Mumbai,
Evening,
Rawte mansion,
Neha sat on the wooden swing in her room, sipping Irish coffee and listening to music. "You don't need to knock on an open door, bhaiya!" Neha turned and got down from the swing, while Arjun stood at the door, put his hand in pocket.
Arjun asked the usual question, "How do you always know that I am here without even looking around?"
Neha grinned and winked, "Neha's secret! By the way, you brought Rocky?"
"Yes. Now may I ask what made you change your mind and let me keep Rocky with me?" Arjun asked the obvious question.
"Please sit." She led him in and they sat on couch, "Bhaiya, I realised that I had been very foolish. I was upset and angry with Rocky but then my demand was just irrational. And you didn't even stop me or make me realise my mistake. You don't need to blindly follow whatever I say! Use mind of your own, sometimes at least. Tell me, would you really jump off a cliff if I asked you to do so?"
Arjun looked at her plainly, "Now do I take this silence as a yes?"
He smiled, "Surely."
"Oh please bhaiya, don't do that ever! I may say anything, you know I'm so stupid, you can't just blindly follow all my words!"
"Doll, if you say something, it must be good for me, or why would you say it? And you are not at all stupid, but the most brilliant girl I've ever seen."
"That day you talked of safety and security, had Rocky been there at your house that day, probably Roshni bhabhi would have been alive today. Just because I said that I didn't want Rocky in the house, you sent him away. Now I feel guilty for saying that. I feel responsible for her murder. I..."
Arjun silenced her, "Shh, that's not your mistake. Don't feel guilty for something which you have got nothing to do with. It was my mistake. If only I had taken that threat seriously..."
"Which threat?"
He looked at her and changed his answer, "Please stay out of it Neha, it will be good for you." Neha thought, Sorry, but that's not possible now, I'm already in.' Arjun remembered, "Do you know, Akshat has gifted a puppy to you?"
Neha's eyes gleamed with excitement, "Where's it?"
"Playing in the lawn."
Neha placed her mug on table and rushed out, Arjun following close behind. "Aww, it's so cute!" Neha said as she picked it up and cuddled it.
"You want to keep her with you?"
"Of course! I'll call Akshat da and thank him for this sweet gift. She's a cute little bitch!"
Arjun said uncomfortably, "Please don't use that word, it sounds so..."
"Why? Like, a boy, a girl. A dog, a bitch! What's wrong in that?" She said coolly. Arjun gave her you-are-impossible' look. She exclaimed suddenly, "Oh hell!"
"What happened?"
She made a sad face, "My Irish coffee must have gone all cold by now!"
"Heat it up again, or make new one if you want." Arjun suggested, "Shall I make it for you?"
Neha told the recipe instantly, "Heat two parts of Irish hot coffee, one part Irish whiskey, one teaspoonful brown sugar, pour into mug, and then top it with one and half parts of thick cold cream."
Arjun was surprised, "Whiskey? Why?"
"It's a cocktail! Now tell me whether you're making it for me or shall I help myself?"
"Neha, are you serious? Like you are really drinking whiskey?"
"Yes!" Neha said in a carefree tone, "Now please don't lecture about health or any other thing, I'm not at all interested." She turned to leave but Arjun stopped her.
"This is very serious, how can you sound so carefree? Is this what you learnt in London?"
She made a puppy face, "No lecture pleej!"
Arjun was irritated, "Neha!"
"Bhaiya, pleej, no lecture." She made a cute face and pleaded to let go.
He warned her, "Last time." She walked away, while Arjun stood dazed.
~
Monday morning,
ETF office,
The ETF team was sitting in the conference room, completing some pending works.
Shree called everyone's attention, "Sir, there's a mail from Commissioner Sir."
Sameer looked at the screen, "Read."
Shree read out the mail, "There's a new member joining as a criminal psychologist and research specialist. But sir, there are no more details like who is joining and when, nothing."
Sameer took his cell phone, "I'll talk to Commissioner Sir."
"I don't think there's a need to do that." All eyes turned towards the soft yet confident voice, of the ever magnificent Neha Rawte. Sameer coughed and Arjun choked on his cutting chai, while the rest of the team just looked on astounded.
He smiled, "Surely."
"Oh please bhaiya, don't do that ever! I may say anything, you know I'm so stupid, you can't just blindly follow all my words!"
"Doll, if you say something, it must be good for me, or why would you say it? And you are not at all stupid, but the most brilliant girl I've ever seen."
"That day you talked of safety and security, had Rocky been there at your house that day, probably Roshni bhabhi would have been alive today. Just because I said that I didn't want Rocky in the house, you sent him away. Now I feel guilty for saying that. I feel responsible for her murder. I..."
Arjun silenced her, "Shh, that's not your mistake. Don't feel guilty for something which you have got nothing to do with. It was my mistake. If only I had taken that threat seriously..."
"Which threat?"
He looked at her and changed his answer, "Please stay out of it Neha, it will be good for you." Neha thought, Sorry, but that's not possible now, I'm already in.' Arjun remembered, "Do you know, Akshat has gifted a puppy to you?"
Neha's eyes gleamed with excitement, "Where's it?"
"Playing in the lawn."
Neha placed her mug on table and rushed out, Arjun following close behind. "Aww, it's so cute!" Neha said as she picked it up and cuddled it.
"You want to keep her with you?"
"Of course! I'll call Akshat da and thank him for this sweet gift. She's a cute little bitch!"
Arjun said uncomfortably, "Please don't use that word, it sounds so..."
"Why? Like, a boy, a girl. A dog, a bitch! What's wrong in that?" She said coolly. Arjun gave her you-are-impossible' look. She exclaimed suddenly, "Oh hell!"
"What happened?"
She made a sad face, "My Irish coffee must have gone all cold by now!"
"Heat it up again, or make new one if you want." Arjun suggested, "Shall I make it for you?"
Neha told the recipe instantly, "Heat two parts of Irish hot coffee, one part Irish whiskey, one teaspoonful brown sugar, pour into mug, and then top it with one and half parts of thick cold cream."
Arjun was surprised, "Whiskey? Why?"
"It's a cocktail! Now tell me whether you're making it for me or shall I help myself?"
"Neha, are you serious? Like you are really drinking whiskey?"
"Yes!" Neha said in a carefree tone, "Now please don't lecture about health or any other thing, I'm not at all interested." She turned to leave but Arjun stopped her.
"This is very serious, how can you sound so carefree? Is this what you learnt in London?"
She made a puppy face, "No lecture pleej!"
Arjun was irritated, "Neha!"
"Bhaiya, pleej, no lecture." She made a cute face and pleaded to let go.
He warned her, "Last time." She walked away, while Arjun stood dazed.
~
Monday morning,
ETF office,
The ETF team was sitting in the conference room, completing some pending works.
Shree called everyone's attention, "Sir, there's a mail from Commissioner Sir."
Sameer looked at the screen, "Read."
Shree read out the mail, "There's a new member joining as a criminal psychologist and research specialist. But sir, there are no more details like who is joining and when, nothing."
Sameer took his cell phone, "I'll talk to Commissioner Sir."
"I don't think there's a need to do that." All eyes turned towards the soft yet confident voice, of the ever magnificent Neha Rawte. Sameer coughed and Arjun choked on his cutting chai, while the rest of the team just looked on astounded.
Neha looked at everyone's expressions confusedly and then pulled out her cell from her pocket and used it like a mirror, "I don't look like an alien or ghost, do I?" She asked everyone, "Hello?! Bloody..."
"Language!" Came combined voices of Arjun and Sameer.
"Oh, thank God! I thought you guys were in some dreamland or see a ghost in me. I was so scared you know!"
Sameer gave an impossible' look to her, "Cut off the drama, say why you are here again?"
"Now, you'll see me here every day, till I'm alive, of course!"
Arjun looked annoyed, "What do you mean?"
Neha sighed, "I've joined ETF." She forwarded appointment letter to Sameer, from Commissioner. He read the letter and then looked at her, "Please tell me you are playing April fool's prank well in advance!"
She gave unbelievable' look, "No. This is damn serious. And I am sick of being disbelieved. This letter has been duly stamped and signed by the Commissioner of Mumbai, himself. And if you still don't believe, do whatever you feel like." She said in a dangerously low voice.
"Language!" Came combined voices of Arjun and Sameer.
"Oh, thank God! I thought you guys were in some dreamland or see a ghost in me. I was so scared you know!"
Sameer gave an impossible' look to her, "Cut off the drama, say why you are here again?"
"Now, you'll see me here every day, till I'm alive, of course!"
Arjun looked annoyed, "What do you mean?"
Neha sighed, "I've joined ETF." She forwarded appointment letter to Sameer, from Commissioner. He read the letter and then looked at her, "Please tell me you are playing April fool's prank well in advance!"
She gave unbelievable' look, "No. This is damn serious. And I am sick of being disbelieved. This letter has been duly stamped and signed by the Commissioner of Mumbai, himself. And if you still don't believe, do whatever you feel like." She said in a dangerously low voice.
Sameer called Commissioner, and Arjun read the letter and re-read it, still not believing. Neha looked at their expressions and was irritated, "Why don't you guys believe what I am saying? There's no rocket science in it. How? When? Why? Where? Later on please."
There was a new case and the centre of focus shifted to it.
~
A week later,
The day of Holi,
Rawte mansion,
Early in the morning,
Rahul went in Arjun's room, "Bhai!" Arjun quickly opened his eyes, "Yes Rahul"
Rahul wished and applied gulaal on his face, "Happy Holi, bhai!" Arjun wished him back and also applied some gulaal on his cheeks. "Bhai, I've got a plan!"
There was a new case and the centre of focus shifted to it.
~
A week later,
The day of Holi,
Rawte mansion,
Early in the morning,
Rahul went in Arjun's room, "Bhai!" Arjun quickly opened his eyes, "Yes Rahul"
Rahul wished and applied gulaal on his face, "Happy Holi, bhai!" Arjun wished him back and also applied some gulaal on his cheeks. "Bhai, I've got a plan!"
"What?"
Rahul revealed his devious plan and both brothers high-fived each-other, "Wonderful, this time doll will know how it feels upon getting tricked."
"Come."
Both stood outside Neha's room with fistful of colours in their hands and stock kept ready behind. Arjun called out in the sweetest possible voice, "Neha!"
Inside the room, Neha had been in her sweet sleep which was disturbed, she voiced out sleepily, "What?"
They could barely hear her voice, so Rahul called her again, "Teddy-bear, you sleeping?"
Neha chided him mentally, No, I'm playing football!' She slowly got up from her bed, gently slipped her feet in soft furry white slippers, put on her silk robe, and rubbed her sleepy eyes and walked towards the door in half sleepy and half drunk manner. She looked at the clock which showed 5:30 a.m. "What's wrong early in the morning?" She spoke in drowsy voice.
They heard her and took their positions leaning across the walls on each side. She opened the door and came out and before she could even breathe, Arjun and Rahul smeared her in gulaal and screamed, "Happy Holi!!"
Both stood outside Neha's room with fistful of colours in their hands and stock kept ready behind. Arjun called out in the sweetest possible voice, "Neha!"
Inside the room, Neha had been in her sweet sleep which was disturbed, she voiced out sleepily, "What?"
They could barely hear her voice, so Rahul called her again, "Teddy-bear, you sleeping?"
Neha chided him mentally, No, I'm playing football!' She slowly got up from her bed, gently slipped her feet in soft furry white slippers, put on her silk robe, and rubbed her sleepy eyes and walked towards the door in half sleepy and half drunk manner. She looked at the clock which showed 5:30 a.m. "What's wrong early in the morning?" She spoke in drowsy voice.
They heard her and took their positions leaning across the walls on each side. She opened the door and came out and before she could even breathe, Arjun and Rahul smeared her in gulaal and screamed, "Happy Holi!!"
She pressed her ears tight, "Please don't shout in my ears! And what's this?" She looked at her robe which had turned all red-pink instead of pristine white. Both of them almost squeezed her into a hug, "Let me breathe!"
Rahul said parting, "Come on."
Neha asked unaware, "Where to?"
Arjun held her hand and led, "Just come!"
They both almost dragged her towards the lawn and played all the pranks that they had planned, and stopped only when she had almost began to cry. Rahul rebuked her, "Teddy! Stop making fuss, it's Holi today and we've just played a few pranks, which you always did. Don't cry for it now!"
She looked at them angrily, "I hate you!"
"But we love you!" Both of them said unanimously.
~
At the cricket ground, a Holi party had been organised by the Home Minister. There were tight security arrangements as a bomb threat' was issued and the city was on high-alert, ETF team was given the responsibility for the safety. The bomb squad, dog squad, local police and backup forces were in action.
Everything was going smooth until noon, when some suspicious activities were noted near the stalls of colours. Neha had been keeping a close watch on the stalls when she noticed familiar eyes and immediately recognised them, but the face was smeared with colours so she still doubted her suspicions. Those eyes spotted her and then turned to other way then looked back at her and the same place again. She tried to understand what he was trying to convey and suddenly realised it.
She reached the place which those eyes had signalled to and called the dog squad and bomb squad after finding a bomb planted under a table in the stall. Neha searched for those eyes again but couldn't spot them. She felt restless and went out to search him, the owner of those deep brown eyes.
Rahul said parting, "Come on."
Neha asked unaware, "Where to?"
Arjun held her hand and led, "Just come!"
They both almost dragged her towards the lawn and played all the pranks that they had planned, and stopped only when she had almost began to cry. Rahul rebuked her, "Teddy! Stop making fuss, it's Holi today and we've just played a few pranks, which you always did. Don't cry for it now!"
She looked at them angrily, "I hate you!"
"But we love you!" Both of them said unanimously.
~
At the cricket ground, a Holi party had been organised by the Home Minister. There were tight security arrangements as a bomb threat' was issued and the city was on high-alert, ETF team was given the responsibility for the safety. The bomb squad, dog squad, local police and backup forces were in action.
Everything was going smooth until noon, when some suspicious activities were noted near the stalls of colours. Neha had been keeping a close watch on the stalls when she noticed familiar eyes and immediately recognised them, but the face was smeared with colours so she still doubted her suspicions. Those eyes spotted her and then turned to other way then looked back at her and the same place again. She tried to understand what he was trying to convey and suddenly realised it.
She reached the place which those eyes had signalled to and called the dog squad and bomb squad after finding a bomb planted under a table in the stall. Neha searched for those eyes again but couldn't spot them. She felt restless and went out to search him, the owner of those deep brown eyes.
She followed his trail and reached a deserted area, everyone from that area had been in the ground, busy playing Holi. She looked in all directions but lost him, "Bhau!" She called out, but in vain.
Arjun and Chotu, who had been following another suspicious man reached Neha, "Neha, what happened?"
"I... I just saw.. Bhau here." She told him.
Arjun looked at her in disbelief, "Do you even know what you are saying?"
Neha was frantic, "Yes, he was here, I saw him!"
Arjun scolded her, "Neha! What nonsense is this? How can Bhau come here? Bhau is dead. You must have seen someone else and mistook him to be our Bhau."
Neha looked at him enraged, "What do you think? I won't recognise my Bhau? Don't you dare say that again. Bhau is alive, get that?" She decided which way to go ahead but Arjun stopped her, "Stop it Neha, what are you trying to do? You won't be able to find Bhau, never. Let's go back and do our work. Come."
She pulled off her hand from his grip, "I have seen Bhau and I won't come back unless I find him. I don't care if you believe me or not, but I trust my eyes and I've seen those eyes and I'm sure that I know who they belong to."
Arjun and Chotu, who had been following another suspicious man reached Neha, "Neha, what happened?"
"I... I just saw.. Bhau here." She told him.
Arjun looked at her in disbelief, "Do you even know what you are saying?"
Neha was frantic, "Yes, he was here, I saw him!"
Arjun scolded her, "Neha! What nonsense is this? How can Bhau come here? Bhau is dead. You must have seen someone else and mistook him to be our Bhau."
Neha looked at him enraged, "What do you think? I won't recognise my Bhau? Don't you dare say that again. Bhau is alive, get that?" She decided which way to go ahead but Arjun stopped her, "Stop it Neha, what are you trying to do? You won't be able to find Bhau, never. Let's go back and do our work. Come."
She pulled off her hand from his grip, "I have seen Bhau and I won't come back unless I find him. I don't care if you believe me or not, but I trust my eyes and I've seen those eyes and I'm sure that I know who they belong to."
A gunshot was heard from the opposite direction, all three of them got into action, hiding behind walls and shooting in front. Arjun and Chotu moved from front, Neha took another lane from behind to cover all paths of escape.
Neha sprinted towards the sound of gunshots when she felt a tug on her arm and being pinned onto a wall, she saw those eyes again, "Bhau!" She sighed in relief.
He silenced her, "Shh, learn to keep your mouth shut. Don't publicize everything that you see. Don't tell about me to anyone, not even Arjun. Our secret, okay?"
"Bhau," She said, controlling her tears.
Aryan looked at her, "Neha you need to stay strong, I'll keep in touch with you but no one else should know about it."
Neha agreed, "Alright!"
Aryan said, "Now leave." Neha walked towards right, "Go towards left." She nodded and left.
After walking towards another end of lane, Neha heard a voice, "Stop there." A male voice commanded, "What was Aahil telling you?"
Neha sprinted towards the sound of gunshots when she felt a tug on her arm and being pinned onto a wall, she saw those eyes again, "Bhau!" She sighed in relief.
He silenced her, "Shh, learn to keep your mouth shut. Don't publicize everything that you see. Don't tell about me to anyone, not even Arjun. Our secret, okay?"
"Bhau," She said, controlling her tears.
Aryan looked at her, "Neha you need to stay strong, I'll keep in touch with you but no one else should know about it."
Neha agreed, "Alright!"
Aryan said, "Now leave." Neha walked towards right, "Go towards left." She nodded and left.
After walking towards another end of lane, Neha heard a voice, "Stop there." A male voice commanded, "What was Aahil telling you?"
Neha looked at him and smiled, then pulled out her gun and shot him at point blank, "You knew a secret of mine, which you shouldn't. Rest in peace." She said as she checked his pulse and confirmed his death.
Arjun and Chotu reached there and saw blood spluttered on her face, she was busy checking his pockets for any clues but there was nothing except an old cell phone, "Who uses this model now?" She commented.
Arjun looked at her unsurely, "Neha, are you fine?"
"Yeah! Wonderful!" Neha asked coolly, "And you were right, I was mistaken. There was someone else. Now shall we go back?"
Arjun said, "Yes."
~
Arjun looked at her unsurely, "Neha, are you fine?"
"Yeah! Wonderful!" Neha asked coolly, "And you were right, I was mistaken. There was someone else. Now shall we go back?"
Arjun said, "Yes."
~
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