This update is dedicated to everyone whose name starts with letter "I"
...

I waited for a few minutes to make sure the pipe doesn't get detached from the tap. Once I was sure the fitting was tight and there is no possibility of water stoppage I decided to go back to Navya.

I walked further and saw the path leading to two different ways. On what side is Navya? Is the ladies dungeon on the left or right? Where was I earlier?

No. I forgot the way.

I scratched my head to recall any possible hint but found none. I don't even know how to get out of this dungeon. Help me!

"It's alright, Nandini. Just walk and you will find the way. Everyone are locked so nobody will harm you." I said to myself while walking down the  path.

Shortly the rooms were getting visible and I immediately ran towards them. But my excitement died as soon as I started hearing the voices from the rooms.

"Cutie. Hey cutie, come down." A man was calling me.

A man?

I am in the men's dungeon. It's okay, Nandini. They are locked. They are inside their rooms, I said to myself clutching my chest.

"Are you avoiding us? Come on, give me your hand." The man from next cell yelled.

Their voice isn't calm but dangerous. I couldn't take a step further as I froze with their different voices directing towards me.

"Help me. I am hurt. Please dear. Help me." A middle aged man called for me while clutching his stomach.

"What happened to you?" I questioned trying to peep into his cell.

He was alright a few seconds before and what's troubling him in this second?

"I... I am in pain. Only you can help me." He spoke clutching his stomach.

"I? How can I help you?" I got curious.

"Help me release." He said with a smirk while standing on the railing of his bed reaching his face till the mesh separating us.

I wish Navya was tall and strong enough like this man or she had a bed in her room. It would be easy for her to escape.

"I can't release you, Sorry. I don't have authority over this dungeon." I said with a apologetic face.

"Tch. Tch. But you have the authority to release me from my pants." He said now standing up with his tummy almost in my face. "Give me your hand and I will show you something interesting."

His voice was already scaring me and his close presence is making me uncomfortable. "I don't want to see anything. I am here by mistake, I have to be in the ladies section. Do you know the way?"

What's happening to me? My heart is beating so fast and asking me to run away. But I am finding nothing wrong around here. What's making my internal organs afraid?

"Oh. Ah. Oh." This man shouted while hitting his stomach on the wall.

My eyes burned with tears. What's happening here? Why is he shoving himself to the wall?

I gave into my internal organs and decided to run away. But I was pulled back by him as he held my braid from the iron mesh.

"Please let me go." I cried. I struggled to pull my braid but it began hurting my head.

"Give me your hand and release me." He growled and I cried.

Slowly I saw streak of water travelling to this side and a hope filled my heart. Navya must have floated to the top and opened the door. That must be the reason behind the water flowing till this section of the dungeon.

"Navya. Navya." I shouted so that she could hear me.

This man did not leave my hair so I caught handful of water in my palm and threw it on his face.

He did not expect this move from me and he stumbled upon his bed and dragging me along without leaving my braid.

I almost thought my head would get banged to the iron mesh and yelled on top of my voice at him while trying my best to hold my braid. But it was difficult as he was bulky man and the floor was slippery with the water not giving me any grip.

I closed my eyes tightly as my head reached till the iron mesh. Surprisingly, I didn't feel the pain and not for the wall or my braid.

I looked up to see angry Cabir holding my braid in his hand while protecting my head from the attack.

"Cabir?"

What is he doing here?

The bulky guy left my braid and sat into the corner seeing Cabir infront of his room.

"Are you okay?" He questioned me rubbing my head to ease my pain. "Shh. Don't cry."

I couldn't help but cry more as I heard Cabir's gentle voice in this dangerous place. I thought I would not make it back.

Cabir used opened a tall door on the opposite wall of the rooms and pulled out a long rod. He opened the door and began hitting this bulky man with that rod. The bulky man almost went unconscious as Cabir punished him.

He locked the door and kept the rod inside the door before inspecting me. I wiped my tears and stood up.

"Cabir, what are you doing here?"

He arched his eyebrow. "I am here to set things straight."

"Is Manik alright? Why did you leave him and come here? I can manage things in the mansion, you go and look after Manik." I tried to send him away.

"Manik is awake. He is on the hunt."

Cabir's one liner gave me goosebumps. Manik is back. Oh my! Yes. Yes. Yes.

"When did he wake up? Where is he?" I asked unable to stand in one place.

"He woke up the next morning you left the headquarters. And guess what he isn't mad at you for running away from the headquarters but was mad I us for not keeping you safe." He rolled his eyes.

Typical Manik Malhotra.

"But Cabir, what if Harshad's men sees you here? How did you get inside?"

There was a red tinge on his ears as he spoke. "I ... entered through the vegetable barrels."

I laughed.

"You what?" I laughed more.

"Ha Ha. Very funny. I obeyed The Boss order and did not copy your stunt." He defended himself.

"Oh my heart! Manik actually appreciated my strategy of escaping through vegetable barrel." I felt butterflies in my stomach with the small move from his side.

"Yeah. You both are the only sane persons alive on this planet." He muttered under his breath. His eyes moved from my face to my servant uniform and gritted his teeth. "Did Harshad send you to the dungeon?"

"What? No. Harshad doesn't have guts to hurt me. I came here on my own." I said craning my neck to appear taller than Cabir.

Cabir ran his fingers in his hair. "Why? Why are you risking your life by entering the dungeon? Do you even have an idea of what could happen with you if I haven't reached on time hearing your voice?"

"I don't know and I don't care as long as I can protect my people from the evil clutches of Harshad. I have done everything to make Harshad weaker till you guys can attack. You have to appreciate me instead of shouting at me." I sniffed. "I can't deal with you. Take me to Manik."

"One second. Only one second is enough to speak with you and go crazy. Only Manik can deal with you." He stopped shouting as he felt his boots getting wet with all the water flowing all the path. "Where's this water coming from?"

I shrugged.

"Someone must be taking a bath. Duh." I don't want to tell him my plan and get scolded again even if I am right. He copies my strategies and still behaves as if he is the only intelligent person.

"4 in the morning?" He questioned.

"Why? Is there any rule for not taking shower at this hour?" I questioned back.

"Nandini. Tell me the truth. What did you do?" He looked at me as if he would shoot me with the gun he had on his shoulder if I didn't answer.

I tried to dodge the answer but finally gave in to the pressure.

"Fine. I am trying to get Navya out of her room."

"What?" He bagan running to the opposite side I followed him. "I need details. What exactly did you do? What's her cell number?"

"Do you think only you could save everyone? Since, Navya couldn't reach the door latch I am filling her room with water so that she could float above and come out." I paused. "It's basic science, Duh."

"You did not do that!" He exclaimed and ran in double speed towards the path which I believe is ladies dungeon.

This side of the dungeon had a higher level of water than the men's side. The water was reaching my ankles already overflowing from the iron mesh of Navya's room.

Ah! I forgot to cover the iron mesh, now the water didn't reach the entire room.

Cabir broke the door by bending the latch with his bare hands proving that he is stronger once again. Navya was half floating and half submerged in the room of water. Cabir pushed a wooden stick on the right side of her door and made himself a table to stand upon in the half way of the room.

He bent down to pull Navya from the water and threw her over his shoulder. With two large steps he brought her out of the room and laid her on the floor.

Why isn't she moving?

"Is Navya dead?" I questioned Cabir.

"No. She swallowed a lot of water and we need to get it out." He said pressing Navya's tummy.

Why did she swallow water instead of floating above? Even the crow knows to throw the stones and bring water above but my stupid friend here wants to drink water at this moment.

Result: Subject swallowed water preventing the completion of the experiment. Iron mesh should be sealed next time to prevent loss of water from the experiment location.

A few minutes and pushes later Navya sat up coughing up water from her mouth.

Dude! How much did she actually drink?

"AUB." She looked down in fear.

Cabir relaxed as soon as Navya woke up. "Nandini, take your maid and get out right now. You both stay in the servant quarters for now. It's the only safe place."

"Why? We can stay in Manik's room. I know how to sneak inside the mansion." I said helping Navya to stand up.

"There is an attack planned in a few hours. Don't ask any questions and wait inside the servant quarters. Go." He shoved us out and we walked out of the dungeon from the other way till the servant quarters.

There was a lighter shade in the sky and still not bright enough to see where we were walking. We finally managed to find an empty room inside the quarters and Navya wrapped herself in a thick duvet.

"Nandini. You have to run away from here." Navya said stuttering with cold.

"Why? We are safe now."

"No. We can never be safe in the Mafia world. Harshad is taking help from Rathore's Mafia to become the Boss. Its not possible for our men fight with those cruel people. Please listen to me and run away." Navya requested.

"No. I can't run away from here. I love Manik. I will wait for him." I said with confidence.

She gave a sarcastic laugh. "Love gets you nothing in life and I am the perfect example. You are too innocent to deal with the Mafia men. Go away from here."

"But..."

"Don't argue. I stole the 25 million cash from Harshad. He was giving all the money to Rathore's in exchange for his position so I took this away to prevent him from spending without thinking about future." She sobbed. "Anyways, I hid the money in the garage in a red bag. All the black money has been converted by Harshad, so take that money and go to the mainland."

"But it's not enough to live in the mainland. Harshad said we need one million per day to live in the mainland."

Navya shook her head.

"Everything he spoke is a lie. Infact, everything you know till now is a lie and do not rely on them. Take this money and live in a small hotel for a year. Use the money from your second year and no matter what happens do not apply for jobs in airport. The security is strict in that place." She kept giving information on survival in mainland.

"I don't want to go."

"Shut up. Shut up. You are being played till now so live on your own. Wasn't this your wish to live in the mainland?"

"Not now. I want to live with Manik."

"Stop being an idiot. The Boss has hundreds of women and you are just a passing cloud. Stand on your feet before getting into this mess called love." She stood up. "Run away before the daylight."

She shouted at me and chased me out till I walked out of the servant quarters.

What's her problem? I don't want to go to the mainland. I have Manik  here, I have my territory and my future.

As I walked towards the garage an idea struck my head. Ofcourse, I will take the money and go to headquarters to meet Manik. As the situation settles down here Manik and I shall come back.

I hugged myself for coming up with this idea and looked around the mentioned place to find the bag. Within a few minutes I pulled the bag and opened the zip to see if the cash bundles were present or not. Once everything is good, I carried this heavy bag over my shoulder and walked out with much difficulty.

I placed a few rocks and plastic chair above it to climb up the wall and jump out of the mansion.

As I stood on the wall I remembered the night when I tried to escape from my house hearing Navya's words. The same night where my territory is erased.

I did a mistake that night hearing Navya's words but am I doing a mistake now?

Atleast, I am running to the headquarters where I can find Manik. It's not like I am running out of his Empire. I will be safe with Manik. He is not like all the men Navya just described. I will escape from this mansion as the fight happens and will take care of Manik as he heals.

Am I doing right? Should I just jump or stay?

I closed my eyes to find a solution as I kept overthinking. My thoughts disturbed as I heard chaotic noises at the entrance of the mansion.

I opened my eyes and clutched my chest to see men running here and there as jeeps of men were riding towards the mansion.

One of the jeep had a familiar face. Manik. My Manik is here.

...

How is the update?

Manik is finally here.

Should Nandini go to mainland taking the 25 million or stay with Manik?

Do you have any ideas for next update?