Bandu had difficulty adjusting to the steering of the vehicle for the first half an hour, but later got the hang of it and drove without a glitch. Now the landscape had turned totally barren on one side and on the other side, green patches could be seen. A huge mountain loomed ahead in front of them. Bandu stopped the vehicle to watch that.

"What is it, Bandu?"

"That over there is the mountain of Ghatti," Bandu said pointing in the direction.

"It's huge, Bandu, and you climbed that when you were small? It appears to be a formidable task for me. I can never ever climb that," she put forth.

"Women are not allowed there anyway," Bandu said.

"Really?"

"Our destination is close Sakhi...and I don't know what will happen there. But one thing I am sure of is that I am going to avenge my father's death. It's either me or him now. I have a request of you, please take care of my family. I shall forever be indebted to you and shall be at peace to know that my family is cared for," a hand came to rest upon his lips, ceasing his chatter. The soft hands tantalized his whole body and he looked at her in a daze.

His hands involuntarily traveled upwards to cover her soft ones, which seemed to shock her and she lowered her eyes.

"Don't say things like that Bandu, you are frightening me. We need to stay positive and trust our well-wishers," she said still not retracting her hand from Bandu's hold.

He gently placed a kiss on her hand and let it down, knowing very well that he should not have led her in the wrong direction and given her hope which erupted on her face with a tender shy smile as she took her hand back.

With guilt laced in his conscious, Bandu sprang the vehicle to life towards Ghatti. Boulders now appeared on one side of the road and towered over their vehicle. They never passed any other vehicle on their way, which now got more windy and dusty and made visibility difficult.

"Bandu, I see something," Sakhi spoke up.

Bandu slowed down the vehicle to catch a glimpse of an SUV parked very much ahead of them on the road. It appeared like a speck of dust on the horizon.

"Yes I see it now...two cars. Do you see any more?"

"No, I don't see any more than those two. Is that our destination?"

"Maybe...we'll find out once we reach there,"

They were now nearing the two parked SUVs off the edge of the road, one behind the other. One was steel grey and the other black. Two figures got out of the black car and began to gesture at them to stop. They had covered their faces and stopped waving once Bandu slowed the car and brought it to a standstill a good 50 meters away from the other cars. The men returned to the grey car and began conversing with a person inside the car, who had similarly covered his face. The passenger door opened and a man got down, then turned back and began to pull out a figure from the car. This figure had long black tresses and was a woman. She had difficulty getting down as her hands were tied around her wrists.

"That's Nayantara! Bandu," Sakhi exclaimed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, it's her,"

"You wait here and don't get out of the car under any circumstances. When I get out take my place on the steering wheel and keep the engine alive. You will leave as soon as Nayantara gets inside this car and please don't wait for me or come to rescue me. These are the instructions to us from the commissioner. I hope you do remember it,"

"Yes, Bandu, I remember it," she said. Bandu got out and banged it shut.

Both men were standing with Nayantara amidst them.

"Are you Bandu Raghav?"

"Yes," Bandu shouted back, and in an instant, they brought out guns in their hands.

"You walk to us," the man shouted.

"What about the girl?" Bandu screamed back.

"She will walk, once you start from there," the other man said.

"Ok, I am not carrying a gun, why do you need one?"

"You try not to fool us, now walk," he said and nudged Nayantara forward and she took a step towards him.

"Go slow," he said.

Bandu gave a final glance at Sakhi and then stepped forward. As he neared Nayantara he began to unmask his face. Both the men went on alert mode and aimed the gun at him.

Bandu instantly stopped his activity.

"I am just giving her the shawl to cover herself," he shouted and he did just that as Nayantara was finding it difficult to see the way ahead because of the dust blowing into her eyes. She stopped as Bandu put the shawl around her because her hands were still tied and she could not use her hands.

"Go to the passenger seat," he whispered to her softly, "Hope you are fine. I am Bandu, your cousin...your aunt's son". At that, she looked at him in surprise and just nodded her pretty head.

"Go now," Bnadu said and watched her walk towards the car, only then did he proceed and move ahead towards the kidnappers.

He purposely maintained a slow pace so that Nayantara could get to the car first. And he was relieved to hear the car door shut behind him and the car roar to life as he reached the perpetrators. He then turned around to watch the car leave after swiftly maneuvering a U-turn.

Bandu saw the car drive away at full speed out of his sight when he was suddenly struck from behind on his head. He became unsteady on his legs but was supported by the two men. They quickly dragged him to the car and pushed him inside. Bandu was not unconscious and knew what was happening, but was too dazed to defend himself.

His head throbbed, to which he reached out to massage with his hands, but found it wet and sticky, soon realizing that it was blood. But his hands were forcefully pulled back in front of him and were tied together. The vehicle was already on the move and in the opposite direction the ladies had driven. His headache now spiraled out of control and he closed his eyes to rest.