Momentous globules of emotions bounded her so much that Lachi didn't care about her own life and was all ready to walk in the night to advise Lotiya of the army's attack. Her mind repetitively fighting with the fact that what so ever happens she just needs to save him. This attack won't be lesser, undoubtedly taking his life...

Apparently she needs to watch out for her every move out of the house, taking extra careful steps to reach him as fast as she could. Covering herself with an old black sheet and taking off the jewelry to avoid the sounds she stepped out of the house.

Only at a little feet away she saw some shadows just on the other side of a small hut, these were none other than the army officers who guarded the outskirts of the village.

Lachi knew another way out that would lead her straight to the hill...though she didn't inform Lotiya this time but she had no other way of meeting

Lotiya was sometimes harsh with her, but she knew at the end it was their love. He loved her more than anything in the world and that was enough for the dusky girl to move her feet quickly towards the sand dunes.

Bare feet she pulled herself almost dragging towards the rocks located on the top of the hill...pleasant breeze with cold sand under her feet she clocked herself with a big black sheet so her clothes don't come in sight with the outside eyes.

Somehow stopping just outside the rocks, her eyes fell on Bigha who was deep in sleep. No one had an inkling of her standing just outside. Lachi shook her head in anger, what if their enemy comes and attacks all in the middle of the night. She wanted to hit the security guard sleeping outside. Without making any noise she sneaked inside towards the left corner that was only for Lotiya.

The smile on her lips disappeared the moment she saw him. With small tears casing her vision she stepped back. Lachi couldn't believe Lotiya and Kasturi were making physical relation, she couldn't see them anymore and rushed out of the place....

She couldn't recall when she tiredly sat on the cold sand dunes after running from the scene she saw right in front of her eyes. Lotiya never loved her, and she was going mad for him. How could he have a physical relation with another woman when he was committed to her? She cried out at her fate recalling how she fought with her own Father and thought he was wrong in accepting Lotiya. She fought with every other person in the village and helped Lotiya with food and shelter by going against her Father.

Wiping her tears she pondered all those harsh moments when he irately slapped her, physically abused her and rudely answered her back. She thought herself as the biggest fool on the earth who believed a criminal. She now understood everything...

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"Saab"

Veer turned around at the edgy figure standing just two feet away. For the first time Lachi feared no one. She knew she was doing the right thing and finally saving the villages from the thug "I can take you where he is hiding"

"What makes you think I need your help?" Veer least concerned to even look at her started walking towards the other side of the bunker...

Lachi felt shattered with the cold response but she knew it was she who proudly wanted to save a criminal, someone who was responsible for the those villagers who died last month, she realized she was the culprit as well who was nourishing the bandits while they were attacking the innocent people.

"I know I don't deserve to be a help, but today I have realized that I have been supporting the wrong person"

Lachi followed Veer who walked to pick up his RT on the table in the huge tent...

"So?" he asked without looking at the girl...

Lachi with the last hopes of at least helping the villages to get rid of Lotiya and his gang forever would not mind pleading the officer to take her help even though she knows the officer is smart enough... "So I want to help my village"

Veer looked at the thin girl standing with confidence and plucky look. It would have been her personal choice that changed her opinions in a few days and she overlooked the entire problem in a different perspective than before

"Why is that drastic change of proclamations? Don't even think of aiding that illicit bas***d." Veer picked up the rifle to load up...

Lachi quietly watched his frowned forehead and extremely handsome face. How could she explain him that Lotiya cheated her...he was sleeping with another woman at her back...how could she explain that her own love has ditched her to an extent where she wouldn't mind killing herself.

"Have you ever loved anyone Saab?" Lachi asked the officer standing with the rifle about to shoot...

As if something penetrated deep inside him shooting down the stream of thoughts down his body. He pulled away the trigger and stared at Lachi who was standing still looking at him for an answer. This time something made him weedy, his own heart wanted to yell at him.

The word love can rip you in pieces or bind you together for the whole life.

Veer knew the dark girl was waiting for an answer, but he himself doesn't know the answer then how would he tell her "Let me do my work and take your nonsense away"

Lachi thought it to be too much for him, it was his personal matter and here she's asking him about love...

"Saab, please don't take me wrong. But it hurts when someone you love drains you. I trusted him more than anyone else and he" Lachi's voice as if got stuck in the throat and only the tears shed through her big black eyes...

Veer was waiting for her to clear her throat.

Lachi took a bottle to sip some water down her thirsty throat. "I am the one who is equally responsible for cheering up when he attacked the innocent villagers. I still remember last month Mohan kaka, who lived in the next village declined to give any of his grains or part of his share to Lotiya, to which Lotiya was extremely angry and he killed Mohan Kaka..."

Lachi wiped her tears and cleaned her nose that was itching with the back of her palm "My Father was so angry that he informed the nearest police station but of course no police officials dared to face him and who did were killed brutally. The moment my Father informed the police, Lotiya warned me and I stopped talking to my Father"

Yashpal was all ears to what Lachi was telling "But sir, ask her why did he become a dacoit and what does he want?"

Veer's frowns deepened as he looked at the skinny girl and Yashpal standing right at the back.

Lachi turned around staring at the short man, with big moustache. Yashpal didn't look anywhere but straight.

Lachi looked back at Veer who was waiting for her to complete before Yashpal interrupted "Saab, he came in this village few years back to stay with his aunt. But his aunt died a few months after. He went around looking for odd jobs in the village but no one gave him... then one day a police official was mistreating an old woman when he couldn't tolerate and slapped the officer. From then the villagers considered him their leader."

Veer watched Lachi as she thought something in between...

"During this time, we came very close to each other and I found him helpful and considerate towards the needy people"

She took a deep breath as if taking the huge burden off her heart.

"But as time went past he became dominating and started ordering villagers for things as if everyone around was his servant. He became rude with me but because of my love I became a slave in his hands and he always used me, took me for granted."

Wiping her face off her dupatta she recalled the time when she saw him getting physical with his friend's wife "but now I want him to pay for his deeds. And that's why I want to help you Saab"

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It was almost evening and Veer knew this was the final day, one attack and no more of Lotiya and his gang...

Yashpal saw Veer setting up the equipment's for the final attack, the team was all ready to gear up. According to Veer's plan Lachi will reach the scoundrel's place in the silence of the night and the army will follow the footsteps and attack the bandits once and for all...

Yashpal offered cup of coffee to Veer "Sir...do you believe this girl?"

Veer sipped the coffee "it doesn't matter Yashpal"

"Sir..."

"But I know, whatever she has told is true" Veer thought something

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Lachi picked up the box of food, Already the adrenaline coursed unchecked, urging her to do what she couldn't even think, surely her body was going weak on every step she had decided a few hours back to take against him. Life or death, she had to accept that he was responsible for the massacre that took place in the village.

She wouldn't be able to forgive herself for this carnage unless she helps army and the government to capture him.

Almost freezing on the mat she thought about her days she spent with him, about the time when he promised to get her the best life in the world. But she only wanted a simple life where he would have earned little but they would have spent their lives happily but now he had already broken her trust and she would be a foolish to even think of spending her life with such a man.

"Beast" she murmured thinking about the way he shouted at her, at times even behaved like an animal almost pushing himself on her, not to forget the physical tortures she bore just because of the delusion that he loved her...

Just before getting up she saw her Father standing in front of her...

She walked up to him "I know I am not a good Daughter...I have always troubled you"

Ramcharan smiled at Lachi who couldn't look into his eyes "I am proud you are doing what you should have done before."

Lachi courageously nodded while stepping out of the house. Every step she took towards the army tents was making her relieved of a huge burden she carried on her shoulders. She would take the army to the right spot and before the gang could use their weapons army would easily capture them...

Lachi stood near the outskirts of the village and looked at Veer, who was ready with his team. She nodded once and started walking towards the hill top... for the first time her feet trembled but she wouldn't return back at any cost. She felt walking on the hot fire burning her own feet even though it was midnight and the sand was cold enough...

After reaching midway she stopped and looked behind.

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