IPKKND FF: Trial by fire Part 33 updated on Pg 84 - Page 47

"What happened? who was on the phone?", Anjali demanded seeing Karan's stony face. "Shush...Kuch nahi...Naniji and the kids are dozing in the back...Lets not wake them up.", Karan said glancing at Anjali's tense face as she sat next to him in the passenger seat. "You have to be calm".

"Calm ...What happened? Something has happened right? That's why you took that call. Is Shyam back? Did he do anything to Arnav or Khushi? Why dont you tell me something?", Anjali's questions burst forth in a low voice.

Karan took her hand in his, gripping it. "Listen, and please listen calmly. I do not want you to panic. I am going to make some quick calls. Yes, Shyam is back. It looks like he has forced his way in to Shantivan. A couple of my men are injured but they have informed the police who are now on their way. I am going to arrange some backups now as we drive back. Can you please call Akash and tell him why I am overtaking him. Next, keep trying to reach Arnav. My team says they are not able to reach him and Shyam has tampered with the phone lines.", he instructed. Anjali controlled her emotions and did as he said. As they sped up and rounded a corner, Anjali took a glance at baby Aarushi sleeping in a cozy basket peacefully anchored in position. Suraj lay asleep with his head in naaniji's lap. She prayed and hoped fervently that nothing happened to Khushi or her Chotey.

"Let me try calling NK to see if he is close to Shantivan.", Anjali said after failing to reach both Khushi and Arnav's mobiles.

***

"Let me go anyway to see if they need any help", Khushi said finally getting up.

"Baiton naa...Let them spend some quality time together. Why dont you spend some similar quality time with me?", Arnav asked trying to grasp her hand as Khushi lumbered past.

"I will be right back, I needed something to drink anyway and I need to stretch", Khushi prevaricated on her way to the kitchen.

The front door suddenly opened. Khushi was surprised ...She thought it might be Di and the rest of the family and she peeped. what she saw shocked her completely, immobilizing her. "Arnav ji", she screeched.

"Kya hua...", Arnav said standing up, turning towards Khushi, the door in his line of sight. He was shocked as well, but did not show it.

"Kaise hai saale saab, Sab khairiyat hai? Bahut mazze mein hai ki aap baap banne waale hai? Itna saara security aap ke liye, video camera, gun ke saath aadmi..par kya hai...ghar ke taale nahi badal sake?", Shyam snidely laughed his maniacal laugh. (How are you brother-in-law? Everything okay? You are very excited that you are about to become a father? You have so much security here, video cameras, gun-toting guards, but you could not change the locks?)

"Tum kya soch kar yahaan chale aaye ...Kya tum soch the ho ki tum yahaan aakar kuch kar paaoge? Yahaan se police station sirf 10 minute ki doori mein hai..pataa hai na?", Arnav demanded. (What did you think before reaching here? You thought you could do something here? You know right that the police station is just 10 minutes away?) He was mentally calculating the distance to get to Khushi but was trying to be careful not to attract Shyam's attention to her either.

Shyam walked forward towards the center of the huge hall...His gun was trained on Arnav ...while he turned around to look at Khushi..."Kya Khushi ji...Itna bada dhoka diya aapne humko. Aapko dekhe bina itne din kaafi soona soona lag raha tha...", Shyam gloated looking at Khushi lustfully. So much for not trying to draw attention to Khushi, Arnav thought edging closer to her.

Shyam's voice was like a trigger to Khushi, thawing her immobility and prodding her to dart back to Arnav's side. She had not yet caught sight of the gun or understood the danger that they were in completely.

"Aap dono ne milke mujhe bahut kasht diya hai ...Mein Khushi ji ko tho maaf kar sakta hoon. Tumne usko apna banaakar, bacche bhi de diya ...Iss liye, woh tumhaare saath hi rehgayi ...Woh samajhthi nahi ki main abhi bhi unnse kitna pyaar karta hoon. Woh meri zindagi hai. Abhi pata chala Khushiji?", Shyam demanded, eyes glinting maniacally with anger when looking at Arnav while simultaneously looking lover-like at Khushi. (The two of you together have given me a lot of trouble. I can forgive Khushi...You made her yours and made her pregnant. Hence she stayed back with you. She didnt realize that I love her so much. She is mine. Now you know Khushiji?)

Khushi's phone rang at that instant distracting them all. Shyam's attention did not stray though. His gun was still pointed at Arnav and Arnav realized that the guards would never have let this psychopath in if they were alive and okay ...He hoped that someone, someone outside realized what was going on. "Yeah, dont worry about your guards. They are on their way to meet their Maker. And I know HP has gone out somewhere and there is no one at home.", said Shyam correctly reading Arnav's thoughts. He reached out with his free hand to grab both Arnav and Khushi's phones smashing them against the floor.

Khushi darted in front of Arnav. Her quick brain had processed what Shyam might do -- Shoot Arnav and cart her away, pregnant or not. This was the only way to stop him...He was not going to shoot at her.

"Khushi, what the...", Arnav bit out. He had arrived at the same conclusion about what Shyam was going to do , but had not expected Khushi to get in front of the gun. Shyam was still 15-20 feet away. Not close enough for Arnav to try to tackle him. Khushi and Arnav were by the couches.

"You cannot shoot Arnavji. You are mad if you still think that I was ever in love with you. I was always in love with Arnavji, even before you and I had our farcical engagement , I am in love with him now and I will forever love him ...And nothing you or anyone else may say or do is going to change that. If you have to kill him, it will only be on my dead body. Surrender now and we can arrange for lawyers for you..", Khushi fiercely declared. She looked like her own Devi Maiyya, a lioness protecting her family, her beloved Arnav.

"Hahaaahaaa...Khushiji...Nice chess move. The queen blocking the king to protect him. But you do not realize...unlike a chess-board, I am the black King that has all the powers possible. It will not take me long to walk over to you and drag you away from that position before shooting your Arnavji.", Shyam said advancing.

"aaayyy...", a fierce battle cry erupted out of nowhere. Shyam suddenly twitched in horrible pain. His hands were still on the trigger. In one clean move, reminscent of the time he had saved Khushi on a rainy night, from a speeding car, Arnav lifted and brought his wife around so that his back was now towards Shyam. Shots were fired. Khushi tried her best to twist out of Arnav's tight grasp to see what had happened.

***

"NK bhai..Tum kahaan ho...", Anjali demanded once NK picked up his phone. "Main...main ghar par hi tho hoon...Tumhe pata hai, Lavanya...", NK happily started chatting. "NK Bhai, NK bhai, dhyaan se suno..", Anjali interrupted. Karan grabbed the phone from her to give NK the news about Shyam entering Shantivan. NK was shocked. He had not heard any shots fired from outside and speculated that Shyam must have used a silencer. He leaned towards Lavanya when he heard Khushi's muted screech. He increased the heat on the gas-stove for Lavanya's frying pakoras. "Arre, kya kar rahe ho...Mere pakode tho jal jaayenge.", Lavanya stopped him unaware of NK's conversation details. "Its okay. The pakodas that you and I are going to make together need the oil to be really hot and the chilli powder to be really spicy.", NK declared in a previously unheard, steel-like voice. He quickly filled Lavanya in on what was going on and what he needed her to do. Lavanya read NK's mind and grabbed the chilli powder. NK poured all the hot oil into a bigger vessel and the duo made their way out stealthily. None of the 3 protagonists realized NK and Lavanya's presence but for Arnav who saw NK a split second before NK threw the hot boiling oil on Shyam's back, aiming for his neck.

Arnav correctly guessed that Shyam might pull the trigger in the confusion and pain and hence he shielded Khushi even as he felt a hot lead shot pop into his shoulder, at the spot which would have been Khushi's head. He used his own hands to shield her head and ushered her quickly behind one of the sofas out of the gun's range.

Shyam turned around in pain, the gun still clenched. He had not expected anyone else to be at home as he had been monitoring Shantivan for quite a few days now. His stray thought was that NK and Lavanya had got back through some other entrance. He stared angrily at the duo and lifted his gun to shoot NK when La lifted her tray of red chilli powder and flung it at his face with full force. NK jumped at Shyam at that instant and wrestled the gun away from him. Lavanya used her dupatta to tie Shyam's feet tightly to the heavy sofa. Shyam was in mortal pain ...both from the hot oil on his back and from the pungent powder that had entered his air passage-ways, his eyes, his mouth, nose, his skin was twitching - It was the most painful thing he had ever experienced in his life.

***

"Arnav ji...Arnavji...Kya hua...Aap theek tho hai...", Khushi demanded. She was winded as she was suddenly on the floor behind the sofa with Arnav on top of her, trying his best not to crush her baby bump. she stared into his eyes ...and was suddenly afraid. She saw his pain-filled eyes ..They held a sheen of tears and regret, hopelessness and helplessness. Totally unlike how her strong Arnav usually looked. She lifted herself up to sit upright and tried to hug him, her hands crossed over his back came away feeling wet and warm. "Arnavji, Arnavji...Yeh kya hua ...Kuch nahi hua...Aap theek ho jaayenge...Yeh kuch nahi hai...", Khushi screamed out, alternatively panicking and reassuring her injured husband.

Arnav cupped her face..."Khushi. Dont panic. Kuch nahi hua. Just remember that I love you.", he whispered to her before slumping to his side.

***