A Desperate Search
The morning began like any other, but for Shristi, it held a special excitement—today, she was going to meet her younger brother. She had been waiting for this moment eagerly, her heart brimming with joy at the thought of seeing him after so long.
Annu, noticing her excitement, smiled. "You look like a kid on Diwali morning."
Shristi grinned, brushing her hair one last time before heading out to wait. The hours passed, but he didn't show. At first, she thought maybe his train was late, or perhaps he got caught up in something. But after three hours, when he still hadn't arrived and her calls went unanswered, a heavy sense of panic began settling in her chest.
Her hands trembled as she dialed his number again, only to be met with silence.
Annu placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Shristi, let's ask Wick for help. He'll find him."
Shristi hesitated before shaking her head. "No, I think I'll ask Vivaan first."
Annu frowned but didn't argue.
Shristi found Vivaan in the library and hurriedly explained the situation.
Vivaan leaned back in his chair, looking visibly uncomfortable. "Shristi, I'll try to find him tomorrow. My uncle has instructed me not to roam around today,it might be dangerous for us."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious right now?"
Vivaan sighed. "Just wait till tomorrow. I promise I'll—"
"You know what?" Shristi cut him off, voice laced with anger. "Hide nicely at home, Vivaan. Otherwise, someone might kill you right away."
She turned and stormed out, her disappointment transforming into heartbreak.
That night, unable to bear seeing her like this, Annu took matters into her own hands and called Wick.
He arrived at the hostel within five minutes.
Shristi looked at him, her eyes red from crying. Wick didn't waste time with pleasantries. "When was the last time you spoke to him?"
"Yesterday," she mumbled. "He just said he was coming today."
Wick ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Then, in a sharp tone, he ordered, "Get in the car."
She blinked at him. "Are you serious? I'm not going anywhere—"
Wick's expression darkened. "I said get in the car. Either stay here crying or help find your brother."
His words hit her hard. Without another argument, she grabbed her coat and followed him.
As they drove off, Nick called Wick, his voice filled with concern. "Why the hell didn't you tell me? You're heading into something dangerous alone."
Wick kept his eyes on the road. "One of us needs to stay back. I was in a hurry, Nick."
Nick sighed. "If you don't return by tomorrow, I'm coming."
Wick smirked slightly. "Noted."
He then called Deep and asked him to trace Shristi's brother's phone. Within minutes, Deep sent the location. It was out of town—a long journey awaited them.
They drove in tense silence, reaching the location by evening. The search was exhausting, but they only found his phone lying in an abandoned alley.
Shristi's hope crumbled. She sank to the ground, sobbing.
Wick clenched his jaw, trying to contain his frustration. He hated seeing her like this.
By 10 P.M., with no further leads, they decided to halt at a nearby hotel. Unfortunately, only one room was available.
Wick took the couch while Shristi and Annu shared the bed. Annu, needing fresh air, stepped onto the balcony.
Shristi lay awake, staring at the ceiling, when Wick's quiet voice broke the silence.
"We'll find him tomorrow, no matter what."
She turned her head slightly, looking at him in the dim light. "Why don't you let people see the good in you?"
A pause.
Then, Wick muttered, "Because when people see good, they expect good. And I don't want to live up to anyone's expectations."
Shristi didn't know what to say after that. Slowly, her eyes closed, exhaustion taking over.
3 A.M.
She woke up to find Wick slipping back into the room.
Her voice was groggy. "Where were you?"
Wick barely glanced at her. "Just getting more intel on your brother."
She shot up from the bed. "What did you find?"
"Sleep now. I'll tell you tomorrow."
But as soon as he left again, curiosity and worry took over. Shristi quietly followed him.
She found him in a secluded alley, talking to three rough-looking men. Their exchange didn't seem friendly. Suddenly, one of them grabbed Wick's collar. The next second, two others jumped in, holding Wick down as he struggled.
Shristi's heart pounded. She ran forward, panic gripping her. "Let him go! Please!"
One of the men turned to her, a cruel smirk forming on his lips. He stepped toward her menacingly.
Before he could reach her, another voice echoed in the alley.
"Touch her, and I'll make sure you don't leave this place alive."
Nick.
He stood there, fists clenched, his eyes burning with fury. In an instant, he charged at the men. Wick, now freed, joined him. Together, they overpowered their attackers.
Once the men lay groaning on the ground, Nick turned to Wick, anger evident in his expression.
"Are you out of your damn mind? What if I hadn't shown up?"
Wick dusted off his jacket. "You did, didn't you?"
Nick ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "I swear, one day you're going to get yourself killed."
Shristi, still shaken, looked at Wick. "Why the hell did you come here alone?"
Wick turned to her sharply, eyes cold. "And why the hell did you follow me?"
She stepped closer, eyes blazing with anger and tears. "Because you were getting your ass kicked!"
The silence that followed was deadly. Wick closed the distance between them, his voice low and threatening.
"Don't ever insult me like that again."
Shristi's chest rose and fell rapidly. "You can't keep doing this, Wick. Not in this town. Not around me."
His jaw tightened. "Why not? I've always been like this. Why is it suddenly everyone wants to keep me in check?"
"Because I don't want you to be what people think you are," she whispered.
His expression twisted. "What? A monster?"
He laughed bitterly, stepping back. "Sorry to disappoint, Shristi. But last time I checked… I am still a monster."
"You don't have to act like one," she snapped, voice shaking.
He stared at her for a long moment. "I'm not Vivaan. Don't try to turn me into him."
Shristi's breath caught.
And for the first time that night, she didn't know what to say.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, without another word, Wick turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.
To be continued...