"Professor! That was brilliant...!" Inspector Junaid shouted.
"Thank you, Junaid! I made these little gadgets precisely for moments like this—devices to knock enemies out and devices to protect against unconsciousness," the Professor said with a laugh.
Everyone in the hall had collapsed unconscious... except Inspector Junaid, Khan Rehman, Professor Dawood, Ikram, and his subordinates.
Khan Rehman stepped forward and untied Inspector Junaid. Ikram, Muhammad Hussain Azad, and both subordinates were also freed.
"Professor! How long will they stay out cold?"
"If no water is splashed on their faces, they will regain consciousness after an hour," the Professor smiled.
"And if water is splashed on them...?"
"Then they will wake up immediately..." he replied.
"Thank you! Now we need to deal with the Fat Boss... before he comes here... we must reach him," Inspector Junaid declared.
"Agreed, let's go after him then," Khan Rehman said.
Opening door number five, they stepped inside and were taken aback... instead of a room, an alley stretched before them. They began running down it. At the far end of the passage was a chamber. Without a second thought, they barged straight in... Standing in the room with legs spread wide was a dwarf with a massive mustache. They stopped dead in their tracks at the sight. The dwarf wore a colorful clown-like hat on his head and bore a sinister smirk on his face...
"What are your intentions, friends...?" he asked, chuckling.
"Very noble intentions... Who are you, and what are you doing here, Chhoti Sarkar (Little Lord)?" Ikram retorted, making a face.
"Oh... hey... who told you my name?" The dwarf jumped in sheer astonishment.
"W-What do you mean... is your name actually Chhoti Sarkar?"
"Yes... I am Chhoti Sarkar..."
"Where is your boss?" Inspector Junaid asked with a smile.
"Forget him and tell me... what are you doing here?" Chhoti Sarkar sneered. Then he froze...
"Wait... you were tied up in the hall... hey... th-that..." he stammered.
"What 'th-that'?" Professor Dawood snapped irritably.
"I-I mean... where are our men... how did you get here, and who untied you?"
"Your comrades are resting in the hall... completely exhausted from all the running around," Inspector Junaid laughed.
"Th-This is impossible... they don't get tired," Chhoti Sarkar gasped.
"Drop all this and tell us... where is your boss?" Muhammad Hussain Azad demanded.
"You cannot reach him..."
"Why...?" Khan Rehman asked, startled.
"Because he has already left."
"Oh, no," slipped from Professor Dawood's lips.
"Shall I tell you something? You're in deep trouble..." Chhoti Sarkar laughed.
"Doesn't matter... we're always in deep trouble," Khan Rehman said, grimacing.
"Ikram... he's wasting our time. Teach him a little lesson," the Inspector turned and ordered Ikram.
"Sir... why just a little? Let me give him a big one," Ikram grinned.
"Just a little, because he's only pint-sized himself," Junaid chuckled.
"Alright... as you wish..." Ikram shrugged.
"Oh... so you want to rough me up, Inspector Junaid?" Chhoti Sarkar said, taken aback.
"Yes... don't worry, just a little," Junaid laughed and signaled Ikram. On his cue, Ikram pounced on the dwarf with fierce agility—but what was this? The dwarf was already standing aside, smirking.
Everyone was stunned... he had dodged the attack with astonishing quickness.
"Ikram... this is a tough nut to crack... handle him carefully," Khan Rehman laughed.
"Sir, don't worry... cracking tough nuts is my specialty... I've done it many times," Ikram laughed and sat down on the floor. Chhoti Sarkar stared at him in confusion.
"Why did you sit on the floor? Attack him... we don't have time!" Professor Dawood urged.
The moment he finished speaking, Ikram sprang like a cat straight at Chhoti Sarkar. This time the dwarf couldn't evade; caught in Ikram's grip, he crashed hard onto the floor.
"Bravo! What a feline leap!" Khan Rehman beamed.
"Thank you, sir," Ikram said, rising from the floor. Chhoti Sarkar still lay flat, gasping for air. Everyone was surprised to see this; they hadn't expected him to go down so quickly.
"Chhoti Sarkar! How long will you lie there? Get up and tell us about your boss..." Inspector Junaid said.
"Inspector Junaid! Don't waste your breath on him... I am waiting for you right here," the Boss's voice suddenly echoed through the room.
Startled, they looked all around. The sound seemed to emanate directly from the walls.
"Oh... so that means not only are you watching us, but you can hear us too," Inspector Junaid remarked with a grin.
"Precisely... now come on out..." the Boss laughed.
"Where are you right now?" Khan Rehman questioned.
"In the main hall... where you knocked out my henchmen."
"B-B-But..." Khan Rehman stammered.
"Khan Rehman! There must be a secret passage here..." Inspector Junaid said.
"Oh... a secret passage... but none is visible."
"If secret passages were easy to spot, nobody would call them secret," Junaid smiled.
Returning to the hall, they found the Boss seated on his designated throne-like chair, with his henchmen lined up in formation once again.
The Boss looked at them with a smirk and spoke:
"Junaid! You pulled off quite a feat, but..."
"But... what?!"
"But I overheard Professor Dawood mentioning that splashing water on their faces would revive them immediately... Look! Every single one is wide awake."
"Oh... blast..." slipped from their lips.
"That means... there's a specialized automated system installed here."
The Boss stayed silent for a beat, then commanded:
"Now stand right there and listen to me carefully..."
"Speak, Fat Boss... what do you want to say?" Khan Rehman said.
"First, answer one question: I address you with great respect, yet you insist on calling me 'Fat Boss.' I had heard that etiquette and manners were second nature to you people... but..."
"That used to be true. However, we have decided never to grant respect to an enemy. Criminals deserve no courtesy," Inspector Junaid declared firmly.
"We call you Fat Boss... does it hurt your feelings?" Ikram asked.
"Not at all... but having heard about your reputation, I felt compelled to mention it. Otherwise, call me whatever you like..." the Boss retorted.
"Fine... tell us: what are your real intentions?" Inspector Junaid asked.
"My intentions are anything but good..."
"We already guessed that much... you stepped out with malice. But remember, your plots will crumble to dust and we will walk out unscathed... God willing," Junaid replied.
"You are sorely mistaken. You don't know me, and you don't know these men. At a single gesture from me, they are ready to lay down their lives at any moment... Right, boys? Am I not speaking the truth?"
"Yes! You are completely right! Just give the word, and we are ready to sacrifice our lives!" Jaani laughed. The rest nodded in chorus.
"Oh, great..." muttered Inspector Junaid.
Suddenly, the Boss's mobile phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and began listening to the voice on the other end. Sensing his distraction, Inspector Junaid lunged straight at him—landing squarely on the Boss's chair, as the Boss had already side-stepped three paces away. The phone remained pressed against his ear. The team was stunned, while the henchmen burst into laughter.
"Looks like the Boss is a tough nut too," Ikram grumbled.
"Not like Chhoti Sarkar, though... he was biting the dust on your very second strike!" Kaka jeered loudly.
"Wait... d-did you all watch the fight in that back room as well?" Khan Rehman looked at him in shock.
"All of us saw it," Shasha laughed.
"And heard every single word spoken there," Achha Kaami smiled.
"Oh... but how? We don't see any screen here," Ikram asked in bewilderment.
"There is a screen... but it is invisible to your eyes," Baba said. The moment he spoke, Inspector Junaid pounced on the Boss again. The Boss tried to squirm away like a fish, but failed this time. Inspector Junaid was sharper; he dragged the Boss down to the floor. The phone slipped from his hand and slid near Jaani, who quickly snatched it up. The Boss had hit the ground, yet with startling maneuverability, he catapulted Inspector Junaid into the air and sprang back to his feet.
"Inspector Junaid! You should wait quietly for Farhana to arrive. Once she gets here, fight to your heart's content," he answered calmly. They stood amazed by his unruffled composure. Equally astonishing was that none of his lackeys had intervened during the scrap.
"What do you mean?! Farhana is heading here?! Good heavens...!"
"And she won't be alone; Hammood and Farooq will be with her," the Boss grinned.
"Your designs appear exceedingly dangerous," Professor Dawood said in a distant, shaken tone.
Ignoring the Professor entirely, the Boss barked at Jaani:
"Jaani! Hand me my phone..."
Jaani handed him the device and returned to his spot.
"Fatty! I'm thinking... why don't we launch a full-scale assault on you right now?" Inspector Junaid smiled playfully.
"An attack would be pointless... my men will grind your friends to pulp," the Boss retorted.
"We don't care... we happen to love crushed seasoning anyway..."
"Fine... how do you propose to fight?"
"The traditional way battles were fought in ancient times... that's how we want to begin. Meaning..."
"Meaning... what...?"
"Meaning one of your fighters takes on one of mine... one-on-one, stepping forward turn by turn. Whichever side gets wiped out loses."
"Well, well... brilliant! But Junaid, you're bound to lose that way, because my men are hardened brawlers... while two of your companions have no idea how to fight," he said, gesturing toward Khan Rehman and Professor Dawood.
"God is our protector. They will gather their courage and fight. Right, Professor? Will you fight?" Inspector Junaid smiled, looking at him.
"W-W-What do you mean...!!!" the Professor gasped, startled.
"Meaning, you will face one of the Boss's lackeys."
"Oh... heavens, no... n-no..." he panicked.
"Which means you won't fight anyone?"
"I didn't say that..." the Professor corrected hastily.
"Then explain what 'n-no' meant!"
"I'm terrified, Junaid, but I will certainly try," he said, bringing a smile to Inspector Junaid's face.
"Did you hear that, Fat Boss? Even the most fragile member of my team is ready to try."
"Try...!" The Boss and his men roared with laughter.
"No need to laugh. Send forward one of your men, and I will dispatch one of mine to face him."
"Very well, Inspector Junaid... I'll send one," the Boss said, signaling Kaka, who stepped forward. "You won't get a better chance to wash away the stain of your earlier failure."
"Boss! You'll see... I will dismantle my opponent in the blink of an eye," Kaka smirked.
"Inspector Junaid! My lion is primed... who are you sending against him?"
"Who's stepping up to take this guy?" Inspector Junaid surveyed his companions.
"I-I will..." Muhammad Hussain Azad offered.
"You step back, sir; I'll handle him," Liaquat said.
"Not you... let me take him," Asad insisted.
"Look at that spirit in my team," Inspector Junaid turned to the Boss proudly.
Right then, Kaka leaped into the open space and stood before Inspector Junaid:
"Who's coming at me?"
"I am..." Asad walked up and squared off against Kaka. Inspector Junaid stepped aside.
Kaka sized him up from head to toe and chuckled:
"Are you really going to fight me?"
"My name is Asad—The Lion..." he smiled back. "And I will fight you like a true lion."
"Oh, really? Go ahead, take your shot..." Kaka smirked.
The moment Kaka finished his sentence, Asad drove his head straight into Kaka's stomach—yet Kaka didn't budge an inch. Asad's tackle couldn't shake him. Asad froze in shock.
"You don't know who I am... come on, strike again!" Kaka laughed.
Asad shot a quick glance at Inspector Junaid, spun abruptly, and landed a vicious high kick across Kaka's face. Caught off guard by the unexpected maneuver, Kaka took the full brunt of the blow and crashed to the floor. Seeing him down, Asad moved to kick his ribs, but Kaka grabbed his ankle and twisted it violently. Asad slammed hard onto the tiles. Kaka leaped back up and drove a heel directly into Asad's neck. Asad screamed in agony. Kaka began stomping him mercilessly as Asad shrieked under the assault. Then, in a sudden burst of desperation, Asad locked onto Kaka's leg and jerked it with all his might. Losing his balance, Kaka crashed down. Asad sprang up with lightning reflexes and slammed a devastating punch into Kaka's temple. A shriek tore from Kaka's throat.
"Bullseye! Well done, Asad... you did wonders!" Inspector Junaid bounced with joy.
"Brilliant, Asad! Beat the daylights out of him! Acting so big, are we, Kaka?!" Ikram yelled.
Just then, Asad was sent flying; Kaka had rebounded like a coiled spring and slammed his head right into Asad's chest.
"Bravo, Kaka... don't let him off!" the Boss cheered.
Both fighters stood face-to-face now, glaring daggers. Suddenly, Kaka spun around and connected a heel strike against Asad's temple. Asad collapsed heavily and couldn't get back up. The blow was severe. He lay on the floor, gasping for breath.
"Asad... pull back... I'll send someone else," Inspector Junaid said. Asad wanted to object, but Junaid waved him down. He picked himself up and limped back into rank.
"Inspector Junaid... one of your men has fallen," the Boss laughed mockingly.
"A pity... I'll send my second man now," he replied.
"Be my guest..."
Junaid signaled Ikram, who rolled up his sleeves and marched boldly into the circle. From the opposing side, Baaja stepped forward to challenge him.
"I am Baaja (The Horn)!" Baaja strutted with pride.
"Oh... then I'll make sure to blow you away!" Ikram laughed.
"Ikram... this isn't time for blowing horns, it's time to fight! Forget musical jokes and defeat him," Khan Rehman urged.
"You don't understand, sir..." Ikram smiled.
"Then explain it!"
"His name is Baaja, and I am definitely going to play him like an instrument... just watch." As Ikram was talking, Baaja charged straight at him. He seemingly intended to tackle him, but to Ikram's surprise, Baaja stopped two paces short. Before Ikram could process what was happening, Baaja struck first—pivoting on one leg, he drove a roundhouse kick straight into Ikram's ribs. Ikram dropped to his knees clutching his side, his face contorted in agony. Seeing him crippled, Baaja cast a proud glance toward the Boss. But in the next split second, Baaja went crashing face-first into the floor—Ikram was already standing over him, smiling.
"Didn't I tell you? I'd play you like a fiddle."
"Damn you...!" Baaja snarled, scrambling to his feet and lunging furiously. The two locked into a vicious brawl, rolling and grappling. The momentum swung back and forth between Baaja and Ikram. Meanwhile, while keeping an eye on the fight, Inspector Junaid carefully surveyed the layout of the hall.
"Bravo, Ikram! Keep it up!" Professor Dawood yelled.
"Th-Th-Thank you, Professor!" Ikram grunted as he pounded Baaja's back. The struggle lasted nearly three minutes... until finally, Ikram completely dismantled Baaja. The man lay face down on the tiles, a trickle of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.
"Incredible, Ikram! You ruled the floor!" Khan Rehman swayed with excitement.
"Boss... the score is tied one-all. Who are you sending next?" Inspector Junaid grinned.
"Baba... step up, Baba... enter the field!" the Boss laughed.
"Th-The field?! Where is a field here? We're standing inside your hall," Professor Dawood protested, making a face.
"Wherever blood is spilled is a battlefield... Don't you even know that much, Professor?"
"Oh... I see... understood..."
Against Baba, Inspector Junaid sent forward Muhammad Hussain Azad. The two squared off in the center. Then Muhammad Hussain Azad said with an amicable smile:
"Brother... let's make a deal: let's fight traditional desi wrestling."
"Desi wrestling? What kind of fighting is that?" Baba asked, bewildered. Hearing this, Inspector Junaid chuckled.
"I'm talking about traditional folk wrestling... It has great benefits. For one, neither of us will suffer bad injuries, nor will anyone bleed..."
"Oh, so you want traditional grappling instead of freestyle brawl?" Baba laughed.
"Yes... Western-style fighting breaks bones, honestly," Muhammad Hussain Azad said with utter innocence.
"Fine by me... whatever you want," Baba shrugged.
"Then come on... in God's name, let's begin," Muhammad Hussain Azad smiled.
"Unbelievable! Are you about to wrestle or sit down for dinner?" Ikram groaned.
"The elders say you should always invoke God's name before any good deed... it carries immense blessings."
"You're right, the elders spoke truth, but who listens to them nowadays? People have dragged their ancestral wisdom through the mud," Khan Rehman commented.
"Alright, folks... get on with the wrestling," Inspector Junaid urged.
The two engaged in a grappling match. Muhammad Hussain Azad was a seasoned wrestler; within moments, he pinned Baba flat on his back.
The instant Baba was pinned, the Boss snapped:
"Baaja... Baba... you have both suffered defeat a second time!"
"B-Boss... forgive us," Baaja pleaded pathetically.
"I already forgave you after the first failure! Forgiving you again? I'll think about it. Get back in line!"
Baaja and Baba tried to speak, but the Boss raised his hand to silence them. Hanging their heads in shame, they slunk back into line.
"Now the score is two to one in our favor. I'm putting forward my fourth fighter... send yours," Inspector Junaid stated, motioning toward Professor Dawood.
"W-W-What do you mean?!" the Professor jumped in alarm.
"My fourth champion is you, Professor..." Junaid smiled warmly.
"Oh... good Lord! Then today I am as good as dead, Junaid!" Professor Dawood began trembling violently.
"Ridiculous! The round hasn't even begun and you're already quaking like a leaf! How on earth will you fight?" the Boss laughed.
"Send your fourth lackey... he'll manage to fight somehow," Inspector Junaid said.
"My dear Junaid! I don't know the first thing about fighting... I'm a scientist, not a prizefighter!" sheer terror was written across Professor Dawood's face.
"Wait, Inspector Junaid... this duel will happen on one condition," the Boss intervened.
"Condition? What condition?!" Junaid asked, eyebrows raised.
"Professor Dawood must hand over everything in his pockets to me. Who knows... he might unleash one of his inventions mid-fight," the Boss demanded.
"Oh... that's impossible..." Professor Dawood protested quickly.
"Then there will be no duel."
"Oh! But I insist on this duel happening at all costs," Inspector Junaid smiled.
"Then order him to empty his pockets."
"Very well... Professor! Take whatever you have in your pockets and hand it over."
"B-But Junaid... my pockets are already empty!" Professor Dawood turned all his pockets inside out in front of everyone.
"Oh... hey! They really are empty..." the Boss remarked, surprised.
"Fat Boss! Your thugs dragged me here by force. If you had informed me beforehand, I would have packed plenty of gadgets along..." Professor Dawood grimaced sourly.
"Fine! Go on, Shasha, grind him into paste! It's been days since I had a good paste to chew on," the Boss chuckled, motioning to Shasha. Shasha bounced from his spot and stood directly in front of Professor Dawood.
"Paste... you want to make paste out of me?!" the Professor panicked.
"Yes! I love paste!" the Boss laughed.
"But paste made of me won't taste good at all..."
"Why wouldn't it taste good?"
"Because old, aged paste has a terrible flavor," Professor Dawood argued.
"Old man... I'm waiting for you," Shasha said with a smirk.
"I'm coming, friend... what's the rush?" Professor Dawood stalled.
"Professor, be brave! I know for sure you will win this bout," Inspector Junaid encouraged him.
"Old man! Are you making the first move, or do I have permission?" Shasha grinned.
"Son... where would I find the strength to attack? You go ahead... but please be gentle... I'm an old man," Professor Dawood pleaded.
"Alright... I'll strike first," Shasha declared and lunged at Professor Dawood. Terrified, the Professor ducked down and rolled in his direction. Shasha sailed clean over him and tumbled onto the floor.
"What the...!" Shasha whipped around.
"Don't worry, son, I just got scared... try striking again," the Professor said with a smile, standing back up.
Fuming with rage, Shasha dashed toward him again. Closing the gap, he aimed a headbutt straight at the Professor's chest—but the strike missed entirely. Carried by his own momentum, Shasha stumbled forward awkwardly like someone bent in prayer. Hissing with fury, he whirled around and glared venomously:
"Son! I told you, be careful with your strikes... I'm an old man! How could my ribs withstand a headbutt? That's why I stepped aside—no hard feelings..."
"Incredible! That was pure brilliance, Professor!" Inspector Junaid beamed cheerily.
"Thank you, Junaid..." While he was replying, Shasha charged at him once more, but the Professor nimbly skipped aside.
"Oh dear... what are you doing? Attack me properly!" the Professor chided.
"I-I... I am attacking! But..." Shasha stammered.
"But what?"
"You dodge every single blow I throw!"
"Oh... that's terrible manners of me! Never mind, give it another shot... maybe this time you'll connect. Go on, give it your best!" Professor Dawood urged cheerfully. His allies were thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
Shasha braced himself to attack once more.
"You won't dodge this one, old man..." Shasha warned, spinning rapidly on one leg like a top. Watching him whirl, Professor Dawood grew anxious; at that dizzying speed, tracking his movements was nearly impossible. He looked toward Inspector Junaid, who pointed downward toward the floor. Professor Dawood grinned. As Shasha spun forward and launched himself through the air, the Professor dropped flat on his back. Shasha whizzed right over him into empty space. Seeing his strike fail yet again, Shasha flew into a blind rage and charged straight at him on the floor. Professor Dawood panicked; suddenly, a sharp scream rang through the hall, and the Professor collapsed motionless against the floor.
"Well done, Shasha!" the Boss laughed. "Look at that, Inspector Junaid... your Professor is finished. You made a terrible mistake sending him against Shasha anyway."
"Now it's an all-out war! Khan Rehman! Everyone, charge them!" Inspector Junaid roared. At that exact moment, the Boss leaped to his feet.
"So a free-for-all brawl it is! Fine... boys, tear them apart!"
A ferocious melee erupted. Both factions collided in total chaos. The Boss and Inspector Junaid traded heavy blows blow for blow.
Since the Boss's henchmen held numerical superiority, they began gaining the upper hand. In the midst of the clash, Shasha found himself face-to-face with Inspector Junaid. Junaid drove an open-palm chop straight into Shasha's neck, sending him reeling in agony.
"Boss! Grab someone else... I'll take care of this guy!"
"Fine, but stay sharp... he is dangerously fast."
Right then, Junaid swung a roundhouse kick into Shasha's ribs. Shasha gasped through gritted teeth:
"I'm not letting you go..."
"Be my guest!" Junaid smiled and ducked under Shasha's incoming tackle. Frustrated by the miss, Shasha pivoted and lunged almost airborne toward him. Junaid was ready; stepping slightly off-line, he caught him mid-air and threw him across the floor. Shasha screamed upon impact. Junaid closed the distance immediately, raining kicks upon him until Shasha went completely limp, knocked out cold. Inspector Junaid turned around, only to be struck from behind by Maasha and knocked over. The moment he hit the floor, Junaid bounced back up like a compressed spring and faced Maasha.
"You struck from behind..."
"So what? Everything is fair right now. Can't you see? Everyone is clashing... falling... rising." Maasha laughed.
"True enough... then take this!" Inspector Junaid snapped, launching a strike with such lightning speed that Maasha couldn't guard in time. He crashed backward and went still. Junaid smiled, then scanned the battlefield. Khan Rehman, Ikram, Muhammad Hussain Azad, Liaquat, and Asad had already incapacitated four men. But four hostile fighters were still standing, not counting the Boss. Junaid saw Ikram locking the Boss from behind while the Boss struggled fiercely to shake him off. Liaquat jumped in to pin him down as well. Seeing this, two of the Boss's men rushed toward them...
"Ikram, Liaquat... watch out!" Inspector Junaid yelled. Ikram released the Boss and rolled away across the tiles. Liaquat also dodged with remarkable agility. Inspector Junaid leaped onto the Boss, bringing him down to the floor while landing a crushing blow to the side of his neck. A muffled shriek escaped the Boss's throat.
"Got him!" Khan Rehman's triumphant shout rang out.
"Not quite yet, Khan Rehman... pray that I finish him soon!" Junaid replied, pressing down hard on the Boss's throat, causing the villain's face to flush crimson.
Just then, Ikram shouted:
"There you go! By God's will, another one down!"
"Congratulations, sir!" Muhammad Hussain Azad shouted happily, but was instantly dropped by a heavy punch to the head from another thug.
"Jaani! Where are you?!" the Boss wheezed.
"He... he is locked in my bear-hug, Fat Boss!" Khan Rehman laughed.
"Khan Rehman... look into my eyes..." Jaani sneered.
"Why should I look into your eyes? Are they made of solid gold?" Khan Rehman snapped, tightening his grip even further.
"Brilliant, Khan Rehman! Whatever you do, don't look into his eyes... his eyes are hypnotic and dangerous!" Inspector Junaid yelled.
"Dangerous eyes... good heavens... that sounds like the title of a thriller novel!"
"Khan Rehman, stop it! This is no time to title novels! Knock Jaani out while I turn this Boss into jam!"
"Fair enough! I'll serve you crushed Jaani, and you serve me Boss jam..." Khan Rehman replied. Suddenly, Jaani gave a violent, thrashing shudder and broke free from Khan Rehman's lock.
"I'm the one who's going to turn you into jam, Khan Rehman!" Jaani charged him like a madman, raining a flurry of punches and kicks.
"Oh, mercy...!" Liaquat slammed his opponent to the ground with a throw and sprinted to Khan Rehman's rescue, planting a heavy kick into Jaani's back. Jaani stumbled and collapsed on top of Khan Rehman.
"Oh no... what have I done?!" At that very moment, someone kicked Liaquat in the back, sending him crashing down over Jaani.
"Ouch... Inspector Junaid... oof..." Hearing Khan Rehman's pained groan, Inspector Junaid shoved the half-conscious Boss aside and rushed toward Khan Rehman. By then, Liaquat had scrambled up, Jaani was struggling to his feet, and Khan Rehman lay flat on his back.
"Khan Rehman, are you alright?"
"Praise be to God, I'm fine... oof... hey...!" Jaani managed a weak strike at Khan Rehman's chest. Inspector Junaid immediately fired a savage kick into Jaani's side, sending him rolling away motionless. Within moments, they subdued and knocked out the remaining lackeys. The Boss was still conscious, but lacked the strength to stand. Jaani was barely breathing. Both lay flat on the floor, panting heavily.
"Inspector Junaid! Don't think for a second that you've won. This is merely a temporary triumph. The final victory will be mine..." the Boss wheezed.
"May God have mercy on you... For now, lick your wounds while I inspect the perimeter. Ikram, confiscate his mobile phone; it will be very useful to us," Inspector Junaid instructed.
"Inspector Junaid! You cannot leave this place without my permission, mark my words..."
"Your permission? What's that supposed to mean?!" Junaid smiled.
"You see, I have programmed Door Number One. It will not allow anyone to exit the hall without my authorization."
"We shall see about that," Junaid dismissed the threat and turned toward Ikram.
"Right away, sir... grabbing the phone," Ikram said, stepping toward the Boss.
"Take it, but it's worthless now... while you were distracted, I wiped the memory clean, fried the circuits, and snapped the SIM card in two. It's nothing more than a child's toy now. Go on, give it to Inspector Junaid," the Boss muttered with great difficulty, sliding the device across the floor toward Ikram. Ikram picked it up and inspected it; the phone was completely dead.
"Oh... sir, it's completely dead... totally useless to us."
"Wait... oh... what's that...?" Suddenly, they all froze in surprise.
(To be continued...)
