Vikram couldn’t believe Kumar’s twisted logic, but then again, he didn’t understand why any man would physically abuse his wife, either any bad intension exists. Kumar was so far beyond rational that Vikram didn’t have a clue how to get through to him.
“I was trying to help Aisha,” Ahana said with a note of defence. “You’re the one who keeps hurting her, not me.”
Vikram silently urged Ahana to be quiet. There was no sense in making the guy mad.
“What do you want, Kumar?” Vikram asked, desperate to get the man’s attention focused back on him instead of on Ahana. “I can’t help you if I don’t know what you want.”
“I want you to get out of here,” Kumar shouted. “If you don’t, I’ll start shooting!”
Vikram was trying to see around for help but he was now feeling helplessly at Ahana, trying to think of a way to stop. Kumar might be drunk, but considering his hunting background he didn’t dare back on the fact that Kumar might not hit his target. Especially considering Ahana was in close range to him as target.
Where was the Shahil’s team? Shouldn’t they have been here by now? What was taking them so long?
“Now!” Kumar said, firing the gun for emphasis, the sound echoing in the area like firecrackers blast.
“Get down,” Vikram shouted to Ahana as he dropped to the floor. Vikram rolled and then came up in a small crouch, ready for the next gunshot.
Ahana must have sensed what was about to happen, because when he glanced over, Ahana was bend down in the corner of the room holding the small metal bedside table turned sideways so that the tray protected her chest.
Vikram didn’t see any blood, so he hoped and prayed that meant she wasn’t hit. Thankfully, Ahana had some cover.
“Kumar Sha! Drop your gun and come out with your hands up!”
Kumar spot around toward the doors leading in from the ambulance way, where the Shahil’s team was located.
Vikram took advantage of Kumar’s momentary distraction to divert toward Ahana. Ahana clutched at him, and he held her tight for a fraction of a second before Vikram shoved her behind him.
“Stay down,” Vikram whispered. A bullet could still go through him to get to her, so Vikram used the metal bedside table as a shield while hoping for the best. Vikram took heart in the fact that he could see a cop standing just outside the door he’d come through earlier.
The cops had surrounded Kumar. But the danger was far from over.
“Go away or I’ll kill them both!” Kumar shouted.
“What do you want, Kumar?” One of the cops shouted. “Do you want to see Aisha?”
“Aisha’s dead!” Kumar screamed, his face mottled with anger.
“Aisha’s not dead,” Vikram said and hoped he wasn’t lying. “She’s at a hospital in Bela Nagar. The Shahil’s team can arrange for you to see her.”
“You’re lying!” Kumar said.
Vikram probably was lying since he doubted the cops would take him anywhere near Aisha. It was clear they believed Kumar was the one who did run Aisha down. But they needed to get Kumar to surrender his gun before anyone get hurt.
“Do you want to see your son, Tammy?” Deputy Shahil asked from outside the ambulance way doors.
“Leave my son out of this!” Kumar grew even more agitated, pacing back and forth in front of the ambulance way doors. “Stay away from him, do you hear me?”
Vikram realized that Tammy was a lever they could use, and hopefully Deputy Shahil knew that, too. Because right now there wasn’t much between him and Ahana and the mad man with a gun.
And Kumar could easily shoot them both before the cops would have a chance to stop him.
