The rain had finally stopped. The air was thick with the scent of mud, sweat, and justice. The long, haunting investigation was over. Ravindra Varma was exposed. The case that once seemed impossible had found its end.
In the police headquarters, officers slowly returned to their routines. Files shuffled. Conversations returned. But in one room, something more personal was taking place.
Arjun stood quietly beside his boss — a seasoned officer with streaks of grey in his hair and scars in his eyes that told stories of decades in law enforcement. His expression, usually cold and unreadable, was now filled with something rare… warmth.
He looked at Arjun with a deep breath and said:
> "You're one of my favourite officers since your first case."
Arjun blinked. That single sentence, simple and honest, carried the weight of years. His boss had always been stern, rarely praising anyone — but this meant more than medals or promotions.
They both smiled.
Their conversation carried laughter, nostalgia, and pride. The warmth between a mentor and his protégé lit up the otherwise cold station.
Scene Change: The Station Gates
The rest of the wrongly accused were being released.
The boy — the classmate who once loved the girl — stood outside the gates, free again, but with pain still lingering in his eyes. Arjun walked past him, giving a short nod. The boy lowered his head respectfully.
Arjun didn't stop.
He had one more place to visit.
Scene Change: The Graveyard
Evening. A soft wind rustled through the trees. Clouds shifted above, casting long shadows across the small graveyard on the outskirts of town.
Arjun walked alone, hands in his pockets, eyes focused on a single gravestone ahead.
He stopped.
The name carved into the stone stared back at him.
Rani.
He knelt down slowly. His fingers gently brushed the cold stone. From his jacket pocket, he pulled out a single flower and laid it down carefully.
Then he spoke.
> "I'm also an introvert," he said quietly, his voice trembling slightly.
"And I think… I would've liked to be your friend."
The breeze paused. As if the earth was listening.
He looked at the grave for a long moment — not with sorrow, but with respect.
Then he stood up, whispered a final goodbye, and walked away as the skies darkened behind him.
Scene Change: The Boss's Office
Back at headquarters, the Chief Inspector sat alone in his office. The door was closed. The chaos was gone. Calm after the storm.
He exhaled slowly and opened his drawer, pulling out a leather-bound file titled:
"Top 5 Favourite Officers."
With a soft smile, he turned the page and uncapped his pen.
On a clean line, in bold letters, he wrote:
> ARJUN
He paused. Looking at the name. Letting pride soak into his veins.
He smiled.
Then… he flipped a few more pages, slowly… deliberately… until he reached another section:
The heading was stamped in black ink:
"DANGEROUS OFFICERS (CLASSIFIED)"
And there was only one name.
> OFFICER RAM — underlined in red.
The Officer's smile faded. His expression became still.
He stared at the name.
A pause.
A long, deep breath.
Then, silently, he shut the file.
But he didn't stop there.
He reached into another drawer and pulled out a new folder — sealed tight, with thick red ink slashing across the label:
> MISSION: C.G.D
He placed it on the table in front of him.
The room grew cold again.
He stared at it in silence.
—
The End.