Aryan sat at the head of a long table, surrounded by twenty members of his elite group. The dim lighting flickered across steel walls, maps, and blinking monitors. His fingers tapped slowly on the metal surface.
Aryan:
"They sent their agent after us… which means they know now. Have you prepared the chopper?"
Abdul:
"Yes sir… The chopper's ready and all equipment has also been packed."
Aryan:
"Good. We leave right now. Everyo—"
A voice crackled through the comm system.
Unknown Voice (nervous):
"Sir… four people have entered the facility. And our systems identify only two of them. One is our subject #A47, and the second one…"
He gulped and turned the monitor toward Aryan.
Aryan:
"Albert."
Abdul (instinctively):
"This is our chance. Let's take him down and—"
Aryan (cutting him off, firm):
"NO. What's more important is preventing any leak. No information about us or our planning can get out. We must leave immediately. All of you—into the chopper. Now."
The group stood in unison and rushed toward the exit ramp.
Abdul (hesitant):
"Sir, what about the villagers?"
Aryan (coldly):
"Not even a single one should survive. Make their deaths look natural. Release excess radiation—but only when I give the word."
"Also… I want one of our men to stay behind. Someone capable. Let's give our guests a proper welcome."
Abdul:
"Okay. Let's go, sir."
Meanwhile, inside the perimeter of the facility, Albert, Bhalla, Aarvansh, and the old man moved with urgency.
Bhalla (half-smirking):
"You know what… sometimes I actually enjoy being in these situations."
Aarvansh (to the old man):
"Don't worry. No one will die today. I promise."
Albert:
"Spread out. All directions. Whoever finds the villagers first—report. And be quick. We don't want a single ounce of radiation in our bodies."
They split up and searched for nearly 15 minutes—empty corridors, locked doors, hollow chambers. Nothing.
At the 30-minute mark, everyone's earpiece crackled.
Albert (over comms):
"I've found them. Aarvansh, I need you here. Come fast."
"I'm guiding you all to the location now."
Aarvansh and the old man followed the directions and soon reached the chamber.
Inside, through reinforced glass, they saw the villagers—alive but sealed tightly behind a security chamber.
As Aarvansh stepped closer to the control panel, a shadow emerged.
A tall figure—six feet, built like a soldier—stepped between him and the chamber. His eyes locked onto Aarvansh with quiet menace.
Unknown Man (into his Bluetooth):
"Aryan, I see them. What should I do?"
Aryan's voice echoed in his ear.
Aryan (calmly):
"I want them all alive. Especially subject #A47. And make sure they do not take any villager out with them."
Behind Aarvansh, Bhalla and Albert arrived and immediately drew their weapons—silent, focused.
Albert:
"Looks like we're not leaving without a proper welcome."
Bhalla:
"Kid, it's time for you to finally do a test."
The man charges toward Albert. But before he gets close—
SMACK.
Aarvansh drives a brutal punch into the man's face, sending him flying a full two meters back.
Bhalla:
"That's what we call a REAL test."
The man gets up, face twisted in rage. What follows is brutal.
Aarvansh engages him in a vicious hand-to-hand fight. Blow after blow, he outmatches his opponent with terrifying precision. Each movement calculated. Each strike clean. But midway through—
Aarvansh stumbles. A brief flash of dizziness. He grits his teeth, regains balance, and finishes the fight with a crushing slam.
He runs toward the chamber to free the villagers—
But suddenly, metallic doors snap shut behind him. Trapping Bhalla, Albert, and the old man.
A shadow moves.
Aryan steps out of the darkness—cold, calm, unreadable.
Aryan:
"Subject #A47. So they actually did recruit you."
Aarvansh:
"Do you know me?"
Aryan:
"Yes. Very well. I know everything about you… your moves, your mind, your instincts. We are the same."
Aarvansh:
"Oh yeah? I didn't torture 40 innocent people for decades and then plan to kill them."
Aryan:
"If you hadn't escaped, this situation wouldn't have happened. I never wanted to kill them. But they stand in the way of a purpose—a glorious purpose."
Aarvansh:
"No purpose justifies what you're doing. I know what AGNI did to you. But you doing this doesn't make you any different from them."
Aryan:
"Aarvansh… what a name. You never fail to impress me. And I'm sure you realize by now—AGNI is a bigger threat than I ever was."
Albert (muffled from the cage):
"Don't listen to him, kid!"
Aryan glances toward Albert. His eyes flash.
Aryan:
"You know what he did to me? To my parents? You know the truth, Aarvansh. Somewhere in your heart, you know who's right.
Why fight for the ones who break people like me? We're not the monsters.
We're the good people."
He steps closer. The offer clear in his voice.
Aryan:
"Join me, Aarvansh. With you by my side, I'll be unstoppable.
You're the only one alive who's equal to me—in strength, in intelligence. I don't want to fight you. I want you with me."
Aarvansh:
"Why should I believe any of this? Maybe you just made the story up."
Aryan exhales sharply, frustrated.
Then taps a button.
A holographic projection flickers to life. Footage of Aryan—strapped down, screaming, bloodied. Tortured.
Albert looks shocked. Aarvansh turns toward him, face hardening. Accusation in his eyes.
Aryan:
"Still don't believe me?"
Aarvansh:
"Let the villagers go."
Aryan:
"I'm afraid… that can't happen."
Aarvansh lunged at Aryan, fists clenched, heart pounding. The desert wind howled around them, but Aryan barely moved—blocking, dodging, holding back.
Even as their blows collided, Aryan spoke calmly, like a teacher mid-lesson.
"You're fighting the wrong battle, Aarvansh. I'm not your enemy."
Aarvansh didn't respond. He kept swinging.
Aryan sighed. Then his tone changed—hardening.
"So be it."
He stopped holding back.
The shift was brutal. With calculated precision, Aryan countered, slammed Aarvansh to the ground, disarmed him, and pinned him. Aarvansh's body jolted from the impact. He rolled, pushed up again—but suddenly the dizziness hit him again and this time it was unbearable. Arvansh collapsed to the ground with pain taking over his body.
Aryan circled him.
"Adrenaline issues… I remember those. They nearly killed me too, once."
Aarvansh stumbled to his feet. Still fighting. Still refusing to stop.
Even in the chaos, he managed to shout instructions to Albert and Bhalla—urging them to retreat. The old man hesitated, refusing to leave without the others. Only Albert and Bhalla made it out.
Now, bleeding, breath shallow, Aarvansh dropped to his knees.
Aryan stepped closer, voice quieter now.
"Did Albert ever tell you… who you really are?"
Aarvansh met his eyes, pain etched into his face.
"I don't know who I am. But I know who you are—a monster."
He paused.
"Let the villagers go. I'll join you."
Aryan stood silent for a moment.
Then:
"Fine."
He turned to Abdul.
"Release the chamber."
A click. A mechanical hiss.
Radiation flooded the sealed chamber.
The old man screamed as he ran to the glass, helplessly watching his people collapse one by one.
Aryan turned his back, folded his arms. Closed his eyes.
"Forgive me, O Lord…"
.Aarvansh ran as fast as he could but he Aryan didn't let him cross. He threw him back and All Aarvansh could do was watch villagers die. Struggling for breath, their skin turning red , tears in their eyes. Aarvansh tried to stand and fell. Abdul returned with the chopper. Aryan boarded—and they disappeared into the sky
Only silence remained.
All the villagers were dead. The chamber empty.The corpses lying, their gaze fixed on Aarvansh as if blaming him for their death.
The old man stood frozen, staring at the glass.
Aarvansh, staggering from blood loss and exhaustion, limped toward him.
"We have to leave. Please. We have to go."
But the old man turned slowly, eyes burning with betrayal.
"You promised…
You promised!!"
Before Aarvansh could react, the old man snatched a shard of broken glass from the ground—and drove it into his own throat.
Aarvansh screamed.
The sound echoed through the valley, swallowed by wind and ash. He dropped to his knees beside the lifeless body, tears streaking down his face, and collapsed beside him—unconscious.