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Dhatri came out into the corridors only to be stopped by the rector...! 

“What are you doing here, this late?” she asked sternly and Dhatri lost her speech. She only gulped a lot of air in fright.

“Go back to your room...!” Rector drove her away.  Dhatri came back. That weird feeling of the pull didn’t allow her to sleep.  “Who is calling me so desperately?” she thought...

“Nanu? Why did I think it was Nanu?” she didn’t know.  She didn’t have the means to find out.  She wiped her cheeks feeling them wet.  She had hardly cried in her life, as if her tears were all dried out...! But this time even she didn’t realize, she was crying and tears were rolling down her cheeks...! 

“Humm... exam blues...!” she consoled herself pulling the blanket over her head.  Hazy, floating faces disturbed her sleep...! Theory papers, backlog, her foolish challenge and her bossy Disha Didi built up her tension and anxiety....! She always had anxiety problem... she lost sleep... her peace of mind... her rationale all were weakened.  To top it all, her Rini Didi was unreachable...!! Dhatri just couldn’t bear it all...! She clutched her blanket not wanting to see the world outside....!

*****  *****

“Humm... Finally going away....!” Rini sighed closing her trunk meticulously packed all her belongings inside.  

“I am sorry, Dhaa.... I can’t help you...! Fight your own battle...!” she said looking at the missed calls from Dhatri.  It was time for her to move on.  

“Tomorrow I will be in a different world... My world... !” she thought pushing the heavy trunk in the corner... !

..................

“Please Dharini... Contact immediately.. I know you are leaving Khemkaran...!” Vinit desperately sent another message on blind eyes...! He knew she would ignore this message too.  

“Please.. for God sake, meet me once, Rini...!” he typed another one.  Rini ignored all his messages...! “Goodbye...!” she finally typed and switched off her cell. 

The morning was pretty hectic... the handing over, the goodbyes, the shake hands, the hugs, the sweet parting words echoed everywhere for Rini.  She was finally going on her mission.  “Ambala, for a weeks training and then to US for joing exercises....!”

“Madam...!” She looked up at the sentry and understood that she was summoned ... She wore her shoes and marched towards Brig. Randhawa’s office. 

“Dharini Dixit... there is a change...!” he accepted her salute and responded seriously.  She waited for her orders...! Few more officers walked in and the cabin converted into a meeting room. 

Brig. Randhawa was very brief... Three Paramedics stranded in the worst hit areas of Afghanistan by Talibanies, were to be rescued.  MI had the information and location. 

“You will be visiting as accompanying journalists reporters for the UN convoy and will wait for further instructions...” Randhawa had abruptly stopped.  She nodded with the other three officers.  Mission Nursing was kicked off.  Two females and one Male nurse were to be rescued with other Indian staff of 34 people...! They had no time even to collect their belongings....! Their communication equipments were replaced by MI communication phones...! Rini forgot everything... That she had a break up, that she had a family, a sister badly waiting for her ....

*************   ***********  ********

“What?” Vinit was shocked.  “Why?” he asked aghast.  There was no answer from the other side.. 

“Why are they sending her? She is not even trained in undercover combat... What if she is caught?” he asked aloud.

“Then they will disown her.... Her records are already been sorted out... !” said the other person over the phone.  Vinit clutched the armrest of his wheel chair...! For a brief while, there was a silence from both the sides...!

“Ok. Thanks for the information...! I will handle it...!” Vinit said firmly and disconnected.  He was to find out who was behind this and why was she chosen for the mission....! These undercover operations were very risky and if caught the Indian Army had no other alternative that to disown the person wiping off all the records of the persons working so...! Rini was chosen for the mission with three more officers, all of them equally inexperienced in undercover combat and rescue operations...! Vinit floundered with rage.  He must find out who was behind this....!

*********  ********  ******

“Hey... Exams over?” Afroz stood in her way back to hostel.  Dhatri looked up... for a fleeting second fear appeared in her eyes and the next moment, looking away she changed her route. 

“Remember the challenge?” Afroz yelled contemptuously and Dhatri looked back at her. 

“Yes..!” she said stopping.  

“When?” Afroz asked thumping her hands on her hips.

“You fix up...!” Dhatri said sounding careless...Afroz thought for a while and said

“Ok.  I will fix up the time...!” Afroz yelled back and they parted their ways.  Dhatri came to her room and looking at her reddened face, Poorva raised her eyebrows..

“N..Nothing... That firsty...!” Dhatry said throwing her bag on the bed.  Poorva kept her eyebrows still raised.  Dhatri looked at her tentatively and said... “she is fixing the date for the challenge...!” Poorva suddenly became serious...

“Dhaa... “ she sat up.  “Do we have any means to practice?” she asked and Dhatri pouted her lower lip shrugging...! She didn’t know.  She sat on the bed deep in thoughts... started rocking nervously.... fidgeted.... and then said at once...

“Meditation....!” Poorva dropped her book.  “What?” she asked.  “You think, meditation can replace the practice?” she shook Dhatri angrily.

“No... but it will give me mental peace...!” Dhatri said slightly smiling.  Poorav gaped and then turned away hopelessly.  “Tera kuch nahi ho sakata Dhaa....!” she went out of the room.  Dhatri pulled something from her bag and looked at it satisfyingly.  She had sneaked in peanuts and had them all to herself.  She chomped happily humming...

“Whatever will be will be...

            Future is not ours to see....

K sera sera....”