REVENGE

Asif Khan and Karim sat at the entrance of the abandoned shed, looking out for any movement. The monsoons were lashing out with all its fury on the streets of Mumbai. As Asif Khan clutched his Beretta 93R, Karim noticed that his hands were shivering. Was it due to the fact that he was wet and cold, or was it due to the fear that had been gnawing at him, Karim wondered. Karim had been with Asif bhai for over seven years now, and had seen the deterioration of the dreaded underworld don to a paranoid, almost crazy maniac.

“Bhai, come in. You are cold. I’ll keep watch here.” Asif Khan looked at Karim with affection. Karim had been his trusted aide, his right hand man for almost five years now. Karim had proved himself time and again, both with his cunning and his sheer ruthlessness. And his devotion to Asif Khan. Asif Khan knew that he owed his life to Karim. Even now, the only reason he was alive was that Karim had warned him about the police, who were now hunting him all over the city. Asif Khan thanked Allah for a younger brother like Karim.

As Karim watched outside for any sign of the police, he thought of the events that had led to all of this. It had been three years since Salim had arrived and almost entirely ruined the Asif Khan gang. It was amazing how one man consumed by hate and driven by revenge could do such damage. Karim had heard the story a million times by now, mostly from Asif bhai himself, as he rued his mistakes and mourned his crumbling empire.

Asif Khan’s thoughts once again diverted to Salim, and how that bastard had ruined him. But he knew that he had wronged Salim’s family, and the guilt that haunted him had made him weak. If only he had discouraged Hussain’s taste for women’s flesh.

The story had been forgotten by everyone. But Salim’s entry into the underworld had brought it all back. Gang members spoke about it in whispers. Some even thought it Allah’s will. Altaf had told Karim the story of how Hussain, a previous gang member, had raped and murdered Salim’s sister. Asif bhai had ordered the entire family be killed. An explosion in the family’s home was orchestrated during the mourning, but Salim had escaped. Two days later, Hussain’s body was found. An entire magazine had been unloaded into him, one bullet to each kneecap, one to the torso and the remaining to his chest. It was clear to see that he had been tortured with a knife as well.

A city wide search for Salim ensued. Asif bhai even used his connections in the police, his informants in other gangs and his boys on the streets to try and find Salim. But there was no luck. There were a few unfortunate deaths of young men resembling Salim, but the real Salim was never found. Everyone felt that he had fleed town, but Asif bhai was never really convinced. Asif bhai felt that Salim had received shelter from one of the rival gangs, but his gang members pleaded with him to avoid a bloody gang war. Asif bhai had relented, but felt that he had not heard the last of Salim. Six years later, he was proven right.

Salim returned to Asif Khan’s life with a bang. A boat carrying heroin came in with nothing but torn up sacks, the bodies of the crew members, and a note by Salim swearing vengeance. What followed was a relentless attack on Asif Khan’s gang by Salim. Asif Khan’s informants in other gangs were exposed and murdered, his rackets constantly raided by the police on account of tips from anonymous informants and his turf was attacked when a car bomb exploded, killing five of his gang members and injuring Asif Khan.
What followed was probably the bloodiest chapter in the saga of the Mumbai underworld. Asif Khan asked for whoever was hiding Salim to surrender him to avoid an all out gang war. When no one came forward, Asif Khan declared war. The days of peace were over, and reign of the gun had started. Karim masterminded the sure and savage wipeout of the opposition, both outside and within the gang. Many gangmembers who had reservations about Asif Khan’s latest move either kept quiet out of fear of Karim, or were silenced forever by him. The Mumbai police, who were helpless spectators for most part and tried their best to curb violence in the city, could not help but admit that Asif Khan was doing his job by getting rid of the gangs. The underworld suffered, in terms of lives, business and money lost in this mindless carnage. The streets of Mumbai were awash with the blood of the underworld.

In all of this, there was still no sign of Salim. Asif Khan grew more and more frustrated as each passing day brought no news of Salim’s death. He drank too much. He started having nightmares of the devil, the shaitan, coming and dragging him into the depths of darkness. He had trouble staying composed, and despite consulting a lot of doctors, there was nothing that could be done if his mind could not be calmed down. He suspected his men were plotting against him, and kept telling Karim that the blast in his turf could not be orchestrated without the help of an insider. His health took a downturn as he started eating less. He was consumed by fear, and he was helpless to do anything. His nemesis, his hunter, was lurking, waiting to strike, and he could do nothing but wait.

Karim, in the meantime, did everything he could. Salim’s photo was sent everywhere; but to no avail. He managed to get rid of most of the rival gangs using all the means he could. But things got worse. The police were given strict orders to clean up the city and put an end to the bloodbath. Asif Khan was to be captured, dead or alive. Karim had no illusions about which option the police would choose. It wasn’t long before his informant in the police told him that an arrest warrant had been issued for Asif Khan. Karim knew he had to act quickly. He arranged the fake passports, the money and the tickets to Singapore. Soon Asif bhai and he had left the house in an old Maruti 800, but had to hide out in an abandoned shed after Asif bhai noticed a couple of policemen who may have spotted them from a checkpost. Now he sat near the entrance of the shed, his Colt Double Eagle clasped firmly in his hand.

Asif Khan was slowly drifting into sleep. He saw, out of the pitch black, a figure emerging. Covered in flames, the figure was coming to him slowly. Asif Khan tried to move back, but he could not move an inch. He was crying and yelling in fear, but the shaitan came to him, burning bright. The shaitan stretched its hand, reaching for his feet, ready to drag him to hell.

Asif Khan was woken by a loud bang and an excruciating pain in his knee. Blood was oozing from his kneecap. Wailing in pain, he clutched his knee and looked up. His eyes widened at what he saw. Towering over him was Karim, pointing his Double Eagle straight at him. The smoke from the barrel rose slowly.

“Karim?” he asked, almost in a daze. “Why? Why are you doing this? Did Salim hire you? Or was it the police? I treated you like a brother. I trusted you. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS??”

“Salim is dead. He died all those years ago. He had succumbed to his injuries during the blast you triggered. You killed Salim. You killed his parents, my uncle and aunt. And Abida. That bastard raped her and murdered her. Your henchman dog killed her. And you let him. You let him loose on the streets, and instead, killed my innocent family. You took away all the family I had. You murdered my love. I was going to have my nikkah with Abida. And you took her away.”

“Karim, please.. please.. listen to me. There was nothing I could do. I tried to stop Hussain. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. Please. I’ll give you anything. I have money. You know that. Please let me live. For Allah’s sake, we were like brothers.”

Karim fired a shot onto his left kneecap. Asif Khan yelled in pain. “Hurts, doesn’t it? You were no brother to me. Getting into your gang and gaining your trust was necessary for me. And you have given me everything I needed. Your slow death from fear – THE ONCE INVINCIBLE ASIF KHAN, NOW SCARED OF HIS OWN SHADOW – that has been my greatest reward. You made me kill people. You made me go against Allah’s will – and now you beg for mercy using Allah’s name? You are a pathetic man; and the world would be a much better place without you. YOU WILL DIE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!”

Asif Khan’s face turned ashen white. He had realized that Karim had taken away his Beretta, and now there was nothing he could do. He could hardly move because of his damaged knees. He started crying and begging for mercy. As he looked up, he saw the contemptuous smile on Karim’s face. This was the last thing he would see, as the bullet from Karim’s gun hit him in the chest.

Karim emptied the magazine into Asim Khan’s chest. He was shaking with fury. He let out a roar; filled with anger, rage. All the emotions he had hidden deep within for so many years. He had finally had his revenge. He wiped Asim Khan’s blood from his face and hands. Throwing the gun aside, Karim walked out of the shed. As he stepped out, he felt the rain, coming down hard, cleansing him. He had journeyed through sin for seven years and had finally achieved redemption. He got into the car and drove away.

P.S: A note of thanks is in order here. Many thanks to Rajkumar, who through his facebook post (also titled "Revenge") unwittingly inspired me to write this piece. Thanks dude, for bringing me out of a creative slump. I owe you one.

P.S. 2: Of course, like Rajkumar, I am also a man of peace.