The narrow passage trembled as footsteps pounded toward them. The air was thick with dust, and the dim torchlight barely cut through the darkness.
Satya's grip tightened around the strap of his bag. They were cornered—nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.
Virendra cursed under his breath. "We hold them off as long as we can."
Saanvi's fingers brushed against the stone wall, searching for something—anything—that could give them an advantage. Aryan stood beside her, his body tensed like a coiled spring.
Then the footsteps stopped.
A chilling silence stretched over the corridor.
Satya exhaled slowly. They were waiting.
A voice echoed through the tunnel. Smooth, confident, laced with amusement.
"You've gone too far this time."
Satya's blood ran cold. Devashish Arora.
The mastermind behind the cover-up. The man who had been pulling strings from the shadows.
Virendra stepped forward, his jaw clenched. "The past won't stay buried forever."
Devashish chuckled. "Oh, but it has. And it will continue to—so long as you don't make any foolish choices."
The torchlight flickered as figures stepped into view—five men, all armed.
Saanvi inhaled sharply. "You killed Veer Meghawal."
Devashish tilted his head. "Killed? No. History does that on its own. We simply… correct the narrative."
Satya felt his pulse hammering in his throat. "Why? What are you so afraid of?"
Devashish's expression darkened. "It's not about fear. It's about power. The past is a weapon, Satya. And you've been digging in the wrong places."
A flicker of movement. One of the goons raised his gun.
Aryan lunged first.
The narrow tunnel erupted in chaos. A gunshot rang out, the sound deafening in the confined space. Satya ducked, grabbing Saanvi and pulling her behind a crumbling pillar. Virendra tackled one of the men, sending him crashing into the rubble.
Another shot—this one closer. Stone shattered inches from Satya's face.
He felt the weight of the letters in his bag, the proof of everything they had uncovered. This wasn't just about Veer anymore. This was about history itself.
Devashish took a slow step forward, unfazed by the fight breaking out around him. His voice was almost bored.
"You think you're the first to uncover this story?"
Satya's grip tightened. "What do you mean?"
Devashish smiled. "You aren't the first. And you won't be the last. But do you know what all the others have in common?"
He leaned in.
"They all disappeared."
Saanvi stiffened beside him.
Satya's breath came sharp and fast. They were fighting against something much larger than they had ever imagined.
A punch landed behind them, and Aryan groaned, staggering back. Virendra was locked in a struggle with one of the goons, blood trickling from a cut on his forehead.
Satya knew they wouldn't win a direct fight.
They had to get out. Now.
His eyes flicked to the pile of rubble blocking their exit. If they could break through, there was still a chance—
A hand grabbed his collar.
Satya gasped as he was yanked backward, his spine slamming against cold stone. Devashish loomed over him, his fingers tightening around Satya's throat.
"You should've stayed away," Devashish whispered.
Satya clawed at his grip, his vision blurring at the edges. He could hear Saanvi shouting, Aryan struggling—but his own breath was slipping away.
Then—a sharp crack.
Devashish staggered, his grip loosening. Saanvi stood behind him, a broken torch in her hands.
Satya gasped for air, shoving Devashish away.
Virendra grabbed Aryan, pulling him toward the rubble. "Satya, move!"
Saanvi grabbed his hand. They ran.
Gunshots followed them, echoing like ghosts through the passage. Dust filled the air, blinding them as they pushed through the crumbling stone.
Then—light.
A break in the tunnel. A way out.
Satya stumbled forward, dragging Saanvi with him. Virendra and Aryan followed, breathless.
They collapsed onto the grass outside, the cool night air hitting their burning lungs. Behind them, the ruins loomed, silent once more.
They had escaped.
But the battle was far from over.
Satya clenched his fists. Devashish Arora wouldn't stop until the truth was buried once again.
But now?
Now, Satya had no intention of letting that happen.