KHWAB : A Distant Dream

Chapter 27

Well here goes nothing..... I cannot guarantee the day of next update.... This chapter took me more than a week to write and I am out of drafts...... but I'll update as soon I manage to get done with the next chapter.....

Enjoy... this one is pretty long.
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It took half an hour for them to reach their destination, City Night Club. Anika was staring outside the whole ride and even Shashank maintained the silence. He stopped the car a few miles away from the club and looked at the girl sitting next to him. They decided to directly meet at the club but Shashank had offered to pick her up and Anika agreed as it was a wise option. Feeling his gaze on her, Anika finally looked at him, but there was no warmth in her eyes and her face was blank.

"Whatever you see or happen inside, you will not interfere unless I ask you too. Inside the club, I am the one in charge. Remember you came here as a spectator to satisfy your curiosity, so be one. And in case things go out of hand, leave immediately." Anika spoke calmly but firmly. Long gone was the 17 year old girl he had met at his friend's wedding, the person talking to him was a mature woman who knew her stuff well.

"I am lawyer Anika. I can handle myself well. You should worry about yourself." Shashank replied. "This is not your court, Mr Oberoi, and this meeting is anything but legal war. I know you have dabbled a lot on the other side of law but just in case, prepare yourself. A single slip up and we may end up dead." Came a scathing reply from Anika.

Shashank kept quiet listening to the edge in Anika's voice and drove into the parking lot of the club. As he switched off the engine Anika handed him a mask. "I cannot have women gawking at you. It will be a nuisance." Anika commented. Shashank gave her an amused look as he put on the mask and they both got down. Shashank was about to move towards the exit when Anika grabbed him. "Follow me." She whispered and moved towards the other side of the parking lot, while pulling up the hood of her cloak. Shashank frowned but followed her. After walking for a minute they reached an elevator where a security guard was standing.

To those who didn't know he was just a normal security guard sitting there as a precautionary measure. There was a sign of 'lift not working' beside him. He got up as Anika approached him. "Lift kharab hai janab. Aap..." he said in a lazy voice but Anika cut him off. "Huzur se kehna, musafir aya hai. Dur desh se Gulab bhi laya hai." She said in a deep voice. It was impossible to tell whether the speaker was a man or a woman. The security gave up his pretence and sobered up listening to the password. He looked around for prying eyes and then opened the elevator, asking them to get in. Anika strode in and Shashank followed her silently. The security punched in a number and came out. The doors then fell shut and the lift started to descend.

Anika adjusted her hood and turned towards Shashank. "You can ask the question later. For now, keep your face blank and just follow me. If you need to address me at all, it will be either as Sir or Mirage and you are Raj for the time being." Anika said seriously. Shashank might have laughed her off if she had said that any other time, but now he just nodded his head. The gravity of the situation was slowly sinking in and he had not missed the weapons on the guard's body. The lift tinged and opened, revealing a dimly lit corridor. Anika took a deep breath. "Show time." she muttered under her breath as she exited the lift sharply. Shashank followed her out and understood the game was on as he felt her whole aura turning cold.

There was a single door at the end of the corridor and Anika entered without knocking. It was a small room and there was a door exactly opposite to one from where they had entered. Four bodyguards were present in the room and they all became alert as Anika literally barged in. They all moved to stop the sudden intruder when they heard a deep voice. "Think twice before you stop me." Anika said arrogantly. The bodyguards froze at their place and looked at Anika carefully. They couldn't see her face or anything but the way she was dressed.... One of the bodyguards trembled as he realised who the person was. "Mirage...." he whispered and then quickly stepped back. The others widened their eyes in fear and moved back, lowering their head in respect.