Listening to the second shot of bullet fires in the last half an hour, her heart raced in an unbearable pace. It was becoming difficult for her to wait every second. Till now no new civilian had reached here as he had planned for the escape. Losing at her love, she decided to go, searching for him.

"Dekhiye", she said loudly grabbing everyone's attention. "Aap log yaha sath me rahiyega. Koi bahar nahi ayega. Humme bhi jana hoga ab"

"Lekin hum kehse sambhalenge yaha", one elderly man spoke. "Karne padega aapko, sir, Woh waha akele hai. Ab tak unhone kisi ko yaha nahi bheja. Unhe humari zarurat hai. Hubsband hai woh humare. Akele nahi chod sakte unhe hum aise ". The old lady nodded with her statement. She got up and took Yash with her. "iss bache ke liye wapis aana tum dono", the old lady whispered in her ears blessing her with her wrinkled hands. Haseena hugged him and placed a kiss on the boy's forehead.

"koi bhi khidki pe knock karega aur humara aur Anubhav dono ka naam le, tabhi unhe andar aane dijyega. Kosish karenge hum saath ane ki lekin agar aisa na hua toh please unhe andar aane se rokiyega mat. Woh bhi aapki tarha hi yaha fase hai. Unka parivaar bhi unka intezaar kar raha hai jaise aapka"

Lucknow

"Santu Ji", Cheeta hugged her out of instinct as she bursted into tears after consoling Ammi and Maa. A lump formed in his throat as he controlled himself for others. His one hand stroked her back while the other cupped her side face.

"phirse nahi cheete, iss baar nahi. Na humse (the family) ho payega na un dono se", she complained between her sobs. He held her more tightly as he didn't know how to console her.

__

"Karishma Ji kya kar rahi aap? Hosh se kaam lijye...aise DIG pe chillane se kya hoga"

"Toh ka kare hum Amma. Khuch mahino pehle jo hua tha woh kisi bhayanak sapne se kam nahi tha" She cried out. PJ hugged her.

"Hum samjte hai. Lekin hume ab tak unke bare me kaha pata hai. Unka phone nahi lag raha hai..., ho sakta hai woh sahi salamat ho", PJ tried to console. They didn't know whether they were stuck or not. All the news they had got was a place in Gangtok was under attack.

"Aur wahi hue toh? Agar humne un dono ko phirse kho diya toh?"
"Aisa khuch nahi hoga...bholenaath hai unke saath. Abhi aapko Ammi aur apni chachiji ko sambhalna chahiye.

Ek maa se badhkar kisi ka dukh nahi ho sakta. Aur sipahi ki Maa se toh kisi ka bhi nahi, jo har waqt apne bacho ko khokar paati hai". KS nodded weakly. By this time Billu came back. His eyes were teary.

"Theek hai na ab dono?",PJ enquired.

"Haan lekin Haseena Madam ki Ammi ka BP bahout bad gaya hai", he replied sadly.

KS took a deep breath and walked into the gym room where the two mothers were sitting. But her strength evaporated as she overheard their conversation.

"Ye lijye dawai le lijye. Kab tak yunhi phone ko dekhti rahengi", Maa spoke passing on a glass of water with her medicine.

"Bas ek baar humare bache phone uthale". Ammi sounded weak with tears in her eyes. "Koi khushi kabhi rahi hi nahi hai undono ki life me. Ghar ayenge na toh hum sabse pehle shaanti hawan karwayenge aur Ajmer Darshan lekar jayenge", Ammi added.

"Pata hai behenji, ye zindagi sirf intezaar me hi nikal gayi. Pehle Anu ke baba ke liye, phir Anu aur ab..." Maa spoke. Her tears didn't drop. KS looked at them remorseful.

____________________

"Na prabhu ye nahi", Anubhav punched the man on his face twice, causing bleeding to his mouth. He was trying to snatch away a pendant on his neck, he wore always in memory of his Baba.

The terrorist grabbed Anubhav's neck and pushed it to the bathroom door. He choked, breathing heavily. A strong kick pushed the terrorist to the floor. He landed beside his gun. Before he could get hold of it, Anubhav stomped behind his palm, causing him to moan in pain. He covered his mouth to stop the attracting sound.

In some other corridor.

"Ye awaz kaisi aayi?", a armed men said to his evil fellow mate. "neeche waale floor se aayi"

"tu intezaar kar mai aata hoon" The other one nodded.

"aur inka kya karna hai?", the terrorist spoke curving his lips in cruelty.

"inme se kisi ek ko uthake neeche phek do khidki se aur jo bade darwaze hai unke bahar baand do inhe taaki wapis andar goli baari ki koshish na kare woh police wale." As he walked away, screams and cry of terror, pain and separation filled the hall.

The gunned man was searching for the source of the scream, when he heard clicking of sandals against the tiled floor. Haseena. She was aiming at him from a distance. He turned back immediately but found no one as she was quick to hide behind a wall. Taking few steps towards her direction he turned back, as he found no sign of a intruder, to their dream of destruction.

When he went a little far away, she opened and threw her sandals. Her eyes gleamed as she remembered the conversation looking at the gun in her hand.

"bas bhi kijye jana", he held her hands which were hitting him continuously. He traced her hands upto her wrists and pinned them above her head. The force dipping it in pillow. "ye jo aapne abhi humari pitayi ki hai, uska badla le sakte hai hum" Anubhav nuzzled in her neck, tickling her with his lightly grown stubble. "Dur hatiye...Huh...Apne honeymoon pe kaun gun lekar aata hai?", Haseena frowned. She tried her best to wriggle out of his built, but he was stronger. And he would always use that as an advantage in romancing. "dekhiye jinse aapne niqah kiya hai, unhone chahe IB chod di ho, lekin unke andar ka agent ab zindagi bhar rehne wala hai aur aapko pareshaan bhi kar sakta hai". She smiled.
"Lekin ye bataiye aap airport security me kaise lekar aaye ?" "apne pati ko bahout under estimate karti hai aap...", he pretended to be sad. "Humne Intertional Airport me bhi aisa kiya hai...toh phir ye toh choti si baat hai", he whispered in her ears like telling a secret. "Aapse bada chakram insaan nahi dekha humne", she said shaking her head at him.

Outside.

"aapko paka yakeen hai sir, andar koi IB wala bhi hai?", Nandini asked scrunching her eyebrows as the latest piece of information. Abhimanyu sniggered in anger. He waved his hand, asking Huma to come up with protective gears. "why are you either so defensive or ready to attack? Jo bhi hai andar contacted IB office with his codes... Anubhav Singh." Nandini gasped as soon as she heard his mention, zoning out to a set of flashbacks.

"aapko bola tha na be on time?", AS scolded rudely. He had grown angrier and irritable after he had left his home, his mom and ladylove Haseena on engagement. His eyes went lower to her hands. They were shivering. Lines appeared on his forehead. "kya hua?" "khuch nahi sir...", she replied looking down. Nandini feared that he would eliminate her from the mission at the last moment. Due to his rude behavior and limited social interaction he had a very strict image in her mind."jooth bolna training ka hissa nahi hai...aapna haath aage kijye" She raised her hands in front. They were burnt and badly bruised. His eyes softened in a second and she was not an immature, not to understand this. "woh baaki sabhi ja chuke the base and I was checking some guns and one of them was defective. Toh ye...ye lag gayi. Aapne bulaya tha immediately and I was already getting late... Toh" "toh khud se jo khuch hua woh karliya. Ek baat bataiye madam aapko itni gandi nursing kisne sikhayi" he said angrily, while searching for the medical box in his cabin. She frownwed. For the first time she saw the soft hearted who had grown ice cold, due to his own reasons. He scolded her just like her elder brother. "bahout zyada dard ho raha hai Please sir ye punishment hai toh mai bilkul accept nahi karti" He rolled his eyes and continued cleaning her wound. "pata nahi aap ye streeyio ki kya aadat hai. Chot lagti hai toh dhyan nahi de sakti? Jab dard nahi hota,...jo medication or injections se bhaagti hai? Haseena bhi aisi, Maa bhi aisi, Behena toh in sab me sava sher..." He blurted out in flow. Realising what he said he tried putting the stern mask again, but she read the emptiness and longingness behind those eyes. It was the ice - breaking moment for them...Later on with multiple conversations, she got to know about some of his deepest scars, after knowing which, her respect for him rose manifold.

"Nandini! Where are you lost?", he growled. "Sorry...Sorry Sir. Can I get the brief again?". She had closed her eyes for a minute and put on her glasses, a trick she had learned from him.

"sir aise goggles lagane se aapko kyu lagta hai aap samne wale se apne emotions chupa sakte hai?" "humari Amma humesha kehti hai ki insaan ke aankhe darpan jaisi hoti hai. Sabkhuch bayan kar deti hai...Ye chashma un ankho ko chupane me madat karta hai" "ha lekin jo insaan aapko ache se jaanta ho, woh apki feelings inke peeche se bhi jaan sakta hai" "puri tarha toh humme shayad Maa aur Haseena bhi nahi jaante", he replied smiling weakly, bringing a worry on her face.

"Nandini you know him?" Abhimanyu questioned looking at her changed expressions. She looked at him but didnt speak. "damn...if you know him we can connect to him directly...Ye IB se parcel leni ki zarurat nahi hogi... She shook her head positively and a tear trickled down.

Inside

"Baba humme lakdi ka khilona chahiye. Humme khuch nahi pata...bass ab..." A 7 year old Anubhav complained to his father pulling the edge of his peach kurta. He was busy buying sweets and crackers with his wife. Anubhav puffed his cheeks. His baba giggled and picked him in arms. "pehele apni pasand ke pathake lelo phir do khilone?" Anubhav grinned listening to 2. He wrapped his small arms around his neck and  kissed his cheeks.

"ye sab kya hai maa?" The teenage boy was confused seeing his father's colleagues at his home but only with his uniform. "tumhare baba ab wapis kabhi nahi ayegne". His mother's words pricked his heart, like someone stole his life. His throat felt a burden, legs numb and powerless, all he could do was to cry. But as he looked back, he knew his mother needed his support at the moment. He walked towards her and embraced her tightly.

"humare pachisve janamdin ka sabse acha taufa hai ye maa...", Anubhav said cheerfully, feeding another bite of cake to her. He had taken her out to a countryside resort, to celebrate his bday for her and his admission to IB. "hum jaante hai aap utna khush nahi hai. Par sach maniye...sirf baba ke liye nahi apne khudki khushi ke liye bhi IB mein shaamil hona chahte hai..." She caressed his face with a weak smile, wishing for his best.

" Haseena aise nahi milne wala humara dost" Anubhav's friend teased her, as both of them stood facing eachother with Varmaala in their hands. "Aur nahi toh kya? sagai me sabke saamne ghutno pe propose karwaya tha na..." "aree aap sab rehene dijye" Anubhav  intervened thinking it would make her uncomfortable. "acha aap sab anubhav ke aas paas hatiye" Haseena's words make his eyes pop out. She moved near him and kissed his cheek, followed by exchange of varmaala.

It is believed that a person witnesses his past events, flashing in front of his eyes, when he is near to his death. Anubhav's eyes were blurring the images in front of his eyes as he got hurt on his back, below his neck. One of them had grabbed his neck who could twist it any moment to death. Another one, had him aimed on his gun. He had lost all his control on them. Haseena had lost  her track while following one of them. He closed his eyes. A gun shot was heard making him gasp as he fell on floor.

" Haseena ", he mumbled.

1 terrorist down. With all his might he kicked the other, who was aiming at Haseena. He took out a knife from the near by laid body's dress and stabbed him hard below his heart.  Haseena ran towards him but he shook his head in a no indicating  her to hide the bodies in the bathroom. He dragged himself their. Where he had hid 5 people, he had rescued on way, to direct them, where they hid initially.

Haseena quickly closed the restroom area door and fastened it by placing the mop diagonally. She rushed towards him and hugged him tightly as tears and words betrayed them.  "Theek hai aap?", she asked, wiping his face.  "bilkul. Aapne Heroine ki tarha bacha liya" He said and kissed the top of his head. She tightly pressed a handkerchief on his back. One from the 5, brought a water bottle to them to which he thanked them, gulping down the water.

" humne IB me contact kiya Haseena. Bahar jo team hai woh jald humse contact karegi. Jab tak humme yahi rehna hoga". He for once looked at others who were worried for their life. His eyes held an assurance for them. The ringtone brought a momentary  relief, untill he saw the caller ID.

Maa.

" Haseena..." . He laid his head back in despiration. "haan Maa boliye. Dekhiye is se pehle aap humme daate...yaha bilkul bhi network nahi hai...hum dono surakshit haan. Aaj hum kharaab mausam ki wajha se bahar jaa hi nahi paaye" His lie brought a relief to the ones in Lucknow and tears in Haseena's eyes. Maybe it was their last talk. "Dekh is baar apni janam leni waali Maa ke bare me sochlena aur waha mat jaana beta. Mera nahi toh Haseena aur behenji ka soch lena". Words failed. He bit his lip to control himself. Seeing his condition Haseena took over. "chinta mat kijye aap dono. Humne jakad rakha hai apne cheeku ko" They heard them laughing the other side. 

"Acha theek hai aisi baat hai toh hum tumhe disturb nahi karte. Jab network sahi ho jab Video Call karna...Abhi awaz bahout kat rahi hai...Dhyan rakhna apna ek kadam bahar nahi hotel se. Jaise se flight shuru hoye...aajana" "ji ma..." both mouthed sadly as the call ended. The next  minutes waiting for the IB to contact was miserable for both.

Outside

"Helicopter abhi bhi doubtful hai sir" Joseph said.

"koi baat nahi woh humara last resort hai. Agar sare plan fail hoye toh flyer has to risk with the weather"

"sir connected to Anubhav Sir", Nandini spoke.

"Jai Hind, Anubhav Singh"

"Jai Hind"

"Abhimanyu." Anubhav hummed. "Dekhiye humme aapki madat chahiye. Aapko ho sake toh terrorists ko centre ki aage ki taraf lana hai...humne blue print dekha hai. Yaha inhone mines bhicha rakhi hai. Humari ek team man hole se jaake peeche ki taraf aayegi aur waha se andar aane ki koshish karenge. Usi samay, Fire Brigade ki madat se do khidkiyo pe paani release karne ke baad humari dusri team aayegi."

Anubhav thought for a while and agreed. " agar aap helipad ka soch rahe toh yaha ka top kaanch ka hai jiske daaiyne aur ka kaanch andar ki taraf khulta hain"

"done. ready for the action", Abhimanyu, responded and glanced at Nandini.

"dhyaan rakhiyega apna Anubhav Sir...", she still didn't knew about Haseena. "Nandini..." both of them mumbled recognizing her voice. She sighed listening to her voice.

Before heading inside the man hole, Abhimanyu messaged a I love you to his parents, younger brother and wife. May be he was not a easy going person, behaving rudely to women colleagues who possesed power but he absolutely  loved his better half.

Inside.

Bullet Shots were heard all of a sudden creating a chaos. The people who were hidden in store and bathrooms froze, their stomach turning to ice. It was totally unexpected for the terrorist group too, who were overconfident now, after attacking at some from the rescue team.

Anubhav from the top floor aimed at a terroist killing him straight. Hearing the count of 10th bullet, Haseena fired 3 continous shot at a CPU, exploding it, giving an indication to Abhimnayu, Nandini and the team to barge inside. This caused a little injury on her leg. Attacks only grew from that moment. The men of terror, were now horrified for life and for that, they had starting to kill the hostages.

Nandini threw a smoke bomb out side for Huma and Joseph. They instructed the fire brigade's driver to throw water canons inside, and the same time they entered inside from the second floor's window, jumping inside from the crane of Fire Brigade Vehicle. All this while, Abhimanyu located Haseena and Anubhav, providing them with protective gear.

The place was no less than a battle ground. The ones stuck in the war knew it was now a do or die.

"aap kabhi humme simply millenge ya humesha aise hero jaise ladte aur kalaabaazi karte hue hi?", Nandini murmured as both hid behind dodging the firing. "Adat se majbur hai pyaari behena, kya kar sakte hai", he replied firing at the exit gate as one of the terrorist tried to drag a civillian outside

" Pyaari behena nahi sir, Army Intelligence Officer, Major Nandini", she smirked. He looked at her with amazement and proud. A person tried to attack him but she blocked his blow, twisted his arm behind, applying force. Her knuckles turned white and his wrist skin, flashed red in her power. Anubhav hit him with the back of the gun in his hand.
__

"chaliye chaliye phataphat nikaliye aap log bahar ki side" Abhimanyu, hissed, instructing a college group on vacation, hidden for future in a gloomy storeroom. Huma and her team covered them, taking them outside. From a direction a bullet diverted hitting a metal gate  piercing Haseena's arm. She hissed in pain. A metal clipping sound was heard. Abhimanyu found the source to be a man laying in pool of blood. Near to death but his smile still wicked. He was grumbling something unable to be heard. Haseena ran as the time bomb was on
As she looked behind, he found Abhimanyu entangled in wires. Few seconds near to death. He cursed her as she came to rescue. Both fell after running a span. Injured but fine and determined to continue the fight.

In a while, the place seemed under control as more rescue cops barged in.

The group's head was under Anubhav's control. He knew he wont spill even a drop of info. Nandini tied his hands throwing him infront.

"aise hi kisi insaan ki wajha se humare baba aur khuch samay ke liye Haseena aur Maa humse door hui thi", he thought. His finger neared the distance to trigger. His eyes found attention to the golden sparkle on his neck. A locket of his wife and son. "kya kabhi inhone kisi bache- budhe- parivaar ke bare me socha?", his conscience answered. The bullet whizzle cracked the air, and blood oozed out of his head. With his eyes wide open he fell on the floor.

___

Haseena walked towards him. Both of them exhausted. He kneeled feeling weak. She smiled back and pecked on his eyes. "I LOVE YOU TOO", he whispered, slowly, moving his fingers in her hairs. Their faces showed contentment, of saving lives of their countrymen and being together again. Injured but safe. Nandini saw their eyes droopy. She quickly rushed to them, helping them near to the medical van.

______________________

"Haseena please Maa se baat kijye humme woh bahout daatengi. Apne pati ko bacha lijye kyuki hum nahi uthane wale ye phone" Haseena chuckled. He can fight with the world but falls short of words, in front of both Maa and Ammi and ofcourse- Her.

Both were admitted to Army Hospital for treating their wounds. Now, both of them are in a two bed General Ward, fighting with eachother, on who will be informing all this to their family. Yash too was safe buy due to fear he stopped talking with any one except his parents. The ones who died their were his chacha-chachi.

" Hum nahi kar rahe. Jhoot ki shurwaat aapne ki toh aap hi jaano, cheeku", she replied and turned her side. But as she turned, a groan escaped her lips. Her injured arm was pressurised. "haseena...", he called her out reflexively. He got up and helped her sit, hugging her tight.

"aap jaise sade hue karele jaise senior ka ye side dekh ke I am impressed and happy, Bhabhi. And cheeku?", Nandini chirped in happiness, bringing a food bowl for them.

"nandini", she reprimanded.

 "Aapko reception ke din bhi bataye tha humne. As a senior he is the worst, pata nahi aapke saath ekdum alag kaise hai". Haseena smiled.

"Major sahiba agar aapko dikh raha hai ki hum pyaar ke do pal bita rahe hai toh khaana rakhiye aur jaaiye na..."

"haa haa pehle personal honeymoon ab sarkari kharche pe agle next 10 days aap Gangtok me hi hai...", she teased back. Anubhav glared.

Abhimanyu, along with SO, Huma and Joseph entered. After some professional talks.
"this is for both of you", The team saluted and greeted them in unision bring a proud smile to both of them.

End.

Finally. I started this short series, which became very long when everthing was fine in show🙂.

At moments all motivation was lost in writing this along with the readers interest. I even changed the plot once and then back to original.

Do leave a review. Thanks.
And updates of any ff will be slower till 15 August, maybe. I have my exams🤧