He had agreed to take on the mission only after the home minister had agreed to the ACP's intentions of 'taking on guerrillas like a guerrilla'.
ACP Hani had got a tip-off from an informer about Aalamzeb. But instead of nabbing him right away, his men had started tailing Aalamzeb to figure out who the other four Pakistani sleepers were and also to find out what had happened to the RDX. Three months earlier, an ATS officer had made a mistake while following Aalamzeb, and Aalamzeb had managed to give them the slip.
The ACP continued, 'We had been following Aalamzeb and discovered his regular visits to you.' He was now a little sheepish. 'So we recruited Tanvir to "befriend" you and find out whether you are clean or not.' He looked at the still-impassive Rabia. 'Tanvir told us about what happened to you, about the heinous crime committed against you, and that you were innocent. Aalamzeb, we realized, had fallen in love with you, so we had to use a ploy to force his hand, if possible. So Tanvir proposed to marry you, under my orders. I'm sorry for that.'
A single tear escaped Rabia's eye.
'Tanvir is a gangster, but he's a patriotic man who is helping the ATS. And now, I want help from another good person— you,' said ACP Hani, his voice as flat as possible.
Despite the tremendous pressure that Rabia felt in her chest, she maintained an even manner. 'You want my help?'
'Yes.' The ACP nodded. 'Call Aalamzeb and tell him that you have come to know about what he did to Tanvir. Beg for his mercy, plead with him to spare you and Tanvir. Ask to meet him one last time.'
For what seemed like an aeon, Rabia didn't say anything. She kept staring at the lazy billowing curtain at the dusty window of the room. The ACP sat patiently, waiting for her answer. Then, almost when it seemed that she would never speak again, she turned. All right, I'll do what you say. But first, I want you to set Tanvir free.'
◉
Tanvir was being helped to his feet by a ward boy when Rabia was ushered into the room. Not wanting to reveal the extent of his discomfort, he pushed the surprised ward boy aside and stood on his own, albeit with some difficulty. Rabia walked up to him and placed a soft hand on his cheek.
'How are you feeling now?' she asked.
Tanvir reached out to hug her. But she stepped aside, taking care not to throw him off balance, to indicate to him that she was in command of this meeting. A hesitant voice rose from somewhere within him. 'Please forgive me, Rabia.'
Rabia allowed herself a tight smile. 'ACP Hani has asked me to perform a task for him. So I just came to say goodbye.'
Tanvir's voice instantly rose by a decibel, 'Rabia, listen to me. Please. I was caught in a trap. I had to do what they wanted me to. But you don't fall for their tricks. Don't do anything that the ACP asks you to do...otherwise...' he trailed off.
'Otherwise, what?' Rabia asked.
'Otherwise you'll become like me.'
She shook her head. 'I'm sorry. But I don't think I'll ever become like you.' The firmness in her voice surprised him. He stared at her, crestfallen.
Rabia looked him straight in the eye. 'Tell me this: do you love me?' she asked in a softened tone.
Tanvir shifted his stare to the ground. He still didn't speak. Rabia gave him one last look and walked out of the room.
◉
'Will you please forgive me?' asked Rabia, with a hint of a sob in her voice.
The voice on the other side of the telephone fell silent. 'When there is love, there is no question of forgiveness,' came a calm reply, after a long wait.
Rabia was speaking to Aalamzeb on a hotwired landline. Seated next to her, the ATS technology experts were trying to trace the location of the number that Aalamzeb was using. But they were failing miserably, as the connection was routed through four Indian states, as well as through Dubai and Tajikistan, back to Mumbai.
As promised, Rabia had placed this call at ACP Hani's behest. He had briefed her on what to say. 'First, greet him the way you
ACP Hani had got a tip-off from an informer about Aalamzeb. But instead of nabbing him right away, his men had started tailing Aalamzeb to figure out who the other four Pakistani sleepers were and also to find out what had happened to the RDX. Three months earlier, an ATS officer had made a mistake while following Aalamzeb, and Aalamzeb had managed to give them the slip.
The ACP continued, 'We had been following Aalamzeb and discovered his regular visits to you.' He was now a little sheepish. 'So we recruited Tanvir to "befriend" you and find out whether you are clean or not.' He looked at the still-impassive Rabia. 'Tanvir told us about what happened to you, about the heinous crime committed against you, and that you were innocent. Aalamzeb, we realized, had fallen in love with you, so we had to use a ploy to force his hand, if possible. So Tanvir proposed to marry you, under my orders. I'm sorry for that.'
A single tear escaped Rabia's eye.
'Tanvir is a gangster, but he's a patriotic man who is helping the ATS. And now, I want help from another good person— you,' said ACP Hani, his voice as flat as possible.
Despite the tremendous pressure that Rabia felt in her chest, she maintained an even manner. 'You want my help?'
'Yes.' The ACP nodded. 'Call Aalamzeb and tell him that you have come to know about what he did to Tanvir. Beg for his mercy, plead with him to spare you and Tanvir. Ask to meet him one last time.'
For what seemed like an aeon, Rabia didn't say anything. She kept staring at the lazy billowing curtain at the dusty window of the room. The ACP sat patiently, waiting for her answer. Then, almost when it seemed that she would never speak again, she turned. All right, I'll do what you say. But first, I want you to set Tanvir free.'
◉
Tanvir was being helped to his feet by a ward boy when Rabia was ushered into the room. Not wanting to reveal the extent of his discomfort, he pushed the surprised ward boy aside and stood on his own, albeit with some difficulty. Rabia walked up to him and placed a soft hand on his cheek.
'How are you feeling now?' she asked.
Tanvir reached out to hug her. But she stepped aside, taking care not to throw him off balance, to indicate to him that she was in command of this meeting. A hesitant voice rose from somewhere within him. 'Please forgive me, Rabia.'
Rabia allowed herself a tight smile. 'ACP Hani has asked me to perform a task for him. So I just came to say goodbye.'
Tanvir's voice instantly rose by a decibel, 'Rabia, listen to me. Please. I was caught in a trap. I had to do what they wanted me to. But you don't fall for their tricks. Don't do anything that the ACP asks you to do...otherwise...' he trailed off.
'Otherwise, what?' Rabia asked.
'Otherwise you'll become like me.'
She shook her head. 'I'm sorry. But I don't think I'll ever become like you.' The firmness in her voice surprised him. He stared at her, crestfallen.
Rabia looked him straight in the eye. 'Tell me this: do you love me?' she asked in a softened tone.
Tanvir shifted his stare to the ground. He still didn't speak. Rabia gave him one last look and walked out of the room.
◉
'Will you please forgive me?' asked Rabia, with a hint of a sob in her voice.
The voice on the other side of the telephone fell silent. 'When there is love, there is no question of forgiveness,' came a calm reply, after a long wait.
Rabia was speaking to Aalamzeb on a hotwired landline. Seated next to her, the ATS technology experts were trying to trace the location of the number that Aalamzeb was using. But they were failing miserably, as the connection was routed through four Indian states, as well as through Dubai and Tajikistan, back to Mumbai.
As promised, Rabia had placed this call at ACP Hani's behest. He had briefed her on what to say. 'First, greet him the way you
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