Madhu froze, words dissolving on her tongue; beneath her calm she felt the brittle edge of tears ready to break free. Rajesh, who had been groping for something to say, finally found his voice. "Sir, I think you are right," he began, but Tarun cut him off, ordering him to sit down — he'd have his chance later, he said. Rajesh would not be stayed. He sprang to his feet, voice rough with feeling. "My lord, we know we're at fault. We did what we thought best — we were naive, maybe even idiots. But I believe what we did was right. Sometimes you have to hunt a dangerous man like Lalan Raj." He pointed toward Vidya. "Look at this woman. From her perspective—she lost her sister and the child in her womb. Both taken by Lalan. We thought of those hundred women who were assaulted, who were killed by those bastards. We wanted to help them."
Silence fell like a heavy curtain over the room: the judge, Tarun, Vidya, Madhu, and the senior officer Patel all listened, unmoving. Tarun broke the hush, cold and practical. "So you think you're right, do you? Charging into a lion's den, risking your lives — that's immature. Those goons had guns, weapons, networks that could kill you in an instant. God knows if they're still watching us." He turned toward the bench. "My lord, I only want them taught a proper lesson so they won't do it again."
Rajesh opened his mouth to answer, but Patel's voice — low, steady, edged with the authority of someone who had seen too much — cut through. He leaned forward, confidence hardening his tone. "Mr. Tarun, tell me: what will you do if, in broad daylight, someone kidnaps your family, your children, your wife? Can you answer that?" Tarun objected that the question was outside the scope of the investigation, a waste of the court's time. Patel smiled then, not kindly. "So, according to Mr. Tarun, this is a trivial matter. Perhaps to him. But not to me — not to these children." He turned his gaze to Rajesh. "This boy lost his sister before his eyes. He wandered all night. He clashed with Lalan Raj and came back worse for it. Yet he kept fighting. He had the courage to bring us the video Vidya gave him."
All this time Vidya had sat quietly, as if carved from stone; Patel's words seemed to unclench something unseen. "Do you know what she did?" he went on. "She went into that gang's area and searched for her sister for two days. In the end she lost her. Do you understand the cost of that?" He straightened. "We know the law. We know religion. But by our measure, we have won because we saved those who could be saved. Yes, Lalan slipped from our hands this time. But give me time, my lord, and I will find him."
Patel's words settled over the room like a final weight, and slowly the three of them—Rajesh, Madhu, and Vidya—understood. Lalan had escaped, yes, but those trapped in his clutches were free. Perhaps, in their recklessness, they had still done something right. Even Tarun, bristling a moment ago, seemed to calm.
After a stretch of silence, the judge delivered the decision. Rajesh, Madhu, and Vidya were permitted to leave. Patel, however, was bound to a heavier burden: two years to bring Lalan Raj to justice. If he failed, suspension awaited him. They all accepted the judgment, though unease lingered. It was too great a weight to place on one man's shoulders. The court urged them to leave swiftly, before the press caught wind of what had transpired.
As the crowd dispersed, Tarun adjusted his goggles and moved toward the exit. Patel stopped him with a firm handshake. "Mr. Tarun, I think we need to talk."
Tarun frowned, uncertain. "What is this? Are you mocking me—because I failed to do what I was prepared for?"
Patel gave a quick smirk. "No, nothing like that. I was just… curious. Your tone reminded me of someone I once knew."
Tarun's expression shifted, almost guarded. "Perhaps we met somewhere. Or maybe you've simply forgotten. Either way, I must go. Nice meeting you."
"Yeah," Patel said quietly, watching him turn away. "Nice meeting you."
Outside the courthouse, Rajesh, Madhu, and Vidya descended the steps together. The air was heavy with unspoken words. Finally, Rajesh broke the silence. "Vidya, I'm sorry about your sister. I believe she would be proud of you."
For a moment, Vidya remained wordless, her eyes distant. Then, softly, she replied, "Earlier, you stood for me. Thank you for that. But, Madhu… Rajesh… our mission is over. From here on, we are strangers again, returning to our ordinary lives."
With that, she turned and walked away, her figure retreating into the crowd. Madhu's face fell, sadness shadowing her features. Rajesh touched her shoulder gently. "Let her be. We should go home, too."
Madhu nodded, though her gaze lingered on the path where Vidya had gone.
But all of this was only the beginning of something far darker. Tarun—the lawyer who had stood in the courtroom moments ago—was not who he seemed. He was the impostor, the shadow who had been wearing another man's skin. He was the false Lalan Raj Who earlier assaulted both rajesh and madhu
A few moments earlier, after parting ways with Patel, Tarun had slipped back into his car. The calm mask he had worn all day dissolved as he reached into his pocket. Then, with a chilling calm, he tore away the flesh of his own face. What remained was not Tarun at all, but a stranger's visage, cold and ruthless. The disguise, masterfully crafted, fell into his lap. On the back seat, the real Tarun lay unconscious, bound and gagged, his chest rising weakly with each shallow breath.
The impostor—now revealed—lifted a phone, his lips curving into a cruel smile. "Boss," he said, voice low, deliberate, "they escaped. But I have good news…"