Abhinav

Part 24 - Twenty Minutes

Papa! Papa! Where are you? You don't love me anymore. I am a burden. That's why you are not coming to take me back with you. In six hours, I will be gone forev...
'NO!', exclaimed Abhinav, scaring everyone around him.
'Abhinav! Abhinav! Are you okay?'.
Abhinav nodded, his attention diverted. He saw a hazy figure standing right at the corner of his vision.
'Papa, I am back! Your Nikkeji! Let's play football. Come!'.
Abhinav's heart leapt. The figure became clearer. It was his Nikkeji, perfectly safe and sound. Abhinav stared at the figure, and after a long moment, found the courage to look away. This is not your real Nikkeji, Abhinav. Don't lose yourself, find Abhir. The figure vanished and tears sprung in Abhinav's eyes. He knew that if he lost control even a bit, his mind would try to protect him by creating Nikkeji. Abhinav tried to distract himself by looking around. Abhimanyu had gone to arrange for the antidote and he noticed Manjari staring at him with a curious gleam in her eyes. She would soon find out what was happening with him and would use it against him and Akshara. Surprisingly, Abhinav found himself not caring. Without Nikkeji, nothing mattered.

Abhinav couldn't wait for the police to work things out anymore. God alone knew where Abhir was and.. Mr. X.
'Inspector Sahab, I want to talk to Mr. X. Alone'.
The Inspector gave a hopeless look and took him inside. Akshara nodded, encouraging.

Inside the interrogation room, Mr. X sat silent and bored. He didn't pay any attention to the opening of the door lock or Abhinav.
'Mr. X. You had asked whom that man who charged on you was. That man is Dr. Abhimanyu Birla. You haven't kidnapped his son. You have kidnapped mine. Yes, Master Abhir Abhi..Abhimanyu Birla is the son of Mr. Abhinav Sharma'.

Mr. X's face showed a flicker of interest.
'Years ago, Dr. Abhimanyu rejected his wife and unborn son. Fate made us meet. That boy, my boy, Abhir, was brought up by me and his mother Akshara. Nearly 7 years, I gave everything I had to my son - my love, my possessions, myself. I am a driver. A thoroughly ordinary and middle class man. That elite school from where you kidnapped Abhir - I could work day and night for a decade and wouldn't be able to secure my son's education there. Then, how was he in that school?'.

Mr. X was properly paying attention now.
'Dr. Birla came to know that Abhir is.. is
.. is his biological son. He filed a case for sole custody and won. Why?', Abhinav laughed, mockingly, at Dr. Birla, at his Fate, at himself, 'because he is rich and I am not. I am not rich enough to be a father to my son!'. Abhinav took control of his emotions. Time was of the essence.

'You said that you do what you do to take back what the rich have taken away from you. To take back what was rightfully yours. The rich have taken my son away. I want back what is rightfully mine - my son, my Abhir. You said that you mean no harm to children. My son has six hours to.. to live. He needs the antidote before that. I beg you, please help me! Please tell me where my son is!'.

Mr. X looked tense and thoughtful.
'Abhir won't be your son. He has the disgusting rich blood flowing through him. He will use and throw you like his kind do. It's in that chicken's DNA. Leave him be'.
Abhinav furiously shook his head.
'No matter whose DNA Abhir has, it is my life in him. He breathed for the first time in my arms. My boy is the kindest, nicest boy you will ever meet. You just don't know him! Please, tell me where my son is! Time is running out!'.

Mr. X took his time.
'Alright! I will tell you because the ABC gang never hurts kids and though Y and I didn't hurt him in intention, it does seem that his life is in danger partly because of us. I also hate the rich winning. I am an excellent judge of people, Mr. Sharma and I can see that after six hours, if not found, it's not just that double battery who will not survive, but also you'.
Abhinav neither accepted nor denied.
'Your wife doesn't know it but I can see it in your eyes. The calmess, the numbness. You aren't going to live without that chicken. Idiots like you are the reason the rich still play with the poor worse than they do with their toys but for your sake, I hope that filthy rich boy doesn't back stab you. Now, listen to the location and let's see if I get to see your stupid face again'.

Abhinav rushed out and at once informed the location to Akshara, the police. Manjari heard and contacted Abhimanyu on the phone while they all drove to the location. It was quite a distance away from the school. Abhir had broken free and jumped out of the running car and Mr. X and Mr. Y had given him chase till an unkempt area where Abhir had disappeared. That area had large acres of land where the wild grass grew till knee length and few abandoned, ruined buildings. The Inspector was talking rapidly on the phone with his team and they stopped near a large building. It was an abandoned school.

Everyone rushed past the gates but we're soon halted by a security team. The Inspector was furious.
'How dare you stop the police? Do you have any idea what the legal punishment is for stopping an officer in duty?'.
'Here are the government orders, Sir. You aren't to trespass without the permission of the owner'.
The Inspector crumbled the order into a ball. 'I am a government appointed official. I am not trespassing!'. Everyone moved ahead behind the Inspector.
'The place is going to collapse in approximately half an hour. Move back! STOP!'.
'What?'.
'Our owner, Singh Construction Group, has purchased this abandoned, old school for reconstruction. The place will be brought down just now. We have the permission'.
'THERE'S A CHILD IN THERE, YOU FOOL! STOP THE DEMOLITION!'.
The security guard shook his head.

'Abhinav! What do we do? What do... do.. we..'.
Abhinav rubbed his hand soothingly on Akshara's shoulder, trying to figure out a way of entering, all the while praying Nikkeji wasn't inside.
'There is no child inside, Sir. See the security footage yourself'.
'Stop the demolition first! There is no time for this!'.
Another member of the security guard approached them with a phone.
'Mr. Singh on video call'.
'Inspector, don't cross your limits! I will have the minister on the line, if you interfere any further. If you value your job, don't stop my work'.
'Sir, there is a child inside. The Birlas kid, Sir. The Goenkas kid'.
Mr. Singh frowned. Manjari came ahead.
'Singh, what is this? My grandson is inside and your people are not allowing me to enter? I was calling you, your mannerless PA didn't allow me to speak to you!'.
'Manjari ji. I apologise. Why will your grandson be in my premises? The police just want to hamper my work. I will not allow the police to enter! The place will become a investigation scene, the Law will get involved and my project will get delayed by years. Rivals will have a field day and I will face enormous losses. No! Nothing doing! No police!'.

Abhinav, Akshara, Abhimanyu struggled to get in but it was futile. Akshara dialed Bade Papa on the phone and was explaining the situation to him. Abhimanyu was roaring at the guards but to no avail. Abhinav had never felt more helpless. Dynamites were ticking away and the five hours had suddenly reduced to thirty minutes. His head was exploding with pain.

The Inspector was busy with the security guard.
'Here, here is the footage', exclaimed the Inspector. All of them saw a frightened Abhir crouching past the gates, escaping the sight of the guards and go inside the school building. Akshara fell to the ground, weeping. Abhinav stood stunned. Nikkeji, you are so close and yet.. How do I get to you?

'Singh, you saw the footage. Tell your men to stop the demolition! Let the police enter!'.
'No police!', said Mr. Singh, stubbornly,' Champak, stop the demolition and give them their child'.
'The demolition cannot be stopped, Sir!', said Champak, his face turning white', The engineer overseeing this got the spreading viral stomach pains and had to be rushed to the hospital. None of us know how to stop the dynamites!'.
'Singh! Let us enter!'.
'This isn't my fault, Manjari! My reputation, crores of money are on the line! Who knows, maybe the kid ran away again and isn't even inside. No! No police means no police'.
'Singh! I will compensate you, Singh! My grandson! No one will know about the police entering! My grandson is in there and you know very well. I beg you, Singh! A kid's life is on the stake! Don't be so heartless!'.
Abhinav spoke, suddenly, 'I am not the police. Let me enter. Please!'. Abhinav joined his hands in front of Mr. Singh.
Akshara stood up too, joining her hands.
'Okay! Allow them to enter. But no police'.

The Inspector called out hurriedly, 'Precisely 20 minutes. Hurry!'.
Abhinav and Akshara made a mad dash across the school compound, entering the building. Abhimanyu stopped Manjari from entering.
'Maa, take care of the antidote! Try to get hold of an engineer!'.

Abhimanyu ran inside, entering the school building as well.