The Shadow

Chapter 2 - The Solitary Observer

"The myth has returned?" read an article headline on the hot topics section of The Times of India app, while another headline in Hindustan Times exclaimed, "The Shadow is back!" Several other app notifications chimed in with headlines related to "Shadow."

Ren, incredulous, exclaimed, "Are these guys for real? The department hasn't even disclosed everything yet, and they've made this trend on social media in just 2 hours! Man, these people catch wind of things faster than a desperate man on his first night of marriage. Damn rats!"

Donny, with a smirk, settled into the boardroom, where a meeting with the commissioner was scheduled in 15 minutes. "You talking about yourself, Ren?"

Ren stared down at Donny and said, "You know, Donny, I'd knock that pretty smile off your face if you don't stop taking this lightly." After a brief staring contest, they both burst into laughter at the silly joke.

Ren, still chuckling, asked, "Man, what's wrong with you? Are those pills messing with your head too now?"

Donny, recovering from his laughter, replied, "Nah, bro, I just haven't been myself lately after 'that incident.' Today, I just don't know, but after many days, I feel right. Well, that murder scene in the morning almost ruined my day anyway."

Ren, concerned, asked, "It's good that you feel okay, but that incident and the insomnia have messed you up enough. Are you sure you want to partner up on this case with me?"

Donny reassured him, "It's all good, bro. I'd never miss an opportunity to work with you. You need someone to keep you sane, right?"

Ren continued, "I don't have many details about the case, but this 'Shadow' guy is the real deal. He has spooked the living hell out of our commissioner in the past. I've never seen that man, with so much authority, look this pale in my whole 4 years here. The Shadow was very active about 13 years ago, around 2010. He terrorized the streets and has multiple murder charges. I did hear stories about him in my teenage years."

Donny listened attentively as Ren elaborated. "Have you ever heard of the 'Old City Massacre'? It is said that the Shadow took down 12 people on his own and killed them brutally. That's when he was identified as a major threat because there seemed to be no motive and no evidence to catch him. The only details we have are a vague security footage image of him in an alley in the old city and one surviving witness of that massacre."

Donny, surprised, inquired, "A survivor? I heard about the incident, but I never knew there was a witness."

Ren explained, "Apparently, it was a sex worker who was brought in by the boss of the drug dealers who were killed that day. She was there, but her existence was erased from records and the public eye to protect her from any potential harm related to the Shadow. She's the one who provided details about his silhouette and other minute information. We're about to meet her in about 5 minutes."

Donny, still processing the information, asked, "The commissioner is bringing her here for the meeting, right now?"

Ren confirmed, "Yes, the commissioner wants us to get a clear understanding of what we're dealing with. He believes no one can narrate it better than the witness herself, Natasha." They settled in their seats as they heard footsteps approaching.

The door opened, and the commissioner entered with a determined, serious face, accompanied by a female police officer escorting a 45-year-old woman. She wore sunglasses and subtly dressed. Removing her glasses, she nervously looked at Ren and Donny, first at Ren and then directly into Donny's bright blue eyes.

Donny, feeling uneasy, nudged Ren, prompting Natasha to say, "I'm sorry, I have a habit of looking into people's eyes. You know, it tells everything about them. You have such kind and broken eyes."

Donny had flashes of some woman without the recollection of a face in the past saying the same thing to him about his eyes, his thoughts were interrupted as the Commissioner Azhar replied "Natasha, don't start your philosophy now, please. These are my best officers, Ren and Donny, and I want you to narrate the Old City Massacre incident to them so they can be prepared for the Shadow next time."

Natasha, with a smirk, said, "You know they'll never be ready for the Shadow, right, Azhar?" The commissioner sighed in response as Donny and Ren exchanged glances, pondering their connection.

Before any assumptions could be made, Natasha continued, "I'll tell you one thing: you guys have to be extremely careful dealing with him because what I saw that night still haunts me in my dreams."

The commissioner urged Natasha to begin the story. She took a deep breath and commenced her narration, "It all started when Sachin, the drug lord of the old city, took me out that day for a special occasion at his old factory to celebrate a significant drug deal he had struck with an influential person."

"He had networks all over the city back then, and the police force struggled to apprehend him due to his political backing. I was his favorite, and he wanted to spend time with me that night," Natasha continued. "He brought 11 of his partners who controlled the entire city's drug business to the factory for a meeting. After their meeting, we were supposed to spend the night together."

"Before going to the meeting, he took me to his room and sang a song for me, 'Tere Liye' [For You], from the movie Prince, which was released in April 2010. Despite the movie being mediocre, the song was a chartbuster. The lyrics went something like, 'Jannatien Sajaayin maine tere liye' [I have decorated the heavens for you], 'Chhod dee khudaai maine tere liye' [I've given up godliness for you, for you]," Natasha hummed the song.

Ren, puzzled, interrupted, "How is this relevant to the incident?"

Natasha, with a stern tone, replied, "Oh boy, it's very much relevant. Don't interrupt me next time." She continued her story, "He was getting cozy with me, and then all his partners arrived at the factory. He left me there, promising he would return ASAP."

"The bedroom was in the corner of the factory, and it took longer than I expected, so I became curious about the identities of his partners. I have many clients in the police force, politics, and among criminals, so any information is valuable. I slowly walked to the godown where the meeting was taking place," Natasha continued.

"It was a very cold night, and I crept closer to take a peek and saw all of them through a small opening in the window. I couldn't see thier faces but I saw them drinking and discussing something. They were in a great mood." Natasha explained "The next thing I know is there was power blackout, and they were all cursing inside, one of them flickered thier lighter and a that is when I saw it. The Silhoutte on one of the walls. A huge shadow of a man with a hat and an overcoat behind them."

"All of a sudden we all heard a song, seemed The Shadow was humming 'Tere Liye'" Natasha continued with quivering voice"He was singing, 'Jahannam Sajaayin maine tere liye[I have decorated hell for you],'Chhod dee achhayi maine tere liye'[I've given up goodness for you for you], 'Tere Liye, Jhoomon Deewane banke Tere liye'[I roam around like crazy for you]...... and goes on menacingly and then All I could hear and make out were screams in agony for the next 5 minutes, just a few seconds of the lighter flickering and the shadow killing them all."

"It was something straight of a horror movie, and When I say you have to be careful with him, I mean it!" Natasha tells this silently as she composes herself while everyone sat there in silence as they took in what was told to them.