Until Karim gave me a definitive answer, I decided to keep a close eye on him. He was home most of the time, and I stayed in the haveli as well, often dropping by to exchange pleasantries, even though it was an indirect way of telling him that I was always watching. And whenever he went out, I made sure to send Yusuf behind him. We studied his every move thoroughly until he finally gave up and came to me one day in secret.

"Mai... Mai taiyar hu, Abdul Saheb."

(I'm... I'm ready, Abdul Saheb)

I was packing my clothes that very moment, and I smiled to myself, "Wahi jagah aana aaj shaam ko."

(Come to the same place in the evening.)

But before I could meet him, I had to meet the most important piece of my puzzle. Nandlal accompanied me this time, and we were asked to wait outside his office.

"DSP Saab aapko bula rahe hai," one of the punes told us after half an hour. The DSP, Chandramohan, had taken charge only recently and had already cracked an intense case regarding a drug mafia. I realised, if everything went well, he was someone we could count on.

(The DSP sir is calling you inside.)

"Namaste Saab," Nandlal and I joined our hands respectfully as he asked us to take a seat.

"Aapki musibat kya hai?" He asked while tidying some papers on his desk.

(What brought you here?)

"Saab, mai Nandlal. Yaha paas mein press chalata hoon... Aur yeh mera dost hai, Abdul. Aap... Gulzar Sultan ko jaante hai?"

(Sir, I'm Nandlal. I run a press nearby... And this is my friend, Abdul. Do you know... Gulzar Sultan?)

Chandramohan scoffed, "Ah... Bahut suna hai unke baare mein. Aaj tak milne ka mauka nahi mila. Das saalo se yaha ke police unhe andar daalne ki koshish mei hai."

(Ah... I've heard a lot about him. But I haven't had the chance to meet him yet. The police here have been trying to throw him in jail for the past ten years.)

I leaned a little forward, "Aapke saamne abhi woh mauka haasil hai, saab."

(That opportunity is right before you now, sir.)

"Kya matlab?" He frowned, listening intently to us.

(What do you mean?)

I began telling him my life story, starting from how I was a poor fisherman. When I refused to pay one of Gulzar's men 'tax', they beat me and tortured my family as well. Later, to get back at him somehow, to keep him caged for life, I had to pull a stunt like this by disguising myself as one of Gulzar's long-lost relatives. I had been playing the lie for two years now, and in that time, I managed to gain his trust well.

"Unke haveli mei kaafi kaala dhan jama kar ke rakha hai. Mujhe yakeen hai."

(There's quite a lot of black money in his haveli. I know it.)

The DSP frowned, "Aur mujhe is kahani mei kaha se yakeen hogi? Kisi anjaan aadmi ke soochna par hum ek Sarpanch ke ghar nahi ghus sakte. Saboot chahiye. Warna Mera topi khatre mei hoga... Jab aapke paas saboot hai, toh mujhse aakar kahiye."

(And how am I supposed to believe this story of yours? We can't raid the Sarpanch's house just because a stranger hinted at black money. We need proof. Otherwise, my reputation will be at risk... When you find proof, come to me.)

Nandlal and I glanced at each other. Proof? Gulzar's very existence was proof that he was a fraud. How else could I prove it?

"Agar woh aapke samne kisi se rishwant leta hai... Toh aap maan lenge?" Nandlal asked.

(If he accepts a bribe in front of you... Then will you accept it?)

The DSP glanced between us quietly and thought for a while, "Agar saboot hai, toh hum uske har hisaab ki jaanch karenge: bank ke record, bill, karz, ek-ek paisa ka hisaab. Aur agar zara bhi gadbad mili, toh uske ghar ki talashi hogi. Tab pata chalega tum sach bol rahe ho ya nahi."

(If we have proof, then we'll investigate everything about him: Bank records, bills, debts, every paisa in his name... And if we find something suspicious, we'll search his house. Then I'll know if you're telling the truth or not.)

"Hum aapko tasveer dikha denge," Nandlal replied.

(We'll take a photo of him.)

I wondered what he had in mind as we left the DSP's office. A photograph would require a camera, and how were we supposed to take one of Gulzar accepting a bribe?

"Aur tasveer kaha se aayega?" I asked him as we got in his car.

(And where will the photo come from?)

"Daftar se camera le sakta hu... Par Gulzar ko rishwant dena, woh tumhara kaam hai," Nandlal replied.

(I can get a camera from my office... But bribing Gulzar is your job.)

I could only think of using Hemchand for such a thing. But it would be quite unfair to him. I didn't have a choice though. Maybe I'd pay him back after all of this was over. Later that evening, as I smoked from the hookah at the Sultan's residence, it felt like the right time to put my plan into action.

"Aapke gaon mei ek dukan malik hai na... Hemchand... Woh kaisa aadmi hai?"

(There's a store owner in your village right...? Hemchand... What kind of a person is he?)

"Hemchand... Kaun hai be?" Gulzar Sultan asked one of his men. He was the Sarpanch, and he still didn't even know his own villagers.

(Hemchand... Who is that?)

"Hemchand ki kapdon ki dukan hai, Malik. Daz hazar ka karz hai."

(Hemchand has a textile store, Malik. He has a debt of ten thousand.)

"Ah... Woh Hemchand..." Gulzar grinned, "Kya baat hai, Abdul Saheb? Uske baare mein kyun pooch rahe ho?"

(Ah... That Hemchand... What's the matter, Abdul Saheb? Why are you asking about him?)

I shrugged, "Kuch khaas baat nahi hai... Apni ek ladki ke liye sari khareedne gaya tha. Par mujhse dugna daam le liya... Khair, ab kuch nahi ho sakta..."

(Nothing special... I went to him to buy a sari for one of my girls. But he made me pay twice the cost... Anyway, can't do anything about it now...)

"Kya matlab?" Gulzar Sultan glanced at me before barking at the driver who had taken me to the village that day, "Abdul Saheb ke baare mei unse nahi kaha?!"

(What do you mean? Did you not tell him about Abdul Saheb?!)

"K-kaha tha, Malik," the man stuttered, "Sarpanch Ji ke aadmi hai. Do baar kaha tha!"

(I- I did, Malik. He's Sarpanch Ji's close friend, I told it twice!)

"Phir bhi us kutte ki itni himmat? Humari mehman se paise churata hai? Woh apni karz kab chukane wala hai?"

(And still that dog dared to steal money from out guest? When the hell is he going to pay off his debt?)

"Do hafte kaha tha, Malik..." One of the men replied.

(We gave him two weeks, Malik...)

Gulzar Sultan grinned, "Kal subah hi jaakar usse bolkar aao ki do hafte ka karz, do dino mei deni padegi!" His man agreed immediately.

(Go to him in the morning and say that he has to pay his debt in two days and not two weeks!)

"Arey, Sultan Ji..." I chuckled, "Sirf das bees paiso ka nuksan hua hai... Aap chinta mat kijiye!"

(Arey, Sultan Ji... I've just faced a loss of twenty paise... Don't worry about it!)

"Aap aaram kijiye, Abdul Ji..." He grinned, "Jab hum kuch logo ko zyada samay dete hai, woh sar pe chad jaate hai. Isliye Hemchand ka phaisla mai khud hi karunga."

(No, Abdul Ji. Leave this to us... When we go easy on a few people, they get too cocky. I'll take care of Hemchand myself.)

I raised my hands in surrender and smiled at him, "Aapki marzi, Sarpanch Ji."

(As you wish, Sarpanch Ji.)

Now all that was left to do was inform Nandlal, Yusuf, and Karim of the roles they'd have to play when Hemchand was finally compelled to pay off his debt. I knew Gulzar would act in the way I wanted, because I had behaved like him quite a lot of times.

The riskiest part of the game was convincing Karim to turn against his Father. He was my primary component in all plans, and I only hoped his greed was more than his love for his Father, so that everything would turn out well.

***

Two days had passed already. Gulzar's men were already on their way back to the haveli with Hemchand. Tonight was his deadline to pay off all debts. Karim entered the hall at that time with Nandlal right behind him, camera dangling around his neck.

"Abbu, mujhe passport ke liye tasveer khinchwane hai... aur Soniya ki shaadi ke liye bhi ladke waalon ne uski tasveer maangi hai." He said aloud, and Gulzar turned irritably to stare at him, "Aaj raat ko hi karni hai yeh sab?"

(Abbu, I need to take a photo for my passport... And for Soniya's wedding as well, the groom's side has asked for her picture.)

"Raat ko chaand ki roshni ke saath aapki beti ki khoobsurti aur bhi nikhar uthegi, sahib!" Nandlal grinned. I could award him for the lovely acting.

(Your daughter will look even prettier under the moonlight, sir!)

"Jo chaahe karo," he muttered and asked his men how much longer it would take for Hemchand to arrive. Nandlal gave me an acknowledging look as he set up his camera in the garden at the right angle. But I doubted if the images would turn out sharp enough.

(Do whatever you want.)

Soniya, Karim's younger sister, was just fifteen years old. She slipped like a butterfly out onto the garden, and her mother carefully fixed the child's hair as she sat down for the photograph. Nandlal kept delaying it by asking them to shift from one position to another, or complaining that the light wasn't good enough. When the women started to get annoyed, Karim interjected and informed them that only Soniya's best pictures could be sent to the groom.

Finally, I took a breath of relief when Hemchand arrived, clutching a cloth bag in his hands. His face was already bruised, and I realised Gulzar's men had roughed him up when they went to warn him.

I glanced at Nandlal and Karim. They gave subtle nods and got into positions for the photographs.

"Ah... Karz chukane aaye ho?" Gulzar smiled.

(Ah... Have you come to pay your debt?)

"J-ji... Ji, Sarpanch Ji..." He slowly took the money out of the bag and presented it to Gulzar. Nandlal's camera flashed, and I found myself smiling.

(Y-yes... Sarpanch Ji...)

The Sarpanch lifted his eyes once to glance at the camera in the distance, but Nandlal immediately cleared his throat and was instructing Soniya to pose in a certain way. Gulzar Sultan ignored it and asked one of his men to count the money.

"Yeh toh sirf do hazar hai, Malik!" The man barked at Hemchand, who immediately joined his hands, tears in his eyes.

(This is just two thousand, boss!)

"S-Sarpanch Ji... Aapne pehle do hafte samay di thi... Par ab, ek jhuti ilzaam ke karan... Aap-"

(S-Sarpanch Ji... Initially you gave me two weeks' time... But now, over a false claim-)

"Jhuti ilzaam?" I laughed, "Aapke gaonwale toh bade kamal ke hai, Sarpanch Ji!"

(False claim? Your villagers are quite amazing, Sarpanch Ji!)

Hemchand clenched his fists at that time, "Aap hi ne mujhe paise di the... Maine mana karne ki koshish bhi ki... Par aap phir aise ajeeb se sawal puchne lage, mere kamai aur kaam ke baare mein."

(You were the one who gave me the money... I tried to stop you as well... But you kept asking me strange questions, regarding my work and income.)

I paused for a second. Fuck, the man just threw me under the bus. I'd have to act quickly, or everything would be in vain.

"Kamai ke baare mein?" Baldev questioned, standing in the corner. He had been quiet the whole day for some reason.

(About your income?)

I grinned, "Aapne mujhse pehle dugna daam maang liya, Hemchand Ji. Aur maine soch ki aapko aapki dukaan mei koi paiso ki kami hai... Ya phir shayad aap koi dusri naukri dhoondh rahe hai... Par ab jaakar malum pada ki aap sirf ek pardesi ka faayda uthana chahte the... Das hazaar ka karz bhi hai chukane ke liye... Maine aapse yeh umeed nahi ki."

(You were the one who asked me for double the price, Hemchand Ji. And I thought you were leading quite a poor life... Or maybe you were searching for another job... But only now did I realise that you just wanted to take advantage of a foreigner. That too, while having a debt of ten thousand... I expected better from you.)

Hemchand lost his temper at that time as I continued mocking him with my smile. He grabbed my collar in fury, gritting his teeth and tears in his eyes, "Saale, kamine-"

(You jerk-)

The very next instant, he was pinned to the floor by Gulzar's men. He screamed and yelled as I brushed off some dust on my shoulder.

"Maaf kijiye, Abdul Saheb," Gulzar gave me a nervous smile. Of course, he was worried that his free source of money had been cut short. Hemchand was being beaten up immediately, and I saw a lot more camera flashes, until the women grew uncomfortable with seeing Hemchand being beaten up not too far away and asked the photography session to be wrapped up.

(Apologies, Abdul Saheb.)

"Sultan Ji ke aadmi ko chune ki himmat hai tujhe?" Baldev pressed his foot down on Hemchand's stomach. The man coughed up blood even as he was constantly getting punched and beaten up.

(You dare lay a finger on Sultan Ji's men?)

"Ek kaam karo..." Gulzar Sultan patted Hemchand's cheek as his men lifted the broken man onto his knees.

(Do one thing...)

"Kal tak mujhe das hazaar milni chahiye," the Sarpanch grinned.

(I need ten thousand by tomorrow.)

Hemchand stared in disbelief, "Par... P-ar ab ke do hazaar- Aah!" The man screamed in pain as someone whacked his shoulder with an iron rod. I could swear that he had broken some bones.

(But... B-but the two thousand that I just gave- Aah!)

"Kal tak... Das hazaar chahiye, bhulna mat."

(By tomorrow... I need ten thousand. Don't forget.)

"S-Sarpanch Ji... Sarpanch Ji...!" Hemchand crawled to his feet, tears streaming down his bloody face. He joined his hands and pressed his forehead to the villain's feet.

"E-ek din mei das hazaar... Main kaise karunga, Sarpanch Ji...! Biwi ke saare gehne bech diye hain do hazaar ke liye... Mujhe sirf ek hafta dijiye... Ek hafta!"

(T-ten thousand in one day... How will I get the money, Sarpanch Ji...! I've sold all of my wife's jewellery for the two thousand... Please give me one week... Just one week!)

Gulzar Sultan's grin widened, "Biwi ke saare gehne bech diye hai? Hmm... Phir apni biwi ko hi hume bech do. Daz hazaar ke liye khareed lenge."

(You sold all your wife's jewellery? Hmm... Then sell your wife to us as well. We'll buy her for ten thousand.)

Hemchand couldn't comprehend what he was hearing, and Gulzar kicked his jaw the next instant. The man fell back unconscious, foaming at his mouth.

I'd really have to repay him later.

A/N - Hold on a bit longer for Sanjana and Bhairav to come together. I promise the wait will be worth it :)