CHAPTER 14

A/N: Hey guys! I know you must be ready with your shoes and sandals. But please don't hit me with them. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Extremely sorry for the late update. But thanks for the reviews for my previous chapter and also for "The Diary of a Tired Soul".

But there's a good news. CID is starting again from 22nd September for those who don't know about it yet. Yeppiiiiiii! Thank god! AT LAST!

Here's your update. Enjoy reading, friends.

Recap: Tanishka had left some clues for Abhijeet in his bedroom which he found out and decoded.

It was around 3 am at night. The road was completely deserted. On the side of the road was a mechanic shop where two workers (W1 and W2) were working. Strange, isn't it? But…

Suddenly a car came and stopped there. A Punjabi man (PM) came out of it. He was wearing a red turban, green pathani suit and had a thick beard stretching from one ear to another.

PM: "Sat sri akaal ji! Koi hai?"

W1: "Ji, kahiye?"

PM: "Oye khotey! Saaddi gaddi naal kuch problem ho gayi hai. Dekh tu, barabar chal nahi rhiya si."

W1: "Gaadi ki chhabi?"

PM: (laughingly) "Saadda dil hai Punjabi, yaara!"

W1: "Do minute rukiye. Thodi der me thik kar deta hu."

Meanwhile another car came and stopped beside the first car. Another man (AM) wearing a blue coloured flowery shirt and knee length shorts came out of it. His face was almost covered with the Hawaiian hat he was wearing.

AM: (to W2) "Hey you! Apun ka gaadi check karo. Iska breaks ka kuch lafda lagta apun ko. Make it quick, you fool."

W2: "Abhi karta hu, sir. Waise… Car ka rate?"

AM: "God is great."

PM was looking at AM continuously with a fixed stare. The face seemed familiar, but due to the darkness and the hat, he couldn't recognize him. Just then, another car came and stopped beside the second car. An old businessman (BM) with black goggles and big moustache came out of the car. PM gasped seeing him.

BM: "Meri gaadi ka tire puncture ho gaya hai. Thik karo use, jaldi."

W1: "Ji sir, karte hai. Gaadi ka colour?"

BM: (observing him thoroughly) "American dollar."

Both the workers signalled each other. They left their works and washed their faces to remove the grease and….. MAKE - UP. They came back. PM, AM and BM were shocked seeing them.

PM: (pointing at W1) "Aravind Mehta, ATS Mumbai. Tum yaha?"

Aravind: (grimly) "Haa, ABHIJEET SIR! (Surprise !) Mai hi hu."

Abhijeet: (pointing to W2) "Aur tum…. tum toh wohi ho na jo beach par mujhse takraye the? Aur mere coat ke pocket me woh… woh chitthi daali thi?"

W2: "Haa, sir. Maine hi daali thi woh chitthi aapke pocket me."

Abhijeet's anger was at it's peak. He grabbed W2's collar and pinned him to the wall. AM and BM immediately went to W2's rescue.

Abhijeet: (angrily shaking him) "Bata… bata kaha hai meri Tanu? Kaha chhupa ke rakha hai tumlogon ne use? Mujhe pata hai woh zinda hai. Woh aise nahi mar sakti. Bata, bata kaha hai woh?"

AM: "Abhijeet sir… sir, please chhodiye use…. please sir. Yeh koi criminal nahi hai…. Yeh mera student hai, VIVEK."

Abhijeet left Vivek's collar and started looking at AM who took out his hat and revealed himself. He was none other than Rajat. Abhijeet sighed.

Abhijeet: (to BM) "Sir, ab aap bhi utar dijiye apne goggles. Maine pehchaan liya hai aapko."

BM, that is, ACP sir removed his goggles. All three of them gathered near Aravind and Vivek.

ACP: "Tum dono ne hume yaha kyu bulaya hai?"

Vivek: (looking at Aravind and then at Abhijeet) "Tanishka ke kehne par. (All three of them were shocked) Aapko sacchai batane ke liye."

Rajat: "Kaisi sacchai? Aur Tanishka se tumlog kab mile?"

Aravind: (sighing painfully) "Usi din jis din woh kidnap huyi thi."

All Three: "Kyaaaa?"

Vivek: "Haa sir, us din subah 11 baje Tanishka ne hume disguise me Thakur mall ke andar ke coffee shop me bulaya tha. Tanishka ke tone se woh bohot serious lag rahi thi. Isliye humlog waha pohonch gaye. Par usne humse sirf 5 minute baat ki, sir. Aravind se kaha ke Aryan Raj ke bare me jitni ho sake utni jaankari nikale, uski puri kundali nikale. Aur mujhse kaha ke hum jab mile uske pehle wale din bureau me kaun – kaunse mobile phones active the unhe trace karu aur unki details nikalu aur bureau ke andar koi alag frequency present ho to use bhi trace karu. Phir usne mujhe woh chitthi di aur kaha ki agar agle 24 ghante me woh humse contact na kare toh mai woh chitthi kisi bhi tarah se aap tak pohoncha du aur aap teeno ko humari findings ke bare me bhi batau."

All three of them were stunned. That girl knew that she was going to be kidnapped? What the hell was going on around them? They took a moment to process the things out. It was quite a while when finally Abhijeet spoke up.

Abhijeet: "Aravind, Aryan Raj ke bare me kya pata chala hai tumhe?"

Aravind: "Sir, unka parivaar Dehradun me rehta hai. Biwi, beta, bahu, pota aur beti. Par bete ke bare me ek bohot badi baat pata chali hai, sir."

Abhijeet: "Kya?"

Aravind: (looking towards ACP sir) "Sir… beta abhi abhi jail se chhutkar aaya hai. Drug trafficking ke case me andar gaya tha. Aur…."

Abhijeet: "Aur kya?"

Aravind: "Aur use… khud ACP SIR NE PAKDA THA."

Abhijeet and Rajat started looking at ACP sir with shock. ACP sir was himself in trance. And suddenly he remembered the conversation he had with Tanishka when they had met Aryan Raj in bureau. Finally that conversation was now making sense to him. Tanishka knew this truth. But the question was how? Was it Aryan behind her kidnapping and murder? Was his friend trying to take revenge? But then why kill Tanishka? There were so many such questions and he had answers to none. He composed himself for the time being.

ACP: "Vivek, tum batao. Kitne mobile active the bureau me raid wale din?"

Vivek: "Sir, Abhijeet sir ke raid par jaane ke baad bureau me sirf 5 log the – aap, Tanishka, Salunkhe sir, Tarika ma'am aur Aryan sir. Par mobiles…. 6 active the. Aur sir, aapko Abhijeet sir ka phone aane ke baad aap paancho ke alawa jo 6th mobile present tha waha par, usme se ek message bheja gaya hai kisi Teja naam ke aadmi ko. Is Teja ka koi criminal record nahi mila hai sir, lagta hai naya khiladi hai. Par haan, sir, ek baat is Teja ke bare me. Woh us waqt wahi tha jaha aaplogon ne raid daali thi."

Rajat: "Woh mobile kiske naam par registered hai?"

Vivek: "Sir, yeh mobile 10 din pehele bandra market se chori hua tha. Kisi Jay Chandra ke naam par registered hai."

Abhijeet: (in anger) "Yeh Aryan Raj bada hi shaatir hai. Aakhir police wala jo thehra! Ho na ho wohi hai is sab ke pichhe."

ACP: "Par sirf apne bete ka badla lene ke liye woh itna bada khel khelega? Yeh baat kuch hazam nahi hoti. Uska badla mujhse hai, toh woh dhamki tumhe kyu dega? Tanishka ko kyu kidnap karega? Aur yeh raid fail karvane se uska kya lena – dena? Yeh dono cases toh alag – alag hai, na."

Abhijeet: "Nahi sir, yeh dono cases alag nahi, ek hi hai. Yeh sab juda hua hai. Aur sir, woh raid bhi isliye fail huyi kyuki unlogon ko pehle se pata tha ki hum kab, kya karne wale hai. Kyuki humare bureau me cameras aur transmitters fit kiye gaye hai, humare computers hack kar liye gaye hai aur humare mobile phones bhi tap ho chuke hai. Hum par har pal nazar rakhi jaa rahi hai, sir."

Rajat: "Sir, yeh sab aapko kaise pata chala?"

Abhijeet: (in pain – filled tone) "Tanishka ne bataya hai mujhe. (Rajat and ACP sir were looking at him with shock and pain) Woh chitthi… usme kuch codes the, jo kuch clues tak lead karte the. Kisiko pata na chale, isliye usne is tarah codes aur clues ke jariye mujhe yeh baat batayi hai."

Aravind: "Sir, ab kya kare? Unlogon ne toh Tanishka ko…."

He just couldn't complete the sentence. Tanishka's death seemed an extremely harsh reality to them too.

Abhijeet: "Sir, hume bohot savdhaani se sab kuch karna hoga. Agar Aryan Raj ya uske kisi bhi aadmi ko bhanak bhi lag gayi ki hume sach ka pata chal chuka hai, toh woh pata nahi kya kar baithenge."

ACP: "Tum thik keh rahe ho Abhijeet, par abhi bhi pura sach humare saamne nahi aaya hai. Kuch na kuch toh humse chhut raha hai. Par kya?... Aravind ek kaam karo. Aryan ke bare me jitni ho sake utni info aur nikalo. Jitni bhi…. itne saalon me usne kab kya khaya, kaha soya, kiske saath waqt bitaaya…. sab kuch. Kuch bhi chhutne na paye. Samjhe?"

Aravind: "Yes sir."

Rajat: "Sir, is Teja par nazar rakhte hai. Woh ek badi machhali hai kyuki uska sidha contact Aryan se hai."

Abhijeet: "Haa, yeh thik rahega. Nazar bhi rakhte hai aur unki chal unpar hi chalte hai."

ACP: "Matlab?"

Abhijeet: (smirking) "Vivek, us Teja ka phone tap karo. Kab, kya baatein hoti hai uski puri jaankari chahiye mujhe."

Vivek: "Yes sir."

ACP: "Thik hai. Aur kuch bhi pata chale toh raat ke 12 se subah ke 6 ke bich hi bataoge. Woh bhi humare unhi numbers par jinpar yaha aane ka message bheja tha. By the way, woh numbers mile kaha se tumlogon ko?"

Vivek: (smilingly) "Rajat sir ka spare no. tha mere paas. Abhijeet sir ka Tanishka ne diya tha us din. Aur aapke ek khabri ka no. bhi diya tha, uske jariye aapka no. pata kiya."

The trio sighed. What a child they had at their hands. They sat in the cars and left. The morning arrived and the bureau was filled again. But today, it just seemed a place where people worked like robots. Dr. Salunkhe and ACP sir had given Tarika and Shreya leave as Tarika was still not herself. A mother she was, after all. Aryan entered the bureau and sensed the mourning silence. Though he showed himself serious, but his insides were dancing with joy. Seeing him entering, all stood up to greet him while ACP sir came out of his cabin. Abhijeet and Rajat's faces were showing pure anger and their fists were balled up too, but ACP sir signalled them to calm down.

Aryan: "Sab thik hai na, Pradyuman? Mai manta hu yaar, ke kisi ki maut ko u ek din me bhula dena aasan nahi par humara kaam hi kuch aisa hai ke apno ke liye waqt hi nahi hota. Apne sukh – dukh ke liye bhi nahi. Maine HQ se kaha hai ki agle 8 – 10 din me woh gang humare haath me hoga. Toh hume humare kaam ki speed badhani hogi. Please try to understand."

ACP: (grimly) "Mai HQ ke pressure ko achhi tarah samajhta hu, Aryan. Aur maine apni team ko bhi tayyar kiya hai. Mujhe bharosa hai ki woh log apni personal feelings ko side me rakh kar diye time me case solve kar lenge. Haa, par Tarika aur Shreya humara saath nahi de paayenge is me. Maine undono ko hata diya hai is case se."

Aryan: "I can totally understand, Pradyuman. Maa hai woh dono. Aur ek maa ke aulad kya hoti hai iska andaza hum mard kabhi nahi laga sakte. Achha kiya jo tumne unhe is case se hata diya."

ACP sir simply nodded and both of them went into ACP sir's cabin to discuss the proceedings. Abhijeet went back to his work, but felt a hand on his shoulder and found Daya standing there.

Daya: (in low tone) "Boss, sab thik hai na? Tum kuch pareshaan lag rahe ho."

Abhijeet: (sighing heavily) "Nahi yaar, bas… woh… haan, Tarika… Tarika ka soch raha tha. Pata nahi kaise sambhalunga mai use."

Daya: "Agar batana nahi hai, toh mat batao. Khair… Tarika ko sambhalne ki baat karte ho, par kya ab tak khud sambhal paaye ho?"

Abhijeet just lowered his eyes. Daya sighed and left him alone. Abhijeet sat back on his desk. He opened a drawer and removed a bracelet. Tanishka had gifted it to him through Daya on his birthday. Daya had told that the gift was from his side, but Abhijeet knew that it was Tanishka's choice. Tears welled up his eyes. Where was his angel? How was she? Had they really killed her? A chill ran down his spine. Think positive, think positive, he told himself. But his mind was now playing games with him. Showing different horrible scenarios in which his daughter could have been caught. He was so engrossed in it that he didn't even realize when Aryan Raj came and stood in front of him. Aryan shaked Abhijeet a bit who instantly came out of his thoughts and stood up. He rubbed his eyes to clear off the tears.

Aryan: "Mai samajh sakta hu, Abhijeet ki tumpar is waqt kya beet rahi hai. Par tumhe bhi meri majboori ko samajhna hoga. Agar yeh case itna important nahi hota toh mai kabhi tumhe is tarah kaam karne ko nahi kehta."

Abhijeet: (in determined tone) "Don't worry, sir. I understand. Mai aapko niraash nahi karunga. Mai bhi ab chahta hu ki yeh case jitni jaldi ho sake utni jaldi solve ho jaye. Taaki mai apni beti ko bhi insaaf dila saku."

Aryan smiled, patted his shoulder and left. Abhijeet was looking at the way Aryan went. He was feeling so helpless. That man, Aryan knew where his daughter was. But he had to wait to ask him that. He jerked his head and went back to his work.

The days were passing. The CID team had tried two more raids but had failed again. This was now getting on their nerves. It was hard for Abhijeet and Rajat to control their anger whenever Aryan was around. He too was now getting pushy and irritated. When they failed the third time, he busted out on Abhijeet as he was the one to plan the raids. Abhijeet, though angry, kept his shut because of his daughter and ACP sir.

Aryan: "Yeh kya ho raha hai, Abhijeet? Teen baar… teen baar tumhara plan fail ho chuka hai. Kya kar kya rahe ho tum, haan? Pradyuman yeh hai tumhara brilliant officer… jise log CID Mumbai ka Sharp Shine kehte hai? Mujhe toh iska performance dekhkar aisa bilkul bhi nahi lagta."

ACP: (meaningfully) "Badi jeet haasil karne ke liye chhoti haaro ka saamna karna padta hai, Aryan. Dekhna woh gang jald hi humare pakad me hoga."

Aryan: (irritatedly) "Tum aur tumhare waade…. hunh… HQ se pressure badh raha hai, Pradyuman…. Woh log keh rahe hai ki mai team change kar lu….. Par mai is baar tum logon ko one last chance de raha hu. Tumhari team ki tareef bohot jyada suni hai isliye. Remember Pradyuman…. this is your final chance. Agar is baar fail huye toh HQ hi decide karega ki tumhara aur tumhari team ka kya karna hai. Is that clear?"

ACP sir approved it and Aryan left the bureau. Everyone was now very angry on his behaviour. They were not doing it purposely. But all had understood one thing that there was something fishy about these failures. How did that gang get to know about their plans beforehand? How could they be so pitch ready for the attack? No one had answers to these questions. Amidst all this mess, another meeting of those five people was fixed after four days from the first meeting.

There you go, guys. I know it's a bit short. But now the story is almost near to the climax. 4 – 5 chapters more and it will be done. So stay tuned to know it.

Please R and R.

Thankyou!