"Sometimes the final move… costs everything."
---
Raat aur gehri ho chuki thi.
---
City ki lights ab bhi jal rahi thi—
lekin aaj unme life nahi thi.
---
Aarav building ke terrace par khada tha.
---
Neeche poora sheher spread tha.
---
Lekin uski aankhen kahin aur thi.
---
Andar.
---
"Trust…"
---
Woh dheere se bolta hai.
---
"Kitna ajeeb word hai…"
---
Silence.
---
Door footsteps aaye.
---
Vivaan.
---
"Tu yahan hai," usne calmly kaha.
---
Aarav ne peeche mud kar nahi dekha.
---
"Kya lagta hai tujhe?" Aarav ne poocha.
---
Vivaan thoda sa ruk gaya.
---
"Kis baare me?"
---
"Uske baare me."
---
Silence.
---
Vivaan ne seedha jawab diya—
---
"Sach bol rahi hai."
---
Aarav ne aankhen band ki.
---
"Ya phir acting…"
---
Vivaan ne dheere se kaha—
---
"Difference samajhne ke liye… trust karna padta hai."
---
Aarav hasa.
---
Cold.
---
"Exactly problem wahi hai."
---
Silence.
---
"Hum usse use kar sakte hain," Vivaan ne kaha.
---
Aarav ne finally peeche mud kar dekha.
---
"Use?"
---
"Usse system pata hai," Vivaan ne continue kiya—
"Woh andar tak ja sakti hai."
---
Aarav ne dheere se sir hilaaya.
---
"Haan."
---
"Ya phir…"
---
Pause.
---
"Woh hume andar le jaake khatam karwa sakti hai."
---
Silence.
---
Vivaan ne seedha kaha—
---
"Risk lena padega."
---
Aarav ne uski aankhon me dekha.
---
"Main already sab risk kar chuka hoon."
---
Scene shift.
---
Meher akeli baithi thi.
---
Room me light dim thi.
---
Uske saamne wohi flashbacks repeat ho rahe the.
---
Documents.
System.
Control.
---
Aur Aarav ka face.
---
"Trust me…"
---
Usne aankhen band kar li.
---
"Main prove karungi…"
---
Door khula.
---
Aarav andar aaya.
---
Meher ne uski taraf dekha.
---
Silence.
---
"Plan hai," Aarav ne seedha kaha.
---
"Tum lead karogi."
---
Meher freeze.
---
"Main?"
---
Aarav ne sir hilaaya.
---
"Haan."
---
"Tumhe system pata hai."
---
"Tum hume andar le jaogi."
---
Silence.
---
Meher ne dheere se poocha—
---
"Aur agar main fail ho gayi?"
---
Aarav ne seedha jawab diya—
---
"Toh hum sab mar jayenge."
---
Room me thand si phail gayi.
---
Meher ne aankhen band ki.
---
Phir dheere se kaha—
---
"Main fail nahi houngi."
---
Scene shift.
---
Raat.
---
Wahi building.
---
Is baar…
front entry se nahi.
---
Underground access.
---
Meher aage chal rahi thi.
---
Aarav aur Vivaan piche.
---
"Yeh route secure nahi hai," Meher ne dheere se kaha—
---
"Lekin least monitored hai."
---
Vivaan ne dheere se kaha—
---
"Least monitored matlab monitored toh hai."
---
Meher ne sir hilaaya.
---
"Haan."
---
Teeno ruk gaye.
---
Aage ek security door tha.
---
Keypad.
---
Meher ne usse dekha.
---
Flash.
---
Password.
---
System.
---
Usne dheere se code enter kiya.
---
Beep.
---
Green light.
---
Door open.
---
Aarav ne uski taraf dekha.
---
"Good."
---
Meher ne kuch nahi kaha.
---
Teeno andar gaye.
---
Corridor dark tha.
---
Silent.
---
Too silent.
---
Vivaan ne dheere se kaha—
---
"Something's off…"
---
Aarav ne bhi feel kiya.
---
"Trap…"
---
Suddenly—
---
lights ON.
---
Guns cock.
---
Aur—
---
Vivaan freeze.
---
Uske chest par red dot.
---
Phir ek aur.
---
Aur ek aur.
---
Multiple snipers.
---
Aarav ka dil ek second ke liye ruk gaya.
---
"NO—"
---
BANG!
---
Gunshot.
---
Vivaan ka body jerk hua.
---
Woh peeche gira.
---
"VIVAAN!"
---
Aarav turant uske paas bhaaga.
---
Khoon.
---
Zyada nahi.
---
Lekin dangerous.
---
Vivaan ne dheere se aankhen kholi.
---
"Trap tha…" usne halki si smile ke saath kaha—
---
"Expected…"
---
Aarav ka gussa explode hone ke edge par tha.
---
"Kisne—"
---
Uski nazar seedha Meher par gayi.
---
Silence.
---
Meher shock me thi.
---
"Nahi… maine—"
---
Aarav ne uski taraf dekha.
---
Uski aankhon me sirf ek cheez thi—
---
Suspicion.
---
Deep.
---
Dangerous.
---
"Sach?" Aarav ne dheere se poocha.
---
Meher ka saans ruk gaya.
---
"Maine kuch nahi kiya—"
---
Achanak—
---
clap.
---
Slow.
---
Echoing.
---
Woh aadmi saamne aaya.
---
Shadow se.
---
Smile ke saath.
---
"Perfect execution."
---
Silence.
---
Aarav khada ho gaya.
---
"Tu…"
---
Aadmi ne dheere se kaha—
---
"Tumhe lagta hai tum control me ho?"
---
"Tum abhi bhi mere board par ho."
---
Aarav ne gusse me kaha—
---
"Game khatam."
---
Aadmi hasa.
---
"Game abhi shuru hua hai."
---
Vivaan ne weak voice me kaha—
---
"Aarav…"
---
Aarav turant uske paas jhuk gaya.
---
"Stay with me."
---
Vivaan ne dheere se kaha—
---
"End kar…"
---
Aarav freeze.
---
"Isse khatam kar…"
---
Silence.
---
Aarav ki aankhen dark ho gayi.
---
Game ab personal nahi raha.
---
Ab yeh war tha.
---
Aur is baar—
---
koi nahi bachega.
---
To be continued…