26: Khoon aur Raat ka Raaz
Arjun ko nahi pata tha usko kitni baar apni aankhein band karke bas chabate rehna pada, par aakhirkar woh message aa hi gaya jiska usse intezaar tha.
[Tumhari Energy poori tarah restore ho gayi hai]
[110/110 Energy]
Andheri gali choohon se bhari huyi thi. Arjun ek ek karke chuhe khata raha. Lekin pehle chuhe ko khane ke baad uski Energy thodi badhi thi, jiski wajah se woh aur chuhe pakad pa raha tha. Teen choohe khane ke baad, uski emergency healing activate ho gayi thi, jiska matlab tha ki usse aur chuhe khane padenge.
Achhi baat yeh thi ki uske sharir aur haath ke zakhm jaise jaadu se theek hone lage the. Choohon ka swaad actually uski umeed se kahin behtar nikla. Par usse laga shayad yeh isliye hai kyunki woh ab thoda werewolf ban chuka hai. Lekin agar woh insaan hota toh kabhi aise karne ki sochta bhi nahi. Lekin usko abh chuho ka sawad ek kache manss ke jaisa hi lag raha tha. Isileye woh unhe khaa paa raha tha. Ja uski bookh hi itni badh gayi thi ke usee fark hi nahi padha unke sawad ka.
[Daily quest poori hui]
[2kg meat kha liya gya hai]
[285/460 exp]
Gali se bahar nikalte hue, Arjun ne apni enhanced senses ka use karke check kiya ki koi uska peecha toh nahi kar raha, par sab safe tha dur dur tak usee koi sandigd nahi mila. Lekin, usse apne kapdo ka kuch karna tha. Woh khoon se lathpath the, especially uske bhar pet khane ki wajah se.
‘Khoon white shirt se nikalna kitna mushkil hota hai… haan, yeh toh abh fekni padegi. Chuhon ke antadiyon ki badboo toh kisi bhi haal mein shirt se nahi niklegi. Mujhe ek nayi shirt kharidni padegi. Yahan, mai paise bachane ki itni koshish kar raha hoon lekin koi na koi kharcha saamne aata hi jaa raha hai.’ Arjun je sab sochte huye chalta jaa raha tha.
Filhaal ke liye, usne apne bag se nikal kar Legion gang wali hoodie pehan li aur apni uniform ko bag mai rakh liya. Kyunki woh un kapdo ko kisi aisi jagah leja kar khatam karna chahta tha jo bahut dur ho specially Bharat se uski fight ki jagah se bahut door.
Usne abhi tak apne doosre khoon se lathpath kapdo ka kuch nahi kiya tha jo construction site ke event ke baad kharab huye the jisse usne apni almari mai chupa ke rakha huya tha.
‘Un choohon ka swaad… itna bura bhi nahi tha, aur yeh meat kharidne se toh sasta hi hai.’ Phir bhi, jo usne abhi kiya tha uske khayal se hi usee ghin aa rahi thi. Tabhi usne kuch kabootaron ki awaaz sunai di.
Mujhe lagta hai mujhe chuhon ke ilava baki cheezo ko khane ke baare mai bhi sochna chaheye. Agar aise meri energy badhti hai toh isme burayi kya hai. Mere paise bhi bache ge. Vaise bhi mehngayi kitni badh gayi hai. Normal meat hi 1000 Rs ka mila hai. Jahi sab sochte Arjun apne ghar ki taraf chalta jaa raha tha.
Vijaypur – Arjun ka Ghar – Raat
Arjun ghar pahunch gya tha. Chalo uske leye ek achi khabar yeh thi ki uski energy full ho gayi thi. Vijaypur ki galiyon mein chuhe toh dher saare the, matlab uske liye free Energy ka source! Ab kam se kam kuch dinon tak woh apni nayi skill, Claw Drain, test kar sakta tha, aur shayad Bilal ke khilaaf bhi taiyaari kar sakta tha. Par ek badi tension abhi bhi uske dimaag mein thi—Bharat.
“Woh police ko kya bolega? Usne toh mujhe chaku maara tha. Jo maine kiya, woh toh bas self-defense tha, na? Agar usne sach bola, toh woh khud bhi fas jayega,” Arjun je sab soch raha tha. Abhi woh apne bistar pe leta hua tha. Sunita aur Riya se baat karne ke baad bhi uska dimaag shant nahi hua tha. Usee neend nahi aa rahi thi, aur raat ke 12 bajte hi usee, system ka ek familiar message aaya:
[Bloodlust badh raha hai]
[6 din baaki hai agle full moon ko]
“Yeh message kya roz aayega kare ga kya?” Arjun ne frustration mein sar pakad liya. Chand ki roshni ka effect usko aur wild bana raha tha, aur Energy draining bhi ruk nahi rahi thi.
Vijaypur – 163rd Gali – Subah
Subah ke waqt tha, DCP Vikrant Sharma crime scene pe tha. Aur police wale wahan clues dhoondh rahe the, jabki ambulance Bharat ko hospital le gayi thi, jahan uska initial treatment shuru ho gya tha. Vikrant ne jo kuch dekha, uski report di, aur phir hospital chala gaya, isi ummeed mein ki agar Bharat hosh mein aagya hoga toh usee kuch pata chal jaye ga.
Hospital ke hallway mein, ek young police officer, Rohan Gupta, Vikrant ke paas aaya, uske haath mein kuch files thi, par chehra pe pareshani saaf nazar aa rahi thi.
“Seedhe bol na, kya baat hai,” Vikrant ne thandi saans lete hue kaha.
“Sir, yeh case shayad Iron Claw Force ko hand over karna padega,” Rohan ne kaha.
“Humne gali mein jo chaku mila hai, jab uspe fingerprints check kiye. Toh pata chala ki jo ladka hospital mein hai, woh victim nahi, assailant hai. Par uske alawa, wahan par ek aur insaan ka khoon mila hai jo asli victim lagta hai.”
“Blood splatter report ke hisaab se, hospital wala ladka—Bharat—ne doosre ladke ko chaku maara hai jise aapne bhagte huye dekha. Lekin interesting baat yeh hai ki us unknown ladke ka khoon humare database mein pehle se hi majud hai. Apko yaad hai, construction site pe hame jo gang members ke laashen mili thi? Woh khoon usi se match karta hai.”
Vikrant ne ek aur badi saans li. Ab samajh aaya ki kyun Iron Claw Force is case ko le legi. Agar khoon match karta hai, toh shayad woh wahi mutant hai jisne construction site pe gang members ko maara tha—aur ab usne yeh high schooler pe attack kiya hai.
“Lekin Bilal Khan ka kya? Woh bhi high schooler hai, aur uske last do victims bhi teenagers the. Koi link hai kya inke beech?” Vikrant ne poocha.
“Abhi tak toh koi link nahi mila,” Rohan ne kaha. “Bilal ka suspected DNA humare paas hai, jo uske ghar se mila tha. Iron Claw Force ne forensics checking ki thi, prantu uska DNA na construction site pe mila, na is gali mein, na hi doosre cases mein. Yeh do alag-alag mutant killing cases lagte hain.”
Vikrant ka sar chakra raha tha. “Yeh duniya kahan ja rahi hai?” usne socha.
“Thanks, Rohan. Iron Claw Force ko report karo, aur saath mein yeh do cases ke beech koi link dhoondho. Hame abhi kuch nahi mila hai prantu dono high schoolers hain aur mutants ke saath ulaj rahe hain.
Mujhe lagta hai yeh sab connected hai.”
Tabhi paas ke room se ek chhoti si cheekh sunayi di. Ek nurse daudti hui bahar aayi aur ek doctor ko apne saath le gayi. Hospital room mein bagdadh machi huyi tha. Bharat ka sharir kaanp raha tha, uske muh se jhaag nikal raha tha.
Vijaypur – Arjun ka Ghar – Usi wakt
Arjun ko ek notification aayi, aur system ka message uske samne flash huya:
[Badhai ho! Tumne apne pehle Marked person ka shikaar kar liya hai!]
[Inaam: Additional stat points]
“Ye kya hai?!” Arjun bistar pe se uth baitha, woh aankhein phaad ke system screen ko dekh raha tha. “Bharat… kya woh… mar gaya?” Uska dil dhadak raha tha. Usne Bharat ko maara jarur tha, lekin itna bure zakhm nahi diye the ki woh mar jaye. Kiya mere claws mein koi werewolf poison hai? Uska dimaag ghoom raha tha.
System ne ek naya interface khola:
[Stat Points Available: 2]
[Kya aap points assign karna chahte ho?]
Arjun ke paas options the:
Strength (7): Badhane se aur powerful attacks.
Dexterity (3): Speed aur reflexes improvement .
Endurance (10): Durability aur stamina badhegi.
Energy (110): Energy bar capacity badhegi.
Health (100): Health bar capacity badhegi.
Vijaypur – City Hospital – Dusri Raat
Varun ke liye hospital mein ye dusri raat thi. School nurse ke kehne pe usne appointment liya tha, aur uski haalat dekh ke hospital ne jaldi se ek private room usee de diya tha. Par surgeon ka schedule itna tight tha ki operation Monday se Tuesday tak tal gya tha. Varun ko koi shikayat nahi thi—hospital staff ne usee itne painkillers diye the ki woh aaram se so gaya tha aur Tuesday subah tak woh sota hi raha.
Jab woh utha aur usne phone check kiya to dekha ki maa ki 17 missed calls thi aur papa ki 9. Ek message bhi tha papa ka: “Hospital ne hume inform kar diya hai. Hum dono aaj shaam tak aate hain.”
Operation se pehle kuch ghante bache the, toh Varun ne phone pe news check ki. Woh darte darte headlines padh raha tha, usee darr tha ki kahin Arjun ka naam na dikhe ya “Werewolf pakda gaya” jaisa kuch na ho. Par kuch aisa nahi tha—bas Bilal Khan ke baare mein news thi, uske recent murders ke baare mein.
Operation ekdum simple tha. Doctors ne bataya ki naya daant lagana routine procedure hai, aur muh ke andar ke cuts bhi saaf kar diye jayein ge. Varun soch mein doob gaya, “Arjun ka kya haal hoga? Woh mujhe nurse ke paas chhod ke kahan bhaag liya? Mujhe uski bahut chinta ho rahi hai. Agar usko pata chal gaya ki yeh kaam kiska tha, toh shayad woh… dono ko maar daalega.”
Tabhi darwaza khula, aur do log andar aaye uske maa-baap, Neelam aur Anil Malhotra.
“Varun, tu kaisa hai? Operation theek ho gya kya? Zara apni woh sundar si smile toh dikha mujhe,” Neelam ne jaldi se kaha aur bed ke paas aa gayi. Usne Varun ko itni zor se jhappi di ki usko saans lene mein takleef hone lagi. Varun ne maa ke kandhe pe haath rakhkar, ishara kiya ki usee chhod do.
Neelam peeche hati, aur Varun ne ek halki si smile di. Kaafi time ho gaya tha usko apne parents ko dekhe huye, aur hospital mein aise milna thoda dukh bhara bhi tha. Dono abhi bhi apne white lab coats mein the, matlab woh seedha kaam se daudte hue hi jahan aaye the.
Neelam aur Anil Malhotra bilkul “scientist” wali vibe dete the—kaale motey chashme, lab coats, aur woh thodi si geeky si hansi. Neelam thi toh kaafi sundar aur Anil handsome toh nahi tha, par bura bhi nahi tha. Varun aksar sochta tha ki uske baap ne uski maa ko kaise pataya hoga.
“Dono ne kaam se chhutti li hogi,” Varun ko iss baat ka thoda bura laga. Vijaypur ek Tier-3 city tha, aur uske dono parents Tier-2 city mein kaam karte the, jahan se roz aana-jaana mushkil tha.
“Varun, maine aur tere papa ne teri haalat dekhkar kuch socha hai” Neelam ne kaha. “Humne decide kiya hai ki tujhe Vijaypur se Vistara shift karna hi behtar hoga.”
Varun ko ek pal laga is baat ko samajhne mein. Vistara mein parents ke saath rehna bura baat nahi thi, prantu wahan unke parents kaam mai itna busy rehte the ki wahan bhi unhe milna mushkil hi tha.
Varun ne shna tha ki unki company mein sleeping rooms bhi banne huye hai.
“Hamara ghar bech ke hum Vistara mein ek acha sa flat le lenge,” Neelam ne kaha. “Humara bada project jaldi khatam hone wala hai. Bonus aur new contracts ke saath hum ek acha ghar afford kar sakte hain, aur tujhe ek safe school mein daal sakte hai.”
Varun ne jaldi mai jawab diya, “Maa, lekin upar ki cities mein bhi toh gangs hoti hain, bas woh chhup ke kaam karti hain. Apko toh pata hai! Vijaypur mein Asha Modern College kitna safe hai. Yeh pehli baar hua hai mere saath, bas baat itni hai ki mai galat jagah galat wakt par tha!”
Varun baat ko halka dikhane ki koshish kar raha tha. Prantu usee Bharat aur Gill se agli mulaqaat ka soch ke hi darr lag raha tha, par woh school nahi chhodna chahta tha, aur iske peeche ka sabse bada reason tha—Arjun. Varun ko kisi se baat karna pasand nahi tha, par Arjun ne uske liye baat karna aasan bana diya tha. Ek waqt tha jab Varun ko kisi ki zarurat thi, uske parents busy the, teachers approachable nahi the, par Arjun ne uska saath diya tha. Ab jab Arjun ek supernatural problem se joojh raha tha toh Varun usko akela nahi chhod sakta tha.
“Ek baar hua hai, matlab dobara bhi ho sakta hai!” Neelam ne kaha. “Tune bataya nahi ki yeh kiya kisine, toh hum kaise yakeen karein ki yeh dowara nahi hoga?
Vijaypur ke jis area mai hum abhi rehte hai woh ek acha area hai, lekin yeh jo is sehar mai qatleaan ho raha hai uska kya? Yehi wajah kaafi hai tujhe yahan se nikalne ke liye!”
Neelam ke points valid the, aur Varun ko laga ki uski maa ne faisla kar liya hai. Ab bas ek hi insaan tha jo maa ko mana sakta tha—Uske papa. Uski maa se jeetna toh uske papa ke bhi bass mai na tha lekin kabhi kabhi woh jeet bahi jaate the. Toh Varun ne socha ki shaed koi chamatkar ho jaye toh woh aaj v maa ko mana le. Toh usne apne papa se kaha.
“Papa, meri grades ache aaye hai, mere dost bhi aache hain, teachers mujhe pasand karte hain,” Varun ne almost gidgidate hue kaha. “Naye school mein adjust karna mushkil hoga, aur iss saal mere board exams hain! Aap dono hamesha compromise karne ki baat karte ho na apne research mein? Toh jahan bhi koi rasta nikal sakta hai na?”
Neelam thodi gussa hui ki Varun ne Anil ki taraf rukh kiya, par woh jaanti thi ki Varun aisa tab hi karta tha jab kuch uske liye bohot zaroori hota tha. Anil ne Neelam ke kandhe pe haath rakha aur usee shant rehne ka ishara diya.
“Thik hai, chalo hum compromise kar lete hain,” Anil ne kaha. “Tu is year ke end tak Vijaypur mein reh sakta hai. Tab tak humara project bhi khatam ho jayega, aur exams ke results ke baad tujhe Vistara shift hona hi hoga. Ab toh tu nahi kahega ki teri padhai kharab ho rahi hai?”
Neelam ka chehra dekhkar yeh saaf pata chal raha tha ki usee yeh baat bilkul bhi pasand nahi aayi hai. Lekin Varun ke leye isse acha kuch nahi ho sakta tha.
“Deal!” Varun ne jaldi mai kaha.
“Bas, itna time kaafi hona chahiye Arjun ki werewolf problem ko samajhne ke liye. Par usko mai kab aur kaise bataun ki main saal ke ant mai jahan se chala jayunga?” Varun soch mein doob gaya.
Iske baad, uske mata pita ne college, Varun ke friends, aur Arjun ke baare mein bhi baat ki. Neelam ne apne bete ko tang karne ke leye poochha bhi ki koi ladki pasand aayi kya, par Varun sharma gaya. Aur thoodi der baad Neelam doctor se private room ke kharche ke baare mein baat karne chali gayi.
Aab sirf Varun aur Anil hi bache the, Varun ne dheere se poocha, “Papa, aap mutants par research karte hai na? Toh apne bohot se mutants dekhe honge, par kya kabhi wolf-based mutant dekha?”
Anil ne thodi der socha. “Ab jab tu pooch hi raha hai, toh nahi, maine wolf-based mutant nahi dekha hai. Kuch dog-breed se milte julte dekhe hain, par wolf nahi. Waise, itne saare types ke mutants hain, aur naye-naye milte rehte hain, toh shayad koi ho bhi sakta hai. Par ‘wolf’ aur ‘mutant’ sun ke bas ‘werewolf’ hi dimaag mein aata hai.” Anil halke se hans pada.
Varun bhi hans diya, par uski hansi nervousness wali thi. Woh soch raha tha ki Arjun is waqt kaisa hoga.
Vijaypur – Arjun ka Ghar – Usi Raat
Arjun ke liye neend ek sapna ban chuki thi. Chadar ke andar chhupne se bhi kuch faayda nahi hua tha. Bharat ke “Marked kill” ka notification uske dimaag mein ghoom raha tha. Usne chadar hatai aur kamre mein dekha. Varun ka red mist aur Gill ka green mist halka sa usee abhi bhi dikhayi de raha tha, par Bharat ka Mark… woh gayab tha.
“Main… maine usko maar diya…” Arjun ka dil dhadak gaya. Usne socha, “Kya mere claws mein koi werewolf poison tha? Ya system ne kuch kiya?” Woh abhi bhi samajh nahi pa raha tha ki yeh uski galti thi ya system ka koi khel.
“Ab kya karoon? Police mujhe dhoondhegi, aur Bilal abhi bhi bahar hai. Varun ko kaise bataun yeh sab?” Arjun ka rang udha huya tha aur usee kuch bhi samaj nahi aa raha tha..
Milte hain agle update mein aur dekhte hai abh kiya hota hai Arjun ke is pehle marked kill ka result kiya nikalta hai.
