Chapter 11: An Unseen Enemy

Shekar reached the police station in a hurry. He rushed inside. Murthi and the others were there. Meera was sitting in Shekar’s cabin. Shekar went to her to console her. He looked at her face. Meera had tears in her eyes. She was crying. Her face showed helplessness, sadness, and anger. She was crying out of sadness and anger for not being able to save anyone.

Shekar felt sorry for her. "Meera, what happened? What did you talk about with Naveen?"

Meera: "Do you know how many people have died? Do you know how many of them were just children? I couldn't save anyone, Shekar. I couldn't even save one person."

Shekar: "Shh, shh. It's not your fault. It's not your fault," he said as he hugged Meera and patted her back and head, trying to calm her.

Meera continued to sob. "What's the point of working so hard to find them if it's useless?"

Shekar: "You did great. You're much smarter than me. If it wasn't for you, I would have never found Naveen."

Meera's guilt grew even more. "How many more people will die? I don't understand who else is behind all this."

Shekar: "Don't think about anything else. You're taking too much stress. Just put everything aside and go rest, okay?"

Meera couldn't do anything else. "Okay," she said quietly. "You be careful."

Shekar: "You too. Go home safely and get some rest, okay?"

Meera: "Okay," she said and left for home.

Seeing Meera's face, Shekar could tell she was still worried about the dead people. But Shekar couldn't do anything either. That's why he decided to give the case to the CBI so that Meera wouldn't get more stressed and he could also relax.

After Shekar waited outside the station until Meera left, he asked Murthi, "Murthi, did Meera meet Naveen?"

Murthi: "No, sir. She was just sitting in your cabin and crying. That's it, sir."

Shekar: "Okay, stay alert. I'm going to meet Naveen and come back."

Murthi: "Yes, sir."

Shekar went to the jail where Naveen was. He saw him writing some calculations and formulas on the wall as if he knew nothing.

Shekar didn't understand any of it. "Naveen," he called out.

Naveen turned back and looked at Shekar. Shekar looked at him and said, "Has it started?"

Shekar: "What?"

Naveen: "The ritual of death."

Shekar: "Where is the headless person?"

Naveen smiled at Shekar and didn't say anything about the headless person. "You were supposed to find me, but no matter how much you tried, you couldn't. But your wife is very smart. She found me easily."

Shekar: "Why do you have to kill so many people? Don't you even spare the children?"

Naveen: "You won't understand. And I don't need to give you reasons."

Shekar: "What are you trying to do by doing all this? What do you want?"

Naveen: "Peace."

Shekar: "Do the deaths of so many people give you peace?"

Naveen: "You won't understand."

Shekar: "Tell me where the headless person is."

Naveen: "Just wait for a little while."

Shekar: "Enough of what has happened. I can't do this anymore. Sometimes I feel like all this is happening because of me."

Naveen: "Don't be scared. It will all end with you."

Shekar: "That's why I'm stopping here. I'm stepping away from this case."

Naveen smiled at Shekar. "Think carefully."

Shekar looked at Naveen seriously and left the place.

Shekar gave all the details of the murder cases to Ramu in the station and told him to give the files to the IG.

It was morning. Shekar had been in his cabin since last night. He hadn't gone home or called anyone.

The TV was on. The news said, "More than 60 people have died. The police are not giving any answers about it. Even after catching some people, the police are not able to stop these murders. And it's very rare for so many murders to happen in just two days. The exact numbers are still unknown."

Shekar was watching the news. The news was giving the numbers of the murder victims, but Shekar was in a helpless situation where he couldn't do anything.

The news continued: "Many people are also missing. And many of them have already died. Now, a girl is also missing. Her dead body has not been found yet. Everyone thinks she has also died, but her parents still believe she is alive somewhere."

Shekar sat in the chair, unable to do anything.

Shekar got a message from the IG.

IG Uncle: "You sent the files. You made a good decision. You and Meera worked very hard on this case. You will be respected for your hard work. Now, leave all these cases and files and spend some time with Meera happily. It's been a long time since you two spent some peaceful time together. Okay, that's what I wanted to tell you. Be careful with Meera."

Shekar was thinking about Meera. He wondered how she was. At the same time, Murthi came into Shekar's cabin.

Murthi saluted. "Sir, we got a call."

Shekar: "What happened, Murthi?"

Murthi: "Sir, we found the missing person."

Shekar: "Is she alive or dead?"

Murthi: "Dead, sir."

Shekar: "Oh. We can't do anything else, Murthi. We did what we could. It's useless now."

Murthi: "But sir, you and madam worked so hard, didn't you, sir?"

Shekar: "To stop all this, it's correct for me to step away, Murthi."

Murthi: "But sir..."

Shekar: "Murthi! Understand what I'm saying," he yelled at Murthi.

Murthi bowed his head in shame. "Sorry, sir," he said.

Shekar felt bad for what he did and that he didn't respect Murthi. "Sorry, Murthi. I didn't mean to yell at you. I just couldn't handle it... Sorry."

Murthi: "It's okay, sir. I understand."

Shekar: "Okay, Murthi. As you said. Let's check the late victim. And let's file a report and send it to the CBI."

Murthi: "Yes, sir."

Shekar and Murthi went to the place where the dead body was in a police jeep.

They reached the city outskirts.

A crowd of people had gathered near the dead body.

Shekar got out of the jeep and told Murthi, "Murthi, clear everyone."

Shekar went toward the dead body and looked at it from a distance.

Shekar saw someone sitting next to the dead body. But he wasn't sure.

Shekar called Murthi and asked, "Murthi, who are they?"

Murthi couldn't see anyone no matter how much he tried. "I don't know, sir."

Shekar: "Go and check," he said, staying alert.

Murthi went closer and couldn't believe his eyes. He immediately ran back and told Shekar, "Sir... sir... it's... Meera madam."

Shekar heard that and immediately ran to the spot. It was true. Meera was sitting next to the dead body. Shekar asked Meera, "What are you doing here, Meera? Why do you have a knife? I told you to go home. Then why are you here and what are you doing?" When he tried to take the knife from her, Meera suddenly held the knife and stabbed Shekar from his throat to his head. Shekar didn't expect this. He never expected Meera to kill him.

Shekar couldn't even speak properly. With a stammering voice, he asked Meera, "Why did you do this, Meera?"

Meera: "I'm not your Meera, darling."

Shekar: "If you're not Meera, then who are you?"

Meera: "You are the only one left."

Shekar: "Headless..."

Shekar didn't understand anything. He couldn't speak anymore. He was dying. He had escaped death so many times, but he never expected to die at the hands of Meera.

Time went back. Shekar knew that time was going back. So he immediately stopped time. He was back at the same morning. Because Shekar remembered everything, he had to change everything and make sure the case file didn't go to the CBI. Or that Meera was not behind these murders. Shekar was hurrying to do something.

Naveen from jail: "I'm here too, don't forget me, Shekar," and he set the whole station on fire. He blasted it. Everyone was in pieces. Shekar was also in pieces, but he was still a little alive. But Naveen got up from the burning fire. The fire didn't affect Naveen.

Shekar's lower part was blasted and flew somewhere. Only his upper part was left. Shekar was bleeding and thought, I wish I didn't have these powers. And he died.

Will Shekar get up again, or will he die for good? Wait and see what happens next.