Kahaaniyan: Moran OS Collection

15- Out In The Open

OUT IN THE OPEN:

"Kya hua?" Monami asked, as Karan closed the door behind him.

The cadets and trainers were going on an undercover mission. A year into the training, it wasn't the first time the trainers had involved the cadets in a mission. Field experience was unparalleled, Karan had explained on their first mission. The trainers, of course, chose the missions they were allowed on, and the group of cadets who would be allowed.

He slipped an arm across her waist, pulling her closer, and Monami smiled a little, staring up at him. She frowned in confusion when he didn't smile back, just staring quietly at her.

"Kya hua?" She asked again.

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, sighing. "Agar kuch gadhbadh ho gayi toh tum logon mein se kisi ki jaan bhi jaa sakti hai. Yeh dangerous hai." He sighed again. "Shayad tum logon ko naa hi lekar jaana behtar hoga."

"Kuch nahi hoga. Tum, Sanju, Faizi, teenon hoge. Aur tum hamesha har mission se pehle itna hi sochte ho aur hum hamesha theek hote hain."

He sighed, nodding. "Tum saath mein rehna", he said sternly. "Mere saath, mere paas. Okay?"

She tilted her head, a smile playing on her lips. "Yes, mere Khadoos Shergill. Tumhaare paas rahoongi." She leaned up, kissing his cheek, and he smiled a little.

"Taiyaar ho jao", he muttered. He leaned down and kissed the corner of her mouth, before releasing her. He sighed a little, watching her leave, before getting ready himself.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Karan pulled Monami behind himself, as he pulled the trigger. It had all gone down south. It wasn't supposed to come to guns and bullets. It was supposed to be a short undercover operation, in and out with the information. A sneeze, of all things, had messed it up.

His eyes flicked around to the cadets, all hiding behind things, as he had ordered as soon as the first bullet had been fired. They were unarmed. His gun clicked empty.

Karan took a step back, clutching Monami's arm and pulling her behind some boxes, taking cover. He pulled out a magazine from his pocket, loading his gun again as he peeked out.

"Monami", he said, ducking again. "Hilna mat."

She nodded. He rolled out of the hiding spot, pulling the trigger again. The man fell down, a hole in his forehead, and he glanced around for any that was conscious, his senses working on overtime.

He straightened up when no one moved, letting his arms fall back, glancing around.

"Chalo yahan se", he ordered, gesturing for the cadets to stand up. "Siddharth, pen drive hain, na, tumhaare paas?"

"Yes, sir", he said, nodding, holding it up.

"Good. Move out, everyone", he ordered. "Go, go, go!"

He glanced around, gesturing for them to get out. He reached out, as Monami walked to him, his fingertips inches from her, his eyes on the rest of the cadets, as Faizi and Sanju led them out.

A gunshot rang out.

He raised his gun instinctively, head whipping to face Monami as she let out a strangled noise. His gaze immediately registered the blood stain growing on her white top and his blood ran cold.

He pulled the trigger, the bullet lodging itself in the head of the half-conscious man who had shot her.

Karan's gaze slid over to Monami, pain flooding in her eyes as her hands pulled away from her wound to see her bloody hands.