Episode 1: Airport ki afratafri

Episode 1: Airport ki Afrataftri

Incheon International Airport ka Terminal 3 logon se khachakhach bhara tha. Flight announcements ki goonj, trolleys ki khadkhadahat, aur hazaron logon ki awaazein — is maamool ki bhaag-daud ke neeche, teen bilkul alag zindagiyan ek hi khaufnaak lamhe ki taraf badh rahi thin.

Security Control Center ke andar, andheri aur thandi jagah mein, Detective Kang-Dae apni screens ke saamne baitha tha, mutthiyan bhinchay hue. Ek high-profile sting operation chal raha tha — smugglers bheed mein chup kar sarhad paar karne ki fikar mein thay, aur Kang-Dae ki nazrein har blind spot par thin.

Wireless par uski team ki awaaz aayi. "Sir, north wing clear hai. Koi movement nahi."

"Keep watching," Kang-Dae ne saregoshi mein kaha, apni nazrein monitor se hataye baghair. "Ye log iss bheed mein ghayab hone ki koshish karenge. Ek second bhi mat chhoro."

Thodi door, VIP lounge ke qareeb, Min-Ho khada tha. Ek kamiyaab Seoul businessman, magar is waqt uska chehra sirf ek cheez zahir kar raha tha — pareshaani. Uska bhatija Ji-Hoon, jo kuch hafte pehle apne maa-baap ko ek haulnak car accident mein kho chuka tha, chair par khamosh baitha tha, apni hi duniya mein gum.

"Ji-Hoon," Min-Ho ne jhuk kar nirmi se poocha. "Pyaas lagi hai? Main paani le kar aata hoon, theek hai? Bas do minute."

Bacchay ne koi jawab nahi diya. Na sar hilaya, na aankh utha kar dekha.

Min-Ho ne ek lambi saans li aur khud se bola, "Theek hai... main jaldi wapas aata hoon." Wo chala gaya, dil mein ye ummeed liye ke shayad is dafa bacha thoda react kare.

Thodi aagay, mahaul bilkul mukhtalif tha — shor, camera flashes, cheekhen. Seo-Jun, Korea ka sab se bada idol, abhi international tour se laut kar aaya tha. Security guards ki ek deewar usay fans aur paparazzi se bacha rahi thi.

"Sir, seedha gaadi tak," ek guard chillaya. "Bheed control nahi ho rahi!"

Seo-Jun ke sath uska chota beta Haru bhi tha — emergency ki wajah se usay sath lana pada tha, aur ab wo is shor mein bilkul ghabraya hua tha, apne baap ki ungli kaskar pakde hue.

Aur is sab se bilkul be-khabar, ek larki khadi thi jo doosron se alag lag rahi thi — Anaya. Pakistan se aayi, aaj Korea mein uska pehla din tha. Oversized hoodie, structured trousers, sakht bandhi hui hijab, aur niqab — sirf uski tez, gehri aankhein bahar jhaank rahi thin. Usay zara bhi andaza nahi tha ke uske ye pehle qadam is nayi zameen par kis tarah ki museebat mein badalne wale hain.

Haadsa

Bheed aur camera flashes se pareshaan hokar, chota Haru achanak apne baap ki pakad se chhoot gaya. Bhaagte hue, khauf-zada, wo terminal mein idhar-udhar bhatakne laga.

"Haru? Haru!" Seo-Jun ne pukara, magar bheed ki deewar ne usay rok liya.

Thodi door, Ji-Hoon abhi bhi akela, kaanpta hua baitha tha. Anaya ki nazar us tanha bacchay par pari. Bina soche wo uske paas gayi, ghutno ke bal baithi.

"Hey," usne aahista se kaha, angrezi mein. "Kya naam hai tumhara?"

Bacchay ne koi jawab nahi diya, magar is dafa uski nazrein us ajnabi larki par tik gayin.

"Koi baat nahi," Anaya ne muskura kar kaha. "Tumhe jawab dena zaroori nahi. Main bas yahan baithi rehti hoon, agar tumhe accha lage."

Chand minuton mein, ek ajeeb sa sukoon Ji-Hoon ke chehre par phailne laga. Door se dekhte hue Min-Ho ke seenay se ek bhaari bojh utar gaya.

"Ye kaise..." usne khud se bud-budaya, hairan reh kar. "Hafton se koi isay chhoo nahi saka, aur ye larki..."

Achanak, Control Center ke andar Kang-Dae ka radio chilaya.

"Sir! Unhe pata chal gaya hai! Wo raid bhaanp gaye hain!"

Suspects, apni giraft ka andaza laga kar, ek bhagdad paida karne ki koshish karne lage — taake exits band ho jayein. Unhon ne ceiling se latki hui ek bhaari promotional banner ki rassiyan kaat din. Us banner ke neeche ek solid metal flagpole latka hua tha.

Bekhabar, chota Haru theek us structure ke neeche chala gaya jo abhi girne wala tha.

"Rassi toot rahi hai!" Kang-Dae cheekha, apni booth se bhaagta hua. "Sab log hato! HATO!"

Magar wo bohat door tha.

Banner tez awaaz ke sath girne laga. Anaya ki nazar upar uthi — ek pal ke liye uska dil dhak se reh gaya. Seo-Jun ne bhi apne bête ko dekh liya, magar fans ki bheed uske raste mein deewar ban chuki thi.

"HARU!" wo cheekha, magar hilne ki jagah nahi thi.

Anaya ne aur soche baghair faisla kar liya. Wo lapki.

CRASH!

Aakhri lamhe mein usne Haru ko apni godh mein utha liya, ferash par phisalte hue usay apne jism se dhaank liya. Iss zor se wo ek metal display table ke tez kinare se ja takrai. Uske haath aur taang mein tez zakham aa gaya, sar par bhi zarb lagi. Khoon uski aasteen aur hijab mein jazb hone laga.

Terminal cheekhon se goonj utha.

Muqabla

Bheed ne fauran ek insani deewar bana li. Anaya zameen par thi, Haru ko seenay se chimta liye. Khoon musalsal tapak raha tha, magar uski nazrein sirf ek cheez par thi — bacchay ki hifazat.

"Haru!" Seo-Jun bheed cheer kar aaya, chehra bilkul pila pad chuka tha. Usne haath badhaya. "Mera beta... please, mujhe do."

Anaya ne bacha dena chaha — magar uska haath ruk gaya. Uski aankhein sakht ho gayin.

"Ruko," usne kaha. "Ye saboot kya hai ke ye bacha tumhara hai?"

Seo-Jun hairan reh gaya. "Kya?! Main... main iska baap hoon!"

"Har koi yahi keh sakta hai," Anaya ka lehja tabdeel nahi hua. "Tum apna chehra chupaye khade ho, aur main is bacchay ko kisi anjaan aadmi ke haath mein nahi de sakti — sirf isliye ke usne cheekh kar 'mera beta' kaha."

"Main jhoot nahi bol raha!" Seo-Jun ki awaaz mein bebasi thi. "Please, meri baat suno—"

"Agar tum sach mein iska baap hote," Anaya ne bacchay ko dekha, phir Seo-Jun ko, "to ye tumhari taraf lapakta. Dekho — ye hil bhi nahi raha. Isay itna sadma laga hai ke ye jaam ho chuka hai. Aur tum chahte ho main isay ek anjaan admi ke hawale kar doon?"

Bheed mein saraghushtein shuru ho gayin. Log apna phone nikal kar video banana shuru kar chuke thay.

Seo-Jun ne apni ghadi dekhi, phir bheed ko. Uska concert ek ghante mein tha. Ek delay, ek scandal — mahino ki mehnat barbaad ho sakti thi. "Meri passport, meri ID — sab management van mein hai," usne kaha, awaaz kaanp rahi thi. "Cameras ke saamne main apna mask nahi utaar sakta, warna—"

"Warna kya?" Anaya ne beech mein kaata. "Warna tumhari shohrat khatre mein pad jayegi? Aur is bacchay ki jaan?"

Seo-Jun khamosh ho gaya. Uske paas koi jawab nahi tha.

Doori se dekhte hue Detective Kang-Dae bheed cheer kar aa raha tha, jabke Min-Ho, kaanpte hue Ji-Hoon ko pakde, is ajeeb muqable ko be-yaqeeni ke sath dekh raha tha.

Ek zakhmi Pakistani larki jhukne se saaf inkari — aur apni hi shohrat mein phansa hua ek masked idol. Kahani abhi shuru hi hui thi.

The Ambush

Kang-Dae ka radio phir chilaya. "Sir! Suspects north exit se nikal rahe hain!"

Ek lamhe ke liye Kang-Dae ruka, phir mutthi bhinch kar bola, "Damn it—" aur apni team ke sath bhaag gaya, scene ko bila hifazat chhod kar.

Security ke bagair bheed aur qareeb aane lagi. Seo-Jun ne aagay badh kar Anaya ke bazu ki taraf haath badhaya. "Please! Ye bheed se bohat darta hai, isay dawai chahiye—"

"Mujhe chhona mat!" Anaya peeche hat gayi, uski aankhon mein ek saaf warning thi. "Main kisi ko is qadar qareeb aane nahi deti."

Seo-Jun ruk gaya, dono haath upar utha kar. "Theek hai... theek hai, sorry. Sun lo — chalo VIP parking tak sath chalte hain. Wahan driver ke paas sab papers hain. Mere chehre par nahi — documents par bharosa karo."

Anaya ne uski ghabrai hui aankhon mein dekha. Ek pal ke liye khamosh rahi, phir bola, "Theek hai. Chalo."

Min-Ho ne raasta rok liya. "Ruko," uski awaaz mein mutmain sakhti thi. "Isay dekho — zakhmi hai, khoon beh raha hai. Agar tumhari security isay kisi band jagah le gayi to iski koi hifazat nahi hogi. Main sath chal raha hoon."

Seo-Jun ne ghoora, phir haar maan li. "Jo marzi karo, bas chalo!"

Group heavy doors se guzar kar sunsaan corridor mein pohncha. Roshan, sho-shor waale terminal se is khamosh, gunjti hui gali mein aana ghutan-zada tha.

Achanak, ek concrete pillar ke peeche se ek saaya nikla.

Ye ek bhagta hua smuggler tha. Usne Ji-Hoon ko Min-Ho se chheen liya, ek chamakti hui pistol nikal kar seedha uski cheempi par rakh di.

"Koi hile mat!" wo garaya.

Min-Ho ka chehra sufaid pad gaya. "Nahi! Please — sab kuch le lo, meri jaan le lo, bas mere bhatije ko chhod do!"

Kang-Dae aur uski team corridor ke doosre sirey se pohnchi. "Bandook neeche karo! ABHI!"

Magar faasla zyada tha — ek galat goli bacchay ko lag sakti thi.

Anaya ka dil zor se dhadak raha tha. Uska haath aahista se hoodie ki jaib mein gaya, pepper spray ke canister ko chhoo liya.

Agar main chuk gayi to? Agar wo trigger dabaa de?

Usne Kang-Dae se aankh milai, halka sa sar hilaya. Phir bhoot ki tarah aagay badhi, apni khoon-alood taang ko nazarandaz karte hue, Ji-Hoon ke saamne khadi ho kar gunman ka rukh badalne lagi.

"Hey!" wo chillai, criminal ke kandhe par zoor se haath maar kar. "Mujhe dekho!"

Wo chonka. PSSH! Pepper spray ka jhonka seedha uski aankhon mein laga. Wo dard se cheekh utha, bandook chhoot gayi. Kang-Dae ne usay zameen par patakh diya, team ne handcuffs laga din.

Milan

VIP parking mein pohnch kar sabki saansein thodi sambhli. Seo-Jun ne apni van khol kar apne documents nikale, kaanpte haathon se Anaya ko diye.

Anaya ne unhein dekha, saans thehri. "Theek hai," usne kaha, aur Haru ko wapas uski godh mein de diya.

Haru achanak sisak utha, pehli baar hil kar apne baap ke gale se lag gaya. Seo-Jun ne usay jakad liya, aankhein band karke.

Ji-Hoon bhi bhaag kar Min-Ho ki godh mein aa gaya.

Anaya khamosh khadi thi, khoon se sane kapdon mein, magar seedhi kamar ke sath. Do gharanon ki khamosh muhafiz.

Magar jab sab logon ne aakhir mein sar utha kar shukriya kehne ke liye peeche mudke dekha —

Anaya wahan nahi thi.

Wo ghayab ho chuki thi.

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