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Episode 131 — "Ashes of the Squad"
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COLD OPEN
EXT. BLACK SQUAD HQ — NIGHT — ESTABLISHING
The screen fades in from black. The world is silent except for the faint crackling of flames and the patter of rain. The once-formidable Black Squad Bureau is reduced to a smoldering graveyard. Broken walls stretch upward like jagged tombstones. The once-pristine emblem of the squad lies shattered on the ground, charred and dusted with ash. Puddles of muddy rainwater mix with streaks of crimson blood.
A gust of wind howls faintly, carrying with it faint traces of sirens far in the distance. The camera lingers on fragments of Black Squad's history—burnt photographs, medals reduced to scorched metal, a shattered coffee mug with "Team Qazi" faintly visible.
Through the desolation, one sound pierces the emptiness: a phone ringing.
The camera pans slowly, deliberately, across the rubble. Broken tiles, shards of glass, splintered wood. Then, a trembling, bloodied hand emerges from beneath a slab of debris, reaching weakly toward the sound.
CUT TO:
INT. COLLAPSED OFFICE FLOOR — CONTINUOUS
ARJUN RATHORE lies half-buried, his uniform torn and blood-soaked. His face is a canvas of pain—cuts streak across his cheeks, his lips are split, his hair matted with dirt and blood. The phone continues to ring, its shrill tone echoing unnaturally in the oppressive silence.
Arjun groans, his hand shaking violently as he grips the edge of the phone. With a herculean effort, he pulls it to his ear, his voice barely a whisper.
ARJUN (hoarse, coughing):
"H-Hello...?"
The voice on the other end is calm, cold, and piercing—a voice that chills the marrow.
HERPEET DONGRA (V.O., sinister):
"I killed your ACP."
There's a faint click as the call disconnects. The words linger in the air, suffocating, oppressive. Arjun's eyes widen, and his face twists into a mask of anguish. His fingers tighten around the phone, his knuckles turning white. His breathing becomes ragged as the weight of the revelation sinks in.
Suddenly, adrenaline surges through him. He shouts—a guttural, raw sound—and drags himself from the rubble. He stumbles forward, clutching his side, blood dripping from his fingertips. He moves with purpose, though every step is fraught with pain.
The camera follows him, shaky and close, as he limps toward his fallen comrades amidst the rubble.
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SCENE 1 — GRIEF IN THE RUINS
EXT. BLACK SQUAD HQ PERIMETER — DAWN
The rain intensifies, a cruel mockery of cleansing as it washes over the destruction. ARJUN stumbles through the wreckage, his limp pronounced, as he searches for survivors. The red and blue flash of distant sirens reflects off the shattered remains of the Bureau's structure, illuminating the devastation in brief, eerie bursts.
He finds IMRAN lying face-down near a collapsed beam. Blood pools beneath Imran's head, seeping into the broken concrete. Arjun drops to his knees beside him, shaking him urgently.
ARJUN (hoarse, desperate):
"Imran! Imran bhai, wake up! ACP sir is—he's gone!"
Imran groans faintly, his eyelids fluttering open. His face is pale, his breathing shallow.
IMRAN (weak, confused):
"What... What are you saying?"
The words barely register before they hear another voice, weak and strained, cutting through the rain.
SHREYA (O.S., coughing):
"Arjun... Imran...! Is anyone— coughs —alive?"
Arjun turns sharply, his face etched with both hope and fear. He grabs Imran's arm, forcing him upright despite the older man's protests.
ARJUN (urgent):
"Come on. Shreya's alive. We have to find her."
They stagger toward the sound, eventually finding SHREYA and DR. R.P. GUPTA trapped beneath a pile of broken beams. Shreya's face is pale, streaked with soot and blood, her injured arm held close to her chest. Gupta coughs, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he tries to free himself.
DR. GUPTA (strained):
"What happened...? Where's ACP sir?"
For a moment, no one speaks. Arjun's jaw tightens, his hands shaking as he pulls away a piece of debris. He doesn't meet their gaze as he answers, his voice barely above a whisper.
ARJUN (broken):
"Dongra called. He said... he killed ACP sir."
The words hang in the air like a funeral bell, each syllable a dagger to the heart. Shreya freezes, her expression crumbling as the reality of the situation crashes over her. She lets out a choked sob, collapsing into herself. Gupta's eyes close tightly, his face contorted with grief.
Imran's face hardens. He wipes the blood from his forehead, his jaw clenching as he forces himself to his feet.
IMRAN (quiet but firm):
"Enough."
His voice cuts through the grief like a blade, commanding their attention.
IMRAN (continuing):
"We'll mourn later. Right now, we find Dongra. He doesn't walk away from this."
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SCENE 2 — A GLIMMER OF HOPE
EXT. AMBULANCE ZONE — SHORTLY AFTER
A RESCUE OFFICER approaches the group, urgency in his every step.
RESCUE OFFICER:
"We found one of your men—Sachin. He's alive but critical."
The squad shares a glance, their exhaustion replaced by a flicker of hope. They rush to the rescue point, where SACHIN lies on a stretcher. His uniform is soaked in blood, his face pale and lifeless. A faint, shallow rise and fall of his chest signals that he's still clinging to life.
SHREYA, tears streaming down her face, kneels beside him, gripping his hand tightly.
SHREYA (gasping through sobs):
"Sachin... please hang on. Please..."
Imran places a hand on her shoulder, his voice steady but heavy with emotion.
IMRAN (to the rescue officer):
"Get him to the hospital. Maximum protection. We don't lose him—not today."
The camera lingers on Sachin's stretcher as he's loaded into the ambulance. The sirens wail as the vehicle disappears into the distance, leaving the team standing amidst the ruins, battered and broken.
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SCENE 3 — INTO THE RUINS
INT. BLACK SQUAD BUREAU — NIGHT
The ruins of the Black Squad Bureau are suffocatingly still, save for the faint crackle of lingering flames and the distant hum of rain outside. The main entrance lies shattered, exposing the skeletal remains of the once-pristine interior. The team steps cautiously inside, their movements deliberate as they take in the destruction.
Shreya holds her injured arm close to her chest, the pain evident on her pale, tear-streaked face. Gupta lingers behind her, clutching a bent steel pipe for support, his breathing uneven. Arjun leads the way, though his steps falter as his gaze darts around at the familiar walls, now scarred beyond recognition.
Imran steps in last, his silhouette framed by the ruined doorway. His eyes scan the wreckage, his jaw tightening as flashes of past moments with ACP Qazi flood his mind.
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Silent Montage — Flashbacks Intercut with the Current Ruins:
1. The Strategy Room (Past): ACP Qazi, standing tall at the center of the table, addressing the team confidently: "This isn't just a team. It's a promise."
Present: The same room now lies in ruins, the table split in two, ash and rubble covering the floor.
2. Rooftop Tea Break (Past): Qazi and Gupta sharing laughter during a quiet moment: "The city won't save itself, but let's enjoy the calm while we can."
Present: A shattered glass window nearby offers a glimpse of the burnt skyline.
3. Ceremony Hall (Past): Qazi pinning a medal onto Shreya's uniform as the team applauds.
Present: Shreya limps past the hall, the medal burnt beyond recognition among debris.
4. Training Grounds (Past): Qazi sparring with Arjun, laughing as he counters Arjun's moves: "One day, you'll best me. But not yet."
Present: Arjun stops in the training room, staring at the ashes of the padded floor.
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INT. ACP QAZI'S OFFICE — PRESENT
The team enters ACP Qazi's office. The air is heavy, almost suffocating. The walls are scorched black, and the desk lies broken in half. A faint flicker of fire burns near Qazi's chair, casting eerie shadows against the ruined floor.
Arjun freezes as his gaze falls on the burning chair. His breathing slows, his chest tightening. A memory floods his mind, piercing through the grief.
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FLASHBACK — ACP'S OFFICE
Qazi sits in the chair, his presence commanding yet warm. He leans forward, smiling at Arjun.
QAZI (softly, firmly):
"When I'm gone one day… this chair will be yours. Not because it's my legacy, but because you'll earn it."
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PRESENT
Arjun's knees buckle as the weight of the memory crashes over him. He collapses to the ground, his fists pounding the ash-covered floor.
ARJUN (screaming):
"You said you'd never leave us! Why did you go? WHY?"
Shreya and Gupta exchange worried glances, their own grief reflected in Arjun's broken cries. Imran steps forward, his voice steady but laced with quiet sorrow.
IMRAN:
"Arjun, we haven't lost him. As long as we stand, ACP lives in every step we take."
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SCENE 4 — THE CALL FROM THE TRAITOR
INT. BUREAU RUINS — NIGHT
The moment is broken by the sudden shrill ringing of a phone. The sound echoes unnaturally in the devastated office, causing everyone to flinch. Imran moves toward the melted landline hanging from the wall, staring at it in disbelief as the ringing continues.
He lifts the receiver with trembling fingers, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
IMRAN:
"Hello?"
There's a pause, and then Herpeet Dongra's voice cuts through like ice.
HERPEET DONGRA (V.O.):
"Imran. Do you know what hurts more than death?"
Imran's grip tightens around the receiver.
IMRAN (growling):
"Stop playing games, Dongra. I swear to god—"
HERPEET DONGRA (mockingly):
"Swear all you like. But will you feel the same rage when you learn the truth? That it wasn't me who killed your ACP. It was one of you."
Imran freezes, his breath catching as the words sink in.
IMRAN (hoarsely):
"What are you talking about?"
HERPEET DONGRA (chillingly calm):
"This call... is coming from inside your bureau. Someone you trust—Arjun, Shreya, Gupta, Sachin—helped me. One of your beloved squad killed your leader. They handed him over on a silver platter."
Imran's world seems to tilt as the call ends abruptly, the dial tone buzzing faintly in his ear. He lowers the receiver slowly, his mind racing.
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SCENE 5 — THE ACCUSATION
INT. BUREAU RUINS — MOMENTS LATER
Imran turns to the group, his face pale but his jaw set.
DR. GUPTA (nervously):
"Imran... what did Dongra say?"
Imran swallows hard, his voice heavy.
IMRAN:
"He said there's a traitor among us. Someone gave him access... killed ACP Sir."
The words hit like a hammer. The group stares at each other in stunned silence, disbelief etched onto their faces. But suspicion quickly replaces shock as their gazes grow sharp, their breathing uneven.
ARJUN (angrily):
"Dongra's lying. He wants us to turn on each other!"
SHREYA (teary):
"Then explain how he got our internal line. Someone had to give him access!"
The tension escalates as the team exchanges heated looks. One by one, they reach for their sidearms, pulling their weapons out of their holsters cautiously.
The air grows suffocating, the flickering flames casting long shadows as they circle each other, guns drawn but not aimed.
CLOSE-UPS:
Imran's piercing gaze, scanning each of them with sharp precision.
Arjun's hand trembling as he grips his gun tightly.
Shreya, her weapon clutched protectively, her eyes red from tears.
Gupta, his calm façade betraying the fear lurking beneath.
DR. GUPTA (whispers):
"Who... among us?"
The screen fades to black, leaving the question unanswered, the tension unresolved.
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FADE OUT. TO BE CONTINUED.