3:15 PM

Sharath Nair's Mansion, Mumbai.

Sharath Nair gruffly said, "Satish, let me deal with the lawyers first and we will have a meeting. Can you do me a favour? Take Loki to my personal suite, and make him feel like a pampered guest. But keep a man outside the room to ensure he doesn't get out of there. I know what you are trying to tell me!! I trust neither this Loki nor his brother DJ. And I will show this Loki what I am made of... let me deal with him personally once I finish my meeting with lawyers."

Satish smiled in relief. For a moment there he thought...

Sharath looked around and gestured, "Can you gather all our guys in one room and make sure no one leaves the mansion? Loki or DJ couldn't have pulled this without someone from our gang helping them and I want to find out who that traitor is. Just keep everyone occupied. But if there is an urgent job, don't stop them, but keep them under watch, so that you know what is going on!! Okay?"

"You really think that one of our guys helped them?" Satish asked incredulously.

"What else can you expect me to think? I know I can trust you completely, but I cant say that about  guy in our network. Can you ?I want to know who that bloody traitor is !! " Sharath growled with suppressed rage.

"I cant think of any. They have all been with us for so long Sir. But I am glad.  I knew you could understand what was going on and how that bloody Loki and DJ were playing us. Leave it with me. I will take care of Loki and keep an eye on our guys too,"assured Satish.

Sharath waited till Satish surreptitiously invited all his men into the dining area and closed the doors behind, while one of his men led Loki towards the private suite at the back of the mansion.

Sharath was thinking furiously all the while!!! He trusted Satish like a family member and this is what he got in return! Or is there someone else who was the traitor? But from all the indications and the warning Loki gave, it must be Satish! His mind was imploding and it took him a lot of effort to appear normal as he went to receive the lawyers.

Even as he heard his lawyer's assertions that Daniel would be released on bail after the hearing today, his mind was preoccupied.

The lawyers didn't linger around as the hearing was scheduled at 5 PM. As they rose to leave,  they reminded him gently about the final payment, and assured him that he will hear the good news from them, as soon as the hearing was over.

Sharath smiled sardonically and wished them all the luck.

The moment they left, he rang Satish on his mobile as he rushed towards his private suite.

"Satish, is everything under control?"

"Yes Sir, all taken care of. One of our guys is keeping an eye on Loki."

"Good!! I am going to interrogate that bloody bastard now. But make sure I am not disturbed. If things go out hand with Loki and DJ today, we might be looking at alternate sources and distributors. Now that all our guys are here with you, why don't you just go through our stock figures in all our dens in Mumbai and  Kerala? Get everyone come up with ideas on how we can get more stock pushed, and what is the demand in the next few months. I want to know all the figures when I meet you after dealing with Loki!!"

"Sure Boss, I will get that done. Are you sure, you will be okay with him all alone? I can come and help if you want.." Satish offered.

"Don't worry about me. I know exactly how to deal with a traitor. Whoever tries to backstab me, I will make sure he would beg for death rather than face my wrath!!" Sharath was finally able to let out all the fury, as he spoke.

Satish, who had no idea what was going on in Sharath's mind, agreed readily, and wished him all the best.

Sharath reached the private suite and whispered to his man guarding the room " All good?"

"Yes Boss! The last time I peeked through the door,  he was lying about on the lounge, watching TV.." 

"Great! You stay right here and don't let anyone come inside. And I am going to lock all the doors just to be safe, okay." Sharath said as he hurried inside and locked the door behind him.

Just as his guy said, Loki was spread on the lounge, switching channels with a bored expression on his face. Clad in his crumpled T shirt and jeans, with the long ponytail and thick beard, Loki looked nothing like an IB agent or brother of the Mafia Don.

"Phew!! I was getting bored Sharath ji... So, are you ready?" Loki asked in a low tone, the moment he noticed Sharath.

"Yes, all good. But my car is parked in the front yard outside the mansion. How are we going to go?"

"Don't worry. There must be a reason why you sent me to this suite... is there a way we can get out from here without being noticed by your gang?" Loki asked shrewdly.

"Yes, there is a stairway which leads to the basement and from there to the parallel road at the back. We don't use this often except in emergencies and most of my guys don't  know about it."

"Cool!!. Can you give me the exact location where we come out on the road? I am going to call my guys and ask them to keep my car waiting."

Loki texted the location details on his phone and once he received confirmation that his guards are ready, waiting for them nearby, both Sharath and Loki went down the stairs.

Within five minutes, after making sure that no one had a hint of their escapade, Sharath and Loki reached the Massive  Skoda four wheel drive waiting for them on a side road, next to Sharath's mansion in Juhu and sped off.

****

"Haan Sunil, remember what I said? Reach the Road number 8 just when I tell you. Keep the bus parked somewhere nearby, even if it is illegal parking. You need to be there in fifteen minutes. And make sure you have a clear breakdown in the middle of the road so that your bus is blocking the whole road. But not now.. When I call you! Okay?!"

Sharath heard the assurances given by the local thug Sunil that he will be on the spot as per the plan, and cut the call.

Loki, who was seated next to him in the back seat,  beamed. Even though it was a spacious seven seater four wheel drive, it was a bit of tight squeeze, owing to the hefty body guards who were seated along with them. One guy who looked like a bouncer, sat next to Loki in the back seat while two more were seated in the rear and one in the passenger seat next to the driver.

"All set? Great!! Let's go through the plan once again Sharath ji. I will get off this car at Citizen hotel and get rid of my disguise. I will cleanup and be in 'Victor' attire by the time Bhandarkar from NCB comes to pick me up from there. My driver Jacob will park this car nearby and will start tailing  Bhandarkar's car once I text him the car and rego details.

Generally a bail hearing like this is a very low key affair, and nobody but the Jail DSP and few constables accompany the prisoner to the court in the police van. But NCB has become so paranoid about Daniel, that they are accompanying the police van to every hearing. I tried my best to stop Bhandarkar, but he wouldn't listen."

An expletive slipped out of Sharath's mouth and Loki chuckled aloud.

"So this is what I am going to do. Just before the fork at Road number 8,   I will create some mayhem and suggest an alternative Kherwadi Road to go the magistrate court and make sure the police van enters Road number 8 on its own. You guys will follow the police van till you reach the middle of the Road, where Sunil will create a traffic Jam by having a breakdown in his bus.  It is a one way street and there is no other way except the side lane which goes to Road number 7. My guys will get out of this car and mix up with the crowd and the chaos in the traffic jam, while you can take the car to Road number 7 and wait there. The CCTV camera in Road no. 7 is no longer working, thanks to my guys who have broken it, while we were having lunch. My main priority is that you should not be seen in any CCTV footage."

"Good job!!" Sharath smiled for the first time and patted on Loki's shoulder.

Loki smile and continued, "Two of my guys will attack the van from behind and the others will get the driver and inspector in the front. Except the DSP, no one in the van will be carrying any arms, so we are quite safe. They will get Daniel out on the street. It is a short way to run towards street number 7.  I will try to delay Bhandarkar and other NCB officers reaching the van as much as I can, and you guys can escape by that time. I have arranged for another car near Shivaji park where there are no CCTV cameras. You abandon this car and get away in that car quickly!!  All clear so far?"

"It sounds too good to be true. Do you think your guys can pull this off?" Sharath asked dubiously.

"If something goes wrong, there is always plan B. Show him your stuff guys!!" Loki turned around and asked. As each of the guards showed their  guns with silencers, knuckle dusters and even smoke bombs hidden inside their jackets, Sharath Nair's face relaxed.

"But what about you Sharath ji. Are you armed or do you want me to..." Loki paused.

Sharath pulled the revolver out of his jacket.

"Ahh what a beauty?!! Can I have a feel?" Loki asked eagerly.

Sharath handed over his revolver to Loki, who caressed it with admiration.

"Colt's Night Cobra... It has all the classic looks but modern features !! Don't mind me, but I am a bit of a Gun  aficionado. I have a nice collection back in Jersey!"

"I love guns too... got this imported, illegally of course, from US." Sharath replied with a smile.

Just then their car screeched to a sudden halt and everyone jerked forward.

"What the fuck Jacob!!! Are you nuts or what?" Loki yelled.

"Sorry Sir, I am still new to these roads but we went past your hotel and I just realized that. And some idiot on a bike cut me from the left all of a sudden. So... I had to. I am really sorry Sir." The driver Jacob turned around and apologised with a terrified face.

Sharath's temper, which was barely under control, erupted again and he showered the driver with the choicest expletives!!

Even though their car was parked to the side, vehicles behind them started honking as they went around.

"I am sorry Sharath Ji, but I have to get off now. My guys will take care of you and make sure  Daniel is safely with you in an hour or so. Oops I forgot!! Keep your gun, but please don't use it today. We don't want any drama." Loki  gave the gun back to Sharath, which he shoved back inside his jacket clumsily.  Loki squeezed past him in the car and got out.

***. 

After fifteen minutes, one of the body guards got a message from Loki with the make and number plate details of Bhandarkar's car and their location, which was just a block away from where they had parked their four wheel drive.

Jacob swiftly drove the car towards the main road and started tailing Bhandarkar's car, making sure there are two cars in between them. Bhandarkar's car was closely tailing the police van which was transporting Daniel for his court hearing. Sharath was watching the police van with hawk eyes, lest they lose sight of it in the busy traffic, but due to Jacob's excellent manoeuvres they stayed on course.

Soon, they were reaching the fork where there were two routes to reach the Mumbai Magistrate Court.

Sharath rang his henchman Sunil straight away, and alerted him of  their progress towards Road number 8.

While the police van entered Road number eight on the left, Bhandarkar's car sped towards SV Road on the right and sensing the opportunity, Jacob sped up their car, overtaking the car that came in between. Sharath sighed in relief to note that their car was right behind the police van now, and the side lane to Road number seven was less than hundred metres away.

Just then, Sharath's mobile beeped and he was glad to see Sunil as the caller ID.

"Hello!"

"Sir, I can see the police van few metres away." Sunil exclaimed.

"Yes, and our Black four wheel drive is right behind it. Can you see us too?"

"Yes, Sir. My bus will come from the left street, the moment the police van is few metres away and block it." Sunil assured.

"Stay on the line Sunil!" Sharath ordered.

They could see the front of the bus from the street on the left side, and within a few moments, just before the police van reached the T junction, Sharath barked"NOW"
The huge tourist bus literally screeched onto road number eight, almost hitting a car in front of the police van on the road.  It ran for few metres and the police van was right behind it. Sharath looked at the guards, just as their car slowed down and almost came to a halt, right at the T junction where the side street met street number 8. The bus stopped as suddenly as it entered the road, blocking the whole traffic, as fumes emanated out of the exhaust.

Sharath and the guards craned their necks to see if Bhandarkar's car had caught up again behind them, but the car was nowhere in sight.

The police van had come to a halt just like all the vehicles behind it, including their car, thanks to the big bus blocking the road.

All the five guards had pulled on their balaclavas and got off the car and  Jacob immediately turned the car left onto the side street, and sped towards the parallel Road No. Seven.  He parked the car in front of a school building, few metres away from the side street. 

Jacob kept the car running as his anxious eyes kept checking  the side mirror and rear view mirror.

Sharath Nair examined the street keenly. He could see the famous Shivaji Park way behind them in the tree lined street, which had few residential blocks on either side. There were cars parked all along the road on one side, but thankfully there were no CCTV cameras anywhere in the vicinity. The relief was momentary, as he began to tense about what was happening with the kidnap of Daniel. He would have preferred to be on the  scene to make sure Daniel was taken out of the police van safely, but he couldn't risk to be seen either.

The guards seemed well prepared but he didn't know them or their skills. And frankly, he didn't care if one of them died, as long as they brought Daniel safely to this car. And then he will make sure Daniel is  kept hidden safely, for as long as it takes.

4:30 PM

Barely few minutes passed, but it felt like eternity to Sharath Nair. There wasn't much traffic on this road compared to the busy Road N.8 which was an artery road to major institutions in that area.

Jacob cried "there!" as he peeked through the rear view mirror. Sharath Nair turned around to see his trusted mate Daniel, still in handcuffs, running across the street towards their car, followed closely by Loki's armed guards. He could see two more guards running along the side street in the distance, chased by the police.

Just as Daniel was crossing the road, all hell broke loose. 

A black SUV car came out of nowhere and stopped right behind Daniel, just as an armed NCB officer with a bullet proof vest got out of the car, pointing his gun at Daniel and the guards behind him.

"Stop right there Daniel!! You cant escape. I am warning you. Don't make this ugly."  He shouted.

Before Sharath Nair could react in anyway, Jacob got out of the car, and ran around to hide behind the car. He aimed his silencer fitted gun at the NCB officer, firing once.

The NCB officer ducked and rolled on to the road to escape the bullet.

Sharath Nair ducked low in the car, terrified at the sudden turn of events. He heard a car screeching and doors opening and more gunfire. As someone cursed loudly,  he heard a car speeding away!!  Who was that? Was Daniel safe? He peeked slowly, and what he saw sent a chill up his spine.

Bhandarkar's car pulled over from the opposite end of the road.   Daniel, watching this, made a run. Bhandarkar, with his bullet proof vest on, rushed out of the car and shot straight at Daniel's leg, but missed.

As Jacob tried to give cover for Daniel, shooting at Bhandarkar and the other NCB officer,  one of the bullets from Bhandarkar's gun hit the four wheel drive and smashed the windscreen. Sharath Nair acted fast.  He swiftly got out of the car and hid behind the boot,  and frantically began to look for an escape route, both for himself and Daniel.

He could hear the police siren and  few constables, shouting and cordoning off the public and vehicles from the scene.

One more bullet hit Jacob and he collapsed right next to the boot of the car, as his gun slipped away from his hand. As Sharath watched in desperation, Daniel managed to reach the car right behind their four wheel drive and hid behind it.

Bhandarkar's commanding voice echoed through the street, as both Sharath and Daniel cowered behind the two cars.

"Daniel, don't try anything foolish and surrender. There is no escape from here and you are completely surrounded."

Daniel signalled frantically to Sharath to help him get rid of his handcuffs. But Sharath was more worried about Bhandarkar. Sharath took out his Colts revolver and tried to shoot at Bhandarkar, but in vain. The revolver seemed to be jammed and wouldn't fire.

He slowly crawled forward and reached the end of the boot and grabbed Jacob's gun, lying on the ground next to the car. But it was too late. Another bullet hit the car, missing Sharath by a whisker  and smashed the back light, while few more bullets hit the car behind which Daniel was hiding.

Daniel panicked and made a run for it  along the pavement, away from the NCB cars. Sharath had no choice but run behind him, glancing behind and aiming shots at Bhandarkar and the other NCB officer who were chasing them.

The DSP from the police van, who was hiding behind the school gate till then, ran into them head on, as two more police constables blocked their way and captured Daniel with difficulty. Before Sharath could shoot again, the NCB officer tackled him from behind  and captured his gun.

As he struggled against his captor, Sharath was pushed to the ground and thoroughly searched.

Bhandarkar stood next to him and sneered, "I will remember this day forever!! Sharath Nair, the great Don of Mumbai, captured like a street thug!"

As the NCB officer confiscated his gun and mobile, Sharath saw a fresh pair of feet, in impeccably polished formal shoes,  next to Bhandarkar.

As he looked up, he saw a clean shaven Loki,  clad in a white shirt and grey pants smirking at him. He too was wearing an NCB bullet proof vest.

The NCB officer pulled up Sharath Nair to standing position and handcuffed him.

As he was dragged towards the police van along with Daniel, Sharath Nair growled.

"Loki !! What are you doing? You were supposed to save us!!"

Bhandarkar looked at Victor curiously and asked "Why is he calling you Loki?"

"No idea." Victor shrugged, as he took a picture of a raging Sharath Nair being pushed into the police van.

****. 

^============^

Hi all
An update, finally!! Yay!! And sorry for this long delay.
I was suffering from serious writer's block, severe hand pain among other things...
But I hope this action packed chapter will make up for the wait.
So how was this chapter??

Chapter title is apt I hope.. One down. Finally Sharath Nair has been captured... But what actually happened and how Victor planned the whole thing will come out in the next chapter.
What should I call the next chapter?
One down BTS or something else... please give suggestions.