FF - Plot twist

Chapter 25 - Missing puzzle

Disclaimer - Contains a little violence and profanities

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Everyone gasped in horror seeing the state of Khushi; lip bleeding, handprint on the cheek, several long scratches running the length of her arms. She looked close to losing consciousness, swaying wayward. She moaned in pain when Ankush dragged forward by her hair.

"This little bird took reflexes after her father. I'm impressed, she gave me a hard time capturing, but... this is Ankush Malik," he laughed madly. "The predator was hatching a trap for his prey, and see his luck, it fell into the trap by itself."

"Ankush Malik, let her go!" yelled Arnav, hurrying towards them.

"Stay," warned Ankush, but Arnav didn't bother. "I said STAY!"

He slashed Khushi's arm with a broken bottle and she howled in pain. The sight of her spilt blood made Arnav and others halt.

"No one is to move or do anything," said Ankush, "or I'll cut this little bird's wings."

"What do you want, Ankush? Let her go!" cried Arnav, his fists clenched.

"Call me 'Chacha'," he said.

"Never!"

"I said," pressing violently on her wound making Khushi cry, "call me 'Chacha'."

"Chacha. Chacha!" said Anjali, when Arnav couldn't utter the word. "Please, don't hurt her. Please!"

"What do you want?" said Mama.

"Me? Oh, I don't want anything. Chote babu had snatched every single thing from me. There is nothing left which is mine now. Police will catch me one day, I know it. I'd rather go to hell than to prison."

The maniac grin on his ugly face sent shivers down their spine. One look at him and it was evident that in the past many months he had lived in the worst conditions. He looked quite nasty; hair grown past shoulders and beard levelled with it, there were more patches than clothing, face covered in soot. His nose was bleeding, clearly evident that Khushi had punched him before he captured her.

"No, I'll talk to them. You can be free. Just let her go!" said Arnav.

"However," continued Ankush, ignoring Arnav, "I am here to scar you all, ruin what you've been building all these years before I quit."

Then entered a policeman, whose sight filled everybody with relief. But that feeling got replaced with stupefaction when he went and stood next to Ankush, sneering at them.

"It's done, sir. The security won't be of any problem for 30 minutes. They are sent away from this area, I've seen to it," said the policeman.

"Good," smiled Ankush. "Do you know this man?" he asked, pulling Khushi's hair, looking at her, "Yadav. Your father's greatest friend who betrayed him for money. Not just once, numerous times."

Despite the agony she was in, Khushi's eyes flashed with fury and she mouthed words, "Brutes, you both!"

Ankush ignored them with a sweet smile.

"You lot, listen. I'm about to reveal some small secrets. Do not interrupt me..." he said, going towards Payal.

In a flash, he smacked her across the face and pushed her with a heavy force so that her stomach hit the sharp edge of a table and collapsed flat on the cold floor, bawling unable to bear the pain. He kicked away the mobile next to her and stomped hard on her stomach once before stepping back, still dragging Khushi by her hair.