This Time It's Personal

The new year didn't bring much change in my life nor had I managed to get any relief from Ankita's sudden fits of anger. Jaspal and Jack had wished me 'New Year' and were enjoying their lives happily. Mom and dad were in Goa enjoying their vacation and Shirley was with them. She wasn't that happy when she arrived but didn't show any signs of anxiety or stress. My fever had given me some weeks of rest and I was enjoying my favorite movie on the TV, when suddenly Ankita arrived and sat near me.

She touched my forehead and checked the temperature and then said, "Do take care of yourself. What would I do without you?" I was stunned at her innocent yet deceitful eyes. I just smiled and said, " I am fine. How's s your new year going?" She lied her head on my shoulder and said, "You know being a hard and intimidating woman isn't easy, because in the end of the day, a lady's heart is a tempestuous place. I need someone like you in my life. Of course, we had seen ourselves naked many times but I want our souls to meet." I now definitely knew that she is going to tell me about some mission or to help her kill someone. I looked at her and asked, "What's the matter?" She smiled, "Actually, I wanted to take you on a date." I said, "I am literally in my pajamas and also have a fever." She lightly kissed my cheek and said in her sweetest voice, "Let's go, nah. You will feel better and your fever will run away like a mouse on seeing a cat." I smiled and nodded in approval.

I hastily got dressed and gulped a Paracetamol pill with a glass of warm water. Ankita had such beauty that a simple polka dotted yellow frock made her look like a princess straight out of a castle. Her fresh jasmine perfume made my day and her hair tied in a bun pleased my eyes. She snapped her fingers and said, "Come on, young man. We ain't got whole day." I wasn't also dressed heavily but a Rajasthani waistcoat, a pair of Denim jeans and white sneakers with a little touch of my favorite oak perfume. We drove our car and reached to one of the reputed restaurants of Mumbai 'Oliver Castle'. The place was crowded but not like usual crowded because of the pandemic going on and we somehow managed to find a table near the window. It was late in the morning, maybe between 8 am to 9 am, but the place was deserted and looked like most of the tables were reserved. Waiter came and we ordered a light meal of two veg chowmein, two Cappuccinos and two strawberry pudding for dessert. Ankita asked, "What's with your little sister? She wasn't much cheerful as you mentioned her." I replied, "Boyfriend issues. Her boyfriend lied and then got her in trouble but also solved it for her." Ankita laughed, "Atleast someone has a love story in your family." I giggled and said, "I don't know much about it." She suddenly caught my hand and said hastily, "I wanted to ask you a little favor." I said, "Go on." She said, "Actually, my boss asked me to track someone but the problem was that he knows me. Can you follow him for me?" I knew she had some motive behind this and her request confirmed it. I couldn't deny her and also she spend a whole day with me, at night she made me dinner and also sang me a lullaby for sleeping.

I woke up to the irritating sound of the alarm clock. My hands searched for Ankita's body but she wasn't there. I brushed, bathed and went to the kitchen to fill my stomach. I saw a sticky note on the fridge saying "The food is in the fridge. Follow the man. He will be in Dhang Baazar near 11 am. Find as much information as you can and if any trouble comes, you know how to kill. Love Ankita." I laughed at the dilemma of my life that I must be either entirely ruined or entirely corrupted because now killing someone isn't a big deal for me. I went out and called a taxi to remain unnoticed and soon reach Dhang Baazar. I waited for sometime and then received a message on my phone saying, "The bald, chubby man is your target." I looked and saw an aged and a little tilted man buying vegetables. I carefully walked near him and carefully looked at him. He was Ganesh Dada, the new mobster after the death of Gulli Bhai. He is surely weak and tilted with age but at his prime, he escaped many murder cases and was a big threat to Mumbai streets. Now, his sons managed his life but he sometimes comes to enjoy with his old friends. I picked up his stick and said, "Dada, let me help you." Ganesh Dada laughed, "It has been ages since someone called me Dada. What's your name, son?" I replied, "Avinash Chakrabarti. I live in Shanti Nagar." Ganesh Dada said, "My wife was from that place. What an wonderful lady she was. But, her immense beauty couldn't stop me from having illegitimate kids." I asked, "Where is your house, Dada?" He replied, "Yeah, yeah, my house. It's in Ultan Chowk, take me there." The man had so much shine on his face that even the slyest person can get deceived by him. I took him to the Chowk and bid him farewell.

I was returning as silently as possible because this place is filled with thugs and other bad people. A slight disturbance or wrong move will create a turmoil here, especially if that person is someone distinguished. Ultan Chowk isn't that big, maybe three or three and half acres roughly, but the leader's house is always the most secured and so only daring and aggressive people were stationed here. I was about to exit Ultan Chowk when a voice cried, "Hey, young boy. You, man wearing red shirt." I turned and saw Ganesh Dada's eldest son, Appu Raj coming towards me. He came and said, "Hey, father said you to have lunch with us." I couldn't disagree and also it only enhanced my plan to the next level. I agreed and he put his hand around the back of my neck. We went to the house and Appu went in to bring slippers for me. I went in and saw Ganesh Dada sitting on the floor with a banana leaf spread before him. Dada said, "Avinash, wash your hands and legs and come to dine with us." I went and saw a young lady washing clothes in a tub filled with soap water. She was wearing a Madrasi saree and her hips were dancing on the tunes of her smashing the shirt on the ground. I said, "Excuse me. Can you saw me the way to washroom?" She turned and gave me a started look. She said angrily, "Don't you see I am washing clothes? Go and explore your washroom." I silently went and find the washroom. After washing hands and legs, I went to the hall and saw Ganesh Dada already started eating. I sat two persons away from him and got my banana leaf. A slim, soaked hand served me rice and lentils along with a piece of chicken leg. I rose my head and saw the same girl but this time she smiled at me; maybe because this time I wasn't a stranger asking directions, but her guest.

The food was delicious but the only problem was that it was made with coconut oil. For Ganesh Dada and his family, this food was as good as any food can be, but I didn't train my taste buds for this. After I gulped down the food, the lady came again and served all of us a big 'besan laddo'. I ate the ladoo and could feel my tummy had gone an inches forward. Now I know the secret behind their huge, protruding bellies, but the women weren't owners of such bellies except Appu's wife who is seven months pregnant. I stood up and asked for my leave. Appu drived me home and then went to his way. I entered my house and saw three well-suited men with guns in their hand. I rose my hands and said, "You can take the money but it's in the bank." I jumped to a corner and rolled behind the shelf. I took out my gun and shoot down the men. Ankita came running and said, "They were my men. We were just testing your courage." I sighed and went to my room. After sometime, Ankita came inside and said, "Boss said he will dispose the bodies. Don't worry." I asked, "Who's boss?" Ankita replied, "None of your business, man." She came and sat near me, I pushed her and said angrily, "Don't you seduce me to utter stupidity." Ankita laughed and kissed my lips, "That's the reason why I love you so much." Ankita asked, "Do you want to know why I am so hateful of Jimmy Law and who is the boss?" I nodded in agreement.

She started: "I was in college and if was my last semester in communication sciences. I finished my last paper and went to my home. My father and mother were dining and I joined them. My sister was absent that day and I asked, "Where's didi?" Mom replied, "She went to her friend's house to celebrate his birthday." My parents were liberal and allowed us to be independent. I went to sleep and called my sister, but she didn't received it. Near one in the night, some smashing of windows woke me and I saw my parents were lying dead on the floor and I was tied on the bed. Some ruffians were laughing at the corner and soon a man came near me and said, "Ankita Grewal . Nice to meet you. Well, your parents are dead and we had orders to kill you too, but since it's my friend's birthday I will let me do a favor on you. I won't let you die a virgin. He tore my clothes and all the ruffians raped me in a queue and finally the unscrupulous man came and told me in the ear, "If you ever dare challenge me, remember my boss Jimmy Law." He gave me a final smooch on the lips and went away. The police came with another bad news that my sister died in an accident last night. I took an oath that I will destroy Jimmy Law and his associates, especially that scum who raped. I still remember his dark black eyes." I said, "Well, it's personal quest for revenge. Anyway, who's the boss?" Ankita replied, "That's a whole different story which I would say in a brief. After some years of research on Jimmy Law, I came to a conclusion that he operates mainly by his associates who are the real villains. Gonzalez family, Salvatore family, Rocco family and many more were the hands and legs of Jimmy and eliminating one by one would be quite troublesome and dangerous. I filed my evidence to the police but Jimmy was out of their league and handled the case to the UK police and I met with officer Lorenzo who helped me eliminate many criminals in India."

I asked, "Why did you choose me?" She replied, "That day, you and Survi went to talk with Ravi Kumar but I went there to kill him as he had connections with many criminals and was a distributor of arms and drugs in India. He didn't stopped there and had started smuggling young girls to different countries for prostitution and organ-trafficking. But, you killed him and his corrupt police friend, Sanjay and had lightened my work. But, Ravi had many friends to do his work, mainly MLA Suresh whom you had killed. Your bravery and love for justice brought me to you and gradually your honesty made me fall in love with you." I asked, "So, what's next?" Ankita replied, "We have some people to interrogate."

Ankita and I were to leave when we heard a SUV stopping at the gate. Eight men stepped out of the car and started running towards the door. We hid behind the inner wall of the balcony and observed their actions. They broke the door and all entered the house, each took out their guns and searched for us in every corner of the house. I said to Ankita, "Looks like they are here to kill us." Ankita replied, "No, they are here to dance with us. Stupid, obviously they have come to kill us." I asked, "So, what's your plan, Miss Clever?" She chuckled, "Don't worry, I have implanted some guns in the house." I asked, "Where?" She replied, "Follow me." We crawled beside the sofa and soon reach near a small door. We crawled into it and went inside a room where numerous guns were hanged on the wall and a dozen of grenades and three pairs of armor were kept on the shelf. I asked, "When did you implant this?" She replied, "When you were in Malaysia." She said, "Let's go. Enough talking." We prepared ourselves and banged outside. The men were caught off guard and our bullets took out two of them. Others hid behind the walls and opened fire on us. We hid behind the sofa and Ankita threw a grenade at the wall. The whole wall broke down and three were buried under the debris of the broken wall. I said, "It's not a battlefield, it's my home. You can't throw grenade on the wall like this." Ankita cried, "It's a battleground now and they are our enemies." We heard more men coming to the house and we loaded our guns for an action scene.

A grenade bounced before us and we jumped opposite sides, while the sofa blasted into pieces. I hid behind a wall and saw five men coming towards us. I said through the microphone, "Threw a grenade near them." Ankita threw a grenade near them and I shot the cylinder near the kitchen door and the combined blast was so powerful that it perished them and threw us off the window. We were heavily hurt, especially Ankita as she was near the blast, Ankita lied on the floor, crying in pain as her leg had left her body. She cried, "Run away, run. Avenge me, my sister, my family and the people who died because of Jimmy Law." I had no option and gave her the last kiss and ran away. Few men stopped near her and were laughing at her. She laughed back and said, "So long, fuckers." She detonated a grenade near her and took her and the men's lives away.

I ran as fast as I could, but was caught up by some men. They shot at me, but I somehow managed to escape but a bullet pierced my left bicep and I couldn't fire much. I threw a grenade at their direction and heard some screaming. I lied on the ground as some laughing men came near me, but instead of shooting me, on of them kicked me in the gut. They then stomped my every part of my body and then pointed their guns at me. I closed my eyes and waited for the imminent death and heard gunshots but I didn't felt anything. Sounds of falling bodies opened my eyes and I saw a man running towards me. He stopped near me and forwarded his hand and said, "I'm the boss. Ankita must have told you about me." I gave a weak smile and asked, "We are safe?" The man said, "It does looks like that." He took me on his back and carried me to the car. He lied me on the back seat and then started the car. We had only exited the compound when I heard a large explosion. I looked back and saw my house in smokes and only a little bit of the gate remained.

I asked, "What is your name, sir?" The man replied, "That's not necessary. For now, call me Officer Lorenzo." I asked, "Ankita survived?" Lorenzo replied, "No, she martyred herself for the nation." A tear rolled down my eye and I asked, "What's about my family?" Lorenzo replied, "Safe and joyful. They are enjoying their vacations. But, Jaspal and his family was killed two days ago by some dacoits. But the weapons were far more expensive for some ordinary dacoits and I highly doubt that Jimmy has hands in this incident." I felt sorry for Jaspal as I had dragged him in all this. Lorenzo asked, "Tell me one thing. What makes a difference between a wise man and an intelligent man?" I said, "Wise men knows his limits and intelligent men knows how to turn his limits into his strengths." Lorenzo laughed, "It will be a pleasure working with you." I gave a weak smile. The burden of Ankita and Jaspal's death is now on my shoulders and I will surely repay it with Jimmy's life because this time it's personal...