Madhu was still worried about Vidya. But she remembered what Vidya had said to her earlier in the dhaba. Madhu was still confused about the plan, and Vidya had told her, "Don't worry, you don't need to worry about me." Vidya took out a piece of paper from her bag and gave it to Madhu, saying, "He is my friend, and he knows everything about the plan. Just go, pursue him, and by the day you will get the photos. Just hurry up and take it to him. Don't wait for me." Madhu nodded.
Madhu remembered everything. Hence, she decided to go there. The lawyer's office was near the bazaar bylane. By the next morning, she went there. The site was very crowded; all the people were talking like a bunch of crows. She ignored it, but deep within her heart, a strange aura was pleading—as if someone was following her. She thought it was just her imagination. She quickly went straight towards the direction of the lawyer. As she moved quickly, she noticed strange footsteps pursuing next to her. She got worried and went to the left corner, which was behind the shops. It was all dark, and an unpleasant smell was coming from all around. She saw a broken stick stuck in the ground. She took it and readied herself to hit him—or her—whoever was following her.
On the other side…
The truck from earlier, where Vidya was kept, came near a black, shadowy factory. Inside the truck, two men with wrinkled hair, big moustaches and beards, wearing simple shirts and jeans, with mouths full of tobacco and cigarettes, were playing with Vidya's body. Vidya had been awake for a long time. She heard every bit of what they said, but she couldn't record anything, because what she carried only captured photos. She heard that Badal Tomar would not come today, but at night—for the ultimate bidding, to share the most beautiful women with the richest thugs from around the countries. Around that time, it would be the golden hour for her to capture the deeds of Badal Tomar.
The shameless goons in the truck were kicking Vidya's back and touching her unpleasantly, but she endured it. The truck driver came and said, "Come out, boss is coming." As soon as they heard that, they jumped out of the truck like loyal dogs. Vidya saw all of this. The boss they were talking about was Lalan Raj. From behind, he ordered the goons to take the women out. The goons took Vidya out, and she saw a horrible sight that she couldn't express in words.
There were around 1,000 goons, with hundreds of vans and 100 trucks, each of which carried almost ten women. The area of the ground was as large as ten big fields. In the middle of the field stood Lalan Raj as the leader. He was tall, muscular, and had a piercing mark over his right eye, as if it had been forcefully cut out. All these things made Vidya question her decision.
Madhu, still clutching the stick, saw a shadow moving toward her. She told herself that when the figure came close, she would strike without hesitation. As soon as she saw the leg of the approaching person—and confirmed it was a man—she closed her eyes and attacked, hitting him repeatedly. The man struggled and begged her to stop, but she only hit harder.
Suddenly, the man cried out, "Advocate Aman! I'm Advocate Aman!"
At that, Madhu froze. She looked at the piece of paper Vidya had given her. The name written on it was Aman. She gasped and asked, "Are you the friend of Vidya ma'am?"
In an exhausted, pained voice, he replied, "Yes… yes, I am that friend. But please… take me to a doctor."
Madhu's face fell with guilt. She apologized, deeply saddened by what she had done.
---
On the other hand…
Vidya and the other girls were now handcuffed with tight ropes, herded in a line like ants straight toward the very mouth of the factory. Vidya saw the fear etched on every woman's face—most were weeping, pleading to be freed. Some were around forty, others just children, barely sixteen or seventeen. The shameless goons dragged them out from different trucks and areas.
As they entered the factory, Vidya noticed more women already inside, working. All of them, as she'd overheard earlier—aged between 17 and 40—were busy making drugs from fish, tobacco leaves, and other substances. But the most disturbing sight was the armed goons, brandishing guns and abusing the young women, terrifying them into obedience.
Vidya's only advantage was the hidden camera in her bracelet, designed to look like a diamond from afar. It allowed her to discreetly capture everything.
After some time, the girls were shifted into a dark, cage-like room. About ten women could barely fit inside one. The goons shoved, hit them with guns, and locked the doors tightly. One of the guards snarled, "Tonight will be the last day for one of you. The bid will be bigger tonight."
Someone from behind pulled him away, and a tense silence fell over the room. The only sound that remained was the quiet sobbing of the women inside.
One of the women suddenly yelled, "It's good we're here. I used to beg on the streets for food, for life… but no one cared. At least here, if I get chosen by a rich man, I'll be treated like a queen. I can eat anything I want."
From behind, another woman replied in a weeping voice, "You're lying. My son… he's so small. My husband is all alone. I need to see my son. I don't even know how I got captured by these people." She paused, trembling. "We need to move out from here…"
The first woman grabbed her by the arm. "Do you think we can escape? And even if we do, we won't survive out there. We've already been broken."
Their exchange sparked a heated debate. Some women agreed with the idea of staying, while others cried for freedom. The room filled with tension and voices clashing in desperation.
Vidya, silently observing all this, finally shouted at the top of her voice, "We are not objects! We're being held here without our will! We must be strong—no matter how hard our lives were outside, that world is still ours. We belong there. Even in struggle, we lived freely. But here? If someone takes you, they won't treat you like a queen—they'll treat you like a slave. We need to think practically!"
The earlier woman scoffed. "Don't toy with me. I know what life in the slums feels like."
Vidya pointed to a young girl huddled in the corner. "Then look at her—she's just fifteen. They took her, snatched her life, and now she's stuck between life and death. We may live among others outside, but how will she survive here? Those demons will destroy her."
A heavy silence fell across the room. One of the women stepped forward, embraced the young girl, and began to cry.
---
On the other side…
Madhu gently bandaged Aman's wounds, apologizing once again.
Aman, catching his breath, said, "No, don't be sorry. I know how you and Vidya are struggling. I'll help you—but first, you need to tell me how you're presenting the victim inside the factory."
Madhu nodded. "Sir, we just need proof. If we can gather that, we'll be able to capture Badal Tomar."
Aman's eyes widened. He slammed the table. "WHAT? Badal Tomar? Are you kidding me?"
Madhu looked confused. "Didn't Vidya ma'am tell you everything?"
Aman's tone grew bitter. "No, she didn't. She kept it a secret from me. And because of that, I won't help."
"But she told me she had shared the full plan with you…" Madhu protested.
"Well, she didn't. But… if you tell me everything now, I might reconsider," he said.
Madhu hesitated, then explained the entire plan from start to finish.
After hearing her out, Aman sat back, a cold smirk spreading across his face. "Hmm… interesting. But you know what? I'm not Aman."
Madhu froze.
"I'm Lalan Raj," he continued, "Badal Tomar's right-hand man."
Shock flooded Madhu's face. Fear gripped her chest. How did he know our entire plan…?
Before she could move, Lalan Raj struck her with a wooden stick. As her vision blurred and she collapsed, the last thing she saw was his smiling face.
---
Now the question arises: Who is the man currently in the factory, disguised as Lalan Raj?
How did he come to know about the plan?
All will come to light in the next chapter...