Chapter 48: The Siblings.

Morning: TARIKA's Place -

After getting ready RAJAT was cleaning his wound on the side of the stomach standing in front of the mirror when TARIKA barged in his room without any warning.

RAJAT turned around at her startled: God! You just scared me.'

TARIKA giving him a look said: Don't you know two people lives here.'

Then looking at the bloody cotton in his hand TARIKA asked: Are you hurt?'

RAJAT realized looking at the cotton in his hand and said: No, it's just a little cut.'

TARIKA moved towards him asking: Show me?'

RAJAT backed saying: No, it's ok.'

TARIKA: Just show me.'

RAJAT: I can't.'

TARIKA: Why?'

RAJAT: What why? You are a girl.'

Only to get a slap on his arm from TARIKA as she pushed him making him sit on the bed saying: Besharam! I am your sister and a doctor before that.'

RAJAT held his slapped arm and mumbled in a crying tone TARIKA couldn't hear 'Sharam kar raha hoon phir bhi besharam keh rahi hai' as TARIKA bring the first aid box from the table and kept beside RAJAT asking: Raise your T-shirt.'

RAJAT hesitated but one glare from her and he obediently raised it a bit.

TARIKA while cleaning the wound asked: Is it hurting?'

RAJAT: No. I had painkillers.'

TARIKA finished cleaning and put a new band aid on the wound.

RAJAT said 'thank you' to TARIKA as she kept the first aid box back in the drawer.

TARIKA turned around at him and asked: Are you going to college?'

RAJAT: I still have one day leave. So I am going to work.'

TARIKA just nodded and walked out of the room closing the door behind her remembering something.

Flashback:

She was 12 year old then. There caretaker went out to shop and she was slicing an apple at the hall and cut her finger.

She kept her finger under the tap for few minutes and then again sits back to the place eating the pieces of apple she already sliced.

7 year old RAJAT who watched all this come running from a room and grabbed her hand pulling it with the apple piece she was about to eat.

TARIKA was about to shout at him but stopped seeing him wrapping a band aid around her finger on the cut.

RAJAT flashing a smile at her said: It will heal faster.'

TARIKA made a pissed face at him and walked away to her room leaving him behind.

Flashback end.

"Brothers are like Air, invisible and unstoppable.

However careless or spoil they are,

You can't see them but they are always around you, looking after you."

TARIKA sighed at the memory and again opened the door of RAJAT's room startling him who was about to stood up but fall back seeing her.

TARIKA threw something at him saying: Catch it. I was come to give you this.'

An unprepared RAJAT caught it to see it was a 24cm long thick black coloured baton and asked: What is it?'

TARIKA: Stun baton.'

RAJAT: What?'

TARIKA: Things can go more dangerous than the day before. This is for your safety. Even if you kill NILESH or KRIPAL with it I will take the responsibility. Just don't hurt a civilian.'

RAJAT still surprised: Are you serious?'

TARIKA emphasized: I am. NILESH is on the run and his politician father will do anything going all the way dirty to protect his son from going jail because he knows he will be doomed if he goes legally. You are the only witness of SHAKTI's murder and they will surely come after you. So, be careful around and extra careful for the people close to you in college and outside. I am going to Bureau.'

RAJAT said from behind: Take care of yourself too.'

TARIKA turned towards him and said before walking away: Use it well and don't get hurt again.'

RAJAT just smiled behind her.

On the way:

ABHIJEET was driving glancing at PURVI again and again who was busy reading a book.

PURVI: Are you worried about something?'

ABHIJEET looked surprised at her.

PURVI closing the book looked at him saying: Your face is saying it all.'

ABHIJEET looking front answered: Just a little bit.'

PURVI: Don't show it to your enemies. Otherwise you will lose half of the fight there only.'

ABHIJEET smiled a bit: You totally took after our father.'

PURVI smiled answering: Of course, I should. Warna mai Papa ki daughter nahi. So, don't worry about anything because I always have your back and I am even studying hard to join CID to back you up there also.'

ABHIJEET couldn't help but just smiled. Her one smile and such words are enough to make his day and fight all the obstacles on his way as he said: I know. By the way, from when your exams are starting?'

PURVI: After 2 weeks.'

ABHIJEET: I am sorry. Last few months were really disturbing and stressful for you.'

PURVI looked at him unbelievably: Again? Why are you saying sorry?'

PURVI proudly explained: Look at it positively. Last few months were really adventurous for me like a much needed break from my boring bookworm life. And don't worry about my studies because this time again I am going to top it. Ok?'

ABHIJEET stopped the car in front of her college and smiled at her: Ok.'

PURVI gets down the car and looking at ABHIJEET said: Bhai.. I know you are worried for me too.'

ABHIJEET looked at her surprised as she continued: Just know that I am proud of you and whatever you do. And I won't mind encountering such adventures again in life because I know you will be always on time to my rescue. So, don't be afraid of anything and go the way of your heart. Ok?'

ABHIJEET smiled: Ok and take care of yourself.'

PURVI smiled: You too. Bye!'

ABHIJEET watched her entering the campus and drove away.

"Sister's are like water, flexible and transparent.

Kabhi saagar si gahri to kabhi nadi si bahti.

Kabhi baarish ki bundo jaisi to kabhi baadh si tufaani.

But at the end of the day she is just simple and sweet who just can't stop caring, loving & worrying for you."

CID Bureau:

ABHIJEET enters the bureau to see one after one all the landlines are ringing. He walked to the working station and all looked at him with the tensed faces as he expected before coming to the office.

ABHIJEET with an uncomfortable smile asked them: Going through a hard time?'

But he found his juniors giving him a positive response as they smiled at him and SHREYA confidently answered: Not at all sir.'

ABHIJEET: That's the spirit. Fight it.'

All the juniors nodded and SHREYA gesture him towards the cabin where DAYA and TARIKA were standing out of the door facing each other.

ABHIJEET walked to them and seeing him DAYA informed: ACP sir... I mean our chief is here. He is waiting for you in the cabin.'

ABHIJEET looking at the two enters the cabin to see chief PRADYUMAN was reading a file.

PRADYUMAN glanced at him before getting busy into the file again and ABHIJEET said: Good morning sir.'

PRADYUMAN without looking at him asked: Is it?'

ABHIJEET: Not really sir. It can even go worse by the end of the day sir.'

Finally PRADYUMAN closed the file looking at him and showed his phone asking him: Do you know why it is so calm?'

ABHIJEET taking out his own phone kept it on the table in front of PRADYUMAN saying: Silent mode is the best remedy to any unwanted chaos. Tried & tested idea sir.'

This time PRADYUMAN couldn't resist but smiled looking at him and asked: Wo kati patang kabhi bhi udte-udte yaha pahochta hoga.'

ABHIJEET was surprised as he addressed the person like that: Sirr..?'

PRADYUMAN: DAYA and TARIKA already briefed me about the details and I just read the report. You have the full authority to do anything in your power and I just want the result. It won't be easy to go against DEVRAT but I am sure you and your team can do it.'

ABHIJEET: We won't let you down sir.'

PRADYUMAN nodded and before he could say anything they heard a loud barge in with the voice: What's going on here?'

ABHIJEET and PRADYUMAN with a frustrated look turned to see DCP CHITROLE as he said looking at PRADYUMAN: So finally you are also here and I am not much surprised to see your team creating a ruckus right under your nose.'

DAYA and TARIKA too arrived there as PRADYUMAN retorted: CHITROLE, will you ever stop making fuss about the matters without knowing the depth of the situation?'

DCP turning at 3 officers said: What I don't know? What do you think your officers are doing? They issued search warrant overnight raiding each property of DEVRAT day before yesterday. And now they issued an arrest warrant of his son.'

PRADYUMAN cutting him: Why? Are you here to defend that politician's son?'

DCP: What do you think I am here for chief PRADYUMAN? I am making a fuss here? Your bureau is in a mess with those ringing phones from higher officials right now?'

TARIKA spoke up: DEVRAT's party office won't be a less mess than this right now, sir.'

DAYA agreed: She is right. They messed with us to make things messy and it's obvious to be this much mess to mess with messy people.'

ABHIJEET referring the calls asked DCP: And why they are making such a fuss when we are just trying to catch a murderer on the run issuing an arrest warrant for him? Just because he is the son of a famous politician of the town?'

DCP looked at the three officers and answered: It's because he is DEVRAT and he can go dirty beyond your imagination. You are going against a monster who had turned his own wife's suicide case into an accident case so it doesn't hit his reputation in the society.'

All the officers looked shocked at the revelation as DAYA reacted: What?'

PRADYUMAN: How do you know that?'

DCP turning at PRADYUMAN said: I did a little personal research on him because of your reckless team. Now you understand the depth of the situation?'

DCP looking at the officers: You could have just informed me before causing such chaos so I could have been prepared for it before hand.'

DCP looking at ABHIJEET said: You have just made him your enemy. Now it's a do or die situation. Either you have to take him down for all or you have to take the downfall.'

DCP glancing each of them said to ABHIJEET: You have 24 hours. I can't stop them for more than 24 hours. So, do whatever you can and if you manage to find even a single crucial evidence against DEVRAT, that's your only way to survive the upcoming storm to fight back DEVRAT.'

DCP said before leaving: It won't be easy but I know you and your team can surely do it. I will see you after 24 hours.'

PRADYUMAN watched DCP leaving and asked in surprise: When does he start getting concerned for the team?'

Three of the officers smiled as they watched DCP while leaving kept all the phones aside so it doesn't rings again and ABHIJEET answered: He was always like this sir just flowed opposite to our way.'

All turned at PRADYUMAN as he said: I guess but whatever he said is true. NILESH is DEVRAT's son and KRIPAL has his secret with him. This time he won't be that easy like his brother-in-laws case.'

PRADYUMAN looking at the 3 officers said: You already know from past how far DEVRAT can go? There is no back off once you start it. Are you ready for it?'

ABHIRIKA looked at their chief and then at each other. They have come prepared as they remembered their conversation with their sibling and looking at chief said: We are ready for it sir.'

PRADYUMAN: All right. Let's do it then. So from where you are going to start?'

ABHIJEET: We will go by the book sir to arrest NILESH and KRIPAL first. And about DEVRAT we have enough facts to turn the table on him in other ways.'

DAYA: And between that DEVRAT will surely make a mistake.'

TARIKA: That is what we all want.'

PRADYUMAN nodded: Just be careful.'

Three of them nodded and dividing into two teams one of ABHIRIKA and NIKHIL and other one of DAREYA and SACHIN went in search of wanted NILESH and KRIPAL.

Note:

Sorry, the chapter very was simple. I wanted to finish it within 50 chapters but I guess I am going to add some extra chapters. Please, bear me a little more.

Thank you, Shweta. Your review reminded me the lines of a song 'Tune katra maanga tha, le mai dariya laya hoon.' Thank you so much and yeah, I liked the name.

About how ABHIJEET convinces RAJAT, is nothing much but a little moment between ABHIJEET and RAJAT is on the way.

Thank you so much Sree. When a story makes a special place in a reader's heart, it's the best reward for a writer.

Thank you Sangita and RK Sweety.

And heartily thanks to Each Dear Guest Reviewer and all the Readers.