THE HARBINGER OF NOR'WESTER

Shootout at Hatighisa

The entourage of the jeeps somehow managed to fall in a perfect line as it snaked uphill through Hatighisa, into the Duar forests that covered most of the Terai regions.

Bimal drove carefully avoiding the muddy tracks to stop the jeep from slipping, "That lawyer Soumen was not happy!", Bimal took a sharp turn, "I'm still having trouble getting into the Hatighisa area, to convince them to stop giving asylum to Master da's goons! You think I need another headache!?"

"Well, Vaibhav just put him on a platter for you!", Biraj interjected rather skillfully, "You don't need them anymore!"

Bimal looked scorning at Biraj, he thought he was clear with no more headaches. He looked up to the rearview mirror, directly into the eyes of Vaibhav, who was riding at the back.

"Surojit was clear that his bosses wanted me only as a spectator in this little experiment of yours! Which is...", Bimal looked out into the mid-afternoon sun for a while, "...a bit difficult with lawyers yelling at me about procedures in my office!"

Vaibhav slowly nodded his head and scratched his neck in deep thought.

"So Bir Singh tell you anything significant!?", Bimal took pity on Vaibhav, it was hard to watch him think, especially when the solution was very far away, "he was my first case as the lead officer, I remember that manifesto proudly.", Bimal said proudly.

"No he didn't", said Vaibhav disappointed and then changed his tune, "Wait!, You were leading an investigation at thirty!?", said Vaibhav.

Bimal smiled, turning on the headlights for the was jeeps were entering the duar forests. Sunlight found it difficult to enter but somehow humans found a place to hide here.

"I started as a constable at the outpost in the highway, used to be the only bus route to North East back then. No one was willing to spend their time in these dense forests. They promoted me to sub-inspector when Nandan Sikdar inspired more business opportunities and agriculture got popular around these areas."

"You saw this village being born!?", Vaibhav now sounded excited.

"I saw this village come together and grow apart!, but that's irrelevant, what you need to know is, we are entering an hideout. The enemy knows the terrain better than us. So be careful!"

Biraj and Vaibhav briefly exchanged glances and Biraj snorted, looking back at Bimal. Bimal suddenly stopped talking simultaneously slowing down the jeep.

"Yeah, I did not notice how much forests cover this place!", Vaibhav continued, "Sattu brought me mostly through Chayote squash farming fields...."

Biraj shushed Vaibhav pointing him at Bimal's serious stance. He suddenly noticed that they were not moving anymore. The two jeeps following them were parked side by side.

Then a cracking noise was heard. Sunlight was very faint now. The night was hours away but the forest was engulfed in darkness. Biraj and all the others bent down immediately in front of the seats to avoid the windows. Vaibhav followed their lead. Bimal closed the headlights.

Vaibhav hung his head down, trying to think why his heart was not beating faster in this eerieness. He breathed deeply, looking up to Biraj who peeked through the sill. Vaibhav tried to peek through his side when the first sound jumpstarted his heart.

Suddenly there were fire and metal everywhere. Vaibhav's senses were overloaded. He clutched his ears, the sight of Biraj got hazy. Vaibhav keenly noticed Biraj drawing out his gun and firing holding it in both hands. The lip movements of Biraj as Vaibhav failed to hear his words, he tried to look up through the windshield, ignoring Biraj's attempts to pull him down.

Then he saw the figure, not hazier than Biraj. Like a black ghost rider into the night, the man kept advancing, gun held high in his left hand.

The world exploded as Biraj fired at the advancing shadow through the windshield. Biraj finally pulled Vaibhav down behind the front seat. The ghost stumbled into disappearance behind the glass. Vaibhav heard the driver's door kicked open. Readjusting his knees, Vaibhav managed to look up at Bimal, who rolled out into the open forest.

"We should leave the car!", Vaibhav could hear Biraj screaming over the gunfire.

"Isn't it safer here, encased in metal!?", asked Vaibhav.

"And the tarpaulin roof!?", Biraj said in response to Vaibhav's stupidity, "you do not want to be a sitting target in here!"

Vaibhav clutched his ears and shook his head. Biraj kept shooting at the blackness of the forest. Vaibhav realigned his knees again. Biraj looked back to see Vaibhav ready to jump. Then he carefully lifted his head to observe the happenings outside.

Coming down Biraj transferred his gun to his left hand and clutched the door latch with the other.

"You ready!?", asked Biraj as he ducked hearing the sound of a bullet hitting the door.

"I don't think.....", Vaibhav began.

"I knew this. I warned you not to come.....!", Biraj opened the door and rolled into the gradually darkening battlefield without finishing his sentence.

Vaibhav bent down a little more, not having the courage to close the car door. He raised his head to observe the night through the creeping sunlight and bright muzzle flashes.

Vaibhav breathed deeply, he needed to go out, gathering all the strength he lunged out of the car.