Anjali was yanking her seatbelt and the thumping noise it made was meant to represent her frustration. Not with Javed and his persistent intrusion in her life only… but she couldn't vent her anger at Namrata or Italian supplier at the moment. So Javed had to take the fall.

Lavanya was almost worried for both of them but not enough to get her distracted from sleeping on the backseat – the comfort of Javed's car reminded her of how tired she was from that flight and Lavanya fell asleep the moment her head touched the leather cushion.

Being aware of a sleeping girl behind her Anjali tried to hush down her irritation but it only made it worse – not she was hissing on Javed. He gulped trying to conceal both his annoyance with Anjali's sudden hysterics and his amusement with the way she was going about this whole situation.

- Javed-ji, why do you keep doing this? I'm not a child to be handled like this! If I remember correctly, I'm one year older than you!

Javed just couldn't resist the temptation to catch her on this one:

- Yes, you are… older. Consider it to be public service - me helping… the elderly part of the family. After all, I took Nani-ji to shopping the other day – why can't I help you out?

- What. Did. You. Just. Say?! – Anjali was pausing for every word trying to collect her breath and cool down before she'd exploded all over this pompous big-headed snarky piece of…

- You! You boss me around and treat me like a baby-girl! I'm not your little sister, Javed!

Anjali was so emotional she'd forgot to use her ever-present polite "ji" that went with everything she said. She'd also been too invested in her own emotions to overhear Javed's comment "SubhanAllah for that!"

As much as she'd tried Anjali could not get a proper fight from Javed who seemed to be more interested in his rear view than in what she had to say. So Anjali resided to silent pouting (she'd hoped it would look dignified and not childish at all) and concentrated on the outside view. She was trying to memorize her way to the production facility as it may become handy later. They were out of the city already and there were much less buildings or passing cars to stop her gaze on them. Anjali checked a rear view mirror to her left to see if there was anything worth her interest. She kept watching it for a while to make sure… and then said nervously:

- Javed-ji… Is it me or is this car following us?

By the way Javed grinded his teeth and clenched his fists on a steering wheel she knew he'd seen it too – they were followed by black SUV.

…

- Thompson, we are in my car heading out of the city on 24th, just passed Rahul Vihar. We are being followed. Send somebody to pick us up… Now!

Anjali screamed at Javed:

- What do you mean, "followed"? By whom? Why?!

Anjali's scream woke Lavanya up and when the meaning of her words reached Lavanya's sleepy brains she span around to see the vehicle driving close behind them. She turned back and grabbed Javed's shoulder:

- J, what's happening? Who's that? What do they want with us?

Javed moved his shoulder to free himself from Lavanya's grip and snapped at her:

- Let go of me! Not helping, Luv! Sit straight and buckle up your seatbelt, dammit!

Lavanya nodded responding to despair in his voice. If Javed was scared… then it must've been bad… really bad!

Anjali was not subdued so easily – she kept demanding answers she wasn't getting:

- Javed, who is that? Why are we being followed?

Javed stole a glance at her – Anjali looked so afraid and desperate. And it wouldn't help her if he'd told her the truth…

…

… A car keeled dangerously on a turn and Javed has hit the brakes harder to steady the vehicle… and nothing changed. Javed dialed frantically:

- Thompson, where the hell are your people?... We don't have 15 minutes!... Why? I'll tell you why – I don't have goddamn brakes in this metal box! One more sharp turn and we will be out in a ditch! Get down here immediately!

He threw his phone away from him and grabbed the wheel with both hands. The road ahead was relatively straight as far as he could see and Javed was praying that their persecutor wouldn't try to run them down.

But what if…

Javed took Anjali's hand and squeezed it tightly. Anjali wasn't really sure if his was trying to steady her… or himself. In any case she'd covered his hand with hers… to be in it together.

Javed spoke and every word came hard to him:

- Anjali, Lavanya… you've heard what's happening… we may get into car crash any moment now… Both of you – roll down your window shields to avoid getting hit by shards…

He looked down at Anjali's lap assessing something:

- Anjali, can you get to the backseat?

Anjali looked back trying to understand the physics of what was asked of her and shook her head – there was no way she could do it in her tight saree and with her bad leg:

- Sorry, Javed-ji, but I'll stay here with you.

He nodded not turning his head and only tightening his grip on her hand. Javed gave further instructions:

- Lavanya, press your head to your knees… Anjali, there's a gun under your seat – get it out!

Both girls gasped in disbelief – a gun! How their day turned to this in a matter of half an hour?

Anjali retrieved a weapon – for that she had to let go of Javed's hand because the gun was too heavy. Javed took the gun and with well-trained precision turned the safety latch on and off showing to Anjali what she needed to know. He handed the gun back to Anjali who took it with terrified expression in her eyes – she had never though she'd have to handle a weapon… in a car chase.

- Anjali, listen to me carefully, - Javed's voice was almost pleading, - … two month ago Shyam escaped the prison during transfer. I think it's him in that car behind us. If we are to crash and if I… won't make it… shoot him! Don't think, don't hesitate, don't try to talk him out of anything... just shoot him!

She nodded automatically while her mind was trying to process one thing… Shyam… Shyam… Shyam? Shyam… Shyam!

Javed continued:

- Anjali, hear me, please! It's ok if you miss him… but do try to aim. He just needs to understand that we have gun power and not afraid to use it. Our back up is coming and we just need to hold till then! Do you understand me, Anjali?

He turned to look at her pale exhausted face drained of every emotion but fear. Car hit a bump on the road and Anjali jumped in her seat with gun trembling in her hands. She bit her lip and looked at Javed… lost, scared, broken. Not the Anjali who was fighting with him not so long ago. The Anjali from… before.

Javed steadied her hands with his and said:

- Anjali… my beautiful, strong, courageous Anjali… I know you are scared right now, I do. I'm scare too! And I'm scared for all of us, trust me! So I need you to be brave for all of us… Can you do it? For me?

And that she understood. Through pain and agony… through memories of everything she'd lost to that man… beamed a ray of significance. She was needed. Javed needed her! And she'd be dammed if she'd let that man to ruin her life again, to make her hide!

Anjali took a firm grip of the gun and her expression was nowhere near the lost one she'd had before – this time she was a princess warrior, strong and confident! Javed smiled at this transformation and got back to steering a wheel as road was getting more and more bumpy.

Javed thought he could outrun the chasing car… but so did the chaser. Javed and black SUV behind him were speeding up… and taking the opportunity of small road turning up ahead black SUV has crashed itself into Javed's car bumper sending it turning to the low-growing trees on the side of the road…

…

There was a sound of metal screeching and branches breaking as they hit the trees. The air smelled of oil and gas and dirt and grass…

All of it came to Anjali from afar like she was separated from everything that was happening by a plastic wall. She tried to look around but the smoke coming up from underneath their car's hood hid the rest of the world from her… So there were only sounds and smells…

She'd heard the sound of car pulling over and a door slamming shut. "Shyam!" raced in her head. Anjali kicked the door and it flung open allowing Anjali to get out. She vaguely saw a figure running towards them and acted instinctively – Anjali raised her gun, turned off the safety and shot the shadow of approaching man.

The man shouted:

- Hey, stop shooting! Javed-ji, are you all right? Is everybody ok?

Anjali's hands started trembling – she was shooting at somebody who was going to their aid. She almost dropped a gun but then Javed's strong hands embraced her from behind and she whispered to her ear "Shhhh, Anjali, it's ok, it's Kamal, he's with the good guys. Shhhh, give me that, - and he carefully retrieved a loaded gun from her shaky hands.

Javed turned to the voice of Kamal and shouted:

- Where's Shyam?

Right that moment the steps that were approaching them before materialized to be a short middle-aged man with sharp gaze and a scar on a left cheekbone. He answered:

- He stopped when you crashed but we were right behind you so he drove off. We couldn't chase him because we only have one car and you may have needed our help.

Javed nodded and pointed to the mangled carcasses of his vehicle:

- Yes, we do! Call the ambulance! Lavanya… she's not opening her eyes!

Anjali turned to where Javed was pointing and saw Lavanya… deep cut on a shoulder… dark bruise on her right temple… motionless body.

- Lavanya, – Anjali gasped in disbelief. It wasn't happening. It wasn't…

And the world went dark…