Under the Stars

Shadows revealed

"Some people are meant to fall in love with each other...but not be together."
                        
                            -500 days of Summer
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The sand turned red soaked in warm blood, as Ajay slowly removed the revolvers.

Two invisible shots had taken the thugs down, even before they could react. Their hands were now mangled, with the two of them groaning in pain.

"Now, here's my deal. You tell me everything and I let you live. Or, I kill you right now and feed your carcass to the dogs," hissed Ajay, pointing the revolver at them. His face reflected death.

And, when you grab someone by the balls, their brain is bound to follow.

"We'll tell you ev-everything, please..." pleaded the young man,  placing his other hand on the wound from where blood was now gushing out, ceaselessly.

Ajay observed both of them wore the same sleek black overcoat and black jeans. It seemed like dress code to some nameless organisation.

Even in all this commotion, Nikki seemed perfectly unaffected because she was still fast asleep, often making funny noises. Snoring, precisely. Ajay could feel her weight sapping him out of energy, but he didn't have the heart to wake her up.

"Rathode, Wilson show yourselves," he called out in an undertone, not taking his eyes away from the two thugs. And appeared from the shadows of that abandoned house, two police officers, both of them brandishing a revolver.

One of them was a bit on the heavier side, with height no more than 5'6. Another, an anglo-indian with height over 6ft, and the physique of a bull.

Both of them had been trainees under Ajay once, but now were inspector and sub inspector of police. Time sure had changed, but the respect they still had for their mentor was unparalleled.

"Sir, we should rush or else they might send more men," said Rathode, running his hand through the few tufts of hair left on his balding head.

"Still the same nervous prick, eh? Some more years, and this tension will turn your scalp into a deadland. Right, Wilson?" 

Wilson just sniggered in response, as Rathode turned a brilliant shade of magenta. Their mentor still seemed to be the sarcastic careless genius they once knew him to be.

"Where's your van?" asked Ajay, quickly scanning the place. The place by now was enveloped in silence, and all they could hear was the crashing of the sea waves.

"I'll call it right away," Wilson replied, busying himself with a phone call. And, after a minute or two appeared a forget-me-not-blue coloured van from the far end of an old rundown apartment.

Silently, it reached where they all were standing. And within the next five minutes, they were moving towards the police station, which happened to be a 30 minutes drive from where they were presently at.

The first thing that Ajay did was trying to contact Mohit or Diya after getting into the van, but neither of answered his call. Meanwhile, both the officers were scrutinizing Ajay with a piercing gaze.

"Paint me like one of your french girls," retorted Ajay irritated, seeing them gaze at him so intently. He braced himself to be pinned with questions any moment.

"Sir, you very well are aware that we are completely puzzled. Please, can you elaborate this whole incident ?" asked Wilson, his eyes twinkling.

And here it comes, thought Ajay sighing. Thus making himself comfortable, with Nikki now dozing by his side, he started his explanation.