The steel door of Desai's Gym shook loudly, the sound echoing through the empty street. Vikram raised his hands to his guard, and Rohan grabbed his iron pipe.
The lock clicked, and the shutter rolled up halfway.
A tall man in a dark silk kurta stepped inside, flanked by two big bodyguards. His hair was slicked back, and his fingers were covered in gold rings. **Kiran Gawde**—Rohan's father, the boss of the South Mumbai gangs.
"Dad?" Rohan lowered his pipe, his face turning pale. "How did you find us?"
Kiran Gawde ignored his son, looking around the gym before focusing on Vikram. He stepped forward, his bodyguards staying near the door.
"You look too much like your father, Vikram," Kiran said, his voice a low rumble. "Amar was a fool who died for his ideas. I hoped you would be smarter."
"If you are here to hand us over to the Vow, save your breath," Vikram said.
Kiran Gawde laughed, but he looked nervous. He pulled out a gold cigarette case, his hands shaking slightly as he lit one. "Hand you over? Vikram, the Vow doesn't need me to hand you over. They are taking the city."
He took a puff of his cigarette, looking at Rohan. "Two hours ago, my manager was found in his office. He was frozen solid. His skin was like glass. The Vow left a message: all gangs must join their Grid by tomorrow, or we die."
"The Grid?" Rhea asked, looking up from her laptop.
"It's a blackout system," Kiran explained. "They have put nodes in the city's power stations. When they turn it on, Mumbai's entire power grid will go dark. In that darkness, their fighters will have absolute power. They will control the ports, the banks, the government. The police chief is already working for them."
"What about Devendra Malhotra?" Vikram asked.
"Malhotra Corp is giving them the tech," Kiran said. "They are importing the key parts—**Tenebrous Cores**—from a secret lab. If those cores are connected, the blackout will be permanent."
"Where are the cores now?" Vikram asked, stepping closer.
Kiran looked at him. "A ship is docking at the Mumbai Port tonight. Sector 4. The shipment moves at 3:00 AM."
"We can destroy them," Rohan said.
"You?" Kiran looked at his son. "The port is guarded by Javed and a squad of Vow fighters. You'll be dead before you cross the fence."
"But they don't expect us," Vikram said. "And we have Rhea. If she can hack the port's light towers, we can turn the lights on."
Kiran Gawde looked at Vikram for a long time. He reached into his pocket and threw a set of keys on the table.
"The keys to my warehouse in Sector 4," Kiran said. "It has a tunnel to the docks. If you are going to die, do it quietly. Don't bring the Vow to my house."
"Thanks, Dad," Rohan said softly.
Kiran turned and walked out, his bodyguards pulling the metal door down behind them.
"We have three hours," Vikram said, looking at his friends. "Rhea, get the codes ready for the lights. Rahul, check the map of Sector 4. Rohan, we need more than just lights this time."
Rohan smiled, a hard look on his face. "I'll get the backup. Let's show these shadows what happens when you try to freeze Mumbai."