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BLACK SQUAD: EPISODE 168 — "Echo Protocol"
SCENE 1 — DIN'S EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE, KASHMIR — 9:12 AM
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EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD — MORNING
Children laugh and run across the open courtyard. Teachers guide them toward the decorated stage. Banners flutter:
"Celebrating 18 Years of Excellence — DIN'S EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE"
A brass band warms up. Parents gather near the gates. The mood is festive, proud.
INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR — SAME TIME
A PEON walks briskly down the hallway. Mid-40s, quiet, face unreadable. He carries a worn black duffel bag. His uniform is clean, but his hands tremble.
He passes classrooms. Kids wave. He nods, but doesn't smile.
INT. SCHOOL WASHROOM — MOMENTS LATER
The peon enters the boys' washroom. Checks the stalls. Empty.
He moves to the last stall, opens the duffel bag.
Inside:
– A compact device wrapped in cloth.
– Red LED lights blinking.
– A soft ticking sound.
He places it gently behind the toilet tank. Covers it with a mop bucket. Steps back. Breathes.
PEON
(whispers)
Forgive me.
He exits quickly.
EXT. SCHOOL STAGE — CONTINUOUS
The principal takes the mic. Students cheer.
PRINCIPAL
Today, we celebrate not just education — but resilience. Eighteen years of shaping minds in the heart of Kashmir.
The crowd applauds.
INT. WASHROOM — DEVICE CLOSE-UP
The ticking grows louder. A green light turns red.
EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD — WIDE SHOT
Children dance. Teachers clap. The band plays.
But beneath it all — something is counting down.
FADE OUT.
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BLACK SQUAD: EPISODE 168 — "Echo Protocol"
SCENE 2 — BLACK SQUAD HQ, MEMORIAL PLAZA — 4:55 AM
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EXT. BLACK SQUAD HQ — MEMORIAL PLAZA — PRE-DAWN
Rain falls soft and steady over the open-air plaza. The sky is a dull grey, the kind that feels like mourning. Six black steel easels stand in a perfect line, each holding a framed portrait:
– ACP VIJAY KUMAR
– Inspector RAJAT
– Sub-Inspector KAJAL
– Inspector KAVIN
– Constable RAMESH
– Constable DHEERAJ
Below each frame: a single white candle, flickering against the wind. A folded Black Squad flag rests beneath Vijay's photo.
The squad stands in silence. No ranks. No weapons. Just soaked uniforms and hollow eyes.
QAZI steps forward, slow and deliberate. His voice is low, but carries.
QAZI
They didn't die in service.
They died in betrayal.
That makes our silence heavier.
He places his own badge beneath Vijay's frame.
QAZI
He wasn't just my predecessor.
He was my compass.
When I lost my way… he held the map.
IMRAN steps forward, holding a spent shell casing. He kneels, places it beneath Vijay's photo.
IMRAN
First time he met me…
He asked if I feared death.
I said no.
He said, "Then fear silence. That's how justice dies."
I didn't understand it then.
I do now.
SHREYA walks to Kajal's frame. Her hands tremble as she places a folded notebook page beneath it.
SHREYA
Kajal used to write down every mistake she made.
Not to punish herself —
But to make sure she never repeated it.
She said, "Don't wear your badge on your chest. Wear it in your decisions."
She did. Every day.
ARJUN stands before Kavin's photo. He places a cracked wristwatch — Kavin's — recovered from the blast site.
ARJUN
Kavin once told me —
"Every case is a wound. Solve it clean, or it festers."
He never let a wound rot.
Not once.
SACHIN kneels at Rajat's frame. He places a blood-stained USB drive.
SACHIN
Rajat hated speeches.
He said, "If I die, don't talk. Just finish what I started."
I will.
I swear it.
DR. GUPTA places two forensic gloves beneath the constables' photos. His voice is quiet, reverent.
DR. GUPTA
They were young.
But they knew the weight of truth.
And they carried it until the end.
Their hands were steady. Their hearts were louder than their voices.
QAZI turns to face the squad. Rain streaks down his face — indistinguishable from tears.
QAZI
We don't mourn with medals.
We mourn with memory.
We carry their names —
Not in files…
But in how we walk into rooms.
How we draw weapons.
How we promise victims: never again.
A long silence.
Then, one by one, each officer steps forward and places something personal beneath the portraits:
– A badge.
– A shell casing.
– A torn page from a case file.
– A bloodied glove.
– A photo.
– A pen.
The rain continues.
The silence deepens.
The camera pulls back — the squad standing in formation, soaked, grieving, unbroken.
FADE OUT.
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BLACK SQUAD: EPISODE 168 — "Echo Protocol"
SCENE 3 — DELHI, DEFENSE MINISTRY — 5:12 AM
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EXT. DEFENSE MINISTRY — DELHI — DAWN
The sky is pale, washed in early grey. A convoy of vehicles lines the perimeter, but one black government car breaks formation—accelerating toward the main entrance.
It halts abruptly. The door swings open.
A man steps out—mid-40s, clean-shaven, wearing a dark formal overcoat. His face is tight with urgency. In his left hand, he grips a sealed envelope marked "EYES ONLY".
He doesn't wait for protocol. He strides forward.
INT. MINISTRY SECURITY CHECKPOINT — CONTINUOUS
Guards glance up. One reaches for his scanner, but the man flashes a red-clearance badge. No words exchanged. He's waved through.
INT. MINISTRY CORRIDOR — MOMENTS LATER
The hallway is long, sterile, echoing with his footsteps. Aides and junior officers pause as he passes, sensing something off. He doesn't look at anyone.
He reaches the top floor. Turns left. Stops at a door:
DEFENSE MINISTER — MR. RAVINDRA PATEL
He doesn't knock.
INT. MINISTER'S CABIN — CONTINUOUS
The cabin is large, dimly lit. A wall of monitors glows faintly—maps, encrypted feeds, troop logs. A kettle whistles softly in the corner.
DEFENSE MINISTER RAVINDRA PATEL, mid-60s, sharp-eyed, sits behind a desk reviewing morning dispatches.
He looks up, surprised.
PATEL
What is it?
The man walks straight to the desk. No greeting. No hesitation. He places the envelope down.
Patel frowns. Opens it.
Inside: a single sheet of paper. No images. No commentary. Just a line of coordinates, a timestamp, and a red alert code.
Patel reads. His hand freezes.
His eyes widen. He stands slowly.
PATEL
How?
The man doesn't answer.
PATEL
When?
Silence.
Patel's voice hardens. He slams the paper down.
PATEL
Where is BLACK SQUAD?
CUT TO BLACK.
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BLACK SQUAD — EPISODE 168: "Echo Protocol"
SCENE 4 — BLACK SQUAD HQ — 6:03 AM
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INT. BLACK SQUAD HQ — OPERATIONS FLOOR — EARLY MORNING
A cold blue hue washes over the bureau. Surveillance monitors flicker. Officers move with quiet precision — logging reports, reviewing footage, prepping gear. The hum of machines and distant city sirens underscore the calm before the storm.
CAMERA TRACKS through the floor, passing familiar faces — SHREYA, SACHIN, RAFIQ, each immersed in routine. But there's a tension in the air. A sense of something off.
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INT. ACP SULAIMAN QAZI'S OFFICE — CONTINUOUS
A heavy silence hangs.
ACP SULAIMAN QAZI stands by the window, staring out at the Mumbai skyline. His face is unreadable — carved with years of duty, loss, and secrets.
Seated across the desk:
– SR. INSPECTOR IMRAN, arms crossed, jaw clenched.
– SR. INSPECTOR ARJUN, flipping through the postmortem file of ACP VIJAY KUMAR.
ARJUN
(reading)
"Two shots. One to the chest. One to the head.
No defensive wounds. No struggle."
IMRAN
It was surgical.
Whoever did this wasn't improvising.
They knew the route. They knew the timing.
They knew Vijay.
QAZI
(quietly)
He was the only other man who knew the route.
Danny Dong's transfer was classified.
Level-7 clearance. No leaks. No chatter.
ARJUN
Then someone cracked the vault.
Or someone opened it.
A knock interrupts.
CONSTABLE RAMESH enters, holding a sealed envelope. His hands tremble slightly.
RAMESH
Dispatch from South Block, sir. Marked urgent.
He hands it to INSPECTOR SACHIN, who's just walked in.
Sachin tears it open. Reads. His eyes widen.
SACHIN
(reading aloud)
"By directive of the Defense Ministry:
Effective immediately, all operations under BLACK SQUAD are to be suspended.
All officers placed under internal review.
All field access revoked.
All personnel subject to scanning and clearance audit.
Await further instructions."
A beat of stunned silence.
SHREYA
(stepping in)
What the hell does that mean?
RAFIQ
We're being shut down?
ARJUN
Suspended? For what?
IMRAN
(turning to Qazi)
Sir… why are they doing this?
QAZI
(stern)
I don't know. But I'll find out.
Suddenly — ALARM BUZZES.
RED LIGHTS FLASH across the bureau.
CAMERA WHIPS to the main gate monitors — a convoy of DEFENSE MINISTRY VEHICLES rolls in. Black SUVs. Military insignia. Armed ARMY OFFICIALS disembark with precision.
Behind them:
– IB CHIEF — cold, calculating.
– R&AW CHIEF — sharp-eyed, unreadable.
They enter the compound like they own it.
BLACK SQUAD OFFICERS gather in the main hall, tense and confused.
QAZI steps forward, flanked by his team.
QAZI
This is a classified bureau.
You don't walk in without a warrant or a war.
RAW CHIEF
We have both.
IB CHIEF
The route used to transport Danny Dong was compromised.
It was confidential.
Known only to two officers:
ACP Vijay Kumar… and ACP Sulaiman Qazi.
Gasps ripple through the squad.
SHREYA
Sir… is that true?
QAZI
Yes.
IMRAN
Then how did it leak?
RAW CHIEF
(turning to Imran)
Ask your sub-chief.
The veteran IPS officer.
The man who built this squad.
Mr. ACP Sulaiman Qazi.
CAMERA PUSHES IN on Qazi's face — stoic, but something flickers in his eyes.
CUT TO BLACK.
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BLACK SQUAD — EPISODE 168: "Echo Protocol"
SCENE 5 — BLACK SQUAD HQ — 6:37 AM
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EXT. BLACK SQUAD HQ — DAWN
A convoy of black SUVs storms through the gates.
Defense Ministry seals the perimeter.
Snipers take positions. Drones hover.
This isn't a visit. It's a siege.
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INT. ARMORY BAY — MOMENTS LATER
DEFENSE MINISTRY OFFICIALS sweep through the armory like a tactical unit — seizing weapons, encrypted drives, classified dossiers.
SHREYA, ARJUN, and IMRAN watch helplessly.
SHREYA
They're gutting us.
ARJUN
They're not here for evidence.
They're here for someone.
IMRAN
Someone high up.
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INT. COMMAND FLOOR — BLACK SQUAD HQ
ACP SULAIMAN QAZI stands in silence as the elevator opens.
DEFENSE MINISTER RAVINDRA PATEL steps out, flanked by:
- DGP PRATAAP, Delhi cadre, feared for his surgical interrogations
- IB CHIEF RAMESH VARMA, cerebral, unreadable
- R&AW CHIEF ANITA SINGH, composed, lethal
Behind them, a full interrogation task force — analysts, surveillance techs, intelligence officers.
PATEL
ACP Qazi.
You are hereby suspended from operational command.
Until further notice, this facility is under joint control of the Defense Ministry, IB, and R&AW.
QAZI
On what grounds?
PATEL
On the grounds that someone inside Black Squad betrayed the Republic.
QAZI
Then let's find out who.
---
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM — SOUNDPROOFED — MINUTES LATER
A cold, high-security chamber.
Surveillance feeds active.
Live audio routed to South Block.
QAZI sits across from DGP PRATAAP, flanked by IB CHIEF VARMA and R&AW CHIEF SINGH.
Prataap opens a classified dossier.
Photos. Maps. Satellite intercepts.
PRATAAP
The convoy was hit with military precision.
The route was known to two men.
One is dead.
The other is you.
QAZI
I didn't leak it.
PRATAAP
Then who did?
Silence.
Prataap turns to the intelligence chiefs.
PRATAAP
Where is the Chief of Black Squad?
IB CHIEF VARMA doesn't answer.
Instead, he gives a subtle signal to his aide.
The aide exits the room.
R&AW CHIEF SINGH
If the Chief is alive… they're either in hiding —
Or they're watching us right now.
PRATAAP
We need the Chief.
Not a ghost. Not a myth.
A name. A face. A voice.
IB CHIEF VARMA
You'll have it.
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INT. SECURE COMMUNICATIONS ROOM — SIMULTANEOUSLY
The IB aide enters, activates a secure line.
Encrypted protocols flash across the screen.
AIDE (to comms)
Initiate Echo Protocol.
We need the Chief.
---
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM — CONTINUOUS
QAZI hears the words.
His eyes flicker — recognition, fear, maybe hope.
PRATAAP
If the Chief doesn't show…
You'll answer for everything.
FADE OUT.
---
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Scene 6:"THE CHIEF INTERVENES" — RESCUE, REVEAL & RECKONING
📍 DIN'S EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE, KASHMIR — 9:21 AM
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🎪 EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD — CHAOS
Children scream. Teachers shout. Parents surge toward the gates.
The brass band has stopped mid-note.
Security falters. Panic spreads faster than protocol.
📢 LOUDSPEAKER (crackling):
> "Evacuate calmly. Follow staff instructions. Do not run."
But fear doesn't listen.
A TEACHER collapses. A CHILD is nearly trampled.
A SCHOOL GUARD fires a warning shot in the air — trying to restore order.
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🚨 SUB-SCENE 6A — THE ARRIVAL
A BLACK SUV screeches to a halt outside the school.
Out steps DCP ESHAAN, mid-40s, composed, eyes sharp.
Black Squad insignia. No fanfare. No backup. Just resolve.
Behind him:
– Tactical operatives in plain clothes
– JK Police officers falling into formation
– Bomb squad trailing with urgency
🗨️ DCP ESHAAN (to JK COMMANDER):
> "Seal the perimeter. Evacuate the west wing first.
> No sirens. No panic.
> We do this clean."
🧠 JK COMMANDER (saluting):
> "Yes, sir."
Eshaan walks straight into the chaos — no vest, no helmet.
Just his badge and his voice.
🔥 ESHAAN (to crowd):
> "I need every teacher to form a line.
> Every child will pass through you.
> No one runs.
> No one screams.
> You're not just staff today — you're shields."
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🧠 SUB-SCENE 6B — THE DEVICE
INT. SCHOOL WASHROOM — MOMENTS LATER
The bomb blinks red.
Ticking accelerates.
Pressure-triggered. No remote override.
DCP ESHAAN enters with the bomb tech.
The mop bucket is lifted.
Device exposed — blinking furiously.
🗨️ BOMB TECH:
> "Sir, it's a triple-layered trigger.
> Pressure, motion, and thermal."
🔥 ESHAAN (studying):
> "Then we freeze it."
He grabs a fire extinguisher.
Sprays the device — slowing thermal sensors.
🧠 BOMB TECH (panicking):
> "We still need to disarm the core!"
🔥 ESHAAN (calm):
> "Red wire is a decoy.
> Yellow is the sensor.
> Green is the kill switch."
He breathes.
Cuts the green wire.
Silence.
Then —
The blinking stops.
📢 BOMB TECH (whispers):
> "Sir… you just saved 300 lives."
---
🎉 SUB-SCENE 6C — THE AFTERMATH
EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD — MOMENTS LATER
Children regroup. Staff cry in relief.
Parents embrace. The threat is gone.
JK POLICE OFFICERS begin crowd control.
Medical teams arrive.
The school principal walks up, trembling.
🗨️ PRINCIPAL (to Eshaan):
> "We didn't know who to call.
> We didn't know if anyone would come."
🔥 ESHAAN (quietly):
> "Black Squad doesn't wait for orders.
> We answer to the Republic.
> And the Republic doesn't abandon its children."
He walks to his SUV.
---
📞 SUB-SCENE 6D — THE CALL
INT. DCP ESHAAN'S SUV — MOVING — 9:42 AM
The convoy rolls through Srinagar.
Inside, Eshaan sits alone.
His uniform is stained, his hands still trembling — but his eyes are clear.
Phone rings.
🗨️ FILTERED VOICE (on call):
> "Sir… South Block is waiting.
> They've activated the doctrine."
🔥 ESHAAN (quietly):
> "I'm coming."
🎬 CAMERA HOLDS on his face — calm, unreadable, resolute.
🖤 FADE OUT.
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🎬 EPISODE 168 — SCENE 7: "THE MAN WHO COMMANDS SILENCE"
📍 LOCATION: INTERROGATION ROOM, BLACK SQUAD HQ — 10:04 AM
Tone: High-stakes, atmospheric, operatic tension.
Visual Style: Cold lighting, slow tracking shots, ambient score with deep cello pulses.
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🔦 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM — SILENCE BEFORE THE STORM
The room is stark.
Steel table. Surveillance monitors flickering.
A single overhead light casts long shadows.
ACP SULAIMAN QAZI stands beside DGP PRATAAP, arms folded.
IB CHIEF RAVINDRA VERMA is pacing slowly, unreadable.
R&AW CHIEF ANITA SINGH watches the monitors, her face lit by static.
Suddenly —
The door creaks open.
An IB OFFICER enters, breathless, his boots echoing.
He walks directly to RAVINDRA VERMA, leans in.
🗨️ IB OFFICER (low, reverent):
> "Sir is coming."
Verma doesn't flinch.
He turns, eyes sharp as razors.
🗨️ RAVINDRA VERMA (to DGP Prataap):
> "He's inbound.
> Sealed route. No chatter. No leaks."
Prataap nods, then turns to Qazi.
🗨️ DGP PRATAAP (firm, quiet):
> "We wait.
> Until he arrives, Black Squad stays locked.
> No one moves. No one breathes."
Qazi's jaw tightens.
He doesn't respond — just stares at the door.
---
🖤 INT. BLACK SQUAD HQ — COMMAND FLOOR — 10:22 AM
Wide shot.
The entire Black Squad stands in formation.
No weapons. No orders. Just presence.
– ACP SULAIMAN QAZI
– SR. INSPECTOR IMRAN
– SR. INSPECTOR ARJUN
– INSPECTOR SACHIN
– INSPECTOR SHREYA
– DR. R.P. GUPTA
– DR. AVNI
– INSPECTOR VIVEK
The room is dim.
Screens flicker with encrypted feeds.
A red light blinks: "ECHO PROTOCOL: STANDBY."
🎥 CAMERA MOVES — slow, deliberate:
– IMRAN clenches his fists.
– ARJUN taps his badge rhythmically.
– SHREYA exhales, eyes scanning the room.
– GUPTA and AVNI exchange a glance — clinical, concerned.
– QAZI stands still, like a statue carved from war.
No one speaks.
They just look at each other.
🗨️ Final Line (Voiceover — Ravindra Verma)
> "When he enters this room…
> history will hold its breath."
---
🎬 FINAL SHOT
The squad — eight souls forged in fire —
look to each other.
Not with fear.
But with the weight of knowing:
Something bigger than all of them is coming.
🖤 FADE TO BLACK.
🎶 Score fades into silence.
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