Chapter 28: The Road to the Delhi Rickshaw Championship
Delhi — April 28, 2009 — 10:00 AM
The city was already awake and roaring by the time Shiva's Inner Circle gathered in the tiny back room of Farhan's house.
Sweaty walls.
A dusty ceiling fan groaning overhead.
The smell of old chai in the air.
The cease-and-desist letter lay in the center of the table like a dead crow.
Nobody spoke at first.
Finally, Kunal broke the silence.
"So... what now, boss?"
Shiva leaned back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head.
Calm.
Unshaken.
"They want a war," he said.
"We give them a f***ing war."
---
10:30 AM — New Strategy: Strike Before They Can
Riya scribbled frantically on her clipboard as Shiva spoke:
> "Plan: Host the biggest underground tournament Delhi has ever seen.
Before they can shut us down legally.
We'll make it so massive — so public — that even if they sue, they look like villains."
> Objectives:
Speed: Organize within two weeks — before official notices could take effect.
Scale: Invite players from all colleges across Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon.
Hype: Leak just enough info to build frenzy without tipping off the authorities.
Sponsorship: Accept every offer — no matter how shady — to fund prize money.
Security: Hire local muscle to keep police out or at least delay raids.
Farhan grinned.
"This sounds insane."
Abhishek laughed.
"Which means it's perfect."
Riya just nodded sharply.
"When do we start?"
Shiva's eyes gleamed.
"Today."
---
April 28, 2009 — 2:00 PM — Operation 'Championship Fever'
> Step 1: Seed the Rumors
Kunal and Farhan visited dozens of cybercafés, dhabas, and hostel canteens.
They whispered.
Planted the same rumor everywhere:
"The biggest Rickshaw Rush tournament ever is coming."
"₹50,000 prize pool."
"Top 5 players will become Delhi legends."
> Step 2: Recruit Champions
Handpicked past winners — like Pranay from Hansraj and Megha from Gargi — were offered free entry and side-cash to hype the event.
They spread the word fast.
Instagram. WhatsApp. Orkut.
Even old-school flyers on hostel walls.
> Step 3: Secure the Arena
Farhan's shady uncle — who ran a warehouse near Okhla Industrial Area — agreed to rent it out for one night, cash only, no questions asked.
Big, dirty, empty.
Perfect.
---
April 30, 2009 — The Call to Arms
A new poster began appearing across Delhi campuses:
> "THE DELHI RICKSHAW CHAMPIONSHIP
One Night. One City. One King.
₹50,000 in Prizes
250+ Players
Entry by Invitation Only
Venue: Disclosed 24 Hours Before the Event
Think You're Fast? PROVE IT.**"
No organizer name.
No brand logos.
Just a burning rickshaw drawn in black ink.
The streets buzzed like a live wire.
---
May 2, 2009 — Trouble Brews
At the same time excitement built, so did danger.
Anonymous messages poured into Shiva's burner phone:
"You're done, kid."
"Cops will crush you before it starts."
"Better run."
And worse —
Shiva heard whispers that GameNode wasn't just sending lawyers.
They were paying off local police to raid the event.
Shut it down before it could explode.
Shiva didn't flinch.
He adjusted the plan.
New mission: Plan for chaos.
---
May 4, 2009 — Fortifying the Championship
Security Measures:
Hire six bouncers from the local gym — guys who looked like they ate weights for breakfast.
Bribe the nearby factory owners to stay quiet if they heard noise.
Keep two backup venues ready in case the warehouse was compromised.
Create a Rapid Evacuation Plan:
One whistle = shutdown.
Two whistles = grab cash box.
Three whistles = scatter.
Farhan joked,
"We're not hosting a tournament, we're leading a revolution."
Shiva just smiled.
"Exactly."
---
May 5, 2009 — 24 Hours Before DRC
Final player list: 273 confirmed.
Prize pool: ₹56,200 collected from sponsors and side bets.
Venue cleaned, painted with rush-themed graffiti.
Riya designed ID bands for entry — no randoms allowed.
Shiva stood alone in the warehouse that night, staring at the massive empty space.
He could see it already:
Players hunched over their phones.
Crowds roaring.
Champions being born.
The dream he'd carried back from the future —
was becoming real.
---
May 6, 2009 — The Big Day
Morning:
Invitations sent via SMS.
Secret instructions given:
Meet at Green Park Metro at 7 PM.
Look for the guy in a red Rickshaw Rush cap.
Follow him to the venue.
Afternoon:
Cash prizes packed into three old schoolbags.
Bouncers given walkie-talkies and codewords.
Evening:
Shiva wore a plain black t-shirt.
No logos. No names.
Tonight wasn't about him.
It was about the city.
---
7:00 PM — Green Park Metro Station
Groups of students loitered nervously.
Some in hoodies.
Some in college jerseys.
Some carrying battered Android phones like holy relics.
At exactly 7:15 PM, a guy in a red cap appeared.
Whispered, "Follow me."
They moved — silently, quickly — through back alleys and broken fences.
> Operation Delhi Rickshaw Championship was underway.
---
8:00 PM — The Warehouse Awakens
Lights strung up on old poles.
A massive banner hung from rusted beams:
> "DELHI RICKSHAW CHAMPIONSHIP — RIDE OR DIE"
Music thumped from battered speakers.
Energy drinks handed out.
The smell of sweat, excitement, and rebellion filled the air.
Shiva climbed onto a crate.
Raised one fist.
The crowd went insane.
> "Tonight," he shouted, "you are not students.
You are not nobodies.
You are not kids.
Tonight, you are WARRIORS."
Roars shook the building.
Phones out.
Rickshaws loaded.
Races about to begin.
---
But somewhere, in the dark streets outside, unmarked police jeeps were already circling...
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[End of Chapter 28]