Chapter 14 #2
The glass scotch tumbler in Akhil’s hand fell to the floor, shattering into a thousand sparkling pieces against the marble.
"Where is Shruti?!" Akhil demanded, his voice dropping to a terrifying, deadly register that made the air in the office freeze.
"Her room was empty!" Raghav cried, tears spilling over his eyes. "Her phone was left on the floor! She's gone, Akhil! Reyansh took her!"
A dark, terrifying storm erupted inside Akhil Raheja, a volcanic, lethal rage that burned away every trace of grief, every trace of heartbreak, leaving behind a pure, murderous warrior.
Without saying another word, Akhil sprinted out of his office, shoving past his secretary, sprinting down the executive elevator towards the underground garage, with Raghav running right beside him.
***
Ten minutes later, three black armored Raheja security SUVs tore through the pouring rain, mounting the sidewalk curb as they slammed to a halt outside the Malhotra residence.
Akhil shoved open the front door, stepping into the dark, rain-soaked hallway. Mark and ten heavily armed security operatives followed close behind, carrying tactical flashlights and breach gear.
Devendra and Kavya Malhotra were sitting in the living room, weeping softly as private paramedics checked their vitals.
Akhil didn't waste a single second on words. He walked straight past them, his sharp, dark eyes scanning the floorboards like a hunting hawk.
He entered the ground-floor study, the room where the struggle had taken place.
He knelt on the floor near the mahogany desk, his tactical flashlight beam sweeping across the dark wood. Mark and Raghav stood near the doorway, watching him frantically.
"The police are tracking the local traffic cameras, Akhil," Raghav said desperately. "But the rain is too heavy! The camera feeds near the main avenue are completely blurred!"
Akhil didn't answer. He knew how Shruti’s mind worked. He knew her intelligence, her courage, and her fearless spirit. He knew that even in the face of terror, Shruti Malhotra would never give up without fighting back.
"She left something," Akhil muttered, his deep voice dead calm. "She knew I would come for her."
Akhil got down on his knees, shining his flashlight into the narrow gap beneath the mahogany study desk leg.
Something metallic glinted under the bright LED beam.
Akhil reached his long fingers into the dark gap, and pulled out a silver charm bracelet.
It was her custom silver bracelet, the small brass compass charm and the miniature camera pendant resting in the palm of his hand.
Akhil’s fingers closed tightly around the silver charm, holding it against his chest, his dark eyes flaring with an intense, blinding light.
"She left her bracelet," Akhil whispered.
He stood up, inspecting the desk further. He noticed the torn blotting paper on the desk blotter. A small, triangular piece of white paper was jammed tightly into the keyhole of the lower desk drawer.
Akhil pulled the torn paper scrap out, holding it under his flashlight.
Written on the torn paper in faint, smeared blue ink, scrawled hurriedly by Shruti’s fingernail before she lost consciousness, were three short letters and a number:
''S - W - 9''
Raghav leaned in, staring at the scrawled letters in utter confusion. "S-W-9? What does that mean? Is it a car license plate?!"
Akhil stared at the scrawled code, his brilliant, razor-sharp mind processing the clues in a fraction of a second.
"Sewri Warehouse Nine," Akhil stated, his deep voice carrying a cold, lethal authority that made Raghav’s breath catch. "Khanna Logistics owns an abandoned shipping warehouse at the Sewri Docks along the eastern harbor, Warehouse Number Nine."
Mark gasped, checking his tactical tablet map. "He's right, Mr. Raheja! Khanna Logistics leased Sewri Warehouse Nine five years ago! It's an isolated, abandoned industrial site right on the water!"
Shruti had used her travel journalism knowledge of Mumbai’s shipping ports, a topic her family discussed frequently, to leave him the exact location of her kidnapping site.
Akhil pocketed the silver bracelet, placing it safely near his heart inside his inner jacket pocket. He turned to Mark, his dark eyes burning with a murderous power that promised absolute, total devastation.
"Mark," Akhil commanded softly. "Issue a code-black alert to all tactical teams. Arm every operative. We are going to Sewri Docks."
"Akhil, wait!" Raghav shouted, grabbing his best friend's arm. "We should call the Mumbai Police Commissioner! We need backup!"
Akhil turned his head, looking down at Raghav’s hand on his arm. His dark eyes were cold as ice.
"By the time the police file the paperwork and dispatch a unit through this rain, Reyansh will have her on a boat," Akhil stated with frightening calm. "I am not waiting for the police, Raghav."
He gently, firmly removed Raghav’s hand from his arm.
"Stay here with your parents," Akhil ordered. "I am going to get your sister back."