Anirudh had dropped Kshitija to her Banglow on his way to the convent.

"Anirudh Babu, it's a deal then. My Holi this year would be incomplete without you." Kshitija had said before getting down from the car, her face curled in an inviting smile.

"We'll come if Bondita agrees." Anirudh had replied with a courtesy.

Anirudh's meeting with Lenny was fruitful. She agreed to take Mira as a resident in the convent, but the concern was about her unborn baby.

"Anirudh, it won't be safe for her to stay here among other students till the time she doesn't deliver her baby. I hope you understand my concerns." Lenny was very precise with her words

"I understand. I'll see if she can stay with us for the time. I'll have a word with Bondita." Anirudh said thoughtfully.

"Sure. Coming back to Bondita, how is she? When is she resuming our social services? We have an up-coming campaign and I'm expecting her to lead the same." Lenny paused. "Also, did you tell her?"

"Tell her what?" Anirudh frowned.

"Tell her about how you feel, of course." Lenny smiled and continued to speak. "My friend, I might have vowed abstinence, but I do understand how the world works."

"Lenny... I... " Anirudh suddenly fell short of words.

"Do you remember what Professor Smith used to tell us?" Lenny's thoughts were drifted back to their university days. " Anirudh, 'Justice is truth in action', and if you want to do justice to Bondita, tell her the truth. Tell her how you feel."

Anirudh stood up.
"I'll Lenny. I'll." He paused. "It's just that I want her to feel it first. I don't want to impose my love on her."

The evening sun had set spreading its warm golden glow across the west sky. The unknown mountain birds were returning back to their nests.
Anirudh was reflecting on Lenny's words on his way back home.

" Is it that difficult for Bondita to read my heart?" He asked himself.

Suddenly, Anirudh's eyes were flashed by a blinding light blazing infront of his car. He quickly balanced the clutches as he hit the brake. The car stopped with a violent jerk.

"Barrister Babu..." A man got down from the old Chevrolet facing Anirudh and called out his name.
Anirudh looked out.

"Suresh? What's the matter?" Anirudh was alarmed at him troubled countenance.

"Barrister Babu, I went to your banglow to look for you. Bondita insisted to come along. She is sitting inside the car." Suresh stopped to breath. " Mira's family has gathered a mob infront of our camp. They want to burn her to death. The police won't help. Anirudh Babu.... I've come to seek your assistance." Suresh folded his hands and held infront of Anirudh.

"Don't you worry. I'll be right there." A sense of urgency was evident in Anirudh's voice. He took out his card and quickly scribbled a few words in it.
"Take it to the Magistrate. Heinrich is a good friend." Anirudh handed over the card to Suresh. "I'll take Bondita."

Anirudh walked over to assist Bondita change vehicles. He helped her settle at the front seat as Suresh drove away.

"Barrister Babu, I'm really worried. What if..." Bondita's voice quivered.

"Do you trust me Bondita? I won't let anything bad happen to Mira. They'll have to take her over my dead body." Anirudh clenched his teeth.

Bondita felt a sharp stab as she heard the last two words. Her hand instinctively moved up as she covered Anirudh's mouth with her palm.

"Don't... " She muttered as a single tear escaped her eyes.

The journey was a coalesce of anticipation and fear. Bondita sat quietly and prayed.

"You shouldn't have come." Anirudh broke the quiet. "You are not keeping well."

"I'm not ill." Bondita replied before closing her eyes again to resume her prayers.

.........

It's was from half a mile distance that Anirudh and Bondita saw firelight, and fire torches gathered infront of the small camp.

" Hurry.." Bondita hushed under her breathe.

From afar, they saw some known figures and some unknown. Rishit and a few other men were barricading the camp to protection, with hunting guns in hand. But they seemed no match to the outnumbered angry village crowd.
Anirudh drove right in the middle of the rabble forming a blockade with his car. He quickly got down and addressed the crowd in a thunderous roar.

" Stop this...! I said stop this immediately."

"Give us the witch, we'll go in peace." A man barked from the crowd.

"Witch? Shame on you all. How long? I ask you... How long do you all intend to suffer from this disease of superstitions?" Anirudh's voice was firm. " Tonight this ends. Go back in peace and no one gets hurt." Anirudh bellowed terror as Bondita hurried inside the camp.

"Who are you to talk for the girl? She is a witch... A curse to us all." A man came forward and addressed Anirudh directly.

"I'm Barrister Anirudh Roy Chowdhury. Any issue regarding child marriage and social abuse is my concern." Anirudh roared. "The Magistrate is on his way. If you want to live in peace, back off .... Now!!"

"I'm her brother-in-law." The man screamed. " I've the right to take her from here. Her husband has died this morning. Now she gets to be his Sati."

"Over my dead body" Anirudh roared as he snatched a gun from one of the boys behind him. He pointed it straight at the man's throat and hissed, " One more word and you're dead."
The man growled.

"Who is Bhairav?" Bondita came out of the camp screaming the name. "I asked who is Bhairav?" There was an undefined command in her voice and few men from the crowd pointed towards the brother-in-law.

"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" Bondita asked the man in utter disgust before turning towards Anirudh.

"Barrister Babu, this is the scoundrel who raped and impregnated Mira!" She stormed her words as tears started flowing down her eyes in angst. Anirudh was startled.

Bhairav was quite, but only for a moment before he jumped up and snatched the gun from Anirudh's hand.
He pointed the gun at Bondita's head and demanded, "Release the witch or this one dies."

Before Anirudh could react, Bondita did something completely unexpected, bewildering Anirudh with her act. She walked forward and held the gun barrel. She pressed the end of the barrel on her forehead and said in a calm yet loud voice,

" Pull the trigger, if you are man enough." She paused, "and my husband will ensure that none of you standing here would see tomorrow's sunrise."

Bhairav was baffled at this sudden change of events. He stumbled and Anirudh didn't fail to seize the opportunity. He punched the man straight on his nose and left him bleeding on the ground.

"How dare you point a gun at my wife!!" Anirudh roared.

An elderly man from the crowd emerged out and asked Bondita calmly,

"Tell me, is it true whatever you just said? Is Mira expecting?"

Bondita nodded her head and said, "Yes, she is. Killing her would mean killing two lives and this is exactly what this Bhairav is trying to do, covering up his sins under evil social customs."

The man turned around and looked at Bhairav with glaring eyes.
"Is it true?" He asked.

Bhairav was taken aback at this sudden vehemency of the situation. He couldn't conjure words and looked blankly at the old man's face.

"Bhairav.....!!!" The crowd growled.