"Honey? Honey?" Inspector called for her anxiously. But her voice didn't come.
Instead he heard a cold and chilling voice of a man. A voice colder than the ice of the arctics.
"Inspector Ranjit
Graduated Police academy in 2013.
Eleven plus years of service.
No other businesses.
The salary of an inspector must really pay well, if you managed to pre-order the latest SUV and even put the downpayment for the new house.
Or is it because you got married to such a rich wife?'
The inspector felt chills down his spine. He is covered cold sweats and even the sea breeze he was enjoying a moment ago, felt like the winds from cold hell.
"Who.. who are you?"
"I am sure, you know who I am. We just talked a couple of days ago after all. You said that you would come to given full details after closing the case. But you didn't. So, I thought I would reach out myself."
"Y..You.. Do…" The Inspector is at a loss of words. He understood where the familiarity of the voice came from. It was the young man, the reason for his newfound fortunes.
"You will get a ping from your wife's phone. Come to the location.
I won't say not to bring any police force. But if you do, please be prepared for a full broadcast of not only the evidence of your corruption but also a video of me gutting your wife while your kids are watching.
Even if you bring the entire police force, they wouldn't barge in and start with some silly negotiations. I will do exactly what I told to you while negotiating.
I hope you choose wisely. It is well known in your circle, that you love your wife. It's time to prove yourself."
The call got disconnected and the inspector got a message. He was stunned when he saw the location. It is a location am very familiar with. More familiar than he wanted to admit.
"Stop the car."
He got out of the car and told his subordinate.
"Go back to the station." The subordinate wanted to ask some questions, but the inspector's face told him that it was better not to do that.
He nodded and left. The inspector hailed a taxi and went to his home, got changed. He examined his gun once and got started on his own motorcycle. He drove into a mall's underground parking lot. There he signaled the security guard, who blocked the entrance to that area.
He then changed his dress again and took a different motorcycle. He covered his head with a helmet and drove off.
This time, he circled around the city for a while to ensure he was not being followed and drove to the west of the city.
He crossed the city border and entered a forest area. After ensuring that no one is there, he drove into the forest, going deeper.
In the middle of the forest, surrounded by the dense vegetation stood a large broken cottage. It's a wooden cottage. Its dusty and there are even vines and shrubs going all over the deck. A tree nearby has grown into it.
Half of its roof is collapsed and not a single window or door was intact.
The termites did a great job and it is clearly visible. The inspector gulped and walked into the cottage with his gun in his hand.
"Honey!" He yelled and stepped in. But the moment he did…
*SWOOSH*
He head something coming at him and that is all he felt before blacking out.
.
.
.
When his vision finally returned, the first thing he saw is his wife's face. She is strapped to a chair much like himself and her face is bruised and swollen. Her mouth was taped. He could see the fear and exhaustion apparent in her eyes.
His gaze landed on her attire and he flinched. Her dress was torn and he could see several scratch marks all over her flesh. As if a rabid dog has attacked her.
On her exposed collar bone he could see a vivid bite mark.
"I am sorry. I got bored since you took so long. I had to play with her a bit."
"ARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHH…."
The inspector screamed.
"Stop screaming. Your kids are sleeping there."
The inspector turned to the side and saw that his kids are strapped to a run-down wooden table.
"What do you want?" The inspector asked, reducing the volume.
"Hah, you managed to get quite so easily? You are indeed a hard-hearted bastard."
The young man who was standing behind the inspector until now came forward. He sat down on an empty chair beside the inspector's wife.
The inspector looked at the young man and felt his blood run cold.
It is a handsome young man. An oval face, snake-like eyes, sword-like eyebrows. A sharp nose. Looked more handsome than most people. But that's not what stunned him.
Because the young man is way too younger than he thought. Previously, he only talked to him on the phone, but now that he saw him for the first time and could see how young he actually was, he couldn't believe that this guy did what he did.
"You…. What do you want? I did as I was told. I just followed my orders to the tee. What else do you want from me?"
"What else? I wanted you to not to be the weakest link. After all, you are the first one at the scene and you are the first one that got a hint at what needs to be done.
I thought you would be smart.
But you made a rookie mistake and got caught. So, I need you to tell me who you met in recent times and how much information you have leaked to them. By choice or accident so that I could kill them and get rid of this problem once and for all."
"Please… please leave me."
"Stop begging to live. That's not going to happen. All you can do is reduce the pain that you will feel before you die. And I am not talking about the physical pain"
*SWOOSH*
He stabbed a knife into the thigh of the inspector's wife.
"MMFFFF…" Her scream muffled through the tab. The inspector couldn't look at her and turned to the side only to see his kids.
He remembered why he was so ready to do that disgusting deed before. He gave himself an excuse when the opportunity arose. It was for the kids.
"At least…. The kids. The kids… please let them go.."
"Oh, them. I just brought them for insurance. They won't die by my hands. That I can assure you. Now, I hope you can sing like a bird and we can be done with it. Or…"
He raised his knife again and this time aimed at it her other leg.
The inspector admitted defeat.
"What do you want to know?"
"That's my boy."
The young man asked some questions. When the inspector answered all of them, he stood up and took out a syringe from his pocket.
He injected the inspector and the wife with it before untying them. The inspector wanted to get up, but the moment he did, his legs stopped working and he fell to the ground.
"That's an injection that induces paralysis. I am leaving this place now and I am giving you a final chance. If you can leave after the paralysis wears off, you can go on and live.
Of course, you should never ever utter my name to anyone.
That is the condition, or I can repeat the same thing again and again. I did enjoy my time with your wife, so I might actually do it."
With that, the young man swiped his slick black hair and left the room. And as he did…
"WEE-OO!" "WEE-OO!" "WEE-OO!"
"I'm not a villain, just misunderstood,
Breaking the rules like no one could.
The judge, the jury, the final decree,
What they call chaos feels righteous to me."
He whistled a tune and hummed a song.
The inspector had some hope in his eyes.
Meanwhile, the young man who walked out of the cottage, looked at his subordinates waiting for him.
"So, how long will it take?"
"It is already arranged Sir John, we can start."
"Oh, then let me do it."
He hurriedly took out a matchbox from his pockets and lit up a torch held by his subordinate.
Then he held the torch and lit up the cottage.
Flames spread throughout the cottage in the blink of an eye. The inspector who is looking at his children hoping that the paralysis would soon wear off, saw the flames that are coming out suddenly. They are spreading all over.
He wanted to scream. He wanted to wake up his kids by any means and the same with his wife. But they couldn't.
The paralysis is too strong. He couldn't even open his mouth.
Tears streamed down his eyes as he looked at the kids. The only saving grace is that the flames caught him and his wife first.
"Okay, let's leave."
The young man said to his subordinates.
"I think it's better to confirm the job is finished, sir."
"What do you think I am? Some kind of psychopath? Why would I watch some kids and helpless couple burn? Do you want me to be traumatized? Let's just go."
"Sir.."
"Nah, I have a date with my girlfriend tonight. Will you take responsibility if I don't get laid? Let's go."
They went to the cars parked behind the cottage and left the forest.
.
.
.
January 3rd 5:00 PM
Ayaan is sitting in the police station in front of the Deputy Superintendent of the police (DSP). The direct superior of Inspector Ranjit.
"Mr Rakshit.."
"It's Rear Admiral." Ayaan cut it off before the DSP could finish his sentence. His gaze was colder than ice.
"What?"
"It is Rear Admiral Rakshit for you, officer."
"You are a Rear Admiral?" The DSP's jaw was left wide open. Rear Admirals are fairly seniors in the Bhavara Navy. To think a young man in his mid-twenties would have that rank… He couldn't image it or rather comprehend it.
Ayaan slammed his ID on the table and said.
"I hope you can read it well, unlike your subordinates."
The DSP came out of his daze and frowned. He had a bad feeling about this.
"Does your station not follow the guidelines? You, a DSP have sent two inspectors to bring a Rear Admiral to your office, without any prior notice?"
The DSP realized the implications and hurriedly said.
"We are not aware of your rank."
"Not aware? A few days ago, my family was determined to be killed in a road rage incident by your inspector. My details should be in your case file. Isn't there a protocol to be followed when the family of higher-ranking officers has been killed?
If you are not aware does that mean, you closed the case without following the protocol?"
DSP's eyes widened and he was soaked in cold sweat. His Khaki colored uniform clearly showed patches of sweat stains.
"And train your inspectors well, the next ones, if they act the same, will not just be losing their jobs."
"What.."
"I am filing a complaint with your Directive General. I need a complete report on the procedure followed in my family's case. I need a thorough investigation conducted into every officer involved. If a single stone is left unturned, I will bury the whole station under that very stone."
Ayaan showed rage uncharacteristic of him. He got up forcefully, not caring what happened, and rushed out of the station. Outside, Raj was waiting for him in his car.
"What went wrong, Raj? How did Inspector Ranjit die before we could get to him?"
And that is the reason for his rage.
"Sir, I think we may have rattled some people when checking the financial records. They took immediate action. The inspector cut our tail at the mall and the boys made a mistake. By the time we found out where he was, the cottage was already on fire and the perps left."
Ayaan stayed silent for a moment.
At that moment, Raj said.
"Sir. What should we do about the kids?"
Ayaan closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He remembered the kids that are currently in a hospital. When Raj's men reached that place, the kids had woken up and screamed. The parents are already burning and the kids' table also caught on fire. The men didn't hesitate and ran to save the kids.
"I don't trust the police here. Their inspector had died and the first thing they did was arrest me as soon as I came into the city. They even went and put someone to monitor Maya.
The kids might have seen something and there is a good chance they will be silenced if they are handed over.
Keep them in our protection. Keep them in the adjacent room of Maya's. Once they wake up, assign someone to provide a complete psych evaluation and help them.
Also, ensure there won't be any permanent marks from the burns. Get the surgeries done. I will handle the tab."
"Yes, sir."
"Now, you go back home with your wife. I will stay with Maya tonight."
"Okay, sir."