Raat ke do baje Shehryar ki aankh phone ki vibration se khuli. Screen par ek anjaan number se message tha: "Apne bed ke neeche dekho."
Shehryar ka dil tezi se dhadakne laga. Usne darrte hue mobile ki flashlight on ki aur bed ke neeche dekha. Wahan ek purana, laal rang ka lifafa pada tha. Lifafe ke andar ek choti si memory card aur kagaz ka tukda mila. Kagaz par likha tha: "Police ko mat bulana. Agar agle 30 minute mein sach saamne nahi aaya, toh tumhari behan Ayesha kabhi ghar nahi lautegi."
Shehryar ke haath kaampne lage. Usne turant laptop khola aur memory card lagaya. Screen par ek video play hui, jismein uski behan Ayesha ek andhere kamre mein kursi se bandhi hui thi. Video ke background mein ek digital ghadi chal rahi thi—jis par kal shaam 5 baje ka waqt tha.
Shehryar bhaag kar Ayesha ke kamre mein gaya. Darwaza andar se lock tha. Usne zor se dhakka de kar darwaza toda. Kamra khaali tha, lekin bed par Ayesha ka phone pada tha, jis par ek aur message aaya: "Tumne ek saal pehle jo galti ki thi, yeh uski keemat hai."
Shehryar ko turant yaad aaya—ek saal pehle ka wo sarak accident, jise usne aur uske gehre dost Aftab ne mil kar daba diya tha. Us raaz ka pata sirf teen logon ko tha: Shehryar, Aftab, aur Ayesha.
Shehryar ne fauran Aftab ko call ki. Teen ring ke baad call pick hui, lekin doosri taraf se sirf saans lene ki aawaz aayi.
"Aftab! Ayesha musibat mein hai, kisi ko sab pata chal gaya hai!" Shehryar chillaaya.
Doosri taraf se ek thandi aawaz aayi: "Mujhe pata hai Shehryar... Kyunki wo memory card main ne hi tumhare bed ke neeche rakha tha."
Shehryar ka khoon khoof se jam gaya. "Aftab... tum?"
"Main nahi Shehryar," Aftab ki kaampte hue aawaz aayi, "Yeh phone mere haath mein zaroor hai, lekin pistol mere sar par hai. Aur tumhari behan Ayesha... wo mere barabar mein khadi hokar mujhe yeh sab kehne ko bol rahi hai."
Sannata chaa gaya. Shehryar ke dimag ke parakhche ud gaye. Uski behan kidnap nahi hui thi... wo toh is poore khel ki master-mind thi!
