The Endgame

A day before, At Uncle Vincent's house, in the dungeon…

'Why Ruth…WHY?' shouted a dejected Martha; tears rolling down on her frail face. Ruth wriggled with unease in his chair but continued his deadpan stare at the ground. Perhaps the stroke of realization had made it strenuous for him to even confess.

With a hoarse voice, he asked, 'Who killed her?'

Martha replied in a shaken voice, 'Her last words were… "Darana…he would kill all" …that's it.'

Ruth gulped hard. Martha's voice suddenly turned sharp, but it was still difficult to understand her words through her sobs. 'That girl…. was innocent…. You made her go to… Charu's house and act as a nurse. Then…. when you thought… that you might need to silence me…your mother… you used her against me…. You used her to have control over Master Vincent…. you filthy sinner…! Master kept us when…when we were left to die hungry on the road…when Anthony was searching for us… frantically…like a hound… to torture and probably to kill…Master treated you as his son…! And you betrayed him…? That girl, she got killed all because of you…you...sin…'

Martha could hardly handle the sudden outrage of trauma and fainted once again. Ruth had buried his face in his hands now and was crying helplessly.

Charu was staring at him with an unfathomable face. Her hands were folded so tightly as if she was drawing strength from that action to accept the inevitable. The situation in the dungeon had a palpable sense of despair. Charu never had imagined that her worst fear would have come true so horrifically.

'Abhay wants to kill me?', she thought, unperturbed by the chaos created by Ruth and Martha. 'Above all, why would he suddenly want to kill me? Isn't this a horrific travesty of love itself?' She could still not get on with the thought. She could understand his jealousy but there seemed no logical reason behind him suddenly turning into a maniac like this. For a moment, the reflections of all good memories flooded her heart. She closed her eyes to let the choked feelings pass by, but it seemed relentless. Only a tear rolled down, making her feel even more dejected.

Yuvaan, who had been silent till now couldn't hold it further. 'So, this Darana, or whatsoever he prefers to call himself, has completely brainwashed Abhay? You guys fuelled his mind with more jealousy and he...he got ready to kill us? Haah…Abhay seems to have no wits left suddenly. I had heard that love is blind, but…Honestly, this is sounding more like a cheap daily soap drama,'

Charu's face suddenly turned grave. Her expressions depicted that the situation was still sordid, and Yuvaan's jibes were not welcome. Yuvaan hastily corrected his features.

'How can we enter the den without them noticing us? She asked, trying hard to sound normal, but her voice still trembled a lot.

'The same way you were sucked in…There is a mechanism in the den, used for water supply. That pipe that opens in the lake has its lead marked with a serpent. From it, the tomb containing the safe of mind control drug's formula was sent in. Mom knew it, that's why she muttered something about the serpent. I guess you know it already,' Ruth replied, still avoiding Charu's gaze.

Turning to Yuvaan and handing the sword to him, she said, 'You know what we have to do,'. Nodding reassuringly, he left. Charu sighed heavily. The question she wanted to ask was very important, at the same time she didn't want Ruth to think that she still cared for Abhay. Abandoning pretence, she asked, 'Are you sure, Abhay is not playing any trick against Darana?'

'No…He is getting paid beyond our wildest dreams and above all, Master trusts him. It was him who captured Uncle Vincent and he was the one who cracked deals with the international people for this drug. So, the chances that he is still planning it against Darana…are…well…remote…'

Charu had anticipated this already, but still, she found it very hard to digest. She loved Yuvaan, but somehow the love for Abhay hadn't vanished completely.

'Well, then I must say that hiding the sword by a tree was the dumbest thing to do…' Charu seethed, 'It was highly unlikely from him to have such a wet behind the ear attitude,'

Ruth didn't reciprocate Charu's acidic taunt at all. There was an eerie silence. Charu had no wish to break it, so she started towards the door.

'Love is a very powerful thing, miss,' Charu came to an abrupt halt and shot Ruth a look of complete astonishment.

'Master Daniel wants to kill you both, but I don't think Abhay ever approved of that thought…'

Charu could not react for a moment. Then she replied in a low tone, 'Love happens, but trust doesn't, it comes as a choice to be made. And I have chosen not to trust…'

'I would say, remind him of the love. I would do it if I were you,' Ruth broke in.

Charu nodded silently, as she couldn't utter a single syllable even after trying hard.

Present-day…In the submarine den…

Charu could hardly see others from the place where she had been tied. She struggled hard to free herself while thinking deeply. How horrifically foolhardy and childish plan they had made. No sooner had they entered the den than Abhay had welcomed them with his stoic yet haughty stare. Charu could still recall it perfectly clearly.

'How unexpectedly naïve you both have been. He smiled with his famous lopsided grin. Or should I call you…Aha…What's Charu's favorite word?... Oh yes…Foolhardy! Because only fools believe that tracking implants are indiscoverable and that someone can hide something as valuable as a sword by a tree, without proper planning!'

Charu's face must have depicted her feelings as clearly as a mirror. For Abhay smiled even broader as he snatched the sword easily from a shocked Yuvaan's grip. Straightening it, he showed the sword's handle to her. The 8th jewel was replaced by a tiny spycam! A perfect ploy!

Pointing his men to take Charu away, he started pulling Yuvaan by his collar. 'No…no more heroic actions bud, I have your girlfriend here.' Charu could hear the fading voice, which was still raging in her ears.

She must have spent some hours thinking about the same and speculating about what they would have done with the sword. when a silhouette started enlarging itself from absolute darkness. From it, Abhay's handsome figure emerged. As he started towards her, she suddenly started laughing uncontrollably.

'So…so…so, this is your love. You used my love as a mascot and me as a scapegoat at the same time! How utterly clever! You kept stabbing my back all the time like a coward…it's so hard to believe that I loved you in the past Abhay. Love, such an eternal and auspicious emotion it is. The journey from 'you and me' to 'us'! Something which completes the incomplete within us… which says that seeing your love happy is the actual essence of it than having them in your life! But how the hell would a selfish hypocrite like you understand this?'

'Selfish?... Coward?' Bellowed Abhay, as he moved uncomfortably close to Charu.

'The truth is something you would never understand Charu. Because you never truly loved anyone of us, nor will you give it a try. You kept both of us dangling and rather enjoyed the attention, didn't you?'

Several moments passed with the same uncomfortable silence, after which Abhay just dragged her with him with an unnecessary force. Charu had to squint till her eyes adjusted to the flooding light.

'Welcome…Welcome my dear sissy,' a horrifying sound echoed. Accompanying that sound was a figure of a thin man, with a stylish haircut and a fashionable three-piece suit.

'Ahh…No…don't strain yourself so hard Charu…Your hands are still tied strong, and haven't you seen your dear uncle Vincent here? You try to double-cross me, and your uncle gets it here…fair assessment?', He asked, with his head slightly tilted towards the right, as he observed Charu with deepest loath.

Charu reciprocated it with nothing but a grunting sound. Yuvaan was still not visible and seeing Uncle Vincent in such a frail condition had broken Charu's moral.

'I don't look like a villain, do I? I wanted to become a hero in films, I am a bit filmy you see. You heard what my troop calls me right?'

Charu could not help but agree. 'Darana' was honestly very filmy.

'I had loads of dreams. But life…it has never been fair to me, as it has been to you. You always got the love, affection, and respect in abundance. Some extra love as I hear from Abhay…' Daniel continued his dreamy monologue and Charu kept praying hard for Ruth to turn up on time.

'Now from the mind control drug that is the legacy of my great stepmother, I am going to make all my dreams come true. There are international guests here today to see how this ultimate discovery works. I have planned a demo. And guess what? You are the lead actress here…. Ladies and gentlemen…. please give a loud round of applause to my sister and our hero, Yuvaan!'

The room instantly filled with a burst of jeering laughter. Yuvaan, who was holding a pistol and was looking at Charu in a completely unfamiliar way, marched in. Charu's insides lurched, and the heart started pounding at a horrific rate. They had intoxicated Yuvaan with the mind control drug!

Charu watched with bated breath as Daniel continued his drama. 'People, watch now as our hero finishes his lady love with his own hands. Yuvaan, I order you to shoot Charu dead!'

Yuvaan mechanically turned towards Charu and raised the pistol. Charu shot a horrified look at Abhay. Surprisingly, his face showed the concoction of the greatest dilemma and fear.

Crack…. a sound indicating that the pistol had been loaded. Charu closed her eyes. So, she was going to die…haplessly…like a chicken!

After some tense moments or so it seemed to Charu, a loud sound of gunfire echoed in the room. She experienced a jerk thrashing her to the ground, but except that there was no pain anywhere as she had expected. It took her several moments to understand what exactly had happened.

Several uniformed people had taken their positions and were shooting at the international gangsters including Daniel. Ruth had done his part well and had got the police involved at the right time. Abhay had introduced himself between the fired bullets and Charu as a protective shield.

The following incidents of how the battle ended and everyone got nabbed couldn't register themselves inside her mind. She was too shocked to react.

Inside the ambulance, Charu was brought back to senses when Abhay, drenched in his own blood tried to hold her hand. 'Abhay…hold on…we are on the way to…hospital…' she said in a shaky voice. Abhay just looked deep down in her eyes and tried to hold her face, but his body failed him. Charu held his hand and took it to her face. Abhay must have been in tremendous pain, for his eyes kept showing the urge to be closed.

Tears of excruciating emotional pain rolled down from Charu's eyes. Their touch made Abhay get some invigoration. He slowly opened his eyes and wiped her tears… 'one…last…time…' he tried to continue…but nothing came out. The famous lopsided grin occupied his face and the stoic eyes closed permanently… Not to open ever after!

In the search for absolution…!

Charu was blankly staring at the small ivory-colored pyramid sitting at Uncle Vincent's house, waiting for him to arrive. Some moments later, Ruth entered accompanied by Martha and Uncle Vincent.

Everyone avoided each other's gaze, and a blatant hesitation kept making the room feel gloomier than ever. Ruth cleared his throat unnecessarily and handed the sword to Charu.

'The police have destroyed the mind control drug and have confiscated the formula, but this sword belongs to you, so I brought them back. Yuvaan is fine, but he is under observation, just for the sake of precaution…and this…' He handed Abhay's phone to her.

Charu transferred her stare to Ruth and said, 'Thank you, Ruth…For everything…' She could hardly gather the words to continue the conversation.

As she rose to leave, Uncle Vincent intervened saying, 'Don't let this shut your heart Charu. Abhay sacrificed himself for you…let love find his way again to your heart.'

Charu sighed heavily, which was mainly to restrain the tears within.

She kept staring at the breaking dawn from the window. Abhay must have known what Ruth was up to, given the spycam, still, he didn't stop him from going to the police. Uncle Vincent would have probably got killed if he hadn't kept him hostage. Given that Ruth would be told about his girlfriend, how would Abhay let him come to them? Exactly…he wanted all this to happen.

Charu's mind clearly showed her the picture now. What he could not fathom was Daniel making that drug and inducing Yuvaan with it.

Abhay's phone vibrated illuminating its wallpaper. From it, her own face looked at her with a vibrant smile. She knew that absolution was never going to come…but at least…the memories were still alive! She looked again at the sky…the Sun had risen!!!