Chapter 6: The Truth in the Void

Shekar found himself in a void. He watched as time moved and changed rapidly. Everything he knew began to connect. He watched his previous selves change everything he had solved, as if he were a puppet master.

He realized that by using the answers he had, he was changing his own future. Maybe he could even become a high-ranking officer.

Shekar felt a sense of pride and happiness. But a part of him also felt guilty. This wasn't something he had done on his own. He had used Meera's help. But he had no other choice.

Shekar's inner voice: If I didn't have this time loop power, I would have remained a mediocre person. The registrar post is more than enough for my intelligence. If this MEDS thing wasn't in my life, I wouldn't have taken my life so seriously. With Meera's intelligence and her fear of dead bodies, maybe she would have been in a good, high-ranking position. But here I am, using her hard work. I'll find out about MEDS and stop all this. I promise, I promise, Meera!

Suddenly, everything went black. He couldn't see anything. A voice echoed. As the voice became clearer, it kept calling his name. The voice became even clearer.

He suddenly opened his eyes. Shekar looked at who was in front of him. It was his superior. He was calling Shekar's name because Shekar had brought a witness. He was asking for details about the witness. Shekar was now in an investigation room. He had a file in his hand. The file had all the details and some small notes on paper. Again, his previous self had left him hints and details. The victim's family was also in the room, and the superior was very serious. The superior was waiting for Shekar's answer. So, Shekar responded. "Sir, the victim who died was Meera's college mate. So I traced the people related to him and brought them here, sir. Meera isn't in that category, is she? No, sir. Because it's been many years since she saw the victim. It was during their late college years, apparently. So we brought the people close to the victim now, sir."

The superior officer said, "Okay! You may leave now."

Shekar: "Yes, sir."

Shekar walked out of the investigation room. A little farther away, others were sitting. Shekar wondered if they would also be investigated. He checked the files for any details. When he flipped the paper, he saw their details. They were the victim's parents and friends.

He found another small note. It said, "Don't waste your time." Shekar didn't understand. Shekar thought, Why would this be a waste of time? We can only find out what happened if we find out about the victim, right?

Time passed. After interrogating and investigating all of them, the head officer came out. "None of them know anything. We wasted our time on them. Shekar! I investigated them because you said so. But it was useless. Is this what you do after I put my trust in you? Look, I told you that you'd get a promotion if you solved this case. But if this continues and the case goes to the CBI, you won't even have this job. Be careful!"

Shekar: "Sorry, sir! I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."

Head Officer: "You better do!"

Shekar didn't understand anything. He thought he should have found at least one clue from them. All the doors were closing. The case might go to the CBI. All the hard work Shekar had done so far would be a waste. Shekar had to find a lead. He had to solve this case, or else... it would go back to the beginning.

Shekar now sat at his registrar's desk. Since he was alone and not talking to anyone, his mind was filled with crazy thoughts. How did my previous self know it was a waste of time even before the investigation was over? Who is that headless person who wants to kill me? Why does he want to kill me? How do my powers even work? Why was I chosen? Who is this MEDS? Who is behind it? How many others have been sacrificed like me? Do all of them have time loop powers? Or do they all have different powers? How do these powers even work? Is my previous self helping me or manipulating me? What's going on with me? While Shekar was lost in these thoughts, a person who came to the police station called out, "Sir, sir." Shekar came back to consciousness and said, "Huh, yes, tell me."

The person said, "I have to file a complaint report."

Shekar: "Tell me, what happened?"

"A murder has taken place," the person said.

Shekar was shocked. Shekar's inner voice: Again? One case isn't even solved, and another murder has taken place?

Shekar's voice trembled as he asked, "Tell me where it happened and what your name is."

"My name is Raghav, and the murder happened at a resort."

Shekar: "Tell me in detail, what happened?"

"Instead of pool water, the pool was filled with dark red blood. A person was floating in the middle of the pool. But the pool is always empty. We never fill it with water. It's an old pool, that's why."

Shekar asked in shock, "So...!"

Raghav said, "Yes, that's all blood. One person had that much blood in them."

Shekar asked out of curiosity, "Who do you think committed the murder? Do you have any suspicions about anyone?"

Raghav: "I do...!"

Shekar: "Who?"

Raghav: "Me."

Shekar: "What do you mean?"

Raghav: "I'm the one who committed the murder."

Shekar's eyes widened. He immediately stood up from the chair in fear. He moved a little away from Raghav and pointed the gun at Raghav with his trembling hands.

Shekar realized he was talking to a murderer. And he had to catch him no matter what.

But something Shekar didn't expect happened.

Raghav sat calmly with his hands up and said, "I came to surrender."

Shekar didn't understand. "Why...?"

Raghav was silent and didn't answer the question.

Shekar shouted at Raghav again, putting the gun even closer to his head, "Tell me why..."

Raghav was calm and didn't show any fear.

Shekar kept asking more questions. "Tell me why you're surrendering. Why did you kill them? Were you the one who wanted to kill me, too? What's your connection to MEDS?"

As soon as Raghav heard the word "MEDS," he looked at Shekar and laughed.

Shekar: "Why are you laughing? What's your connection to MEDS? Why did they give me this power? Tell me...!"

Echoes and silence...

Raghav was put in jail. No matter how much Shekar asked, he didn't answer any of his questions. Shekar had no other choice but to do what he had to do and put him in jail. No matter how hard Shekar tried, he couldn't find the answers to some of the questions.

Because Shekar solved this case and caught the killer, Raghav, the higher officials appreciated him and made him an officer. From now on, every good things happened to him. The only secret that Shekar knows about Raghav surrounded himself, was kept a secret. All the police officers taught that Shekar all alone caught  the killer. Even, his uncle also appreciated and called Shekar and offered him a good position in a good station. Mean while, Meera also took the police physical test. She was easily got selected. Shekar congratulated her. Shekar wanted to talk to Meera. So, two of them went for a walk at night to talk for a while.

Shekar: "Congratulations. You'll get a good reward for your hard work."

Meera: "Thank you. After this, I have to go to the training camp my dad recommended. And after that, I'll be a police officer with you."

Shekar: "With your intelligence, you'll be in a better position than me."

Meera: "I don't want that. I want to work with you. How many people get a chance like this? Working with their husband."

Shekar: "But, you won't get any special treatment by me. I'll treat you like everyone else."

Meera: "I didn't ask for special treatment. But at home, I'll be the one in charge. What do you say?"

Shekar: "Hello, madam, we're not married yet."

Meera: "Right. But how much more time do you need? How much longer do I have to wait? How many more days do I have to sleep alone? You know I can't do this."

Memories from the alternate timeline flashed in Shekar's mind. Meera had said the same thing on the hospital bed. He also remembered that his life is not in his control. In anytime anything could happen to him: "I don't know how long I can protect my family? I should keep Meera close to me and I also have to solve the MEDS case, as soon as possible."

Remembering all that, Shekar said, "Meera, should we get married?"

Meera's eyes filled with tears of joy. She hugged Shekar tightly and said, "Yes, yes, I will. It took you this long to say this?"

Shekar was also happy. They got married. Time passed. Because she was performing well, she was in a good position. She wished to get a posting in the same station as Shekar.

Meera's father said, "Won't it cause any problems if both of you work at the same station?"

Meera: "No, Dad. We'll be fine. I thought about this well before I did it."

Without anyone's knowledge, Shekar was frequently visiting Raghav in the central jail. He would ask him about MEDS, but Raghav wouldn't give him any answers, and Shekar would leave, disappointed.

Shekar would give Meera small cases to solve. She would solve them as if it were part of the job. Shekar was always trying to solve the MEDS case with his own intelligence, but he couldn't find any leads or hints in the case.

Shekar wanted to take Meera's help, but he wanted to solve the MEDS case on his own. Since he couldn't, he indirectly asked Meera a question. "I'm not able to solve an unsolved case. There are no leads. No hints. How can this case be solved now?"

Meera: "No case is without hints. If you're not finding the answers, you have to change your way of searching. I would study similar cases related to it."

Meera's advice gave Shekar a good idea. He went to his station and started checking all the old files, especially the murder cases. He found a total of seven files. Most of them were solved, and the killings were done by normal people. But he found one brutal case. The victim's body was crushed and turned into a cube. And that case was also solved. There was a photo of the murderer. The person didn't have a head, and smoke was coming out of his neck.

Shekar had a new hope. And unexpectedly, there was another murderer, and that headless murderer had also tried to kill him.

Where is he now, and what answers will Shekar find? We'll see who the headless person is next.