'Kuch toh haqeeqat, kuch toh khwab pura karna hai. Bohot se log hai jinka hisab karna hai.'
Third person's pov
A man in his mid thirties walked hastily to the main office where his soon to be mafia leader had meetings with his associates or rivals.
His footsteps echoed in the empty corridor. He cursed under his breath. Living in a mansion, which almost was a haveli, had long passages and now he was drained to a level where he was dragging his body to their leader's cabin.
He came to a stop and knocked on the door before entering.
"Kya maine kaha tum andar aa sakte ho?" A loud voice growled in the room.
Arya rolled his eyes, "Yeh maamla bhot zaruri hai aur tumhari tawajju ka mutaqazi hai."
His face was hidden behind the laptop screen because of it Arya was only able to see his sea green eyes which glimmered like an emerald.
His eyes were glued to the laptop, "Mamla chahe kitna bhi zaruri kyo na ho, ainda yeh gustakhi karne ki himmat nahi karo. Khas ho iska matlab yeh nahi ki yeh badsalookhi bardasht karu."
Arya sighed. After all, Altan Mirza was going to be crowned as the 'Sultan' and no matter if he was his friend or not, he should attribute that honor to him.
"Ho gayi galti. Kya tum ab sunoge?"
"Aap sunane ki zehmat karenge toh sunenge."
"Rashid, muhn nahi khol raha."
As these words escaped Arya's mouth, Altan's fingers ceased on the keyboard. He shut down the laptop completely and kept it aside.
Now when he got to see the whole form of Arya, he wasn't stunned to see his appearance.
His knuckles had dried blood on them, his white shirt was creased and had blood stains on it. One side of the shirt was tucked in and the other was loosely hanging out. His hair was a mess. Even though Arya stood at a very good distance, Altan could see some blob of blood on his face too. He could see how his warm honey eyes looked dead and were completely worn out.
Altan placed his elbows on the table and intertwined his fingers, "Pichle 6 ghanto se tum ussey ek khabar nahi nikalwa sake?"
"Yakeen maano mera har tareeka apna lia, chaar daant, dono haatho se teen-teen nakhun aur chehre ka toh pura geography bhi badal dia tab bhi kuch bolne ko woh razi nahi. Bas ek hi baat kehta hai," Arya rubbed his hands on his face, "Mennu kuch khabar naisi."
(I don't know anything)
Altan leaned back and smirked, "Jidu main apne tareeqe naal bolan lag pya na, odhu odha pyo vi muh kholuga."
(Ab main mere tareeqe se bolne lagaunga tab uska baap bhi muh kholega.)
Arya nodded, "Toh ab karna kya hai?"
Altan stood up to his height and removed his blazer. Pulling out the cuffs of his black shirt, he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, revealing his toned veiny hands.
"Karna kya hai? Yeh wohi batayega." Altan left the office, with Arya trailing behind him to the basement which was installed in the mansion's bottom.
A number of thoughts roamed around his head but a female voice which echoed on top amongst them in his mind had him close his eyes.
'Mere Altan..'
His hand clenched at his side as Arya opened the door to the basement and they passed by several cellars.
Altan pressed his fingers on his temple to soothe the ache which was caused by the constant soothing girly voice.
He was at the point of his life where he was scared of no-one but terrified of the fact that he would forget her voice.
Also, petrified by her voice which brought a number of nightmares and he knew they were going to stay in his head till the last breath of his.
They entered the cellar where Rashid was lying on the chair in the middle of the room and four of his men standing behind the almost dead man.
Altan saw the man's condition and clicked his tongue, "Wafadar kutta hai apne maalik ka."
The man lying on the chair grinned, "Sahab roti khaye hai apne ma..malik ka aise tho..thodi na bol denge."
Altan walked towards Rashid and lowering himself to his almost lifeless frame, he spat viciously, "Main tujhse akhri dafa keh raha hu, ya toh woh bande ka naam aur pata mujhe de ya fir tu apni qabar mein farishto se milne ka aaj irada pakka kar."
Panic struck Rashid's whole being. He knew Altan was the man of his words. If he doesn't get what he wants, he will either destroy it or make it vanish in the air.
Both of his ways meant destruction.
Seeing the horror in Rashid's eyes, Altan smirked. He clearly knew he was about to give in but he just cannot let go of this man so easily. At least not without creating an art on him without himself.
Altan stood straight and stuffed his hand in his pants, he looked over his shoulders, "Arya, bring me the tools."
Arya nodded and before leaving the cellar, he looked at Rashid, "Ab tu muh bhi kholega aur pachtayega bhi yeh soch soch ke bhi ki pehle hi kyu nahi keh dia."
Altan's lips curled into a wicked smile, "Laton ke bhoot baaton se kaha maante hai."
Altan wore the rubber gloves and as Arya came back with Altan's tools, he handed a knife to him and kept the acid on the table with other
knives and guns lying on it.
Altan played with the knife casually and Rashid's face dropped at the acid's sight. He began to move hysterically against the rope tied to him on the chair.
"Main batata hu, please ku..kuch nahi karo humko."
Altan stopped playing with the knife and tilted his head, "Ab kaha gaya maalik ka khaya hua namak?"
Rashid started to tremble seeing the dead eyes of Altan. He didn't know what his next action would be, which was making his heart race in anticipation. "Pai..pait mein hazam ho gaya, baba. Main batata hu sunlo..."
'Wafadar kutte toh piggi bili ban gaya.'
(Wafadar kutte se bheegi billi ban gaya.)
Altan sauntered towards the table and dipped the knife in acid, "Chal, bol ab."
"Joh woh ladki ko mara tha na uska naam Bakhtawar Shaikh hai aur woh abhi Hindustan gaya hua uske chachere bhai Mohsin Owaisi ki beti ki shadi mein maujood hone."
"Hindustan mein kaha?"
"Nampally, Shaan nagar, Hyderabad."
Altan's brows creased. He looked at Arya who seemed to have understood what his mind was playing about.
"Ab hu..hum aapko bol di..diye hai na ab aap humko jaa..jane do."
Altan's jaw clenched. His sea green eyes darkened with the amount of anger oozing in his body. The veins on his temple and neck popped out.
His appearance screamed danger which frightened Rashid.
'Joh woh ladki ko mara tha...'
He mossied towards Rashid hastily, whose fear vanished and he smiled in victory thinking the leader himself was going to untie him but his smile dropped as Altan raised his hand and stabbed the knife in his abdomen violently.
"Jitni asaani se keh dia tune woh ladki ko mara tha, woh ladki meri duniya thi," his each word echoed in the empty cell with venom.
Altan removed the knife and drops of blood splashed on his face. He mercilessly jabbed the knife again in the right side of Rashid's chest, making him choke and puke out blood. "Woh ladki mera sab kuch thi."
Lastly, he retrieved the knife from his chest and sliced his throat.
Altan was heaving as he backed off from the lifeless body and threw the knife on the ground.
The dead's statement kept on wandering in his mind eradicating his lasting existence.
Arya handed him the tissue and Altan took it and wiped the blood off his hands.
Arya looked at his face which had drops of blood. Altan's eyes were dead but his entire self immediately got filled with sorrow. His eyes blurred with tears at the memory of hers.
Years ago, Arya Sahai, who'd be the second in command after Altan being crowned as the Mafia Leader, lost someone very dear to him who was more precious and important to Altan Mirza.
Arya stood there motionlessly as he watched Altan exit the cellar.
He swiveled around and looked at the men, "Zaviyar, clean up the mess and you know where to bury the body."
Zaviyar, with the others, nodded and Arya left the basement as well.
Altan was heading towards his room but his steps halted seeing his not so lovely father standing in his way.
"Kidhu da udikan dya ci main tenu."
(Main kabse tera intizar kar raha tha tera.)
Altan heard the footsteps from the back of someone and he knew who it was.
He pushed his hands in his pockets and glared at his father, "Arya, does this man have an appointment to meet me today?"
"Jaha tak mujhe yaad hai, nahi."
"Toh yeh insan jaise uss darwaze se andar aaya hai vaise hi woh darwaze se isey wapis jane ka raasta bata do."
Arya snickered, "Jo hukum, mere aaka."
Altan took his eyes off his father and walked past him but Adnan held his elbow in a tight grip and believe me it didn't inflict an inch of pain in his body.
He looked down at the hold of his father and scoffed,"Tum mere bete ho. Aur jo tumhara rutba agar aaj yeh itna bada hai toh woh sirf mere wajah se hua hai, yeh bhoolo mat!"
Altan harshly jerked his hand off of him and howled in anger, "Ayy, Adnan Mirza !okat vich reh apni, nale gal rayi mere rutbe di," he held out his arm in the air and circled his finger around the mansion, "yeh sari azaishein bhi meri khud ki mehnat se aaye hai toh tu khudko inn sab cheezo ke liye munafa mat de."
(Ayy, Adnan Mirza! Aukat mein reh apni. Aur baat rahi mere rutbe ki)
Adnan held the collar of Altan's shirt and scowled, "Yeh makam tujh meri aulad hone pe mila hai. Aur agar main tujhe yeh sab dena janta hu toh wapis sab lena bhi janta hu."
Altan stared down at the hands of his collar. He mockingly laughed as nobody has ever built up courage to raise their eyes and look at him let alone think of holding his collar. In the thirty-one years of his life, his father held his collar for the second time. First, when he was just a child with innocence and now a man corrupted with malice.
He was already a hot headed man who didn't know how to control his anger. And this move of his not so kind father unleashed the devil inside him.
Without giving a second thought, Altan punched Adnan in the jaw. The potency of his knock out was so powerful, Adnan fell to the ground and held his jaw.
Altan huffed heavily in rage. Arya's eyes broadened in astonishment and he moved forward in a haste, "Altan...." Altan showed his hand to him, "Tu vich na aa. Eh mere nale bande de vich hai.."
(Tu beech mein mat aa. Yeh mere aur iss admi ke beech mein hai.)
Altan crouched down near Adnan, who held himself up on his elbow. He lowered himself to his ear and sneered, "Baccha tha na tab kar lia tune joh karna tha. Ab mere ghar mein bina meri ijazat ke qadam bhi rakhna tune munasib samjha," backing out a bit, he looked Adnan in the eye and gritted, "Te tere loki vi hun tere shareer de tukde labde reh jan ge."
(Toh tere log bhi tere tukde dhundte reh jayenge.)
Adnan could only peered down at him in enmity. He only had one son and the relationship with him was not at all amiable. He could have easily retorted back to satisfy his ego but he let it go as his son was the heir of his empire and when the empire was beginning to crumble down, Altan had to build it up all again.
Altan stood to his height and clapped off the dust from his hands, "Arya, isey bahar ka rasta dikha dena."
Adnan rose up to his feet as Altan marched towards his office.
"Tu abhi tak Sultan bana nahi hai."
Altan's steps ceased and his jaw clenched.
Adnan wiped the blood from his lip,"Viah ni hoya tera haje, jidu tak tere kar vali ni aa jandi odhu tak tu Sultan ban vi ni sakda. Pul gaya ki Mirza de kar dya de asool?"
(Shadi nai hui teri aur jab tak teri biwi nahi aajati tab tune leader banna bhi nahi hai. Bhool gaya kya Mirza khandan ke qaide?)
Altan ignored him and walked to his father. Opening the door to his office, he looked for his phone.
He opened the desk and took his cell. Altan wasn't a fan of using mobiles or any modern technology. He also had no one so close to him for him to communicate with anyone, so his phone always stayed in the drawer of his personal cabin.
He unlocked the device and opened WhatsApp. He didn't have to scroll for the name of the contact he was searching for as it was right in front of his eye, second in the list.
Zorawar.. He clicked on the name and again read the chat which he just ignored and didn't mind to reply.
"Yeh card bhej raha hu meri behen ki shadi ka toh zarur shirkat hona. Maine tumhare rahen ke liye ghar bhi khali karwa diya hai aur har dawat mein bina koi bahane ke hazir rehna hai. Apni khidmat karne ka mauka iss gareeb dost ko bhi do."
Altan pressed on the photo, "..daughter of Mohsin Owaisi.."
So, Rashid gave him the correct information. He locked the phone and kept it aside.
The sound of the knock resonated in the room, "aajau."
Arya entered the room with Jannat who smiled dearly at Altan, "Assalamualaikum, Sultan."
He bobbed his head, "Wa alaykummasalam, Jannat."
Jannat Baigh was Altan's childhood friend and also his manager. Her long blonde hair, pale skin and metal gun gray eyes grabbed heed unwillingly. She was raised in Istanbul by her father but came to Lahore often on her vacation. Her father Shahid and Adnan were companions due to which now Jannat was one of the two people whom Altan trusted as they grew up together. First being Arya.
Jannat kept the files on the desk and handed Altan him a glass of lassi, "You might need this."
"Aaj joh bhasad hui hai uske baad se toh humein lassi ke tanker ki zarurat hai, Jannat." Arya said while taking the luft of his lassi.
Jannat's brows creased in confusion, "Kyu? Sab khairiyat?"
Arya narrated the whole story about the events which took place and Jannat gasped at the situation.
She sat on the sofa beside Arya and looked at Altan who was drinking his lassi with boredom.
"We got a lead, that's very commendable but Altan, uncle ko aise maar na woh tumhare abba ji..."
âMaine tumhari rai maangi?â
Jannat sighed, "Okay but now what are we going to do? Hindustan jana hai?"
"Tell the pilot to get the jet ready. We will first go to Afghanistan then from there we will go to India."
"Okay."
Arya placed the empty glass on the coffee table, "Janab aade afghani aade paki hai toh faide dekho inke. Toh hum jaa rahe hai Zorawar ki behen ki shadi mein?"
Altan hummed, "Hindustan ki sair kar aate hai."
Arya grinned from ear to ear like a child and punched in the air out of joy,"Ooff, Finally a vacation for one week. Khoon kharabe se ek hafte ki fursat!!"
Jannat laughed at the grown old man who was older than both the people.
Altan rolled his eyes and Jannat cleared her throat, "Altan, you need a wife to be the leader. Woh kaha se layenge?"
Arya scoffed, "Mafia walo ko ladki dene se raha."
"I am not even interested in getting married anytime now."
"But baby you have to." Arya cooed, making Jannat laugh and Altan could only glare at him.
Jannat placed her hand on Arya's hand at which his eyes snapped to hers, "tum bhi koi ladki dhundlo apne liye waha. It's never too late to move on, you should give it a..."
Arya snatched away his hand from her soft grip,"Apni muft ki salah, aap apne paas rakhein. Meri zindagi ke faisle, mai khud lena janta hu."
Jannat muttered an apology.
"Arya."
Arya looked over at Altan,"Hmm."
"Hum Zorawar ke ghar mein hi rahenge. Usne rahne ka intizam kia hua hai. Issey humein uss shaks ke baare mein aur khabar mil jayegi."
"Jaisa tum kaho."
"But guys..."
Altan raised his one eyebrow at her to continue.
"You both can't go like this."
"Like this? Like what?" Arya questioned.
"Pure Pakistan ke akbar mein aa jayegi yeh khabar ki renowned businessman Altan Mirza and his partner, Arya Sahai were spotted vacationing in India."
Arya mocked, "We are anything but businessmen."
A beautiful yet evil smirk crawled up to Altan's lips, "Yeh dunia yeh bhays ko kya samjhe? Jab tak inhe sacchai pata chalegi tab tak yeh 6 feet zameen ke neeche dafan ho gaye honge."
"Agreed."
Altan stood up from his chair and turned around. He looked at the beautiful garden of his mansion which was built in the memories of her.
Bagh-E-Azyan.
"Hum bhays badal ke jayenge. Issey humein koi pehchan nahi sakega aur nahi kisiko khabar hogi."
Arya rubbed his hands in excitement, "Hyderabadi mughlai khana!!! Hindustani khana! Uff! mazey hi mazey!"
Jannat laughed at his antics and Altan got lost in the trance of the garden.
His thoughts were tangled together. Serendipity was far away from his sight, from his being.
Even sleep didn't bring him tranquility as he was diagnosed with insomnia at a very young age.
He was a monster who was after his prey and when he would get a hold of him, he would make sure to unleash his demons and avenge her.
Altan smiled cunningly at the thoughts of him ripping out the man's heart by his own bloody hands.
His wait would finally be over once he reached his destination.
India.
â¢â¡ï¸â¢â¡ï¸â¢â¡ï¸â¢â¡ï¸â¢â¡ï¸â¢
Your comments and votes will be heartily welcome <3