Srini and his family had a day off from work to recover from the pleasant tiredness of the weekend outing to the State Fair and Circus. Everyone got back into their usual routines.
Srini and Ben worked the courts often. It was very profitable and the tips were quite generous too. They usually set up their stand close to a bench. It helped many who wanted to sit down while getting their shoes shined. Some liked to keep their bags or heavy suitcase on the bench while standing to have their shoes shined. Usually Ben or Srini would suggest that they keep their briefcases or bags on the ground between themselves and the bench, but some did not like their bags to be on the ground. Ben and Srini never prevented anyone from sitting near them on the benches if they wanted to, but people seemed to have an accommodating nature for his customers. The space under the bench seat also provided a neat space to tuck away their shoeshine kit if they needed to get away for a little while to attend to their own nature’s calls or take a break. They had a little metal chain with a combination lock to tether the kit to the leg of the bench, to prevent someone from simply running away with it.
Working at the courts, Ben and Srini often got to meet some high profile lawyers, police officers and celebrities. Some were regulars and had become friendly acquaintances. Sometimes they saw priceless expressions and caught snatches of conversations or remarks that few were privy to.
One of their regular customers was a high profile criminal prosecutor who was known to Ben and Srini as ‘Mason’. He was a greying older-than-middle-aged man who had a bland expression, except for his eyes which seemed to indicate a razor sharp brain. He often appeared in court in ‘high value’ cases. He sometimes had the visible protection of bodyguards. Sometimes he appeared to be alone. He often carried important documents or materials in a special little briefcase that was unusually heavy. It was a bullet-proof, fire proof and highly secure container that looked like a suitcase from the outside. Sometimes he carried a smaller briefcase handcuffed to his wrist. He usually set down his heavier briefcase next to Ben or Srini, next to the bench. It was in trying to hand it over to Mason that Srini got to feel how heavy it really was. He had wondered about it until Mason explained the reason.
Mason never spoke about any case he was working on, but chatted to Ben or Srini about their lives. Often Ben or Srini came to know of the importance of his cases while reading the newspapers well after the whole thing was over. His name was often mentioned as being the prosecutor. He had a reputation of dealing successfully with some of the most dangerous people in society and seemed to be regarded with awe by some and loathing by others.
One morning, just as the early rush was subsiding, Mason appeared in front of Srini who was set up right next to a bench. Ben sat next to him.
“Good morning, Srini, Ben!” he said with typical old-fashioned friendliness, nodding towards them and setting down his little heavy briefcase next to Srini. He had gently suggested to Srini to desist from handling it after the first time. He would pick it up himself.
Srini started to work on Mason’s shoes. There were a couple others who were standing in line behind him, awaiting their turn. Srini and Mason were chatting casually, when suddenly someone in a hat and lawyer’s suit and dark glasses roughly pushed his way past the people in the queue. His face was not clearly seen. He came up right behind Mason, grabbed hold of his hands on either side and twisted them behind him. Mason was a well-built man, but apparently his attacker was much stronger. Mason struggled, off-balance with one foot off the ground being worked on.
“Where’s the briefcase?” a rough threatening voice asked as he turned to look around on the ground, next to Mason. He had expected to see it around there somewhere.
Srini suddenly felt Ben pushing against him and knocking him over to the side and cutting in front of him. Srini fell over sideways on to Mason’s briefcase. As he looked at Ben, Ben said in a quiet, clear whisper, but firm tone “Lie over the briefcase, hide it behind you!!”
In the commotion and shock that came over everyone around, someone screamed loudly. There was a shout, “Help! Call the security! Police!”
Mason’s attacker was firm and focussed. He put a gun to his back and again asked in a harsh voice, “Where is it?”
Srini realised that the super briefcase was the target of Mason’s assailant. Mason was looking at Srini and Ben in a painful grimace but signalling silently with his eyes and face. It seemed like a plea to hide the briefcase from view. Srini saw the assailant strike Mason on his back, near the neck. Mason seemed to sag, he was turned around. Ben and Srini saw his suit pulled back and blood starting to well up at his neck. They heard another sickening blow to Mason’s face and more blood poured out.
Srini did not see much of it, Ben was blocking his view partially, but he knew what was going on. Suddenly, he knew what he could do best. He quickly fumbled around with the handle of the briefcase and started to do something that came to his mind quickly.
Just then the assailant noticed Ben at Mason’s side. He quickly realised something was out of place. He rightly guessed that the precious briefcase was nearby and Ben was trying to block his access to it.
The man hit Mason hard on his head with his gun. Mason collapsed. The man now approached Ben.
“Get up! Tell me quick! Where is it?” he demanded pointing the gun towards Ben. His tone was harsh but even. Ben sat up and raised both his hands. It was clear that there was no briefcase beneath him.
Just as the assailant started to look beyond Ben, Srini finished exactly what he was trying to do.
Mason’s attacker was now desperate. He quickly gauged the situation and looked at Srini, lying on his side awkwardly. He guessed where the briefcase was. He quickly aimed a kick at Ben in front of him. Ben too fell hurt. The kick struck him on the side of the head. He collapsed on the ground in between Srini and the attacker.
“Get up! Quick!” the voice was menacing. Srini could not see, but seemed to feel the eyes behind the dark glasses looking directly at him.
“Wait! I am hurt and old,” he said quietly, trying to buy time.
The attacker looked at Srini for a brief moment. Srini looked back at him, apparently grimacing in pain. He appeared slow and infirm.
The man fired a shot in the direction of Srini, to let him know he was serious. He wanted to avoid getting too close to Ben or Srini physically, if possible. He was trained that way, to be cautious. He spotted his getaway vehicle, ready in its expected spot on the roadside.
Suddenly police sirens started their wailing, not too far away. Many nearby ran helter-skelter. The gunshot had the police slowing down to plan their response.
Srini, slowly got up on to his knees and crawled away from the briefcase that lay exposed. Ben was apparently unconscious lying face down, crumpled.
The gunman, thankful to see Srini cooperate, quickly jumped over Ben and landed right next to the briefcase. He picked it up easily and ran towards the road. He had barely taken a couple of steps when it felt like someone, immensely strong had yanked the briefcase right out of his hand and knocked him off-balance. He was surprised, fell to his knees and turned around.
He saw Srini’s calm face with a taunting smile turned towards him, as he knelt not far away from the briefcase. It took him a couple of seconds to realise what had happened. Srini had attached the chain-lock that he normally used for his shoeshine kit, to the briefcase. It was now firmly tethered to the leg of the park bench.
The fallen man rose to his feet. His pulse was racing. He knew the police were closing in. He was getting hot and his glasses were getting steamed up. He was now furious at Srini. He realised that the only chance he had of making it with the briefcase was if Srini helped him unlock the chain-lock and did it quickly. He could not shoot him right away.
He decided to give it one more attempt before he had to really run away. He pulled down his dark glasses from his eyes to let them hang around his neck. He walked up to Srini and held the gun right to his head. He looked Srini directly in the eye with his cold-blooded murderous eyes that had a strange flat expression.
“Hey, Old man, Do you want to live long enough to see and play with your grandchildren or not? Get up quick and unlock that briefcase right now, or..” he stopped and slowly exaggeratedly put a finger on the trigger.
The contrarian in Srini rose to the surface again. Without saying in words, he seemed to convey, “So you think I am afraid of you or death? That I would let you have your way, just because I would like to see my grandchildren? Well, that’s what YOU think. You don’t really know me, do you?” Actually, the images of his children and grandchildren, his parents and family did flash by Srini. He was in a state of reverie. He was smiling.
It was the attacker who was now disconcerted. He had seen fear in the eyes and faces of most around him, but this man seemed quite chirpy and unafraid of what he knew would follow. Maybe he had no children or grandchild to look forward to see and play with!
Srini had occasionally surprised people in his life so far, taking such a contrarian approach and standing his ground.
“Well, let’s give it a try, shall we?” said Srini, almost playfully, smiling. He had the psychological upper hand. The attacker was in two minds – whether to try and go along with Srini and ‘call his bluff’ or to run away. He had been tasked with this mission and knew that the price of failure would not be something anyone would look forward to. He was still a young, foolish man in some sense.
“Go on, open the lock. You have 15 seconds,” he growled.
Srini went over to the briefcase. The attacker was now wary of him and kept his eyes on Srini. He could not look out over his surroundings as much as he would have like to. Srini could see some dark shapes bounding discreetly behind cars and bushes. The police were already nearby.
Srini fumbled with the combination, and tried to pull the lock apart. It did not give. He tried again.
“Police, Freeze!!” came a shout from behind a car.
A shot rang out, and then a few more.
All went dark for Srini. He could remember no more.
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