As the meeting ended, I decided to pay a visit to my guests in the dungeon, so I left for my den with Ridhan by my side.

The warehouse (den) peeked of rust, old oil, and the sharp stench of fear.

Two chairs stood in the center of the concrete floor, bolted down and flanked by a metal table lined with tools. Nothing flashy. Nothing cinematic. Just practical, efficient and purposeful.

I drag a chair from the corner of the room in front of them, with screeching sound of the chair on the floor.

Ridhan too ordered one of our man present in the room to get a chair for him.

The two men from the cafe; the one who'd dared to take her picture, and the one who sat beside him; were now tied, ankles and wrists secured, mouths taped until I was ready.

I pulled off the tape from the first man with one swift yank. He screamed, like it was his skin, not just adhesive.

Good.

He'd scream louder soon.

"Name," I asked my voice level.

He spat at the floor near my boots.

Wrong move.

I nodded once to Ridhan, who placed a heavy hand on his shoulder to still him.

I turned to the tray and picked up the bone cutters. Simple. Clean. Direct.

"This is your only warning," I said calmly.

"Tell me what I need to know, or you'll leave here piece by piece."

Silence.

Then a challenge in his eyes.

Click.

The sound echoed as I positioned the tool around his smallest finger.

Snap.

He screamed - high, ugly and raw. The other man flinched but didn't speak.

"One down," I muttered.

"We've got nine to go."

"Now, let's restart with your names."

"B..bri...Brijesh, I..I'm brijesh," the other one spoke, I guess he got some brain cells

I looked at the second one (who clicked my hazel's photo)

"Dee.....deepak," the other one also spoke in pain

I squatted to Deepak's eye level.

"Who is your boss?"

"N-not.... not my place to speak."

He wheeled through his teeth, blood now pooling on the the floor.

Snap.

Another finger. Another scream. His hands shook, body twitching under the pain.

"Boss. Routes. Contacts. Give me names."

"Rafiq and his brother in law," he whispered finally, voice trembling.

"We.... we take photos. He chooses. We don't ask questions."

"Where does they operate from?"

"He...he'd kill our fam...family if we told you," Deepak spoke while fear and pain was evident in his voice.

And if you don't then I would kill you and your family both, I told them, although I wouldn't hurt their families but that's not necessary for them to know.

"Dock 17. Old textile mill. Every Friday night, pickups happen there. They sells them.... girls.... to brothels, old, handicapped men for marriage."

Ridhan muttered a curse.

I nodded, stood up, and walked to the side where a container of acid waited; diluted, slow-burning, meant for pain, not death.

I wear the rubber gloves, placed aside the container and asked one of my men to bring the container on the table placed in front of Deepak.

"This is for the photo."

"No, please -"

I dipped his hands in the container filled with acid, without giving him a chance to speak.

His scream tore through the den like an animal's. I didn't flinch.

After good 5-6 minutes; I took out his hands from the acid, his skin hissed, bubbling where flesh melted.

I grabbed the salt tin and pepper shaker.

Ridhan looked away. He knew what came next.

I sprinkled the mixture slowly, evenly, across the exposed, burned tissue.

He passed out.

"Wake him."

A cols splash of water hit his face and he jolted back with a cry.

"Anything else you're hiding."

"No," he whispered

"I told you...... everything. Just kill me now."

"Not yet."

I turned to Brijesh.

Take him, I said to my men.

Question him, everything about Rafiq; his other places to hide, everything.

If he speaks, spare him the acid.

They dragged him out.

When they were gone, I looked at Ridhan.

"Once he gives everything, kill him."

"Quick?"

"Merciful. But not Quick."

We cleaned up before heading back home; no blood, no scent of metal. Just silence.

We left the den 20 minutes later.

The sun had dipped below the horizon when we reached the Rathore mansion; a massive expanse of carved stone, ancestral roots and ancient pride.

Dadi as always insists on dinners together, no matter how bloody the day went.

Dinner was quiet. Kaka sa and Baba sa discussed the temple's renovation. While others just joked about random stuff.

Ridhan sat beside me, eyes low, processing the day, only getting involved in the conversation, when something asked directly to him.

And me? I didn't taste the food. Not really.

Her face kept flashing in my mind. Hazel.

The quiet grace of her sitting there. The innocence. The unknowing.

She had no idea she'd nearly been trafficked. No idea a photo of her almost changed her life forever.

And she would never know.

Because I wouldn't let that world touch her.

After dinner Baba sa gestured towards the study.

Time to talk business.

The study smelled of old sandalwood, leather and wisdom. The walls were lined with books and framed medals and trophies.

A large table stood in the center, maps, reports and files already placed for us.

Baba sa sat at the head. Kaka sa beside him. Rishi and Aviraj leaned against opposite walls, arms folded.

Ridhan and I stood at the other end.

"Report," Baba sa said

Ridhan spoke first,

"Two men from the cafe were part of a trafficking ring. We confirmed they scout in public areas, send photographs to their boss named Rafiq and his brother in law."

"They select girls for kidnapping."

"They almost picked someone today," I added, voice low.

"A civilian. She was targeted."

Aviraj frowned, "was she taken."

"No," I said almost immediately,

"Not on my watch."

There was a pause.

Kaka sa leaned forward.

"We've been tracking this rackets leader for weeks. He slips. Pays off police. Operates on signals and intermediaries."

"He made it personal now," I muttered.

Baba sa looked between us,

"And the men?"

"Dead," Ridhan said sharply

"Good." Baba sa nodded.

He studied me for a moment, "Rudransh, your temper?"

"In check." I lied

He saw through it but didn't press.

Make sure you tie all ends. No traces. And Rudransh,

Yes?

You protect the innocent. That's what makes us different from animals. Don't forget that

I nodded.

But my hands still burned with memory.

And in my chest, something twisted.

Not guilt. Not regret.

Just the knowledge that this world would always bleed; and that some of us were made to stop it, no matter the cost.

♛┈⛧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈⛧┈♛

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