KAREENA: A Love Story

1. Mission Jeet: The Countdown to Save Madam Sir

Haseena beta, vardi hum apni sharir par nahi, apni rooh par pehente hain, apni wajood par pehente hain...
Aur jab yeh wajood ek bar khaki ka ho jaye, toh sirf ek hi cheez reh jati hain... Desh ke liye junoon.
Aur jab yeh junoon hi zindagi ka sabse ahem maqsad ban jata hain toh phir koi bhi chhoti badi cheez maine nahi rakhti.
Sab kuch dhundla ho jata hain.
Humari puri zindagi, pura wajood bas do hi shabdo mein simat kar rahe jata hain..
Woh do shabd jis par humara samvidhan tika hain - Satyameva Jayate

...

SHO Haseena Mallik had absorbed these words of her late Abbu in her own soul and lived by them, every day. When she had sworn on the Constitution of India and taken the oath to put country and country people before and above all else, including her own life, she had meant every word.

So when it happened that the only way, the only remaining way to save the lives of thousands of innocent Indians from a bio-terrorist, was to sacrifice her own life... Haseena Mallik did not hesitate even for a second.

As their entire team was held at gun point, instead of handing over the virus-filled syringe to the terrorists, she took off the safety cap and pushed the needle into her own arm. Then emptied the entire syringe of fatal viruses into her body.

Time stopped. Nobody had in their wildest dreams expected her to do something as devil-may-care as this. Not the terrorists, not her team. So it took everyone a few moments to process what had just happened.

The deathly silence was finally broken by the strangled cry of a familiar voice. 'Madam Sir! Yeh aap ka—' Karishma Singh screamed. Followed shortly by the others, all of whom were calling their beloved Madam Sir's name in disbelief.

Even the terrorists stood bewildered at this unexpected turn of events. Karishma launched herself at the terrorists with a blood curdling war cry. Helped by DSP Anubhav Singh and Cheetah, she nabbed the terrorists and freed the hostage.

Santu and Pushpa Ji quickly came up behind Haseena and supported her because she was losing her senses fast.

Everything started becoming blurry, the sounds were becoming distorted and her limbs seemed to no longer obey her brain. Haseena couldn't completely make out what was happening but she did hear the terrorist taunt them that Haseena was going to die a painful death the second she lost consciousness. Then other voices were saying something, she could sense the criminals were being arrested and someone came up beside her and firmly took hold of her from Santu and Pushpa ji.

Haseena recognised that touch and leaned her weight into it subconsciously. She was instantly at peace. Yes, she was going to die. But she was dying for her country, she had managed to save the lives of innocent people and... she was going to die in the arms of Karishma Singh — the one person most precious to her. She made peace with this and shut her eyes. The pain was going to end soon. She was going to meet her Abbu again.......

But the next second she had to open her eyes because her whole body was being jerked incessantly. The sight in front of her was of a hysterical Karishma Singh shaking her violently and asking her to please, please stay awake.

Someone picked her up and put her in the car. There were people shouting. The car was moving. Karishma and Pushpa Ji were on either side of her. Their grip on her kept Haseena from slipping away. Most likely Anubhav was driving the car but she couldn't be sure. The outlines of people and objects were distorting in front of her eyes.

In all this, Karishma didn't let go of her hand. Not even for a second. And she kept blabbering things into her ear, constantly begging her to stay awake and tapping her on the face to keep her from closing her eyes.