Chapter 14

abjeya

@abjeya

Chapter 13

The entire ETF Team reached the hospital. They could barely stop themselves from rushing into the room hoping that their teammate is now fully on the way to get better. Entering the room they all could feel a sigh of relief being released as they see Riya’s smile appear on their appearance. She tries to speak, but no voice comes out. Aisha said “Riya, relax doctor said not to talk. It will take some time for your throat to adjust due to intubation.” Rathore stand behind Aisha and Shree and Chotu stand on the opposite side of Rathore. Arjun continues to stand at the foot of the bed looking at Riya. Rathore touches Riya’s shoulder and said “Riya relax, don’t stress. Do you remember anything of the attack?”. Riya nods her head. Aisha shows the clipboard to Rathore and Arjun sees Rathore’s face pale on seeing the name. Wordlessly, Rathore passes the clipboard back to Aisha.Rathore then looks at Riya, and asked “Riya how sure are you that its him?”.Riya signals for the Clipboard to write and Aisha gives it back to him. After writing for what feels like hours but was merely seconds, Riya hands the clipboard back to Rathore. Rathore reads the message and his entire body stiffens up as if in shock. He silently passes the clipboard to Arjun. Arjun’s eyes widen on seeing Sikander’s name but seeing the message, his heart stops.Shree and Chotu come beside him to read the message and they pale as they saw Sikander’s name and as the message said “Because they told that it was a goodbye message from Sikander.”

Riya impatiently taps the bed and all 3 of them snap out of their shock. She indicates for the clipboard and Arjun went to stand beside her and hand the clipboard to her. She wrote “Arnav and Khushi?”. Arjun said “They are safe. We assume the target was you.” Riya shook her head on Arjun saying this. She wrote “There were two targets. One was me and I think the other was Anjali Raizada.” Rathore on seeing the message said “Why do you think that Riya?”. Riya wrote “Because there were glass shards on the entrance mat which went into my legs when I stepped into the room.”Aisha said “But the glass shards could have been to incapacitate you so you don’t attack back.” Riya wrote, “It was Anjali Raizada room, I had gone to get her medication. When I felt glass shards prick into the underside of the feet, I had stumbled knocking the vase on the table down. I then tried to remove the shards on my feet. The medical box was in my room which was opposite Anjali’s room. I had to cross the poolside to get to my room, that’s when I had felt a presence shifting, the next second someone grabbed me from behind and tried to choke me. The next moment is blurred.” By then Riya started to feel pain in her hand for writing the long message and her eyes started drooping with tiredness. Arjun gently pried the pen from Riya’s hand and putting it on the table. She looks at him with an annoyed expression and he almost smiled. Massaging the hand muscles, he said “Riya, you just woke up, you need rest. Sleep now and then write what you need to say the next time you wake up.” Riya tried to fight but before she knew it, her eyes were closed by Arjun and within the next moment her breathing evened out indicating to everyone she fell asleep.

Rathore paces in the room as Arjun was arranging the board in light of what Riya said. Aisha, Chotu and Shree look at the two of them, and Shree slowly whispers “Are we going to talk what happened?”. Chotu asks “What happened. Riya woke up. So?”. Aisha lightly slaps Chotu’s hand and said “Shree is talking about the fact, that what was till now considered as Arjun Sir’s ghost criminal is now actually proved as an existing criminal. What was a myth is now a fact.” Chotu said “Oh Okay. But what does that have to do with Rathore Sir and Arjun Sir?” Shree almost slaps his forehead or he will slap CHotu’s forehead, he doesn’t know. He leans in towards Chotu and said “Arre, Chotu, How does Rathore Sir say this to Arjun Sir that he is wrong and say sorry for this? That is what we are thinking”.

Chotu nods his head finally understanding. Rathore said “Aisha.” Aisha stands up, and Rathore said “You and Arjun will go back to the burial site and coordinate with Liza to find out where those girls have come. Me and Chotu will go through the Raizada family members and find out who is likely to harm Anjali Raizada. As soon as Riya gains consciousness, we will try to figure out whom we should look for. She has spent time with the family, she may have a better idea of who will commit such a crime?”. Arjun finally spoke up and said “No.” Rathore looks at him startledand said “What?”. Arjun said “No, I will take over finding out more about the Raizada family members and you will go to the burial site.” Rathore said “And why should this take place? We always taught this as one case, but this turned out to be two cases Rawte.” Arjun said “You are not seeing what’s in front of you Rathore?”. Rathore immediately replies angrily “Rawte, stop talking in riddles and start explaining properly.” Arjun looks at the board “How did the attackers know which room is Riya’s room? How did they know that there was a function going on in the house? How did they know that there was a pool between Riya’s room and Anjali’s room? This information could have only been given by someone who has been to the house or a family member of the house who knows Riya and in which room she is staying.”

Rathore said “This still does not answer the question on who would make an attempt on Anjali Raizada.” Arjun said“ Even I don’t know where the attempt on Anjali Raizada fits in Rathore. The only way we can answer that question is if we go back to the crime scene.”Rathore finally understood “You want to get more involved with the Raizada family. Continue to stay undercover.” Arjun said “Something tells me, this family has more secrets than even they know. The only way to uncover those secrets is to be in that house. Me and Shree are already there so use us. Let us find out more about the Raizadas. You focus on where the bodies come from.”Rathore nods his head “Okay, Aisha go to the burial site, Shree go to the Raizada mansion and note down every camera installed out, we need to figure out whether they were installed beforehand or after, Chotu its your turn to sit at Riya’s bedside.” Arjun takes out his phone and seeing the message said “Chotu accompany Aisha to the burial site, Arnav messaged, the whole family got the news of Riya being conscious and are coming to visit. I have to stay by her bedside now.” Rathore looks at the Shree, Chotu and Aisha and looking at his expression all 3 of them fled to do their duties.

Rathore looks at Arjun and said “the burial site would have given you more answers.” Arjun said “My answer is here Rathore. This does not involve me anymore, it involves Riya also.” Rathore asks “Arjun, are you considering Riya as your wife now?”. Arjun looks at him shocked at the question.

Riya feels her conscious slowly becoming aware of what is happening around her. She could hear some fluttering and beeping going on. As Riya slowly opens her eyes, her eyes immediately lies on Arjun, who is sitting beside her flipping through the magazine. Arjun’s gaze lifts up feeling something on him, and his eyes widens seeing Riya wake up. He immediately holds her hand and said “Riya, are you okay? Are you in pain?”. Riya slowly shook her head in negative. Arjun said “They lowered your pain medication because of your medical history. So I am asking again Riya, do you feel any pain?”. Riya at the moment felt nothing except her hand being held in Arjun Sir. She again shook her head. Arjun mutters to himself “You are impossible” and he presses the buzzer. Immediately, the nurse enters and on seeing Riya conscious went to call the doctor. Riya continues to look at Arjun and slowly feeling the effort to make the throat move, she asked “Case?”. Arjun said “Others are handling it. My priority is to make sure you are safe.” Riya’s eyes widen on hearing this statement from him. The doctor comes in and checks Riya’s vitals. He said to Arjun “Her vitals shows good progress. With the rate,she is going at, she will be likely be discharged from the hospital at the end of the week. But I advise bed rest, for 1 month time period at least until the cast on the leg goes off and given her medical history, we will have to wean her off from the pain medication at least as soon as possible.” Doctor looks at Riya “PT can teach you some techniques to help you deal with the pain during this time period. After that your regular PT Sessions will take place twice aweek.” Riya opens her mouth and said “I know all the PT excercises. Not the first time, this has happened.”Arjun looks at her in surprise. Doctor then said that he will come after 3 hours for the next round of check up.

After the Doctor left, before Arjun could say anything, a police officer knocks on the door informing him that the Raizada family has come. Arjun looks at Riya who nods her head in consent and he gives his consent to the police officer to led them come. Next moment ,Arjun regretted the consent. The entire room became filled with the Raizada family members talking one above the other. All of them asking the same questions again and again. Riya was starting to look overwhelmed. Arjun immediately clapped his hands loudly. Everyone looks at him startled, while Arnav looks at him a smirk present on his face at the gesture. Arjun clears his throat feeling everyone’s gaze on him and said his voice catching in the politeness “Doctor said not to overwhelm her. I know you all mean well, but all of your questions are in the end the same. Doctor has reported she is recovering well and if this improvement is seen then she will be discharged by the next week.” A lady dressed in the saree with a pallu covering her head, huge arms and does some gesture around his head and said “Hai re Nandkishore,Lavanya ki Bhagya khul gaye tumhe apna pati paakar. Tum kahe yaha khade ho, Aao apni patni ke paas baitho, sharma kahe rahe ho.” Another lady said “Jiji.” But the lady shushed her, and dragged Arjun to sit on the bed beside Riya since the chairs were currently occupied by Anjali and Arnav’s Nani. Riya tries to sit up but is not able to hold her arms. Arjun gets up and adjust the pillow and when she opens her mouth to protest, shuts her mouth with a glare. Making her sit up properly, he keeps an arm around her for support. Khushi sees the gesture and nudges Arnav who nudges back. Anjali hold Riya’s hand and said “Aapka kaise dhanyavaad kare, hume samajh nahi aa raha hai? Aapke wajah se, humari Rajkumari ke jaan bach gayi.” Riya shakes her head in a negative. Nani said “Nahi Anjali bitiya, sahi keh rahi hai. Aapne sirf Anjali ki jaan nahi, humari poti ki jaan bacha kar hum par bohut bada ahsaan kiya jisko utaarna saath janam bhi lag jaaye toh bhi kam hai.” Riya opens her mouth to say something but suddenly her eyes widen. Seeing her gaze towards the door, Arjun’s gaze follows to see a man standing at the door. Immediately, Arjun felt something primal arise in him,urging him to protect Riya. The man looks ordinary giving nothing away, yet his gaze reveal a coldness and a degree of lust seeing Riya. Everyone’s gaze shift to the door and Anjali almost stands up saying “Aap aa gaye.”

The man immediately enters the room saying “Rani Sahiba, aap kya kar rahi hai? Aap uthiye mat.” Riya’s gaze had shifted by then to Arnav and Khushi with a questioning gaze which Arnav replied with a shrug. The man then spoke in a voice which made Arjun feel shivers down Riya’s arms. The man folded his arms in a namaste gesture and said “Lavanyaji, aapko pata nahi ki aapne mujh par sabse bada ahsaan kiya hai. Agar meri Rani Sahiba ya meri Rajkumari ko kuch ho jata toh meri toh koi jeene ki wajah bhi nahi bachi rehti. Aatmatya karne ke alawa, mujhe toh koi aur raaste hi nazar nahi aata. Lavanyaji, aapne ek nahi, teen zindagiyo ki jaan bachayi hai. Aapka shukar guzar hum zindagi bhar rehenge.  Mujhe toh aapke saamne toh namaste karne ki bhi sharam aa rahi hai. Aapka toh pair padna chahiye.” And he went towards her feet, but the next second his hands were stopped from touching her feet.

Seeing towards Arnav, who held his hands from touching Riya’s feet, Arjun held a sigh of relief. Arnav with a voice that sounded like he had to grit his teeth to say it, said “Aap bohut bhavuk ho rahe Jijaji. Lavanya ko aur sharminda kar rahe hai. Rehne dijiye Jijaji, Rehne dijiye.”

Feeling Anjali’s arms on his arm,Shyam had to make an effort to smile and step back. He looked towards Lavanya and said “Mera matlab aapko sharminda nahi karna that Lavanyaji, sirf dhanyavad karna tha.” Then he looks towards the man, who had his arm around Lavanya’s shoulder and said “Aap kaun hai? Lavanyaji ke bhai hai?”. Khushi immediately replied “Nahi ye Lavanyaji ke pati hai. ACP Arjun Suryakant Rawte.” The only thought present, in Shyam’s mind was “Shit. Hum jaal me phas gaye.”

Hope you like the update. Hope Everyone is Safe and Healthy during this Covid Crisis.