Trust nahi tha.
Lekin game chalana tha.
---
Car finally ruk gayi.
Ek purani factory ke bahar.
Jagah bilkul sunsaan thi.
Na lights… na awaaz…
sirf hawa ka halkasa shor.
---
Aarav ne dheere se door khola.
Uski aankhen turant surroundings scan karne lagi.
"Yeh jagah…?" usne poocha.
---
Vivaan ne engine band kiya.
"Raghav ka first task."
---
Aarav ne uski taraf dekha.
"Of course."
---
"Inside," Vivaan ne seedha kaha.
---
Dono dheere-dheere factory ke andar gaye.
Andar andhera tha…
lekin beech me ek single light jal rahi thi.
Aur us light ke neeche—
ek aadmi chair par bandha hua tha.
---
Aarav ruk gaya.
Uska dimag instantly alert ho gaya.
"Yeh kya hai?"
---
Vivaan ne seedha jawab diya—
"Target."
---
Silence.
---
Aarav dheere-dheere aage badha.
Usne us aadmi ka face dekha…
aur uska expression change ho gaya.
---
"Yeh… impossible hai."
---
Vivaan ne uski taraf dekha.
"Tum jaante ho ise?"
---
Aarav ne dheere se kaha—
"Yeh mere dad ka old accountant hai…"
---
Flash.
Past.
Files.
Deals.
Signatures.
---
Aarav ka dimag fast chalne laga.
"Yeh yaha kya kar raha hai?"
---
Tabhi—
piche se ek screen on hui.
---
Raghav.
Live.
---
"Good," uski awaaz goonji.
"Tum time par aa gaye."
---
Aarav ne seedha screen ki taraf dekha.
"Yeh sab kya hai?"
---
Raghav halka sa hasa.
"Simple."
---
"Yeh aadmi… sach jaanta hai."
---
Aarav ka heartbeat tez ho gaya.
"Kis baare me?"
---
Raghav dheere se bola—
"Tumhare father… aur Naina ke father ke beech jo deal toot gayi thi…"
---
Silence.
Heavy silence.
---
Aarav ne apni fists tight kar li.
"Continue."
---
Raghav ki smile aur deep ho gayi.
"Sach sunna hai?"
---
"Ya phir… wahi jhoot jeena hai jo tum 3 saal se jee rahe ho?"
---
Aarav chup raha.
Lekin uski aankhen sab bol rahi thi.
---
"Task simple hai," Raghav ne finally kaha—
"Isse khatam karo."
---
Meher ka naam us moment Aarav ke dimaag me flash hua.
Uski voice…
uska trust…
---
Aarav ka grip knife par tight ho gaya.
---
"Ya phir…" Raghav ne dheere se add kiya—
"Main Naina ko khatam kar dunga."
---
Silence.
Dead silence.
---
Aarav ne aankhen band ki.
Ek second.
Do second.
---
Phir usne dheere se kaha—
"Vivaan…"
---
Vivaan uski side me khada tha.
Chup.
---
"Tu jaanta hai na main kya karne wala hoon?" Aarav ne pucha.
---
Vivaan ne seedha jawab nahi diya.
Bas uski taraf dekhta raha.
---
Aarav aage badha.
Knife uthaya.
Aur us aadmi ke saamne ruk gaya.
---
Aadmi darr se kaap raha tha.
"Please… mujhe mat maaro…"
---
Aarav jhuk gaya.
Usne dheere se kaha—
"Sach kya hai?"
---
Aadmi ki aankhen phat gayi.
"Tumhare father… unhone deal break nahi ki thi…"
---
Aarav freeze.
---
"Unhe force kiya gaya tha…"
---
"Kaun?" Aarav ne turant pucha.
---
Aadmi ka muh khula…
lekin awaaz bahar nahi aayi.
---
Kyuki—
BANG!
---
Goli seedha uske sir me lagi.
Khoon.
Silence.
---
Aarav ne shock me mud kar dekha.
---
Vivaan.
Gun uske haath me.
---
Aarav ka gussa explode ho gaya.
"TU—"
---
Vivaan chillaya—
"Yeh bol deta toh Naina mar jaati!"
---
Silence.
---
Aarav ka dimag ruk gaya.
---
Screen par Raghav clap kar raha tha.
"Impressive."
---
"Lekin tum dono abhi bhi samajh nahi rahe…"
---
Aarav ne teeth grind kiye—
"Kya?"
---
Raghav ne dheere se kaha—
"Tumhare father ki story… abhi shuru hui hai."
---
Screen black.
---
Factory me sirf ek cheez bachi thi—
Khoon.
Aur sach ka ek tukda.
---
Aarav ne dheere se Vivaan ki taraf dekha.
"Ab tu mujhe sab batayega."
---
Vivaan ne sirf ek line boli—
"Sab nahi…"
---
"Bas utna… jitna tum survive kar sako."
---
Aarav ki aankhon me ab sirf ek cheez thi—
Revenge.
---
Aur iss baar…
target sirf Raghav nahi tha.
---
To be continued…
"Next chapter… past ka sach ek aur layer kholega."