~Chapter 14~

Wonderland:

The subterranean heart of Wonderland was heavy with the metallic scent of blood and the smoke from the blast. Dr. Salunkhe and Shreya moved quickly, applying pressure to Daya's superficial gunshot wound and Purvi’s concussion. ​Daya swallowed hard, his voice raspy as he finished his report.

"Someone hit Purvi and there was a bomb blast. We were thrown off. When I opened my eyes, I saw Aryan carrying off an unconscious Tarika. I tried to stop him. He shot me and as I fell told me to tell you 'Hello Partner, Fiat Justitia'."

​As Abhijeet was trying to process the lethal confirmation, Shreya rushed out of her room. She had been alerted by the lift opening which sent her a message on her mobile, her eyes wide with fear as she saw the injured Daya and Purvi. She looked frantically at her father and signed.

​"Papa? Where's Mumma?"

As the question cut through the tense silence​ he sighed. Silence filled the room again. He looked at Pradyuman, who came forward and signed,

​"Beta, your Mumma will be back."

​Shreya didn't look convinced. She signed again, pointing to Daya and Purvi,

"What happened to them? She went with them. They're back."

​Pradyuman’s paternal mask wavered. He signed

"Shreya, beta, go to your room. We are talking."

​Shreya stood her ground, looking into her father's bloodshot eyes. She signed again

"Papa, tell me the truth. Is she okay? Where is Mumma?"

​He breathed in, his jaw rigid. He signed

"Beta, Mumma isn't fine right now. But, I am going to get her now. I'll bring her back."

​Manisha, bringing in warm milk and some pain killers, for Daya and Purvi said,

"It might be someone else impersonating him, Abhijeet. If he had survived, he would have definitely come to me—I'm sure you are mist..."

​Abhijeet cut her off, his voice a low, terrifying snarl.

"Stop it. Just stop it. He has my girl. I am going to get her."

​He turned to his daughter and signed, his fingers steadying his resolve

"Beta, promise me you'll stay safe here. Papa will bring Mumma back."

​She nodded once, eyes fixed on his. ​Pradyuman grabbed his shoulder.

"Abhijeet, you don't even know where he is."

​He pushed him away harshly.

"I can guess."

​He was about to walk away when Manisha threw herself in front of him.

"If it's him like you say. I need to see with my own eyes. I know him better than anyone. I loved him, Abhijeet. I am coming with you."

​"I said no. You are staying here, Mannu. No more arguments."

​With that, he was gone, disappearing into the lift, leaving behind the team.

****

Aryan's hideout:

It quiet and dark when he reached the place he had oftentimes visited when he was young. It was the place where they used to hangout to discuss and plan. As he reached the entrance of the unguarded warehouse, he felt a drop of water on his hand. He looked up to see the overshadowed skies that reflected his current state. The air smelling of brine and rusted iron greeted him as he entered in. ​He stopped dead at the center of the vast, circular chamber. Daya had been right as always. There was no mistaking the tall figure standing fifty yards away, illuminated by a single, powerful lightening strike. ​

Aryan Shekhawat. ​

He was dressed in dark tactical gear, leaning casually against a stone pillar. The man looking at him now was a stranger, yet Abhijeet knew him—every line of his face, every flicker of calculated rage in his eyes. A pair of custom-made shackles secured a tired and sweaty Dr. Tarika to a pipe column ten feet behind him. Her eyes were closed but apart from a small cut on her forehead, she looked unharmed and he gave a relieved sigh as he saw her chest move up and down

​“You’re late, partner,” Aryan’s voice echoed, devoid of warmth.

​Abhijeet took a single, slow step forward. His voice a low growl, raw with grief and rage, he said

​"You... you killed Freddy."

Abhijeet’s hands clenched into fists. He looked past Aryan to the helpless, bound form of Tarika, whose eyes, now open pleaded for him to stay calm. As he looked again at the man who had been the other half of his soul, standing by the motto that defined their lives, his best friend, the final missing piece of Abhijeet’s memory—the core of Case 227—slammed into his mind.

Flashback:

​The younger Abhijeet, his face pale with horror, sat across from Aryan in a sterile safehouse room. Maps and case files covered the table. He whispered pointing to a name circled in red

​"It’s confirmed, Aryan, A top government official. They've been covering for this drug ring for years."

Aryan looked at the name and groaned

"We take them to court, and they’ll be free in a week. They won't get justice . You know it. I have seen it since a very young age"

"Well, if they do come out, we'll put them back in again"

​Aryan seethed, slamming his fist on the table.

"The law is the tool of the corrupt! They mock our motto, Abhijeet! We swore we would bring justice. Fiat Justitia! If the courts are broken, we bypass them. We finish this ourselves."

​"Finish how?"

​Aryan stood up, his eyes shining with a frightening zeal.

"My father agreed to help us... He secured the explosives—a bomb that will wipe out the entire warehouse. We blow the warehouse. Every single one of them—the dealers, the buyers, the official's lackeys—gone. The system is too weak to handle this type of corruption. We serve the true justice they deserve."

"You talked to your father? Wasn't he the one who pushed you out of his house and inheritance because he couldn't digest the fact that you joined the force? He didn't respect you and you are going back to him?"

"Don't you always say for the sake of justice you'll go to any measures? Now what happened?"

​Abhijeet pushed his chair back, aghast.

"No! Killing them... That is not justice, Aryan! That is vengeance! We uphold the law! Even if it’s flawed, it is the only rule we have!"

​"The rule has failed! You're letting them win because you're scared!"

​"I am not scared! Justice is not defined by what we feel right now! Justice is the rule! If we abandon the law, we become the criminals!"

​Abhijeet backed away, grabbing his burner phone.

"I’m calling Pradyuman sir. He'll send a task force. We follow procedure. Don't do anything. Trust me. We'll make sure justice is served."

​The phone call was frantic, filled with Abhijeet's trembling voice—it lasted exactly seven minutes.

Two days later, Aryan walked into the safehouse with a picture in his hand. He was fuming

"Look here..."

Abhijeet looked at the picture

"Mannu?"

"I got it from Sonu. He said Boss has ordered to kill her. I shot him."

"How did they get to her?"

"I don’t know. We have been compromised. Where are the reinforcements?"

"I talked to sir. They're coming. Aryan, lets leave here. We need to go home and protect her."

"And leave them here?"

"The law will take care of them. Look, they have a meeting in half an hour, Boss is coming. I'll call sir, let's go and see if Mannu is safe."

"I am not going to let them just like that. They tried to touch Mannu"

"I am not telling to let them go. Let's plant surveillance cameras in the warehouse, we can monitor them and get enough proof."

"Easy for you to say. You don't have anybody to think of"

"How dare you? Mannu means a lot to me too. That's why listen to me"

He took a bunch of camera equipments and thrust in Aryan's hand.

"Go set this up and let's go home and protect our family"

"You are an idiot for thinking that they are going to get justice using these"

He stormed away as Abhijeet tried calling Pradyuman again. Some minutes later, Abhijeet found Aryan to take him when he saw him working inside the warehouse, not planting surveillance, but setting up a massive explosive charge. The bomb was custom-built and deadly. Abhijeet screamed at him

​"What are you doing? I told Pradyuman sir! Reinforcements are coming!"

Aryan snarled at him,

​"Where are they? I don't see them anywhere. Even if the come, they'll just let them go! You think they know about Mannu without someone from the inside giving up our details?.You're not going to stop me from giving justice to these dirty minded people. We'll talk later. Come out."

He activated the detonator.

"No, no, no..."

​Abhijeet rushed forward, tackling Aryan as the timer started counting down. He wrestled with his partner, trying desperately to disarm the device, but the circuit was too complex. When the timer in the detonator showed 7 seconds,

​Abhijeet realized it was too late. He grabbed Aryan by the collar, pulling his brother towards the exit. 4... 3... 2... The world dissolved in a blinding flash and a concussive roar.

Present:

The thunder roared as Abhijeet felt the cold, familiar steel of the gun barrel press hard against his temple. The threat was absolute.

"You chose to go against our motto. The motto that defined us"

"We dedicated ourselves to bringing justice not revenge"

Aryan pushed the steel deeper

"That was justice. You chose the team over me... Over us."

"I told you to wait... You didn't"

"Wait and what? Let them do what they want. Nah.... Now I'll make sure justice is served"

****