Chapter 43: The Human Mind & Heart.

Same Night: TARIKA's place -

RAJAT was lying on the couch with Pakdam pakdai going on TV at sonic channel but his mind was constantly running over the things he get to know at CID.

Finally his mind stopped at the name SHAKTI SINGH thinking he has heard that name but where and tried to remember it pressuring his memory.

He vaguely had a memory of a voice saying in the background 'Bhai usse panga liya to SHAKTI SINGH chhodega nahi.'

He suddenly sits up on the couch remembering he was out of a club to pick his customer when he had heard some boys saying that but didn't mind it back then.

He switches off the TV and taking his jacket and phone leaves in hurry.

Sometime later ABHIJEET drops TARIKA to her house and said: Good Night!'

TARIKA smiled at him: Good Night. Drive safely.'

ABHIJEET nodded driving away as TARIKA waved him bye.

TARIKA enters the house and sees the dinner was ready but RAJAT wasn't at home. He always leaves a note for her if he goes out late night but today he didn't left any.

So she decides to waits for him awhile at the hall and then finally picked her phone to call him that she never does until necessary.

Party House Club:

RAJAT sees the name board of the club and enters the club looking around for the faces he could recognize from that day.

His phone rings with vibration in between the loud music. Looking at the crowd he takes out his phone to see TARIKA's number flashing on the screen and before he could pick it up someone caught him in a tight hug.

The person was totally drunk as he said: Hey RAJAT mere bhai. You are back! I am so glad that you come to pick me. I heard you were injured. Are you fine now?'

He was RAFI, RAJAT's permanent customer who every night gets fully drunk at the club after his break up with his love MADHU and then calls RAJAT to drop him home.

RAJAT tried to hold him straight managing his weight keeping his phone back in his jacket pocket and said: I am fine but I need a favour from you.'

RAFI smiling at him in drunken tone said: Anything for you bro except my MADHU.'

RAJAT: One day I heard some guys talking about SHAKTI SINGH in the club. Do you know him?'

Inebriated RAFI asked: SHAKTI SINGH?'

RAJAT hopefully looking at him nodded: yes.'

RAFI flashing a smile said: Yes, I know him.'

RAJAT impatiently: Where is he?'

RAFI's one hand was around RAJAT's shoulder and with other hand he pointed at the DJ as RAJAT curiously looked at the DJ but then RAFI moved his finger clock wise around the club finally stopping on a hooded person sitting alone at a corner of the club.

RAJAT couldn't see his face from that angle but from his costumes he really looked like Mr. X and asked RAFI to confirm: Are you sure he is SHAKTI?'

RAFI: Of course! I even had few drinks with him. You don't believe me? Wait.'

RAFI pulled a server passing by and pointing him at the hooded person asked him: Hey, who is he?'

The server walked away answering: SHAKTI SINGH.'

RAFI said to RAJAT: See, I never mistake to recognize people even when I am drunk.'

RAJAT: I got it.'

RAFI: Now let's go, drop me home.'

RAJAT said: But I didn't bring my taxi.'

RAFI: Nooo... problem! I can even walk with you to home. I have so many things to tell you.'

RAJAT looked at SHAKTI's direction and then at drunken RAFI before walking out of the club with RAFI.

Outside the club stressed RAJAT made RAFI sit on step and looking at the road asked RAFI: You didn't call a taxi?'

But RAFI was lost in his own world blabbing about MADHU.

A watchman comes near him saying to RAJAT: Achha hua tum aa gaye. Pichhle 2 hafto se roj yaha baithke tumhara intejaar karta hai aur jab tum nahi aate to club band hone ke bad club se koi aake roj ise taxi se ghar bhejta hai.'

RAJAT was surprised to know that and looked back at RAFI who is still blabbering about MADHU heart brokenly.

RAJAT stopped a taxi and walking back to RAFI said: Agar pyaar karne wale rooth jaye to manane se maan bhi jaate hai. Koshish karne se MADHU bhi maan jayegi.'

All the effect of alcohol wear off with tears filling RAFI's eyes and he said with a sigh: Kaash aisi bhi duniya hoti jaha jake mai use mana ke la pata. She died 2 months ago.'

RAJAT looked shocked at him as RAFI continued: Before a month of our marriage she suddenly wanted to break up with me with the frivolous reason of caste and religion that never existed between us. I got very angry on her and even didn't pick up her last call. She was suffering from cancer and that's why she wanted to break up with me. I thought she betrayed me but she was trying to protect me even while dying to let me leave a happy life.'

RAFI looking up at RAJAT said: Mujhe use manane ka mauka bhi nahi mila.'

RAFI stood up with a teary smile saying: Jitna use bhulane ki koshish karta hoon, utna hi yaad aati hai wo.'

RAJAT knows him for more than a month. Everyday RAFI cries over MADHU telling his and MADHU's stories to RAJAT and he just listened to him all the way without any complain while driving him home but never tried to know more than that.

RAJAT pulled him in a hug saying: In her beautiful memories there will surely be a reason for you to live a happy life. Don't drink sitting here; just find that reason for her to see you happy.'

RAFI broke the hug saying: I never thought it like that. Thanks for reminding me brother.'

RAFI smiled at RAJAT: And never get mad or angry with your loved ones because you never know life will give you a chance to make up with them.'

Saying that he walked away and smiled at RAJAT before getting into the taxi as RAJAT watched him leaving.

Dilo me dard ki wajah kya hai?

Aankho me aasuo ki sazaa kya hai?

Sabke saath hokar bhi tanha hai...

Zindagi khokar bhi zinda hai...

RAJAT turned around at the club to see the hood man SHAKTI with his back to him walking somewhere. RAJAT followed him secretly to a dark storage building.

Finally SHAKTI stopped and without turning asked: Why are you following me here?'

RAJAT was surprised he already knows he was following him and came out as SHAKTI turned around to face him.

SHAKTI: Do you have death wish that you come here all alone after whatever happened with you today?'

RAJAT looked at him keenly to see the same eyes who held PURVI at knife point and asked: I have something to ask you?'

SHAKTI: You really have the gut to stand fearless in front me?'

RAJAT: You are harmless.'

SHAKTI looked surprised: Would you believe me after I kill you?'

RAJAT: Har insaan achha hota hai bas uski soch achhi ya buri hoti hai. If you were bad, then you wouldn't have let PURVI go but you did. Why you did that?'

SHAKTI chuckled: I was touched by you the way you tried to protect your love. That's why I spared you but that doesn't mean my father will spare you. So just leave from here silently.'

RAJAT argued: That means you are not like your father. You could have hurt me at the old mill but you didn't. All of your gang members are just stupid to be call gangsters. I saw you from the rear view mirror, you were watching us leaving. You could have stopped us but you even didn't try. Why?'

SHAKTI chuckled: You really have a keen eye to pick things.'

RAJAT: That means you are not behind all this. You still have a kind human inside you.'

SHAKTI: You think like that but others don't think like you. Yaha par parents ki sazaa unke bachcho ko milti hai aur bachcho ki sazaa unke parents ko. There are lot of things you are not aware of so just leave before they see you and kill you thinking a CID officer.'

RAJAT: You know I am not a CID officer? Then why you didn't tell them? If you wanted to kill me then why are you trying to protect me now? Why are you doing all this?'

SHAKTI stood still by his question having a flash of a beautiful face his life revolve around, his mother.

One day he was returning from school to his mother who was waiting for him at the other side of the street. He was happily waving to her and she was smiling to him but suddenly his smile faded and feet froze to see two men on bike shot his mother dead and left. His mother died right before his eyes.

That day he got to know that his father wasn't a cop but a gangster and the men who killed his mother was his father's rival gang members.

For the 14 years, his mother lied to him saying his father works for police whenever he saw his father with gun. He was so proud about his father's job that he wanted to become a soldier to join Indian army to make his father proud. That day he realized his mother was just protecting him from the dark shadows of his father.

After his mother's death he never went to school again and lived all his life around gangsters. He never wished for that life and with time started to follow his father threatening people but never had the heart to kill or hurt them like his father. And just to please his father he even created a gang but hiring a bunch of fools who can't hurt anyone either.

And today seeing RAJVI's attempt to save each other, he was touched by them thinking of the he day if he could save his mother just like that.

Flash back over.

SHAKTI answered: There is a very thin line between human and evil. You are lucky you are on the right side but I never got that choice but to become what I am. However KRIPAL SINGH is, he is my father. He didn't abandon me. So, I can't abandon him either.'

SHAKTI looking at RAJAT said: I don't know why but I started to like you for some reason. I don't want you to get killed. So just leave from here before NILESH or my father come and kill you.'

RAJAT just stared him speechlessly.

Aakhir in sabke raaz kya hai?

Seene me chhupe wo jazbaat kya hai?

Khamoshi hi agar jeena hai,

To ladkar mar jana kya hai?

SHAKTI's expression suddenly turned serious on something behind RAJAT and he ran towards RAJAT abtuptly pulling him aside.

RAJAT recovered from the moment to see NILESH stood shocked looking at the knife in his hand stabbed into SHAKTI'S stomach that was meant for RAJAT.

RAJAT fell back on the piled up cartons in shock with tears made their way down his eyes as SHAKTI fell on his knees holding his bleeding wound.

RAJAT felt hard to breathe frozen to his place in fear having flashes of a white cloth smearing in blood hearing that voice again 'RAKSH... Run!'

Meanwhile NILESH recovered from his shock and his eyes fell on RAJAT and seeing that SHAKTI shouted at a still RAJAT: RAJAT... Run!'

RAJAT was too shock to move or hear SHAKTI and NILESH furiously marched towards RAJAT with the knife to attack him.

Before NILESH could stab RAJAT, he was pushed by SHAKTI to the side but couldn't prevent a cut on RAJAT's torso that bring RAJAT back to sense as he saw SHAKTI tussling with NILESH to hold him back shouting at him to run away.

RAJAT stood still staring them before SHAKTI again shouted at him: RAJAT, his men must be nearby. If they get you they will kill you and nobody will ever know where you were. Please Go!'

SHAKTI shoved RAJAT towards the back door keeping NILESH busy but soon he lost his strength and NILESH run after RAJAT alerting his men.

Other side RAJAT ran on the empty street hearing more footsteps that's probably NILESH's men.

He peeked through the wall to see NILESH after ordering his men to scatter around in search for him was moving towards his direction with the bloodied knife in his hand.

RAJAT stood between the narrow spaces of two buildings holding his breath as NILESH's each step approached towards him.

But before NILESH could see him, he felt a hand pressed his mouth pulling him aside and everything went black.

Note:

Poem: "Aakhir Kyu..?" by Tulipbeauy.

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