KNIGHTS: The legendary fight between mind and manipulation (episode-3).

3 days later,

Sunny- We are on a conference call so no cursing, please.

Gaurav- Where are you guys?

Sunny- Harsha is on her way to pick us up.

Ibis- We are already with her, me and Nancy.

Eventually, Harsha picked us up and brought us to the flat. And after gathering there,

Tina- So?

Sunny- So?

Tina- Are we rich?

Sunny- Nope.

Tina- The planned failed!

Sunny- I didn’t say that. Let us just say we have enough capital to fund our primary plan.

Tina- You pulled it off?

Sunny- You doubt me?

Tina- Never in a million years.

Sunny- 7 crores. 3 lakhs in everyone’s account rest in cash with us. We celebrate today and we start planning tomorrow again. How's that sound?

We spent that day partying and living without a tension after a long and stressful time. And nobody was having a bad day. Why should they? It's not like you get to have a party in your apartment every day, do you?

2:30 am in the apartment,

Gaurav- Brought you a beer.

Sunny- A cigarette would have been better but a beer will do just fine as well.

Gaurav- Drink it up and you get your share of smoke.

Nancy- Everyone in bed. What about you guys?

Gaurav- After this beer in me, I am out.

Nancy- That’s the 7th one.

Gaurav- Yup. I was thirsty.

Sunny- Got light?

Nancy- here you go.

Gaurav- I am off to bed before you guys drag me there.

Nancy - Me too. Good night or shall I say morning.

Sunny- Good night, guys. I shall be there after a few moments to myself.

15 mins later,

Harsha- You alright?

Sunny- Yes. I guess.

Harsha- As usual, you did a fine job SH.

Sunny- We all did. The plan was perfectly executed.

Harsha- What happened to you back there?

Sunny- What do you mean? I pulled it off.

Harsha- You moron. I mean our school days. Everyone knew that I had a serious crush on you yet you never seemed to have any interests. Why is that?

Sunny- I guess I was too chicken.

Harsha- You still are?

Sunny- Why do I get the feeling that my dignity is at stake?

Harsha- You are right. It is.

Sunny- Ok. I am off to bed.

Harsha- Look at me. I am the same girl who was desperate for your attention in school. I still am. You never noticed me.

Sunny- I did. I still do. I know the fact that you came here not for the money but for the reason that Tina mentioned my name.

Harsha- I waited long, very long for you to be with me. We can do it now. We have enough cash to settle somewhere and do something. Open a small store or something. We sell something every day and then we come home at night, turn the music, get us a drink, cook food together, feed each other and sleep hugging each other tightly. You cuddling me like a small teddy bear. Raise a family. Be happy.

Sunny- This is the life you wanted? Why come here in the 1st place?

Harsha- I don’t want this life with someone else but with you. I was in love with you, still am, always will be. Please, S, let’s drop it. We have everything now. We don’t need to risk our lives again. Once was quite enough.

Sunny- Let me show you something.

I grabbed her hand and took her to the room where everyone was sleeping.

Sunny- Look at them. 7 months ago, they were just trying to find a living or a reason to live. Now they have. Are you asking me to take that away from them? Isn’t that selfish?

Harsha- And what about me? I was lost when I was away from you. The guy whom I love never had any interest in me and to make it worse, he is now trying to plan something which can kill us all. I am not afraid to die. I am afraid to the fact that I will never see you again. I love you. Please. I beg you. Be with me for the rest of my life and make me the happiest woman on earth.

Sunny- I can’t H. You are the life I need. But they are the life I want. Thrill and adrenaline rush are part of me. But yes, I do love you. Always have, always will.

Harsha- In that case, I need you to make a promise. If we are alive after we pull this job, it is the end. We go far away and have a life to us.

Sunny- I promise. Although, I can’t help but notice that you rented two apartments. Nancy, Kush and Ibis in one room, Tina and Gaurav in the other, So, a whole apartment to ourselves? Is one room for you and one for me?

Harsha - Or we can share a bed. Save us the room service duties somewhat to ourselves?

I can’t help but see the spark in her eyes. But sometimes, going with the flow is a better option. Who could turn down an offer from her? After all, she is the manipulative genius of the team. And if she is asking me to join her in the same comforter, how can I deny her? 

KNIGHTS: The legendary fight between mind and manipulation (episode-2).

Next day,

Harsha- Success point consultancy, how may we help you?
Tina- How about quitting the job you have, as a start?
Harsha- Not now sweetheart. I have a whole farm to handle.
Tina- You are the in-charge?
Harsha - yes.
Tina- I thought you were a receptionist.
Harsha - 7 months ago.
Tina- Nice to know your skills increased ridiculously. Call me when you get home. It's about knights.
Harsha - Not interested in childhood's play T.
Tina- Not even with sunny being involved?
Harsha- 8 o clock. I shall call. Bye.
8:11 pm,
Harsha - Ok start talking.
Tina- 3 words, Sunny, 200 crores, 28 crores each.
Harsha- where are you guys?
Tina- Bangalore.
Harsha- Tomorrow, receive me.
Tina- Done!
Next day.
Harsha- You enjoy guys checking you out.
Tina- Compliment or insult?
Harsha- A bit of both.
Tina- Welcome H, let’s meet the others.

About an hour later....
Harsha - Whose apartment is this? Kind of small but well maintained.
Tina- Any guesses?
Harsha- Sunny?
Tina- Correct as usual. And here we are.
Harsha- After 6 years, we are here. All of us. Even the stinky hulk.
Gaurav- Yup, stink then too.
Sunny- Coffee?
Harsha- Not here for coffee, love!
Sunny- I insist.
Tina- Ok Sherlock! Stop insisting. The gang is here, what now?
Sunny- We have two jobs. The 1st one to fund the 2nd one.
Kush- Complicated guy.
Gaurav- Says the head scratcher.
Sunny-Enough! One thing must be cleared to all of you, behind every great fortune; there is a risk, a crime and a mystery. We may die doing this job. But if done, we can have different names and lives.
Harsha- What's the plan?
Sunny- Rajiv Khandelwal? Anyone?
Ibis- One of the top smugglers of our nation. Money laundry king, and other illegal things. Does everything in Delhi. But no one knows where he lives. Yes, then?
Sunny- We rob him.
Gaurav- Say what?
Kush- With all combination and permutations combined......
Nancy- Not now buddy. Calculations are not needed for funeral.
Tina- Are you insane?
Harsha- What's the plan?
Gaurav- Hey! Miss peanut brain. You out of your mind?
Sunny- You guys trust me?
Nancy- More than anything mate, but this is suicide.
Sunny- His son is in a college of Delhi. We use him to get to him. For the next 3 months, we do exactly what I say, no questions asked. I shall bring us through, no worries.
Harsha- I quit my job and brought some findings, I had a hunch, something big is coming.
Sunny- Not big. Gigantic. You guys in?
Knights- We are with you even to the gates of hell.

NEXT DAY…
Sunny- Morning everyone.
Ibis – What time is it?
Nancy – 7 am. Most people here don’t get up that early you know.
Sunny- They do now. Freshen up, everyone. We got a lot of things to do.

After an hour.
Sunny -Everyone’s here? I guess so.
Gaurav – It's half passed 8. You better have something important to discuss.
Sunny – For the 1st project, we choose someone who is a money laundry king but on a smaller basis.
Gaurav- I have a suggestion.
Sunny – Go ahead.
Gaurav – Sunil Tiwari. A merchant by fact but runs an almost next to legal, money laundry farm for the businessmen on a small scale.
Sunny – It is perfect.
Harsha- How to rob him?
Sunny- Harsha. You are up. Take a job in his farm and get close to him as much as possible.
We squeeze out every bit of information and then we rob him blindfolded.


We started following Sunil like a shadow with all his informations passed by Harsha. We took small jobs to blend in and avoid any doubts. While we were white collar fellows in the daytime, the night showed the real KNIGHTS.
I started making plans and Gaurav made the backup plans making sure we have a support if something goes wrong. Ibis was training us at shooting and martial arts incase we run into any face-to-face combat. 
Problems arrived occasionally but with Nancy, there is no problem that doesn't have a loophole. And Kush, always providing logic and statistics to the plan with all the online research needed. And Tina came up with a list of thing we need to take away his money.

After 6 months of intense planning with Harsha leaking informations and building up a personal relation to him. Finally, the day came when we proceed with our plans.

6 months later…
Harsha- Today he is going to make a deal of 7 crores. Since it is illegal; it's all cash. He will make the deal at the old abandoned biscuit factory.
Tina- What’s the plan.
Sunny- We take the position on the roof with guns. We shoot him and his associates and take the money. I already talked to someone who can provide us with 2 flats in Delhi on rent. We shift there immediately.
Tina- But we have no bullets and besides killing a money-laundry king will make a big fuss. What happened to 'keep a low profile'?
Ibis- With all due respect, the guns we have are accurate but are tranquilizer guns, not real guns. We cannot kill them.
Gaurav – Unless we don’t want to. Tina is right. Killing them would make a big fuss so we use horse tranqs. Put them to sleep, take their money run away and finally, they can’t do much since it was illegal money not to mention about the authorities not getting involved since they are alive. What’s the probability K?
Kush- 99% chances of success.
Gaurav- Any loopholes?
Nancy- None that I can think off.
Sunny- Grab you communicators and let’s go. And kush. No smoking! We don’t leave any clues behind. Ibis, Nancy, Gaurav. Get ready. Tina and Harsha shall board a flight to Delhi and we shall meet at the apartment at 10 am 3 days from now.

I handed them the apartment's address and went to the location.

Tina- Ok. Let’s go H.

1:30 am at the factory.

Gaurav- Here they come.
Sunny- The meeting is 20 mins from now. Check your positions, everyone.
Ibis- On the rooftop, with gun. Loaded.
Kush- Behind the third rail, approximate distance 100 meters.
Gaurav. Factory bars, behind the glass with binoculars. Check.
Sunny- Gaurav, what’s their status?
Gaurav- 3 bodyguards and the king is inside. How to get him out?
Sunny- He is a chain smoker, wait for it. He will come out eventually.

After 7 minutes…

Gaurav- There he is. Is everyone ready?
Kush- Ready.
Ibis- Ready.
Nancy- Loaded and ready.
Sunny- Call targets.
Ibis- One with the waistcoat.
Nancy- 'Long hairs' is mine.
Sunny. I take the third one. On my mark! Ibis take the king with your 2nd shot.
Ibis- 2nd shot, king! Got it.
Sunny- 1, 2, 3, go.

We fired 3 shots and took the 3 guards down and then Ibis shot Sunil and he was down as well.
Sunny- Kush, You are up. Take the bags and the darts and meet us at the rendezvous point.
We took the bags and moved towards an alley where we had parked our car. We drive us through to our flat. We divided the money into equal parts and went to 5 different destinations. I went to Kolkata and deposited as much money as possible to our accounts and directed everyone else to do the same. Kush and Gaurav went to Guwahati. Ibis and Nancy went to Delhi directly by flights.

About Knights.

The title itself stands for the union of 7 enemies turned friends turned associates turned traitors. A school life union that is a complete picture but if you take one piece out, it becomes and unresolved and incomplete puzzle again.

The story revolves around 5 guys and 2 girls who are unique on their own. They all have one thing in common, ADHD. So, one among the 7 decides to bring all of them together but never he would have imagined that his plan will be the reason for the death of everyone. A combination of mystery, deduction, sarcasm, romance and mind games. 

K- Kush Verma (The logical analyst)

N- Nancy Fernandes (The improviser)

I- Ibis Ahmed (The combat expert)

G- Gaurav Ghosh (The planner)

H- Harsha Singh (The manipulating expert)

T- Tina Gupta (The Manager)

S- Sunny Chaudhary (The Leader)

KNIGHTS: The legendary fight between mind and manipulation (episode-1).

I hate waking up 4 in the morning but today it was a day to be happy, not angry. We are going on an EVS field trip. Not to mention, my enemies are also excited as today is the day we all be outsmarting or at least trying to outsmart each other. Being an 8th grader,  I am a teenager but also blessed with the possibilities of Sherlock Holmes (the deduction and quick thinking part, not the charm and language) but so are the other 6 in their own ways. 

Kush Verma, the mathematical genius, winner of every single quiz and competition his parents and our school threw at him in regards of mathematics, boy genius and also nicknamed as John Nash for both his talents and the head scratching, confused guy attitude he carries with him but he is good in calculating every possibility and probability of a situation, both bad and worse in such a way that they always hit their mark. 

Nancy Fernandez, also known as the destroyer. This guy literally exploits every single loophole in anything; he was once punished for getting late. Later, he wasted three days to put a ban on the carrier of the teacher who punished him, dangerous and determined.

 Ibis Ahmed was the realistic version of hulk but much more destructive. Major anger management issues with devastating circumstances. He nearly killed 5 college students alone in the 8th standard for getting bullied. Black belt in five combat styles and the best athlete in our school.

 Gaurav Ghosh, also known as Mr. I.D (infinitely devious). If America recruited him in their search of Osama, the time would have been like 15 minutes or so before they find him. Improvise, adapt, overcome and put that into one single plan. Specialty? Revenge! 

Harsha Singh, the Barbie doll of our school. What she can't achieve with skill, she demolishes it with her manipulation. You think you are taking her advantage? Not the devil itself can do that. 

Tina Gupta, the beauty with brains, blessed with the most dangerous skill combo. For her, there is no losing. If she wants it, she must get it. 

And of course last but definitely not the least, the narrator so far, Sunny Chaudhary. Considered to be the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ of my time by my batch mates. Logical visualization, superb deduction skills and a set of eyes missing very few things.

Everyone was planning on how to be superior to the other six while I saw the rain clouds and knew what was coming.

Hills are a great spot for EVS trip but what the school committee didn't know was the fact that we are planning to kill each other as we crossed each other’s path in every way (Don't be fooled by our age).

The fact was to win in any way possible (death counted) and after a short trip to hills, everyone returned except for the 7 of us.

While others were busy setting traps for each other, I was tying elastic ropes, 3 in a row to the trees in an alternate way somewhat higher to the ground that I have stolen from the camp.

My predictions, as usual, was correct. The rain came and they were trapped in a slippery way downhill. Thanks to my ropes. They were saved. And finally, we became friends and decided no more killing each other. LITERALLY.

For the next 2 years, we ruled the school. We were on top of everything. Sports, studies, E.C.As. But after 2 years, the school was over. We went to different paths and then even keeping each other connected was a problem with me being the sticky, white substance. Gum! 

August 6, 2015. Bangalore. Coffee shop.

Sunny- One cold coffee, please. Thanks. That will do. No specials needed.

Waiter- I didn't get it, sir.

Sunny- After writing cold coffee, you were about to start a new thread expecting me to order something else. The coffee shop is a big franchise so it is, by all means, correct that the owners would like you to juice the customer as much as possible. And your uniform is a little old, if I am not wrong, which explains the fact that you are working here for quite some time now. So, your training pushes you to tempt me to order something else which you were about to execute by introducing me to the specials and discounts today increasing the bill. Thanks but a coffee will do just great.

Waiter- Ummmm. I definitely didn't see that coming.

Sunny- Yup! I get that a lot.

Ibis- One more for me, cold with extra cream.

Sunny- What's up big guy? Haven't heard from you?

Ibis- Been busy. Need a vacation.

Sunny- You are paying right?

Ibis- Not in a million years. You are paying. Cheap ass.

After an hour,

Sunny- Care for a smoke?

Ibis- Something light?

Sunny - How about something cheap?

We both laugh.

Sunny- How’s life?

Ibis- Well and established. Working for a firm right now. Good salary.

Sunny- Really?

Ibis- Yup. Any doubts?

Sunny- Worn out t-shirt, fresh wounds on knuckles, scars on face and a track suit to wear for a cup of coffee in The coffee house on a Sunday afternoon? Teaching martial arts in the stadium few blocks away from here and street fighting for some extra income is the job that you were talking about?

Ibis- Well, can't lie to Sherlock leaving such obvious clues behind.

Sunny- I m flattered and annoyed.

Ibis- Life is a mess. Dropped out from college, can't complete graduation. Major inferiority complex.

Sunny- Anger management issues you mean?

Kush- Any brand cigarette, please.

Sunny- The great John Nash is here too.

Kush- What great? Need a job. Can't find a way to finance my research.

Sunny- College drop out?

Kush- How do you know?

Sunny- Lucky guess.

Ibis- Let's go to the park, spent some time there if you guys don.t have any other engagements.

Kush and Sunny- Great idea.

Sunny- What brings you here?

Ibis- Classes. Dumbass.

Sunny- Not you moron. Him. Last I heard, you were in IIT-Kharagpur.

Kush- Trying to find a new life. Sick and tired of the education system. Kills the creativity inside.

Sunny- And you left?

Kush- I love maths and machines more than girls but there I was getting forced to learn how to mix cement and measure land with chain. What do expect?

Nancy- Surprise to see you all here.

We greet each other.

Sunny- Blind date?

Nancy - Written on my face, isn't it?

Sunny- Trimmed nails for someone who bites. Formal dress up on a Sunday afternoon in a park, wet hair and combed to its fullest for extra attention. 150 bucks chocolate in the pocket for someone having a taste for chewing gum. Mobile in hand with occasional checking on it and looking at every random girl passing. Here to meet someone but searching with a tensed look and a fluctuating eye contact which concludes that you don't know her yet. Written all over you.

Nancy- Ladies and gentlemen, world's greatest detective.

Sunny- OK. That's annoying.

Kush- Any details about your date?

Nancy- Not much. Friend's marriage, maybe a cousin to him or something. Nothing else.

Kush- The possibility of marriage is low in a situation like this. Although the probability of matching the common factors with so little knowledge to explore is relatively lower than usual.

Nacy- Still confusing, you haven't aged a day.

Tina- Hey fellas! What you guys all doing here?

Ibis- Wasting time.

Tina- Like you have anything else to do.

Sunny - What brings you here?

Tina - Blind date. Supposed to meet someone.

Nancy- Yuck. Not you. Anyone but you. Are you the blind date?

Tina- You were expecting someone with rain dancing here, correct?

Sunny- Okay love birds. Get a room. No romance in the open.

Tina- With him? Never.

Gaurav- The advantage of being devious is that you don't get to seat on the front row seats and so you avoid the throws. I think I am cupid in this case, don't you agree

Nancy -  So, it was you? I knew it. Not funny at all mate.

Sunny- Funny. 6 straight years and the whole gang is here. Almost the whole gang.

Ibis- Speaking of which. Where is miss manipulation these days?

Tina- Last I heard, she was in Calcutta. Doing a job in some job consultancy or something.

Sunny- So how many of us are college dropouts anyway?

Everyone raise a hand.

Sunny- So technically we can’t fit in the society because we are a more evolved class of individuals. Is that it?

Tina- Kind of. Yeah.

Gaurav- The reason for our misfit is not our merits but demerits. And we all have one. At least one to be considered as a negative trait in our society.

Sunny- Complete it, buddy.

Gaurav- Kush can’t think anything besides his research. Ibis and hulk are similar in nature, hulk is less destructive. Nancy is a fluctuating individual. Sodium in water reacts with lesser speed. I always try to find a worthy opponent to compete in brain games but never met anyone after you sunny. Miss picky here has a lot of issues. Picking and wanting the goody-goody things always, no compromise. And Sunny, the most brilliant mind I have ever seen. Perfect in everything but expects the same from every other person he encounters. 

Face it guys. We were invincible once because we were together once. We backed each other up in the past. But now we don't.

Sunny- Why not?

Nancy- What do you mean?

Sunny- Look at us. We are the next stage of human evolution. We are special and we know us better than anyone. Strengths, weaknesses, compatibility. And to prove it logically, we are all dropouts. We all are broke yet we are having a good life. Because we just want our basic needs to be fulfilled. We are not victims of the advertisement community. We are unique.

Kush- The chances of success of a person with the knowledge on that field increase when he is supported by the group of people sharing the same interest but with different skill sets filling the voids to reduce the negative effects it may cause.

Sunny- That's what I am saying, I guess. You are complicated Kush.

Gaurav- I am in. Whatever it is.

Ibis- I don't see any future rather than becoming a martial arts teacher in my 40s. Will that plan of yours gonna get me a dojo?

Sunny- What plan? I haven't said anything.

Gaurav - Save it. You have something in mind and we know it. Whatever it is, we don't care. We are in.

Sunny- Nancy and Kush?

Nancy- Do I have a contributing role?

Sunny- Yup. Bouncer's role.

Nancy- And you are the bartender, right? I am in.

Kush- What are the outcome and the payout?

Sunny- Let’s just say, it will be enough to pay for a luxurious life for each and every one of us with a high chance of fulfilling all of our dreams.

Kush- I am in.

Tina- Is it worth it? I have a bloody feeling that the way to success with him will be full of risks.

Sunny- Hope for the best and get even more. That's our plan.

Kush- What's the payout, if I may ask? You know I am a number's guy.

Sunny- 200 crores. 28 crores each.

Tina- I am in.

Ibis- That was fast.

Nancy- What about Harsha?

Sunny- Tina?

Tina- 3 days from now, she will be with us.

Gaurav- Ladies and gentlemen, KNIGHTS is back in action.