The first story is on my favourite couple - Raj Naina from the serial Left Right Left.
For those who are not aware about this serial, Left Right Left was a youth show which told the story of six young, undisciplined and disoriented cadets in a military academy called KMA.
LRL premiered on 10th July 2006
FROM DAWN TO DUSK
- A Rajveer Naina Fan Fic
Banner Credit: Krishna_Sourav (Rakhi)
DISCLAIMER
This is a work of fiction and bears no resemblance to any person, living or dead. The basic plot and situations have been taken from the serial LRL. The characters and majority of the scenes do not belong to me. No money is being made out of this work.
PART - 1:
As she echoed his name at the Echo Point of Point 1857, she felt as if she owned him. And when he turned to look at her with shining eyes and a smile on his lips, she felt like throwing herself at him and giving him a tight hug.
Their voices continued to echo in the wilderness in a symphony. As if Rajveer and Naina were made for each other. She smiled shyly and looked around her. She wished as if she could stay here for eternity... this place which was so pure, so unsullied...where there was no mine and thine, no patriot and no traitors, no friend and no foes...just pure, eternal, ethereal love...!!! In this very short time, she had fallen in love with Point 1857.
His voice brought her out her reverie.
"Chaliye Cadet Singh, ab hume chalna chahiye. Academy bhi to wapas jana hai...warna gates band ho jayenge to we will be stranded for the night."
With a sigh, she turned her steps back towards the jeep. She didn't want to go back, but her mentor was right. They had to go back.
All throughout the way, she was lost in her thought. Even after descending, when he took her towards the jeep and opened the door for her, she still remained silent, a small smile playing on her lips. The cool breeze blew lightly over her face, making the dupatta flutter around. Unmindfully, she tucked the two ends in her lap and sat there looking lost, stealing glances at the person who was currently playing the role of her chauffer.
They reached their destination in silence. She came back to her senses when the jeep came to a halt with a jolt. It was then that she turned and looked at her mentor with a surprised look.
He smirked and said, "Lagta hai aapko Point 1857 kuch jyada hi pasand aya Cadet Singh. Pure raaste aap khoyi rahin.. itna ki aapne koi sawal tak nahi kiya."
"Nahi to...vo...!!!"
He raised a single eyebrow and she blushed. She knew that she had been caught, and he knew it too. She didn't have even one card with her. The best course was to accept defeat gracefully, and that's what she did.
"Haan Sir... It was too beautiful.. Meri aankhon se wo jagah hat hi nahi rahi hai. Wahan ki shanti jaise mere zehen me bas gayi hai. I really would like to visit that place once again.. and again."
He smiled and said, "I wish ki aapka ye khwaab pura ho cadet Singh. Par filhal aap jaiye. Light out hone me jyada time nahi bacha hai and you have to be in your room before that."
"Aap nahi aayenge Sir?"
"Mujhe kuch kaam hai.. mai wo nipta ke aa jaunga. Aap jaiye to sahi. Waise bhi ye rules aapke liye hain, mere liye nahi."
"Ji Sir." She nodded and alighted from the jeep.
However, before leaving she turned towards him again. "Good Night Sir."
"Good Night Cadet Singh..." Came the amused reply.
She turned and walked away without a backward glance.
@*@*@*@*@*@
He badly wanted to do something which would make her cherish the time spent on Point 1857 a bit more... and when she expressed her desire of not leaving this place, the idea of echoing their names came to his mind. Losing himself in the depth of her hazel eyes was so easy... forgetting that he was a strict army officer was even easier, the fact that she was his protge didn't even cross his mind, that he was the murderer of her elder brother.. that he had violated her trust, had violated his honour.. that she had hated him once upon a time.. that he didn't deserve her company.. that he had been trying so hard to keep her away from his wretched self... he forgot everything. He was not Captain Rajveer Singh Shekhawat here... Neither was she Cadet Naina Singh Ahluwalia... Here they were just two individuals, Rajveer and Naina... who had come to this sacred place which was the meeting spot of true love.. It didn't matter that he was trying to keep his love hidden for the fear of retribution from the world...it didn't matter that she had no idea about his love for her... neither that she had no experience with romance... He just wanted to prolong that smile on her face.
Like a kid, he jumped up and pulled her by her wrist and almost dragged her to the Echo Point. When she echoed his name...he was spell bound.. He had no idea that she would call him by his name... hoped maybe... but... and oh...!!! It felt wonderful to hear his name from her lips. The expression on her face was bewitching and he couldn't stop looking at her.
She was clad in a simple white coloured salwar suit...something which many girls would not do, instead favouring gaudy colours and heavy ornaments... but she was just so different from the rest of her generation... Sweet, simple, temperamental... That was his cadet Naina Ah.. Singh. Just then a gust of breeze came rushing blowing her hair and her dupatta and she raised her right arm to hold the offending piece of garment. Mesmerized, he just kept watching her for some time and then with a sigh roused himself from this stupor. He knew he was chasing a fantasy... something which could never be his... which he could never let to be his.
Controlling himself with an effort, he turned back and said.. ""Chaliye Cadet Singh, ab hume chalna chahiye. Academy bhi to wapas jana hai...warna gates band ho jayenge to we will be stranded for the night."
She seemed to be lost in her thoughts... so much so that she didn't even pay attention to his stares. And that was certainly a good thing, for in between driving on the lonely road, he kept gazing at that beautiful profile... the beautiful, doe shaped eyes.. the shape of her nose, the curve of her lips, her strong cheek bones... for him she was the epitome of beauty and simplicity and the more time he spent with her, the more he started loving her...
They reached the academy gates and he applied the brakes a little hardly making the jeep jolt a bit. That brought her out of her reverie and she looked around, a bit stunned as if surprised to see her back in the academy so soon.
He couldn't help teasing her a bit.
Lagta hai aapko Point 1857 kuch jyada hi pasand aya Cadet Singh. Pure raaste aap khoyi rahin.. itna ki aapne koi sawal tak nahi kiya."
She blushed and tried to deny it and his eyebrow rose up at the way she tried to prevaricate... but then relented. The way she blushed and offered an explanation was too sweet... too cute. Pleasing as that may be, he still had work to do.. so he asked her to leave.
But he should have known... his cadet Singh could never keep quiet... never stop asking questions.. at least not for long. And she proved him true by asking whether he was coming or not. He smiled at her concern but didn't remark on that. Instead, what he said was different.
"Mujhe kuch kaam hai.. mai wo nipta ke aa jaunga. Aap jaiye to sahi. Waise bhi ye rules aapke liye hain, mere liye nahi."
At that, she smiled and wishing him a good night, left without a backward glance not hearing his quietly whispered good night behind her back.
And now, after straight two hours which he spent trying to track a lead he had got, he walked the long corridor lost in his thoughts. But surprisingly, it was not his failed attempted to track the clue which weighed on his mind. Instead a soft, moon shine face dominated his thoughts. He just couldn't push away the thoughts of the time he spent with her at Point 1857.
Giving himself a mental shake, he closed the door of his room behind him and straightaway went to his bed room for a much needed wash. Shedding his soiled clothing and putting it in the bin, he wrapped a towel around his waist and went into the bath room.
The spray of jets of scalding hot water on his back washed away the grim, dust and sweat of the day... He rested his head against the cool tile as the heavy pounding of water cascaded down his strong back, almost caressing him in the process. Her face wafted in and out of his memory. He berated himself for thinking about her. She was his student, he was her teacher. There was no scope of a relation between them. The warm water did nothing to sooth this new burning in his skin. It seemed as if his very existence was on fire. With a muttered oath he turned on the knob to let the normal water cool his body and mind. It was an arduous process, but it at least took away the sting. The pain in his heart remained though. That was unavoidable. A long time later, he finally closed the shower and towelled himself dry.
Stepping out of the bathroom, he was hit by the cool breeze of the late July night. He felt an inexplicable desire to go out and feel the breeze on his face. He tried to fight with this wish for a while, but then gave up. Slipping into a pair of track pants and a soft T-shirt, he headed out towards the grounds.
@*@*@*@*@*@
She walked through the corridor lost in her thoughts the smile never leaving her face. She had no idea of the way she was taking. It was the sheer use of these corridors which led her towards her room in the girls' hostel. And it took Pooja's comment to rouse her from her thoughts.
"Oye.. Tujhe hua kya hai? Tera network kyun uda hua hai? Kab se call kar rahi hun par tera network hai ki signal pakad hi nahi raha."
"Uhh...kuch nahi Pooja... bas kuch soch rahi thi."
"Achha... fir to zarur kuch achha soch rahi hogi.. Tere chehre ki muskaan bata rahi hai ki kuch achha nahi...bahut achha hua hai aaj.. Bata bata..kya hua?"
"Kuch nahi Pooja..bas aise hi."
"Bas aise hi.. Arey nahi batana mat bata...jhuth kyun bol rahi hai..."
Naina really had no answer to that. But somehow she felt that it was her secret, not to be shared with anyone...even if it was her best friend Pooja. She smiled sweetly and evaded the topic the only way she knew...by turning the talk towards Ali. It worked like magic... and soon Pooja had lost all interest in where Naina had been. Heaving a sigh of relief, Naina went to change for bed.
@*@*@*@*@*@
Later, at night:
Standing in front of the open window, with a teddy clutched in her arms, Naina was lost in her thoughts. Try as she might, she couldn't rid herself of the happiness which clung to her like a blanket providing her warmth within its folds.
Her mind went back to the time when she had stopped Rajveer sir on the stairs and had almost forced him to take her to the Point 1857. And now she was glad that she had done so.
"Point 1857... Tum kaise jaanti ho iske baare me?"
"Mein bhi toh KMA Ki cadet hoon, main saari conditions puri karne ko taiyaar hoon..."
"Toh theek hai suno... us jagah par din mein nhi ja sakte...vahan sirf raat mein chand nikalne ke baad Jaya jata hai...so, u understand it's not possible."
"Ohk sir, toh hum light out se pehle chalenge...see u"
"Listennn... Vahan kisi bhi naye cadet ko Jane ke liye ek dress code ko follow karna padhta hai...u can't just go like this... U got to dress up in something new...koi nayi dress...stylish si, jo tumhare pass nhi hogi, nhi hai na... So, u see cadet. Agar ek bhi condition puri nhi hui, toh wahan entry nhi milti...I said it's not all that easy."
"Order kijiye sir... Mujhe kahan aur kitne hours pe report karna hai"
"See u at19:00 hours"
"See...it is possible... Thank u and see u."
She smiled at the memory. Rajveer sir had tried a lot to dissuade her from going to Point 1857. Ultimately though, she had prevailed. But she was still not sure as to why he had done so. What was so special that he had not wanted to take her there? Why???
@*@*@*@*@*@
The cool air of late night acted like a balm on his frayed nerves and soon Raj found himself forgetting all his troubles. Instead, a sweet, beautiful and very dear face rose in his mind and Rajveer found himself thinking about her. Try as he might, he just couldn't forget her...her face as it radiated happiness on Point 1857.
"Nahi.. Mai tumhe wahan lekar nahi jaunga... Hum wahan nahi ja sakte..."\
"Sir...lekin kyun??"
"Kaha na maine tumse Ki tum wahan nhi ja sakti"
"Tumhe samajh mein nhi aata hai"
"Lekin mein vahan Jana chahti hoon sir"
"Aakir aisa vahan kya hai"
"Kyunki...!!! kyunki woh jagah bahut hi sacred hai, secret hai... Bahut hi secret hai"
"Vahan ke apne kuch rules hain, kuch conditions hain,... Jo vahan Jane wale har cadet ko puri karni padhti hain... So, u see it's not possible."
God... !!! How badly he had tried to keep her away from Point 1857... But he had not accounted for her tenacity, the single minded determination which was a characteristic of his cadet Naina Ah... Singh...!!! He had been hoping again hope that she wouldn't come...but she had and he had been forced to take her to Point 1857. Why could that girl never do something simple... Of all the people in the world, she had to approach him regarding Lover's Point...!!!
Not that he didn't want to go with her there... that was the whole problem. He had wanted to go there, and that too with her. The only problem was that she hadn't realized the importance of the visit.. the purity of that place... the importance of going there with someone... even when he had told her the secret still she had been oblivious.
He knew she respected him a lot...but it was not Love and he knew it would never be possible. Naina was his cadet, his protge, the sister of his best friend... the best friend he had killed and as such he had no right on her. God forbid... he didn't want her to come that close to him... and yet he wanted her to understand his feelings.
Two opposite feelings were on a constant war within him... right from the fateful day he had realized his feelings for her. And he had been trying to keep the monsters at bay. Badly...!!! And he had been successful till date...only Naina had to come and disrupt the routine in which he had adjusted himself. She had to shake the walls which he had built around his heart... she had to ask him to take her to Point 1857... And he knew he was powerless.. for he could never refuse her anything.
Even her anger, her hatred were his to cherish and to keep.. but not her love. She was better off with someone else.. someone who was of her age group, someone who was not a murderer, someone who was funny and jovial and caring and lovable... not someone like him.. Old, used up, on the brink of destruction. He was like a roaring fire which would burn anything and everything in his contact... he had killed Naveen, had almost pushed Naina on to the edge, had incurred the wrath of Abhimanyu. He wasn't ready to sacrifice her on the altar of these flames.. And he knew he would never be ready for it. It was better that he kept his distance from her. He had slipped once... no more. Another slip would be dangerous...too dangerous.
He had no idea how long he had been tracing the perimeter of the grounds, but once the decision was made he knew he would have to follow it. His mind made up, he raised his head and found himself staring at the object of his admiration.
Holding a small teddy bear to her chest, she was standing at the open window, lost in her own thoughts. And watching her like this, he felt a sharp pain in his chest... She could have been his..If only... No...!! She was not destined for him. Never for him. His role was that of her mentor, her guide, her teacher... nothing more. That he had her trust and friendship was more than anything.
He backed away into the shadows, intent on hiding himself. However his eyes were fixed on the eyes of his beloved who was standing their lost in her thoughts. He badly wanted to move, to leave the place... but his legs just wouldn't support him. It was as if he had been paralysed.
@*@*@*@*@*@
Naina felt the cool breeze on her face as she pondered the moments on Point 1857. The way he had helped her throughout the way, the way he had asked her to make a wish in front of the Wishing Pillar, the way he had taken her to the Echo Point... so eagerly like a child... when he had draped the dupatta around her neck and head... and he had explained to her importance of Point 1857.
She felt like she had been punched in the gut... Point 1857... Lovers Point...!!!! Oh my Gosh...!!!
That was the importance of Lover's point... It was Lovers paradise... where couples who were in love went together... That was the reason why Rajveer Sir was not willing to take her there... How stupid she had been... Of course he wouldn't take her there... he would obviously like to go there with the love of his life... And she... stupid that she had been had forced him to come with her... But then he could have told her clearly instead of beating around the bush... She wouldn't have pestered him over anything so sacred...
But she knew herself very well.. She would have done just that. So the question was why had he taken her there in spite of everything? As if in a flash all the incidents, hitherto forgotten came back to her with clarity... All that he had done for her... to safeguard her honour.. to protect her dignity... Images flashed past her mind... images of their time together in the mentorship camp... how he had gone in to solitary confinement because of her, how he had saved him from Ritu and had shouldered the entire pain alone... taking her hatred, her anger, her frustration without a murmur of protest. She had thrown so much at him... had even turned his last surviving friend against him and he had not said a single word.
God...!!! He had loved her... had always loved her... And had never once put his feelings into words...!!!
But this was her Rajveer Sir... With him actions spoke louder than words... How could she have been so stupid so as not to notice his affection for her, his care, his concern... and... and his Love...!!! True, he had never breathed a word about it... but then he would never say anything. He was like that... suppressive, quiet... a silent support for everyone...but never had he anyone for him... except maybe her brother... and he was no more...!!!
Tears prickled at the corner of her eyes...but she forced them away. This was not the time to grieve over her brother...but to do something for Naveen bhaiya's best friend... one who was killing himself slowly, one who was hiding all his pain and sorrows behind a mask of happiness... and he was damn happy about it...! But what could she do..? And moreover, why in the name of seven hells was she so worried about him?
The answer was slow in coming... but it came...!!! And it came in the form of name she had echoed on the top of Echo Point... Rajveeerrr...!!!! She was in love with her Rajveer Sir...!!!
@*@*@*@*@*@
He knew the answer, even before she could arrive at it. He could always understand her better than herself... He knew the way her mind worked, the way she thought, the stirrings of her soul, the beating of her heart...!!! He knew her so well that it was next to impossible for her to hide her feelings from him. He could always read her like an open book... and read her he did...!!! And he understood her so well... he realized it before her... and was shocked... surprised...!!
Forgetting himself, he took a step forward... Just when she mouthed those lines to the skies...
*
I love you Rajveer Sir...
*
Silly girl... he shook his head. Sir indeed.
*
I love you Rajveer... she mouthed and her face lit up with a radiant smile.
*
Her face was upturned... she was looking at the sky...picturing her entire world in its vast expanse as a joyous smile lit up her face. The realization had been sudden, but in hindsight, she recognized the feelings which had been suppressed for a long time. And now, as she let her mind and heart free, she felt a strange sort of peace settle over her.
With a smile, she tore her gaze away from the inky depths of the sky and turned to go back... and her eyes fell on him. He was looking at her transfixed, and she lost herself in him.
*
Her eyes fell on him, and he was rooted to the spot... not daring to move, not daring to breathe...looking at her with all the love in his heart... He could do nothing to stop his feelings, his emotions from overflowing... as they flowed out of him in the face of her extra ordinary confession. No words were spoken...and yet somehow, both understood the unspoken words, the unnamed emotions.
He knew she had weaved her magic around him...and he could not move away from her. Here, cloaked in the blanket of night, under the vast expanse of sky...they were just two individuals without their titles... just two people...Naina and Rajveer... two people who were deeply and irrevocably in love with each other.
@*@*@*@*@*@
Next Morning:
She couldn't stop the smile which threatened to make an appearance very now and then. Sitting amidst her friends, who were busy in their usual antics, Naina found her mind wandering back to the events of last night. She had thought that falling in love would be so scary, but she had not accounted for the happiness and the warmth which permeated her very being.
She pecked at her breakfast in a distracted way and stole a glance o her left, where her Rajveer sir was bent over a cup of hot tea lost in his thoughts. His face was screwed up, his brows furrowed together as he pursued his lips thoughtfully. He was thinking something and that too very hard. His palms were curled around the cup though he had yet to take a sip from that brew.
A rough jolt forced her to tear her eyes away from him and focus on her friends instead. "Tera connection kyun kata hua hai Naina?"
"Haan...kuch nahi.. wo bas aise hi..."
"Kya aise hi... kal se dekh rahi hun... tera network out of coverage hai."
"Nahi Pooja... Tu bata na kya baat hai."
Convincing her friend was not difficult, all her friends except one... who was far more pragmatic and astute than the others. She could feel Aalekh's eyes on her, but didn't dare to look at him.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Rajveer Sir depositing his now empty cup on the table and leaving the mess. She had to talk to him... had to ask him. She made to follow him, but even before she could so much as get up from her chair, a gentle but firm pressure on her wrist stopped her progress. She looked up to see Aalekh gazing at her with an unreadable expression in his eyes. He shook his head once... a single No... and she deflated.
Luckily, nobody seemed to notice their exchange and she was saved from the questions of her friends.
*
"Idhar kahe ko baithi hai?"
"Kuch nahi... bas aise hi." She replied in a dead sort of voice. All throughout the day, she had tried to catch Rajveer Sir alone, to talk to him but he had managed to avoid her. Then during lunch, she saw him talking on the phone and his expression was one of shock. After that, the man had disappeared leaving her all confused, frustrated and worried. If only Aalekh had not stopped her in the morning, she could have talked to Captain Shekhawat.
"Tere ko jhuth bolna ich nai aata Naina. Kaiko koshish karti hai...?"
She remained silent... so did he. When he spoke after a long time, it was in a soft voice as if he was trying to make her understand something.
"Kal tu Rajveer Sir ke saath academy se bahar gai thi na?"
She didn't reply, knowing pretty well that it was useless. He knew... and the question was just for the sake of formality.
"Aur aaj subah se tu unse baat karne ka mauka dhundh reli hai..."
"Aur agar tu mujhe nahi rokta subah to mai unse baat kar bhi leti." She replied sourly.
He smiled, a soft, gentle smile... not that she saw it but still...!!!
"Aur tu kya kehti unse?"
"Mujhe unse poo..." she stopped. He was right... she had been following Rajveer Sir all day long, but what would she have said to him. What would she have asked him?
Suddenly, she was glad that Aalekh had stopped her in the morning. Her heart filled with gratitude, she turned to thank him but swallowed her words at the look of extreme tenderness in his eyes.
He was waiting for her to realize her stupidity, and to look at him. When he was sure he had her complete attention, he said gently.
"Jis baat ka ehesaas tujhe ab hua hai..kisi aur ko uska ehesaas bahut pehle hi ho chuka hai. Thoda waqt de isay Naina... badhne de iss rishte ko... Fir jo sahi lage wo bolna... jisse chahe baat kar lena. Theek hai?"
Unable to form coherent words, she nodded. He gently ran a palm over her head and then left. She watched him leave with a grateful expression in her eyes. True... she had wanted to clear the matters today... but maybe Aalekh was right. She needed to give this matter some time and some rest.
*
It was damn difficult to come out of the mall, but somehow he succeeded. Scanning the streets of the busy market place, Rajveer's mind went back to the phone call he had received in the afternoon. He had no idea about the identity of the caller and knew he had no hope of tracing the person. He only hoped that he had not been sent here on a wild goose chase. But going by what he had found out till now, he knew his efforts will come to naught.
That he had been sent on a wild goose chase and he was not going to get a single clue here was evident, but just to throw his enemies off track, in case they were watching him... which he was certain they were, Rajveer continued to scan the area carefully all the while trying and looking for a means to escape. Something was wrong... he could feel it in his very bones. All that remained was how fast he could safely escape from this place.
He knew he had to wait for his chance, and luckily the chance came in the form of a huge cacophony a few blocks away. He was swept away in the crowd which suddenly started gathering at the place. He looked ahead to see two motorists involved in an accident. They were relatively unhurt and the people were helping them. There was nothing more that he could do... but this was the right time to escape from this place.
And he did just that. Weaving in and out of the crowded lanes and by lanes, he reached the relatively secluded place where he had parked his jeep. As he drove away, he felt a sudden hot sear in his left forearm, but it was not the time to pay attention to his body. He needed to reach KMA... as soon as possible.
*
The cadets were just going out of the building when they saw Raj coming inside. As they took in his appearance, they saw the left side of his shirt drenched in blood. But he was so calm, so stoic with no hint of pain on his visage.
Aalekh heard Naina gasp... "Sir...!!!" and soon the six were running towards him, surrounding him, asking questions together, expecting him to answer them and yet not waiting for his answer.
How Rajveer sir managed to quieten them and shepherd all of them to his quarters was a mystery in itself. But he had, and now as he sat on the couch, the bloody and soiled shirt discarded like a rag while Naina tended to his wounds, Aalekh couldn't miss the expression in his friend's eyes. Concern, worry, frustration, rage, love warred with each other for a dominant role and Naina wasn't sure what she was feeling more. So while she concentrated on disinfecting and bandaging the wound, all the time keeping her head bowed, she didn't see the almost fond look which crossed Rajveer's face as he watched her dressing his wound.
She may have missed it, but Aalekh didn't... And he bit the insides of his cheek to keep the smile from escaping. He had to give Rajveer sir credit; his gaze didn't linger over Naina... Instead he turned towards the rest of them and started answering their queries.
"Aap kahan gaye the Sir?? Aur... aapki ye halat..."
The very upright usool asked and Rajveer sir started answering.
"Actually, all this is a part of a bigger game. And jo mai aaj yahan aap sabko batane ja raha hun, it shouldn't leave this room. Is that clear?"
Seeing their eager nods, he continued.
"Aaj dopeher ko mere paas ek call aya... From someone who calls himself X. Usne mujhe bataya ki humare ek senior, janbaaz soldier ki jaan khatre me hai. And agar mai usay bachana chanta hun to I will have to go to the Sky View Mall.
""Wo mall to city ke bichon beech hai Sir. Wahan koi baatchit kaise ho payegi?? Wahan koi na koi to unn logon ko dekh leta. Plus cctv surveillance ke chalte... I don't understand how could they have escaped?"
It was a crowded area cadet singh... Wahan unn par koi dhyan nahi deta. Besides, unka irada baatchit karna nahi tha."
"To fir aapko wahan bulane ka matlab kya tha Sir?"
He could see the confusion on the face of his cadets. He debated telling them the entire truth but before he could open his mouth, Aalekh... Astute that he was pitched in.
"Unka irada Rajveer Sir ko marna tha... Hai na sir??"
The worry and fear on the faces of his cadets was not comforting in the least... It twisted his guts to see the despair and concern etched on their faces. He didn't want them to fret about it, but now that the cat was out of the bag, he simply had to tell them at least one part of the matter.
He was however distracted by the pair of soft hands which were cleaning his wounds. One of her palms rested on his forearm while the other hand was disinfecting the wound. He actually could discern when the tremors started. And as he went on explaining the details of his excursion, he could feel her shaking. He stole a look in her direction. Her face was impassive and though she gave the impression that she was busy, he knew she was listening attentively to each and every word. As his story finished, so did her dressing.
He badly wanted to reach out and envelop her in a hug, but restrained himself. Half an hour of arguments and counterarguments later, the cadets were ready to leave. He closed and locked the door after their departure and collapsed on the couch. He was hungry, but didn't have the energy to make his way till the mess. Resolving to skip his dinner, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
@*@*@*@*@*@
Ali: "Captain Sir dinner nahi karenge??"
"Unki halat dekhi hai...??? Lagta nahi wo uthke aane ki halat me hai..."
"To fir unka khana??"
"Koi baat nahi... Mai suriji ko bol ke aati hun ki sir ko dinner unke kamre me pahuncha de."Naina said.
The rest of the group nodded and Naina went back to the mess.
Here Pooja was tying fruitlessly to connect a call. She had been trying since dinner, but had been unsuccessful so far. Muttering to herself, she went out to get proper connection.
*
The knock on the door disturbed his sleep and Rajveer made a face as he got up. He really didn't have the patience to deal with anyone at such an hour. However, upon opening the door he was dumbstruck to see an orderly standing there with a tray laden with food.
"Ye sab..."He t railed off, not knowing what to say to the orderly who was only following orders.
"Suriji ne kaha aapko dinner de aaun."
He nodded dumbly and the orderly placed the tray on the table and left.
*
Hello hello...haye rabba...tujhe mera phone hi milta hai kya har baar search mode pe dhalne ke liye...kabhi rohit ka toh kabhiii... Mila
Poori academy dhoond li, har jagah left right left kar li..par yeh signal, yeh kabhi nhi mil sakta hai...
Bas...bahar ka ke hi ab try karna baki hai...
Hayyeee rabba, kum se kum yahan toh signal mil jaye
Jaise suri ji hai na , vaise hi unke khatara sa mobile
Na kabhu signal milta hai, na kabhi call lagti hai
2 bars...chalo 2 bars hi sahi...try karti hoon
Varnaaa and she dials. Hello mummy ji
Meri baat dhyaan se suno...
Ji aap kaun...
Kamal hai, aaj kal toh yahan par bhi cross connection lagta hai
Chalo, connection hi sahi, sunte hain kya ho raha hau
Captain rajveer...ka murder...mission
Hellliooo hellooo...
Yeh kya ho Gaya, iska matlab zaroor koi panga hai...rajveer sir Ki jaan khatare mein hai..mujhe unse baat karni chahiye
@*@*@*@*@*@
Running through the corridor, Pooja almost collided with Huda.
"Arey Punjaban...kya hua?"
She was too scared to speak... all that she could blurt out was.. "Rajveer Sir... Murder misson..."
"Zara ruk ja Punjaban.. tu kya bol rahi hai..."
Pooja didn't have time to make him understand. She ran inside, in search of the others. It was Ali who took her in his arms as they all tried to calm her. And when she told them about the cross connection and what she had heard, there was dead silence.
And as the cadets tried to make head or tail out of her story, and Pooja tried to convince them, came the announcement which jolted them to the core.
"This is Captain Abhimanyu Rai Chauhan speaking. Tomorrow morning all cadets in batches of ten shall leave for a drill to the Punjab Regiment Base Camp. Hum log exactly 06:00 hours pe niklenge. All the cadets are expected to touch the courtyard 15 minutes before departure time. Jai Hind."
It took their breath away... the scene was seemed straight out of their nightmare. Besides, with the attack on their favourite Rajveer Sir just a few hours back still fresh in their mind, the scared cadets made their way bck to Raj's room.
And although their information was true, and their concerns justified, Raj dismissed their concern with his usual I don't care attitude, in the process informing them that he wasn't going anywhere... no mission, nothing. And yes, he certainly was hiding something.
For the first time ever, the cadets were not ready to listen to their Rajveer Sir... nor were they ready to dismiss their concern of his wellbeing so readily. Though they went away from there without a word, but a plan of sorts had started to form in their mind. And , as Captain Shekhawat had once mentioned it to Captain Chauhan... "Inn cadets ko itna nakaabil bhi mat samjho." The cadets were ready to go to any extent to save their favourite teacher... and if it meant going against his back and planning a way out, so be it.
It took only minutes to inform Naina... but once she knew, she was worried... deeply.
Unfortunately, only five minutes were left for light out and they had to go back to their respective rooms. However, before leaving the boys asked them to leave the window of their room open. For once, Naina didn't ask any question and simply nodded.
Back in their room, Naina paced the room with a pensive look on her face while Pooja sat listlessly on her bed, fiddling with the phone. She had to return Suriji's mobile to him but Yudi had specifically asked her not to return the phone now and she had complied. Anything for their Rajveer Sir.
It took the boys only half an hour to make it to their room but even that little wait seemed like an age. It was only when Aalekh was almost at the ledge of the window and softly called her name did Naina come out of her trance. Hurrying forward, she helped Aalekh inside the room. Soon the cadets were sitting grouped on the two beds and watched while Yudi fiddled with the gadget.
"Koi bhala Rajveer Sir ko maarne ki koshish kyun karega?" Huda voiced the question which had been troubling all of them for some time now.
Aalekh: "Kai wajah ho sakte hain..."
Pooja: "Jaise?"
Ali: "Jaise usay sir se dushmani ho... Ya koi badla nikalna ho... Ya fir sir koi sachhai jante ho uss insaan ki jiske chalte unka dushman usnhe maar dalna chahta ho..."
"Ek baat aur ho sakti hai..."Naina thoughtfully pitched in.
"Wo kya??"
"Red Box... Sir Red box dhundne ke piche pade hue hain... And ho sakta hai ki ye sara kissa red box se juda hua ho... Infact, jitna soch rhi hun utna mujhe lag rha hai ki yahi hua hoga..."
"Agar aisa hi hai to Rajveer Sir jaan bujhke apni jaan zokhim me kyun daal rahe hain?"
" Shayad Sir ko koi blackmail kar raha hai."
"Blackmail... par kyun? Kisliye...?"
Before she could reply, it was Yudi who jumped up. "Mil gaya.."
"Ssshhh... awaaz neechi... kya mil gaya...?" Naina leaned forward eagerly.
In response, Yudi pressed a button and a very severe, cold voice floated out of the mobile. Pooja hadn't been joking when she had said that the man on the other end of the phone was dead serious... he actually was. And though all of them had believed Pooja, it still chilled their bones to hear the voice with their own ears.
@*@*@*@*@*@
Rajveer was deep in his thoughts, worrying about the phone call and Pooja's warning. He had dismissed her words not wanting to distract his cadets but he was worried. He was being followed, Colonel Shakti Chandra was still in danger, the Red Box was out of his reach and he had no idea what to do. He had been waiting to prove his best friend innocent for all these years... and now, when the proofs were within his reach they had again disappeared. He was frustrated at this failure... Right when he had thought that he had the necessary proofs to prove his best friend innocent, he again encountered failure.
The sharp ring of the phone disturbed his thoughts. The screen flashed the prompt "Private Number." Intrigued, he picked up the call.
"So to nahi rahe Captain Shekhawat... Neend to nahi kharab kin a maine aapki...? Waise suna hai desh ke sipahi kabhi nahi sote... khaas kar tab tak to bilkul nahi jab tak unka mission complete nahi ho jata... sach hai na ye?"
"Hello...KAun bol raha hai?"
"Jaan pehchaan ka waqt gaya Captain Shekhawat. Ab to sidha kaam hi hai..."
"Kya kaam hai aaapko mujhse?"
"Na na an... mujhe nahi...aapko kaam hai mujhse Captain Sahab... Aakhir aapko apne senior ko bachana bhi hai... and aapke jigri dost... u know...best friend Naveen ko begunah bhi saabit karna hai... And aap aaj Mall se bina bataye chale gaye... very bad Captain Shekhawat... very bad..."
"Mujhe mall pe bulake maarne ki koshish karne ka matlab? Kaise maan lun mai ki tumhari ye koi nayi chaal nahi hai..."
"Tum abhi kuch manne aur nahi maanne ki haalat me nahi ho Captain Shekhawat... U see, you do not have an option but to listen to my words and follow my instructions. Because agar tumne aisa nahi kiya to kai jaane ja sakti hai... kai... and shuruat Colonel Shakti Chandra se hogi... and dheere dheere..."
"Nahiii... kuch mat karna Colonel Shakti Chandra ko... kuch bhi nahi... Who are you... kya chahte ho tum...batate kyun nhi??"
"Ab aaye na track pe... good... to ab suno... kal subah 06:00 tak KMA se nikal jana... apni jeep se highway pe chalna.. 200 mtr jane ke baad ek safed colour ki car milegi... apni jeep chhod ke take that car... and chate jaan... jab tak mai ohone na karun, rukna mat. And most important... agar kisi ko bataya...ya sath laye... ya zara si bhi hoshiyari dikhayi... to samajh lo Captain Shekhawat...bahut pachtaoge... after all...tumhare cadets ne abhi duniya dekhi kahan hai...!!!"
"Kuch mat karna unhe..hello... hello..."
The dial tone greeted him. He was drenched in cold sweat... his cadets... that group of six versatile young people, who were a bundle of energy... Heavens... No...!!! He would have to do it... at any cost. Too much was at stake... and he did not have even one card in his hand.
A look at his watch revealed the time to be 03:00 hours. He just had 3 hours in hand. He began planning his mission.
@*@*@*@*@*@
The cadets had spent the major part of the night planning and going over their plan. They knew something would happen and they were hell bent on preventing it... at any cost. They did not want to endanger their favourite teacher.
But all their careful planning required help, that too from a faculty member... someone they could trust... someone who would keep an eye on Rajveer Sir and protect him if required. And there was only one person in the entire academy who fit in to their requirements... Captain Abhimanyu Singh Chauhan... They were reluctant to trust the man... but as Aalekh had pointed out... maybe the man was egoistic, maybe he was selfish... but all said and done he was Rajveer Sir's best friend... and in spite of the differences in their opinions, he would go to any extent to protect him. And Aalekh took it upon himself to brief Captain Chauhan about the incident.
@*@*@*@*@*@
It was 05:00 hours, and Captain Chauhan was getting ready when there was a knock on his door. Surprised, he glanced at the clock. Who could it be at such an early hour? Knowing that standing in the middle of his sitting room and staring at the clock was not going to answer his question, he went ahead and opened the door just when Aalekh had raised his fist to pound on the door.
"Aalekh... Cadet Sahani... Aap dono.. itni subah subah."
A: "Haan sir, wo aapki madad chahiye thi."
C: "Madad... kahiye hum kya madad kar sakte hain aap dono ki?"
A: Kya hum andar aa sakte hain Sir?"
C: Bilkul...aaiye.
Half an hour later, Abhimanyu was sitting on the couch with his head held in his hands. He had sent both the cadets away with a promise to back them up and to take care of Raj, but now that he was alone, he didn't know what to do. To say that he was shocked would have been an understatement... he was almost on the verge of panicking. The cadets had all the proof which proclaimed that Rajveer was in danger, that he was being framed... and he had no idea what to do.
He knew that Rajveer was looking for the Red box to prove Naveen innocent, but that he was being blackmailed for it and that he had already been attacked once, and that too just yesterday was far more than what he could tolerate. He knew how obstinate Raj was at this point... that he was blaming himself for Naveen's death, that he would go to any extent to lay his hand on the proofs was evident. But what went against Abhimanyu was their relation which was going through a bad phase. He knew they were not on the best of terms, and Raj would never listen to him. But faced with this very dire threat to Rajveer's life, he felt his anger evaporating. Was his ego so big that the Prince of Barmer was ready to lose his last remaining best friend to the evil mechanizations of some traitors who had already claimed Naveen? The answer was a resounding No...!!!
If it was a test of his friendship, then so be it. He would protect Raj, save him from this trap... whatever may be the cost.
His mind made up, he quickly dressed and left his room.
@*@*@*@*@*@
He met Rajveer mid-way, and knew that Raj was walking straight into the trap. But Rajveer had denied going anywhere last night, so either he had been lying or else something had cropped up early in the morning. Swallowing his pride, he asked.. "Kahan ja rahe hain aap?"
The surprise on the face of his friend at this mundane question was palpable. He had no idea how tensed he was... but maybe some of the concern was visible... Rajveer's eyes softened and he shook his head. "Kuch nahi...bas thoda bahar jar aha tha..."
"Apna khayal rakhiyega..."
Abhimanyu knew when not to push his friend... so he relented and let Rajveer go... though every fibre of his being was screaming not to let Rajveer go, but the practical soldier knew that if they had to end this drama, then it was imperative that Raj should fall in trap. He knew Raj was being watched, but by whom was the million dollar question. He didn't want to give away the game even before it started.
Near the Bus:
While Aalekh continued to load the bags, Huda and Yudi were busy in their Tom & Jerry chase... Just then, Naina came running and Aalekh asked her to stop.
"Kahan bhagi ja rahi hai Naina?"
"Kuch nahi Aalekh.. wo bas thoda late ho gai thi... to...!!!"
"Kyun late ho gai thi? Apun ko to laga tha ki suraj sabse pehle tere ich kamre me chamka tha..."
"Raat bhar neend hi nahi aayi...suraj kya... matlab..."
Aalekh smiled and patted her head. Then, the great philosopher began his discourse. " Ye jo teri life me, tere dil me ho raha hai na... bahut sahi hai.. aur teri jo neend udd rahi hai na iskepiche, wo bhi sahi hai... Tune bahut kuch saha hai Naina... ap jab life tere ko kuch hasi, kuch khushi de reli hai, to usay khud se dur mat kar... aur haan..kisi ki baat mat sunna... samjhi na."
"Mai kisi aur ki kahan parwah kar rahi hun Aalekh, bas wo maan le..."
"Unko tere se pehle ye ehesaas tha Naina... thoda waqt de unhe.."
She had to smile at that... Because, as usual, Aalekh was right.
"Tu ye sab baten jaan kaise leta hai?"
It was Ali, who had climbed on to the top of the bus to stow some things, who answered. "Wo kya hai na Naina, Aalekh baba ki jai ho... ab chalen?"
Laughing, they climbed into the bus.
Once the bus had started, Aalekh and Yudi briefed them regarding their conversation with Captain Chauhan.
"To ab hum kya Karen?"
"Sir ne kaha hai ki wo Rajveer sir ko akele kahin nahi jane denge.. safe distance se follow karenge... aur hum logon ko orders follow karne honge... yani ki mission pe jana hoga."
"Par aise to hum Rajveer sir ke piche nahi ja payenge... pata nahi wo kahan ja rahe hain." Naina panicked.
"Shaant ho ja Naina... ab jo bhi hoga raaste me hi hoga... hume chaukanna rehna hoga."
However in spite of being watchful they couldn't stop the calamity from striking.
Raj was driving at a high speed, his mind in turmoil. He knew very well that he was walking into a trap but he had no other way. Too much was at stake here, especially the lives of his favourite cadet and that of his senior official. And Raj did not have any otion other than giving into the demands of the kidnapper.
For the umpteenth time, he wondered if he should have told someone in the academy, if he should have warned the cadets to be careful or if he should have taken at least Chauhan into confidence. But he dismissed all these thoughts. It would have done more harm than good. He knew there were spies inside KMA, he had this doubt for a long time. The enemt had more than one spy in the army ranks and Dr Ritu Mishra had been a rather unimportant link. The other person in the academy was more powerful, more knowledge and had his fingers on the nerve of all the bubbling troubles. He was sure that he was being watched and if had tried to contact to anyone, any single one it would have come to the knowledge of the terrorists and the game would have ended even before it began.
So, even though he was running his head into danger, but at least he was alone in it. And he was loath to endanger any more lives. It was bad enough that Colonel Shakti Chandra was in their trap and the threat over his cadets loomed large. He would not drag anyone else into the fray. And if that meant dealing with this problem alone, then so be it.
His phone buzzed and he saw the private number flashing on the screen. His face set in grim lines as he picked up the call.
"Captain Sahab... Good Morning once again."
Rajveer ignored the barbed greetings and came straight to the point. "Aage kahan jana hai?"
"Bade utwale ho rahe hain captain sahib??? Aisi bhi kya jaldi hai? Waise ye jaankar achha laga ki aapne humari baat mani aur kisi se sampark nahi kiya."
So they had been watching him. Rajveer thanked his stars that he had decided against making contacts with anyone. He thought of saying something, but then kept quiet and continued driving.
"Kya baat hai Captain Shekhawat. Bolenge nahi kuch? Chaliye hum hi bata dete hain. Ek kilometre aage jaane ke baad, aage ek nadi aayegi jispe ek chota sa pul hai... Usay cross karke aage chalet jaiyega.. Jahan jungle thoda Ghana ho jayega wahan gadi rokke aage paidal jaiyega. Karib 10 min chalne ke baad ek safed ambassador khadi milegi aapko. Aage ka safar aapko usi me karna hai captain sahab. Happy journey."
And the man disconnected the call.
Rajveer's head was whirling, but the one thing which caught his attention was the bridge. He remembered coming to this area as a cadet with Naveen and there really was a bridge here at that time. And if he remembered right, it was in a pretty bad shape. After all these years, he did not even have hope that the bridge had survived. But that area was so suitable for such clandestine meetings. So near the academy yet so protected. Was it just a coincidence that the particular area had never been mapped? He thought not.
With a determined look on his face, he increased the speed of the already racing jeep to even higher proportions. He had the perfect plan to distract his enemies.
The cadets had been on a lower stretch of road, their eyes travelling towards the upper ridges of the mountain where captain was driving straight into the jaw of danger if not death. To keep up the appearances, they continued playing antakshri.
"Chal Aalekh, teri bari. Ee se ga."
Aalekh was quite for a few seconds, as he tried to think of a song. His friends in the meantime had started counting, urging him to hurry on. Ahh, he got the song he had been trying to remember, if only to tease Naina.
"Intehaan ho gayi, Intezaar ki...!!!
Aayi Na Kuch Khabar Mere Yaar ki...!!!
Hai Hume Ye Yakin, Bewafa Wo Nahi...!!!
Fir Wajah Kya Hui, Intezaar Ki...!!!
The look on Naina's face was worth it. Laughing, he began a second repetition of the lines.
"Intehaan ho gayi..."
Abhimanyu was a few kilometres away, following Raj from a safe distance, pretending to the people watching that he was taking the less travelled route to their destination. However, he knew he did not have to pretend much. This was the shortest route to their destination and he had realized that even if he hurried, there still would be half an hour's distance between Raj and him. There had to be a solid reason why he had been directed to take the cadets on an impromptu mission on today of all days. Whatever they had planned, by the time he reached there, Raj would be trapped and he would reach their just in time to catch raj red handed. This was going to be another blow to his friendship. And this time, he knew he wouldn't be able to bear it if anything happened to Rajveer. It was more than enough that he had lost Naveen. He did not want to lose his last surviving friend.
The sound of the explosion ricocheted in the surrounding area. As if working on auto pilot, Abhimanyu pushed the accelerator to its last. He had a sinking feeling that something untoward had happened with Rajveer. He muttered a silent prayer to the heavens, hoping against hope that he was not late.
It did not take him long to reach his destination. The rickety bridge had collapsed completely and Abhimanyu had to exert every ounce of his driving skills to stop his jeep from falling down into the valley. Cursing and swearing, he rushed to the edge of the pit and looked down. The sight that met his eyes chilled him to the very bones. For down in the vale, lay an army jeep in a pool of fire.
Hardly caring about the dangers, Abhimanyu rushed down into the valley, stumbling, falling and then catching himself with unerring efficiency. The trained army man that he was, he took a stock of his surroundings even as he descended to help his friend in his hour of need.
Just as he touched the floor of the valley the jeep exploded in a shower of flames, strewing debris all round him. Shrapnel from the body of the jeep flew towards him and stuck him in his left arm, but Captain Abhimanyu Rai CHauhan was too far gone to even care about his pain.
"Rajveeer..."
The cry was ripped from his throat as he watched the jeep getting destroyed, feeling impotent to do anything for his friend. Helplessly, he fell down on his knees on the hard forest floor and cried.
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