Shergill Hospital. 

Daksh was in his cabin, talking to someone over his phone. But it seems he's not satisfy with what the caller is saying, he seems angry and was shouting.

'teen mahine ho gaye hai, aur aab tak aap log kuch pata nahi laga paye. So ke kaam karti hai kya aapki police force, jo ek case mein teen mahine se laagi hui hai, aur fir bhi aab tak koi clue nahi milla' Daksh said angrily.. 

'dekhiye Dr. Shergill, hum puri koshish kar rahe hai... Jald hi sab pata chal jayega...' inspector tried to make him understand but Daksh was not in mood to hear hua baseless points.

''Kab pata chalega jab wo apradhi yahan se kahin dur bhag jaayega.'' He questioned.

'Aap bharosha rakhiye humpe doctor, bahut jald apradhi hamare giraft mei hoga. Aap ek baat bataiye, aapka bhai Mumbai - Pune highway ke pass wale jungleo mein karne kya gaye the??'' The Inspector asked.

' mujhe koi idea nahi hai iss baat ka ki wo waha kyun gaya hoga 'Daksh replied simply.

' thik hai, hum pata lagane ki koshish kar rahe hai, bahut jald ye guthi bhi sulajh jayegi 'inspector said, taking a deep breath.

'dekhiye inspector saab. Aap kaise bhi pata lagaiye ki vineet uss jagah kaise pahucha aur uska wo haal kisne kiya tha' said Daksh, a bit angrily.

' Dr. Shergill, meine kaha naa, hum jald hi sab pata laga lenge.. Aap ek baar apne bhai ko police station le aaiye, humein unse puch tach karni hai!'' Inspector exclaims

' Vineet se kuch bhi puch ke koi faida nahi hai.. usse kuch yaad nahi... uski yaad dash jaa chuki hai, pichle ek saal ki koi baat usse yaad nahi .. Saari baatein aapko khud pata lagani hogi. '' Daksh told him. 

' fir bhi, hum ek baar koshish toh kar sakte hai, sayad unhe kuch yaad aa jaye'.. Inspector said because for him every single clue matters.

' jee nahi, agar uss se jyada kuch puchne ki koshish ki aur iss chakar mein agar uske brain pe jor pada toh problem ho jayegi. ''Daksh replied for he didn't want to give any trouble to Vineet.

'thik hai fir, hum dekhte hai kya pata chalta hai.. Agar aapko kuch bhi pata challe toh humein bata dijiyega' inspector said not bothering to ask again about Vineet.

' okay, aapko kuch bhi pata challe toh mujhe call kar dijiye '..Daksh said and ended the call.

He sighed and leaned back to the backrest, he recalled the whole incident that happened three months ago, the day that changed everything!

Flash back 

He was sitting in the airport cafeteria, waiting for his flight which was running 3 hours late. Sitting on a corner table, he feels helpless, his eyes were moist to see his own tickets that would take him away from his family, his loved ones. 

'mere saath hi aisa kyun hota hai.. Kyun' tears roll down his eyes as he recalls a painful memory.

'sab kuch khatam ho gaya.. Tune sab khatam kar diya vineet, sab khatam kar diya.. I hate you for this, I hate you.''  He closed his eyes and let the tears flow, hating someone he loves the most isn't easy for him but whatever happened with him was also not acceptable.

Three hours passed by, now it was the time to board the flight. He was walking towards the entrance with heavy steps, in a few hours he'll be away from here, all alone in an unknown place. He doesn't know how he will live but he has too.

He came out of his trance when his phone rang.

He took out his phone and looked at the caller id, the call was from his hospital.. He received the call, after all he's a doctor.

'Hello' he said in a low tone.

'Dr. Shergill, aap jahan kahin bhi hai jaldi aaiye.. Aapke bhai ko abhi hospital mein admit karwaya gaya hai.. Unki condition bahut kharab hai.. Aap jaldi aa jaiye..' Dr. Mathur, a senior doctor of his hospital inform him

'ye aap kya bol rahe hai, Dr. Mathur.. Kya hua Vineet ko' Daksh panicked to hear Dr. Maathur, his legs froze at its place.

'main phone pe explain nahi kar sakta kuch bhi Dr. Shergill, aap jaldi aa jaiye' saying so Dr. Mathur disconnected the call.

Daksh rushed out of the airport, the security tried to stop him but it was of no use.

... 

He reached the hospital, and rushed to the receptionist.. 

'Vineet kahan hai' he question, panting heavily

'Sir OT number 2 mein unka operation chal raha hai' receptionist informs him.

Daksh rushed toward OT no. 2, he ran like mad in the corridor of the hospital, colliding with the people around. The staff were staring at him. Within a minute he reached outside the Operation theater. He found Dr. Mathur pacing to and fro outside the OT. Daksh ran to him and asked.

'Dr. Mathur, kya hua vineet ko, Kis cheez ka operation chal raha hai andar' he asked, panting heavily. His face was covered with sweat and tears. Dr. Mathur gazed at him.

'Vineet ko goli lagi hai,  usse bahut maara bhi gaya hai.. Mumbai - Pune highway ke pass behosh pada hua tha. Hamari hospital ki ambulance ussi raste se aa raha th, unn logo ne vineet ko wahan dekha aur yaha le aaye.' Dr. Mathur stated.

Daksh was taken back to knowing this.. He fell down on the bench with a thud.. 

' o god, kya ho gaya ye sab. Agar usse kuch ho gaya toh kya jawab dunga main mom ko.'' He covered his face in his palms.

' sab thik ho jayega, Dr. Shergill ' Dr. Mathur says pressing his shoulder but it wasn't that easy for Daksh to calm himself. His brother is in operation theater fighting with his life and he's here sitting helplessly.

.. 

Two hours passed by,  the door of the operation theater opened and the doctors came out. Daksh rushed towards them.

' Dr. Mehra, kya condition hai vineet ki, wo thik toh hai naa.'' he asked worriedly, a tension line has formed on his forehead.

'unki condition bilkul bhi thik nahi hai doctor. Teen - teen goliyan laagi hai unhe, sar pe bhi kissi bhari cheez se waar kiya gaya hai. Itna hi nahi bahut burri tarah maara pita bhi gaya hai jis wajah se bahut saare internal injuries bhi hai. Agar 24 ghante ke andar hosh nahi aaya toh vineet coma mein jaa sakte hai 'Dr. Mehra informed him letting out a deep sigh and left from there. Daksh was dumbstruck to know his brother's condition. He was not able to understand why anyone would try to kill him, they don't have any rival so what's the reason behind all this? 

With so much stress and thoughts bubbling in his head, Daksh feels his head spinning, he presses his head with both his hands.

Dr. Mathur who was present there saw this, he immediately held him and called a ward boy, with the help of the ward boy, he took Daksh in his cabin who is unconscious by now. They laid him on the couch.

On the other side Vineet was also shifted in ICU.

.. 

After around three hour Daksh opened his eyes and found himself in his cabin, he tried to set up with a jerk but failed due to head spinning. Dr . Mathur who was in the bathroom, came out and saw him struggling to get up, he rushed towards him and held him in time as he was about to fall.

'Dr. Shergill, are you okay?? Dr. Mathur asked.. 

' I'm fine doctor,  Vineet kaisa hai.. Usse hosh aaya ki nahi. 'Daksh asked, gazing at him.

' haan. Kuch der pehle hi unhe hosh aaya, par bahut weak hai abhi 'Dr. Mathur said.

' mujhe milna hai uss se ' Daksh exclaims but Dr. Mathur stopped him as he himself was weak, he hadn't had anything from the past two days and that was the reason he fell unconscious, but Daksh didn't pay any attention to his words. For now, only Vineet healths matter to him. 

Daksh left his cabin and made his way to ICU.

….

He entered the ICU  and found Vineet lying on the bed with closed eyes.. Many equipment attached to his body and an oxygen mask on his mouth. Daksh heart pained to see him in that condition. He  moves towards him with baby steps and stands beside his bed. Vineet felt his presence, he opened his eyes and looked at him,  a small smile playing on his lips. 

'bhai.. Aa gaye tum' Vineet said in a low voice.. 

Daksh nodded with moist eyes.

'bahut dard ho raha hai bhai, bardast nahi ho raha .. Saalo ne bahut maara' Vineet said, tears leaked down his eyes due to pain.

Daksh rubbed off his tears.

'kaise hua ye sab? Kisne kiya tera ye haal?? Daksh asked.. 

' kal main jis Hotel mein meeting ke liye gaya tha na,  wahin meri ek bande se ladai ho gayi thi.. Ussi ke aadmi ne mujhe maara aur juhu beach pe phek diya 'Vineet replied and a painful moan escaped his mouth. Daksh lightly caressed his cheek.

'Sab thik ho jaayega, tu so jaa. Main aata hoon thori der badh, tu rest kar 'Daksh said and left the room.

He sits outside the ICU, his mind still wondering about Vineet's statement.

'hotel ka jhagda.. Juhu beach.. Ye sab toh ek saal pehle hua tha.. Matlab.. Matlab vineet ki yaad dash chali gayi.. Aab kya hoga ' realising the situation, he became tense. 

Flashback Over

He came back in reality with the ring of his phone, he looked at the caller id and let out a deep sigh. Vineet was calling him. He picked up the call.. 

' bol kyun phone kiya 'he asked straightforwardly

' aare, na koi hii na hello, direct bol.. Ye kya baat hui 'Vineet said from the other side.

' hii, hello ka time nahi hai, jaldi bol kya baat hai 'Daksh asked uninterested

' thik hai, thik hai. Sun ' Vineet said.. 

' sunna 'Daksh said.. 

' aati kya khandala 'Vineet asked.. 

' kyun 'Daksh asked.. 

' aare ghumenge, phirenge, nachenge, gaayeinge, aaish karenge aur kya meri jaan 'Vineet said in a flirting tone. 

' Vineet, kyu pareshan kar raha hai.. Seedha seedha bol kya kaam hai 'Daksh asked irritated my 

' Okay - okay, meine bas ye batane ke liye call kiya hai ki kal Avantika wapas aa rahi hai.. Toh kal koi appointment ya operation wagera maat rakhna 'Vineet ordered 

' thik hai, main kal koi appointment nahi rakhunga 'he said and disconnected the call not even waiting for his reply.

' Avantika kal aa rahi hai aur usne mujhe bataya nahi. kahin wo mom ko sab bata na de ki teen mahine pehle mere aur Vineet ke bich kya hua tha.. 'he tensed up again.

Again his phone rings, this time too vineet was calling him.. 

' aab kya hai 'he asked.. 

' choti si mistake ho gayi, Avantika kal nahi aaj, aa rahi hai.. Jara tu ja ke usse pick kar le airport se 'Vineet requested.

' haan, thik hai main jaata hoon'' saying so Daksh cut the call.

' chalo aacha hai, mujhe usse baat karne ka time mil jayega.. Agar usne mom ko wo baat bata di, fir toh main Vineet ki yaad dash wali baat chupa nahi payunga.. Nahi main aisa nahi hone de sakta 'he thinks and immediately 

move out of his cabin when a doctor calls him from behind, he turns.. 

'kya baat hai Dr. Mehra' he asked..

'Dr. Aapse kuch Important baat karni hai.. kya hum aapki cabin mein baat kar sakte hai' Dr. Mehra asked.. 

'sure' Daksh said. Both enter his cabin. Daksh sits in his chair and Dr. Mehra sits adjacent to him.

'bataiye, Dr. Mehra kya baat karni hai aapko' Daksh asked.. 

'Dr. Shergill, kal Delhi se ek call aaya tha aapke liye.. koi patient hai jo pichle teen mahine se coma mein hai.. waha ke doctors unhe operate karne ka soch rahe hai.. par patient ke sar pe kuch chot aayi hai jiski wajah se brain ke kuch nerves mein sujan aa gayi hai aur uss sujan ki wajah se wo unhe operate nahi kar pa rahe hai. Waha ke doctors ye chahte hai ki aap waha aaye aur operation mein unki help karre.. 'Dr. Mehra told him

' case toh thora complicated hai..  Main unki help jaroor karta but..but main abhi Delhi nahi jaa sakta. Main abhi mom ko Vineet ke saath chor ke nahi jaa sakta 'Daksh said.

' toh kya main unhe mana kar doon ki aap nahi aa rahe hai 'Dr. Mehra asked

' nahi, mana maat kijiye.. Unse kahiye ki agar ho sake toh wo patient ko le ke yaha aa jaye 'Daksh suggested 

' Waise toh ye mujhe possible nahi lagta, phir bhi baat karke dekhte hai, wo kya jawab dete hai 'Dr. Mehra said to which Daksh nodded.

Dr. Mehta left his cabin.

Daksh sighed.' ek waqt tha, jab Delhi jaane ke naam se dil ki dhadakne tez ho jaati thi.. Aur aab waha naa jaane ke bahane dhundh raha hoon 'he took a deep breath and left for the Airport.

…..

To be continued..