Chapter 14

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 14 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

ETF-

The entire team is gathered in the conference room. Shree and Riddhima were cuffed to the table.

Liza had treated him. Whilst she did, Ayesha and Chotu managed to comfort each other outside the lab. They still couldn’t believe all of this was true. But they had no other option than to accept the facts. After all, they had seen Shree shoot Arjun themselves and they had caught him red-handed with Riya. After Shree was treated, they had cuffed him in the room and gone out. Liza too broke down the second she went into the comfort zone of her friends.

Presently, Riya was sitting in a chair with Arjun beside her, holding her hand and keeping her at a safe distance from Shree. There was an unbearable yet awkward silence in the room.

Rathore(annoyed): Ab Koi Kuch Bolega Bhi? koi toh shuru karo!

Ayesha: aap shuru kijiye

Rathore: matlab?

Ayesha: itna toh saaf hai ki aap sab Riya ko jaante hai, kaise? Kaun hai woh?

Rathore sighs. It would probably be best to begin from the beginning.

Rathore: Riya… Research Specialist Riya Mukherjee, ETF ki pehli female officer

The girls exchanged glances in surprise.

Rathore: tum logon ko Xora toh yaad hoga?

Sakshi: obviously, it was a nightmare!

Rathore: woh case ETF ka hi tha aur Riya ne sabki jaan bachane ke liye woh capsule kha liya, we thought she was dead

All eyes turned to Arjun now.

Arjun: mujhe nahi pata Riya zinda kaise hai, mujhe thodi der pehle tak ye bhi nahi pata tha ki Shree ne use kyun pakad kar rakha hai, main bas use chudaane ki koshish kar raha tha

He glanced at Shree. The others followed his gaze. He was angry, sad, jealous all at the same time. He gritted his teeth. Seeing him silent, Riya starts.

Riya: hum dono college se dost the aur ETF mein hum dono ki posting hui toh humari khushi ka thikaana hi nahi tha. Xora ke kuch din pehle Shree ne mujhe propose kiya tha lekin maine use dost ke ilawa aur kisi nazar se nahi dekha tha. Maine bhi usse yahi kaha aur woh maan gaya, humari dosti waisi ki waisi hi rahi. Xora khaane ke baad main aap logon se baat karte hue behosh ho gayi, jab aankh khuli toh ek, ek ghar mein thi, Shree ke saath

Shree finally spoke up: main humesha se hi Riya se pyaar karta tha, jab usne mujhe reject kiya toh mujhse sehan nahi hua. Maine thaan li ki uski na ko ha mein badal kar rahunga, fir chahe mujhe uske liye kuch bhi kyun na karna pade. College mein Riya ne kuch sleeper cells ko pakda tha, maine bhi uski help ki thi bas uska ek leader baahar tha. khatra tal ne ke baad security hata di gayi thi, uske kuch mahino baad hum ETF mein aaye. Mujhe intelligence reports se pata chala ki woh leader waapis khule mein aa gaya hai, maine ye baat Riya se bhi share ki thi. Jab usne mujhe reject kiya toh maine use apne paas rakhne ka plan banaya lekin Xora ki wajah se sab bigad gaya. Aap logon ke jaane ke baad bhi main hospital room mein tha, main kaise Riya ko chod ke chala jaata? Kuch der baad doctor aaya, final check ke liye toh use Riya ki pulse mili, maine mauke ka faayda utha kar use paise khila kar ye baat sabse chupaane ko kaha

Arjun: aur is kaam mein tumhari madad morgue ke in-charge Shyamlal ne bhi ki

Shree was surprised he knew about it but agreed.

Shree: ha, Shyamlal ne hi bodies exchange ki, nakli body par Riya ke kapde aur mask laga diya humne

Arjun: aur fir tumne us doctor aur Shyamlal dono ko road accident mein marwa diya

Shree: ha!

Except Riddhima’s all eyes widened in shock.

Shree: Riya ko pata tha ki woh gang ka leader baahar hai isliye maine use ye kehkar ghar mein rakha ki prime witness hone ki wajah se uski jaan ko khatra hai, actual mein jab woh recover ho rahi thi, Xora ke kuch hi dono mein woh admi police encounter mein maara gaya

Riya: maine Shree par vishwas kiya, lekin jab bahot waqt beet gaya toh mujhe shak hone laga, ghar ke guards, waha ki security kuch zyaada hi high-end thi police protection ke liye, aur toh aur woh mujhe kisi se contact bhi nahi karne deta tha, maine usse puchne ki kayi baar koshish ki lekin woh wahi baat keh kar mujhe fuslaata rehta, main nahi maanti toh kehta ki bhale hi mere dil mein uske liye kuch na ho lekin woh mujhse pyaar karta hai aur mujhe hurt nahi dekh sakta. Finally, kuch dino pehle maine apna sabar kho diya, aur use confront kiya aur Shree ne gusse mein mujhe bata diya ki puri duniya mujhe mara hua samajti hai. main samaj gayi ki ab baat haath ke baahar nikle usse pehle mujhe hi kuch karna padega

Arjun: tum logon ko yaad hai kuch din pehle Shree ne half-day liya tha? apni behen ki tabiyat kharab hone ki wajah se?

Chotu: ha

Arjun: us din maine Shree ka peecha kiya

Rathore: kyun?

Arjun: pata nahi, jab woh phone par tha toh maine uske aankhon mein ajeeb sa gussa dekha aur fir jab usne behen bataya toh mujhe kuch samaj mein nahi aaya, mujhe toh uski fikar ho rahi thi isliye gaya, hospital dekha toh mudne waala tha lekin fir bhi uske gusse ne, mera peecha nahi choda. Andar jaa kar maine dekha ki room ke baahar armed guards the. mujhe aur ajeeb laga toh main doctor ka bhes bana ke andar gaya toh dekha ki Riya bed par thi

Riya: maine khaana peena band kar diya tha, ye sochkar ki tabiyat kharab hogi toh shayad hospital le jaaye aur waha kisi se kuch keh saku. Par jab aankh khuli toh maine Riddhima ko apne saamne dekha, nurse ya wardboy aate toh bhi ek guard andar rehta tha toh main kisi ko kuch nahi bata paayi. Fir achanak Arjun sir aa gaye. Main chouk gayi par kisi tarah unhe Shree ke baare mein bataya par kuch saaf-saaf keh paati isse pehle guard firse andar aa gaya

Arjun: mere dimag ne kaam karna hi band kar diya tha, puri raat bas yahi sochta raha ki Shree ne kyun humse ye sab chupaya, kyun kar raha hai aur Riya itni ghabrayi hui kyun thi. Jaise taise karke jab hosh mein aaya toh maine decide kiya ki main use waha se chuda lunga. Main gun lekar hospital gaya, tab tak subah ho gayi thi lekin room khaali tha, reception par kisi ko kuch nahi pata tha, inquiry karne par pata chala ki Dr. Riddhima ka unofficial patient tha, uske ghar gaya toh waha taala laga tha

Shree: mujhe guard ne bata diya tha ki koi doctor aaya tha, humne CCTV check ki toh Arjun sir dikh gaye. Lekin maine Riya ko ye baat nahi batayi. Main jaanta tha ki agar Arjun sir ko pata chal gaya hai toh mere liye bahot badi musibat hai…

Rathore(shocked): ISLIYE TUMNE ARJUN KO MAARNE KI KOSHISH KI!!!

Shree: ha, par fir jab Chetan ke baad sir ne kaha ki agle attack par official case shuru karenge toh maine risk nahi liya, mujhe pata tha ki woh mera phone tap kar rahe hai, mere peeche admi lagaya hua hai, use bhi chakma dekar main ghar ke peeche se raaste se nikal jaata tha Riya ke paas. CCTV dekhne ke turant baad maine Riddhima aur uski family ko alag ghar mein shift kar diya kuch dino ke liye.

Arjun turned to Rathore: pehli baar toh mujhe samaj mein nahi aaya ki kaun meri jaan ke peeche pada hai par jab tumne mujhe us sniper se bachaya toh maine Shree ki aankhon mein firse wahi gussa dekha aur main samaj gaya ki ye sab woh khud hi kar raha hai

Ayesha: par sir aapne hume ye sab pehle kyun nahi bataya?

Arjun: uski ek wajah ye thi ki main vishwas nahi kar paa raha tha ki Shree ye sab khud kar raha hai ya majburi mein, dusri ye ki agar koi aur uske saath involved hai aur maine Shree ko haath lagaya toh woh Riya ko hurt kar sakta hai aur teesri yeh ki main tum sab ki jaan aise hi khatre mein bhi nahi daal sakta tha. Sniper ke baad toh jaise hum dono ke beech chuhe-billi ka khel shuru ho gaya, Shree apne tracks cover karte rehta aur main unhe dhundhne ki koshish karta rehta.

He starts explaining his investigation to the team from the Lockhart’s hospital’s incident, him telling Sakshi to get clues and then finding out it was Riya again who had tried to escape. He went on to say how he dug deep into the past and went to their college. What all Tiwari told him, him trying to search for the terrorist group’s file but the record room not having it, Shree somehow finding out and getting Tiwari killed and make the file disappear before he found it.

Arjun: main jaanta tha, ki mere chutti lene ki baat pata chalte hi tum mera phone trace karoge lekin jab tak tumhe pata chalta tab tak mera kaam khatam ho jaata…

Rathore: lekin tu phone off bhi toh kar sakta tha, agar use pata nahi chalta toh…

Arjun: phone on hota toh use trace karta, off hoga toh kisi aur tareeke se pata karne ki try karta jise main predict nahi kar sakta tha and that could be more dangerous. Agar mere waha jaane par Shree react karta toh iska matlab main sahi disha mein jaa raha hun par (glancing at Shree) tumne toh Tiwari ko seedhe upar hi pahuncha diya

Shree: aapki madad karne ki saza toh use milni hi thi!!

Liza(shocked): tumne teen khoon kiye Shree?!?!

Arjun: teen nahi chaar! Jab Riya ETF mein thi tab bhi kisi ka khoon karwaya tha Shree ne, right?

He looks at him in shock: aapko kaise pata chala?

Arjun: kiska?

Shree regains composure: jab hum Rathore sir ke dost ke ghar gaye the tab ek ladka Riya ke peeche pada tha, yaha tak ki woh apni maa ko le aaya Riya se shaadi karne ke liye, woh mere saamne meri Riya se shaadi karne ki baat kar raha tha, maine use bhi road accident mein marwa diya

Riya couldn’t hold back anymore. She stood up with a jerk.

Riya: TUMHE SHARAM NAHI AATI!!! CHAAR KHOON KIYE TUMNE!! ARJUN SIR KO TEEN BAAR MAARNE KI KOSHISH KI?! HOW COULD YOU?!?!

Shree answered with equal anger: BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!!! AUR JO BHI HUM DONO KE BEECH AAYEGA, MAIN UN SABKO APNE RAASTE SE HATA DUNGA!!!

Riya freezes momentarily. Her eyes well up. Arjun places a comforting hand over her shoulder and gestures to her to sit. He was not going to let her strain her injury for that useless man. Silence hung in the atmosphere for a few minutes. The team members who were unaware of Shree’s truth now were looking at him with only disgust. Gone was their friend and teammate who was a technical freak, all they had in front of them was a criminal who had attempted to destroy an innocent life and had destroyed many others in the process.

Chotu: toh sir, aapko finally pata kaise chala ki Riya waha hai?

Arjun: mere admi ne Riddhima ko dhundh liya aur maine usi se ugalwa liya lekin Shree ko pata chal gaya, haala ki main woh expect kar raha tha aur maine dusra plan ready rakha tha

Shree: ha! jab maine aapko humara wait karte hue dekha usi waqt mujhe shak ho gaya aur maine use shift karne ke orders de diye, jab aapne humare bluetooth connect karwaaye toh woh yakeen mein badal gaya bas mujhe ye nahi pata tha ki aapko Riddhima mil gayi hai aur aap use maarne ka drama kar rahe the

Arjun smiled: kya karu? tumhare khilaaf sabut jo ikatha karne the

Shree glares at him: this is not over ACP Arjun Rawte!

Arjun: we’ll see about that! Lekar jao dono ko!

Ayesha and Chotu take them to the lock up. Liza collapses on a chair and yawns. Rathore sighs and glances at his watch. It was almost 2:30 in the night. He was about to tell them to leave for the day but stopped. It was too late to send them alone. He decides to wait till Ayesha and Chotu got back.

Arjun glances at Riya. She looked lost. He refrains himself from asking her anything, thinking it was too emotionally overwhelming for the already sensitive personality of her.

Chotu comes straight to Riya as soon as he enters: Riya!

She snaps out of her thoughts: hi Chotu

He hugs her: tu theek haina?

She hugs back half-heartedly: ha, I’m fine

Rathore: Riya, main kal subah commissioner sir se baat kar lunga, you can join in, ok?

Riya thank you sir (turning to Arjun) thank you sir, agar aap nahi hote toh main shayad kabhi waha se nikal nahi paati

Arjun: itna toh kar hi sakta hun tumhare liye Riya, it’s the least I can do

She nods, not quite getting the meaning of his words.

Rathore: bahot raat ho gayi hai, Chotu tum Liza aur Sakshi ko ghar chod do. Rawte Riya ko…

Arjun: nahi, pehle doctor

Riya: main theek hun sir, uski zaroorat nahi hai

Arjun: main tumse puch nahi raha hun, chalo

Not having an option, she stands up. He supports her and takes her out. Riya remained silent throughout the journey to the hospital. Arjun on the other hand was dying to hear her voice but controlled himself, thinking she was tired. To his relief, the doctor says that the wound was not too serious and would heal within a few days. After buying the prescribed medicines, he drops her at her house.

Riya: thank you sir

Arjun: Riya tum reh logi na ghar par? I mean itne time se tumhara ghar band hoga, please safayi mein mat lag jaana abhi, tumhe aaram ki zaroorat hai, kal chutti le lo, parso se office aana, khud ko strain mat karo, samjhi ya samjhau?

Riya was surprised to hear the concern in his voice but managed to nod.

Riya: I’ll be fine sir

Arjun nods: chaabi haina?

Riya: ha sir, padosi ke ghar mein spare hai

Arjun: ok, take care, good night

Riya: good night sir

She walks with a minor limp and goes into the apartment. Arjun waits in the parking lot. He looks out the window to the high rise. A few minutes later, the light in one of the flats is switched on. Satisfied, he turns the car and goes home.

A wide smile was plastered to his face. His Riya was back! No longer would her memories haunt him. As for his questions, he would take those answers from her in due time. First, he had to focus on her getting better. By the look on her face, he was sure she was going to take some time to get out of her shell. She was traumatized at all the happenings and revelations.

And he was right! As Riya stepped into her home, she saw her paradise turned into a dust dump. However, she was very tired, physically as well as emotionally. She goes straight into her bedroom. She pulls out the bed sheets and throws them into the corner. Making sure there was no smell coming from the mattress, she lies down with a million thoughts running through her head.

Sameer cuts slack for the team in reporting time the next day. He and Arjun head to the commissioner’s office at around 11 pm to fill him in all the details. Needless, to say he was shocked at the conspiracy. An officer was kidnapped? By another officer? Who murdered people? Tried to kill a third officer? FOR LOVE?! It was too much to digest.

On the other hand, Riya had just woken up. She stretched lazily and looked around. It was her bedroom. Although it looked like it was centuries old, peace washed over her. She was finally out of the damned place! She sat there for several minutes, taking in the fact that she was home. She washed her face and checked the time… 11:30. Her gaze darted around as she walked out of the room. She had her work cut out for her. The house was in a complete mess.

Sighing, the first thing she did was throw open the windows and let light come into the house.

Outside-

Three men were waiting. One of them was leaning against the door while the other two were sitting on the floor. They finally heard shuffling footsteps inside and light coming out from below the door. they exchanged meaningful glances…………………….