Chapter 106: chapter 106

MADHAVMy mind is buzzing with thoughts as I drive my convertible to Enclave. The night air is chilly, ruffling my hair. The hood of my convertible is down, and I can see the sky, an endless black canvas devoid of stars. There's no moon tonight, and the darkness mirrors the heavy feeling in my chest every time I think about the person helping Raj. Someone within our circle—a person with enough access and cunning to stay hidden—has been playing both sides. It gnaws at me.I try to recall everything I've gathered about Raj. He was a genius, the prodigious son of hardworking doctor parents. Even as a child, he showed an unusual aptitude for medicine, and he seemed destined for greatness. And for a time, he was the golden boy of the medical world, a pioneer who made waves with groundbreaking discoveries. The country celebrated him. People loved him, admired him, wanted to be him.But what they didn’t know was the other side of him—the cunning, merciless side that operated in shadows. Raj had a thirst for power that went far beyond his love for medicine. He began experimenting with illegal mind-control drugs, testing them on unsuspecting humans. Some went insane; others lost their lives. Six people died because of his sick need to push boundaries. And yet, no one dared to speak out. He had connections in the highest places, and fear kept everyone in line.When Vikram got wind of his activities, Raj’s days were numbered. I went undercover, tracking his every move, gathering the evidence we needed to bring him down. What I hadn’t realized until I was in the thick of it was just how dangerous he truly was. The depths of his depravity were terrifying. At one point, I thought about ending him. Killing Raj would have been a service to humanity. But Vikram... Vikram wanted more. He said death was too easy, too quick for someone like Raj. He needed to suffer.So we captured Raj and sent him to a high-security jail. But Vikram made sure that the public never knew. It was quiet, unspoken. People had already forgotten about the genius doctor after he went into seclusion to work on his “next breakthrough.” Vikram wanted to keep it that way—no more attention, no more glory. Exposing Raj’s crimes would have been a blow to public trust, especially toward the medical community. Vikram believed that focusing on Raj would only breed fear, making people distrust the very doctors they depended on.The Enclave’s security guard nods at me as I approach, and the gate slides open. Vikram must’ve informed him of my arrival ahead of time. I park the car and make my way to the door. The familiar high-tech system scans my thumbprint and my iris. A couple of seconds later, the door clicks open, and I step into the empty, quiet hall.I clear my throat loudly, and moments later, Vikram’s head peeks out from the kitchen. He’s wearing an apron, spatula in hand. A sight that would have amused me under different circumstances. Not many people know this about Vikram, but he cooks when he’s stressed. Cooking is his refuge—a rare, quiet space in his otherwise chaotic life.“What are you making at this hour?” I ask, glancing at the clock. It’s already eleven.“Noodles,” he replies, walking out of the kitchen with two bowls in hand. He places them on the table and sits down on the couch, gesturing for me to join him. The savory aroma wafts toward me, making my stomach rumble. I didn’t realize how hungry I was. After leaving the police station, I’d bounced from one errand to another, finishing up the last-minute details for the expo. I had grabbed a quick dinner and texted Sruthi to eat without me and head to bed, knowing I’d be late.I take a bite of the noodles, and a satisfied sigh escapes me. “God, this is heavenly,” I mutter, shaking my head at my best friend. If not for his family’s legacy and the weight of his responsibilities, Vikram could have been a renowned chef. No question about it.“Your future wife is going to be lucky,” I say without thinking.Vikram freezes, spoon halfway to his mouth, and I mentally curse myself. Damn it, I forgot about his strict no-relationship policy.“You do know I’m not planning on getting married, right?” he says, his tone flat but not unkind.I nod quickly. “I know. It was just a slip of the tongue.”Vikram pauses, his eyes distant for a moment, before he speaks again, softer this time. “To be honest, Madhav, I’m relieved that I’m infertile.”His confession is so unexpected that I choke on my food. He calmly pushes a water bottle toward me, amusement flickering in his eyes.“I was worried when Pavitran told me. It hit my ego—hard. But after some time, I realized it’s a blessing. Now I have a valid reason not to marry. Even if the ministers push their daughters toward me, they wouldn’t want an infertile son-in-law. It works in my favor.”I nod, understanding where he’s coming from. I know Vikram too well—his reluctance toward romance isn’t just about not wanting it. It’s about the fear of what it would demand of him. But I also know that if he ever loved someone, that woman would be the luckiest person in the world. Vikram’s love would be fierce and unwavering, and he would move mountains to make her happy. I just don’t know if there’s anyone who could handle the intensity of that love, the weight of it.“Sruthi would be disappointed if she knew about this,” I say, thinking about how much my wife wants her brother to have a happy life of his own.“She already knows. We talked about it. She tried to convince me otherwise, but when she saw how serious I was, she let it go.”I shake my head, marveling at the odd contrast between the two siblings. They’re so different, shaped by the same past but walking opposite paths. Sruthi craves love and peace, while Vikram recoils from the very idea of it. One incident had the power to shape their lives in such drastically different ways.“Fair warning: if Sruthi asks me to convince you to get married, I’m siding with her,” I say with a chuckle.Vikram raises an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh? You’re picking sides already?” He clutches his heart dramatically, pretending to weep. “I’m hurt that you’d put love before our lifelong friendship.”“Ah, stop it. Wouldn’t you do the same for your sister? And aren’t you secretly glad I’m putting her before you?”He laughs softly, nodding. “You’re right. I’m glad you’re putting her first. And I hope you always will.”“I will. Don’t worry.” We sit in silence for a moment, both of us knowing there’s more to talk about.“So, what’s the plan with Vishnu?” I ask finally.“I have a plan. But before that, I need to meet Raj. I’ll visit the Noghot jail after the expo. I have my suspicions about who his ally might be. I’ll let you know once I confirm it,” Vikram says, twirling noodles around his fork.“Should we still keep it from Sruthi?” I ask.Vikram is quiet for a moment, his expression softening into a fond, proud smile. “No. Tell her the truth. She’s stronger than I thought. Now, go to my sister. She’s probably waiting for you.”I shake my head. “She’s probably asleep. I told her not to wait up.”Vikram only smirks knowingly. “You really have no idea about her habits. I’d bet my life she’s not in bed right now. She’s waiting for you to come home.”❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥