Death and Dishonor

by Abhimanyu Saxena

  “Alright, where have you parked this van?”

  “Across the street from the hotel,” I answered with a sheepish grin, “I will make a break for the elevator while you cover me.”

  I started getting up, but he pulled me back down again, “Yeah buddy, about that - I know about that van, one of my officers reported it to me. An abandoned van standing across the hotel at not even a proper parking spot, just under some hanging tree foliage? I couldn’t risk it, so I had sent it to the Police Impound.”

  “Are you kidding me?” I said through gritted teeth.

  In the ongoing firefight, some bullets hit the supply closet door and then the door was flung open from inside. Rita gave one look at what was happening, then ran as fast as she could into the corridor where we were hiding, and I pulled her behind the potted plants.

  She gave a look of shock seeing me and quickly shifted beside Pratap. He asked, “Rita, what are you still doing here? I thought you escaped with most of the people.”

  “I tried to,” she said in a trembling voice, “But got stuck in the middle of heavy crossfire and chose to ride it out inside the closet. Do you have a plan?”

  “We are fresh out of those right now,” He shook his head.

  Her eyes swept through the dead bodies of officers on the lobby floor, and she said, “Oh! I think I am gonna be sick. Wish I didn’t have those cocktails.”

  “Cocktails!” something clicked, and I said, “We can make explosives. We just need some liquor bottles. But the room that we have access to doesn’t have any, and we can’t get to the party hall without getting shot.”

  “Whoa! You plan to blow him up?” she asked, taken aback.

  “That is the most viable solution at this point to damage what remains of his armor,” Pratap answered.

  “I have two wine bottles in my car, not opened yet. One was supposed to be a gift for a friend, but he will understand. Oh, they were so expensive!” she finished.

  “The government will reimburse you,” he waved his hand, “But the liquor itself wouldn’t be powerful enough. We will have to empty it and fill the bottle with gasoline or diesel.”

  “We can siphon them from cars below. I saw a bottle of rum as well in the car that I parked as a valet. Don’t ask,” I added to Pratap as his eyes widened.

  “That’s three bottles. I think it should be enough,” he said, “Rita, go with Arjun and get ready with the molotovs. He will show you how to siphon fuel.”

  He saw Rita hesitating and whispered to her, “I know you don’t trust Arjun, but you can trust me. Just go with him.”

  As Rita and I exited our cover and dashed towards the lift, sparks from bullet shots followed us all the way while Pratap covered us. Some of the debris smashed from the firing cut through my leg before I could reach inside.

  “DAMNNNNNN” I cried in pain as I fell down.

  First my ribs, then my hand and now my leg. The night was torturing my body, and I wasn’t sure whether I would be lucky enough to survive it.

  “Should we stop?” asked Rita hurriedly.

  “No, just give me a second, take cover behind that pillar.”

  I pulled up my trousers a little bit to see some metal and glass pieces pierced in my skin.

  “Holy Shit!” I winced.

  I knew that we didn’t have much time, but this shit was killing me. However, I quickly removed all the shards and pieces one by one carefully. Then I tied a handkerchief on the wound to stop the bleeding and hobbled my way to Rita.

  “Are you alright?” she asked.

  “You hate my guts, right? Don’t pretend otherwise. Let’s just go with the flow; we have many mountains to climb.”

  I pressed the button to the basement, and we slammed our backs to the side of the lift as the door closed after letting in a few more stray rounds. One of them hit the small glass shielding the tube light on the elevator ceiling, and it all shattered on top of me as I protected her.

  “Can this night end already?” I screamed.

  I could see multiple glass shards had pierced my good hand and had decorated it with multiple cuts and gashes.

  “Reach the car, it will take a bit of time.”

  “Thanks, Arjun, I don’t know how to say this-”

  I cut her off mid-sentence and started the excavation process. “First things first.”

  Thankfully, Rita was parked just near to the lift. She quickly started pouring wine on my injured hand.

  “What the fuck?” I shouted out loud as it burned through my skin.

  “It will help you,” she said never stopping pouring the liquor.

  “I could have drunk it. It would have helped me much more.”

  She suppressed a giggle and asked me to pour some on my other wounds. We emptied the wine bottles, and I put her to task on getting the fuel out from her car. I took the other bottle from her and found my valet car. The guy was now up and struggling out from his bounds. I put him to sleep again and emptied the small bottle of rum taking a few sips in between.

  “Don’t get sloshed, you have a battle to fight,” she cautioned me.

  “I know but when does public enemy number one start fighting the good battles?”

  Her lips turned into a line. “You know; this stubble suits you. The clean shaved look made you look sissy, and the dense beard turns you into a hipster.”

  I laughed thinking this was the same woman who was trying to get me executed for the past few months. When I was nearly done filling up my second bottle, I heard Rita scream from her position.

  I put down the bottles and rushed there to see an unfavorable sight. Prateek was coming out of the elevator. He saw me and started shooting, but Rita was prepared. As he began to advance, she lit her Molotov and threw it squarely on his chest. He dropped his SMG and stopped in his tracks, screaming as flames engulfed him.

  A few seconds later though, she realized that her feat had still not made sure that it was over. Prateek stopped screaming and opened his eyes from behind the flames as he turned towards her. I started running towards her, dreading what could come.

  I was just about to reach her when Prateek came running from his position and made a jump towards her. He was still in flames. I hobbled and dived pulling Rita with me out of the way, and he smashed onto the pillar behind her. My fall wasn’t smooth either, and the wall stopped me hard, definitely breaking something within me. I spat blood out of my mouth along with a couple of broken teeth. We got up and ran back towards her car with me firing towards Prateek to keep him down simultaneously.

  I got her inside and said, “Go!”

  Her eyes started to glisten as she replied in a trembling voice again, “You saved me. Even though I talked so much shit about you on the news.”

  “Well, most of it was made-up bullcrap, but you didn’t know my story,” I replied, “Now go. I will take care of him.”

  I took a spare handkerchief and a lighter from her, and she drove away. I ran with all my might towards where I had kept my bottles, my body reminding me of tonight’s pain now. Both the hands were bleeding like crazy, and I had definitely twisted or broken both of my ankles. Then there were severe cuts on my faces, fractured ribs, and broken teeth – in short, a night well spent. Prateek had recovered and started following me, clunking slowly and loudly.

  I took a deep breath and was able to finish my part when he was within my good aim. I threw one at the same spot at which Rita had and another at his face. Though it saw his end, I paid for it. There was a small blast on his chest which ripped his armor from the front which got flung at me. It hit me hard, and I crashed into the nearby car.

  “ARRGGGHHHHHHH!”

  Through my blurred vision, I saw Prateek falling on his knees and then flat onto the ground with the fire still burning him. I could see someone in uniform rushing towards me. He picked me up and took me to a car where he rested me in the back seat. Then, I heard Pratap’s voice before going lights out, “Let’s get out of here. Take a nap buddy; you need it.”r />
  ~*~

  My eyes opened and adjusted to a familiar sight. Although the room was dark with just a night lamp on, I could make out the photos in the frames.

  There was my study table with a bunch of photos of Shikha, Mom, Dad, Jackie, Aditi and group photos of all my friends. My stupid alarm clock was there on my bedside table. The Flintstones-themed wall clock showed that it was midnight. Somehow, it was all set up perfectly though I am sure the police would have thoroughly ransacked it. I closed and reopened my eyes. This was unbelievable.

  I was at my home. Several things dawned on me now as I was sitting up on my bed. Maybe I had died, and this was my heaven. I would want nothing else than just to meet my family and friends, who lost their lives because of me. This could be a dream, and I could be busted up badly somewhere else. But my body was aching badly suggesting this could be real. I wished it wasn’t though because I could be dreaming all of it. I would get out into the world and find Aditi and Shikha alive. I would have to see a shrink though for the most screwed-up dream ever, but I would have lived with it.

  This was different, of course. I remembered hearing Pratap’s voice before losing consciousness. But why risk bringing me here? Last thing I knew, Zayed had gone through my house with his own team when I had met him under disguise for the first time, so he must have had sealed it off.

  I got up from the bed and staggered at the edge of it, more pain waking up throughout my body. I was also wrapped all over by small bandages covering my scratches and bruises, though they had not done a very good job of it because my wounds were leaking blood out of them. A first aid box was emptied out on the floor at the side of my bed and contents were lying all around. I looked at the mirror in front of me, and it took a minute to register the reflection I was seeing. My eyes were black, and the entire face had turned to a light shade of purple filled with numerous cuts and gashes. Then both of my hands and my ribcage were heavily bandaged, and the right leg was supported with a makeshift plaster. A small wooden piece was tied to my right leg to support my body weight. I opened my mouth and prayed that none of my front teeth were missing. They weren’t, and I was glad. I hopped outside to the living room to find Pratap finishing a glass of scotch.

  “I could use one of those,” I tried to smile, but my jaw made me feel sorry halfway through it.

  “Oh, I didn’t think you would be up so soon,” he replied. He got up and helped me sit down on a couch beside him.

  He filled up another glass and slid it over to my hand, saying, “Here, drink it up and relax. You need it after the shit you went through tonight.”

  I took a sip and felt slight chills in my body where there was pain, then said, “You brought me here.”

  “Yeah, not a problem. I was assigned to your case, right? I got the officer stationed here to clear off. I thought that after all that you have gone through, you deserved your own bed for tonight.”

  “No,” I said, “I meant that I thought you would take me into custody and admit me in a hospital.”

  “No, no, take you into custody?” he kept his glass down, “Look, we have been sitting together after a long time since this manhunt started. Don’t you think I needed to hear everything from you first?”

  Pratap continued when I stayed silent, “I wouldn’t take you in because I wouldn’t be able to get the whole picture from you from behind bars. It’s nice to finally see you brother.”

  “You too brother, how is Neha Bhabhi?”

  “We have started arguing a lot, but I guess things will be right once all this shit is cleared,” Pratap replied taking a big sip of his drink.

  He hugged me tightly, and I winced in pain as my fractured ribs started aching. We both had a good laugh about it.

  “So, tell me everything. Did you hear only Ajeet’s voice on the phone when Aditi dialed you and is there any evidence supporting this claim?”

  I replayed that horrific day in my mind when Aditi was tortured and killed by none other than my friend Ajeet. “I only heard his voice, but there was someone else there too. I don’t have any evidence though.”

  “Okay, what did you find in Aditi’s home?”

  “This feels like an interrogation,” I joked.

  “Arjun, we don’t have much time. I need to know everything then only I can help you.”

  “I didn’t find anything except a name Ali scribbled on a notepad.”

  “As in Zayed Ali?” Pratap asked.

  “Damn! It took me months to figure it out.”

  Pratap chuckled. “You were always slow. He used to go by the name Mohammad Ali in the past. However, after some incident in Mirzapur, he had started using his middle name – Zayed.”

  I nodded, taking a sip of the drink myself. “What kind of a shit-storm it had been? I never thought that I could get tangled in something like this.”

  “And where does Tia, the church father, and Akshay fit into the equation?” Pratap asked me.

  “I took refuge in St. John Church once I was on the run. He fed me and took care of me as if I was his own son. Then I needed a hacker, and somehow Tia was involved in my plans. Akshay wanted to right the wrongs that were done to her sister. Too bad, he was killed in that accident. He was a nice bloke.”

  “You were always good at making friends. What I fail to understand is that you were spotted at various locations like a bank or abandoned warehouse or old mansions. What were you up to and did you uncover anything?”

  “That’s where it all goes fishy. I have a doubt that Shikha was killed intentionally and Aditi’s murder was related to it somehow. She never told me about her account in that bank, and when I went there, they told me that I had already cleared out the locker. What really fucked me up was the video footage of the bank – I could see myself going to the bank after Shikha’s death. I never went there, these guys who are trying to frame me – they are good.”

  Pratap stood up and took a few steps inside the room thinking about something. “Why do you feel that Aditi’s murder is related to Shikha’s death? Did Ajeet say something?”

  “All he wanted was a flash drive, nothing apart from that.”

  “And where is the drive?” he asked.

  “It’s with me. I have it hidden somewhere.”

  “Have you seen it? Why has our friend killed someone for it?”

  I shook my head. “Didn’t find any time. Was busy fighting giants and your Police,” I smirked.

  Pratap laughed out loud. “Why did Tia accuse you of involving her by force and then throwing her when she was of no use?”

  I told him that it was a part of the plan and both of us emptied our drinks.

  “Alan would shit bricks once he hears everything,” I added and Pratap agreed.

  “Did you steal Shikha’s mobile from the Police evidence?”

  “Yes, but didn’t find anything useful there. I never knew that she had that other one. The funny thing is that Aditi was investigating the company Shikha worked in – Delta Solutions. I guess Shikha had tons of secrets herself.”

  “Delta Solutions are finished after the stint today. Why do you think that Aditi was investigating them?”

  “Beats me,” I replied.

  “Arjun, this isn’t enough to help you. We need more evidence.”

  “I thought you would help me in uncovering this conspiracy theory. Why was I framed? Why were Aditi, Akshay, and Zayed killed?” I was getting pissed off after hearing this. Pratap didn’t do anything wrong, but I had a feeling in the back of my mind that he would know how to get me out of this situation. He always had helped me since our youth.

  Pratap had poured himself a second glass of Scotch. “Do you think the flash drive would help us?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t even know what’s in it.”

  “Well, think about it. If Ajeet killed Aditi for it, it might have answers why people want it. Why did Ajeet torture her so awfully to have her spill its whereabouts?”

  “Yeah, did he think at all for the possibility t
hat she might not have it as well?” I said, scoffing.

  “You are saying somebody else might have been in the equation?”

  “I am saying that I don’t bloody know!” I kept my glass down hard, “Why are you jumping to these conclusions? What has gotten into you?”

  I started coughing a bit and pulled my head back to rest on the couch, closing my eyes. Pratap sighed and said, “I am sorry man to go at you like that. But you were supposed to come to me with answers that time when you were with Zayed but-”

  “Pratap, one of our friends died. Ajeet is dead. I don’t know how all this crap hit our lives, but that has led to this end that he is dead. Why is this not affecting you, Pratap?”

  Pratap sighed and finished his glass.

  I continued, “Tell me, Pratap. You must be devastated. You were always the more emotional one. Why are you suppressing it all? It’s only us here right now, you can tell me,” I let out a small laugh and continued, “Think about Alan, that crazy fucker doesn’t even have a clue what is even going on. Oh! What he would do if he knew.”

  “You are right, but I have to know everything first before I can do something. Both of us want the same thing.”

  “No, we do not. I need to kill off all the men who were responsible for this mess.”

  “Listen, Devraj wants you dead for what you did to his nephew. He would be taking his oath in a few hours and believe me; he will do anything to kill you now.”

  I scoffed. “I didn’t kill his nephew. He himself killed Ajeet. What was the publicity stunt that he was trying to pull off today? What was this Project Shield and that Godforsaken beast Prateek? His own toy killed his nephew, not me.”

  “You don’t know him Arjun. He is crazier than Ajeet, and he has all the power that he needs. Anyways, you can take rest now. Once you feel a little better, we can go and fetch that flash drive.”

  I nodded and stood up slowly. It felt nice to be in my home after all this time. “Thanks, man.”

  He clicked his fingers and kept his glass on the table. I took calculated steps ahead and was going back to my bed when Pratap said something.