A/N : *Sigh* I will never be a great writer like G.R.R Martin. Why can't I kill charecters with the ease that he does?
*sighs again*
Huda lives, coz I am a softy🙁🤕. Huh!

.........

Raj : "What the hell is going on Chauhan saab?
Kya aap mujhe bataneka kasht karenge dammit, ke why is Huda lying there instead of me?
How did you get this stay order?"

His voice, when he spoke about the stay order, betrayed anger, rather than relief.
Abhi wondered why.

They had rushed Huda to the hospital, just in time, and the bullet, which had hit his arm, was removed. He was out of danger, though still unconscious.
They had just received this news from the doctor, and as soon as that happened, Raj had grabbed Abhi's arm, excusing himself from the others, and had dragged him to a corner away from the others.

Abhi : "Raj...Hame kuch samajh nai aaraha.
Obviously, you had doctored some proofs against yourself. Kyu?
Especially, when...aapke paas sab ke khilaaf proofs the.
Nobody would have been spared anyways.
Why incriminate yourself ?"

Raj (frustratedly running his hand through his hair) :
"Chauhan saab, it was important!
And you guys...u guys have messed it up dammit."

"Tell me, who did this??
(He grabbed his collar) Tell me!!"

"It was me sir."

Raj turned, to see Naina standing there, a defiant look on her tired face.
Raj noticed streaks of dried tears on her face.
Tears she had been shedding for him, when she came to that spot.

He jerked away those thoughts.

Raj : "Lt Singh, I hope you are happy now! You have spoiled my one chance to bring the most dangerous criminals to book.
Thanks a lot! "
He finished sarcastically, his heart screaming at how unjust he was being to her.

He turned to Abhi.

Raj : "Look, where are those documents? Submit them. Please Chauhan saab. You have to trust me.
I.."

He was interrupted by footsteps approaching.

They all turned to see some officers comming towards them.

O1 : "Captain Shikhawat, we have orders to take you back into custody, until the jury reviews the entire documentation provided."

Naina turned paler.

Naina : "But...But why?? Why do you need to take him back ?
Look, this.."

The officer cut her.
"Look Lt, this is the rule.
Hame yahi orders hai. "

Saying this, he handcuffed Raj, and started taking him away.

Raj :" Chauhan saab, Naina..please..please listen to me."

He turned to the officer, desperately.
"Just a minute officer, please!"

He let him be.

(In a low voice, to Abhi and Naina)
"Look, do it, or else I will. Dont think I dont have backup of it.
I will just tell the officers where to find them."

Abhi : "Raj...Raj kyu kar rahe hai aap aisa?"

Raj : "Just...do it."

The officers took him away.

........

The others had come rushing, when they saw Raj with the officers.

Naina and Abhi told them, of Raj's threat.

Naina : "Sir aisa kyu kar rahe hai?
Abhimanyu sir, Rajveer Sir se baat karni hogi..please.
Kya koi tareeka hai?
We need to talk to him."

Abhi : "Ham dekhte hai."

Abhi heckled with the presiding officer for hours, resquesting, pleading, and at one point, even threatening.
He stood there, as people came and went, even as the officer threatened consequences.
He kept pleading, until finally his luck decided to help him.
BC had come to meet the officer, and heard Abhimanyu pleading.
And on his recommendation and personal responsibility, Abhi was allowed to see Raj.

.....

He looks even worse. He can see that the gash on his cheek is pretty deep.
His eyes are sunken, face pale.
And he had grown frail.

Abhi and Raj stared at each other, neither of them speaking, for a long time.

Then finally, Abhi broke the silence.

Abhi (Sarcastically) : "Serving your country by staying alive, is sometimes more important than dying for it.
Aisa hamara ek dost kaha karta tha."

Raj smiled.

Abhi went and sat on the raised platform near the wall.
Cold and hard, he noticed.

Abhi : "Kya hai na Raj, I hate hypocrites."

Raj sits down on the floor, his back supported by the wall.
R : "Chauhan saab.... aap mujhe galat samajh rahe hai...."

Abhi (angrily) :" Ham galat samajh rahe hai Raj?
Ham?"

Raj closed his eyes.
Exhaustion was overpowering him.

Raj : "Aapko, ....mujhse milne ki..permission kaise mile?" He said, with a slight smile on his face, aware that his friend must have fought tooth and nail, for this meeting.

Abhi : "Choryena Raj. Kya farak padta hai.
Aapko jo chahiye ham kardenge.
Bas kuch der aur, aur phir game over. Kuch din sab udas rahe ge, phir move on.
Life goes on...nai Raj?"

R : "I have no other option, Chauhan saab.
This is the easiest way."

Abhi ( getting up, angrily, and comming to Raj, sitting down on his knees, opposite to him, shaking with anger):" I see...ye..ye drama zaruri tha nai? You have the necessary proofs. Why feign the proofs against you, and put them with the others?
Why go through all the trouble, if you wanted to die anyway.
Raj...you always liked showmanship, nai?"

He turned his face away from Raj, in anger.

Raj : "Chauhan saab.....aapko kya lagta hai?...Those proofs are enough to put Gehlot behind bars? Nai...
They will never be enough.
In fact...theres a lot more...I...I did not have the time...warna..."

Abhi : "Phir kyu Raj? Kyu??"

Raj : "Abhi...mere dost...dont you get it.
My death will put pressure on the authorities,....if they have convicted and executed one member, they will have to bring to book, the others too.
Or else, there will be public outrage.

I mean...I have...made sure there will be.
I have made sure, that my death will be politicized.
Only public pressure, can ensure that Gehlot and his cronies pay for their crimes.
Warna...warna phir wo log bach jayenge."

Raj eyes had turned misty.

"Abhi...Gehlot was using my money to fund terrorism.
He...he..used me.
Made sure I was out of the way.
All those...talks,...all that support...
Sab jhooth tha."

Wrenching his hair.

"I...insaniyat se...bharosa uth gaya tha mera...jab I...found out.
I ....just dont have the will to go on...
But...I couldn't let Naveen's death be in vain.
Bas...isiliye...ye plan...
At least...meri maut se..desh ka to faayda hoga."

He rested his head back, against the wall, tears flowing down his face.

Abhi, for once in his life, was speechless.
He could not think of a single argument.

"Raj...aap...I am sure koi aur...tarkeeb hogi..plz Raj.
We will all fight together. Ham sab hai na aapke saath Raj."

Raj : "Nahi Chauhan saab.
I can't put everyone's life in danger.
You don't know him.
I am sorry.
This must go on.
And anyways....I have...no reason to continue living..
Kiske liye jiyu....kya farak padta hai..."

A voice, softly.
"To...Rajveer Sir... agar kabhi life me aisa mauka aaya, to I should do the same, right?
Aap mere mentor hai, I should learn from you.... I too,will throw away my life at the first opportunity I get, just like you are."

Raj and Abhi turned to see Naina standing there.
Abhi had taken permission for her too, but had requested her to let him talk to Raj alone, first, and come in, only if he does not agree.

Raj looked accusingly at Abhi, his eyes asking him why he bought Naina here.

Abhi just stood there, eyes lowered.

Raj stood up, went to Naina.

Raj : "Ye sab mazak lagta hai tumhe.
Andaza bhi hai kya bol rahi ho?
Are you out of your mind dammit?
Dimaag kharab ho gaya hai tumhara!"

Naina : "Kyu Sir? As your protege, I should follow you right?"

Naina looked at Abhi, signaling with her eyes, to let her talk to him alone.

Abhi went out.

Naina : "Sir, main jaanti hu, jab aapne ye plan banaya, tab situation kuch aur thi. People mistrusted you.
Par sir...ab situation kuch aur hai.
Please Sir, don't do this.
Aaphi ne mujhe kaha thana, ke aakhri saas tak sipahi jang nahi chora karta?
Phir aap kyu..."

Raj : "Main jung nahi chor raha Naina! I am ending it.
This is the easiest way."

Naina : "When the choice is between whats right and whats easy, remember Naveen. You told me that once, remember?
He would have chosen to live, if he had the option.
He did not.
But you do.

Raj : "Naina.....We can lose...
I was wrong...one cannot win against this system.
One cannot!"

Naina : "But one can beat it at its own game.
I have leaked the proofs online.

I have friends in IT. They are making sure that the site we have created will become well known.
The Army cannot deny these proofs now."

Raj (Panicking ) "Are you out of your mind? Do you the danger your friends are in?
Why do you think I did not do that?
And you cannot divulge Army secrets!
You will be tried for treason.
Oh God Naina!"

Naina : "Sirf Lala Gehlot ke , aur uske ministers ke khilaaf treason ke documents upload kiye hai.
Its enough to incriminate him, and by him, the officers involved too.
And my friends have already left the country.
They were going for further studies.
It was a lucky coincidence, isiliye maine ye kiya."

Raj was staring in wonder.
Twice, he opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, as no words came out.

Naina : So....any more objections?

Raj ran his fingers through his hair, still unsure

Raj : Fine.

Then added half admiringly, half grumpily.

"You know, Naveen was the only one ever, who could match me in strategy.....except ...you..."

Naina smiled.
Raj finally smiled too.