Rajveer was running with full speed. He had to go as far away from this place as possible. He had expertly jumped off the jeep while setting it on fire, and climbed down the wall as the jeep went down and vanished into the tunnels. By the time the cadets reached the wall, he had run a substantial distance.
"Rajveerrrrr sirrrrr"
The cry pierced his heart. Rajveer stopped and turned. He could see only smoke at a distance. He had half a mind to turn back.
"No" he told himself. If everything has to be alright, if they have to be alright, he has to be strong.
He ran ahead. He had to get to the Ambala railway station. He looked at his bleeding arm. How could he go in this state. Somebody would be bound to notice him. He felt his pocket and and drew out the handkerchief. He looked at it lovingly. The handkerchief his Naina had gifted him. She was saving his life again, he thought. He rolled up his sleeve and cleaned up the blood and tied it tightly around the wound. Rolling his sleeve back he entered the station and headed for the locker. He expertly broke open the lock and took out a bag. His runaway bag. He put it on and raced towards the platform where a train was already moving. He got into it and went straight to the rest room. When , he came out, he was transformed.
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He changed compartments and went and sat on the floor next to a fruit seller. He made small talk with him, accepted a slice of mango from him and ate it. He looked so calm and normal, nobody would guess what was going on in his head.
He made his entry normally enough, but he knew by now, his escape must have reached the authorities. He hoped they believed he was dead, otherwise,they would be sending search parties to stations and bus stands and within minutes his picture will be blazing on the tv. Anybody who saw him get on the train can remember him and tell the army which train he took. He had to change trains , he thought.
In the next station, he calmly got down and got into the train on the opposite track. Nobody was following him, but he was carefully gauging his surroundings. After a few stations, the train halted at Dehradun. He got down. The 9'o clock news was on the TV. Capt. Rajveer Singh Shikhawat, a murderer was shot dead while trying to escape from custody, the news said. He had lured his girlfriend and a few cadets to help him, but his plan was foiled by the task force. One of the cadets was shot and badly injured. Whether they will survive or not was questionable.
Rajveer's heart pounded up. While it was a good thing that they bought into the death trap, someone was injured. Who ? He was fond of every single of his cadets and something happening to them because of him was unacceptable. He quickly moved out and went into one of the cheap motels and took a room, paying in cash from the bag. He even took a food parcel.
He went inside the room, cleaned his wound, took out the first aid kit and and bandaged himself. He opened the food. He had zero appetite. He had no idea what was happening to Naina or the others. His eyes welled up thinking about her. He almost blurted out his feelings. She had understood. He re-lived the hug. His heart started getting heavy. His vision was getting blurry.
He wiped his tears with renewed determination. He was done mourning on his state. He had to fight like a true soldier. He gobbled up the food and took some medicines. He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. The exhaustion overtook and he fell asleep.3 hrs later, when the clock chimed 12 pm, he woke up.
With renewed strength, he threw the blanket aside and stood up.
He thought about the one person who was behind all this. The one who single handedly destroyed his life, took away his friend, his career, his...love. His eyes blazed.
