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“Please... Didi... Mamma-papa should not know about this... Please don’t tell this to them..” Dhatri pleaded worrying about her parents.

“Didi.. promise me... please...” she chocked with her throat hurting...! Disha fell silent...!

“Dhatri....” her mamma called out and “Didi.. bye.. mamma will come anytime.. please don’t tell this to them...” Dhatri disconnected and Disha on the other end dropped her cell. 

“What have I done?” she thought regretting that she had called her parents first.  

********  ******  *********

“Dhaa...” Nilima was at the door.  Dhatri looked up folding her duvet neatly.

“Chai... Tea is ready..” Dhatri came out of her room with her mumma.  Surprisingly her mamma didn’t do her ritual by asking her whether she got a call...! Dhatri looked up sitting at the table.  Salil was pretending to read the news paper and Nilima busied herself with the household work.  Laxumbai was in the backyard plucking flowers for pooja.  Dhatri had her tea silently.  Salil kept glancing at her through the news paper.  

“Kya banau aaj? What do you want for lunch, Dhaa?” Nilima asked and Dhatri was surprised.  She was always told to eat whatever was served in her plate.  But today her mamma was asking about her choices.

“Aray Wah...! Mamma... You are asking me today? Wah.. Wah.. This calls for some sweet... so may be kheer?” Dhatri asked grinning.  Nilima turned her face to hide her tears.  She would do anything Dhatri had asked.  Her heart ached for her child.... suffering personified.   Salil kept the paper aside.

“Ok. Nilima I will get the breakfast. Omelet-bread from the railway station...” he said glancing at Dhatri and she shot up to her feet.

“Yes... Papa.. let us go..!” she was ready already.  Salil and Dhatri went out.  

********  *****  *********

“Bhanu...” Disha hugged sleeping Bhanu.

“Humm... Disha...” he turned in his sleep feeling her.

“Bhanu... I am worried...” She said and Bhanu didn’t respond. 

“So jao... Disha...” Bhanu wrapper her in his arms and she let out a faint sob.

“Don’t think too much, Disha, about Dhatri.  Think about your project...” Bhanu blurted in his sleep ...!

“Bhanu what do you think, will happen? Will Ravi be acquitted?” she asked raising her head.  Bhanu opened his eyes.

“Yes, I am sure, ..! He is not guilty... There may be technical irregularity but he is not a criminal...” Bhanu stressed on his response.

“I know...!” Disha said closing her eyes.  “Hope, Mamma papa are alright...!” she prayed with guilt.  “I should have called Dhaa first....” She turned and hid her face on sleeping Bhanu’s shoulder.  Bhanu stirred in his sleep a bit...! Disha had lost her sleep.

*****  ********  ********

“You can’t carry this inside...” Customs officer picked up the tiffin box tied in a cloth.  Rini fidgeted.  Her tour guide came hurriedly giving an angry look at her.

“Who asked you to carry this tin with you?” he asked and she stammered... “Woh... khana...”

“Shut up.. Let them do their duty...” He gestured at the security officers and they continued their search throwing the Tiffi box in the bin.  She looked away sighing... Her baggage was cleared...! The sirens hooted out and the red alert panicked the passengers.  A few were weeded out and taken into custody by the Airport Authority Security personnel.  Mehrunnissa was one of them !... The tour guide blatantly disowned her, when inquired further.  

She was moved out of the Airport, hand cuffed, no one knew where she was taken...! 

**********  ********  ******

“Hello... Dhaa... I am in a bus... I will call you later...” Poorva shouted over the noise and Dhatri disconnected her phone.  

“Humm... “ she sighed dejected.  All the three of her gang had dispersed.  Suresh and Poorva had joined IBM in Bangalore.  Ragini was in Delhi working in Wipro and Dhatri was al alone.  Suddenly she felt exposed.  Her shielding support system was taken away.  Her old fear dealing with strangers surfaced and she grew panic.  She badly needed someone....! She had called poorva with hope.  She would suggest the best solution.  But it seemed that her gang had no time for her.  They all were busy with their life and had moved on.

“I am the only one ... stationery...! not moving an inch...in my life..” she clutched her head, unable to think anything.  The complexity was overwhelming...! She had always tried to keep her life simple, uncomplicated, all sorted out.  But the more she tried to keep it simple, it became more complicated and hard to manage...! Her Rini didi would have sorted out everything....! But where was she?  That damn joint military exercise had taken her away from Dhatri, with no communication at all.  Dhatri banged her forehead losing her heart.  

“Mamma... papa should not know about Ravi’s problem...” was her only priority but she didn’t know what to do next to assure her parents that she was serious about her marriage and her relationship.  That would give them some respite...! Hours passed in just thinking about the solution...~!

“Dhaa.... come... lunch is ready...” Laxumbai came into her room and she got up with heavy heart and lead filled legs...! 

Her phone rang...!  “Hey... big sister...” Afroz cirped and Dhatri smiled happily.

“I am waiting outside...” Afroz gave her shock.

“Where?” Dhatri asked stupidely.  “Outside your house... open the door...” Afroz ordered yelling and Dhatri ran to open the door.

“Oh! Big sister...!” Afroz trapped her into a bear hug and Dhatri suffocated.

“Stop...” She pushed Afroz away and Afroz grinned.  

“Oh! I missed you all so much...” she again tried to hug Dhatri.

“Mamma, Afroz...” Dhatri shouted turning her face towards kitchen and Salil came out.

“Hello uncle..” Afroz tried to greet in what she thought to be a polite voice.  Salil nodded.  Afroz had lunch with them...

“You know...? Poorva had called... she asked me to visit you...” Afroz said and Dhatri fell silent.  Poorva had disconnected her phone deep in thoughts.  “Dhaa wouldn’t call at this hour unless there is some problem” She had thought gravely.  Her training had started and she wouldn’t get time till evening.  Dhaa’s problem wouldn’t wait till evening.  She had called up Afroz and asked her to visit Dhatri.  Afroz had bunked the college and had come to Vidisha....! 

“I am in a big mess, I believe...” Dhatri told what had happened with Ravi.  

“What are you waiting for? You should be there with him...” Afroz spoke at once and Dhatri gaped at her.  “You think I should go?” she asked and Afroz nodded.

“Yes, you should.  He needs you...” Afroz said and Dhatri hung her head.  She was not sure about that.  She always thought, Ravi married her out of sympathy... ! 

“He said I give him strength...!” she thought remembering when Ravi was talking to her parents a day before their wedding....! 

“Humm....” she sighed.  “How?” she asked.

“How?” Afroz was surprised with that stupid question.

“How, Big sister? Just buy the ticket and go..” her solution was simple.

“Duffer... I don’t have a VISA” Dhatri pointed out at the difficulty.

“Then apply for one...” Afroz had solution to that also, equally stupid.

“Wait....” She pulled Dhatri’s laptop.  

“See... here is document list... you need for VISA interview.  Let me check the available dates and slots...” Afroz took over the control.

“Marriage certificate?” she asked and Dhatri shook her head.  “Umm.. I mean... Rahman Uncle said he will take care of documents....” Dhatri said in a small voice.

“call him...” Afroz pointed at Dhatri’s cell.  Dhatri hesitated.  Afroz picked up her phone.

“Number?” she asked and Dhatri again hung her head shaking it.

“I don’t have it..” She said and Afroz banged on the table frustrated....!

“Papa has it..” Dhatri said and Afroz spat...

“Go get the number...” Dhatri dashed out of her room and came in after a while doomed.

“Papa is in the college....” Afroz gazed at Dhatri’s ashen face and took out her phone.

“Papa’s number...?” she asked and Dhatri blurted the number.

“Hallo uncle... This is Afroz.   Can I get Mr. Rahman Khan’s number ?... My grandfather  has some work with him...” Afroz said sincerely and smiled winking at Dhatri.  Dhatri looked down smiling.

“Humm... Number! Now call him...” Afroz folded her arms sliding the piece of paper.  As Dhatri pressed the number keys... she grew panic...! Afroz looked at her panic state.

“He... hello... Dh.... Dhatri ...!” Dhaa stammered. 

“Haan... Bolo beti..” the encouraging voice gave her some strength...!

“Mi... mi.. milanaa thaa...!” she gathered all her courage.

“Ok.  I will come to your place in the evening...” Rahman said.

“N..No...” Dhatri blurted at once.  Rahman waited...

“I... I will come...” she said looking at Afroz and she nodded.

“Ok, beti... I will send the car...” he said and spoke in panic.

“N..No.. I will come...” he wondered at her hesitation to accept her elated status...!

Dhatri disconnected and looked up at Afroz.  Her phone range again...

“Beti... ?” he asked.   “Rajoria hotel.” Afroz prompted her. 

“Ok.  In two hours..” He said looking at the time ...

Within fifteen minutes both were out on Afroz’s Royal Enfield.  Nilima stood at the door seeing Dhatri going away.  Dhatr’s happiness was what she wanted.. nothing else....!

********   *****  ******

It was a test of her endurance when Rini was transferred to the prison for drug trafficking.  Hashish and marijuana was found in her vanity bag with few bullets and a loaded gun...! Her tour guide had sacrificed her for the others and the remaining 44 would reach India safely and would soon be on their various destinations all over India, bidding their right time to strike and flee...!

“What rubbish...!” The customs officer threw the tiffin tin into the waste bucket.  

“Yeah...! Some shit...!” he picked up to examine.  Nothing important... some stale food and a soiled piece of cloth...! The customs officer turned to the other passanger and he pocketed the cloth smiling inwardly...! 

She knew... they were monitored 24 X 7 in this so called prison only for women controlled by men security officers, where the brutality had reached its limit...! The women were dragged in the night for the hedous gratification of the prison security personnel...!  Every time a girl was picked up and Rini’s blood boiled.  She was waiting for her turn... but it seemed, that she was treated specially, nicely for some unknown reason.  She wondered...! But soon realized that her vanity bag had revealed a prescription of medicines for HIV positive drugs...!  Blood samples were taken and it was confirmed....! 

“Chal.... someone ordered her and she woke up with a start... “Doctor...” she was pushed with the butt of the rifle and taken to the office where there was routine check up  of the so called prisoners to show that these prisoners were taken good care of...! 

“Lait jao...!” The doctor ordered and she gaped in disbelief....! 

“Do... Doctor?” she was unable to comprehend...! “What was he doing there?” She read his nameplate...! “Dr. Hamid Kazi..!

“Dr. Krishnamurthy who had treated Vinit in the hospital was staring back at her...!” she closed her eyes... hoping it to be only her dream. 

“Turn on your back..” he was checking her asking her to breathe in and out...!

“Dual employment.....” he winked bending over her.  She was amazed.  How could he do that? Dual employment? What the hell?” She was unable to get the picture....!

He was Colonel in Indian Army in charge of the military hospital in Delhi.  She observed his face... the beard and a deep cut mark on his eyebrow reveled... master of disguise...!

“What are you doing here?” she hissed breathing in.  

“Shut up...!” he punched her right in her tummy and she groaned in excrutiating pain...!

“He will join you soon...!” he said in a bare whisper...!

“Who?” it was hight of stupidity to ask such questions...!

“Vikram...” came the answer and she winced in shock.  He will take it from there...!” he turned to his table...!

“Does this mean, Major Vikram too had a dual employment? How many have this special status...?” She clutched her head not wanting to believe what she had just seen.  If this could happen in here... it could happen in Indian Army too...! she had a knot in her stomach....!

“No... not possible... there is always a thorough background check before recruitment...” she dismissed her grave thought and waited for further orders...!