The sun was still lightening the other half of the sphere when she walked out of her home securing the doors and windows… He waited for her in his car while she placed her bag on the back seat and climbed in beside him… He smiled at her and drove away to their destination… 30 minutes later they were at the Army Helipad and 45 minutes later were airlifted to the IB Safe House near Hyderabad… By the time they reached the horizon had turned golden…
Flashback
“Aap dono kal Hyderabad ke Safe House jayenge… You guys will be airlifted from Military Base of Lucknow…” SO informed them… “Safe House kyu Sir??” HM asked… “Preparation ke liye…” “Kaisi taiyyari Mahoday??” AS asked… “Miss Malik ki training ke liye aap log waha Mission se chaar din pehle ja rahe hai…” SO said while both nodded… “Anubhav train her… From close combats to MMA to rifles… everything…” “Parantu Shreeman chaar dino mei itna sab kuch kaise sambhav hai…” “Chaar nahi teen… Aakhiri din aapki baki team aapko join karegi… us din aap sab as a team brief kiye jayenge about the plan…” SO corrected AS… “And rahi baat kam dino ki toh Miss Malik ek trained officer hai… koi novice nahi… And considering her combat skills during the previous mission… Tumhe jyada problems nahi honi chahiye inhe train karne mei…” SO continued eyeing HM who nodded in affirmation… “Jaisa aap uchit samjhe…” AS said… “Aap dono ek team ka hissa jarur hai lekin… you guys won’t be working together… So, prepare yourself accordingly…” SO said… “Ji Sir…” both said in unison… “Hyderabad ka Safe house is fully equipped… Every aspect of a training academy is available there… Any questions??” “No Sir…” both responded… “Good… All the best and See you after 3 days…”
End
Coinciding with SO’s words, the Safe House held everything any training academy would hold… It was a huge landmass surrounded by forest and hills; completely hidden from the common eye… There was a small villa at the very front hiding behind it the training arenas… They walked into the villa and found it entirely empty… She placed her bag down and started roaming around… The living area was well-furnished with a couch, a coffee table and a reclining chair… The dining table was placed in the opposite corner and the television on the wall opposite the couch… Her stomach rumbled and she moved in ahead in search of the kitchen… The kitchen was well-equipped and the refrigerator was fully stashed with food items from ready-to-cook meals to fresh vegetables and fruits… She quickly pulled out a bag of bread, some vegetables and a vegan spread considering him being a vegetarian… She quickly fixed some sandwiches and grilled them… She served the sandwiches in a plate, poured two glasses of juice and walked out to the dining table… But he was missing, so was her bag… She heard some voices from the floor above so she went up the stairs...
He saw her entering the kitchen and decided to explore the upper floor… He found 3 doors, out of which 2 were bedrooms while one was a study… He chose the second bedroom after scrutinizing both… The room he chose had a tactical advantage… It was further away from the stairs and the balcony attached looked over the most vulnerable side of the villa… He began fixing his clothes in the wardrobe when he felt two slender arms wrapping him in an embrace… He smiled and leaned into the hug… “Kaju…” she whispered… “Hmm…” he said placing his hands on hers… “Bhook lagi hai…” she said… “Hume bhi…” “Toh chaliye niche… Humne sandwich banaya hai…” “Aapko sab kuch mil gaya??” “Ji… Kitchen mei sab kuch hai… Chaliye na…” she whined… “Chaliye… wapas aakar baki samette hai…” he said and walked downstairs with her… Both silently finished their breakfast…
“Kaju… Aapne Maa se kya kaha??” she asked “Humne unse kaha ke hum conference ke liye ja rahe hai…” he replied… “Mission toh kafi lamba chal sakta hai… Unhe shaq nahi hoga??” “Nahi hoga… Hum unhe ache se samjha chuke hai… Aapne Ammi se kya kaha??” “Humne abhi tak Ammi se kuch nahi kaha hai… Aur waise bhi kehna wahi hai jo Sir ne bataya hai…” “Toh vilamb kis baat ka hai… Kariye unko dubhash aur bata dijiye…” “Ji… hum upar jakar baat karte hai…” “Thik hai… tabhi tak hum in sab ko unke sthan par pohcha dete hai…” he said and walked over to the kitchen with the soiled plates… She dialled Ammi’s number and started climbing the stairs… “Asalaamwalaikum Ammi… Kaisi hai aap??” “……” “Hum bilkul thik hai…” “……” “Ji… woh baat yeh hai ke hume achanak ek training ke liye bheja ja raha hai… Infact hum already training camp pohch gaye hai… Wahi batane ke liye aapko itni subah call kiya tha…” “……” “Kal der raat hume pata chala… Hume laga aap so chuki hongi… isiliye raat mei phone nahi kiya…” “……” “Ammi humara phone band rahega… Toh hum aapko call toh nahi kar payenge… Lekin hum wada karte hai khud ka khayal rakhenge… Aur aap bhi wada kijiye ke dawai waqt pe lengi aur khud ka khayal rakhengi…” “……” “Aur haan… Aap wahi ruk jaiye Chacha ji ke paas… Ghar pe akele kya karengi… Waha Mansi hai toh aapka dil bhela rahega…” “……” “Ji Ammi…” “……” “I Love You Ammi…” she said trying not to choke on her tears as this might be the last-time she is talking to her mother… “……” “Bas mann kiya toh bol diya… Aap kuch bhi sochne mat lag jaiyega ab…” “……” “Hum abhi rakhte hai… Laut kar baat hogi abhi… Bye…” “……” “Ji… Khuda Hafiz… Khush??” “……” with that the call ended… She looked at her wallpaper… Ammi smiling made her heart heavy but she was doing this for her country… She smiled and kissed the picture and switched off her phone…
He came running up the stairs excitedly… He picked her up and twirled her around… “Kaju…” she squealed at the sudden movement… “Hum aaj bohot khush hai Sona…” he chirped happily… “Woh toh dikh raha hai… Lekin pehle hume niche utariye aur bataiye hua kya hai??” she said… He put her down and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug… He broke the hug and held her by her arms… “Hum mama banne wale hai…” he said excitedly… She stood there shocked for a moment… “Matlab KS…??” she asked to confirm what she just heard… “Haan… Behna… Hum bata nahi sakte hum kitne khush hai…” he said… “Wow… Matlab KS sach mei… Hum… Hum kaise react kare samajh hi nahi aa raha… Hum bohot khush hai…” she said hugging him again… “Hum abhi unhe phone karte hai…” she said breaking the hug… “Nahi…” he stopped her… She looked at him quizzically… “Agar aapne unhe call kiya toh unhe pata chal jayega ke hum saath hai… Aur hum Mission ke bare mei kisiko pata nahi chalne de sakte…” he said and suddenly his happy expressions changed to sad ones… “Kya hua Kaju?? Aap achanak sad kyu ho gaye??” she asked… “Yaadi hum mission se na laute toh??” he said feeling sad not knowing if he would be able to meet his nephew or niece… “Aap kyu aisa soch rahe hai?? Hum lautenge… Aur ab toh humare pas ek aur wajah hai wapas lautne ki… Hai na??” she said consoling him… He smiled at her positivity and thanked his stars for sending her into his life… He pulled her by her waist and pressed his lips on hers…
