DESIREgfh - Page 9

KOLKATA

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'Which one?..right wala or left wala?' asked mirza on phone, as his curious eyes searched through the lanes...on his both side. His cavalcade was moving through the 'not so wide' lanes of Newtown. He was continuously looking for the right landmark, Abdul was describing him. mirza was on his way to his son. He knew his son was fine...he was at safe hands...but for some unknown reason that piece of information was not being able to soothe his worried heart. May be that's how a FATHER feels when he is distanced from his child? The MIGHTY mirza was nothing but a weak father...who will have to live through uncertainty, until he has his son near his heart. mirza was growing more and more impatient with every passing second.

'Our kitne turns...god damnit!!!' After half an hour of left and right...finally mirza blasted off.

'Just one more...take right next...and you have IT', replied Abdul in a pacified tone. He was aware of the mental state of his friend...He knew how much eager mirza was to meet his son. Abdul also wanted mirza to reach the place as soon as possible. Not because mirza needed Rico, but because Rico needed mirza. Lil boy was a bit scared when Abdul reached him. In spite of all his efforts neither Rico came to him, nor let Abdul come to him. The kid was still standing at the corner of the dark room, he was locked in. Abdul clearly knew that only those can make the boy feel better to whom he is close to.

One turn on left and mirza reached the place. It was a shabby looking house on the dead end of the lane. Entire lane was taken in control by mirza's men. It was cordoned off from the commoners. mirza's cavalcade stopped near the house...Abdul was waiting at the gate. mirza hastily came out of the SUV and without wasting any more time, rushed to Abdul.

'Where is hassan?' asked mirza in a restless tone.

'Come inside.' Abdul showed him the way inside. They entered the house.

'The guy was snooping razia's calls...I think...wohi se usse sab pata chala...threat calls trace karke...we got the address. mirza...he...he...locked hassan in a room...bachha thora dara hua hai...he is a bit scared...pehle usse millo...then we'll see the kidnapper.' Abdul summarized the whole update in a go. He led mirza to the room where Rico was kept.

Rico had always been a brave boy...Fear was not something that could checkmate him so easily. But a merciless kidnapper, rounds of beating, being locked in a dark room and then numerous unfamiliar faces...everything together frightened the lil soul to the core. He had no idea why that bad guy took him away from his mother...he had no idea why he beat him up...he had no idea why suddenly so many people with heavy guns were roaming around him. He was scared...hell scared. The lil heart was beating too fast. He just wanted to get back to his mother...anyhow. All of a sudden Rico heard the sound of boots approaching the room. He shrunk more into the corner with an unknown fear.

The door jerked open...entered mirza. For first couple of seconds his eyes couldn't see through the darkness...but as soon as his gaze started settling in, he could sense a lil figure at the corner. Before he could react that lil figure rushed to him.

'Friend!!!' cried Rico as he ran to mirza. mirza swiftly got down on his knees to receive him. Rico almost jumped on to him and hugged him. mirza could hear his lil sobs...He could feel the quiver in his body. mirza hugged him back...wrapped him with his arms.

Till now mirza was thinking that he knew how it feels like being childless...but this one hug' made him realize what he was bereaved of. It made him realize...how it feels when your loved one finds solace in your arms...made him realize...how it feels to be a FATHER. mirza clutched him close to his heart. He wanted to take his son to the place where he belongs to...his HEART. A lone tear scaled down mirza's cheek...making way for the new set of feelings, taking birth in him.

Rico buried his face on mirza's shoulder...he was sobbing hard. His son's tears moved mirza. He caressed his back, tried to pacify him, 'Its ok love...it's ok...am here...see am here to take you back. It's over. Ab koyee tumhe pareshan nehi karega...calm down...calm down.' mirza placed a kiss on his earlobe...while continuously caressing him. Rico clutched him more tightly...as if somebody would tear them apart if he loosens. mirza's heart twisted, imagining how much torment his lil son had to go through. An immense rage was building inside him. He felt like crushing the head of the man who let this happen. He felt like bringing hell on the person who dared to touch his son. But his first priority was to take care of Rico...the rest can wait. mirza lifted Rico with his arms. Rico was still hugging him tight. mirza too kept him close to his heart. This was one piece of GEM he could even die for.

After a couple of minutes...Rico finally broke the silence. 'He...he...he...is a bad guy...he is a bad guy' uttered Rico in between his sobs. He slowly lifted his head and looked at mirza. 'He hit me...shove me to the wall...see...marks on my hand...he is a bad guy'. Rico showed his bruised arms to mirza.

So much pain and tears in his son's eyes stabbed his heart like hell. Each drop flowing from Rico's eyes was squeezing his heart to death. He was crying too. mirza couldn't even imagine how on earth a human being can hurt such an innocent soul!!! The more he was thinking, the more his anger against the kidnapper was soaring. If his son wasn't there he would have thrashed that jerk to hell by now. Somehow he was trying to hold himself back.

mirza kissed on Rico's cheek and brought his head back on his shoulder. He knew...the boy needs a huge dose of love and care now...those are only things that can bring him back to normalcy...bring him back to the regular RICO.

'I want to go to mom...please take me to my mom...' uttered Rico in a soaked voice. That brought something in mirza's mind. He quickly picked his phone out of pocket and dialed a number. 'Hello...just wait a sec'. With this mirza handed the phone to Rico, 'your mom's on phone...talk to her.' This news spread brightness across the lil boy's face. He eagerly grabbed the cell and answered, 'mom...'

mirza slowly put Rico down. Lil soul was engrossed in narrating his terrible experience to his mother. mirza decided not to get in to the mother-son convo. He let Rico be on himself...at the same time instructed two of his personal security men to keep an eye on him.

The more mirza was thinking about his son's bruises, the more he was feeling the urge to thrash that b**t**d to death. Till now he was checking himself because of his son...but not anymore. 'It is time to teach him a lesson', thought mirza. He turned to Abdul. mirza could feel his entire body was trembling with raging fire. He wanted to burn the tormentor alive.

'Where is that b**t**d Abdul? I need to make him pay for this.'

'Come with me...', signaled Abdul as he left the room.

The duo approached the next room. Entire house was packed up with their men...armed and alert...though mirza himself was surrounded with his personal security staff...that's how 'Z' plus category is designed to be. They were about to enter the room when Abdul spoke something about the kidnapper...that puzzled mirza, 'well...he is a blast from the past buddy...and I think...you won't be that glad to see him.' Failing to fathom his words, mirza gave a confused look to Abdul and entered the room. The kidnapper was sitting on a chair...tied to it. His head was hanging low...face not clearly visible to mirza. Abdul walked up to the chair...pulled his head back by hair. This revelation left mirza shocked!!!

This was the very face that snatched away mirza's peace years ago...that caused him living numerous sleepless nights. This was the very person who dared to hug HIS razia...in front of him. Yes ... it was the guy whom mirza saw with razia, the day he and Abdul went to meet her at the orphanage. It was the guy with the helmet!!!

His face brought every bit of the memory from that day back to mirza's mind. He could taste the fire in his blood all over again. If mirza's desire for razia didn't fade away with time, his wrath for the person who tried to take her away also didn't. mirza was slowly forwarding his steps to him...an immense rage was venting out of his gaze and face. His eyes fixed on the guy.

The kidnapper was boldly staring back at him with fearless eyes...he was anything but repentant. For him it was all for a purpose. On the other hand mirza didn't know for which reason he was angrier on him...his audacity to touch razia or his dare to hit his son. mirza felt like ripping his skin off...but somehow he controlled himself and threw a question to the guy.

'How dare you beat my son?' mirza gritted as he hurled the question. But the one he addressed was equally headstrong in his reply.

'Trust me... I wanted to kill him... I wanted to kill that b**t**d...I...' Before he could finish mirza drove a punch on his face. The kidnapper almost got knocked off from his seat...somehow managed at the last moment. mirza's rage crossed every limit...he yelled at the top pitch of his voice, 'Himmat kaise hui teri...haan...himmat kaise hui...mere ke bete ko ba...' mirza couldn't finish...his voice stumbled on the word. Within no time mirza blew another punch on his face. This time a thin line of blood appeared from the corner of the kidnapper's lips. he took few seconds to compose himself... then began in a much controlled tone, 'Why did you do this? For money?'

'No...not money...I wanted to take revenge on you...I wanted you to feel the pain, I am writhing under for years. I wanted you to feel...what it takes to lose the person you love more than your life.' With this the kidnapper paused for some moments. mirza knew things were bound to breach the intimate barriers now...he went for privacy...ordered the security men to leave, 'Leave us alone.' Without any delay they followed the order their master gave. Now it was only mirza, Abdul and that kidnapper.

'Got scared??? Darr laga??? Ke sabko pata chal jayega that you are a rapist?', asked the kidnapper with a smirk. This audacity fired mirza. He gripped the man by hair and gritted, 'I am not a rapist...I only claimed what's mine. SHE IS MINE.'

'She isn't...she will never be. Woh kabhie tumhari nehi banegi...she loves me and she always WILL...she must have told you right???' a mocking smile appeared on the kidnapper's face.

''I will never leave Sanjay...he is my life...he is my love''

Words uttered by razia were still alive in mirza's mind. How could he forget those words that sucked the life out him once? How could he? But it was the last thing he wanted to remember...and Sanjay...dug the grave for him. mirza felt like cutting him into pieces right there. The devasting factor in him was raring to begin the ravage...but today mirza had something else in mind. He wanted to punish that guy in a different way...he wanted him to live a life worse than death. It was time to show him...mirza needs no sword to batter an enemy.

'You are right Sanjay...you are absolutely right. razia loves you...pyaar karti hai tumse. Tabhi toh pichhle 5 salon se mere bachhe ko paal rahi hai...' a mild laugh could be sensed in mirza's voice as he uttered the last sentence. He went again, 'she could have got rid of that kid...abortion karwa leti...ya kisi ko de deti...but she didn't. She mothered him...took care of him...loved him. And you know what...I would never be able to love my son the way she loves. She did all this because she loves you...Am I right Sanjay?' Looking at Sanjay's face mirza knew he rubbed on the right nerve.

'After leaving Simla, she went to Pune. I met her there...she was...a few months pregnant then. I...I...told her...to abort the kid...told her to get rid of it. But she didn't. Pagal ladki...kehti hai...'mera bachha'...ab jo bachha uske marzi ke khilaf ho...woh uska bachha kaise ho sakta hai...never.' Sanjay vented his disbelief through his disgust. Only if he could know how much delight his words spread through mirza. He seized the opportunity to counter him left, right and centre.

'Well...that's the way a mother's heart works...you must not be aware of it...BAAP jo nehi ho...' uttered mirza with an extra stress on last few words. A winning smirk adored his face...eyes fixed on his target. mirza loved the game all the way...he could see his opponent succumbing to his spin...slowly. Sanjay's next words were testimonial to it.

'It's because of you I lost my love forever...it's because of you she never came back to me...mujhe laga tha...I will take care of her and pull her out of this horrible memory...but then your son came in between...it's because of him, she snapped all ties with me. She wanted to live a mother's life...nothing else...I lost my razia forever.' Sanjay almost broke into tears with his words.

'You shouldn't have pinned your hopes on her. At least...not after knowing my desire for her', spoke mirza with a straight face.

'I didn't pin my hopes on her...we were lovers...tum bich me aye...and destroyed all.' Sanjay almost yelled at mirza. But that hardly made any difference to mirza. He was more into his new found 'strategy' game. But at the same time there were many questions mirza wanted answers to.

'You could have kidnapped hassan much before...why now?' mirza couldn't hide his curiosity.

'Khonewale ko agar pata ho ke usne kya khoya hai...tab khone ka dard 100 guna bad jata hai. I was waiting for the day when you would know about your son...And I was damn right...wasn't that pain killing???' Sanjay's blatant reply raked mirza's nerves. But before mirza could reply Abdul interjected. 'mirza...I think we should live now. We need to set out for Mumbai'. Abdul's words pulled mirza back to the present scenario. He realized how far he has gone in his counter chase. But how can he leave the sport in the middle!!! mirza decided to harp one last time. 'Oh yah...I forgot...razia must be waiting for me...we MUST leave now Abdul'.

'But iska kya karen?' asked Abdul pointing at Sanjay.

'What do you suggest Abdul???' asked mirza playfully.

'Katke fek dete hai'. Abdul couldn't think of any better punishment for this kidnapper. He thought his buddy will agree with him too. But mirza's reaction surprised him to the core.

'How can I Abdul!!! How can I?!!! How can I forget those ehsaans he has on me!!!' This time mirza's words went beyond Abdul's power to recognize. 'I am not getting what you are saying mirza'. It was mirza's turn to explain.

'Abdul...I owe much to HIM. If I hadn't seen him with razia, I wouldn't have lost my mind...wouldn't have called razia to me...wouldn't have been a father now. And that's not all...today because of him I have my razia with me all over again. If he wouldn't have kidnapped hassan, she would have never come to me.Ab tum hi batao Abdul, who's a bigger friend? You or Him?' here concluded mirza.

'Hmm...baat to sahi hai...then what???' asked Abdul with a frown. One thing he was sure about his buddy must have something or other in mind. What mirza spoke next just confirmed his assumption.

'Don't we need labors at our Samarkand Mines...send him there. Jab tak jeeyega...ghulami karega. First for me. Then for my son.'

Abdul got the point. He nodded for affirmation. 'I'll take care of this. You should go now. hassan wait kar raha hai...'

'razia bhi...' hurling this pair of word at Sanjay, mirza walked out of the room, leaving a devastated enemy behind. He could still hear Sanjay's fading voice from the room...'kill me mirza...kill me...I can't live like this...kill me...' But with his every forwarding step that voice was slowly losing in the background...within a couple of seconds...it was completely lost.

mirza won the battle. He broke the neck of his enemy, that too without a war. But victory was still miles away from him. When he was making fun of Sanjay's love...he was aware that he himself is not even in the vicinity of razia's love. He knew...how much razia despises him...he knew how much she hates even being in his presence...he knew she is not waiting for him. 'But that's only for time being...she will have to love me...she will...someday', mirza consoled himself.

Loaded with thoughts mirza was strolling on towards the gate...when he felt something soft touched his hand. He turned his gaze towards the point. It was Rico. He wrapped his tiny palm around mirza's. This sight filled mirza's heart with all shimmering' delight...made him forget all his worries...his insecurities in one go. Looking at those angel eyes mirza realized how it feels to be a FATHER and what he missed in last four and a half years.

'Are we going to mamma?' asked Rico.

'Yes', replied mirza as he picked up Rico in his arms and started walking towards the SUV.

A few minutes later...

mirza's convoy was speeding down the posh avenues of South Kolkata. He was on his way to razia. Inside the car mirza was sitting by the window. Rico was sitting on mirza's lap...resting his head on mirza's chest. Lil boy was totally exhausted. mirza was continuously caressing his back...trying to soothe him as much as possible.

Something was playing in mirza's mind for the last couple of minutes...but he didn't know how to begin. Some more rounds of thinking...and finally mirza set off.

'hassan...have your Mom told you anything about your father?' mirza asked very carefully.

'Yes...she told, my Dad lives far away...he can't come to us.' Rico answered without moving his face from where it was.

'Don't you wanna meet your Dad? Don't you miss him?' asked mirza in a caring tone. This question of his, struck something within the boy. He slowly lifted his head and looked at mirza.

'I miss him...school me sabke Dad ate hai...bohot bura lagta hai...I want my Dad too...But...' before Rico could complete mirza interjected eagerly, 'But???'

'But Dadi told me not to ask about him to my Mom. That's why I don't'. Growing amount of moist could be seen on Rico's eyes as he uttered those words.

'Dadi...does she come to meet you often?' mirza felt a building curiosity inside him.

'Not often...but she does. Whenever she comes, she brings so many toys for me...cars...robots...bats. Mom ke liye bhi gifts lati hai...but whenever she comes, Mom cries a lot. Sometimes Dadi also cries...mujhe bilkul bhi achha nehi lagta hai...' finishing this Rico returned to his previous posture...rested his head again on mirza's chest. But his words made mirza restless. His heart ached thinking about razia...thinking about her pain...thinking about the responsibility he bears for the same. On that very moment he promised himself one thing...he will do something very soon...something...that will change everything.

Precap: 'Marry me'