1 Prologue

His hands trembled as he stuffed the stack of money bills into his backpack. Next went his passport and ID. He didn't have time to pack his clothes. He will have to leave everything he had got in this damned city.

He picked up the photograph of his girlfriend, Mehak from his bedside. Stuffing it inside the backpack he wondered when he could see her the next time? If luck was with him he could escape from here to somewhere safe outside the reach of the 'Vipers'. Sam should have known better not to mess with the likes of such a dangerous gang. He had done it for a friend and now was worried about himself.

Though his friend had guaranteed him a new identity and life still he was not convinced. All that will come after, if Sameer was able to get out of this place alive. He opened his safe and pulled out a gun from it. He had one gun attached to his holster on his waist. He took the other in case he lost the first or he needed to fire with both hands.

He was not sure if the vipers would have found about his betrayal by now. His plan had been swift until that fucker Arbaaz had walked in on him. He had made sure they won't find Arbaaz anytime soon but you can never be sure with those bastards.

Sam had joined the 'Vipers' four years ago. His friend had a personal vendetta against the 'Vipers' and had asked Sameer to help him get his vengeance. He had been single at that time and had readily agreed to help him. Sameer had been with the 'Vipers' for four years.

He didn't have the least idea what he was getting involved himself into. The Vipers were not like any other syndicate he had heard. They were a family, loyalty ran in their blood. Each and every member was loyal to the core. They lived to protect each other, they would die for each other.

The families of the deceased were taken care of. The orphans were provided with education and lodging. No member in the Vipers was illiterate. The fuckers made sure each and every one of them knew the basic laws and rights of the citizens, which made it all the more difficult for the authorities to frame them.

Vipers made it sure no illegal activity was ever traced back to them. Sam had spent four years trying to get dirt on them and had failed. He had made the last attempt trying to sneak into their books but Arbaaz had caught him. He had to kill Arbaaz to save himself.

Sameer knew he had to get out of here before, anyone found it. Especially before Venom, who was the boss of the Vipers. The undisputed King of the Mumbai, underworld. The Vipers have been in Mumbai for decades, they had seen many rises and falls under different bosses but had sustained through everything.

While the other mafia syndicates had come and gone Vipers still existed. They were stronger than before under the leadership of Venom. He had everyone on his payroll including cops and ministers. His was the most feared name in the underworld. Venom was cold, lethal, and ruthless. The viperids (members of the Viper syndicate) worshipped him and his enemies despised him. The man was untouchable, he had made sure there was no competition against him.

Four fucking years Sameer had tried to link the Venom with the crimes his syndicate carried on. Each fucking time he had failed his friend. Sameer looked at the clock on his bedroom wall, it had been just above half an hour since he had come to his apartment. He couldn't stay here anymore, he picked up his car keys and left his apartment.

He wanted to call Mahek to hear her voice one last time. Sameer knew if he called her he might reveal more than she should know. If everything would have gone according to his plan he would have taken her along with him. That fucker Arbaaz had ruined everything for him, it was good that Sameer had made sure Arbaaz was lying at the bottom of the Arabian Sea.

He had to reach a small coastal village on the outskirts of Mumbai where a boat would be waiting for him, which would transport him to Goa. Goa didn't come under the territory of the Vipers and Sameer would be safe over there for a while, till his friend arranged his new passport and visa to an African country.

It would be a pain in the ass to live in Africa, but he will have to do for the time being. His friend had promised to arrange for Mahek to join him after a few months. Sameer was looking forward to starting a new life with Mahek.

Sameer was getting hopeful as the time passed, and he drove outside the chaos that was Mumbai. A city that never stopped never slept. The financial capital of India, and the heart of the Indian Mafia. The one who ruled Mumbai ruled the Indian Mafia.

Sameer was feeling ecstatic that he had fooled the deadliest man in India. By the time Venom would find out about him, he would be in Goa. His lips curled up in a smile after hours. He had driven outside the city and within an hour he would be on the boat.

Sameer reached the location his friend had sent him following the GPS. It was a deserted spot and there was no sight of any human population around, just as he needed. He climbed out of his car pulling the backpack with him. He saw two men standing near the edge of the water in the moonlight. A boat with a cabin was floating in the water at their back. A few bulbs were glowing on the boat.

He heaved a sigh of relief and walked towards the man. The men started approaching him when they spotted him.

" You are late, " one of the men called out.

"My apologies, my wife had to deliver our son today, " Sameer told them the code.

He couldn't see the faces of the two men because of the limited light. Still, he could make out they were huge. Sameer reached for his gun waiting for the response from the men.

"I guarantee your son will be cared for, " the man replied.

Sameer took a deep breath in relief. His friend had stuck to his word. He walked to the men and then they all strolled towards the boat.

"Boss was not sure you could make it to here safely, " the taller of the two men said.

"I wasn't sure myself, but I am glad I could make it, " Sameer answered.

They help him board the boat and walked back away saying that their work was done. The owner of the boat will now make sure that Sameer reached his destination safely.

Sameer walked towards the cabin where a man was working to start the boat.

"I will assure you have a safe voyage, Sir, " the man said.

"Thank you, " he replied, " Is there a shower here on the boat? I think I could make use of it, " He asked the man.

The man smiled at him and pointed to the back of the boat. Sameer nodded at the man and walked to the back of the boat where he had seen a door while boarding it. He opened the door and walked in and was met with a pleasant smell of expensive cologne.

He looked around the room in surprise. The smell was familiar to him and when his eyes landed on the man sitting on a chair with his arms crossed behind his head and legs spread straight in front of him, Sameer's breath stopped.

Venom.

Before Sameer could reach for his gun, he felt the cold barrel of a gun at the behind of his skull. Sameer didn't need to turn around to know who was holding a gun to his head. He knew it was "Flame" he was the right-hand of Venom. The cruel bastard who never thought once before he killed. Where Venom was cold as ice, his every move calculated. The Flame was volatile and unpredictable. Still, Sameer preferred Flame to Venom.

Sameer knew his time was up, there was no chance in hell that he could walk out of this boat alive. Beads of sweat started appearing on his forehead.

"Flame makes sure our little friend is comfortable, it's time we have a chat with him."

Venom's cold voice echoed through the silence of the surrounding and the blade of a knife flashed in Venom's hand. Sameer knew what was to follow this, till the time Venom and Flame would be done with him he would be unrecognizable.