"Arnav I don't know how she got out! I was in the den! All the exits were secured! Her door was still locked! I don't fucking know alright?!" He exclaimed back as he frantically searched for a clue, anything to let him know of how exactly she'd escaped.
Arnav was lost for words, he didn't know what to say, what to do, he knew that the task had been impossible but she had been safe damn it! He could have kept her safe. It was all his fault, if he had just told her, if Di hadn't tried to commit suicide, if Aman hadn't brought her to the hospital, if, if, if! He had to grip onto the steering wheel as his mind whirred in and out of control, taming what was the utter chaos that his mind was in.
"Arnav I really..." Aman tried to explain once more, he couldn't understand, how the hell did that tiny little girl manage to escape?
"Shut up Aman!" Arnav growled into his phone, slamming his palm on his forehead then brushing his hair back, the worry and tension clearly etched over every line of his face. He knew it was not Aman's fault, only he was to blame, for pushing her, for putting her in all of the wrong places but at the moment he was finding it difficult to keep his anger at bay.
He suddenly pushed the jeep into gear, slamming his foot on the gas as he pulled the jeep onto the road as NK watched in utter surprise. NK having chosen not to say much with the amount of anger Arnav seemed capable of dispelling just sat rooted to the spot.
"Shit!" Aman's voice suddenly came through the speaker, snapping Arnav's focused eyes off of the road.
"What?" He replied, his jaw set in anger as he continued to drive at a break neck speed, causing NK to hold on for his dear life.
"She escaped out of the false door," Aman finally managed to mumble.
Arnav's fingers tightened further on the steering wheel as his foot loosened on the gas. Khushi had always had a knack for finding hiding places, or in this case an escape route. He had had them built when he had first designed the house, it was a means of making sure that they themselves weren't trapped in the house in the case of an emergency.
He'd forgotten that the room he had given her in fact had one of those too. He slammed his hand off of the steering wheel in exasperation once more.
"NK and I return to Shyam's den," he began speaking back into his bluetooth, his voice even and commanding as Aman waited patiently for his instructions to be passed through. Arnav was not a man that was used to wasting time.
****
Khushi smelled it before she could even manage to open her eyes, the slight damp smell. It was a smell she was used to, a smell that brought back too many memories.
"Chutki! Chutki! Didn't I tell you never to hide behind stuff in here?!" Arnav's voice reverberated through the small attic as he told her off once more for hiding behind an old wardrobe. He was always protective of her and sometimes it just simply irritated her.
"Arnav I'm not a child!" She exclaimed pushing him away then perching herself on top of a sack. Solemnly sulking away at his bossy attitude. She let her eyes wander around the dusty little room that they had managed to unearth. It was a store room of sorts and probably hadn't been used in years.
The corners of the latch door they had entered through had small cracks in it, filtering in sharp beams of light.
"We need to promise each other that we won't tell anyone about this place," she began to say then, immediately catching Arnav's attention, who although frowned at first, began walking towards her.
"But what if we end up stuck here?" He questioned quietly, not wanting to upset her. Arnav had always been the more practical one out of the duo.
Khushi looked away for a second, not wanting to accept the fact that he may be right, because they'd found this place all on their own and she didn't want anyone else to know.
"Fine," she finally agreed, making a face, "but you can only tell Di. No one else!" She warned, pointing a finge towards him.
"Fine," he too accepted, his eyes level with hers.
"Pinky swear?" She finally whispered as his small finger slowly intertwined around hers.
"Pinky swear," he smiled.
Khushi felt her sob become stuck in her throat, her Arnav surely could never change? If only she had given him another chance, maybe things could have been different. She knew that he would never hurt her.
She opened her eyes slowly, there were no bright glares of light to shrink them back shut again, she was shut in complete darkness. But she knew she was being held captive. Her legs were tied below her, her hands tied behind her.
She didn't make an attempt to struggle yet however, she wanted to let her eyes accustom to the darkness, see for herself even the slightest of little glimpses of what was in store for her.
She attempted to stay strong as her heart pounded away in her chest.
****
Shyam paced around his room, calculating his next moves. He'd have to be careful, one wrong move and everything could flip over. This time the odds were somehow against him. All his ties were turning into loose knots.
He stopped suddenly at his desk then slammed his fist into it, making the contents of it rattle, the frame he had left on top of it nearly slide off but he stopped it in time.
He slid it back towards him, his hungry eyes appraising every inch, every curve of her face. He needed her now.
He had to crunch his fingers in several time to calm himself down. This was the first time in several years that their empire had felt so threatened. Every leak in the system had been closed off and now he was blindly feeling around for a way out. Whoever was behind the current mission was as shrewd and calculative as him. That only meant one thing. He'd have to meet his father and he'd have to meet him now.
"Aakash!" Shyam barked suddenly, snapping Aakash out of his thoughts.
Shyam was beside him within seconds, his face mere inches away from Aakash's, his eyes boring into the depths of Aakash, whilst Aakash dropped his eyes to the floor, breaking eye contact, gulping audibly. He couldn't hush the rapid pumping of his heart, had to clench his fists and hope to god that the man glaring down at him did not hear.
Shyam appraised him for a further few seconds, this was the only man he trusted, the only man who he knew was on his side.
"Aakash..." His voice as always was a harsh whisper, he did not want to let Aakash onto the panic that his mind was currently in, that would not do anyone any good. "I want you to call my father, fix up a meeting..." He walked back towards his table then, his feet slow against the floor as he let other thoughts ponder through his mind. "I want only my best men to come with me, we are not aware of the problems that I myself could face," he wasn't a man that feared death, but precautions were always a good idea.
He stopped once again in front of Aakash, he would take a different approach this time round, after all this was not a game that he could take lightly. "I want the new two shipments from New York on the job, Hawk and Dave, along with Mahesh and Kamal, they will guard Khushi until I get back."
Aakash slowly raised his eyes, having heard Shyam's exact words loud and clear, Shyam was onto something and so was he.
****
Arnav skimmed through the video footage once more, it taking him a second look to process the information entirely. He had a choice to make now but he had done all the forsaking he could afford, if he continued maybe just maybe it could cost a life. The life of the person that he was sure he held the dearest.
His fingers fumbled with the clip of the bluetooth and he tried to come to terms with his decision. As an officer bound to protect his country, it was probably wrong. He walked over slowly then, to the large mirror at the end of the room. He brought his eyes up slowly to meet his reflection, his tall, lean, six foot self. He had a faint scar running from his ear to the base of his neck, several on his arms, another small one just below his brow. But what stood out the most were his eyes, the scorching caramel orbs that stared back at him, they held within them so many emotions that he never let float to the surface. Over the years they had seen a lot, but they still remained and reminded him of the little boy he had grown up from, the one that had played football in the mud sloshing rain and made promises to a princess-like little girl with hopeful hazel eyes. And he finally knew... Finally knew that his decision was correct, that more than anything he still had a promise to fulfil, that he still had to protect his Chutki, the girl with the soulful hazel eyes.
****
Khushi could hear the faint drip-drop of the water.
Drip-drop... Drip-drop... Drip-drop...
The sound felt so tangible and yet it echoed, around the confines of the space she was being held in. She could hear the desperate sounds of her ragged breathing, the odd shuffle of shoes outside.
She had a grip of the knot on her arms between her fingers and she tugged on them tirelessly, attempting not to make much of a sound, gather attention as the rusted metal of her chair continued to scrape against the floor.
She wanted to get out badly, it was like being trapped inside of a dark tunnel, she tried to withold it as beads of sweat fell down from her brows, as her dainty feet slipped off of the ground and she nearly fell over to the side. She managed a choked scream. She tried to calm her breathing, a large gulp of air in, process it slowly, then out again. She tried doing this several times, slowly in, slowly out but it wasn't working, her mind was in a sense of chaos.
****
He had a slender, skinny face, his cheek bones protruded and the whites of his eyes were an unhealthy yellow. He must not have been over twenty and yet there was a slight tremble to his hands every few seconds.
Arnav's eyes took in every little detail of the youngster standing in front of him, the reasons why he was part of Shyam's personal army, not to mention the majority of them for that matter were all but too clear to him.
Shyam lured young men in through drugs, the majority of them were left with no other option but to join in order to survive the otherwise horrible relapses. By the time the half price drug offers had finished, they were too far in and too poor to afford rehabilitation to turn back.
Arnav let his eyes rest on the young man a while longer before he finally stepped forward, he took a deep breath in and extended his hand.
The young man looked down at first, puzzled.
"Hawk," Arnav finally offered and watched as his hand automatically extended and shook his own.
"Nice to meet you Hawk," Arnav could see straight through the boys exterior calm shield instantly but continued with that cold expression of his intact. After all this was still his enemy, this was yet another barrier that he would have to cross in order to save the person behind the very door he was to guard.
"Call your other man out, it's time to swap duties," Arnav finally stated, keeping his eyes straight, unflinching, he didn't need anymore trouble and as much as he wouldn't hesitate killing the slender young man, he would rather spare him.
NK stepped out from behind him right on queue, "Dave," he offered, "Hawk you take guard inside, I'll take up outside," he offered quickly, already taking control, almost driving the other two away.
He appraised NK and Arnav for a little while longer, then knocked on the door, "Kamal, it's time to swap."
****
"Okay guys, first we have to calm her down then we escape. No one is in at the moment so all we have to do is get past four more of Shyam's men," Aman's voice came through the bluetooth as Arnav checked his gun one last time.
"Got it bro," NK replied back as Arnav growled at him. "Erm... Got it Aman," he replied again, clearing his throat as Arnav rolled his eyes and looked away.
"Okay NK, like we'd planned, you stand guard, when I say go, we make a run for it. Got it?" Arnav made sure one last time.
"Got it! Let's do this! Mission rescue damsel in distress go!" NK exclaimed, and Arnav had to utilise all of his energy into preventing himself from whacking NK on the head with his gun.
"Right I'm going in," he growled under his breathe and turned the knob.
****
Khushi flinched slightly as she heard footsteps approach her then had to scrunch her eyes shut as a light above her flickered on.
She could feel the beats of her heart increase in pace and her breathing become shallow as she awaited to be able to see whatever lay in front of her closed eyes.
Her fingers lay frozen over the tangle of ropes that she had managed to loosen half of.
She heard the tap of the persons feet stop in front of her, could feel someones shadow looming over her, feel the slight breeze of their breathing brush over her.
She opened her eyes slowly, battling her way through the sharp burst of light, let her eyes guide their way up to the shadowy figures face and felt her heart stop in her chest, her breath catch in her throat.
Her eyes widened as she drowned once more in scorching caramel orbs and felt her whole world shatter around her once more.
Shyam appraised him for a further few seconds, this was the only man he trusted, the only man who he knew was on his side.
"Aakash..." His voice as always was a harsh whisper, he did not want to let Aakash onto the panic that his mind was currently in, that would not do anyone any good. "I want you to call my father, fix up a meeting..." He walked back towards his table then, his feet slow against the floor as he let other thoughts ponder through his mind. "I want only my best men to come with me, we are not aware of the problems that I myself could face," he wasn't a man that feared death, but precautions were always a good idea.
He stopped once again in front of Aakash, he would take a different approach this time round, after all this was not a game that he could take lightly. "I want the new two shipments from New York on the job, Hawk and Dave, along with Mahesh and Kamal, they will guard Khushi until I get back."
Aakash slowly raised his eyes, having heard Shyam's exact words loud and clear, Shyam was onto something and so was he.
****
Arnav skimmed through the video footage once more, it taking him a second look to process the information entirely. He had a choice to make now but he had done all the forsaking he could afford, if he continued maybe just maybe it could cost a life. The life of the person that he was sure he held the dearest.
His fingers fumbled with the clip of the bluetooth and he tried to come to terms with his decision. As an officer bound to protect his country, it was probably wrong. He walked over slowly then, to the large mirror at the end of the room. He brought his eyes up slowly to meet his reflection, his tall, lean, six foot self. He had a faint scar running from his ear to the base of his neck, several on his arms, another small one just below his brow. But what stood out the most were his eyes, the scorching caramel orbs that stared back at him, they held within them so many emotions that he never let float to the surface. Over the years they had seen a lot, but they still remained and reminded him of the little boy he had grown up from, the one that had played football in the mud sloshing rain and made promises to a princess-like little girl with hopeful hazel eyes. And he finally knew... Finally knew that his decision was correct, that more than anything he still had a promise to fulfil, that he still had to protect his Chutki, the girl with the soulful hazel eyes.
****
Khushi could hear the faint drip-drop of the water.
Drip-drop... Drip-drop... Drip-drop...
The sound felt so tangible and yet it echoed, around the confines of the space she was being held in. She could hear the desperate sounds of her ragged breathing, the odd shuffle of shoes outside.
She had a grip of the knot on her arms between her fingers and she tugged on them tirelessly, attempting not to make much of a sound, gather attention as the rusted metal of her chair continued to scrape against the floor.
She wanted to get out badly, it was like being trapped inside of a dark tunnel, she tried to withold it as beads of sweat fell down from her brows, as her dainty feet slipped off of the ground and she nearly fell over to the side. She managed a choked scream. She tried to calm her breathing, a large gulp of air in, process it slowly, then out again. She tried doing this several times, slowly in, slowly out but it wasn't working, her mind was in a sense of chaos.
****
He had a slender, skinny face, his cheek bones protruded and the whites of his eyes were an unhealthy yellow. He must not have been over twenty and yet there was a slight tremble to his hands every few seconds.
Arnav's eyes took in every little detail of the youngster standing in front of him, the reasons why he was part of Shyam's personal army, not to mention the majority of them for that matter were all but too clear to him.
Shyam lured young men in through drugs, the majority of them were left with no other option but to join in order to survive the otherwise horrible relapses. By the time the half price drug offers had finished, they were too far in and too poor to afford rehabilitation to turn back.
Arnav let his eyes rest on the young man a while longer before he finally stepped forward, he took a deep breath in and extended his hand.
The young man looked down at first, puzzled.
"Hawk," Arnav finally offered and watched as his hand automatically extended and shook his own.
"Nice to meet you Hawk," Arnav could see straight through the boys exterior calm shield instantly but continued with that cold expression of his intact. After all this was still his enemy, this was yet another barrier that he would have to cross in order to save the person behind the very door he was to guard.
"Call your other man out, it's time to swap duties," Arnav finally stated, keeping his eyes straight, unflinching, he didn't need anymore trouble and as much as he wouldn't hesitate killing the slender young man, he would rather spare him.
NK stepped out from behind him right on queue, "Dave," he offered, "Hawk you take guard inside, I'll take up outside," he offered quickly, already taking control, almost driving the other two away.
He appraised NK and Arnav for a little while longer, then knocked on the door, "Kamal, it's time to swap."
****
"Okay guys, first we have to calm her down then we escape. No one is in at the moment so all we have to do is get past four more of Shyam's men," Aman's voice came through the bluetooth as Arnav checked his gun one last time.
"Got it bro," NK replied back as Arnav growled at him. "Erm... Got it Aman," he replied again, clearing his throat as Arnav rolled his eyes and looked away.
"Okay NK, like we'd planned, you stand guard, when I say go, we make a run for it. Got it?" Arnav made sure one last time.
"Got it! Let's do this! Mission rescue damsel in distress go!" NK exclaimed, and Arnav had to utilise all of his energy into preventing himself from whacking NK on the head with his gun.
"Right I'm going in," he growled under his breathe and turned the knob.
****
Khushi flinched slightly as she heard footsteps approach her then had to scrunch her eyes shut as a light above her flickered on.
She could feel the beats of her heart increase in pace and her breathing become shallow as she awaited to be able to see whatever lay in front of her closed eyes.
Her fingers lay frozen over the tangle of ropes that she had managed to loosen half of.
She heard the tap of the persons feet stop in front of her, could feel someones shadow looming over her, feel the slight breeze of their breathing brush over her.
She opened her eyes slowly, battling her way through the sharp burst of light, let her eyes guide their way up to the shadowy figures face and felt her heart stop in her chest, her breath catch in her throat.
Her eyes widened as she drowned once more in scorching caramel orbs and felt her whole world shatter around her once more.
~
Love is what we were born with.
Fear is what we learned here.
- Marianne Williamson
~
damn!! she is misunderstanding again
ReplyDeleteSpeechless yarr ... Simply awesome dude ..
ReplyDeleteIF beenish248
awesome update. can't wait for the next chapter.
ReplyDeleteupdate soon dear
Awesomely written
ReplyDeleteLoving it