UNIVERSITY ARC
A faint buzzing sound interrupted the silence. Ranga reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. A single message flashed on the screen:
**Message: Call me.**
Without a second thought, he tightened his grip on the phone and, in one swift movement, crushed it in his hands. His eyes looked around the room, his unjustified suspicion creeping in. He knew better than to leave any trace behind. Calmly, he examined the shattered pieces, making sure no one was watching, before throwing the remains into the dustbin, the metal clinks barely audible.
Ranga wasted no time. He made his way to the villa's private communication room, a space designed to shield their conversations from prying ears. He picked up a landline—an encrypted, high-end device that allowed him to speak freely. He dialed the number, each beep echoing in the small, dimly lit room.
On the other end, Sagar answered almost instantly, his voice tight with impatience.
|"Ranga, is it done? Tell me. I've been dying all day to know."|
Ranga sat down, the familiar expression spreading across his face—a grin that never reached his cold eyes.
|"Mr. Sagar, relax. It's all done, just like you planned. Phase one is complete."|
The tension in Sagar's voice evaporated in an instant.
|"Good. Good work, Ranga."|
But then, after a beat, his tone sharpened again.
|"But I need to hear it from you—those monsters. Are they still tailing Manoj?"|
Ranga leaned back, crossing one leg over the other, his smile growing even more sinister.
|"Yes, Mr. Sagar. They haven't left his side. For now, we'll let them do what they want. They're beyond our control anyway."|
Sagar's frustration was visible, even through the phone.
|"Exactly. We can't control them, but I need Manoj dead before they get him. I want him to suffer at my hands first. Keep me updated—every step."|
Ranga nodded, even though Sagar couldn't see him.
|"Of course, Mr. Sagar. But there's still one thing bothering me. What if Manoj uses his power? If that happens, all our hard work—all your carefully laid plans—will crumble in seconds."|
On the other end, Sagar laughed—a loud, mentally unbalanced laugh that sent a chill down Ranga's spine.
|"Do you really think I haven't thought of that? Manoj's powers won't save him. Even if he tries to fight back, it's pointless. There are too many forces at play now. Even if he somehow escapes us, those monsters won't let him live. He's surrounded on all sides, Ranga. So don't worry—he will die. Soon."|
The conversation shifted after that, and the two men discussed the next steps. When they were done, Sagar hung up, still smiling. His eyes drifted to a picture frame on the wall. In it, a face stared back at him, calm and unaware of the dark plans surrounding him.
|"Manoj.."|
Sagar whispered to the empty room.
|"Your time is running out. Soon, your laughter, your life—it'll all be ending up."|
– – – –
Back at the canteen, I was still trying to process what had just happened. How the hell did Keshava know I slapped Neha? My mind was racing. It felt like everything was closing in on me—like a puzzle where the pieces didn't quite fit, but you could tell there was a picture forming, one I didn't want to see.
Keshava stood there, not saying a word. His eyes were steady, almost too calm, like he was waiting for me to figure it all out. Slowly, the reality of it hit me like a punch in the gut. This wasn't just about Kusuma anymore. It was bigger than that—way bigger.
But I couldn't wrap my head around it yet. The question kept bouncing around in my skull, refusing to leave me alone. It was like a buzzing fly that I couldn't crush away.
My voice quieter than I intended,
|"Keshava, how did you know I slapped Neha?"|
He didn't answer right away. His face softened just a little, like he was feeling sorry for me. That only made it worse. He finally said, his voice low too.
|"Manoj, I know you probably thought you were protecting us by keeping quiet. You didn't want to drag us into your mess. But we're your friends. We care about you. You should've trusted us."|
A wave of guilt washed over me. I looked down at my hands, unsure of what to say.
|"I'm sorry, Keshava. I didn't mean to keep you guys in the dark. I just... I didn't want you all involved in all of this for me."|
How can I tell them about it? I think I will deal with them personally. So I hide it from them. But it wasn't the time to think about it. I need to explain it before he misunderstands.
|"Keshava.. it's…."|
Before I could say anything else, Keshava's hand came out of nowhere and slapped me across the face. Hard. The sound echoed in my head, for a second.
|"We're friends, Manoj!"|
Keshava snapped, his voice fierce.
|"Do you think we don't have your back? How can we help you if you don't tell us what's going on? You don't understand how powerful that club is!"|
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. What could I say? They will believe me if I say they are just dust on my shirt? That I could handle it easily on my own? That wasn't enough to make him believe and I knew it. I stayed quiet, rubbing the spot where he slapped me. Keerthi, sensing the tension, gently took control of the conversation.
She began softly.
|"Actually…I'm the one who told him. I was there when it happened. My friends and I were tailing some of the club's top people, gathering info. That's when we saw you."|
She paused, her eyes meeting mine, filled with sympathy.
|"We were shocked, Manoj. I felt it wasn't you, the person that I knew before. You looked so different."|
I closed my eyes, the weight of it all pressing down on me. Of course, I would run into them at the worst possible moment. Bad luck…It's always bad luck.
Keshava's voice cut through my thoughts.
|"Keerthi told me everything this morning, while we were waiting for you. At first, I didn't believe her. But then she showed me a photo—proof. And there was no denying it after that."|
I nodded, feeling the guilt settling in deeper. But there was still something gnawing at me.
|"Fine."|
I said, looking up.
|"I get it. But why are you telling me all this now? I'm asking for it from the start. Why not go to the police? What am I supposed to do?"|
I had thought this was about saving Kusuma from her new boyfriend, Aadish, but if that was the case, why not take this straight to the cops? Why come to me?
Keshava and Keerthi exchanged a glance, and then Keshava motioned for Keerthi to explain. She took a deep breath, steadying herself.
|"We've already thought about that, Manoj. But this club... they have people everywhere. They're dangerous. People who have tried to bring them down have disappeared. The police won't dare to touch them."|
Keshava nodded.
|"That's why we need to gather solid evidence before going to the authorities. If we go too early, without proof, we'll only tip them off. For all we know, the police themselves could be on the club's payroll. We can't guarantee who will be on our side."|
It felt like I was being sucked into the plot of a crime thriller. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Keerthi continued, her voice steady but filled with urgency.
|"Yesterday, we were following Avinash—Neha's boyfriend. We thought we might find something useful, but it didn't lead anywhere. With disappointment, we were ready to leave. Then we saw you. And honestly, Manoj, most people are terrified to even look Neha in the eyes, but you... you slapped her. Right in front of everyone."|
I shook my head, sighing.
|"So that's why you're here. You want me to help, don't you?"|
Keerthi nodded.
|"Yes. By considering you, we look again into the past. Then suddenly we recoiled at someone, Aadish. We almost forgot the incriminating evidence on his phone—photos, maybe call records. After observing him for a few days, we discovered that he was in a relationship with a girl named Kusuma. I felt like I was seeing her somewhere. Then I remembered, once Keshava showed me a photo telling she was your girlfriend. Did you get it? Our long way we walked from far was now connected to you. You are a bridge and all answers are inside you. We need to get to it. And you're the only one who can. Please help us, allow us to cross this deep river through you."|
I shot up from my chair, frustration bubbling over.
|"Please…leave me alone. You can get to him without me."|
Keshava shook his head, his tone soft but firm.
|"No, Manoj. You don't get it, already? Kusuma always wants to make you jealous, eagerly trying to show her pride by blaming you every time. Here, we use a hook to catch the fish. Following her, this Whale will fall on our trap directly. If you're there, it'll give us the chance we need to get to Aadish. Without you, we have no way in."|
I clenched my fists, feeling the anger rise in my chest.
|"I've told you before—I don't want to see her again. I'm done with her. She's dead to me."|
Keerthi started to argue, but Keshava raised a hand to stop her. His voice was calm, but there was an edge of desperation in it now.
|"Manoj, forget about Kusuma. This isn't just about her. It's about you, too. Have you forgotten, you've messed with powerful people, and they won't let you off the hook. Through Kusuma, a fish, can bring this whole Wild shadows club down. You can have a chance to stop all their illegal business. But first, we need your help for it."|
I looked at him, torn between my desire to walk away and the pull to protect my friends. They were in this now—whether I liked it or not. And if I didn't help, I knew they'd try to do it on their own. That thought terrified me more than anything else.
|"Fine, I'll help. What's the plan?"|
Keerthi's face lit up with relief.
|"Thank you, Manoj. There's an event tonight at a nearby restaurant—a couple's event. I managed to get us tickets through my dad. You need to get Kusuma there, however you can. Once she's there, we'll handle the rest."|
I raised an eyebrow.
|"And she's just going to agree to this?"|
Keerthi nodded confidently.
|"Yes. We'll tell her the truth. If she believes us, great. If not, we'll convince her to check Aadish's phone. Once she sees what's on it, she won't be able to deny it."|
I narrowed my eyes, meeting her.
|"Wait! If there's nothing on the phone? Then what?"|
Keerthi's eyes darkened.
|"There will be. We're certain of it. He takes pictures of the girls before trafficking them. We've confirmed that much. He sends the photos to someone—probably his buyer. I'm sure of it."|
I nodded slowly, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me again. There was no backing out now.
Keerthi finished with these last words.
|"Once Kusuma sees those photos, she'll help us. No woman would let him get away with that."|
She made it sound so simple, but I knew the hard part would be convincing Kusuma to come to the event. Keerthi acted like it would be a walk in the park, but I wasn't so sure. Convincing someone who betrayed me, someone I had no desire to even look at, wasn't going to be easy. I could already feel the tension building in my chest at the thought of seeing her face again. Still, I knew I had no choice.
We discussed the details for a while longer—how we'd approach her, how we'd keep everything under the radar—and then I left the canteen, my mind buzzing with everything that was going to unfold. The walk back to the villa felt longer than usual. My thoughts were all over the place, bouncing between what I needed to do and how the hell I was going to manage it.
By the time I reached the villa, I still hadn't figured out a plan. As I walked in, I called out to Raksha.
|"Hey, can you make me some coffee?"|
My voice sounded tired, even to my own ears. I needed something to help me focus. She nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, while I sank into a chair, staring at the ceiling, trying to piece it all together.
How was I supposed to ask Kusuma to come to this event? I couldn't just call her up and say, "Hey, I know we haven't talked since you stabbed me in the back, but want to go to a party?" That would go down about as well as a lead balloon. But time was ticking, and I needed a way to get her there without making it obvious.
Then, out of nowhere, an idea hit me. What if we didn't make it personal? What if I wasn't the one inviting her? I grabbed my phone and quickly dialed Keshava. When he answered, I could hear the background noise of the canteen, but I didn't waste any time.
|"Hey, Keshava. Can you pass the phone to Keerthi? I've got an idea."|
A moment later, Keerthi's voice came through the line, curious.
|"What's up?"|
I leaned forward, already feeling like this might just work.
|"What if we invite the whole class? You know, send out a general invitation in the group chat. That way, it won't look like I'm singling her out. If it's a group event, she's more likely to show up, especially if she thinks I won't be there."|
Keerthi was quiet for a second, probably processing the idea. Then she spoke, her voice bright with approval.
|"That's actually a great idea. If we make it sound like a casual, fun thing, Kusuma will come for sure. She won't be able to resist."|
|"Exactly! Let's get the invitation out right away. The sooner we do this, the better."|
I feel a weight lift off my shoulders. After Keerthi agreed, we hung up, and for the first time that day, I felt like we might have a real shot at pulling this off. But there was still one more piece of the puzzle. I needed backup. Someone who could help me navigate the chaos that was sure to follow.
Geetha.
I hadn't spoken to her much lately, but if there was anyone who could help me manage this without things blowing up in my face, it was her. I quickly scrolled through my contacts and called her. The phone rang a few times before she picked up, her voice full of energy, as usual.
|"Hey, Manoj! What's going on? You've disappeared lately. Everything okay?"|
Her upbeat tone made me smile, if only for a moment.
|"Yeah, I've just been... you know, caught up in stuff. Life's been a bit hectic."|
She laughed softly, but I could hear the concern creeping into her voice.
|"I get it. But seriously, don't let things get too out of hand. You know you can always talk to me, right? Anyway, what's up? Why the sudden call?"|
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me again.
|"Actually, I need a favour. It's kind of urgent."|
Her voice shifted instantly, her playful tone replaced with one of concern.
|"Of course. Anything. What's wrong?"|
I hesitated for a second. This wasn't something I could explain over the phone—it was too complicated, too sensitive.
|"Not over the phone. Can we meet? I'll explain everything in person."|
There was a brief pause, and then she agreed without hesitation.
|"Yeah, sure. Let's meet at the park near the university. I'll be there in about twenty minutes."|
|"Perfect! See you then."|
I said, relief washing over me.
After hanging up, I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling again. I had no idea how this was all going to play out, but at least I had a plan. Now, it was just a matter of seeing if we could pull it off.