* Mumbai 2018 *
Vikrant was sleeping blissfully after working on the last case for more than 48 hrs. It was mid-summer and he was sprawled on his bed just in his shorts, the sheets barely covering him. Suddenly his phone started ringing, and he reluctantly grabbed it and squinted at the screen. The screen flashed "naani" and a big smiled appeared on his face and he swiped right.
"Naaaniii" he greeted her way to cheerfully.
On the other side Shivani rolled her eyes, she hated that nick name, but she loved vikrant and he was the only one allowed to call her that.
"Sunn, mei aaj Mumbai aa rahi hu. Tujhse chauki mei milungi."
"Are..." But before vikrant could say anything, shivani had cut the call. He smiled at the screen.
It had been 10 years since vikrant and shivani had joined the police force. Vikrant would have never believed if anyone had told him 15 yrs back that Shivani was going to be a police officer and a very good one at it. But here they were, both ACPs now. Shivani had gotten transfered to Delhi a few years back but they always kept in contact with each other.
Later that day, vikrant was going through a case file when he saw Shivani entering through the door. He closed the file and met her halfway and gave her a big hug. Shivani too had missed her friend and returned the hug. They both went to the cafeteria and chatted for a while over tea and vada-pao, until vikrant started the topic,
"To bata kis case ke silsile me aayi hai tu yahan?"
"Tujhe kaise pata?" Shivani asked surprised, she hadn't mentioned anything about the case yet.
"Mei tujhe acche se janta hu, Bina kam ke to tu Mumbai ane se rahi. Jab se tuhe wo delhiwala mila hai tu apne best friend ko bhul gayi hai. To bata case Kya hai."
"Excuse me! Ek to mera koi delhiwala nahi hai. Aur tum sahi ho, case to hai."
Shivani tells about the drugs racket she was working on in Delhi. She mentions that her team was able to catch almost all the gang members except for pintu who had escaped and come to Mumbai. Her sources had informed her that the drugs racket was operated by someone from Mumbai and pintu must have come to him for hiding.
Vikrant listens to her story and calls a number,
"Hello Joshi! Pintu, drugs racket." Vikrant cuts the call.
"Ye kya tha?" Shivani asked him confused.
"Human Google! Mera informer Joshi! Abhi kuch der me hume us pintu ki sari Janam kundali nikal ke de dega." Vikrant replied proudly.
As predicted, Joshi calls after 30 mins and tells vikrant about pintu's whereabouts and also mentions a name "vanraj" who seems to be controlling the entire racket. Shivani is eager to leave for the location mentioned by Joshi but vikrant stops her and tells that they have to inform DCP Suresh Dutt first.
*In Suresh Dutt's cabin*
Vikrant and Shivani discuss the case and the lead they had gotten with Suresh, but when they mention the name "vanraj" Suresh goes silent for a minute.
"Kya hua sir? Aap chup kyo ho gaye?" Shivani asks him.
"Meine iske bareme pehle bhi suna hai, vanraj naam to hai. Lekin koi use janta nahi, kabhi koi usse mila nahi, na kabhi kisine use dekha hai. Ye shayad ek kahani hai, dehshad failane ke liye koi uska naam istemal karta hai, kai unsolved cases me uska naam hai. You guys have to be careful." Suresh replied but it seemed like he was hiding something.
"Yes sir, hum dhyan rakhenge aur is bar ye vanraj jo koi bhi hai use pakadkar rahenge." Vikrant replied.
Both vikrant and shivani left for the location mentioned by Joshi with some back up, it was almost dark. The location was an under construction building. When they reached there, they saw a group of goons sorting some drugs packets. Shivani recognizes pintu and vikrant recognizes the main dealer there as Bittu Bhai. He signals Shivani and rest of the team and takes the lead, Shivani stays behind hiding behind a wall with her gun.
"Kadak to hoga hi na Bitttu Bhai, bilkul apke maal ki tarah! Kaisa Hai bey tu?" Vikrant spoke to one of the goons as he walked towards them and pulled a chair and sat down.
"Kaun Hai bey tu?" Pintu questioned the stranger.
"Tu nahi. Log mujhe saheb bolte Hai." Vikrant said leaning on the table and giving pintu a smug smile.
Shivani who was hiding smiled when she heard vikrant, it was time for action. Pintu and the other goons panicked when they realized vikrant was a police officer, and they ran here and there. Vikrant got into a fist fight with bittu and Shivani ran after pintu who ran to the first floor of the building.
"Abe ruk, Delhi se yahan Tak bhagaya muje aur ab fir se bahaga raha Hai!"
Shivani fired a bullet that hit pintu's leg and he fell to the ground. She ran and held pintu by his collar and gave him a tight slap before he fell unconscious. Shivani looked around, she found the walls of the building covered with some ancient symbols. She took some pictures and turned, she saw a man dressed in black hoodie and drape standing at the edge of the building. She aimed her gun at the man,
"Kaun ho tum? Chup chap apne hath upar Karo aur Meri taraf mudo."
The man turned his face towards Shivani and she saw a pair of bright yellow eyes glowing at her. She was so shocked that she didn't realize that the man jumped off the building.
On the ground floor, vikrant was beating bittu Bhai to a pulp,
"Bol Tera boss kaun Hai? Kiske ishare pe ye sab chal raha Hai yahan pe?"
Bittu was staring at someone behind vikrant with fear in his eyes, he muttered a name inaudibly and pointed in the direction,
"Va... vanraj"
Vikrant quickly got up, turned back and aimed his gun at whoever bittu was pointing at.
To be continued...
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