Michael stood before the mirror, admiring his glossy black suit. After all, today was the day he was going to marry the love of his life.
It was a funny story how they met. The commissioner had mandated security for his father when he wanted to visit the plant, especially when unions were protesting rather violently against the company.
So father and son went, along with the police escort, to the plant.
The commissioner's daughter came too, if for nothing but boredom.
Then the car suddenly flipped. All he could remember next was flying out, the hard ground, and a faceless being lifting his hammer, bringing it down on his head.
Except he didn't. A huge stone came flying out of nowhere, and knocked the attacker unconscious.
Surprised, Michael looked around, and saw the daughter. She held a stone in her hand. She caught Michael looking at her.
And then she smiled.And in that moment, he knew his heart was taken.
**********
"You think he'll comply?" Dinesh asked."I know he will."Alok replied with a smile.They were both sitting in ground floor of the hall, looking at the various festivities.Chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and various tables were set.On each table there were a bevy of dishes, ranging from panipoori to kaju katlis.The band performed some old 90s hit on the stage, and a few enthusiastic people went to dance.Alok and Dinesh sat at one of the tables.Of course he would comply. He didn't have much choice. The threat of a scandal was far too great. The great businessman Joseph Augustus wouldn't want to know that his son Michael Augustus was hobnobbing with drug dealers.
He wouldn't want to know that his son pushed drugs. He wouldn't want to know that his son killed a person.He wouldn't want to know that his son covered it up.He wouldn't want there to be any physical evidence about it.He wouldn't want the tape to go to media.He wouldn't want his son's name smeared across every primetime news channel.Of course he'd pay.Dinesh nodded, but he couldn't hide his apprehension. Alok's personal secretary, he kept at him like his shadow. Even following him into things like blackmail.
"Why fret, Dino?" Alok grinned, as he took a kaju katli from the table "Let's enjoy the wedding."
**********
Joseph Augustus sat in his room on the first floor, looking contemplatively at the briefcase on the bed.
Inside the briefcase there was 20 lakhs.
Ransom money, he thought.Ransom money for his reputation.
He balled up a fist and punched the wall."Damn it!" He muttered.The gall of that 23 year old nitwit. How dare he blackmail one of the greatest businessmen of the country?What the hell does he think of himself?Where does he get off thinking that he has driven Joseph Augustus to a corner?
That 23 year old waste of sperm must be taught a lesson, he decided.
What did he think? That the great Joseph Augustus would bend over and pay?
He went over to the cabinet beside the bed, and opened a drawer. Then he pulled out a gun, with an attached silencer.
"Dad, everything all right?" His son yelled from outside the door.
"Yes, yes, Michael, don't worry." He replied.
Bend over and pay? Hardly.
**********
"So have you opened it yet?" Raji asked.
Bunny screwed up his face, kept his hands on either end of the briefcase, and pulled with all his might.
It didn't open."Maybe it's locked." Raji reasoned, looking over his shoulder.
Bunny gave up and sat down. He really wanted to see what was inside this briefcase.
"I have an idea." Raji said."Let's play a game. One of us hides the briefcase in some place, and the other person searches for it. If they find it within 10 minutes, then they win. Otherwise, they lose. Sound good?"
Bunny looked at her once, then at the briefcase."Sure." He said. **********
Joseph Augustus picked up the briefcase and walked out of his room.
"Meet me at the roof on the top floor behind the water tank in 1 hour." The voice had instructed.
Joseph put the gun inside the folds of his suit, and smiled to himself.
That self righteous blackmailing brat.
He'd be dead soon enough. He walked down the stairs and to the ground floor. He had plenty of time to kill. He went to the entrance and walked towards the food stalls that had been set up.
He was in the mood for some chaat.
He kept his briefcase under one of the tables and went to the stalls.
**********
Raji was lost in thought.Bunny had hid the briefcase very well, she thought as she came after searching all over the first and second floors.
She sighed as she went down to the ground floor, and sat down at one of the tables.
And then under one of the tables, she saw the briefcase.
**********
"Shit." Joseph thought.
The briefcase was gone.20 lakhs was somewhere out there.Joseph went around all the tables, frantically looking for a sign of the briefcase.
Somewhere, he thought, please be somewhere.
Then he saw a little boy trudging around with a black briefcase.
**********
Bunny was enjoying a chocolate.A big man wearing a suit had offered him 500 rupees for his suitcase, and Bunny had readily accepted.
And now he was enjoying the fruits of his labour.
"Hey!" Raji's voice jolted him out of reverie. He jumped down from his chair and looked around.
"I found it." She grinned, holding out the briefcase.