THE CULPRIT

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER: - 1

 

 In early 2010, there lived a man named Harvey Dent. He was good to honest police officer. He was deputy commissioner of police force. He blonde hair, physic of an average body builder and had a skin tone white. Harvey was an honest man but sometime in greed of money. He could betray anyone. Police job paid him well but he like the thrill that money gave him. The one thing Harvey loved more than money was his kid Jeff. He had a family of three. Himself, Jeff and his wife or soon to be his ex-wife. His wife’s name was Melisa. He wasn’t on a good terms with her. He and Melisa had a love marriage. But eventually Melisa understood that Harvey loved money more than anything in this world. He was constantly working, going to parties. So she was fed up of that so she decided to separate ways from Harvey. Melisa was an astronomer with a decent pay at Starlight studio. Melisa was red headed with a slim body and very attractive. At Variety Hotel Los Angeles, she came to visit her husband who was invited there for an event. Harvey didn’t know she was there. He attended the event and got bored was going to his room in the hotel. He unlocks the door keep the keys on the table and starts to remove his jacket and he sees his wife sitting on the couch. Harvey smirks and put the jacket on the bed and says “What a nice surprise honey.” He goes near her. Tries to hug her but she pushes him aside and starts crying. Harvey got worried, ‘hey hey what’s wrong?’ Melisa turns toward Harvey and says, ‘Harvey I can’t do this anymore.’ Harvey got confused, ‘What are you talking about?’ Melisa wiping her tears says, ‘you. I cannot live with you anymore’. Melisa starts crying again and sits on the bed. Harvey is at loss of words so he leaves the room and comes outside the hotel. Orders a taxi and goes to a bar. Drinks there a bit and the bartender ask for the payment. He picks out his pocket and pays it with the card while the transaction is happening. He started looking towards his wallet and there he finds a coin with both side rough and it was very dirty coin. So he left it on the table of the bar and went home.

                          With the very next flight Melisa and Harvey came back to Philadelphia. They didn’t talk to each other during whole fight. Melisa taught if she made a mistake. Harvey didn’t ask one reason why she was divorcing him. Did he saw it coming? These taught were rolling in Melisa’s mind. They reached home in a taxi and Harvey asked to go on forward he’ll bring the language. As Harvey was carrying the luggage and entering his home. He felt for the first time that he was being watched. He taught it was just imagination and entered the house.

                          That whole day Melisa and Harvey didn’t talk to each other. Harvey had a day off so decided to roam around in the bar. While driving in the city there was a car behind him for a long time. He taught that he was being followed as soon as decided to stop his car, the other car turned right. So he ignored it and then he went his friends house Teddy. Teddy was colleague of his. His rank was just below Harvey. He was black in appearance. He was well-suited man. Harvey and Teddy were close friends.

                 Teddy opened the door for his friend and invited his friend inside. They sat outside in Teddy lawn drinking bear and Harvey told everything to Teddy and Teddy said, ‘everything is going to be alright man’. They were sitting in a wooden chair. Teddy looked at his side and found that his bear were finished so he called his wife Trisha, ‘Hey darling bring us some bears’. Trisha was Latin women with an accent. She was cooking with headphones on her ears so she couldn’t hear what teddy said. Teddy got up and went in to take the bear by himself. Meanwhile Harvey was lost in the taught and then he suddenly had feeling someone watching him and he got up saw here and there but nobody was to be found. Then he had dinner with Ted’s family and as his was driving home. He saw the same car behind him so geared up. The car behind also geared up and then turned right and the other car also turned right. So stopped his car and order the car behind to do the same. Both cars stooped. Harvey came out of his car. His saw an old maruthi Suzuki of green colour. There was a man in a black hoodie in a driving seat. He couldn’t see his face because of the light of the other car, ‘Turn of the engine jackass’ said Harvey angrily. As Harvey was closing in on the car the driver punched reverse gear. Harvey ran behind the car but couldn’t stop it.

                 As soon as Harvey came home and parked the car. He came outside the car and was entering the house and he again felt someone’s glare at him. So he searched the area and found nothing. While he was searching, Melisa was watching him from the window she felt something was wrong with him. Harvey couldn’t found anything so he went back to his house.

         Melisa and Harvey decided to live together until the divorce. It was awkward around the house every now and then. They weren’t really talking to each other. In the afternoon while Jeff was playing with his toy truck of red and yellow colour on the floor. He looked there he saw his father wearing a regular t shirt and some shots reading a book and drinking tea. And his mother doing chores of the house looking like typical maid. Although he was just 6 but he understood human emotions. He sensed something is wrong and asked a question to both of them, “Why are you both sad?” That sudden question startled Melissa and she dropped a utensil she was holding. The question also took Harvey by surprise but he maintained his composure, kept the book aside and called Jeff. He carried Jeff and put him on his lap and explained , “ Listen Jeff you are really small for this but I want you to know that sometime in life we are not happy with the decision we made but that’s okay. Knowing that we made a bad decision and going through it, is not okay. What matters that how make that wrong decision right. To suffer through it or to have a courage to call it quits? We just have one life and everyone deserves to be happy.” By saying this he saw towards Melisa and nodded. Seeing Harvey, Melisa started crying and she ran upstairs hiding her tears. Harvey sent Jeff to play with his toys and Harvey sighed in grief. He got up to put the book back in the shelf of his study room. After going in there he kept the book at its location and then he sat on the chair near the shelf. As soon as he sits on the chair he noticed that he saw his paper weight was missing. He thought to himself, “I have the only key to this room and other than myself no one knows where I keep my key and as I last remember paper weight was still on the table” He got up and started searching for paper weight. He found it under the table. Questions rambled through his mind. He searched entire house saw if anything was stolen but nothing was stolen. He thought it may be nothing and went in the hall room and sat on the sofa and the night went trough.

                 The next day, Harvey was going through some files in his office at his police station. Suddenly someone knocks the door, Harvey says “come in” .It was victor his lieutenant.  Victor was wearing a police uniform and had a thick moustache and brunette hair. Victor came in to do some daily chit chat ,” I heard you are getting a divorce. How are you doing?” Harvey replies, “Wow. Word gets out pretty fast around here. And we are still thinking there is mole between us.” Victor smiles and says, “No but seriously?” Harvey nods while peeking through some papers. “I will let you work. Just wanted to know how you are doing? That’s all” Victor says this while moving backwards to the door. Harvey interrupts, “Listen. Can you please do me favour and ask someone to guard my house. I know it’s nothing but I think someone intruded my house, I know it’s just a hunch but better be safe than sorry” Victor replies, “We’ll do” and suddenly phone rang. Harvey asked Victor to excuse him and victor went outside the cabin. Harvey picked the phone and on the other side there was Melisa, Crying, weeping. As soon as Harvey listens to Melisa crying his heart skips a beat, he asks, “What’s wrong Melisa? Are you okay? Why are you crying? Is everything alright?” Melisa wiping her tears, controlling herself says, ”Jeff is kidnapped.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER:-2

 

                       In the Police Station, Harvey is talking to someone on the phone, yelling to other person on the other side of the phone. Behind him Melisa is sitting on a chair crying. Her makeup is messed up and she is constantly wiping her tears with her handkerchief. “I don’t care have many police officer you have, send everyone to find my child.” By saying this he bangs the phone down, Melisa gets sacred. Harvey looks at Melisa and starts crying.

                          From a distance they here a footstep coming, the guy enters the cabin, it’s victor, “I’ve got lead.” Harvey face lights up and he gets up takes his jacket. Melisa also gets up and wanted to go with them. Harvey stops Melisa, grabs her on the shoulder and looks into her eyes and nods in an approval that he will find their child at any cost, Melisa also nods of trusting him with the tasks. Harvey and Victor exits the cabin and they are talking while walking. Harvey “Did  you find somebody?”  Victor “Not yet but we got an eye witness who saw someone near 008 laker street with a child who was crying” Harvey “That’s got to be him. Where is the eye witness?” Victor “He is in the custody room.” Harvey and Victor bangs the custody room door open. There is a man sitting on the chair behind the table. With a big beard and smells like he didn’t had a bath in maybe a year. Harvey puts his hands on the table and looks him in the eyes and Says, “Where can I find him?” The bearded man “ Can you believe it my left pocket is empty I swear there was at least $100 dollars in it in the morning” Victor “I can’t believe this prick” Victor opens his wallet and put $100 dollar in bearded mans pocket. Victor “Sir we found it on the stair while you were coming here” Bearded man “Thank you sir. I really grateful for policemen service in this town” Harvey “Enough with this act can you give me more details.” Bearded Man “Geez... chill down. What can I tell? He wore a denim jacket of maroon colour. That was a good jacket but the guy wearing it was not so much. He was a really a slim guy I couldn’t see his face. But he was trying to stop the kid from crying putting his hands on his mouth but he couldn’t stop the kid from crying. And then they went on the direction of Avenue street.” Listening Avenue street Harvey gets up and starts running towards his car. Victor also start to follow him but comes back and takes the money out of bearded mans pocket. Bearded man “Hey but that’s my money” Victor “Go file a complaint. And that case will come to me and I will find the culprit behind all this Mr. Sucker!” He laugh and exits the cabin to follow Harvey. The breaded man is awe struck “I should never have trusted this cops” Harvey is in  a vehicle and orders victor to hop in while he is driving and the rush towards avenue street.

                          They reach avenue street. Victor on the walky-talky “Send all the reinforcement to Avenue street as quickly as possible” They both exits the car. Harvey signs Victor to go straight where he goes to the right in the very small tunnel. He passes the tunnel. Runs around searches everywhere and  starts shouting his son’s name but there is no reply. He continues searching for about an hour but there is no response. Victor comes from around the street and asks Harvey “Any luck?” Harvey disagrees. Victor “ Alright why don’t we call it a day. The some guys are searching near your house where he got kidnapped and remaining guys are searching for him here. Lets go try to get some sleep” Victor picks Harvey up and put him in the car. Victor sits on the driver sit and he was trying to get the car in reverse. Meanwhile Harvey is broken, he couldn’t process anything and suddenly he looks at the ice cream truck where he sees a guy making a scoop  and behind him he sees a jacket of maroon colour. Harvey  jumps out of the car and starts running towards the truck. He enters the truck. The guy “You are not allowed in here” Harvey punches the guy in the face and grabs him by the collar and yells “Where’s my boy you piece of shit?”

                 The guy is sitting in his truck all beaten up and he says “You got the wrong guy. I am not a kidnapper. I am just a small time ice cream sales man. My name is Joseph Fernando and I came from France in search of work. Please let me go.” Harvey and Victor stare at each other in doubt and then a policeman bring Bearded man into the truck. Police officer “Is this the man you saw?” Bearded man “first of all I have a complaint to file. My $200 dollar got stolen and I want it back” and he looks at victor. Victor “Sorry sir we found just $150 from your stolen money” and victor puts $150 dollar in Bearded mans pocket. Bearded man “That’ll do for now. Ok I don’t remember this guy exactly but I sure do remember the jacket. I have seen the child’s face maybe I could identify that.” Victor shows the picture of Jeff on his phone. Bearded man “This is not the child.” Harvey looks at him confused and then Joseph says “You are mistaken I was with my nephew a few hours ago. He was crying so I took him to my sister who was in the town for a visit. I could show you. There a photo on my phone.” Victor picks up the phone, finds the photo and shows it to the bearded man and he says “Yes this is the child I saw.” Harvey exits the truck and walks a mile and starts screaming. Victor watches him from behind.

                 Harvey comes back home. He opens and close the door silently and starts walking towards the hall. He sees his wife lying on the sofa. Seeing Harvey Melisa gets up and looks toward him in hope. Harvey sees down and Melisa starts sobbing. Harvey turns around and starts walking on the stairs with a shed of tear in his eye. Melisa gets up and says “Is there hope?” Harvey responds “I don’t know”. Melisa crushes down on the floor. Harvey sees her and goes up without doing anything.

 

 

 

 

                                  CHAPTER:-3

 

                  One month passed after the Kidnapping still there is no sign of Jeff. Harvey is angry, frustrated and sad. The upper level officer made rest of the staff work on the other cases and assigned Harvey to his own sons case. There was no Negotiation with the Kidnapper so the upper level officer thought that kid maybe lost so instead of arguing with Harvey. They assigned him just one officer that’s victor. Harvey and Melisa both were depressed. On suggestion of Victor, Harvey took a leave of 10 days from the office while Victor will look into the case. Harvey and Melisa still weren’t talking to each other much.

                 Sunday 21^st June, second day of Harvey’s leave. Sun was shining like never before and whole neighbourhood looked lively except Harvey’s house. There was a bit of glooming sadness surrounding Harvey’s house. Melisa is sitting on chair near the window. Seeing neighbourhood happy, Melisa felt envious. The windows were not totally cleaned. Only a part of window was clean other was not. Melisa took her hand starts wiping the window. While wiping she saw a man standing in front of the house in a gray corporate suit. She couldn’t see his face due to dust so she picks up a napkin nearby and  cleans the window properly and there he is smiling like Devil. A young man with black glass , he does not much of a physique but he looks good. Melisa is startled with question. That young man waves at Melisa. Melisa does not wave back and goes to the door to lock it but suddenly bell rang. Melisa thought there is no harm in opening the door so she opens the door “Who are you?” Young man “Me. I am nobody Mam. Believe me what I am here to offer will be far more interesting than myself.” Melisa “If you are here to sell something. This is not really a good time” Youngman “No mam I am not here to sell anything. I just want 10 minutes of you and your husband Harvey Dent.” Harvey enters from the back and sees that someone’s on the door and asks “Who’s there?” Melisa “This guy wants to talk to us for 10 minutes.” Harvey “Ok let him in.”

                 In the living room, all two of them are sitting on the sofa opposite to each other. Melisa comes in with a beverage and offers it to the young man. He accepts it. Drinks the beverage and says “Ahh... this is good.” He keeps the drink on the table. “So let’s start with my name, which I am not going to tell you but you can call me antagonist. Everyone in this world is a protagonist in their own illusion. But I am not that way if everyone is going to be a protagonist , they need a antagonist to challenge them, help them grow. So I am here to be the antagonist of your story.” Harvey this is some psycho who is here to waste his time “Cut the bullshit, If you have something on my child’s kidnapping tell it now or get lost.” Antagonist “Whoa... whoa...Whoa... Cool down Mr. Harvey” There is minute of silence. Antagonist adjusts his suit and wraps his legs around each other and says “I am the one who kidnapped your child.” Listening this Harvey loses his temper and jumps on the table between them, he grabs his collar “Where is he?” Antagonist looks in Harvey’s eyes and makes a gesture. Harvey leaves his collar Harvey understands he is in no position to attack him, so in a chivalrous voice he says “what do you want?” Antagonist starts cleaning his suit. Melisa goes towards Harvey and grabs his hand. Antagonist “Man they told me you are not nice. Even then I insisted on visiting you. Look I have your child he has no idea that he has been kidnapped neither he is harmed. If I do not go to meet your child in next half an hour, You know very well what will happen. So can we be civil. I am just here to talk to you guys, maybe bond with you and tell you how to get your child back. That’s all. Maybe in upcoming days we become best of friends and go on a double date. Oh wait I don’t have a girlfriend. Naah I know you will set me up the someone, won’t you Melisa?” Melisa nods in terror. Antagonist “That’s like my girl. Now can we be civil and hear my demands. Now sit down this is your home” All of them sit down on the sofa. Antagonist “So listen to me closely” Antagonist tells him his demand. Harvey responds “But it’s impossible. If I do that every one will be in danger”

Antagonist “It’s your choice either you kill this world or your child. Take day or two to think about it. It happens on Saturday I’ll be ready. If you do not do what I asked you to do at 1:00 clock in night technically am but it’s not important. Let’s get serious. Focus. What was I saying oh yes, or make a death certificate of your child with the timing 1:01” Antagonist gets up and starts walking towards the door sees backward and says “Don’t get confused between a.m. and p.m.. It’s a.m. alright but night. You get it right” he laughs and walks out.

                 At dinner, Harvey is thinking and not eating his food meanwhile Melisa too is worried. Harvey looks at Melisa and asks “what should I do?” Melisa replies “Whatever you chose you are going to be bad. It’s either the world will hate you or your only family. You have to choose between world’s hate and your family’s hate” Harvey “Why me? Why do I have to choose?” Melisa while sipping the glass of wine “If it’s up to me I would’ve chosen the family because you two were my only world my life is around you. But your case is different you have a responsibility of this world. You are honest, loyal, determined, to your work. You truly believe in justice. But remember this Family is too inmate to be preserved by justice, It can be sustained by a spirit of love which goes beyond justice.” They remain silent for a minute. Melisa “I don’t know what will choose. But don’t let our divorce be the factor of your decision.” Melisa starts crying. Harvey gets up and gives her a hug “I would never do that. You and Jeff are still the most loved persons in my life. I would take a bullet for you even after we get divorced.” He puts Melisa to bed and came in the living room and thinks “What should I do?”  

 

CHAPTER:-4

 

                  State county jail Philadelphia, two guards are guarding the jail from outside. It’s night 3 minutes to 1 p.m.  While seeing around the guard noticed that someone is approaching with a bike. The rider stops the bike in front of Prison and gets down. He stands in front of two guards with a rod in his hand. The guard asks the guy to leave “Get out of here or I will put you in jail” The guy doesn’t leave instead he start banging his rod with his leg like he challenging the officer for a fight. The guard gets irritated and start walking towards the guy upon his challenge. The guy standing is none other than the antagonist trying to intimidate the Guard with a smirk on his face which angers the Guard even more. The Guard gets his stick outside while he approaching the antagonist then suddenly the Alarm goes off that all the prison gates are open and all the prisoners are running wild. The Guard looks at the gate and then suddenly looks back and the baaaammm it’s antagonist with his rod strikes the guard down in one blow. Seeing that other guard pulls out his gun “Get down on your knees or I will shoot you” and then suddenly somebody shoots the Guard from the prison cell window. It’s a prisoner Major lee “You owe me one kid” “I am not even going to ask how you got the gun” replies Antagonist. “Hey kid I know you did all this. Good job” by saying this major lee runs outside his cell where there is body of murdered Guard in the cell. Antagonist smiles and goes to the door and tries to open it from the outside.

                 Meanwhile in the prison there is utter chaos. All the guards are getting beaten by the prisoners and some of them are nearly dead. In which two guards run towards the control room to see who did this. The guards reaches the room and sees a man standing and two guards are laid on the floor. It’s Harvey. Harvey see to the guard on the floor “They are alright”. Both the guard tries to attack Harvey but gets beaten by him. Harvey pins one guard against the table and makes the other one unconscious. The pinned down guard asks “Why are you doing this?” Harvey doesn’t reply. Ties the guard against the table “Colonel Smith will be very upset with you” Says the Guard. Harvey comes outside the control room and starts running to find what antagonist trying to do?

                 In the Front door from inside the prison, many Guards come together and form a shield to not let any prisoner escape. A Hound of prisoners attacks that shield. There is struggle between Guards and the prisoners. Between that struggle one prisoner jumps of the shield and reaches behind the shield and then one guard tries to stop him. But he punches the guard very hard and goes to the door. The door is big and strong but the prisoner puts his every bit of muscle to work and opens the door. After opening the door the prisoner is out of breath. He sees black boots in front of him. He goes looking from boot to head. It’s Antagonist chewing his gum with a rod on his shoulder and smiling and he says “Sayonara my friend” he smashes the rod in the prisoners head. He went front starts beating everyone in his path guards, prisoner. He doesn’t care about anyone else but his goal. He enters the village and starts looking for something or someone. He moves around a bit, checking each cell, he goes in the back of the prison. While he running he passes the hallway and he comes back to see what is in the hallway, there is a door locked in old fashioned. “He’s there” antagonist says in excitement. Antagonist breaks the lock and open the door there he is James Hendrix, The most notorious serial killer, a gang leader and mastermind of biggest terrorist attack on Philadelphia. He has long hair, body of bodybuilder and scar on his face. He has a pure evil soul who thinks of nothing but destruction and he kills people for pleasure. He is the evilest man on the ground of Philadelphia. When Antagonist opens the door he is sitting on the bench with his hair in front of his face. He removes the hair from his face and ties it up. Antagonist tries to come near him and says a “So you are...” Then suddenly James chokes the antagonist against the wall “Hey kid this time I’m going let you live but if you show your stupid face to me again I’ll murder you” Saying this James goes out of his cell. 

                 Harvey was in pursuit of Antagonist, he wanted to know why Antagonist asked him to open all the gates. Harvey knew Antagonist was planning something big “He is planning something big but what? If he asked to open all those cells which either he wanted to enter the prison or free someone. If he is freeing someone then I need to know who. Whose escape will benefit him? A lawyer, a family member or a crew member of his gang, I met him only once but I am sure he is not desperate to rescue someone, it’s more like he is inviting an uninvited guest to a party.” Harvey understands that antagonist wants to release a criminal more notorious than him and Harvey knows which criminal that might be so he runs to that cell. He reaches James cell. He sees that the gate is open so he pull outs his gun and load it. He is slowly moving forward to the gate. He enters the room slowly but there is no one in it suddenly from the back someone attacks Harvey with a wire on his neck. Harvey punches the man in the stomach and the man loses control and he punches him the face, Harvey was expecting it to be antagonist but it’s not it’s just petty criminal who wanted to attack Harvey mistaking him for the Guard.

                 Outside the prison antagonist is limping towards his bike he sits on the bike “See you next time, Harvey” and his runs away.  

                

 

                         

 

 

 

        

CHAPTER:- 5

        

                 “Back in 1995, in city of Oklahoma there was big drug bust in the madson parkson lots. The police arrested 4 Caucasian male and 2 females. One of the females name was Rebecca Ferguson. Rebecca was interrogated by police and charged with a sentence of six months. The officer in charge was Henry gibbs and he had a subordinate named Michael Dent (Harvey Dent’s father). Michael had a decent family with one child and a loving wife. Michael was living his best life for the people looking from outside but inside he knew he wanted more. The level of excitement in his life was missing and he was searching that in people. But no one ever excited him. Once on a field trip to jail he went identify a suspect. There he saw Rebecca walking outside the door after completing six months. He knew he saw Rebecca before but this time she looked different. She looked kind of different, he putted it as “exciting”. The moment he saw Rebecca he knew she was the last piece of puzzle of his life. So he chased her and asked her for a meeting for a coffee. Rebecca asked “what is this related to?” Michael said “I want you to be my informant in James Hendrixs case”

                          After a lot of convincing by Michael she finally agreed to join the James Hendrix gang and give all the information from inside in return of police protection and some drugs and cash on the side. Michael knew she was already one of his associate so it was easy for her to rejoin the gang. This Partnership between Michael and Rebecca led to a romantic affair between them and that resulted with a child. One day, she gave the police exact location of where the deal was going to be but it was just a plot of James to find out who the mole was in his gang. So he killed her without a second thought and you know what really surprised me is that policemen Michael said he did not have any kind of relation with her or the child. Maybe he was sacred, Maybe he didn’t want a bastard child but abandoning someone in need is a shitty thing to do. Then that child was given to foster care and he would be passed from family to family. The families always said that we don’t want the child because there was emptiness in his eyes. The child grew up and found out what happened in his past by the friend of his mom. The first time in his life he had a purpose. First time he had soul in his eyes, First time the eyes were not empty. That child is me. Arthur...Arthur Williams or Arthur Dent. I don’t know who I am? Until I find that I am not going to stop If revenge on Michael’s family or revenge on James is going to help me find who I am? then I will definitely seek for revenge.” Arthur aka Antagonist told his whole childhood story to a bartender back in the city. Bartender said “Revenge” and smiled a bit “When you begin the journey of revenge, dug two graves one for your enemy and one for yourself boy.” Arthur smiled “it’s a nice quote old man. Thanks for listening to my story” Arthur keeps the money on the table and leaves the bar. 

 

                                           CHAPTER:-6

 

               Harvey is at his home and it’s 5 in the morning

He is sitting on the chair. He sees the remote picks it up and starts the television and sees that the whole city is in jeopardy. Criminals are going crazy on the roads and they blasted the State county jail. The noise of TV reaches Melisa and she knows that Harvey is back. She comes downstairs and sits near Harvey and says “How’d it go?” Harvey replies “You see this on TV this is happening because of me. I have been suspended for time being. Actually  they wanted to put me in jail and put charges on me but there is no jail house remaining and they want to catch all the criminals first after that they will take action against me.” Harvey sees towards Melisa and says “I get the reason why you are divorcing me. I am selfish. I would let the world burn if it saves my family.” Melisa grabs his hand and says “It’s okay you can overcome this”. A bell door rang, Harvey thinks who is at this hour. Harvey signals Melisa not to move and pulls out his gun and starts moving to the door. He walks slowly to the door with a gun pointing at the door and he opens it. He gets startled. It’s his son Jeff. Harvey hugs him very tightly.

 

After running away from jail James Hendrix goes to his old base. A house in the old neighbourhood of the city. There he sees his old mate Bob. “Hey,Bob.” says James. Bob then says “Welcome back Boss”.

 

                 In the city, there is chaos everywhere. The public safety is in danger. The mafia men, the burglars, the gangster and even small thief are trying to take over the Judiciary system. The mayor of the town declared an all out lockdown. Police are trying to take control by negotiation and force. The Police commissioner Roger Ricks Is giving order from the Police head quarts.

                                                    In the basement of police operations, police are having a meeting. “ I think this is the good time to kill all the Criminal. Otherwise with politeness they are not going to coming back. And even if they comeback we can’t keep them anywhere. They blown away the only prison. We should take help from the state commandos and do it.” Says officer Fredrick. “Don’t be foolish officer. If we kill every criminal, the Human rights will be all over us. But what you are saying makes sense for a moment. The court will take decision about the criminals after three days until then we have all the authority. We can eliminate a few rotten bastards not all of them.” The room agrees with Roger Ricks. “So its settled. Fredrick, you go with your team and eliminate the list of criminals that I give you. Remaining of you just catch the criminals, don’t kill them. Only in self defence. And the other matter about officer Dent, do not take action against him until I say so. Is that clear!” by saying this Roger leaves the room. While walking Roger says “David come here. We are going outside.” David replies “ But sir you can’t go you are the commissioner and there are all criminals outside. We can’t take that risk.” Roger says “ We have to take this risk. We are going to arrest the root of this Fiasco.”

                          In the Harvey’s Residence, Harvey is sitting on his sofa with a drink in his hand. Melisa is playing inside with Jeff. Melisa sees Harvey in stress. She comes from behind. “ You seem worried.” Says Melisa. “ I feel like I have set the city on fire.” Harvey brakes down in anger. “ I know. This is what I had to do but I can’t sit here like this.” Says Harvey. He gets up and starts going outside and then suddenly Melisa grabs his hand and says “ Please. Don’t Go.” Harvey looks Melisa in the eye and glares. Melisa understands now that nobody can stop Harvey. Harvey leaves the House in the desperate hope finding the Antgonist.

        

 

 

 

 

                                                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                  CHAPTER:-7

 

           In the Old neighbourhood, James Hendrix was sitting with his old buddy drinking beer. “Frank I don’t know where my life is going to take me from here. So I just want to take retirement from the life of crime.” Frank (his old gang’s member) says “But boss you still can take 5 men on at the same time, plus the dope market is at it’s peak. This time a year we can make 5 times more than what we made back then.” James replies “To be honest I am just old for that shit. I was kept alone in a prison for 20 years where other inmates cannot talk to me or know who I really am. They used to think that I was some kind of monster and guess what I am one. For 20 years the only company that I had was of myself and I would like to keep it that way or the monster that I buried deep down will once again take over me and this time he will win. I was just here to say one last goodbye to my old mate.” By saying this James hugs Frank and takes his leave.

         James walks towards his car. He opens it as usual and sits in the driving seat. James gives a sigh of big relief “ I think I told you not show your face unless you wanna die .” A gun is pointed over James head. The man who is pointing the gun towards James is Arthur himself aka Antagonist. “Just drive old man. I am not going to kill you here.” Says Arthur. “You got a sharp tongue i’ll give you that.” Saying this, James drives to the place where Arthur says.  There car stops at a old House in the back town of the city. There was no sign of neighbours and the road seemed rather silent.

“This is the house where I killed her.” James says. Arthur replies “So you remembered.” “ Then you must be that little boy.” Says James.

James and Arthur walks inside the house. In the house all the furniture is old, rusty and full of spider webs.

“You know in life I have done so many illegal activities that I couldn’t even count. I have been to jail many times, to courts, to jury. I have done everything but they could never hold me in the lock up even for a month. But then there was this one case for which I was sentenced for life time imprisonment. Because I kept you alive that day or perhaps I was too lazy to kill you and that costed me 20 years of my life. If you and that officer Michael were not there I would have gotten away with it pretty damn easy. I know you want to kill me for revenge but I may also have a reason to seek out revenge on you. Mmmhhhh” says James.

                 James looks around the house and sits down on a chair. “So, how are you Gonne do this?”. Arthur pointing his gun at James says “I question and you answer and if you don’t answer asta na vista baby(gesturing he would kill him)”. “Before you start this little game of your, I should let you know that someone is already here. (he shouts) Whoever it is you can come outside and we will let you go without any harm.” Says James. Then from upstair a man comes down with holding his gun pointing towards both Arthur and James. It’s Harvey. Harvey comes down and says” I need both of you to calm down. And Mr. Antagonist I know who you are. Your real name is Arthur. And I know about your troubled past.” Arthur replies “ Then you must know that we are brothers.” Harvey says “You kidding me right.” James says to Arthur “ Is he the son of officer Dent?” Arthur replies with a smile “You don’t know anything, do you big brother?”

                          In the City Commissioner Roger reaches Harvey Dent’s House. The Ring the bell to his house. Melisa opens the door and says “Mr. Roger. Why are you here?” Roger replies “Is Harvey in there?” . Melisa says “Check for yourself.” Roger and David enter the room and check everywhere. “Are you here to arrest him?” asks Melisa. “So you know. That prick put the whole city into jeopardy. I used to look out for that kid like my own son and I was his father’s best friend for godsakes. He created this fiasco and for what?” Says Roger. Jeff walks into the hall and seeing all the police he goes to his mother. His mother puts a hand on his head and sheds a tear from one eyes. Roger says “Oh Jesus.” And realises the reason behind Harvey’s Fiasco.

                 Back in the House, Harvey, James and Arthur are talking about there past. Harvey is really confused regarding his past. “How is this possible? But my dad would never do that. He was an honest cop and a loving husband.” Says Harvey. James replies “Relax atleast dad was there for you. He totally abandoned me after my mother died and I could never forgive him for doing that and I could never forget this guy who killed my mother in front of me.” James says “Your mother, boy was she lively? Now I am going to tell you about your past from my perspective. You know how i got to know that your mother was the mole in my gang. It was his father, Michael who told me about her being a mole. I was so angry because in my life I was never serious about any girl but this one, I liked this one. I was going to marry her. But when that basterd told me that she was the mole I couldn’t belive him blindly so I gave her the information about wrong drug meet and guess what police arrived there. Me and Rebacca we were going to drive there but i decided otherwise. We came here. Right here after she entered the door I slapped her, she fell near the dinner table, There on the dinner table I saw a boy who was eating tacos. First I thought It was my baby but I didn’t have time to find out if it was mine or not. My friend call said that Police was on their way there so I had to make it quick. You see that grinder over there, I put your mothers head in that grinder it was ripped in pieces blood was all over the place. After that I went to bathroom clean myself up. I came out of the bathroom and something really shocked and it still shocks me to core till this day. I saw a baby whose mouth was in the blood, trying to swallow the blood, It was like he was trying to eat his own mother.” Arthur fires a bullet at James but he misses. James runs behind the wall. Harvey tries to stop Arthur but Arthur open fires at him too. So the battle between those three starts. Arthur pins Harvey behind another wall and he tries to go towards James. Harvey walks slowly towards the wall were James is hidden. James suddenly attacks him with the plate and made him throw his gun away. Then James starts beating Arthur badly. Harvey comes in the hall with a gun pointing at both of them “I said stop it you both are under arrest. If you move even one inch I will shoot both of you.” James puts his hands up and the he sees that there is bat near the sofa. As Harvey is coming close to Arthur and James. James decide to pick up the bat. While James is trying to pick up the bat Harvey shoots two bullet one misses and one hits James in the hand “You son of a Bitch” says James and picks the bat from other hand. As he is tries to hit Harvey with it, Arthur Catches the bat and Harvey punches James in the face. All of them starts hand combat with each other but at the end James has the upper hand and beats both of them up. As Harvey and James are lying on the floor James tries to find Harvey’s gun to finish them both off. Harvey’s gun still had one bullet and whose name was on it. Was it Harvey? Or Was it Arthur?

                 James sees the gun under the table. He goes to pick it up. James picks it up and loads the gun and when he turns around, Arthur kicks him with full force and James fall on the grinder behind him and then immediately Harvey switch the plug on. Then the Grinder starts and James is torn into pieces. Arthur stands in front of Grinder and all the blood of James falls on his body. Seeing the blood of James on his body Arthur starts to think how much happier his mom must have been. “I did it, I did it mom. I avenged your death by killing this bastard.” Says Arthur loudly and starts laughing like a lunatic. Harvey couldn’t believe his eyes seeing Arthur full of blood it reminds him of his father of that time when he nearly beaten Harvey to death. Harvey goes into flashback of his father beating him. Harvey then become conscious “How can this be? My father could never beat me. He never laid a hand on me. Then what are these memories. ‘It hurts father don’t beat me please. Someone help me. Please.’” Harvey comes back to reality. Harvey sees Arthur and Arthur is still laughing. “Hey Harvey now I have officially avenged my mother you know. But there still one culprit remains.” Saying this Arthur looks at Harvey. Arthur points the gun at Harvey. “Tell me Harvey, are you the culprit?”

 

                                   Chapter:- 8            

 

                 “A son inherits his dads royalty, debts and sins, too. If you want me to pay for my father’s sins I am ready for it.” Says Harvey. “What an ideal son. But in this case I may be a part of sin too. I’ll tell you what, pretty soon I’ll give you have to decide who the real culprit and your decision will decide, the kind of person you are.” Saying this Arthur slowly starts moving towards the door. “Your whole life you are searching for yourself. Who are you? What are You? Are you righteous as you promised that badge of yours? Or Are you dishonest person who will think of himself when the time comes? What are you?” saying this Arthur throws the gun at Harvey’s face and runs outside the door. Harvey catches the gun and tries to shoot Arthur but the gun is empty, he throws the gun and runs to catch Arthur. The chase begins between Harvey and Arthur. Arthur runs and runs, Harvey is just behind him. While crossing a road, Arthur comes across a car. In order to avoid hitting Arthur, the car deflects and crashes into the poll. Arthur looks at car and starts running very fast. Harvey runs behind Arthur and ignores the car. After a turn Harvey couldn’t see Arthur anywhere. Harvey exclaimed “shit..”. Harvey turns back, goes into the direction of the car. He calls Victor “Hey Vic, there is been a accident. A black Sedan, note the number DS12PI 16.. OH no” Harvey drops the phone and realises that it is a familiar car and tries open it with his full might. He succeeds in opening the door and it’s Melissa.

                 Melisa is covered in full blood. Harvey is in shock. “No no no .... I will let you die. I will not allow you to die. Come on please for our son please be alive.” Harvey cries his eyes out. A man with grey hoodie comes in from the back and injects an injection in Harvey which makes him fall asleep. He picks up Harvey moves him to the another car and moves away.

                 Harvey wakes up in a strange place, as soon as he wakes up, death of Melisa hits him and he shouts “Melisa. Where is Melisa?” Comissioner Roger is sitting on a chair says “I think you should calm down. Right now Melisa is in Hospital as soon as there are any updates I will notify you but you cannot leave this place at all cost. If you leave from here the police are going to arrest and I am here to save you and tell you the truth about your father.” Harvey’s eyes brighten’s up “What truth about my father? He could never have another child. That guy is insane.” Roger replies “So you already knew about the second child. So that’s not the truth I was talking about. See according our reports and what we told the world that your father died while capturing James Hendrix but that’s not true. On that day when James knew that Arthur’s Mom was a snitch, it was partly because of your father. See your father knew there was informant of James in the police. Your father saw Arthur’s mom as a threat to his reputation. So to get rid of her, he supplied the information to the informant of Arthur’s mother being the snitch. After that James killed Arthur’s Mother on fake meeting. But Your father didn’t knew that she had a child. So he put him down on a good foster home. But he felt guilty while seeing you play. See Your father was, how do i put this? Was not a good person. So he decided to leave all you guys and declare his death to the world. We captured James Hendrix together and there he made his run. I was the only person who knew your father didn’t die until now. Arthur knows about this too. Last week there was a infiltration in our corpse department where your father’s corpse was kept. When you told Victor about Arthur, I knew immediately that who was he after.” Harvey goes in to deep shock. He say “I can’t believe this. Where is my father now?”

          A man is walking towards the twin towers. He has blue eyes, white hair, late into his eighties. He goes into the first building. There he sees the recepetionist. “I am Josef Hicks. I was told to say my name at reception.” Receptionist replies “Yes sir, he is waiting for on the roof terrace.” Josef nods and goes to the lift.

         Meanwhile Harvey receives a co ordinates of a place from an unknown number. He knew immediately that Arthur has sent his co-ordinates to him. Harvey looks at Roger. “Okay Lets go” says Roger.

         Josef reaches the top floor. He pulls the door to the terrace. There sees a back of a man. “Welcome Home, Dad.” Arthur turns back and goes near his Dad. Dad say “You must be Arthur. I know I did wrong to you and your mother. But I am trying to atone my sins for it.” Arthur snaps “shhh shhh you don’t get to talk here. You had a choice that day, didn’t you? You choose running away.”

         Harvey reaches the twin tower. Roger says “ Harvey from here onwards you are on your own whatever choices you make, Just make sure that you get the right culprit.” Listening that Harvey goes alone in the building.

         “See because of you running away I have committed grave sins. You are a coward who couldn’t face reality. Now I am not the Judge who will decide who the real culprit is here. He is” saying that Arthur points towards the next building from where Harvey walks out. He sees Arthur and a man standing next to him. Harvey knew immediately that it is his father. He burst into tears. In front of Harvey there is sniper with only one bullet. Arthur shouts “Harvey my brother I am giving you a chance to decide who the real culprit is? If you don’t shoot I swear I will kill this man before you get here. Among us three, we know that you are the only pillar of Justice. But you betrayed that Justice once for your family. What if you have impart that Justice on your family. That is the punishment you get for betraying Justice. A lifetime of guilt. Now let the pillar of Justice decide who the real culprit is? The Father or The Brother?”

 

         Harvey picks up the sniper Points it and shoots. Who did he kill. The father who betrayed his wife, children, girlfriend or the psycho brother who killed his sister in law, brought the whole city into jeopardy and threatened to kill his own nephew in the name of revenge.

Who would you shoot?

Who do you think the real culprit is?

 

 

 

 

                 THE CULPRIT

                          BY

RUSHIKESH SANJAY JADHAV