"...how come?..." was the next question to the petite girl who glanced down and replied

"...isn't it obvious...take the one person or rather one group out of the picture...who has the ability to work alongside the police...to capture the notorious Popyy...so that's a hurdle for them...so, remove the hurdle and work freely..." Mrunal then looked at Rajeev who smiled at her efforts of being a good listener and observer.

"...it is kind of true...like El Rey?!...do you remember when we went to London to discuss about our plan to Lord...who in turn told us to confiscate our position altogether...to not deal with the ongoing kidnapping...and physical plus mental trauma for all our family members...maybe he does wants us to forfeit...or worst...give up the mafia clan...in all..."

"...did he tell you that?!!...." Rajeev asked them who nodded, making his jaw clench at the real face of the Lord.

"...so, if he hides behind this Papi...it will be easy for the Lord to do all the dirty deals and earn from it...without being in the authorities scanner...through bribes and whatnot...and with us not in the picture...it will become like cakewalk for the Lord...brilliant!!..." Prisha's eyes shone at knowing how the Lord would go to such extent that he would want the one good hearted Mafia family out of the picture...just because they are a threat to him.

Far more reason to go for plan kill.

All the members then automatically tucked their cheeks on approving for the plan kill.

Rajeev thought it advisable to not involve Mrunal in the further discussion and lead her outside the room to the waiting maid.

As Mrunal bid her love goodnight with his sweet peck on her chubby cheeks, Rajeev smiled assuring her that everything would be fine.

In the conference room

"...So, String...what do you make of it?...that Lord is involved in the sudden deaths happening in the Papi clan?" Pradeep asked him as Rajeev took his seat beside Benisha who perked up to know the hidden detailing that the String had done.

"...well?..." as String glanced back at Prisha who was also giving her undistributed attention to the advisor.

"...I had my doubts since the time me and...um...Dino had gone to investigate about the treatments that Buji was taking in Delhi hospital...there we came across certain nuances which made us think that maybe...Akash was not working under the instructions of just Papi Capo but also someone else..."

As she showed the clips of the boxing ring in the Onyx club where a blurred image of Rakesh (before the face change surgery) looking over the Lord fighting in the arena, the mafia members were at a standstill.

"...but this doesn't prove anything?...maybe he went to sneak in info about us...coz for one, everyone knows that the Lord is our mafia don and anything regarding the mafia world has to be forwarded through him...then...I don't suppose..." as Prisha expressed her views, Rajeev pouted and nodded his head.

"...its true...but can't we think the other way round...coz if Akash was present under the scan of Lord...wouldn't the Lord's men take him down or the least...kill him...coz we know that when it comes to Lord...he doesn't like betrayers and appears very loyal to our feline clan...and is known to terminate traitors without hearing to any of their pleas..." as Rajeev reminded of the brutal way, Lord would deal with his enemies; El Rey thought of the possibilities.

"...but even though...we can't conclude with just this...especially when...um...the Lord is involved with our family...he won't harm us..." Sanal glanced at his members when he said his concern.

"...yes...he won't do it to his own child...would he?" Benisha asked the Capo who smirked and showed them the next clipping. 

(Gowri)

"..."

Rajeev thought to end their dilemma by revealing the identity of the saree clad woman "...Gowri...Lord's wife...whom he killed!"

"...But...Niti said that she was killed by Lord's enemies...right in front of her innocent eyes...then...how come?" Prisha remembered the way Niti was arguing with the Lord through the hidden camera that the cousins had watched to ensure Niti's safety.

"...that's where the story begins...Lord was just enjoying his mafia stardom with illegal weapon deals, or drug racket...but when he thought to expand his reach and earn perhaps more...he didn't even think twice to join in the human trafficking deals...earning a strong negation from his wife who reminded him of their own child...but that did not stop the Lord..."

"...he knew that if he wanted to keep his business going without interruptions from anyone...he need to take a stand...and he did...when he staged his own wife's killing...to make it as an assassination by his enemies...was his first win...but alas...Niti came in the picture and fell prey to the brutal way her mother was killed...making the Lord convince her that it was his enemies that avenged him...by killing his beloved wife..."

"...but Niti was smart enough for a 10-year-old...and didn't fully believe her father...and eloped..."

"...how cruel can one be?!!" Benisha slumped on the chair breathing heavily not understanding the level of animalistic behaviour one can perform under the pretext of earning fame and wealth.

"...and the only reason that Lord wanted Niti away was to not let her come in the way of his dealings...but he had his eye on his child who had taken refuge in the Church...with his men always on the alert for Niti and her safety..." Rajeev continued on the reason why the Lord didn't make an effort to bring his daughter back in the mansion.

As Rajeev ended the clip, Panthera raised the question again to clarify the lingering doubts.

"...So, you mean to say that the Lord is the one who is actually doing all this...to make his illegal dealings and take over the human trafficking business under the shadow of Papi clan?"

"...yes...and here is the proof..." as Rajeev showed the video clipping wherein the Lord's men where dealing with the shipment through the 'Vendetta' to the 'Monarch', making the members link the dots which had emerged from the start of their investigation in the flesh trading with drug dealing case.

As Rajeev went through the earlier clippings which the members had seen but missed out on the crucial details, the picture got more clearer with each clips.

As the feline clan would always as usual narrate and discuss their plans with the Lord to get his invaluable opinion; only to make him strategize and take down the feline group with his old parlour tricks to scare and at times foil their said plans.

"...that lying son of a...*grunts*..." Gaurav crumpled the paper on the file, which astonished Benisha who knew the level of hatred that emerged from the Soldier who had scavenged the area inch by inch but missed these details.

The Lord being the one behind all this was a difficult situation for Rajeev as well. When he had met the Lord personally, catching hold of the little detailing that he could observe.

When the Lord would abruptly leave their training session or discussion midway to have a private conversation. Which was so unlike, as for one the mafias had the same clients and would help each other when in time of need. Even so, how secretive the discussion could be; the Lord would never get tensed or cancel his appointments, whatsoever.

Hence Rajeev had put the Lord under his scan from that time and was dying to reveal the details to his members asap. Vineeth helped a lot with his involvement with Niti which was an icing on the cake movement for the Mafia Capo who never thought in a million years that the Lord would himself walk into his trap.

It was only with that one flicker of doubt that Mrunal raised was Rajeev able to connect the dots and spread it to his members. 

"...So, how do we move ahead with this?" as El Rey asked the most necessary question of the day, Rajeev straightened himself to narrate his plan to bring down the Lord with the assistance of the CIA.

End of flashback.

At night

Rajeev's room

As Rajeev plugged his phone to the charger he saw his lost kitten sitting on the bed with her slouched self.

"..." Mrunal gasped as he took her in his lap and smiled tracing her calm face. He pecked her pouty lips to get a tsk from her.

"...is it so bad, huh?..." he enquired to which Mrunal crawled back to her side of the bed, confusing him.

"...does this mean that you will not be a mafia anymore?..." she whispered while setting the alarm in the bedside clock making a certain Capo bit his lower lips.

So, she likes my rugged self, interesting?!!

"...*sigh*...guess so...but why?...you should be happy that your Raj will not be a bad person any more..." Rajeev then pulled her to his buff self, who replied sternly with her cute pout.

"...when did I say that?...you are not a bad person...it's just that...I will not...leave it!!!..." Mrunal didn't want to spell out her mind as it would always put her in the spotlight.

"...no...say it..." Rajeev didn't leave her who strayed away from his droopy smiling eyes and whispered softly.

"...I like you...being rough.... you bossy...not too much.... but only a little..." she then dared to look back at his eyes which dilated at her words.

His lips pouted out and tsked leaving her who couldn't understand his sudden repel.

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