Chapter 7

unicornwriter

@unicornwriter

CHAPTER 6: ONCE A DON ALWAYS A DON

7 p.m. , HYDERABAD

Farhad walked behind his Anna after he furthermore explained his theory and how he ended up here. To say that he was on cloud nine would be an understatement, he was relieved and ready to die a thousand deaths just to make this theory too and he knew that his Anna would too. A slight sound from the twig underneath his foot broke his trance as he became aware of his surroundings, it looked like a very old warehouse, concided deep within the exterior forests of the outer Hyderabad. All he knew that they were here to meet the agent with some information.

Raghav pulled the shutters of the warehouse with full force as he signalled Farhad to get in. Surrounded with boxes and minimal light Farhad felt confused of his Anna's expressions that looked raw under the central light. He could very well makeout 8 silouettes at the centre of the dusty place.

"Anna yeh sab kya hai?" Farhad asked as they made their way to the shadows that is when he realised that the 5 people out of the silouttes were none other than their men with Harish in the lead.

"Anna parcel aa gaya hai." Harish informed as Raghav sat on the chair opposite to someone whose back was visible to Farhad. He too walked to stand behind his best friend when he realised that the person sitting opposite was none other than the girl from the previous night or rather a private investigator now.

"I hope tumko koi problem nahin hua?" Raghav asked placing the box that he got from home on the table.

"Tumhare aadmiyon ne kaafi help kardi. lekin ek issue hai." she replied pulling on her leather jacket.

"Issue?Kaisa issue?" Farhad asked.

"Tumhara aadmi hai?" aditi asked to which Raghav nodded in positive.

"Information ke badle dono baap bete paise mang rahe the. Kaafi attitude hai iss bandar main." she spoke as Harish removed the cloth from the other 2 person that had their hands tied behind their back.

"isliye hume inhe idhar lana pad Anna. Maine toh bola ki game baja deta hoon lekin yeh madam ne kaha ki aapki permission ke bina kuch nahin." Harish informed.

"Yeh ab tumhare hai aur idhar mera kaam poora hota hai so payment." Aditi raised her brows to which Raghav pushed over the box to her.

"Isme Neeva Jweller ke owner ka khilaaf tumko jitna illegal kaam ka saboot chahiye sab hai. But remember mera naam nahin aana chahiye." Raghav warned.

"Deal." Aditi picked the box and walked out of the warehouse.

"Anna woh information aapne usse kyun dedi woh toh hum transit ke badle Inspector ko dene wale the na?" Farhad turned to face his Anna.

"Woh bhi dega main. Ab dono ko thori pata hai ki main double cross kara hai." raghav smirked as he leaned forward in his chair.

"aye Harish dono baap bete ko bitha aur uncle ka rassi kholde." Raghav order which his men fullfiled.

"Kyun laaye ho beta hume yahan?" the old man asked.

"Kyunki tumhara beta bahut shada bann raha tha uncle. Pyaar se sawaal pucha toh attitude dikha raha tha. Isliye ab tum bataoge ki woh bracelet tumhara paas kaun laya?" Raghav asked in fury. This man and his son was delaying things for him and every second without her felt like an year without rain to him.

"Tum mere Appa ko aise dhamka nahin sakte ho." the old man's son tried being brave.

"Par main toh dhamkayega. Aye Harish agar iska baap ne mera koi sawaal ka jawaab nahin diay toh tu iska ek nakhun ukhad dena." Raghav order Harish, "ek jawab ka badle tumhara beta ka ek nakhun bach jayega. Ardhamainda." he added while looking at the old man.

"Barcelet kab aaya?" Raghav asked.

"1 hafta pehle." the old man replied being scared of the don's look.

"Han aur kaun laaya?" Raghav asked the second question.

"Ek ladki aai thi boli ki yeh bracelet bahut keemti hai aur lock ka tareeka purana." the man stammered trying his best to form sentences.

"Yeh thi kya?" Farhad showed him a picture of Pallavi.

The man nodded in a no.

'Harish" Raghav roared to which Harish grabbed the boy's hand.

"Nahin nahin beta main sach bol raha hoon yeh woh nahin thi. Woh toh koi aur hi Ladki thi. Uska naam Shivika tha shayad... han shivika hi tha." the old man begged for mercy hence Harish backed off when Raghav dismissed him.

"Woh ladki ka reciept par kuch number ya kuch toh hoyega?" Raghav asked, he was annoyed with the time being wasted and the negative answers.

"Ha han main raseed laya hoon." the old man pulled out a crumpled receipt from his pocket and handed it to farhad who turned and dialled the number ina  corner.

"Magar beta jo yeh ladki tumne dikhai usko maine dekha hai." the old man spoke earning Raghav's attention.

'kidhar dekha tum usko?" Raghav asked as a slight hope made it;s way to his heart.

"Woh ladki jab payment kar rahi thi tab uske phone par ek call aaya tha. Uss number ke neeche iss ladki ki tasveer thi. Naam toh yaad nahin ki kay likha tha magar yahi ladki thi." the man added.

"Harish inn dono baap bete ko wapas chhodhkr aa." Raghav ordered as Harish the realsed the boy.

"Aur tu sun chipkali. Logon ka yahi galti hai ki unko galatfehmi ho gaya hai ki Raghav Rao badal gaya hai. Raghav Rao hyder bad ka don tha, hai aur rahega. Ardhamainda." Raghav dismissed the duo as Farhad joined him.

'Anna pata chal gaya hai ki woh ladki kahan se aai thi." Farhad informed.

"Kidhar se?" Raghav asked.

"Banglore se Anna. Woh ladki Banglore se aai thi." Farhad replied as he saw a smile form on his Anna's face.

"Aap kya soch rahe hai Anna?" farhad asked.

"Samaan pack kar Farhad hum jaa rahe hai." Raghav smield at him.

"Par kidhar Anna?"

"Ek saal pehle kal main apna khushiyan lene gaya tha. Ab kal main apna zindagi lene jayega." Raghav replied as he looked at his wife's picture lying on the table.

Main aa raha hai Pallavi. Tumko apna life main wapas laane. ,he thought.

8 p.m., BANGLORE

"Kitna time ho gaya bachche abhi tak nahin aaye." Aaji paced infront of the main door while the entire society sat in her verandah.

"Darr toh mujhe bhi lag raha hai Aaji." a women spoke.

"bacche jeet toh jayenge na?" another one asked.

"ho ho jeetenge. Kyun nahin jeetenge. Meri pallu ne tayyar kara hai. Deva sab achcha karna han." Aaji prayed to god.

"Lo humne yaad kara aur bachche aa gaye." an old man informed as Pallavi and Shiva walked in with the girls.

"Pallu kaisa raha sab? tum jeet gaye na?" Aaji bombarded her with questions while they all looked down.

"lagta hai result achcha nahin aaya." Urvashi spoke with dissappointement.

'Are koi baat nahin haar jeet toh hoti rehti hai." Aaji tried cheering them up.

"Aaji." Pallavi spoke in a soft voice.

"Tu udaas mat ho." Aaji rubbed her cheek.

"Aaji modak milenge. Jeetne ki khushi main bappa ko chadhaana hai." pallavi smiled as the the girls along with Shiva cheered.

"Ho?" Aaji asked in daze.

"Hum jeet gaye Aaji. Sab ladkiyon ko scholarship mil gayi." pallavi hugged her tightly as everyone rejoiced.

the next half an hour went in sweet distribution and joy as everyone congratulated one another and adorned Pallavi's hardwork. Pulling herself away from the crowd Pallavi took a plate of modak and went to the small temple as she kept the plate infront of Ganpati Bappa.

"Aaj aapki wajah se main inn bachchon ko woh de paayi hoon jiska sapna inhone dekha tha. Ab bas aise hi sabko khush rakhna bappa. Aaj maine apni nayi zindagi main pehla kadam rakha hai. Iss kadam ko rukne mat dena. Mere aaj par mere guzre hue kal ka saaya bhi mat aane dena." Pallavi prayed unaware of the storm making it's way towards her life.

If i wasn't reminded today, i would have surely forgotten to update. Looks like Raghav's memory loss dropped him and grabbed my soul.

Jokes apart do tell me how you liked it. I am glad that i finally covered the inital setting of my story. I assure you that there is a lot to come in the next chapters but until then Adios!!