And here's the next chapter! Sorry I' late, but my entrance exams are going on and it is hard to post regularly. please be patient friends!
Now, my replies to the reviewers.
Naina: you are welcome dear! and thanks again for your encouraging words! and for your review for 'yaadein'- yup, you were right! glad you liked the ending.
Priya: glad you liked it! thanks for your review!
Mistic Morning: your wish is my command! :D and for your review for 'yaadein' - Thank you! it was cute, right! ;)
DA95: thanks for your review again! glad you like the dynamics between tarika and shunya. and I'm not upset or discouraged by criticism dear...just felt that it was a bit unjustified, but it's ok now. trying to update as soon as possible. and thank you for your last review for 'Yaadein'. glad you liked both the jodis.
Jyoti: thanks for your review! glad you liked it! truly, abhijeet ke gusse mein unka pyar jhalakta hai!
Bhagyesh: hmmm...to answer your question, Daya aur shreya ki jodi to nahi banegi iss story mein...par shunya aur daya ka kya hoga ye to aapko aage padhne par hi pata chalega. and you can ask whatever you want to ask.
And thanks to all guests for your reviews!
Guest: its ok! I understand and its all forgiven! thanks for your wishes.
Guest: I'm not disappointed! and thanks for your support to danya!
guest: for your review to Yaadein- glad you liked it! the ending to this story...i can't guarantee a happy ending, but i will try my best!
Now let's continue to 'Ek naya saathi" Chapter 7
Chapter 7: the heart is back!
the next day-
Scene: CID Bureau:
The atmosphere of the bureau lacks its usual cheer. Instead, a tension so thick fills the room, that it can be cut with a knife. All officers are at their posts, working diligently. One can understand simply by looking at their faces that they have been deprived of a sound sleep for days- tension, anxiety and nightmares have kept sleep out of their reach.
As ACP Sir enters the bureau, nobody even rises up to greet him, so engrossed are they in their work. However, he does not mind. He was never a stickler for formalities, and the current situation is so grave that there is no time for such gestures. More than two weeks have passed and still there is no news of the Heart of CID, Senior Inspector Daya. And the effects are starting to show.
It is not that the work of CID team is being affected. No, that is one thing that the diligent officers of CID Mumbai can never allow. The work is going on as efficiently as ever. Currently, they are working on catching a drug mafia who is trying to spread a new drug in Mumbai. However, nobody's heart is in the work. The jokes, the banter, the flirting, the pranks- all are missing.
And most importantly...nobody in the bureau has smiled for the past two weeks.
ACP Sir's chain of thoughts was broken by the ringing of a mobile phone.
"Hello! Inspector Sachin bol raha hoon! Kya! Khabar pakki hai na? Dekh agar khabar galat hui to...haan haan, agar khabar sahi hui to tujhe tera inam mil jayega...theek hai!"
"Haan Sachin! Kya khabar hai?"
"Sir! Mere Khabri ka phone tha. bata raha tha ki dockyard ke paas ek warehouse mein kuchh gadbad chal rahi hai. Usne wahan Rahil ko bhi dekha hai!"
"Kya! wo drug dealer?"
"Haan sir! humne uski photo apne har khabri ko de di thi! Lagta hai sir ki ye iss nayi gang ka adda hai!"
"Theek hai! Tum log jao wahan! dhyan rahe, ek bhi aadmi bhagne na paye! Mumbai sheher ko nashe mein dubona chahte the na ye log! ab dekhte hain kaise bachenge ye CID se!"
"Yes Sir!"
Scene: warehouse-
Sachin, Shunya, Shreya, Pankaj, Nikhil, Jaywanti and Purvi take their positions outside the warehouse. Standing by an open window, Sachin can easily see the activities inside the warehouse. Yes, the tip was correct. Inside, about seven men were inspecting their latest consignment of drugs. The drug dealer Rahil could not be seen, but his voice could clearly be heard as he instructed the others. "Theek se check karo maal. Koi bhi gadbad milli to boss kaccha chaba jayenge humein!"
At Sachin's signal, all officers entered from their positions, silently so as not to alert the men. And then it started. The shots and counter shots as they tried to arrest the men. The kicks, the punches, the slaps...and the men were finally subdued without much delay. However, as they entered the inner part, what they saw shocked them to the core.
Inside were ten men, including Rahil. All of them were standing in a sort of circle, facing a chair in the center. But the chair was not empty.
Sitting in the chair...or rather tied to the chair...was Senior Inspector Daya.
His entire face and arms were covered with bruises...big, red, angry bruises. There were also many cuts, which were bleeding profusely and a gunshot wound on the left shoulder. He was clearly in pain, but the fire had not gone from his eyes, he refused to submit, to admit defeat.
However, what horrified them the most was that the man right in front of Daya Sir was wielding an Injection!
"Senior Inspector Daya! You should be proud! We have selected you to be the test subject of our latest consignment of drugs! You see, if it affects such a healthy person with fiery determination as you, I think it will affect the ordinary Mumbai people all too well!"
"CID ke rehte tum log Mumbai sheher ke logon ka kuchh nahi bigaad paoge! Samjhe!"
"ch ch ch! rassi jal gayi, par bal nahi gaya!" The voice of Rahil echoed in the warehouse. "main batata hoon tumhe ki kya hoga! tumpar iss drug ka test hoga! Humara kaam poora hoga aur mera badla bhi! Mere bhai ko arrest kiya tha na tumne! Aur CID kuchh nahi bigaad payegi humara! Kyunki tum jo ho humare paas! Tumhare sahare hum CID team ke haath bandh denge!"
"OK Senior Inspector Daya! It's time!"
But before he could bring the syringe anywhere near daya, it was knocked clean out of his hand by a shot by Inspector Shunya. And then it all began again. They all took their positions as the firing started. The boss tried to escape but was shot on the leg by Nikhil. He dropped down, howling in pain. Rahil was shot on the shoulder by Shunya, the same shoulder where Daya was shot, incidentally (or not). Things were at their peak when suddenly, Shreya began to get unsteady on her feet!
"Tum theek to ho na Shreya?" asked Purvi, who was positioned next to her.
"I'm alright Purvi!" said Shreya, but her eyes were getting a bit foggy. Purvi turned back to shoot another man, but someone else took notice of Shreya's declining condition. As one of the goons tried to sneak up behind them, a shot whizzed through the air and shot him straight on the hand. As Shreya turned, she saw the man's knife fall down from his hand. Another shot brought the man down on his knees and Purvi finally knocked him out.
"Who shot him?" was the last thing Shreya remembered thinking before losing consciousness.
As Purvi handled Shreya, Shunya turned away to focus on the others.
Five minutes later, it was all over. Rahil and the boss were caught and confessed their motives. Daya sir was freed by Sachin and Purvi as the others took care of the two criminals. As soon as he was untied, however, Daya sir finally lost his strength and lost consciousness!
As Shunya, along with Nikhil, tended to Daya and Shreya, she instructed the others to search the entire place and seize the drugs. They were doing just that when-
BANG!
The echoing sound brought them back to the center room, and what they saw rendered them speechless.
Inspector Shunya was lying on top of her childhood friend, with a smile on her face. There was a bullet wound on her chest, bleeding profusely. Lying next to them was an unknown man, who was shot down by Nikhil, who was still standing there with his gun pointed, the shock of his first kill still on his face.
The next few hours passed by like a blur for the CID tea. Drugs were seized and the criminals arrested. Daya, Shreya and Shunya were admitted to the hospital. ACP Sir and Freddy Sir helped Nikhil to overcome his shock. Shreya was diagnosed with just exhaustion, made worse by her fasting! However, Daya and Shunya were critical. All of them were tensed as the two friends battled for life. Tarika's tears were not stopping. The sharp-shine of CID, Senior Inspector Abhijeet, was wrecked. He didn't let it show on the outside, as his team needed him to be strong, but the worry and guilt were eating him from inside. Guilt for both being unable to save his bhai and his words to Shunya last night.
Finally, after hours of agony, the doctors declared both of them to be out of danger.
Several hours later, Daya regained consciousness, and told them all about what those men wanted and did. He asked about the others, and was shocked to know about Shunya and Shreya. He demanded to see them, but ACP Sir forbade him from getting up from his bed, promising dire consequences if he did so. Just then, the doctor entered and told them that Inspector Shunya was now conscious. Freddy Sir was left with Daya Sir as they all went to see her.
"Daya sir" said Freddy, after all had left, "aapko vapis paakar hum sab ko kitni khushi ho rahi hai hum bata nahi sakte sir! Aapke bina bureau se jaise saari khushi hi chali gayi thi! do hafton se koi bhi officer na theek se soya hai, na hi has paaya hai. Abhijeet sir to toot hi gaye the Sir! Behosh ho gaye the bureau mein! Taarika aur Shunya ne sambhala phir unhe, warna wo to khaana khane tak ko taiyaar na the..." here Freddy hesitated, as he did not want to tell him about Abhijeet Sir's hurting words.
"Ye Abhi bhi na! Apna khayaal nahi rakh sakta! Ghar vapis pohonchne do mujhe Freddy, khabar loonga main uski..." said Daya. But he was confused and a bit tense. Freddy is tarha achanak ruk kyun gaya? kahin Abhi ne kuchh...
Scene: Shunya's room
Her eyes fluttered open as she heard the sound of the door opening. As she saw her team entering, she tried to sit up.
"leti raho Shunya!" said ACP Pradyuman. "ab kaise lag raha hai?"
"I'm alright sir!"
"Dekh rahe hain sir!" said taarika. "CID mein do supermen ke baad ab ek superwoman bhi aa gayi hai. goli lagi hai madam ko, par keh rahi hai- theek hoon sir!"
"Taarika! Seriously, ab theek hoon mai."
After inquiring after her health and wishing her a speedy recovery, they all left. However, one man stayed behind.
"Shunya i'm sorry" the words were few but the tone clearly showed Abhijeet sir's guilt.
Shunya turned to him with a soft smile. "Sorry mat boliye sir! Manti hoon sir ki mujhe aapki baat ka thoda bura laga, but I understand sir! Dayu aapke liye kya hai, aapko mujhe explain karne ki zaroorat nahi hai! CID Mumbai mein apne pehle din mein hi main vo samajh gayi thi. Aur Dayu ne bataya tha mujhe ki gusse mein aap kai baar kisi ko bhi kuchh bhi bol jaate hain...ek baar to aapne ACP sir ko bhi...phir main to bass aapki ek junior hoon, sir!"
"Nahi shunya, jo tumne kaha wo galat nahi tha, main to bass...gusse mein dimaag hi kaam nahi karta..." said Abhijeet with a small, guilty smile.
"It's Ok Sir!"
As Abhijeet left her room to allow her to rest, Daya's words echoed in his ears...
"sach boss! ye ladki aaj bhi waisi ki waisi hi hai...kabhi bilkul jhalli, to kabhi itni samajhdaar ki samajh hi nahi aata ki iska asli roop kaunsa hai!"
And end! Hope you liked this chapter.
I know that there were many similarities between this chapter and the second last chapter of my other story, but this is the last time this will happen. Also, I have decided to drop the Shreya jealousy track. Instead, I have a new and (hopefully) interesting track in mind revolving around abhirika and danya. This track will begin from the next chapter and continue in the sequel. Yes friends! I do have a sequel planned. It will be entitled, "ek naya safar." So stay tuned guys!
Please read and review!
