Reshimbandh~Silken Threads

12. Dead or Alive?

"The poison worked, she is dead. It was a nice, slow and painful death, much like I thought it would be." Sakshi said over phone.

"Dead? But we gave the antidote as well? What about that? Boss won't be happy." Azeem responded.

"I don't know what you did. You answer him. I am not talking."

"No. This was your idea. You talk."

"Fine." Sakshi cut the call and dialled another number. It was picked after 3 full rings, a heavily drunk husky voice responded, "What?"

"She's dead." Sakshi said plainly.

"Who?"

"Neha"

"Shut the fu-k up! How dare you say that?" He roared.

"I'm not lying. It has happened. She is dead."

He remained silent for few moments before yelling, "What part of 'keep an eye on her' means you are free to kill her? I swear, if what you're saying is true, I swear I'll give you the most painful death ever, you whore!"

~

In the neighbourhood, with narrow lanes and small houses, a shadow moved swiftly across them and stopped at the house no. 27, knocked the door. It was opened by a ruffian looking man.

"What?" He said rather roughly and looked at the person, wearing a black mask, only his eyes were visible.

"You have a kid in here?" the shadow asked.

"Who sent you?"

"Sikander!"

"Confirmation?"

The shadow took out his phone and showed a picture, "Done?"

"Okay. Kaalya, let's go." He said and another man came out and both of them left the house.

The shadow went in the house, a 12 year old boy lay in a corner, limbs tied. He untied the child and checked his pulse, it was slow but steady. A handkerchief was lying on his side, it had a faint smell of chloroform. He picked the child and placed him comfortably in bed, locked the house and went behind those two men.

"Take me to your boss." The shadow pointed a gun at Kaalya's head.

"D.don't shoot! We take you there." Kaalya said in his shaky voice.

"Sweet."

15 minutes later, the trio reached an abandoned textile mill, which now served as a warehouse for the anti-social elements.

"Both of you, go in and tell your boss that you have done your work. Also, thanks for bringing me here." The shadow said in a menacing voice, the duo agreed and went in.

The shadow looked around the outer boundaries, main gate was guarded by two armed men. He sneaked from the corner, waited for one to return to the pole, snapped his neck and waited for the other one to come around and repeated.

The shadow moved in the mill discreetly and killed all the men in ten minutes. He then went on to see their boss, who was smoking hash.

"Who do you work for?" The shadow asked sternly.

"I am my own boss." He said sluggishly.

"Why did you have to poison her? Who asked you to do that?"

"We didn' want to kill her, but it's a bonus."

"Pick up your gun and shoot yourself."

"What if I don't?"

"I'll give you another poison, it will leave you paralyzed for 10 days, killing you slowly and very painfully. Or shoot yourself. Don't waste my time."