Chapter 1

Delhi metro.

The heart of people in Delhi, a lifeline, a partner without which a vital part of our daily routine will surely be disturbed.

Around 30 lakh footfalls happen daily on the metro, making a person comfortable throughout the journey.

Inaugurated on Christmas'02, been a friend to pocket of daily commuters, has a clean record of any attack or major mishap, the Delhi Metro has been the perfect transportation; thanks to the daily hard working employees and security forces. However, it's inevitable that everything does not stay safe till the end of time... and you never know, doomsday might just be around the corner.

--

"It's so cold out there. All time records for the coldest of winters has been broken as I read in the newspaper," A man said. A constant beeping sound hung in the place like an annoying itch that just won't go away.

"Yeah, I wish I could get the week off, need to get to my hometown for sister's wedding." The woman beside him replied. They were on their respective computers, looking bored.

"Don't worry. Boss will listen and grant you leave for the week," He said. "But we gotta fix the issue of Metro number 2681, it halts for no apparent reason since the 2nd every time between these stations." He pointed to a specific location.

"The violet line?" She asked. He nodded and looked at the screen in front of him.

"All technical problems are solved and yet the driver complains that the lights go off right here every time and the train stops." He explained and sighed irritably.

"Leave it be, it's not your work. The technical department will take care of it."

--

"Yes mom, will eat healthy, bye." He hung up the call and looked at the girl beside him. "so what's the schedule today, baby?" He asked her.

"Same old stuff, overtime today, probably gonna miss the last metro. Stupid job," She replied. The train moved against the tracks. Everyone was either on their phones or napping against the walls. It was silent today, except for the constant announcements and the metro's sounds.

"Don't worry, I will wait for yo--" The metro stopped. "Not again, I am so fed up of this constant halting. Really gonna tweet DMRC chief." He exclaimed.

"Yeah yeah, as if he will listen," She replied. The metro started again and finally reached his station.

"Will wait for you, bye." He hugged the girl. After he left, the metro moved, just like any other day.

--

It was not any other day.

"So today's the day! The day which we all were waiting for. The man who abandoned us will cry tears of blood!" The man roared, as everyone in the room threw up their hands with a cry of agreement.

"Yes, it's been 10 years. 10 years of anger, torture and pain. We want every drop of blood, every bead of sweat that we lost back and with interest." Another one said, voice laced with a vengeance.

"Are the bags ready at the bank?" The first man asked.

"Yes sir, the bags and clothes are ready. All things are going according to the plan." A man replied.

"We all know what will happen, so burn all the papers, maps, hardware and leave no trace." Another one said. With a huddle, everyone went to work, an eerie silence taking over the place promising a tragic end.

--

"Hey, I got the leave. I am so happy right now!" She said cheerfully, "But have to work overtime tonight".

"Can't get all the perks now, can we?" He giggled.

--

'Hey, where are you?' She messaged him while waiting at the metro station. The station was dimly lit, with only a few people standing there, all waiting for the train, all wanting to reach their respective destinations.

'Just left, will be there in a while.' He replied.

'C'mon it's 11:45 already, we are surely gonna miss the last train to home.' She replied and locked the phone, looking for the metro.

After a while, he came running and reached in time for the very last metro. Sheepishly, he apologized, "got stuck in last minute errands".

"Nevermind, it was a stressful day. Let's take a seat." She said and they walked into the last coach and sat.

The train stopped right there again, lights got turned off, emergency lights lit up, and everyone was silent, annoyed and exasperated wanting to reach home soon.

But this time, the halt was different because suddenly, there were screams.

--

Meanwhile, in the control room, the woman rolled her eyes. This metro was particularly irritating to every employee.

"It stopped again." She said.

"This is Mahima from the control room, can you give me the reason for the halt?" She asked, connecting line to the metro driver. She was greeted with silence, which only lasted for a couple of seconds.

"Connect me to your boss, this is not your concern." Replied a deep, authoritative voice from the other side. Mahima was perplexed.

"I am the boss here, and how can you speak like that?" Mahima asked with her own authority, wondering why the driver is acting this way.

"Mahima Katnukar, age 33, mother of 2 boys, lives in Laxmi Nagar, you're an employee. Now connect me to your boss, Mr. Fatehchand Singh." The voice calmly said.

"How do you know?" She stuttered, unsure of what to do. This situation has never occurred previously, and she wondered if it will occur ever again as well. This was a once in a lifetime moment when Delhi metro may be in trouble.

"Mahima, the guy asked to connect to the boss." Rijul stammered.

"Listen to your co-worker Mahima, won't ask again." The person's voice sounded final. There was nothing left to say or do, so Mahima obliged, her lips quivering. She gave a brief explanation to her boss.

"Yeah, this is Fatehchand speaking, who's this?" Fatehchand said on the line.

"This is Anirudh, and I would like to tell you something amazing. This metro is hijacked." And the line went dead. Everyone went silent in the office, looking at each other. Metro? Hijacked? It was unheard of.

Fatehchand acknowledged the employees and ordered them not to leave the office.

"Which metro is it?" He asked.

"Sir, 2681, towards Kashmere Gate." One of the employees answered. All employees hurried towards the technical room.

"Direct me to the cameras inside the train, now!" Fatehchand ordered, trying to calm himself. He was the boss, he needed to control the situation and not lose hopes.

"Sir, we can't access the cameras. They have been hacked," said one operator.

Okay, maybe he could lose hopes.

--

"What's happening? Why are they moving us to the front?" A woman asked as some masked men guided people to the middle coach

"It's been hijacked" Replied an old man. A few people gasped, terrified. Some women were crying, unsure of the intensity of the situation. As it was the last metro of the day, there weren't many people onboard.

"Hands behind your back, single line! Don't do anything which could lead you to this situation." A woman said viciously while holding a gun. A man lay dead at her feet and many people screamed at the sight. "Quiet!" She yelled and everyone stopped at once. Only quiet sobbing was heard.

'It was the driver, that woman just twisted his neck like a wheel.'

These words could be heard in the crowd.

"Raj," She said on the mic.

Another person on the other side of the coach made a hand sign. They both wore a smoke mask, two more men came at each side. All people from the other coaches gathered in one place.

"Do it," A person said.

Suddenly smoke started coming out of the AC vents and everyone went into panic mode, yelling and crying. The crowd started dispersing.

"Don't move, these only look like plastic guns, but they don't fire water!" Raj said loudly, loading his pistol and aiming at the crowd.

In a matter of seconds, everyone went down, coughing and begging for mercy.

--

In Metro Bhawan, everyone was petrified and unsure of what was to be done. A quick meeting was called in order to decide further steps that were to be taken. Everyone was silent for the most part because the reality of the situation was so hard to believe and decipher.

"Where should we go?" Asked one of the heads, breaking silence. All heads started uttering, making validations, suggesting moves.

"R&AW, army, NSG commandos, anyone who can help us in this situation. We don't have time!" Said a voice from the tsunami of voices.

"Gentlemen... Gentlemen!" Fatehchand yelled, "It's the matter of our country, we can't suggest anything." He reasoned.

"But Mr.Singh, to whom should we concern with?" One of them asked. "Both President and Vice President are out of the country for the summit!"

"Chief Justice of India." He replied, "In the absence of the two major heads, he has the acting power."

Many phones started ringing synchronously.

"Sir, you need to see this." A man displayed a video on the main screen, his voice urgent.

The video showed the inside of the metro. There were people on the ground, with others moving them.

"Mr.Singh, don't worry, they are not dead yet. Just sleeping for a while." As the voice says, the camera is moved. "Everyone, wave, and smile for them, you will be in the headline for tonight, don't miss the big chance!" Terrified faces greeted the scene and then the camera focused on one man.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, sorry! I am Anirudh Ranjan, R&AW agent, don't know if you should call me ex or dead, but your chief could tell you that. So my work here is done." The man smiled and the video ended.

--

"Sir, it's a level Red call from DMRC." The secretary told his superior. He frowned.

"Okay, put them on the line." He answered.

"Sir, there's something you should see right now!" The voice from the other end exclaimed, breathless and undeniably terrified.