The subway train ride turned out to be too smooth for Rohit. At first, Ragini was pouting, expressing her anger, but as the crowd grew, panic set in.
Until now, she had only taken the subway when she knew it wouldn't be too crowded. But today was unplanned. The crowd was severe this time, almost like the infamous local trains outside that the world knew for their suffocating rush.
For Rohit, it was nothing new. It reminded him of his old days. The only difference was the train's slower speed, but he didn't complain.
The reason? Ragini had huddled against his chest, unable to cope with the press of bodies. And the longer the ride, the longer the warmth he enjoyed.
Sure, a few people threw him peculiar looks, but he didn't care. Instead, he flashed them a smug smile, as if to say, 'Nice item, no! but she is mine?'
At the fifth stop, they exited smoothly. Unlike the previous stations, this platform was noticeably less crowded. The central district catered mostly to offices and private industries—after working hours, very few people came here, especially at midnight.
He held Ragini's arm and guided her past security.
The subway surroundings themselves felt underdeveloped. No shops. No nearby residences. Just shuttered warehouses and dark factory compounds stretching beyond the gates. The place had the hollow stillness of somewhere people passed through, but never lingered.
Outside, the streets were eerily quiet. Not a single pedestrian in sight. Even the light poles along this stretch had no CCTV cameras; surveillance was limited to the subway or bus stop entrances, and the nearest checkpoint was a good distance away.
He felt a little tense and glanced at Ragini. "Should we book a cab? Or call someone from home?"
Ragini thought for a moment. Their house was barely twenty minutes away by car, so a phone call was an option. But there was a better chance of finding a cab within five minutes if booked near the bus stop.
"Let's try booking the cab," she said. "If it delays, we'll call home."
Rohit nodded, booked the ride, and decided to stroll toward the bus stop. The city lights still glowed, and a few random vehicles rolled past. A couple of passersby showed themselves, but everything seemed under control. Everyone minded their own business.
Just before he reached the bus stop entrance, Rohit was yanked back, a knife pressing against his throat.
Ragini screamed, "ROHIT!" but her cry was abruptly cut off. A tall man, his face partially hidden by a handkerchief, clamped a hand over her mouth and held her tight with his bare arms.
Rohit's eyes darted around. Two others were returning, a bald man and a muscular-looking one. They also wore handkerchiefs to mask their faces. They were a minute's distance away.
He cursed himself for mistaking them as harmless passersby. It had been a decoy to make him drop his guard, and now, with their masked faces, their intent was unmistakable.
The taller one held Ragini tight, but Rohit still couldn't see who had grabbed him from behind.
It was lackey number 2, the bearded one, but now he too had a handkerchief mask on him.
"If it's money you want, we got plenty," Rohit said sharply. "Release us now if you know what's good for you."
The bearded man sneered. "Oh no, kid. We want more than that. And trust me… it'll be good."
The tall man holding Ragini spoke in a calmer tone, his voice familiar and younger. "I… I don't want this to get worse. Just… stay quiet and follow what we say. It'll be over soon, okay?"
Rohit glanced at Ragini. She nodded frantically, trying to keep calm. The tall man used that moment to gag her with a handkerchief and tied her hands behind her back.
Rohit's anger flared as he saw Ragini being manhandled. Her discomfort burned into his mind, but he forced himself to stay calm. He needed to figure out the purpose and how many more men were involved.
Getting escape from the knife was the least of his worries; a simple rage bait would do that job.
Soon, the bulky man, who was Kasim and the bald man stepped into the light. "Good job," Kasim yawned. "Now let's rest at the bus stop. We'll follow the cab you booked earlier. Just… the destination will be different."
"What do you want? Why are you after us?" Rohit demanded.
Kasim's phone buzzed once.
He answered without taking his eyes off Rohit. "Yeah. Got a new product. Anything up?"
A pause. His jaw tightened. "What? New target—now? In Lutyens Delhi?"
His gaze flicked to the tall man holding Ragini. Then he turned slightly away, lowering his voice as he stepped back into the shadows. "Boss's call," he murmured to the bald man. "Reply the kid."
The bald man grinned, his voice dripping with malice as he nodded. "Simple, kid. A fat ransom for you."
The bearded one licked his lips. "And your mother…" he said without hesitation, "she'll fetch a better price than gold. First, we'll have our fun, and then the e.s.c.o.r.t services can milk her."
That snapped Rohit's last thread of patience. He was done holding back. Today, the world would witness the demon he had kept shackled. His fists clenched as he gave one final warning.
"You've really got the balls to say that? I dare you to repeat it. Keep in mind, it will be your grave mistake."
As he spoke, he moved his hand slowly behind his back, reaching for something obvious.
The group burst into laughter.
The bearded man leaned forward with a smirk. "Oh, I can do better. I've got really big balls, and I—"
Mid-sentence, his words froze. A cold shiver ran down his spine as an iron grip clamped around his groin.
Instinctively, he slashed for Rohit's neck with his knife, but his wrist was already pinned by the boy.
Then a voice slid into his ear, low and venomous, hissing like a demon's whisper. "Is this what you're proud of?"
"Noooo! My balls… my balls…"
Before the bearded man could beg for mercy, he screamed at the top of his lungs as Rohit crushed his groin. The knife grip loosened as Rohit locked the hand holding the blade.
With a sharp twist, Rohit wrenched his arm aside, snatched the knife, flipped the grip, and drove it deep into his backside.
"AAAAAAAARRRGHHH!"
Stab*
He leaned closer and said with chilling intensity. "Go on.. finish the fuck, you were saying." The man screamed with a glutteral roar trying to break free but his hand was still pinned down by Rohit.
Stab*-Stab*-Twist*
Rohit didn't waste any more time and yanked it free, only to stab it again into the other bum and twist it viciously.
The bearded man sprawled on the ground, screaming in raw agony like a squirming worm.
The street fell ice-cold silent. Everyone froze with horror in their eyes.
Kasim gulped, hesitation creeping into his voice as he started screaming and rushing back. "Hoye! Stop him! Baldie!"
The bald man, who was nearly ten meters away, snapped out of his shock and blurted in panic, "Have you lost your mind, kid? Who even does that to a man?"
Rohit raised his bloodied hands and signaled. "Mind your ass first. Squashing eggs shouldn't take much time. Come!"
The bald man roared as he took out his dagger. "You bastard! I'll rip you apart!"
He charged with wild strikes, but Rohit weaved effortlessly, dodging each blow until an opening appeared. His kick landed square on the man's jaw—knocking him out cold.
"Two down, two more," Rohit muttered, breathing a little heavier as his eyes flicked to Ragini and the tall man holding her. The real challenge was the one still approaching.
Kasim's eyes widened as he reached the spot where the bearded man had fallen earlier, with the knife still stuck in his ass. Panic flickered across his face. He had not expected his men to be dismantled by someone who looked like a scrawny kid. The strikes were precise. Even when they looked sloppy, they were deadly.
He moved toward him slowly, rolling his shoulders and tightening his fists as if restraining himself. "Trust me, kiddo. I'm giving you a chance. Tone it down, or you won't survive this."
Rohit's eyes locked on Kasim. From his build alone, he could tell Kasim was the mastermind. He taunted, mimicking a crushing motion with his hand. "You're coming? Or are your balls smaller than theirs?"
Rage returned to Kasim's face. He pointed at Rohit and snarled, "Rascal! You're dead kid." He tore off his shirt, revealing his muscular build, and charged forward with rage.
It was a quiet irony for Rohit. He had imagined a rewarding night with Ragini, everything unfolding just as planned. But out of nowhere, the goons had appeared.
Would he be able to save her and keep his promise? Would his new body support every movement he needed to make? Could he walk away from this unscathed?
Only time could answer the raging questions in his mind. For now, he pushed them aside and focused on the fight.