Raat ka time tha.
Aarav apne office ki balcony me khada tha. Neeche city ki lights chamak rahi thi, lekin uske dimaag me sirf ek hi cheez chal rahi thi.
Vivaan.
Teen saal ho gaye the usse dekhe hue. Sab log bolte the ki Vivaan pagal ho gaya hai… lekin Aarav kabhi is baat par yakeen nahi kar paaya.
Usse pata tha.
Uska bhai pagal nahi tha.
Kisi ne usse pagal banaya tha.
Aur uska naam tha…
Raghav Malhotra.
Aarav ne apni fist tight kar li.
"Main tujhe chhodunga nahi Raghav…" usne dheere se kaha.
Tabhi uska phone vibrate hua.
Unknown number.
Aarav ne call uthaya.
Dusri taraf kuch seconds tak silence tha.
Phir ek dheemi si awaaz aayi.
"Tum apne bhai ko dekhna chahte ho?"
Aarav ka dil ek second ke liye ruk gaya.
"Kaun bol raha hai?" usne gusse me poocha.
Awaaz phir se aayi.
"Question mat poochho. Agar Vivaan ko dekhna hai… to aaj raat 12 baje old warehouse aao."
Call cut.
Aarav kuch seconds tak phone ko dekhta raha.
Uske dimaag me ek hi baat ghoom rahi th.
Vivaan zinda hai..
___________________________________________
Dusri taraf.
City ke ek dark warehouse me.
Ek chair par ek aadmi baitha tha.
Uske haath chains se bandhe hue the.
Uske baal bikhre hue the aur aankhon me ajeeb si khaali nazar thi.
Wo dheere dheere khud se kuch bol raha tha.
"Wo aa raha hai…"
"Bhai aa raha hai…"
Ye tha…
Vivaan.
Uske saamne khada tha ek tall aadmi.
Black suit.
Cold smile.
Raghav malhotra.
Usne Vivaan ki taraf dekh kar halka sa hansa.
"Tumhara bhai bahut loyal hai."
Vivaan ne dheere se sar uthaya.
Uski aankhon me ek ajeeb sa dard tha.
"Tum… galti kar rahe ho…"
Raghav ki smile aur wide ho gayi.
"Galti?"
"Main to sirf game khel raha hoon."
Usne apni watch check ki.
"Bas kuch ghanto me Aarav yaha hoga."
Phir usne guard ki taraf mudkar kaha.
"Sab ready hai?"
Guard ne sir hila diya.
"Ji sir. Trap ready hai."
Raghav ki aankhon me dangerous shine aa gayi.
"Perfect."
___________________________________________
Udhar.
Naina apne room me thi.
Uska dimaag abhi bhi disturbed tha.
Usse samajh nahi aa raha tha ki Aarav par bharosa kare ya nahi.
Aarav uska husband tha…
Lekin sach ye bhi tha ki wo uske enemy family se tha.
Tabhi uska phone vibrate hua.
Ek message.
Unknown number.
Naina ne message open kiya.
Uski aankhen shock se wide ho gayi.
Message me ek photo tha.
Ek aadmi chair se bandha hua.
Aur uske neeche likha tha:
"Ager Aarav ko bachana hai... To usse warehouse jaane se roko".
Naina ka dil tez dhadakne laga.
"Warehouse…?" usne dheere se kaha.
Tabhi usse yaad aaya.
Aaj raat Aarav ne bola tha ki usse important meeting ke liye bahar jaana hai.
Uske dimaag me ek hi thought aaya.
Aarav danger me hai.
___________________________________________
Raat ke 11:50.
Aarav ki car warehouse ke paas ruk gayi.
Purani building.
Andhera.
Har jagah silence.
Aarav car se bahar nikla.
Usne aas paas dekha.
Sab kuch suspicious lag raha tha.
Lekin usse farak nahi padta tha.
Agar Vivaan andar hai…
to wo zaroor jayega.
Aarav dheere dheere warehouse ke andar chala gaya.
Andar sirf ek dim light jal rahi thi.
Aur us light ke neeche…
ek chair.
Us chair par ek aadmi baitha tha.
Aarav ki saanse ruk gayi.
"Vivaan…?"
Usne dheere se kaha.
Chair par baitha aadmi dheere dheere sar uthata hai.
Uski aankhen Aarav par tik jaati hain.
Aur phir…
Wo muskurata hai.
Lekin wo smile normal nahi thi.
Wo…
dangerous thi.
Tabhi peeche se clapping ki awaaz aayi.
Aarav turant mud gaya.
Darkness me se ek aadmi bahar aaya.
Black suit.
Cold smile.
Raghav Malhotra.
"Welcome, Aarav."
Aarav ki aankhen gusse se bhar gayi.
"Raghav…"
Raghav dheere dheere uske paas aaya.
"Tumhe pata hai mujhe sabse zyada kya pasand hai?"
Aarav chup raha.
Raghav ne Vivaan ki taraf ishara kiya.
"Broken people."
Aarav ne Vivaan ko dekha.
Uska bhai… jo kabhi strong aur intelligent tha…
ab ek broken shadow lag raha tha.
Aarav ka gussa control se bahar ja raha tha.
"Tumne uske saath kya kiya?"
Raghav ki smile aur deep ho gayi.
"Bas… usse sach dikha diya."
Phir usne dheere se kaha.
"Jaise ab tumhe dikhane wala hoon."
Tabhi suddenly warehouse ke saare lights on ho gaye.
Aur Aarav ne jo dekha…
usne uska khoon thanda kar diya.
Har taraf armed men khade the.
Guns directly Aarav ki taraf pointed thi.
Raghav Aarav ke bilkul paas aakar ruk gaya.
Aur uske kaan ke paas dheere se bola—
"Game abbi shuru hua hai."
To ne contiuedTo be continued…