FF: Khamoshiyaan... (chap 37 page 133) - Page 37

CHAPTER 16:

ETF office:

Aisha walks towards the cabin. She stood at the door for a while and took a deep breath. And then opened the door.

Months before their marriage:

She knocked the door, "may I come in sir?"

"yes..."

She walks in with a file. "sir, Mr. Dixit ke bank transactions ke records. Kuch ajeeb notice kiya hai sir isme. There is huge incoming of money in the last 4 months."

Arj: hm. Kaha se araha hai, kuch patha chala?

Ais: Sree working on it sir.

Arj: good. Mr. Dixit ke phone records se kuch mila?

Ais: nothing strange sir. Apke assumptions sahi the, he was just a link. Iske shuruath kahi aur hi lag raha hai...

Arj: ok, keep me informed.

Ais: yes sir... Sir apke chai le au?

Arj: hm.

Aisha walks out and sends Neha with his regular beverage.

Few days before marriage:

She knocked and walked in. "Arjun... ye lo apke chai. I don't get it Arjun, ye chai me hai kya? Na shakkar hai...aur ithne garam? How do you have it?

Arj: aadat hai Aisha. It helps me think.

Ais: lo, ACP Rawte needs something to help him think. Great news.

He smiles at her taking the tea glass from the tray and takes a sip. She wrinkles her face. "kya hua??"

Ais: its hot Arjun. zara dheere.

He smiles again and takes another sip. She rolls her eyes and sits opposite to him.

Arjun looked lost in his thoughts. "kya hua Arjun? any problem?"

He nods negative and place the cup on the table. "ye wo zehar hai Aisha jo mujhe un dino me jeene ke sahara diya. Mujhe sochne ka bahana diya."

She knew the time reference. She walks upto him and leans on to the table near his chair. He looks at her. "oye...ye mere cabin hai. koi ajayega tho mera badnam hoga..."

Ais: hone do. Wise kuch din aur...uske bad tho badnami hi hoga...

Arj: acha??kiska? mera ya...

Aisha hits his shoulder lightly. "bas..."

They smile together. But then he notices her eyes. It was having a different feeling now. Not the jovial one, which was trying to put on. "Kya hua Aisha? Aise kya dekh rahe ho?"

Aisha places her hand on his cheeks. "aise kaise apne dard chupa sakthe ho aap? Ek pal me apke ankhon me wo saaf thi. Next pal me... apne chupa diya. Wo bhi mujhse? Why? And how?"

He takes her hands. "ye bhi ek aadat hai Aisha."

Ais: badal dalo ye aadat. Mujhse math chupao please.

Arjun holds her hand and smiles at her. "I'll try"

A phone rings. "lo agaye pyaar ke dushman... Sameer Rathod"

She smiles at him while he takes the call. "ha Rathod... ok hum arahe hai."

They move out together. The chai remains on the table itself.

Now:

The room was not changed. Same ambience. Same arrangement. Only he was missing in the chair. There was no one in the chair who was twisting the pen in his hands, or sipping the cutting chai. The seat was empty.

She walks in and reached the table. The black leather chair stood there mocking her. She moved closer to the chair. He went behind it and held the head rest with her hands. She looked down to see his face. She wished to see him today as everyday... but alas, he was not there. Tears that were her companion, which was held within by him, rolled down her cheeks. There was no one, not even him to wipe it off.

He holds it tight in her arms and places her head over it. "Arjun please...please come back..."

Sam notice all these outside the glass door. "I wish I could help you Aisha. But I'm sorry. I don't know how to help you."

He walks off to his cabin. She cries in the cabin for a while. And there Sam was not in a different condition. He missed his pal today... more than any time in recent past. Aisha's eyes did tell him a lot. What he did was wrong. And he felt guilty too. Arjun and Aisha... his best comrades... they were always for him when he needed them. "And what did I do? Jab Aisha ko mera sahara chahiye tha... Thab meine hi usse jane diya. Kash mien usse uss din rok liya hotha... kash mien bhi uske viswas pe viswas kartha..kash..."

"he is dead Aisha... hosh me aao...and apne apko samjao... he's dead... he wont come back..."

She slaps him across his cheeks. He looked at her. There was a fury in her eyes. The one he had wished to see. It's better to have the fury than the silent dead soul from her side. It's been days that she looked lost and just living with a whisper in her lips. "wo wapas ayega...wo zaroor wapas ayega..."

And today he was successful in breaking that trance. The fury was back. The life was back in her eyes. He felt her holding his collars. "how dare you??? How dare you declare him dead?? Dost kehthe ho apne aapko... aur fir yeah sab bhi kehthe ho?? how could you Sam??? How could you say it???"

Sam: kyunki yahi hakeekath hai Aisha...trust me...

Ais: I wont...I wont trust you...

Sam closes his eyes stressed. "I'm sorry Arjun... I'm sorry that I was not there for your girl."

***

He wakes up from his sleep. The head was still heavy. He felt as if some one called him from his sleep. It was blurry for a while, till he got adjusted to the light. He rubbed his temples gently.

He felt a hand over his hair. He opened it to look at the eyes that was his companion in his life now a days...

"Aisha..."

She smiled with a twinkle in her eye. "missing me Arjun?"

He nods yes. "tho wapas aao na..."

He smiles at her. "I can't Aisha. And you know it well right?"

She caresses his hair. "jantha hu. Par man nahi lag rahi hai waha... there's only a body there Arjun... dil tho apke paas hai. waha zinda rahne ke dikhawa kar rahi hu. Dusron keliye... Apne aap keliye. Dil yaha dhadkan waha... Ye bhi koi zindagi hai Arjun?"

He smiles at her with a tear dropping from his eyes. "mere haal bhi kuch alag nahi hai Aisha. Dil waha dhadkan yaha..."

"patha hai... isliye tho main waha zinda hu... magar ab aur kithne samay? Aur kithna intezar karna hoga?"

"patha nahi Aisha... mujhe patha nahi...I'm sorry"

She caresses his hair again... he wishes to drift to her dreams.

A slight knock came at the door. A smiling old man was at the door. "firse akele baath kar rahe ho beta?"

He smiles at the wrinkle faced man. "ab ye bhi ek aadat hai baba..."

***

Ultima Party:

Sree walks in casualy through the party. With a good opportunity, he passes into the inner region from where he reaches the contol room. "Piece of cake..." he smiles. He took his apparatus well hidden in his bag that he had with him, and started working on it. Within a few minutes, "sir, all set. Wo log ab un screens me wahi dekhenge jo hum dikhayega..."

Aman: good job Sree, wait for me at the exit point.

Sr: yes sir and be safe.

She was noticing him always. "he's ready fot it" she texted him.

Reply: all the best.

She looked around. The 'friend' of Raghav has done his job. She smiled at him. His work was to make sure to bring him to the Ultima. And there he was.

Aman scanned the region and saw Raghav with a group of men, who were drooling over some dancing girls. "pathetic..." he whispered.

And now he needed a distraction. How? How to get this Raghav away from his gang?

As if answering his questions, came in a commotion. There was a sound of a tight slap.

A girl, who was facing opposite to him, in a red party wear gown, was standing in front of a man. Poor guy was holding his cheeks. She looked drunk. "how dare you, Mister?? How dare you touch me?? Tumhare ithne himmath??"

Man: par...

She slapped him again. "pehle galthi karthe ho...aur fir bathein?? Great...superb...koi hai...police ko bulao... arrest him..."

Aman smiles at her. "khud khadi ho nahi parahi hai. aur bade aye police ko bulane'"

He turns to Raghav. The commotion ahead amused the men. They were standing up to see the drama. "great timing dear..." he mentally thanked the unknown lady.

He walked past Raghav and casually scratched him with a needle. Raghav felt a scratch, but ignored it. Aman moved ahead and stood by the wall. He smiles. "work done"

It took a few minutes for Raghav. He was sweating a bit in the air conditioned room. He felt uneasy. May be he needed to use the washroom. He walked with unsteady steps. Did I drink too much?

He reached the washroom and splashed the water over his face. He was feeling dizzy. But then he saw the blurred outline of someone. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He blinked again to come in focus.

"ACP Aman??"

"ha mien... chalo.. we have some unsettled business."

He tried to struggle. But then he lost it. Aman takes his phone. "kaam hogaya Sree. Wait for me."

"yes sir. Washroom se bahar parking lot ke corridor ke sare CCTV cameras me aap dono nahi ayega. I have seen to it. Just take the emergency exit from there."

"ok fine. I'll be there soon."

He holds Raghav as an old friend. A man enters the washroom. "isse kya hua bhai?"

Aman: kya kahu apse...kitne bar kaha tha isse ke uthna hi piyo jithna sambhal paye... suntha kaun hai?

They have a laugh and walks off. They reach the parking lot with some difficulty. Sree was already in the driving seat.

Aman: god he's heavy. Mere kamar...

Sr: koi baad nahi, aap khud isse shape me bana dena. Interrogation room pe.

Aman: not a bad idea.

They enter the SUV. Sree does some clicks on his remote controlled apparatus and sets every videofeed back to normal. They drive off.

The lady in the red gown comes to the parking lot. She saw the SUV zooming out. She took her mobile. Work done. They are out.

Reply: thanks. Now enjoy the party. But don't drink too much.