CHAPTER 13

Veer analyzed his options. The thugs were afraid of whatever prowled the jungle, and their fear made them sloppy. In their rush to secure the perimeter, they had overlooked the children's bindings. Veer had already loosened his ropes, and with a little more effort, he could slip free.

But escaping into the jungle was risky. Whatever lurked there was dangerous enough to maul a thug. Running blindly into that chaos might just lead him into the jaws of something far worse than the traffickers. He would need a plan that used both the fear of the jungle and the girl's importance to his advantage.

*One step at a time*, Veer reminded himself. He glanced at the girl again as the thugs were too scared to be outside they placed every children in one room to use other room for themself. She might hold the key to unraveling the entire operation. If he could gain her trust, she might know more about the captors' plans—or at least, why they were so desperate to keep her alive.

He had to approach her carefully. Any wrong move could alarm the thugs, or worse, make her distrust him. For now, he needed to focus on the immediate—gather information, earn the girl's confidence, and exploit the growing cracks in the operation.

The night dragged on, punctuated by the distant howls from the jungle and the restless murmurs of the guards. Veer lay still, his body aching but his mind wide awake. The thugs were jittery, their nerves clearly fraying. They feared the jungle, but more than that, they feared something else—the unknown figure pulling the strings. That meant there was a chance the operation could collapse under its own weight if he played his cards right.

As dawn approached, Veer made his move. He whispered to the girl in the quiet of the early morning, his voice low and unthreatening.

"Hey... I need to talk to you," he said, glancing around to ensure none of the thugs were paying attention. "I know you're scared, but we need to work together if we're going to survive this. You know they're waiting for someone—someone powerful. Do you know who it is? Why they're keeping you alive?"

The girl stiffened, her blindfolded face turning toward him. There was a long silence before she spoke, her voice trembling but determined. "I-I don't know all the details. They said... my parents are important. They want something from them. But I overheard them talking last night... the man who's coming—he's worse than all of them. If he arrives, no one's safe. Not even me."

Veer's heart pounded. This was worse than he thought. Whoever was orchestrating this was not just after money. There was something far darker at play, and the girl was a central piece in the puzzle.

"Listen," Veer whispered, his mind racing. "We have a week, maybe less, before they make their move. We need to be ready. When the time comes, I'll get us out of here. But I need your help. You're important to them—you can be a distraction. Trust me, I'll make sure we survive this."

The girl hesitated, fear and uncertainty etched in her every movement. But in the end, she nodded. "Okay... I'll help. But if we get caught—"

"We won't," Veer interrupted, his voice steady. "I promise."

As the sun crept higher into the sky, Veer's plan began to take shape. He would exploit the thugs' fear of the jungle, use the girl's importance as a shield, and play the traffickers against each other. Time was running out, and with the threat of the mysterious figure looming, he knew one thing for sure:

*The real battle was only just beginning*.

As the days stretched on, Veer remained vigilant, using every opportunity to refine his plan. The traffickers, unnerved by the escalating threat from the jungle, were more erratic than ever. Their fear was palpable, and Veer intended to use that to his advantage.

Each morning, as the thugs herded the children outside for their meager meals, Veer would subtly take a portion of the food—usually a piece of meat—when no one was watching. He'd slip it into his clothing, careful not to attract attention. At night, when the cottage fell silent except for the restless murmurs of the guards and the distant roars from the jungle, Veer put his plan into action.

On the first night, Veer waited until the guards' footsteps had faded. He moved with the stealth of a predator, making his way to a window with a small gap. With a careful shove and a bit of wriggling, he managed to slip through, landing softly on the forest floor outside.

The jungle was alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, their calls mingling with the distant roars that seemed to echo with growing intensity. Veer crept through the underbrush, avoiding the patrols and keeping to the shadows. He made his way to a spot near the perimeter of the cottage where the trees and foliage formed a natural barrier.

There, he placed the meat on the ground, making sure it was close enough to the cottage to attract the attention of any nearby animals but still far enough to avoid immediate detection. After scattering the pieces of meat, he retreated back into the jungle, ensuring he left no trace of his presence.

The following nights, he repeated the process. Each time, he observed from a distance as the thugs, already on edge, became increasingly paranoid. The roars grew louder, and the animals became bolder, driven by the bait Veer had left them. The thugs were visibly jumpier, their patrols more erratic and their defenses less vigilant.

By the third night, Veer could see the effect his actions were having. The thugs, growing more desperate, had set up additional guards and were now constantly scanning the jungle for any signs of the beasts. Their fear was almost a palpable force, making them more careless in their interactions with the children.

On the fourth night, as the chaos reached a fever pitch, Veer decided to make his move. With the guards stretched thin and their nerves frayed, he slipped out once again, this time with a clearer goal. He planned to use the confusion to scout the perimeter for weaknesses and to find an opportunity to speak with the girl privately.

Veer moved stealthily through the jungle, noting the patrol patterns and the areas of the camp where the guards were least attentive. He returned to the cottage with the same silent precision, slipping back through the window and into the room with the other children.

The girl, who had been watching him closely over the past days, gave him a subtle nod of acknowledgment. They had a brief moment alone, and Veer quickly whispered, "They're more frightened now. It's time for us to act. I need you to be ready. When the chaos reaches its peak we have to get the phone from the boss room.are you sure you seen the phone in his hand not the radio.

The girl's eyes were wide with fear, but also with a glimmer of hope. "yes i seen it there were two drvicrs in his hands one were phone and one was radio."

With the stage set and the traffickers more paranoid than ever, Veer knew that the next move had to be precise. The jungle's growing menace, coupled with the escalating disarray among the traffickers, had created the perfect environment for a daring escape.

As dawn approached and the jungle's sounds began to fade, Veer lay still, his mind already racing through the possibilities of their impending escape. He had managed to sow discord among the traffickers and gain the girl's trust. Now, it was a matter of timing and execution.

The real challenge would come when the moment of chaos finally arrived. Veer had prepared as much as he could, but the outcome would depend on their ability to act swiftly and decisively. The traffickers' operation was nearing its final stage, and Veer knew that in this deadly game, the stakes were higher than ever.

As he lay in the darkened room, he allowed himself a brief moment of reflection. The fight for survival was far from over, but with careful planning and the right timing, he was closer than ever to turning the tables on those who sought to exploit and destroy them.

The battle for freedom was on the horizon, and Veer was ready to face it head-on.