The Siege Saga - Chapter XXII

This post is a part of the #GameOfBlogs Contest at Blogadda.com.

You can read the first part of the story here and the previous part here.

Jennifer was all very tensed with her heart still beating up for Kareem. She wanted the hostages to be free but she did not want Kareem’s body lying still in front of her either. Between the ‘right’ and the ‘wrong’, Jennifer hoped to save Kareem from the rescue teams. But the fight eventually went into the favor of ‘right’ since the video posted by Cyrus was running continuously in front of her eyes. “I need to go inside, I need to save Kareem from all this and get him away from this materialistic world. We shall have our new world somewhere far away.”

But with each bullet sound, Jennifer’s heart was beating at a faster pace than before. She thought to talk to Kareem.

“Where have you been? Its all over the news that the hotel is getting freed up from the hours long siege. Bullet sounds are all over the outer space. Hope you are fine.” Jennifer went to some private space and called inside the hotel.

“Its all getting spoiled. The army is already within the hotel. But inshallah, we will achieve our mission. Aryan has just managed to get away from the lobby. That bloody Shekhar! Uski wali toh tumhare saath hi hai na. She will come to our rescue if he catches us.” Kareem asked in a tone which frightened Jennifer.

“Huzoor, apki zindgi mere saath hi hai.” Jennifer replied in a manner to console Kareem.

Jennifer was going all in and out to think how she can get inside the hotel. She wanted the hostages free and she wanted Kareem and somewhere her brain was telling her that only one of the two was possible.

Jennifer asked the special cell team on the ground carefully monitoring the situation inside if she could go inside the hotel. “Sending me inside can really help your team. I know one of them really well and I can be go really close to the attackers without any harm to my life.”

Suraj, who was second in command after Shekhar, was all in dilemma whether to let her in or not, or more specifically, whether to believe her or not.

“I know its hard to trust someone who has already tried to deviate you from the prime agenda, but please trust me. Shekhar has trusted me till now, the prime concern for me is just the safety of the hostages.” Tara said in a tone to convince Suraj further.

“Give me some time.” Suraj said in a stressed tone. He knew he already had lesser time.

“Delta to Alpha, come in Sir.”

“Delta, come in.”

“Jennifer wants to get in the hotel. She says she wants the hostages be freed.” Suraj seeked guidance from Shekhar.

“We already are clueless about the location of the terrorists. Our team has already cleared two floors and only thing we can find are dead bodies. Lets play blind. I think we should let her in. What do you suggest?” Shekhar said, though in a bit unconvincing sound, but his heart knew his intuitive ability has never let her down.

“Sir, we don’t seem to have a choice. I think we may take a chance.”

“Over and out.”

Suraj now seemed to have a fair idea of what his course of action was going to be.

“Jennifer, our team is already in. So, if you think you will be able to fool us around, you may be wrong. We are attaching a secret cam to your earring. It should not get broken at any cost. Just remember that.” Suraj tried to assure Jennifer that it was their choice and not helplessness which was allowing her to go in.

That was a really smart call from Suraj. Getting a cam in the earring also meant that he could hear everything whenever Jennifer conversed with anyone over phone.

And bang on! The very first call gave them the location of the terrorists.

“Kareem, I have managed to get in the hotel through kitchen area at the back. Where are you and our team?” Jennifer tried to know his whereabouts.

“Ahana, we are all spread out on different floors from 4^th to 8^th floor. I am on the 5^th floor. However, Aryan is still untraceable. But you stay away from the scene. The army seems all within the hotel and we are close to reach Jannat, inshallah.”

“No, I won’t. I have done the recce of the hotel earlier and I know a way out. I surely can help you get out of here safe, Kareem. I need to meet you.”

While Jennifer aka Ahana was trying to convince Kareem to get out of the hotel safely, Suraj heard all this conversation through the secret cam.

He immediately conveyed the information to Shekhar. “Suraj, make sure, our team should not go to Floor 5. We can nab this one alive. And till the time Jennifer is there with him, I think he will do no harm.”

Was Jennifer worthy of this much trust? The question was getting back on Shekhar’s mind again and again but he just remembered Roohi’s silly facebook status a couple of days back which read ‘Listen to your Heart. Itmay be on the left, but it’s always right.’ 

Finally, he decided to trust her.

Read the next part of the story here.

“Me and my team are participating in ‘Game Of Blogs’ at BlogAdda.com. #CelebrateBlogging with us.”

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The Siege Saga Continues!!

This post is a part of the #GameOfBlogs Contest at Blogadda.com.

You can read the first part of the story here and the previous part here.

How does Tara know Ahana? Why is Ahana saved as Jennifer in Tara’s mobile? Why is Ahana calling his wife?

These were some of the questions that were pretty much occupying Shekhar’s mind at this moment. One moment, he thinks he should confront his wife and fetch all the more details he can but on the other hand, he suspects there might be some informers to the terrorists who may still be present at the Railway Station. Deciding to continue his uninformed presence in Delhi, Shekhar notes down Jennifer aka Ahana’s cell number from the call log in Tara’s mobile. Thinking that it would be important to remain in touch with his wife, he decides to drop the phone on the platform itself instead of handing it over but he also makes sure that while dropping Tara’s phone back on the platform, Roohi has her eyes of her Papa. He winks at Roohi and signals her to ask Mummy to pick her phone up.

“Oh baby! You got us scared today.” Tara hugged Roohi.

“Mumma, I had to be strong. I can’t afford to be a crying baby of the journalist the whole of the nation is watching. I want to talk to Papa as well. He must be worried.”

“Oh, Yes! He indeed was. Let me connect a call to him.” Surprised and amazed, Tara is searching for her phone. Roohi, being a fine actress, seemingly unknowingly picks up the phone from the platform.

Shekhar calls up Police Control Room and hands them over Ahana’s number to track all the details about the call records. Shekhar calls up his team to check the status at Continental Hotel which continues to be under the terror siege. As per the latest information available with the special cell, the hotel had 100+ guests, a majority of which are of non-Indian origin and the respective countries have been pressing upon raising the safety issues of their citizens, adding on to the pressure on Shekhar who is leading the ‘Operation R’

Tara and Roohi are taken into the medical van stationed at the station itself for some medical assistance while the nabbed terrorists are taken under custody by the special cell commandos. Siiting inside the medical van, Tara notices Jennifer’s missed call.

“Oh! I just missed to communicate to Jennifer that I am leaving from Hotel site to cover Railway station and more importantly, save Roohi.” Tara exclaimed. 

“Hey Jenni! Just saw your call. Where are you? Hope you are safe.”

“Tara, I’m outside the Continental Hotel. I managed to take a couple of pictures inside. It’s a bloodbath all the way in the lobby. But where are you?” Jennifer said breathing heavily.

“Are you fine? I am at Railway station. I saw Roohi on the gun point on the news coverage at the station and I could not resist coming at the site.”

 “Just wait there, I’ m coming there.” Jennifer is all perplexed and surprised.

“Jenni, just wish you were here right now. Special cell has nabbed the mastermind to the attacks and is now taking them over in safe custody. It would have been a promotion-fetching coverage.”

“Oh, that’s great.” With a happy expression over the call, Jennifer looked tensed, extremely tensed. But before saying anything else, she deliberately disconnects the call and dials another number.

 Read the next part of the story here.

“Me and my team are participating in ‘Game Of Blogs’ at BlogAdda.com. #CelebrateBlogging with us.”

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Game of Blogs : Story Weavers

Team Name : Story Weavers

“Breaking news for not so good a morning, terror strikes the National Capital. New Delhi Railway Station witnesses the highest casualities.“

Shekhar switches his TV on early in the morning to practice Yoga and the breaking news catches his attention. Amidst the serenity of the morning, the ringtone on his wife's mobile breaks the silence of an otherwise quiet morning. Since the call is from office, Tara takes no time to get up and answer it.

"Morning, Sir." …. "Oh my God!"….. "Yes, Sir."…. "Right away"… "Certainly, Sir."… "Good Day, Sir." That’s all Shekhar could hear while Tara seemed uneasy, being awake early in the morning after the late night news report she had to broadcast.

"What happened, Tara?" asked Shekhar.

"Nothing, I need to report to Delhi studio to cover the terror attack and the worst part is that I have a flight to catch in next 2 hours." Tara uttered while rushing to get fresh.

"What? Are you going to New Delhi? and who's gonna receive Roohi from CST? She's returning today after a long school trip in Delhi" And it was a horrifying silence. "One sec! Roohi is coming back from New Delhi, Tara call her up. I hope she's fine…."

"I know you can manage that. Let me get ready and leave for the Airport." Before Shekhar says 'OK', Tara is already gone. Shekhar is trying to call Roohi's teacher who was travelling with the whole group and the phone is not reachable. Sadly, the terrorist attack timings matches with the departure time of Roohi's train.

Anxious about his little angel, Shekhar tries to gather all the information that is available on the idiot box. 240 dead… hundreds injured.. a train taken hostage by the terrorists.. all trains diverted from New Delhi.. This was all he could gather from different news channels.

"Wait, I am coming along. Roohi needs us... Oh my lil' daughter!"

Tara was surprised. "Oh, com'on! she will be OK. Don’t act like a child." But the father in Shekhar was not willing to listen to all this. All he wanted to listen to Roohi's sweet voice. Tara was unwilling to take Shekhar with him, but the father in him was not in a mood to listen.

An anxious father and the workaholic journalist were ready to leave home in no time. Shekhar's attempts to connect to Roohi's teacher go all in vain. "Ganpati Bappa, she should be safe." he was uttering this all this while.

Read the next part of the story here.

“Me and my team are participating in ‘Game Of Blogs’ at BlogAdda.com. #CelebrateBlogging with us.”

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Friendship is Life!!

In the journey of sharing and caring, my world has become richer with all those lovely people who care for my happiness and smile. I just tried penning down my thoughts this time for how rich I feel but at the same time, a bit scared of losing them.

सबसे खास, दोस्ती का एहसास

चुप रहना ज़िंदगी की आदत हो गई,

बातों से दिल ना दुखा दूँ, किसीका डर लगता है.

दोस्ती करते हैं हम लोगों का दिल देखकर,

किसी दोस्त का साथ छूट ना जाये डर लगता है.

एक पतली सी माला पिरोई है ज़िंदगी में अपनी,

वो छन्न से टूट ना जाये डर लगता है.

एक वादा चाहिए तुमसे ज़िंदगी भर की दोस्ती का,

"वादे अक्सर टूटते है." इसी बात से डर लगता है.

जाने कल क्या उजाला हो अपनी ज़िंदगानी में,

आज को आज में जीना ही हमें प्यारा लगता है.

खुशनसीब है वो जिन्हें मिलता है साथ दोस्तो का,

खुशनसीब होने का ख्याल यह हमें बहुत प्यारा लगता है.

दोस्ती की है तो निभाने की कोशिश भी होगी,

हमारी दोस्ती का एहसास ही मुझे सबसे प्यारा लगता है. 

These lines are dedicated to all my Tom and Jerry friends. I hope you like it. :)

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Kya Dilli Kya Lahore!!

Last Saturday, I attended an event by Zee to launch their new channel ‘Zindagi’ and what pushed me to attend the event was the very tagline of the Channel : Zindagi, Jodey Dilon Ko. An attempt aimed at connecting two nations, I was quite excited for the launch event, since even we have grown up watching Pakistani Plays and Pakistani shows on PTV.

While sitting in the hall, I penned down a few lines on the issue and I hope you all would like it.

क्या दिल्ली, क्या लाहौर!!

हम आज भी उमर शरीफ देख हॅसते हैं,

दिलों में उनके भी शाहरुख बस्ते हैं.

हुआ करती थी मंज़िल एक कभी यह,

आज अलग अलग हुए ह्‌मारे रास्ते हैं.

हम एक थे इतिहास के किस्सों में,

क्यूँ बाँट दिया हमें दो हिस्‍सों में,

क्या कोई मुझे यह समझायेगा,

क्या फर्क है इन दो हिस्सों में.

ज़मीन को अलग कर दिया हो चाहे,

पर खुश्बू मिट्टी की ना जुदा हो पाये.

नहीं है फ़ासला लाहौर अमृतसर में,

तो दिलों में फ़ासले कैसे हो पाये.

यह हवायों की मासूमियत के भी क्या कहने,

जब चलती हैं यह अमृतसर में शोर से,

ना यह देखे ना जाने कोई सरहद,

चुनरी उड़ती जाये लाहौर में.

मुझे भी हवा का झोंका बना दो यार,

मैं भी देख लूँ उधर का प्यार,

उस ज़मीन की मिट्टी को लगाना है माथे,

मुझको भी दिखा दो कोई लाहौर एक बार.

कभी कभी सोचे यह मन मेरा,

सियासत के खेल में देश लुट गया मेरा,

मेरे मन की यह कुछ ख्वाहिशें है,

इस बारें में बता, क्या ख्याल है तेरा.

क्यूँ ना इन दो भाइयों को फिर से मिलायें,

क्यूँ ना हम इक नया जहाँ बनायें,

बीती हुई कड़वी यादों को भूल,

हम अमन की आशा चारो और फैलायें.

आओ प्यार के दिये जला दें चारो और,

बांटें इतना प्यार, जिसका ना हो कोई छोर.

अब दो देशों की दूरियाँ मिट जाने दो,

क्या हो दिल्ली, क्या लाहौर.

अब दिलों की दूरियाँ मिट जाने दो,

क्या हो दिल्ली, क्या लाहौर.

While I sincerely hope that this new channel will be a step forward, let us vow too for a cordial Indo-Pak relationship. 

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Loving beyond Social Barriers!!

Condemn Honour Killing, just coz there is no honour in Killing.

A couple of days back, I came across a news clipping regarding 'honour killing' and all the thoughts within my mind came to halt. I tried penning down a story of two lovers, who loved beyond the social barriers, but may not unite due to the artificial social barricades.

रात बहुत है हो चली,

हम घूमे यादों की गली.

जब मैं और तुम बने थे हम,

खुशियाँ जो थी कभी ना कम.
ज़िंदगी की हर खुशी तुझसे ही थी,

तेरी हर आरज़ू की तमन्ना हमने की.

तेरी मुस्कुराहट की चाहत हर पल थी,

झुकी तेरी नज़र और दिल में हलचल थी.

तेरे होने से एक अजब सा एहसास था,

पर इस रिश्ते का नाम हर पल राज़ था.

आया जब वक़्त इस रिश्ते को नाम देने का,

तब इकरार से ना जाने यह दिल घबराया.

मुझे प्यार है तुमसे कहते कहते,

तुमने इस रिश्ते का नाम दोस्ती बताया.

पर जाने क्या मजबूरी रही होगी तुम्हारी,

फिर एक दिन तुमने इस दोस्ती को भी ठुकराया.

बेवफाई तुम्हारी ना होगी तुम्हारी मंज़ूरी से,

यही कहके फिर हमने अपने दिल को समझाया.

आज मिले जब फिर से उन्हीं राहों पे,

तो पढ़ ली हमने यह आँखें तुम्हारी.

मुझे आज भी प्यार है तुमसे,

कह गयी हमसे यह साँसें तुम्हारी.

इस इज़हार की खुशी तो थी दिल में,

पर एक सवाल ज़रूर मन में आया था..

तुम दूर गये थे मुझसे क्यूँ,

यह आज भी ना तुमने बताया था..

जब हम थे एक साथ, प्यार था तब भी,

फिर तब तुमने ना क्यूं प्यार जताया था..

जब मालूम था के ज़िंदगी कटेगी ना बिन तेरे,

फिर क्यूँ जान बूझके मुझे सताया था..

यह सुनके वो बस इतना ही कह पायी थी,

तेरी खातिर ही हमने यह ज़िंदगी ठुकराई थी.

तुमसे प्यार करना खिलाफ था समाज के उसूलों के,

तुझे इन्कार करके ही हमने अपनी वफ़ा निभाई थी.

यह सुनके हमने अपनी ज़िन्दगी को गले लगाया,

विश्वास हमारा ना टूटा, यह सूकून पाया.

एक वो वक़्त था और एक आज है,

इस प्यार के बीच क्यूँ आता समाज ह..

इंसानों में क्यूँ छोटा बड़ा बनाया,

एक दूसरे के बीच क्यूँ फ़ासला बनाया.

चाहे दर्मियाँ हो जितनी मरज़ी दूरियाँ,

हमें दूर ना कर पायेंगी यह मजबूरियाँ.

नहीं भूलेंगे हम किये एक दूसरे से वादे,

मर कर भी ज़िंदा रहेंगे हम इश्क़ज़ादे.

I hope you like it. :)

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