Winding down with Zoya - pt23 updt pg 60 - Page 29

Part 22

Arif saw them drive away and got back to the villa. Picked up his duffle bag and checked his phone battery before he left. He called Harish who said they he had no luck yet and was still shadowing the goons. He should follow his gut, make a plan and stick to it while looking for Najma and that he must look elsewhere because the goons had lost her. Arif nodded he decided to ask Asad a few questions before he left.

Asad was sleeping on Zoya's bed when she took his call. Arif wanted to know if Najma was good with routes or if she had any experience trekking. Zoya told him that Najma was very much an indoor person, who rarely went out of her regular life. But she has transformed now after being away from home. She has now learnt to cope with fear of the unknown "I hope" added a teary Zoya. "We will find her" he tried his best to sound reassuring. "She has escaped the goons the forest is kinder than those brute guys Zoya. Dua kijiye we will get her safe" he concluded. Asad was to reach the Villa with the new team, they were to re-group and the move on. "I will keep my phone on but do not worry the reception could be faint. And Zo I am wearing a GPS trekker watch and I will turn my tracker on once I get to the forest." said Arif and he clicked his phone shut. "Ok" said Zoya as she wiped tears off her cheek that refused to stop. The hushed tones woke Asad up and Zoya passed the phone to him. Asad told Arif that was Najma was sensitive to noises and sounds, loved Jai ho the song, loved the rain but hated her wet feet he finished in absolute anguish. Why did he say all that wondered Zoya, she understood his desparation. Asad never ever felt this helpless not even when he was 8 and his father deserted them. He slammed his fist on the floor in complete rage letting out and a muffled anguished cry and crumpling of the floor.

Zoya sat with him and broke down she could take this no more. Asad pulled himself together. He sniffed his tears in and recollected his Ammi words. When frightened little Najma would cry for her Abbu in the night holding her gudiya close, Ammi would wipe her tears away, mumble to herself " Bacchi ko sambahalna hai...bhad me rone ke liye waqt milega." Ammi spent most of her nights crying because she managed a smile for us in the day Zoya" he said as he stroked Zoya trying to calm her down. " You look after yourself and my princess" he added with a weak smile. " My Tammatar ya Allah rehem kar!" he pleaded in his head while he kissed Zoya's head and her hands.

Asad left the hospital sick with worry. Thankfully Ayaan was here with Humeira their faces happy and shining when they were walking out of the nursery. Ayaan hugged Asad and told him not to worry about anything here but to focus on bringing Najma back. He nodded and left. He barely climbed into the van when Zoya called. "Asad please take care of yourself" she whispered "and we will be fine here. Oh yeah ...Arif has a GPS tracker on him please let the Police know" she added before blowing him a kiss.

Arif was trudging into the jungle. He was yet to plan his route. He tried to retrace what a fleeing Najma would have done. She preferred the "beaten track" but was now likely to do that as she would look for a place to hide he turned towards the thicket. He moved on quickly scanning the forest floor for foot prints. He saw nothing. He walked further and came to a place that felt mushy, she would not have gone past that he hoped. He eyes fell on some freshly trodden plants and he decided to follow that trail. He found some lace on a bush and felt hopeful. The trail turned cold again after a few minutes. Arif looked around this part was familiar to him. He was on the way to the Bhimbettka caves. They spent many happy moments there he recollected. She had learnt to conquer her fears Zoya mentioned, this was beaten track too ..she should be there he guessed. He ran towards the caves with his heart in his mouth. He slipped into the caves quietly hoping to see something other than the 30,000 year old paintings. She must have hoped to hide here till dawn when hopefully then the tourists would started trickling in.

The goons were a group of tech savvy young men. They knew they would have to jam signals to stop Najma from calling her Bhaijaan. Their head was a really happy suave man. His people were tailing Asad Ahmed Khan and his family and Mrs. Shabnam Kumar from the day the lady walked into his office. They thought that they would knock Asad cold with all the mess they would cause at Dilshaad Constructions. The land would then be theirs while Asad Ahmed Khan was fighting to save his company. They planned a perfect break in form Rashid's residence when they had gone to install a new "Digital set top box" Humeira had given given them the password for the router for password updates while she was busy looking at Ayaan instead of the computer screen. The cash was moved. They were thrilled that Asad was unaware of what was happening in his office under his nose...he was too pre-occupied with his pregnant wife. If he smelt this it would be Rashid's problem. Things came to a head when Arif reported Akram for rape and physical assault of his own wife! He could take it no more!! Akram pleaded with his wife to withdraw her complaint the meek girl went against logic and did that. Akram never imagined that he could get both Asad and Arif with one pawn - Najma. Akram was probably the only one other than Ammi and Zoya who had seen Najma's eyes shine when she was with Arif. Arif too found it difficult peel his eyes of Najma. He had seen them together in the lift at the mall too. Akram's plan took a set back when Asad and his family disappeared from Bhopal. The driver that took Asad and Harish form the baby store was came cheap. Akram could not believe his luck. He had a complete bunch of sitting ducks at the Villa.

He made arrangements to set the canopy on fire but Mrs. Sharma was not there as he hoped she would be and the "ducks" did not panic and they could not move in because Harish was there. They got their moment when Asad and Harish were at the city. Everything was on an even keel - he told his boys that they would shoot Arif lift the 3 women and leave the oldies howling. Mrs. Kumar got in the way of the shot. Najma and Ipshita were parceled but Asad was with Zoya and Harish was there in a flash. He led his officers into the forest while shooting at the tyres of the speeding vehicle. Ipshita and Najma heaved off 3 goons from the vehicle and jumped out...but Harish was there a few seconds later they had trashed Ipshita by then and Najma had to retreat into the forest to escape the goons she could not crossover to Harish Bhaiya. Harish caught a glimpse of the driver of the speeding car and decided that he should send his team after the goons and would come back for Najma who was behind the trees. He fought his instinct to run to her because he knew he would be watched and he was outnumbered. The driver was the mole, with an injured Ipshita at hand he would only expose Najma.

Harish came back to the Villa carrying Ipshita. "You take them to the hospital Ma knows" he said to Asad. Harish was sure that Asad would come back he did not realise that Arif would be at the other end searching for Najma with him till Arif called him from the villa.

It started to rain heavily and that brought a fresh flood of tears to Najma's eyes. "Bhaijaan"she screamed in fright "please come for me". Arif's ears perked up that was no animal he thought.

The lady officer who sat next to Asad in the speeding van was busy staring at multiple screens. On a normal day Asad would have recognised her face but today was a bad day. He continued to fervently hope and send postive energy like Zoya wanted him for Najma...anything when one is desperate acknowledged Asad. There was a flicker of a smile when she saw a blip on her screen she typed in to her keyboard and held her breath till a reply flickered on the dark screen. That's one less to worry about she declared. She looked at Asad and told him Harish is tailing the goons your sister is not with them.She must be safe in the forest. You can't call him the mobiles are jammed near where they are she said.

A panting Arif reached the mouth of the cave. He too held his breath and softly called out for his bunny. He heard nothing, he walked further and called out again a blur of blue hit him with full force and he was hugged like he had never been hugged all his life. "Oh Bunny" he said again as he lifted her off the ground and swirled. Najma was never happier in her entire life than she was right then. " Baad me rone ke liye waqt miliga" she told herself as she nuzzled into the duffle bag strap and strong neck. She was cuddly thought Arif as he smiled into her hair. He got a surprise kiss and felt some sniffing under the collar of his tee shirt. Please " mujhe Bhaijaan aur Ammi ke pas le chaliye" she said. HUmm that's the plan unless you want to spend more time here..I need my hands to reach my phone and call your Bhaijaan and the Police" he said with a wink. " AHHH don't put me down" shrieked Najma. " "Your Bunny has a broken ankle" she told Arif looking down at her right foot that was dangling. Arif smiled at her "well I was prepared for worse" he said honestly. Carried her over to a rock near by. He reached for his phone handed it to her and reached for his bandages. Najma was dialing while Arif was bandaging. "Bhaijaaan" she said into the phone Asad was relieved that she was calling from Arif's number his tamattar sounded alright! " I'm coming to get you" he said softly..." I know" she replied into the phone softly fighting a fresh flood of tears. Brother and sister knew that they had to keep the call brief because it was not over yet.

Arif was looking up at her holding her right foot, she touched his head " I knew you would come too" she said looking down at Arif. Arif kissed her dirty ankle and said " I had to!"