Terrorized By Love [ON HOLD]

Chapter 30: A Suitable Punishment

Aditya watched Mahima leave from the window. When she was far enough, he took the bottle of gasoline that he had discovered from the kitchen when they first found this cabin. He poured the gasoline all over the bed, on the floor, and on the wardrobe. It needed to look like Mahima died.

He then took the matchsticks from last night and started a fire. He threw the matches on the ground and his eyes filled with tears, as he left the room.

Laksh was waiting outside the cabin for him.

"I - I need the phone," Aditya said. "I forgot t - to video record..."

"Is she dead?" Laksh asked, sounding concerned.

Aditya nodded.

"I - I shot her, and then I - I couldn't take it anymore, I lit the whole room on fire," Aditya whispered.

Laksh placed a reassuring hand on Aditya's shoulder and let go before going inside and using the camera on the phone to record the room being caught in the fire.

"We should probably find her ashes," Laksh said. "For her family. You want that right?"

"No. I just want to get away from here. Let's go," Aditya said.

Laksh nodded and finished recording the video. He sent it to Mahendra, and the two of them got into the car and drove to the headquarters of HRIM.

Once they got inside, they both fell to their knees in front of the boss as he watched them suspiciously.

"She's dead?" Mahendra asked.

"Yes boss," Laksh replied.

Mahendra slid his thumb down the barrel of his gun and nodded.

"That fire doesn't really give any proof that she died," Mahendra said.

"I shot her first but I forgot to video record," Aditya confessed. "She died with the bullet."

"I see," Mahendra said. "Alright then. You two can go inside."

Aditya and Laksh both went further inside the terrorist headquarters. They both stayed in rooms there. Their faces were known by the police and the government, so like most of the other terrorists, they weren't able to stay amongst the civilians.

"She is dead right?" Laksh then asked Aditya, sounding like he wasn't convinced either.

"She is. Can we drop the topic now? I just want to stay alone for a bit," Aditya informed.

Laksh nodded and went into his own room, while Aditya went into his and sat on his bed. He looked towards his window, wondering how he would sneak out. If he were to go through the front door, he would have to report to Mahendra where he was going and what he was doing. He didn't have a suitable enough excuse.

He never left the premises unless it was an order.

He remembered back to last night, when Mahima had left the room to speak to Laksh. He had been awake. That was when he went to the cave and left the letter for her. He already decided last night that he would let her go. It was when he came back, that he saw that she was asleep on Laksh's shoulder and he took her in.

"I hope I can come to you Mahima," he murmured. "If I can come, then I will leave everything behind and start life new with you... only if I can come."

He stood up and walked to the window, glancing down.

There were terrorists guarding the place everywhere. There was no way he would be able to make it past them untouched. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Aditya went to open the door.

"Aditya, boss is calling you down for dinner. Then he wants to play cards with you," the man said.

He had also been taken in at a young age by the terrorists.

"Coming," Aditya said, and the man left first.

Aditya then went downstairs. He joined Mahendra down at the dinner table. It was him, Laksh, and the boss himself.

"One more will be joining us," Mahendra said coolly.

That was when footsteps approached the room, and a familiar face sat down at the table.

"Nice to see you again," Vijith's cold voice greeted, and he sat across from Aditya, looking at him with a menacing glare. "I heard you've killed her finally."

"Vijith told me you saved her once," Mahendra said. "Is that so Aditya?"

"He was trying to use her for his sexual pleasure," Aditya said right away. "She was going to run away! I had no choice."

"Boss, mark my words. Aditya had fallen in love with that girl. I don't think that he's killed her," Vijith said.

"I - I hadn't fallen in love with her!" Aditya spluttered.

"The way he protected her leaves no room for question boss. Aditya is not one to 'forget' about orders, yet he so conveniently forgot to take a video of the bullet that pierced her body?" Vijith provoked.

"Look Vijith!" Aditya said, sounding angry now, but he was cut off by Mahendra.

"He's right, Aditya," Mahendra said calmly. "You did forget your instructions. Our profession leaves no room for slack on orders. What is a suitable punishment? Vijith, what do you think?"

Vijith sneered.

"Boss, I suggest you cut off his finger," Vijith recommended.

Laksh breathed hard next to him.