Her Sanctuary

18. A beginning

Avinash POV

I was at the precinct, when the automated cameras picked up a familiar plate number driving into Sabina's basement. It issued a warning and the officer on duty told me. I called the nearby patrolling vehicle to be on alert.

It was the same car, whose driver had disappeared suddenly after I entered the basement a few weeks ago. We had searched our records, to find it was stolen from its actual owner and a complaint had been filed. We tried tracing, but couldn't find it until today.

There was nothing in the records, but I trusted my sixth sense and put it on watch.

I ran to my bike, put on my helmet and drove like a mad man, covering the five minute distance in barely 2 minutes. I parked and heard on my Bluetooth.

"Sir, we recognize Karan shah and three other people, one of them is also a known felon" he says as I close my eyes shut. I was right. I didn't want to be, but I was right.

"They still in the car?" I ask as there's a small silence.

"Only one left the car. He's moving towards the security room, I'm following him." He says as I slowly approach the car with weapon in my hand.

"FREEZE." He shouts over the Bluetooth.

"Sir, I have him on gun point. He tried to sedate the security guard and shut down camera surveillance in the building." He adds as I shake my head.

"Does he have a weapon?" I ask as no answer comes.

"Tambe, does he have a weapon?" I repeat again, as another policeman is told to run to his position as I call for back up.

"Sir, Back up is on its way. ETA 6 minutes." The man from the control room says as I connect my phone back to the building surveillance policemen.

"Sir, one man down." The constable who had went to check on Tambe says as the car door opens and I hurry to reach for my weapon to block their way towards the elevator without being seen. I press for the elevator thrice.

"We don't want to hurt you. Get aside." I hear Karan say with a gun pressed to the back of my head.

"You're not reaching her." I say before swiftly unclipping my gun and groping his arm to twist it behind him, throwing his revolver away. That's when I hear a shot fired as pain shoots through my shoulder.

"Fuuuckk..." I say still holding onto Karan as the back up arrives before me.

I hand him and his gun over to other policemen and look at the car.

Empty. The other guy, known felon ran away?

They are here. How?

"Run upstairs, go fast." I say as the pain in my shoulder made me see everything in blur. I squint to look clearly as I open my phone and call her, before sending a voice text.

That's all I remember before I fainted.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I wake up with the beeping of machines around me.

"She's his girlfriend and he's emotionally invested in this case. That always hampers your skills as a policeman and I think it would be better if the case goes to someone else." A familiar voice says as I open my eyes to look at the small tuft of grey hair on a bald head talking to I.G Mahajan.

"I'll see to that and I'm happy to see that you're getting over everything." The man in uniform says, patting Jeet on the back as he turns to look at me.

"I felt that you are awake." He says as I clear my throat.

"I... Sabina... Is she..." I ask as he smiles and nods.

"She's fine, Thanks to you." He says as I sigh as pain shoots through my shoulder.

"Is Karan still with us?" I ask and he nods.

"He couldn't run." Jeet says as I nod and look out the window.

Should I ask where Sabina is? Can I ask to see her? But that would be going against a promise I made to her and myself.

What if he gets angry and leaves me alone? With Ambar so far, who do I even have to sit with me?

I was shot in the line of duty so, I would have a policeman or two to get me medicines and for security, but let's face it.

I have no family.

"We are planning to move you in our house when you are discharged, if that's okay with you." Jeet says as my mouth falls open.

"Huh?" I say unable to think clearly. Was it the anesthesia? Was I hearing weird stuff.

"You put yourself on the line for her. You saved her." He says as I blink.

"No, No... That's my job. It's my duty." I say settling the sling on my right arm.

"Ambar called. He said you have no one to take care of you and so suggested that you move in with his family, but you got shot protecting my daughter. Let me get you back on your feet." Jeet says as I shake my head.

"I... I'm sorry sir. I... I can't be around Sabina and... and just stay... fine? She... she makes me feel things and I haven't felt anything in a long looong while. I've been numb for so long and... No, sir I'm sorry. I'll prefer to stay in my flat. I'll keep a nurse or something." I say as a tuft of long black hair enters through the door in a black leather jacket.

"Yeah, you're not getting any hot nurse if you want to make us work." She says as I squint my eyes and recognize Sabina.

"Oh and you also had a concussion. Go easy on yourself." She says sitting by my side.

"Hold on... Us?" I say and turn to look at Jeet and he nods.

"Don't make me regret this. I wouldn't like using my gun on a fellow officer." He says as my mouth opens wide and Sabina just holds my hand.

"Thank... Thank you sir, Thank you so much." I say as Sabina leans into my side as he gets up to leave.

I kiss her forehead and place my chin over her head.

"I hope we are not moving too fast?" Sabina asks as I shake my head.

"I hope not." I say as she looks up at me.

"There are things you haven't told me, and yet I trusted you enough to fight my parents for you." She says looking at me unsure as I tap the place beside me.

"I'll tell you... but just... don't ask questions or... or don't try to look into it. I've wanted to bury that part of me for the longest time ever." I say as she nods holding my hand tighter.

"Okay." She answers as I close my eyes to go into the darkest times of my life.