Rajveer and Naina look up to every single library in search of Anamika, they visit each of her friends yet they are empty handed. They both were out of breath and don't know what to do now, where shall they search for their daughter?

''Hum.. Hum police complaint kare kya? Wo toh dhundh legi usko!!" An anxious Naina suggested gazing at Rajveer who was sitting on the driver's seat with a plain face, sweating profusely.

He didn't say anything but ignited the engine.

''Raj wo mil jaayegi!!" Naina assured him confidently though she herself was in great fear with Anamika's sudden disappearance.

''Meine..meine pehle bhi yahi socha tha..ki wo..aa jaayegi. Par wo kabhi nahi lauti Naina, wo aaj tak nahi lauti!!" Rajveer stated, his vision getting blurred with the tears filling in his eyes.

''Raj tum ye sab kyun soch rahe ho? Purani baatein hai bhool jao unhe. Abhi hum Anu pe concentrate karte hai, wo jarur gusse mei yahan wahan chali gayi hogi jo mil jaayegi. Aise dono baaton ko link maat karo.'' She comforted him as she caressed his arm, Rajveer nodded but his heart was not ready to accept the fact.

His heart was screaming out the fate of his beloved sister, it was connecting them one way or the other and Rajveer couldn't help but think over it again and again.

Covering a journey of 20 minutes, he stopped his car on the campus of the police station.

Rajveer took a deep breath and stepped out of his car with Naina. They share a glance and walk in, it's when Rajveer realizes one of his friends happens to be in the police.

Rajveer immediately calls his friend and asks about his whereabouts to which he gets to know that he's posted in the same police station and at the moment he's in his cabinet. Rajveer was elated to know this and proposed to meet him.

''Raj!!" He heard a familiar masculine voice, Rajveer turned to his right only to find his friend, a tall guy with a french cut beard, fully developed broad chest and well built body, he's the same age as Rajveer. He carries an attitude in his personality. He was standing at a distance smiling at them.

''Vineet!!" They utter in unison and rush to him, Vineet led them in his cabinet and offered them a seat.

''Kya baat hai, aaj achanak meri yaad kaise aa gayi tumhe?" Vineet questions teasingly as they lost contact long ago and hardly meet these days. In fact they haven't met for many years.

''Aur tum dono yahan kaise? Koi problem hai kya?" Vineet inquiries to which they exchange glances, Vineet notices their pale and worried expressions. He waits for them to open up.

Naina gazes at him,''Humei tumse ek help chahiye thi Vineet aur abhi shayd sirf tum hi help kar sakte ho hamari!!" Naina states, Vineet nods and gesture her to continue.

''Hamari beti aaj subha college ke liye nikli thi par aab tak ghar nahi aai. Humei har jagah dhundh usse par wo kahin nahi hai, college mei bhi phone kiya tha toh pata chala wo college gayi hi nahi. Pata nahi kahan chali gayi, please usse dhundho Vineet!!" Naina requested, her eyes immediately filling up with tears.

''Call kiya usse?" Vineet asks they nod and tells him that her cell is not reachable.

''Koi jhagda toh nahi hua tha uska tum logon se? Bache aaj kal bade rebellious ho gaye hai maa baap kuch kehte nahi ki nikal jaate hai ghar se khud ko independent proof karne ke liye. Kya aaj kuch aisa hua tha?'' Vineet questions Rajveer and Naina steal a glance and sigh.

''You have to tell me Raj, agar kuch chupaoge toh main shayad help nahi kar paunga tum logon ki toh please bina kuch mat chupai!!" Vineet requested them.

Rajveer stared at him for a moment and then told him the morning incident which shocked Vineet at first but then this isn't new to him. He has seen many such cases in his service.

''Thik hai, abhi main complaint likh leta hoon aur tum log ghar chale jao. Hum.subha tak ka wait karenge, shayad wo wapas aa jaayegi aur agar na aai toh we'll try to trace her. Yahin kahin hogi yaar, bachi hai gusse mei kahin baithi hogi. Ek raat bahar reh ke demag thanda hoga toh wapas aa jaayegi, i'm sure!!" He assures them and calls a constable with the complaint register.

Vineet opens the book and writes down the date 23rd March 2019. He then asks a few details about the girl which they answered. Vineet himself lodged the complaint to assure gis friend that he will surely find their daughter.

''Uski ek photo de do taki humein easy ho usse pechanne mei!!" Vineet exclaims, Rajveer shows him the picture on his phone to which Vineet asks him to forward the picture to him which he did right at the moment as he doesn't want to waste any time.

''Vineet tumhe lagta hai wo kal tak aa jaayegi?" Rajveer questions him with hope.

Vineet smiles and nods,''don't worry Raj wo aa jaayegi. She must be with someone, shayad koi dost. Aab ghar mei itna panga ho gaya toh mood off hoga, subha tak khud aayegi jab dost se maa wala treatment na milega usse. Tum log bhi ghar jaa ke rest karo, itni tension na lo. Aaj kal ke bache sirf headache hi dete hai parents ko, main toh kehta hoon parents ko hadh se jyada dhyan hi na dena chahiye taki wo apni problem khud solve kar le otherwise fir parents ke sar pe chadh jaate hain!!" He exclaims with a kind of disappointment in his voice, as they walk out the station and head towards their car.

''Experienced malum hote ho, kinne bache hai tumhare??" Naina questions him.

Vineet chuckles,'' naa bhaiya, tum dono ki shadi mei maar khane ke badh meri toh himmat na padi shadi karne ki. Main bhala meri azadi bhali, ye sab toh cases ki badaulat samajh gaya hoon main aur iss se mujhe mere shadi na karne ke decision pe bahut proud feel hota hai!!" Vineet spoke out proudly and laughed making the other two smile at his words.

Rajveer and Naina again gaze at him to which he assures  them, only after that they take their leave while Vineet heads Inside as he had another task to finish up.

Here when Rajveer and Naina reach home, they get to know that Ananth had sneaked into Anamika's room and had taken something. Upon asking, he straightly denies and blames the house help for lying about him.

Naina was too done with him.

''Ananth please, can you give us some peace? Yahan Anamika nahi mil rahi aur tum uske room mei ghush ke naa jaane kya kar rahe ho. I don't understand tumhari problem kya hai? Chen se jeene nahi doge kya?" Naina shouted over him, her anger burst with his behavior.

''Arey wo bhag gayi toh main kya karu? Main toh hamesha se kahta hoon she's a loser aap log nahi mante aab dekho, kaise chup ke bhag gayi. And Dad, mark my words, aaj ya kal aapko mera saath hi dena hoga kyunki aapki beti toh abbi hi bhag gayi badh ki kya baat kare. Anyways, I need to sleep so that I can look fresh for my morning vlog, good night guys!!!" He spoke cheerfully, happiness dripping down his words.

Rajveer and Naina just stared at him, thinking how insensitive he is that he doesn't even care about his sister's wellbeing. They sigh deeply for they know they can't change him and all they want is their daughter's safety.

...

To be continued….