Tormenting Mr. Gangster #2||CHap 44 Pg104 [SanDhir] - Page 43

"Good morning, Gossip girls!" Sahil exclaimed the moment he entered, gathering the two women's attention.

"What's cooking between you two?" he pointed at the empty cook top in between them.

"Nothing you should be involved in... unless you want to finish as spicy sahil limbs!" said Sanyukta trying to shoo him away.

"Hell No !" Sahil quickly answered, horrified by the idea, "And if you girls are done gossiping, can you please move ?" he asked pointedly.

"And why?" Vidushi clasped her arms near her chest.

"Because it's morning and it has been exactly 6 hours to when I last ate, I need to eat, I'm starving you cruel woman!" Sahil dramatically exasperated.

"Argh! Is there a time you don't starve, lazy bull!" replied Vidushi equally annoyed.

"And FYI we were not 'gossiping', we were discussing real life issues here" Sanyukta came to Vidushi's rescue.

"Yeah Riiight ! You mean relationship troubles?" Sahil looked at them to confirm his suspicions... "You four are hopeless" he added, rolling his eyes at the frowning ladies.

"Forget it...let me eat, now that's what I call a real life issue ! And it will soon become a life threatening issue, if I am not fed within the next 15min !" he finished.

Vidushi and Sanyukta looked at Sahil for a second before dismissing his comment...

"Men..." they both said shaking their heads.

***

"I'll take this to Randhir " said Sanyukta to Vidushi.

Sanyukta took the larger tray upstairs as Vidushi loaded two bowls to take them to dining table where Sahil and Parth awaited her.

***

"I was not expecting you to actually listen to me and bring me to eat" remarked Randhir as he noticed her entering with breakfast tray

"Then clearly you should stop thinking coz it's not your area of expertise!" she smirked back.

"Ahhh...That scissor like tongue of yours!" he chuckled looking at her.

"Okay now use yours and eat!" she adjusted the plate on his lap and got up to leave when she heard him calling her.

"Bring them all up in 30min, we need to plan our next moves" he informed her.

"Yes your highness, is there anything else I can be of assistance with ?" she mocked him.

"That would be all" he said with all the seriousness in the world.

Sanyukta scoffed in surprise...That awkward moment when your sarcasm is so advanced that people think you're actually being serious...Face palming herself, Sanyukta left the room.

***

Sahil shut the door behind, being the last person to enter.

Sanyukta and Vidushi stood near the wall, Parth was sitting on a chair next to Randhir while Sahil went over the edge of the bed.

"So... since Sameer is out of picture, our sole concentration should be on Raghav !" declared Randhir loudly. Despite his injured state, the powerful aura that usually came off him was still present... strong and authoritative.

Sanyukta couldn't help but admire the way he maintained himself, stout and proud.

"Unfortunately, since the last incident, he is on tight security" Sahil voiced his concerns.

"Indeed... And we have to find a breach...soon !..." announced Randhir, emphasizing on how mandatory it was.

"At least, we know where he is..." intervened Sanyukta. And thanks to whom ? she wanted to add... boasting her ego, patting herself in her mind...to her, bingo ! ...But now was not the time. Because what she was going to say next was probably going to double their concern.

"And... I've been informed about the duration of his stay at the hotel" she added, receiving the complete attention of the other 4 pair of eyes present in the room.

"I have been informed this morning that we have only three days to get Raghav before he checks out of the hotel..." she informed them..."...and before he leaves the country." she finished, waiting for their reaction.

"What ?!!!" exclaimed Sahil and Vidushi, while Parth and Randhir frowned at her.

"How do you know ? Are you sure ?" asked a panicking Vidushi.

"100% sure... I have sources... Falcon remember ?" she reminded them who she was.

Silence fell on the room while everyone processed this new piece of information and measure its consequences.

"And you didn't deem it important enough to tell us earlier ?" said Parth rudely, breaking the edgy atmosphere.

Seriously ?! thought Sanyukta. Fall on the hole but please do absolutely not blame yourself, blame the hole for being present at the wrong place !

"You guys should have known, aren't you keeping tabs on him or something ?... Besides I've only been informed this morning, okay !" retorted Sanyukta, glaring at Parth. Like hell they were going to pin that on her !

"Shit ! Shit ! Shit ! It means we have to act fact !" Vidushi said, anxiously rubbing her palms together.

"How will we manage in 3 days ?! ...We don't have enough time..." Sahil spoke up dejected.

"I agree...Three days are way too short..." Parth added, while Randhir silently contemplated the situation.

Wow wow wow, thought Sanyukta. The atmosphere escalated fast, it went from determined to panicky to dejected... she sighed, seeing the depressed looks on the gangsters' faces, Sanyukta decided to step in and knock some sense in them. Succumb to panic was not going to help in any way... they needed to think clearly now more than ever before.

"Guys ! ...three days are A LOT ...seriously, all we need is a good plan" Sanyukta asserted, gathering their attention once again.

"Come on guys, what if plan A didn't go as planned... just remember that there are 25 more alphabets !" she said looking at Sahil and Vidushi

From the corner of her eyes she saw Randhir's lips curve slightly.

"Look... I know...I know I shouldn't be interfering in your matters..." she started unsure of her words...

"But Raghav is also my target, and like hell am gonna let him fly away like that !" she determinedly announced. She was the kind of woman that won't give up no matter what, the kind of woman who, when she woke up in the morning, the devil said "Oh crap, she is up"... She had more than one trick up her sleeve !

"We can work together and come up with something, I am sure of it" she said, trying to motivate them.

"Listen, this isn't your computer or codes !... This is no some hacking game, this is far more dangerous. If we lose, we don't just lose data...we lose our life." Parth rudely retorted her.

"I KNOW OKEY ! I may not be a sniper or have any affinity with a gun for that matter but it does not mean I've never been in life threatening situations... I've seen and been there already , so don't you dare pull that card on me ! " argued Sanyukta loudly. Granted she was not as trained as them but she was familiar with those situation, being Falcon had put her on front line of danger. She had learn to deal with it in her own way... with proactivity, reactivity and ingenuity ! ... The fact that she was still alive and safe was proof of her efficiency and effectiveness!

"Okay...Why are you here in the first place ?. I'm sure it's not about helping rowdy criminals as you called us ?... what are your motives ?" Parth added further, not leaving the matter of her involvement.

"I have my reasons" she spoke with her hands on hips.

Randhir rubbed his temple with twitching nerve... Even though he was slightly irritated with Parth for speaking like that to Sanyukta, he had to admit he was himself curious to know her motives... They had made a deal back then, they would help each others, no questions asked... but the recent update on the situation was leaving no place for secrets ! If they wanted to catch Raghav before he left the country, they were going to need every little information they could get... the situation was far too critical to withdraw information.

"Reasons we would like to hear" intervened Randhir, staring at her.

Sanyukta looked taken aback by Randhir's intervention... She knew the look that he was giving her... the calculative look, he was assessing her... This new situation with Raghav had changed the rules, thought Sanyukta. Now even Randhir wanted to hear her reasons for being after Raghav... Besides, the recent update on their relationship status was not helping either... it was like he was expecting her to tell him her secrets now that they were a thing. That's exactly why they say to never mix business and pleasure... well too late !

"Fine!" she gasped, judging the pro and cons, she decided to tell them her reasons. At this point I think we all agreed ...Professional Secrecy be damned.

"I met a client named Monica, a month back... She was conned, raped and robbed of all her money and possessions by a guy." She said in one go, not dwelling on the gruesome details.

"She approached me and asked me to help her. Seeing her state I could not refuse... Upon doing some research, I found out who did this to her...The guy was Raghav" she inhaled deeply looking at Randhir straight in his eyes.

"I wanted to know more about him, that's why I went to the conference that day... when I met you again" she recalled their first encounter after he dropped her saying they will never see each other again.

"The papers you stole from me was his bank transaction log I hacked... money transfers to his Swiss account... Monica's money for that matter" she explained.

"You stole the papers from her?" Sahil intervened with amusement, "I thought she gave you those"

"Gave him? huh! He very skillfully slipped them away from my... me" she corrected by the end biting her tongue recalling the disturbing circumstances.

"I m glad you recognized my skills" Randhir smirked, recalling their kiss.

Sanyukta blushed under his intense stare and his implications... implications only him and her were aware of... enhancing the intimacy of the moment. They were almost sharing a private joke, funny.

Sanyukta cleared her throat before resuming her story "Back to topic... So that's it, I'm here for Monica... For her justice and that's my motive" she ultimately told them, anxiously waiting for their reaction. Usually she didn't give a damn about what other thought but this time... she was a bit nervous. Deep down she wanted Randhir to be proud of her... She wanted him to acknowledge her talent, admire her for what she did. She didn't do it for fame or money or recognition... but for once she wanted that, she wanted to impress him.

And it happened.

Randhir smirked. His smirk said it all. ...Like, like he wasn't expecting anything less from her. Like he knew that would be something she would do. And his playful smirk was a sign that he approved her actions !

There was nothing better than having the approval of someone you admired.

"What about you ?" she asked, getting back from her lala-land . Now that they knew her story, it was only normal they told her theirs.

Parth looked at Sahil who looked away. Vidushi looked at Randhir who seemed to be in his thoughts.

"So ?" she tried again. Everyone avoided looking at her.

She couldn't believe her eyes.

Randhir looked back at his injured arm and adjusted it, Sahil awkwardly cleared his throat while Parth exchanged a look with Vidushi.

"What are you waiting for ?! we don't have all day !" she exclaimed, exasperated with their behavior.

She was getting very impatient now. It wasn't like she asked for the US as her property. She just wanted them to tell her their motives, just like she did minutes ago, trusting them.

On the same lines, their silence testified of the level of trust they had on her...big, round, perfectly shaped zero... Sanyukta couldn't believe it, after all they went through together, after all she did for them... that was the place she held between them ?!... great, just f*cking marvelous !

"Sahil ?" she tried turning toward him, trying her luck with him.

He looked back at a silent Randhir then back at Sanyukta and mumbled a sorry looking away.

Of course, thought an annoyed Sanyukta. They were all loyal little ducklings when it came to their boss. If Mother Duck said not to speak they won't speak, if Mother Duck said to stand up, they will stand up, if Mother Duck said to dance, like loyal little ducklings they will start f*cking dancing ! ...Strangling mother duck seemed very tempting at the moment, but even though he deserved it, she didn't deserve to go to prison !

"Look..." Sahil started speaking but was cut mid-way by her. She very well knew that kind of 'look'. This was exactly the kind of look' you found on movies when the heroine was in the ICU and the doctor would calm the hero... Usually an awfully long and complicated explanation followed... gradually coming to the dreadful, heart chattering news you understood internally but didn't want to hear.

"You don't trust me right ? What do you think ? That I will call the police and expose your deeds?" she scoffed, she was way too enraged, way too hurt. Others she could tolerate not saying anything...but him... she just couldn't bear the fact that after everything he didn't trust her enough to tell her...

"What the f**k is wrong with you all ? I out of all places am staying here, leaving my kid back at home... I'm trying my level best to come into to terms with your barbarian ways of doing things...I am helping in every way I can... and what do I get in return ?" she roared pointing to all of them and toward Randhir in the end.

Still after her outburst, none spoke, leaving her stunned by their indifferent behavior.

This was the breaking point, she couldn't stay here anymore. She got the message loud and clear.

"Okay enough ! Am outta here !" she concluded and turned to leave.

"Sanyukta" Randhir called out for her... while nodding at the other trio.

Parth encircled his arm around Vidushi's waist and took her out carefully, Sahil followed them, leaving Sanyukta and Randhir alone in the room closing the door on their way out.

Sanyukta still was in no mood to turn back, half of her mind was proud to the fact that the classic factor of shouting and moving away worked wonders but her other half felt sad to the fact that after being with them for so long they still didn't trust her. Being mistaken for a raisin cookie when you were a pure hearted chocolate cookie was just not done !

"It has nothing to do with trust" her banter came to end as she heard him say, she turned to look at him, unprepared for the distant look in his eyes.

Sanyukta kept standing afar assessing his movement, as he worked on his words.

"It has been some time you're staying with us now...Tell me, Why do you think we're chasing Raghav?" he asked her, looking out of the window.

At the beginning she had to admit she thought they did that for money... but then she remembered the first night she saw him in a vulnerable state... the day he came drunk in her room... the day she had decided to help them. ...He had said something about saving children, from what ? that was still a mystery... she knew they had a rather strong motive but their discussed it in front of her. Now was her chance to get answers.

"At the beginning I thought it was for money... but lately am not so sure about it anymore." she told him honestly.

"Money ? Seriously?" Randhir chuckled, revolving his finger showing her the impressive house they stood in.

"Unfortunately, I can only hack into computers... Minds aren't my forte" she told him with a smirk, "So... enlighten me!" she asked him.

His facial expression went back to its original state, impassive.

"Unlike you..." he started slowly. "...we aren't here by choice."

Sanyukta saw his fist clench around the blanket on his legs. She walked back to the bed and sat on the diagonal corner to him.

"We were forced into this..." he said emotionless, his eyes wandering everywhere but not matching hers. Sanyukta could not help but notice the contrast between his clenched fist and the steadiness of his voice. The wound was still there, but years of ordeals and misfortune had hardened him.

"Forced ? What do you mean ?" Sanyukta tentatively asked him.

Randhir eyes finally found hers.

"Vidushi was 18 when her younger sister was abducted from their home, smuggled to gulf maybe..."

"But the article said she died..." Sanyukta wondered to herself, Randhir looked up at her.

"That's how he planned, he abducted girls with fake modeling assignments and then sold them off to gulf. The body they found wasn't hers it was some other woman dead on road accident. Raghav's men worked for the same"

Sanyukta couldn't trust her ears, human trafficking... children traffic... prostitution. Her hand went over her mouth. Now she understood Vidushi's determination... poor girl what she must have gone through knowing her sister had been taken, sold and most probably raped countless times...

"When ?" she asked, shaken by the news.

"6 years ago..." he told her.

"And what about Sahil... Parth?" Sanyukta inquired. " And you ?" she finally added, her heart was already aching for poor Vidushi, she didn't know if she could handle hearing the story that made Randhir the cold hearted man he was today.

"Sahil had a little bro... same story..." he disclosed.

"What about you ?" she asked again, anticipating his words, she knew they were going to pierce her heart. She closed the little distance between them and sat near him, taking his hand on hers, enterwing their fingers, conveying all the conform she could.

"Parth and I were neighbors" he started, drawing patterns on her Sanyukta hands.

"Raghav's men took Parth from his house... we were only 10 then."

Sanyukta tensed at his words...10, they were only a little kids... if these actions looked so awful in her eyes, Sanyukta wondered what they might have looked through a ten years old kid...

"Parth had always been sneaky..." he said with a sad smile. "He slipped off behind their backs..."

"When they came for me... My parents didn't agree to give up on me. They fought for me..." she felt Randhir hand pressing hers, he was hurting.

"...They fought with everything they could" Sanyukta noticed his frown lines tensing. For a moment she felt like halting him there to stop him for recalling those hurting memories but suddenly he met her eyes... cold, hard, distant.

"They killed them" he spoke with tears brimming his eyes.

"I kept sitting there under the table as my mother told me... I promised her and I couldn't do anything." he banged his fist hard on the mattress.

Sanyukta panicked on his state, never had she seen him this vulnerable, "I was paralyzed, mere spectator I was..." he was about to bang another one when she caught his fist midway.

Sanyukta's hand rose to caress his cheek. Her own eyes brimming with tears, Randhir's tear filled eyes finally met hers. Her actions strengthened him in a way, he gulped and closed his eyes.

"When they didn't find me they set ablaze the house" he continued his story, eyes closed.

"That's the reason why everyone thought I was dead"

"The reason the report said you're dead" Sanyukta completed his words caressing his cheek with her thumb, he nodded.

"I lost everything that day... everything" his voice died in the end.

"No more house, no more money, no more food, no more mom, no more dad,... Nothing" he listed his lost. Sanyukta caressed his chest up and down, ensuring him that he wasn't alone anymore, that he had someone on his side now, for him... he had her.

"Ironically my fake death is the only advantage serving me so far" he chuckled.

"See, I don't exist anywhere...anymore. I can be whoever I want... when in real I am no one" he said almost hysterically.

Sanyukta kept looking at him warmly, he was a man of circumstances, wounded and hurt. His hands found hers in an iron grip. She wanted to tell him that he was not no one, he was her love, her Mr. Gangster ! But she kept mum and let him finish his story, conveying her love, her care through her actions.

"Afterward I and Parth found each other...but we had nowhere to go... nothing to do... we stole and we struggled to make ends meet. Days passed but our condition just worsened... until we met him"

That caught Sanyukta's attention.

"Met who ?" she asked.

"Sir..." Randhir told her softly.

"He was the one who taught us survival, he helped us when nobody did. It was because of him we're still alive " he spoke raking his fingers through his hair.

How some people enter your life and give it a new meaning all together, someone to show you a way when the dark invades. Sanyukta's own thoughts went to Vardhan and how he helped her over coming her fears from that day, overcoming her paranoia after Arpita's death. How he convinced her to go ahead and strengthen up herself to fight for others who need her and her skills.

"You know...Some people come just to help us..." she patted his knee near her.

"Once I have him... I will make him pay for every kids life he destroyed, will make him pay every single children he took away, for every parents he killed " Randhir swore.

"Today I see no purpose other than this... I'm living on vengeance... I won't be at peace until I get my revenge... " he says angrily.

"I want to hear him cry, beg for mercy the way those little souls cried, the way my mother begged before him for me... I want him down at my feet upon my mercy"

"People says that revenge does not bring peace... but it is not peace I am looking for... I want to inflict him the same amount of pain he cause me, me and all the others children, I want to make him feel helpless... it won't bring me peace, it will bring me satisfaction !"

Seeing the intensity of his hatred, Sanyukta could only guess the level of hurt and hardship he must have went through, her heart ache for him.

"Shhh..." Sanyukta shushed him, pulling the vulnerable soul in front of her into a comforting hug. "We will take him down... We're close and we will show him his place" she ensured him. She wanted to hug his bad phase away, wish she could squeeze away his bad memories.

"Together we will take him down !" I promise you.

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

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