TS - When Tejawat kidnapped Paro note pg 8 21/6

"Bhabhi sa! Bhabhi sa!" Rudra called looking here and there as he covered the distance from his room to the kitchen in brisk strides.

"Arre Devar ji sa aap agaye?" (Rudra, you're back?) a surprised Maithili said shifting her attention from the sabzi she had given tadka to, to focus on her brother in law.

"Paro kahan hai? Kamre mein bhi nahi hai aur angaan mein bhi nahi hai...chaath pe kapde lene gayi hai kya?" (Where is Paro? She's not in the room or the angaan, has she gone up on the terrace to take down the washed clothes?) Rudra inquired slightly restless at Paro's absence. Usually she'd have tea prepared for him at this time, as he returned home from work. Today there was no sign of her even after he'd freshened up and changed. She must be upset with him after his outburst yesterday. Rudra hadn't taken kindly to Paro bringing Mala into the haveli and he vented his frustrations at Paro which he was regretting, he had to apologise but then again why didn't she understand him. All he wanted is to close the Mala chapter now and move on, he was ready to start a happy life afresh with Paro.

Maithili's features turned tense,"Paro toh apke paas ayi thi...kaha ke BSD se phone aya ke apne bulaya usko" (Paro came to meet you...she said there was a call from the BSD, you had called her) Maithili said slowly heart sinking, with each word she realised something was wrong. Paro was in trouble.

"Parooh" the name escaped Rudra's lips as he ran a hand through his damp hair. He could feel it, she was in grave danger, panic and fear ran through every cell in his body.

***

Paro didn't even have time to process what was happening, within a flash she was pulled forcefully off from the chakra by two pairs of strong hands. She was pushed hastily through the open door of a jeep. One and a half scream left her mouth before a handkerchief stifled them. Chloroform drove her towards unconsciousness, the image of her protector sprang to mind as her eyelids fluttered shut.

"Rudra" she called out to him in a soft desperate whisper.

***

"Humare soldiers ko bolo pura area chan mare...kisi ki chal hai ye, Paro ko BSD ka bahana kar ke ghar ke bahar bulvana...I'm sure iske peeche Tejawat ka haath hai!" (Tell our soldiers to search the entire area...it's someone's trap, calling Paro out of the house under the pretence of BSD, I'm sure Tejawat is involved) Rudra barked into the speaker, he was trembling with rage at whoever was trying to hurt his Paro. Of course it's Tejawat, who else can it be, no one else had any enmity with Paro. His foot slammed on the brake pedal causing the jeep to come to a screeching stop. It occurred to him that there was someone, someone who very much wanted Paro out of his life. Pulling out his phone he dialled a number he hadn't done in months.

"Laila!" He grunted in frustration as no one answered. He was sure Laila was involved too, how could he have overlooked the danger Laila implicated for Paro, he shouldn't have underestimated Laila's jealousy.

Aman called to inform Rudra they'd found the chakra driver on who's chakra Paro was riding. The chakra driver narrated the story of how Paro was kidnapped from the chakra to Rudra, whose grip on the steering wheel was growing ever tighter and frown on his forehead ever deeper. Instructing Aman to get their men to search for Laila, Rudra drove East, the direction the chakra driver had seen Paro being taken in.

Murder could be committed in merely seconds, he remembered how easily and quickly he killed Varun, watched the bullet race from his gun through Varun's head. It would be easy for anyone to kill Paro, she was so petite, so fragile, how would she stand a chance. Rudra internally pleaded with God and begged his stars that Paro be kept alive until he reached her, then he would see to it she remained safe.

Rudra's phone rang again, it was an unknown number.

"Ghani khama Major Rudra Pratap Ranawat," (greetings Major Rudra Pratap Ranawat) an all too familiar drawling voice of his biggest nemesis greeted Rudra over the phone.

"TEJAWAT!"

"Sahi pehchaana Major Saab," (well recognised Major Saab) Tejawat smirked, he was glad to find Rudra more desperate and weak right now than ever before.

"Agar Paro ko kharoch bhi ayi toh mein-" (if Paro even gets the tiniest of scatches-) Rudra fumed before Tejawat cut him off.

"Arre arre bana...apke hote hue Paro baisa ko kaise kharoch aa sakti hai...bhade rakshak bane phirte ho na, iss bar bhi bacha lena usse," (how can Paro get harmed...you're her protector so protect her this time as well)

"Paro kahan hai?" (Where is Paro?) Rudra demanded. He heard cows mooing, it had to be a herd somewhere, he thought.

"Humne socha tha ke apki maa ko lauta kar apse sohde baazi karle par woh toh pehle hi apke paas bhag ayi...aur apne nikal diya. Bhala ho Laila baisa ka jisne baataya apki dukhti naas ka naam Mala nahi Parvati hai...chaliye dekh lete hai aap Paro baisa ke liye kya kar sakte hai...Paro baisa ki jaan ke badle mein maare khilaf saare saboot mitah dejiye aur Paro ko le jaaye," (I thought I will return your mother to you and strike a deal, but she already came to you and you threw her out. God bless Laila for informing me that the name of your weak spot is not Mala but Parvati...let's see now what you can do for Paro...in exchange for Paro's life I want all evidence against me destroyed) Tejawat continued on arrogantly, he had pulled one over Rudra finally.

"Mujhe pehle Paro se baat karni hai" (I want to talk to Paro first) Rudra said, listening hard for anymore clues as to the whereabouts to where Tejawat was right now.

"Nahi ho sakti...unko behoosh kiya gaya hai...apki beendni kuch zyada hi chat patati hai, par aap se behtar ye kaun jaan sakta hai," Tejawat drawled on gleefully knowing this was tormenting Rudra. He never imagined Paro being more useful to him alive than dead.

"Photo?" Rudra growled through his teeth, his free hand balled in a very tight fist.

"Aap itni zid kar rahe hai toh teekh hai, ek photo bhej ta hoon Major saab, phir aap soch lijiye, apke liye kya zyada mehavapurna hai...Paro baisa ka jinda rehna ya mujhe giraft mein lena" (if you insist so much then fine, I'll send you a photo, then you decide, what is more important for you...Paro staying alive or arresting me) Tejawat said disconnecting the phone.

Within seconds Rudra's phone buzzed, Tejawat had sent a picture of an unconscious Paro. Rudra zoomed in, she looked peacefully asleep and unhurt otherwise. Rudra was confident Tejawat wouldn't kill her now, not when he had freedom to be gained from this deal. Zooming back out Rudra looked at the image careful, he knew this place. And then it clicked. He had to give it to Tejawat, he wasn't as stupid as Rudra was beginning to think he was, Tejawat had held Paro in a place where he knew Rudra would not search, after all who searched their own backyard when someone went missing.

Rudra swivelled the jeep around and headed South East towards the Ranawat godown to confront Tejawat and bring back his Paro.