Vihaan ki gaadi apartment ke bahar tezi se aakar ruki. Uske chehre par bechaini saaf dikhayi de rahi thi. Apne vaade ke mutabiq wah Kohinoor se milne aaya tha, lekin jaise hi wah uske flat ke paas pahuncha, wahan poora sannata tha.

Usne kai baar bell bajayi, darwaza khatkhataya, lekin andar se koi jawab nahi aaya.

Vihaan ka dil baithne laga. Wah ek police officer tha, roz khatarnaak apradhiyon se saamna karta tha, lekin is waqt ek masoom ladki ke achanak gayab ho jaane ne use andar tak pareshan kar diya tha.

“Kahan chali gayi hogi wo?” Vihaan budbudate hue corridor mein tehelne laga.

Wah kisi se pooch bhi nahi sakta tha, kyunki Kohinoor ki pehchaan chhipaakar rakhni thi aur uski izzat ka bhi sawaal tha. Wo bholi si ladki, jise duniya ki zyada samajh nahi thi… is andheri raat mein aakhir kahan chali gayi hogi?

Vihaan ko achanak ehsaas hua ki baat sirf zimmedari ki nahi rahi thi… wo use pasand karne laga tha.

Uski masoomiyat, uska bina soche samjhe bol dena… sab kuch use yaad aane laga.

Usne turant use phone lagaya, lekin phone band tha. College mein pata kiya toh maloom hua ki wo wahan bhi nahi gayi.

Ab Vihaan ki chinta dheere-dheere darr mein badalne lagi thi.

Usi raat, shehar ke doosre kone mein Rathore Mansion ke andar ka mahaul kisi darawani film jaisa lag raha tha.

Mansion ke bade se hall mein Aditya Rathore ek nakkashidaar lakdi ke jhoole par baithe the. Unka ek pair doosre pair par chadha hua tha aur chehre par ajeeb si santushti bhari muskaan thi.

Unke theek saamne ek aalishaan makhmali sofa par Vartika baithi thi. Aaj uska roop bilkul alag lag raha tha. Usne ek plain, halki silk ki safed dress pehni hui thi, jo sleeveless thi. Uske baal khule the aur sir par patle heeron ka tiara chamak raha tha. Wah kisi purane samrajya ki kroor rajkumari jaisi lag rahi thi.

Sabse ajeeb baat ye thi ki uski god mein ek kaali billi thi, jiski aankhein chamkeeli neeli thi. Vartika bahut shanti se billi ki gardan sehla rahi thi. Ye billi usne aaj hi Aditya se zid karke mangwayi thi. Billi ki neeli aankhon ki chamak aur Vartika ki thandi nazar—dono milkar ek ajeeb sa khatarnaak mahaul bana rahe the.

Tabhi hall ke beechon-beech ek aadmi ko ghaseette hue laaya gaya. Wah aadmi ghutnon ke bal baitha tha, uske kapde phate hue the aur chehra khoon se bhara hua tha. Wah Aditya ke saamne gidgidaha raha tha.

“Maaf kar dijiye maalik… mujhse galti ho gayi… dobara aisa nahi hoga!”

Aditya ne apne paas rakhi sone ki parat wali bandook uthai. Unhone bade aaram se bandook ki nali saaf ki aur phir use us aadmi ke maathe par laga diya.

Ek tez aawaz hui aur wah aadmi wahin gir pada. Farsh par khoon phail gaya. Aditya ke chehre par ek khatarnaak muskaan aa gayi. Unhone Vartika ki taraf dekha, jaise umeed kar rahe hon ki wah darr jayegi ya cheekh padegi.

Lekin Vartika bilkul bhi nahi hili. Usne palak tak nahi jhapakai. Wah ab bhi apni neeli aankhon wali billi ko pyaar se sehla rahi thi, jaise uske saamne koi insaan nahi balki koi keeda mara ho.

Aditya zor se hans pade.

“Waah! Meri pyaari bachchi… bilkul meri tarah hai. Tera dil bhi ab patthar ka ho gaya hai. Rathoron ka asli khoon!”

Vartika ne dheere se nazar uthai aur shaant aawaz mein kaha,

“Gandagi saaf karna zaroori hota hai, Grandpa. Warna badboo poore ghar mein phail jaati hai.”

Aditya uski baat sunkar bahut khush ho gaye. Ve uthe aur uske paas aakar bole,

“Aaj tune mera seena garv se chauda kar diya. Ab mujhe yakeen hai ki ye poori saltanat tu hi sambhalegi.”

Lekin Vartika ki aankhon mein jo tha, wo wafadaari nahi tha. Wah bas is khel ka hissa banne ka natak kar rahi thi, taaki use wo mil sake jo wah dhoondh rahi thi.

Uski nazar baar-baar hall ke oopar bani us band kamre ki taraf jaa rahi thi. Wahi kamra… jahan se aadhi raat ko kabhi-kabhi siskiyon ya tez khaansi ki aawazein aati thi.

Aditya ko laga ki wah unki kroorta se prabhavit hai, lekin asal mein Vartika mann hi mann us kamre ka taala kholne ki plan bana rahi thi.

“Grandpa,” Vartika ne apni billi ko sofe par rakhte hue poochha, “Aaj raat chaand bahut saaf hai. Kya main terrace par jaa sakti hoon?”

“Zaroor beta! Ab ye poora mahal tumhara hai,” Aditya ne muskurate hue kaha.

Jaise hi Aditya wahan se hate, Vartika ki aankhon ki thandak aur gehri ho gayi. Usne chupke se apni dress ki jeb mein haath daala, jahan usne ek patla lohe ka taar chhipaakar rakha tha.

Use pata tha ki aaj raat jab mansion ke guards ki shift badlegi, tab uske paas paanchvi manzil wale us kamre tak pahunchne ke liye sirf paanch minute honge.

Mansion ki deewaron mein chhipe raaz ab bahar aane ke liye bechain the.

Vartika dheere-dheere seedhiyon ki taraf badhne lagi, jabki uski neeli aankhon wali billi farsh par phaile khoon ko soongh rahi thi.

Pahadon ki god mein bana wah lakdi ka ghar raat ke sannate mein dooba hua tha. Andar dining table par mombatti ki halki roshni mein Kohinoor baithi thi. Uske saamne Bansuri baithi thi, jo bade pyaar se apne hathon se use niwala khila rahi thi. Barson baad Kohinoor ko wah mamta mehsoos ho rahi thi, jiske liye wah hamesha tarsi thi.

Rudra paas hi khidki ke paas khada bahar behti nadi ko dekh raha tha. Kohinoor ne khaana chabate hue achanak poochha,

"Papa... ek baat bataiye. Aapne sab kuch sach-sach bata diya, lekin Vartika ke mummy-papa ka aakhir hua kya? Us diary mein jitna likha tha, humne aur Vartika ne kai baar padha, lekin unke gayab hone ke baad ka sach kahin nahi mila."

Rudra ke chehre par halki shikan aa gayi. Usne bina peeche mude bhaari aawaz mein kaha,

"Sach toh yeh hai beta ki mujhe bhi nahi pata. Unke gayab hone ke baad ke saare raaste, saare saboot us boodhe bhediye Aditya Rathore ne mita diye hain. Usne itihaas ke un pannon ko hi gayab kar diya."

Yeh sunkar Kohinoor ke haath ruk gaye. Uski aankhon mein darr utar aaya.

"Papa... agar Aditya Rathore itna khatarnaak hai, toh Vartika toh abhi unhin ke paas hai! Agar unhein pata chal gaya ki Vartika kaun hai, toh wah use zinda nahi chhodenge. Hum use wahan se wapas kyun nahi laate?"

Rudra dheere se muda. Usne apne bikhre baalon par haath phera aur halki kutil muskaan ke saath bola,

"Wah wahan phansi nahi hai, Kohinoor... use maine hi wahan bheja hai."

Kohinoor ki aankhein phail gayin.

"Kya?"

"Haan," Rudra ne jeb se phone nikalakar uski or badhate hue kaha,

"Hum dono ne milkar yeh plan banaya tha. Saanp ko maarne ke liye uske bil mein ghusna padta hai. Wah wahan se har pal ki khabar mujhe de rahi hai. Wah meri sabse behtareen killer hai, aur ab meri jasoos bhi."

Kohinoor ne kaanpte hathon se phone liya. Screen par ek live video chal raha tha. Wah nazara dekhkar uska dil ghabra gaya. Usne dekha ki Aditya Rathore ne bina kisi reham ke ek aadmi ke maathe par goli maar di. Lekin use hairani is baat ki thi ki camera itna saaf aur sthir kaise hai, jaise koi wahin khada hokar sab dekh raha ho.

"Papa! Yeh... yeh sab aap kaise dekh rahe hain? Vartika ne camera kahan chhupaya hai?"

Rudra sofe par baithte hue bola,

"Aaj jo billi Vartika ne Aditya se mangwayi thi, wah maine hi bheji hai. Us billi ke collar mein duniya ka sabse chhota aur advanced HD camera aur microphone laga hai. Aditya ko lag raha hai ki wah apni poti ko khush kar raha hai, lekin asal mein wah apne hi ghar ki har harkat humein dikha raha hai."

Kohinoor ne rahat ki saans li aur halki muskaan ke saath boli,

"Papa! Aap toh kamaal ke nikle. Matlab Vartika akeli nahi hai, aap har pal uske saath hain."

Rudra ki nazarein screen par hi tiki thi, jahan Vartika sofe par shaant baithi billi ko sehla rahi thi.

"Wah akeli nahi hai... lekin khatra har second badh raha hai."

### Rathore Mansion

Raat ke do baj rahe the. Rathore Mansion mein gehra sannata tha, bas door kahin guards ke jooton ki aawaz sunayi de rahi thi. Apne aalishaan kamre mein Vartika bistar par leti thi, lekin uski aankhein poori tarah khuli thi. Wah guards ki shift badalne ka intezaar kar rahi thi.

Jaise hi ghadi ne do bajne ka ishara diya, Vartika turant uthkar baith gayi. Usne apne silk ke gown ke oopar ek kaala overcoat pehan liya. Phir apni neeli aankhon wali billi ko halke se sehlaya, jo kamre ke kone mein so rahi thi.

Vartika dheere-dheere dabe paaon kamre se bahar nikli. Corridor ki peeli roshni mein uski parchhayi deewar par aise chal rahi thi jaise koi saaya ho. Wah paanchvi manzil ki taraf badhne lagi. Har kadam ke saath uska dil zor-zor se dhadak raha tha.

Jab wah us band darwaze ke saamne pahunchi toh usne chaaron taraf nazar daudayi.

Wahan koi nahi tha.

Usne apni jeb se patla lohe ka taar nikaala aur taale mein daal diya. Wah ek professional killer thi, taala kholna uske liye bahut aasaan tha. Lekin jaise hi usne taar ghumaya aur taale ke andar chhua—

Poore mansion mein tez security alarm baj utha. Laal emergency lights poore corridor mein chamakne lagin.

Vartika ek pal ke liye ghabra gayi. Use bilkul andaaza nahi tha ki us purane taale mein itna high-tech sensor laga hoga. Ek second ki bhi deri use museebat mein daal sakti thi.

Neeche se guards ki aawaz aayi—

"Pakdo! Oopar ki manzil par koi hai!"

Vartika ne ek second bhi barbaad nahi kiya. Wah turant peeche mudi aur seedhiyon ki jagah service lift ke paas wale gupt raaste se neeche ki or bhaagi. Wah itni tez daudi ki jab tak guards paanchvi manzil par pahunche, wah apne kamre ke darwaze tak pahunch chuki thi.

Usne jaldi se overcoat utaara, use bistar ke neeche phenka aur phurti se razai ke andar ghus gayi. Usne apni saansein sambhalne ki koshish ki aur aankhein band kar lin.

Tabhi uske kamre ka darwaza zor se khula.

Aditya Rathore haath mein revolver liye andar aaye. Unke peeche chhah guards khade the.

"Vartika!"

Aditya ki aawaz mein shak bhi tha aur gussa bhi.

Vartika ne dheere-dheere apni aankhein kholin aur uthkar baith gayi, jaise wah abhi-abhi gehri neend se jaagi ho.

"Kya hua Grandpa?" Usne bina expression se bola.

Aditya ne apni tez nazaron se poore kamre ko dhyaan se dekha. Unki nazar sofe par baithi kaali billi par padi, jo ab jaag chuki thi aur apni neeli aankhon se unhein ghoor rahi thi. Phir unhone Vartika ke chehre ko dekha, jo bilkul bhaavheen lag raha tha.

"Koi paanchvi manzil ke band ilaake mein ghusne ki koshish kar raha tha," Aditya ne daant bheenchate hue kaha.

"Guards! Poore mansion ki talashi lo! Har kona check karo!"

Guards turant bahar bhaag gaye.

Aditya ek pal ke liye Vartika ke paas aaye aur uske sir par haath rakha. Is baar unka sparsh kaafi thanda tha.

"Tum so jao beta. Bahar khatra ho sakta hai… lekin tum mere paas surakshit ho."

Jaise hi Aditya kamre se bahar nikle aur darwaza band hua, Vartika ke maathe par paseena aa gaya. Use mehsoos ho raha tha ki wah bahut khatarnaak khel khel rahi hai.

Usne dheere se billi ko god mein uthaya aur camera ki taraf dekhte hue dheeme se kaha,

"Us darwaze ke peeche kuch aisa hai jise bachane ke liye Aditya Rathore apni jaan bhi de sakta hai. Aur mujhe wah sach dhoondhna hi hoga."

Udhar jungle wale ghar mein Rudra screen par Vartika ka chehra dekh raha tha. Usne phone ko kaskar pakad liya.

Kohinoor ne ghabrakar poochha,

"Papa… wah pakdi toh nahi jayegi na?"

Rudra ne gehri saans li.

"Aaj toh wah bach gayi… lekin kal ki subah ek nayi chaal lekar aayegi. Ab humein bhi apni chaal badalni hogi."

Raat ka andhera aur gehra ho chuka tha. Rathore Mansion ke andar wahi kaali billi apni neeli aankhon se un raazon ko dekh rahi thi, jo shayad ab zyada samay tak chhipe nahi rehne wale the.

Agle Chapter Mein:

Kya kabhi apne maa-baap ke baare mein pata laga payegi Vartika? Kya hua tha ateet mein kya kiya tha Aditya ne unke saath? Aur kya hai us band darwaze ke peeche? Jaanne ke liye padhte rahiye.