Present :

Huda : (distressed) Heyy...orderly..sun.
Ye..Capt Rajveer kaha hai?
Kabse unke kamre par tala laga hai...

(He had also noticed, Rajveer's name tag was missing from the side of the door.)

Orderly : Wo to...parso der raat ko unhe kahi jaate dekha tha. Bags bhi lekar gaye the.
Aur Brigadier Sir ne kaha aaj unke kamre se name tag hata kar, kamre ki safai karneko.
Aisa lagta hai unki posting change ho chuki hai.

The orderly left.
Huda stood there, stunned.
He was too late. Too late to apologise.

......

Raj had reached the Delhi headquarters by now.
Still unsure about his decision, he calmed himself, before knocking on the Colonel's door.

"Come in."

He looked up from his work.

Rajveer saluted, and stood at attention.

"At ease Captain."

It was apparent that there had been some communication earlier, between the two, on the matter to be discussed now. For the Colonel did not say a word, and Raj silently handed him a single folded document.

Col Chandra's eyes widened, shock written on his face, as he read it.

Rajveer was looking at him closely, to gauge his reaction.
After all, he couldn't trust anyone blindly now.
Not after what he found out.
Yet, seeing the colonel's reaction, he felt slightly assured. It had come as quite a shock.
Which meant one of two things, either he wasn't involved, or he was a damn good actor.

The colonel, still rendered speechless by shock, gestured Raj to a chair.

Raj sighed, and took a seat.
This wasn't going to be easy.

Colonel Chandra : So, do you have a plan?
Because let me tell you, in my experience, something like this never ends in anything good, for anyone who is involved.

Raj took a deep breath.

Raj (smiling ruefully) : Ye mujhse behtar aur kon janega sir.
After all..Naveen ke saath bhi...

He sighed, and left that sentence unfinished.

Raj : I do have a plan sir.
But its...a  little unorthodox.

Colonel : You do realise I cannot authorise anything. We are not even supposed to have this information.

Raj : Yes sir. Thats why, I only request your permission to carry it out. Without authorisation. No records.
Not your official permission either.
You never knew anything.

Colonel : (sarcastically) :  Do you want me to wait till you die, or do you want me to write you an epitaph write now? Because if you think you can handle this alone, and get out of it alive...

It caused a smile to form on Raj's face.

Raj : We have to take a chance.

Raj looked at him desperately. He needed him to agree.

Raj : "Sir...
They are the perpetrators. Then they request an officer to investigate, whenever anyone gets an inkling that something is up.
Then they frame the officer for their crimes.
Its a nice tactic.
(He smiled ruefully)
W have to do something. Aur kitne officers ki jaan...is tarah...
This has to end..."

Their eyes met.
Both were aware of what needed to be done.
After all, there was only one way.

.....

Past (a few days back)

He was shaking in anger now. Anger and fear.
Fear for her well being. Anger that she did not understand what was at stake.
She was just not ready to listen.

"Cadet Singh give me the damn photographs"

"No sir"

She hid them behind her back, tucking them into her belt behind her.

He looked at her angrily, though she looked slightly alarmed by his aura, yet she did not relent.

He had no other option.
Cursing under his breath, he came closer.

She stepped back.

He put his hand behind her to take the photos, she did the same.

He was extremely close now. Strangely, she wasn't feeling disgust at that. It still felt...safe.
He was close enough for her to feel his breath over her neck, his scent, his warmth...

Her breath hiked.

His hand struggled with hers, behind her back, their eye holding each other's gaze.

Oh..how he wished he could be this near to her..with authority.
He jerked these thoughts away, just as the door was thrown open.

A haggard looking Huda stood there.

Raj immediately left Naina, his heart sinking, knowing exactly what Huda would think.
What Huda had been taught to think.
What he would choose to think.

......