Tiger's point of view... [The night Tiger disappeared...] The night was as serene as the twinkling stars that adorned the velvety sky. Ria gave me a sedative dose and I had a very good sleep for hours.I was so energetic when I woke up at night and finding Ria walking in sneakyly, made me even more excited.I grabbed her in my arms and pinned her on the bed.We had spent hours reveling in each other's company, cherishing the intimacy that bound us together. She had been trying to talk about something, and I think I knew what was the thing that was bothering her.But seriously, I don't want to spoil my mood by talking about that bastard.I smacked the topic before she could start and had a great time with her. Our laughter resonated through the air as we recounted old memories and dreamt of a future filled with more shared moments like these. The moonlight spilled into the room, casting a soft, romantic glow that painted the scene with an air of enchantment. As dawn broke, the firs
Tiger's point of view...The mansion, the place I built to give my family a home, once a place of warmth and laughter, had become a battleground of emotions and uncertainty. My covert visits there, disguised as one of Alex's men, were both a source of solace and torment. Each time I recall the glimpse of Ria's tearful eyes and the lines of worry etched on Dad's forehead, my heart tightened in anguish. I struggle hard to control myself, not to kill him. The walls seemed to hold the echoes of our shared memories, taunting me with the stark contrast of what once was and what had become. Each time I stood there, in front of my family but hidden, I promised myself that I was going get this all right. In a few more days everything will be more beautiful than before.My presence, even in disguise, was a double-edged sword. It brought me closer to Ria and my father, allowing me to see their pain firsthand, yet it was a painful reminder of the suffering my supposed death had caused them.
Tiger's point of view...My trembling fingers hovered over the keyboard as I clicked through those photographs. There were more, almost disfigured with stains on them. When the forensic expert examined them carefully he confirmed that those stains were blood. What happened there?Why did those photographs contain blood stains?And especially, why was I bothered by those photos?It was all confusing and whenever I try to think about that, my head throbs in pain.Each one of them seemed to tell a story of happier times, of a family that had once been whole, but I have no idea what might have happened to them.But what disturbed me the most were not the stains but the place where those stains were, on the faces of those people in the photo, dark, dried splotches of blood that also marred the edges of some of the photographs. It looked as if someone had deliberately tried to hide their faces. Why the hell would someone do it?They were like haunting reminders of something unspeakable th
Ria's point of view...I trudged back as I couldn't believe my eyes. The adrenaline coursing through my veins began to ebb away as that huge figure before me chuckled, his voice deep and resonant. His rugged features softened as he raised his hands in a placating gesture, still not making any sudden moves.I know him, I have seen him in the mansion. He was the one who worked for Alex, always tailing me. Wherever I go, hospital, shopping, and home, he has been following me all these days. He freaked me every time with his not-so-friendly look.But how did he find me here?Is Alex here too?"Stay right there, one more step towards and I will make sure to shoot you" I warned."Whoa, easy ma'am," he said with a wry smile. "I didn't mean to startle you. Not My namesake. I work for a boss, I mean your husband not for him, he sent me here to watch your back."What...!Husband...!Is he talking about Tiger? Or Alex?I never married Alex, and he became my husband!"Listen to me, ma'am, let me p
Ria's point of view... "Who is this, Tiger?" I asked him immediately, as that screen captured my attention. I don't know about the rest in that photograph but that woman holding the hand of a kid looked so much familiar to me.I have seen her somewhere, recently.But where...!Tiger pulled himself back hesitatingly, his voice quivered a little with a mixture of emotion and disbelief. "This was what I wanted to show you" he began holding my hand and made me sit on his lap, unwilling to let me slide, not even an inch.Though a little uncomfortable, I don't have a choice in this matter. I took a deep breath and sat on his lap silently. But it was fine once his hand curled around me, annoyingly comfortable. "You won't believe where I found these" he added, I just gave him a questioning look,"In those cryptic files, Alex's files, which you dug out of him" he whispered, I felt a jerk when I heard him, as if I was afraid that even the walls had ears. Yes, I did it but that was the most
"He might be after something so big," I guessed, I know it was not something small that he would risk everything to claim himself as Michael's son. But no matter where I began, my investigation stopped midway. I couldn't speculate the relation of those images to his plan. As I was busy dealing with my thoughts, Ria stared at the computer screen and mumbled she had seen the woman in the photograph somewhere. "What did you say?" I shrieked which nearly trembled her."I...I was...!" she stuttered in shock. I grabbed her arms and made her sit back on my lap.Calming myself a little bit, I caressed her cheeks. I scared her."It's okay, honey," I began but this time I managed to keep my voice a little low. She had been through a lot lately and I never meant to add to her concern. I know she couldn't have seen any of them in the pictures because these pictures were from the time I was four or five years and at that time she wouldn't have been born.But, indeed, she isn't some casual girl,
Tiger's point of view...Ria hugged me as if she meant to give me the support I may need but looking at her devastated state, she needed it even more. I prepared myself for anything I was going to listen to, surely it wasn't going to be some good thing anyway. She slowly began in a mild tone,"She..." I clenched my fingers on her back, she added, "She Don't have more time left" I exhaled that warm air out of my lungs, which had been stuck in all this while. This wasn't something I didn't expect, I know that Mom's situation was critical. But still, I felt a strong pain in my chest, as if something was sucked out of me.As I closed my eyes to get myself back, Ria cupped my face."Listen to me Tiger," she continued, "I had been looking after her all these days but I doubted that her condition was getting worse, so when I got her samples that day, I got it checked further."I braced myself up. I can't just get carried away by the grief. I still have many bigger things to achieve. "What
"I can't believe it, I can't believe Thomas Brown died a simple death" "How could this happen, Mike? How could you let this happen?" Tiger yelled at Mike because it was his responsibility to keep Thomas struggling every second of his life. They arranged everything that is known to be hell on earth just to keep him alive but in a world more horrible than hell.But in less than a year, why the hell did Tiger get the report that Thomas is dead?"No sir, listen to me," Mike was startled, it had been a long time since he had seen his boss getting so much angry. From the moment Roa came into his life, Tiger had changed. His bitterness subsided and his terrifying anger was held blocked but today Mike saw it again.Tiger's eyes were terrifying even a strong man like Mike was trembling at the sight. Ria was puzzled at the sudden change in attitude. All she could do was stare at them bluntly."Sir, please calm down, there is more to it" Mike tried to speak up but Tiger being pissed off alread
Author's point of view... "I have a way out" Ria mumbled as she walked out of the hospital room."What..." both Tiger and Mike exclaimed. She extended her phone to them, there was a green light glowing on a map, flashed on her screen."What is this, ma'am?" Mike asked but Tiger understood everything. "Mom has a tracker?" he asked, and Ria nodded, "I bought it for her security" They stared at the green light moving towards the old mansion. "She is taking them to the old mansion" Tiger just looked at Mike and Mike nodded, "Yes Sir," understanding what his boss meant. Collect our men. Reaching the old mansion, Tiger saw that the vibrant mansion that he remembered from his past was now nothing but some ruins. Dark and cold. As Tiger cautiously entered the old mansion, the creaking floorboards beneath his boots echoed through the dimly lit corridor. The air was thick with the musty scent of aged wood, and shadows danced eerily on the walls. Unbeknownst to him, every step triggere
Author's point of view... Time seemed to freeze as the sound of a gunshot reverberated in the room.Tiger yanked holding his hand as Joe was about to shoot his own head and yet his fate was decided.Though Tiger tried to stop him, his desperate move resulted in shooting himself in his chest.Everyone was shocked as Joe crumpled to the ground, the echoes of his desperate act reverberating in the room. Shock and disbelief hung heavy as the reality of the situation unfolded before them.Tiger, releasing his grip, stared at the scene with a complex mix of emotions. "Damn it," he muttered a curse, his frustration palpable. Mike, too, stood there, grappling with the abrupt turn of events.As the room fell into an eerie silence, the consequences of Joe's final act added a layer of complexity to an already convoluted situation. Unraveling the mysteries surrounding Tiger, the mess that had been growing like hell became even more imperative, with the path ahead now clouded by the unforeseen
Author's point of view... Tagging in the location to the place, Tiger sent a message to Joe, expressing that he was frustrated and couldn't think straight. He asked Joe to reach the location Tiger had sent, immediately and to help him deal with the body of Mike. And Joe, believing that the plan he cracked was successful, did exactly what Tiger wanted. In that dimly lit prison, Tiger's frustration simmered as he looked at the unsettling scene. He positioned Alex's body on the chair, securing him with makeshift restraints. "You weren't of much help, but your body will be" he mumbled to Alex while walking towards the entrance. Mike's body was resting near the wall at one of the corners. The weight of the recent events hung in the air as Tiger contemplated the next steps. "It's the time to show down" he muttered to himself as his ringtone buzzed, echoing in the eerie silence. "Sir, I am here," Joe said and a smile tugged on Tiger's face. Walking toward him, Tiger saw Joe standing
Author's point of view... Alex knew that his end was near and so in exchange for the truth, he wanted to negotiate with Tiger. He wanted Tiger to kill him, after getting his answers and though reluctantly, Tiger agreed. It was finally the time when Tiger was about to get his answers but before it could happen again, a gunshot sound reverberated in the room and a bullet traveled straight cutting the air and ending up hitting Alex's forehead. It was a perfect shot. As the one who shot was trained personally by Tiger himself, Mike...! Tiger was Stunned for a moment. It happened again. Right at the moment. As if someone was deliberately playing a dangerous game with him. Who might be the one? In the tense aftermath of the gunshot, Tiger froze for a moment before springing into action. He swiftly assessed the situation, his mind racing as he considered the potential consequences. The air hung heavy with shock as he gasped.That deadly shot didn't shock him as much as how he was more
Tiger's point of view...I strode straight to Alex because I knew that his days were limited. Though this place was hidden even from all my men except for Mike, I am sure they might be digging up the hell to find him. After all, Alex is one with many secrets inside his belly and I have to let him puke out everything as soon as possible. As I entered the secret prison I found Mike standing before him and spraying water on his face. "Hey...get up...!" Mike was trying hard but there was no response in him. I chuckled as I found him still practicing the mere trick I made him learn. Playing dead...! I walked in and stood before them. Looking at Mike's desperation, I was astonished at how greatly Alex had improved. "Leave us...!" I commanded, Mike hesitated for a bit. He may be thinking that I will kill Alex. And of course I will but not yet.He gaped at me for a few seconds but he couldn't probably decline me. Though wavered, he moved out immediately closing the door behind him. As
Tiger's point of view... I had been an officer of special duties, a commando who lives and dies for his country for more than ten years. Dealing with those wild animals in the deep dark forest, who attack without giving us the time to sense, and also those notorious criminals who are far more dangerous than wild animals, is what I was trained for. It wasn't so easy for me. But I do believe that they trained me for a better fighter. My life had been on thrones, not in flowers. And they thought that they could use my wife against me to deceive me.Seriously...!What the hell do they take me as? A fool?Getting out of the military, I wasn't selling candies on the platform that they thought they could cheat me. I controlled the world. Do they think they can deceive me with those mere tricks? I grasped the very first day when I found Ria in that dark prison. She was drugged, but I smelt the same drug she gave me back then. She was in a research team about that drug and no one else
Author's point of view..."Roman Enfield Bank" As the father and son confirmed that there was no one around to spy on them, Tiger asked confusingly. "Why did you particularly let out that name, Dad?" A smirk tugged on Micheal's face and he shoved his hand into his pants pocket, fetching his phone. Taking it out, he scrolled down on his phone screen to find someone's number. Tiger stood silently, observing his father. Though he couldn't comprehend what exactly Micheal was up to, he knew something so clearly, that his father was far more thoughtful than him. Scheming or planning was his specialty. He called someone, and from the very first word he spoke, Tiger understood everything. "Almeda...I have something for you...!" Almeda Bonze was the chief of the security in that bank and also Micheal's men. Micheal had everything planned. Roman Enfield Bank...! In the heart of the busy city, nestled within a sleek and modern skyscraper, stands the perfection of financial fortificatio
Ria's point of view..."The chest is kept in a locker of Roman Enfield Bank, locker number- 1109/6" I took a long breath before I revealed everything. "Are you serious...!" that metallic voice exclaimed. They had been using some voice-manipulating tools to talk to me so that I couldn't judge who that was. "How could that chest be kept inside a locker? Are you trying to fool me?" it added irritatingly, I know it felt weird but that was what I heard from them. I heard everything when Uncle was revealing everything to Tiger, he can't be lying to his son, can he? "I don't know about all of it, but that is what I heard. You better keep your word..." I couldn't complete it when I heard the scream of that innocent little boy, Max."Stop...!!" I cried, how could they use a small child to threaten me to work for their business?"Urgh...! Mom it hurts..." my eyes pooled up as I heard Max crying so hard. He is a good boy, a stronger one and his patience is above many elders. I have seen him
Author's point of view... A heavy silence hung in the air as Micheal got up in a sitting position. Tiger stood beside him and helped him up. The story behind this all was so intriguing that it took quite a while for Micheal to decide if he wanted to tell his son about it. Taking a deep breath, Micheal spoke about the ancestral chest, passed down through generations which is said to hold the key to a power that could shape destinies.As Tiger listened intently, his father's voice carried the weight of the past. "It all started with your grandfather's greatest action" Tiger strode near and say on the chair beside the bed, "Your grandfather, was a brigadier, had once stood tall in the army, respected and admired by everyone. Everything was going fine until one day when he came home desperate and panicked. He urged us all to leave the house immediately telling that some people will come looking for him and they might harm us. Actually he was betrayed by his own trustworthy colleagues