THE NIGHT BEFORE DEATH: TERROR STRIKES BACK

"The one thing that beats time.... are true friends."

The room was dimly lit, with the faint hum of the ceiling fan blending with the occasional distant honk of cars outside. Vikram sat in the worn armchair near the corner, his sharp features partially obscured by shadows. Sonny was slouched on the sofa, flipping through a magazine but clearly distracted. The air between them was heavy, as if both were waiting for something to happen.

A sharp knock broke the stillness. Sonny jumped slightly, glancing at Vikram, who gave a small nod. Rising from the sofa, Sonny walked to the door, the floor creaking slightly under his weight. He unlocked and opened it to reveal a man—young, dressed in a simple shirt and trousers, his face taut with unease.

"Someone's been calling your number for the past several days," the man said, his voice low and urgent. "He sounds desperate. I think it's important."

Vikram, leaning back in the chair, hummed thoughtfully. "Alright. Give me the phone."

The man stepped forward, handing over a plain black phone. Without another word, he stepped back out into the hallway, the door clicking shut behind him.

Vikram examined the phone briefly, then dialed the number with calm precision. Sonny watched in silence, his curiosity piqued. After a few rings, the call connected, and a familiar voice answered on the other end.

"Tell Giovanni," Vikram said, his tone casual but authoritative. "What was so urgent?"

The man on the other end, Giovanni, hesitated, then stammered, "How did you know it was me?"

Vikram smirked faintly, the expression not quite reaching his eyes. "I keep an eye on everyone, big boy. Now tell me—what do you want?"

There was a pause, followed by Giovanni's voice, which trembled as he recounted an incident involving Nafisa. His words spilled out in a torrent of anger and pain. By the time he finished, his voice cracked, and he broke down into quiet sobs.

Vikram's face hardened, his jaw tightening. "Don't cry, Giovanni," he said grimly. "She will pay for the humiliation. Your disrespect means my disrespect."

With that, he ended the call abruptly, the silence in the room now sharper than before. Sonny, who had been listening intently, shifted uncomfortably. "Now what?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern. "Will you kill her?"

Vikram exhaled deeply, standing up and pacing to the window. He stared out into the night, his expression unreadable. "I wish I could," he said quietly. "It would solve quite the mess. But, unfortunately, I can't. I need her."

Sonny's brow furrowed, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Do you love her?"

Vikram turned back to him, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You tell me. What do you think?"

Sonny grinned, despite the tension in the room. "Everyone in Italy thinks you love her. But they also think she doesn't feel the same way about you."

Vikram chuckled, the sound low and bitter. "Is that so? I didn't realize my personal relationships were such a hot topic."

Sonny shrugged, his grin widening. "You're a reputable person. Gossip about you is practically inevitable."

The smile faded from Vikram's face, replaced by a grim seriousness. "Focus on what's important," he said sharply. "My relationship with Nafisa will benefit no one—not me, not her, and certainly not anyone else."

Sonny hesitated, then asked, "What about the guy you told me about?"

Vikram's expression darkened further. "We'll leave in half an hour," he said, his voice like a blade.

Without another word, Vikram rose, his movements deliberate and purposeful, and walked out of the room. The door closed softly behind him, leaving Sonny alone in the heavy silence.

Vikram walked towards the balcony and took out his phone and dialed a number. After several rings, the call got disconnected. He dialed another number and then a lady on the other side picked up the phone. Vikram asked, "Did Andrich reach the headquarters?" The lady replied, "No. He is still in the air." Vikram said grimly, "Convince Sir Lorenzo to keep that idiot in the special cell. I want to keep an eye on that idiot. Millions of dollars are on the stack for that idiot." The lady replied, "It is not possible. Sir Lorenzo has already made all the arrangements to transport Andrich to the solitary cell in Liverpool. I cannot do anything to prevent that." Vikram said grimly, "Fine. Just keep me updated with even the minimum amount of information." He disconnected the call. He took out a cigarette and was about to light it, when his phone buzzed. He picked up the phone and Nafisa was on the other end. Both remained silent for a couple of minutes. Both fuming with anger. Vikram broke the silence and said, "I warned Andrich. He didn't understand and it is not my fault that he got arrested." Nafisa said angrily, "Yes. It is not your fault that he got arrested. You wanted to kill him, but Sir Lorenzo saved him. How can that be your fault?" Vikram asked angrily, "Why did you hurt Giovanni? Don't you know that he is soft?" Nafisa said angrily, "Fuck that fool. I want to know why you sent people to kill him?" Vikram said grimly, "Because I am VPS. I cannot let some idiot defy me blatantly. His defiance will create problems for me." Nafisa said angrily, "That's your problem, Mr. VPS. You are an arrogant son of a bitch. You think these nonsense principles of yours will maintain fear in the hearts of the people. You are wrong. They think of you as a fool. Guys like Rico and Hutch are the real ones. You are just a guy with some powerful friends. You have no identity of your own." Vikram smiled, "If that is true, what does it make you then?" Nafisa said angrily, "I earned my fame by my hard work and dedication. You have no part in it." Vikram smiled, "Fine. You have earned quite a lot by yourself. Then, you should be able to protect it by yourself too." Nafisa asked, "What do you mean by that?" Vikram smiled, "I am withdrawing my support from you. You are now free from my protection. I am now open to a new assistant and you perfectly know what that means." Nafisa wanted to say something but Vikram disconnected the call. Vikram took out the battery from the phone and then threw it inside the dustbin.

Vikram paused, inhaling deeply as the cold air seemed to pierce through the walls of the hotel. He turned towards Sonny, who was already standing by the door. With a soft but resolute tone, he spoke, "Wear something warm. It's time to introduce you to one of my old friends." Sonny, sensing the weight in Vikram's voice, quickly grabbed his jacket and threw it on. They both stepped outside, the chilly evening air greeting them as they made their way to the taxi waiting at the entrance.

As they approached, the taxi driver glanced over his shoulder, his eyes locking with Sonny's for a moment. Sonny's heart skipped a beat as he realized the driver was none other than the man he had seen earlier at the airport, the one who took him to Vikram.

Vikram broke the silence, his voice taking on a more somber tone as he spoke to Sonny, but his gaze fixed ahead. "This is Mahesh. He used to work as a taxi driver when I first arrived in Hyderabad. The night I got here, it was raining heavily and I couldn't find a single cab. The streets were nearly empty, the rain falling in sheets, making everything look like a blur of water and light. I remember feeling this creeping sense of dread—the night had grown so dark, and with the storm getting worse, I honestly thought I might be stuck in the rain all night."

Sonny listened attentively, imagining the scene in his mind. Vikram continued, his voice softening as the memory came alive, "I was drenched from head to toe, my clothes sticking to my skin, and I was just about ready to give up. But then, as I walked along the road, I spotted a lone taxi in the distance. It was parked by the side, waiting for someone to approach. I knocked on the window, and when Mahesh looked up, I could see the surprise—and maybe even a little fear—in his eyes. It was late, and I must've looked like a drowned rat."

Sonny chuckled softly, but Vikram remained serious. "I explained my situation to him, how I was couldn't find any taxi and had no idea how to get to my hostel. On hearing my plea Mahesh, without hesitation, unlocked the door and welcomed me inside. He took me to the hostel and, on the way, noticed my stomach growling. When we reached my hostel, he offered me some bread he had in the car. It was the smallest thing, but it meant the world to me. He didn't have much, but he shared what he had, without a second thought."

A small smile played on Vikram's lips as he remembered the kindness Mahesh had shown him. "It was a simple gesture, but it built a friendship that lasted. And there was more to it. You see, Mahesh's house was just a few lanes away from Shabana's house, and he would often help me with little things—driving me to secret meeting spots, helping arrange dates, or even just taking us to the movies. He was like a silent ally in the background, always there when we needed him, no questions asked."

Sonny leaned forward, intrigued by the bond they shared. "That sounds like a real friendship," he remarked.

Vikram nodded, his expression growing more serious. "Yeah, it was. But everything changed one night. Something horrible happened to both of us, something that shook us to our core and left us questioning everything." Vikram stopped abruptly. His facial expressions got darken.

Sonny, sensing the shift in the air, didn't press further. He asked, with genuine concern, "What happened, Vikram?"

Vikram's lips curled into a small, enigmatic smile as he shook his head. "Nothing. It's too late to get into it now. Let's hurry up."

With that, Mahesh pressed the accelerator, and the car smoothly merged into the traffic. The rain soon started falling and the rhythmic sound of the rain against the car's roof was almost soothing, and the glow from the streetlights bathed the city in a soft, golden hue. Within moments, they reached their destination. Sonny could sense that there was more to the story, but for now, he decided to wait.

Vikram and Sonny stepped out, the cold night air brushing against their faces. They found themselves in a dimly lit alley, shadows dancing on the walls from the flickering streetlights above. The scent of damp earth lingered, mingling with the faint aroma of spices wafting from a distant food stall. Sonny glanced around uneasily, taking in the narrow, cluttered space and the barely audible sounds of life echoing from the surrounding homes.

Mahesh rolled down the cab window and leaned out. "I've told him to meet you here. He should be here soon," he said, his voice calm yet purposeful.

Vikram nodded grimly, his expression unreadable. "Good. You go now. We'll be staying at his place tonight."

Mahesh offered a brief nod before igniting the engine. The faint rumble of the taxi echoed through the stillness as it began to move. Sonny watched it disappear into the night, leaving behind an eerie silence.

"Should we really be meeting people in such dark alleys?" Sonny asked, his voice low but tinged with unease. "I mean, isn't this kind of dangerous?"

Vikram let out a soft chuckle, his gaze scanning the alley as if he were revisiting old memories. "Dangerous things are what make us stronger, Sonny. Don't let fear dictate your actions. Toufique is an old ally of mine. He chose the place, and I trust his judgment completely."

Sonny nodded hesitantly, but his nerves weren't entirely eased. The minutes dragged on, the silence broken only by the occasional bark of a stray dog or the distant hum of passing vehicles. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the alley, growing louder with each step. A tall, lean figure emerged from the shadows, his dark, lanky frame illuminated briefly under a faint streetlight.

Vikram's face lit up with a rare smile. "Toufique! How are you?"

The two men embraced warmly, their laughter breaking the tense air. It was a reunion of old friends, unspoken understanding passing between them.

Vikram turned to Sonny, gesturing toward the man. "This is Sonny," he introduced. Then, turning to Sonny, he added, "And this is Toufique. Like Mahesh, Toufique and I share a long story. But let's save that for another day."

Sonny gave a polite nod, and the three of them began walking down the alley. Their destination was a small, shabby house tucked away at the farthest right corner. Its crumbling walls bore the weight of time, and a single dim bulb hung by the door, swaying slightly in the breeze. Toufique pushed the creaky wooden door open and gestured for them to step inside.

Once inside, the air felt heavy but warmer. The faint smell of burning kerosene from an old lamp filled the room. Toufique leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Don't make much noise. Ruksana is asleep. She's eight months pregnant, and sleep comes rarely these days."

Vikram raised an eyebrow, amused. "Pregnant? Again? You already have four. How many more do you want?"

Toufique sighed and shot back in a hushed tone, "You're still unmarried. You wouldn't understand my dilemma."

Vikram and Sonny exchanged a knowing glance, both suppressing a smile.

"Come," Toufique said softly, leading them to a modest room with thin mats spread on the floor. The walls were bare, save for a few faded posters of old films. "Sleep for now. We'll talk in the morning," Toufique instructed. "I haven't told Ruksana about you two, so act like guests from the slums. We rarely interact with outsiders, so make up some believable false names if anyone asks."

He quickly closed the door behind him and disappeared into the adjoining room.

Vikram turned to Sonny, his tone suddenly lighthearted. "So, how many kids do you want?"

Sonny chuckled, unrolling one of the mats. "You'll have to ask Anabelle that question."

Vikram smirked, shaking his head. "All men are the same. Always blaming the woman."

Sonny shot back with a grin, "And you? How many kids do you want?"

Vikram leaned against the wall, his smile fading slightly. "My lifestyle isn't exactly child-friendly."

The two exchanged a brief, understanding glance before the weariness of the night caught up with them. They dimmed the single bulb, letting the shadows of the room engulf them. As they lay down, the faint sounds of the night outside mingled with their quiet breathing. Slowly, their eyes closed, and the weight of the day gave way to the stillness of sleep....