Chapter 44
Mala apologised to the fallen young officer, "I don't want to hurt you. I'm sure you are a nice man like my Devarsa, but if I let you go further you will arrest my husband." She pushed him aside and went to inform her husband. "Thakurainsa, you look scared. We are halfway through. One shipment of those special ghagras have been delivered. We will load the rest tonight . By this time tomorrow we will be free. Hopefully I will be able to buy something pretty for these hands that have always helped me," he told his wife lovingly kissing her hands. She shook her head, they couldn't wait till tomorrow. They had to leave now. There was already a BSD officer she had spotted in the dungeons whom she hit from the back. He will be conscious soon and call for back up. She was frantic and his thoughts turned to Ranavat. Was he the officer in his dungeon? How did the BSD know about this? He rushed to the tunnels ordering his men to load the goods immediately. He took a small vial of morphine along. If the unconscious man was young Ranavat then it would mean he is here alone with no back up as usual. His gentle wife's attack would have been feeble and not keep him out of action for long, morphine is necessary. He knew there was a risk that he is awake and recognize his mother since she was tailing him. But things were too critical he couldn't leave her unprotected anywhere.
She knew the fight or flight look on her husband's face. The last time he was this anxious was on Shivratri when he feared arrest. He didn't have the patience to explain why. He just drugged her and carried her away from her home. She was expecting to meet her son and his bride that day. She had wanted him to marry a girl as sweet and loving as Paro and was eager to know whether he honoured his mother's wish though she never had a chance to tell him that. Later that day, her husband apologised for hurting her. He was in a hurry and her questions were delaying him. It was the first time his touch had been anything but gentle and loving. She was still angry with him and found it hard to forgive him for drugging her. Though it was for her own good, she would have preferred that he had taken the time to explain things. Maybe she was just being foolish, fate was against him that day and time a precious resource. He then explained that they couldn't meet him anymore as they were now fugitives on the run. That hurt more than she thought it would, will she never meet her son again? Will she never see the fine young man he had become or meet his beautiful bride? Her husband had told her that she couldn't contact him any more for his own good. She never understood that part. She was his mother, the one who brought him into the world. Won't he long for her and miss her? So what if he was a BSD officer following in the Ranavat family tradition? Won't she come first as his mother? He told her that as a BSD officer her son will have to take action against them or his career will be ruined. She stopped in her tracks, what if the man she hit was Rudra? She didn't see his face before striking. But how did her son look, she knew he had her eyes and was tall and handsome. She tried to remember the man who bumped into her on her son's sangeet function. "Thakurainsa? It's nothing to worry about. I just to make sure that the officer stays unconscious till we leave, that's all", Tejawat told his wife. He held out his hand and she grabbed it for support. She needed to trust her husband and he needed her support.
Rudra looked around when he came to his senses few minutes later. This was the second time in his life was hit by a woman. Whoever made the rule about not raising a hand against women should make them behave themselves too. He realised that he was in store room full of red ghagras. He couldn't stand red ghagras after seeing Paro spend days in hers. It brought back memories of her gut wrenching scream from when she realised that he had single handedly massacred the entire bridal party. He just wanted to go over and meet her, when he almost tripped over a green dupatta. He stabled himself against one of the boxes and kicked it. He noticed that the boxes were similar to the ones he saw in shop at Sanganer. He remembered the owner telling him why the red one was more preferred. He held the red one and the green one close to compare. When he heard footsteps approaching. He held his gun ready to and slowly nudged the door open. "Sumer! What are you doing here?" he asked realising that it was just his cousin. "Don't shoot you crazy camel, I saw your jeep parked under that tree for a long time. I thought you might need help," he replied. "You came alone to help? Did you at least call Aman?" he asked wanting his junior partner here. Sumer shook his head, he had tried his number but the officer hadn't picked up the call. He was with Paro, Rudra remembered and hoped she managed to say No. He looked at his cousin, the only help for now. "What's the difference between these two dupatta apart from the colour?" he asked holding two similar pieces of cloth. Sumer observed that the green one had more mirrors and stones. He was right but then why was the red one heavier, Rudra wondered aloud. He took a closer look at the border when he noticed it was soft. "Sumer, stand near the door and tell me if someone is coming," he instructed and ripped the stitches off the fabric with his army knife. He wasn't too surprised when he found drugs hidden between the two material. This was good, more evidence piling up against his favourite villain.Tejawat had obviously run out of money. That meant he was getting desperate. And crooks like him usually make mistakes when cornered, fatal mistakes. And his new associates may not think twice before ratting him out if questioned. The BSD won't have any trouble nailing him for all his crimes. His mission was as its climax and nobody is going to stop him from arresting Tejawat. If she was here, he wouldn't be far away. Someone will soon come to check on the injured officer. If he was lucky, she will bring her husband to him. It was just a matter of time.
"Someone is coming, I can hear noises," Sumer cautioned his cousin. He was knew whose home lay at the end of the tunnel. He hoped Rudra will give him his firearm or at least that little knife just in case but he just had to be satisfied with a big shaft. "You don't have a licence for a gun and you will only hurt yourself with the knife. But don't worry if you use the stick well, you can knock out anyone" said Rudra remembering how Paro once used it to attack him. "Do I hit anyone who comes through the door?" his cousin wanted to make sure. Rudra nodded, they had to hit first and ask questions later. He then added that there was a woman working with these men so if it is her to strike softer blows. "Rudra, do you think its.." Sumer couldn't complete the question as he looked into his eyes. His cousin knew that the truth was out, this meant the rest of the Ranavats might be aware too, that Mala was now Tejawat's wife. He braced himself for seeing her again after all these years. An odd memory came to his mind of his mother bringing a candle for him so that he could see better in the dark and doesn't loose his way. She had burnt her finger for her efforts when the hot wax fell on her. He wanted to laugh at the twist of Fate. Once more he couldn't see in the dark and was a little lost. She was bringing him Tejawat, helping him and burning more than her hand. That day he poured cold water on her hand gently to soothe the pain. But today he will pour oil on the fire till it incinerates both her and her smuggler-husband.
"Aagh!" Tejawat screamed in pain as a heavy blow landed on his back. His wife held on to his stumbling form. He steadied himself with her support and noticed that his enemy and her son where right in front of him pointing a gun to his face. Rudra tried to keep his emotions in check at seeing his mother after fifteen years. The mother whom he loved more than anything in the world, the only person whom he had expectations from, was standing with his greatest foe. He never really blamed her for leaving his father. He had known enough then to see that she was unhappy. He knew now that his father was a person not easy to live with especially when he is drunk and depressed. But she was his mother too along with being Ranavat's wife. She should have shielded him from the harsh childhood he went through like Kakosa did. Instead she was just selfish and abandoned him to the cold and cruel world. Even wild animals take care of their young until they are able to take care of themselves, she didn't. She owed him an explanation, there was nothing more he wanted from her. Her arms supporting her husband made it easier for him to remember that she preferred being Tejawat's wife to his mother. It was clear where her loyalties lay. He released the safety of his firearm. "Don't shoot. We want to negotiate. We'll even co-operate with the investigation. We'll tell you who all is involved and help you reconnect with the former brides. Whatever happened with Paro baisa is unfortunate but the other girls are happy with their lot. Let me and my husband go," Mala pleaded. Rudra wanted to laugh, the woman still believed they had a chance of getting away even after they were found having illegal amounts of drugs in their possession. At least she wanted to save her husband along with her own skin, so she had changed a little bit. "We know everything needed about this case. Your former employees are in my custody awaiting trial. Most of your contacts have already turned approvers and support the BSD's official stand. The so called happy brides of Birpur who are still alive will be returning home shortly. The rest were killed mercilessly when they crossed the border. Don't you think you deserve a reward in prison after destroying those girls. So why should I let you two go? Your arrest is the only things left to do," he told her grimly remembering how close Paro was to reliving Nandini's life, if she had crossed the border.
Tejawat knew he was cornered, the only thing that could save him is if his wife reconciled with her son. Surely Ranavat wouldn't hurt his own mother and his wife wouldn't betray his trust. The son will save his mother and his wife will save him. But he had to wait before playing his final card. The young officer either didn't recognise his mother or didn't care about her. His firm stance and impersonal words were proof of that. Sumer was glad to observe that his cousin seemed in control of the situation rather than fall into pieces like what he and his uncle anticipated. Mala didn't know what to do, this officer didn't want to budge. But she didn't understand what her husband was waiting for. "Thakursa, tell him the truth. We made an error in judgement by sending ammunition along with Paro baisa's baraat this year. But we accept our fault and want to make up for it. It's our associates who have cheated us if some girls weren't taken care of well. Besides most of them are living happily with their families and will testify to that if we call them" she defended their actions remembering what her husband told her about Nandini being happy with her in-laws. Rudra didn't understand how she could casually state that arms smuggling an error in judgement, "Don't insult my intelligence by pretending that this is a one time occurrence?" Tejawat replied that they didn't have evidence saying that the other baraats were fake too. Besides he had the paperwork to prove that only legally permissible items were transported across the border. Rudra turned to him and gave him a wry look, "We both know how fake those papers are, Tejawat. I don't know how many people you bribed to get away with this for so long but you are at the end of the line. Did it occur to you how many people will die because of your greed for money? And have you ever bothered about any of those girls after their bidaai? Did you try and contact any of them?" he raised his voice. Tejawat fumed and got closer to attack him when his wife held him back. Sumer tightened his grip around the shaft expecting a fight to break out soon. Mala tried to control the situation by holding her husband back. " Officersa, I loved those girls like my own daughters. I entrusted their future to men I had known for fifteen years. But once married they should be allowed to run their own homes without any interference from their mothers. That's the price of raising a girl, you will love her with all your heart knowing that she will leave you someday," she said remembering little Paro playing around her home. He lost it when she spoke of daughters, hadn't he seen what Nandini's life was reduced to. "You are a heartless woman, don't act!" he yelled at her. "Watch your mouth!" Tejawat shouted back as he lunged at him. Rudra lost his footing as the heavier man fell on him. Sumer whacked him hard till Mala pushed cardboard boxes on him, tripping him. Rudra managed to free himself. His gun had fallen off during the scuffle, so he used his bare hands to attack the villain. He grabbed him by his collar and smashed his head on the wall. "Let him go or I'll shoot" she said, her voice trembling with fear as she held his own gun to his temple. He hoped that Sumer would do something soon. But Sumer was busy typing a message on his phone to Aman. They needed help and hopefully the message will get across in time. "Thakurainsa don't" Tejawat told his wife. But she shook her head she won't let anyone hurt him. He was her husband, the only thing that was left for her. She had given up a lot to be with him, giving him up now was asking for death itself. "You will regret it, if you shoot" he tried warning again. Nobody budged, neither his wife nor her son. His wife who was the kindest person he ever knew was determined to take a life. And her son who was the most ruthless soldier he had ever seen didn't flinch when faced with death. He knew he won't die, he would have to face trial and maybe be imprisoned for his actions. She might have the same future, but it would be ten thousand times worse if she takes the life of this particular officer. He couldn't let that happen, "Mala, this is your son, Rudra Pratap Ranavat."
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