".. sometimes it is better to stay non-existent and watch the game play itself, isn't it? " asked DOT. 

The aura of the place seemed nothing short of a sophisticated workshop with all the workstations and focus lights.
Apparently none seemed to work there, at least for a couple of days.

If things were to go as per the words of DOT, that place would soon bear witness to the culmination of all the mishaps that were happening that day.

One cannot miss the way in which the DOT works. He is so erratic and yet calm.

"You know you can talk!" said the DOT.

Drenched in sweat in spite of all the air conditioning around, DOT's captive sat nervously in his cozy chair.

For a man of morals, DOT certainly knew how to treat his captives. He provided them with all the amenities one could ask for and yet this male found himself on the brink of death.

As much as he was startled to see the face of DOT, he would've preferred to stay away from this chaos.

"You are not going to talk, are you? " asked DOT.

"Well It'd be foolish to have expected otherwise! So, coming to the discussion again, where were we?... Ah! The next step right? Here it is: Now or some minutes later the so called protagonist of this fiasco will call me and I'm going to ask him to come here just like I'm about to call my aide" said DOT in a fit of laughter.

DOT then dialled a number in his mobile phone and kept it in his ear.

"Hello doctor! " DOT said that in a  louder voice so that his captive can hear it too.

"Listen. Just listen to me. I want you to meet me in person.. "

He then looked at the clock placed in his table and said ".. in precisely two hours. You will begin in half an hour's time and I'll guide you to my place. Peace! "
DOT then hung up the phone.

He then took giant strides towards his captive and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. He then looked coldly into the 41 year old's scared eyes.

"You seem afraid.. of death? Come on! I know you guys for quite sometime now and not once have I felt you all are scared of death! Okay.. I can understand how you feel. In fact I've felt the same way. Nothing more, nothing less. Just the exact same way!. Shall I come back to you after talking to my aide? I might as well. "

Now the DOT was busy dialling in his other mobile phone. He had a lot of them. He never used a device more than once since the start of that mission of his.

"This is the DOT. I want you to meet me for the final settlement. You shall be guided by me in another 50 minutes time. Ciao. "

Both of them are intimated. Now what's he upto? Am I going to get murdered? What have I got myself into? Is this some sort of vengeance?
The captive's mind was playing games with him.

DOT turned towards him all of a sudden with a creepy smile and said,
"Their minds will be in even worse conditions! "

-------

Inside Ameer's apartment, Suriya's mobile phone blared in the silence.
Again an unknown number.

"Hello? "

"Hello doctor! "

"What do you want this time, you maniac! " said Suriya faking anger.

"Listen. Just listen to me. I want you to meet me in person.. in precisely two hours. You will begin in half an hour's time and I'll guide you to my place. Peace! "

With that the call ended.

Suriya was in a state of shock. He didn't expect the DOT to say that. It was as if he was watching over them.

Seeing the sub-inspector reeling in shock, Ameer asked "what's the matter sir? "

"Was it DOT? " asked Arul.

"... he wants me to meet him. " replied Suriya.

"Whoa! Who is that guy? " exclaimed Ameer.

Chezhiyan couldn't believe what he just heard.
Arul then cleared the mist of confusion. "He just wants to meet him as a part of his plan perhaps? "

"Likely so! " pitched in Chezhiyan.

"And what does it make of our plan now? " asked Ameer puzzled.

"Yeah what are we going to do now? " Chezhiyan was equally worried.

"That doesn't change much. Previously it was like DOT calls Suriya and taunts him with the impending death of Chezhiyan. Then he'd call me after seeing my text message stating my desire to meet him. But now instead of the taunt, the DOT wants to meet Suriya. Still I'm bound to do my part and get a meeting arranged with him. "

"I think he is upto something more. Let's wait and proceed " said Suriya.

"I agree and I need so-" Arul was interrupted by a cell phone ringtone. This time it was his mobile that was blaring with a ten digit number in its display.

"Arul here"

"This is the DOT. I want you to meet me for the final settlement. You shall be guided by me in another 50 minutes time. Ciao. "

That's that. The call ended.

Everyone in the room had a look of disbelief in their faces.

"Don't tell me that was DOT! " said Ameer.

"It was him and he wants to meet me too. " said Arul.

"That's it. He's definitely upto something. What are we going to do? My god,  he is reading our minds! " Ameer was terrified as hell.

"Don't panic boy we got this! " said Suriya.

"No we ain't got this! How are we supposed to believe, you got this,  when a guy that wants us both killed is   out-witting us? " Chezhiyan spewed out those words in anger.

"Just calm down you idiot! Let us think. " said Arul coldly.

"So what did he exactly say? " asked Suriya towards Arul.

"He wants me started in fifty minutes and then he'll guide me to his place. " said Arul.

"The same for me except that it was 30 instead of 50. "

"Hey! That means he still thinks you're not together. Or... " started Chezhiyan before the reason dawned upon him.

"Or, he would toy with us en route to his place. He is testing whether I'm working with Suriya or not! That pathetic son of a.. " raged Arul.

"Don't speculate everything, let the truth unfold itself. " said Suriya.

"What are you now? A saint? " asked Arul fuming.

"Nope just let him play his tricks and that way he is more vulnerable. We'll get him. That's a promise. " said Suriya.

All four of them spent the next ten odd minutes thinking of the permutations in which DOT could act.

A few minutes later Suriya received a call from DOT.

"Start now and reach the Gandhi statue near light house. I'll call you in another twenty minutes. "

There was no room for Suriya to think. He should be there at the statue in twenty minutes else the mission is sabotaged.
He hastily took his revolver and checked it.

"I'll leave then. Let us each take one boy with us. I'll take Ameer. " said Suriya as he grabbed Ameer's hand.

Arul nodded and glanced at Chezhiyan who nodded back.

Chezhiyan felt something was fishy in this decision and decided to keep an eye on Arul.

As DOT had earlier informed, in another 15 minutes a call came.

"You shall start to my place now! I want you to reach the Nehru stadium in twenty minutes. After which I'll call you with another set of instructions. "

Chezhiyan and Arul began their journey.

-------

" And now the grand finale of this game is going to commence! Let's spice it up a bit more! " said DOT as he neared his table and took out his silenced weapon.

On turning back to look at his tied up captive, he saw the thing he yearned  for. FEAR.

The captive's eyes held fear. Fear for his life!

The life which will soon be not his anymore...

To be continued!