Heart wrenching adoration Part-43

We flew through the cobbles streets of Dehradun, dwelling on our own painful rumination. The ominous silence that filled the car was almost palpable, buzzing with electricity and was broken only occasionally, either by a dry sob from Garima Aunty or Payal or brisk commands from the C.B.I. officer to his juniors.

Our car was joined by two other police cars and now our caravan trundled towards the place from where the signals were coming. I closed my eyes and laid my head on the head rest of the seat, trying to keep all the depressing and horrid thoughts at bay. I wasn’t very successful!

So, more to escape the blinding pain than anything else, I just concentrated on all the happy times that I had spent with khushi. Her smile, her radiant, cherubic face, her positivity, her cute blushes and the flash of intuition in her beautiful eyes whenever she saw through my pretenses.

That distracted me a bit, and filled me with a renewed vigour and positivity. I wasn’t going to lose my khushi! I wouldn’t allow that!

I happily drowned in khushi’s memory and each blissful moment made me realize how unconditionally and irrevocably I loved her. I absolutely cherished her!

How had I ever thought that maybe she was a mere crush...a childish infatuation! I myself had insulted my love.

All of a sudden, the car came to a halt with a loud screech of breaks and I was jolted from my blissful oblivion to the painful reality. Khushi was still lost to us but we will find her soon! I resolved!

“Why are we stopping here? The signal is  coming from quite a distance from this place!” Akash asked baffled as he glanced at the screen of i-pad.

“Don’t be ridiculous Akash! That will warn those nutters and they will have a chance to escape which is the last thing which we want now!” I explained, before anyone else can so much as open their mouths and the C.B.I. officer gave me an appreciative look.

We all alighted from the car and so did the other police officers who had followed us.

“Alright! So, here’s the plan- the signal is coming from further east. We have to proceed very cautiously. Hide behind the trees and surround the place inconspicuously. Under no circumstances you are to fire without my order. We have got to get the child out, preferably before the firing starts. Make sure that none of the goons manage to escape. This case involves high-profile diplomatic ties with U.S.A , so under no circumstances we are to jeopardize this mission. I hope I’ve made myself clear?” The C.B.I. officer ordered, calling the gamut of armed policemen to order.

The men nodded and stealthily disappeared in the surrounding woods, except for a few who were to accompany the C.B.I. officer.

“Let’s go!” I said impatiently, starting to walk towards where the policemen had disappeared, but I was immediately yanked back.

“Where do you think you are going kid?” The officer growled.

I turned to glare at him furiously and met his eyes levelly. 

“Obviously I’m coming with you guys! You really can’t expect me to stay here?” I asked incredulously.

“Oh but that’s exactly you are going to do kid! Civilians aren’t allowed anywhere near such tight spots and this mission is too important to jeopardize due to a stubborn child anyway!Besides, though I admit that your ideas were really helpful till now, yet you couldn’t be allowed anywhere near that place. Its very dangerous! As for your friend, we’ll find her and get her back safe.” The officer said reasonably.

“Damn it! She ‘s my friend and...” I began furiously, but I was cut short by my di.

“Chote he’s right! If we go there, they will be burdened with our safety too. That will be a distraction. Let them go and save khushi. She is going to be fine! They’ll save her. If we go there, we’ll put khushi’s life at risk ourselves!” Di said, looking tearful, yet determined.

“Let them go chote. They can’t violate the protocol!” Jiju said solemnly, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I sighed in resignation as their logic worked on me. Still, the decision to stand here in perfect safety while I had to put my trust on total strangers though competent to bring her back to me, took all my will.

I watched painfully as the officers slithered in the surrounding labyrinthine of primordial trees.

Never a wait had been so painful! I paced anxiously back and forth, as I waited for some news, straining my ears for even the slightest of sound.

Akash and Payal leaned against the bonnet of the car, watching me pace around, my worried expression mirrored on that of their own faces.

Garima Aunty stood crying, while Shashi uncle and my di and jiju tried to calm her down in vain.

The feeling of despair and helplessness was so tangible that it almost felt as if we were smacked down in the seventh circle of Hades!

Gradually as the time passed, my anxiety grew and so did that of the others. When the gunshots started echoing horridly in the lush green valley, my anxiety got worse.

Each breath that I took involved a supreme effort of will and I didn’t even realize when I began to shake and hyperventilate!

“Hold on bhai! Khushi will be fine! She’s a tough girl and...” Akash began but his voice was drowned in loud sirens that nearly made us jump out of our skins in fright.

I wheeled around to find an ambulance speeding towards us and my honest blood froze! Somebody was hurt!

The ambulance screeched to a stop and we heard the oncoming din, the loud, frantic voices of several men as they rushed towards us.

Two ward boys jumped from the ambulance clutching a stretcher and ran towards the oncoming men. I ran after them, followed by others, a dreadful foreboding swelling inside me, making it almost difficult to breath.

A body was carefully laid on the stretcher and the ward boys immediately whipped around, carrying it to the ambulance, that’s when the face of the person lying on the stretcher came into my view.

My breath came out in a whoosh and my heart contracted painfully as if it had been mangled as the tears-stricken, bloodied face of khushi came in my view!