HANDSHAKE

As Arjun and Mukesh descended deeper into the network of tunnels beneath the city, the air grew thick with tension. The low hum of the underground echoed, a constant reminder of the shadows that moved around them. Arjun, ever the detective, sensed something was off. His partner, Mukesh, had grown unusually quiet, his usual calm now replaced with an unsettling nervousness.

“Mukesh,” Arjun said softly, glancing at his partner, “you good? We’re almost there.”

But Mukesh didn’t respond immediately. His eyes, normally sharp and focused, were unfocused now, distant, as if caught in a memory he couldn’t escape. Arjun frowned but said nothing further. There would be time to talk later, after they’d taken Gaitonde down. However, what Arjun didn’t know was that Mukesh was no longer the man he thought he knew. And as they reached the deeper chambers of Gaitonde’s operation, everything changed.

They entered a dimly lit room, the air thick with the stench of cigarette smoke and something far more sinister. Gaitonde himself, ever the calculated kingpin, stood in the center of the room, surrounded by his loyal men. His eyes glinted with that familiar, predatory gleam.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Detective Arjun Roy,” Gaitonde said, a sly grin tugging at his lips. “I’ve been expecting you. But, of course, I didn’t expect you to bring your loyal partner.”

Mukesh didn’t look at Gaitonde. His gaze was fixed somewhere in the distance, his fists clenched at his sides. Arjun couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed in his partner, but before he could ask, it happened. A signal was given, and from the shadows emerged two men holding Mukesh’s family—his wife, Priya, and her young daughter, Rashmi. Arjun’s heart stopped. They were bound, their faces pale, and fear glistened in their eyes. Mukesh’s breath hitched, his body shaking.

“No…” Mukesh’s voice was barely a whisper, filled with desperation. His eyes moved from Gaitonde to his family, and the moment he saw them, everything inside him seemed to crack. Gaitonde walked up slowly, his voice low and dangerous. “You see, Mukesh, loyalty is a funny thing. You’ve been loyal to Arjun, but now I’m offering you something much more important—your family’s survival.”

Mukesh staggered back, his hands shaking as he reached for his wife, but the men holding them stepped back, keeping a distance. Priya looked at him, her eyes filled with silent pleas, but Mukesh could do nothing. “You have a choice, Mukesh,” Gaitonde said, his voice thick with control. “You can continue fighting for justice, and I’ll make sure your family pays the price. Or you can join me, and they’ll live. The decision is yours.”

Arjun’s heart dropped. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Gaitonde, ever the manipulator, was playing his most cruel hand. He was giving Mukesh an ultimatum that no man could easily face. The choice between the life of his family and his loyalty to his friend.

“No, Mukesh,” Arjun said, his voice filled with urgency. “You can’t. We can still bring him down, together. This isn’t the way.”

But Mukesh’s face twisted with a mixture of fear and helplessness. His family, the only thing that mattered to him, was at the mercy of the devil himself. His eyes locked with Arjun’s, but there was no strength left in him. He could see his wife’s fear, his children’s tears—and in that moment, Mukesh made a decision.

“I… I’m sorry, Arjun,” he whispered, the words breaking his soul. “I have to protect them.”

With a trembling hand, Mukesh turned away from Arjun and walked toward Gaitonde. The betrayal was absolute. Mukesh had chosen his family’s life over their shared mission, and Arjun could do nothing but watch, helpless.

Gaitonde’s men released Mukesh’s family and stepped back, but the damage had been done. Mukesh, once a man of unwavering loyalty, had now fully aligned himself with Gaitonde.

“No!” Arjun shouted, his voice filled with anger and disbelief. “You can’t do this, Mukesh! We swore we would never bow to people like him!”

But Mukesh said nothing, his face hardening as he stood beside Gaitonde. Arjun’s world seemed to crash down in that instant, the weight of his loss pressing down on him. The man he had trusted most was now part of the very criminal empire they had vowed to dismantle. Gaitonde smiled, his victory now complete. “You see, Arjun, loyalty is a fragile thing. It can be shattered so easily when family is at stake.”

He turned to Mukesh, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m glad you came to your senses.” Arjun’s fists clenched at his sides, his body filled with a boiling fury. He had no way to fight back, no leverage. His mind raced for a plan, but in the face of such betrayal, his options were limited.

“I’ll make sure your family stays safe, Mukesh,” Gaitonde said, his voice low. “And in return, you’ll serve me. You’ll be loyal to me. Is that clear?” Mukesh nodded silently, his eyes avoiding Arjun’s. His silence was all the answer Gaitonde needed.

Arjun’s mind swirled with anger and confusion. He had been betrayed by the one person who should have been his ally. And now, he was trapped. But Gaitonde, the man he had sworn to bring down, only had one more move left. “Arjun,” Gaitonde’s voice broke the silence, sharp and calculating. “You’ve been a thorn in my side for far too long. But I’m not without mercy. I’ll let you go—for now.”

Arjun’s eyes snapped to Gaitonde in disbelief. “What? You’re letting me go?”

Gaitonde chuckled darkly. “Yes. But get this, Detective. Your fight is over. You’re no longer a threat. You can walk away, but your life, your future, is mine now. You’ll never bring me down.” With a swift motion, Gaitonde signaled his men, who released Arjun’s restraints. Arjun stood in stunned silence, his mind struggling to comprehend what was happening.

“You’re free to go,” Gaitonde said, his tone final. “But remember, you’ll never be safe. I’ll be watching you.”

As Arjun stumbled back, his body aching from the fight he hadn’t been able to win, he cast one last glance at Mukesh. His friend, the man he had trusted, stood beside Gaitonde, his family safe but his soul lost to the darkness of Gaitonde’s world.

“Goodbye, Arjun,” Mukesh said quietly, his voice filled with regret but no turning back.

Arjun, broken and defeated, had no choice but to leave. There was nothing left for him in the city. He had lost more than just the case—he had lost a part of himself. As he stepped into the cold night air, the weight of betrayal heavy on his shoulders, he knew that the fight wasn’t over. But it would be a fight he could no longer fight alone.

And Gaitonde’s empire had only just begun.

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