CHAPTER 39
A PEEK IN THE PUB
Karan leaned back in the chair, reading over his notes again. "Metal detector", he muttered to himself. He grabbed his laptop, pulling up some pictures of the pub. He hummed again, nodding as the details smoothened out over in his mind.
He grabbed his phone, texting Faizi and Sanju. I have a plan. Free ho abhi?
His phone chimed almost instantly with two messages. He opened up Faizi's first. Class hai humaari 5 minute mein. Class ke baad? Sanju's message was similar, having a class in the next slot. Karan glanced at his own schedule. He sighed.
Lunch ke baad? Usse pehle classes hain meri.
It chimed with two messages- thumbs up from either of them. He kept it aside, picking up the notes and studying it over again.
A hesitant knock on the door made him glance up. He straightened up, seeing Monami linger uncertainly in the doorway. "Monami?" He said in surprise.
"Hi", she muttered. She closed her eyes, shaking her head. "K-Kuchh n-nahi. S-Sorry." She turned away.
"Monami", he called, halting her. He stood up, crossing the room. "Kya hua?"
She turned back to him, nervously fidgeting with her hands. "S-Sab b-busy hain aa-aaj. Th-Thoda h-homework se c-catch up k-karna hai. L-Lunch se p-pehle aur b-baad mein bhi k-koi c-class n-nahi hai so s-sab apne h-hisaab se l-lunch kar r-rahe hain. I... I was w-wondering... a-agar aap f-free hain, toh... l-lunch ek s-saath k-kar sakte hain? B-But it's o-okay a-agar aapko n-nahi karna. I... I d-don't w-want to as-assume." Her eyes widened even more and she took a deep breath.
"Relax, Monami", he said. "Deep breaths. Paani chahiye?"
"I am f-fine", she squeaked. She took a deep breath, blinking up at him.
"You know... agar tum mujhe lunch ke liye puchh rahi ho, iska yeh matlab nahi hai ki main tumhe hi khao jaaunga", he said. She smiled a little, glancing down. "Relax. We can have lunch together."
She blinked. "Y-Yes?" She confirmed.
"Itna surprised kyun ho?"
"Woh k-kabhi k-kabhi aap Kh-Khadoos Shergill w-waale m-mode..." She trailed off. "S-Sorry."
"Khadoos Shergill?" He repeated.
She bit her lip. "Sorry", she said sheepishly.
He turned back, walking back deeper into the room. "I'll take it", he threw out. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Andar aao. Baitho." He sat down on his chair, turning it to follow her with his gaze. "Aur kya kya naam rakhe hain mere?"
She smiled slightly. "You'll h-have to f-find out." She shrugged.
His eyebrows raised in surprise. He leaned forward, a small smile playing on his face. "Matlab aur naam toh hain." She shrugged. He hummed. "Interesting."
"K-Kya? Is m-mein i-itna k-kya interesting hai?"
His mouth broadened into a smirk. "You'll have to find out", he retorted, making her chuckle slightly.
---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---
Param stared at the photo. A 8 year old him grinning at the camera, and nestled comfortably on his father's lap. He looked down at him with a smile, an arm around his middle to hold him in place.
Param peeked out from the crack of the door, staring at the army officials that were in their living room. His mother sat on the living room, sobbing quietly as the men stared at her with sorrowful eyes.
Pushpinder Batra- his Dad's partner- knelt down in front of her, holding out a locket. His heart dropped. It was his Dad's locket. Param leaned back from the door, walking backwards into the room. His Dad was... dead? Was that it? All the crying and remorse and sorrow?
The back of his legs hit the bed, and he stumbled, falling to his knees. They stung slightly with the pain of the fall but it hardly registered in his mind.
The door opened and he looked up through his tears. His mother walked in, eyes red and face raw. She knelt down in front of him. 'Param...'
'Dad nahi aa rahe, na, waapas?' He whispered. 'Kabhi nahi aayenge, na, woh?' The tears welled up in her eyes and she shook her head. Her arms engulfed him, clutching him tightly. He took a deep breath, listening to her heartbeat. He swallowed the lump in his throat. 'Mom... ro mat. Dad kehte the, na? Faujiyon ki shahadat par roya nahi jaata. Unki zindagi ka jashan manaaya jaata hai.'
A hand trailed up his arm. He looked up, seeing his wife look at him with furrowed eyebrows. "Tum theek ho?" She asked softly.
He hummed, nodding. "Yeah."
She sat down next to him. "Param... tum kya soch rahe ho?"
"Kuchh nahi", he said. He closed the album, keeping it carefully in the trunk. He paused, picking up a small rattle. "Tumhe pata hai? Yeh rattle. Yeh main Karan ke liye lekar aaya tha. Humaare ghar ke paas ek old aunty akele rehte the. I used to go and help her out. Chhote mote kaam. And woh mujhe kabhi kabhi paise de dete the. Jab Karan born hua tha, main yeh uske liye lekar aaya tha. Unn paison se."
Barkha smiled. "You are a good brother, Param", she muttered.
He sighed. "I tried", he said. "Dad nahi the. Phir... Mom bhi nahi rahe." He smiled slightly. "Karan jab chhota tha, bhar bhar kar energy thi. Overactive mind. New cheezen explore karna chahta tha. Kisne kyun kab kaise kara, sab jaanna chahta tha. But... kabhi kuchh nahi maangta tha. No toy, no trip. Jo mila, bas chup chaap le lo. Jis cheez ka bahut mann hota tha, hamesha khud kuchh naa kuchh karke, le leta tha." He chuckled slightly. "Bas ek cheez thi- sawaal kabhi nahi khatam hote the."
She laughed a little. "I bet he was a good kid."
He hummed, nodding. "Very good." He kept the rattle back in the trunk. He picked up a photo frame. It was of his mother, head thrown back in laughter. "I miss her. I miss them", he whispered. "Kitni alag hoti, na, zindagi agar woh kabhi nahi jaate."
"Param... yeh sab achanak kaise? Kuchh hua hai kya?"
He shook his head. "Nahi. Main bas... Batra Sir ke proposal ke baare mein soch raha tha."
"And?"
"What do you think?"
She lightly played with his hair, setting it idly with her fingers. "I know how much service means to you. 6 saal pehle, baat alag thi. It was all fresh, recent. But ab... you have moved on. Hai, na?" He nodded slightly. "I think... tumhe ek baar academy jaana chahiye. Just walk around. Tum itne saalon mein waapas nahi gaye. If you think it's too much for you, mat accept karo. If you think you can do it, then you'll be serving your nation again."
He looked at her, smiling slightly. He leaned forward, gently kissing her lips. "It's a plan."
---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---
"Aaj shaam ko saath mein dinner karna hai?" Koel asked, smiling at him. "Sab so jaaye, mess band ho jaaye. I'll make something for you."
Faizi stopped chewing for a second. "Uh", he hesitated. "Kal karein?"
She frowned lightly. "Kyun? Aaj koi problem hai? Kaam hai?"
"Nahi", he lied. "Bas... hume thoda academy ke bahar jaana hai aaj."
"Official kaam?"
"Nahi, nahi. Bas thoda sa aise hi. You know, chores. Aaj karne zaroori hain."
She smiled. "Sure", she said. "Kal karte hain?" He smiled back, nodding. She looked at her plate. She stabbed a piece of apple, holding it up. "You like this, right?" He grinned, nodding. She chuckled, pushing her cut apple in his plate.
His smile faded slightly as she started eating again, telling him something that had happened in a class. 'Tumse jhooth bolna, zyaada pasand nahi hume. Par hume nahi pata ki kaun kaise sun le. Abhi tak, yeh baat humaare, Karan aur Sanju ke beech mein hi rehni chahiye.'
---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---
"Club ke entrance par metal detectors lage hue hain", Karan said. "I doubt woh hume guns lekar jaane denge. Faizi... non-metal knives kitne hain tere paas?"
Faizi grinned. He opened his cupboard, digging through his stuff before bringing out a wooden, polished box. He opened it, revealing a set of beautiful daggers nestled between foam for safekeeping. "Humne socha nahi tha inka sach mein kaam aayega."
"Tune khanjaron ka business kab shuru kara? Yeh kya hai?" Karan asked, staring at the box with an open mouth.
"Humaare 10 saal ki mehnat", he said. He picked one up. "Yeh baagh nakh hai. Kisko chahiye?"
"Sirf tujhe", Karan said. He leaned against the table. "Sirf tu andar jaayega."
The other two paused. "Kaa?" Sanju asked. "Sir ji, hum kaahe ke laane andar naa jaa sakto hain?"
He spread the map on the table, and the other two leaned over it. "Humaare paas weapons nahi hain", he said. "Iska matlab, we have to be careful. Agar baat escalate hoti hai, we need to have plans. Teenon andar jaayenge, matlab we'll lose the element of surprise, which we can't afford. Sanju, tu yahan, back par rahegi. Main yahan front par. Mere aur Sanju ke paas 2 type ke weapons honge- humaari handguns aur ek long ranged, in case we need to kill someone fast. Faizi, tu andar jaayega. Teri backup guns mere paas hongi. Metal detector hai toh you'll have to take these weapons. Conceal achhe se karna but make sure ki accessible bhi ho. You might need it."
"Karan, hum baat karne jaa rahe hain."
"And?" He said, raising his eyebrows. "Agar escalate hua, toh kya karenge? They'll have guns, we won't. We need an edge. Aur baat toh tu akele bhi kar sakta hai." He grabbed a microphone, a camera and an ear com. "Main aur Sanju sab kuchh dekhte aur sunte rahenge."
Faizi looked at Sanju and then at him. "Theek hai, sahi hai", he said. He glanced over the knives in contemplation.
---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---
Sanju scrolled through the details Karan had forwarded to her, sighing and reading through the club and the owner's information. Clean. A little too clean, in her opinion, considering the unofficial reputation he had developed- brash, selfish and inhumane.
Footsteps made her glance up and she clicked the phone off when Sid appeared in the doorway, a glass in his hand. "Hi", he said. He extended it to her. "Yeh lo."
"Kaa hai?" She asked, peeking in. It was orangish. She accepted it, sniffing it. It smelled like orange too.
"Orange juice hai", he said. "Par maine banaaya hai. With Sid G's special recipe."
She raised an eyebrow. "Santre ke juice mein kaunsa master chef dhoond liyo hai tune?" She asked.
He sighed. "Pee lo, na? Main bahut pyaar se banaakar laaya hoon. Kya farak padta hai different hai ya nahi?"
"Toh bol mat, na, ki alag hogo." His face fell more. "Achha, theek hai", Sanju pacified. "Zyaada muh mat bana." She took a sip. "Achha hai." He smiled. "Yeh kaahe ke laane?"
"Aise hi. I like to feed people I like", he said, shrugging. "Woh toh academy mein naa time milta hai aur rules bhi strict hain, toh kabhi aapke liye kuchh zyaada bana nahi paaya." She smiled slightly. "Kabhi chhuti hogi, aur time hoga, toh aap jo bologe, main woh bana dunga."
"Thank you keh raho hain", she said.
He grinned slightly. "Welcome keh raho hain", he said slowly, trying not to fumble over the different dialect.
She narrowed her eyes. "Tu humaara mazaak udha raho hai?" She asked.
His grin widened. "It's just... unusual. Main mazaak nahi udha raha, but it's different."
"Humaare yahan aise hi bolto hain. Jab hum pehli baar gaon se bahar gaye the, hume tum sabki bhasha ajeeb lago thi."
He hummed. "Of course", he said. "It's interesting."
"Tujhe Marathi aato hai?" She asked randomly. "Tu toh yahin badha hua hogo, na? Mumbai mein?"
"Of course." He grinned slightly. "French bhi aati hai."
"French", she repeated. "Hindi toh dhang se seekh le, Chirkut."
He pouted. "Mujhe aati hai", he protested. She laughed, patting his arm in a condescending comfort.
---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---
Faizi took off his helmet, gazing at the club- Pandemonium. He got off the bike, feeling the presence of some of his knives underneath his clothes.
"Tu jaa andar, Faizi", Karan's voice said in the ear comm. "Main aur Sanju dekh rahe hain."
"Copy that", he said, before walking into the club. A guard stopped him and he waited patiently as he frisked him. He walked further in, through the walk-in metal detector, relaxing slightly when nothing beeped. He walked straight to the bartended, leaning over the bar. "Hume aapke owner se milna hai- Raichand."
His gaze swept him over. "Kya kaam hai?" He asked.
Faizi's eyebrows narrowed slightly as he studied him. Young but tough. He was probably brought up in the life. "EFR", he said finally.
The bartender leaned forward. "Army?" He asked. Faizi nodded slightly. He raised an eyebrow. "Special agent?" He nodded again. His chin lifted slightly. "Boss aapko expect kar rahe the. Wait karo do minute." He leaned back, walking deeper into the back rooms.
"Expect?" Sanju's voice said.
"Ise bahut kuchh pata hoga, Faizi", Karan said. "But he'll make deals. Negotiate karna padega."
Faizi hummed lightly. Another person appeared, nodding to him. He stood up, walking after him. The room was just a couple of rooms over.
The man- he recognized him to be Raichand- sat on the chair, wearing a crisp, expensive suit. He leaned forward when he entered, a smirk stretched across his face.
"I have you in sight, Faizi", Karan said.
"Baithiye", Raichand said. "Main expect kar raha tha aapko."
Faizi sat down, leaning back slightly in his chair. "Expect? Kyun?" He asked.
"Kyunki hume cheezen pata hoti hai", he said simply. "Special Agent Major Faizuddin Siddiqui. I must say I am surprised aap aaye hain aur Karan Shergill nahi. Bataiye, kya chahiye aapko?"
"Information. EFR ke baare mein."
He smiled slightly. "I'll talk for a price."
"Kya price?"
"Immunity. Mera naam, mere club ka naam, kahin nahi. Aap questions puchhiye, jo answers mujhe aate honge, main dunga." He smirked slightly, leaning forward. "Is it a deal?"
"What's the catch?"
His smirk widened. "I am a businessman. Jahan mujhe faida dikhega, main wahan. Aaj aapke paas dikh raha hai, isliye aapke saath. Kal nahi dikhega, toh nahi."
"Seedha seedha bolo- naa dharam hai, naa imaan hai. Bas paisa dikhta hai", he hissed, glaring at him.
"Haan", he agreed. "Paisa, apna matlab aur apni jaan. Bas."
There was a click. Faizi glanced up immediately, just in time for the door to open and guns to be pointed at him and Raichand. Faizi's gaze snapped to the other man, finding him staring at the men with surprised eyes. "Haath upar", one of the men said.
Faizi stared at them. 11 men. Armed and ready to kill. He won't be able to do much with just his knives. He slowly raised his hands. 'Calculate, wait and then attack,' he could almost hear Karan's words in his mind.
Karan. Where was he? Where was Sanju? Faizi became conscious of the surprisingly dead ear comm in his ear. Why weren't they speaking? His throat went dry. Were they alright?
"Tu hume bechna chahta hai?" One of the men spat. "Inn faujiyon ko."
"Mera faida jahan, main wahan", Raichand said.
One of them snarled. "Dhokebaaz."
A movement drew Faizi's attention. A brief glimpse of a ponytail and then, quiet again. Faizi relaxed slightly. Sanju. If she was here, perhaps Karan was too.
Faizi reached behind himself slowly, his hand wrapping around the hilt of his wooden dagger. "Aye", one of them said, pointing the gun at him. "Kya hai peechhe?" His finger moved to the trigger.
He lunged forward, drawing the knife out of its holster and stabbing it into his chest. His forearm muscles bulged slightly from the force- harder than if the dagger was one of steel or metal- but it got the job done. Blood spurted out from the wound as the man gasped in pain.
His gaze snapped up to see the guns pointed at him. The fingers moved to the triggers.
Gunshots rang out.
Faizi looked up towards the door. Karan and Sanju strode in, guns in hand as they pulled the triggers. Faizi grabbed the gun Karan had slid to him quickly, raising it and pulling the trigger. It caught one in the chest, and he groaned, falling down to the ground.
A scream snapped his gaze towards Raichand. Blood was seeping out of his stomach as he desperately tried to push the bleeding, gasping in pain. He aimed towards another man, jumping to his feet. He moved towards the pub owner, pulling down to the ground.
"Bolo", he demanded. "Hume EFR ke baare mein jitna bata sakte ho, batao." Raichand stared at him. "Mar rahe ho. Aakhri moments mein kuchh imaan toh rakho."
"E-Ecstascy", he whispered. "Mask."
"Mask kya?" He asked.
"Mask... badha plan."
"Kya plan?" He demanded. "Bolo!"
Raichand's eyes closed slightly. He panted in pain, moaning softly. "Pata nahi. Par... Par... plan badha. Desh... desh ka nuksaan. Bahut log... log marenge."
"Ecstascy kya hai?" Faizi asked.
"You... You have a... a traitor", he whispered. "Academy... academy mein." His body relaxed. Faizi kept two fingers on his neck, pausing to feel a pulse. There was none.
"Sir ji!" Sanju's voice yelled. Faizi's head snapped up, just in time to see Karan fall back, his gun splattering to the ground. His jaw clenched. He lifted his gun, pulling his trigger quickly. A man fell, a hole in his forehead.
He stood up, pulling the trigger again and again till the men were down. He walked out from behind the desk, looking around the men. He kicked the guns away as he waded through the bodies to Karan quickly. "Sanju, dekho", he threw out.
He was sitting up, clutching his shoulder with blood running down the length of his arm and dripping to the floor. Karan glanced behind him, before up at him, agony etched on his face. "Raichand?" He asked, wincing. Faizi shook his head. Karan sighed, leaning his head back.
"Information mili usse", Faizi said. "Haath dikhao apna."
"I am fine", he protested half-heartedly. "Information... kya mili?"
"Sir ji", Sanju said, appearing beside him. She dropped to her knees, looking at the arm with wide eyes. She threw a glare at the men behind. "Sir ji, yeh information wagera sab baad mein. Pehle treatment karwao." She pulled out her phone. "Hum ambulance call kar raho hain."
"Nahi", Karan said sharply. "Academy chalte hain."
"Karan..." Faizi shook his head in disbelief.
"EFR... They'll... make the connection. Abhi, there is no one... left to speak. Hopefully iss room ke bahar... kisi ko nahi pata hoga ki yahan kya hua." He groaned slightly. "Faizi... ek... ek kaam kar. Make it... make it look like ki... ki Raichand kuchh... kuchh information disclose karna chahta tha, par... par kar nahi paaya."
"Hum karte hain", he said, nodding. "Sanju, tum aur Karan bahar chalo. Peechhe ke raaste se."
"Ek... ek second. Bar... Bartender bhi", he said. "Use... use pata hai. And... And footage... footage delete karna."
He nodded. "Theek hai. Hum kar denge. Sanju, Karan ko academy lekar jao. Hum peechhe aa jaayenge. Aur Batra Sir ko call karo." He paused. "Unko kehna Monami ko bulaaye treatment ke liye. She can't be the spy and we are not sure ki hum apne doctors mein se kise trust kar sakte hain. Jao."
Sanju nodded. "Ji, Sir ji", she said. She helped Karan to his feet, guiding him out.
Faizi immediately got to work, sorting through the papers. He paused at one, frowning at the bill or rather, the name at the top.
Club Ecstascy, Mumbai.
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