Chapter 10
A/N: Hey guys! :D Thank you for the awesome reviews and I'm really glad that you all are enjoying the story. This chapter was originally supposed to be along with the previous chapter, but the chapter was getting too long, so I had to break the climax into two. There are going to be one last chapter after this. :D
A HUGE and hearty thank you to all the reviewers and viewers once again! Constructive criticisms will be more than welcome. :D
I've kept you'll too long. So for now, happy reading! :D
Raghu opened the door with flour on his forehead and an apron on his clothes. Smiling at the sight of Abhijeet and Daya, he ushered them in. ABhijeet and Daya took in the surroundings. The house was simple in taste and decorations, yet it had a strange warmth about it. The smell of food wafted through the entire house, for after all the fact had not gone amiss - that Raghu was indeed cooking.
"Kahiye sir, aaj yahan aana kaise hua?"
The case had been solved the previous day, with Tarun taken into custody waiting further trial, and Rajeev's name finally cleared out from the files. The pharmaceutical company was sealed immediately, this time, the court taking personal responsibility about it. The Board of Directors of Aastha Research Centre considered buying the company and making it legal, but the better of it was decided. The company had been the cause of a lot of misery to several members, and the sooner the company was shut down, the better.
"Case toh solve ho gaya hai, par ab bhi bohot se sawaalon ke jawaab chahiye the."
"Puchiye sir. Mujhse jitna ho sake main aapki madad karunga."
"Theek hai Rajeev ji." Abhijeet's tone was light, he may have been asking the current day's weather. Raghu's expression did not change, except that he turned a little whiter. After a few moments, he let out a sigh and gave a small smile. Taking a seat on the adjoint sofa set, Raghu spoke in a soft tone.
"Aapko kabhi na kabhi toh yeh baat pata chalna hi tha. Par out of curiosity, aapko mere bare mein kab pata chala?"
"Mujhe kuch samay se tumhaari pehchaan ko leke shak tha hi. Bas kal Tarun ne na chahte hue bhi mere shak ko yakeen mein badal diya."
Rajeev's face darkened at the mention of Tarun's name. A corrosive hatred was making its way through Rajeev's features. Even though Rajeev had had a plastic surgery, his eyes held the same kindness in them as it had done at one time, although his eyes held a sunken look at the same time. If Akash has scarred him and his life forever, then Tarun had been no good either. On the contrary, he had become more evil with his increasing lust of money and fame and had lost every bit of his morality. Rajeev now spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Aapko toh ab tak pata chal hi gaya hoga ki do saal pehle uss din kya hua tha." Abhijeet and Daya nodded simultaneously. "Uss din, Mannu ne Akash ka peecha kiya tha. Jab Akash wahan se chala gaya, tab Mannu ko main khai ke ek kone mein mila tha. Main uss wakt bohot zakhmi tha aur mere bachne ka laghbagh koi chance nahi tha. Mera chehra pehchaan se bahar tha. Mere bache kuche paison se uss wakt Mannu ne surgery ke liye paise ikatthe kiye, par phir bhi 5 lakh rupay kam padh rahe the."
The next part was clearly understood by both Abhijeet and Daya.
"Woh 5 lakh rupay tumhein Arjun ne diya?"
"Haan." Rajeev's voice now cracked. "Uss wakt who shehr mein hi tha. Mannu uske paas se paise le aaya. Mujhe uss din ek nayi zindagi ke saath, ek nayi pehchaan bhi mil gayi."
"Tum Arjun ko kaise jaante the?"
"Arjun bhi mere saath bachpan se orphanage mein tha. Who mera sabse accha dost tha."
"Usne apna pehchaan kyun badal diya usne?"
"Arjun, ya Harish kahun, teen saal pehle ek high-profile aur controversial case ka prime witness tha. Gawai dene ke baad, use dhamki bhare message milne lage. Aur toh aur, use do baar maarne ki koshish bhi ki gayi hai. Usse phir ploice protection ke hisaab se wk witness protection program mein enroll kar diya. Apne nayi pehchaan ke saath who Australia mein settle ho gaya. Ussi ne mujhe meri yeh nayi pechaan di aur mere credentials Aastha Research Centre bhijwaaye meri naukri ke liye."
"Par tumne waapas se wahi Research Centre kyun join kiya? Tum chahte toh ek nayi sire se shuruwaat kar sakte the."
"Mujhe meri begunaahi ka sacch sabke saamne lana tha. Bhale hi duniya ke liye Rajeev mar chukka hai, par uss kalank ko mitaana bhi utna hi zaroori tha. Isiliye, apne begunaahi ka sabot ikattha karne ke liye maine as a Chief Assistant ke liye apply kiya. Aur kismat kaho ya takdeer, mera boss Akash hi tha. Usne kabhi mere saamne Rajeev ke bare mein zikar nahi kiya, par kahin na kahin, mujhe yeh baat ki khushi thi ki Akash ko apne kiye par pachtaava tha. Itni toh insaaniyat baaki thi usmein. Par Tarun toh... agar woh mujhe ek baar batata ki kya ho raha hai..." Rajeev shut his eyes in pain, while regret clouded his features.
Abhijeet understood that the woh was meant for Mannu. But now, there was only one pressing question on Abhijeet's mind. Looking at Rajeev once again, who seemed to have gotten himself into control, Abhijeet asked.
"Uss raat kya hua tha Akash ke saath?" Rajeev looked at Abhijeet, but the latter could not decipher anything from his expression.
"Mujhe laga ki Tarun ne aapko sab kuch pata diya tha?"
"Tarun ne Arjun aur Mannu ka khoon kiya hai. Akash ka khoon nahi."
"Mujhe laga hi." Rajeev sighed. "Tarun kabhi Akash ko apne raaste se hataana tha, maarna nahi, itna toh main samajh hi gaya tha." Abhijeet did not press him further, for he could sense a speech in the coming.
"Mujhe kahin na kahin lagta hai ke uske maut ke peeche main hi kaaran ho." Closing his eyes, as though bracing himself to delve into something icy, he continued.
Almost a week ago:
Akash's home:
Akash was pacing around restlessly in his hall, when his door bell went off. Walking anxiously towards the door, he wrenched the door open to find Rajeev, or Raghu to Akash, on the doorstep. The lines on Akash's face hardened at once, and the displeasure on his face was clearly visible.
"Kyun aaye ho tum yahan?" Akash did not bother to correct his tone, and every syllable had rudeness etched in it. Rajeev however, could get a strong smell of alcohol coming from him, which left him in no doubt, that Akash, like his previous instances with hardships, had resorted to abusive drinking once again. But strangely, he did seem to be in his full senses at that moment.
"Mannu ko kaam tha isiliye woh aa nahi paya. Usne mere haath se yeh bhijwaya." Handing out a bottle, Akash nodded curtly. The two of them looked at each other for several moments, before Akash let out a sigh and suddenly spoke.
"Andar aa jaao." Rajeev entered the house, slightly hesitant. The moment he entered the house, he felt himself being blown back into the closed chapters of his past, where he and Akash had spent several nights pondering and discussing about their projects and so many other trivial things that friends usually shared. He felt bitter resentment well up in his throat. What had indeed happened between the two of them in such a short span that the best of friends had become the worst of foes?
It was the first time he had been to his house as Raghu. Akash was a very private man outside his professional life, and it wasn't a surprise when he found that every minute detail of the house was still the same. Along with the photo frames hanging on the walls. They were from several phases of his life, and many of them had Rajeev a part of it.
Avoiding looking at the frames, Rajeev now turned his attention towards Akash, who had already been staring at him with an odd expression on his face. Holding Rajeev's hand, he brought him near the biggest frame that adorned his wall. It was one of Akash and Rajeev's old college party photos. Both of them looked young and carefree in the pic, Rajeev with his round face and gentle brown eyes with a shock of brown hair, and Akash, broad shouldered, a lean, slim face and shrewd black eyes.
Speaking more to himself than to Rajeev, Akash muttered.
"Yeh Rajeev hai. Mera ex-partner." Rajeev couldn't help but notice the present tense used. He was momentarily surprised, but managed to pass off his expression into that of interest.
"Tum jaante ho Raghu, yeh project issi ka brainstorm tha. Yeh project who government ko bechna chahta tha. Par maine use bechne nahi diya, kyunki uss wakt main ek illegal company chala raha tha jo bohot buri tarah se nuksaan mein tha, aur kisi bhi din, sab ko pata chal jaata. Toh maine wahi kiya jo mere bas mein tha - maine Rajeev ko phasa diya."
Rajeev couldn't understand why was Akash telling him all this, but then, he realized that Akash had only trusted him fully after Rajeev.
"Jab Rajeev ne mujhe dhamki di ki who yeh sach police ko jaake bata dega, tab maine use apne raaste se hata diya." Akash closed his eyes, getting lost in that one particular memory of their past. Rajeev could make out grief and something close to regret, but somehow it did not strike a cord with him. On the contrary, something flared within him.
Akash did not specify anything further, and neither did Rajeev enquire. He knew what had happened, and he did not need Akash to remind him about it, even though the latter would have been confiding it to someone else in his opinion. Thankfully for him, Akash proceeded.
"Aur aaj dekho kya ho gaya. Jo beej maine do saale pehle boye, uske phal mujhe aaj mil raha hai." And suddenly, his tone turned dangerously silky. Walking behind, putting an arm around Rajeev's shoulder, he stated, "Par tum toh yeh baat jaante ho na Rajeev."
Rajeev threw off Akash's shoulder in shock. At first he thought he had imagined it, given his own train of thoughts consuming his mind, but some moments later, Rajeev realized that Akash had indeed spoken those words. The temperature in the atmosphere must have dropped a few degrees, but nothing seemed to matter to Rajeev any more. If the cat was out of the bag, so be it.
Rajeev returned a cold look at Akash, who looked like he was having a hard time believing what he said in the first place. And suddenly, without any notice or any warning, Akash fell to his knees and started crying unashamedly, his hands joint in front of Rajeev. But strangely, no words escaped from his mouth. But Rajeev was only grateful for it.
The scene before him was pathetic, not to mention, that seeing Akash cry like a whiny two-year old did nothing of ease of the tingling sensation he felt at the place of the various scars on his body from the 'accident'. Nothing that Akash would have said or done could remove the memory of the traumatizing event that had blitzed his life like a blizzard.
Even though Rajeev could see several reasons as to why he should have immediately left after delivering the bottle, and that agreeing to enter the house could have, after all, been a very set trap, a trap almost uncanny to the one set two years back, but Rajeev did not feel remotely afraid. How many times would Akash kill him now?
"Utho." The word left Rajeev's mouth with such disgust, that Akash recoiled back before shakily getting to his feet. As suddenly, without warning, Akash held Rajeev by his collar, a murderous rage visible in his eyes.
"Kya kiya tumne yeh sab, haan, kyun kiya! Barbaad kar diya mujhe tumne! Dhoka diya hai mujhe!" Rajeev took Akash's hand from his collar with ease, and pushed him away. Letting out a humourless laugh, Rajeev spoke with as much contempt as he could muster."Akash, yeh baat tum bhi jaante ho ki main kabhi itna bhi nahi gir sakta, kyunki tum mein aur mujh mein utna hi farak hai jitna ke sahin aur galat mein hota hai. Mujhe yeh dekhke accha laga ki kam se kam tumhein apne kiye pe thoda toh pachtaava hai. Maine yeh company yeh maksad se join kiya tha taaki main apne begunaahi ka sabot sabke saamne rakh saku. Par bhagwaan ne bhi apna insaaf dikha diya. Ab toh sirf bhagwaan hi tumhaare madad kar sakta hai."
Rajeev left the house, while Akash looked at him in shock. Looking around helplessly, he seized his hair in a mad desperation, before his eyes fell on the bottle Rajeev had brought him.
Maybe he did require a silent killer after all.
Rajeev looked at Abhijeet and Daya with a sigh. Abhijeet had a look of mild triumph on his face, while Daya looked a bit taken aback.
"Agar main uss wakt samajh jaata ki woh uss bottle ke saath kya karne wala hai, toh main kabhi who laake hi nahi deta. Waise bhi kaayar hi tha woh."
Abhijeet couldn't agree more.
"Waise, tumne ek mahine pehle Arjun ke account mein 5 lakh rupay deposit karwaaye the?"
"Haan, meri kamaai mein pichle mahine ke salary milne ke baad, 5 lakh rupay ho gaye the, aur mauka milte hai Arjun ko uske paise waapas kar diye jo usne meri jaan bachaane ke liye diye."
"Tarun ko tumhaare aur Arjun ke baare mein kaise pata chala?"
"Ek baar Tarun ne mujhe Arjun ke saath baat karte hue dekh liya tha. Tarun yeh baat nahi jaanta tha ki uss wakt Arjun India mein tha, aur hum dono ko saath dekhke use shak ho gaya tha. Shayad uske baad usne mera background check kiya aur use pata chal gaya hoga mere pehchaan ke bare mein. Par usne mujhe ek baar bhi iss baat ki bhanak nahi padne di."
"Usne sirf isiliye kiya hoga kyunki uss wakt who har jagah se paise bator raha tha aur agar tumhaara sach who saamne leke aata toh sab kuch barbaad ho jaata."
Rajeev let out a huff. But before he could say anything further, Daya spoke.
"Waise company ke BoD's ne Rajeev ka naam clear kar diya hai, aur kal press conference mein iske bare mein ek public statement bhi denge." While Rajeev nodded as the absurdness of the statement, Abhijeet ploughed on.
"Tumhaare liye kuch aur bhi hai."
Abhijeet handed out a file to Rajeev. Curious, Raghu opened the file and read its contents with a stoic expression at first, which quickly changed into one of mingled shock and surprise and by the time he reached the bottom of the paper, Abhijeet could have sworn that his eyes were glistening.
The papers contained Raghu's promotion letter as the Head of the Research Department, along with the newly bought patents for his project. He had also been given the green signal to go ahead with the selling of the formulas, and that the deal was to take off the next day. Raghu looked speechless for a couple of moments, before he meekly uttered a 'Thank You', the gratitude in his voice evident.
Walking Abhijeet and Daya towards the door, he shook their hands warmly, while thanking them numerous times for what they had done for him and that he was just a phone call away in case of any help. As Abhijeet and Daya seated themselves inside the Qualis once more, both of them looked at each other and a smile burst out.
They had finally succeeded in shutting down Rajeev's case.
And now, there was only was last tale to end.
There! :D Now just, the finale chapter to go! :D I will not be able to update this faster than I would like to do because I have my pre-board exams going on right now, so that is my primary focus, but rest assured, I'll try my best! :D Constructive criticisms will be warmly welcomed. :D