The Case of Known-Unknown

The Raid

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The officer in charge greeted Akash and Syna. The warehouse they had raided was more of an open area that could be used for factory and machinery work. It was surrounded by long blades of grass, and old, worn-out trees. As they went inside, they saw various instruments and small machines, which as the officer had explained, were used to produce drugs. According to him, the machines were advanced in technology and could only be acquired through Foreign Imports. They also had to call a professional to understand its use and advantages.

   'It is some big victory in these times of tribulations.' He said, his hands on his huge belly.

   'So, did you find anything common between this warehouse and the address which was discovered through the letter?' Syna asked. The officer raised his brow in alarm and faked a cough.

   'I'm afraid I cannot discuss the ongoing investigation, miss.' He said, hiding his team's discovery.

   'You know very well we were sent here by Officer Siddharth Agrawal.' Akash said, and the officer hummed.

   'I do.' He slightly tapped his hands on his belly. 'But I wasn't informed about discussing any discoveries made by my team, so?'

Akash checked his watch quickly, it said he only had 1:14hrs left. He felt his watch betrayed him during such phases, where time meant everything. Even the most important asset moves fast when you are slow. He nudged Syna.

   'I urge you once again, if you've discovered something, please, tell us. It is important.' She pleaded with him. The officer's face showed no interest.

   'I won't repeat myself, miss.' 

   'Do you know who I am?'

   'You are an SHO who is suspended on a temporary basis for being naïve.' He scoffed. 'At least that's what I have heard.'

    'I am the younger sister of Siddharth Agrawal.' The officer's eyes widened instantly, his hands were off of his huge belly. Syna took out a card which read Syna Agrawal. The officer apologized quickly, trembling.

    'You must go to the address, my men will gladly share the details which they've found to be of importance.' He said, embarrassed. Akash thanked him and they left the warehouse, Syna bit her tongue for using her brother's credentials, once again to get something done.

   'I want to take a look at the upper space.' Syna said calmly. 'There's something I want to confirm.'

An officer led the way to the few forsaken rooms, where they had not conducted a thorough search. Syna entered the first room and found wooden flooring and a few cracked walls. There were small cupboards, and a tiny bed at the centre of the room. Everything placed in those artefacts were neat, and they also had various documents which the officer had kept for investigation.

Akash just kept scanning around the rooms, unsure as to what Syna wanted to confirm. She took her time, after confirming and staring blankly at all the objects in the room, she made her exit from the warehouse.

   'You are right.' Syna admitted. '"The Boss" and The Stalker, they are different!' Akash looked at her intently.

   'When I had sent Dexter to check on the address from the letter, the way he described the place, it was completely different. The Stalker never left so much evidence behind, here we have the opposite. I am positive that they aren't the same.' Akash gave her a sarcastic smile.

   'I will need two days to prove that, and get our hands on the real identity of "The Boss."' She said, tightening her fist.

Akash wondered if he would live till that day, he just had an hour left. A Final hour that would judge his fate, shape his end and reveal the outcome. He couldn't experience Love to its fullest capacity, and he would be leaving his cousin, David with another loss of a dear one. Syna was on a call, he looked at her smile, realizing that it was perhaps the last time he was witnessing it. He started to think about her life without him, what would be her reaction when she found out? How would David feel? He slowly walked to the other side, his consciousness hibernating with such thoughts, his hands started to shudder slowly.

His instincts told him that not every story has a hero! If it did, he was certainly not the one! His good self was just a sacrifice for the story to end. He glanced at the flocks of birds flying in a group, he wanted to be like them, to fly away, away from all the troubles, away from his fate. He felt a rapid blow on his face, he baulked, staggering on the footpath. He never thought Syna's soft palms would hurt so bad.

   'What is really going on with you?' She retaliated. 'Look at you, your personality depicts the posture of a man who is defeated and dejected. That's not the man I love!' She looked at him in a disappointing manner. Akash gazed at her face. He wanted to yell out in anger, but felt a comforting hand on his shoulder.

   'It was us. You, me and Dexter who figured this out first.' She said in a soft tone. 'Even before my brother, it was us who had directly communicated with The Stalker. No one in our place would have been able to handle the situation, be we did! You and me, together.' It was as if she saw right through him. But it flicked a light in his head, he was the first, before the CBI, before other cops. He hugged her tightly, feeling her in his arms, feeling loved! He gently kissed her on the forehead.

He quickly looked at the bungalows which were in a straight line and stared at them.

   'Syna! My love, you need to hurry.' He said, placing his hands on her cheeks. 'Call your brother, join the search team, get a warrant and barge in every bungalow that stands in line from the investigation area.' Syna blinked, amazed at him.

   'Akash, what are you-? Why do I need to join the search team? And barge in all the bungalows? It would take lot of time and permission-'

   'Just do as I say. Go right now to your brother or call him, tell him it's urgent.' He said, hastily. Every second we waste serves as an opportunity for him, to erase the evidence and escape. I'll tell you the details after the call, hurry!' Syna obliged instantly and took out her phone. She dialed Siddharth's number, when Akash's phone started ringing.

Akash quickly grabbed his phone and saw an unknown number, he realized he just had thirty minutes left.

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He searched for his escape, he searched for a solution, he suffered from pain, he suffered from isolation. Standing between the world of realism and his own world of wishes, he asked the creation if he was vicious. The universe answered with a tale of pain and joy, if a man was happy then so was he void. Breaking the law, he became his own creator, granting people with solace and thrones. Humanity fulfilled their utmost wishes and dreamed of every fantasy, just like witches. Bending the reality, he became every man's first want, and they called him by the name of Thoughts.

~The Stalker

A/N: Well I'm back again. Just wanted to give a heads-up without leaving any spoilers. If you feel the end-game is near, you are really really wrong. Just hang on to your couch and device for a few more chapters, the content of these final chapters took almost an year's worth of efforts, research, and brainstorming. Hope you're enjoying the story so far, do let me know in the comments :)