DIVINE CHAMPIONS: A BOLT OF LIGHTNING

FIFTEEN PEOPLE MAYBE A BIT TOO MUCH

Rishi reached the VC Mansion in twenty minutes, and was in for a shock. He had seen a lot of drug dealers in movies. Every time the protagonist entered, he would see big black cars, almost thirty henchmen wearing the same clothes with swords, guns, etc., two of the dealer's main men standing right behind him, and the dealer himself, all old and mustached, wearing a business suit, sitting on a chair between them. If it was a hostage situation, the hostage would be tied to a wooden pole or something. This was nothing like the case.

Rishi had climbed on top of the building beside the mansion so that he could analyze the situation beforehand, just as he liked to do every time. That part of him was different from his patron. And, he was left in shock. He could see the henchmen huddled in an alley, which led to a garden, in the shape of a maze. It had one entry and so many ways through the plants that Rishi lost count. He couldn't figure it out from there. He remembered the news he had received from Rick a while ago, that the Drug Lord had the most peculiar security system in his house. Past that maze was the big two-floored mansion, and a huge white building; a go-down perhaps. Rishi figured that there was only one way into the mansion, that was through the maze. Then, he looked at the huddle.

Almost fifteen men were huddled in the alley, all wearing different clothes, with clubs, sticks, and guns. There were no cars, and separate from the crowd, stood two men; one in a Black Panther T-shirt and jeans, holding a gun, and the other in a long grey coat upto the knee, and pants, also holding a gun. Beside the two, her hands tied to a pillar, was Aitri. Her messed up hair almost covered her face. Her mouth was shut by a handkerchief tied across her face. Anger surged through Rishi, again. He flexed his fingers, and jumped into the scene. When he landed, all the seventeen men, and Aitri, looked at him. Aitri struggled to break free.

Sid, the one with the Black Panther T-shirt, grinned. He pointed his finger towards Rishi, and said to the man beside him, "That's the one."

"Oh! Welcome, welcome, Saptarishi Roy." the man said, "I would introduce, but I have heard that you are as famous as I am, only not by your own name though. Anyway, my name is Vihaan Chaudhry, and I am, as people know me, the Drug Lord."

Rishi looked at Vihaan. He was, in no way, intimidating. He was young, about twenty five years old, had well combed brown hair, blue eyes, and a muscular body. He was in Adidas sneakers, and was carrying a smile on his face. The Drug Lord was a very handsome man. But, Rishi knew better. He had always been taught not to judge a book by its cover, and he knew how much perverted, pathetic and shallow Vihaan was from the inside. Rishi stood straight, looking straight into those deceiving blue eyes. "You are the Drug Lord?" he asked.

"I look too good for that name, don't I? You see, I won a lot of deals because of this look. I love my face. But today, its not about me. Its about you. And you, my friend, are in big trouble."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"He's feisty, Sid." he said, and then, looked at Rishi again, "See. You trying to save Pankhpur's women at night was all well and good. But, you killed my guy."

"He touched my girlfriend." Rishi gritted his teeth. The sky got darker.

"You mean her?" Vihaan pointed at Aitri, "See, Sid. I told you getting her would be better."

"Let her go!" Rishi shouted. Along with him, the sky thundered.

"Oh, no, no. What's the fun in that?" Vihaan started pacing around the alley while he spoke, "You see, my guys were keeping an eye on your society for the last three days. This girlfriend of yours came out of her house to go to the grocery shop, and we got her, without anyone noticing. Do you have any idea how difficult that is?"

"You better let her go, Vihaan, or..."

"Or what?" Vihaan screamed, "You killed my childhood friend. You killed my best assassin. You beat up two of my guys. You have to pay."

"I didn't kill your childhood friend. He did." Rishi said, pointing at Sid.

"Those bullets were meant for you, thick-head." Sid shouted, "He could have been saved, but the way you used him like a shield..." He closed his eyes, and sobbed.

"Control yourself, Sid. We can avenge Zeeshan here." Vihaan said.

"You'll avenge?" Rishi asked, "Its my time to avenge. Your little puppet, here, killed my friend, her brother."

"He tried to save you, not our fault. Now stay quiet."

"Oh yeah!" Rishi's rage had given away, "Make me."

Rishi launched himself at the two. He punched Sid on his face, and got Vihaan by his throat. But, he was outnumbered. All the fifteen henchmen lashed at him, and caught him by the arms and feet. Too late, Rishi realized that he couldn't take on fifteen people alone. Despite all his divine strength, he was hopelessly outnumbered.

"Good. Hold him like that." Sid said. He got up, his eye swollen. He walked up to Rishi, and picked up a club from the ground. He swung it and hit it on Rishi's chest. Rishi didn't feel anything more than just a tickle, but the club shattered into pieces.

"How did..." Vihaan's face had shocked look. But he got over it in the very next moment. "No matter. Now, you can't escape, hero. I have a lot of things planned."

"I promise, when I get out, I'll beat you to death." Rishi screamed. So did the sky.

"'When' you get out. When you get out, I'll be done by then. The weather is getting great. I feel a thunderstorm coming. I am gonna go home and enjoy a cup of tea." Vihaan said, "But now, lets see my plan, shall we?"

Rishi tried to free himself, but he couldn't. Vihaan, however, went on, "You planned to protect the women of Pankhpur, right? Guess what? You were ruining my business with that. My business, my rule, and my authority. No one takes it away from me. You tried to save women? I am going to destroy your woman right here. I am gonna do exactly what my guys have been doing to women in this town." He moved next to Aitri, and removed her hair from her face. Aitri's face was a mess. She was crying, of course. Her face had turned black due to the tears. Vihaan removed the handkerchief from her mouth. "I am gonna break her soul, Saptarishi. You will see that with your own eyes. You'll hear her scream, and will think, how big a failure you have been. Couldn't even save your own girlfriend."

Rishi's rage had crossed all limits. He tried to free himself, but four men held him by his arms, and six more held him by his legs. The remaining five held him by his chest. Rishi struggled, lightning flashed in the sky, and thunder roared. He had to free himself. He couldn't let Aitri be a prey to these monsters. He put all his strength, but still nothing. And just then, Rishi's vision turned white.

Right in front of him, now, was the eight feet tall, red haired, red-bearded god of Thunder, holding his hammer, wearing the same dark brown cloak he was wearing when he met him for the first time. He smiled, and spoke, "I was hoping to see you."

"Really? Well, I was hoping to see you sooner." Rishi said.

"Don't take me wrong, child. I have been busy here."

"We have situation down here."

"I know. I can see that."

"So, help me. I can't free myself. And that lunatic pervert is going to..."

"Rishi, you still can't see the full picture. You are restricting yourself, child."

"What full picture?"

"The full picture of your powers, child. Of my powers."

Rishi was struck with the idea. Thor's main powers were never the physical strength or healing. He represented the sky, and his powers were sky related. He looked at Thor and said, "Do you mean...?"

"Yes. All you have to do is let go Saptarishi. Let your anger consume you. Let go, child, and destroy the ones who are trying to hurt your loved ones."

And Thor's image faded. Rishi's vision cleared, as he came back to the present situation.

He was still held tightly by the goons, while Vihaan was moving his hands through Aitri's hair while she struggled to break free. Then, he held her hair and pulled. Aitri screamed. Rishi screamed too, but much louder and ferociously.

Lightning flashed in the sky, thunder roared. Electricity flowed through Rishi, as he broke free.