CHAPTER 7

A/N: Hey guys! Back again. Very, very, very sorry for the late update. But again sorry to let you know that I won't be able to regular updates for the next two to three weeks. Busy with exams.

Thankyou to one and all for reviewing my previous chapter. I hope I have kept my promise of making it a full-on dhamaka. Now the story would be a bit investigative. So there might be less of Abhijeet – Tanishka moments. Hope you enjoy it.

Here's you go. Enjoy reading.

Recap: Abhijeet sees in his flashback how he misunderstood his daughter.

Abhijeet came out of the trance, feeling a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to find Daya standing there giving him a confused and concerned glance.

Daya: "Kya hua? Tum…. tum ro kyu rahe ho?"

Abhijeet: (clearing his eyes and composing his tone) "Kuch nahi. Chale ghar? Waqt toh ho gaya hai. Tarika wait kar rahi hogi niche."

Saying this, he started packing his things. Daya kept looking at his buddy for a while, shook his head and went to grab his things. All the officers were leaving. Abhijeet, Daya and Shreya reached the parking lot to find Tarika waiting for them as usual. They took their seats in the quallis and started their journey towards home. Daya and Abhijeet had already talked to each other and decided not to tell Shreya and Tarika about Tanishka's health. They would get extremely tensed listening to it.

Here, Tanishka calmed down after the long crying session. Her father's words had left deep scars on her heart which were not ready to heal so easily. She kept herself in that soothing hug for a while. Rajat was continuously caressing her head and letting her to remove all of her hurt as it was very rare of Tanishka to cry. Though at the back of his mind, he was also worrying about her health. Finally, finding her calm, he slowly separated her from himself.

Rajat: (tucking her hair behind her ear and adding softly) "Jaao, jaake fresh ho jaao. Mai khana lagata hu."

Tanishka: "Aapne khana kab banaya?"

Rajat: "Banaya toh nahi hai. Par waise bhi aaj toh tumhe khichdi hi khaani hai toh woh toh banana aata hai mujhe. Jyada time nahi lagega. And don't worry. Khane layak jarur hogi."

Tanishka smiled lightly at that. She headed towards the washroom and he headed towards the kitchen. After freshening up, she came out of the room to find her Rajat sir aka chhotte papa preparing "khichdi" for her in the kitchen while simultaneously messing up the kitchen. She thought to leave him at it alone, as she was not interested in a health lecture from his side. She would later on help him in cleaning the kitchen. She was going to pick up a magazine when her bag caught her attention and she remembered the task she had come for. She mentally slapped herself for forgetting it and immediately decided to talk about it to Rajat over dinner. After an hour or so, both of them were at the dining table having their dinner and Tanishka thought of initiating the talk.

Tanishka: "Ammm….. Rajat sir, woh…. mujhe…. aapse kuch baat karni hai."

Rajat: "Pehle khaana khalo, phir araam baat karte hai."

Tanishka: "Nahi, mujhe abhi baat karni hai."

Rajat: (scanning her thoroughly) "Bolo, kya baat hai?"

Tanishka: "Mujhe ACP sir se milne jaana hai… abhi."

Rajat kept starring at her for a while. At half past 8 at night, that girl was asking him to take her to his boss? Really?

Rajat: "Tanu…. raat ke sadhe aath baj rahe hai. Tum kal mil lena unse. Abhi kaunsi aafat aa padi hai jo tum is waqt unse milna chahti ho?"

Tanishka: "Kal ACP sir apne bureau ke kaam me busy honge. Mai us waqt unko disturb nahi karna chahti. Aur abhi time bhi sahi hai baat karne ka."

Rajat: (getting suspicious and concerned) "Par aisi kya baat hai? Mujhe toh bataao. Kya pata mai hi tumhari help kar du."

Tanishka: "Mujhe aap dono ki help chahiye. Isliye unke ghar chalne ko keh rahi hu. Please sir, mana mat kariye. Please."

Rajat: (giving up) "Accha, accha, thik hai. Khaana khatam karo. Phir chalte hai."

Rajat was still confused on what was going on. What did she want to talk so urgently to both of them? A thought crossed his mind. Had she put herself into some kind of danger during the mission? Was it now looming over her head? He looked at her to find her having the dinner while simultaneously thinking about something. He knew that his questions would only be answered when they had reached ACP sir's home. So he just shook his head and started having his dinner. They finished their dinner, cleared the table, got ready and left for ACP sir's house. Rajat was constantly praying that ACP sir shouldn't get angry to find them at his doorstep at this hour of night.

ACP sir was in his study after taking his dinner. He had taken out a book from the shelf and was trying to read it but his thoughts were constantly taking him back to the morning incident. He was just feeling sad for his son and granddaughter. How much hurt was hidden in their voices that time. They themselves were not able to hear it though. Suddenly the doorbell rang. He confusedly looked at the clock which was showing 9:00. Who was here at this time of the night? He came out of his study to find Shambhu (he is ACP sir's servant) welcoming the visitors. ACP sir looked at them and was shocked. There was Rajat standing, looking nervous for knocking his door at such hour uninvited and beside him was Tanishka. She seemed eager to talk about something. ACP sir gestured them to sit down and –

ACP: "Shambhu, jara paani – "

Rajat: "Nahi sir, rehne dijiye. Jarurat nahi hai."

ACP: "Rajat, tumhe itna formal hone ki jarurat nahi hai. And don't worry. Mai tumhe is waqt aane ke liye nahi daantne wala. So itna nervous hone ki jarurat bhi nahi hai."

Rajat: (embarrassedly smiling) "Nahi sir, aisi baat nahi hai. Woh toh dinner karte waqt achanak Tanishka ne aapke yaha aane ki zid pakad li. Maine mana bhi kiya par – "

ACP: (completing his sentence) "Woh mani nahi. Bachpan se jaante hu use mai. Aisi hi hai woh. Khair….. (Turning towards Tanishka) itna raat ko….. tabiyat kharaab hone ke bawajud… aayi ho toh kaam bhi utna hi jaruri hona chahiya aisa mai samjh raha hu. Kya baat hai? Bolo."

Tanishka excused herself for a minute and went into ACP sir's study. ACP sir asked Rajat through gesture but even he shook his head. Both confusedly looked up to find Tanishka carrying ACP sir's laptop. She kept it on the table, removed a pendrive from her pocket and handed it over to ACP sir.

Tanishka: "Isse pehle ki aaplog kuch pucche, mai khud hi aapko sab batati hu. Please use bina toke shanti se sun lijiyega. Toh….. Mission ke dauran mujhe ek baat pata chali hai aur woh yeh hai ki….. jis gang ko humne pakda hai woh koi gang nahi hai. (ACP sir and Rajat were looking at her completely appalled) Balki ek bade gang ka hissa hai. Haan….. aur…. yeh baat maine HQ me nahi batayi."

ACP sir and Rajat looked at her shocked. What was she saying? Such an important piece of info and she had not informed the HQ? Why?

ACP: (in a strict and bossy tone) "Tumhe pata hai na ki kisi bhi secret mission se related koi bhi info tum HQ ke alawa kisi aur ke saath share nahi kar sakti? Aur isme aisi kya baat thi jo tumne HQ ko nahi batayi? Gang ke jo log pakde gaye hai, woh log kabhi na kabhi toh yeh baat bata hi denge na."

Tanishka: (smirking) "Agar unlogon ko yeh baat pata ho, toh batayenge na?"

Rajat: "Matlab? Tum kehna kya chahti ho?"

Tanishka: "Matlab unlogon ko yeh baat pata hi nahi hai ki woh log ek bade gang ka hissa hai. Yeh log na bilkul sleeper cells ki tarah hai. Kaam ke waqt in sabko ikatha kiya jata hai. Aur kaam ke baad sab apne ghar. Ek aam jindagi jeenewale log. Yeh log humare pados me bhi reh rahe honge toh hume pata nahi chalega. In logon ko co-ordinate karnewala aadmi jise yeh log apna boss samajhte hai, woh waha se bhaagne me kaamyaab ho gaya hai. Par woh unka boss nahi balki us actual gang ka member hai."

ACP: "Par yeh sab tumne HQ me kyu nahi bataya? Jaanti bhi ho agar unlogon ko pata chala ki tumne itni important info unse chipayi hai, toh woh log kya karenge? Tumhare career ke saath saath shayad Abhijeet ki naukri bhi khatre me pad jayegi."

Tanishka: (calmly) "Kya unki naukri unki jaan se jyada keemati hai?"

Both ACP sir and Rajat jerked. The fear that was lurking in the back of their minds now came to their forefront.

ACP: (grimly) "Matlab kya hai tumhara?"

Tanishka: "Pehle woh pendrive apne laptop se connect kijiye aur usme ek audio hai use dhyaan se suniye. Sab samajh me aa jayega."

ACP sir connected the pendrive to his laptop and played the audio. It was a mobile conversation. It went as follows –

Voice: "… kaam ho gaya hai, saab. Jaisa aapne bola tha, bilkul waise hi sab maal ready rakha hai."

From Other Side (FOS): "….."

Voice: "Haan saab. Woh log bhi aa gaye hai. Par ek gadbad huyi hai. Woh SI ABHIJEET nahi aaya. Last moment pe usko hata diya."

FOS: "….."

Voice: (in shocked tone) "Saab, aapko pata tha phir bhi aapne yeh sab chalne diya? Aapne sab roka kyu nahi? Agar pakde gaye toh apna bohot nuksaan ho jayega saab."

FOS: "….."

Voice: "Par saab…."

FOS: "….."

Voice: (in dejected tone) "Thik hai, saab. Jaisa aap thik samjhe. Rakhta hu."

Both Rajat and ACP sir were shocked and confused. So this mission was planned not by the HQ, but by the criminals. And it was either to kidnap or kill Abhijeet.

Rajat: "Par sir, ek baat samajh me nahi aayi. Agar unlogon ko pata chal chuka tha ki Abhijeet sir nahi aa rahe, toh unhone sab roka kyu nahi? Plan execute bhi kyu kiya?"

Tanishka: "Yehi toh hairaani ki baat hai. Mujhe bhi yehi baat sataaye jaa rahi hai tabse. Jarur kuch na kuch wajah hai."

ACP: "Abhijeet ne jin jin cases par kaam kiya hai un sabki ek list nikalo, Rajat aur dekho unme kitne gangs ya criminals hai jo drugs ya organs ya human trafficking karte the. Aur apne khabriyon ko bhi kaam par laga do. Kaho unse ke sabhi gangs par nazar rakhe aur aisi gang ka pata lagaye jiski working technique is pakdi gayi gang se match karti ho. Aur haan, jab tak koi strong evidence humare haath nahi lagta tab tak yeh baat sirf hum teeno ke bich rahegi."

Rajat: "Yes sir."

Tanishka: "Sir us khabri ko bhi dhundna hoga jisne us gang ki tip di thi. Pata chal jayega ki use woh tip mili thi ya woh bhi us gang ke saath mila hua hai."

ACP sir and Rajat smiled at her tone. It sounded so much like Abhijeet.

ACP: "Thik hai. Mai apne khabriyon se kehta hu use dhundne ke liye."

Tanishka: "Sir ek request thi. (ACP sir looked at her) Please mujhe academy se do-teen mahine ki leave dilwaiye na taake mai bhi aapki madat kar saku."

ACP: "Do – teen mahine jyada nahi ho gaye?"

Tanishka: "Case jaldi khatam ho gaya toh jaldi chali jaungi, sir."

ACP: "Thik hai, par meri do sharte hai. Pehli yeh ki tum is case me personally involve nahi hogi. Kahi jaana ho, pucch – tacch karni ho, woh sab hum dekh lenge. Aur is case se related agar jaane – anjaane me tumhe koi lead milti hai, toh tum akele handle nahi karogi. Hume bataaogi. Agar tumne kuch bhi, let me repeat kuch bhi akele karne ki koshish ki, toh mai tumhari leave cancel karwake tumhe academy bhej dunga. Bolo, manjur hai?"

Tanishka pouted, but still agreed.

Tanishka: "Aur dusri shart?"

ACP: (looking into her eyes and adding softly) "Rajat ko tumhare muh se sir sunne ki aadat hogi, mujhe nahi hai. Aur mujhe daalni bhi nahi hai. Mai tumhare muh se DADU sunna hi pasand karunga. Thik?"

Tanishka nodded, embarrassingly.

ACP: (smilingly stressing) "Maine kuch puccha, Tanu?"

Tanishka: "Jee, Da…. Dadu."

ACP sir smiled with content and softly patted her head. Even Tanishka closed her eyes to feel that sooth. She had always considered ACP sir as the most trusted person in her life (obviously after her father and mother). That's the reason she had thought to talk about all this to him. She also knew deep down in her heart that he would have never, even for once, thought that she had done that vicious crime. But still, after those years at the Child Care Centre, she herself didn't realize that she had unknowingly withdrawn herself from all the relations.

ACP sir looked at the wall clock. It was showing 10:00.

ACP: "Chalo ab. Bohot raat ho gayi hai. Tumlogon ko ghar bhi jaana hoga. Kal subah dekhte hai iska kya karna hai."

Rajat: (taking leave) "Haan, sir. Humlog chalte hai ab. Aap bhi thak gaye honge. Chaliye sir. Bye and good night."

Saying this, both Rajat and Tanishka left towards their home.

Hope you like it guys. Please read and review.

Thank you!