Ayaan and Anshuman handed the captured criminal leader over to The Man.
The Man looked at them for a moment before nodding.
"Mission accomplished."
Their watches immediately vibrated.
Mission Complete
Reward: 500,000 Credits
The credits were transferred instantly.
Anshuman looked at his balance and smiled.
"We got some money."
Ayaan checked his watch.
"Looks like we did."
The two immediately headed toward the food section.
After a dangerous mission, they wanted to relax.
Anshuman bought a large burger, pizza, and a coke.
Ayaan did the same.
They sat near a window overlooking the city.
Anshuman took a bite of his burger.
"That guy was very dangerous."
Ayaan nodded.
"He was stronger than I expected."
"And somehow we survived."
"Mostly because he wasn't immune to electricity."
The two laughed.
For the first time since becoming agents, they could relax.
A few hours later, both watches vibrated.
BEEP!
A new mission notification appeared.
NEW MISSION
Objective: Retrieve Data Chip X-9
Reward: 1,000,000 Credits
Mission Rank: A
A picture of a glass skyscraper appeared on the screen.
The building was enormous.
Dozens of floors rose above the city skyline.
Anshuman whistled.
"That's a big building."
Ayaan continued reading.
Mission Details
A classified data chip is stored inside the building.
You are to infiltrate the tower.
Retrieve the chip.
Deliver it directly to The Man.
Avoid unnecessary attention.
Mission starts tomorrow.
The next day, under the bright afternoon sun, Ayaan and Anshuman arrived at the agency helipad.
A helicopter was waiting.
The pilot looked at them.
"You two are the only agents assigned to this operation."
Anshuman grinned.
"So if we fail?"
"Don't fail."
The helicopter took off.
The city spread beneath them.
After several minutes, the target building came into view.
The skyscraper towered above everything around it.
The helicopter circled near the upper floors.
Ayaan looked through the window.
Hundreds of office workers were still inside.
"This mission is during the day?"
Anshuman asked.
The pilot nodded.
"The chip will be moved tonight."
"This is your only opportunity."
The helicopter moved closer to the building.
The Man's voice came through their earpieces.
"You are the only team assigned to recover the chip."
"No backup."
"No support."
"Get in."
"Get the chip."
"Get out."
The helicopter hovered near the upper levels of the skyscraper.
Below them, the city buzzed with life.
Above them, the roof of the tower waited.
Ayaan looked at Anshuman.
"Ready?"
Anshuman adjusted his watch and smiled.
"As ready as someone who has no idea what he's doing can be."
The helicopter began approaching the tower.
Their second mission had officially started.
The helicopter touched down on the rooftop of the skyscraper.
The wind was strong at that height.
Far below, the city looked tiny.
Ayaan stepped toward the edge and secured his safety line.
"Anshuman."
"I know."
Anshuman secured his own line.
The two checked their equipment one last time.
Then they moved over the edge.
For a moment, all they could see was open air.
The skyscraper stretched far beneath them.
Anshuman looked down once and immediately regretted it.
"Okay, that's really high."
Ayaan ignored him and focused on the mission.
Slowly, they descended along the side of the building.
The glass walls reflected the afternoon sunlight.
Employees inside continued working, completely unaware of the two agents outside.
After reaching the correct floor, they carefully made their way into the building and entered an unused section.
The moment they stepped inside, both watches vibrated.
LOCATION CONFIRMED
Chip X-9 detected within the building.
Estimated Distance: 120 meters
Anshuman smiled.
"That sounds easy."
Ayaan looked around.
The floor was almost empty.
"Which means it won't be."
The two began moving through the corridors.
Everything seemed normal.
Too normal.
Then Ayaan noticed something.
A small camera on the ceiling slowly turned toward them.
At the same moment, red lights flashed.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
A notification appeared on their watches.
WARNING
Security System Activated
Anshuman froze.
"We've been spotted."
Before either could react, heavy metal doors slammed shut throughout the floor.
CLANG!
The building had entered lockdown.
And somewhere deep inside the tower, a man in a black suit looked at a monitor showing their location.
He smiled.
"So they finally arrived."
Then he pressed a button.
Several armed security drones powered on.
Their eyes glowed red.
And they began moving toward Ayaan and Anshuman's position.
The red warning lights continued flashing throughout the floor.
Ayaan and Anshuman looked around for an exit.
"We need to get out of this lockdown," Anshuman said.
Before Ayaan could reply—
CLANG!
The main security door suddenly opened.
Both of them looked at each other.
"Run!"
Without hesitation, they sprinted toward the opening.
The corridor beyond was completely dark.
Only the emergency lights provided a faint glow.
The two rushed forward.
Then—
BOOM!
A powerful punch struck Ayaan from the side.
At the same moment—
BAM!
Anshuman was hit from behind.
Both agents were sent sliding across the floor.
They crashed into the corridor wall.
"What was that?!" Anshuman shouted.
Ayaan quickly stood up.
The darkness ahead was silent.
Then heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
Four glowing red lights appeared.
Then eight.
Then twelve.
Slowly, four figures emerged from the darkness.
They weren't human.
They were robots.
Each stood over seven feet tall.
Their bodies were covered in black armor plating.
Red sensors glowed where their eyes should have been.
Mechanical claws extended from their arms.
A robotic voice echoed through the corridor.
THREAT DETECTED
ELIMINATION PROTOCOL ACTIVATED
Anshuman stared.
"Designed to kill?"
One robot punched the wall beside it.
CRACK!
Concrete shattered.
"Definitely designed to kill."
The lead robot stepped forward.
TARGETS IDENTIFIED
AGENT 007
AGENT 001
TERMINATE
The four robots charged simultaneously.
Ayaan immediately moved aside as one robot smashed into the wall behind him.
Anshuman ducked beneath another robot's arm.
The corridor shook from the impacts.
"Any ideas?" Anshuman shouted.
Ayaan noticed a maintenance panel nearby.
Then he looked up at the ceiling.
A grin appeared on his face.
"I think so."
Another robot lunged at them.
The battle inside Helios Tower had just begun.
One of the robots charged toward Anshuman.
Its heavy footsteps shook the corridor.
Anshuman clenched his fist.
"Let's see how tough you are!"
He threw a punch with all his strength.
BAM!
His fist connected directly with the robot's chest.
A large dent appeared in the metal armor.
For a moment, Anshuman smiled.
Then he looked at his hand.
The pain hit instantly.
"OW!"
He grabbed his fist.
It felt like he had punched a steel wall.
The robot slowly looked down at the dent.
Then back at Anshuman.
Its red eyes glowed brighter.
DAMAGE DETECTED
ENGAGING TARGET
Anshuman's smile disappeared.
"Uh oh."
The robot swung its arm.
BOOM!
Anshuman barely blocked the attack.
Even then, he was thrown backward.
Meanwhile, Ayaan was fighting two robots at once.
He dodged one attack, but another robot caught him with a powerful strike to the shoulder.
CRASH!
Ayaan slammed into a wall.
The corridor trembled.
The robots showed no signs of slowing down.
No fear.
No hesitation.
No pain.
Only one purpose.
ELIMINATE
Another robot grabbed Anshuman and threw him across the hallway.
BANG!
He rolled across the floor.
"Okay, these things are cheating!"
Ayaan stood up and wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
The four robots advanced together.
For the next several minutes, Ayaan and Anshuman were forced completely onto the defensive.
Every punch from the robots felt like being hit by a hammer.
Every mistake was punished immediately.
Anshuman was knocked into a desk.
Ayaan was slammed against a wall.
Neither could find an opening.
The robots simply kept coming.
Finally, after another heavy hit, both agents slid across the floor and stopped near each other.
The four robots stood in front of them.
Their red eyes glowed in the darkness.
TARGETS WEAKENED
PREPARING FINAL ATTACK
Anshuman slowly got up.
Everything hurt.
He looked at Ayaan.
"I officially hate robots."
Ayaan glanced at the ceiling and then at the maintenance panel he had noticed earlier.
Despite the situation, a small smile appeared on his face.
Anshuman noticed.
"Why are you smiling?"
Ayaan pointed upward.
"I finally figured out how to beat them."
The robots began charging again.
But this time, Ayaan had a plan.
The four robots charged at them again.
ELIMINATION PROTOCOL ACTIVE
Their heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Anshuman got up slowly.
His entire body hurt.
"Please tell me your plan is better than my punching plan."
"It is."
"Good."
One of the robots lunged toward them.
Ayaan grabbed Anshuman's arm.
"Run."
"That's the plan?!"
"Part of it."
The two sprinted down the corridor.
The robots immediately followed.
THUMP!
THUMP!
THUMP!
The entire floor shook.
Ayaan kept glancing at the ceiling.
Then toward the maintenance panel ahead.
Then back at the robots.
Anshuman noticed.
"You've definitely got something in mind."
Ayaan suddenly stopped.
"Here."
The robots were only a few meters away.
Anshuman looked around.
"Here what?"
Ayaan pointed upward.
The ceiling above them contained dozens of thick power cables and a huge maintenance junction.
At the same time, the damaged maintenance panel sat on the wall beside them.
Ayaan rushed to it.
The robots continued charging.
One raised its arm for a killing blow.
Anshuman stepped in front.
"You're taking way too long!"
The robot attacked.
Anshuman barely dodged.
The punch shattered the wall behind him.
Meanwhile, Ayaan tore open the maintenance panel.
Sparks flew everywhere.
He quickly rerouted several cables.
The system immediately overloaded.
WARNING
POWER SURGE DETECTED
Red lights flashed throughout the corridor.
The robots paused for a fraction of a second.
Ayaan smiled.
"Now."
"What now?!"
"Hit the cables."
Anshuman looked up.
Then at the exposed electrical junction.
Then back at the robots.
"I hope this works."
He grabbed a loose metal pipe from the floor.
The nearest robot charged.
Anshuman swung upward.
CRASH!
The pipe struck the damaged junction.
A massive shower of sparks exploded.
Thousands of volts surged through the exposed cables.
Electricity burst across the ceiling.
The robots immediately froze.
SYSTEM ERROR
SYSTEM ERROR
SYSTEM ERROR
One robot collapsed.
Then another.
Then a third.
The last robot tried to move.
Its red eyes flickered wildly.
CRITICAL FAILURE
SHUTDOWN
THUD!
It crashed to the floor.
Silence.
The corridor became still.
Smoke rose from the destroyed machines.
Anshuman dropped the pipe.
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then Anshuman pointed at Ayaan.
"You could have told me that plan five minutes ago."
"I only figured it out thirty seconds ago."
Anshuman sighed.
"Fair enough."
Their watches suddenly vibrated.
CHIP X-9 LOCATION UPDATED
Distance: 20 meters
Both agents looked at the notification.
The chip was close.
Very close.
Ayaan looked toward the secure vault door at the end of the corridor.
Anshuman grinned.
"Please tell me there aren't more robots."
The vault door slowly began unlocking from the power surge.
CLICK.
CLICK.
CLICK.
Then the massive door started opening.
Neither agent knew what was waiting inside.
The vault door slid open.
Ayaan and Anshuman quickly entered the room.
In the center stood a secure locker.
"This has to be it," Anshuman said.
Ayaan opened it.
The locker was empty.
Both froze.
"What?"
At that exact moment—
WEEOOO! WEEOOO!
Alarms exploded throughout the building.
Red lights flashed everywhere.
The vault door slammed shut behind them.
CLANG!
Anshuman looked around.
"We've been set up."
Ayaan immediately ran to the window.
Far below, the city stretched into the distance.
Then he looked at Anshuman.
"We have to jump."
Anshuman stared at him.
"Jump from where?"
Ayaan pointed at the glass.
Anshuman walked over and looked down.
Then he slowly turned back.
"Bro."
"What?"
"We are on the 81st floor."
Ayaan glanced at the approaching security teams outside the vault.
"I don't know. If we want to survive, we have to jump."
The security door began opening.
Ayaan took a deep breath.
Then pushed Anshuman.
"WAIT—"
CRASH!
The glass shattered.
Both agents flew out of the skyscraper.
They began falling.
Fast.
Very fast.
Wind roared past them.
Anshuman was screaming.
Ayaan looked at his backpack.
"What's that lever?"
"I DON'T KNOW!"
"Pull it!"
Anshuman pulled the lever.
FWOOSH!
A parachute burst open.
Their speed dropped dramatically.
Ayaan smiled.
"We are safe now."
A second later—
RRRIP!
The parachute tore apart.
The smile vanished.
They started falling again.
Even faster.
Anshuman looked at Ayaan.
"We are dead now."
Ayaan nodded.
"Probably."
Seconds later—
WHOOOMP!
Instead of hitting concrete, they crashed through a giant event tent that had been set up in a city plaza.
The fabric absorbed most of the impact.
The entire tent collapsed.
Silence.
Anshuman slowly opened one eye.
"We're alive."
Ayaan sat up.
"Apparently."
Then both watches vibrated.
MISSION UPDATE
Chip X-9 located
A map appeared.
A red dot was moving through the city.
The thief had the chip.
And he was driving away.
Ayaan stood immediately.
"We have to follow him."
Anshuman looked around.
"We don't have a vehicle."
Ayaan pointed toward the agency headquarters a few blocks away.
"Then let's get one."
A short time later, they rushed into the agency garage.
Rows of vehicles stood under bright lights.
Motorcycles, cars, and armored transports lined the room.
An agent looked up.
"What happened to you two?"
Anshuman looked at his torn clothes.
"Long story."
Ayaan walked to the counter.
"We need two bikes. Urgent."
The garage manager pressed a button.
Several high-performance motorcycles rolled into view.
Ayaan immediately pointed at one.
"I'll take the Ducati Panigale V4."
Anshuman looked over the options.
"I'll take the Fireblade."
The manager handed over the keys.
Both bikes roared to life.
VROOOOM!
Their watches updated again.
The red dot was still moving.
The thief was heading toward the industrial district.
Ayaan lowered his visor.
"We're losing time."
Anshuman grinned.
"Then let's catch him."
The two motorcycles shot out of the garage and into the city streets.
Far ahead, inside a black car, the thief glanced at the chip beside him.
Then he looked into his rearview mirror.
Two headlights were rapidly getting closer.
The chase had begun.
The black car sped through the city.
The driver looked in the mirror and saw Ayaan and Anshuman still chasing him.
His face twisted in frustration.
"Why won't these two give up?"
He slammed his hand onto a hidden button on the dashboard.
POWER BOOST ACTIVATED
The engine roared.
VROOOOOOM!
The car suddenly surged forward.
Its speed increased dramatically.
Within seconds, the distance between them began growing.
Anshuman's eyes widened.
"Did that car just get faster?"
Ayaan watched the taillights disappearing ahead.
"It has some kind of boost system."
For a moment, neither spoke.
They could only watch as the car pulled away.
Then Anshuman looked at Ayaan.
"How are we supposed to chase that down?"
Ayaan glanced at the controls on his motorcycle.
Then he noticed something.
A small switch near the handlebar.
SPORT MODE
Ayaan smiled.
"Press sport mode."
"What?"
"Press it."
Anshuman immediately flipped the switch.
At the same time, Ayaan activated his own.
SPORT MODE ACTIVATED
The dashboard lit up.
The engine sound changed instantly.
VROOOOOM!
Both motorcycles became much more responsive.
Anshuman grinned.
"Oh, now we're talking."
Ayaan leaned forward.
"Let's go."
The two bikes accelerated.
The city lights blurred past them.
The gap began shrinking.
The thief checked his mirror again.
His confidence vanished.
"What?!"
The motorcycles were catching up.
Fast.
Very fast.
The thief gritted his teeth.
"This is getting annoying."
Ahead, the road led toward an unfinished highway project on the edge of the city.
Construction equipment, ramps, and barriers filled the area.
The thief smiled.
"If I can't outrun them..."
He turned the steering wheel sharply and headed toward the construction zone.
Ayaan immediately noticed.
"He's leaving the main road."
Anshuman looked ahead.
"This can't be good."
The chase raced toward the construction site as the distance between the three vehicles continued to close.
Ayaan and Anshuman were closing the distance.
The black car was only a few hundred meters ahead.
Then—
SCREEECH!
A pickup truck suddenly burst out from a side road.
"LOOK OUT!" Anshuman shouted.
BOOOOM!
The truck slammed into both motorcycles.
The impact sent them flying across the road.
Metal scraped against concrete.
Their bikes spun away.
Ayaan rolled several times before crashing into a barrier.
Anshuman slid across the pavement and hit a pile of construction materials.
For a few moments, everything was blurry.
Their bodies ached from the collision.
Anshuman slowly sat up.
"That... hurt."
Ayaan wiped blood from his forehead and looked around.
Their motorcycles were wrecked.
The black car carrying the chip was already disappearing into the distance.
Then he noticed something.
The pickup truck had stopped.
Its doors opened.
Two people stepped out.
A man.
And a girl.
They calmly began walking toward Ayaan and Anshuman.
The man was tall and wore a dark jacket.
The girl had long black hair and a confident expression.
Neither seemed worried.
As if crashing into two agents was completely normal.
Anshuman groaned.
"Please tell me they're here to apologize."
Ayaan stood up slowly.
"They're not."
The man stopped a few meters away.
The girl crossed her arms.
Then the man smiled.
"You two are persistent."
Ayaan narrowed his eyes.
"You know us?"
The man nodded.
"Agent 007."
He looked at Anshuman.
"And Agent 001."
Anshuman blinked.
"That's not good."
The girl laughed.
"No, it isn't."
The man glanced toward the road where the black car had escaped.
"Thanks to us, our friend got away safely."
Ayaan immediately understood.
"They were helping the thief."
The girl smiled.
"Smart."
Anshuman sighed.
"Why do all criminals talk like they're in a movie?"
The girl looked offended.
"I take that personally."
The man raised a hand.
"Enough."
His expression became serious.
"Our orders were simple."
"Delay you."
Ayaan clenched his fists.
"And now?"
The man cracked his knuckles.
"Now we're allowed to have some fun."
The girl stepped forward beside him.
Both of them assumed fighting stances.
Anshuman looked at Ayaan.
"We just got hit by a truck."
"I know."
"And now we have to fight?"
"I know."
Anshuman sighed.
"These missions keep getting worse."
The man charged first.
And the fight began.
The man charged straight at Ayaan.
WHOOSH!
A powerful punch came flying toward his face.
Ayaan barely moved his head.
The punch missed by an inch.
BOOM!
The punch landed on a construction barrier behind him.
The barrier cracked.
Anshuman stared.
"Okay, that's definitely not normal strength."
The girl suddenly appeared beside him.
"Focus."
BAM!
She kicked Anshuman in the stomach.
Anshuman folded like a chair.
"WHY DOES EVERYONE IN THIS GAME HIT SO HARD?!"
The girl laughed.
"Because you're bad at dodging."
"I GOT HIT BY A TRUCK FIVE MINUTES AGO!"
Meanwhile, Ayaan and the man exchanged blows.
BAM!
WHACK!
CRASH!
Neither gained an advantage.
The man grinned.
"Not bad, Agent 007."
Ayaan replied calmly.
"I hear that a lot."
"You sound very confident."
"I'm trying to ignore the pain."
The man actually laughed.
"I respect that."
On the other side of the construction site...
Anshuman was running.
The girl was chasing him.
"COME BACK HERE!"
"NO!"
"FIGHT ME!"
"I AM FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE!"
The girl jumped over a pile of pipes and landed in front of him.
Anshuman immediately changed direction.
The girl chased him again.
A construction worker watching from far away slowly removed his helmet.
"What is happening?"
His coworker looked at the scene.
"I don't know."
Neither wanted to get involved.
Back with Ayaan...
The man suddenly pulled out a small device.
Ayaan immediately stepped back.
The device began glowing blue.
"Oh, that's not suspicious."
The man pressed a button.
ZZZT!
Electricity surged around his gloves.
Anshuman saw it from a distance.
"HE HAS CHEAT CODES!"
The man smirked.
"Agency technology."
Ayaan raised an eyebrow.
"So you're not just criminals."
"Now you're asking the right questions."
The man attacked again.
This time every punch carried electric sparks.
Ayaan dodged one.
Then another.
The third barely missed his shoulder.
The concrete exploded where it landed.
Meanwhile...
The girl finally caught Anshuman.
THUD!
Both crashed into a stack of cardboard boxes.
The boxes collapsed instantly.
The girl stood up first.
Anshuman was buried underneath.
A hand emerged from the pile.
"I have fallen."
The girl crossed her arms.
"You lost."
Another hand emerged.
"I strongly disagree."
The entire pile exploded apart as Anshuman stood up.
A traffic cone was stuck on his head.
The girl stared.
Anshuman stared back.
Neither spoke.
Finally the girl pointed.
"There's a cone on your head."
"Oh."
He removed it.
Then immediately got punched.
BAM!
"OW!"
Back at the main fight...
Ayaan finally noticed something.
The man's electric glove wasn't producing power itself.
A small battery pack was attached to his belt.
Every spark originated from there.
Ayaan smiled.
The man noticed.
"Why are you smiling?"
Ayaan pointed.
"Your battery."
The man's eyes widened.
"Oh."
Ayaan immediately kicked a loose metal rod from the ground.
The rod struck the battery pack.
CRACK!
Sparks erupted everywhere.
ZZZZZT!
The electricity surged uncontrollably.
The man froze.
His hair stood up.
Smoke came from his jacket.
For a second he looked completely normal.
Then—
THUD.
He collapsed face-first onto the pavement.
Silence.
Anshuman looked over.
"...Did he just defeat himself?"
"Mostly."
The girl looked at her unconscious teammate.
Then at Ayaan.
Then at Anshuman.
Then she sighed.
"I hate working with idiots."
Before anyone could stop her, she threw a smoke grenade.
FSSSSHHH!
The area filled with smoke.
When it cleared—
She was gone.
Anshuman looked around.
"Great."
Ayaan checked his watch.
A new notification appeared.
TARGET UPDATE
Chip X-9 Location Detected
Distance: 3.2 Miles
The thief was still moving.
Anshuman groaned.
"We got hit by a truck."
"Yes."
"We fought two psychopaths."
"Yes."
"Our bikes are destroyed."
"Yes."
Anshuman pointed at the watch.
"And now we still have to chase the chip?"
Ayaan started walking.
"Yes."
Anshuman sighed.
"One day I'd like a mission where nobody tries to kill us."
Ayaan thought for a moment.
"That would be boring."
"...Fair point."
The two agents headed toward the updated location, unaware that the thief was heading somewhere far more dangerous than either of them expected.
Ayaan and Anshuman walked out of the construction site and reached the main road.
The sun was beginning to set.
Their clothes were torn.
They had dust all over them.
And they looked like they had survived a war.
Several cars drove past them.
None stopped.
Then a large cargo truck approached.
Ayaan stepped onto the road and waved.
The truck slowed down.
The driver rolled down his window.
The old man looked at them.
Then at their clothes.
Then back at them.
"What happened to you two?"
Anshuman answered immediately.
"Truck."
The driver blinked.
"A truck did that?"
"Yes."
The driver looked concerned.
"Did it hit you?"
"Very hard."
The driver stared for a few seconds.
Then said,
"Get in."
A few minutes later...
The truck was moving down the highway.
The driver was eating chips.
Ayaan was looking at the map on his watch.
Anshuman was drinking water.
The driver glanced at them.
"So what do you boys do?"
Ayaan answered,
"We're agents."
The driver laughed.
"No, seriously."
"We are."
The driver laughed harder.
Anshuman sighed.
"Nobody ever believes us."
A few minutes later...
The driver asked,
"Where are you heading?"
Ayaan pointed at the map.
"We need a fast vehicle."
Anshuman nodded.
"A very fast vehicle."
The driver grinned.
"Sports car?"
Ayaan thought for a moment.
"Maybe."
Anshuman shook his head.
"No."
"What?"
"It should be armored."
The driver looked confused.
"Why?"
Anshuman pointed at his bruises.
"So we do not crash one more time."
The driver nearly dropped his chips laughing.
"Hahahaha!"
Ayaan nodded seriously.
"That's actually a good point."
The driver laughed even harder.
"You two are the strangest hitchhikers I've ever picked up."
Suddenly—
BEEP!
Both watches vibrated.
A new update appeared.
TARGET UPDATE
Chip X-9
Status: Moving
Distance: 12 Miles
The red dot had stopped moving quickly.
Ayaan narrowed his eyes.
"He slowed down."
Anshuman looked at the map.
"Maybe he reached his destination."
The driver glanced at the screen.
Then his smile disappeared.
"Wait."
"What?"
"I know that area."
Ayaan looked up.
The driver pointed ahead.
"Those coordinates lead to Blackstone Industrial Port."
Anshuman frowned.
"What's special about that?"
The driver became serious.
"Nobody goes there at night."
The truck suddenly felt much quieter.
Ayaan and Anshuman exchanged looks.
The chip.
The thief.
The mysterious attackers.
Everything seemed connected.
The driver swallowed.
"Whatever you're chasing..."
He looked toward the dark horizon.
"...it's probably waiting for you there."
Outside, the last sunlight disappeared.
And far away at Blackstone Port, someone was already preparing for their arrival.
After some time, the truck driver dropped them near a highway service area.
Before leaving, he pointed at them.
"If you two survive whatever you're doing, don't do it again."
Anshuman nodded.
"That's what we say every mission."
The driver drove away shaking his head.
A few minutes later, a message arrived on their watches.
AGENCY SUPPORT ARRIVING
Ayaan looked up.
Headlights appeared in the distance.
An armored black vehicle rolled toward them.
It looked like a mix between a sports car and a military transport.
The doors opened automatically.
An agency mechanic stepped out.
"Your motorcycles were destroyed."
Anshuman sighed.
"We noticed."
"The agency has authorized temporary vehicle support."
The mechanic tossed Ayaan the keys.
"Try not to destroy this one."
Ayaan immediately walked toward the driver's seat.
"I'll drive."
Anshuman stopped.
"Absolutely not."
Ayaan looked offended.
"Why?"
"Because I enjoy being alive."
"I drive better than you."
Anshuman stared at him.
For several seconds.
Then he said,
"Nice joke."
"It's not a joke."
"It is."
"It's not."
"It is."
The mechanic quietly stepped backward.
"I suddenly don't want to be involved in this conversation."
Ayaan sat in the driver's seat.
Anshuman reluctantly entered the passenger seat.
The engine started.
VROOOOOOM!
The dashboard lit up.
ARMORED MODE ACTIVE
MAX SPEED AVAILABLE
PURSUIT PACKAGE INSTALLED
Anshuman looked at the screen.
"That sounds expensive."
Ayaan smiled.
"The agency is paying."
"Which means if you crash, we're getting fired."
"I'm not crashing."
The moment he finished speaking—
The car jumped forward.
SCREEECH!
Anshuman grabbed the dashboard.
"WE ALMOST HIT A SIGN!"
"It was a warning sign."
"IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT WARNING SIGN!"
The armored car sped down the highway.
The city lights disappeared behind them.
Ahead, only darkness remained.
Ayaan focused on the road.
The target marker on his watch continued moving.
Distance:
8 Miles
Then—
6 Miles
Then—
4 Miles
Blackstone Port was getting closer.
Massive shipping cranes became visible against the night sky.
Hundreds of containers stood stacked like giant walls.
The entire port looked abandoned.
Too abandoned.
Anshuman noticed it immediately.
"No workers."
"No ships moving."
"No lights."
Ayaan nodded.
"Someone cleared the area."
The target marker suddenly stopped.
CHIP X-9 LOCATION CONFIRMED
BLACKSTONE PORT
Both watches vibrated again.
A new message appeared.
WARNING
MULTIPLE HOSTILES DETECTED
Anshuman slowly looked up.
At the entrance of the port.
Dozens of figures were standing there.
Waiting.
Not hiding.
Waiting.
As if they already knew Ayaan and Anshuman were coming.
Anshuman sighed.
"I miss the burger mission."
Ayaan parked the armored car.
"That wasn't a mission."
"It was the best part of the mission."
The two stepped out of the vehicle.
The cold sea wind blew across the port.
And somewhere inside the maze of shipping containers was the chip they had been chasing all day.
Ayaan parked the armored car near the entrance of Blackstone Port.
The engine went silent.
For a moment, everything was quiet.
Then both of them stepped out.
The moment they looked ahead—
They froze.
Rows and rows of people were standing between the shipping containers.
Not ten.
Not twenty.
Not fifty.
Hundreds.
The entire port seemed filled with them.
Anshuman slowly counted for a few seconds before giving up.
"There are like..."
"...a lot."
Ayaan stared.
The number was easily around two hundred.
Anshuman looked at Ayaan.
"We are cooked."
"I know."
"We are extra cooked."
"I know."
"We are premium deluxe cooked."
"I KNOW."
Then a spotlight suddenly switched on.
CLICK!
Both looked upward.
On top of a stack of containers sat the man carrying Chip X-9.
He was calmly sitting in a chair.
One leg crossed over the other.
The chip rested on a table beside him.
As if he was hosting a meeting instead of running from agents.
He slowly clapped.
"Congratulations."
The sound echoed throughout the port.
"You actually made it here."
Anshuman pointed at the crowd.
"Was all this really necessary?"
The man looked around.
"Yes."
A second spotlight turned on.
Then a third.
From opposite sides of the port, two familiar figures appeared.
The man with the electric gloves.
And the girl who had rammed them with the pickup truck.
Both stepped forward.
The girl smiled.
"Miss us?"
Anshuman sighed.
"Not even a little."
The electric-glove man cracked his neck.
"I've been waiting for a rematch."
Anshuman immediately hid slightly behind Ayaan.
The man pointed.
"I saw that."
"No you didn't."
"I literally did."
The crowd began moving forward.
Not charging.
Just slowly walking.
Like a wall.
Two hundred enemies.
The chip thief above them.
The electric-glove man.
The girl.
And who knew how many more hidden around the port.
Anshuman looked at Ayaan.
Then at the crowd.
Then back at Ayaan.
Then back at the crowd.
Finally he asked,
"Are we going to fight them all?"
Ayaan thought for a moment.
"That would take a while."
"That's your concern?"
The chip thief laughed from above.
"Give up."
He picked up Chip X-9 and held it in the air.
"You've lost."
The crowd cheered.
The girl smirked.
The electric-glove man stepped forward.
Everything seemed stacked against them.
Then—
Ayaan smiled.
Anshuman immediately noticed.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"Whenever you smile like that, something stupid is about to happen."
Ayaan pointed toward the armored car.
"What do you think the armored part is for?"
Anshuman stared.
Then slowly looked at the crowd.
Then at the car.
Then back at the crowd.
A grin spread across his face.
The criminals suddenly felt a little less confident.
Ayaan pointed toward the armored car.
"Get in!"
Both agents turned and sprinted toward it.
The crowd behind them immediately started laughing.
The chip thief leaned forward in his chair.
"Oh, this should be good."
Ayaan reached the driver's door and grabbed the handle.
CLICK.
Nothing happened.
He pulled again.
Still nothing.
The door was locked.
Ayaan froze.
Then slowly looked at Anshuman.
"Where is the key?"
Anshuman blinked.
"The key?"
"THE KEY."
Anshuman pointed behind them.
A few hundred criminals were standing there.
"Somewhere between all of them."
Ayaan stared.
Anshuman stared back.
The crowd burst out laughing.
Even the girl was laughing.
The electric-glove man almost fell over.
"You lost the key?!"
Anshuman sighed.
"We broke it."
The entire port became silent for a moment.
Then everyone laughed even harder.
The chip thief wiped a tear from his eye.
"This is unbelievable."
Anshuman looked at Ayaan.
"We are officially dead."
"Probably."
Then the criminals started moving.
Slowly at first.
Then faster.
Then they all charged.
Over two hundred people rushed toward them.
The ground shook.
Anshuman looked at the approaching wave.
"Definitely dead."
Ayaan clenched his fists.
The chip thief stood up.
"Finish them!"
The entire port erupted into chaos.
Then—
VROOOOOOM!
A powerful engine sound echoed across the harbor.
Everyone stopped.
Another engine followed.
Then another.
Then another.
Bright headlights appeared behind Ayaan and Anshuman.
Five black vehicles burst into the port.
SCREEECH!
The vehicles drifted to a stop.
The criminals turned around in confusion.
The doors opened.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Agents stepped out.
Seven of them.
All wearing black tactical gear.
All carrying agency equipment.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The criminals who had been laughing moments ago became quiet.
Anshuman's eyes widened.
"Backup?"
Ayaan smiled.
"Looks like it."
Then the door of the lead vehicle opened.
A tall man stepped out.
The moment the agents saw him, they straightened up.
Even the seven agents looked respectful.
The man walked forward calmly.
His presence alone made the crowd uneasy.
The electric-glove man took a step back.
The girl stopped smiling.
Even the chip thief on top of the container stood up.
The newcomer stopped beside Ayaan and Anshuman.
"So."
He looked at the two of them.
"You managed to anger an entire port."
Anshuman pointed at the criminals.
"In our defense, they started it."
The man ignored him.
Then he looked at the crowd.
His expression remained completely calm.
"You two are not alone."
The seven agents stepped forward behind him.
The sea wind blew through the harbor.
For the first time since arriving at Blackstone Port, the criminals no longer had the advantage.
And for the first time that night—
The chip thief looked worried.
The man stood in front of them and adjusted his gloves.
"I'm your division head."
He looked at Ayaan and Anshuman.
"My name is Mark."
Anshuman nodded.
"Nice to meet you."
Mark looked around at the two hundred criminals surrounding the port.
"This is certainly a first meeting."
Then he pointed toward the container where the chip thief was standing.
"Your mission is the chip."
Ayaan and Anshuman looked up.
The thief was already beginning to retreat deeper into the port.
Mark cracked his knuckles.
"You two go catch him."
He pointed toward the seven agents.
"We'll handle this."
One of the agents smiled.
"Try not to take all night."
The criminals looked uncertain.
The agency had suddenly gone from two agents to a full combat team.
Mark stepped forward.
The crowd instinctively stepped back.
Anshuman noticed.
"I think they're scared of him."
A nearby agent laughed.
"They should be."
Ayaan and Anshuman immediately ran forward.
The chip thief disappeared behind rows of containers.
"We're losing him!"
"Keep moving!"
They sprinted through the port.
Then suddenly—
Two figures landed in front of them.
THUD!
The electric-glove man.
And the girl.
Both blocked the path.
The girl crossed her arms.
"You're not getting past us."
The electric-glove man smiled.
"You'll have to go through us first."
Anshuman groaned.
"These two again."
Ayaan looked at them.
Then at Anshuman.
Then back at them.
Finally he pointed.
"I'll fight the girl."
Anshuman blinked.
"And me?"
Ayaan pointed at the electric-glove man.
"You fight him."
Anshuman stared.
The man was huge.
Broad shoulders.
Muscular arms.
And now his gloves were repaired.
Anshuman looked at Ayaan.
"He's big, bro."
Ayaan nodded.
"I noticed."
"You want ME to fight HIM?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Ayaan started walking toward the girl.
"Just beat him."
Anshuman stood there in disbelief.
"THAT'S YOUR PLAN?"
The girl laughed.
The electric-glove man laughed.
Even Ayaan smiled slightly.
Then the electric-glove man stepped forward and cracked his neck.
Anshuman immediately stopped laughing.
"Oh."
The man pointed at him.
"Round two."
Anshuman sighed.
"I miss the academy game."
Meanwhile, Ayaan faced the girl.
She stretched her arms and smiled.
"You seem confident."
Ayaan shrugged.
"You crashed me with a truck."
"Fair."
"So I've been looking forward to this."
The girl grinned.
"Good."
Then she rushed forward.
At the same time, the electric-glove man charged at Anshuman.
The fights began simultaneously.
And somewhere deeper inside Blackstone Port, the chip thief continued running away with Chip X-9.
The girl rushed forward.
WHOOSH!
Her punch came straight toward Ayaan's face.
Ayaan leaned slightly to the side.
The punch missed.
But something felt strange.
The punch was fast.
Yet not as fast as before.
Not as powerful either.
The girl stepped back.
Ayaan carefully watched her.
She wasn't trying to land a decisive hit.
Instead, she kept looking directly into his eyes.
Every few seconds.
Almost as if she was studying him.
Another punch came.
Ayaan blocked it easily.
The girl jumped back again.
Ayaan frowned.
"You're holding back."
The girl smiled slightly.
"Maybe."
"You crashed a truck into us."
"True."
"And now you're fighting like you don't want to win."
The girl remained silent.
Her eyes never left his.
Ayaan crossed his arms.
"What do you want to do with me?"
For the first time, the girl's confident expression disappeared.
She looked away for a second.
Then back at him.
"Nothing."
Ayaan raised an eyebrow.
"That's obviously not true."
Meanwhile, a few meters away—
BOOM!
Anshuman was launched into a shipping container.
The container shook.
Anshuman slowly slid down.
"Oww..."
The electric-glove man walked toward him.
"You seem weaker than before."
Anshuman pointed at him.
"I got hit by a truck today."
"Excuses."
"Valid excuses!"
Back at Ayaan's fight...
The girl sighed.
"You really don't remember?"
Ayaan looked confused.
"Remember what?"
The girl stared at him for several seconds.
Then she shook her head.
"Forget it."
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed through the port.
"THEY ARE ESCAPING!"
Everyone turned.
The chip thief had reached a speedboat at the docks.
He jumped inside.
The engine started.
VROOOOM!
Ayaan's eyes widened.
"The chip!"
The girl immediately stepped aside.
Not blocking him anymore.
Ayaan noticed.
"You could have stopped me."
The girl looked away.
"Go catch him."
For a moment, neither moved.
Then—
CRASH!
Anshuman came flying past them and rolled across the ground.
"I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A PROBLEM!"
The electric-glove man was still chasing him.
Ayaan sighed.
"There goes the serious moment."
Anshuman jumped back to his feet.
"The chip guy is escaping!"
Ayaan immediately ran toward the docks.
Anshuman followed.
The girl remained where she was, silently watching them leave.
And for the first time, Ayaan couldn't shake the feeling that she knew something about him that he didn't know himself.
The electric-glove man watched as Ayaan and Anshuman ran toward the docks.
His face became furious.
He turned toward the girl.
"Why are you not stopping those two?"
The girl crossed her arms.
"My wish."
The man's eyes widened in anger.
"My wish?"
Suddenly he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground.
The girl struggled.
"Let... go..."
The man tightened his grip.
"You betrayed us."
Ayaan, who was running toward the docks, looked back.
He immediately noticed what was happening.
Anshuman followed his gaze.
"Why are they fighting each other?"
Ayaan stopped.
"She's helping us."
"What?"
"She could've stopped us before."
The girl was still struggling in the man's grip.
Ayaan clenched his fist.
"It's our responsibility to help her."
Then he shouted toward the battlefield.
"MARK!"
Mark looked over.
"HELP HER! SHE'S HELPING US!"
Mark instantly understood.
Without saying a word, he rushed forward.
The electric-glove man turned—
Too late.
BOOOOM!
Mark's punch landed directly in his chest.
The man was launched through the air and crashed into a shipping container.
CRASH!
The entire container shook.
The girl dropped to the ground, coughing.
Mark helped her stand.
"You alright?"
She nodded.
"Thank you."
Mark looked toward Ayaan and Anshuman.
Then toward the escaping chip thief.
"Take her with you."
The girl looked surprised.
Mark continued,
"If she wanted you caught, she'd have done it already."
Ayaan nodded.
"Come on."
The girl hesitated for a moment.
Then followed them.
The three ran toward the docks.
"There!" Anshuman shouted.
A speedboat was tied beside the pier.
All three sprinted toward it.
Hope returned.
They were only a few steps away.
Then—
A red light blinked beneath the boat.
The girl's eyes widened.
"Wait—"
BOOOOOOOOM!
The speedboat exploded.
A massive fireball erupted from the dock.
Without thinking, Ayaan grabbed the girl and pulled her behind him.
The explosion slammed into them.
Wood and metal flew everywhere.
The dock shook violently.
Anshuman dove behind a stack of barrels.
When the smoke finally cleared, the speedboat was gone.
Only burning debris floated on the water.
Far away, the chip thief's boat continued disappearing into the horizon.
And all three could do was watch.