THE PAPER WAR - VI

The kidnapping of the minister became the talk of the town as the news hit the press. Hussain too was shocked when he heard about it.

The next day there was another call from the terrorists. This time they insisted that they wanted to speak with Hussain. Hussain was on the line the next minute.

“Hussain bhai, are you fine there? Don’t worry you will be fine the next day, we are going to make a final deal, how do you feel?” the caller asked. Hussain was silent for a long time and then he spit on the phone as hard as he could and hung up. “Allah will never forgive you” he murmured to himself. The jailor who was watching all this felt moved by Hussain’s reaction.

The whole police department were in a huge confusion after they heard the kidnapper’s deal. The police were asked to bring Hussain to an isolated forest to hand over him to them. They will be releasing the minister after that.

“Hussain is of no use sir, but we need the minister, we are left with no option” Prakash was saying to his senior. His senior nodded. “Move on” he replied. “Let’s hope everything will be fine tomorrow” the senior added.

“You haven’t eaten anything” the jailor was asking Hussain on the way back to the cell. Hussain was silent. They reached the cell and Hussain was locked in. “I’ve been your supporter right from the beginning” the jailor added. Hussain smiled. “This is from my garden, my wife gave this to me, have it whenever you want” the jailor said handing over a couple of apples and a knife.

Hussain was starving, so he accepted it. He completed eating and was feeling sleepy. He fell asleep the next minute.

Next day, early in the morning Hussain was taken to the van to travel to the spot where the terrorists have informed. Hussain was accompanied by seven armed commandos. Prakash was one of them. They reached the spot in a couple of hours.

Prakash and two more cops took Hussain ten feet away from the van. The kidnappers arrived in the next ten minutes. There were eight of them with the center on holding Sujith by the neck.

Hussain’s hand cuffs were released and Prakash ordered him to move to the other end. Hussain suddenly clutched his stomach as if the was in some pain.

“What the hell is happening to you?” Prakash said. He held Hussain by the shoulder and turned him so that he could face him. To his surprise Hussain had a knife in his hand. The knife the jailor gave him the previous night.

In a flash Hussain stabbed Prakash in the centre of his throat. The knife went in deeper and Hussain twisted the knife to ensure Prakash’s death.

Prakash fell down losing his balance. The other two cops were surprised at Hussain’s deeds. They opened fire instantly on Hussain. An array of bullets hit Hussain across the body. Hussain flew in the air for a moment and hit the ground.

The terrorists on the other end roared with anger when Hussain’s body hit the ground. They shot Sujith mercilessly and he was almost torn into pieces and they shot the other two cops in a flash. They ran towards Hussain to save him. At that instant, the backup cops in the van got down and opened fire on the terrorists. The terrorists didn’t expect this. They fought back, but they were no match to the commander. Only one was left alive among the terrorist, he too was hit in the chest by a bullet. He quickly took a grenade and threw towards the van.

The greenish forest turned out be a gruesome scene full of blood splashes.

Hussain was holding his last breath. His plan had worked out successfully. He did not want policemen like Prakash, politicians like Sujith in his nation. He definitely didn’t need those lunatic terrorists. He spoke his final words and let out his last breath. “Am coming, Aalia” were his last words.

The gruesome shoot out and the death of Hussain was the issue every citizens talked about millions of people felt sorry for Hussain, their hero. Everything was hot for the next two days. The city was back to normal after that. After all the shoot out and Hussain’s death were “Just a news”, this was the current talk of the citizens.

                                                                                                                               BY

                                                                                                                           L. GAUTAM