Naina stood stunned as the people around her started preparing for the attack. Her mind was racing. She knew there was no way to delay this attack or inform Rajveer.

"Nainaji" called Dev, breaking her from her trance. "Inse miliye."

"Aazhan Ali..humara bohot kaam ka banda hai..normally non army related kaam karta hai...par aaj....yeh aapke saath rehenge"

Naina looked at him and nodded he nodded back in acknowledgement. 

They started off in different jeeps. Aazhan was driving the jeep Naina was in. They stopped at a distance from the secure building. It was silent and dark. They were waiting for the signal from their counterparts. 

Naina tried to guage her surroundings running all possibilities in her mind. Azhaan was observing her carefully.

"Itna ghabrane ki zarurat nahi." he said " sab set hai...alarm system, cameras sab ko disable kiya jayega. Humara kaam bas andar jake main system ko crack karna hai. Meine suna tum maahir ho usmein."

Naina turned to him and nodded. They waited.

"Waise kitna de raha hai mantri tumhe ?"

Naina turned to him angrily. 

"Yehi jaanne ke liye puch raha hu, ki kahin merko kam toh nahi de raha."

Naina rolled her eyes not answering.

"Kya kya karti hai tu, aur....mantri ke liye ?" asked Azhaan, slyly.

Naina closed her eyes her blood was boiling. Already she was in a fix, and this man was instigating her.

Thankfully, they got the signal, so they had to get down and move into the building. One by one , their men took their place according to the plan. Now only Naina and Azhaan were moving in the corridor to reach the room, where the plans were kept.

Naina considered her move. She could do something when only both of them were alone. She tried to calculate his height and weight and whether she will be able to overpower him.

They reached the room and went inside. Carefully Naina cracked open the system. Once, she did that, she moved a little behind and Azhaan got to work. Putting on his fire googles, he took out his tools. Seeing him totally engrossed in work, Naina leapt forward on him, coming down on him with her elbow. Azhaan , though shocked, quickly turned. He caught Naina by her neck and almost banged her into the wall. Naina resisted with sheer force and pushed him back.

He pulled out his gun on her and just as Naina thought this was over..

"Ruk Jao." said Rajveer, coming out a wall panel. Dressed in his complete uniform, Raj raised his gun to him.

Azhaan looked towards him from the corner of his eye. 

"Gun neeche karo..varna jaan kaise jaa rahi hai pata bhi nahi chalega." said Rajveer.

"Mein nahi..tum neeche karo...mere log pure building mein hai..mujhe toh mardoge, par uske baad nahi tum bachogi, aur nahi wo..jisse bachaane tum yaha aaye." said Aazhaan cooly.

The coolness in his voice, even threw Rajveer off.

"I don't care..." said Rajveer, coming forward, so that his gun is at Azhaan's head.  " Naina, uss wall panel se jao...it will lead you to a secure room. Waha se you can call the army. "

As Naina moved, so did Azhaan. Rajveer warned him again. "Hilne ki koshish bhi mat karna...bachoge nahi."

"Haan..aur nahi yum..." he said pointing to Naina..." Tum bhi in sab mein shamil ho. "

"Nahi" said Naina. She turned to go.

"Wait " called Azhaan. " Just wait. " he moved his head to see the name. " Major Shekhawat...I request you to please wait one minute."

Rajveer looked oddly at him, while Naina stopped too. There was a total change in his demeanor and language.

"I am going to reach down and shw you something Please allow me. " he said.

Rajveer looked at Naina. Naina came forward and taking the gun from Azhaan, pointed it at him.

Azhaan put both his hands up and slowly moved them to his pant. He slowly brought out a badge.

Naina looked up surprised. "You are NIA ? "

"Yes Mam, Agent Azhaan Ali, political injustice team."

Naina slightly lowered her weapon. " Prime Minister ke direct orders pe aaya hun. We started our investigation after Brig. Bisht's murder. I have been able to infiltrate this gang only recently. And these are not the original stealth plans. I changed them personally. We did not involve any army or political people. They have a tracking chip in them. So, please...let's steal them and go before these people find out."

Naina and Rajveer looked at each other deciding whether to trust him or not.  Naina nodded. Rajveer lowered his gun.

They quickly opened the system and copied the plans onto a pen drive. Wiping off their fingerprints, they were ready to go. 

Naina turned to Rajveer. Rajveer cupped her cheek. " Be very careful." Naina nodded while Azhaan rolled his eyes. Rajveer went back into the panel. 

As they came out of the room and towards the jeep, he asked..."Who the hell was that ?" 

"My husband" said Naina. 

"What was this..a family mission ?" asked Azhaan, irritably.

********

They brought back the pendrive to the cottage. Dev packed it and gave it to the messenger to give it to Bikram Singh Rathod.

Naina and Aazhan breathed a sigh of relief. The NIA would be able to track that pendrive and catch him red handed. 

Dev was on the phone. "Bikram ji, bhej diya..bas abhi...ji...humara woh railways ka portfolio..ji mein jaanta hu aap kardenge....thank you...jee? par...abhi...theek hai ji..jaise aap chahe."

Dev turned to Azhaan and Naina..."Sorry ji...aapke liye toh mere paas koi inam nahi hai.." he said pointing a gun at both of them. " waise bhi aap duniya ke liye mar gayi hai Nainaji..toh kya hi farak padta hai ?"

As he was about to press the trigger, a bomb blast sound echoed. All of them looked stunned and saw the garden in flames.

"Jao...dekho kya ho raha hai.." said Dev to his men. Another sounded at the back of the cottage.

Seizing the opportunity, Naina grabbed the gun, while Aazhan held the other guards. 

Rajveer, Gunny, Ananya, Alekh and Yudi bursted in from different entrances.  It took time, but they were able to get everyone under their control. Ananya was hurt badly and had to be rushed to the hospital.

Azhaan called his commanding officer. In a few minutes, the defence minister along with the NIA had entered the cottage, arresting everyone.

*******

The defence minister and the commander of NIA stood in the room with Naina and the others. 

"Bikram Singh Rathod was caught with the pendrive, redhanded. The prime minister has spoken to him and he will be resigning from the party and spending his time, somewhere far. Mostly out of country."

"So , he won't be arrested ?" asked Naina, indignantly.

"He is very popular and well respected for his age and experience. Arresting him would result in riots and protests and this country does not need this now. As for the others, they will be arrested and jailed in the name of a political corruption case.  Capt. Naina..you will hnd over all evidences to the Azhaan, the NIA will get the entire credit for this operation. You, on the other hand, had no rights or orders to do this mission in the first place and although we appreciate your effort, we are not going to set you as an example for the army gone rogue."

"That's not fair, sir.." started Rajveer.

"It's ok Rajveer" said Naina..."I din't do it for the credit, I did it for my country."

The defence minister looked at her. " I'm glad you understand Capt. Naina. And don't worry, we will honor you for your efforts. " He turned to his people. " Put out a statement, that Dev was the one selling code key information...and Capt Naina helped expose him. Also, that they kidnapped her and tortured her, but she bravely never gave up any information."

All of them in the room looked at each other...This was how things worked in this country.