As soon as the clock struck 4 am the bomb exploded on the outer periphery of Kolaba Fort.
"Done sir.." the computer programmer informed Neil. He nodded.
Everything turned out exactly the same way as Neil planned. A large share of Mark's men were injured, including his right hand Evan.
Normally, Mark is not decent enough to care for few injured men but right now when he has a small number of men with him when he needed them the most and Evan was also injured, he had no other options except asking Neil for a doctor.
"Are you ready doctor?" DD asked a young man standing in white coat.
"yes sir.." the doctor replied.
"As soon as Mark calls us you'll have to leave for Kolaba Fort with this tracking device. During the treatment try to find Avni there. And as soon as we'll get exact location of Avni, we'll attack. And don't worry.. you'll be safe" Neil told him.
"I know Sir.. I have full trust on you" the doctor replied.
His phone buzzed and Neil turned the loudspeaker on.
"ACP Neil Khanna I need a doctor as soon as possible.." he asked.
"But make sure that the doctor is a girl and is not from Police. And yeah.. you don't need to come personally just send a man with her. We'll recieve at the gate." he ended the call.
Neil clenched his fist in frustration.
"What the hell?" he hissed.
Every face in the room became tense but Neil saw Vishakha smiliing and it didn't took him much time to read her thoughts.
"Neil I think..." brfore she could complete Neil dragged her out of the room.
"Just place a full stop to your racing thoughts Chubby. I am not going to let you go there. I can't risk you to save Avni" he scolded her.
"But Neil it would be more advantageous if I go there" she told him trying to persuade him.
"I am trained in army and have an experience of dealing with such situations." she stated.
"You're not going there. that's final. I don't want anymore discussion" he ordered her and turned to leave.
"You cannot order me like that" she shouted which made him halt.
He stared her angrily.
"Neil we have a golden oppurtunity. Each small delay can prove to be lethal for Avni. We can save her but your stubbornness will led us nowhere. Look.. main samajhti hoon.."
"TUM KUCH NAHI SAMAJHTI HO.." his furious voice interrupted her.
"You won't understand how it feels to see your loved one dying in front of your eyes standing helplessly." he shouted.
His words reminded her of every person she lost in her life. Each word was a new cut in her already damaged heart. Settled pains stirred up and eyes filled with tears.
Neil immediately realised what he just said.
"I am... I am sorry." he said. His voice contrite.
"I do understand Neil.. who would understand it better than me? Because I have experienced that and that's why I don't want you to go through the same. I promise I'll protect myself. Please.. please let me go.. Neil please" she pleaded.
Neil nodded unwillingly.
*****************
DD opened the gate for Vishakha as he was going drive her to Kolaba Fort.
Vishkha looked at Neil who still not looked convinced. She hugged him.
"Don't worry.. I'll be safe. Just be the lion you're born to be" she whispered.
As Neil encircled his arms around her she felt an urge to cry.
"Vishakha Di.. chalein??" DD's asked.
Neil went to DD and patted his cheek "Be careful".
"chubby.. Always remember your life is equally important as that of Avni. So don't do something stupid" he told her.
she nodded in agreement.
The car disappeared in the dark night leaving Neil staring the dim stars.
*************
Avni opened her eyes and found herself tied on a chair in a dark room. she let her eyes roam in the room to find a possible escape but nothing could be seen.
The panic building inside her came out in the form of tears. A sudden gush of pain jolted throughout her body. Dehydration was too obvious to ignore.
Her gut lurched and she felt the bile rising up her throat. She pressed her mouth trying to swallow the bile but before she could think her stomach contracted violently and the churning mixture emerged out of her mouth.
She held her head and was struggling to keep breathing.
"Water.." she murmbled in an almost inaudible voice.
************
"Avni.." neil shouted. The water glass slipped from his hand and shattered into pieces.
He felt an unknown uneasiness, painful tension in heart muscles.
"You OK sir" DD asked.
"Sir.." DD said again.
"Sorry.. I.. you said something?" Neil asked absent mindedly.
"Sir we got the location map of inside the Fort as per the instruction of Vishakha Di's tracking device" DD informed him.
Neil prepared the attacking strategy and left for Kolaba Fort.
*************
Eyes were heeavy and Avni was struggling to control her breathing.
"You OK" she heard a concerned voice and felt a hand gently rubbing her back.
Vishakha made her drink water. Before narrating her the entire story Vishakha untied her and made her sit comfortably.
"Avni.. Is it posiible if I say that... I mean something like tAhat happened that you can be pregnant" she asked calmly with a smile and a lot of expectations in her eyes.
Avni smiled recalling that night of their union.
"Am I" she asked curiously.
"OMG!! I am so happy" Vishkha hugged Avni.
"Neil would be so happy" both of them said in unison.
"But he's not here" Avni's smile froze.
"Come on.. It's good. you got sometime to rehearse how you'll break this news to him" she tried to cheer her up.
"By the way.. What you'll say.. Suniye ji.. You're going to become dad" Vishakha laughed.
"Nah.. I'll say.. Tillu we are going to have a Pillu" she too laughed recalling that day on their honeymoon when she pranked him with the same news.
Suddenly, the gate of the room creaked open and Mark entered. Their smile froze. Vishakha turned to face Mark shielding Avni behind her.
"Why did you stopped? Please continue.." he urged.
"Smiling girls are the prettiest girls" he whispered fixing Avni in a hard stare.
Till now Avni wasn't afraid him But now when she could feel a life moving inside her, a life which is far more important than her own. A fear and a sense of protection developed in her heart.
"I think your husband is taking me too lightly sweetheart. I need to make him serious about it" Mark told Avni.
"He think I am dumb enough not to understand that all this is done by him. He has turned this action thriller into a romantic comedy" he added inspecting his gun from every corner and stealing glances at duo.
"It's not the way you think.. You'll get whatever you want. We don't want any bloodshed" Vishakha tried to make him understand.
"You think you're very smart Dr Vishakha Singh. I know you're the third beautiful angle of this love story. Infact, you're my favourite among the trio" he held Vishkha's hand making her walk with him and made her sit on the chair on which Avni was tied.
"You defective moron.. leave her" Avni warned him.
"DON'T INTERRUPT" he spoke with a coldness Avni never heard before.
Vishakha gestured Avni to stay quiet.
"I have an offer for you" he leaned on Vishakha placing his hands on the arms of the chair.
"You love Neil.. Right?" he asked.
Vishakha didn't answered but a part of Avni knew that he was right.
"I know you do.. But you don't know that selfless lovers don't get anything. You did so much for him and look.. he pushed you in this hell to save his love. NOT FAIR!!!" he said.
"Now pay attention my love, we have a game to play and stakes are high" he told Avni.
"I need just one.. But I have two. Now doctor will decide who'll die" he said loading his gun.
"I don't mind killing any one of you.. because that won't make much difference. If you chose Avni it will be a tragic end for you. But if you chose yourself it will be a new start.. you and Neil" he suggested.
Avni found herself in a cold sweat. Once again Mark was demanding an innocent life in turn of her. She stood freezed, reliving that nightmare, refighting that terror.
Vishkha closed her eyes and recalled the time she spent with Neil.
"I am sorry Neil.." she sqeezed her eyes and a tear fell from her eyes.
Mark wrapped his fingers around his gun and sqeezed thee metal trigger aiming at Avni.
Avni's scream echoed in tthe whole fort. The limp body was lying with gushing blood splattered on the floor.
**************
Neil reached the Kolaba Fort alogwith DD and other cops.
The Fort stood on a rugged slope, moonlight illuminating the ruined walls. The once proud turrets have crumbled appearing like a dishevelled party hat and windows still dark and gaping.
The sea was wailing like a mother in agony, battering it's waves against the cracked rocks of Kolaba Fort.
DD and other cops dealt with the outer guards and Neil entered inside the Fort.
It was a calculated risk.Inside the ruin could be any number of adversaries with any kind of weaponry. Each step was soft and ssoundless.
As he entered the Fort he realised that the place was built with defence in mind which was a disadvantage for him.
Slowly, he moved in, killing Mark's men marching inside the fort one after the other.
As he headed towards the stairs an uneasy breeze blew down the corridor and grasped him with it's chilly touch.
Before he could set foot on the first stair, someone pulled him behind a pillar.
"Am I late.." he asked seeing Vishakha standing before her.
"No.. you are on perfect time" she smiled.
Neil sensed something strange about her. Instead of tension or worries a satisfactory calmness was settled on her pale face shining brightly . Her flawless features were looking more appealing than normal and eyes darker than the night sky, beautiful but unreadable.
But she was looking fine. And that's what mattered to him right now.
"Avni is in the second room, first floor. But don't go there, it's a trap. Call him down and ask him to release Avni in return of these bomb parts" Vishakha suggested him in a voice no louder than a soft whisper of waving grass.
Asking her to wait right there, he walked towards the corridor.
Mark descended down the stairs, there was a pleasure in his smile and a satisfaction in his walk, which a person gets when he gives his enemy a wound to remember.
"Welcome my friend... Welcome" Mark's voice echoed in the empty hall.
Neil stared him silently as if debating in his mind about wether to kill him instantly or return him all the pains slowly.
"Here are the bomb parts you wanted now bring Avni" said Neil.
Mark gestured Evan to bring her down.
As Neil saw Avni, She was lookinf more frightened than a trapped deer. A wide black belt type of a thing was wrapped around her tummy. Her lower lip bleeding and eyes widened as much as they can without falling off their sockets.
"Avni.." as he called her name she stared him lifelessly like a lost child.
Neil smashed a solid punch on Mark's jaw and he fell on the ground. The move was so fierce, so unexpected.
"What the hell" cried Mark getting up.
"This for raising your filthy hand on my wife" Neil stated.
Evan failed to keep his temper and tried to hurt Avni.
Neil simply shot him down beefore he could hurt her.
"Now both of you'll die. And when the news of ACP Neil Khanna stealing the bomb parts will come out your family and Nation will remember you as a TRAITOR" he said wiping off the blood dripping down his lips.
"BOYS!! Get them.." he shouted but no one appeared.
Before he could pick up his gun Neil aimed his gun at him.
"Sir we have arrested all the terrorists" DD informed Neil through the bluetooth.
"Just kill them. Neither our court has enough time nor the jail has extra space for inhumans. And we don't want another hijack. And retreat from this place immediately" Neil commanded.
Without raising a question DD did as iinstructed and retreated with the team.
"You'll be glad to know that all your plans are flop hypothesis. Your all men are dead and you'll join them pretty soon. And yeah!! The original bomb parts were taken out from NCRD. They were just displaced from their position to spread the rumour" he smirked.
Before Mark could comprehend what just happened, Neil showered him punch and kicks growling with fury. Mark fell on ground groaning in pain. Neil looked at Avni and was walking towards her when Vishakha appeared out of nowhere.
"Neil.. look back" she warned him against Mark who was approaching him with a rod.
Neil sidestepped his move, grabbed his wrist, stepped behind him and then kicked at the back of his knees. Once he fell down Neil slammed into his back with full force.
"I am sorry.. Please mercy me.." Mark screamed in agonising pain.
"I don't care if you're sorry anymore. I don;t want to hear it. You should have told me that crap back when it could have made a difference. Back when I was in my control. And mercy.. I believe giving mercy is good until it is proven to hurt the innocent. You failed to control yourself at the right time, and now to control you I needed to loose my control" Neil hissed in anger.
Neil smashed a final kick in his stomach producing the crack sound of his ribs. He doubled up, wheezing, begging for his miserable life.
Once Neil was done with Mark he walked towards Avni who was looking at him unblinkingly with silent tears flowing from her eyes.
As she took a step towards him she fell on the floor, quiverring, not in control of her mind or body.
Her face was red, eyes wild and utterly bloodshot. When he held her in his arms she started rocking, rocking, rocking. She got faster and faster until he tightened his grip and made her stop. Neil failed to understand that what has scared his tigress this much. Suddenly she starts talking. Talking like she don't have enough time to say what she need to. The words were crowded together, some were missing, sentences seem to be fragmented and thoughts jumping from one thing to the other. She was in a kind of mental free fall.
His words bounced off her brain like a soft ball.
"They killed..." he could understand only two words out of thousand words she mumbled in a minute.
"They killed whom?? Tell me Avni..." he asked over and over stroking her hairs back and planting kisses on her face. But no answer.
He looked at Vishakha while huuging Avni for an answer but all she did was to smile idiotically and gestured him to calm down and take care of Avni.
"Avni Ssshhh... and tell me they killed whom?" he asked.
She pointed a shaking finger towards the room on the first floor. He took her with him and ascended the stairs to reach that room.
OH HELLO...