"Vandhuteengala Ms. Priya Bharadwaj, I have been waiting!!!"

Arjun asked cocking an eyebrow at her.

"Enna un mugathula konjam kooda shock theriya maatingudhu??"

She asked with an amused smirk.

"Onnum theriyadhavan dhaan shock aavaan.... ennakku ellame theriyum!!"

Arjun said leaning forward.

"Apdiya?? Nee enna genius ah??"

Priya asked in a mocking tone.

"You should stop underestimating me!!"

He said as his expression got serious.

Priya just nodded before asking...

"Seri....enna theriyum nu naan kekamaaten!! But epdi??"

Arjun smiled.

"Indha board padi.... neenga ellarum ippovaraikum solradha padi paatha Ajay dhaan villain. But..."

Her expression showed that he had all her interest.

"But namma game chess illaye...... Chess la backstabbers irukamataanga but indha game ah aarambichadhe oru backstabber dhaan."

He looked at her and paused for a split second before putting the the hits king aside and taking the black king as he continued...

"But ivlo perukku naduvula andha black sheep yaaru nu epdi kandupudikuradhu??? Appo dhaan therinjudhu minor details matter the most."

Priya's expression showed shades of recollection and confusion.

"So, Ella vishayamum detail ah analyse pannen.... appo ennakku moonu vishyam therinjirukku...

Onnu.. Ajay kum appa oda death kum endha vidhamaana smabadhamum illa.... idha first Rahul dhaan notice pannan... 

Yean na annaiku avan Ajay ah paathapo Ajay ku Rahul kola pannan nu dhaan theriyum aana endha kola pannan epdi pannan nu theriyaadhu......"

He looked at her.

"So... avannukku kola panna order kuduthuvan vera and...

Ajay kitta pesunappo dhaan avan exile irukuradhum appo apdi open la varadhum avan thaana decisions illa... Yaaro incentive ah kaatitu influence pannanga.... 

Andha aalu neenga dhaan... idhu naan epdi kandupudichiten na .... Neenga indha drama ku naduvula moonu vaati mistake pannirukaanga!!"

Priya's expression intensified and her eyes showed that she was confused.

"First..... No one can choke on empty air... edhavadhu saaptirukanum or something from outside has to block the air pipe... an object, food or liquid but something has to block it. So he didn't actually choke.

Second..... Neenga  Rahul kitta, press kitta, en Amma kitta ellarkittayum ennoda appa choke panni dhaan setharu nu sonnanga. Aana naan kettapo chest pain nu sonnanga... Why did you change it?! Impact kaagava?

Third..... Appa oda report la SUx nu contents column la onnu irukku.. very few can actually detect it... romba rare illaya!!"

He paused.

"Ungalukku dhaan nalla therinjirukume.... Actually.. idhu onnum illegal drug illa... complex  life saving situations la nariya vaati doctors use pannuvaanga.... idha seththu pona ennoda appa ku yean kudthaanga?? Simple... adhu sethadhukku aprom kudukala saavadikarudhukku dhaan kuduthaanga!! It paralyzes every muscle in the body including the heart. But it can't be given in a drink... it has to be injected directly and is immediately responsive.

Appo dhaan fix ayitten....

The king is not a king but the queen!!!"

 He said placing the black king in the bishop's square.

"Well done.... but I still win.... Yean na your analysis is not a concrete evidence.... you can't prove it is the truth!!"

 She said with a shrug.

"Naan dhaan sonnen la..... stop underestimating me!!!

And innonu, sometimes you should think out of the 'board'!!"

He said taking the white knight.

He switched on the television and the telecast shocked Priya.... Ajay and Rahul along with Dhruva who had an arrest warrant were presenting evidence in form of cctv footage and call records against Priya. Rahul looked relieved, Dhruva had a typical officer expression and Ajay had a tensed expression. But the rela shock was the telecast was being shot just outside the building.

Priya gulped and looked at Arjun. She became tense and lost in thoughts. Arjun stood behind her and whispered...

"Fear is a very fluctuating thing Priya... Appo Rahul ku un mela irundha bayam ippo pochu... Appo Ajay ku en mela illadha bayam ippo vandhuchu!!"

She could hear his smile in his voice...

"Enjoy your time in jail..."

Priya looked at him and looked down and found herself cuffed to the chair.

Arjun started walking towards the exit as police started pouring in. 

"Aideu!!!"

He said with a handshake before disappearing into the darkness. 

2 years later

Priya was in the jail wearing the jail uniform sitting calmly and eating a rather distasteful breakfast. She had lost everything.

But..... Money was everything to her. 

Because according to her money can buy almost anything and everything. 

And almost was enough for her.

So, according to her everything can be earned back. 

So she had lost nothing.

As a result there wasn't the tiniest bit of regret, remorse or fear about or of the world. 

A tall, sleek woman, with messy hair  who had braces and specs and was in similar attire came walking to her....

"Hey Priya, Naalaiku nee release aagurala!!"

That woman asked sitting down with two glasses 🥂. 

"Aama Saasha.... you will get lonely."

Priya replied smiling.

"A small toast!!"

 She said handing her a glass.

"How did you get these?"

Priya asked her eyeing the glass.

Saasha smiled.

"I am Saasha the hacker.... Naan college la vida inga thaan vazhanthiruken!! I have my ways!!"

They both shared a toast and she went to her cell. 

She was waiting for tomorrow and was thinking about it too when suddenly a person walked up to her.... she looked up and her eyes widened.  She smirked and said....

"Arjun?! Enna indha pakkam??"

Arjun smiled a sinister smile.

"Innaikku dhaan unnnoda last day aache!!"

He said putting his hands into his pockets.

"Aama.... naalaiku release aaga poren!!"

"Yeah, forever!!"

Priya looked at him confused. Suddenly she started feeling dizzy.  She fell down and started clutching the bars. Arjun kneeled in front of her and injected her with something.

"Unnoda friend irukku la Sasha... Ava unnakku kudutha wine la Zestril irukku... adhoda effect dhaan indha dizziness... indha injection ennanu unnakku nalla theriyum la!!"

He kept the injection away and rubbed his hands together. Priya's eyes widened. 

"Ava criminal laam kedaiyathu... ennoda friend Dhruva oda aalu..."

Priya's eyes showed confusion.

"Naanga rendu peru eppo friends aitom nu paakuriya.... nee aarambachiye indha aatam... idha yaaralaayum thaniya aada mudiyadhu Priya. Had to get my own knight. D.C.P setha adutha naale.. we struck a chord!! Ennoda location unnaku anupunavanum avan dhaan..."

He revealed smiling. Priya looked at her and the edge of her lips slightly curved as if mocking him.

"Enna, Ajay, M.L.A, D.C.P ivanum apdi dhaan nu nenaikuriya?? He isn't my pawn Priya he is my friend."

He touched her cheek and tapped it. 

"Innoru vishayam... andha moonu aalungala konadhum naan dhaan."

He looked at her and shrugged.

"Ennoda raajiyam la naane clean pannanum!!"

Priya's expression was now filled with regret, remorse, fear and pain.

Arjun smiled the same sinister smile again.

"Onnu sollava Priya.... you should never mess with someone who has lost something.... because loss is pain and pain is never weak." 

His eyes showed pain as his lips still carried the sinister smile.

His phone rang as he got up. He picked it up and said "Hey Darling!!!"

There was a beat of silence and then he answered. 

"Idho.... inga vela mudinjuduchu ma... vandhurrean!!"

He said as he started walking away. 

Priya could only smile at her own defeat and the diminishing figure of Arjun as she truly lost nothing and everything. 

~The End~