Chapter 1: The New Mind in the Room
CID Headquarters, Mumbai – 10:00 AM
A silent tension filled the CID conference room. Inspectors Abhijeet, Daya, Freddy, Dr. Salunkhe, and Purvi sat around the table, exchanging curious glances. ACP Pradyuman had called an urgent meeting, but hadn't revealed the reason. That in itself was unusual.
The door opened with a familiar creak.
ACP Pradyuman entered, his expression calm but unreadable. Behind him walked a man none of them had seen before. He looked to be in his early thirties, with neatly combed black hair, sharp eyes, and a posture that radiated quiet confidence. He wore a crisp white shirt, tucked into jet-black formal pants, with polished shoes that didn't make a sound on the floor. His face was clean-shaven, but his eyes… his eyes looked like they had seen through a thousand lies.
ACP Pradyuman walked to the front, and with a small nod, gestured toward the man beside him.
ACP Pradyuman: "Meet your new colleague—Senior Inspector Nelakhant Swami. He's just been transferred from Kerala. And let me make one thing clear—he's not like anyone you've worked with before."
Daya narrowed his eyes. "What's so special about him, sir?"
The man smiled politely but said nothing.
ACP Pradyuman: "Nelakhant Swami has solved over 147 high-profile cases in Kerala in just four years. Cases that baffled even forensic departments and top-ranking officials. Serial killers, political assassinations, staged suicides, missing persons—he solved them all."
Abhijeet: "Impressive. But what exactly makes him different?"
The ACP walked over to the whiteboard and clicked a remote. Images of old case files and newspaper clippings appeared on screen—every one of them marked Solved: By N.S.
ACP Pradyuman: "He has a mind that functions on a level I've never seen. His memory is near photographic. His observation skills are almost unnatural. He sees patterns where others see chaos. During an interrogation, he can tell if someone is lying just by the way they breathe or shift their eyes."
Freddy (whispering to Purvi): "Sounds like some kind of human lie detector."
ACP Pradyuman (without turning): "He's more than that."
He turned to face them again.
ACP Pradyuman: "His abilities remind me of those fictional detectives you people talk about—Sherlock Holmes, Patrick Jane, Adrian Monk, and Richard Castle. Except Nelakhant isn't a copy. He's real—and he's here to help us take CID to the next level."
Nelakhant finally spoke, his voice deep but calm, with a trace of his Kerala accent.
Nelakhant: "I'm not here to take anyone's place. I'm here to learn from you, work with you, and solve cases that demand more than just muscle or evidence. Mumbai is a different beast. I look forward to facing it with you."
There was silence for a moment. Then, Abhijeet gave a slight nod of respect.
Abhijeet: "Well… let's see what this 'mind of Kerala' can do."
Daya (grinning): "Just don't try to read my mind."
Nelakhant turned slightly to Daya and said with a knowing smile, "You had poha for breakfast, but you were in a rush, so you didn't finish it. You used hair gel today, but the brand changed this week. And you're carrying a slight limp on your right leg—minor muscle strain, probably from a gym session yesterday."
Daya's smile faded slowly, his eyes wide.
Daya: "How the hell—"
Nelakhant (smiling softly): "Just observing."
ACP Pradyuman's smile was rare—but today, it surfaced.
ACP Pradyuman: "Let's get started. There's a murder case waiting. Swami… show them what you see."
To be continued…