After a long time am updating this, ain't I?

But this time, I won't delay much. Its nearing the ending anyway.

Moving on!

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

(Words in braces) - Telephone conversations

Previously - Ragini manages to escape the room and goes in search of Rishi. She finds him being held at gunpoint by Pawan and manages to save him from being hit by the bullet. Rishi notices Mani and Sanskar finishing off the rest of the goons and keeps Pawan engaged in his talks so that he doesn't spot them. Laksh, Swara and Tanuja arrive at the place with the police. Hearing a gunshot, Laksh rushes towards the building, with the police officials following behind. Swara and Tanuja were told to remain back, but they decide to follow quietly. Elsewhere, Pawan and his companion, Rajat, gets ready to shoot Rishi and Ragini.

Now -

Chapter 17- Tussle

Pawan fired a bullet in the air. "Enough of your trash talking! Now, I'm surely killing both you." Pawan turned to Rajat. "You shoot the girl. I'll have the pleasure of shooting Rishi."

Rishi held Ragini close to him. Ragini clutched his shirt with all the strength she could muster in her fear and closed her eyes, expecting the gunshot.

Pawan smirked. "Goodbye Bedis. Finally, I rid myself of you!"

"Or we of you Pawan-chaman." spoke a voice from behind him. Pawan turned to shoot the intruder, only to freeze in shock.

Mani stood there with a gun pointed at his skull at point blank range. Mani abruptly stole the gun from his hand.

Pawan looked at Rajat for help. However, he too was held at gunpoint by Sanskar.

"Mani bhai! Sanskar!?" Ragini exclaimed, overjoyed to see them.

"But how? How did you know where to find me?" Pawan asked in shock.

"Rishi bhai called Sanky and informed us of your treachery. How dare you try to harm my brother and my little sis!?"

"You won't get away with this. I've got men in the entire building!"

Sanskar chuckled. "You mean the ones we already knocked out cold? Yeah, we said our 'hi's to them in our own way."

"What!?" Pawan turned his angry eyes on Rajat. "I should have never taken your word for it. Your men are of no use!"

"More like you are the one who is extremely useless! Why I ought to hi-"

"Mani calm down. Don't kill him just yet. I want to lend him a few punches as well." Sanskar spoke with a glare towards Pawan. 'How dare he try to hurt Ragini!?'

"Okay bulldogs. Hold your horses. Lets just get this bastard to jail first."

Ragini nodded. "Rishi bhai is right guys. Lets get home first. Lucky, Tanu di and Swara must be worried sick about us."

"Ahahaha...!" Pawan cackled all of a sudden, making them all look at him in bewilderment.

"Why are you laughing? Your days as a free man are over! You'll be going to jail soon."

"Ahaha...Oh Rishi, you're such a fool. Can't you see I won?"

"I think he couldn't bear the fact that he lost and went into shock."

Sanskar nodded in agreement. "I think you're right Mani."

"Fools, the lot of you! You really think I didn't expect something like this? I know that it is stupidity to underestimate Rishi. So I had already made a plan B." Before anyone could do anything, Pawan took out is phone and clicked on 'sent'.

At once, the door to the side burst open and six men strolled in with guns, all pointing at the Bedis and Sanskar. Mani tightened his grip on his gun. "Pawan, call off your men. Or else I won't hesitate to blow your brains out!"

Pawan chuckled. "Go ahead. I don't care. I'm willing to go to any extent to get my revenge!" He spread his arms and smirked. "See these men? I already made it clear to them earlier that in case anything happens to me, they are to shoot Rishi and anyone with him without any questions. So go ahead and shoot me. It won't help you in any way."

Sanskar and Mani looked at Rishi in horror while Ragini clutched on to Rishi harder.

#Outside#

Laksh ran as fast as he could. 'I'm coming guys. Please...please stay safe!' He felt someone grab his shirt and pull him to a stop. "Let go of me officer! My friends and my brother are there. Didn't you hear the gunshot!?"

"I did Mr. Laksh. But rushing inside won't help them or us. It will only get you killed!"

"But the gunsho-"

"It may not have been fired at anyone Mr. Laksh. Maybe it was sort of an warning. We need to take action with our brains, not our brawns."

"Then what do you suppose we do?"

"The gunshot came from there." The officer said, pointing at the building in the middle. "My men have entered those two buildings on either side of it. Once they have taken positions and surrounded the main building from all sides, we'll take action. For now, we wait here."

"Fine!" Laksh stormed off in another direction. The officer sighed as he watched him leave. 'Well, at least he listened to me.' He looked at the constables around him. "Surround the main building from all sides. We'll give him a chance to surender. And bring a life net just in case. I don't want any casualties." The men at once got busy in their work.

Unknown to them, Laksh had sneaked past them and into the main building. 'I hope you're ready for a surprise Pawan. Be ready. I'm coming!'

#Inside#

"What happened? Won't you shoot me Mani? Come on shoot me. Shoot me Mani, shoot me!" Pawan taunted. "Hahaha...oh! I can't tell you how good it feels to see you all stand here helplessly."

And indeed he was right. Rishi couldn't do anything but stare at his siblings with worry. He thought that they had finally managed to outsmart Pawan. But now...now everything seemed lost. Rishi looked towards Sanskar in apology.

Sanskar felt eyes on him and looked up to find Rishi looking at him in sorrow. "Rishi?"

"I'm sorry Sanskar. I pulled you into this mess and put your life in danger. Pawan was already out to kill my family. And now I put your life on the line as well!"

"Rishi, don't you dare say such things! I consider you and Mani as brothers. And Ragu...I love her. I would happily risk my life for her any day." Sanskar spoke looking at Ragini in the eyes, finally admitting it directly that he loved her.

Ragini had tears in her eyes on hearing his confession. All she wanted to do was go and hug him...to tell him that she felt the same.

Rishi blinked in confusion. Soon the gears in his head started turning and his eye twitched in irritation. "Aha! I knew it! By staying near my family you were trying to get closer to my sister, weren't you? Oh, I will shoot you right now!"

"Oh come on bhai. He's not that bad."

"Shut it Mani."

"Shut up all of you!" Pawan hollered. Mani didn't bother fighting back as Pawan took the gun from him. After all, he couldn't shoot Pawan as his men would shoot everyone otherwise. Rajat did the same and snatched the gun from Sanskar. "By now, my men in the nearby buildings must be ready as well."

"Impossible! We beat them ourselves."

"Poor Mani. Those were Rajat's men. My men were well hidden till now." Pawan took out his phone and put it on speaker. "Can you hear me?"

(Loud and clear boss! We're in the left building and in position boss!)

Pawan took Rajat's phone and dialed another number. "Ready?"

(Positioned at the right building and ready to fire at your command boss!)

Pawan smirked at Rishi. "Hear that? There is no way you can escape. You're surrounded on all sides. Eve-"

(Ah!) They could hear gunshots and struggle over Pawan's phone.

(We're being ambushed!) came a shout from Rajat's phone.

"What? What's happening!? Answer me damn it!" Pawan shouted in frustration. They all listened on in confusion and bewilderment.

Finally, the disturbance cleared and a voice was heard from the other end.

(This is the police. You're surrounded Pawan Bhalla. Surrender yourself and free the captives or we will shoot!)

Rajat gasped in shock. "Police?!"

Sanskar smiled, knowing that it was probably his brother who brought the police. "Atta boy Lucky. Good job."

Pawan pulled up the shutters and looked down. He saw many police officers waiting there. 'Shit! Only me, Rajat and six of my men here are left now. That's it! I must end the Bedis now!'

"Boss, we're surrounded! What do we do now?" Rajat panicked.

Pawan pushed him aside and raised his gun at Rishi. "I told you Rishi! I told you not to bring in the cops!" Just as he was about to shoot Rishi, someone kicked away the gun from his hands. It was none other than Laksh.

Rajat didn't get the chance to fight as Laksh hit him over the head and stole his gun, firing it at the man holding Sanskar.

Rishi took the distraction to pull off the guns from the two men holding him and started fighting them. Mani and Sanskar did the same with the rest, while Ragini remained to the side, making sure she didn't come in their way and cause a problem.

As she looked at her siblings and best friends fight and gain the upper hand, she could finally see a new hope for their survival. "Finally! Finally it will all be over."

"Not so fast girl!" Before Ragini could say a word, Pawan muffled her voice and took her away, unnoticed by the rest busy in fighting. Ragini could only shout unheard, silent cries as he pulled her with him towards the roof.

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To be continued...

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹