Mumbai, the city of dreams, was wide awake under its flickering lights. Inside a luxurious bungalow, the air buzzed with tension and the scent of expensive whiskey. A group of goons, each trying their best to look menacing, stood guard as two individuals discussed their plans.
A man, dressed in a tailored black suit, leaned back in his chair. He exuded the overconfidence of someone who had seen too many gangster movies. Across from him, a woman with sharp eyes and a no-nonsense demeanor, gave him a brief nod.
"What's the status?" The man asked, swirling his drink.
"Everything's going as planned. Our man is tailing their vehicle. It's only a matter of time before they're here," the woman replied.
The man smirked. "Good. Let's make sure they feel welcome."
---
Meanwhile, in a Police Van
Three officers sat in the back of a police van, escorting a notorious criminal who seemed far too relaxed for someone in cuffs.
Sachin, the chatterbox constable, leaned back. "Finally caught you, huh? Jail is gonna suit you. I hear they're serving paneer tikka today-your welcome party."
The criminal sneered. "You think you've won? My men are coming for me. Soon, you'll regret even laying a finger on me."
Raj, another constable, raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? And are they coming by Uber or should we wait for the smoke signals?"
The criminal ignored him, his grin widening.
Suddenly, an explosion shook the van. The car in front of them erupted in flames, sending debris flying everywhere. Smoke engulfed the area, turning the night into chaos.
Arya, the head constable and the actual adult in the room, grabbed her baton. "What the-"
Before she could finish, the criminal cut her off. "Told you my men would come. Punctual, aren't they?"
From the smoke emerged a figure, tall and masked, exuding an aura of quiet menace.
"Hand him over," the masked man ordered.
Arya crossed her arms. "And if we don't?"
"Then things will get... messy," he replied.
Sachin leaned toward Raj. "Is it just me, or does he sound like he writes his threats in a diary at night?"
Arya shot them a look. "We're not scared of your empty words. Try us."
The masked man sighed, as if dealing with children who refused to do their homework. "I hoped you'd say that."
Smoke filled the van again, thick and choking. The officers coughed, stumbled, and one by one, fell unconscious. The last thing Sachin muttered was, "Next time, I'm bringing a fan..."
---
Back at the Bungalow
The masked man dragged the unconscious criminal into the room, his footsteps echoing on the marble floor.
"I've brought Aakash. Now, where's my payment?" he demanded.
The man chuckled, swirling his whiskey. "What's the hurry? Show us your face first."
"That wasn't the deal," the masked man replied tersely. "I bring him; you pay me."
The man smirked. "Humor me. You're new to this gang. We like to know who we're working with."
One of the goons chimed in, "Yeah, buddy, just show us your face. What's with all the drama? Are you moonlighting as a reality show contestant?"
The man laughed and pulled out a gun. "Either you show your face, or we find out the hard way."
The masked man hesitated, his fists clenching.
Suddenly, the woman-the ever-loyal second-in-command-moved swiftly, pointing a gun at the man's head.
"Drop the weapon, Dhawal" that woman commanded, her voice icy.
Dhawal froze. "What are you doing, Maaya?"
The masked man chuckled. "You still think she's Maaya?"
She peeled off her prosthetic mask, revealing her true identity.
"Inspector Purvi Sharma, Mumbai Police," she declared, a smirk tugging at her lips.
Dhawal's jaw dropped. "You... you're police?"
The masked man untied his scarf with a dramatic flourish. "Inspector Ranveer Malhotra. Pleasure to finally meet you."
The "criminal," groaning in the corner, sat up and yawned. "And I'm not Aakash."
He removed his disguise to reveal a cheeky grin.
"Inspector Ritwik Noon. Did you miss me?"
Dhawal's face turned red with rage. "This was all a setup?"
Before anyone could answer, Dhawal and his goons donned gas masks. Smoke filled the room once again, and within moments, the officers fell unconscious.
---
Later, When Backup Arrived
The backup team found the officers sprawled on the floor, groaning. Ritwik was the first to wake, coughing dramatically.
"Why is it always gas? Can't criminals ever try something simple, like tying us up with duct tape?"
Arya rubbed her temples. "My head feels like a piñata at a kid's party..."
Purvi shot up, her eyes scanning the room. "Where's Dhawal?!"
Ranveer groaned. "What happened here?"
Raj surveyed the empty bungalow. "When we arrived, everyone was gone-no goons, no Dhawal, no nothing. Just you three, snoring on the floor like it's nap time."
Ritwik, frustrated, banged his fist on a nearby table. "We had them! This close!"
Sachin's phone buzzed, and he answered it with a sigh. After a brief conversation, he turned to the team.
"Uh, sir... DCP's at the station. And, uh, he's not happy. Apparently, yelling is his cardio."
Ranveer groaned. "Great. Just what we needed."
Purvi cut him off before he could say something reckless. "Don't make it worse. Let's go."
All eyes turned to Arya, who was staring at the ceiling suspiciously.
Ritwik tilted his head. "Arya... you didn't... tell him, did you?"
Arya shifted nervously. "He called and asked, okay? What was I supposed to do? Lie to the DCP? He could suspend me!"
The team groaned collectively.
Sachin muttered, "Next time, can we deal with a gang that doesn't use smoke bombs? My dry cleaning bill is killing me."
The team trudged out, ready to face their next challenge-and an extremely annoyed DCP.