Yours insanely

76.Deranged

"What should I do now?" Jay asked as he walked down the stairs to the third floor.

"Run for your life," Sidharth answered from the other side of the call.

When he peeked at the corridors, he could notice the shift in the demeanor of people who worked with him.

"They're starting to look for me," he said, getting back to the staircase.

"I can help you lie low, Jay," the former replied. "But until you get out of there, you're on your own. Don't get caught." And the call ended.

"Son of a-" He muttered, staring at the phone in his hand before looking around.

Shubman would've never done that, he thought. Maybe he was a much better boss.

He heard footsteps both up and down the staircase, and his eyes landed on the firehose inside a glass case.

Knowing he wouldn't make it out of the building any other way, he managed to get hold of the hose box hammer.

Jay's hands worked hurriedly, breaking the glass and taking the entire hose out.

The footsteps sounded closer, and he kicked the door to the balcony open, taking a quick look down. Three storeys.

Holding on to the firehose, he jumped over the railing, its length enough to leave him hanging a few feet above the ground.

He let go and dropped to the ground, getting to his feet immediately.

Passerbys spared him a glance as he started picking up his pace forward.

Just another hundred meters and he'll be out of the hospital premises.

He knew where all the men were currently stationed.

And just when he thought he was finally managing to get out, a familiar person appeared in front of him.

Jay stopped, taking a few steps back from Robin before turning around, realizing that he was being surrounded.

That was not even the worst part.

Because the next person who walked towards him was Shubman himself.

"Why do you look so tense, Jay?" He stalked towards him, tilting his head a little to the side. "Is my back hurting your knife?"

Someone kicked the back of his legs, making him drop to his knees.

"I don't know where they took her," he spilled even before being asked anything. "They only asked me to-"

Jay paused, coughing as an impact of a kick to his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

"There's someone else who knows," he said as a last plea for his life.

-

Shubman had lost the last bit of sanity in him.

The dam broke, flooding everything in its path with his rage.

Most of all, he was mad at himself.

His hair was harshly gripped by his fingers, jaw clenched as he held a gun in the backseat of his car, thinking.

Were you okay?

You wouldn't be hurt, right?

Shubman will get to you before that.

After that, he'll make sure something like this will never happen.

He let you go. He felt like his world had ended, but there remained a tiny speck of hope.

His sister will be fine too. Ishan will return back to being normal again, and you'll be there too.

Yet the flare of anger drove him insane, clouding his minimal benevolence.

What if you don't?

Shubman's brain voiced, I must say, traitorously.

What if he doesn't get to you before something happens?

The mere thought of it froze the blood in his veins, stinging his heart before he felt like it completely stopped beating.

And on the receiving end of his emotions was one of the people who thought they could take you away. Away from him.

Shubman got out of the car as soon as it came to a halt, his breathing getting heavier by each minute.

He strode down the pavement, towards a house's front door that was just kicked open.

Upon entering, he found packed bags in the living room as a kid tried to walk past him.

Hearing the commotion at the door, a man walked downstairs, his eyes falling on the intruder.

You were taken.

The fact was repeating itself over and over again in Shubman's head.

Another person stood in the corner of the room, and he raised his gun, eyes void as he shot her in the neck.

He got hold of the six year old in front him, pressing the hot barrel of his gun against his temple.

The man stood shaken against the wall, his dread matching Shubman's eyes when he found your bracelet at the staircase.

"Where?" The darkness in his eyes was unmistakable, one word enough for the man to understand what he meant.

"I- I don't know," and the arm around the boy's neck tightened, making him whimper as he looked up at his father, confused and scared. "There's a chain of people involved!"

He spoke immediately, pointing to the coffee table.

"I was given orders," his breathing turned ragged. "-from that address. Let my son go, please."

"Find them all," Shubman ordered Robin and let go of the boy.

When the man took a step forward, he shot him in his forehead. And then the back of the kid's head.

Without looking, and not even the slightest change of expression could be seen in his face.

He turned around and left the place, getting directly in the passenger's side of the car, which was very unusual for him.

Robin followed silently and got in the backseat, glancing rather quickly at Shubman, who used to be the most rational person he'd ever seen.

But now, all he saw was a deranged man who lost you, and would stop at nothing to bring you back.