I Warned You!

Team Name: Maximus Dramaticus

Read the previous part here: The Warning


“I warned you, you nasty bastard!”

Shouted the lady clad in white standing behind him. She was holding a razor in her hand, soaked in deep red blood. It was the same lady whom Cyrus saw the other day.

The sight was terrifying, the silence of the night was deafening. His heart sank with fear of death and he wanted to scream, but his voice betrayed him. His face turned pale, he stumbled and hit his head on the basin and fell unconscious on the floor.

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Cyrus woke to the irritating sound of Alarm ringing somewhere. He so wished that someone switches off that irritating sound, but it continued ringing. He was lying on his washroom floor. He tried to search the source of the sound as it was coming from somewhere in the washroom itself. The irritating sound persisted.

It was his cell phone ringing alongside the basin. He tried to stand up but he felt unbearable pain in his legs. He was lying on a pool of blood which emanated from his left leg. It was deeply cut due to his sudden fall over a sharp-edged object.

‘Please shut the fuck up, you goddamn phone!’, He yelled to himself and collected all his strength to find out who the hell was calling.

He wanted to scold the person on the other side with all the nasty, disgusting words. But as he got hold of the phone, his screen was flashing name of his professor, Paresh Bohra. He rubbed his eyes, saw the time on the phone screen. It was seven o’clock in the evening. He picked up the call.

“What are you doing since last an hour? I have tried your number so many times.”, the frustration was visible in voice of Professor.

“Sorry Sir, I was sleeping and the phone was in silent mode.”, Cyrus preferred to lie.

“Cyrus, If there is anything serious you are engaged in, then please let me know. I called up to know your progress with the case. I hope you are working on it. Are you?”, Asked the professor with concern.

“Sir, I will come and discuss with you some serious findings regarding the case tomorrow.”, replied Cyrus gaining his composure.

“Well, See you then.”, responded professor and disconnected the call.

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Jennifer was out to meet someone since the afternoon. She was worried about Cyrus as she knew he was really innocent and these Monday night incidents would have filled him with dread and fear. Hence she came to Delhi as soon as she heard from him but there was someone else as well whom Jennifer promised to meet when she comes to Delhi and she was on her way to fulfill the promise. 

Jennifer was really confused and wanted to know who was behind this mystery. The person she was going to meet might also help in her pursuit.

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Cyrus was sitting in his study and reviewing the case. It happened two years back and involved some serial murders in the city. The case involved some big mafia dons of Delhi specially the Don who controlled Mafia activities of Central & West Delhi and dealt with smuggling and human trafficking. He was arrested under an alleged prostitution case and was set free due to absence of any proofs against him.

The serial murders happened over a two-month period each involving some soon-to-be-famous personality. Nothing succeeds like success, except of course the murderer involved in these cases as he succeeded in his evil motives before they could taste success. Interestingly, Murdered loved to kill and put his killing abilities to display after each murder.  

9 Murders spanning across 2 months happened over 9 different locations – Pusa Hill Forest, Karol Bagh, New Delhi Railway Station, Daryaganj (Delhi Gate), Vikram Nagar (close to ITO), Connaught Circus, India Gate, Khan Market and Lodi Colony in that order. It seemed like a puzzle to Cyrus. There were many questions raising in his mind –

What was the motive behind these murders?

Was there a puzzle to be solved and a open mystery behind these 9 murders?

Is there a connection between the serial murders and the bitch killings?

Cyrus had answers to none. His leg was still paining despite bandages and medication. But he felt motivated to solve this case and find out the real culprits and exact justice to them. He was also missing sweet Jenny. He opened his phone lock and dialed her number.

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Lallan was a fair skinned, tall and handsome guy with muscular physique. He came to Delhi 15 years back from Lucknow where he was charged with 5 murders but was set free under influence of a politician whom he served each week with young females imported from Nepal. 

He was a bad guy with a tainted image, but he loved it. He loved to see fear in the eyes on others. In last few years he had made New Delhi as his fiefdom.

He used to work secretly from different locations in Delhi supplying all kind of narcotics to rave parties and drug addicts in NCR, Haryana and Rajasthan. The house inherited by Shekhar from his distant uncle was one such secret location. 

Basement and Ground Floor of the three-storeyed house and the house adjacent to it were given on rent to some Kapoor & Sons which was nothing but another identity for Lallan to accomplish his malign motives. Chuna Mandi was close to Paharganj and hence a prime location for Lallan’s business to flourish. 

He wanted complete ownership of the house and had, hence, contacted Shekhar regarding the same under false pretence of opening a guest house over there. Though that plan failed but for someone like Lallan, there is always a Plan B. He was intently working on it.

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December nights are chilling in Delhi and after such a night, Sunrise is pleasing. Shekhar and Roohi were de-boarding the flight from Mumbai to Delhi. Roohi was excited to meet his mother and surprise her. As always, she wanted to play a game of hide and seek with her dear mum. 



But Shekhar was concerned, it was out of concern that he came to Delhi to find out what is happening. He was a loving and caring husband. They took a cab from Delhi Airport to Chuna Mandi while he messaged to Cyrus telling him that as per their discussion the previous night, he has come and will be home in a few minutes.

As soon as he disconnected the call, He saw that a call from Tara has gone missed. Shekhar told Cyrus explicitly to not tell Tara about his arrival to make her happy with a pleasant surprise. It might just be a routine call, he thought. He called her back.

“Hey Sweetheart, Good Morning!”, Shekhar exclaimed with joy.

“Dear, There is something that I need to tell you. I have found something in one of the locked rooms. This ought to be something serious. I am desperately missing you. I wish you were here!”, there was anxiety and distress in her voice.

“Tara, please do not panic. I and Roohi have just reached Delhi and wanted to give you a pleasant surprise. I will be home soon.”, Shekhar disconnected the call and told the cab driver to drive faster. 

Shekhar’s heart was pouncing fast as he badly wanted to know what is it that Tara has found out.

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Read the next part here: Old Deeds Come Alive

Illustration sketches by Arvind Passey

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