Chapter 1

Bloomie

@bloomie

Chaalbaaz

An intense shootout was going on. The leader of the gang slipped away from the back. His men were occupying the ETF officers making sure he would not get caught.

Rathore cursed them: dammit!! Ye firse haath se nikal jaayega!

Ayesha ran through the space, shocking everyone.

Shree: Ayesha Kya Kar Rahi Hai?!!? ARE YOU CRAZY!?!?!

Ayesha: Yes!

She ran behind Babloo, barely giving the others enough time to give her cover. Babloo jumped into his jeep. He started the ignition. Just as he was about to drive off, she pulled him out of the vehicle. Babloo tried to punch her but she twisted his hand and shot his leg causing him to scream. She grabbed him by the collar and took him back inside effectively establishing a ceasefire.

Rathore glared at her: Don’t You Ever Do Anything Like That Ever Again!!!

Ayesha shrugged: I’ll try

Arjun: good job

Ayesha (surprised): thank you sir

It wasn’t every day that Arjun offered a compliment. Rathore shot her another glare and walked off. The others sided upto her.

Chotu: waah Ayesha! Tu toh Jhansi ki Rani nikli

Ayesha: kabhi doubt tha tujhe?

Shree: are nahi, nahi, kabhi nahi bas

Chotu: bas aaj thoda zyaada confirm ho gaya

Shree: ha! kya haina? Usually ye saare kaand Rathore sir ya Arjun sir karte haina

She shook her head in disbelief. Rathore barked orders and they started sealing the area. The men were arrested and dumped into police vans. The on-site formalities were done and dusted after which the case was handed over to the local police. The ETF returned to their office.

Arjun was alone with the girls in the conference room, studying the evidence board of the same case. Shree and Chotu had slipped away for a quick snack while Rathore was busy briefing the commissioner.

Sakshi was pouring praises for Ayesha explaining the entire scenario to Liza who was no less excited than her.

Ayesha: are yaar bas bhi kar ab Sakshi, kabse wahi rat laga kar baithi hai, maine jo bhi kiya woh meri duty thi

Liza: madam duty karne ka na, tareeka hota hai aur waise bhi roz-roz limelight mein rehne ka mauka thodi milta hai? toh jab tak hai tab tak enjoy kar

She giggled: tum dono bhi na

Sakshi: are sach mein yaar, come on you deserve it

Liza: absolutely!

Sakshi: main naa special article likhungi ki tune dikha diya aaj sabko ke aurat par kabhi bhi shak nahi karna chahiye! (Arjun’s head snapped to the conversation) aur aaj toh Arjun ne bhi maan liya (turning to him) haina Arjun?

Her addressal brought him out of his thoughts. He clenched his fists as his eyes turned blood red. His sudden reaction scared the three. Before Ayesha could try to mend anything, he burst out.

Arjun: KAAM KARO APNA! AUR AGAR KHUD NAHI KAR SAKTI TOH DUSRO KO KARNE DO! SAMJHI YA SAMJHAU?!?!

He banged the marker on the table and left the conference room.

Ayesha: Sakshi! tu chup nahi reh sakti?

Sakshi: are lekin maine aisa kya kaha ki woh itna bhadak gaya?

Liza: ha Ayesh, woh sahi keh rahi hai, ab tak toh woh shaanti se baithe the humari bak-bak ke bavjud toh fir achanak aisa kya hua?

Ayesha: woh sab mujhe nahi pata, par sher dahada na? pata haina unka gussa kaisa hai? toh unke saamne muh band rakhna better nahi?

Though not entirely convinced, they nodded their head.

On the other hand, Arjun slammed the door of his cabin. He wasn’t angry at their talks or Sakshi’s usual irritating attempts to include him in the team but her statement sent him down a lane he did not want to go.

“Aurat ki kabiliyat par kabhi shak nahi karna chahiye!”

Her words rang in his ears.

“Uske baad kudna bhi hai sir?”

“You know woh mera favourite tha, I just love him.”

“Ab is waqt toh aapki cutting aa nahi sakti, toh aapko isi se kaam chalana padega.”

“Lenge toh koi nuksaan nahi hoga, sir”

“Ant mein jeet aapki hi hogi”

He collapsed in his chair in defeat, throwing his head on the head rest. Her memories were no less torture to him than his wife’s. Atleast in that case, they struck a truce with him after Sikandar’s encounter. They started giving him solace instead of frustration but hers? How would he ever find solace with her memories? Who was he supposed to kill for the truce when her criminal was already dead?

He sighed and opened his drawer. A framed photo of a girl greeted him. She was laughing against the backdrop of a wall covered with flowering plants. He had sneaked into her house to get something of hers, right after her funeral. Stealing was probably not the best way to honor the dead but he justified to himself saying that no one would ever know about it.

His vision hazed as he stared at the picture. A tiny smile came on his face. He recalled the first time they had met. She had mistaken him for a criminal and attacked him. It was a good thing that he had quick reflexes else she would have definitely broken a few of his bones. He had never thought that one day he would pining for her then. It had been 6 months now. The team had expanded. The others had made peace and moved on but he? He was not able to. No matter how hard he tried. It was as if there was a missing piece in the puzzle…in their relation.

Unfortunately, he knew it. he knew all about it. Her half indirect words on deathbed haunted him to this day.

“Main kehti thi na ki main samaj sakti hun? Nahi samaj sakti…koi nahi samaj sakta kyunki aapne…”

“kyunki pyaar ka dard sirf wahi samaj sakta hai, jiska pyaar adhura reh gaya ho” he had finished what she had started but she was gone.

He didn’t know what was more frustrating, that she wasn’t able to complete what she wanted to say? That he wasn’t able to know the reason from her? Or that he wasn’t able to express himself in front of her? The uncertainty of whether she really knew that he had feelings for her or she just meant that she couldn’t understand his pain tortured him. He hated unsolved mysteries and had definitely not thought that his life would become one. If he had to live….atleast he preferred it with less torture and torment.

Arjun mv “kaisa jadoo chala diya hai tumne mujh par Riya? Socha nahi tha ki dobara kabhi pyaar hoga, hell! Mujhe toh ye bhi nahi lagta tha ki pyaar karne ki kabiliyat hai bhi ya nahi mujh mein? aur ab dekho, pyaar toh ho gaya lekin saath firse chut gaya… kabhi-kabhi toh aisa lagta hai jaise mujh par hi koi shraap hai, jisse chahne lagta hu use bhagwan saza dete hai….. Did I kill you Riya? kya mujhse pyaar karne ki saza mili hai tumhe? bolo na….please….please Riya!”

A tear escaped his eyes. He closed his eyes and hugged the frame to his heart. A knock sounded on the door. Quickly slipping the frame back and composing himself he answered.

Arjun: come in!

Chotu entered: sir woh Rathore sir ne kaha hai ki Babloo ne police ko statement de diya hai, case officially band ho chuka hai

Arjun nodded and he left. Arjun drank a glass of water and then went to Rathore’s cabin. As usual, he entered without knocking, making Rathore scowl at him.

Rathore: tum thode manners nahi seekh sakte?

Arjun ignored his question and settled in the chair in front of him: Babloo ne statement de diya?

Rathore: Chotu ne kaha nahi tumse? (irritated) ye ladka bhi na bigadta jaa raha hai!

He was about to call him from the intercom when he noticed Arjun’s amused face. He raised his eyebrow.

Arjun: tum aise bol rahe ho jaise ki tum uske baap ho

Rathore rolled his eyes: bas wahi baakhi reh gaya ab, sabko legally adopt karna, honestly! Bache paal ke rakhe hue hai, pata nahi kab bade honge?

Arjun: bade toh tab honge, jab tu unhe bade hone dega

Rathore: kya matlab?

Arjun: kya matlab kya? Jab dekho toh unki tarafdaari karta rehta hai

Rathore: are mein kaha…

Arjun: thoda daanta toh itni si uff nikli nahi ki wakil banke pahunch jaata hai

Rathore turned defensive: main koi wakil nahi banta hu, tum faaltu mein unhe daant te ho

Arjun: main faaltu mein daant ta hu? Unki galtiyaan dikhayi nahi deti tumhe?

Rathore: ha toh galtiyaan hi hai gunaah nahi, tum choti-choti baaton par daant te rehte ho

Arjun: main koi choti-choti baaton par nahi daant ta

Rathore: rehne de Rawte…

Arjun: woh log agar chote-chote kaam bhi dhang se nahi karenge toh officers kyun bane hai?

Rathore: tu kaha ki baat ko kaha lekar jaa raha hai?

Arjun: tum zaroorat se zyaada lenient ho isliye sab bigad rahe hai

Rathore: are baba…

Arjun: isliye koi tumhe seriously leta hi nahi, unhe lagta hai ha theek hai Rathore sir hi toh hai….thoda emotional hokar pata lenge

Rathore(consciously): sach mein?

Arjun: aur nahi toh kya? Aaj Chotu nahi sun raha hai, kal koi aur nahi sunega fir parso koi teesra. Fir tum baithe rehna Chief ka bhajan gaate hue

Rathore(thoughtfully): sahi keh rahe ho tum, koi sunta nahi aaj kal meri

Arjun: ha koi sunta hi nahi, especially Ayesha

Rathore: ha (registering) wait! What? Ayesha beech mein kaha se aa gayi? For your kind information, in sab mein se wahi sabse zyaada mature hai

Arjun: ha aaj jo usne kiya woh bahot hi mature harkat thi

Rathore: are usne sirf criminal ko pakda, that’s it

Arjun: that’s it?!?! woh firing ke beech mein se bhaag kar gayi aur tumhe ye that’s it lagta hai?

Rathore: dekho! Tum toh use kuch bolo hi mat, khud us din bomb lekar bhaage the uska kya? Ayesha responsible aur mature dono hai samjhe?

Arjun smirked: ha obviously use kaha kuch keh sakte hai? Chief ki khaas jo hai

Rathore: dekho, aisa kuch nahi hai okay?

Arjun: toh dikhao

Rathore: what?!

Arjun: tumhi ne kaha na ki dekho, aisa kuch nahi hai toh dikhao mujhe ki aisa kuch nahi hai

Rathore: that makes no sense!

Arjun: it makes perfect sense

Rathore(dumbfounded): ab chodo woh sab, tumhe kab se itni chinta hone lagi? Waise bhi hum Chotu ke baare mein baat kar rahe the

His hand went to the intercom again but Arjun stopped him.

Arjun: usne mujhe already bata diya

Rathore(confused): toh fir tum mujhse kyun puch rahe ho? aur itni behes kyun kar rahe the?

Arjun ignored his questions: sirf information bheji us inspector ne? statement kaun mera chacha bhejega?

Rathore sighed: Rawte shayad tumne notice nahi kiya lekin hum sab insaan hai machine nahi

Arjun: oh really?

Rathore: yes, woh kal subah tak statement bhej dega, dimag mat khao uske liye mera!

Arjun: kya keh rahe ho tum Rathore?

Rathore: kya?

Arjun: yahi ki tumhare paas dimag hai?

Rathore glared at him: Rawte!!!....

Arjun stood up: waise ho toh bhi, pehli baat ki main vegetarian hu, dusri ki dimag khaane ka kaam tumhari laadli crime journalist ka hai aur teesri aur sabse zaroori baat, jo cheez hai hi nahi use khaaya nahi jaa sakta!

Rathore lunged out at him: RAWTE!!

But Arjun was already out the door by the time he staggered to the other side of the table……………..............

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