The night was darker than usual, the kind of darkness that seemed to press down on the city like a heavy, suffocating blanket. Abhay sat hunched over a makeshift workstation in the lab, his eyes scanning a glowing screen filled with code and data. He was digging deeper into Rajan's digital network, searching for anything that could provide a crack in the crime lord's empire. The faint hum of the lab's equipment was his only company, but he felt the weight of unseen eyes. The assassins had failed before, but Abhay knew they wouldn't stop coming.
He pulled up another set of encrypted files he had siphoned from one of Rajan's servers earlier that day. His hands moved swiftly, breaking through layers of security protocols. Then he froze. There it was—a file marked "Aegis: Foundation Initiatives." His heartbeat quickened as he opened it, revealing detailed blueprints, scientific notes, and the names of several individuals. Among them, his father's name appeared prominently at the top.
Abhay's breath caught in his throat. His father's involvement in this project was deeper than he'd ever imagined. But there was something else. A second name was highlighted in red: Dr. Alka Mishra. The file indicated she was alive and had worked closely with his father. She might hold answers to the questions that had been haunting him.
Before Abhay could dig further, the lights flickered. He straightened, senses sharp, his fingers pausing over the keyboard. The soft hum of the lab suddenly stopped, plunging the room into silence. Then came the faintest sound—the scrape of a shoe against concrete.
Abhay's hand darted to his side, grabbing a small, handheld gadget he had been working on earlier. It was a modified flashbang, small enough to fit in his palm but powerful enough to disorient. He crouched low, his pulse pounding in his ears, and listened. The silence stretched, broken only by the faint hiss of someone's breath just beyond the doorway.
They were here.
A sharp clink echoed as a metallic object slid under the doorframe. Abhay dove behind the nearest console just as the device exploded, filling the room with smoke. He could hear them now—two, no, three sets of footsteps entering the lab. Their movements were deliberate, calculated. These weren't amateurs; Rajan had sent professionals this time.
Abhay pressed a button on his modified flashbang and tossed it into the smoke. A blinding light erupted, followed by sharp, disoriented shouts. Using the chaos to his advantage, he bolted toward the emergency exit, his mind racing. He couldn't afford to fight them head-on. The gadgets he had built were clever, but his lack of combat training left him vulnerable in close quarters.
The assassins recovered quickly. He heard the crack of a suppressed gunshot as he rounded a corner, the bullet ricocheting off the wall inches from his head. His heart thudded painfully as he slid into the narrow hallway leading out of the lab. His hand flew to a hidden panel on the wall, pressing a sequence of buttons that activated the lab's automated defense system.
Behind him, a sharp whirring sound filled the air as turrets emerged from the ceiling, targeting the intruders. Abhay didn't wait to see the outcome. He sprinted up the stairs and into the night, the cold air biting at his skin.
He didn't stop running until he reached a nearby alley, crouching low behind a dumpster to catch his breath. His mind was racing. The assassins were becoming more sophisticated. They had known exactly where to find him, and it wouldn't be long before Rajan sent another wave. The lab was compromised, his hideout no longer safe.
But his thoughts kept circling back to the file. Dr. Alka Mishra. She was the key to everything—his father's research, Project Aegis, and perhaps even Rajan's motives for wanting him dead. If she was alive, she might have answers. But finding her would mean venturing into the lion's den. The file indicated that she was being held in one of Rajan's heavily guarded facilities, a sprawling compound outside the city.
Abhay's jaw tightened. He couldn't do this alone. He needed help—someone who knew how to fight, someone who could navigate the danger with him. His mind drifted to Ash. They didn't trust each other completely, but she was skilled and had her own reasons for wanting to bring Rajan down.
As the first rays of dawn began to creep over the horizon, Abhay made his decision. He would find Dr. Mishra, no matter the risk. And this time, he wouldn't just defend himself—he would take the fight directly to Rajan.
Pulling his hoodie tighter around him, Abhay disappeared into the shadows, his resolve hardening. The game had changed, and he was no longer just a boy running for his life. He was becoming something else—something dangerous.