Paro felt a stab in her heart. She needed to remind herself that on those ill-fated desert sands, he was just an officer on duty. It was months before she meant anything more that a bystander to him. "Then why did you? You could have arrested him. Let the law take its course. Why did you spill his blood?" Shantanu screamed at him. His face glowed with a clear conscience, the same way it did when he was cross examined in court, the same way it did when he stood in the desert facing a man pointing a gun at a sleeping head. "I am an officer of the BSD. I have taken an oath to protect those who call this land their own. He threatened the life of a civilian in exchange for his freedom. I couldn't let him get away. I know you might never understand this but what I did that day is something I will never forget," he declared.
Across town, VK Singh was furious. His little girl was being held as a hostage. Officer Aman was hiding things. And Rudra? He didn't know how he was involved but this situation screamed Rudra. Only he would be crazy enough to risk his own wife for a mission. He bumped into Geethanjali on his way out. "I thought you just got back. Look what I got for Paro. She'll love this," she said showing her purchases. He gave her weak smile and replied that he had some urgent work to get to.
He drove down quickly to the venue of their so called drill. He saw Aman and Sumer were waiting by a open hatch. "Aman what is going on? Why isn't anyone getting Paro out?" he asked. Aman explained that Rudra was down there doing just that. "By himself? Why isn't anyone with him for backup?" he shouted. Aman explained that since it was a hostage situation they decided to use more tact than firepower. The general glared at him. It wasn't that much different from the time when he had to protect his only witness, Sumer joked.
Aman took him aside and told him to call Dilsherji with some excuse before he starts to worry. He then went back to the general. "It's her ex-husband's brother, Shantanu. He is after them to avenge his death," Aman revealed. General Singh asked why this was kept from him. "Rudra sir was angry that you hid the details of the car bomb in Delhi," Aman replied truthfully. VK Singh asked him who was the boss of whom? Aman smiled, "When it comes to Paro we all know who is boss."
The general couldn't sit tight even though his best was at the case. There was one more player in this who would know about this Shantanu. He made a short call before storming off. Aman sighed in relief. Had it been anyone but his sister, he wouldn't have spoken so rudely to a commanding officer.
VK Singh signed a register at the Jaipur central jail. The warden was confused, "The prisoner you want to meet is a very quiet man who just sits and writes in a book. His only visitor is his wife whom he used to avoid but her persistence forced him to meet her. You see, he loves her tremendously and can't say no. I don't think he would be involved in anything wrong." The general replied that he just needed some information.
They walked along the cold prison where men were languishing in various stages of apathy. They didn't care who was with them, where they lived or even what they wore. They didn't wonder about the families they had to leave or even their victims who put them here in the first place. They seemed to have stopped living in any manner that counts. They were the life convicts.
At the end of the corridor, was the cleanest of the prison cells. The prisoner heard the jingle of keys and said without looking, "Wardensa, you are early. My poem isn't ready yet. You will have to come back later." The warden replied that he had a guest. He looked at the wall where he had crossed the days left for his Mala to visit. She was early. Was something wrong?
The general looked at the well groomed man in prison clothes. Even in jail he looked like a king in exile not like a treacherous monster. He had the same quality that he had seen in Dilsher and Rudra. In another time, they would have sat high on a throne and lorded over thousands. They were born leaders who knew how to win the loyalty of their people. They were natural commanders, who would guide their soldiers to victory. Was that the power he was trying to retain so badly?
He placed his glasses down and asked, "How can I help you General saab?" He rose from his chair as his guest walked in. He showed him the bed, "I hope you don't mind but a desk and this chair were all I could wrangle out of these prison guards. But they give me as much paper and pencils to continue my writing, I can't ask for more."
The general nodded and sat down. The man looked too peaceful to be the terrorist who destroyed so many lives. "Paro has been kidnapped and I need information," he said. Tejawat raised his eyebrows in surprise, all his associates save Mala were behind bars. And she will never do anything to harm that girl. "I honestly have no idea about it. I wouldn't even have predicted that with the human shield she married?" he asked.
The general mumbled that he was with her but he was taking too long to negotiate with the assailant. "Then nothing to worry. That man will move heaven and earth for his wife. We are alike that way. For my Mala's happiness I have removed myself here but the dear woman can't keep away. She doesn't realise that as long as I am in her life he won't take her back." The general replied that by doing that she may not gain his affection. But she was earning his respect and that counted too. She may never be needed the way she was when he was a child. "I tried to explain that but she said I wouldn't understand as we never had children of our own. What about you? Do you have children?"
The general wondered at the question. He was in a hurry and the man across was stalling. Did he know something significant or was just lonely. "I have a two children, a girl and boy. My daughter used to look up to me for answers but now just discusses things with her husband. My son likes to Google search than come up to me. So I have to agree with you kids don't always need you the same way. But once they grow up, you have to let go and be happy that you have raised smart, confident and independent people.
Tejawat wanted to write this down to tell Mala. That's when he realised, his men had informed him that the general had only one son who was studying somewhere. Where did a daughter come from? His eyes widened when he realised who was referring to, the girl who looked for a father figure in him. Paro, his wife's pet had become the object of this man's affection.
That's why he was here. The general knew that Rudra will get her out by hook or crook. But the father was feeling helpless. "Is it someone from Birpur who is behind the kidnap?" he asked seriously wanting to help. He was surprised that Varun had a brother. He had come with a lecherous uncle to wed Paro. Or maybe that was just their act. He was supposed to accept whatever story they tell.
"Shantanu seemed like the good sort. He is the one who has been teaching the Birpur brides including Paro. But he doesn't realise that his brother was a crook. And he won't accept any explanation that Rudra gives him," he confessed. Tejawat nodded. Straight forward people can be easily duped because you can guess what they are thinking. Just like desperate families looked to him to marry off their eligible daughters, his counterpart may have found desperate men who would do anything for money.
"I can explain all this to him if you want," he offered. The general nodded and called Aman and checked. There was network signal. "I will have go there directly and call the warden. Thank you," he said rushing out. As he got up to leave, Tejawat walked him to his cell door, "If it's not too much trouble can you get my glasses repaired. I would ask my wife but she would have to sell her nose pin for this. And I want her save something for her grandchild. We used to give gold coins to every new baby. She will terrible if she is not in a position to present anything to that child." The general nodded and took the glasses.
Back in the dungeon Shantanu's head was reeling. Most of what Rudra said sounded possible. His dedication to his work was as famous as his devotion to his wife. He would have wanted Varun alive. But Varun wasn't a crook. "You're trying to frame him in someone else's place. He is not the kind to take a life. He doesn't even know how to use a gun. He was just making empty treats. Step away from her. I can see what you are doing. You are trying to confuse me and help her escape," he screamed pulling out a gun.
Rudra stepped back with a slight nod to Paro. Her captor was paying attention too carefully at the moment. He needed to change his tactic. "He was more at ease holding it than you are right now. Maybe someone taught him how to use it, just in case they run into BSD soldiers," Rudra suggested. This made a little sense to Shatanu. His brother did seem troubled the last few months of his life. He probably didn't like what they were trying to do.
Rudra noticed the wheels turning in his mind and casually asked, "Did you know anyone from his work? Boss or colleague?" Paro remembered some other young men who were with Varun when she met him for the first time. "There was a Kakosa who kept staring at Bindi," she thought outloud. Rudra growled as he wondered if it she was referring to the oaf who wanted to wipe his feet on the National tricolor. But the mention of the man had Shantanu turning red and shaking the hand that still held the pistol, "Don't mention him. He is no one's uncle just a womanising scoundrel who has no respect for relationships or even common decency. If you had told me that he was holding a gun to Bhabhisa. I would have believed you."
Rudra listened carefully. His perfect brother might have turned scoundrel too under this uncle's' tutelage. "We don't have to talk about him. Do you know what kind of business your brother was in?" he asked. Shantanu replied that he was in the import/export industry. Rudra was exasperated the boy had all the pieces, he was just being stubborn and forcing them the wrong way.
His ears picked up the faint noise of bangles in motion. His eyes darted to Paro, her arms were moving. He was proud of his wife for managing to free her hands when Shantanu was preoccupied. He had to now push Shantanu's buttons so that he becomes distracted and she can run up to Aman.
"Shatanu a part of you must wonder though if I am right. Your brother told you about the import/ export of goods but you don't know about the illegal gun smuggling that actually happened. You know he had a gun but are unwilling to accept that he would use it. You even know that Paro has nothing to do with this but that so called uncle who brought him here. I have already killed him for you. So why don't we let her go," he said helping her get up.
Shantanu couldn't believe the audacity of the soldier. Rudra continued, "If you want, I can take you to headquarters where you see the proof of what happened that day. You will understand things better. You can even talk to others who were a part of the mission too if you want."
Paro walked quickly to the ladder Rudra pointed watching him as she moved. He was walking backwards talking calmly. But Shantanu was becoming tense. "Pst..Paro," she heard a whisper. It was Aman bhaisa asking her to come up. She started clinbing. He screamed for her to stop but her husband told her to keep going. She was almost at the top when the ladder went flying.
Rudra saw his wife dangle from the roof and tackled Shantanu. Aman pulled her up as the two rolled on the dungeon floor. "Are you alright?" he asked rubbing the hands which looked slightly scrapped. She nodded. "Paro beta, they got you out?" the general rushed in seeing her. She went to him and hugged him in relief. All she needed now was for Rudra to come out and take her home.
A loud bang pierced through the bitter-sweet reunion. "Rudra!" she screamed as the two officers rushed to the trap door to see the blood on the floor as the wrestling men were finally still.
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