Nine: Vengeance of the Warrior by Shobha Nihalani

city of Chicago.
    ‘Let’s go.’ Zubin grabbed his kit and headed towards the elevators. As he made it down the elevators, he recalled his days in Minnesota when he was just starting out. Memories of his father and his life before the Nine were not something he liked to mull over. After his stint in India, California beckoned and the sunshine was what he needed. Zubin stepped out of the elevator and held it for Reeve. She nodded her thanks. The men in the forensics team called Reeve a hottie and joked about being jealous because she got to see the dead guys naked. A very morbid joke, but that’s how they got the team to work well together. Anyone would lose their mind facing gruesome murder cases every working day. The world was a crazy place and, from what he had heard from Raakin, it was getting crazier.
    They got into the car and headed out of the basement garage.
    Murders had been increasing lately, Zubin realized. There had been more of the unusual cases where the killings were a result of extreme emotions.
    Reeve asked. ‘What’s the case about?’
    ‘This was reportedly a dismembered body. Male. Report of a foul smell from an apartment. Police were called and they burst in, found the victim’s legs and arms in the bathtub.’ He shook his head.
    She didn’t comment.
    Zubin mused that even random killings were getting more brutal, gruesome. What possessed people to get so violent? His phone buzzed. He glanced at his device. Carmin and Robert had sent the toxicology report. The details were in his handheld device—the blood results, stomach contents, skin and tissue, and the rest. Zubin would look at it later. They had arrived at the crime scene. Zubin focused on the situation at hand. He needed to keep his mind in an objective mode. The area was cordoned off. ‘I hope you haven’t had a heavy breakfast,’ he mumbled to Reeve.
    Her hair was tied up in a neat ponytail, her expression grim. ‘I can handle it,’ she said and slipped on the gloves.
    They entered the bathroom and saw the message on the mirror: The Kalingan will kill again.
    Zubin gaped at it. ‘What the fuck!’ he exclaimed. Suddenly, all his objectivity, his thoughts, were blown apart. Hadn’t they got rid of the Kalingan? What was this about?



7
Tejaswi
    Siem Reap
    The rain fell in gentle whispers. Tejaswi exited from the airport arrivals hall and scanned the tarmac. The air was thick. She took off her cotton jacket. Underneath was a sleeveless black shirt which she wore with tan cotton trousers. But she still felt the oppressive heat wrap around her like a blanket. Passengers were queuing up for their taxi and bus rides. She gripped the handle of her trolley bag and pulled it roughly towards the queue. Lately, she was irritated with everyone. The incident with Karl had drilled the happiness out of her, leaving behind a heart full of anger. She missed her father terribly. The visit to Mayong was her hope: she couldn’t fight through normal channels, the police were useless and Karl’s goons were constantly threatening her. ‘If you cannot find a way normally, then try abnormally,’ a friend of hers once said. Tejaswi was determined to ensure she had the power to destroy the man who had got her father killed.

    Ray of Light Herbal Store used to be a trendy haunt until it was destroyed by one vicious act by Karl. She kicked a stone in anger. Just the thought of him made her wish she could gut him. She felt the simmering rage almost like a physical extension of herself. The businessman had laughed at her. He had wanted to buy her shop—it was prime property and he was willing to pay her big money. But her father didn’t want to sell. Karl kept on insisting. He was an influential man’s son. And when her father said no, Karl turned into a cunning pig and sent local goons to beat him up. Her father died from his injuries. When Tejaswi went to the police, they accepted the FIR but did nothing after that. When Karl asked her to sign the