For You, My Love

Vivek and Arman were prepared for the attack today. Liam has confirmed the location of Supratim and said that today is the best day to take revenge and save Shirley. Arman was a little excited about it as he was seeing a good opportunity to re-establish their power in London, but Vivek was quite quiet and was filling the magazine like a robot. Arman looked at Vivek's grim face and asked, "Buddy, what's the matter? Aren't you excited to save Shirley from that crook?" Vivek replied, "Sometimes I feel Charan is right. I should have not dragged Shirley into all this crap. She is a simple girl, maybe a soft one too and this over the top action must be unethical to her." Arman patted his shoulder and said, "Charan is a man of clarity, but love doesn't work that way. Of course, at some point honesty works but still it also has its dreaded consequences. Shirley might go away or maybe understand your dilemma and forgive you." Vivek said, "This time, I will tell her everything and then it's her to decide." Arman said, "Let's save her first." Arman called Liam and asked, "Where are you, man?" Liam replied, "I am at the location. Come quick." Arman and Vivek ran outside and went inside their car.

Liam was standing there with his arms crossed. Arman went off his car and asked, "Is everything as planned?" Liam replied, "Of course, but there is a slight problem." Vivek asked, "What problem?" Liam replied, "It looks like this Supratim guy has joined hands with the pirates and their leader, Captain Black Eye has taken Shirley as his...." Vivek said, "Enough. Just tell me how?" Liam replied, "Well, there is a decent amount of people up there and they have good weapons. So, we have to attack when they are at their weakest. In the sea." Vivek asked, "And how are we gonna do that?" Liam replied, "Looks like your brother never told you anything about me." Vivek and Arman shook their heads in denial.

Liam, Arman and Vivek went to the east side of the dock and saw an Boeing AH-64 Apache standing there. Arman looked amazed and said, "You have a fucking Apache? Who are you?" Liam replied, "If you know how to play your cards right, you can also have a helicopter in the near future." Arman smiled. Vivek asked, "What about the ship?" Liam replied, "It will leave in three minutes. As per my knowledge, Supratim and Captain will be there and also Shirley. We have to do it in twenty minutes before coast guard comes to the spot." Vivek said grimly, "That Supratim guy is going inside the water coffin today." Liam and Arman took the pilot seat and Vivek took the machine gun in his control. Liam said, "Hold tight.We are about to fly in one and two and one." Liam pulled the lever and the blades started rotating and the helicopter started raising up in the air. Vivek looked firmly at the blue sea as the helicopter started moving towards the north-west direction.

Soon the ship came in the sight of the helicopter. Liam cried, "When I say launch, Vivek you start shooting at the body of the ship and Arman launch a missile at the ship." Liam went near the ship and when the ship came in the target zone, Liam cried, "LAUNCH!!!" Arman launched a missile at the ship and Vivek started shooting the guards on the deck. The missile damaged the hull of the ship and the ship kind of lost its speed and more guards came outside to inspect but Vivek's bullets pierced their bodies. Vivek wore his armor and said, "Bring the helicopter down." Liam said, "OK. Take the rope ladder and climb down. Vivek threw the rope ladder down and climbed down on the deck of the ship. Arman followed him. Vivek and Arman slowly went down the damaged, slowly sinking ship. Liam cried, "The ship won't stay afloat for too long. Hurry up, boys." Liam continued circling the ship. Vivek and Arman slowly went inside the cabin. The water was raising and many people started screaming. Arman and Vivek silenced them with bullets and kept going down. Vivek took out his snorkel and wore his oxygen mask. He said, "If I don't come up in ten minutes. Go and save yourself."

Arman hugged Vivek and waited up, while Vivek jumped inside the water. Vivek switched on the light and kept swimming and started inspecting every room. Several dead bodies were found, but Shirley, Supratim and Captain were missing. Vivek was about to turn when a hand started choking him. He caught the hand and threw him over the wall. It was a chubby man and was none other than Captain Black Eye. He took out a knife and launched himself on Vivek, but Vivek turned and inserted the knife in the Captain's chest. He then slit the throat and went looking for Shirley. He saw an opening and swam passed it and found several crates. He opened it and saw several tonnes of smuggled gold, arms and drugs. He took some gold in his hands and put it inside his pocket. The weight was a little, but Vivek continued searching for Shirley, but nor Shirley was there nor Supratim.

Vivek swam back and saw Captain's body was still there making the water red, but still have some life in it. He took the body and swam towards the opening, Arman helped him climb and Vivek removed his snorkel and said, "Shirley and Supratim isn't here. But, this man can tell us something about them." Arman said, "OK. Let's go. I found a dinghy." Arman and Vivek quickly jumped on the dinghy and started moving towards the coast. Liam cried through his microphone, "Come on the helicopter. The coast guards will be here any minute." Arman and Vivek took the Captain and climbed on the helicopter. Liam asked, "Any progress?" Arman replied panting, "Nothing. Apparently, both Supratim and Shirley were not on the ship and Vivek brought the Captain to interrogate." Vivek said, "Go to the safe house quickly. We need to give this Captain a proper treatment." Liam said, "OK. Sir." They flew towards the safehouse.

Arman and Liam's butler stitched the wound and put some alcohol on the wound to keep it disinfected. Arman said, "Luckily, the heart is safe. The knife went straight near the heart, but didn't touch it." The butler said, "He will be okay in half an hour. You can go and take rest." Liam and Vivek went downstairs to have a drink. Liam said, "You are a very confused person." Vivek asked, "Why so?" Liam smiled, "You love Shirley more than your life, but is afraid to tell her the truth about your life. Your cowardice separated you from her." Vivek replied, "You are practically right, but emotionally wrong. It looks like you never loved anyone in your life, because you don't understand that truth sometimes hurts both the teller and the listener." Liam laughed, "Who told you that I never loved anyone? I have and I always will. She was the reason for my imprisonment." Vivek said, "Tell me about your story. Maybe it can bring us to the same platform."

Liam smiled, "It was a good summer camp. Everyone was happy and were chilling in the sun. I was also one of them. My eyes were looking at the sky when a crying sound ringed my ears. I looked and saw that some boys were troubling a young girl. A boy, probably the leader of the team was forcing the girl to go with him on a ride. The girl was clearly denying his advances and was crying for help. The surrounding people looked at her, but were afraid to engage with the boy, because the boy was none other than Ryan Gonzalez. His nasty acts and misogynistic behavior is well known and no one dared to oppose it. I was not the Liam Hendricks I am today, but a local mill owner's son. I kept on looking as Ryan abducted the girl and I couldn't do anything. The girl saw me with pleading eyes, but I lowered my head in shame. I couldn't sleep that night and started hunting Ryan Gonzalez. But, one day I found the same girl at a marketplace. The girl was buying some fruits. I gathered courage and went n ear her. She looked at me and abruptly went away, even without paying the shopkeeper. I paid her bill and followed her stealthily till she stopped near a half damaged gate and went inside the house. Looking at the house, one can easily say her condition. Broken window glasses, dusty compound, roof filled with leaves and an old cycle was parked near a willow tree. Some voices were coming from the inside of the house. I peeped in and saw an old granny sitting on an armchair munching the sliced apples, while the girl was washing dishes. I suddenly stepped on a twig and the sound startled the girl. I quickly ran away outside the compound, while came running to see what happened.

For many days, I would go there to see the girl. Call it madness or shamelessness, it became my daily work. One day, I saw her cycle missing and assumed that she must be outside the house. I went to the same window and slightly jolted it and surprisingly it was not locked, but made a sharp noise. I waited for some time and climbed inside the house. The floor was quite cleaner than the compound and I tiptoed around the house, looking at everything that caught my eye. I opened a drawer and an album was there. Photos were less but sufficient enough to say her parents were dead. Her granny is her only support or vice versa. I went to another drawer and found a medium sized box which had the only lock in the house, apart from the front door. I shaked it and heard some coins jingling. I took out an envelope from my coat and put it inside the drawer. Though it was not an extravagant amount, but it was my whole month pocket money. I wrote my initials on it to atleast be someone to her. I quickly jumped outside the house and went away. I had a strange mixture of fear and happiness in my heart, but I was more happy then worried. The next day, I went to the house and found a lock on the gate. I returned home and went to the house again in the evening and still there was a lock. I climbed up the wall and went inside the house and saw something that changed my life."

Liam stopped and said, "OK. I need to pee. I will continue the story some other time." Liam went to the washroom and Vivek looked at the empty glass. He kept the glass down on the table and went upstairs. Captain Black Eye regained consciousness, but still had some trouble speaking clearly. Arman was already on his interrogation mode and had asked the expected questions already. On seeing Vivek, the Captain got a little afraid. Vivek said, "Don't worry. You good, we good. Now, tell me all about the incidents with Supratim and Shirley." Captain asked, "Shirley? Who?" Vivek replied in a stern voice, "This is your last chance." Captain replied, "I know about a guy, some Indian guy who tried to sell some drugs to me for a heavy sum. I bought, he sold. The end of story." Vivek asked, "Was there any girl with him?" Captain replied, "He was alone. In fact, my boys had brought him to me." Vivek asked, "How much you paid him?" Captain replied, "He didn't ask for money, but some share in my gold. I gave him two crates." Vivek asked, "Gold for drugs. He is really a stupid man. Anyway, how he went with two crates of gold?" Captain replied, "He brought a mini van with him." Vivek asked, "Any other information?" Captain replied, "He seemed to be in a hurry. Probably, he is leaving this country tonight." Vivek said, "Thanks buddy and sorry for the knife." Arman and Vivek quickly went inside their car and rode off towards the airport.

Vivek quickly parked the car in the parking lot and rushed to the inside of the airport. It was almost 2 am and the lobby was almost empty. The security guards looked at them, but then ignored him thinking him to be just an another late passenger. Arman followed Vivek like a shadow and inspected the whole area. Vivek quickly went to the enquiry desk and asked, "When will the flight to India arrive?" The lady replied, "The flights are cancelled today because some terrorist group attacked a ship in the sea. All passengers has been given free rooms at the nearby hotel for one night by the British Government."

Vivek went outside and sat in his car. Arman followed him and sat beside him. He said, "Let it go tonight. Police are searching for us and we can't afford to get arrested." Vivek punched the sterling wheel in anger and started the car. He rashly drove towards Liam's house and rushed inside the house. Arman said, "Cool down. You will get a stroke." Vivek entered Liam's room and said, "I need your boys." Liam replied abruptly, "I don't have boys. I am still virgin." Vivek said, "I mean your men. I need them to look for someone." Liam replied, "They are all yours." Vivek quickly went outside and called for the men. He said, "I want you people to keep an eye on an Indian guy staying in Hotel Mayflower near the airport. As soon as they checked out of the hotel, capture them and bring them to me. Of course, there will resistance but you guys know how to control beasts." The men saluted and went outside the room.

Vivek finally sat down on the sofa and took a long breath. He poured water in his mouth and gulped it down. Arman sat near him and said, "Go and get some sleep. We have a man to beat tomorrow. We need all the energy for that." Vivek chuckled at the joke and said, "You are the bestest friend." Arman smiled, "So are you." Vivek went to his room and fell in the arms of sleep.

Arman made a drink for him and took out a photo from his wallet. It was Survi's photo. He sadly looked at the photo and kissed it. He put it in his wallet and finished his drink. Liam came in and smiled, "So, you are also a late sleeper like me." Arman smiled, "Just having a good drink before sleep." Liam smiled, "Drinks won't fill your emptiness. Love will." Arman replied sadly, "And that remedy is the hardest to find." Liam replied, "Also the quickest and sudden. Finding new love won't betray your old love, it would be more like respecting both the loves." Arman laughed, "Tell yourself first. You called yourself a virgin, so that means you either never made the experience or never got the chance."

Liam replied, "Actually, I was about to get the experience but shit happened and I ended up in prison." Arman said, "Listening." Liam replied, "You don't have to. Go and sleep." Arman kept the glass and went inside his room. Liam took out a pendant from his drawer and said, "For you, my love. My whole world changed, but I am still there waiting for you.".....