NATION FIRST

“11:45 sharp” barked a voice from the other side of the line. “A minute late and you’ll be done forever. And yeah DON’T YOU DARE use that crafty brain of yours. Come alone, completely alone. No one else. Understood? ” He roared for the final time before the line went dead. All poor Sima could do was just barely manage a yes before the phone slipped from her trembling hands and her lower lip quivered. She closed her eyes and leaned against the phone booth before breaking down into a silent sob. She thought of Anshul, his bubbly smile and non-stop chattering. Oh how she missed her brother! That’s when a tight rap on the glass door broke her from her reverie. Officer Ragini stood outside. Resolute with unwavering audacity, she stood there prepared with the weapons tucked into her boots and the waistband of her khaki trousers and a few strapped around her calf. Sima dried her tears with the back of her hand and stepped out of the booth. It was ten at night. Darkness loomed above them as if challenging them while a crow cawed somewhere in the distance. Sima shuddered at the thought of the foreboding night. Tonight would decide her future. Whether she would be alive or…

 

“What did he say” asked Ragini. Sima shook her head. “The same thing. But he also threatened not to bring anyone else”. Her eyes widened with fear but Ragini waved nonchalantly muttering something like” typical threat”. “Do you think we can rescue Anshul?” Sima asked as her voice shook with uncertainty. Huffing she replied, “15 years of grueling training and back-breaking encounters has endowed me with the confidence that such a case would just be a cakewalk. But now we mustn’t squander anymore and stick to our plan.” Ragini closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She then she looked Sima directly in the eye and said, “Look, I know it is a very hard time for you. You must be completely baffled and to think that your brother has been kidnapped by some imbecile, lecherous man must be killing you from inside. But you mustn’t lose faith. Believe in me, believe on our police force and most importantly, believe in yourself. We can do it”. Ragini takes hold of Sima’s hand and leads her towards the other three officers.

 

(15 minutes later)

Sitting in the Bolero, Sima replayed the incident of last week in her mind while Ragini drove the jeep. It had been around five when Sima and her brother were playing in their family backyard. Their parents had gone to the hospital to meet their sick grandma. They had been playing cricket when Sima hit the ball hard and it went in the rose bushes. Anshul ran hastily towards the bushes and disappeared into the wilderness. It had been barely a minute when he let out a sharp yelp. Tossing the bat aside, Sima immediately rushed towards her brother. A thorn had pierced through the delicate skin of his ankle and it began to bleed profusely. Sima lifted him in her arms and made him sit on the porch. She told him to wait outside while she went inside to get the first aid kit. Rummaging through the drawers, she managed to find the kit and hurried back to her brother. But to her horror, she didn’t see him sitting on the porch. She called out his name and searched for him everywhere frantically but couldn’t find him anywhere. Her eyes began to water and she buckled under her knees. She couldn’t fathom where her brother could have gone in just a few minutes. That’s when a page came flying towards her and smacked in her face. She took it in her hands and began to read…

“My dear Sima, Oh don’t you know how much I admire you? Every time I seeing that charming smile and those piercing blue eyes of yours my heart takes over a million flips. I’ve always cared about you. Loved you. But what did you do? Spit right in my face when I confess to you. No my girl, this isn’t a right thing to do. You’ve made me angry now and shall pay the price as well. Bring me 5 lakhs on the 7th of next month if you care about your dearest Anshul. 11:45 pm sharp near goddess Kali’s temple. Waiting for you…”

 

“Sima! Sima! Get up” Ragini pulled her out of reverie once again.” We’ve reached. I’ve stationed all my officers around the temple. They are all in disguise so no one will be able to recognize. Just remember whatever we have instructed you to do. Stay calm and always remember that I’ve got your back” She gave her friendly pat before getting out of the Bolero. Sima looked at her watch. 11:35. she quickly scurried after the officer while tightly seizing the pouch containing 5 lakhs. Upon receiving the nod, she took a deep breath and climbed up the steps, towards the shrine. She closed her eyes and stood calmly over there. She then heard footsteps. 11:45 was the time. She turned around to see him grinning, standing a few inches away. He took out his shotgun and placed it behind her back while directing her towards a secluded store room behind the temple. Upon entering, she heard a whimpering somewhere in the corner. She immediately rushed towards the sound to find Anshul roped near a haystack. Embracing him in a secure hug she threw the pouch towards the man and told him to leave them both now. She began to carry her brother and take him away when he stopped her. “Where are you going my queen? Your debt is still pending” Shocked Sima replied that she had given the exact amount that was mentioned in the letter but he just shook his head. “There is still something left”. And with a cynical look he cornered her while loosening his belt. Sima immediately realized what he intended to do. No, this couldn’t happen. She had the dignity to maintain.

She couldn’t lose it just like that. She immediately remembered the way the heroines dealt with such a situation in a movie and with a newfound courage gave a swift kick in his gut and escaped from his grasp. That’s when officer Ragini and the others burst in with their rifles. With blood splattered everywhere and the officers gravely injured, they finally managed to grasp him a tight chokehold. He was a large and a bulky man who had put a hell lot of fight before being caught. Officer Ragini walked up to him and removed the scarf which covered his face. When she looked into those bloodshot eyes of his, she couldn’t help but gasp. She staggered backwards as she recognized the man in front of her. It was her own father. A father who killed his own wife and left his kids to starve. A man who had been convicted of numerous murders until now. The man who the police had been desperately searching for and had given orders to kill on spot if found. “Dad” she whispered. She was about to drop the rifle when she remembered all the injustice that he had done to the word, to her mother. She had to take revenge. The other officers on recognizing him ordered Ragini to shoot him at once. Her body shook convulsively as she slowly raised her weapon at him and poised it at his skull. Her heart told her to stop but she was a servant of justice. She placed her hand on the trigger and pulled it back. A deafening sound ricocheted the walls as her father fell down to his knees. She would be praised by the entire world now but his last words would be engraved in her soul forever.

“My dear Ragini, You’ve made me proud today. You may not be my true daughter, but you are a true daughter of Maa Bharat for sure…”