Hello my lovely reader, new chapter is up and this time I somehow managed to type up faster than usual. Anyways, I would really appreciate comments from all my fine readers up here! Comments help us to keep writing! Thank you again and hope you enjoy the chapter. xoxo
A message and a coordinate were sent on my phone by an unknown number as we drive in silence. This, Abhijeet concludes must be sent by Siddharth. Tarika and Abhijeet decide to gear me up before sending me to Sidharth. For the sake of safety and back up for CID. I am glad that the plan is going as per my way. My mind, still groggy of what all happened at Daya's place. It has still had an effect on me. I was almost drained of all the energies I need in order to face that Siddharth.
"Bureau jana abhi risk se khali nehi hoga!" Tarika begins, "Daya kisi bhi waqt ake Jhanvi ko rok sakta hai, or uska suspension DCP ke hatho se ho jaiga is baar usne is plan ko delay kiya to." Tarika looked concerned.
"tum thik keh rahi ho! Jhanvi ko is location pe abhi le chalte hai, time waste kiye bagair!" Abhijeet agrees, handing me a black chip. It was almost a size of a small sim card. I took it from him watching it skeptically.
"yeh apne pas chupa lo Jhanvi, tumhari location or tumhari voice recordings sab kuch hume sunai degi iske through." He finishes his eyeing on the road as he drives. I was awestruck at the high folds of security I was given by them.
I think for a moment, where could I possibly hide this. My shoes, yes this could perfectly hide in my shoes.
"Tarika di!" I call, "mujhe ek blade do!"
She nods before fiddling her toolbox, handing me a razor. I take off right shoe and slit the sole from the side. I snuck in the black chip inside. Tarika hands me black tape.
"Isko chipkado! Otherwise it will come off!" She smiles. I do as she tells. But the razor. I didn't give it back to her.
"Mujhe yeh le jana he!" I tell her.
"But Jhanvi!" She looks confused, "Tumhe gun de denge hum! Self defense ke liye gun se acha or kuch nehi!" She reasons, Abhijeet looks at me through the rear mirror, "Tarika theek keh rahi he Jhanvi, us blade se tumhe chot lag sakti he! Tum gun leke jao!"
"No, ap dono Siddharth ko itna underestimate kyu kar rahe hai?" I try to reason myself "mana ki woh koi certified criminal nehi hai! But he has managed to hack into CID network programming! Matlab there are more dangerous people helping him out there!" I look at Tarika before continuing, "Let me take the gun, he will take it from me I am sure, but this razor.." I look at it, "ise mere pas rehne do! I know what I have to do!"
"Abhijeet I think, Jhanvi ko secret weapon ki zarurat pare!" Tarika agrees to my suggestion. Abhijeet sighs
"Please, Jhanvi! Apna khayal rakhna! You harming yourself are the last thing I want!" He looks worried, turning the steering wheel. I could figure what he will have to go through if things fall out of place. The wrath of Daya is somehow haunting three of us.
"Tum fikar mat karo!" I clear my throat. My eyes tearing up, still not over remembering the passion full eyes of Daya and charming smile. His warm embrace that engulfed me not more than an hour ago. I dreaded I might have to lose it forever; if I somehow couldn't escape this Siddharth or his team. I clench my eyes shut, ramming my brain shut off of every bit of worries. I doze myself to a nap while the couple drive in silence not wanting to say anything else. They both knew I am not going to walk on a piece of cake when I have taken this on my shoulders.
After a half an hour drive, our car has finally pulled near an abandoned warehouse. Tarika nudged me awake
"Jhanvi!" she calls, I look around straightening my glasses. The sun is almost gone down so the place looked somewhat gloomy. There was no street light. Or maybe they have somehow didn't want to have one after all. I felt quite eerie thinking about what and who ever they are; Nakul is now in their hands. My fists curled as I get out of the car. Courage and confidence, I chanted to myself, I can't give up without even putting up a fight. Abhijeet and Tarika glance at me one last time before driving off from there. My throat was drying up as I felt abandoned. A gush of chill wind brushed my loose hair. I wrap my arms around me when suddenly I felt a bit of courage through the gun that Abhijeet handed to me. I tuck it safely inside my pocket. And my cell phone is not with me as per my plan since I knew they will be taking it from me any way.
I steadily start walking towards the abandoned warehouse. My stride slows as my peripheral vision hints some involuntary movement to the right; I didn't want to turn my head to look for it as I felt some shadow lurking behind me. Petrified still; I could feel my heart thumping as I couldn't fathom to stop my legs as I gradually strolls towards the old house. I was sure Siddharth will not be able to harm me since CID is somewhere monitoring and tracking each and every movement of mine. Then with a rustle I felt someone pulled up behind me almost piercing me with something sharp on my back.
"Stop!" A female voice spat. I stop dead on my track. "tumhare peeche gun hai, ek inch bhi hili to goli se dher kar dungi!" she threatens, then her hands snaking all over my body, as if searching for any possible weapons. As expected, she fishes out the gun that Abhijeet gave me from my pocket. I curse my luck. Laughing she takes from me.
Although I couldn't see her from behind I could almost recognize her voice. My brain telling me that I have heard this voice before.
"CID wale itne bewakoof kese ho sakte he ki kisi under trained insaan ko gun dede?" She mocks, "Ab chalo andar, Siddharth tumhara wait kar rahe hai!" She signaled.
"Nakul kaha hai!" I ask, concerned.
"Filhal to zinda hai! Now no more questions, nehi to who bhi nehi rahe ga!" she shoves me to walk. I bit my lips to yelp in as she threatens.
The warehouse looked huge and abandoned. The gloomy lights flickering inside telling me this is their safe house for a reason. There is not a single neighborhood nearby. I look around trying desperately to find Nakul. But I can barely even see where I am walking to. My vision failing me as I feel a sharp musky smell ;my nostrils wincing in pain as I smell something foggy and sourly.
"Yeh… kya spray kiya tumne?" I gasp for some clean oxygen failing to breathe through the smell; making my head nauseous. I hear a stifling laugh in response. Some street dogs were barking but that's it. Within a second a strong smell caught my nostrils. As I wince from its strong odor. The strong perfume is doing it's job too well in almost choking me. I cough and sneeze. The foggy chemical has a dangerous effect as I could no longer hold myself straight. I clutch my head as my vision is bleaching. My legs all of sudden feels so heavy. My extremely sweaty hands clutching my head as I try to grip to consciousness. I couldn't think coherently as my brain is failing to handle the chemical in the air. I don't think I even know how to think coherently. The person who has trailing behind me suddenly came right in front of me. Before I could figure who or what stands in front I feel my conscious mind slipping out of eyes, my mind. Daya I need you, my brain groggy utters as I thought of him one last time before falling unconsciously to the floor.
As I regain myself to consciousness I dazedly look around. I wince of the headache triggered by whatever chemical that muzzled my brain. I desperately look around though I couldn't see anything properly. My vision, I gasp. My glasses. I don't have my glasses on. I try miserably to free hands; they are tied, again. But this time it is not by someone who I can blindly trust with my every ounce of breath. I have been tied to a very uncomfortable rocky chair. I try to scream but my mouth has been wrapped with a tape. Oh no. I panic a little. I try to wiggle some more. I wiggle my toes hoping the black chip and my shoes are still intact. Assured that nothing happened to my shoes as they are still on. I relax my mind. Taking a deep breath, I remind myself to calm down, you are still alive at least
"Jhanvi!" I hear someone croak from a distance. Its Nakul. A sudden relief washes over my mind as I know that he is nearby. That means he is okay. I try my best to muffle my affection as I feel my eyes filling up in tears.
"Jhanvi, oh god is that you!? Can you see me?"He is whispering with a silent sob. I could almost see him shaking. He is tied too. My lack of clear vision couldn't do any help as I try myself to look over if he has been beaten or not. I nod, trying my best to not give him any hint of my weakness.
"Oh why does it have to be us, jhanvi!?" He speaks. I am aware that he has to have an answer to this question. At least he needs to tell every one of us why he is with Sid.
As if he has almost sensed my question, "Jhanvi, let me tell you how this all happened. Do you remember Dominique?!"
I nod. Comprehensively.
"Yes, that bitch is a traitor! She apparently has betrayed the whole CID and teamed up with SID without even hinting us that she is behind all this. Can you freaking believe this?" He spat out the words like venom. A chill ran down my spine as my mind processed the words of Nakul. So Dominique was the one who helped Siddharth to execute the plan so precisely.
"Dominique was hired by that pig headed DCP, as he didn't know about how cunning she is. All Sid wanted was revenge from Daya and Dominique.." Nakul pauses as if sensing someone nearby before continuing, "Dominique always wanted to corrupt the invincible CID atmosphere by removing brilliant officers like Daya and Abhijeet." He pauses, pretending to not stay unconscious.
"Or Daya jaisa easy target uske liye koi or hai hi nehi is waqt!" he clarifies.
"Dominique is a pro hacker; she had somehow been mutilating with the CID systems since day one and that idiot Sid, uske liye to yeh ek cake walk ho gaya tha you know!" Nakul said scathingly.
"Jhanvi I am so sorry, mere wajah se yeh sab…" he starts sobbing. "Sid mujhe phone karke mujhse milne ko bol raha tha and for a minute I thought he has changed due to his jail.." He gulps some air, "I thought that he wants to patch up!"
I sigh, shaking my head, how stupid can Nakul be. Nakul can read my expressions like an open book.
"I know, I know Jhanvi! He is a criminal now but mujhe laga he break away the jail for me and mai janta hu ki mai kitna pachta raha hu yeh sab sochke." He sobs some more.
"When he tricked you to come here and save me I was praying to god to not fall his bait and not risk your life to come. This is a trap for both of us. But look at you!" He sighs, "tu kyu ai yaha Jhanvi!" Although I was almost blinded without my glasses but my glares could be enough to settle that idiot up for good. He wasn't grateful enough.
"I am sorry again Jhanvi! I am really sorry!" He mumbles. Suddenly I hear a thud and Nakul shriek in pain. I panic. My eyes wide in shock as I think I see a stream of blood leaking out of Nakul's ears. He's been hit on the head. I desperately try screaming, thrashing from the chair and the ropes that have tied me to it.
"Kya tum dono ko hosh a gaya?" A raspy voice croons. Nakul was wincing in pain my blurred vision telling me that he's head has been hit. I try desperately to let go of my clutches, I can't bear to see Nakul like this. Oh why does it have to be him? My dearest bestie.
"Stop struggling Jhanvi, you are tied!" Sid laughs. I am fuming in rage; panic filled my mind as I knew Nakul is not moving anymore. Maybe he has got a severe concussion.
"Nakul ko mara nehi hai maine. Sirf uska muh kuch minute ke liye band kiya hai maine." His blurry figure approaches me as he hovers near my face. My breath unsteadily giving away my frightened soul as Sid chuckles,
" Aree meri Jhanvi Sharma…" he pauses, "ops I forgot, our would be mrs. Jhanvi shetty, maine to socha tha Daya tumhe yaha ane nehi dega?"
He clicked his tongue; I shudder at his cold finger running down my face, down on my tapped lips. "So sad, Daya to tumhara bodyguard ban chukka tha! To usne tumhe yaha akele ane diya?"
I wince in pain as he yank the tape from my mouth.
"oho lagi to nehi?" He face twisted in grin as he mockingly run his finger against my lips. Disgusted already by him I scoot away.
"Oh Jhanvi?" He cups my cheeks with his hand. I fume in rage.
"You are a helpless journalist Jhanvi, not a CID officer jo khud ko bacha sako!" He scathingly spoke.
I decide not to say a thing to the sick headed. Instead my mind was working on what I could do meanwhile. The razor my mind reminded me. With sad snoopy eyes I turn eyes on floor. My hands which were tied have somehow managed to get access to the back of my belt. I had hidden the razor inside the belt and now I think I don't need to waste anymore time as I start to retrieve it gently. After retrieving it I immediately try cutting open the ropes that my hands are tied to. One after the other.
"Tum kuch kahogi nehi? Mujhe chor do, jane do wagera wagera?" Nakul sniggers. I roll my eyes
"Can I at least ask for my glasses?" my voice monotonous. He bursts into another hearty chuckle. His giggles and laughs are seriously getting on my nerve, I don't
even know what Nakul saw in him to trust him again. such a wierdo
"Aw apne ex star reporter ke liye itna to main kar hi sakta hu!" He laughs and gliding my beloved old glasses on my face. But the frame looked broken. Great!
"Thanks" I lied.