Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 76- Trying

CHAPTER 76

TRYING

Monami stared at her open suitcase and then at the check list in her hand. "Done, done and done", she muttered, keeping the check list aside. She closed the suitcase, zipping it up.

"Packing done?" A voice asked.

She whirled around. Koel. She smiled, nodding slightly. "T-Tum yahan?"

"Just wanted to say bye", she said, walking in. "Yeh suddenly beech mein jaana kyun? Everything okay ghar par?"

She hesitated. "M-Mumma ka b-birthday hai k-kal. And..." Koel nodded her understanding. "T-Tuesday ko aa j-jaungi."

"Main achhe se notes banaa kar rakhungi tumhaare liye", she promised. The younger girl smiled at her brightly. "Waise... are you okay?"

Monami nodded. "Of course."

"Pakka, na? You seem disturbed. Kuchh baat hai, toh you should talk about it."

She sighed a little. "I am p-pretty sure gh-ghar j-jaakar jh-jhagdha hoga P-Papa ke s-saath. But I c-can't j-just a-avoid b-because he n-needs me h-home." She sighed again. "Main j-jab bhi Papa se b-baat karti h-hoon, he j-just... he just g-goes off and d-doesn't let me sp-speak."

Koel sat down on the bed, tilting her head. "Then make him hear you", she insisted. "Monami... fights ka koi point nahi hota agar uss fight se aap ek doosre ki feelings better naa jaano. I don't know kya situation par try to understand his point of view. Woh shayad apni jagah galat naa ho. Par iska yeh matlab nahi hai ki tu galat hai. Tell him your point of view. Explain it to him."

"He d-doesn't want to u-understand", she said. But even as she said it, conversations flooded back.

'Army hi kyun?'

'Naa tum samajh sakti ho, naa tum samjha sakti ho.'

She shook her head. When had she clearly stated her feelings? She had always said she wanted to be in the army. But when had she explained it to her father why exactly she wanted that? She exhaled. If this comes up, she will tell him. She will explain. And he will have to understand.

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

"Parakaram makes the most sense to attack", Karan said, leaning back in his chair. "Jo original inka plan tha, it would made sense. They had a spy inside."

"That would mean inke paas considerable forces hain Deolali mein", Faizi continued. He reached over, glancing over the list of the dates. "Next date 20th February. Enough time to move forces."

"They might have changed plans", Param said, sighing.

"Par Sir ji, jo bhi unke plans the, woh isse pehle attack toh naa hi karenge", Sanju said. "Sayed unka hukum ka ikka tha."

"Unless they are desperate", Param countered. "We made a blow jab Sayed ko maara. But Sayed unke boss ka beta tha, if sources are to be trusted. They might be angry." He glanced at the three. "Tum teenon thoda dhyaan rakhna apna academy ke bahar. Main Raghav se baat karke families ki security arrange karwaa dunga. And Faizi, Sanju, academy ke bahar thoda apna relationship naa dikhao, toh behtar hoga." The two nodded their agreement.

"Abhi pehle toh information chahiye", Karan said after a moment of contemplative silence. "Let's try and find some information on the bases. Intelligence agencies ko bhi contact karte hain. Agar humaara andaaza sahi hai, there must be a base in Deolali ya at most, the neighboring cities. Police ko bolo bars par nazar rakhenge. Tell them to keep an eye out. Poore Naashik district mein security strict kara do. Kahin se toh koi lead milegi."