5 Bombs

CHAPTER 6: Blamings

The hospital exploded.

My eyes widened upon seeing the horror image in my front, The top two floors of the hospital felt down, making a large thud, while the rust of the building erupted in reddish flames, emitting the smokes darker than the night, making the ground red and sky dark.

"HELP HELP HELP"

A man, walking with a limp, could be seen inside the gate, as he dragged his hands, the blood left their mark on the hall. As he shouted for help, a piece of rubble fell over him.

I was terrified.

For the first time in last thirteen years, I was too shocked that I couldn't even move an inch. The numbness along with the fear shook my senses and I didn't for how long, I kept standing there.

Few minutes later, firefighters arrived. I was at that very spot, watching from the jeep.

Only fifty people out of which forty were injured survived, out of six hundred people. They were rescued and I still stood there.

From half past three, I didn't move until the clock ticked 5 AM, and that also because of Krish dragging me away from the media. Yeah, as if that wasn't enough, the bomb also exposed media about Ojasva's case.

The headlines which followed the news channel and paper that day was nothing but a problem for me. It was not even seven AM properly and it was all over the news.

LIVING WITH THE BOMBS

BEST DETECTIVE FAILED?

A.T.S. AND BEST DETECTIVE TOGETHER CAN'T PROTECT US.

"We were working from the shadows in the hope that our visit would make the citizens panic. But now, it seems like we would need to take full control." said Swarnajit, the current in charge of Ketrot, A.T.S.

"When, I came back to the police station, I saw her having a chat with the criminal. I didn't knew who she was until I went there and heard her say 'I'll miss you.' to a criminal. I was shocked, she replied that she could defuse the bomb and bragged about how she has defused three bombs in three days." says Aditya, a police detective.

"I don't think they should be hated, they were just on the road. I mean they actually solved a case but were little late" said, the guy on a debate show. "Moreover, she recently got recovered from an injury and only had few hours to solve that."

"Could you have said the same thing if someone from your family was in the hospital ?"
"Yeah, but can we blame her?"

"Ojasva and his team planted five bombs, in this city and we are living with them. Currently three has been defused and the fourth one blew the hospital, One bomb remains. Can Nehal, our beloved Detective solve this ?"

"We are Living with bombs"

"How can we know that Nehal isn't involved with that criminal."

"Shouldn't we just search the whole city, instead of solving a riddle. Its about lives of different people. It's not a game."

In the way to the police station, as I heard and read all these arguments, I felt guilty more and more. What was I doing? Why was I so proud? I knew I only had few hours?

YET.

YET, instead of trying to solve the riddle I preferred to have a chat with Ojasva first? I showed off in front of Aditya instead if trying! What was I doing? WHY COULDN'T I UNDERSTAND THIS SIMPLE OF A THING?

Am I...the reason for the death of all patients.

Still was I in shock, when our vehicle stopped in front of the police. I walked towards the station as the long bunch of journalists and cameraman rushed towards us.

"Miss. Nehal what do you have to say about your first failure ?"
"Why would you try to hide it"
"Miss"
"Miss"
"Nehal"

Me and Aditya entered the police station, while Krish tried to answer,
"Please listen to me, this a public service unit your huge row can trouble the citizens, so please can you just go away ?"

"But Mr.Aditya why were you trying to hide the fact about the Bombs ?"

"First, I am Krish not Aditya, second That would have caused a lot of mayhem in the city."

"Couldn't you have planned an evacuation ?"

"You tell me, what kind of person comes here, confess about planting bombs and challenges someone to find it. A psychopath ? If he is not able to enjoy, he would have blasted the bomb while people were evacuating, that means we wouldn't have got the chance to solve the riddle." replied Krish as I remember where he heard those first few lines.

I see what you did there, Krish.

"But what about Nehal."

We could hear the reporters asking question to Krish inside the police station.

"Well" I heard Krish's voice, "She just got recovered and barely had ti—"

Before could Krish complete, one of the journalist interrupted him and asked, "But we heard she said, I'll miss you, to a criminal. Should we leave everything on some like her?"

For next few seconds, the only sound which came was of cameras. Krish was, maybe, out of words.

The next second, I heard someone entering through the door. Kick-opening it, entered Krish who stormed towards us and the next, Aditya was leaned on the wall as Krish held his collars. He seemed angry.

"YOU IDIOT." Shouted him, "BEFORE COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SOLVE IN THREE DAYS?"

"Huh, What do yo—"

"DON'T ACT LIKE YOU KNOW NOTHING!!! WHO TOLD THEM ABOUT, 'I MISS YOU' PART?"

"I just said the trut—"

"TRUTH?" He shouted back, "WHAT ABOUT THE PART WHERE YOU DID NOTHING, SOLVED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN THREE FREAKING DAYS?"

Krish was taking a stand for me. Well, he was always like that. Sometimes it's so comfortable about him that I even told him about my parents. I met Krish into my school after one year of my parents death. Since, then he knew me and I know him. Even though he doesn't break the law easily, he softens a little when I ask him.

"C'mon guys." came Ojasvas voice from his cell as he continued, "He's too morally good to lie. He is not lying to the media but unconsciously lying to himself. You know, kids or teenagers with great morals try to do this most often, who are not good at lying. They convince themselves, not knowingly though, that they did nothing wrong and when scolded for that, they believe they have been wronged. They try to convince themselves that they are saying the truth, by bending it a little or presenting the half truth, they lie to themselves, and by looking at his personality and the face which he is making right now, I assume he is doing the same thing."

I had made my plan. It was very clear that neither was it Krish's fault nor Aditya. The one who was at guilt was me, I turned around, walked through the gate to outside. As soon as I reached there, all the camera pointed towards me as the random chatters and their question started arising, "Ma'am, Ma'am"
"Ma'am, Ma'am."

I sighed, moving towards a mic started speaking, "Yeah, I am not running away. Listen, I know you are all worried because I said something about I am gonna miss him or something, but believe me , it was just a trick. A trick to be friendly with him and to know him better, believe me, I just wanted him to slip something out. But unfortunately, now I have to reveal it and it won't work. But Whatever I accept my failure, it's the first time I failed at solving anything, so it hurts me but.. I promise you, I SWORE. THAT I WILL DEFUSE THE NEXT BOMB. BUT FOR THAT, I NEED, your support, your patience, your cooperation, And I will hold a press conference , once the case is closed. BELIEVE ME, if you don't. I can do nothing about that, but still I want you to place your HOPES UPON ME.

I WILL SAVE EVERYONE"

I know I can save everyone. It was not a game anymore. I was sure of what to do.

All I needed was... to stop enjoying this and actually be serious.