Daksh

Shalini Pathak woke up early in the morning, at exactly 6 am. She had been told to take an interview at 9:30 am and was supposed to reach her office by 8:30. She felt sleepy and decided to take a nap for 5-10 minutes. She closed her eyes, and when she woke up, it was 8:20; she was shocked. She immediately took a bath and got dressed. She wore her skin-colored stockings without fail to cover her robotic legs. Ranjeet Pathak and Prof. Sugandha Pathak reminded her to have her breakfast. She hurriedly ate her breakfast and ran quickly towards the gate of her bungalow. Ranjeet screamed, "Stop, Shalini!" She stopped immediately and turned around. Ranjeet came towards her and reminded her that she could not use her superspeed, as it would make others feel she was different from them, ultimately alienating her in society. Shalini immediately booked an online taxi and rushed towards her office. She reached her office at 9:25; she had an interview in five minutes. Her seniors were disappointed, but they still allowed her to continue with the interview.
Shalini and Nikita Datta sat in the newsroom, and they went live on Tazaa Khabar News Channel.
Shalini: Can you introduce yourself and tell us which school you studied in?
Nikita: My name is Nikita Datta. I studied at Gyaan Dev High School, and I appeared for my 10th Std Board Exams this year.
Shalini: What was your reaction when you saw your result?
Nikita: I was really happy and a little emotional. I didn't expect to top, that too with 99%... Honestly... I checked my result twice to confirm that I had really scored 99%... but I had worked hard, so it felt great.
Shalini: Congratulations! 99% in the 10th board exams is a great achievement. What was your daily study routine?
Nikita: I used to study for around 5–6 hours daily, apart from school and tuition. I followed a fixed timetable and tried to stick to it. I had kept myself away from my iPad, laptop, cellphone, friends, and video games.
Shalini: How did you manage your time between school, tuition, and self-study?
Nikita: I prioritized self-study after tuition and used Sundays for revision. Time management and avoiding distractions really helped.
Shalini: Which subject did you find most challenging, and how did you overcome it?
Nikita: For me, Marathi was a bit challenging, as it's not my mother tongue. But I practiced regularly, cleared my doubts immediately, and solved past papers. My Marathi Sir, Mr. Ashok, always cleared my doubts.
Shalini: Did you follow any special timetable or technique for revision?
Nikita: Yes, I followed a revision plan in the last two months. I divided each subject and focused more on my weaker areas, especially Marathi.
Shalini: Apart from Ashok sir, how did other teachers and your parents support you during the preparation?
Nikita: My teachers guided me a lot and clarified doubts whenever I needed help. My parents supported me emotionally and gave me a stress-free environment.
Shalini: What stream have you chosen for 11th and why?
Nikita: I’ve chosen Arts because I’m interested in Hindi Literature.
Shalini: What are your future career goals?
Nikita: I want to become a Hindi Teacher, so I’m preparing step-by-step towards that goal.
Shalini: What is your message for students preparing for their 10th exams?
Nikita: Stay focused, be regular with studies, and don’t leave revision for the last moment.
Shalini: What mistakes should students avoid during board preparation?
Nikita: Don’t ignore any subject and don’t depend only on last-minute studies. Avoid distractions like too much phone usage.
Shalini: Thank you, Nikita, for accepting our invitation. It was an honor meeting you.
Nikita: Thank you for having me on your show.
As soon as the camera turned off, Nikita went out of the newsroom and met her parents – Ameesha Datta, Nikita's mother, and Parthesh Datta, Nikita's father. They told her that she spoke very confidently and they were both proud of her.
On the other hand, five masked women forcefully entered the RB Bank, knocked the security guards unconscious, fired at the roof and walls, and threatened the people. The first masked girl, Tezika, was the leader of The Vanishers. She introduced herself to the people and told them that they would all suffer if she lost her temper. Tezika had worn a blue domino mask, a red T-shirt, blue pants, and red sports shoes. She had tied her hair into a high ponytail. The second masked girl was Fasty; she had worn a red domino mask, a yellow T-shirt, red pants, and yellow sports shoes. She had also tied her hair into a high ponytail. Fasty punched one of the bank employees and said, "You should be scared." The third one was Swifty; she had worn a black domino mask, a white T-shirt, black pants, and white sports shoes. She had also tied her hair into a high ponytail. Swifty found a glass of water on a table; she asked a girl, a bank employee standing near her, "Excuse me, ma'am... May I drink water?" The bank employee answered in a low voice, "Yes." Swifty punched her face hard and splashed water on her face angrily. The bank employee was shocked. Swifty grabbed her neck and said angrily, "Know your limits... You are not eligible to give me permission... Kneel down and don't you dare to speak a word." She punched that employee thrice in the face and pushed her into a corner. The bank employee fell on the floor, seriously injured, tears flowing from her eyes.
The fourth masked girl was Gatika; she had worn a purple domino mask, a white T-shirt, purple pants, and white sports shoes. She had also tied her hair into a high ponytail like the others. She went close to Swifty and said, "Calm down, Swifty... Please forgive that poor girl." An old man came forward and said, "Please let us go... We are common middle-class citizens, try to understand." Gatika kept him at gunpoint and said, "Mr. Old man, how dare you speak without our permission?" The old man started shivering. Gatika continued, "Go back, sit on that chair, and keep quiet... I respect elders.... Don't try to act smart, understood?" The old man replied in a low voice, "Yes.. Understood." He sat quietly on a chair, shocked and scared. The fifth one was Raftaara; she had worn a green domino mask, a white T-shirt, black pants, and green sports shoes. She had also tied her hair into a high ponytail like the others. She offered a glass of water to the old man and told him to calm down. The old man drank the water and thanked Raftaara. Tezika instructed Raftaara and Gatika to snatch all the gold chains and other valuables from the people in the bank. Fasty and Swifty were instructed to gather all the money from all the counters and drawers. She grabbed the bank manager and went towards the main vault room of the bank, where she grabbed a large amount of cash and packed it in two suitcases. She returned to the bank with the manager. The others had completed their job; they reported to Tezika.
Unexpectedly, Daksh arrived at the spot. He announced, "Hands up! There is no escape." Tezika ran swiftly, as she and the others had worn roller skates. She punched him hard in the face. Daksh grabbed her jacket and smashed her against a table. Fasty grabbed his right arm, and Swifty kicked his stomach hard. Fasty slammed him onto a table, breaking it into pieces and injuring Daksh seriously.
Gatika went close to him; she was about to unmask Daksh, but he suddenly kicked her stomach and got up. Raftaara kicked his back and pushed him at Fasty; Fasty punched him hard in the face. Daksh fell at Tezika's feet. She grabbed his jacket and made him stand up; she looked into his eyes and said, "You can't fight us alone." Suddenly, Queen Dawn entered the bank; she grabbed Tezika and banged her against a wall and said, "He is not alone." She angrily punched Tezika hard in the face. Gatika jumped high and kicked Queen Dawn's face hard. Daksh angrily slashed Gatika's arm with his sword and punched her hard in the face. Raftaara slashed Daksh's back with her knife; Queen Dawn punched her hard in the face. Tezika was about to attack Queen Dawn, but Daksh stopped her and slashed her arm with his sword. Suddenly, Fasty smashed Daksh's head with a wooden chair, shattering it into pieces. Before Queen Dawn could catch her, Raftaara grabbed her and banged her forehead against a table. Queen Dawn and Daksh both got injured and fell in a corner. Tezika grabbed an iron rod and hit Daksh's head hard, injuring him even more. She said, "We are The Vanishers.... We are going to rule the world.... We will rob, and there will be no one to stop us.... We will run, and there will be no one to catch us... I am leaving you both this time... But... If any of you hinder our path again, seriously... I will vanish your life from this world." The Vanishers defeated them both and escaped from there with the help of their roller skates. The Vanishers had shocked the city by defeating Daksh as well as Queen Dawn.
The next day, Nikita Datta and her parents, Ameesha and Parthesh Datta, were having breakfast. As Parthesh was about to leave for his office after breakfast, he realized he'd left his laptop bag in his bedroom. He went to retrieve it and was shocked as soon as he entered: his cupboard was open, and his laptop, iPod, the cash from his locker, and his expensive gold wristwatch were all missing. The bedroom window appeared to have been forced open. He immediately called the Wanbala Police Station and reported the theft.
Senior Inspector Jai and Inspector Hrishikesh arrived at the scene and began their investigation. Soon, everyone in the neighborhood and nearby areas learned about the theft. Queen Dawn arrived and spoke to Senior Inspector Jai, learning that the thief had stolen a laptop, an iPod, a large amount of cash from the locker, and an expensive gold wristwatch. Unexpectedly, Daksh also arrived, surprising everyone. He met Senior Inspector Jai and requested permission to investigate Nikita Datta's bungalow. Senior Inspector Jai granted him permission to investigate the crime scene in the presence of police officers.
Daksh began his investigation. He looked at the police officers and Queen Dawn, who were all wearing gloves. Out of curiosity, he asked, "Hand gloves? Why are you all wearing hand gloves?"
Queen Dawn asked, "You are here to investigate, right?"
Daksh replied, "Yes! Definitely."
Queen Dawn continued, "And... you don't know that it's important to wear hand gloves while investigating? Is that so?"
Daksh replied, "Yes... I don't know."
Queen Dawn explained, "Investigators wear gloves to avoid leaving their own fingerprints, protect themselves from harmful things, and keep the real clues safe during the investigation. There might be clues here, for example, a knife that the thief may have brought with him and accidentally dropped. If we touch that knife, we might leave our fingerprints on it and erase the criminal's fingerprints. Understood?"
Daksh said, "Yes, I remember. I watched something like this in a movie where a detective wears gloves during an investigation. Thanks, Queen Dawn... From next time onwards, I'll bring a pair of hand gloves with me."
Daksh met Nikita, Ameesha, and Parthesh. He asked Nikita, "What is your name?"
Nikita replied in a low voice, "I am Nikita Datta."
Senior Inspector Jai approached Daksh and said, "Sorry to interrupt... But Daksh... Do you really not know Nikita Datta?"
Daksh thought for a moment and said, "Nikita Datta... Are you a child celebrity? Sorry, I rarely watch TV serials... Have you featured in a movie?"
Senior Inspector Jai began, "No, Daksh..."
Daksh stopped him and said, "Oh! I got it... You must be a social media star... Sorry, I'm not very active on social media."
Queen Dawn interrupted, frustrated, "Come on, Daksh! She is Nikita Datta... She scored 99% in 10th class! Her interview with Shalini Pathak aired on Tazaa Khabar News Channel—one of the most successful channels in our country. How can you be unaware of her?"
Daksh was surprised. He looked at Nikita and said, "Unbelievable! 99% in Class 10th. Congratulations! That's a great achievement! As far as I remember... I scored 49% in Class 10th, and even if I multiply 49... that would be 98, which is less than what you've scored, Nikita... It's incredible... Beyond excellent!"
Nikita was surprised to learn that a person like Daksh, who defeated terrorists, had scored 49% in his Class 10th.
Daksh realized he wasn't behaving maturely. He looked at Senior Inspector Jai and said, "Let us continue with the investigation." He began checking every corner of the house without touching anything.
Queen Dawn found a screwdriver under a table and showed it to Senior Inspector Jai and Inspector Hrishikesh. Senior Inspector Jai asked Nikita and her parents about it, but they didn't recognize it. Inspector Hrishikesh assumed the screwdriver might belong to the thief. Daksh felt the same. Inspector Hrishikesh clicked a picture of the screwdriver and placed it in the evidence bag. Queen Dawn also clicked a picture of the screwdriver and left. Daksh was confused; he imitated Queen Dawn, clicked a picture of the screwdriver, and then left.
A few hours passed. Queen Dawn visited various nearby hardware shops, but that type of screwdriver was easily available everywhere. It was hard to determine which shop the thief had purchased it from. When Queen Dawn examined the picture of the screwdriver carefully, she noticed a logo on it. She uploaded the picture of the logo on the internet and collected some information about it. She learned that the logo was of ML Hardware Shop. She found the address of ML Hardware Shop online. She quickly ran towards the shop and reached there within one minute. She met the shopkeeper, showed him the picture of the screwdriver, and asked who had purchased it from his shop. She learned that it had been purchased by Montoo, one of ML Hardware Shop's regular customers. She got Montoo's residential address from the shopkeeper. She ran quickly and reached Montoo's house. He lived in a flat in a nearby building.
Queen Dawn knocked loudly on the door. Montoo opened the door, shocked to see her. Queen Dawn showed him the picture of the screwdriver on her cellphone and asked, "Mr. Montoo, does this screwdriver belong to you?" Montoo started sweating and answered in a low voice, "No... No... I don't know anything... Honestly, I have never visited the Datta House. I don't know who they are."
Queen Dawn looked at Montoo, smirked, and said, "Did I ask you about the Datta house?... No... Then how do you know them?"
Montoo was trapped. Queen Dawn understood that he was the thief and the screwdriver belonged to him. Montoo pushed her and ran towards the kitchen. Queen Dawn caught him and smashed him against the refrigerator. Montoo grabbed a cooker and hit her head hard. He then grabbed a bottle of red chili powder and put all of it in her eyes. Queen Dawn rubbed her eyes and screamed in pain. Montoo splashed hot milk on her face and pushed her. Queen Dawn collided against a wall, accidentally placed her foot in a utensil, and fell on the floor. Montoo ran out of his flat and locked her inside. He hurriedly went towards the parking area and sat on his bicycle. Suddenly, Daksh entered the parking lot. He punched Montoo hard in the face and slashed his bicycle with his sword, damaging the brakes and the front wheel. Montoo was about to punch him, but Daksh kicked his stomach hard. Montoo collided against a car and fell on the ground, screaming in pain. Daksh grabbed his shirt and banged him against the car. He asked, "Did you steal at Datta house?"
Montoo replied, "No... I don't know who they are."
Daksh slapped him twice and asked angrily, "Did you steal at Datta house?"
Montoo replied, "Yes... Yes... I stole a laptop, iPod, a large amount of cash, and an expensive gold wristwatch. I did it... I conducted the theft in their absence... I don't remember the total amount of cash... I just grabbed everything in the locker."
Daksh punched his stomach hard. Montoo screamed in pain and fell to his knees, tears flowing from his eyes.
Queen Dawn washed her face and reached the parking area. She thanked Daksh for helping her. Daksh used Montoo's cellphone and called the police. Senior Inspector Jai arrived at the scene and arrested Montoo. He thanked Daksh and Queen Dawn for helping the Wanbala Police Department. Montoo was put behind bars.
The next morning, The Vanishers attacked The Urban Bank. Tezika, the leader of The Vanishers, fired at the walls and furniture, instructing everyone to kneel down and give all their expensive belongings to Fasty and Swifty. Fasty and Swifty began looting wallets, wristwatches, chains, and expensive necklaces from everyone inside the bank. Gatika grabbed the Bank Manager, punched her hard in the face, and pushed her at Raftaara. Raftaara grabbed the Bank Manager's long hair tightly; she screamed in pain, tears flowing from her eyes. Gatika told the Bank Manager that if she cooperated, she might be safe from future torture. The Bank Manager cooperated and took them to the vault room. Gatika and Raftaara started collecting all the cash from the vault room. They gathered as much cash as they could and returned to Tezika.
Daksh suddenly arrived at the scene. He attacked Tezika. Gatika punched Daksh hard in the face and pushed him towards Raftaara. Daksh was about to slash her with his sword, but Raftaara swiftly dodged his attack as she had worn roller skates. Fasty kicked his back. Daksh collided against a table, turned around, and swung his sword, but Fasty dodged his attack in a second. Swifty slashed his back with her knife and said, "I am here, Daksh, come on, hit me." Daksh was injured. He turned around and swung his sword, but Swifty quickly dodged his attack. Tezika slashed his back with a knife and said dramatically, "I am here, Daksh, come on, hit me." Daksh turned around and swung his sword, but Tezika dodged his attack and ran towards a corner. Raftaara hit Daksh's right shoulder with an iron rod and said dramatically, "I am here, Daksh, come on, hit me." Daksh angrily slashed his sword at Raftaara, but she swiftly dodged his attack and punched him hard in the stomach. Tezika quickly snatched his sword and threw it aside. Daksh was shocked. He was about to punch her, but she swiftly dodged his attack and kicked his stomach. Fasty slashed his back again with her knife, and Raftaara swiftly bent down, moved forward, and slashed Daksh's right knee with her knife before standing up. Before Daksh could react, Tezika grabbed his jacket and slammed him onto the floor. Daksh slowly closed his eyes and fainted. All the innocent people in the bank were shocked. Tezika came to Daksh and said, "Let's see who is behind this mask." She was about to unmask him when suddenly Queen Dawn entered the bank with extreme force, using her superspeed. She took a breath and looked at Daksh, who was unconscious. She said, "Oh god! Feels like I am late."
Tezika and Fasty attacked her. She punched Fasty hard in the face and pushed Tezika. Raftaara swiftly slashed her back with her knife, and Gatika slashed her right arm. Queen Dawn screamed in pain. Tezika was about to hit her with an iron rod, but Queen Dawn dodged her attack, punched her hard in the face, and pushed her. Tezika collided against a table and fell on the floor. Queen Dawn lifted a wooden table and smashed it on Fasty's head, breaking it into pieces. Fasty fell on the floor, injured and defeated. Swifty jumped high and kicked her face. Queen Dawn collided against a nearby wall. Gatika and Raftaara approached her with iron rods. Queen Dawn quickly grabbed Fasty and smashed her against a wall. Daksh regained consciousness, got up, and looked at Queen Dawn, who was struggling against The Vanishers. Gatika hit Queen Dawn's head with her iron rod, and Raftaara hit her shoulder badly. Daksh attacked them, slashed Gatika's arm with his sword, and pushed her. Raftaara was about to attack him, but Daksh kicked her in the stomach and punched her in the face. He jumped high and kicked Gatika's face hard. He turned around and slashed Raftaara's back with his sword. They both screamed in pain and fell on the floor, injured and defeated.
Queen Dawn and Daksh unmasked all the members of The Vanishers and instructed them to confess their crime. Gwen D'silva, also known as Tezika, was the leader of The Vanishers. She was a trained martial artist and had formed the group. Baani Kaur, also known as Fasty, was Gwen's friend; she wanted to become rich, which is why she had joined Gwen's group. She was a trained kickboxer and had won gold medals in various tournaments but was never able to earn enough money, so she joined Gwen's group. Nitya Sharma, also known as Swifty, was an expert martial artist and a college student. All her friends had expensive smartphones except her, and she used to feel alienated when they used their phones. So, she requested her parents to buy her the latest smartphone, but they refused, so she joined Gwen's group to earn enough money to buy one. Akira Singh, also known as Gatika, was in urgent need of money for her mother's treatment. She begged her relatives and took a lot of loans but still failed to gather the required amount for her mother's treatment, so finally she decided to steal. Once, Gwen D'silva had parked her car on a street with a jewelry set inside. Akira accidentally reached there and saw the jewelry set. Without thinking twice, she broke the window glass, grabbed the jewelry set, and ran hurriedly. She was foolish to take this step as she was caught red-handed by Gwen and other pedestrians. Gwen took her home and gave her a chance to earn money by welcoming her into her team—The Vanishers. Nafeesa Rahmani, also known as Raftaara, was a victim of domestic violence. Her husband was a rich, proud businessman who was an egoistic person. Whenever someone used to give him a good business idea, it used to hurt his ego. Nafeesa was an Economics Professor, and once, while her husband had invited his colleagues to their bungalow, she overheard them and gave them an idea which turned out to be very good. The colleagues appreciated her but her husband didn't. From that day onwards, her husband started feeling insecure; he started beating Nafeesa regularly. Finally, one day Nafeesa parted ways with her husband and started searching for a job, but even after a lot of hard work, she failed to find one. Once, she accidentally met Gwen D'silva. Gwen looked at the scars and injuries on her face and understood she was a victim of domestic violence. Gwen consulted a lawyer and sued her husband. Her husband was put behind bars, but she was helpless and unemployed. Gwen offered her to join her group—The Vanishers. Nafeesa agreed, and together, Gwen D'silva (Tezika), Baani Kaur (Fasty), Nitya Sharma (Swifty), Akira Singh (Gatika), and Nafeesa Rahmani (Raftaara) became a family. Police officers arrived at the spot and arrested them all. Daksh ran towards a nearby lane, and Queen Dawn chased him, but he suddenly disappeared.
The next morning, Shalini Pathak wrote a news article on Daksh and Queen Dawn. She gave it the headline: "The Vanishers Vanished Forever." Everyone in Wanbala City was curious to know who Daksh and Queen Dawn were. Shalini also wanted to know more about Daksh.