Leap of Faith

All That Remains

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I stumbled backward as I fired the shot, ignoring the simple physics principle, 'every action has equal and opposite reaction.' I could not know what was happening on the other side of the bookshelf. All I could hear in that second was a loud manly scream and hurried footsteps.

"Aayan?" I called out, scrambled onto my feet, and started racing towards Aayan. In the periphery of my vision, I saw the women supporting Vikram and running towards the stairs. Just fraction of the second, my gaze locked with Vikram, and I could see the horror behind his dark eyes as if he has seen a ghost.

"Trisha? What in god's name are you still doing here?" Aayan shouted straightening up. His manner was perplexed and yet grateful. However, there was a strong passion flowing through him.

"How was I supposed to leave you, all by yourself?" I mumbled, smiling weakly. He was bleeding from the corner of his lips with a few bruises on his forehead.

"I... I have.. Have to go after him," he said, tormented. As I understood his urgency, I stepped aside. Without losing another second, he zoomed after the trio who headed on the roof. I ran after him. He hopped two steps at a time. We reached the door of the rooftop in a matter of half minute.

"Trisha, will you just stay put?" he huffed turning back, facing me.

"I won't. Besides, the police officers are coming up," I panted, clutching my knees, gasping for more air.

Just at that moment, we heard the helicopter blades starting to whoop in the air. "Vikram is getting away," I said, thinking about the consequences. We would not have any substantial evidence against him. We had to catch him red-handed.

Aayan took the gun from me. "Trust me." He readily convinced me with his confident and determined gaze.

Slowly he crept out, opening the door slightly. I was close behind him, holding my breath, watching through the slit of the door, to the scene unfolding in front of me.

"Vikram put your hands up! Or I will shoot you," Aayan roared. I could see Vikram freezing at the door of the helicopter, looking bewildered. His shoulder was profusely bleeding. That meant I had shot him on the spot! "Tell your sidekicks to drop the weapon, or I swear the bullet will hit your head in no time."

Those women looked alerted and ready to shoot back, but bewildered, Vikram gestured them to drop the weapons. Although, the chopper had already reverberated to life. I knew this was not going to stall them for a long time. I looked down the stairs, hoping to see the help arrived. However, no movement caught my eyes. Panicked I averted my gaze back to the roof.

Just then, I saw something in the far sky, another blue and white chopper coming in the direction of the house. However, the sun was yet not on the horizon, the soft peach light brightened the sky. The storm had substantially quieted.

As the chopper got nearer, the trio sensed the arrival, looked bothered even more. But I guessed that the look Aayan was giving them must have been nothing less than murderous. They could not move an inch.

"This is not over!" Vikram threatened in a high voice. "I will never let you win!"

I began to think that the situation was getting out of hand and that Aayan could get hurt. Finally, my silent prayers were answered; two officers jumped up the stairs behind me, opened the door in a crash, and within a second surrounded the trio. They seized the weapons from the women before they could raise and shoot and knocked them down on the floor. Vikram was an easy task compared with them; he finally himself sunk onto the floor with his raised hands.