Chapter Text
Jeetu honked his car for the 6 sixth time mow. What on earth was taking so long for the traffic to clear?
It was already 7 and he had to reach the university in less than 20 minutes or he would be late to the 7:30 class. And Jeetu didn't want that. Jeetu was never late.
Ever.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as he always did when irritated or angry. When he opened his eyes, gods bless, the traffic was clearing. Jeetu moved on with them. After reaching a certain point, he noticed all the cars being checked by the police.
Urgh! Jeetu cursed yes, all of this had to happen when I am running late for the class.
The police officer called Jeetu to come forward. Jeetu reached. He stopped the car just in front of the officer, a little faster and the officer would be dead by now.
"Sorry, Sir!" Jeetu shouted from inside the car.
Two hawaldars started checking the car for any suspicious activities or things stored. Of course, he didn't. He was a physics professor, not a terrorist or someone hiding from the police.
The officer, who Jeetu had nearly killed a few moments ago, came near Jeetu's car and asked him to lower the window. He was a huge officer with chubby cheeks and slight grey hair. He tapped on the glass thrice and Jeetu lowered it down.
"What was it a few minutes ago? Don't you know how to drive?" He spoke to Jeetu in an understandable angry voice.
"Sorry, sir! I was getting late for class and wanted to get out as soon as possible." Jeetu apologized.
"Kids these days!" The officer huffed. "Can you not leave a little early? Where do you study?"
What the actual fuck?! Jeetu thought. Kid? I study where?
"Officer! I am a professor at Delhi University." He quickly spoke.
"Oh!" The officer scoffed.
"Can I leave?" Jeetu asked, not wanting to be late. The officer nodded but stopped him again a second later.
"Where is your seat belt?" He asked.
Jeetu realized he had undone the belt some minutes ago when he was stuck in traffic because it was suffocating him.
"I am sorry sir! I was suffocating hence I had undone it just a few minutes ago. I swear. I'll wear it again." Jeetu apologized again.
"Do you think I am a fool? You nearly killed me today. You aren't wearing a seat-belt. What the heck?! Where is your license?" He officer growled.
"Sir, I'll wear it again. Why are you creating a nuisance here?"
"License!" He screamed.
Jeetu had to comply. He would do anything right now. He had to reach on time. He reached for his license in the wallet.
And boom.
No wallet.
He left the wallet at home.
He didn't even have the license then.
What a perfect start to a morning.
"Where is it?" The officer asked again.
"Sir, I guess I left the wallet at home. I have it, I swear." He pleaded now.
"Wow! This is the 9th time I am getting the same excuse for those who don't have licensed." The officer scoffed at Jeetu.
"Sir..." Jeetu started but was cut off by the officer.
"Gupta Ji, tow the car to the main police station. I guess we'll have added another car to the collection. And I am also taking him there. Let him have a word with Sir!"
"Sir! I am...." Jeetu tried but was again shushed.
He was pulled out of the car and into the police jeep. To add up to Jeetu's irritation the officer cuffed his hands and pushed him in a way as if he was a murderer who had murdered some politician. Why was he exaggerating stuff?
Not wanting to think about this, Jeetu closed his eyes shut and began concentrating on his breathing once again.
Not that he was scared or anything, just that he hated this feeling.
He hated this morning.
He hated this day.
For reasons many.
Woke up late.
Was running late for the first time.
Got caught up in traffic.
Forgot his wallet home, and hence his license.
Being dragged to the police station as a fucking criminal.
Also, children, the classes have been cancelled for today.
What a happy morning!
In no time, they reached the police station and Jeetu was taken in. He wanted to stop the police officer and ask what actually his fault to be treated so gravely was. But he couldn’t. He had colossal respect for the police and didn’t think was appropriate to poke his nose in their work.
He knew he wasn’t wrong. Uh, okay- he was but a fine was good to do. Wasn’t it? He would be set free soon after and then probably he could go back and apologize, again. This time for being late.
But here he was, at the police station. The only thing he feared right now was the officer being as rude as the one who bought him here.
He hadn’t even met the person yet and still, he hated him, the reason- nothing as such but because everything pissed him off right now. As the sarcastic ‘chaliye sir’ of the huge policeman brought him out of his reverie, he could look at a man with his back to Jeetu.
He was a tall man, at least quite taller than Jeetu and he had been talking to someone on his phone. He sounded tensed and even angered. If Jeetu was right, the man would want to smash something right then. Maybe the glass of water on the same table on which he was sitting. Maybe one of his officers. Or the worst case- Jeetu.
Will this day stop giving me reasons to hate it? Jeetu thought to himself. I hate everything right now.
The officer finally ended his call. He put his head in his hands, clearly frustrated. Jeetu for a brief second saw himself at his place. He would be at the same place at times, frustrated, irritated and yet not wording his thoughts. He would sit in the same position as the officer now.
He saw his reflection in the other man.
“Ayan Sir!” The huge officer called out.
The man who Jeetu had been interpreting things about, looked at them. And Oh My God! His eyes were red. He looked as if he hadn’t slept for over a week. Tired, totally tired. His eyes were beautiful though. Black like the sky at night and round like the moon. They were glimmering like the stars.
Jeetu’s focus went to his eyebrows, too thick, like bushes. His lips were luscious but pale, dry as if not had a drop of water in ages. And just above those lips was a moustache. A moustache, for real. It made the man look hot. It enhanced the utter beauty that he already was. It felt oddly soothing.
Jeetu felt calm for the first time since morning. He felt good. It all felt like free therapy. And for the first time since morning, Jeetu didn’t mind being late. He didn’t mind being brought here. In fact, for some reason unknown, he felt happy.
“What is it?” The officer, Ayan asked in an angry voice.
The angered tone startled the officer who had been holding Jeetu. He composed himself and then started, “Sir. This man tried to kill me. And he doesn’t even have a license.”
Jeetu looked at the man shocked. Couldn’t he just clearly state the matter? Jeetu glanced at Ayan once again. He looked hurt as if someone close to his heart had done wrong.
The kind of aura that Ayan carried spoke for him. Jeetu could make out that he wasn’t like other policemen. He would stand for the truth even if it meant going against their loved ones. And the look Ayan held was a hurting one. Neither was Jeetu his closed one nor was he hurting (forgotten the fact that the officer only presented half the truth).
Jeetu was confused.
But right now, he wanted to clear his side.
He was no criminal.
“Excuse me, sir?” Jeetu started.
Ayan nodded, asking him to speak.
But just as he was about to voice his thoughts, he was interrupted by the huge officer.
“Bhramadatt Ji. Will you let me hear him?” Ayan defended Jeetu.
“Sir, what he said was only one part.” Jeetu started again. “The entire story is different.”
Jeetu waited for 3 seconds and continued when he heard no interruptions.
“So, firstly, I am Jitendra Maheshwari. No criminal, but a physics professor at the Delhi University.” Jeetu said, taunting Bhramadatt. “I was late this morning and got stopped for a check. And because I was driving my car little fast, when I applied the brakes, the car stopped just a few inches from Mr Bhramadatt. Neither was he harmed nor anyone else.”
Jeetu exhaled.
“And as far as the license is concerned,” He continued. “I left my wallet back home because I was running late. My license is in it. I have one, yes. That’s it. Thank you for letting me present my side.”
Ayan glared at Bhramadatt, disgusted.
He felt betrayed.
After being at the same place for the next thirty seconds or so, Ayan finally walked towards them. He came to stand right in front of Bhramadatt. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. He finally looked at Jeetu and spoke.
“I hope you aren’t lying about your license.” He said.
Jeetu nodded in a no.
“Mayank,” He called someone, and a man in his mid-twenties arrived. “Call the RTO and check if Mr Maheshwari has a license issued on his name.”
“Yes sir,” Mayank replied.
Mayank took Jeetu a little away from the other two police officers and asked Jeetu a little information to suffice at the RTO. Mayank started to talk and Jeetu to pass the time began observing the surroundings. As he was busy soaking in the surroundings, he heard Ayan’s voice cut through the silence of the police station.
“Bhramadatt Ji, do you even realize what you’ve done? You let that bastard go whilst checking on random people and bringing them here for no reason.”
The anger in Ayan’s eyes was coming out through his tongue now.
“Sir…” Bhramadatt started but was abruptly cut down by Ayan again.
“Anshu Naharia is a criminal. He is a threat to the city. He may kill people. Do you know it is looking as if you are saving the criminal? I didn’t send you to chill!” Ayan spat.
“I respect you because you are elder to but mark my words, I won’t tolerate the irresponsibility right here.” He screamed. “Do you get it?”
“Yes sir.” Bhramadatt agreed.
Ayan nodded and turned to look towards Mayank. For a fleeting second Ayan and Jeetu’s eyes met. They would have stayed staring had Mayank not called Ayan and broken the comforting gaze.
“Sir,” He said. “Mr Maheshwari has a license. I checked.”
“Great,” Ayan said. He then looked at Jeetu again. “Thank you so much for cooperating, sir. And we genuinely apologize for the inconvenience caused to you.”
Jeetu smiled at him.
Sincerely.
“Sir, I am sorry but we’ll have to fine you for driving while not having a license,” Ayan told him.
Jeetu agreed and asked the amount, which turned out to be 5000. He recalled he had no wallet and hence took out his phone to pay the fine.
After the formalities were done, Jeetu started to move out when the thought of his car returned to him.
“Excuse me, sir?” he called Ayan. “What about my car?”
“Oh.” Ayan squealed. He walked towards Jeetu and spoke again. “I would recommend you come back tomorrow morning to get your car back. I know you are no criminal, but formalities.”
Jeetu agreed and finally left the police station.
~~~
Ayan switched off his phone after answering the 6 phone call from his seniors. According to the sources, Anshu Naharia had escaped from the same place from where Bhramadatt had brought the man this morning for no reason at all. It was all under his control and he couldn’t do anything.
He was immensely angered. He knew there were loopholes but he didn’t where they were or how to fix them even. Anshu Naharia obviously wasn’t capable to do all of this together. It was all planned. He would have to find out, no, he had no choice.
The city was at stake.
No one was safe till Anshu was free.
Not his brother back home (or office).
Not any of his loved ones.
Not him.
He felt like smacking off the glass of water on the table. He was so angered he felt he would smack one of his officers. He felt like he had no control. He was worried, tensed yet frustrated. He wanted to kill someone right away.
STOP! His subconscious called him out. What are you even thinking Ayan Ranjan? Why am I thinking unlike me? Thinking like someone I don’t want around.
Ayan inhaled sharply, trying to get rid of all the negative thoughts. He hadn’t been getting proper sleep the entire week. It was all so tiresome. His eyes were red now, and completely tired. His lips were pale as a dead. He wanted to get back home and talk his heart out to his brother.
And so he did. He got up and called Jatav- the sub-inspector.
“I want to go home, Jatav Ji.” He said. “I’ll leave.”
“Okay, sir. You should rest.”
Ayan left the police station, tired. His mind somehow kept going to Anshu and his doings. Once he was in his car, he sat there for some 10 minutes, freeing his mind wanting to go back in time, to when everything was good.
Once he felt better, he started his car. As he kept moving forward, even if unwillingly, his thoughts went back to the earlier half of the day.
When Bhramadatt had brought the man to the police station.
Jitendra Maheshwari.
The moment he looked at the man, he felt calm. The rage in him had quieted and a sense of peacefulness took over him.
Ayan smiled to himself. It was weird yet blissful. If it weren’t for Jitendra, he didn’t what or how he would have behaved with Bhramadatt.
It sometimes became difficult for him too. So much of chaos, so much mess, made him lose his cool timely. Today could have been the same if the little man hadn’t come here.
He was a short man with an unkempt beard, who looked like one of those people who would be ready to help anyone in need. Honey-brown eyes and lush pink lips. His eyes spoke more than his words would be able to. They had a completely different attraction in them.
Ayan recalled how the lips moved when he spoke. His speech had confidence which screamed he wasn’t wrong. Ayan had always liked confidence. His smile widened.
He was lost in Jitendra’s thoughts when he saw a man standing a little ahead. He looked familiar. Ayan rushed his car and stopped it exactly in front of the man.
To his surprise, the man was the same guy who he had been thinking about. Jitendra Maheshwari. He chuckled to himself and lowered the car window.
“You like wasting your time like this every night or is today any special?” He asked Jitendra.
Turns out the man hadn’t noticed when the car had halted right in front of him, until now.
“Hey! Mr Officer.” He said. “No, I was just trying to book a cab, unluckily; it shows ‘No cabs available.’”
Ayan laughs at the face Jitendra had made.
“Excuse me, sir! Do not laugh” Jitendra teased. “I had a wonderful car but someone kept it with them for a day.”
Ayan amplified his eyes, stunned by the fact that a man was indirectly taunting him, after knowing he was a police officer. He smiled to himself and then looked at Jitendra again.
“Look Jitendra, I am sorry for your inconvenience.” Ayan whimpered.
Jitendra smiled approving his apology. They kept looking into each other’s eyes for a few more seconds when Ayan broke their gaze and spoke again.
“Do mind if I drop you home?” He announced.
“No, umm…I guess, I am fine. I’ll find a way out.” Jitendra hesitated.
Of course, Ayan knew the reason for his hesitation but there was some deep force that wanted to be Jitendra. It was some weird attraction he felt for the man, and so he persuaded him.
After much hesitation for exactly 1.8 minutes, Jitendra hopped on to the passenger seat.
Ayan followed his instructions and moved the car towards Jitendra’s home.
“So, how long have you been in Delhi?” Ayan asked after silence had fallen between them.
“I shifted here some 6 years ago. Though I hail from Rajasthan, there are a lot of places I’ve resided.” Jitendra replied.
“And what about you Mr Ranjan?” He questioned back.
“Okay, so firstly please call me Ayan, Mr Ranjan is too formal.” Ayan pleaded. “And I was born in Lucknow, but I have been in Delhi for slightly more than 3 years.”
“Okay, Ayan. So you live alone?”
“No, I live with my brother, Nakul,” Ayan told him. “Apply the same question for yourself.”
Jitendra laughed.
“I am an alone soul.” He told. “No one with me.”
Jitendra made a puppy dog face and Oh. My. Gosh. Ayan would be absolutely lying if he said that it didn’t make his heart skip a beat. To cover up his blush that had crept on, Ayan coughed and looked straight ahead.
Within a fraction of second, he saw Jitendra handing him a bottle of water. He took the bottle and sipped water from it, even though he wasn’t thirsty.
The passing fifteen minutes went by very quickly as the two men, talked about each other getting to know about each other, laughed at silly jokes and spoke about their lives.
Ayan had surprised himself at how quickly he had opened up. He found a friend in Jitendra. He felt happy and secure. Not for a minute had there been discomfort between. As they reached Jitendra’s house and when he had to bid him adieu, he felt a part of his heart go away with Jitendra.
The men said their final good-byes and Ayan headed for his own house.
~~~
Ayan parked his car in the basement and took the lift to reach home. The lift on the fifth floor and Ayan stepped out only to find a few drops of blood right in front of the lift. The first reaction- as a police officer- was suspicion. Blood drops for reason? It obviously was suspicious.
But another- much smaller part- told him it must be a common cut on someone’s body from doing random things. He let the blood pass his mind and moved forward. As he approached his home, he turned pale.
There was blood all over.
A lot of it.
The front door looked as is painted in blood. Ayan ran towards the blood and banged on the door. He didn’t get any response.
He noticed the blood was fresh, probably the fiasco was just some time ago.
Ayan banged again.
This time, however, he heard a low whimper, calling for help.
He knew who it was.
He could recognize the voice anywhere.
Nakul’s voice.
“NAKUL!!” He screamed at the top of his voice. He heard another cry for help,
Ayan quickly went through his pockets and dug out his house keys. He unlocked the door and was devastated to see blood all over. It felt as if every inch of his house was covered in blood.
The walls were red; his peach sofa was blood red. He would have run away had he not been used to all the blood in the years of his service.
“Nakul!” He called for his brother again to get another cry for help.
The voice came from the kitchen.
His feet involuntarily took him to the occurrence of the voice. Nakul lay there, on the floor, covered in his own blood. A knife stabbed in his back from where all the blood was oozing.
Ayan couldn’t bear to see him like this. He could hear Nakul coughing continuously. Nakul was unable to even breathe properly. Ayan ran towards and sat on his knees, pulling Nakul lightly towards himself.
He caressed him, tried hushing him, calming him, but he knew nothing would help. Nakul was in immense pain, and every second was killing him.
Ayan couldn’t afford to lose Nakul. NO! The thought sent down shivers in his entire body. Nakul, after all, was all he had. They had been too tight to let go. They stuck on to each other, in times of pain and comfort. Ayan would do anything to save him.
Give his life if needed.
He quickly dialled the ambulance and they assured him they would arrive soon. Ayan kept caressing Nakul trying to calm him down. He wanted to do his best. He took out his kerchief from the pocket and tried cleaning up the wound, not harming Nakul even a tad bit.
When he had been cleaning, he heard his phone ring. He found it to be an unknown number. Not wanting to divert his attention, he cut the phone. Seven seconds later the phone rang again, flashing the same number. He angrily picked up the phone, making up his mind to just ask the person to call him later. Calmly. Peacefully.
“You shouldn’t have made me call you twice.” The person on the other end said.
“Is it okay if I call later? I am in between something.” Ayan said.
“The ambulance will arrive, don’t worry.” The man started again. Ayan was shocked. “You cleaning up the wounds won’t help much.”
“Hello! Who is this?” Ayan spoke.
“That doesn’t matter!” The man scoffed. “The ambulance shall arrive in another 10 seconds, and then I’ll speak.”
Ayan heard the siren of the ambulance. He looked at the phone completely shaken. He knew it was planned, but to an extent this high was disturbing. The doctors arrived with the ward boys and stretchers.
They took Nakul to the ambulance and the doctors started the immediate treatment. Nakul had followed them and was about to get on the ambulance to accompany Nakul, but a loud ‘Stop!’ from the phone stopped him.
He had forgotten the call was still going on.
“Let the ambulance go.” The man said. “You will reach the hospital in your car. You don’t have any other option other than agreeing; remember your brother was almost killed?”
Ayan asked the ambulance to leave, scared.
He got on his car and drove to the hospital.
“Who are you? Why are you doing it?” Ayan screamed.
“Shush! Don’t raise your voice. I don’t like it.” He replied. “To be honest, I don’t care about your questions. All I need you to know is that I am way more powerful than you are. Stop chasing me. Stop trying to get me arrested.”
Anshu Naharia.
Ayan knew it was Anshu Naharia, the man who he had been wanted to track down after he ran away from jail.
“Anshu Naharia?” Ayan confirmed.
“Arey! You are smarter than I imagined. Why do you want to get me arrested? For promotion? What shall you do with a promotion? I’ll give you more money than what you get paid. Just tell me the amount. It shall reach you.”
“You bloody bastard! I won’t spare you.” Ayan shouted to the phone. “You had no right to involve my brother in this! You shall now pay for it!”
Anshu laughed an evil laugh.
“Can you chill? I know what my men have done. Your brother will only have numerous cuts, a lot of blood loss and internal bleeding. It will be difficult for him to breathe but then a ventilator would work. He would be on bed rest for a couple of months, that’s it. Its unfortunate you arrived early, I had presumed you would be at the police station, or else your brother had been dead.” Anshu huffed. “That would have been a greater scare isn’t it?”
“Anshu Naharia! I’ll kill you! You won’t be spared. Mark my words.” Ayan yelled, though his voice wasn’t too stable. He felt exhausted and a part of him was scared.
And that scared him even further.
Ayan Ranjan was not one of the men who would be scared by a goon.
But here, Nakul was involved.
A closed one. His brother. His family.
And that’s where men and women stumble.
When families are threatened. Where families aren’t safe, that’s where even a man like Ayan would take two steps back.
“Mind well, I have more power than you have,” Anshu spoke, bringing Ayan out of his state of tense. “Today I painted your brother red in his own blood, next could be you!”
Anshu laughed again.
“Imagine Ayan,” he started again. “It is late in the night; you are driving just like right now and you hear a gunshot and then all red. Your red?”
Ayan opened his mouth to protest but heard a loud gunshot.
The next thing he remembered was red all over, his car crashing in one of the poles on the roadside and the black, dark sky with white twinkling stars.
But what stayed was red.
All red.
Everywhere!
~~~