The Hospital (Part VIII)

I penned this story, The Hospital (Part VIII), a few years ago while taking an educational course by correspondence.

The Hospital (Part VIII)

“No tricks,” the man warned. Keshav looked around discreetly. There were two other men sitting behind the Dean. The men got up, right then. The first man appeared to be the leader.

“All guns, mobile and walkie talkie out,” the leader ordered.

Keshav did as he was told.

“We have kept time bombs in the hospital at strategic places. If you don’t want them to blow-up, we want the prisoner, a car to take us to the international airport and a plane ready to take us away from there,” said the leader.

“But the prisoner is dead.” Keshav said calmly.

“Don’t try to act smart. I know that you saved the prisoner.”

“No, I couldn’t. For the other demands of yours, I need time to make those arrangements and I will have to go out for that,” Keshav tried to convince the terrorist.

“If you are cheating, I will get to know. Where is D-2? Call him,” ordered the leader.

When they called, they got a favorable response from the man they called D-2. Keshav later learned that Dr. Vivek had replied to the questions asked by them as required.

“Ok. I trust you about the prisoner’s death. But still, you will not go down alone. One of my men will go with you,” said the leader.

“But if we make these arrangements, you will deactivate the bombs and leave the hospital with all your men,” Keshav said firmly. “If you promise me that I will comply with your wishes.”

“We will,” he promised.

Keshav took the henchman outside and informed Kartik about the situation inside. Immediately, Kartik called the ACP Kiran Kaur, of the area to apprise her of the situation. The ACP wanted 3-4 hours to speak to the home minister for the requirements.

Keshav thought, “That will give us enough time.”

When Keshav and the henchman returned to the Dean’s room, he found the leader looking out a window from behind a curtain.

Suddenly, Kartik burst into the room with 3 commandoes. Training his gun on the leader, he told the leader to surrender.

“Don’t push it,” the leader warned. “The bombs are still there.”

“The bombs have been located and defused,” Kartik informed.

“Then, he will go,” the leader caught hold of the Dean and held him in front with the gun pointed at his right temple.

For a moment, nobody moved. The Dean looked at Kartik for a second. Suddenly, he poked his elbow at the man’s rib and ducked. Kartik was fast. He shot the man without losing a second. The commandos had already disabled the other two terrorists.

Keshav took back his guns, mobile and walkie-talkie. He and Kartik, personally, went to every floor to check whether all the terrorists had been rounded up, coming last to the 9^th floor where the prisoner and Asha, with Radha, were safely being taken care of in the custody of the plainclothes men, Keshav had left them with.