Amritsar was not just a city
It was memory
It was sacrifice
It was the kind of land where people did not merely live
they knew how to stand their ground
Even in the calm surrounding the Golden Temple
there was a strange, lingering weight in the air
The trees of Jallianwala Bag
still stood there as silent witnesses
watching—without a voice
And in this very city
where courage flowed in people's blood
someone was slowly, methodically
hollowing out their future generations
The moment Rohan stepped out of the airport
he walked straight toward the exit gate
There was no fatigue on his face
No excitement either
Just one thing
hunger
Before taking a taxi
his eyes fell on an old roadside dhaba across the road
The signboard was crooked
the paint faded
"Pind Da Swad (The Taste of the Village) – Since 1989.
Without a second thought
Rohan walked toward it
The dhaba was crowded
Truck drivers
College students
Two young soldiers sipping tea in a corner
Rohan took a seat in one corner
"Amritsari naan, chole… and lassi,
(Amritsari naan, a traditional chickpea curry, and lassi—a chilled yogurt drink
he said simply
The owner
a man in his early fifties
looked exhausted
There was no spark in his eyes
the kind Punjab was known for
The television was playing the news
"Northline Corp Chairman
Arvind Malhotra
inaugurated a youth development initiative today…
On the screen was a smiling man
A tailored suit
Perfect posture
Corporate confidence
Applause echoed in the background
Northline Corp
Pharmaceuticals
Logistics
Chemical exports
One of the city's largest employers
Without looking directly
Rohan saw everything
Two men stopped near the counter
"Brother…
one of them asked softly
"how is your son now?
The glass in the dhaba owner's hand froze mid-air
For a moment, he couldn't speak
Then he slowly placed it down
"He's been in the ICU for three days,
his voice grew heavy
"The doctor said
his chances of survival are very low.
Silence followed
No one had words
Rohan took another sip of his lassi
His eyes were lowered
but his ears missed nothing
The dhaba owner turned his face away
Moisture filled his eyes
but before a tear could fall
he composed himself
Narratio
People of Punja
are never attacked head-on
This land has always raised swords
That's why the war here is never direct
First, the spine is broken
Generations are weakened
Not with guns
but with drugs
When a child falls
the home collapses on its own
The news audio blended into the noise of the dhaba
The camera zoomed back onto Arvind Malhotra's face
A professional smile
Clean
Untarnished
"In the past five years
Northline Corp has create
thousands of jobs for India's youth…
Applause
Flashbulbs
Another smile
Rohan's eyes remained fixed on the screen
He finished his lassi
Stood up
Paid the dhaba owner
And walked out
without a word
Night – Construction Sit
Night
A little away from the city
An unfinished building
Exposed concrete pillars
A half-built slab above
Deep darkness below
Even the wind at the construction sit
moved cautiously
as if asking permission before making a sound
There, seated on a chair
was Rohan
Opposite him
another chair
On it sat Arvind Malhotra
Tied
Founder and Chairman of Northline Corp
Unconscious
Flashbac
HELL Headquarters
Low light
Blue glow from multiple screens
Hebi stood in front of Rohan
Her voice was calm
but sharp
"The terrorist network active in Amritsa
doesn't work with direct bloodshed.
On the screen
Arvind Malhotra's profile appeared
"This is the backbone of that organization.
"It has two tusks
like an elephant.
One tusk
to feed
"Charity
Jobs
Youth programs
Pharmaceutical plants
Logistics hubs.
The screen changed
Containers
Chemical barrels
Sealed trucks
"The second tusk
to deceive.
Hebi continued
"Officially
Northline Corp deals in pharmaceutical
and chemical exports.
A brief pause
"Unofficially
it is the safest cove
in all of North India.
Maps blinked on the screens
Borders
Routes
"Drugs coming from outside
Synthetic narcotics.
"The chemical base is prepared here
but the product travel
across the entire country.
Hebi looked straight at Rohan
This time, her voice carrie
nothing but truth
and rage
"Clubs
Colleges
Every corner of the city.
"The youth have been slowl
turned into addicts.
"These people are weakening India.
"Because when the youth breaks
the nation automaticall
falls to its knees.
She paused
"And through him
you have to reac
that terrorist organization.
A final pause
"Because he isn't alone
he works with them
He was born on this land
but chose to stand against it
He is a Traitor.