The Highland Leaf -- Restaurant & Inn...
As they lounged around, mid-conversation about the spectral problems and sector challenges, Guru Arvind suddenly turned to Rudra with a look of curiosity.
"By the way,"
He said, sipping his tea,
"Have you finalised the identity you'll be using while operating in this sector?"
Rudra nodded.
Nod~
"Yes. I've chosen the name… Kaal-Nayan."
The others turned to him with intrigued expressions.
Shiva raised an eyebrow.
"Oof. That's intense. Like, 'eye of time'?"
Rudra smirked.
Smirk~
"Or 'the one whose gaze ends time.' Figured it was fitting if I'm going to be dealing with more than just rogue Astra users."
Before anyone could respond, a sharp chime echoed in Rudra's mind —
The system notification sound.
🔔[Ding...]
[ Task Description: A rogue Astra user has been detected in your sector.
Target: Former Brāhmansh operative – codename Zerak
Activity: Large-scale arms deal in progress. Supplying advanced weapons to a terrorist group.
Estimated destination: Militant hideout (over 60 armed combatants).
⚔️ Reward on successful interception:
• 250 Hope Points
• Instinctive Combat Awareness – Level 2 Upgrade]
Behind his steady eyes, Rudra processed the information swiftly.
He showed no sign of distraction, blending seamlessly into the casual conversation continuing around him.
Shiva laughed at something Sandeep said, Ravi talked animatedly about their recent mission, and none of them had the slightest clue about the notification Rudra had just received.
Guru Arvind continued,
"Being the protector of a sector won't be easy, even though you were assigned to a peaceful one. The moment your presence is known, threats will come knocking."
Rudra gave a faint, knowing smile.
"Then it's a good thing I'm already watching."
Unseen by all, the mission countdown had already begun.
Suddenly, a sharp ding echoed from Rudra's mobile —
followed immediately by the exact same tone chiming from Amirtha and Junoo's phones.
Ding.
Ding. Ding.
"____"
"____"
"____"
The distinctive triple-beat chime.
That could only mean one thing: a sector-level alert.
Guru Arvind raised an eyebrow with an amused smile.
"Well, well… didn't I just say trouble would come knocking?"
Rudra let out a small breath through his nose as he checked his screen.
The message came with an image attachment —
a surveillance still.
The blurry image showed a man walking down a crowded street, his long hair tied up in a messy bun, half-hidden under a faded baseball cap.
The system had already tagged him: Rogue Bramansh operative. Possesses Astra.
Junoo leaned over and whistled,
Whistle~
"He doesn't look like much."
Amirtha frowned.
Frown~
"Looks can be deceiving. Why is he in our jurisdiction now, of all times?"
Rudra didn't answer.
"____"
His eyes narrowed subtly as he stared at the image.
While the others only saw a general threat report, he already knew far more — because of his system.
Only he knew just how deep this guy's betrayal went.
And only he had been tasked to stop it.
Guru Arvind's gaze lingered on Rudra a moment longer, as if sensing something off.
But Rudra simply nodded and slipped his phone into his pocket.
Nod~
"I'll handle this."
Junoo grinned.
Grin~
"Then let's suit up."
Immediately, all three —
Rudra, Amirtha, and Junoo —
sprang into action.
Without a word, they split off in different directions, weaving through the bustling hotel where guests were checking in and out.
No one paid them any mind —
Just staff going about their day.
But their destination was anything but ordinary.
Rudra reached his office first.
Inside, he closed the door quietly behind him, walked over to the large portrait of a serene angel hanging above his desk, and with practised ease, poked two fingers into the angel's painted eyes.
A soft click echoed from behind the wall.
Click~
The portrait shifted slightly before swinging open to reveal a narrow, hidden passage.
Amirtha and Junoo arrived seconds later from separate entrances —
Junoo through a supply closet and Amirtha via a linen chute disguised behind a bookshelf.
Guru Arvind calmly followed them.
Shiva, Ravi, and Sandeep followed closely, surprised but silent as they stepped into the hidden surveillance chamber.
The room was dimly lit, filled with monitors, control panels, and a large wall display.
Amirtha moved straight to the main console and began typing rapidly.
The central monitor flickered to life —
a live camera feed zoomed in on a busy street not far from the hotel.
"There,"
Amirtha pointed.
"Target locked."
The man with the bun and cap from the earlier image was right in the middle of a cheerful tourist group, speaking animatedly and pointing out landmarks —
playing the part of a friendly local tour guide.
Junoo blinked.
"____"
"He's pretending to be a guide?"
Guru Arvind crossed his arms, frowning.
"Clever bastard. That gives him freedom to move around unnoticed — especially with strangers around him as cover."
Rudra stared at the screen, his face unreadable.
'But what are you looking for… and where are you planning to deliver?'
Only he knew this could be more than a simple weapons deal.
Amirtha tapped on another terminal and pulled up tracking overlays.
"We've got a window. He's moving toward Temple Street — could be a meeting point with someone."
Guru Arvind turned to Rudra while his eyes were locked on him, clearly waiting for what move Rudra would make.
"Your call. Do we intercept now or tail him?"
Rudra's eyes were still on the screen, his mind already calculating.
"____"
"We probe through surveillance for now. No mistakes."
Because Rudra knew this mission wasn't just about catching a rogue operative.
The surveillance room was silent, save for the faint hum of electronics and the occasional click of a keyboard.
On the screen, the rogue Brahmansh —
their target —
continued playing the role of a charismatic tour guide.
He led group after group through the misty streets of Ooty, pointing to colonial buildings, sharing bits of history, and posing for pictures with tourists like a local celebrity.
No weapons. No signals.
No clandestine meetings.
Just… smiles and stories.
"He's good,"
Amirtha muttered during her shift, narrowing her eyes.
"Too good."
They monitored him in rotation —
Amirtha, Rudra, and Junoo took turns every couple of hours while the rest, including Guru Arvind, Shiva, Ravi, and Sandeep, retreated to their assigned rooms to rest after their long journey.
"Still nothing,"
Junoo said during one of her shifts, scribbling down every group he'd guided and the rough route he took.
"He's just sticking to his act."
"Which is exactly why I don't trust it."
Rudra replied grimly when he returned for his watch.
He leaned closer to the monitor, eyes sharp.
The man's expression was relaxed, even cheerful —
But Rudra wasn't watching the smiles.
He was watching the eyes, the body language, the placement of hands and bag straps, and the moments of pause.
The minute details that might go unnoticed to anyone else.
"Too composed,"
Rudra said under his breath.
"He's not just faking being a tour guide. He is a tour guide now. Embedded. Planning something long-term."
Junoo glanced at him.
"You think he's scouting or something?"
"Maybe. Or people. Or locations to stash the goods. If he's got Astra on him, he's not doing a street-level deal. He's here for something big."
They noted his every move, fed the footage into the facial recognition database tied to security agencies —
No results came back.
Clean identity, fresh papers.
Fake, obviously.
But expertly done.
Except the Bramanash database, which states him a rogue and killed his companions and escaped.
Amirtha returned for the next shift and asked,
"Still no slip-ups?"
"None,"
Rudra replied, rubbing his temples.
"And that's exactly the problem."
He gave up his seat, and Amirtha took charge.
After pouring himself a tea while sipping, Rudra noticed it.
"____"
His eyes narrowed as Rudra leaned over Amirtha's shoulder, sipping his tea.
"There,"
He muttered.
Amirtha followed his gaze.
On the screen, the supposed tour guide had just stopped talking mid-way through his story and glanced toward the street.
Two bikes pulled up in front of him —
Four men total, all with helmets on, visors down.
No number plates.
No interaction with the tourists.
"Too precise for coincidence,"
Rudra said sharply.
The rogue guide gave them a casual nod.
Nod~
They exchanged a few words —
Nothing overt —
Then the bikers dismounted and parked nearby, forming a loose perimeter around the group.
Junoo, who had just returned to help, pointed.
"Look — they're tailing him. But not protecting him. Watching. Waiting."
Then came the next break in routine.
The guide led his tourists toward a nearby medical shop, pausing to have a brief conversation with the shopkeeper.
Nothing unusual —
until the shopkeeper suddenly pulled down the shutter, flipped the sign to 'closed', and followed the group.
"What the hell…"
Amirtha murmured.
It didn't stop there.
As the target made his way deeper into the bustling street, Rudra watched in stunned silence as a balloon seller deflated his merchandise and fell in line.
A toy shop vendor handed his stand to a kid and followed behind.
Another supposed "guide" joined them.
"They're in the same boat,"
Rudra said grimly.
"Small-time vendors. Locals. Hidden in plain sight."
"And they're all heading…"
Junoo traced the screen feed and clicked into the camera angle near the food district.
"…into the backside of that old dhaba."
Sure enough, one by one, the group peeled away from the street and disappeared through a rusted back door of a shabby-looking dhaba that appeared abandoned during the day but now had flickering lights inside.
Rudra stood up.
"We're moving. Now."
Amirtha was already downloading the footage to a secure pen drive.
Rudra's expression darkened.
"This isn't a simple drop. It's a full-blown network embedded right in our sector."
Rudra turned to Amirtha, his tone steady but his eyes sharp with intent.
"Is my suit ready?"
Amirtha gave a confident nod, her lips curling into a small, knowing smile.
Nod~
"Of course. I wouldn't let you walk into something like this unprepared."
She stepped back, arms crossed.
"I hired a Brahmansh designer — one of the finest. Discreet, but known for crafting outfits specifically for operatives like us. Custom stitching, combat-threaded fabric, reinforced inner lining, all subtle enough to pass as formal wear."
Rudra raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed.
"____"
"I picked the design myself,"
Amirtha added proudly.
"Stylish, efficient, and definitely screams Kaal-Nayan. It arrived two days ago, perfectly on schedule."
She turned on her heel.
"Wait here. I'll get it for you."
A few minutes later, Amirtha returned, wheeling in three sleek black suitcases.
The metallic clasps clicked open one by one, revealing their contents like a magician unveiling a trick.
In the first suitcase,
nestled inside protective foam, lay Rudra's new suit —
The material shimmered faintly, a blend of high-grade defensive fibres and stealth weave.
It was clearly tailored for agility and resilience, blending elegance with silent lethality.
In the second suitcase,
Amirtha unveiled the accessories: a concealed utility belt packed with compact gadgets,
a data-crystal sync band for live intel transmission, and a pair of adaptive-tint tactical glasses that adjusted to various magical and spectral frequencies.
The third suitcase held the real edge —
probes, cloaking beacons and a collapsible staff laced with electric nodes.
Everything Rudra might need to infiltrate, confront, or escape —
without leaving a trace.
"I wasn't sure what kind of mess this rogue was dragging us into,"
Amirtha said, straightening up.
"So I prepared for the worst."
Rudra stared at the gear, then at her, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"You prepared for war."
She smiled back, eyes gleaming.
"No. I prepared you for war."
Old Dabba House –
The dusty, dimly lit room behind the rundown dabba buzzed with a quiet tension.
Crates of seemingly innocent goods were stacked along the walls, but the centre table told a different story —
Disassembled modern firearms, Bullets, and custom silencers lay scattered across it like a black market buffet.
Zarak —
tall, lean, and sharp-eyed —
Sat with casual authority, his long hair tied in a tight bun beneath a cap.
A faint scar ran across his cheek, a memento from his past as a Brahmansh operative.
Despite his current rogue status, he exuded the calm confidence of someone who'd danced with death and never missed a step.
Before him sat four men in civilian gear, faces hidden behind helmets.
Two of them leaned in, inspecting the weapons while another tested the weight of a sleek black rifle, clearly impressed.
"These babies,"
Zarak began, tapping the rifle's side,
"Aren't just military-grade. They're modded — lighter frames, zero recoil dampeners, and silent triggers... That means no trace of bar code or government sniffers. You pull the trigger, and they won't know what hit them until they're bleeding."
One of the men grunted in approval.
"Where did you even get these?"
Asked another, voice distorted slightly through his helmet.
Zarak smirked.
Smirk~
"Contacts. Leftover favours. And a world that underestimates fallen heroes like me."
He sat back, drumming his fingers on the table.
"I know you people like to hoard bombs and rusty Kalashnikovs like they're gold. But if you're planning to hit a convoy, take out a base, or control a zone — this,"
He gestured to the array,
"It is what gives you an edge. And I'm the only one who can get you these without lighting up every agency in the region."
One of the men exchanged looks with the others.
A silent agreement was passed among them.
"____"
"This shipment,"
The leader said,
"You promised it would be ready by tonight?"
Zarak nodded.
Nod~
"Once I have the advance. The rest is locked and waiting."
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping lower, laced with greed and calculation.
"And if this goes well... I've got something bigger planned. A lot bigger."
As the discussion was heating up, the fluorescent light above them flickered suddenly —
once… twice…
Flick~ Flick~
then buzzed back to a dim glow.
Everyone inside the dabba froze.
"____"
"____"
A few of the men reached toward their belts instinctively, fingers brushing against concealed weapons.
The air turned tense, like a stretched rubber band waiting to snap.
Zarak, however, merely chuckled.
Chuckle~
"Relax,"
He said, smirking and leaning back in his chair.
"This place is older than my betrayal. The wiring's held together with more tape than wire. You'll get used to it."
But even as he spoke, his eyes scanned the ceiling, just once.
He didn't believe in coincidence —
Not in his line of work.
Still, no alarms had been triggered.
No signs of interference.
The others gradually resumed their positions, though the unease lingered.
Across the room, several crates were opened, showcasing more weapons —
Rifles, compact grenade launchers, drone jammers, and something suspiciously shaped like a shoulder-fired missile system.
The four helmeted buyers exchanged a series of nods.
Currently, over thirty individuals fill the dabba —
A mix of logistics handlers, delivery contacts, tech specialists, and the buyers' muscle.
Zarak pointed to a roughly drawn map on the table.
"This,"
he said, tapping a red-marked trail,
"is your transport route. We've arranged a clean passage up to checkpoint 'Echo'. After that, your men will split up. Five bikes take the hillside path, three trucks follow the forest trail. Minimal risk. If you stick to the plan."
One of the buyers asked,
"And the handoff to the northern camp?"
Zarak pulled out a sealed packet and slid it across.
"Encrypted details. One-time read. Your boys at their hideout will get the rest of the shipment there. Just don't get greedy and try to reroute — it'll trigger failsafes."
A few of the men chuckled darkly, appreciating Zarak's professionalism —
and his threats.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
(Author's POV)
(A/N):
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review!!! And power stone!!!
Which will motivate me more?