Zindaan – The Golden Cage Chapter 24 (The Connecting dots Part 2)

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Anika closed the door of her room and knelt down beside it. She rewinds what just happened a few seconds ago and how another one changed his shade. She wipes her tears and took the photo frame from the side table. “Mumma, I am sorry that I am not able to save you. This web is just going worse and worse. Daddy is hiding things with me and Ishu is covering for him. I promise that I will surely find those people who kidnap you. Probably Daddy and Ishu have some connection with them or maybe I am also connected in some way” She said caressing the photo. “I know Daddy and Ishu’s priority is not saving you. They both want anything else from this case that’s why they are not putting efforts but I will find you for sure” She said wiping her tears.

“Sometimes, I feel that I know Shivay from before that’s why his behaviour is hurting me. But I don’t remember anything. Why the hell I am not remembering anything? Am I going mad?” She said while keeping hands on her ears and hitting her forehead. “Why I am not able to find myself in my memories?” She cries while closing her eyes.

Anika moves toward her bed after composing herself but gets shocked to see her ruined sketchbook. She looks that someone tears that same page in which she designed two numbers. She wiped her face and look here and there panicking. Then only she noticed the footprints in white marble. She looks on in horror and realised. She reached to her phone but someone snatches from her hand. “You did get to know about me before. Why are you pretending to get shocked? ” Advik asked while removing his black cap. “You….You killed those people” She asked horrified. “They deserved to die. Don’t you think?” He asked smiling and closed her mouth with a handkerchief.

Kshitij was searching boxes in the record room. “What are you looking for?” Vishal asked looking at the numerous boxes which contain the record of victims of all cases. He took out the box after reading the slip and open it. Before he could proceed, his hands start shivering. “Sir, You okay….?” Vishal asked after he wiped a lone tear. He took out photos, some documents and article headlines. Vishal looks on and then picked up the cover of the box for checking out the name. He sighed after reading the chit. “Why did you come here when you know that it is going to trigger your emotions?” Vishal asked trying to keeping things back. “She was working on some case related to Hope orphanage. Even she asked me to search for information about that but I denied it while thinking it as another dragged case for her channel trp” He said while stopping him.

****Flashback****

“Papa, Mumma is ignoring me from the time she comes back ” She complained while crossing her hands. “My princess is upset,” He asked picking his little munchkin in arms while she turned her face dramatically. “Mumma told me to bring chocolate but now you won’t take as you are angry from her,” He asked to her while she quickly snatched it. “It’s alright, I will forgive her. You know I am very kind ” She replied while raising her imaginary collar while he chuckled. “Yes, What were you saying?” She asked lightly twisting her ear. “Ouch, Mumma, I was only praising you” Meher bit her tongue and ran from there inside her room.

“You are only spoiling this girl. What was the need to bring chocolates?” She asked while flipping some pages. “Why are you this much busy nowadays? ” He asked while she highlights articles with a highlighter. “Are you again on any idiotic case for your news channel?” He asked while she glared him. “Ahana, Why are you not answering ?” He asked snatching documents. “This is not an idiotic case, it is a very important case for my career. By any chance, you can help me with this?” She asked. “What is the case. Is it related to this orphanage? ” Kshitij asked while reading. “It was 15 years ago, some fire broke out in this orphanage. Police closed the case after the death of a prosecutor who is behind this incident” She replied while passing documents to him. “So, what was the point of searching about this case when the culprit is already dead? ” He asked confusedly.

“These things are just written in news articles. What if this is just the one side of the coin? Let me explain you, Imagine that prosecutor ordered to broke the fire in that orphanage. Why would he go on that same place and get burned in that same fire? What was the profit in burning an orphanage and people inside it?” She said putting some more articles in front of him. “That is called Karma, you know. He gets burned in the same fire which he ignites” He replied. “Kshitij, You are not getting my point. That prosecutor Ved Raichand was a prominent and respectful identity at that time. Why would he did that without any profit and ruined his image?” She said while he holds his head. “We can’t know the intention of people. You should search for something which boosts your career not some remaining ashes of previous cases. Got it! ” He said while she shook her head. “I am a journalist and it’s my duty to bring truth in front of people. What happened to the children of that orphanage? There is no information about their whereabouts and moreover, some of their dead bodies are also missing” She said tensely. “They might be get shifted to another orphanage or some of them get adopted. They will grow up in these years. You will going to gain nothing while running behind a 15 years old case. Just stop this here and get some sleep. You are looking tired” He said while pecking her forehead while she nods her head.

****Flashback ends*****

“You mean that your wife’s murder is involved with this case,” Vishal asked while he looks on. “What’s with the previous detectives?” Kshitij asked keeping the things back. “Don’t know, One of them told that Chief especially assigned you for this case. He said that he thinks that you are capable of solving it.” Vishal replied. “It was pre-planned,” Kshitij said while he looks in disbelief. “What? Is your involvement pre-planned?” He asked. “I am planned puppet of someone in this case. Who is that jerk behind all this? Who the hell is controlling these people?” He said holding his head. “Now, the Chief has to tell me the truth. He is working for that moron and covering up for him” Kshitij said making fist angrily and walked out.

“Bro, What are you doing? You can’t barge inside like that.” Vishal said controlling him. “So, What I am supposed to do? Should I become silent after knowing that our seniors are involved with the culprit” He shouted. “You can’t blame without evidence or else he put charges for defaming. First, find any evidence against him” He said trying to make him understand while he stamped his hand on the wall. “Let’s go to Hope Orphanage. It’s all started from there” Kshitij said while taking revolver and keys while he follows him.

Shivay was driving with great speed and then stopped the car with a jerk. He entered inside of the mansion and then throw the vase in frustration. Anika’s words echoed in his ears. “What did she say that Maya is fake…..the one who is always with me is fake. How can she say it?…. How?…” He asked rubbing his head while sitting on the sofa. “What happened to you? You are looking tensed” Maya ask while standing behind. “You were right that these outsiders are the same.” He told disappointedly. “You was the one who was not believing in me.” She said while moving in front of him. “I should believe in you. But I don’t know what happened to me. It’s felt that I know her from before, there is some connection between Anika and me” He said. “But I won’t believe her from now onwards. How did she have a picture with you?” He added while she sat beside him. “You can only answer this. I just know those things which are inside your own head” She said while smiling and he looks on.

Kshitij and Vishal walked inside that deserted place. The main gate of the orphanage is rusted and the building is looking creepy. “Is this place for real? What if there are ghosts inside?” Vishal said horrified while Kshitij glares him. “Have you lost it? How can you be so stupid?” He asked while moving forward with the torch while he quietly walked behind him. They moved inside the corridor while looking at the walls. Suddenly they get alarmed after hearing sounds. “What is that sound?” Vishal asked while he signed him to be quite. He gives him a torch and took out his revolver. He peeps from the corner behind the wall and creeped out to see a girl searching for something with a flashlight. On realising something behind, she turned while they both hides. “Oh, God! She scared the hell out of me. I thought some ghost is roaming. Is she planning to give a heart attack to us?” Vishal mumbled while he hit him with his elbow. “Keep quiet, she already suspects our presence” He whispered. “Why did I feel someone is behind me?” Drishya thought while roaming in the corridor. They both hides behind the pillar.

“Is she mad? Can’t she get scared before coming at this deserted place in the night” Vishal asked him. “Do one thing…. Ask from her. How I am supposed to know?” He said and looked from behind the pillar while she gets again busy in looking bricks of walls. ” What the hell is she searching. Did she hides something inside the walls?” Vishal asked while he shook his head. “By the way, she is looking different.” Kshitij said while he replied “You know I have a girlfriend. I usually don’t notice other girls”. ” What does that mean that I keep noticing girls? I was saying that her appearance looks similar to the sketch of Maya” He glared him. “I didn’t mean that. I think you are right”, He said while he rolled his eyes. “Why are we waiting here then? Let’s arrest her for faking identity” Vishal said while he felt like to bang his head somewhere. “Don’t be a fool. If you arrest her now, then we will never know how much big she is planning” He replied.

Drishya took out bricks from their place and looked inside. She took out something, placed it inside and covered from bricks. She closed her eyes and wipes her tears. She opened her eyes feeling the touch on her shoulder. She turned and looks on. “What are you doing here?” She asked the same girl child.  “Did she just talked with herself? I am telling you, Sir, that this girl is possessed or something” Vishal said looking at the same direction. “Shut up! She imagines things” He replied while he looks at him shockingly. “What? She is also schizophrenic ” He asked. “No, just a kind of trauma. You better shut up, let me listen to her” He replied while he makes faces. “Where are you taking me?” Drishya asked when she holds her hand with her tiny fingers.

She starts walking behind her while she took her outside in the garden.
“Why did you bring me here?” She asked while she signs toward a wall which is almost get ruined, the paint gets removed and it is covered by dust. Drishya walked toward the wall and kneel down. She removed dust and see some drawings on it by crayons. She keenly looks and tried to identify those drawings. She sees the drawing of two girl child and one small boy. It is getting difficult for her to register names beside them as most of the crayons get removed. “Moon…” She read it and looks on. She just guessed two other words which are Sun and Star. “You know them….right,” Drishya asked to her while turning but that little girl disappeared. She sighed while bowing her head down in disappointment and get up. She walked outside toward the main gate while wondering about the real meaning behind those nicknames.

“What the hell was she looking on this wall?” Vishal said while moving torch toward it. “There are just some drawings nothing else,” He said. “Move aside! Let me look at this. Till then you took out the things which she keeps behind those bricks” Kshitij said while he moves with the torch. “What do these words mean? Moon, Star, Sun….” He thinks before getting up.

“I will tell everyone. You are a murderer, don’t behave that you helped those children. You made them freaking orphans” Anika shout at him who was playing with knives. “I saved them from being a Monster like me. It’s better to become orphan than monsters” Advik said while moving toward her. “What was the need of knowing my identity. Why did you see that tattoo?” He starts saying in remorse while putting a knife under her chin. “Now, I have to kill you without any reason,” He said disappointedly while she looks on. “You are not going to get escaped after killing me because you have to pay for your crimes” She replied furiously. “You are fierce but think before you open your mouth. I can slit your throat in any second” He said throwing the knife. “Making those children free from hell is not a crime” He replied holding his head while she looked confusedly on his behaviour.

Drishya walked inside the mansion but get shocked to see an enraged Tej shouting on guards. “Where is Anika?” He asked while huffing. “I just came. How am I supposed to answer this?” She replied. “Then, Where were you roaming? I told you not to leave her alone.” He shouts. “For God’s sake, I am not her shadow who follows her everywhere” She replied casually while a slapped land in her face making her lips bleed. She looked at him with bloodshot eyes. “She is not here and her room is messed up. It seems like someone broke into her room.” He said. “How can it be possible after this much security?” She asked tensely. “Yes, that so-called security hired by you. If something happens to my daughter, I will bury you alive” He shouts making her flinch. “You should be here with her if you care about her this much. Where were you? Do you even know your responsibility toward your daughter?” She said shouting.

“Dare to blame me for this. I don’t have only one work of following her everywhere. I am getting sick from you and your dear daughter. ” She added while he looked at her angrily. “You are such an ungrateful person. Did you forget that you were living in an orphanage if I don’t adopt you?” He said throttling her neck. “There is no difference in that hell and this hell,” She said with difficulty while trying to remove his hold. “You are lucky that I have to find Anika,” He said leaving her while she starts coughing. She looks on in rage and took out a syringe from her handbag. “You deserve my wrath, Tej Malhotra,” She thinks while holding it in a position. Before she injects him, someone wrapped hands around her legs. She looks down and sees the same girl child who signed her not to do this by shooking her head. “Why? Why do you always stop me?” She mumble putting it back. “Why are you standing there? Go and find her” He shouts while she nods her head. He informed the police and she also dialled the number.

“Did she get to know that we were stalking her?” Vishal said to him after looking at the name on the screen. “Yes, Miss Malhotra…” Kshitij received the call while they both walked toward the car. “Anika….” Drishya said stammering while rubbing her head in stress. “I can’t hear you. Say clear now” He said while she closed her eyes for calming herself. “Anika is not picking up her call. Her room is also messy” She said while entering her room. “What do you mean that she get kidnapped?” He asked shockingly. “Yes, maybe…” She replied while picking up Anika’s sketchbook. “Relax, I already give tracker watch to her. It’s not very difficult to find her” He replied while taking u-turn toward the agency.

Drishya looks at the torn pages of sketchbook after cutting the call. She picked up a pencil from the stand and rub it. “Why are these looking like ‘F’ & ‘T’? ” She thinks looking at the letters. She turned when she look at him holding her hand. He signs her to kneel down while she bends down. He put a bandage on her hand while she looks on. “Raghav, Did you see everything?” She asked while he remains silent. “I have to go to find Ani, Tell me the truth.” She said while he nods his head positively. “You get hurt…” He asked looking at the mark on her cheek. “No, It’s not paining at all. You won’t tell anything about this to anyone including Anika” She said. “Why? You said lying is not a good thing” He replied while she bows her head. “Children always think from the heart. When you will grow up, you will start thinking with your mind. Sometimes, we have to bear the pain and sometimes we give pain. So, don’t grow up before time, behave like a child” She said stroking his hairs.

“Did you find my sister?” He asked while the whole incident which happens to her sister get rewind in front of her. “Not now, I will bring her very soon” She lied while taking bandage from his hand. “Thank you, You know these bandage will heal me because you have magic in your hands,” She said smiling while he looks at her confusingly. “Then why didn’t they heal my injuries if I have magic?” He asked cutely while she chuckled. “Magic is supposed to work on others. How will it going to work on you?” She said and he thinks while putting his finger under his chin. “Now, Go and take some rest,” She said while he nods his head. Drishya glanced the bandage and smile.

“Track Anika’s location fast” Kshitij ordered to Vishal who was standing in front of the computer. “I found that some pages of her sketchbook get torn up,” Drishya said while entering. “Did you get to know her location? ” She added while he took sketchbook from her hand. He sees it and gets shocked. “I think she gets to know about the identity of a serial killer that’s why he kidnaps her. We don’t have much time, track her location fast” He said while Vishal replied, “It’s done”. “Let’s go,” Kshitij said picking up a walkie-talkie.

“You can’t go with us,” He said to her who are following them. “What? But Why?” Drishya asked. “Because it’s going to be dangerous. I can’t put your life in risk for saving another one” He replied. “Anika is my sister and you can’t stop me from going,” She said stubbornly. “Why don’t you get a single thing? If you will go there then how I am able to protect you both” He shouts while she didn’t budge at all. “I don’t care. Tell me her location, I will go by myself” She replied while he holds his head. “Then why did you tell us to assign this case? Go and solve everything” He said angrily. “I can’t leave Anika alone. This is just ridiculous that you are stopping me from going. I am her family for god’s sake” She shouts while he holds her hand. “What are you doing?” She asked while he locked the handcuff with the rod of the table. “What the hell? How dare you to do this” She said frustratingly and try to take out her hand. “Be quiet. Palak, Make sure that she won’t run anywhere” He said while she nods her head. “You moron, you can’t do this. Open it now” She shouts. “Stop cursing me or else I will tell her to put tape on your mouth” He replied before leaving.

“Noooo….” Shivay shout while getting up while sweat was dripping from his forehead. He walked down from his bed and gulps a glass of water. “What was that? Why I am feeling this much restless?” He thinks while wiping away sweat. “Maya….Where are you?” He said looking here and there in order to find her. She is the only one who is behind him all the time. “Why are you shouting like this?” Maya asked standing beside him making him startled. “Did you again thought I went leaving you behind? How many times I told you that I will never leave you alone” She said holding his hand. “I am feeling scared but don’t know why,” He said trying to calm the havoc is in his mind and sit on the bed while holding his head. “You are thinking too much. No one can harm you until I am here” She said stroking his hairs. “No, I am not feeling scared for myself. I am feeling this restlessness for anyone else” He said looking in her eyes. “For whom?” She asked curiously. “Anika” He replied while keeping his hand on the left side of chest and she looks on.

“Palak, Please open this and free me,” Drishya said in a pleading voice. “Sorry, I can’t do anything against Sir” She replied while she make a fist in anger. “It’s hurting my hand badly. Please open this. I don’t know the location of Anika. Even if you make me free, then also I am not able to go there” She said in manipulating voice. “She is right. She can’t do anything” Palak think and open the handcuffs. “Now, Sit here quietly without making any chaos” Palak said while checking files on her desk. Drishya closes her eyes and rewinds the moment when Vishal was searching location on computer. Palak looks at her confusedly and then shook her thoughts. “Where are you going?” Palak asked while running behind her. Drishya enters in the car and drove before she catches her. “Why I am worried when she doesn’t know about the location. Let her go wherever she wants” She muttered while panting.

Kshitij stopped the car in front of a small penthouse which is very near to the forest. “Don’t worry, the backup force is in the way. I informed them” Vishal said to him while he nods his head. “How did they reach here? ” Advik wondered looking at the footage. He picked his phone and dialled a number while panicking. “Did you see Cops are here? What should I do now?” He asked over the phone. “I already see that. Let them come inside. You escaped from backside” He replied from other side while turning toward the computer set up in front of him. “Are you sure? What about the private information of child abusers which is stored on my computer? ” Advik asked. “Yes, You just took care of yourself and Anika. I will handle everything else” He replied while running fingers on the keyboard.

“Should I kill her?” Advik asked while he looks on. “No, we can’t kill innocent ones. Just make her trapped until this list of child abuser get finished” He replied while he nods his head. “Where are you taking me?” Anika shouts listening to the one-sided conversation. She gets to know that he is not alone. It means that he is an accomplice. “What are you doing?” Anika asked shockingly when he remove the watch from her hand and throw it. She was hiding it before that everyone else can connect to her. “Why don’t you kill me? One more murder can’t bother murderer like you.” She shouts while he holds his head. “Stop it! Don’t provoke me” He replied while wearing his black hoodie.

Kindly ignore grammatical and spelling errors. Do comments and Take care. Keep smiling ?❤