ArHi FF! Dante's Labyrinth: Thread 2 [Completed] - Page 8

Ouch! Shyaam! It makes sense though, the man is delusional, that he has a twisted sense of right and wrong is believable. And it seems like Shukla used it to his advantage. At that point it looks like the real Punisher is Shukla, who used a deluded Shyam as a pawn to mete out the punishment. Will wait for you to tell me more..

Looks like a lot of people has their fun with Arnav's sociopathic tendencies - Shukla, Tara... Perhaps its true what Khushi said, he was the pawn who was made to believe he was a player. That intelligent a man... what a waste..

And this whole labyrinth was built around Khushi, directly or indirectly, she too way played. In the real world. And she managed to find a way out in an asylum surrounded by insanity. Ironic ?

Chapter 20: The Beginning

"Ms. Gupta, do you think a person like Arnav can be easily persuaded to do what I or anyone else for that matter want him to do? You have interacted with him and you are smart enough to understand his absolute surrender to narcissism in its primal psychological form." Shukla steered conversation back to Arnav ignoring the photo echoing his mistake.

"Not unless you gave him a goal. You didn't persuade him. His doctor did. Duh-uh!" There was a childish pleasure in her stance. Shukla swallowed slowly and wet his lips feeling the implications of his words dehydrating him instantaneously.

"I am talking about Akash Sampat, of course." She grinned looking his unease. "I did tell you that things started falling into place when Akash gave me an errand to fetch files from Shyam's study. Only then it struck me that Akash was treating Arnav for a long time. Their dynamics however was strange inside the asylum. Akash spun this story of Arnav being the punisher or some nonsense like that and how he treated Arnav for years. Arnav's recognition of Akash was superficial at best. He harbored antagonism towards Akash which remains unexplained."

"Look who is spinning a tale now," Shukla said wryly.

Khushi ignored and continued as if he hadn't interrupted her. "Arnav's reactions were triggered by Akash and not the other way around. I was aware of Arnav whenever he was around but I generally ignored Akash – passive persuasion. Each time he attacked me, I moved closer to Arnav. Each time he picked an argument with me, I spoke more with Arnav because of my vulnerable state. Honestly, I am really impressed with the way Dr. Akash Sampat tried to get into my head without me knowing what he was doing."

"Pure conjecture," Shukla replied drolly. Khushi nodded in acceptance.

"Everything about this…case is, ACP Shukla. There is no concrete proof to tell it otherwise. That's why it actually worked. Akash knew everything there was to know about Arnav. It isn't all that difficult to instill a thought in Arnav's mind about how his intelligence was overshadowed by me. Narcissist cannot tolerate personal failure of getting their ego hurt. Akash had to just prod him in the right direction and Arnav's bruised ego took care of the rest."

"If there is any proof for-"

"Come on ACP Shukla." Khushi interjected. "There is no proof to explain what Akash might have told Arnav, we both know that. I hypothesized all probable scenarios and after doing so I arrived at a logical conclusion which can best explain the incidents I have seen in this asylum. So please, shut up and listen to everything I've got to say if you don't want this photo to end up on your boss's desk soon." Khushi smiled softly. Shukla shrugged carelessly.

"Let's just go with the fact that I am right here because I know I am. By the way, did you know that Arnav has a newspaper clipping with my photo printed on it? I hear he keeps it inside his pillow. Sweet, isn't it?" She laughed gaily. "However it was stupid of him to get his lawyers to talk to mine and recommend insanity plea and this asylum. Seriously, hasn't he heard of discretion?"

Shukla looked at her sharply.

"Don't tell me you didn't know and this was all one big coincidence. Come on man," she trilled. Shukla said nothing.

"I was never unimpressed with your investigation skills ACP Shukla. You have had excellent track record and supreme knack but your investigation was utmost sloppy in the Punisher's case. It was honestly surprising that you couldn't even round up believable suspects. You stood so far from Dr. Jha that even your own inspector, Inspector Deshmukh, doesn't know that you are well acquainted with Dr. Jha."

"How long have you known that Dr. Jha was the Punisher?" Shukla asked.

"I must admit the revelation was quite recent. After Jha's breakdown during my interview, it was clear. But his psychosis is real, isn't it?" She asked.

Shukla contemplated for a minute. He saw Khushi looking at the photo on the table and looking back at him, him mimicking her actions. He sighed deeply.

"Everything about him is real. But his version of reality is much different from ours." Shukla pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

*****

Two years ago…

"Dr. Jha, I have some questions for you. Do you have few minutes?" ACP Shukla asked walking inside Dr. Jha's office.

"I am a little busy now so…" Dr. Jha trailed.

"Please, for old time sake," ACP Shukla pulled a chair and seated looking at distraught face of Dr. Shyam Jha.

"How can I help you ACP?" Dr. Jha asked leaning front and hoped that the ACP didn't notice his shaking fingers.

ACP Shukla placed three photos in front of Dr. Jha and observed the man. He was a little taken aback when Shukla scrunched his face and observed the photos. There was no other reaction on his face except for curiosity.

"Do you know who did this?" He asked gauging.

Shyam shook his head. "I don't know the identity but I can help you build a psychological profile if you wish to," he said sincerely.

Shukla wondered if he was being real or was pulling a Hannibal on him.

"I would like that." Shukla said thinking this would help him either way. "I will send you all the necessary files pertaining to the case. Do you think we can meet tomorrow night?" Shukla asked standing up and shaking the doctor's hands.

Shyam looked at his Blackberry and checked his calendar. "I am sorry tomorrow night I promised my wife I will bring her dinner from her favorite restaurant."

Shukla was momentarily speechless. "I am glad to hear you have moved on after everything that has happened Dr. Jha. Convey my wishes to your wife." He replied recovering quickly. For his new wife's sake, Shukla hoped Dr. Jha wasn't the punisher.

"I am sorry I don't understand. You have met my wife, Anjali, have you not?" Shyam asked with a confused look on his face.

"Wasn't Anjali in an accident few months ago?" Shukla had no idea what Dr. Jha was on about. He knew for a fact that Anjali was dead.

"Yes she was. But she got all better. You should come home sometime and say hello. I know she will be very pleased to meet you," Shyam smiled genuinely at him.

Shukla stuttered and left the doctor in a hurry.

His next stop was prison. He had to meet Akash Sampat immediately.

The meeting had gone the way he had anticipated. Akash was truly surprised at his friend's predicament. Shukla expressed a concern about the probability of pulling off a murder under these conditions.

"Shyam doesn't know what is going on Shukla. He is completely normal from all perspectives except when his delusion breaks down and is met with clarity. Truth then hits him that his wife is dead and his rage takes control. It isn't multiple personality disorder or even dissociative personality disorder. In this case he has a fair idea of what is going on but it's his delusion and psychosis which is messing around with his reality." Akash hypothesized.

"Can you prove this?" Shukla asked, cop question.

"I can't. Don't go by pop culture Shukla. These things don't get solved in days in real life. They generally go unsolved or take years to treat them and make them understand what their mind has made them do." Akash replied. "Do you think he killed Lavanya?" Akash asked softly.

Shukla pulled a sheet of paper from the file and handed it to Akash.

"There was only one partial finger print found in crime scene. And that was on your child." Shukla felt distraught trying to explain to a father.

"Where did he…touch?" Akash's voice was tight and Shukla knew that he was controlling his anger.

"Eyes. We found finger print on eyelids." Shukla said. His heart ached seeing Akash breathe out slowly as if the news pleased him. It wasn't inappropriate touch for which Akash was grateful.

"And it was Shyam's?" Akash asked.

"It's a partial print so…" Shukla rubbed his temple.

"But you think it is Shyam." Akash asked, wanting to know the police officer's gut instinct.

Shukla was quiet for several moments but finally sighed and nodded his head.

Akash let out a mirthless chuckle.

"Two families are destroyed because of a stupid accident." Akash sighed and closed his eyes.

"What do you mean that?" Shukla asked.

Akash opened his eyes, tears glistening and heartache dancing on his face.

"It all started with a young teenage girl competing with Lavanya on highway. Lavanya was with Anjali, driving to a hospital. Anjali was pregnant and sensed some pain and Lavanya took a detour and they decided to get her checked." Akash said. "Don't you remember that incident? One of your inspectors worked on the case, did he not?"

"I do but I don't know how it's connected really," Shukla replied.

"Technically, it isn't. But that incident was an instigator to the hell that followed. Tara Gupta, the drunk driver who just couldn't let it go," Akash wiped his face with sweaty palms. When he opened his eyes he saw Shukla watching him with blank gaze.

"Are you alright?" He asked seeing Shukla's almost catatonic expression.

"I see so many cases on everyday basis that I lose track of names and what they mean to me. Yes, your case came to my desk but it was a small accident and no one was hurt. The inspector resolved and I remember signing the closing statement. I only half listened when the inspector gave me an update and the name didn't register. I have encountered this name previously too and if Tara Gupta is involved, nothing is unintentional."

Akash bristled at that. "What do you mean?"

Shukla was berating himself for not paying enough attention to that damn report. He had vowed to keep an eye on Tara Gupta's doing and he had missed. And again, she had left a trail of tragedies in her wake. It was as if she was the personification of destruction. No one could simply touch her and remain unscathed. "She destroyed a kid's psyche years ago because her sister, Khushi Gupta dared her to do it. And her sister Khushi Gupta destroyed my family single handedly when she was still in school."

Akash leaned back in his chair and assumed his role which was snatched from him when he was incarcerated. Shukla told Arnav's story and then his story. Akash could offer comforting words and wisdom of his career.

Shukla continued to visit him over the weeks and with passing day they found a strange camaraderie in their loneliness. It was only a matter of time when Shukla would act upon the anger that was simmering below his skin after the tragedies struck on his family.

It was Akash who came up with the plan.

Present Day

"It had to be, isn't it?" Khushi asked resting her chin on her open palm, her elbow resting on table. "It's hard to figure out who started this…game or whatever you want to call it, but I am betting it's Akash. He has the skill to script out an insane way of avenging. But your plans went awry when Shyam couldn't kill me."

"Maybe he wasn't meant to kill you," Shyam said coldly.

"You know ACP Shukla, I must confess. Had I recognized you when I met you first, I would have been more cautious and wouldn't have trusted you the way I did." Khushi peered at him with a smirk on her face.

"I am a little older than you Ms. Gupta and when you first saw me, I was a gangly college student mourning for the loss."

Khushi's response was a feral smile. Shukla knew that Tara was extreme in her actions and wasn't afraid for the world to see. But Khushi's actions were much subtle but had a greater psychological impact on everyone surrounding her target.

"Aww…remembering the history teacher are we - your brother whom I managed to seduce in a matter of days?"

Shukla sank in his chair, his heart hammering in his chest and facing his past face to face for the first time.