I made a mistake in naming the parts, and this should have come right after Manik and Cabir's scene, but I hope it still would flow okay :P

This story is so interesting to write about!

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At the threshold of a dingy police station cluttered with papers and files spanning several dozens of open cases, a couple gently held each other's hands to play their part. The office was swarming with men, women, and children of all ages and sizes lodging their problems to the local authorities.

Decked with an elegant pearl necklace and matching bobs to go with her hot pink sweetheart neckline, Alia patted down the piece while judging the environment's class and contrasting it with hers. If she ever got caught, was this the kind of place she would be locked up in? Its stench was absolutely filthy.

Did she really have to stoop down to this level for some information? Then again, it was information pertaining to the life and death of the love of her life. For him – and to acquire him – she would go to any extent.

Beside her stood Dhruv, who had promptly offered to accompany her and in hindsight, found that it had indeed been the right decision. Even with him in her vicinity, the woman looked completely out of place and lost; what would she do had she scrambled up for visitation without a companion? That too in an ugly place like this?!

A constable's table was vacating and as the man jotted down the last bits of the complaint, he looked up by chance and was captivated by the sight of the most beautiful woman he had laid his eyes on. Shamelessly, he let his eyes wander down her frame, locking at the curves of her hips that were being hugged by her dress. By her side was a man in semi-casual attire, evidently several notches under her league but by the way he claimed her hand, there was no doubt that she had been taken.

He averted his gaze from her body while cursing his fate. Gesturing at the couple and waving his hand over the empty seats in front of him, he was wary not to make unnecessary eye contact with them, especially not the woman in front of her partner. "What's your case, Sir?" His tone was nonchalant and borderline disrespectful as if he was a shepherd trying to get his flock in line.

Alia nervously gazed at the lowly passersby around her.

"We're here to visit someone," Dhruv said, putting his elbows on the table and crossing his arms.

"Hmm... Sign your details on the visitor log up there and then wait in that queue. Visitation hour is in... eight minutes." The constable shrugged, eyeing his vintage watch with an arrogant aura of power as he got up and stretched his legs.

The woman in the hot-pink dress dived into her white leather handbag and scrounged for her Guess clutch, sifting through for a hefty note. She snuck it in her palm and slid it over the table. "Is there... is there a separate line?"

Although uniformed, bribery had been part of his everyday routine. He accepted the five hundred rupee note, causing Alia to cheerfully pass a glance at Dhruv. Briefly pondering on the idea, the constable dragged his eyes over to meet hers and stilled. She indeed was the most gorgeous woman he had laid his eyes on.

With a snarky grin, he decided to keep her at his mercy as he pocketed the bill and responded, "Sabke liye same queue," Shutting his register, he smirked as he carried it to one of the back lockers leaving Alia enraged – as if nobody else on the planet had the audacity to behave with her in that manner – and Dhruv indifferent like it was common sense that policemen in the country had no moral compass.

Irritated, Alia stomped off to the visitor log by a high countertop and signed her name: Alia Saxena against the accused in the list, Harshad Saxena. Saxena. She blinked at the name and closed her eyes. An echo in her memory was that of a joyful time, when a toddler had held her baby hand and led her into the grasslands holding a rainbow-coloured windmill.

When she opened her eyes, she had tears woven in them.

She heard some footsteps and feeling a bit suffocated by the sheer amount of people around her, she sniffled and moved aside, dabbing the corners of her eyes. Encountering Dhruv, and nearly dashing into his chest mindlessly.

"Hey, it's okay... that's how these people are... Come, rona nahi." Dhruv said softly, taking her hand and urging her to a corner at the end of the queue like a little child that was coming down from a temper tantrum. "You can have a 500 rupee note from my wallet if you want," he remarked nervously, and on hearing her unexpected chuckle felt narrowly delighted.

She wondered if she should share the tidbit of information she found with Dhruv. He had come all that way just for her and had believed in her hunch, but what if she confided in him and he thought it was crazy to associate the events? After all, she was far too little to remember her brother's name at that age and by the time her memory did co-operate, he was long gone.

It sounded stupid now that she had given it some thought, so she brushed it away.

When the visitation alarm buzzed, the queue began dashing into one another and clinging on to the grills to hold their spots in the line. How fucking indecent, Alia muttered under her breath as she cleaned the spot on her shoulder where someone bumped into her.

The remark did not go unheard by a chunky bearded man. He turned to her and scowled, threatening her with a look that made her blood run dry. Dhruv put his arms around her frame and enveloped her into a loose bubble, preventing any further altercations and the thoughtful gesture had Alia turning to him, half stunned.

He sought her eyes with a small smile, so as to acknowledge her unspoken thanks, but as his gaze drifted, she found herself mentally evaluating the gesture and the eye-lock with more scrutiny. Then, as the inmates moved towards the grill, her attention diverted to the chain of criminals in the lockup. Dhruv and Alia scanned each of them until they found Harshad.

Who was not only surprised to have visitors but was also taken aback by the specific people – whom he considered his enemies – gracing him with their presence.

"Ahh, if it isn't Nawab's ugly little helpers..." Harshad implored, rubbing his hands together and hissing in fake relief. Alia sunk his unkempt presence for a long quiet moment, earning an eyebrow raise from Harshad who had found the mesmerisation anything but subtle. Still, it was good to know that he had that rizz that drew women in... even if he was in the lockup.

Dhruv rolled his eyes as Harshad took a seat as if he was royalty and the visitors were his peasants, but for now he could let that slide. "Look, we're just here to... ask you a few questions," He said, turning to Alia to check if he was on the same page as her. From what they had planned, she was the one supposed to be leading the conversation.

She drew back to her senses and nodded, adding, "If you co-operate, we can push for a bail on your behalf. I'm sure a lower sentence would benefit you given your current state,"

"Don't get your hopes up," Harshad scoffed even though the reward seemed rather tempting.

"Why did you want the SD card so bad?" She asked, tenderly gazing at him.

He skeptically regarded her as he scanned her and pondered on a nagging thought. "Let me guess, you guys lost it and that's caused some ugly undercurrents with Malhotra's clans! Added to it is the untimely death of Mr. Dutta which could have easily been pinned on one of your clanmates and hence, you're seeking leverage." The pause he witnessed was awkward and uncomfortable, further affirming his suspicions. He smirked victoriously.

"It's a good strategy, I must say but I'm delighted. You know all these days, I never believed in karma being real but if it isn't a wish come true... snatching it from me only to lose possession of it in the end, what a pity!" He sarcastically chuckled and as his laugh subsided, he glanced at those nearby and then clawed the grill. "You must know it's worth millions in the black market, give or take a couple of zeroes. People can and have killed for a lot less." Harshad muttered, careful of any eavesdroppers.

"We don't care about the cash," Alia shrugged, wondering if things could ever go back to normal now having known what she suspected about him.

"I guess that makes two of us,"

Dhruv appeared confused. "What? Why would you go through all the double-crossing if money isn't your concern?"

"You don't get it, do you?" Harshad sniggered, shaking his head. "Anyone who has it is a laser point in the underworld; there isn't a single mob boss that isn't seeking it. Think of it as a wildcard to elite livelihood. Respect, recognition, favours; you name it, you've got it. It's the cleanest and quickest fucking way to climb up the ladder, and the key to supreme power." He proclaimed in a flaunting fashion, completely sidelining how he lost it all and was reduced to speckles of dust in a prison chamber filled with nasty men.

"No amount of slaving for petty drugs and selling your body can bring you that." He eyed Dhruv first and then finished the sentence staring at Alia.

The man before her was more intimidating and unhinged than she had envisioned, far more deadly than her imagined version of a long-lost brother. She gulped. "So you don't know the contents of it?"

"Who fucking cares? I mean, there are rumours floating by about how it contains a detailed list of all the names of those ruling the mafia but how much of that can you truly believe? Even a twelve-year-old can rationalise that a mere list of names cannot be worth tens of millions. Trust me, none of the cartels know what's on it." Harshad said with much conviction. Then, as if realising something else, he confessed, "I think I've said enough. Now for your end of the deal..."

Dhruv snapped his fingers. "You don't get to call the shots."

"Listen, I don't care about the bail... all I need is a small favour. I need a letter posted to an address in Mangalore." He was stealthy in his demeanour, meeting Alia's eyes and locking on them.

No fucking way, Dhruv thought, as his hand wrapped around Alia's wrist.

But the woman refused to budge.

"Alia, let's go."

Hopeful that she would comply, Harshad controlled his excitement and continued, "It's for my girlfriend. She has no idea I'm here and she will be worried sick looking for me. Please, she can't know I'm here... it will kill her." He pleaded, half grateful that some visitors did come by and could help him out at this juncture.

Alia turned to Dhruv. "You start the car, I'll be with you in just a moment,"

"Are you sure? It's not the safest for..."

Looking at Harshad, she nodded straight ahead. "I am. Go."

Lingering on her a little longer to confirm she was going to be alright, Dhruv swivelled and left the premises.

Once she was unaccompanied, Alia let her fingers claw into the grill gaps beside Harshad's. "The very first time my father gambled, he returned with a bottle of grape brandy to greet our blistered mother. I overheard him from my closet telling her he had traded the wine he won for it at an expensive liquor store. He was never a delicate man, you see."

Harshad furrowed an eyebrow, confused by the information that seemed to sprout out of nowhere. Was she on some sort of drug?

Regardless, if he lost this chance, there was no guarantee anyone else would come and help him out and at that juncture, he needed to save his relationship. He hummed and prompted her to keep talking.

"I never got my hands on it after that. Until the day we came to your apartment." Harshad's eyes went stone cold at the mention of their horrifying act that left him traumatised and destitute. "Maybe once this is all over, we can crack open the bottle and celebrate that you didn't stay home long enough to see shit go down." She smiled with brimming tears.

It finally clicked what she was trying to say. "It's with you?" He asked eagerly.

She nodded. "I finally found you." Sniffling and rubbing the tip of her nose, she caressed his fingers that were next to her. "I guess you weren't too great at hide-and-seek after all..."

He painfully smiled, touching one of her teardrops when the alarm rang and it was time for him to go back into the lockup again.

"Will you..."

"Consider it done." She murmured, interlocking his pinky tightly with her own until that moment was robbed away by the legal world.

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Any hypothesis or comments on the track so far?

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Your support is so greatly appreciated :") Will be working through all your comments and questions over this weekend, loads of love :*