Sameeksha was sitting in her cell. She was very reputed leader so her cell was good. But she saw normal women struggling in their cell. All her party colleagues from Delhi were shifted to another jail. So she was feeling very alone. Someone knocked on door.
"Come in" She said.
A women who was looking in her late forties was standing there. Sameeksha tried to remember her but couldn't.
"Mera naam Vidhi Mudgalkar hai.." That women introduced herself.
Sameeksha remembered her. "Of course.. I just didn't recognise.." Sameeksha smiled. "Aaiye na"
"I was feeling a little low here.. So thought of meeting you" Vidhi said.
"Even I was feeling low.. Actually It's time.. Jailer will come with newspaper.. Baki kuch jariya nai hai janane ka ki bahar kya ho raha hai." Sameeksha said.
"Newspapers dete hai? Jaha mujhe pehle rakha gaya tha.. Pune ki jail me waha newspaper bhi nai dete the" Vidhi said.
"Yaha bhi newspaper dete hai.. Par latest nai.. Ek din pehle ka." Sameeksha chuckled.
"Aur pata nai kaun kaun se tarike nikalenge hame harass karne ke" Vidhi said.
Sameeksha sighed. "Anyway.. Aapko shift kiya na aaj.. Toh aapko toh bich ka ek din mila.. Kya ho raha hai bahar.. Because I don't believe on any newspaper.."
Vidhi's face became concerned.
"Kuch log mile the. Wo bata rahe the ki Journalist Pranav Tiwari ka murder kiya gaya.. Tab tak bahar news aayi nahi thi par ab shayad aa gayi hogi " Vidhi told. "He was our neighbour.."
"Kyu? Murder kisne kiya?" Sameeksha asked.
Vidhi told her everything. Sameeksha was shocked.
"That's horrible.. Military takeover.. Mere dimag me kahi na kahi yeh baat aayi thi.. Par sahi me itni serious hai yeh nai laga tha.." She said.
"Unki beti hai ek.." Vidhi told.
Sameeksha was lost in her thoughts.
"That's it..!" She exclaimed. "I want to meet this girl.. Bahar reh ke yehi kaam kar sakti hai.." Sameeksha said.
"Par aap milengi kaise?" Vidhi asked.
"Main nai.. Ranveer milega usse..He will tell me.. Just give me her address.." Sameeksha had a winning smile on her face.
"Okay." Vidhi said and took a paper to write the address.
******
Vihaan was driving whole night. He was exhausted. His eyes were red. He saw Aarushi who was wide awake. She also didn't sleep for a second. Her eyes were continuously looking out of window. She was so shocked that she didn't move at all.
Vihaan saw time. It was 7 am. He stopped the car on charging station. Aarushi still didn't move.
"Dekho.. Bilkul bhagne ki koshish mat karna.. Koi fayda nai hoga.. Main khol raha hoon tumhe.. Bahar aa jao." He said while untying her ropes.
Vihaan went ahead. There was a machine in which he inserted a card and typed something on screen. He then took a wire and inserted it in a slot which was on his car.
Aarushi was still in car.
" Bahar aa jao." Vihaan said. She didn't move. He sighed and grabbed her wrist. He pulled her out of the car. She tripped, He grabbed her waist.
Aarushi was so shocked that her gaze was still fixed somewhere. She didn't feel her legs or body. She was not able to walk.
"Aarushi.. React.." Vihaan shook her. She was still looking straight in another direction.
Vihaan was really feeling bad. He was continuously reminding himself the motive behind his act. He tried to make her stand but she fell down and sat on road.
Vihaan decided to bring her back from her trance. He let her sit on road and took out that wire from slot and sat in car. He went away and took a U turn to come back. He started driving towards her. She was still sitting there. Vihaan wanted her to react so he kept driving. Car was some meters away from her when Vihaan blew the horn and that brought Aarushi in her senses. She saw the car coming towards her and stood up. Vihaan hit on break and came out of the car.
"Very good.. Jaan pe ban aati hai toh sab log sahi ho jate hai." He said.
She didn't answer.
"We are in the car for last 10 hours.. I am standing here.. Washroom is there.." He pointed his finger.
Without saying a word she started walking towards washroom.
*****
Sumedh saw the news of Pranav Tiwari's murder and felt fear running through his spine.
It was said that a group of angry people killed him because he was trying to demean the army by writing articles.
" This is ridiculous. Aisa ho hi nahi sakta ki logone mara.. Whoever goes against the government will end up in situation like this.. That's what they are trying to say" Sumedh said to himself.
Sumedh thought about Aarushi and felt bad. He felt like he should go and visit her.
'Shayad wo abhi busy hogi.. Murder hua toh body ki identification aur sab formalities.. I should wait' He thought ' Fir bhi ek baar dekh aata hoo'
Sumedh came out from gate of his house and walked towards Aarushi's house. Watchman of her house was sitting on a plastic chair. Sumedh felt weird because he didn't recognise the watchman. He wasn't the usual one.
"Mujhe Aarushi se milna hai main uska dost hoo" Sumedh said.
"Madam andar nahi hai" Watchman answered.
"Kaha gayi hai?" Sumedh asked.
"Unko phone aaya tha toh wo kahi chali gayi" Watchman told.
Sumedh wasn't sure about this but he decided to wait "Fine. Jab wo aaye tab bolna Sumedh aaya tha"
Watchman nodded.
Sumedh left from there and came back to his house. He went in parking lot to take his car. Sumedh decided to meet Himani today. He got In parking lot there were 2 guards standing around his car.
He saw them and made a face. They weren't his usual guards.
"Who are you guys? Where are my guards?" He asked.
"We are your bodyguards sir.. The new ones.." A man replied.
"What? Mujhse bina pucche yeh kyu hua? And Why should I trust you?" He was angry.
"You have to sir.. Believe us we are here to keep you safe.. And we will be there until the end of emergency period.." That man answered.
"Main kya itna special hoo jo government ne bodyguards bheje hai? Are you guys even serious?" Sumedh was shocked.
Both guards didn't react.
"It's like main bahar reh kar bhi kaid me hoon.. Very smart.." Sumedh wore his glares and sat in car.
*******
Vihaan was again driving. Aarushi resumed her work of watching out of window. He was watching her changing expressions. First When he took her she was looking confused. Then after she saw her father's death she was shocked and her face became expressionless. And now all Vihaan could see on her face was fear. She was scared. She was trembling and her eyelashes were down.
"Aarushi.." He called her. She didn't look towards him. She was still on backseat.
"Don't be scared.." He forwarded his hand towards her and she startled. She moved towards another side where his hand couldn't reach.
Vihaan awkwardly took his hand back.
"You don't need to be scared Aarushi.." He said.
She was crying silently. Vihaan stopped the car and looked back. Aarushi became alert and sat straight.
" Plz don't rape me." She suddenly said.
Vihaan made face." Do I look like a bloody rapist to you? " His voice raised.
She again started crying. Vihaan understood his mistake. He sighed. "I am not going to hurt you.. Kill you.. Rape you.. Trust me.. Agar kuch karna hota toh main pehle hi kar deta.. Calm down.. I know tumhare sath jo hua hai ya ho raha hai wo bahot bura hai.. Par tumhara waha se door jana jaroori tha.. What made you think that I am going to rape you? "
" You lied to your sister. Agar tum sochte ki tum apni duty kar rahe ho toh tum jhoot nahi bolte. Usko batate"Aarushi said in one go.
"Yeh mera personal mission hai Aarushi.. Main Himani ko kyu batau yeh sab? Aur maine usse jhhot bola iska matlab yeh nahi hai ki mere intentions galat hai tumhe leke. Emergency khatam hone tak tumhe safe jagah main le ja raha hoo that's it" Vihaan explained.
Aarushi looked at him for a second and again looked away.
" You are like a surveillance "She said.
" Yes. " He again started driving" I'll keep you safe until this is over. Safe means safe. Away from any harm so I'll be the last person on this earth who'll hurt you because my mission is totally opposite of that.. You can trust me" Vihaan said.
Aarushi again looked away.
"Aren't you hungry.? We will stop somewhere" Vihaan said to change the topic.
"I want to change.. My clothes are wet.." She said.
"Even mine.. We will be getting our bags anytime now" He said.
Aarushi nodded.
"We can't go in a descent restaurant because there will be security.. You have to adjust.." Vihaan told.
"Hum log kaha hai?" Aarushi asked.
"Gujrat me" Vihaan told as he stopped the car in front of a dhaba.
Aarushi came out of the car. Breeze was cool. Gujrat was 2nd closest state to her heart after Maharashtra. Her mother was from Gujrat. She remembered summer spend on Gulf of khambhat.. In Bhavnagar. She used to spend a lot time on Bhavnagar beaches and roads.. Eating Dabeli and Gathiya.
She was trying to fill the Gujrat air in her lungs. With air, Smell of Dhokla and Dabeli went in her nostrils. And her heart went back to her childhood days. All those memories came back flooding. The thought that both her parents are dead and she is now an orphan hit her hard. She broke down and started crying loudly.
Vihaan saw Aarushi sitting down on ground and crying loudly. He felt bad but he was happy that she finally reacted to her father's death.
"Papa.." She shouted loudly and grabbed her hair.
Vihaan decided to let her cry.
*****
Sumedh stood in front of Himani's house. He saw an army jeep parked in front of her house. He decided to go in and walked towards gate.
Himani saw Sumedh from balcony and widened her eyes. She ran downstairs and before he could press the door bell she opened the door.
"Are you mad?" Himani was shocked.
"I didn't had any option.." Sumedh said.
"I could have come to your house.." She replied.
"Anyway.. Kaun hai ghar me?" He asked.
"Papa hai." She answered.
"Great.. Let me meet him." He stepped inside house.
Himani was tensed. She somehow took him in front of her father.
Sumedh was as usual dressed in perfect formals. Mr. Dixit was reading newspaper while having morning tea.
"Papa" Himani cleared her throat.
He looked up and saw Sumedh. He was confidently standing there.
"Yeh mera dost hai.. Sumedh Mudgalkar.." Himani introduced.
"Hello Sir." Sumedh forwarded his hand for a handshake.
Mr Dixit smiled a little and did Handshake. "Hello Beta.. Aaj subah suabah?"
"College jana tha toh socha ki sab friends ko pick up karta hua jau.." Sumedh answered.
"Okay.. Himani you are not looking ready for college" Mr Dixit said.
"No Papa.. I am ready." Himani lied. "Aise hi jaungi main"
"Thik hai.." He felt weird.
"Umm.. Major Vihaan nai dikhai de rahe.." Sumedh said to change the topic.
Suddenly Mr.Dixit's face became pale. Sumedh noticed that. Himani became confused.
"General Gurmeet asked him to do some work.. So he left." Mr.Dixit told.
"But he told me he's resuming his duty" Himani said.
" Aren't you guys getting late?" Mr Dixit asked to change the topic.
"Yes.. We should leave.. Aur bhi dost pick up karne hai." Sumedh said.
Himani understood that something was wrong.
***
खौफ़ : Fear (Verb) : be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or harmful.