Chapter 199: The Instigator
***One day earlier, Central Tihar Jail.***
Robin walked down the dimly lit corridor, his palms clammy with sweat. He was an engineering student, not some underworld messenger.
No matter how violent the past week had been, doing this alone felt overwhelming — far beyond his comfort zone.
Meeting Raju Plumber had been surprisingly easy. The gangster practically ruled his block.
Robin had been escorted straight into an open recreation yard where Raju sat like a king, enjoying a shoulder massage while casually discussing business.
But Mrinal was different.
After a second request, Robin was taken through multiple security checkpoints before being led into a heavily monitored meeting room.
The contrast was stark — one criminal enjoyed influence, the other inspired fear.
A thick fiberglass partition divided the room, with microphones on both sides and cameras watching every angle. Robin sat down, heart hammering.
A minute later, the opposite door opened.
A man entered in chains, his hair cropped short and fresh scars marking his forehead and cheek. Two guards escorted him to the chair, removed one set of restraints, and stepped back.
Mrinal sat down slowly and picked up the microphone. His cold eyes narrowed.
"What is a child doing here, wasting my time?"
Robin swallowed hard. "I came to deliver a message... from someone powerful. Someone who wants to work with you."
Mrinal’s expression turned icy. "Not interested."
He stood up to leave.
"Wait!" Robin blurted out, panic rising. "At least hear me out, Mrinal sir."
No reaction.
Robin took a desperate gamble. "What about... Anna?"
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.
Mrinal froze. Slowly, he turned back toward the glass. His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"What did you just say?"
Robin’s throat tightened. "Anna, sir... Your previous boss."
The next second, Mrinal slammed his fist against the fiberglass partition with a loud bang! Robin nearly fell out of his chair. The guards rushed forward, one striking the bars with his baton.
"Sit down!"
Mrinal ignored them completely. His predatory gaze remained locked on Robin.
"You dare use that name?"
Robin forced himself to continue. "I came because of him."
Several tense seconds passed before Mrinal slowly sat back down.
"You have one minute," he growled, leaning closer to the glass. "Speak."
Robin took a deep breath and began.
"The ambulance used in the attack on your boss’s factory... it may have belonged to Ahmed’s men. But that’s not the full story. Someone else arranged it. Someone who wanted Anna out of the way."
Mrinal’s eyes darkened with interest. "Stop talking in riddles."
Robin nodded. "Jayesh Mittal. His connections, his ambitions... removing Anna benefited him greatly."
When Robin finished, silence filled the room.
Mrinal stared at him for a long moment, then scoffed coldly.
"Interesting story."
His fingers tapped the table once.
"Now tell me..." His eyes hardened like steel. "What proof do you have?"
Robin had been waiting for this exact moment. As per Rohit’s strict instructions in the letter, he should only reveal the photograph if Mrinal showed real interest.
He slowly raised the printed image from behind the glass.
Mrinal’s eyes locked onto it.
The photo showed Jayesh Mittal sitting inside the van while his female bodyguard was driving. In the back, containers clearly marked with the same RDX and drugs that had been used to destroy Anna’s factory.
Mrinal went completely still. His jaw tightened as old memories and fresh rage collided in his mind.
Robin spoke carefully. "My boss wants to know if you’re willing to listen to his proposal."
Mrinal stared at the photo for several long seconds before leaning forward. "Why are you telling me this? What does your boss want?"
Robin let out a small breath of relief, the first real smile touching his lips. "It’s not me. My boss — Rohit Singhania — wants your cooperation. He has a plan that benefits both of you."
Mrinal mulled it over, then gave a curt nod. "Speak."
Robin delivered Rohit’s message exactly as instructed.
He explained how Mrinal could regain trust by planting a small, non-lethal bomb in Aditya Mittal’s car — nothing deadly, just enough to scare him. This would help Mrinal secure an early release and give him the chance to exact revenge on Suraj’s gang.
In return, he would accept the narrative that Raju’s men had delivered the van, treating Raju Plumber as a common enemy for now.
Mrinal’s expression darkened. "What if they ask me to kill Raju while I’m still inside? How am I supposed to handle that if I’m supposed to ally with him?"
Robin answered politely but firmly, "Raju doesn’t need to know. In fact, you use them to secure your freedom first. Any task they give can be turned to our advantage later. That part can be decided once you’re out."
Mrinal still wasn’t convinced. "If the Singhanias are now allied with Raju, why would they move against him? What game is your boss really playing, boy?"
Robin allowed himself a small, confident smirk. "There are two reasons.
First, the alliance is only with my boss, Rohit Singhania — not the entire family. It’s not official.
Second, we doesn’t trust Raju’s ambition. If Raju truly takes over Delhi, he won’t listen to anyone. My boss wants you back in the south, in Anna’s old position. You get your revenge, and he gets a strong, reliable partner."
Mrinal’s eyes turned dangerously sharp. "You think I’m a fool? What if I become the next target once he’s done using me?"
Robin met his gaze steadily. "Take it or leave it, Mrinal sir. I’m just the messenger. At least by cooperating, you have a real chance to reclaim what’s yours and take revenge. No one can predict what happens after that."
The officer waiting behind Mrinal tapped his baton against the bars. "Time’s up."
As the guards prepared to escort Mrinal away, he paused and looked back at Robin.
"Tell your boss I’m thinking and might consider about it," he said quietly. "Contact will be made through proper channels."
Robin frowned, waiting for a clearer answer.
Before he could press further, the senior officer standing behind Mrinal , the same man who had escorted him in — gave Robin a subtle, almost imperceptible nod.
No grin. No wink.
Just a cold, professional acknowledgment.
Robin understood immediately.
The channel will be through him.
***
24 January, 2025, Current day, Genesis Public School,
Rohit strolled toward the classroom with his usual unhurried stride, only to find the same computer science professor he had clashed with earlier standing near the blackboard.
"May I come in, sir?" he asked lazily.
The professor didn’t even glance at him. "No. You may stay outside."
A wave of snickers rippled through the class. Rohit simply shrugged, unfazed, and leaned against the corridor wall. If they wanted to play games, he had no problem waiting.
With time on his hands, he pulled out his phone. A small smile curved his lips as he read Robin’s update.
[Robin: Sir, everything went according to plan. Mrinal contacted me. He’s anxious and wants to fast-track his release. Says he won’t wait more than a week for Mittal’s help.]
Rohit chuckled softly. Mrinal was already getting impatient. He typed a quick reply.
[Rohit: Tell him if he doesn’t get released within a week, I’ll personally interfere. Also, plant Kamalnath and Pramod’s names.]
This was his backup plan. Since he hadn’t found solid dirt on Kamalnath yet, he would let the Mittals do the dirty work for him.
Pinning the blame on Pramod, Aditya Mittal’s brother who handled overseas business and had recently returned for the family succession battle, would be more believable.
If the Mittals turned on each other, it would distract them from him and give him breathing room.
He also couldn’t afford to lose Raju Plumber just yet. Rohit quickly typed another message, this time to Pawan Verma, the opposition leader who had gained significant ground recently.
[Rohit: Help me secure the safety of this man in Tihar Jail. He is going to be targeted and I want him safe for at least a month. He’s going to be a major player in the underworld soon. If you want real influence there, now is the time.]
He attached Raju’s photo and sent it.
Just then, his phone vibrated. Robin was calling. Rohit answered in a low voice.
"What happened?"
Robin sounded excited. "Sir, I forgot to mention — I’ve shortlisted candidates for our core team. We’re already over twelve. Should I send you the details?"
Rohit replied, slightly annoyed, "Don’t call me like this. Use text only from now on."
"Sorry, sir. Understood."
Rohit paused. "Wait. I have another task for you."
"Yes, sir?"
"I’m sending you two pictures. One is Hari Kaka — our family’s head servant, supposedly out of the city. The other is a retired serviceman, father of my sister’s secretary. I want you to investigate their whereabouts and dig into their past. Quietly."
Robin thought for a moment. "Understood, sir. I’ll divide the team into groups of three and get them on it."
"Good," Rohit said with a faint smile. "The ones who deliver the best results will be rewarded. That includes you if it’s done within this week."
Robin’s voice turned enthusiastic. "Understood, sir!"
Rohit was about to hang up when a petite girl with glasses approached him hesitantly.
"Sir is calling you inside."
Rohit nodded, ending the call. "I’ll talk to you later."
He slipped his phone into his pocket and followed the girl into the classroom. The professor shot him a sharp look but said nothing as Rohit took his seat near Akhil at the back. His freinds whispered among themselves, but Rohit paid them no attention.
His mind was already elsewhere — calculating moves, setting traps, and tightening the web around those who thought they could challenge him.
The game was accelerating.
And he was just getting started.