Commissioner had recieved the call from the Head Officer informing that they all have escaped safely from their trap. Listening this, commisioner was relieved and he congratulated them for this. He also shared this news with Sagar who was relieved and happy that the trio were safe and soon reaching the HeadQuaters. So, Sagar called back the additional teams which were sent for the help of the convoy. Suddenly, an inspector came and informed them that the convoy has arrived. Commissioner and Sagar nodded at him and went outside to recieve them not before giving a satisfying look to each other.

After a journey of 30 minutes, the convoy stopped outside the HeadQuaters. The security personnel stepped down from their vehicles and stood in attention with the head officer and another officer opening the backdoor of Akshita's and Cheetosh's vehicle. Akshita and Cheetosh stepped down and walked towards the HeadQuaters while looking it weirdly. Akshita saw that the condition of the HeadQuaters was the same as she had expected. The entrance was heavily guarded by around 10 commandos carrying assault rifles with two officers having guns while some were standing on the supervision towers built on the walls on an interval of 200 metres each having sniper rifles in target mode. As the personnel at the entrance saluted and greeted the trio, the trio nodded with a smile greeting them back and got inside followed by the officers of the convoy to find commissioner and Sagar standing just right there for recieving them. Akshita wanted to run but she has to maintain her decorum. So, she just walked towards them and the trio saluted and greeted them. They smiled and greeted them back. Commissioner said...

Comm: we are happy that you three manages to reach here safely.

AC (smiled): we too

Comm: please come inside, everything is ready for your briefing.

Akshita nodded and got inside the HeadQuaters followed by Cheetosh. The commissioner and Sagar lead them to the briefing room. The room had white walls with a wall having a large wall sized screen attached on it. A table having an inbuilt sensory keyboard with a mini-screen was placed in front of the wall sized screen with a moving chair kept on each of its sides while three moving chairs were placed in front of the table facing the the screen. Commissioner and Sagar along with the trio entered the briefing room. Commisioner and Sagar sat on the sides and the trio sat in the front with Akshita sitting in middle and Cheetah & Santosh sitting on each side. Sagar clicked a button on the table which automatically closed the doors of the cabin. Trio looked at each other. Commissioner clicked another button on the table which opened the map of whole city on the screen. He got up and walked near the screen and started...

Comm: so, it all started with a bomb blast at six locations simultaneously. But there was no connection between them, all of them had different purposes, except one connection, that they all were located in our city.

AC(confused): like ??

Comm: first location was a mall, which was at that time populated as it was festive season, second location was a hospital, which was dense due to greater prevalence of diseases, third one was a school, with many children in attendance as next few days were going to be holiday due to festivals, fourth location a railway season, many passengers coming in and out of the train and going to station in heavy numbers for catching trains as it was festive rush, fifth location was a fair, large population present to take in the festive fervour, and last location was...(hesitating) ??

AC(suspicious): what happenned ?? Why have you suddenly started to hesitate ?? What is there in last location ??

Comm: last location was our HeadQuaters

At this, the trio's eyes went wide with shock...

AC(shocked): what ??

Comm: haan, lekin voh bomb HeadQuaters ke andar blast nahi ho paya kyunki the person with the bomb was just caught outside the entrance, but before we could could anything, the bomb blasted. Although none was injured inside, but the officers who had stopped him and were around, were injured and 5 of them were dead.

CC: and about other locations ??

Commissioner and Sagar closed their eyes, imagining the scene at that time, and again opened their eyes, which looked full of grief and sadness. Akshita saw that, and realised that the coming picture is much worse...

Comm: large destruction, of both life and property. Many people were killed, severely injured. The blast was much stronger. It was difficult to tell if anyone would not have felt it's impact. In the mall, around 400 were killed, while 300 were injured. In hospital, the numbers were less frightening, because the hospital was small, so not many people were killed around 30 or so. But in school, the picture is not good. The blast took at departure time, when parents were also present. Many innocent children, along with their parents died, while several lay injured. And at railway station, the picture is much worse, around 800 were killed, and hundreds injured. In the fair, around 500 were killed and almost 400 injured. And we were unable to do anything.

Both commisioner and Sagar had their faces down with eyes having despair and anguish...

Sagar: the scene being reported at that time was horrible. As soon as we came to know about it, we rushed to each spot, and were left shocked at the on ground situation. The people were running here and there, searching for their relatives, friends, family members beneath the debris, while some were flocking around the ambulances which were taking people to the field hospitals, which were set up for their immediate treatment as no major hospital was near these locations. It seems that the terrorists have struck at perfect spots, which having no immediate relief facility around them, which meant that many people died due to lack of immediate treatment. People were demanding answers for us, that why we were unsuccessful to save them, they were blaming us for all the destruction. And yes, they were true, we were responsible for all the damage caused to life and property, but how do we tell them that even we had not got any input regarding the attacks, we had not even a slightest indication of these blasts, otherwise we would have definitely tried to stop it with all our might....

He was not able to speak further about the situation. Commissioner continued...

Comm: we suspected a terror angle in these attacks, as explosions on such a large scale could not be caused by a small or an insignificant group. Our forensic team investigated the sites. They found that the materials used in it are high graded materials used in scientific research labs, chemical laboratories which would cause high intensity damage if combined with each other. It means that they had access to high end equipments and materials which could only be possible if they are a large and powerful group having easy accessibility of high grade resources.....

Sagar: and this began an unending spate of attacks and the battle for the control of city between terrorists and security forces, which has till now resulted in our continuous defeats. And the result is: although the city virtually lies in our control, but the terrorist gang control the on ground situation. We are only left for name sake, they are the actual in-command.

Sagar finished speaking disappointed. Santosh and Cheeta were too much shocked to react. They did not know that this much would have happened after they left the city. They were still registering the information given to them. Commissioner and Sagar were also looking guilty and full of grief, that they are still unable to finish the gang that caused this destruction and many more. Suddenly, they heard a loud sound of banging of chair followed by a loud roar. They looked towards the source of sound and shivered upon the sight.

Akshita was standing, with her hands slammed to the desk, chair behind her lying broken on floor. She was looking different than earlier, her eyes had become cold, filled with deathly rage and having a emotionless face....

AC(harshly): who was responsible for the intelligence failure ??

She asked. Everyone were too much freightened by her eyes and her cold attitude. Santosh and Cheeta looked at each other with a scared look because they knew that once Akshita loses her calm, no one can withstand her deathly gaze. Commissioner, being scared, quickly said.

Comm(freightened): our department's senior intelligence officer, Aarav Gupta.

Akshita's face grew dark, her gaze burning with intensity. She said, almost like ordering...

AC: Bring him to the interrogation room.

Comm: but he is in the central prisons, first we have to contact the prison, to inform them, and then wait.....(interrupted)

AC: no need sir, just send some officers to bring him here, and tell my name to prison officials, they would immediately handover him to us. How much time would this take ??

Comm: around 3 hours.

AC: ok, then , till the time they are bringing him, sagar sir, can you tell the members of the team who were previously heading this mission to immediately report to HQ, they need to be present in 1 hour, till then, I should inspect my cabin, is it ready ?? .

She stated this time, a little softly. Sagar relaxed at her little calm tone. He said...

Sagar: yes, your cabin is fully ready, with all the files and necessary things, you can check it yourself, till the time I am calling them.

He stated with a smile. Akshita nodded and went out to check her cabin. Santosh and Cheeta, who were going behind her, were stopped by Sagar, as he said...

Sagar: Santosh, Cheeta, please uska dhyaan rakhna. jis tarah se voh bartaav kar rahi hai, kahi voh kuch bura na karde, tum dono ne toh suna hi hoga ki jab voh apne upar se apna aapa aur kabu khoti hai, toh situation kitni kharaab ho jati hai, use fir shaant karna mushkil ho jaata hai. main use fir se khona nahi chahta, please tum dono uska dhyaan rakhna, aur use surakshit rakhna, saath mein khud ka bhi dhyaan rakhna. tum teeno mere liye anmol ho.

He requested them with a worried face, a tear dropping from his eyes. Santosh and Cheeta turned towards Sagar and replied him with a smile....

SC: don't worry sir. hum di ko kuch nahi hone denge, unki poori suraksha karenge, voh humare liye bhi utni ki khaas hai jitni aapke liye

CC: haan sir, aap chinta mat kijiye, jabtak hum unke saath hain, unhe koi bhi nuksaan nahi pahuncha sakta, hum unhe kabhi bhi akela nahi chodenge. We promise you.

They said warmly with a smile. Sagar nodded with a broad grin. Then after greeting him, they left for Akshita's cabin.

Akshita entered her cabin, and was a little contended to see that everything is arranged and properly kept in her cabin. Her cabin was having every necessary thing, required for working efficiently. Sat checked everything in her cabin, files, accessories, devices, everything that was present in her cabin. After finding nothing suspicious, she sat in her leather chair and relaxed herself by closing her eyes and leaning her head on the chair backwards. After a few minutes, she heard a knock on her door. She opened her eyes, and saw cheetosh standing on the door with a smile. She stood up and replied going towards them...

AC: aree, tum dono darwaze par kyun khade ho, andar aao na.

They entered inside, and looked around the cabin. The cabin seemed to be highly furnished, as well as advanced with every modern day accessory. After looking everything, Santosh said...

SC: di, aapko briefing room mein kya ho gaya tha, aap itni gusse mein kyun lag rahi thi ?

AC(softly): hum gussa nahi karna chahte Santosh, lekin tumhe pata hai na, ki mujhe dhokebaazon se kitni nafrat hai. mujhe bohot bura lagta hai, jab koi kisi ka bharosa todta ho, kyunki main bhi toot gayi thi, un logon ki wajah se, jinhone mujhpar bharosa nahi karkar mera bharosa toda, aur uss dhokebaaz officer ki wajah se logon ka police ke upar se bharosa toot gaya. isliye bas thoda sa aapa kho diya, lekin tum log ghabrao mat, mera gussa sirf bure logon ke liye hi hai, acche logon ke liye nahi.

CC: di, aapko lekin kabhi bhi itna gussa nahi karna chahiye, aapko pata hai na aapki tabiyat kharab ho sakti hai.

AC: don't worry, aage se aesa nahi hoga, main apna dhyaan rakhungi, aur fir tum dono toh ho hi, mera dhyaan rakhne keliye.

She replied with a wink. Santosh and Cheeta grinned, and hugged her, with Akshita hugging them back. The trio stayed in the hug for a few minutes, before separating reluctantly. Akshita sat in her leather chair, after requesting them to sit down. Cheetosh sat in the chairs in front of her across the table amd their conversation began. They talked on some official stuff, planning about the future strategy, dealing with the gang. One hour crossed like this, when a she got a call from sagar. She picked it up and replied.....

On call...

AC: yes sir....ok sir....yes...sir...send them...I am ready...ok sir...I am coming...

Call ended...

Akshita cut the call and said turning towards cheetosh....

AC: jo team pehle mission ko lead kar rahi thi, voh aa gayi hai, let's go...

Cheetosh nodded and the trio went towards the briefing room....
_____________

In the briefing room....

Anubhav, along with Karishma, Vyom and Pushpaji entered and saluted and greeted Sagar. Sagar, who was having a gentle smile on his face after talking with Akshita, immediately wiped of his smile and his expression again turned cold. He turned towards them nd greeted them. Anubhav asked....

AS: sir aapne hume itne urgent basis pe HQ kyun bulaya ??

Sagar: voh...(interrupted)

"unhone nahi, humne bulaya hai aap sab ko"

A voice replied from behing. The trio entered the room and saluted Sagar. Sagar smiled and greeted them. Since the trio was facing Anubhav and team's back, they were not able to see their faces. Anubhav and the three others found the voice a quite similar, so they turned behind to see the person and were left shocked. Even the trio were shocked on seeing them. Sagar saw their shocked expressions and quietly moved out, sensing that the battle was about to begin. The trio faced them after 8 long years. Anubhav, Karishma, Vyom and Pushpaji were seeing them with a guilty and remorseful face while Cheetosh's face had turned cold and stony. But they were amused when they turned to looked at Akshita. She was having a small smile smile on her face, concealing all other emotions, but only they knew that how much anger and hate she is hiding within that smile. She was clenching her fists at her back so tightly that her skin got teared with the pressure. Santosh looked that and gestured Cheeta also. Both looked that with a worried look, and immediately held her fist. Akshita looked at Santosh, who quietly whispered with a smile in her ears...

SC: aap chinta mat kijiye, main aur cheeta sambhal lenge, aap shaant ho jaiye. Relax

Anubhav, with a guilty look, moved forward to embrace Akshita, but was blocked by Cheetosh who came between them. Anubhav looked them with a questionioning look, while they simply responded...

SC(coldly): Mr. Anubhav, aap mam ke paas nahi jaa sakte.

AS: par...

CC: haan, aap unke paas nahi jaa sakte, aapka koi hak nahi banta unke paas jaane ka.

This time, Karishma approached them, and requested with folded hands....

KS(pleading): please, Cheeta, santu, hume maaf kardo, hum...hume apni galti ka ehsaas ho gaya hai, hum fir se kabhi aesa nahi karenge, please hume Haseena se milne do. hum...hum usse maafi mangna chahte hain, please hume uske paas jaane do. Please

Hearing karishma's plead, Santosh and Cheeta grew silent, seeming to ponder over something. Just then, suddenly, Akshita from behind started laughing bitterly, the sound giving goosebumps to everyone. Hearing her terrifying laughter, even Anubhav and Karishma moved backwards, scared to their wits, along with all others in the room. After some moments, she stopped laughing, and looked all the faces in the room, pretending to be confused seeing them scared. She stepped forward, with a cold expression....

AC: aap log kis Haseena ki baat kar rahe hain, yahan par koi Haseena nahi hain (looking around the room to check)

AS: tumhari (pointing towards AC), humlog tumhari baat kar rahe hain. Please hume maaf kardo, hume uss samay aesa nahi karna chahiye tha, Haseena, please hume maaf...(interrupted)

AC: Haseena ?? (coldly chuckling) kon Haseena, humara naam Akshita Chaturvedi hai, koi Haseena nahi.

AS: nahi, tum Haseena hi ho, Haseena Mallik ho, humari Haseena ho, jisse humne 8 saal pehle apni bohot badi galti ki wajah se kho diya tha.

As Anubhav went near to touch her, Akshita looked in his eyes, and for a moment forgot what happened with her and closed her eyes to feel his touch. Just then, she remembered the harsh incident happened with her and immediately opend her eyes and pushing him harshly away from herself and said in a stern tone, the intensity of her words deepening....

AC(sternly): main fir se bol rahi hoon, mera naam koi Haseena Mallik nahi hai, mera naam Akshita Chaturvedi hai, one of the three officers who was called here for assistance.

KS(coming near): Haseena please....(interrupted)

AC(shouted angrily): MY NAME IS AKSHITA CHATURVEDI, NOT ANY HASEENA MALLIK, DID YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ??

She shouted and pushed Karishma away with so much force, that she collided against wall. Except Cheeta and Santosh, all the other people were just in shock with her actions. Vyom went to Karishma to check upon her, while Anubhav turned towards Akshita and said....

AS(little angrily): mujhe pata hai Haseena ki tum hum sab se gussa ho, lekin tumhe Karishma ko itni zor se dhakka nahi dena chahiye tha. use agar lag jaati toh ??

Vyom and Pushpaji nodded at his words and gave Akshita an angry glare. Here, Akshita was just staring them with bewilderment thinking if they have gone mad or what. They are angry with her just because she pushed Karishma, but are not remembering what they had done to her(Akshita) 8 years ago. She thought "they will never understand me and my painful suffering truly, let alone asking forgiveness from me with an open heart." She said in the same angry tone...

AC(angrily): toh main kya karti ?? aap log meri baat hi nahi maan rahe hain ki main Haseena nahi hun Akshita hun, toh main kya karti ??

AS: agar aap Akshita hai, toh Cheeta aur Santosh aapke saath kya kar rahe hain ?? Voh log toh sirf Haseena ke saath hi rehte thein ??

AC: kyunki Santosh aur Cheeta bhi humare saath hi aaye hain as special officers called for assistance in lucknow. Agar aap logon ko humpar vishwas nahi hain, toh aaplog Sagar sir se puch lijiye (looking around the room), ye Sagar sir kahan gaye, Santosh, zara Sagar sir ko bulana.

Santosh nodded. After few minutes, Sagar came with Santosh and stood between them. Akshita turned towards him and asked...

AC: sir please explain these fools that I am Akshita Chaturvedi, not any Haseena Mallik as they assume me.

Sagar: she is saying right, ye Akshita Chaturvedi hi hai, jisse Santosh aur Cheeta ke saath bulaya gaya tha, because they are the trio of special officers who, from now onwards would be heading the mission as well as the operation of restoring law and order.

Anubhav, Karishma, Vyom and Pushpaji looked at her in disbelief, confused by Sagar's words....

AS: lekin inka chehra toh.....

Sagar: ...Haseena Mallik jaisa lagta hai, haan, lekin ye Akshita Chaturvedi hai.

AC: aap log humari