Recap: Aditya wheeled Ram out of the mess into the hospital...I asked you something Adi...
Aditya: Well you gonna meet her soon...
Ram: What me? But why?
Aditya: Because you are slated for an interview with her next week...
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Ram stared at Aditya in disbelief...Why me?
Aditya: Because you have nothing much to do over the next few weeks and
how could i miss a chance to come on TV with you..I think i ll keep a
completely shaven look for next week or may be a slight stubble? What
are you planning?
Ram: Adi for God's sake, its not some event that we have to dress upto. I
still cant understand why am i slated to do the interview. I mean i am
not the hero in Bollywood that people might be interested in seeing me.
And what's there to interview...what will they ask...(Ram mocking Priya)
So how was your last operation? What did you feel...And they would
thrust the mike under my nose and then it would be shown as breaking
news...
Hey Ram, heard that you are coming on TV...
Aditya laughed...
Ram: Wow Nik, i can see its already breaking news...
Nikhil: Breaking news...man i have never seen the mess so excited to be
on TV before, i mean we have had TV crews before but this is way
exciting. So how you feeling now?
Ram: Oh Thanks for asking, so you finally realized that i am hospitalized?
Nikhil: Come on Ram, stop being sarcastic. Thank god we brought you here in time.
Ram smiled at Nikhil. Nikhil was second in command in Ram's regiment and
a very close friend of Ram. Both had worked so closely with each other
that they just had to look at one another to know what's going on in the
others mind.
Ram: Yaa
Nikhil: Wow, i expect a thank you atleast, i mean i know you are coming on TV soon but no need to show attitude yaar..
Ram: Thank you your highness...and can we please stop talking about the TV thing?
Nikhil: As you say sir..Adi are you up for a game of basketball today evening after the drill?
Aditya: Sure Nik, I 'd love to.
Ram: Wow, you have confined me to this hospital with nothing to do and you both will play basketball? So unfair...
Adi: Nothing will get you out Captain, no tactics of yours, infact one
more word i hear from you and i am gonna extend your stay to one
month..Is that understood?
Ram sighed: Loud and clear..
Ram: Nik, you remember after we got the last militant and i went inside the room, there was some person there..
Nikhik: Impossible Ram, we had the house under our watch, no body could
have escaped. As you know the plotting of our positions was done by
Parakram and he is one hell of a guy. No body can escape his eyes or
rather his radar...
Ram: I dont know yaar, but i am very sure that there was a person, infact it was a woman...
Nikhil: Ram, as i said inobody was there apart from the militants and
even if there was anyone, it would have been impossible to get out
without being noticed and that too a woman!!!
Aditya and Nikhil laughed out aloud.
Ram: You guys are just so...
Nikhil: Come on Ram, smile a little, it will clear your head...
How you doing Captain Ram Kapoor?
All 3 of them looked at the direction of the voice. Nikhil and Aditya
immediately got to their feet and placed a salute in attention. Colonel
Singh acknowledged the salute, At ease captains...
Ram too sat uptight..
So Captain Kapoor, how are things?
Ram: Very fine Sir..
Colonel: Great Job Kapoor, very well executed operation...Colonel Singh
looked at Adi and Nik...I need to have a private word with Kapoor.
Aditya: Sure sir, we will take your leave. Both saluted again and marched off.
Col Singh: Kapoor, i have put your name for promotion and the Army
General has approved it. You would be promoted the coming independence
day..
Ram: Thank you so much sir..
Col Singh: One more thing Kapoor, i need you for a very high profile
operation. We would be forming a team of elite officers and you would be
heading it. In time the details would be given to you. Mind you its a
high risk operation and only the best men would be in the group. Apart
from you, Captain Nikhil Batra, Leuitanant Parakram Raj, and Captain
Sameer Arora would be in the group. I ll talk to the others in a couple
of days, but make sure that this remains a top level official secret.
Ram: You have my assurance sir.
Col Singh got up. Hope to see you in action soon Kapoor . He turned to
leave and then got back...By the way we have given permission for that
TV crew to come and shoot next week. You are the choosen person that
will represent the unit.
Ram: Can i make a request Sir?
Col Singh nodded...Can somebody else do the interview, i am not very
comfortable with the idea of interacting with media persons, i have an
aversion to them..
Col Singh gazed at Ram. He knew his past still haunted him. Ram looked down...
Col Singh softened his tone: Unfortunately Captain, the TV channel has
taken all the specific permissions and the Army general himself has
granted permission for the interview and whether you like it or not he
wants you to do it. I dont want to be telling you this but not all media
is bad.
Ram looked away, he could take a 100 bullets, fire a hundred rounds and
face any kind of torture but not the media. He just nodded his head.
Ram tossed and turned in his bed, sleep eluding him for a long long time. He desperately wanted to get rid of the interview.
Within a few day Ram had regained a lot of his strength and was able to
take walks without support but still under Aditya's observation. One
fine day Aditya had gone of to approve some medicines from the army
hospital. Taking that opportunity Ram decided to try out cycling. Ram
was happily cycling away..in the camp feeling the strength in his legs.
At a point he took a turn and saw a small frightened kitten dart in
front of the cycle. In a bid to save the kitten Ram harshly applied the
brakes, his cycle hit a rock and the next second Ram was all corners on
the ground...
Are you alright?
Ram looked at the source of the voice. From ground level he could see
two beautiful pair of feet adorned with a sleek pair of footwear
displaying a vibrancy of colours. Since joining the army his eyes had
been devoid of such colours. He looked up to see the person with the
beautiful feet...
Ahem Ahem...What's this Captain, till yesterday you were refusing to be
interviewed and what do i see now, you have literally falling on her
feet?
Both Ram and Priya looked at a smiling Aditya..
To be Continued...
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