The night sky over Delhi glowed faintly red from distant explosions.
Emergency alerts flashed across every news channel.
"Unidentified cyber-attack detected."
"Border surveillance systems compromised."
"High-level military movement reported."
Under the flyover, Preyajeet stared at his phone screen.
"They've hacked internal command channels," he said through clenched teeth. "False signals are being sent to border units."
Akanksha's face tightened.
"They're pushing both sides to react. One wrong move… and it becomes real."
He looked at her.
"How deep does this Shadow Network go?"
"Deeper than governments," she replied. "They fund chaos. They sell weapons. They profit from fear."
A loud blast echoed again somewhere far away.
No more time to hesitate.
"We need proof," Preyajeet said firmly. "Something solid to expose them."
"There is a central server," Akanksha admitted. "Hidden. Independent from both nations. If we access it, we'll find everything."
"Location?"
She hesitated.
"Inside a secured private defense facility… outside Delhi."
He almost laughed. "Of course it is."
She stepped closer.
"This mission won't be simple. Heavy security. Armed guards. Surveillance drones."
He met her eyes.
"Then it's good we're not simple either."
For the first time since the chaos began—
She smiled genuinely.
One hour later.
An isolated industrial compound stood in darkness.
Tall fences. Motion sensors. Armed patrols.
Preyajeet observed through binoculars.
"Three guards at the front. Two at the rear gate. Drones rotating every sixty seconds."
Akanksha adjusted her gloves.
"I'll disable the outer cameras. You create distraction."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You sure you're not giving orders now?"
She smirked slightly.
"You wanted partnership."
He nodded.
"On my count."
Within seconds, she hacked the camera loop.
Preyajeet silently took down two guards near the side entrance.
Precise. Controlled.
Inside, red emergency lights flickered.
They moved like shadows through corridors.
Suddenly—
Alarms blared.
"Too easy," Preyajeet muttered.
Armed mercenaries flooded the hallway.
Gunfire erupted.
Bullets struck metal walls.
They ducked behind crates.
"Left side!" she shouted.
He fired.
She moved quickly, disarming one attacker in close combat.
Another rushed from behind—
Preyajeet grabbed him and slammed him against the wall.
Breathing hard.
Sweat.
Smoke.
Intensity.
They fought back-to-back again.
Perfect rhythm.
But then—
A guard aimed directly at Preyajeet's head.
Akanksha saw it.
Without thinking—
She jumped in front of him.
The shot rang out.
Time slowed.
The bullet grazed her shoulder.
She fell.
"Akanksha!" he shouted.
Rage exploded inside him.
He fought like a storm.
Within seconds, the corridor fell silent.
He rushed to her side.
Blood stained her sleeve.
"Stay with me," he said urgently, holding her close.
She forced a weak smile.
"You're supposed to protect the country… not just me."
His voice broke slightly.
"You are not separate from that anymore."
Their foreheads almost touched.
Gunfire echoed distantly again.
No time.
He carefully lifted her.
"We finish this," he said.
She nodded weakly.
Together, they moved toward the server room at the end of the corridor.
One last door stood between them—
And the truth.
But inside that room—
Someone was waiting.