The door creaked open. Karikalan and Richard stepped
inside, their training sweat still fresh. What they saw froze them in place.
Narration:"Veera's
body lay sprawled across the floor, battered and unconscious. The silence of
the house was broken only by their shocked cries."
Karikalan & Richard (shouting together):"Veera!"
Richard rushed forward, kneeling beside Veera, checking his
pulse and breath. Relief flickered — Veera was alive, but barely.
Richard's eyes lifted. Standing calmly in the center of the
room was the intruder, his face stoic, unshaken, as if the chaos around him
meant nothing.
The air grew heavy. Richard rose to his feet, stepping
close, his eyes locked on the intruder. The two men stood face‑to‑face, only a
narrow gap of air between them.
Karikalan moved forward, his presence commanding. He placed
a hand on Richard's shoulder, pushing him aside. His eyes narrowed, his voice
sharp.
Karikalan (challenging):"Is
it you… Pratap?"
The heavy silence broke when the intruder's stoic face
softened into a smile.
Pratap (smiling):"Oh,
Karikalan… how are you? It's been a long time since we saw each other,
right?"
Karikalan's eyes narrowed, his tone steady but probing.
Karikalan:"Yeah…
it's been a long time. Now tell me — what brings you here?"
Suddenly, Pratap's face turned pale. His voice rose, sharp
and accusing.
Pratap (yelling):"You
idiot! You're the one who asked me to come here for this pendrive. Have you
forgotten already?"
Karikalan chuckled, brushing it off with unnerving calm.
Karikalan (laughing):"Yeah,
I forgot that. You're right. Do you want tea or coffee?"
Pratap shook his head, his urgency returning.
Pratap:"No,
I'm fine. I need to leave now — I have unfinished work. But tell me… who the
hell is this guy?"
Karikalan gestured toward Richard, his tone proud.
Karikalan:"You
mean him? Let me introduce you. This is Richard. He has a record in amateur
boxing — 10‑0. He came to India for the martial arts tournament, but it ended
with me defeating him. Now he's gearing up for his upcoming matches."
Pratap's expression hardened again. Without responding, he
reached into his pocket.
Pratap (coldly):
"Take this pendrive."
The air in the room was still heavy from the fight. Veera
lay unconscious, Richard stood silent, and Pratap's calm face hid a storm
beneath.
Karikalan broke the silence first, his tone sharp but
controlled.
Karikalan:"Why did
you beat this guy? Did he do anything wrong?"
Pratap turned his gaze toward Veera's body, his voice
steady, almost indifferent.
Pratap:"He did
nothing… except challenging me. This guy lying on the floor forced me to fight
while I was searching for your laptop. I refused at first, but he kept
insisting again and again. So I had no choice."
Karikalan's expression softened slightly, but his curiosity
sharpened.
Karikalan:"Then
tell me — why did I ask you to bring this pendrive?"
Pratap's eyes narrowed, his tone shifting from irritation
to confusion.
Pratap:"That's what
I want to know. Why did you ask me to bring it?"
Karikalan smiled faintly, his voice calm, almost casual.
Karikalan:"The
reason I asked you to bring the pendrive… is to watch David Martinez's
fight."
The room fell silent again. Richard blinked, confused.
Pratap's expression froze — the name David Martinez seemed to carry
weight, a memory, or a secret.
"Yeah… David Carlos Martinez, huh? I've seen his
fights before. He's the current WBA middleweight champion — the man with the
most knockouts and the most devastating record in boxing history. Disqualified
six times, yet undefeated. Ten matches, zero losses, seven wins — five of them
with no result. That makes him one of the most dangerous people alive."
Richard's eyes widened, disbelief flashing across his face.
Richard:"What did
you say? David became that popular in just six months?"
Pratap nodded, his tone darkening.
Pratap:"Yes, you're
right. It's because he killed five opponents with his mysterious punch during
bouts. I was amazed by his fighting style — that's why I brought this pendrive
to Karikalan when he asked for it. I'm trying to grasp his punching technique… for
my unfinished business."
Richard frowned, curiosity overtaking his shock.
Richard:"Unfinished
business? What kind?"
Before Pratap could answer, Karikalan stepped in, his tone
half‑mocking, half‑serious.
Karikalan:"Beating rookies — that's
the only unfinished business he's ever had."
Pratap's face turned pale, his calmness cracking.
Pratap (angrily):
"Are you calling them rookies? Those brats emptied my wallet last month
and never returned the money! If I find them again, I'll knock them out with
this punch — so they'll remember it till their last breath!"
Karikalan:"Ok! Now
we will find some insights from David's punch."
He walked toward the corner of the room, but before he
could continue, Pratap's mocking tone cut through the silence.
Pratap (sarcastic):"How
are you going to watch this video? You don't even have a laptop at home, right?
Or will you people watch the fight by staring at the CD with your naked eyes,
ah?"
Suddenly, Pratap burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Pratap (laughing loudly):"Ahahahahahaha…!"
Karikalan and Richard turned toward him, their faces
twisted in annoyance. Their piercing stares silenced Pratap instantly. His
laughter died, replaced by awkwardness.
Pratap (confused, defensive):"Why are you looking at me like that? Oh wait… how did you
even get the laptop?"
Karikalan smirked, his tone casual.
Karikalan:"I
put it under the table."
Pratap's face drained of color, his composure cracking.
Pratap (angrily):"Who
the hell puts a laptop under the table? Do you have any conscience? Any sense
at all? I searched this place five minutes ago!"
Karikalan's expression suddenly shifted, his face turning
pale as realization struck.
Karikalan (angrily):"So… you
searched my place five minutes ago and knocked Veera down just for this
laptop?"
Pratap raised his hands defensively, his tone sharp but
denying.
Pratap:"No,
it's not like that!"
The tension snapped. Both men lunged at each other, fists
flying in a barrage of punches. The room filled with the sound of blows,
grunts, and crashing furniture.
Karikalan (furious):"How
dare you! How could you search for the laptop without my permission?"
Pratap, blocking and countering, shouted back with equal
rage.
Pratap:"I searched
because I also wanted to watch the fight, you idiot!"
Richard, caught between the chaos, finally stepped forward,
his voice booming over the clash.
Richard
(shouting):"Stop fighting! That's my laptop, you idiots!"
The room froze for a moment, both Karikalan and Pratap
glaring at each other, fists still clenched, while Richard's words hung heavy
in the air. The pendrive, the laptop, and the fight footage had now become more
than just objects — they were symbols of pride, obsession, and betrayal.
The room grew quiet as the laptop finally played David
Martinez's fight. The crowd's roar filled the speakers, but Karikalan, Pratap,
and Richard focused only on the champion's movements.
David began cautiously, his guard tight, his stance
defensive. For two or three rounds, he absorbed the opponent's relentless jabs,
barely moving, studying every rhythm.
Then, suddenly, David answered with a single jab. The
opponent froze for a second, his feet stumbling backward. Confusion spread
across his face.
Narration (slow motion):"It
wasn't just a jab. It was a flicker — a strike so fast, so precise, it blurred
the line between offense and defense."
David unleashed a series of flicker jabs. His opponent's
guard faltered, his rhythm broken. The moment the guard lowered, David struck —
one flicker jab, perfectly timed. The opponent collapsed, knocked down
instantly.
Richard leaned forward, disbelief in his voice.
Richard:"Even
though it's just a flicker jab… how could anyone die from a single flicker
jab?"
Karikalan's face was pale, his tone thoughtful.
Karikalan:"I
think his jabs are stronger than any other fighter in the world. Either he was
born with a silver spoon of the punch… or he trained for years to master it.
But still, this punch is mysterious."
Pratap's eyes gleamed, his obsession clear.
Pratap:"Yeah!
That's why I told you he's the most dangerous man in the world. I'm addicted to
his mysterious punch. I'm trying to learn and master it. But I still have no
idea — he doesn't show any strain, doesn't put pressure on any body part. He
does it without breaking a sweat."
Karikalan turned toward Richard, his voice calm but
resolute.
Karikalan:"Richard…
you might have the ability to sabotage the machine, but winning against this
punch is a herculean task. Don't worry. We'll try our best to uncover his
technique. We still have more time."