Am I quick or am I quick :)

"Who is it?", I still wanted to confirm even after guessing who it was.

"Hahaha.. Nandini you heard from me a while back and can't recognize me now", the voice was lent a proper frame now and he took a step forward and I saw his features appear in the vague moonlight.

"Cabir!!!", I heaved a nervous sigh. Of course his appearance in that fashion didn't give me much of a good vibes but I tried to calm myself being sure that Manik was around.

"That water worked wonders..you slept for more than 5 hours", he remarked with a smirk that scared me more.

"What??..the water had something?..you mixed something in it?", the strange revelation puzzled me more, "Where is Manik??", I really needed to know with the fear sinking in now.

Cabir let out a wild scowl and quickly shifted by my side, "You are still waiting for him...aww my nave girl...you still haven't got the whole game...okay okay don't worry I can tell you the story...I can of course fulfill your last wish", he swayed in front of me like a dark frightening shadow.

I was still trying to understand things by my own because this Cabir wasn't making any sense to me. Even though I hadn't known him much but with whatever I did, he always came across as a friendly person. Probably the first person I was a little comfortable with, also because he was our tour manager...okay now I know all of it was a facade and they were out on some mission but still he was friends with Manik..wait does that mean Manik knew about all of this and he left me with him purposely.

"See you are again stressing your tiny brain...no need na..I told you I will telling you the whole story but one thing I couldn't understand how can you fall head over heels for a guy in just 6 days...kuch baat toh hai Manik mein that he tossed you around his little finger all this while", he tried to sound funny and amused at the same time.

"Stop this pathetic non-sense of yours and tell me where Manik is", I charged him fearlessly trying to win over my tears with which I was battling every moment.

The sly smile on his face vanished and an ugly frown took over, "You don't talk to me in that tone girl...I am no Manik who will tolerate your nonsensical behavior", he pulled out his gun and placed on my head, digging the barrel into my forehead. I crawled backwards on the bed and he moved forward with an evil grin.

"Please I want to see Manik..please", I begged him

"You still want Manik..", he let out a devilish laughter, "Apparently the person you got you into this mess and also left..."

"Manik cant do this to me...you are lying", I really didn't want to believe his words that Manik left me with him even after knowing his intentions.

"Yeah that's true...lying...thats the only what we have been doing all these days and your dear Manik...I am sorry to burst your bubble but he is the biggest liar ever..I mean to you...so let me start from the start..we all boarded in this tour..I became the tour manager and Manik, Mukti and Abhimanyu became the tour members..you know what Manik and Mukti were supposed to play a couple but then probably you cropped in and at the end moment Manik changed the partners and made Mukti and Abhimanyu together and we started our mission to get the chip and the circuit..I am sure you have a clue about it by now"

"I know that...Manik has already told me about it", I blurted gulping down the first bit of revelations of what I already had a rough idea.

"Hahaha let me guess what he has told you...that the chip contains information about all the drug lords and peddling racket in our country...right? well good for you that's not entirely wrong but not the whole truth either...that chip contains secret information about us too... yes US..the biggest smuggling gang of this country and if that chip reached the cops then we would have been finished"

I fell short of breath the moment Cabir uttered the word US. So Manik was a part of it too. He is not innocent and what Cabir went on to reveal further crumbled me more.

Apparently, the chip and the circuit were stolen when they were being brought to the master. Manik, Cabir, Abhimanyu and Mukti were hired for a mission to get the chip back to the master. They were able to get the chip but the circuit that could only make the chip functional was out of their purview. The person who had stolen both somehow managed to save the circuit and gave it to Harshad before he was caught and killed by Manik. Harshad who was a petty drug addict saw a big opportunity to make quick money out of it but selling it to a rival gang. Manik and his crew though had their doubts on Harshad but were not entirely sure besides they had to ensure the safety of the circuit at any cost. So they boarded on the trip with him to keep an eye on him and his dealings.

The day I met Manik again on the airport and bumped into him, he lost his chip in my stuff while gathering my things from the floor and the moment he realized he didn't have it on him he alarmed. He made efforts to mingle with me and be close to me to have the chip back. It broke my heart to realize that moment in the aeroplane's washroom when he felt me all over; he was actually looking for the chip if I had it on my body. Cabir introduced me to everyone that I was traveling alone and Harshad eyed me as the perfect opportunity. I was a girl and that too alone he could get the circuit back from me anytime he wanted besides no would doubt me. Thereafter when I tripped outside the Panjim airport and Dhruv helped me, Harshad grabbed the chance and hid the circuit in my bag while everyone was busy with me. He well knew that Manik and his gang will hound him for the circuit and I was the perfect let out but Manik had his doubts on him when he glanced him fiddling with my bag.

On reaching the hotel Manik cleverly swapped our rooms with Cabir's help so that he could keep an eye on Harshad who occupied the exactly same room one floor above. To his luck that very time he got his hands on my luggage but still couldn't manage to find the circuit. Manik avoided to be seen with me so that Harshad wouldn't come to know that we knew each other. Now I knew why he had problems when I wanted to hang out with Dhruv and his gang. I was grossly confused by Manik's behavior and even gave back at him in the hotel lobby but they needed me to let Manik be around me for their plans to work and so Mukti cooked a false story about Manik's brother Prateek so that I put my defenses down and allow him to get close to me and I conveniently fell into their trap.

Cabir further revealed that Harshad along with the rival gang was planning to get the chip from them. Manik cleverly recovered the chip from my bag when he got the opportunity and hid it in the earrings that he gifted me being sure that Harshad could never think that I had the chip too. So basically I was the scapegoat from both sides. Harshad was supposed to meet the guys the very night when we found him in the lobby in a horrible state after the drug dose and Manik took him along with him. But Manik could not make him blurt anything out of him except that my life was in danger and other men would get to me directly for the circuit. Yes that was why Manik took me out with him the entire day so that I was out of anyone's reach and Cabir handled Harshad in his own way and left a message to his friends that he went back home for some emergency. Manik stayed with me the entire night to keep me out of any other mess.

The very next day Manik got annoyed when he found me talking to Dhruv and when I confronted him and confessed to him about my love later that day I added to his problems. Apparently the man he was talking to at the Fort Aguada belonged to the rival gang and Manik met him faking as Harshad to extract some information regarding their dealings but to his dismay I charged at him as Manik and professed my love him and his ploy was revealed. Manik quickly got me out of the scene but now he knew that danger was lurking around and it hit him soon when that man attacked him in the hotel.

Manik had 2 reasons to take me with him

A) I still had his chip gracing my ears and the circuit was still out of his reach

B) The men now knew that I loved him and was with him so could easily target me to get back at him.

My heart badly prayed that the latter be the prime reason.

"You mean Manik used me all this while", I don't know what had gotten in to me that even after knowing the whole truth I wanted to cling onto false hopes.

"Are you for real? You still have doubts on that? Of course he used you... but my dear you know what your heart might not be entirely wrong because I do have my doubts on this Manik ...and now time for a few more revelations", and he started again, "That night..the rushing car towards you..remember...it was me..yes me..you were growing to become one hindrance in our mission and I wanted to know Manik's stand for you and that incident confirmed all my doubts...Manik had already started developing feelings for you...not that it was any of my concern but it was putting out plans at stake...I had to finish you that very night and I got just the perfect opportunity in the corridor but damn!! Manik came and saved you and he didn't leave you alone even for a moment", he hissed angrily to have failed in his attempts in harming me time and again.

"But now you have got your chip and the circuit...so why have you held me captive..please let me go"

"Aan..aan correction dear..I don't have the chip..Manik has and I need it in my hands"

"What..what are you saying?", I couldn't quite understand his concerns.

"I hate that bloody Manik..I have been working for the master for 7 years now and he thinks I am not as capable as Manik..I have to work under him HUH!!!...I so wanted to kill him...yes I did...that is exactly why I sent Mukti and Abhimanyu back so that they wouldn't be of any help to him...he escaped with you and never told me about his whereabouts...had I not overheard the conversation of your father and the officer I wouldn't have had a clue about your location in the fisherman's village. But I couldn't reveal my true colors to him before I had the chip and the circuit so I sent around men but that jerk killed them all and was again out of my reach. I could just wait till Manik got in touch with me and then he did...in the mean time Harshad recovered and we struck a deal to get the chip and the circuit from Manik and be raining in millions if we sold it to the rivals...a good offer huh!!! 7 years I toil for the master risk my life for the smallest of things and Manik walks away with all the respect n cheers", he gritted his teeth and spat out with utter hatred in his eyes.

"Yo..you tried to kill us?", I was having a hard time in gulping the facts and their sequences.

"Not once Nandini...how can you forget the attack in the afternoon today...I had almost got Manik but you..you tiny little girl you spoiled all my plans..I had managed to make Manik blurt his location and my men were so close to him but you came in between with your stupid tricks..I would have still had you guys but then the cops arrived and I had to flee"

"How can you do that? Manik is your friend how can you think of killing him? Do you know how much pain he was in after being shot and you are talking so pathetically about him", I said in utter disbelief. It was hard to digest that they were friends or just may be partners in crime but yet conspired against one another. I was yet to learn that there was no rule to play fair in this life and death game.

"Oh my my..you still want to support him don't forget he left you alone of course he was under the impression that I was going to drop you to your parents but nevertheless you are going to die because of him", he tried his best to poison me against Manik but his words could hardly shake an ounce of my faith in him.

"If you have to kill me just kill me and stop bullshitting", I yelled back at him with all the pain in me.

"I will..I will do that..dont get so restless to die haan...you still have to see Manik dying before your eyes...of course you got a glimpse of that earlier today but I will make sure that you get to see the entire thing...it will be so much fun when you guys see each other begging for your lives", he rubbed his palms with a sadistic excitement in his eyes.

"You heinous dog!!!!!", I howled at him with disgust and tried to attack him and he slapped me hard right through my face at my protest. I fell back on the bed and he came on me and grabbed my face in between his palm and gave me an evil dirty glare.

"You don't want me to be dirtier than this", he threatened me and pushed back. He immediately grabbed a rope and tape from the side table and tied my hands and legs. I whimpered in pain and begged him to leave me and he just let out devilish laughs at my sorry plight.

"Now you stay still till I set my next step right", he gave me a look and rubbed his nape to plan his next move when his phone rang. He smiled looking at the display screen which flashed Manik's name and picked it up.

"Cabir where is Nandini?", Manik asked in a frenzied tone.

"Manik I have dropped Nandini to her parents safely...she was fine..dont worry", he tried to sound as calm and genuine as possible

"Cabir was Nandini in her senses when you dropped her", Manik enquired with a broken voice.

I struggled on the bed to free myself and probably give the slightest hint to Manik that Cabir was lying and his life was in danger. Cabir enjoyed watching me in that state and continued talking to Manik.

"Amm no she was still unconscious...I left her at the reception and asked the bell boy to inform her parents so don't worry about her and now we two have to get out of Goa asap...do one thing master has arranged for us to get back to Mumbai.. meet me at the crossroad near Aguada Fort in 3 hours and we will leave from them..Manik just wanted to ensure the chip and the circuit is safe with you right", he asked with a slight dash of suspicion as they were of sole importance to him and Manik assured him and hung up.

Cabir laughed out loud after fooling Manik yet again and for the successful implementation of his plan. He immediately dialed another number and spoke to Harshad and asked him to get help from the rival gang because even he knew Manik was alone enough for an army and he didn't want to take him easy after knowing what he was capable of. He finished his next stage of plotting along with Harshad and disconnected the call.

"So are you ready to meet your man yet again..I mean the last time...you know what I want to kill you right now..empty all my bullets in your head", he dabbed the gun on my head, "but..but ..but I have to control..you are trump card...in case..just in case if things goes out of hand I will need you to tackle Manik ...so happy breathing till then", he pushed me back hard enough that I hit my head against the bed post. I winced in pain as a thin stream of blood rolled down my forehead and Cabir left the room.

I just cried in that position, some out if the pain that the injury inflicted in me and some for the strange feeling I was having inside me. All these days I just wanted to know the truth about Manik so that I could reach a conclusion about him but now when I knew the whole thing I still couldn't hate him. Whatever Cabir said about Manik being a criminal and being involved in unsocial activities was true but even he could see the change in Manik which was because of me. Manik never said it in words but I knew he loved me. Probably that was the reason he asked Cabir to drop me because he couldn't bear parting from me. I felt the warmth in his embrace when he hugged me the last time and how he calmed me when he himself was battling with his feelings every second. But what do I do now. I have to help Manik, I have to tell him about the real face of Cabir. I struggled to get rid of the rope and free my hand but the pain was so much that I just couldn't.

***

It was almost dawn when Cabir dragged me out of the dark room and pushed me inside the car to go to the Aguada Fort. I was hardly in my senses, the effect of the drug was still on and thus allowed myself to be pulled and pushed wherever Cabir wanted. He drove off to the destination; we reached the place in about 45 minutes. He took me to a secluded hideout and once again tied my hands and legs to the chair that he made me sit on and my mouth was as such covered by the tape so that I couldn't make noise and alert Manik or anyone else for that matter. Soon Harshad arrived and shared an evil laugh with Cabir for the accomplishment of their wicked plans. Cabir asked him about the gang and Harshad informed they were on their way. He spat out at Harshad for being so laid back in his approach with Manik lurking around. If not Harshad, Cabir was well aware of Manik's prowess. Soon they heard a car approaching. Cabir signaled Harshad to take his position with his gun and he went ahead.

"Ohh Manik..you are early bro", Cabir let out a nervous laugh and Manik stared at him with a blank face. The moment Manik's name reached my ears, I breathed. He was finally here. I wanted to see him so badly and at least hint him about my presence. I struggled to move the chair that I was tied to while Harshad aimed his gun at Manik and warned me to stay quiet. I felt a whiff of fresh air brush my face as Manik stepped inside.

Guys I know that LDL z not as popular as my other stories but still it gets around 1K reads for each update but the comments lurks really low..it is kind of discouraging...LDL z one of my most difficult n challenging works so far..it requires a lot of thinking..leaving clues n den joining d dots...some response from u guys kind of keeps me motivated.

A big thank u to all my regular readers and especially those who make it a point to leave a word or two back. I know I dont reply much but I do read every single comment on my posts n it brings a big wide smile to know dat u guys r liking it..so thanks a ton guys :))