Reena Desai: Kill Lady

Chapter 13

"Everything is out of control. It's no longer safe here," Rocky was saying, out of breath with the effort. Alerted by the sounds of my arrival, he turned in my direction.

"Let's go on vacation," he said casually.

He ordered the guards to make the arrangements. It broke my heart to see this mighty man reduced to fleeing away from his hardwon empire. I wouldn't give him my heart, but I could support him from the sides. He was a phoenix. He would rise from the ashes and soar high again.

Things were going at a breakneck speed. Within an hour, I had a new wardrobe with Western formal wear. The maids packed me a suitcase with things I would need. All of which were fine, except if we were flying abroad, I would need my passport, which was in Bangalore. Ruminating, I went to Rocky's room.

He was alone, his back towards me, as he stood facing the window. He had changed into his typical black shirt and trousers, his arm in a sling.

"Your documents are with me. I had my men bring it from Bangalore after I brought you here", he said, without any preamble, exhaling smoke into the room. My eyebrows rose of its own accord, stunned. "Oh", was all I could say.

He nodded, still not facing me. I stood there, not moving. Noticing that I was still there, he turned half-way, tilting his head questioningly.

"Where are we going?", I asked.

"Dubai",he said, in a cloud of smoke.

"How long will we be gone? This place is sealed. What will happen to these people? Do we have enough to sustain them, however long we're gone? What about their safety?", I burst out, frustrated that he was not looking at me.

He seemed to be smiling.

"What?", I asked him impatiently.

"Nothing", he said, turning his attention to the window, "if everything goes according to the plan, we don't have to worry about anything."

"What plan?"

"You'll see, Sona", he said in an enigmatic tone.

He moved to the couch, on which his blazer was draped. He got his healthy arm in but struggled with the other one. Automatically, my feet were drawn to him. I removed his sling and carefully helped him insert his injured arm into the sleeve. Smoothing the lapel, I made him wear his sling again. I raised my eyes to his. He quickly looked away.

I huffed and left him to his own thoughts. He seemed a little distant from me. It caused a weirdly painful pang in my heart. I didn't want to analyse it. Whenever I helped him with an extremely minor task, it felt disproportionately intimate, leaving me flustered.

Soon, we were ready to leave. The helicopter was loaded with as many crates of cash and gold it could hold. The people of KGF, stood silently outside the palace, watching us leave. Fear and apprehension of our departure was evident on all of their faces. But their main cause of concern, was walking coolly ahead, his eyes masked under sunglasses, lighting up a new cigarette nonchalantly.

I boarded the helicopter, feeling queasy. These people had lived in a hell prior to Rocky's arrival. Now, they were trapped with nowhere to go. If Adheera captured KGF, they would be forced into the hellish nightmare again. The kids would go to bed hungry and wake up as slaves. People would kill the newborn girl babies with their own hands. This place desperately needed a win. I had no other option, except place all my hopes on Rocky's plan.

**********

In the six hours it took to reach Dubai, Rocky didn't utter a word. Nor would he spare me a glance. He kept smoking, finding comfort in the nicotine, as if his life depended on it. I never liked to be around cigarette smoke, but I didn't let my discontent show. His attitude was a semblance of utmost calm, but I knew he was stressed. There was this dangerous energy crackling around him, that warned anyone from venturing close.