Lioness

"Did you get any reports about him?" Anirudh asked.

"No sir, we tried to trace him. But we found nothing." the manager said.

"Hmm... Strange."

"Any problem, dad?"Anirudh turned towards Meenakshi who was sitting on the couch, her fingers focused on typing something on the screen.

"Nothing much. Just trying to track that devil."

A myriad of emotions flashed on Meenakshi's face that didn't go unnoticed by Anirudh.

He turned around to the manager.

"You may leave now."

The guy nodded and walked away. Anirudh sat next to Meenakshi, looking worried.

"I know it's difficult for you Meena."

Meenakshi turned her head to the man sitting beside her and replied

"No, it's not that difficult. See, I have fixed all the dates for the project and we will be starting in a week. I hope we will complete it within this year."

"I am not talking about that Meena."

Meenakshi gulped in nothing and shifted her eyes on the screen.

"Look, I know you still haven't overcome your past fears and are living with your trauma. But what's the use of it, if you can't share your sorrows with me. I want to help Meena! Please tell me what's bugging you. Maybe I can solve it." Anirudh said while placing his hand on Meenakshi's shoulder.

"What are you talking about, dad? I'm completely fine, just a little bit stressed out with the project."Meenakshi faked a smile that made Anirudh sad.

"It's ok Meena, if you don't want to talk about it now. We will discuss it later when you are ready."He stood up from the couch and walked towards the door.

"I'll leave now, have to go to the lab for finalizing the project. Hope they will accept it."

"You don't have to go, dad. Once I am done here, I will take the project documents to them. You go home now and take some rest."

"But I -"

"No buts, Okay?I said I will manage na. You go home and get some sleep." Meenakshi commanded.

"As you wish, my highness." Anirudh said.

Meenakshi chuckled at his words and Anirudh reciprocated that.

"Call me when you reach home." She said him to which Anirudh nodded his head.

Anirudh stared at his daughter for a minute and spoke to himself

"You see Jaya, our daughter has grown up into a complete woman. If you were alive, you must have been so proud of her."

Thinking this he walked downstairs and got inside his car.

A few hours later.....

In-home

Anirudh sipped on his tea when the doorbell rang. He told one of his servants to open the door.

A few seconds later, his servant came back and told him that some group of men were standing outside and one of them wants to talk to him.

"Send him in."

A short heightened man with curly hair and a dark complexion entered the room and sat on the opposite chair. Anirudh gave him a serious look.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"I am Natwarlal Reddy! and I want to have some coffee!"spoke the man

"Huh?" Anirudh was confused.

One of the men of Natwarlal came close to him and whispered in his ears

''Sir, what are you saying! You are not here for coffee!''

"Ahh, oh yeah, you are right."

He turned his head towards Anirudh who was watching him, confused.

"Ah! I mean don't you good people ask your guests for tea or coffee? I thought you might ask me, so I already gave my answer. You see,

I am very clever."

"Okay, but I wasn't planning to ask you anything like that. So now, come to the main point.

Why are you here?"

Natwarlal tried to adjust himself on the sofa like a dangerous emperor but failed abruptly.

"You see, I am the latest Don of this area."

Anirudh made an 'oh I understand everything'   like face and gestured him to continue.

"So, if you want to stay safe with your family, then you must give me some cash, as Protection Money!"

Anirudh shot up his eyebrows and replied

"Protection money, huh? But how are you going to protect me?"

Natwarlal widened his button-shaped eyes like he was talking to some ghost.

"Try to understand na. If I don't kill you and your family then you are safe right, na? So that's how I am going to protect you.. by not killing you. Did you get my point?" Natwarlal shouted.

"Hmm, I see. So you will kill me if I don't pay you the money, right?"

"Um, yes."

"Hmm, I just wasted my tea time here listening to some nonsense of you street skunks."

Natwarlal banged on the table loudly, which in turn hit his own hands only, and stood up...

"Hey! Mr. - sorry what was his name?'

He turned to one of his men.

''Sir, Anirudh Sharma!'' his man whispered in his left ear.

"Yes, Mr Akbar Barma. You better not insult me or I will make it you're last. I'm warning you... Don't mess with Natwarlal Reddy. Ask anyone in the locality! How much dangerous I am!" he straightened his shoulder in pride.

"Yes, I saw that. You may leave now."

He gestured them towards the door.

"I will see you, Mr- uh, whoever you are and make you pay for what happened today! Remember my name, Natwarlal Reddy."Saying this, he walked out of the house.

On the streets...

A sleek black Audi stopped Natwarlal's car in the middle of the road.

"Hey, who is this idiot driving in the middle of the road and stopping my car!"Natwarlal shouted in annoyance.

"Sir, should I check?" one of his minions sitting on the passenger seat asked.

"Ah, no! I will check. I am going to teach this moron a lesson he will never forget."

Saying this, he got out of the car and walked towards the Audi. He knocked on the dark glass window that hid the driver's face.

"Hey, you moron! Show your face. Do you know whose car you hit today! Well, you will get to know soon! Open the damn window and show your face."

The window glass started to move down, revealing the face of the driver.

Natwarlal was taken aback, witnessing the lady holding a gun.

So, you are that idiot who threatened my dad, huh!" Meenakshi said with anger boiling in her eyes.

"Yes, Uh. I mean, who are you calling idiot, huh? I am Natwarlal Reddy."

"I know. Now don't waste my time and get into the car, and act in front of your change managers like you are willingly coming with me! Or else die!" Meenakshi pointed the gun at him, making sure that her actions are not visible to Natwarlal's men.

"Boss, what happened?' one of his men shouted from the car.

"Uh nothing. You guys go ahead. I have some personal things to discuss with this lady here. So I am going with her."

The man who asked him looked confused and hesitant,but he was forced to obey his boss's command so he told his gang to leave their boss here.

Natwarlal got inside the car and Meenakshi drove ahead, passing his men.

"Hey, you beautiful lady! Where are you taking me?" Natwarlal asked. He was checking out Meenakshi from head to toe. He hadn't seen many Indian bold beauties in Chicago and Meenakshi ranked the exception.

"You will know soon." Meenakshi didn't look at him and drove the car further to the road.

A few hours later...

In Natwarlal's garage...

Natwarlal's men were discussing the incident that took place on the road.

"Who do you guys think our boss went with?" minion number 1 asked.

"He said it was a lady, but I didn't see clearly."minion number 2 who was certainly the man who asked his boss about his situation replied.

"I think it was his girlfriend." minion number 3 added.

All the rest of the man stared at him in shock.

"What are you saying? Our boss has a girlfriend???" minion number 2 asked in shock.

"Bullshit! Even I look much better than the pig face. I never got one." minion number 4 smirked.

"But then, why did he go with her?" minion number 1 asked.

"He must have paid her in our absence. I am telling you guys, he must be getting his one night stand with her, without informing us."minion number 2 replied.

"Hmm, you are right. That moron hid this fact from us!" minion number 4 hit his fist on the table.

"What man!here our boss is spending nights with beautiful women and we are on the other side, left to die being virgins!" Minion number 1 said in desperation.

When the men were busy discussing their boss, Natwarlal entered the garage with a beaten up face.

"Hey, boss! What happened to your face?" one of them asked.

Natwarlal glared at him, shooting daggers from his eyes.

"Was lacking a paper sheet, so decided to draw on my face with crayons! You donkey! Can't you see? I'm beaten up."

He started crying, cupping his face with his palms.

"I first time witnessed the Durga-Kali avatar in the same woman. She took me to a dark place, beat me into a pulp, and warned me that if next time I come near her father, then she will make sure that it's my last to see the light on earth!"

How dare she beat our boss like that! Boss, permit us and we will slice her into pieces. She won't dare to touch you again!" minion 1 said in anger.

The other three agreed in unison.

"I want you all to kidnap her and bring her to me. I will take away her purity and then kill her. That will be my first step to establish myself as an International Don!"

"YES, BOSS!"The four-spoke together

*******