"Nandini..Intenta ir a un lugar más Seguro. Déjame aquí. No puedo caminar rapido." (Nandini...try to go to some safer place. Leave me here. I can't walk quickly.)

Carlos grimaces while mouths those words with difficulty. Right now, I have kept him behind a deserted and demolished ice-cream bar. One of Carlos's legs has probably been broken by a brick hurled by a fanatic mobster. I couldn't leave him like this. My phone got switched off. Thankfully, I called Arya before that and told him about our location. I hope he can manage to come and save us from this and I also hope Manik doesn't take any irresponsible step again. I didn't want to tell him about the situation but I had to.

"¿Carlos...por qué dices esto una y otra vez? (Carlos...why are you saying this again and again? No puedo dejarte asi. (I can't leave you like this) Todavía temenos que averiguar Calida y no puedo hacerlo solo en esta condición." (We still have to find out Calida and you can't do it alone in this condition.)

I reply in an annoyed voice. Right now, I am not in a situation to follow the curtesy. Carlos keeps on staring at me for a while and murmurs,

"Dios te bendiga." (God bless you)

I honour him with a pale smile. Suddenly an outcry again breaks the temporary silence of the surrounding.

"Ir...ir atrás...debe haber alguien." (Go...go behind...there must be someone)

My all nerves become frazzled for a moment.

"It will be our end if they find us."

My mind daunts me immediately. Carlos also meets my anticipated eyes. I place my index finger on my lips and gesture to him to keep quiet. I roam my eyes all around and find some empty carton boxes kept inside the bar.

"We have to hide behind it."

My mind at once guides me. The place is about 10 to 15 meters away from us. I know it will be difficult for Carlos to arrive there but he has to. I near Carlos and state my plan. He agrees. I support him to stand. His face distorts with pain, still, he keeps mum. The kerfuffle is gradually nearing us making the noise clearer. We enter the razed place and reach the carton boxes. I make Carlos sit behind it. As I am about to occupy his next place my eyes fall on my empty hand. I have lost my mobile.

"Shit..."

A swear escapes my mouth. I turn at Carlos and whisper,

"Quédate aqué. No salgas a toda costa." (Stay here. Don't come out at any cost)

Before he can counter, I crawl out. It must be there where we were previously. When I was supporting Carlos to stand, I kept it on the floor. It has all my contact numbers and more of that, some of my important documents and images are there. I can't lose it. I was about to reach my mobile and bend to pick it up I hear some quick footsteps and in a fraction of a second, some maleficent people surround me. I stare up and meet their vicious eyes. There is only the hunger for destruction. One of the dissidents utters in his hoarse voice,

"Hey mujer! ¿No dijimos que se mantuviera alejado de esto? (Hey lady! Didn't we say to stay away from this?) O estás con este gobierno tirano? (Or you are with this tyrant government?)

Another hostile man doesn't care about any verbal action. He straight grabs my elbow and yanks me to rise. I flinch in pain and fear. Will they kill me or it will be worse than that? My heart hitches in fright. I only can utter a garble No. The person who was holding me by my bicep now shoves me towards another person.

"Tomarla..."(Take her)

He sounds intimidating. I dash on him and he claws me with my shoulders. His hawk eyes pierce my timid orbs. With a filthy smile, he mouths,

"Seguro!" (Sure)

His expression has lust and cruelty. My throat dries up. Suddenly Maan and Manik's faces come in front of my eyes. Will I ever be able to see them again? At that moment, I even lose my mind to think why am I expecting Manik over here? Is this called love that even keeps faith in a lost trust? The person tries to drag me towards a shady corner. I try to free my hand from his grip. He lets out a lecherous grin and cries,

"Relájate hermosa...no te mataré." (Relax beautiful...I won't kill you)

I know he won't kill me but will do worse than that. I glance at the ice cream bar where Carlos is hiding behind the carton boxes. A drowning man catches at a straw. I know Carlos can't save me from this but right now, he is the only well-wisher of mine here. And I also know that if he comes out, it will be his last day on this earth. I try for the last time to free myself from this giant. Only then, a known and intimidating voice hits my eardrum.

"Leave her...if you all want to live for another day."

All the mobsters including me turn at the source of the voice and my limbs get numb. Manik is standing keeping his hands on either side of his waist. Heroic entry no doubt but my mind clouds with fear rather than happiness. Maan...where is he? He was supposed to be with my son. Where did he leave him? My heart sinks for a moment. The man who is clutching my wrist replies with a monstrous chuckle,

"Ven hombre...únete a nosotros." (Come man...join us)

Manik looks at me. Don't say that he is expecting me to translate. I forcefully free my hand from the grip of the goon and storm at him.

"Why are you here? Where is Maan? Didn't I tell you to stay at home? Can't you listen to me for once?"

My plethora of annoying questions makes him crunch his eyebrows.

"Thank God, I didn't listen to you."

He replies arrogantly and roams his vehement eyes on the gang. I know he is not well. He can't win over them. But I know his anger too. He will fight until his death. My fear again surges my breath. I part my lips to counter but the man who was holding me nears us and grabs my hand again.

"Ven niña...y te pierdes si quieres vivir." (Come girl...and you get lost if you want to live)

He addresses Manik fervently. At the drop of a hat, Manik's sucker punch hits his jaw and a cracking sound makes me close my eyes. It happened what I was afraid of. The grip on my wrist loosens and the felon stumbles back. Perhaps he didn't expect it. The rest of the gang halts for a moment in surprise. But it is temporary. In the next moment, all pounce on Manik. Manik pushes me aside and starts throwing his hands and legs like an amateur kickboxer. At first, the gang gets hurt but gradually the number factor takes advantage. Manik can't fight alone against these ruffians. I am helplessly watching how they are punching on his stomach and face. One of them pulls out a rod and smacks it on Manik's right hand. I scream in pain and fear. He again lifts it to hit his head. My mind gets numb. Being baffled, I storm towards the hooligan and hold the iron rod stopping it to touch Manik once again. In the next moment, I am pushed to the floor. The mobster raises the rod to hit me. I cross my hands in front of my face, closing my eyes in fear.

"MANIK..."

My tongue betrays me. Suddenly something shields me. Two protective hands wrap my quivering frame guarding me against the endless thwacks those are slashing on his back. He is protecting me like shining armour. He is protecting me from all peril, misery and uncertainty. I clutch his shirt and hide my face on his chest. His body is ice cool. He is sweating like hell. I lift my face to observe his face. Manik's eyes are closed. Blood is trailing down from the corner of his lips. He is murmuring,

"I won't let anything happen to you....I will protect you...Nothing will happen to you."

With every hit, kick and punch he just stiffens his body and lets out a difficult breath.

"Matar...materlo.." (Kill...kill him)

The mobsters keep on yelling while pouring their merciless whack on us. Suddenly a bicycle chain sloshes the back of Manik's head. His body jostles for a second. He mumbles against my ear,

"Nandini...Ma..an.."

My heart hitches. I wrap his head and try to hide it in my chest. One of the gang men tries to separate him from me. An abuse comes out of his ugly cruel mouth,

"Puta.." (Whore)

Only then, I hear Carlos's voice following a gun blank fire.

"Detente....o te dispararán.."(Stop...or else you will be shot)

I open my eyes to watch a troop of RAF surrounds us. Carlos is standing having a support of a stick. No doubt he has somehow informed them about our location. I murmur against Manik's ears,

"We are safe...we are safe...you are safe."

But I don't get any response. I withdraw myself to watch his face and the sight trembles me in dread.

Author's note: What happened to Manik? Will this action of Manik change Nandini's heart and will she forgive him? Where is Maan? To witness more drama and emotional turmoil, keep reading. 🙏❤