Chapter 10
She woke up late that morning, Sun was already up and her Pathan Baba was waiting for her with tea in their dining hall. She saw no trace of Shantanu around and was little surprised to see that perhaps he left so soon. Love is unreasonable at times, just last night she asked him to leave and today when he was not around, she was feeling bad about it. She thought of asking Pathan Baba about him..
Baba , woh Shantanu .. woh aaya tha na kal .. woh ..
Her baba realized her delimma as she struggled with that question..
Haan beta ..bada ajeeb hain yeh ladka .. Kal achanak raat ko hi nikal gya...baad mein phone aaya tha ki ja rha hain.. pta nahi aisa kya hua.. Her Pathan baba tried to guage her reaction , she looked quite disturbed..
While on the other side of the city, Shantanu was still at the shores wondering what to do next , he had made a call to Pathan Baba so that old man would not worry for him but he didn't know which path to take from here..
He got up and went to a nearby hotel to freshen up for the day. He got a room for himself and got inside to relax as it has been long tiring journey and aftermath for him. Suddenly he heard few screams from next room which seemed a bit like of a child crying for help. He stood against the wall to hear things more clearly. There was something fishy going on there. All Shantanu could hear was a little girl's scream and a voice asking others to silence her.
There was silence now in that room but Shantanu was sure of what he had heard and it alarmed him that something was not right there. He got out and knocked on the next room door but didn't get any response from the other end. He immediately called up hotel manager who was quite reluctant in hearing what he had to say..
Main aapse keh rha hu .. yaha koi hain.. Koi choti bachi jo kuch mushkil mein hain..
Sir , uss kamre mein koi nahi hain.. Main aapko yakeen dilata hu... aapne jo suna woh ek brahm hoga ..
Manager tried to convince Shantanu that there was nothing wrong about that room but Shantanu was not convinced. Though he was sure of one thing that he would not get any help from the hotel staff there, he only had to do something about it.
He pretended to get convinced and got back to his room. Still those screams haunted him. Those screams were asking for help. He shuddered to think what could have gone wrong with that little girl.
It reminded him back to his childhood days and scary memories attached to it, it reminded of the struggle that he and his Puchki had gone through then. But they were lucky enough to have their Chanda Ma by their side as their protector but he knew that some children were not so lucky enough. He desperately hoped for that little girl to be fine but he continued sensing her presence around.
In next room a little girl quietly wept as she had just got thrashed by the person who had just bought her from her parents in return of huge sum. It was her punishment for making noise there and alerting the man next door. Though with those knocks on the door, girl felt little hope but was scared not to make any noise further. She just hoped that person who knocked would do more to set her free. She wanted to seek his help thus she tapped the wall as Shantanu heard those little beats on the wall. He was sure that there was someone who was on the other side and it was definitely something suspicious going on. He went near the wall and replied back to her with same sets of beats on the wall. Little girl smiled with hope as she heard those beats but how can she let him know that she needs help. The bad guy was still in the room though not looking at her, he was busy flirting with some girl on phone. She quietly took a paper kept on table and a pen placed on it and scribbled little notes to that stranger who had returned back her call of distress.
Now was the challenge of passing the note to next door, she excused herself to the washroom as the guy allowed her to go there and looked out a way from the window. The window from that washroom made way to the balcony of the next room as she discovered a way to pass that note to the next room.
Shantanu was back to his thoughts after nothing came after those beats he heard last, maybe he was imagining too much he thought.. He had just closed his eyes for brief rest as his body was tired and worn out from the stress and lack of sleep.
Suddenly some noise came from balcony, something had dropped there, Shantanu got up to see what was it as he opened the door to room's balcony. There was a note crumbled inside that fancy soap boxes kept in washroom. He read that note
Mujhe bacha lijiye main , yeh log gande hain.. mujhe yaha band kar rakha hain.. mujhe yaha se nikal lijiye.. main Khushi..
This was all that was written in that note and Shantanu immediately rushed out but before he could knock again on that door, he stopped and thought for a while. They seem to be dangerous people and he would risk child's life if he would behave in sudden rage. He had to think of a plan to help her. He had to call for help. He dialed the helpline number for police and alerted them about the situation in the hotel.
Madam , there is a distress call from a hotel in Juhu near beach area. Caller told us about some little child in trouble there.
What was the name of hotel , Jay? Asmita asked Inspector Jay as he conveyed what constable had just told him.
Hotel Mirage is the name.. I think we have heard this hotel name before..
Yes we have. Asmita got alerted with that name and immediately called up for help and back up support as she marched outside with Inspector Jay following her running footsteps.
This hotel was already in radar for its mischievous activities and thus she knew that caller was right. What she was not aware was identity of the caller though. and rightfully so the caller name was not revealed and not even asked in such cases.
Asmita asked her team to come in normal clothes as she also disguised herself in plain clothes to investigate what was going wrong in that hotel. Now was the time for some action for Asmita. Her team entered the hotel and since they were in plain clothes no one got alarmed of their presence. They reached the room and broke open the door with two shots right at the door lock. Hotel staff started running but the police team outside the hotel grabbed them. Asmita went inside to see little girl just sitting in fear in a remote corner of the room. She was perhaps six or seven years old, a little angle dressed shabbily with tears rolling down her cheeks. She looked quite scared. Before Asmita could take any action, a guy just kept a knife near the throat of little child..
Don't you come near .. else I will kill her. He cautioned the police team and moved little girl to escape from there. But as he got outside the door keeping all officers at safe distance to avoid any harm to the girl, a person just held his knife and knocked him with a punch straight on his face. The guy retailiated though releasing his hold from the knife and slitting hand of the savior here as Asmita noticed him and her breathe stopped. Shantanu was in front of her fighting with that guy who still had that knife.. She screamed .. Shantanu.. With little help from police team present there, Shantanu finally managed to secure safe release of khushi... as she ran into his arms and cuddled him thanking him for saving her life.
Asmita grunted a little at this visual, it was as if someone else was taking her limelight away that day but yes she was proud of what he did. Her officer just revealed to her that this was the guy who had called them. Khushi was still terrified as Shantanu tried consoling the little girl in his arms , just making her feel secure. He looked at Asmita looking at them and thought how destiny always brings them face to face.
He was hurt with his action stints and Asmita took no time in tending those wounds after finally separating Khushi from Shantanu. Shantanu felt that little pang of jealousy in his Asmita from that little girl. Asmita sent that girl with her officers for medical treatment in a hospital nearby and asked them to contact her parents or any guardian.
Cut look very deep.. Asmita said noticing his wounds on hand and as her team went out with khushi , she gave a hard slap on shoulder to Shantanu for his risking his life like this.
Tum .. apne aap ko samajhte kya ho.. Mujhe pareshaan karna acha lagta hain tumhe ... She gave some more slaps on other shoulder of already injured Shantanu... Shantanu smiled seeing his Puchki scolding him like his bondhu. She continued verbal assaults on him as he watched her with mixed emotions.. They have travelled together so far with all ups and downs in their lives but these little moments is what have made it all worth it..
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