Raat Akeli Hai | 𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒋

XXXXV. unidentified & therapy

sumedh :

"How can I help you?", I heard my younger self asking timidly to the man before me.
Badshah it was.
"I need to find someone. An enemy I love. I have an incomplete deal with him.", He said softly, his gaze fixed indistinctly.
"Who?"
"Comrade."
"But who is that?"
"That..", He looked at me and smiled, his icy cold black eyes glistened, "You will know very soon boy. Very soon."

My head felt heavy, there was pain, I realised. 
Badshah had been strong, he had pushed me, punched me, probably broken a rib or something. It wasn't as big a deal for me. I had been on worse missions, in worse conditions.

"Water..", I whispered raspily, as I felt the dryness in my mouth.
I heard someone steer. I forced myself to turn to my right to find Dimple. Half asleep on the sofa in the cabin. 
Why was she here?
She should be with Titu.
No one else seemed to be around.

"Water..", I mumbled helplessly, the anaesthesia was strong enough to make me immobile.
Dimple woke up with a start.
She immediately rushed down to me.
"You.. you are fine..", She said, I could see the relief in her eyes.
Our last conversation had not been the best.
I had confessed to her, drunk.
And she had clearly said a "no" with a fabricated "maybe in another universe".

But now, all of that seemed to be a blur, as she immediately rushed to the desk by my bed to get me water.
"You wont be able to drink from the glass..", She mumbled, more to herself as she poured the water in a glass.
She picked up a spoon and took some water in it.
I stared at her in silence.
Why was she even here? She hadn't even changed her clothes.
So much concern for a man she rejected?
She elevated the bed so that I could half sit. 

I sipped onto the water from the spoon as she gave me again.
"You will be fine, don't worry. The doctor said you are recovering. There will be pain, but it will be okay.", She said as I sipped onto the water
"You need more?", She asked.
"No.", I whispered as she set the bed back to normal.

"Wait.. I will call-"
"Is everyone fine?", I asked, "Maa, Papa.. everyone?"
"Yes.. everyone is fine. Mummy and Papa just left a moment ago. Anuj uncle was here as well, he too left. Toshu bhai had called, he is coming with Kinjal bhabhi. You don't worry-"
"Where is Diwan?", I asked, for my best friend and the only man who could give me some explanations.

"Your best man is already here.", Diwan said beaming as he strode into the cabin.
I smiled back at him.
"Sumedh, there is important talk we need to do.", He said immediately.
He glanced at Dimple.
"She can stay. She knows most things.", I stated.
Diwan nodded.
"Badshah has escaped.", He stated first.
I drew in a deep breath.
I had expected it.
That man refused to die. And just by one bullet? He wouldn't.
"Titu seems to be Badshah's man.", He said inhaling coldly.

"But that is not possible!", Dimple said immediately.
"It is. This is bigger than we thought, Ma'am. I had pulled out the CCTVs of our mansion. Badshah had lost consciousness and he had been dragged out of the mansion by two men. Titu is one of them, the other is unidentified.", He said.

"Not possible.", Dimple said in complete denial.
"But how is it possible? Titu has known Dimple for five years-"
"And Badshah has known your father for more then three decades. I had called up India for the NDA batch 1993. And indeed, Samrat and your father had been together before your father decided to drop out. They had been very close friends.", He added.

I drew in a deep breath.

"Most importantly.", Diwan said, "We now know who Comrade is."
I paused.
My memory wasn't exactly doing well at the moment.
"It is Vanraj Shah. Badshah has been hunting for Vanraj Shah for years."