The plan seemed flawless. Saif had traced the source to a location on the outskirts of the city. A remote warehouse far removed from the bustling campus of LUMS. The bait was taken, and Zuree and Neha set out, their resolve firm despite the gnawing anxiety.
Today the night was colder then usual, the roads were eerie and quiet. Zuree sat in the car, passenger seat, staring out at the darkened trees lining the highway.
"Are you sure about this?" Zuree asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Neha looked at her, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "No. But we don't have a choice. If this is where they're hiding, we need to confront them head-on."
Zuree nodded, though her heart pounded violently in her chest.
They are getting closer to the warehouse, its silhouette stark against the dim light of the moon. It was abandoned, with rusted metal siding and overgrown grass encroaching on its foundation.
Neha parked the car a safe distance away, killing the headlights. "We go in, stay quiet, and assess the situation first," she instructed.
Zuree swallowed hard and nodded, gripping her phone like a lifeline.
As they approached the warehouse, there was complete silence, broken only by the sound of gravel beneath their feet. Neha tested the large steel door, it creaked open easily.
The inside was dimly lit, and the faint hum of yellow bulb lights overhead added to the eerie atmosphere.
"Over there," Neha whispered, pointing toward the center of the warehouse. A faint glow emanated from a cluster of desks and monitors.
They tip toed their way through scattered crates and debris. As they neared the illuminated area, Zuree froze.
"Neha..." she whispered, her voice shaking.
Saif was there, tied to a chair in the middle of the room, his head slumped forward.
"Saif!" Neha hissed, rushing forward.
But as soon as she stepped into the open, a loud metallic clang echoed through the space. The door behind them slammed shut.
Suddenly, a voice crackled through hidden speakers, cold and mocking. "Ah, Neha and Zuree. Right on time."
Zuree spun around, her breath hitching. "Who's there?"
From the darkness emerged two men in dark suits, their expressions devoid of emotion. One of them held a gun, while the other approached Saif.
"Let him go!" Neha demanded, stepping forward.
The man with the gun smirked. "Oh, we will. In a manner of speaking."
Before either of them could react, the second man raised his weapon and shot Saif in the chest.
Zuree screamed, the sound piercing through the cavernous warehouse. Neha lunged forward, but the armed man aimed the gun at her, forcing her to stop.
"You should have stayed out of this," the man said, his voice icy.
Zuree holds on to Neha tightly, her knees threatening to give out as Saif's lifeless body slumped forward.
"We need to run," Neha whispered urgently.
Before they could make a move, a hissing sound filled the air. Both girls looked around frantically as a thick cloud of gas began to seep into the room.
"Gas!" Neha coughed, covering her mouth and pulling Zuree toward the far end of the warehouse.
Their vision blurred as the fumes thickened, and their limbs grew heavy. Zuree stumbled, her hand slipping from Neha's grasp.
"Stay awake!" Neha shouted, but her voice sounded distant.
The last thing both of them saw before their world went dark was a man in black standing over them, his cold smile was the last sign before the consciousness slipped away.
The warehouse fell silent, save for the faint hum of the lights and the rhythmic breathing of Zuree and Neha. The men exchanged a look before one of them spoke.
"Take them to the boss. It's time they learned the price of defiance."