FF : HAR PAL... (CH 32: PG 143) - Page 21

CHAPTER 9:

Riya was banging on to the door. Najma who was just 15 was taken out to be presented to some animal. And the question that hurt her more was that it was her mother- her own mother- who had taken Najma out to him. How could a mother do that? She knew there was no escape from this place. But honestly it was better to die than live like this. Riya had always the positive thoughts about the life. she could never think something like suicide. But now the situation had brought herself to rethink her ideas about living.

Few minutes later, she was tired of banging. She knew she was helpless. She didn't know, why in the recent days such helplessness had taken hold of her life. Riya Mukharjee... the only daughter of Mr.Shantanu Mukharjee... the once fearless writer, was now actually helpless. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she sat defeated on her bed. "bhai..." a sob escaped her lips.

After a while, she felt someone was opening her door. She ran to it but stopped in the middle way as she saw who came in. Salma was coming in with 2 of her ladies. She knew something was off from Salma's happy face and her weird smile. Riya stepped backward. Salma came in and looked at her head to toe. "hm... waise manna padega... Khuda ne tumhe badi khoob banayi hai. koi aur din hothe tho tumhe sajh dajh ke bhejthi. Par aaj... unhe tumhe aise hi chahiye... waise customer ke demand hi hamareliye sab kuch hai. tho aaj aise jao, kal tumhe mien apni hathon se sajaungi."

Riya was capturing the inner meaning of her words and vicious smile. "no...tum aise nahi kar sakthe..."

"kyu nahi kar sakthi meri jaan? Wo waha tumhare intezaar kar rahe hai... bohot bure hal mien bhi hai. unhe aur zyada intezaar nahi karwa sakthe." She gives out her laugh and nods to the ladies. They come forward and take Riya. She tries to leave their hands. But they were stronger. They pulled her out of her room. "chodo... Chodo mujhe..." they were taking her to another room. On the way, many girls were looking at her. Some with a smile, some with pity, some with 'this was any going to happen' look. She had a sneak at one of the rooms. Najma's mom was arranging Najma's hair. There was a false makeup over her face. Najma's eyes met Riya. It didn't have tears, but it spoke volumes to Riya. Again she felt helpless. Riya was pushed into a big room. They closed the door behind her.

She was banging on the door. She looked around. There was a large bed, some bottles of liquour and other stuffs. On the whole, she knew what to expect. She stood by the bed's leg unknown what to do.

---

Arjun aka Mr. Dhawan was guided into the room by Salma itself. After all he was her high profile 'customer'. He looked around in his each steps, identifying the regions. There were girls everywhere. From some room, came some noise. There was slapping sound for other rooms. He felt vomit in his mouth. The girls around were of all ages. The same question ringed in his head. How could they do this??

Salma lead him to a large room and the opened the door for him. He went in and she closed the door for him. He looked around and saw a girl, all frightened standing by the bed.

She maybe around 25-26. Her features were delicate. She was not fair like Rathod, but felt something of him in her air. The eyes were coal black. A mark on her cheeks showed that she may have a dimple when she smiles. And now, smile was far away from her dictionary. He looked at her, and somewhere he felt something. She was beautiful. He snapped himself out and took a step to her. She started backing away from him.

"dekho..mere paas math aana... I warn you.. don't come near me..."

He still walked towards her. The way he looked was frightening her. He was handsome. Any time other than this, she might have looked at him shamelessly and chatted with her friends, about how hot he looked. But not now. Not in this condition. she walked back as he walked to her. She hit a table were the bottles were kept. She took one in her shaky hand. He stood still. "dekho I warn you, don't come closer." He took another step to him. She threw it towards him and he ducked at the right time. he looks at her and the crashed bottle. "god... she have a good aim..." he gave a slight smile at his thoughts. He stood up and looked at her.

"kya hua saab?" a voice came from outside.

"kuch nahi... aap jayiye. Inhe mien sambhalthi hu.." they chuckle from outside.

He takes another step towards her. But before she could take another bottle, he forcibly grabs her waist and crashes her to his chest and moves. She gives out a scream at his closeness. He moves to a wall and pins her to the wall. His body was just above hers. She could feel his breath... her heart cried. "chodo... please... please mujhe chodo...please..."

He held her for more than one minute looking into her eyes, as she cried out. After some time he left one of her hands and closed her mouth muffling her voice. She was still screaming beneath his hands. He place a finger over his lips indiacting to be quite. And takes out an ID and shows her. "hey I'm a cop... don't worry..Riya..."

He had to do this. He had to scare her. He had to make her cry and then muffle her voice. He knew Salma was waiting outside listening. After she was contended that her 'customer' was happy, she left.

Arjun was listening keenly to her steps. He felt her going away. He looks at the door and then back to Riya. He wondered why this girl was still worried. She was still in her shock state. Only then he realized her situation. His hands were still over her mouth. His body was too close to him. She was actually worried, no she was in a big shock.he left her abruptly and walked back.

"sorry... wo baahar log the. Isilye.. I had to do this. Sorry... I'm ACP Arjun Rawte. ETF se hu. I work with your brother ACP Rathod. Believe me. I have come to save you. Trust me."

She was relieved to hear her brother's name. he saw her almost falling down. He rushed and took her to the bed. He made her sit down and gave water. He sat opposite to her on the ground in his knees. "daro math. We'll take you out. My team is out there."

"bhai...??"

"he is not here..."

"please help him... He is in danger. I was there. Unhe wo log torture kar rahe hai. please... wo Raja ka adda mien hai.. unhe..."

"relax... relax... he is fine. Apke bhai waha se baahar nikal gaye hai. he is with me now. Par yaha nahi hai. he needed rest."

"wo teekh tho haina??" tears rolled down her eyes.

"yes he is fine. Apke bhai uthne kamzor nahi hai. he is a fighter. Don't worry. Ab hame yaha se nikalna hoga..." (he remembers something and takes out the bracelet). "apke bhai ne diya tha..."

She took the platinum bracelet and smiled at it with tears rolling down again. He saw the dimple behind the tears. "ye meri bhai ne hi diya tha..on my birthday..." she tries to put it on. He helps her. She found his fingers wiping the tears from her cheeks. There was something in him, she felt secured. After all these days she was about to lose hope. And from nowhere came an angel. She involuntarily hugs his necks and breaks down.

Arjun was shocked at her hug. He then shifts his body, now standing on his knees and allowing her to relax. He thought for a while if he should hug her back. Maybe she needed it. he gently wraps his hands around her thin figure and caressed her hair. She was leaving all her stress over his shoulders.

He felt an unusual warmth in the hug. He held her and closed his eyes. He was awaken by a voice from his mic. He left her and she too comes in sense. He stands up and speaks to the speaker. "ha.. Shree bolo.."

She saw the cop back in action. Just a few minutes before, there was another man infront of him. And this was another person. She too stands up close to him. After his talk he turns to her.

A new face welcomed him. There was a bit confidence now. She gave him a dimple smile. And he felt himself smiling back. He snaps out and pulls something from his pocket. He gives the mic to her and asks her to put it. she places it around her ears. Now she could what the team is planning.

"its Shree, our technical expert on line. Now we'll have to follow his words. Aur hame yaha se baahar nikalna hoga. Shree can you hear us?

Shree(over the mic): yes sir.

Arj: ok then lets go to stage 2.

Riya: whats stage 2?

Arjun puts forward his right hand to her. She looks at it confused. Then she takes it. he holds her hand tightly. She looks into his eyes.

Arjun: stage 2... just trust me...

She knew she could trust him. The light of the whole area goes off...

PECAP:

The escape...

CHAPTER 10: PAGE 37