Daya's phone rang. Seeing his face, ACP raised his eyebrow.
"Sir Tarika Ka phone hai"
"Baat karo... Samjhao usse."
"Sir"
Daya turned moved out of the room.
"Daya... Abhijeet! Abhijeet Kaisa hai?"
There was an unmistakable urgency in her voice. A nasal tinge to it, anyone could tell that she had been crying.
"Tarika wo... "
"Bolo Daya. _Please!_"
Daya gulped. He didn't know what words to choose and more importantly, how to deliver them.
"Abhijeet ki haalat nazuk hai - "
"Nazuk hai Matlab ! Doctor ne kya Bola? Meri - Meri baat karwao na doctor se. Aur tumlog Kaha ho? Mein - "
"Tarika... Please relax. Tum shaant ho jao. Mein sab batata Hu."
"Hmm"
"48 hours crucial Hain... Aur hum log... Usse darasal ek... Ek safe house laayein hain."
"Address batao Daya - mein abhi nikalti Hu."
"I am sorry Tarika par... Ye secret hai... Mein tumhe Nahi bata sakta."
Tarika didn't speak. Daya could only hear her sob.
"I'm sorry... DCP sir ke strict orders Hain... Abhijeet ki Jaan Ka sawal hai."
She sobbed harder.
"Tarika please samajhne ki koshish karo."
"Hmm," Daya heard a feeble sound before the call was cut.
"Damn it!"
Daya shoved his cellphone in his pocket.
He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Sir wo... Tarika..."
"Samajh Sakta Hu mein."
"Bahot ro rahi thi sir wo."
"Usko samajhna hi padega Daya... Iss waqt hum log emotional hokar koi decision Nahi le sakte... Ek Nahi - kayi jaano Ka Sawal hai."
"Sir kya hum usko ek Baar Nahi milwa sakte Abhijeet se?"
"Kaisi baat Kar rahe ho Daya!" Acp's tone was slightly rough, "Tum toh sab jaante ho aisi missions ke baare mein... Kam se Kam tum toh bhavuk hokar baat mat Karo!"
"I'm sorry sir."
He hung his head low. ACP patted his shoulder.
"Be strong."
Daya nodded.
*Tarika's place*
Tarika was in devastated condition. Abhijeet's face in that video was continuously coming into her mind. She was sobbing burrowing her face in her knees. Her heart was bleeding. She wanted to see _her Abhijeet_ once. But she knew she can't. It was against rules and it could be harmful for Abhijeet.
Still she wished she could see Abhijeet. She knew he was in great pain. She saw in the video that he had many cut marks and bruises all over his body. Those people even pour hot water on his chest.
She wanted to heal them..But Alas! She can't even have a glimpse of him right now. She sobbed and sobbed and fall asleep without her knowledge in sitting position on the floor supporting her back against her bed.
Dr. Salunkhe gave her a leave for that day. He could understand what she was going through. It wasn't easy for her to see Abhijeet in that horrible condition. He knew how much sensitive Tarika was about Abhijeet. He had seen that before [ Ref: Khatarnak Bicchoo, Khatre mein CID, Ali ki khalbali].
The day passed. Abhijeet's condition didn't get any better. The bad news was that CID didn't find the evidence yet nor any clue about the gang.
*Next Day*
Tarika woke up with a bad headache. She was fasting from the last 2 days. She became pale. She became weak not only mentally but physically too. It was hard for her to take the situation more!
She got ready and left for the lab without having anything.
Dr. Salunkhe looked at her who was looking so pale weak. Her eyes were puffy and She had black circles around her eyes. It was evident that she was continuously sobbing and didn't have proper sleep in the past few days. He wondered whether she had any food or not. He went to her placed his hand on her head.
Dr. Salunkhe: Tarika bacchi..
Tarika looked up at him with her tired and puffy eyes. She stood up from the chair.
Dr. Salunkhe: tumne breakfast kiya?
Tarika: nahi sir..wo mera aj fast hai..
Salunkhe: pichle do dino se fast rakh rahi ho..aise toh tum bimar ho jayoge..
Tarika: n-nahi sir..kuch nahi hoga..
Salunkhe: kya halat bana liya hai tumne apna..
Ab toh Abhijeet bhi mil gaya hai..
Tarika: per sir uska condition..
she closed her eyes remembering his bruised body. A tear dropped from her eyes.
Salunkhe: kuch nahi hoga use...wo ek fighter hai..hmm?
*arika nodded.
Salunkhe: ab chalo aur kuch khalo...
Tarika: nahi sir plz..
Salunkhe: main aj ek nahi sununga..
Kal wo Abhijeet ayega aur mujhe taane marega ki maine tumhara khyal nahi rakha..
Tarika laughed slightly seeing Salunkhe making faces. She remembered Abhi's tantrums which he keeps throwing on Salunkhe all the time. Dr. Salunkhe smiled at her too.
Salunkhe: ab toh chaloge na khane?
Tarika nodded unwantedly.
Salunkhe: good girl..tum canteen jayo..yaha main sambhal lunga..
Tarika went to the canteen. She ordered one cup of black coffee without sugar. It wasn't her choice but Abhijeet's. She had that bitter coffee remembering HIM, his smile, the faces he used to make Whenever Tarika commented about his coffee. She never liked black coffee without sugar. But today it was feeling heavenly to her.
She felt her cheeks wet again. She couldn't have more than half cup of the coffee as she felt a lump in her throat. She wanted to shout taking his name. She wanted to cry her lungs out hugging him. Only he could make her feel better then.
She paid the bill and left the lab in a hurry. She directly went towards the washroom and opened the water tap in full speed. She cried.
Days passed like this. Still she wasn't allowed to meet him. But at least his condition was better now, though not the best. He had regained consciousness but still was under strict observation. In all these, the good news was Abhijeet told the team about the evidence he had found and where he had hidden them. The team is searching but carefully. It will take time as the jungle's huge and also that gang's people were everywhere.
Only soothe for Tarika was, he's better. He's still not allowed to talk, neither he could move properly. But for her, his breathing even matter a lot.
"Tarika," Daya called her one daay as she was leaving the Bureau after giving a file.
"Haan Daya."
"Aj Abhijeet ke bare mei pucha nahi tumne? Roj toh puchti ho."
"Wo, ACP sir ne bataya subha." Tarika smiled.
"Oh... weiisey.. ek minute ao mere sath."
"Kaha?"
"Ao na."
Daya took her to the canteen.
"Daya, maine breakfast kia hai. Purvi se puch lo, chaho toh."
"Wo mujhe pata hai."
"Phir?"
"Tumhare liye ek surprise hai." Daya smiled
For a moment Tarika's heart stopped to beat. Was she going to meet him? Finally! But, he's not in a condition to join Bureau. Then?
She watched Daya taking out his phone
"Abhijeet se baat karogi?"
Tarika's happiness knew no bounds hearing Daya's statement. She covered her mouth with her both hands. Tears were flowing continuously from her eyes but her lips were smiling
"Sach?"
Daya nodded, smiling.
But then Tarika became sad, thinking something.
"Use khatra toh nahi hoga?" She asked like a kid.
All the time she wasn't allowed to talk to him and now Daya's here, offering her a call to him!
"Nahi. Ye Khatcha SIM hai. Maine Abhijeet ko bola hai ki tum iswaqt phone karogi.. wo intezar kar raha hoga tumhhare call ka."
"Par sir be bola..."
"Haan... use bat karna allow nahi hai. Par at least wo tumhari awaz toh sunega. Ek do words bhi sayad wo bolne ki koshish kare... but don't allow him. Okay?"
Tarika nodded as he took Daya phone. The number was alreday dialed.
"Mai chalta hu."
Daya left.
Tarika kept listening the cring cring sound on phone. She's only seconds away from his voice.
"Hello" she said in her trembling voice as the call got connected.
"Hello." A female voice answered.
She got dissapointed.
"Ap Tarika bol rahi hai kya?"
Haan.. haan.."
"Daya sir ne bataya tha. Mai phone unke kan oe pakarti huu. Wo bat nahi kar sakte. Ab boliye, wo sunenge."
"Ji..'
There's some noise for a second and then everything was calm.
"Ta.. ri..Ka.. "
"Ssshh.. sssh, don't talk. Just hear me." Tarika cried.
She could imagine him crying too.
"Just breath. Let me hear you breath."
He did. Tarika's sob sub sided with every sound of his breathing. He's alive. He's alive.
Abhijeet closed his eyes taking a deep breath.
Tarika: I-I miss you A..Abhi...
Tarika was trying to suppress her sobbing. Still he understood.
Abhijeet tried to speak again: main..thik..
Tarika nodded though he couldn't see her. She quickly replied: t..um please baat mat karo..
Abhijeet: hmm...
"pata hai Abhijeet... Tumne hum sabka sina Garv se chauda Kar Diya hai... Secrets Nahi leak hone diyein - apna harr waada nibhaya hai Tumne," she said.
Tears continuously filled her eyes and she struggled to not let it reflect in her voice.
If only she could see him... Just see him breathe... Just touch him once gently... Oh she would leave before even he knew... If only she could do it once.
_just once_
No she mustn't... She was asking for too much now, wasn't she?
But oh... What could she do? Her heart didn't listen to her... It didn't understand reasons... It didn't bother itself with consequences... It just didn't.
'harr waada nibhaya hai Tumne,' she thought but didn't let words escape her mouth, 'Mere paas laut Kar aane Ka Bhi...'
Abhijeet felt consumed by the sudden silence that had fallen.He knew exactly how hard it would have been for her But somewhere inside he was thankful that she couldn't see him the way he was. It would break her down even more.
Little did he know that she had already seen that excruciatingly painful video.
He took a deep breath and mustered all his strength to speak.
"A...aur... T-tumhare... Paas "
"Haan wo waala waada Bhi," Tarika spoke quickly.
Tarika: tumne sab kuch perfectly kiya... Ab baas jaldi se thik hoke humare pass laut ke ajayo..
Tarika closed her eyes and pressed her left hand on her mouth so that Abhi couldn't hear her sobbing whispers.
Abhi nodded with: hm..
He was taking deep breaths. His face was wet too. The nurse took away the phone from him.
Nurse: mam..Abhijeet sir ke medicine ka time ho gaya hai..
Tarika: haan tum use medicine de do..main..main baas usko bye bol deti hoon..
Nurse: thik hai..saying so she held the phone for Abhijeet again..
Tarika: Abhi..tum medicine leker rest karo..i'll talk to you later. Bye..
Abhi: B..bye..
The phone was cut. Tarika sat on the chair and cried as there was no one around her.
Daya came from behind and kept her hand on her shoulder. She quickly wiped her tears and turned around.
Daya: ho gaya baat usse?
Tarika nodded.
Tarika returned back him his phone with: tumhara phone..
Daya took that and said: baas kuch din aur Tarika..ye gang jaldi pakra jayega..
Tarika: Abhijeet ka khayal rakhna...
Daya: Abhijeet ka khyal rakh rahe hai hum..
Per tum apna dhyan nahi rakh rahe ho..Jab Abhijeet tumhe aise dekhega na..wo tumhe toh kuch nahi bolega..per mujhe nahi chorega..
Tarika: i'll take care Daya..
Daya: haan sirf bolti hi ho...karti toh kuch nahi..
Mujhe daat khilane ka pura intezaam karwa liya..
Daya said it dramatically which made Tarika laugh even in this situation. Daya too joined her.
Daya got a call. He picked it up.
Daya: pata chal gaya?
Daya: thik hai ata hoon main..
Daya cut the call and told Tarika: uss gang ka lead mil gaya...mujhe abhi jana parega..
Tarika: All the best..
Daya smiled and left from there.
AN: So finally she did talk to him. But when she's gonna meet him!Stay tuned.
~Let's Imagine~