Chapter 52: chapter 52

As Kaushal confronted the impostor posing as Gulmohar, the room crackled with tension. The exposure that the informant, Vipin, was Gulmohar and the real Gulmohar was the mastermind Azad, left everyone in shock. Gulmohar's laughter echoed, a threatening undertone to the unfolding drama."You played your part well, Kaushal. But I must admit, you weren't supposed to uncover the truth so soon," Azad taunted, a chilling grin on his face.Kaushal, fuelled by anger and betrayal, demanded answers. "Why? Why did you create this scene? What's your endgame, Azad?"Azad leaned back, relishing the moment. "It was a game, Kaushal, a game to expose the rot within the system. The military, the intelligence wing, all of it. I wanted to unveil the hypocrisy, the corruption that runs deep within the veins of power.""But you killed innocent people in the process!" Kaushal shot back, his frustration intense.Azad's expression turned serious. "Sometimes, sacrifices are necessary to expose the truth. The collateral damage serves a greater purpose – to shake the foundations of a corrupt system."Kaushal, grappling with conflicting emotions, retorted, "So, your motive was to bring about change by sowing chaos and planning deaths?"Azad's laughter reverberated. "Change requires chaos, Kaushal. It was a means to an end. Now that the stage is set, the real game begins."As the confrontation unfolded, Neha and Karan, who had been listening in behind the interrogation glass window, burst into the room. The shock on their faces mirrored Kaushal's. Last day Kaushal was able to convince Neha and Karan to watch his interrogation with Gulmohar, aka Azad."This is shocking, you are the real Azad?" Neha exclaimed, her eyes darting between Kaushal and Azad.Kaushal, still processing the revelation, explained, "Gulmohar was just a cover name for Azad now, but Vipin was Gulmohar. I had been instructed by  Crimson Dagger's voice to keep an eye on the mole named Gulmohar, and when he met you and me Neha, someone was watching us, I wasn't aware of that. Since then this man sitting here has been playing games with us. He had sent all fake details through his pet informant to link up to Col. Prakash and killed Vipin because Vipin genuinely wanted to uncover the whole Crimson Dagger affair."Neha's disbelief turned into anger. "You used us, manipulated the entire situation, and killed innocent people just to make a point?"Azad, enjoying the chaos he had unleashed, replied, "I did what was necessary to awaken people to the reality they were blind to. The casualties were unfortunate, but they served a higher purpose."Karan, usually calm and composed, couldn't hide his frustration. "This is madness! You've endangered lives, and betrayed trust, all in the name of your so-called 'higher purpose.' What kind of change are you expecting from this chaos?"Azad, unmoved, explained, "I wanted to expose the hypocrisy of those in power, the ones who claim to protect but are, in fact, the perpetrators of corruption. The system needs a shock to cleanse itself."Kaushal, his mind racing, asked, "What about Col. Prakash? Why involve him in your plan?"Azad smirked. "Col. Prakash was a pawn, a sacrificial piece in this game. He is the epitome of bravery and courage in the army and his involvement added another layer of complexity and more drama for the audience. The revelation of such a respected figure being part of Crimson Dagger would send shockwaves through the system."Neha, her anger boiling over, snapped, "You're not a saviour; you're a terrorist! Using innocent lives to make a political statement is not justice; it's madness."Azad, basking in the chaos he had caused, responded, "Call it what you want. The stage is set, and now the system will crumble under the weight of its corruption."Amid this tense confrontation, an unexpected twist unfolded. The door swung open, and Col. Rathore entered the room, a stern expression on his face. Col. Rathore had come as per Kaushal's request."Well done Kaushal, I am proud of you!" Col. Rathore applauded, his gaze moving from Kaushal to Azad.Kaushal, still processing the revelations, explained, "Gulmohar, or should I say Azad, orchestrated the entire Crimson Dagger affair to expose corruption within the military."Col. Rathore's eyes narrowed as he focused on Azad. "You are a traitor!"Azad, unapologetic, responded, "No, Colonel. you may call me a patriot, but I sought to expose the rot within the system, the corruption that has plagued our organization."Col. Rathore's face hardened. "Exposing corruption is one thing, but playing with innocent lives is another. Your actions have consequences, don't justify yourself as a patriot, you have failed our trust."As the tension in the room escalated, a sudden commotion outside drew everyone's attention. A group of military personnel, armed and ready, surrounded the building."What's happening?" Neha questioned, her eyes darting to Col. Rathore.Col. Rathore, his expression unreadable, turned to Azad. "His game ends here. The military doesn't negotiate with terrorists."Azad, surrounded and outnumbered, "You may see me as a terrorist, but history will remember me as the one who dared to expose the rot within."As the military personnel closed in, Kaushal and his team watched as Azad, the mastermind behind Crimson Dagger, was apprehended.In the days that followed, investigations exposed the extent of Azad's manipulation, Azad's court martial started and Col. Prakash was released from custody. Kaushal was also put under scrutiny since he had aided Crimson Dagger earlier. But since he helped in unveiling the real face behind Crimson Dagger, Col. Rathore helped in getting his case dismissed soon.Kaushal, grappling with the fallout, met with Col. Rathore, seeking answers. "Why was Azad so fixated on exposing corruption within the military? Was there truth in his claims?"Col. Rathore, looking weary, responded, "Corruption exists, Kaushal, but the means Azad employed were unacceptable. We have internal mechanisms to address these issues without resorting to chaos and bloodshed."Amidst the turmoil, Kaushal met with Sheetal and Col. Prakash at his home."I am sorry for getting you into this messy affair, Azad played me into this, please forgive me!" Kaushal looked at Col. Prakash.Col. Prakash, replied, "Maybe true change takes time and collective effort. I am happy you have realized your mistakes and I see you as a different person now."But Sheetal had changed during this period, there was something broken between her and Kaushal.~~~~~