The Cursed Shell

8

The aeroplane was lifting down now and the runway was clearly visible from the window–seat.

Brute Coyle was sitting in a plane for the first time in his life. Although it was economy class, Brute felt like what could be better than this? He gazed out of the window for the whole time. Dhawan was beside him, snoring.

As the plane landed its wheels on the runway, Brute smiled wider.

They boarded off as the plane stopped and the passengers were allowed to board off. Dhawan was still yawning. Together, they looked more like brothers than father–and–son.

"You have left your Mercedes in India", Brute said, while they walked out of the airport.

"I've enough Mercedes in America too", Dhawan sassed, controlling his yawn.

As they walked out of the airport after picking Crunchy, they saw a man holding a banner with 'RITESH DHAWAN & BRUTE COYLE' written in bold on it.

"You've called him?" Brute asked.

"Yeah", Dhawan said and they walked to the man.

The man who was holding the banner was almost as young as Dhawan. He had perfectly combed brown hair, a pair of blue eyes, and was wearing a descent looking black blazer above plain black trousers. In short, handsome.

The man noticed them when they were just a few metres away from him.

"Mr Dhawan, glad to meet you again," the man shook hands with Dhawan. "I'm Mr Todd Lamb's son. My name is Joshua Lamb. You can call me Josh."

"Glad to meet you too, Josh", Dhawan said back, and they hugged like old friends.

Then Josh shook hands with Brute too. It was like a dream for Brute. He had seen the man many times on television. As Brute was a fan of ancient languages, he never missed the lectures on Latin and Sanskrit given by Joshua Lamb on a show named 'Linguistic History' which was telecasted on History TV18, every Sunday.

Josh welcomed them in his Bugatti. Brute seemed to have fun in costly cars since morning: first Mercedes, and then Bugatti! They both sat at the back–seat with Crunchy on Dhawan's lap. Josh didn't like having drivers and used to drive his cars himself.

"So, what brought you here after so many years?" Josh asked while driving on the main–road. "I guess we met last time when we were ten!"

"Actually seven," Dhawan corrected. He hesitated to tell Josh what brought him there. "Mr Lamb is a very good friend of mine."

"It seems like something related to my father brought you here", Josh said, focusing on the road through the wind-shield.

"Meaoaw mew meaaw", Crunchy told him. This language couldn't be understood by Josh, so Dhawan had to translate it.

"Your father is in danger," Dhawan said. "It's all about some broken shell."

Josh slowed the car and frowned. But then he cooled down as soon as he could. Josh used to be a responsible son since always. He could never control his temper if anyone used to say a negative statement about his father.

'I know Dhawan's attitude very well, he loves to joke,' he thought, 'but I don't think he would do such silly pranks.'

"Look," Josh leaned back at them for a while. "If this is a joke, then it's not funny at all."

"It's not a joke", Brute told him.

Josh couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You just take us to your father," Dhawan said. "We would brief everything. Six of his old pals have recently died. And the killer's next target could be your father."

Josh looked worried. His face was wet in sweat.

"Don't worry," Dhawan kept his hand on Josh's shoulder, "we'll try our best to save him."

Josh nodded, but he still looked worried. Brute had seen his worried expression for the first time. Before this, he only remembered his smiling and laughing face in his TV show. However, the worriedness of Josh was obvious.

'Emotions,' Brute thought, 'the relation of a father and a son.'