When Shyam and Charmi got down the bus it was half past eight and the cold was high. Pathankot station was all alone without anyone around. They left station and come out to find only Pan-parlour still opened.
They reached Pan-parlour and Charmi started her acting. She gave a smile to the parlour owner who was a young man and said, “My phone has no battery. Can I use your phone, please?
Shyam though Charmi’s smile was charming.
The young man at parlour smiled back, still lost in her charm. “No matter, here is it.”
“Papa I’m at station.” Charmi said and without hearing the reply she cut the call. She handed the phone back to its owner with the same charming smile. The young man was beaming as if Charmi has cast some magic on him.
Then they took an auto to reach Salariya Chowk.
*
When auto dropped them at Salariya-Chowk, Charmi said, “Akki will come to receive us.”
Shyam didn’t say anyting. After living in Chandigrah he knew if a Panjabi’s name seems small and short the guy is huge and strong. The cold was to high to resist with.
They didn’t need to wait more than ten minutes. A black SUV halted near them. A young man with massive body opened the door and said, “hi, Charmi. What’s going on?” His voice was as massive as his frame.
“Everything is fine.” Charmi replied and opened the back door. She signaled Shyam to get in but the same moment a bullet hit the back door of the car.
Charmi ducked another bullet and cried, “shyam, get down.”
Before shyam could gather what’s happening a bike passed near him. It was sports bike with dual power. It flew near by Shyam like an arrow. The pillion rider snatched the bag from Shyam’s hand. Shyam lost his balance and fall to the ground on his back.
Charmi fired to shot but the biker’s were professional. The bike was going like a snake, making a curved line of smoke behind them. May be charmi hasn’t hit the target or the men on hike had enough strength to stay on the bike even after being shot twice.
“They are gone,” Charmi shouted, “bloody fuckers.”
Bike riders had chased Akki. They attacked when Akki stopped near Shyam and Charmi, giving them a perfect chance. One of biker had fired at Charmi but luckily at the same she had opened the door so the bullet hit it and missed the target. Meanwhile another biker had overtaken the black SUV and its pillion rider had snatched bag from Shyam’s hand.
“Should we chase them?” Akki asked furiouly.
“No, it’s useless.” Chami said with disappointment in her tone, “Their bikes are so fast. They must be two kilomiters till now.”
Then Charmi and Shyam got in the car and Akki fired the engine. The Suv started to omit smoke as Akki pushed the accilerater.
“Are you all right?” Charmi asked, worryingly.
“Yeah, bit feared otherwise okay.” Shyam replied, “How they knew we are here?”
“May be they were keeping an eye over my office and my contacts.”
“They have snatched bag,” Akki said. Still he was angry that he had been tricked. “May be they are not behind you but behind something you have.”
“Sure but if they had got chance they would have killed us.”
“Not us,” Shyam said, “they wanted to kill only you. If they wanted to kill me they would have easily killed me when they snatched the bag.” Shyam’s voice had again hint of fear, “may be they want to kidnap me again.”
They talked about different possibilities till Akki drove them inside a company named Arora Engeeniring Works.
Shyam and Charmi got down in front of a massive building and Akki drove left to park the car. Charmi lead Shyam to the lift where an old liftman opened the door, saluting Charmi. When they entered the lift Charmi pushed switch for fourth floor.
At fourth floor, in front of Charmi’s office Shyam saw four armed guards. It made him relaxed. He was safe, at least here and for now.
Shyam and Charmi passed through security door. Charmi had a gun and he was empty handed still metal ditector made same sound of beep for them. Shaym couldn’t gather different between both sounds.
Then Charmi gave her thumb print on a machine.
“Has he any ID?” the man handling the security checkup asked.
“I’m afraid.” Charmi smiled.
“No matter.” Security man said and turned to Shyam, “please look in this camera.”
Shyam did as said. The camera took his picture. Then the security man took his finger and thumb prints and in no time his ID was ready.
They cleared security check and entered the lody. There were many doors at both sides of lody. Every door was closed with a named plate on it.
Charmi opened one of the doors that had guest room name plate. When they entered inside Shyam thought it wasn’t guest room but it was a guest hall with all facilities like a five star hotel. It has seven beds, many wardrobes, two coaches, several chairs, a coffe table, a coffee machine and a telephone line.
“You stay here,” Charmi said, “till I come back.”
“When will you come?” Shyam asked, getting himself a chair.
“Tomorrow morning.” She answered, “When you feel hungry go to the canteen. It’s open for whole night.”
“In case I need to contact you?”
“Dial twenty two.” She said, “it will connect you to receptionist. Tell him to transfer the call to chamber thirty.”
“Okay.” He mumbled.
As Charmi left the room Shyam went to washroom. He felt a bit refreshed after washing his face. When he arranged himself on coach it was ten of night and the temperature was very low. He thought it would get lower in December but then he thought he would be in Gujarat till then and relaxed.
As remembered Gujarat, face of his father flashed in his mind. He thought he would say sorry to his father when he is in Gujarat.
At eleven he left the room and went toi the canteen where he got himself an empty teble at a corner. Next to him was another empty table and at third table he found a short man who looked rather unsignificat.
Shyam went to the counter where he found an oldman who looked like a Brahmin. Shyam was sure he was the cook. There were many cooks from his community and he knew people fondly addredd such cook as Maharaj.
“Please send a Guajarati dish at corner table.” Shyam said looking at the cook.
“We don’t have Guajrati dish.” The cook replied with a smile.
“Then send whatever you have.” Shyam said, “I’m so hungry.”
“We have selfservice.” The cook said. Only then Shyam noticed there wasn’t any staff except that old cook. He took a dish full of chapti, fried vegetables and rice. He went to his table and finished the dish as he was really hungry.
He lit a sigarette and finished it thinking about Gujrtat, his home, his friends and his family. He badly missed them all.
Cold and tiredness of the day taking best of him. he went to the guest room and threw himself on the bed.
He was about to sleep when the telephone rang.
“Have you eaten?” it was Charmi.
“Yeah,” he said, “but here they have self service.”
“Self service is better than the kidnaper serves a dish.” She laughed.
With good night she put the receiver. Shyam tried to sleep but his mind started to run Chandigrah to Guajarat. All his past was palying hide and seek in his mind. One minute there was one event another minute it was replaced by another event.
*
When shyam woke up his left shoulder was in pain due to injection. He had sleeped late but well. That night he had no nightmare as if his mind knew he was safe and sound in that building. He has no fear of kidnaper there. He smiled at his thought as he remembered his words – Archana, I can die for you. And here was he – fearing of death like a rat.
Infact he feared of being kidnapped and being unfound than of death itself. He took shover and slipped in same clothes as biker has sntched his clothes which were in his bag.
When he went to canteen it was nine of morning. He found Charmi standing near canteen-counter. Shme welcomed him with a warm smile. They both arranged at a booth.
“Tea or coffee?” she asked.
“coffee.” he said, “I’m freedging.”
She brought two paper cup of coffee.
“Thanks” he said as he took one paper cup from her, “thanks for it.”
“Welcome.” She gave her charming smile.
“Have you talked with head?” he asked after taking some sips from his cup.
“No, he is in Delhi.” She said, “You have to become our guest for a while.”
“I don’t mind it but I don’t have another pair of clothes.” He said shyly, “my clothes were in that bag.”
“We will get you soon.” She said, “Let me finish some file work.”
“Okay,” he said, “I’ll rest.”
“You should.” She smiled again.
“Can I talk with my family and Archana?”
“I dn’t think it’s proper time.” She was serious again, “they are keeping an eye on us and if you talk with anybody it would be dangerious for that person.”
“I got it.” He said sadly as it hit him. Kidnapers were still looking for him.
Then charmi left. He sat there thinking about the past and worring about the future. His hand was still paining. The bite of dog had left a deep wound on his hand. As charmi had instructed, he went to second floor for dressing his wound
There was a small medical yunit at seven- B.
At seven –B, doctor Ramanuja declared his hand is well but his thigh still need some dressing. After dressing doc gave him some medicine and a date to rememeber for his next doze of anti-rebbis injection.
*
After meal, he took rest for two hours. He woke up when charmi entered guest room.
“Are you ready?” she said, flooping on the bed next to him.
“Yeah,” he said, “are you free now?” he felt too much happiness as he talked with Charmi. She was giving her the same comfort he had felt with Archana.
“Yeah,” she said, “let’s go to market.”
*
From market charmi bought him a mobile phone, some clothes and other necessary stuffs. He had no money left in his wallet so Charmi paid the bill.
At dinner shaym again thanked her for mobile and clothes. He felt Charmi was baing drawn to him more than she should. He had that experience. He could tell when someone is loving or hating you more than the need.
“Don’t worry.” She said as she found him lost in thoughts, “head will come in two days.”
“Okay.” He said and left for guest room, shaking all thoughts from his mind.
***
To be continue...
