7. Reshmi calls Siddartha

CHAPTER 7

Reshmi calls Siddartha

In the old house, Reshmi was tied up in a room.  Akram entered the room and released her hands. Then he stood near her pointing a gun at her head. Reshmi was very scared and did not say anything.

Madani gave her the mobile she had given to him. “Phone to your lover and tell him that you have been kidnapped.”

Reshmi took the mobile and phoned to Siddartha. “Hallo, Siddartha, I have been kidnapped.

Siddartha was still in Reshmi’s house. He was shocked to hear Reshmi’s words. “What are you saying? Who has kidnapped you? Where are you?”

Reshmi started crying. “I don’t know who they are. When I was waiting for you at home, these men came and carried me off. Please save me.”

Siddartha was shocked. “Tell me where you are. I will come immediately.”

Reshmi looked around. “I don’t know where I am. It is an old building.”

Bilal was in the next room watching an Urdu program on TV. He came out of the room and sat down a bit far from Reshmi.

Madani snatched the mobile from Reshmi and said to Siddartha, “Eh mister, we have kidnapped your lover.”

Siddartha got very angry when he heard the voice of Madani. Biting his teeth, he said, “Who are you bastards? Why have you kidnapped my girl?”

Looking at Reshmi seriously, Madani said, “Don’t become tense. Don’t shout. If you listen to what we are saying, we will not do anything to your girl. She will be safe.”

Shocked, Siddartha asked, “Who are you? What do you want? What is the use of kidnapping her?”

Seriously and coolly Madani said, “Come to the right track like that. You don’t need to know who we are. Tomorrow if you want to marry your girl at the fixed auspicious time, you have to listen to us and do what we say that’s all.”

Siddartha was shocked. Before he could say anything else, the call was cut off. He started moving around the room in deep thought. Then he sat down not knowing what to do. Suddenly the cell rang. Siddartha put it to his ear in tension.

Akram was holding Reshmi’s hair and twisting it. Reshmi cried in pain. With fear, she shouted into the mobile, “Siddartha, please rescue me somehow. These men will kill me.”

Siddartha was shocked and tense. But he gave assurance to Reshim by saying, “Don’t worry, don’t get scared. Give the cell to them. I will speak.”

Reshim passed the mobile to Madani with fear and said, “Siddartha will speak to you.”

Madani smiled crookedly and passed the mobile to Bilal. “Bhaiya, party is getting ready. You only have to give him orders what to do.”

Bilal took the mobile from Madani and looked at Reshim seriously. Then he put the mobile to his ear. “Siddartha, I speak less and act more. If you want your lover to be safe, you have to do what I say. Otherwise she will go up. If you want, I will keep her alive for two more minutes and give you time to think.”

Siddartha was shocked. He requested, “First tell me what I have to do.”

Bilal looked at Reshmi seriously. Then he asked Siddartha, “You want to marry this girl tomorrow at the fixed auspicious time, isn’t it?”

Siddartha nodded sadly and said, “Yes.”

Bilal was happy. “In that case, I will tell you what you have to do.”

Siddartha became alert and listened carefully.

Reshmi was also listening keenly to Bilal’s voice.

Bilal said, “You have to finish off that commando Ranjit before 3pm today.”

Reshmi was shocked. Ranjit was her friend’s father. She liked him very much.  

Siddartha was also shocked. He became silent and put his hand on his chest. He thought for a while and shook his head.  

Seeing that Siddartha had gone silent, Bilal said seriously, “I know that this is shocking news for you but for me it is breaking news. You can do it easily since you are a national champion in shooting. You have even won so many prizes.”

SIddartha did not say anything. He was too shocked to speak.

Noting the silence, Bilal asked, “Why have you become silent? If you plan to save his breathe, I will stop your lover’s breathe.”

He signalled to his men. They hit Reshmi on her face and twisted her hair. Reshmi shouted with pain. Bilal put the mobile to her mouth.

Reshmi cried loudly, “Siddartha, they will kill me.”

Siddartha was shocked. “Please don’t do anything to her. Tell me why should I finish off Commando Ranjit?”

Seriously, Bilal said, “Because you want to marry this Reshmi tomorrow, that’s why. Now don’t ask anything else.” He switched off the mobile.  

Siddartha sat looking at the mobile. Then he got up and drank water. His body was shivering. He was sweating. He took out his kerchief and wipped his face.

In the old house, the terrorists were harassing Reshmi. Madani put the gun at Reshmi’s head. “Saitan. Tell your bride groom to agree to our terms and kill that Ranjit. Otherwise we will parcel your dead body part by part.”

Madani twisted her hands. She screamed loudly. Bilal was watching seriously.

Akram said, “Tell him that if he does not do what we say, we will take your life.”

Akram called Siddartha again and put the cell to Reshmi’s mouth,

In Reshmi’s house, Siddartha’s cell rang. He put the cell to his ear with fear.

Akram twisted Reshmi’s hand. Reshmi screamed with pain, “Siddartha, please save me. They are squeezing my life. Save me.”

Tense, Siddartha said, “Don’t worry Reshmi. I will rescue you. I promise. I will do anything for you. You are my breathe.”

Bilal took the cell from Reshmi and went into the room with TV.

Sitting down, Bilal said, “If you do what I say, Reshmi will survive. I will also give you 5 lakhs reward as soon as Ranjit’s dead body falls. But if you miss to do the job before 3pm, I will parcel her body to you.”

In tension, requesting, Siddartha said, “Please do not harm her. I am thinking about your demands.”

Seriously, Bilal said, “Remember that Ranjit is an enemy to me and to you too. But if you leak out the things to anyone, your lover will not live. Now it is 9:30. At 10:30, come to Saint John’s church. I will call you and tell you what to do.”

He switched off the cell.

Siddartha tried to call but the cell was switched off.

Siddartha thought, “Che! They have switched off the cell. I wonder who these bastards are. I wonder why they want to see Ranjit’s dead body.”