The city was still cloaked in darkness when Vihan, Zara, and Isha approached the outskirts of the docks. The air was thick with the scent of salt and diesel, the distant hum of cargo ships cutting through the silence.

  Vihan’s heart pounded as he crouched behind a stack of rusted shipping containers, his eyes locked onto their target—a towering, concrete facility surrounded by floodlights and barbed wire fences.

  This was it.

  This was where the Council of 9 was keeping Asha.

  “This place is a fortress,” Vihan whispered, his breath forming thin clouds in the cold air.

  Zara, crouched beside him, smirked. “Good thing I like breaking into fortresses.”

  Isha knelt next to them, pulling out a small tablet. The glow from the screen illuminated her sharp features. “The external security system runs on a closed network. That USB drive I gave you will let you access it once you’re inside, but you’ll only have about ten minutes before they lock you out.”

  Vihan nodded, his grip tightening around the drive in his pocket. “That’s all I need.”

  Isha glanced up at the watchtower, where two guards patrolled lazily, their rifles slung over their shoulders. “We need a distraction to get you in. Zara?”

  Zara grinned. “Thought you’d never ask.”

  She pulled a small, metallic sphere from her jacket and pressed a button. The device beeped twice before she rolled it toward a pile of oil drums near the far end of the facility.

  Three seconds later, an explosion ripped through the night.

  Flames roared upward as metal debris scattered across the dock. The alarm blared instantly, red lights flashing as guards scrambled toward the source of the blast.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  “Go!” Isha hissed.

  Vihan didn’t hesitate. He sprinted across the open yard, his footsteps silent against the cold pavement. Zara was right behind him, moving with practiced ease as they reached the base of the facility’s outer wall.

  Vihan pulled a small, collapsible grappling hook from his bag. He flung it upward, catching the edge of the wall before testing its hold. “You first,” he whispered.

  Zara gave him a mock salute before scaling the rope with ease. Vihan followed, his muscles straining as he pulled himself over the top.

  They landed silently on the other side.

  No turning back now.

  ---

  The interior of the building was sterile—cold metal walls, flickering fluorescent lights, the faint hum of security cameras tracking every movement.

  Vihan pulled out the USB drive and located a wall-mounted access panel. He slid the drive into the port, his fingers moving swiftly over the touchscreen.

  Lines of code flashed across the display.

  *Security Override: Processing… 23%*

  Footsteps echoed down the hallway.

  Zara pulled out her knife, pressing her back against the wall. “Hurry up, genius.”

  Vihan’s pulse quickened as the progress bar inched forward.

  *Security Override: 78%*

  The footsteps grew louder.

  A shadow appeared at the corner of the hallway.

  Zara moved before the guard even had a chance to react. She grabbed him, twisting his arm behind his back before slamming his head against the metal wall. He slumped to the floor, unconscious.

  Vihan glanced at her. “Remind me never to make you angry.”

  Zara winked. “Smart man.”

  *Security Override: 100% – Temporary Lockdown Initiated*

  The screen flashed green. The cameras powered down. The electronic locks disengaged.

  Vihan pulled out his tablet and quickly accessed the facility’s schematics. “Asha’s being held two levels down in a high-security wing.”

  Zara adjusted her grip on her knife. “Then let’s go get her.”

  They moved swiftly through the empty corridors, ducking into the shadows whenever patrols passed. The facility was eerily quiet—too quiet.

  Vihan’s gut told him something was wrong.

  And then, as they rounded the final corner, he saw why.

  Asha wasn’t in a cell.

  She was standing in the middle of the corridor, completely unharmed.

  And she was waiting for them.

  Vihan skidded to a stop. “Asha?”

  She turned slowly, her expression unreadable. “You shouldn’t have come.”

  Zara tensed beside him. “This feels like a trap.”

  Vihan’s chest tightened. “Asha… what’s going on?”

  A shadow moved behind her.

  Then another.

  And another.

  Figures in dark suits stepped into view—silent, waiting, watching.

  And in the center of them stood the man from the rooftop. The one who had known Vihan’s name.

  He smiled.

  “Welcome, Vihan.”