There is no hunting like the hunting of man; and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it never really care for anything else.
- Hemingway
The city really comes alive at night time.
He had arrived here that morning, after getting his latest assignment. He spent all his afternoon and evening sniffing around the location, which he will soon transform into a brand new crime scene. He disguised himself a homeless guy, torn dress, disheveled state, with a large plastic bag on his back which people will assume is filled with waste, and took shelter near a dumpster, his eyes going everywhere like a lunatic but mostly fixed on the warehouse. He noticed people arriving, leaving, and strolling around it, taking in the number of guards, entrances and exits. He saw how the Sun's glare softened and soon it vanished out of sight. When it was nearly midnight, he began his work.
Entering and killing the guards was not difficult, and he took no pleasure in killing the Man tied to chair, like he was ordered. It was when he manipulated the power circuit and burnt the place his lips curled upward and he stood in utter fascination to witness his art, of course keeping safe distance and away from people's eyes. He loved fire, loved it when it spread and destroyed everything, loved it when it was a small and innocent and loved it when it was in it's full glory, roaring like a monster, uncontrollable and unflinching, fearless and relentless.
He watched the people came screaming, throwing water and sand to subdue it. He watched fire department arriving and that's when he decided to leave, his eyes ringing with the bells of the vehicles all the while.
He boarded the flight at 2 AM and left the country, all the while humming and smiling to himself, occasionally sighing, satisfied with his art work.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"This one is real piece of work." Chotu commented as soon as the senior foursome arrived at the crime scene and came out of the SUV. He along with the ETF Director Kapoor and Senior Officer Rathore walked ahead, behind them Rawte and ACP Mukherjee followed them. The former frowned as he heard the sharp intake of breath from her, and then she stopped in her track.
"Where do you think you are going?" He didn't mean to touch her, or even hold her wrist, but she was walking away like she could not get fast enough and it was automatic on his part, more than words. She blinked once, he could see her mind working to come up with some kind of work.
"I need to make a phone call." She slowly pulled her hand away from his grip and he let her, watching as she moved away from him, taking out her phone. He frowned at the odd behavior, but then, when he ever understood her? He shook his head, and after giving her one last look, headed for crime scene.
There were 7 bodies inside, all burnt to crisp, unrecognizable and without any ID. People around the warehouse, the crime scene, said this place is mostly vacant and none come here. Then how these 7 people ended up here?
ACP Mukherjee joined the team while Shree was going over what he found, she looked pissed and once again the fidgeting had started. She composed herself when, obviously, everyone noticed her foot tapping and raised eyebrows at it, huffing in annoyance, something the Second in Command found amusing as he looked away to hide his tiny smirk. The warehouse was a jute factory some 30 years ago and was mostly abandoned. Earlier homeless people used to stay here but there was a raid some months ago so now it's empty.
"Can it be possible these people are homeless too?" Sameer asked to none particular.
"It can." Confirmed the Director, "How this place caught fire?"
"Faulty wire." Chotu commented, "Old place, it's normal."
"No it's not." Rawte said, frowning, "If this place was abandoned for years, there should not be any electricity at all."
Everyone nodded slowly at this, grasping this piece of revelation, "So someone was using it." Sakshi said, "Criminals maybe?"
"Who else?" Shree said, "Though it's impossible to ID them without taking them into lab first."
"Anything else?" Director asked. They engrossed themselves in some more talks, while the ACP moved away from them, kneeling beside the body of one particular victim, her face unreadable. She stood up suddenly, impossibly still, as the CSU cleared up the area. She snapped out of it when her phone vibrated, and she walked out of the crime scene.
"A little warning would have been nice." She hissed into the phone. Vir sighed on the other side.
"I just came to know ETF is going to handle this case."
"Now what?" She asked.
"Now you and your team will do your job, find out who killed them." He answered.
She stood silent for some moment, "So we are going to investigate?"
"Yes." came the calm reply.
She cursed, and before his indignant reply can come she cut the call. Upon her return she found Forensics had already taken the body. After several hours later they all headed back to ETF.
Is she cursed or what? Anything she touches, any direction she goes, is destroyed. First Aslam, then that informer, and now Nasir. It's the second time she is directly involved in a case ETF is handling and she had to betray them like this, acting as if she knows nothing.
She closed her eyes in frustration when she realized what will happen when team, especially Aisha will know the body is of Nasir's. She already know she was after him, and now this. If somehow the word reaches to Raghu sir, which will surely reach, she is screwed. That Man doesn't like when things are hidden from him, and really, where is the moral code? He is helping her and she is building layers of secrets and lies. Already the IB created an awesome first impression with the Director, clearly warning interest in Nasir will not be appreciated. Now that ETF is handling this case, she can't disclose everything and reveal IB's involvement into this. Agent Rahane, the rule-book, won't approve.
The Bastard.
Leaving her to deal with the mess.
How she is supposed to deal with it?
She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the doors of the SUV were closed. She noticed ETF had already come and frowned, annoyed at herself. She opened her side of door and found it locked.
She turned her head slowly and narrowed eyes at her Boss.
"You are distracted." He commented. Of course he noticed. Everyone noticed.
"I am." Really, what's the point of hiding? He looked surprised at the answer, clearly not expecting a straight forward reply.
"Do you know anything about the crime scene that we should?" He inquired, tilting head. This Man has two admiring qualities, he don't beat around bush, and he notices quietly, but sometimes, she would have appreciated a little bit of stalling.
She contemplated at the question, and then replied, "Yes."
His eyes widen in surprise, and she answered with a straight face, "We need to work harder."
He seemed to take some seconds to grasp the answer, and when he realized the mocking, his eyes narrowed, "Nice one."
She dramatically threw her eyes up in heaven and heard his huffing. He opened both the doors and they came out.
In the lift, she thought to herself maybe giving him a little warning would have been better.
Of course the team had to work in top gear and rip apart every aspect. Of course Liza had to find out the men were already dead when the fire started, they were shot to death. Of course they won't find anything on the Men to ID them. Of course the nosy crime journo had to do some work and find out the son of the jute mill guy had received money from one bogus company who rented the place, which was paid in cash and untraceable. Of course the team came up with the idea that many things in the crime scene doesn't add up, and then someone, mainly the guilty, manipulated it.
Of course she knew who manipulated the scene.
She mostly kept an eye on the progress of case, because, honestly, she knows everything these people are trying to find out, minus the culprit, so why pretend to work and come up empty? Keeping aside the irritation at the IB-RAW liaison officer, she kept in touch with him, but even they also hit the wall. The guards were trusted. None should know about the secret location except him, the DC, some seniors and the guards. None of the guards who were scheduled to work the next day were missing. None were the suspects.
Literally the dead end.
But the IB-RAW with their high ranking officers and effective contacts had to come up with something, and just like earlier the SOB forgot to give her some kind of warning. She nearly choked on her coffee when one of the guards, who was supposed to guard the warehouse the next day had the fire had not happened, walked inside with Chotu, looking like homeless and nervous, the latter informing them he had seen one Man entering the warehouse and walking away after the fire had begun. He sat with sketch artist, the team excitedly talked about this latest breakthrough, and she was pissed.
Again.
And to end the day in most spectacular way, Liza finally ID'ed the last remaining dead body with the help of Shree, both of their faces identical mask of accomplishment and beaming when she would like nothing but bang her head in wall, the disaster in near future so evident in front of her eyes.
"Nasir Jamal." They both said in unison, and she cursed her luck in mind.
Sameer ran to give this good news to the Director, and she decided it will be a good time to pay a visit to the liaison officer and vent out her frustration. She took a cab and headed for IB, stopped only for visitor's pass and security checking.
Vir obviously was not pleased with her arrival. He made the mistake of dragging her to the same interrogation room where they first met, when she would like nothing but create a scene in front of his workers and yell at him.
So she punched him. Barely escaping his lips but leaving a nice red bruise under his jaw.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He yelled, shocked and infuriated at her audacity.
"Same question." She snarled, "That was for crossing me twice."
"What are you talking about?" He nearly shouted, one hand cupping his jaw as he winced in pain.
"How on earth that guard saw the arsonist? And why I was not informed about it?" She asked quietly, "Do I need to remind you I was there, not too many days ago, when he was kept there? Do I?"
He glared, "You don't need to know everything."
"I am not asking for top secret missions in overseas. Just the case where I was involved and now working behind my team's back for some development. I didn't keep in touch with you so that I look stupid when you send surprise packages like that."
"I sent the guard there for your case." He argued.
"I needed to know about it. Which part of I was involved in the case you don't understand?" She crossed arms.
"You were not important enough to know what we found."
"If you talk about ranking crap one more time, I will strangle you." She warned. He glared at the threat, and then exhaled sharply, running fingers in hair.
"I get it. You should have known about it." She arched an eyebrow as she sensed a 'but' coming, "But we follow some protocols. Information like these are not supposed to go out of here."
"Why involving ETF then?"
"So that we can monitor your progress and help."
"And swoop in when it threaten to touch you." She mocked, "You can't have everything. You need to give something to get back."
He took a deep breath to calm myself down, "The order came from Higher authority."
"I don't care. Next time, just send a SMS." She replied, "How the Guard saw the arsonist? Or it's another of your surprises to divert the case?"
He looked shocked at the accusation, "His information is authentic. We need to know who this culprit is just like you.''
"Forgive me for my suspicion." She gave a tiny smirk, eyes cold, "For I don't trust you."
He sighed, "Riya, we are all in this together."
"Doesn't look like." She uncrossed arms, "Whatever. You should know that we ID'ed him. Soon they will know he was about to flee city but was missing for days. Now what?"
He went silent with thoughts, "Carry on your work. We may find something useful."
"The Director will be on my neck soon."
"Deny your involvement, whenever that comes."
"What about when they find out about your agency's involvement?" She asked, judgment evident in her voice.
"We are usually discreet." He replied cautiously, "Even if we left some loopholes . . . "
She gave a cold smirk, "I should leave, for both of ours sake."
And she did.
He looked on as she left, tearing apart the visitor pass and dumping it in a dustbin. He touched his jaw where she punched and winced, how come such a tiny person held so much strength?
Then he sighed.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Commissioner Raghu Ram loves day time. He loved the rising Sun, how the sky become red, then orange, and then become blue and a new day starts. He loves the slow breeze in the early morning and liked to walk, taking in the warmth.
It's the only time of day when he push aside all work related thoughts and concentrate on enjoying beauty or nature and his well being.
But clearly, it stopped as soon as the hurricane ACP Mukherjee re-entered his life and the whirlwind around her started. When he had went through her records and the decision to bring her back, a part of his mind had thought maybe things won't be so easy and so normal when she will arrive. His sixth sense was never wrong, and this time also it didn't prove wrong.
He would like to think he know about things around him. But even he admit he knows very little to none about her. In his mind this whole situation with the ACP is divided into two parts, where she works and keeps in touch with him, and when she does something of her own. He never complained, after all, post her arrival he got plenty of big fishes and cleared some scumbags from the streets of city.
Looks like he was missing the third part.
Last night the ETF Director arrived in his house, which was unexpected to say the least, and dropped some bomb. The thoughts destroyed his sleep and now occupied his daily morning walk. She informed him the fire case they were handling, one of the victim turned out to be Nasir Jamal, the same guy the ACP was looking for and very effectively denied to him.
He was dead.
He knew how it looked. It's not the first time it happened that someone she came in contact with died and her own department had to work on it. But many things were missing, there were several other victim and someone shot them first, the fire was added only to destroy evidence. She might not be involved with the death, which she was not, but she might know something about it. Aisha was pissed that the ACP won't open her mouth to her, which was true. She had taken an oath not to involve her in any mess, though he can't see how she is not already involved when she knows some things, and why she can't be involved.
Nonetheless, he needs to find out.
The ACP sat quietly beside him on the bench, the exact time he had asked her to. They were both silent for a while, looking ahead but not quite looking.
"Is there something your co-workers need to know about the case?" He asked.
"Good Morning to you too." Came the sarcastic reply.
"I asked something." He was never this blunt with her, in fact with anyone, but he could not help it. He needs to know.
"Other than the fact I was looking for him? No." She replied.
"Do you have any idea who were those victims with him?"
"No."
He turned to look at her and clearly saw she was lying. He could have called out on it, but decided against it. It's as good as banging head. Instead, he handed over a brown envelope to her. He looked ahead and heard as she ripped open the envelope and shuffled the documents inside, taking sharp breath.
"You can't keep grudge when you are not truthful to me." He said softly. He noticed her tapping foot and looked at her once again, eyes hard and jaw clenched.
"Your men were following me." She said quietly.
"What were you doing in the warehouse before it was burnt down?" He asked. She took deep breath and slowly started putting the pictures back in envelope.
"I found Nasir." She started speaking, "I asked some questions."
"How?" He wondered.
"I had some help."
"Of this man?" He pointed at one picture, the Man's back facing the camera. She stayed silent.
"He didn't answer what I wanted."
"Any idea who might want him dead?" He asked.
"There are many, but the question is," She finished her work and looked right into his eyes, "who found out about the location?"
He hold her gaze, "Why you went to IB?"
She shrugged, "They somehow find out I was interested in him. Gave me warning, not to look into it much, just like they did to our Director. They had no idea that he was in that location."
He shook his head in amazement, "Now I think even if I didn't bring you back in Department, you would have been fine on your own."
"The ID really helps." She remarked lightly, leaning behind, "You Men are really good, I never realized." He mimicked her and leaned back as she asked, "When they started?"
"After our last meet."
She hummed, "Just because you find nothing on your own so you decided to send men after me?"
"Am I hearing judgment from the person who keeps piles of secret from everyone?" He arched eyebrow.
"Touché." She smirked, and then became serious, "Remove them."
He sighed, "Already did, after the blast." He paused, "Did you piss off someone dangerous who wants you dead?"
"I am not dead." She answered flippantly.
"It's not the first time someone died whom you were after."
"Last time it turned out to be a stupid love triangle." She reminded.
"It's becoming awfully a series of co-incidence, eh?" He tilted head. She mimicked his action.
"I am not even half close to anyone dangerous."
He sighed at the answer as she went on, "Any progress on your side?"
He shook head, "But we are not the only one asking around. Recently someone else too showed some interest, even if they are awfully discreet."
She frowned, "Do we know a name?"
He shook head again, and she frowned, deep in thought. Abruptly she stood up, ready to go.
"Remove the dogs."
"Already did." He replied, and then added, "Be careful."
She grinned as she turned her neck, walking away, "I have lifespan of a Tortoise."
He scoffed at that.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
She could have been shocked at the audacity, even offended at the tailing, but really, how could she? Like he said, she can't keep grudge when she is being truthful. She was surprised that she missed some people who were tailing her for weeks. She needs to look around be more careful.
As soon as she was out of park, she called that SOB Rahane, who mumbled a 'Good Morning' instead of Hello, still pissed about the punch and rightfully so, even though in her eyes he totally deserved it, "I need favor."
"Can't you at least learn to greet properly?" Came the irritated reply, laced with sleep.
"I need you to find out if someone is following me, or tapping this number." She calmly informed. She could hear the shifting on the other side.
"Anyone you know?" He asked, totally in business.
"Ask me a Name." She replied, half irritated, half amused, "Mumbai Commissioner."
"Why on earth he . . . " His question was cut by her.
"Dysfunctional family." She dismissed, "He know I paid a visit in IB."
"What else he knows?"
"That I was the one who kept him in that warehouse." She looked around her, and heard him holding breath, somehow unable to trust her.
"You high ranking officers will surely know if anyone is up your asses." She said and heard him sighing, finally giving in.
"I am on it." He replied, "Bye." He ended the call.
By afternoon she got a SMS from him and sighed in relief.
PHONE IS SAFE.
At least she won't have to worry about this cell or the number.
The team made quite a progress in that day. They even had a name for the Man of sketch, and find out he was a Bangladeshi anti-social arsonist who is wanted in that country for several arson cases. He was in this country on the day of crime, and left on a 2 AM flight for Dhaka.
"It makes no sense." Director threw the file on table, "Bangladeshi citizen coming here and killing someone? Why?"
"His M.O fits though." Rawte said, "He shot his victims first, and then kill them."
"Nothing about this case makes sense." Sameer spoke, "Nasir Jamal, a guy who made money from making fake passports and selling girls in South Asia. Why he was in that abandoned warehouse? Who are those people with him? Who found him there and why killed him? Why bring someone outside the country, when many hit man in this city is available?"
"Bringing him in would take a lot of time." ACP Mukherjee said quietly, and others nodded.
"That's why we need to focus on why and who contacted him." Director said.
"Maybe those guys with Nasir, were his bodyguards." Sakshi said, "Protecting him."
Close, ACP Mukherjee thought, but not for the reason you are thinking.
"He is not that much important that he made his own gang or will walk around with guards." Chotu replied to her, "In fact, he was about to flee country."
"Really?" this came as surprise, to everyone and mostly to the ACP.
"Yes." Shree chimed in, "I was monitoring him before he ended up in that warehouse, but his last footage was weeks before his death. He was in VT station."
"Then?" Asked Sameer.
"Then he just vanished. There was simply no trace of him in any CCTV in VT, or traffic cam, Shopping Mall or any parking lot in the city."
IB, the ACP leaned back in her seat as she thought, effective and discreet as hell.
"He entered but there was no trace of him afterwards?" Director asked.
"This is not possible." Sakshi replied.
"Maybe his entering in VT, it was just to keep the scent off him." Rawte said, mostly to himself, and then he met others, "If he knew someone was following him."
"I got words from my people." Chotu said, "Some high profile law enforcement was after Nasir. He was hiding."
"This is weird." Sameer said, "He decides to flee country, but he doesn't?"
"Maybe he saw Police at VT." ACP Mukherjee said, "So he escaped."
"If police knew he was about to flee, they will keep an eye on bus stops, railway stations and airport, but not in the city itself." Chotu said.
"Like we never look into our houses." Shree said excitedly, linking dots, and the duo beamed at each other.
"So the picture looks like this: Nasir gets words that Police is after him, so he decides to flee, but then changes plan and hide in that warehouse which is our crime scene. Now the questions are, who were those other people? Who ordered that arsonist and why?"
The team went over some possible answers as the ACP sent a quick SMS to the liaison Agent.
HE WAS ABOUT TO FLEE COUNTRY.
His reply came 2 minutes later.
CITY. HE HAD TICKETS FOR DELHI.
She sighed slowly and gave a quick glance around her as she typed.
COUNTRY.
"How we know he was about to flee country?" She asked mostly to Chotu, "Do we have anything from crime scene?"
"Not anything, even a rug, except the victims. But he discussed with some of his friends." He replied. She nodded slowly at it, "He was supposed to go to Sharjah."
"Typical Middle East fleeing." Sakshi remarked.
Later that day Shree found something.
"Even though we found no cell from the crime scene, Chotu's informers came up with several of Nasir's contact numbers and I traced them. Turned out, one number was active till his escape from VT and was switched off since that day." He typed something in his computer as the team hovered over him around his desk, "He made many calls from that number, mostly to Delhi."
"To whom?" Rawte asked.
"A Burner phone. It's untraceable, but if we get permission from the service provider I can hack it."
He was bound by protocols and rules, but she knew someone who was not.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Delhi?" Vir Rahane frowned as he took in every bit of digging ETF did from ACP Mukherjee as they stood in front of each other in the darkness of night, "Are you sure?"
She gave a look, "Shree doesn't do mistakes."
The frown was still there as he let it pass, "He was going to flee country, but we got tickets for Delhi. It all points to Delhi."
"Someone in Delhi must be helping him."
"His whole network is here." He shook his head in negative.
"Maybe one of his client? Returning the favor?" She provided. He thought about that.
"I will tell my team to look over it." He met her eyes, "Why are we here?"
They were standing in front of an abandoned one storied house, it looks like none lives here. The front was hidden with grown up grass and branches of tress.
"We need to trace the burner phone." She started walking and he followed, "Someone lives here who can help."
"Lives here?" He looked suspicious.
"I am not going to kidnap you and demand ransom." She joked, to which he rolled eyes, before looking suspicious again.
"Doesn't look like someone stays here."
They walked at the back of the house, which was devoid of any over grown tree or grass. There was a small box near the door where the ACP put some digits.
"What's that?"
"Our entry code." She replied, and the door in front of them opened automatically. As they entered, his hand automatically reached for hers as he had difficulty to sense anything because the darkness was too much. She guided him to a direction.
"Is coming here necessary? My team can trace it." He said in irritation, and heard her sighing.
"But it will do no help to my team."
"If you give them any info about that burner phone won't they ask you how you got it?" He wondered.
"They are used to magic tricks like this." She dismissed.
Finally they reached near a staircase which took them down, where he could see one guy, at least of 40 years with beard and overgrown hair, sipping coke and typing furiously in his keyboards. He didn't even turn around as they stopped near him.
"Why you bought a government agent in my humble abode?" The Man stabbed a finger at them, still not turning, "That too, someone from IB who works with RAW? Do you want to kill me?"
She rolled eyes as he looked stunned, "How . . . "
"There is camera outside and he hacked." She answered him and looked at the Man, "I need something."
"Did you too join people like him in conspiracy? Is this my hour of death?" The Man went on.
"What conspiracy?" Vir asked, but both overlooked him as if he was not present there.
"No I didn't join conspiracy. It's not your hour of death. I need you to hack something for me."
"Why should I?" The Man crossed arms over chest as he grumbled.
"Because you will get money, and as soon as you finish my task we will be out of your hair and he will forget the existence of this place."
The Man seemed to think about it and finally turned, asking in sugary sweet voice as he threw a suspicious look at him, "What can I do for you today?"
She handed over a piece of paper, "This is a burner phone. I need you find a location, if possible who bought it and the location of calls made from it."
He nodded absent mindedly and turned his chair to get back to work, "This may take a while."
"We will wait." She answered at the same time Vir was thinking to leave this shadowy basement. He looked around, every bit of floor was filled with gadgets, computer parts, wires, screw drivers, pen drives and hard drives. The wall was decorated with Comics, and not too surprisingly, of Superman's.
"You never bring someone." The Man turned his neck quickly to give them a glance, "Boyfriend." He concluded.
Vir opened his mouth to tell him off, and then realized he never left her hand. She seemed to notice it, and slowly removed it, to which he made a face, "Just a fan of yours."
The Man smiled to himself, but then frowned "Why this hand-holding then?"
"Upstairs was too dark."
"Why there is no light?" Vir wondered, and instantly realized it was the wrong question to ask. The Man jumped from his seat and nearly ran to him.
"Why no light? Are you trying to kill me? I may be under surveillance. Light is the best way to track me. Then they will lock the target and DHISKAOOOO!" he dramatically paused, "I am dead. In a second. The voice of reason, who was about to unveil the conspiracies and dirty secrets, silenced forever!" He looked at him again, "No light."
"Fine." He tried to answer with straight face and the guy went back to work, after looking at thoroughly from top to bottom. Beside him ACP Mukherjee gave him a look which said 'Ignore him.'
"For someone who work at IB and communicate with RAW, you are really thick." The Man said from his chair. He glared at him, and beside him she chuckled quietly, clearly enjoying this.
1 hour and some minutes later The Man finally got a hit, the location of burner phone and person who purchased this.
All traces of humor vanished from him as he looked into the grainy picture.
This whole thing just pointed them towards hell.