Chapter 5: 4 : The Kind Heart Group
The night was dark, the kind of dark where every small sound felt amplified. Krishna sat in an old, dusty chair, his hands tied behind his back. His face was covered by a cloth, the smell of it making it hard to breathe. Every few seconds, he tried to move, but the ropes around his wrists were tight. He had no idea who had captured him or why.
He had been walking back home after a normal day at college when everything went black. The last thing he remembered was a car pulling up beside him, followed by a sudden sharp pain on his head. And now, here he was, trapped in some strange place, with only the sound of his heartbeat for company.
Footsteps echoed through the room, and the heavy door creaked open. A figure stepped inside, tall, imposing, and shrouded in darkness. "Who is this?" a gruff voice demanded. "Why did you kidnap him?"
Krishna couldn't make out the figure clearly, but his presence alone was enough to make him tense. The man walked closer, and before Krishna could say anything, the gang members surrounding him began to remove the cloth from his face.
Just as Krishna was about to protest, the door flew open, and another group stormed in, wearing black attire with a distinctive logo: a "Smile on the Shield." They moved like a well-oiled machine, swift and efficient, taking down the original captors one by one. Krishna watched as these masked men and women subdued the kidnappers without breaking a sweat. They had skill, power, and above all, a sense of control that made Krishna nervous.
Without a word, the leader of the new gang walked over to him. "Let's get you out of here," he said calmly, offering Krishna no explanation but only a hand.
Krishna hesitated for a moment before accepting it, unsure of what was happening. His mind raced with possibilities. Who were these people? Why were they helping him?
As they exited the building and entered a sleek, black car, the gang members around him remained silent. The car sped through the dark streets, and Krishna could feel his anxiety rising. His mind kept replaying the question: Why me?
The car came to a halt, and Krishna was escorted into a mansion. It was luxurious, to say the least. The kind of place where power and wealth radiated from every corner. As they walked through the halls, Krishna couldn't help but feel out of place.
"This is where you'll stay for the time being," the leader said, his voice calm yet firm.
"Who are you?" Krishna asked, trying to regain some control over the situation. "Why did you save me?"
The leader turned to face him. "We are The Kind Hearts," he said, his tone unwavering. "A group dedicated to helping people like you. We've been watching you, Krishna."
Krishna blinked, taken aback. "You've been watching me?"
"Yes," the leader said, nodding. "I've seen how you've always stood up for others, how you've protected the weak. You saved someone's life once, and that person never forgot you."
Krishna's mind spun. He hadn't expected this—The Kind Hearts? He had heard of them, of course. They were the stuff of legends in the underground world. A gang, but unlike any other. They were supposed to be on the side of good, helping people in need. But why him?
The leader continued, "I know who you really are, Krishna. You don't belong in this world of shadows and power struggles, but your actions have changed things. You've already started a revolution, even if you don't know it."
Krishna shook his head. "I'm just a regular guy trying to live my life. I'm no leader."
The leader smiled, his eyes filled with a kind of knowing. "That's where you're wrong. You've already taken the first step."
The days that followed were a whirlwind for Krishna. His life, which had been so simple, was now tangled in a web of power, danger, and intrigue. The Kind Hearts didn't just protect him; they began to teach him the ways of the world he had never known—the world of gang politics, power plays, and survival.
As Krishna went about his day-to-day life, a strange feeling began to settle in. He felt like someone was always watching him, as though eyes were upon him wherever he went. He tried to shake the feeling off, but it lingered, gnawing at him.
It didn't help that, on his way to college one day, he witnessed a fight between two men on the street. Without thinking, he rushed over, trying to break it up. But before he could reach them, Ishaan appeared, dragging Krishna away with surprising strength.
"What are you doing?" Krishna protested. "I'm just trying to help."
"You're not helping anyone by getting involved in this mess," Ishaan snapped, his voice tense. "Come on, we're getting you to college."
The two men continued to fight behind them, but Krishna's attention was already elsewhere. He couldn't shake the feeling that something deeper was at play.
In truth, the fight between the two men wasn't just a random street brawl. One man was sent by Aarna's grandfather, and the other by Aanya's family. They had been keeping an eye on Krishna, watching him from afar, trying to figure out who he was. But there was more to it than that. There was a third faction involved, an old man who believed Krishna was destined to be the successor to a powerful legacy.
The word spread quickly. The Kind Hearts gang leader was aggressively searching for Krishna, but the rumor mill twisted the story. Some thought he was coming to harm Krishna, while others believed he was on a mission to protect him. Tensions reached a boiling point, and soon, the whole city was divided. A war was on the horizon, one that would determine the future of the streets.
But then, just as things were about to explode, something incredible happened. Another gang, a powerful rival faction, launched an attack on The Kind Hearts. The two gangs clashed in the middle of the street, a chaotic battle that seemed to have no end. But when the dust settled, a shocking truth emerged: the leader of the rival gang wasn't a stranger at all. It was someone Krishna knew—a man whose life Krishna had once saved.
This revelation changed everything.
The two gangs, once bitter enemies, merged. They formed a single powerful force, united under a common cause: protecting Krishna. However, the lower ranks of both gangs were still clueless. They had no idea why Krishna was so important. They were just trying to prove themselves, bullying Krishna to show their worth. But when the leaders found out, they were furious.
The bosses stormed in, their faces cold with rage. They swiftly beat down the members who had mistreated Krishna and made them kneel in apology. It was a spectacle—powerful, ruthless gang leaders bowing before a college student.
"Do you know who you're dealing with?" one of the leaders barked. "This is Krishna. He's not just a regular guy. He's the one who saved us. He's the reason we're all here. And you will respect him."
The gang members, trembling, apologized. But Krishna was still confused. He didn't understand why everyone was treating him like some kind of hero.
The leaders turned to him, their voices softer now. "You don't realize it yet, but you've become something more than just a college student. You've become our leader. Our boss. And we will follow you. We will protect you, as long as it takes."
Krishna stood there, speechless. His entire life had just turned upside down. But there was no turning back now. He had no choice but to accept his fate.
In the days that followed, Krishna's life became something he could never have imagined. He was given a new house—one so luxurious it could have been a palace. Servants, security, luxury cars—everything he had ever dreamed of, and more. The leaders of The Kind Hearts and their allies moved in to protect him, taking turns to stay with him, ensuring his safety.
But even with all the wealth and power around him, Krishna felt like a stranger in his own life. His old house was left behind, and his neighbors were shocked to see the gang members moving in.
"Is he really a part of all of this?" one of the neighbors whispered to another. But there was no denying it. The whole neighborhood was abuzz with the arrival of The Kind Hearts and the mysterious new leader they were protecting.
The gang leaders, along with the wealthiest and most powerful figures in the city, threw a grand party in Krishna's honor. Business moguls, CEOs, and influential figures filled the hall. Everyone was eager to meet the new leader.
Krishna, however, felt completely out of place. He had never asked for any of this. Standing before the crowd, his nerves got the best of him. His speech faltered. How did I end up here? he wondered. The room was silent as the guests waited for him to speak.
"Is he really the heir to some great fortune?" someone whispered from the crowd.
The Big Six—the most powerful people in the city—stepped forward, their faces concealed. The atmosphere shifted instantly. It was as though the entire room could feel their presence without a single word being spoken.
And in that moment, Krishna understood. He had arrived. This was his life now. No one would dare challenge him.
The future was his.