The continuation...

The Betrayal

Rajveer and Alekh returned from the mission so had pooja and Alekh.

"Aap ko dekhna chahiye tha, sir. Pooja ne kitni asani se sab ko ullu bana kar Col Bisht tak pahunch gayi thi." said Ali, pride evident in his voice. Rajveer suppressed a smile.

"Aur sir, Ali ne Col Bisht se apni usuloon ke saath itne ache se baat kiya ki Col Bisht ne nahi sirf humein saari baatein batayi, balki agar hum kabhi trial pe gaye, woh gavahi dene ke liye bhi raazi hogaye ki Col Shakti ke paas red box tha hi nahi. Aur unke paas agar tha hi nahi toh uske liye aap unhe maarte kaise ?"

"That's great, Cadets. Good job. Atleast your experience was better than ours." Rajveer and Alekh had gotten the laptop, but it had been wiped clean.

"Sir, aap uss laptop ke baare mein fikr mat kijiye." said Yudi. " I can factory reset it and restore the files. I just need some time."

"Aaur phir aapun ko kya saara maal mil jayega ya aadha adhura. Aur yeh kaise, delete dabane se jaata nai kya permanetly ?" asked Alekh intrigued.

"Nahi Chief. Aur haan, jab tum mere laptop borrow karte ho aur downloads delete karte ho, mein exactly jaanta hu ki tumne kya dekha.."

 Alekh looked funnily embarrassed while everybody laughed..

Rajveer sat with Yudi till late night, while the rest went off to sleep, helping him as much as he can in the restore. It was taking a lot of time, and Yudi dozed off on the sofa itself. Rajveer looked outside. naina was standing overlooking the lake. The wind was blowing her loose hai everywhere. Rajveer thought for a minute, before taking a shawl and moving towards her. Just as he was about to slide the glass door open, somebody put a jacket around Naina's shoulders.

Naina looked up. "Thanks Huda".

Huda put his arm around her, rubbing her to provide warmth. " Thanks kaisa phulan, dost hote hi issliye hai."

Rajveer stopped in his tracks, tossing the shawl aside. He considered both of them. Unlike him, huda and naina could still step away from all this, and go back and lead normal lives. Safe lives. He was a fugitive, a murderer in the eyes of the world. He had nothing to offer her. What if he doesn't succeed in this mission ? What if he get's caught ? And even if they succeed, will her parents ever agree for them, knowing he was the one who pulled the trigger on Naveen. Thinking or even hoping for a future with her was not an option.

Rajveer looked down smiling sadly at his fate. So close, yet so far.

"Toh, phulan. kabhi socha hai, ki yeh mission kamyam nahi hoga to kya ?"

"Nahi Huda. mere paas koi aur option nahi hai. Yaa toh yeh mission kamyab ya phir ladte ladte shaheed."

"Mar jayegi, par saath nahi chodegi na unka ?"asked Huda.

Naina turned towards him.

"Kuch kehne ki zaroorat nahi hai Phulan. Huda andha nahi hai. Dikhta hai. Jo unhone kiya aur jo teri jo halaat thi unke jaane ke baad. Pichle kuch din hi dekh le, jab tak woh wapis nahi aaye, teri toh saase atki hui thi." said Huda, a little bitter.

"Toh tujhe bhi ye galat lagta hai ?" asked Naina.

"Nahi jaanta. Par ye jaanta hu ki tujhe khush dekhna chahte hu. Aur ab samajh bhi gaya ,ki teri khushi mujh se nahi hai."

Naina din't know what to say. "I am sorry Huda. Mein tujhse se bohot pyaar karti hu. Bas uss tarah se nahi jis tarah se tu chahta hai. Par mein tujhe humesha hi apni achi dost manti aayi hu.  I hope hum aage bhi ache dost reh sakte hai. "

Huda nodded slightly. Naina left , to go inside the house.  Huda stood at the same point till late in the night, thinking and occasionally wiping a tear or two.