Song of the chapter is Body and Mind by Girl In Red

-16-
-Siya Malhotra-
-Present-

________________

Delmore Police Station
14 November, 2030
10:45 pm

After a rigorous amount of interrogation, Kartik finally came out of the interrogation room, looking dejected as ever. All of us stood up as he walked towards us.

"Babe, are you okay?" I held his hand as he came and stood in front of us.

But before he could answer, Detective Ravi came out of the interrogation room and called, "Mr. Malhotra, please bring yourself and the rest of your friends to my office."

Saying that, he walked to the right and entered a room through a wooden door. We all exchanged a glance before making our way to the office.

We entered and I and Saina sat on the two chairs that were placed across from the big leather chair on which Detective Ravi was seated, while the rest stood in a semi-circle behind us.

"Detective, what's going on?" Saina asked.

"Yeah, why did you interrogate my husband for so long? He hasn't done anything wrong." I asserted. Kartik softly put his hand on my shoulder, as a way to calm me down.

"Mrs. Malhotra, I assure you....that I'm trying my best to make sure your husband is free from all suspicion." Detective Ravi placed, narrowing his brows slightly. "However, the amount of evidence that has been found in the trunk of his car makes him a prime suspect in this case."

"What? What evidence?" I asked.

Detective Ravi moved back and extracted a bunch of pictures from his desk and placed them on the table for us to see. As I scanned my eyes on them, my breath hitched in my throat.

The pictures were of Kartik's car. In the back of the trunk, there were several photographs of the band, with blood smeared in each of them. Some even had crosses drawn across them with the same blood. And there was also a four cellphones placed conveniently over the pictures.

"The cellphone of the band members were found in your husband's car, along with all the other....stuff."

"But....but...he didn't do it. He was with us the whole time!" I explained in vain. I looked at the others frantically. "Right, guys?"

"Yes, Detective. Kartik was with us the entire time. There is no way he was involved in any of this." Veronica spoke.

I nodded, looking back at Detective Ravi.

"I know, Ms. D'Rosario." He uttered. "That's part of the problem."

My brows knitted.

"How?"

"Since you guys arrived at the school together in that car, that makes you all a prime suspect as well." He explained. "Everyone except Mr.Arora."

I sighed in frustration. This fucker had planned everything in advance. He knew we'd be coming together, and that's why he conveniently planned to place the evidence and frame us for the murders.

"There were several witnesses who saw you guys arrive together. They might claim that you guys planned this together and executed accordingly." Detective Ravi said.

"But we didn't!" Zoya retorted. He looked up at her for a moment before sighing and looking down.

"I know that, Zoya." He said, using her first name. "But it's not in my hands to do anything."

An exasperated sigh left Zoya's mouth.

"So what now? How do we get out of this mess?" Saina asked.

"Nothing can be said now." Detective Ravi said, standing up. "However, you guys can't leave town until the killer is caught."

Zoya muttered a string of curses under her breath while Saina and I exchanged a look of frustration.

"But don't worry," he continued. "Considering the situations you've been in previously, I'll get two of my officers to be there for your security."

Himanshu nodded. "Thank you, Detective."

"We'll catch him soon, I promise you guys." He assured lastly, but we all knew better than anyone else that whoever this was, wasn't going to be that easy to apprehend.

_____________

As we sat in silence in our booth at the Paper Lantern, I felt a strong discernment in my chest.

It felt like we were transported back in time. It was 2019 all over again.

"He planned everything."

Saina spoke, exhaustion etched in her voice.

"Yeah no shit." Zoya muttered, massaging her head.

"He knew we'd try to skip town and that's why he made sure that we couldn't ." Kartik uttered. I squeezed his hand tighter and he looked at me.

"Why is this nightmare repeating itself again?" I asked, to no one in particular.

"What are we guys going to do?" Himanshu asked, moving his gaze back and forth between us and Veronica.

"You mean....what are you guys going to do." Zoya corrected. "You aren't a suspect, so you're free to fly back to Mumbai with your would-be wife."

"Zoya..." Himanshu began, looking surprised, and kinda hurt. "I'm not leaving you guys to deal with this mess alone."

Veronica's eyes shot up with concern.

"Himanshu, don't be ridiculous." Kartik said, shaking his head. "You should get out of town if you can. Don't involve yourself in this mess."

"No, Kartik, you don't understand. I'm already involved as it is." He retorted. "Plus, I can't leave you guys alone and go back to Mumbai without worrying about the situation the entire time I'm there."

"Why won't you take the chance to escape this nightmare if you have one in front of you?" Saina asked, raising her voice a little. "Do you want to go through all that shit again?"

"Do you guys?" He asked in response.

None of us responded.

"Exactly. None of us asked to be in this situation. But here we are. I'm not gonna run away just because I can. I'm not that much of a coward." He uttered and as if on cue, a scoff left my mouth.

Everyone's eyes were instantly on me.

"Zoya's words were true." I uttered, looking directly at him. "You do have a messiah complex."

His brows knitted.

"Siya, you can say whatever you want to. But you guys are my friends. I'm not leaving you guys alone." He said.

"Please, save the speech." I uttered, headstrong. "I think all of us here know how much of a 'friend' you are."

"Siya..." Kartik immediately grabbed my arm, signalling me to not say any further.

"No, let her speak, Kartik." Himanshu said, straightening his posture. "I want to know what she has to say."

"I have nothing to say to you, except for the fact that you can save everyone their pleas and just go back to Mumbai." I uttered, unwavering and slid out of the booth to go outside.

Moments later, the rest followed.

"Babe...listen-"

"Siya, what's the matter with you?" Himanshu called from behind. I turned and found the rest of them standing in anticipation.

"What's the matter with me?" I repeated his question. "Let me see, the matter with me is that you always portray yourself to be such a good guy, always looking out for everyone, always the doing the fucking right thing!"

"Siya, stop-" My husband warned again.

"But underneath this facade of yours, is a guy who is a selfish prick, who only cares about himself!"

Zoya and Saina's eyes widened and an exasperated sigh left Kartik's mouth.

"What? Siya, what are you saying?" Himanshu's face shone with hurt. But I couldn't feel any remorse at that moment. The pent up rage and frustration that I had bottled up inside me was finally coming out.

"You heard me." I uttered, moving towards him. "You talk about being a fucking friend and then go stab us in the back if it benefits you! You didn't hesitate once before pimping our traumas to make a career."

A prolonged silence followed after.

"Is that what this is about?" Himanshu took a step towards me. "Siya, I asked for all of your permission before publishing the book. I would've never done it if you hadn't consented-"

"Right! Like that makes it any better!" I bellowed. "You had already written the book! The fact that even the idea of penning our traumas down into paper even came to your head is revolting."

"I was struggling, Siya! That book idea had come to me when I was at a low point in my career. I'm sorry if I offended you. In my head, I was just writing about my own experience with everything that happened. Everything that we had endured. I didn't write the book to purposefully hurt you or anyone." Himanshu explained, his tone calm, yet sad.

"You know what? It doesn't matter." I threw my hands in the air in frustration. "It's out for billions of people to read and dissect. Perhaps even this new killer."

"What?"

"Don't tell me that thought hasn't crossed any of your minds." I said, looking at the others. "People tend to overlook victims and glorify villains. Maybe this new killer..... I don't know, got inspired by Himanshu's amazing portrayal of Yash and is now wrecking havoc around town!"

"Siya, enough!" Kartik immediately intervened.

I heaved, glancing at him and then back at Himanshu. His face looked even more dejected now. All of a sudden, a strong wave of guilt washed over me.

Maybe I had crossed a line.

"Is that what.....all of you think?" Himanshu asked, his voice low and quivering. "That it's because of.... my book?"

"No, Himanshu. Absolutely not." Kartik answered immediately, passing me a glare before looking at Himanshu again.

"Nothing justifies killing innocent people. Even if he is inspired by what you wrote, it isn't your fault. It's his sickening mind that chooses to obsess over a murderer instead of having sympathy for the victims." Veronica uttered, looking at him for the first time in forever. He held her gaze for a moment, before looking away.

"Yeah, Veronica's right. None of this is your fault." Kartik nodded, agreeing. He then walked towards me and held my arm.

"I think you've said enough." His jaw clenched as he uttered those words in a way that only I could hear. I simply looked away.

Himanshu shifted his weight on his heels. "I.... I should....get going."

Kartik gave him a short nod before he walked towards his car which was parked in the lot of the diner. We all watched as his retreating figure moved further out of vision.

But I caught him glancing at me one last time, before getting in his car and driving off.

Right at that moment, all of our phones buzzed with a familiar ring.

"Oh for fuck sake." Zoya muttered under her breath.

As I pulled out my phone and read the text, accompanied by the familiar 'UNKNOWN' above it, my lips pursed into a thin line.

"Such a friendly reunion,
wasn't it?"

_______________

ooh friendly feuds,
my favourite genre of drama-

there's a lot to unpack and so little time considering this new killer is coming for all of their asses at once! and lemme tell you, this killer is way wayyyy wayyyyyyy more unhinged than the first one.

so i think it'd be safe to say that
no one is safe in this economy-

not even you, my loves.

make sure to vote, comment and share the book if you don't want Mr. Unknown coming for your asses as well!

and up until the next update, keep your friends close,
but your secrets closer.

love,
Bosedisha