi hu"

Arjun felt it deep inside. What Sree told was absolutely true. Had he not missed it everytime. Was it not the main reason, that Sam is still Rathod infront of him?

Though he had said it in his every breath, still he felt he had missed it saying to Roshni how much he had loved her.

He had missed to say that he was proud of that person who had shown immense courage to change from a simple normal girl to the one who sacrifice her life for the ultimate good.

He missed it to say that he too cared for that person who had tried to bring in a smile in his face even though she was annoying at times.

He had missed it to say that the team was his only family left.

He was silent and so was Sree. Their trance was broken when they heard a knock at the door. They turned to see Simi with two cups of tea. "Anjali ne bathaya ke mehman aye hai" she walked in and gave the tea cups to them. "pehle kyu nahi bathaya Arjun?"

Sree looked up. She was indeed calling Arjun Sir with just his name. Arjun saw that surprised look. Simi turned to Sree. "hi, myself Simran ya sirf Simi. Aur aap?"

"Sree. I mean Sreekant Sen"

"oh great. (turning to Arjun) Arjun, mein bahar kuch shopping keliye jarahi hu. Kuch chahiye"

"no"

"ok, Anjali bhi mere sath arahi hai"

"koi zaroorath nahi hai. Tum is shopping ke chakkar me use yaha waha chodke aoge. She will stay here."

"please... Mr. Arjun, mein bhi jau?" Anjali was at the doorway. Sree saw her walking in to Arjun. "hum zyada nahi ghoomege. I promise. Bas jo lena hai, wo leke ayege"

Arjun looks at them for a while. "ok, jaldi wapas ana"

"ok... chalo Di" Simi and Anjali walks out. Sree had witnessed Arjun changing to a head of family role for a sometime.

"bohot ache log hai..."

"hm..."

They sipped the tea silently. "kaha reh rahe ho?"

"guest house me room liya hai"

"hm..."

"Sir kya aap kabhi bhi, wapas office gaye the?"

Arjun nods no. "mein ek bar gaya tha. Last time Rathod sir ke sath. Bohot ajeeb lag raha tha."

"hm..."

The words were ceasing again. "aaj rath ko Coehlo sir se bath karunga"

"ok sir, tho fir hum kal milthe hai."

"hm"

"I'll call you sir" Arjun nods and Sree gets up to go. There was no farewell, he just walked away.

That night, Arjun called Coehlo after a long time. He was surprised. Upon asking, he mentioned that Sree wanted to check something in the old ETF office and so wants the permission to carry on. Coehlo was ok with it. He gives permission and later calls Sree. Sree gets information about the systems, and upon agreeing to Arjun's wish, Coehlo keeps this information among them itself. None of he other officials knew about it. He shared some needed documents to Sree that would help them to analyze the situation.

***

Next day:

Kiran gets a call from his boss to reach Pune for a work. He is confused why such small works are given to him. But he had stopped questioning and so goes on with it.

Same time Boss was not ignorant of whats going on in Mumbai.

"kya patha chala?"

"uske biwi aur ek beti hai. Biwi ek nurse hai. Abhi koi kaam keliye shehar se bahar hai. Beti ko ek dusri jagah choda hai... aur waha... uske sath..."

"aage bolo..."

"saab wo..."

"meine kaha bolo!!"

"wo bachi ab 3-4 logonke sath rahthi hai. Aur unme se ek hai... purane ACP... jo ETF me..."

Sikandar looks up. He tries to read the unsaid words. "Arjun Rawte?"

The man nods yes. He is calm for a while and later he breaks into laughter. The one that showed the upcoming storm, the one that will bring in only distruction.

"wah!!! Kya bath hai"

The boss wipes the water from his corner of the eyes. He had laughed so hard indeed.

"iss kehthe hai... Circle of life. Har kisika kundali ek dusre ke hath me hai. Ab ek hath chodu tho ek sath najaane kithne log girege... wah!!"

"aage kya karna hai saab?"

"abhi kuch math karo. Pehle sabko ek dusre ke hath teekh se pakadne do. Patha hai, sabse bada thakath aur kamzori kya hai?"

The man nods no. "ummeed!! Wahi sabse badi thakath hai. Aur sabse badi kamzori bhi. Thode waqt do sabko. Sabkeliye ek waqt hai!! Game tho suru hone wala hi hai!!! Bohot maza ane wali hai!! Dekhthe jao!!"

He smiled to the plans that was unknown to others. The devil in him has risen. It may strike at any moment.

***

ETF office:

Arjun and Sree moved as casually to the doorway, but only they knew the inner turmoil. The deserted door was as haunting as before. They parked the jeep and walked in.

The corridor had a tight air, one that hurt the ears. Silence was too much that even the heartbeat seemed scary. They moved silently to the inner hall that gave way to all the different rooms. Sree had been there once with Rathod. But for Arjun, it was a run through the mist.

Sree looked over at Arjun who had gone as hard as a stone. Sree moved to his cabin as he knew Arjun won't miss his presence.

He walked in to the hall. The way that had a railing on a side came handy. He had to hold on to it. The cold metal felt warm in his colder palm.

The cabin at the start once belonged to the Cheif. He had barged into that room many times. And later he had passed that room when it was vacated. But never before it looked as deserted as of now.

His own cabin was next. He stood at the glass door. The table was empty now. The couch in the side looked dusty. The racks didn't have any file. He saw his own leather chair turned away. The cabin had been his room when he spent the sleepless nights over there. He stood for a more seconds and walked out.

The conference hall. He walked in. The room that had more memories than that it could hold. Some silly pranks and calling names when he was supposed to be not looking. The care and concern. The path breaking discoveries. The arguments. The assessments.

Sometime memories could be so haunting that it seems hard to shut it down. He felt a distant call from his side. He couldn't gather the source. "Sir..." Sree was in his side. He turned.

"sir mere system khul gaye hai... kya aap?"

He nodded and joins him in the cabin. "sir meine Coehlo sir se kehke wo videos mangwayi thi. Ye dekhiye"

He saw himself, shouting at the team. He could see the concern over their face, it was pricking his heart. Sree saw it and paused it. "sir, ye video uss corridor me hai. Yani camera number 12 se. Ye camera hamare hi hai. Ab dekhna hai ke isse tap kaise ki hai."

"kahi hack kiya tho nahi?"

"nahi sir. Dekhne me tho aise nahi lag raha hai. Kahi koi bug fix kiya hai. Hume wahi dhundna hai"

"wo tho ab thak nikaal chuke hoge."

"haan. Par uske nishan mile tho... we can be sure ke kisine kiya hai. Nahi tho, koi aur rasta dhundni hogi."

"ok... chalo..."

Sree and Arjun moves to that camera. He looks at the old camera. Nothing special is seen. They check onto the box that contained the concealed wires. They were cheking each wire when Sree's mobile rang from his cabin. "sir mein abhi aya"

He walks to the cabin and saw a name blinking in. He almost gasps seeing it.

He thinks for a while and then takes it. "hello.."

"Sree, kaha the tum? Koi kaam me busy ho?"

"nahi sir... wo mein... aap kahiye... kaise call kiya?"

Sameer shuffles the papers. "Sree, ek bath puchna tha. System related hai. Kya EMI number se..."

His word stopped when he heard something on the other side. "SREE!!"

Sameer could easily identify the voice at the other end. But how?

Sree knew the meaning of the silence. Rathod Sir must have heard the voice. "Sree.." Arjun came forward and saw a frozen Sree on phone.

Sameer took a breath and tried to speak up. "Sree... kaha ho tum?"

Sree was worried to answer it. "Mumbai"

Sameer closed his eyes, wishing he was not thinking it right. "Mumbai me kaha?"

Sree took a whole moment. He saw Arjun looking at him. He might have guessed the situation. And on the other end Rathod Sir was waiting. "Mumbai me kaha, SREE?" Frustration was clear over there.

"ETF office me, Sir"