Chapter 20

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 20 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

A shadow rose from the backseat in silence. He stretched the wire in his hand. With a swift movement, he threw it over the front seat and pulled it to strangle him.

Arjun’s eyes shot open feeling the metal pressed around his neck………………………….

The man pulled harder. Arjun grabbed his hands trying to loosen the grip. The thin wire had started slicing his throat. He coughed and flailed his legs. Using all his strength, Arjun grabbed one arm of his assailant and pulled forward to elbow him.

He let out a groan as the wire slipped his hands. Arjun grabbed his gun. Pulling his legs up on the seat, he turned behind. The man tries to punch him. Arjun blocks it effectively and hits his head with the butt of his gun rendering him unconscious.

Arjun falls back on the seat, taking deep breaths. Something wet, trickled down his chest. The cut stung badly. He gently touched his torn skin and checked his fingers. There was blood on them.

Arjun: what the hell?!

He looked back. The man had fallen between the seats. Arjun cuffed him so that he wouldn’t create any more trouble.

His first thought was to go back upstairs but then changed his mind. She would again get worried. He pressed his kerchief to the wound. Thankfully, it was a small cut. He had been able to reduce pressure before the man could apply full force. He fishes out his phone and calls up Rathore.

Rathore: ha Rawte?

Arjun: kaha ho?

Rathore: ghar par

Arjun: main aa raha hu

Rathore: sab theek…

But he disconnects the call. Rathore stares at his screen mv “ise kya hua?” Something was wrong with the tone of his voice. It was too serious for his liking. Thinking something, he dials a number.

20 minutes later, the doorbell of his house rang. He ran to open the door. Ayesha greeted him.

Ayesha: hello sir

Rathore made way for her: hi Ayesha, sorry maine tumhe is tarah bulaya (closing the door) I hope maine tumhe disturb nahi kiya

Ayesha: it’s ok sir, aap kaafi pareshaan lag rahe hai, phone par bhi tensed the… is everything ok?

Rathore: I don’t know! (she looks at him questioningly) Rawte

Ayesha: ab kya hua?

Rathore: pata nahi, uska phone aaya tha, pucha kaha ho? maine ghar par kaha toh bola ki aa raha hun, aisa lag raha tha ki baat bahot badi hai and well, ek tum hi ho team mein jo Rawte ke saath jhagda kar sakti ho (she raises her eyebrow) come on, tum karti thi shuru mein

Ayesha: ha lekin woh isliye kyunki main un par gussa thi

Rathore: ha toh, tumhe yaha bhi zyaada kuch nahi karna bas us par pressure daal ne ke liye meri help karo

Ayesha sighed: sir aapko pata bhi nahi hai ki woh kyun aa rahe hai fir aap kyun itni tension le rahe hai?

Rathore: nahi Ayesha, I know that voice. Main 100% sure hun ki…

The doorbell rang again. He rushed to open the door. He was shocked to see the Arjun in front of him. There were blood stains on his neck and the edge of his shirt.

Rathore: Rawte!!!

Ayesha too was shocked mv “Rathore sir sahi the!” She runs to get the first aid box.

Arjun: andar aa sakta hun ya fir tujhe mujhe yahi khada rakhkar chillana hai?

Rathore pulls him inside: shut up!

He makes him sit on the sofa. Arjun asked for water. Rathore hurriedly filled a glass. Ayesha came out with a first aid box. Arjun raised his eyebrow on seeing her.

Arjun: Did I disturb you two?

Rathore: shut up!

Ayesha pressed the anti-septic to his wound making him wince.

Rathore: Ye Sab Kya Hai? Kaise Hua?

Arjun: batata hun, pehle baahar ja, backseat par ek banda behosh hai use lekar aa aur baandh de

Rathore: Rawte tum…

Arjun(tired): please!

Rathore curses under his breath but goes out all the same.

Ayesha: sir are you okay? Ye toh wire jaise ka nishaan lag raha hai

Arjun hummed in answer. She stuck a Band-Aid and proceeded to throw away the other medical waste. Rathore got the unconscious man in and Ayesha helped him tie him to the chair.

Rathore(panicked): ab kuch bologe?!

Arjun nodded. He pulled up his legs and sat cross-legged on the sofa. He rested his back and neck comfortably.

Arjun: main Riya ko chodne uske ghar gaya tha aur fir kuch der wahi tha uske saath uske ghar par. jab main waha se nikla toh khush tha…

Rathore: obviously

Arjun ignores his comment: main bas gaadi mein baitha aur kuch pal use yaad kar raha tha aur pata nahi achanak kahase isne mere gale par wire laga di

Ayesha: matlab woh backseat par aapki raah dekh raha tha

Arjun: ha

Rathore: kaise aaya woh?

Arjun: maine watchman se pucha lekin woh baarish ki wajah se building ke andar tha, gate par nahi isliye usne kuch nahi dekha

Rathore: lekin ab ye kaun teri jaan ke peeche firse pada hai?

Arjun: pata nahi, isliye toh ise yaha lekar aaya

Ayesha(suspiciously): sir, aapne Riya ko bataya?

Arjun: tumhe main bevkuf lagta hun Ayesha?

Ayesha(shocked): but sir use pata chalega toh…

Arjun: use pata nahi chalna chahiye, main nahi chahta ki woh firse seham jaaye isliye ise yaha lekar aaya hun

Rathore: par Arjun itni badi baat usse chupa na theek nahi

Arjun: aur use firse depress karna theek hai? pehle pata toh kar ki ye kisne kiya hai

Rathore sighs. He picks up the jug of water and throws it on the man’s face. He coughs and splutters at the sudden attack. Rathore pulls his hair.

Rathore: kaun hai tu?

He doesn’t answer. Rathore punches him hard, breaking his nose. He groans in pain. First the hit on his head and now this. Rathore slaps him.

Rathore: Kaun Hai Tu?!?!

Man: Sanjay

Rathore: kisne bheja tumhe Arjun ko maarne ke liye?

Man: woh… Tarun… Tarun Sharma

Arjun stands up immediately: Tarun Sharma?!

Ayesha: sir aap jaante hai use?

Arjun: ye toh Shree ka jija hai

Rathore: what?!

Arjun: Riddhima apne pati aur bache dono ke saath underground ho gayi thi.

Rathore: Toh Fir Tumne Tarun Ko Jaane Kyun Diya? Riddhima ke saath use kyun nahi pakda?!

Arjun: kyunki mujhe ek bhi kadi aise nahi mili jo uska involvement hume bataye. Riddhima ko apne saath rakh kar Shree ke pakde jaane tak mere admi wahi par the taaki woh Shree ko inform na kar de aur bacha bhi tha toh…

Rathore: toh tumne jaane diya? Seriously Rawte? Had hoti ha laparwahi ki, tum kabse dimag ke bajay dil se sochne lage?

Arjun(irritated): par Rathore, Shree aur Riddhima ne bhi jo statement diya tha aur Riya ne jo kuch bhi kaha us sab mein Tarun ka naam bilcul nahi tha, sirf in dono ki involvement thi, hum kis basis par use pakad kar rakhte?

Ayesha: sir ho sakta hai ki Shree aur Riddhima ke arrest hone ki wajah se Tarun majburi mein ye sab kar raha ho

Rathore: ho sakta hai aur aisa bhi ho sakta hai ki use in dono ke kaand ke baare mein pata ho but he chose to turn a blind eye to it aur ab musibat mein hai toh unke connection ka faayda utha raha hai

Arjun: ya fir Shree ya Riddhima ne kisi tarah use message bhej kar ye sab karne ko kaha ho

Ayesha: message kyun sir? woh dono police station ke lock up mein hi toh hai, woh koi terrorist thodi hai ki visitors allowed nahi, Tarun definitely unse milne gaya hoga, if not Shree, atleast Riddhima, khud ke liye nahi bhi toh bache ke liye

Rathore sighs: ha koi bhi possibility ho sakti hai

Arjun: ye baat Riya ko nahi pata chal ni chahiye

Rathore: Rawte…

Arjun: Rathore bahot mushkil se woh guilt ke baahar aayi hai, please firse nahi!

Rathore: are lekin tum chupaoge kaise? Agar ise yaha rakh kar, hum teeno unofficially investigation kare toh bhi! apna ghaav kaise chupa paoge tum usse? Aur woh dekhegi toh definitely sawaal karegi

Arjun: main concealer laga dunga

Ayesha: sir aapki baat sahi hai lekin ye chupane waali baat bhi nahi hai, aaj nahi toh kal use pata chal hi jaayega aur agar baahar se pata chala toh iska anjaam aur bura hoga

Rathore: Ayesha, tum use nahi jaanti, woh bahot sensitive hai, abhi- abhi ek jhatke se baahar aayi hai, agar use pata chala ki Shree badla lene ke mood mein hai toh woh paagal ho jaayegi

Ayesha: par…

Rathore: ha tum sahi keh rahi ho lekin abhi use sach batana bhi theek nahi

Ayesha falls into thought. He assures her.

Rathore: ek baar sab settle ho jaaye toh Rawte use tareeke se bata dega

She nods in agreement: toh ab kya kare?

Rathore: Rawte! Kaun hai ye Tarun? As in karta kya hai? kaha milega?

Arjun removes his phone and scrolls through his contact list. Finding the correct one, he swipes the contact to call him.

Other side: ha Arjun saab?

Arjun: Mohan, us Dr. ke pati ke baare mein koi information hai tumhare paas?

Mohan: kuch khaas nahi saab, uska pati ek builder ki firm mein engineer hai, woh Enclave company mein

Arjun: ek kaam karo, jaha par woh rehte the aur jis ghar mein woh pakde gaye, jaakar dono check karo

Mohan: theek hai saab

Call disconnect

Rathore: kya hua?

Arjun: woh Enclave mein engineer hai

Rathore: Ayesha, kal subah jaise hi Enclave ka office khule, jaa kar waha enquiry karo

Ayesha: theek hai sir

Rathore: tune us bande ki shakal dekhi hai? (Arjun nods) theek hai main sketch artist bulwata hu aur! Tu aaj raat yahi rahega!! Gaadi mein se spare kapde haina tere?

Arjun: ha lekin uski…

Rathore glares at him: you either say yes ya fir main Riya ko abhi phone karke sab kuch bata dunga!

Arjun(terrified): NAHII!!!

Rathore: right answer!

Ayesha purses her lips to contain her smile: ok sir, main chalti hu

Rathore: ghar pahunch kar message kar dena

She was nodding when Arjun spoke up: ek second, ek second aise bichari ka dil mat todo. Main andar jaata hun, tum dono ache se bye bol do, ye admi toh waise bhi adhmara hai, ise kuch pata nahi chalega, ok bye!

Ayesha blushed red as Rathore bore holes into him

Rathore: Rawte!!!

He laughs and exits to the room, leaving the love birds alone.

Ayesha: inhe, inhe kaise…

Rathore: pata nahi, uh tum uski baaton par zyaada dhyaan mat do… good night

Ayesha: good night sir

Rathore: fir sir?

Ayesha blushes: woh haina? bye!

She runs out of the house leaving a smiling Sameer behind.

Next Morning-

The bosses were having breakfast at Rathore’s house.

Arjun: Mohan ne dono ghar check kar liye hai lekin Tarun aur unke bacha ka kahi koi ata-pata nahi hai

Rathore: bache ka school?

Arjun: waha bhi nahi, woh Riddhima ke gayab hone ke baad se school nahi gaya, police ne kuch kaha sketch ke baare mein?

Rathore: ek raat hui hai sirf Rawte, dhundh rahe hai, itni speed kaise expect kar sakte ho tum?

Arjun sighs deeply (looking around): Sanjay ko kaha rakha?

Rathore: police station

Arjun: kab le gaye tum use?

Rathore: main nahi le gaya, area ke inspector ko bulaya tha, tere sone ke baad, hum dono office ke liye nikal jaayenge toh mujhe laga use yaha rakhna safe nahi hoga

Arjun: hm, acha sun raaste mein kisi cosmetic shop par ruk jaana, mujhe concealer lena hai

Rathore: ha thee…

They are interrupted by the ringtone of Rathore’s phone.

Rathore: ACP Sameer Damsingh Rathore!........ ha bolo…. Ha… WHAT?!!?!? KAISE?!?! TUM LOG KYA BAITHKAR MAKKHI MAAR RAHE THE?!?! (Arjun is surprised at the sudden outburst) SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!!! 20 MINUTE MEIN HEADQUARTERS PAR MILO!!!

He disconnects the calls and bangs the phone against the table. Arjun raises his eyebrow as Sameer continues to mutter curses with a tensed expression on his face.

Arjun: kya hua?

Rathore: Inspector ka phone tha

Arjun: kaunsa?

Rathore: aaj, court ki date thi, Shree aur Riddhima ko transport karte waqt…

Arjun: KYA RATHORE BOLO!!!

Rathore: they ran off!

Arjun: KYYYAAA?!?!?!..................................