"Om Shanti..."
The room fell silent as the heavy door swung open with a loud thud. Heads turned to see a striking young man stride in. His close-cropped hair and thick mustache framed a clean-shaven face, and he wore blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and a brown overcoat that flared slightly as he walked.
"Akhil Viswanathan," Surya whispered, his voice barely audible.
The sight of Akhil made the inspector, who had been crouched on the floor, scramble to his feet.
"There is one more guest in the godown built by your father, Surya..." Akhil's voice was steady as he approached the group.
He picked up a half-empty bottle of liquor from the table where Surya's friends had been drinking. Holding the bottle to his eye, he scrutinized it.
"Smirnoff," he read aloud, a slight smirk curling his lips. "Vodka."
Akhil's eyes met Surya's as he continued, "The drink that awakened the great Russian people to break the back of the most brutal dictator in history, who made genocide a means of nation-building!"
His gaze shifted to Surya's friends, who looked increasingly uneasy under his intense scrutiny. "How did this potion suit your corpses?" he asked, his tone dripping with disdain.
Surya's mind raced as he realized the implications of Akhil's words. This man was not here as an ally but as a part of the police force conducting the search.
"Hey, you..."
Surya's hand shot up, pointing directly at Akhil Viswanathan.
Akhil had been with them for so long, masquerading as a loyal ally, the son of Viswanathan Uncle. Now, he stood as a traitor. Surya's eyes burned with betrayal as he bit down on his teeth.
"What, Surya, are you nervous?" Akhil's smile was mocking, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What did you think of me? The one you brought from America to help you and your father, Minister Vasudeva Menon, with all your mischief..."
Surya's face reddened with anger, his fists clenching involuntarily. Akhil's eyes scanned the room until they landed on Pradeesh, who was standing among Surya's friends.
"You, come here," Akhil beckoned, his hand gesturing for Pradeesh to step forward. "I've often found you to be the most obedient of his lot."
With a glance at Inspector Abraham Koshi, who was smiling approvingly, Akhil continued, "Show the whole of your friend's godown to this inspector sir and the constable sirs."
Akhil turned to Inspector Abraham Koshi.
"Sir, go with him. He will show you every nook and cranny of this warehouse. There's something lying around forever," Akhil said, giving Pradeesh a firm kick to propel him forward.
"Hey!" Surya shouted, running towards the inspector.
"What are you, a municipal siren?" Akhil interrupted, his tone mocking. "Shouting 'hey hey' like Amrish Puri in a Hindi movie."
"Stop..." Surya's voice was filled with anger as he raised a clenched fist. But before he could do anything, Akhil grabbed his wrist and pushed it down.
"I will face this army of monkeys. Be bold and start hunting, sir," Akhil said to the inspector, who nodded and led his constables inside. Pradeesh, now subdued, guided them through the warehouse, checking every nook and cranny.
The search didn't take long. In a dimly lit corner, the constables opened several suspicious boxes, revealing their contents. Inspector Abraham Koshi and Pradeesh pried open one of the boxes, finding it packed with small white plastic bags full of drugs. The air grew tense as the enormity of their discovery settled in, confirming the suspicions that had led them there.
"My God!" The inspector stared at the constables in amazement. "Is this the same stuff in the other boxes?"
He grabbed Pradeesh by the collar, lifting him off the ground.
"Yes, sir," Pradeesh replied, his voice trembling with fear.
With Pradeesh leading the way, the police officers emerged from the warehouse, each carrying cardboard boxes filled with drugs. Inspector Abraham Koshi, expecting to find Akhil engaged in a fierce battle with Surya and his friends, was taken aback by the scene that greeted him. The place was eerily empty. He looked around, bewildered.
"Don't worry, I'm right here," Akhil's voice echoed from behind a screen.
The inspector rushed over and found Akhil seated calmly on a chair. At his feet lay Surya, one of Akhil's shoes pressed firmly against his chest. Scattered around the room were Surya's friends, groaning and writhing in pain. Akhil's calm demeanor contrasted sharply with the chaos around him, a testament to his dominance over the situation.
"It's been a good harvest, sir," Akhil said with a smile.
"It's terrific!" the inspector responded, unable to hide his amazement. "I didn't expect even a tenth of this when I got the information. Now there's drugs worth four or five crores here."
The police began handcuffing Surya and his friends. As they led them away, Surya glared at Akhil, his voice filled with venom. "Don't think they will take me and kill me. I'll kill you and tie you up! Then I'll write your mahassar with them."
Akhil laughed, his eyes gleaming with cold amusement. "My dear Surya, this one thing is enough to end your father's political future. Are you coming to make threats? Your father won't even be able to contest the next election; he'll be in jail. There are still a few parts of your body I haven't touched yet. Do you want me to hit you there too? If I do, Surya, dear, you'll need other organs to urinate
and defecate."
Akhil pointed his fingers at Surya in a peculiar way, his smile never wavering as the police led the defeated group out.
**************
Ajmal stood under the sprawling banyan tree on the riverbank, scanning the horizon for his friends. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows, creating a serene yet expectant atmosphere. One by one, the Blue Dragons team members began to arrive, their laughter and chatter filling the air. Last to join was Celine, who skidded to a stop, breathless, after parking her bicycle.
"Ajmal Dada, look at this!" she called out, waving a newspaper.
She hurried over to Ajmal, unfurling the paper to reveal the front page. Their friends abandoned their musical instruments and crowded around.
The headline blared: *"Five Crore Drug Hunt: Minister's Son and Friends Arrested."*
"It's Surya and his gang!" Celine announced, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
"God!" Ajmal exclaimed, running a hand through his hair. He stared at the headline, his disbelief mirrored on the faces of his friends.
"Finally, Surya is going to jail!" Robin said, a grin spreading across his face.
"His father's ministerial position will now fall," Manish added, shaking his head.
"It took our Durgapuri to give birth to another Dawood Ibrahim or Chhota Rajan," Sachin remarked with a sigh.
"There's another name in the group, Akhil Viswanathan. Just read," Vaishnav said, pointing at the article.
"Yes, his name is here," Celine confirmed, laughing as the friends shouted excitedly.
"But not among the defendants," Celine added, her eyes scanning the text.
"Then he'll be among the judges!" Deepak chuckled.
"Nor among the judges," Celine corrected.
"Didn't I tell you to read the news?" Sanju shouted, frustration clear in his voice.
"Khamosh!" Celine said sharply, putting her finger to her lips to silence him.
"Well, I am going to read the news for you illiterate people. Listen carefully," Celine declared, unfolding the newspaper with a dramatic flair.
Ajmal and the others gathered closer, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Celine began reading the article aloud, her voice steady. The news detailed a police raid on Minister Vasudeva Menon's godown, revealing that Akhil Viswanathan had tipped off the authorities about the hidden drugs. During the raid, he had even helped the police escape an attack from Surya and his gang.
As the story unfolded, Ajmal and his friends listened in stunned silence. The weight of the revelations settled heavily around them. They glanced at Ajmal, noting the deep furrows of thought etched on his face.
Suspicion flickered in their eyes as they exchanged glances. They had noticed that Ajmal had become more pensive lately, and it was clear that his thoughts were now consumed by Akhil Viswanathan.
"Ajmal Dada..." Atul called slowly.
Ajmal raised his face and looked at everyone, a mysterious expression appearing in his subtle eyes.
"The plot thickens!" he finally said. "As Sherlock Holmes would say..."
"What if?" Abid inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"The next game is wait and watch," Ajmal replied. "We don't make decisions without clear indications."
"So there's no action against Akhil?" Abid pressed.
"Not yet. We need to know who he is first," Ajmal said firmly.
"First he tamed the rutted elephant. Then he was Minister Vasudeva Menon's benami. Another day, he beat Balachandran Uncle's leg. Now he is a police informer. Who is he really?" Naveen wondered aloud.
"As Dada said, he may be the one who came looking for the treasure in Muthimala..." Neeraja added, her voice filled with doubt.
Ajmal paused, lost in thought. Various expressions flashed across his face as everyone watched, waiting for his next move.
Ajmal stood under the sprawling banyan tree, the late afternoon sun casting dappled shadows on the ground. His friends gathered around him, their eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation. Ajmal's gaze was fixed on the distant heights of Muthimala, his expression resolute.
"Whether he is an elephant man, Vasudeva Menon's benami, a street thug, or a policeman in disguise, it doesn't matter to us," Ajmal began, his voice calm but firm. His words hung in the air, drawing the attention of his friends. They leaned in, eager to catch every word.
Ajmal's eyes glinted as he continued, "But if his intention is the treasure at Muthimala..." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "No matter how great his preparations and support, he will not leave as he came from here."
The group exchanged uneasy glances, understanding the seriousness of Ajmal's declaration. Ajmal's gaze swept over them, his expression hardening.
"The government will get one more person who can get a disability pension," he concluded, his tone icy.
The friends stood in stunned silence, the gravity of Ajmal's words sinking in. They knew that Muthimala's treasure was no ordinary prize and that anyone daring to seek it would face formidable challenges.