Charmi flashed her ID proof and booked a double bed room. Shyam knew it was a fake ID and nothing was real in it except her picture.
Man at the reception smiled warmly and said, “room number 103.”
Service boy took their luggage and headed towards room 103. They followed him. The boy set their luggage in room while they flopped on sofa, exhausted.
“Nine is for room service, if you need anything.” The boy said before leaving the room.
As the boy left, charmi locked the door and went to the washroom. Egnoring the cold, she washed her face and hands. Hunger was eating her from inside. Fortunately they had packed dinner from Pal Dhaba in the way.
Charmi took out the parcel from the bag and sat near Shyam. She served him Rajma-Chaval in a plastic plate and preferred Chole for herself.
Shyam didn’t like cold sandwich so Charmi had to eat two sandwiches.
“What now?” after finishing the dinner, Shyam asked.
“What do you want?” charmi asked instead giving the answer.
“Nothing but a normal life as before.” Shyam said, “Where I don’t need to fear kidnappers.”
“And bullets?” Charmi chuckled, “don’t you fear their bullets?”
Shyam to smiled, “of cource, normal life means totally normal, no fear of bullets, too.”
“Then you have two ways,” again Charmi’s face had serious expression. “You can go to Gujrat and always live with unknown fear…”
“And the second way?”
“We can find who the enemy is and kill them so we can live without any fear.”
“I prefer the second way.” Shyam seemed firm.
“Thanks and best of luck.” Charmi said, “Tomorrow we will set for Pathankot to meet my head. Let’s see how my head wants to handle this case – officially or unoficially.”
“What’s different in both?”
“Officially we will report to the police and leave rest to them.” She said, “Unofficially army will handle the case by their own ways.”
“Which is better?”
“It depends on the situation.” She informed, “If police is with culprits unofficial method is better.”
“I think police is involved…” he said.
“The head will decide not you.”
“Okay...” shyam’s voice has hint of fear, “do anything but get me out from this mess.”
*
When Shyam opened his eyes his head was throbbing with pain. He couldn’t decide it was due to stress or fear.
“Good morning,” charmi said, “still headache?”
“Morning,” he said, “not much.”
“I think you have.”
“I don’t think we are pair of Laila and Majanu,” he smiled, “so you can feel when I’m in pain.”
“Okay,” she accepted, “by the way who is Aniruddha?”
“He is my brother.”
“You were speaking his name in sleep.”
“May be I’m mantly disturbed.”
“It’s common after what toture you have suffered.” She said, “many goes insane after it, I think you are lucky to be still in your sense.”
“Thanks for saving me.”
“I think you have caliber to be a spy if you get proper training.”
“It was my childhood dream.”
“Then why you ended up in being a tutor?”
“Our dream changes with the time.”
“You are right.” She said and went to take shover.
Shyam’s leg was still in bad condition. It wasn’t good for him to take bath.
When charmi came out washroom, she was looking like a college girl in jeans and t-shirt.
Without any talk they left the room and went to reception area.
“If you don’t mind,” charmi said to girl at the reception, “can I use the phone?”
“Of course.” The gorl slid the phone at her with a charming smile.
“Hi dad,” charmi said, “I’m coming to home.”
Then she listened from what is spoken from another end but didn’t spoke a world until she cut the call. Shyam knew she was talking with her head not her dad.
When they checked out it was almost nine o’clock of the morning. They took auto to reach sector-43. There wasn’t much passanger’s in station of sector-43. When they entered station it was still cold. in no time they got a but for Ludhiyana.
They sat on the same seat, silently. Shyam thought if he was with Archana they weren’t be silent. Archana was a talkative girl and she has always a topic to gossip on.
*
Balbeer and Heris eneted in Victor’s office. As Heris had thought, Victor wasn’t angry now. He was calm and cold as usual.
As they eneted Victor looked up at them to reveal his bloodshot eyes. Victor understood there wasn’t anger on his face but his eyes were still revealing anger in his mind.
“Shyam and that bitch have fooled you again and it’s the last time I am allowing it to happen like that.” Victor’s voice was low but sharp, “do you understand?”
“Yes.” Balbeer’s eyes revealed his inner fear.
“I’m going to tell you where they are and you give me both of them with that suitcase” victor said, “Any question?”
“No sir,” Balbeer and Heris nod and looked at eachother.
Then Victor left his chair, went near them and told him to where to find Shyam and Charmi and what to do with them when they reach them.
***
To be continue...
