City Slickers

On The Road

Thirty-six years old lanky tall Samir Mahajan felt an air of hostility in the five-story building of Aura Fashion House. His three months absence from this building hasn't changed much but his colleague didn't seem to spare a little time to say hello to him. He was made to wait for two hours before the owner's office.

Mr Mahajan, nice to see you in good health but you know we need to run this business to feed our hundreds of our employees so we replaced you with talented Miss Devangi." said the owner of Aura Fashion House owner; Jugal Kishor.

Devangi was Samir Mahajan’s assistant in the apparel merchandising department. She knew nothing about apparel merchandising but she was really talented in pleasing her employers.

Samir; I know we both know about the value of each other's time I think the meeting is over now." said Jugal addressing him with his first name.

He knew the meeting was over and he was signaled to get out of Aura Fashion House’s multi-crore building situated in Central Park area of New Delhi.

Now he was practically on the road, there were not many jobs for him in fashion houses around the national capital region area due to the ongoing recession.

The car accident which left him bedridden for three months consumed most of his savings. Doctors said that the head injury which left him unconscious for four weeks must have damaged some of his brain cells which might cause him occasional nausea and left him in delusion.

Worst of all he lost Meera in that accident. She was his first love, she was his life, and they were deeply in love. She was a junior designer in designing department. Their love was love at first sight, she wasn't the most beautiful girl in this world but she was a whole world to him. She was criminated by her parents while he was still unconscious. Doctors would often tell him that the girl who was semi-conscious at the time of the accident was worried about him. She lost the battle of her life within two days of the accident.

Meera's death was a big shock for Samir. Her death has created a big hollow within him; he was missing her more than ever. Delhi was full of her memories. He wanted to flee from this blasted city, from Meera's memories and perhaps from himself also.

He was delusional all the time. No matter you are broken or breaking constantly but this sinister body has its needs which it demands no matter you have money to fulfill them or not. Samir needed a job to feed him and pay the rent of his apartment. His MBA degree was nothing now, no one was interested in him. There was a simple response from all the possible employers, no vacancy, they were busy firing heads every day. Head-hunters offices greeted him with weird hostility.

"Samir; you don't have any money to pay my fees?" asked doctor Atul with a smile.

"No……." he replied briefly.

"No money, no further treatment……"

"I know doctor, but I'm not interested in any treatment. I simply came here to look for a job." said Samir looking at the bewildered doctor.

"I have no job for a man of your qualification."

"I'm ready to do any work for money."

"But I don't have any job for you; did you say you can do any work for money?"

"Yes but no illegal work."

"I'm not telling you about any illegal work; this is a visiting card of my friend who is in construction industry, presently many of his projects are going on in Will City, go meet him. I'll call and tell him about you."

"Thanks a lot doctor."

More Delusion

There weren't many jobs with the construction company, they offered him driving dumper job, which he took reluctantly as there was no option.

Truck driver job was a perfect hideout for Samir from his tormented past, rupees five hundred wages per day was enough for him to keep him alive. Collecting scrap from the construction sites and dumping it into river Kali was his all day routine, a fellow driver helped him finding a rental flat for him in the outskirt of Will City. Rose Valley was a rather scattered unorganized colony which had not a single rose orchard in it. Two rooms’ apartment on the ground floor of three-story building at rupees 3000 rent was fair enough for him.

It was a late evening last when he saw her, she was a picture of classic beauty, tall, slim and sharp face features. To his surprise, he was thinking of her all evening. He was ashamed of himself for thinking of someone else except Meera his lost love.

Prodigal Brother

Anu looked at Harry; her younger brother; fully drunk, out of his senses.

Why do I love this idiot? He's useless, expert in extorting me. Murmured Anu; a 29 years old tall and slim woman.

The meagre income which she makes in telemarketing at the local TV shopping channel in outer Will City wasn't much to handle her daily needs. Her brother Harry was useless and unemployed and a burden on her.

She looked out of her apartment's window; the lunatic truck driver has come back. That idiot was looking at her like a ravishing wolf on that day.

These males are all hunter of beauty, thought she and sighed.

That truck driver was new in the building but looking at him always made her think; that his face was familiar.

She jerked her head and looked at Harry, he was still unconscious.

Useless idiot…….

Foggy Evening

December evening was foggy and cold. Samir just came back after a tiresome day. He made a cup of coffee for him and switched on TV and started changing channels to watch something interesting. That very moment he heard a muffled feminine scream. He lowers the volume of TV and tried to hear where the scream was coming from. There was silence all over, no scream, he jerked his head and increased the volume of his TV again. But the scream echoed in the air again and it was clearer now. The screams were more frequent intense now.

What the hell is going on, thought he.

Soon he heard the sound of running people and screams seem to come just in front of his apartment. He got up and opened the door, scene outside was bizarre, that girl was on the ground and a young lad was hitting her with a stick.

Samir ran towards them and snatch the stick from the lanky lad.

"How dare you bastard……." shouted the lad and darted violently at Samir. Samir saved him and slapped hard him.

The lad swirled and fell on the ground. Samir looked at the girl on the ground and helped her getting on her feet.

By that time the lad has also got up and he darted again at Samir, Samir looked at him menacingly and slapped him hard again.

This time the lad took Samir punch on his chest; he shuddered and ran towards the main entrance of the building.

"Wanna mess, wait on, I'll fix you now." said the lad running towards the main entrance of the building.

"Who the hell are you, why did you interfere; this is my family matter." said the girl spitting blood on the ground.

Samir overheard her and asked, "Are you allright?"

"I'm fine but you don't know anything about Harry, he'll bring back his goon friends to beat you."

"Harry?"

"My younger brother, whom you thrashed."

"Why did he hit you? His elder sister?"

"He is a drug addict; he extorts money from me every day. Today I refused him and he started hitting me."

"Very bad; it's very cold around her, please go back to your apartment."

The girl looked at him and said, "Yes I should go back, please be careful, his friends are drug addicts like him."

"Don't worry; I'll be careful." said Samir and went on looking at the girl until she disappeared in the fog.

Midnight Rumble

Samir was half asleep when he heard male voices that were cursing him and challenging him to come out of his apartment.

Samir immediately know what it was all about.

He switched on the light and looked for the wooden stick which Jagga left with him to deal with straw dogs.

He took the stick in his hands and came out of his apartment. They were six or seven in all and on motor cycles, abusing and challenging him.

They all had hockey sticks and cycle chains in their hand. One of them shouted insults at him in his unstable accent and ordered his friends to charge at him. Samir was prepared he took them all on his stick; soon they were all either on ground or rushing out of the building premises.

Win over the ruffians made Samir a bit confident, one of the ruffians who was on ground found a cobble on the ground, he took it in his unsteady hand threw at Samir. Smair took the cobble on his head, he fell on the ground and saw running ruffians from his closing eyes.

When he gained his senses back, he was still on the cold ground and the goons were gone. The girl was sitting near him.

"Sorry sir, you had it all because of me." said the girl looking at him.

I gave them good beating, hope your brother has learned his lesson, he won't trouble you anymore now." said Samir wiping blood from his forehead.

"Who knows, he's in bad company."

Samir said nothing; he got up and started walking towards his apartment. The girl walked along with him.

"Please go back." said Samir entering his apartment.

Unintended Accident

Almost one week later while coming back from the construction site, Samir was lost in Anu thoughts. She was a very sweet girl. She informed him next day that her brother Harry came back after a couple of days with his tail between his legs, he was not troubling her any more.

December fog has engulfed the whole road. Visibility was a few meters, it was only eight in the evening but the roads were almost empty. Rose Township was still fifteen km; he was driving with a steady speed. He wanted to go back to his apartment in the cosy warmth of his bed. He was wondering how badly he was attracted to Anu, her enchanting looks used to make him helpless; he was wondering that how rapidly he was forgetting Meera, and he was not feeling guilty.

Suddenly a man with a big Indian bike emerged from backside and honked to let him go ahead.

"Lunatic……" murmured Samir and let him go.

The man was also big like his American made Indian bike.

"Why do people waste quarter of crore rupees on such a heavy bike." thought Samir looking at the big man on the big bike.

All of a sudden the man on bike lost his control and slipped on the road. Samir tried his best to avoid collided with the fallen bike and its rider but his big truck which was meant to carry heavy building material couldn't stop immediately and its big tire crushed the bike under it. Finally his truck came to halt and he jumped to see; what happened to the rider of the bike.

The multy lakh bike was now just a heap of junk and the driver was lying dead in his own blood pool.

There was nothing which he could do for the rider. He looked around, there was none? He thought for a moment and decided to flee from the accident scene, after all it was not his fault, the biker fell in front of him and met his misfortune.

Night Visitor

Sleep was scarce that night. He was just tossing in the bed. He was half asleep when his sleep was disrupted by a heavy knock on his apartment door.

There was a tall cop on the door, clad in khaki.

"So you are sleeping here gleefully after killing the biker. I know you'll deny but I've collected sample of bike and it rider's blood from your truck tires, which are enough to take you to hanging noose." said the cop.

"What do you want?" asked Samir, knowing that he was in big trouble.

"Come with me to the police station." said the cop.

"Sadar police station was a gloomy place at that late hour.

The cop who was in charge of police station didn't try to put him in the lock up; instead he took him in his quarter and said abruptly, "Twenty five lakh."

"What?" exclaimed Samir.

"The cost of your freedom, this is just the cost of bike which you crushed under your truck tires, the cost of biker's life is excluded because truckers like you cannot afford that much."

"Insurance company will look after this accident."

"Do you know how insurance companies operate now a days, they pay us to prove that the accident was intentional, which mean the drivers usually face the murder charges and insurance company saves a lot of money. Do you want me to let the insurance company people contact? But till then you'll have to rot in the jail, waiting for your trial."

Samir, knew the shrewd cop had a point and he could face murder charges.

"I don't have that much money with me."

"The truck which you drive could yield five to seven lakh in the grey market; you need to earn that money to keep you out of the clutches of the law."

Samir kept quiet and pondered over his present situation.

"Don't think so hard, I know a ragamuffin like you cannot arrange this kind of money immediately, I give you fifteen days time to arrange for the money or on the sixteenth day you are going to jail.

Samir nodded and stood up to leave.

"And don't think of elope, a private detective will be on your watch twenty four hours from now on. Instead of escaping, plan to arrange the money. Remember my name is Dev Mishra, ask anywhere about my reputation; I don't let people go so easily."

It was almost morning when Samir got back to his apartment, he fell in his bed; he knew he was in a grave trouble and there was no way out.

Darkness Envelops

"Why are you so silent, is anything wrong?" asked Jagga, when he saw Sameer so silent and troubled.

"I need rupees twenty five lakh to save me from jail and death penalty."

"What…….?"

Sameer told him everything.

"How are you going to arrange that kind of money now?" asked Jagga.

"No idea, I think inspector Dev won't let me so easily. His private eye is following me all the time."

"You are really in a deep trouble……." said Jagga.

"Can you help me arranging the money?"

"No way, I cannot even arrange twenty five thousand at the moment."

Conformable Rogue

Next day Jagga came with a news paper and show an article to Sameer. There were pictures of a man in the article who was all alike Sameer.

"This is Rajive Dava, area manager of Blue Stone, Diamond Company. Recently this company made a deal with a local jeweller worth rupees five hundred crore diamonds. The finished diamond shall come from company's main office situated in Noida." said Jagga.

"What do want to say?"

"Rajive Dava is a rogue and he deals with the diamonds every day, you are his photo copy, just think of lying hand on some diamonds; it'll solve all your problem."

"You want me commit a crime?"

"No, just wait for a few more days; inspector Dev will handle for the crime which you have already committed."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing, you are in trouble; you do the thinking to get out of this trouble. I just suggested a solution, it is up to you if you make something out of it or not."

"I'm so helpless, please tell me how could I get some diamonds using myself as Rajive Dava?"

"You have developed a relationship with Anu, she is sale executive at Blue Diamond, use he to find a way; but remember this Rajive Dava is a rogue, he will cut you into pieces if you failed.

"I cannot use Anu; I cannot cheat her."

"Use his brother to extract information about the diamonds from his sister."

"I've beaten him, he won't listen to me."

"Just give a try……."

Devious Plan

Harry was a very clever man instead of his drinking habits. For an equal share in the loot he agreed to help to extract information from his sister.

In a few days whatever he came to know was astounding. The diamonds were about to reach in Will City on Sunday 13^th by a chartered plane. Rejive Dava will go to airport to collect the diamonds.

This information seeded a devious loot plan into Samir brain, he decided lay hands on diamonds worth rupees five hundred crore.

Good Advice To Deaf Ears

"What are you up to Samir. Your newly developed friendship with Harry is unlikely, what are you both up to?"

"Nothing Anu, Harry is a good lad now, we just have casual chat every day." replied Samir.

"Casual chat, he was inquiring me about the diamonds; what are you up to."

"I know nothing about diamonds……."

"Please be careful Samir. I'm expecting trouble, you know nothing about Rajive Dava, he is related to Vijay gang, they have a partnership with Blue Diamonds, please don't mess with them; they kill people like flies."

"Don't worry Anu, I've no plans to mess with them. I cannot even think about it.”

Sunday, December 13^th

They were five in all, well-armed and with a lot of hate towards Vijay gang. Most of them have been associated with Vijay gang in past and some of them have gone to collect diamonds delivery with Rajive Dava in past. They knew how the deal on the airport goes. Rajive was the man who kicked them out of Vijay gang and they wanted to retaliate. Harry gathered them and introduced them to Samir. They all wanted a fair share in the loot; Samir knew it was dangerous to work with them but he needed men to make this loot successful.

Rajive house was in front of them. They all unlocked their guns and jumped out of the car. It was already dark and diamond delivery was likely at nine. One of them jumped over the fence of Rajive house and subdued the gatekeeper by using a Chinese tranquilizing dart gun and opened the main gate.

As soon as rest of them entered he put on gatekeeper uniform and took his position with a powerful gun.

One of them opened the main door using a wire and pushed opened the door. There were six or seven men in the room, drinking and smoking. The man with Chinese dart gun fired simultaneously, they all took darts in their body parts and lost consciousness for six hours.

Rajive who was bewildered at this act shouted, "What the hell is going on, want to retaliate, you can kill me but Vijay won't let you go so easily, he'll cut you into pieces."

"To the hell with Vijay, when are the diamonds coming?" one of them asked.

"Okay, you came here to loot the diamond, forget about the diamonds, you cannot force me to go at airport to collect the diamonds."

"We'll not force you, just tell me when are the diamonds coming?"

"Okay; diamonds are on the airport. Go collect them. I'm not going to collect them, the man with diamonds will return to Delhi by next flight if I don't go to collect them."

And that very moment one of them blew his face with a single gunshot.

Samir, who had never killed a fly in his life, was disturbed to see this blood shade."

"Why did you kill him?" asked Samir.

"None of your business, let's go to airport to collect the diamonds."

"What if they had some codeword to collect the diamonds?”

"Nonsense, his face is the only code; which you have with you.

Dooms Night

Collecting diamonds wasn't tough, in fact the delivery man relieved to deliver the diamonds.

Samir who was feeling like trapped in a wolves pack, secured the diamond briefcase with a handcuff.

"Boss, I don't believe in luck, let's spilt the diamonds and say goodbye to each other." said the man.

Rest of the men including Harry wanted the same.

The driver pulled in the car in an alienated street and Samir opened the diamond briefcase. There were total one thousand medium size diamonds, Samir took 140 diamonds and gave rest of them to Harry to distribute them with the rest of the men. He saw them indifferently and came out of the car. He saw the creepy detective wasn't around, he decided to slip out of the city silently but that very moment a car stopped beside their car and two men with big carbines jumped out of it and started shooting through the windscreen of the car. Powerful gunshots echoed in the air and then there was silence, the silence of death.

Right then the creepy detective, Jagga and inspector Dev came out of the car. Dev stood near the car and Jagga and detective started collecting the diamonds from the dead bodies.

It was enough for Samir, he had a narrow escape, it was the time to leave this city, thought he and disappeared in darkness.

Two Years Later, 5th Pine Street, Gurugram

Samir was not in a hurry to reach his home; his export house was doing well. Five years term made him financially stable but the burden of guilt was heavy on him. To forget his tormented past he became a drunkard, a daily drinker.

He left his office at nine in the evening and just after entering his car he gulped scotch from his favourite black label. By the time he reached his apartment in 5th Pine Street, he was fully drunk and driving rashless.

He opened the main door of his apartment with his shaking hands. There was none to wait for him; he switched on the lights of his drawing room. To his surprise, there was a visitor, a less expected visitor. Anu was sitting in the chair with a shrewd smile.

"How are you Mr Racketeer?"

"Anu, how come you……?"

"Don't talk, today it's my turn to talk. Do you believe in the concept of Maya?"

"Maya……?"

"Yes Maya, the riches you make suddenly; those riches are called Maya, this Maya makes you rich but take a lot from you, don't you believe this?"

"Anu……. I'm sorry…… I…….!"

"Don't talk, just listen. Do you know that night total ten people were killed?"

"Ten…….?"

"Yes ten, Harry, five of his friends, Rajive Dava, Jagga and the private detective."

"Nine, you said……."

"I'm the tenth, I was taking care of my drug addict brother, you beat him that night to mend him and I fell in love with you."

"I still love you……"

"Really, that is why you left me alone to weep on my only brother's dead body, who was killed because of your greed."

"Greed? I was helpless……”

"Helpless, Do you know, Vijay the gangster, got inspector Dev killed within one week of the loot, he knows how you looted his diamonds, now there is a rupees twenty five crore prize on your head by the gangster."

"You came here to earn that prize?"

"Corpse doesn’t collect prizes. You needed to serve five to six years in jail for that accident, but you choose the easy way, which got you killed as well."

"Got me killed?"

"Yes, said Anu and took out a revolver from her handbag and blasted astonished Samir face.

"Two years; it took me two years to find you and serve the justice." murmured Anu and she left his apartment.