The lanes of the famous red light area are now open for business. The curfew of the night had been lifted with no recent murders. Women of different ages stand at the side of the road smiling at men who pass by them, calling them to come with them. Men of all ages scan the products to select the one for the night. Products, that's what they are for these customers. Shops selling cigarettes and pans are open where a few men gather.
In one such shop sits a guy, looking at everything happening around him. He has a thick moustache, wears a white Kurta and dhoti and a white Gandhian topi. There is a red towel over his shoulder. He keeps scanning the faces of the people, while folding the pan or betel leaves.
At one corner of the street stands an autorickshaw driver. He wears a t-shirt, the khaki shirt over it, and a pair of black trousers. He has a full beard. His eyes are at the entrance to the lane as he smokes a cigarette and chats with fellow rickshaw drivers.
Two black SUVs stop at the main street and a guy gets down from the first one. From the one behind two more guys get down. The guy says something to the driver and the vehicle leaves. He is thin, tall with long hair. He wears a yellow vest and a printed shirt over it. A handkerchief has been tied on the wrist and another one tied around his neck. He walks ahead of the other two men.
The men stop at the shop where the guy in white Kurta sells cigarettes. The man at the front enters the two storey building and takes the stairs to reach the first floor. He goes to the 3rd door and enters the room.
Inside is a woman in late 20s. She wears a shimmering red saree with a sleeveless blouse, showing her ample cleavage. Her hair is open with flowers tied to it. Big jhumkas in her ears and a lot of metal bangles on her wrist completes her look.
"Pakiya, tu aa gaya? Main kab se tere ko yaad kar rahi thi. Late kayeko kiya? Hun?", she says putting her arms around him.
Pakiya gives her a lopsided smile and hugs her,"Tere ko malum nahi, kitna tension chal raha hai."
"But I was waiting for you Paku. You come just one day in a week and that too so late. Leave me, I don't want to talk to you.", she turns her face to look away.
Pakiya grabs her hair, "Aye, Jyada mach mach na karne ka! Aya na main, jasti uchal ne ka nahi. Aukat mein rehne ka. Samjhi."
He throws her on the bed and comes closer.
"Now don't waste my time.."
The guy at the cigarette shop says,"Babuji, ek paan khaye. I make the best ones in the whole Mumbai."
The two men with Pakiya stand there smoking cigarettes.
One of them asks,"Who are you? Where is Bihari?"
The shopkeeper smiles and says, "Woh hamra bhai hai. I am Babu. He has gone to the village. I am here for him. I have my shop on the chowk."
Laxman gives them the betel leaves as he flashes them his pan clad red teeth.
Rohini lies on the bed in the arms of Pakiya.
"Kya hua tere ko? Gussa hai mere pe?"
"Tere ko kya? Mujhe yahan se leke jayega bola, I am still stuck here."
"I give you enough to stay comfortably here without doing anything. I have already talked to your madam and you live a nice life. Why do you keep saying the same thing? I will take a kholi and get you out of here. Now stop irritating me with the same things."
Rohini gets up and starts correcting her clothes.
Pakiya sits up and pulls out a pair of golden earnings.
"Gussa chod, take this."
Rohini looks at it and smiles. She excitedly takes it from his hand and wears them. Pakiya pulls her closer and says,"Khush! Now.."
Before he could complete he could hear the sirens of police. Pakiya leaves her and looks out from the window. He could see a team of police entering the lane. He takes out the phone and dials a number but it doesn't connect.
He opens the door and gets out of the room. He searches for his men but they are nowhere to be found. The cigarette shop is closed with no one in sight. He finds people running away as police chase them with canes.
Suddenly someone grabs his collar and pulls him inside a room. Pakiya finds a beautiful girl in a shimmering sleeveless dress.
She smiles at him and then says, "The policemen are outside."
Pakiya looks at her with lust and smiles back at her, "Kya naam hai tera? Are you new here? Tere ko pehle nahi dekha?"
"Sabana. Tu Pakiya hai, Rohini ka hero. I know you. Listen, go from the back door. There is an auto driver, Raju there, he will take you out of the lane to the main road. Go quickly."
She literally pushes him out from the door, making him slip from the stairs. He somehow manages to control himself and gets down from it. He finds an auto driver standing just below. Before he could say anything, Raju gives him a big smile and pushes him to make him sit at the backseat.
"Pakiya bhai, no need to say anything. Police are looking everywhere. You will get caught. Your men have left you alone. I will drop you at the street behind this alley. You can call your vehicle there. "
Pakiya nods his head and keeps trying a number but the call does connect. Raju takes through the narrow lanes and makes his way out. They reach the deserted main road.
"Apun ka phone nahi lag raha hai."
Raju says,"Then take a taxi. Wait."
He gets out of the auto and waves at a parked taxi under the lamp post.
Pakiya still tries calling, avoiding the thought of taking a taxi.
Raju says,"Bhai, he is my guy. You can go with him."
The taxi stops beside them and a young guy says,"Kya haal hai Raju bhai?"
Raju smiles and says,"Sameer, tu Pakiya bhai ko le jaa."
He turns towards Pakiya and asks him to sit inside and goes away. Pakiya gets into the passenger seat on the front.
Sameer is a dark skinned guy with curly hair. He wears thick spectacles over his eyes and has a thin moustache. Pakiya keeps staring at him as he starts blabbering.
"Toh aap ho Pakiya bhai? I have heard about you from people here. You work for her. I have heard you know. I had seen her once, jab aayi thi Shakeela phupi ki death pe. I really respect you bhai."
Pakiya says,"Do I know you? Have I seen you?"
Sameer starts to laugh, "I live here, the Sagar chawl behind the kothi. You must have seen me working at Bhanu Bhai's garage."
Pakiya shakes his head and tries to call. His phone does not connect.
"In Pandu(police) logon ne dande ki waat laga di hai? The business started only a few days back but see they are back to stop everything again. They just want to earn some money. But until we earn anything, how can we give them anything? Acha bhau, where shall I drop you?"
Pakiya gives him an address and Sameer drives. He keeps talking on useless things. Pakiya, unable to take it anymore, tells him to keep quiet but he does not stop talking. Finally Pakiya pulls his gun and points it right at his temples. Sameer puts the brake and the car stops with a jolt.
"Kk..ya bhau? Kayeko darta hai? Sorry na bhau?"
Sameer starts to stammer.
"Drive quitely. I don't want to hear your nonsense. Dimag ki dahi mat kar. Samjha!"
Sameer nods his head as he continues, "Sha*la phone is not working as well."
Sameer says,"Let me see."
"What will you see?"
"Just let me check, once. "
Pakiya gives him his phone and Sameer opens the back cover and removes the battery. He then removes the sim cards. And then put them back. He switches the phone on and gives it to Pakiya. He dials a number and makes a call and this time it gets connected.
Pakiya smiles as he talks over the phone,"Kidhar hai tu? Sandy and Pintu are missing."
"..."
"Apun aa raha abhi. Where is she?"
".."
"Okay. No need. I am reaching in five minutes."
Pakiya hangs up the phone and turns towards Sameer, "Tu toh shana nikla."
"This technique works every time. We hit the television or remote to make it work. Similarly we switch off the phone, take its parts away and put it back. Phone back to its old form."
Sameer drops Pakiya in front of an old apartment building. Pakiya pulls out a few notes and gives it to Sameer who smiles and takes it from his hand and leaves.
An hour later
Sidharth sits in a room with his headphones connected to a computer. He is listening to everything that is happening at the old apartment building. Pakiya is talking to a few men.
"No, she is not in there.", he says, removing the headphones.
Ranne asks,"Sir, we have put people there for surveillance. Any movement will be notified."
Sidharth nods his head as Kambli asks,"Sir, what now?"
"Nothing. We just need to wait."
The next day afternoon
Pakiya gets out of the old apartment building and sits inside the SUV. They drive along the Mumbai-Pune expressway. They take a diversion to the city of Khalapur. The SUV drives through the town. They enter a huge gates of a two storey house. There are a few men standing outside the main door. Pakiya gets down and enters the house with his men.
It is about 1 am when a few shadows enter the premises of the building. The men standing outside fall down as they get hit with bullets. But everything happens without any sound. The group then enter through the main doors. There are two men in the living room, almost asleep on the sofa. Their mouths are closed with cushions and bullets are put inside their bodies. The group proceeds upstairs, killing whoever comes on the way.
In the room above, a meeting is going on "Pakiya, consignment ka paise aa gaya hai kya?"
"Yes, Kaveri Bai. "
Kaveri Bai says,"Where is that Bhushan? Uska consignment lena ka tha na? S**** kidhar gaya woh lukha?"
"He is not here. He was supposed to be in Mumbai three days ago.. Perhaps he has not come. Waise bhi apun logon ne naya maal kuch uthaya nahi. That ACP has made our lives a hell. We haven't yet got any new bodies for organs. He has destroyed all our other businesses too. All big ones have stopped paying us as they are not doing their work. That ACP.."
Kaveri Bai rolls her fingers into a fist and clenches her teeth, "I did everything to stop that ba***. But he has escaped death every time. I had to leave Mumbai, because of him. Pakiya, bas ek din aur. He will be transferred from this case. And I will make all the evidence disappear again. Then I will make that ACP beg for his life by kneeling in front of me. Just watch me."
"And when is this happening?"
"Very soon. Kaun bola?"
"Tumne pukara aur hum chale aaye.. pechaan kaun?"
Kaveri could now feel the cold barel of the gun on her temples.
"ACP?"
"Sahi jawab, iske liye tere ko milta hai.. handcuffs and life time imprisonment."
Kaveri now can see police surrounding her. Pakiya and two other men are held by Sidharth's team and he stands beside him with a smile on his face.
Kaveri captured.. now truth will be revealed.. wait for it..
Read and give comments.. and don't forget to vote by clicking star below..
Let the suspense continue..