The children – 19

Sean felt guilty, so much so that he couldn’t think straight anymore. It was because of him that Kevin is in the hospital now, he thought.

"Was he working under you" Colonel had asked.

“Yeah. He is working under me. Good guy” Sean sounded so dejectecd.

“I guess he knew too much, Truth barely has a good stand these days Sean.” Colonel said in a soft somber voice.

“I think so too. But what could he have probably learned? He said he saw something and he wanted to discuss it with me. Would that be of such importance that someone wanted to kill him? What did they take from him?”Sean still couldn’t bear the thought of ‘all this for what?’.

“ah..ah…They didn’t kill him, mind you. If they wanted to kill him, they would have done that cleanly. No, they have merely silenced him. Killing him was not on their main agenda. I guess it was probably one of those loose ends. Don’t worry about him Sean, I asked Joe as soon as I saw the article. He said he was alright. He might be a few weeks or months off. But he will be back soon”

“huh whatever. It kills me that I can’t go there to see him now”he shrugged apologetically.

“No..No…don’t do any such thing.”Colonel looked at all sides before saying huskily

“You still don’t understand the capacity of these guys. If I am not wrong, by now they must know that you are involved in this mix-up”

“I guess so too.”

“I recommend you to stay away from people. Both of you.”

“Three of us.”

“Who else?”the colonel creased his brows.

“That boy’s father. He has come in this all of a sudden. Now, I don’t even know where he had gone. I am guessing that he must be behind his wife. I hope to God they both are safe.”

Just then Sean’s phone rang.

“Excuse me Sir.” He said and took the call,”yes”

“Sean, it’s me Pavi”

“Yes I know. Tell me”

“The woods. You need to go to the woods, right away”

“What? Why?”

“Don’t know Sean. I just know. Where are you now?”

“I am in a ..friend’s house.”Sean was walking slowly while he answered the call and by now he had come near the table where the mails were stacked neatly on a brass plate. His eyes fell right on that thick parcel which cried urgent in dark purple marker.

His eyes would have diverted to other place if not for that voice, that inner voice which told him to grab the parcel. It was so strong it felt as if the parcel grew a mouth and cried at him to carry it with him. With pounding heart Sean stole a glance towards the colonel who was musing at something as he slowly picked up the parcel from the table and pushed it inside his coat.

“Sean are you there?”

“yeah..I am here”

“..”

“Ok nothing to worry. I will look into it. Thank you”he turned towards the old man.

“Ah.. Colonel, I think I have to go now. I am already too late.”

“Better be safe than be soon Sean. As for that lady, something tells me that they will rather like to have her dead than walking. Please hurry up”

“Thank you for the advice”

“Any time.”he smiled and waved.

Sean took leave through the back door as quietly as possible, Colonel kept watching his back as he whispered “So long, Sean”


Thendral’s heart could have burst into tiny little pieces at the speed at which it was beating.

The sound of crushed twigs and the slight change in the air informed them that they were not alone. Clutching the bag so hard she turned around only to be shocked further more.

“Don’t move a muscle” a croaky voice came out through the breather of that black suit man. He was totally clad in black and was ready to take anyone down. He had a long looking hand gun(possibly silencer fixed) in his hand.

He was clearly not one of those snipers on the treetop. That means just as Inba suspected some one was stationed at the back of her house. Luckily he didn't have those long distant target aiming high precision rifles, he had to come this close.

'oh what is the big difference?' he is going to shoot anyways , she thought wearily. For a second Thendral lost all the power to fight back. She had been chased for so long.

The man had not moved either. With his eyes and aim of his gun still on them, he tilted his head a little.

“AJ, come in. I got the birds. I repeat I got the…” thud….

A thick metal chunk went straight at the nape of his back and the guy just lay flat on his face revealing Sean who stood behind with his Glock turned upside down in his hand. He was heaving so hard and was perspiring.

“God, you guys are so lucky. Come on we don’t have any more time.”

"How did you find us?"

"No time. We will speak about it in an hour if we are still alive"

And so they ran.

It was not a thick forest which meant less cover and which meant shooting anytime. They could hear wailing sirens in the distance behind them and more and more twigs and branches being crushed under force.

“More men are chasing us from behind. Come on run faster”

"Well it was good thinking that you didn't shoot him with your gun, which would have invited more trouble." Inba tried to say it coherently as they ran in the rickety tracks.

"Well you think we didn't invite enough?"

A bullet barely missed and spewed past a staggering Thendral and hit a tree branch.

"Oh God"

"there comes the answer" Sean swore."You alright?" both men ran to her in an instant.

"Oh I am fine, Just keep running. We shouldn't fall back. Please" Thendral didn't stop. She used the fear in full throttle. She ran like a deer that was chased by a leopard.

wishhh..

another silenced bullet grazed the branches.

“Oh ****.. they are gaining on us.” Inba tried to push Thendral before him as he lagged behind her as a cover.

Sean took a second to turn back and aimed his glock on the approaching form. He knew from the sound. It was a lone sniper. Others are still to catch up. He need to catch him down.

"What happened?"

"You guys keep running"

"What?"

"Just go I say"

He lay there waiting. He knew the sniper would be having night vision glasses to find his heat signature, but he also knew that he would probably not expect someone to lay in wait.

And he was right. He got him right on his chin when he tried to pull on him. A missed aim bulled and another block the sniper was out cold.

"Snap.. this is eerily too easy. Watch out Sean" he told himself as he picked up the long rifle and ran across like a wild dog. He got them in seconds.

"Are they still behind us? You just knocked him down?"

"I know.. crazy unbelievable. Anyways. I have bought us some more time. I think it will take the others to reach us at the least five to ten minutes."

“Where are we going, have we got a plan?”Inba had to spit the words between breaths.

“NO.. none at the moment. We just have to get the hell out of here”

“Where is here? They are everywhere”

“I know” Sean kept running with that disturbing question churning in his mind.

They had been running for quite a while and had turned on a place. They suddenly ran into a road. It was a highway.

“Now what do we do? They will be here any minute”

And so they decided to run past into the woods across the road.


The men in pursuit had run quite far, They were furious. They had missed them in their watch.

What a snitch in the simple plan? Handling a single mother and a stupid cop would be a piece of cake is what they thought.

But they didn’t expect this. Two men down, now only three on foot behind them though others would come from other side, it would take some time. The lead man was thinking.

He knew they cannot run far. It was a small place. Where would they run.?

Those f****** lunatics think they are playing with some fools. Well! wait till they find who they are against. He swore silently. His eyes and ears watching and listening.

They had changed strategy and were moving in order, fast and stealthily. They came near the road.

“We were about five to seven minutes behind them. They couldn’t have gotten far from here by foot”. He looked at the road with suspicion.

"Where does this go?"

"It joins the highway that leads out of the county. We need to push the button now, if they took flight by a car they would be crossing the county border any minute now." the other man said.

"S***"

“No they have not gone. Listen?" the third guy stopped their chat.

Sound of twigs and leaves being crushed beneath the weight was crystal clear in the silent road. Somebody was running in the woods opposite.

They already had people covering the woods from the other side.
The man with sniper smiled devilishly “gotcha"

They ran like panthers in silent shoes, hungry to eat the prey with their bullets.


Thendral and co had been running breathlessly and had stopped in front of the road.

They hastily decided to run diagonally into the woods since running in the woods would give better cover than in the open road.

"Will they be using choppers too?"

"No, this is a secret operation. I can assure that nothing of this is going to go out, at least to the public, even if all three of us die today"

"Oh crap.."

Unfortunate for them the highway which would branch out into three different routes would be much ideal for them to escape out of the county if only they had a vehicle.

But they didn’t have that luxury and Sean did know that there was a possibility of gunmen waiting for them in the other side of the woods. They didn’t have another choice. He had to buy some time and this was his only choice.

The second they put their feet on the gravel road, a black 'Land Rover ' came in thrashing speed around the corner and halted right in front of them spewing dust on their faces.

“What the..”

“Guys come on, get in fast.” It was Pavithra.

"How the hell did you know we would be here?"

"I didn't, i just took an alternative route from the ashram and I saw you here."

"call me lucky"

“Oh damn, I had never been this happy ever in my life to see a woman behind a wheel” Sean said and he eagerly jumped into the back seat.

They could hear footsteps in quite a distance.

“Come on..fast..fast..”
It was miracle that they were just a few seconds ahead of the chasers to hear the sound of their engine.

The men had run for just few minutes into the woods again before they got their prey.

"OH..s***..s****..s****. We missed them dammit. Cole call the unit and inform them. They took the road. Dammit"

His eyes fell back angrily on the few bucks and fawns that ran away again at his angry voice.


They drove for a few miles and in a few minutes they would be facing the toll and Sean knew for sure that people, people other than from his own department would be waiting for Thendral there. And from there, there is no turning back.

He had to make the decision. He knew he had no choice and he knew that it was the best of choices he had ever had to make.

He asked Pavithra to pull over and move aside. He jumped behind the wheels in a second. He then maneuvered the beast of a vehicle straight into the woods.

“What are you doing?”Everyone shouted in chorus
.
“Taking you to a safe place.”Sean said.



The dusty Land Rover rushed harshly into the little stream as it spluttered the muddy water onto the nearby tree trunks. The roar of the engine as it tried hard to push back the swampy water behind was unmistakably loud.

“ Sh…Could you please drive without making much noise. Because you are waking up the whole goddamn woods “Pavithra practically screamed the last sentence and few wild sparrows scattered away.

“Now, see who is waking up the woods? You shut up that big pink mouth of yours and be quite alright?”Sean was furious. He just couldn’t stop thinking how close they had been to danger.

“Oh..right. You are most welcome for the gratitude. I didn’t know you Americans knew to thank people so warmly. “

“Dammit don’t start now OK. Alright you saved us at the right moment but that doesn’t give you rights to shout at me”

“Guys..Guys..let us keep our focus on the path. This is a very silent woods. Our voices could be easily carried to those who are waiting for us. Don't you remember that we are currently being chased by some dangerous people?” Inba tried to bring in peace between the two raged.

“Make it 'the world’s most dangerous people' ” Sean said.

“Really?”

“Didn’t you see them? They are the f****** special ops. Goddamn warriors. They are so…I can’t tell you. They are not easy to even face let alone defeat. They had f***** M4s for god's sakes.

I just can’t believe we escaped from them. It is utterly unbelievable. They are like unbeatable guys with so much power and gadgets and…huh..“Sean was still tensed at the thought that they had escaped from them in just seconds.

“And you hit two of them and made them furious. From what you are saying I am guessing that nobody can save us from them now.” Inba said with a dull tone.

“I think I have one more chance at that” Sean said as he drove the vehicle now into a shadowed lonely drive to the top of the hills.

Thendral hadn’t still come out of the shock of that grazing bullet yet but she was surprised at the rage of Pavithra. She had never seen her sweet tempered friend this ferocious. What had happened?

Pavithra was scared, that was what she was. She was scared and super guilty. She didn’t open her mouth anymore and kept quite biting her lips from quivering and fighting back the tears.

If only….she thought sadly.

“Pavi are you alright?” Thendral asked in whisper.

“No I am not.”she mumbled.

“What is it di?”

“I am so sorry Thean..”she broke down.

“What the hell? Why is she crying now? What is she? A stupid broken water pipe?”

“You shut your pompous arrogant American mouth OK?”

“Don’t you dare call me names lady.”

“Oh both of you just shut up”Thendral screeched “What is going on? What is it with you Pavithra? Why such anger? Why do you want to apologize now?”

“Why? Because all this is because of me that’s why?”

“..”

“If I had never set my eyes on you, Ish would never have been kidnapped and you my lovely friend would not be a wanted criminal of the United States now, nor would Sean be running away from his job and Kevin… " She stopped.

Thendral couldn't bear the look on her face.

"oh poor Kevin.” Pavithra sobbed uncontrollably.

Sean was quiet. How much compassion could a woman have on her fellow beings for crucifying herself guilty on their misfortune. His heart went out for her instantly. He kept his calm.

“Oh dear..don’t speak that way. You are so wrong.

If not for you, we would probably have taken longer to establish the connection between Catherine and Ishwar and seriously you are there or not this kidnapping would have happened Pavi, it was not because of you. And Kevin, well things like these happen in a cop's life.

But if not for you I would have not known Sean this well and if not for you we would not have got a perfect hideout for those two days and if not for you I would never have set my eyes on….”Thendral stopped at that.

Silent prevailed for a second before Thendral spoke softly.

“don’t ask sorry Ok, it is I who have to thank you” she whispered hoarsely and the two women hugged each other with tears streaming in their eyes.

“Ok.. enough of this soap opera, can we go on now?”Inba tried to lighten up the mood. Though he spoke lightly his heart was filled with colorful butterflies. She was about to reveal her heart, her emotions. She actually said Thankyou to Pavithra for bringing him back in her life, didn’t she? He smiled happily and Sean saw that.

Though the situation called for the most serious of emotions, that little show of Pavithra’s guilt was good enough to make their hearts warm and light. A little rejuvenation. This woman Pavithra was was really a nice little catalyst - a hot catalyst id I may say so, Sean thought smilingly.

The Jeep came to a bumpy halt. It was a thin road which looked like very few people went and came this way. What are we doing here? Thendral thought.

Sean looked like he was thinking for a moment. Thinking or hesitating? She couldn’t tell.But then he slowly moved the jeep and turned into a short curve. The view took her breath away.

It was a lonely log cabin standing in the edge of the cliff overlooking the plateau.There was a lone green heavy duty jeep standing in one makeshift garage near the cabin.The cabin looked clean yet soulless.

“Is anybody living here?”

“Yes” Sean jumped down from the car seat.

“Who?” Thendral asked.

“His enemy” came a deep throttled voice.

Sean was pulled hard and was held in an uncompromising position as the man(?) asked him in the deepest of voices.

“You really have a nerve to show up to me. How have you been my sweet little Traitor?”

Will come…