PART 40

The next few days were akin to hell for ASR.Khushi simply refused to look his way let alone talk.Not that he blamed her,he knew he deserved it for treating her so harshly.He had hurt her,making her reminisce her past and the thought made him feel even more petulant and sordid.

Raizadas were not in quite a better mood either.Akash had informed them about the coldness between ASR and Khushi and they felt helpless.Somehow there plan had gone horribly awry.

Owing to khushi's silence,ASR remained in a catankerous mood round the clock, yelling and berating everyone for no reason at all.He vented his frustration, cussing his  temperament.

Another dawn brought the same tedium for S.T.F office and every officer was busy wearing their grey cells out on how to solve the cases they were saddled with or evade a pugnacious ASR.

Some of the informers had told them about a club that actually abetted all sorts of debauchery and criminal activities behind the veneer of a decent place and S.T.F. officers bustled around as they planned to raid the place.

A motley of officers in plain dresses,including ACP Arnav Singh Raizada and khushi thronged the place.They separately made their way to internal bowels of the building for which they had to pay a handsome fee to troll-like goons.

Khushi entered the place,drenched in red light and was stunned.Her emotion was shared by her fellow collegues who were shocked to witness the scene.

The huge,sprawling room was divided in private cubicles and one could see teenagers as young as 16 years old,losing themselves in puffs of smoke of cigarettes and joints.

S.T.F. officers stared appalled as a young girl,who looked barely over 17 years, took up shots as her companions cheered.Skimpily clad women,with loud make-up seduced drunk men and guided them upstairs,along dark stare cases. Loud music blared as several people danced shamelessly to the tune.

They walked around wide-eyed and found themselves staring more at the ugly face of Delhi,which was hidden behind the facade of verdant gardens and lavish monuments,Delhi,that was the power hub of India.

There were several closed-circuited T.V.s on which young lads were watching porns,the most disgusting and lustful expressions on their faces.How could one think of stopping atrocities like sexual harassment and rapes on women when these kind of cheap stuffs were easily available and were being watched with such rapt interest?

The sordid scent of all sorts of drugs and alcohol made the air heavy and putrid and khushi felt bile rise to her throat.She was intensely aware of dirty stares of men and she walked around and she had slimy insects crawling up her skin.

She glanced in one of the cubicles and was shocked to find a guy forcing himself on a girl,who was barely more than 15.

''You'll like it baby.It feels so good!''He whispered as he kissed her jawline, lowering the strap of her dress.

''I don't know Sanket...I..I don't like it.What if my Mum and Dad found?What if something happened?''The girl sulked,quivering.

''Nothing will happen sweetheart.Just relax!''The guy moaned,stopping her protests with a violent kiss as he grabbed her mercilessly.

The girl writhed,but she was no match to her lover,or rather so called lover.

A loud noise echoed in the room and next second the guy was hauled up from the girl.

Khushi saw the image of Swapnil in the guy and a murderous fury consumed her insides.She punched him,slapped him and kicked him till he started bleeding.

''You horrible pervert,you bastard!How dare you?''She screeched.

The crowd gathered outside the cubicle and ASR ,Akash and Lavanya rushed in to grab khushi.

''Khushi,please calm down!''ASR urged,holding her shaking form.

''Calm down?He was trying to rape that girl damn it!''Khushi yelled rounding on ASR.

''Nothing will happen to her khushi.Don't worry!We've got her!''Lavanya shushed her.

ASR turned to the stunned crowd and growled.

''We're sealing this place.If you know what's good for you,then don't try to scarper!''

''Who are you?''One of the goons leered.

''S.T.F.!''ASR replied.

Beads of perspiration appeared on several faces before loud gunshots echoed.

Yelling and screaming,people ran for their lives as firing broke out from both the sides!