Chapter 21: Betrayal in the Bloodstream
Delhi — March 10, 2009 — 6:00 AM
Three hours of sleep.
That's all Shiva had managed.
And still, adrenaline pumped through his veins.
The battle against Rickshaw Mania had been won — barely — but the war to secure Rickshaw Rush's future was just beginning.
He leaned over the cracked screen of his battered laptop, a crazy idea buzzing in his mind like a live wire:
> "Expansion Pack.
Rickshaw Rush: Highway Havoc."
New maps.
New vehicles.
New chaos.
And best of all — exclusive to Championship winners.
It would be his trump card.
The ultimate loyalty weapon.
---
7:30 AM – Planning the Next Level
Shiva scribbled furiously in his notebook.
Highway Havoc Concept:
New Vehicles:
Tuk-tuk (three-wheeler upgrade)
Mini-Truck (heavy but unstoppable)
New Locations:
Jaipur Expressway — desert winds, mirages
Chandni Chowk — crowded streets, random parades
Special Abilities:
Boost Jump: Leap over traffic
Magnet Mode: Attract coins for 10 seconds
Every note added fuel to his excitement.
If he pulled this off,
Rickshaw Rush wouldn't just be a game.
It would be a franchise.
---
9:00 AM – Secret Meeting at College
He needed help.
He couldn't build this expansion alone.
So Shiva called a meeting with his inner circle:
Kunal — marketing mind
Abhishek (ZeroDay) — technical wizard
Ajay — now handling growing fan groups
They met at the college canteen, crammed into a plastic table sticky with spilled chai.
Kunal grinned, tossing his keys on the table.
"Expansion pack, bro? Crazy. I'm in."
Ajay nodded eagerly.
"Players are hungry. They'll eat it up."
Abhishek, the most cautious, leaned back.
"Big idea. But riskier. If you announce it too soon and can't deliver fast enough…"
Shiva smiled.
"We won't announce it."
He tapped the side of his temple.
"Not until it's ready."
The others laughed.
The plan was set.
Highway Havoc would be built in total secrecy.
---
12:00 PM – Hidden Development Begins
Shiva and Abhishek started immediately.
Shiva sketched rough level designs on paper.
Abhishek coded basic physics tweaks for heavier vehicles.
Kunal began drafting teaser campaigns ("Rickshaw Revolution Incoming!")
Ajay monitored community rumors to control leaks.
They called it Project HH.
Only the four of them knew.
---
March 12, 2009 — Cracks Begin to Show
For three days straight, the team worked like maniacs.
But pressure reveals true character.
And cracks began to form.
Small things at first:
Kunal missing brainstorming meetings, citing "family stuff".
Ajay being evasive about certain Orkut group posts.
Strange usernames popping up, hinting at "new rickshaw games coming soon."
Shiva tried to ignore it.
Tried to focus.
But unease gnawed at him.
Something wasn't right.
---
March 13, 2009 — The Betrayal
It started with a tip-off.
An anonymous Orkut user — "RiderX" — messaged Shiva privately:
> "Bro, careful who you trust.
Check Orkut group 'Rickshaw Legends'.
You'll see what I mean."
Shiva's heart hammered in his chest.
He opened the group.
It was a secret community, barely a few days old.
Inside:
Early screenshots of what looked suspiciously like Highway Havoc maps.
Rough designs for tuk-tuks and mini-trucks — identical to Shiva's sketches.
Promises of a "new, improved rickshaw game" — coming soon.
Worse still…
The admin of the group was none other than:
Ajay Sharma.
Ajay.
His so-called friend.
His community manager.
Leaking secrets.
Betraying the team.
Building a rival project.
Shiva's fingers shook as he scrolled further.
Ajay had teamed up with unknown coders — promising them fame if they helped him build "Rickshaw Rebels" — a competitor to Rickshaw Rush.
---
2:00 PM – Heartbreak and Fury
Shiva sat frozen for a full ten minutes.
Memories flashed through his mind:
Ajay staying late after meetings.
Ajay joking about "owning a rickshaw empire one day."
Ajay offering to "handle" players privately.
It all made sense now.
The betrayal wasn't about money.
It was about jealousy.
Greed.
Ego.
Ajay hadn't wanted to help build Shiva's kingdom.
He wanted to steal it.
---
3:00 PM – Shiva Strikes Back
But Shiva wasn't the same scared teenager from two weeks ago.
He had learned.
He had been forged in battle.
No mercy.
No delay.
He called an emergency meeting with Kunal and Abhishek.
Laid it all out.
Kunal's face darkened.
"That snake. I trusted him, man."
Abhishek shook his head grimly.
"Told you. Success attracts parasites."
Shiva outlined a counter-plan:
1. Strengthen Internal Security:
Password-protect all project files.
Track internal downloads.
2. Pre-empt Ajay:
Tease "Highway Havoc" publicly — make sure everyone knew Shiva's was the original.
3. Exile and Expose:
Quietly remove Ajay from all official channels.
Leak screenshots of Ajay's betrayal subtly — letting the community judge.
Kunal grinned savagely.
"Time to burn the fake rickshaw down."
---
5:00 PM – Public Tease
Shiva posted a cryptic update across Rickshaw Rush's Facebook and Orkut pages:
> "Coming Soon:
Rickshaw Rush Expansion Pack — Built by the Originals, for the Originals.
Stay loyal. Stay fast.
#HighwayHavoc"
Attached was a blurry teaser image:
A tuk-tuk blasting through a sandstorm.
The comments exploded:
"Omg omg omg new game mode!!"
"Highway Havoc sounds badass!"
"We ride with Shiva bro, all the way!!"
Loyalty rallied like a tidal wave.
Ajay's little secret group was crushed under it before it even launched.
---
9:00 PM – A Lonely Victory
Alone in his room, Shiva finally allowed himself to breathe.
He felt numb.
Sad.
Angry.
Relieved.
All at once.
He hadn't just lost a teammate.
He had lost a friend.
But that's the cost of building something real.
> "Build an empire,
and you invite betrayals.
Grow stronger,
and you invite enemies.
Rise too high,
and you must learn to fight alone."
He scribbled these words down on the inside cover of his notebook.
A silent vow to himself.
No more naive trust.
No more blind loyalty.
Only warriors. Only survivors.
From here on out —
he was at war.
And he would win.
At any cost.
---
[End of Chapter 21]