The lights of Saxena Mansion cast long shadows across the courtyard, but the heart of its owner, Rishi Saxena, was as dark as the night. Sitting in his lavish office, he stared intently at his phone, his fingers drumming the polished surface of his desk. For the umpteenth time, he dialed a number. No answer. Frustration boiled inside him, transforming into a sharp, bitter rage. He hurled the phone against the wall, the plastic device shattering as it hit the floor.
"I don't know where the hell they've all gone!" he shouted, pacing back and forth. "How is it that not one of them can handle a single boy? I've surrounded myself with worthless idiots!"
Rishi Saxena, a man feared throughout Pune, was not used to failure. For years, his control over this part of the city had been absolute. But now, a crack had appeared in his empire, and that crack had a name—Ranveer.
Since Ranveer's return, things had not been going according to plan. Initially, his right-hand man, Mohan Desai, was reporting back regularly, but in recent days, communication had ceased altogether. The last time Rishi had heard from Mohan, the news wasn't good. And now, after sending even more men to deal with Ranveer, none of them had returned. It wasn't just frustrating; it was unnerving.
Rishi's son, Aryan Saxena, entered the room, his presence as sharp as his father's. "Dad, any news from our people?"
Rishi shook his head, the frustration evident on his face. "Nothing. Not a single one has come back. It's as if they've disappeared into thin air."
Aryan's brow furrowed. He had his own reasons for being particularly invested in this mission. The day Ranveer had humiliated him in front of everyone, Aryan had sworn revenge. That day, his pride had been shattered, and ever since, all he could think about was seeing Ranveer suffer. He had vowed to make Ranveer's life a living hell, to hang him in the town square as an example to anyone who dared challenge the Saxena name. But that dream was slipping farther and farther away, and Aryan's patience was running thin.
"Dad," Aryan began, his voice simmering with frustration, "no offense, but I think the men you've sent are useless. How is it that they can't handle one orphan boy?"
Rishi clenched his fists, trying to contain his anger. He knew his son was right. "I don't know, Aryan. I've always trusted these men. They've never failed me before, but now… now it's like they're scared of that boy. Or something's changed. Every time they go after him, they either return empty-handed or don't come back at all."
Aryan's mind raced as he processed the situation. "Dad, what if… what if someone is helping Ranveer? Maybe that orphanage isn't as defenseless as we thought. What if they've got outside help?"
Rishi frowned, his thick brows knitting together. "Help? From whom? Who would help a bunch of orphans and street rats?"
Aryan stepped closer to his father's desk, his voice lowering conspiratorially. "Don't forget, Dad, that orphanage used to belong to Seth Dhaniram, a very wealthy man. We took control of it by force, but Dhaniram still has connections. What if he's paid someone off? What if Ranveer has some powerful ally we don't know about?"
Rishi's face darkened. The thought of someone else operating in his territory without his knowledge infuriated him. "That bastard!" he growled. "He dares to bring another player into my city? He's a dead man walking."
Without hesitation, Rishi grabbed the intercom on his desk. "Ramesh! Suresh! Get in here!" he barked.
Moments later, two burly men entered the room, their expressions grim. They were Saxena's enforcers, always ready for violence.
"Listen up," Rishi said, his voice deadly calm, "I want you to take at least 30 men to that orphanage. If anyone—**anyone**—tries to stop you, kill them. Burn the whole place to the ground if you have to, but bring me that boy, Ranveer, **alive**. I want to kill him with my own hands. I want everyone to see what happens when you cross Rishi Saxena."
Ramesh and Suresh nodded, their faces devoid of emotion. "Yes, sir," Ramesh said.
"And if those orphans refuse to leave?" Suresh asked.
"Kill them all," Rishi replied coldly. "No mercy."
The two men left the room, ready to gather their crew. As they departed, Rishi turned to Aryan with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. "Son, you're sharp. I hadn't even thought of that. But now, with so many men, there's no way they can fail. This time, that orphanage will be wiped off the map."
Aryan grinned, a malicious light in his eyes. "Yes, Dad, Ranveer's end is near. I can't wait to see him beg for his life. He always acted so tough, like he'd never bow to anyone. Let's see how brave he is when death is staring him in the face."
***
Ramesh and Suresh wasted no time. They gathered 30 of Saxena's most trusted men, arming them with guns and other weapons. Soon, they were on their way to Seth Dhaniram Orphanage, their cars moving like a convoy of predators.
As the convoy made its way through the city, two of the men in the lead car started talking.
"Man, I don't get it," one of them said, scratching his head. "Why is the boss so obsessed with this Ranveer kid? I mean, yeah, the kid beat up Aryan, but it's not that big of a deal. Fights happen all the time in schools."
The other man smirked. "You really are an idiot, aren't you? This isn't about some schoolyard fight. The boss wants to make an example out of the kid. He's using Ranveer to show everyone in this part of Pune that if you cross Rishi Saxena, you'll pay with your life. It's all about power and control."
The first man nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess I didn't think of it that way. But still, why go after a kid? Why not target someone more powerful? Wouldn't that make people even more scared?"
His companion slapped him on the back of the head. "Because a more powerful target would be harder to deal with, genius! The boss doesn't want a war. He wants a message. And picking on someone like Ranveer is the easiest way to send it. No one expects the kid to fight back. He's the perfect target."
The first man sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Anyway, let's just get this over with. After this mission, I'm going to see a girl. It's been too long since I've had some fun."
The second man laughed. "Yeah, same here. It's been a whole week since I last spent time with a woman. I won't feel right until I've had my fill."
The two men shared a laugh, oblivious to the storm brewing ahead.