Am I Dead?

Chapter 3

At FBI Headquarters

Mark Thomas, a seasoned FBI agent, slumped into his chair with a heavy sigh.

Mark: What a rough day... Chris, your partner has a lot to learn.

Chris: I agree, but I'm sure he's a good guy at heart.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Benjamin Joseph, an FBI supervisor, visibly shaken.

Benjamin Joseph: There's an emergency! Sophia was just murdered at Mr. Beans, and you won't believe who the prime suspect is-Siddharth Rathore.

Both men stared at Benjamin in shock.

Chris: Where is he now?

Benjamin Joseph: No idea. He's been missing since the moment she was killed.

The door creaked open again, revealing a handsome young man in his late 20s, with short, curly black hair, striking brown eyes, standing at 5'9", dressed in a black shirt, coat, pants, and boots.

Sarthak Borse: Sir, let me handle this case.

Benjamin Joseph: Alright then, Sarthak and Chris, you're in charge. Use whatever resources you need from the FBI, but catch that bastard.

Sarthak and Chris sat across from each other, sipping whiskey as they discussed the case.

Chris: He joined the FBI yesterday, and today he's the prime suspect in an agent's murder...

Sarthak: Indeed... He recently solved the murder of New York's richest man and was still tense about something. Any idea what was bothering him?

Chris: That doctor confessed without any pressure-claimed he was already dead and kept rambling about it. Ever since then, Siddharth's been on edge.

Sarthak's expression shifted to one of concern, but he remained silent as Chris continued.

Chris: I heard him muttering, "They're still going on..." I don't know what he meant, but he was definitely hiding something.

Sarthak leaned in, lowering his voice.

Sarthak: Chris, don't discuss this case with anyone but me. We need to keep a tight lid on this. Now, let's go check out the location where Sophia was shot.

As they prepared to leave, Michael, another FBI agent, entered the room with a sarcastic smile.

Michael: I drove 20 kilometers just to request the chief to put you on this case, and you already got it.

Sarthak: Oh really?

Michael: Sarthak, they're still up to their old tricks from nine years ago. I'm afraid one of their protégés is now leading the charge. You know exactly what I'm talking about.

Sarthak's face darkened.

Sarthak: If this is one of their experiments, then we're all in danger. We need to find Siddharth as soon as possible-he's a highly skilled agent. If they turn him against us, we're finished. We have to figure out who's pulling the strings.

Somewhere in a Dark Room

Siddharth Rathore was bound to a pole, his body bruised and battered. The room was pitch black, save for a dim light casting eerie shadows on the walls. The door creaked open, and a hulking figure entered, holding a tray of food.

The big man offered the food to Siddharth, who refused with a weak shake of his head. Annoyed, the man barked an order to another, who promptly brought in a live rat. The man gruesomely sliced the rat in front of Siddharth and then placed the lifeless body on the tray.

Siddharth screamed, but his voice was swallowed by the thick walls of his prison. His tormentor forced his mouth open, shoving the upper half of the rat inside. Siddharth choked and sobbed, each tear brimming with agony and despair. Just when he thought it couldn't get worse, another man entered the room-he was the same age as Siddharth, dressed in a brown jacket and black t-shirt.

The Man: Getting déjà vu, Siddharth? I remember when you used to get 5-10 rats a day. You're my friend, so I made sure you got just one today. How's the taste?

Siddharth, blood trickling from his mouth, glared at the man with burning hatred.

Siddharth: I'll fucking kill you, Priyadeep... What do you want from me?

Priyadeep: Kill me? Have you forgotten the first lesson we learned back there? David, put the rest of the rat in his mouth.

David, the big man, forced Siddharth's mouth open again, shoving the remaining pieces of the rat inside. Siddharth's tears flowed freely, every drop filled with a desperate wish for revenge.

Priyadeep sauntered over to Siddharth, grabbing a fistful of his hair and lifting his face.

Priyadeep: Now tell me, Sid-what was the first lesson we learned there?

Siddharth: You fucking asshole!

Priyadeep: I knew it wouldn't be easy... David, hand me that rod.

David handed Priyadeep a heavy iron rod, and with a sadistic grin, Priyadeep struck Siddharth with it.

Priyadeep: Aww, look at my Sid! What a pitiful sight... But remember, Lord Krishna says that the soul neither takes birth nor dies-it's not alive, so it can't die. I think now you remember everything...

Priyadeep laughed cruelly as Siddharth's world blurred into darkness.

To be continued...