'malik...!' called lalu , relief spreading through him as he ran forward , limping awkwardly n fell at the feet of the young man...I knew ...I knew that u will believe me ...i tried malik...i tried ...but bansi is a traitor ...' he looked up at his master, his hands groping at his shoes ... he beat me up n took the car n the sample... I came straight here...I ...' Why , I wonder, would Bansi let u leave alive ? ' asked the man , his face inscrutable as he took out his mobile from his pocket n twirled it btn his fingers, standing as casual as he would at a lone place , savouring a scenery , as if the man groping at his feet don't even exists...
Lalu looked up, gulping , his pupils dilating in horror... this was getting worse than he had expected...he never counted on chote thakur's return so soon ...he was sure that he would stay at his apartment with that new hot chic for one more week... he counted on tricking chandu emotionally n once chandu is convinced , there was no cause for worry ... but there was no time to panic...he gulped again as he said...'malik... he tried to kill me ...but...but i escaped ...he ...he tried to maul me over with the car , but i ...i managed to escape...'
The man looked at chandu, his eyes glinting in suppressed anger, as lalu proceeded to describe how bansi had claimed that there is something wrong with the car n tricked him n tried to maul him over n when he ran away to the jungle by the side of the road how bansi had followed him n beat him up n how he had managed to escape bansi ... 'malik... forgive me malik...I tried to stop him...but couldn't...' the man , still looking at chandu , said his voive bordering on sarcasm 'but from what u have told me it looks like u tried to escape him rather than stop him, ...at any cost' ...
lalu threw his hands around his master's legs n cried ...' no malik...i tried ...but ...but he was more strong ...u know his bulk...he...look at me malik...i am bleeding ...i was weak...i ...' Chandu looked away from the man, sighing , as the young man cut across his ranting 'get up ' ... the tone of the voice was pleasant , but the sound send chills along lalu's spine... he hastened to obey, standing in a bow like fashion , his hands folded , his body trembling... 'Come here' The man said , turning to walk towards the Land Rover...Lalu hesitated ...his terrified eyes looking at the car...'Don't u want ur reward' the man asked smiling ...
Lalu dared not look at the man , but his eyes lost some of its fear , as relief n greed crept in... 'u have done exceptional service for us...pity that u can't stop bansi or say where he would have gone with the car...but u came here n told us about the traitor... n that surely demands reward ...here, take it...its urs...' the young man said cheerfully , indicating the elegant n huge vehicle... lalu looked at the vehicle, his mouth hanging open, astounded ...Chote Thakur never let anyone touch his properties , let alone use them ... he almost dashed forward , trying to suppress his greed , his hands groping at the bonnet n doors...he was getting crores worth of one hell of a vehicle n the additional 5 lakhs from Durjjan singh... 'oh...malik...i knew...i knew that u will believe me...i ' the young man held up his hand , silencing him n took out the key, walking towards the driver seat n opening the car , as he said 'why don't we try a round here? Come on...' lalu looked smugly up at Chandu n all the guards surrounding him n made a show of getting into the front seat, trying not to show his greed ...
the doors locked as the young man turned on the ignition , as he said , removing his cooling glass...'Krishna Singh Thakur always rewards loyalty ...n treachery ...with what they deserve...' he cocked his head to lalu's side to smile at him, his penetrating eyes glinting ... 'yes, ma...malik' lalu stuttered , a spine chilling bolt shaking his very core, as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up , at the voice... n the smile...the moment was gone...the car shot forward , along the long winding path around the garden , as Chandu sat on the bench n the guards retreated to their positions...lalu , relaxed a bit , his hands greedily caressing the seat , his eyes darting around the riches...
'tell me, why did u have to kill bansi?' asked Krishna , his tone pleasant , as if he were just asking 'how r u?' instead...Lalu blanched ...'me...i ...didn't kill...he tried to kill me, malik...' lalu stuttered ...krishna sighed ...'How much u got for this dirty work from that rat, sakthi?' , he asked casually as he slowed the car down n turned it to the vast garden ... lalu screamed , his hands groping on the lock to prise it open , as he peed in his pants , n the seat, terrified ...how...how did he know? Lalu thought frantically as he wailed 'i ...forgive me...malik ...malik...i...' 'There is only one reward for treachery , Lalu...take it...' Krishna said , his eyes piercing lalu's as he unlocked the doors...lalu , who has plastered himself along the door , frantically hitting the door n glass n the lock to escape , was thrown out as the door opened , partially aided by himself...
lalu tried to scamper away , screaming 'forgive me...malik...no... ...malik...i...' but Krishna had turned the car viciously , trampling him over , under the huge mass of metal n rubber...Chandu looked away , his eyes drooping, as he saw Pratap singh closing the curtain of his room downstairs while Gayatri Devi looked on from the long balcony...he couldn't decipher her expression from the distance, but he thought he knew that she will be sporting a evil glee ... krishna reversed the car , mauling lalu over , just as he had done with bansi...Krishna stopped the car , just to the side of the path near the bench , as Chandu stood up, his face grave...
Krishna got out of the car, slamming the door shut, his features wrought with anger as he threw the keys to one of the guards ...'clean the garden...n dismantle n burn this one...the dog spoiled it ...' he said indicating the car... the guard nodded ... Krishna walked towards chandu , kicking off his shoes as he sat on the bench...'i need a new pair ...n register a new car ...today...' he said to chandu running a hand to smooth his hair...' i thought u were giving him a chance , when u let him speak...' said chandu ... Krishna looked up at chandu... his eyes locked to Chandu's ...'he lost his chance when he killed bansi...' Chandu nodded , sighing resignedly ... 'yeah u r right, he shouldn't have done that...Ok come, have lunch ...then we will decide about Sakthi... ' said chandu, putting his hands across krishna's shoulder ...'I am not hungry' Krishna said curtly...
'Is bauji at home?' Krishna asked , as they walked their way towards the steps ...'yes, he is... ' Chandu said , as they climbed the steps... Gayatri Devi , came with a thaali , as she said 'may u live long...' smiling as she did the aarti...krishna looked bored , but he stood , rolling his eyes at Chandu...Chandu smirked n went inside ... 'Where is the rest of the gold? ' Gayatri Devi asked, as Sajjan Singh , who sat on the couch stood up to hug Krishna... Krishna , ignoring Gayatri Devi, hugged him back warmly 'how r u, bauji?' 'How r u, beta?' Sajjan said laughing ...'so formal !... I am ur father ...' Krishna smiled , his eyes lingering on the kitchen corridor for a sec long as he saw a silhouette of an old woman behind the curtains... he looked away , breaking the hug n smiled at sajjan...
chandu walked towards the kitchen corridor ...'about bansi,' Sajjan said, sounding hurt 'he was a loyal servant ...' Krishna said , nodding 'u could decide what we should give his family, his boy is still in school' ... Gayatri Devi cleared her throat 'Krishna , the dealers will be arriving tmw...where is...?' 'Coming by train ...' Krishna cut her short , taking an apple from the bowl near the couch ...'Aren't u eating lunch?' sajjan asked as Krishna started climbing the stairs ...'no, not hungry' Krishna said curtly, his eyes straying over to the curtain that hung beside the kitchen corridor n over to chandu who stood near the curtain, talking something to the figure beyond... Sumitra looked longingly at her son , through the curtains...
'Train!...he is sending tons of gold by train!...' exclaimed gayatri, her eyes following Krishna as he climbed the stairs , aghast... 'oh didi...stop fretting ...' Sajjan laughed...' Brilliant idea, that is ... Chandu, make arrangements for shipping it here' he said climbing the stairs...He paused as he saw the silhouette behind the curtain , he could make out sumitra's face , even through the almost transparent curtain...their eyes met n he looked away ...anger n pain shaking him... he continued to climb the stairs in silence...
Gayatri Devi looked at the silhouette , an evil smile on her lips ...' Chandu , u heard what ur 'bauji' said ' Gayatri said , her eyes fixed on chandu... Chandu , nodding at sumitra went outside ... Gayatri waited till Chandu was out of earshot n walked towards the retreating figure of sumitra... 'U know, when Sajjan wanted to keep u alive, I never liked it... i feared that u will come back to his life ... but now i am more than happy ... more happy than if Sajjan would have killed u 20 years ago... the way u die every moment unable to see ur husband n son ! ha...' Gayatri said , walking alongside sumitra...
Sumitra turned , her eyes serene n calm... 'who said I am unable to see my husband n son... I could see them n even know that they watch out for me ... u think of urself didi, what would happen when ur false face is revealed in front of them...? Think about it...' Gayatri stopped, her face filled with rage...'yes, u r seeing ur husband n son...like what u see? Eh? Sumitra.? Do u like what u see...? ' Gayatri laughed evilly ...'they r living the very life u never wanted them to live...ha, u r such a fool...u tried to make sajjan live his life on ur terms...look at the result...ur son is a devil now... there is only a little time left for him to become a monster, u would never recognize him... ' Sumitra smiled weakly 'I don't think so ...didi, u see even after ur continued efforts , u couldn't make ur brother take up arms business or drug business... bec he has vowed to his mother n me once that he will not do any business which is harmful to humanity...n he has kept that word , till now...don't worry about me didi, as u can clearly see, ur brother still loves me, however hard he tries not to show it...that's enough for me...I don't have any grudges against u except for the fact that u killed my MIL n took my son away from me...n time n god will make u pay for it...'
Gayatri looked at Sumitra , anger n hatred in her features ...Sumitra continued...'n as for my son, he is like his father only' sumitra said proudly... 'ha! Ur son is a womaniser n a murderer ...just like his father' boomed Gayatri... 'the way Thakurs should be...a very simple fact that u forgot...' Gayatri laughed devilishly... Sumitra looked hurt n sad as she sighed , getting into her room...'I will never call my son a murderer ...from what chandu has told me, he has never killed any innocents... n will never will... as for women, judging by the sample u have here for him in the name of meera, i know that he is yet to meet a woman n know a woman...u always under estimate the one of the greatest emotion u lack, didi, n that's love...i don't know why , but my heart tells me that my son is going to find true love...no matter how much u try to distract him by throwing glittering bodies at his feet , his destiny will make sure he finds his mate ...just like his father's did...' n sumitra shut the door on Gayatri's raging face...
Kumkum Bhagya
