Hell Unleashed

The air inside the underground lab was thick with the sterile scent of chemicals and something fouler—decay, old blood, sweat. Dim, flickering fluorescent lights cast an eerie glow over the metallic surfaces, the surgical instruments gleaming with cruel intent. Kavin Peterson could barely feel his own limbs, his mind still reeling from whatever poison Leonardo had injected into his veins.

Then the door creaked open.

And Alexander stepped inside.

"Well, well, well..."

His voice slithered through the cold, sterile air like oil on water. The sound of his polished boots striking the concrete floor sent shivers down Kavin's spine. He recognized that face instantly—the face of a monster, the most feared man in Kolkata.

Alexander.

A man who had built his empire on blood and fear.

A man who now stood before him, grinning.

Alexander's sharp eyes scanned the room, landing on Kavin strapped to the table. His lips curled in amusement. "Looks like my servant is finally ready to serve."

Leonardo turned swiftly, bowing his head. "My Majesty," he murmured, his voice laced with reverence.

But Kavin noticed something strange.

Sohana did not bow.

Instead, she stepped forward, her hips swaying in that deliberate, calculated way, her black saree clinging to her form like a second skin. She approached Alexander, tilting her head slightly.

"My honey Alexander, how are you doing?"

Alexander's grin widened, but there was a glint of frustration in his eyes. He exhaled through his nose, rolling his shoulders. "Oh, honey... bad day." He gestured vaguely at Leonardo. "How could that fucking biker and his two goddamn dogs scare me?"

Kavin's blood ran cold. The Dog Man.

So Alexander had seen him.

And he was scared.

Kavin never thought he'd hear those words come out of Alexander's mouth. But the truth was there, in his clenched jaw, in the way his fingers twitched like they were itching to strangle something.

Alexander turned to Leonardo, his patience running thin. "I don't want to waste any more time. Begin the experiment. Give me my right hand— my supervillain, my super-bodyguard."

Leonardo gave a stiff nod. "Yes, my Majesty."

He walked to the control panel, his fingers hovering over the red switch. The machines in the room hummed louder, blinking lights casting erratic shadows against the steel walls.

Kavin's breath hitched.

What the hell were they about to do?

Leonardo's finger moved closer to the switch.

And then—

BOOM.

The blast shook the underground room, the walls trembling with a force that sent surgical trays crashing to the floor. Smoke and dust engulfed the lab, turning everything into a swirling, choking gray fog.

Alexander and Leonardo stumbled back, coughing, eyes blinking rapidly as the world became a blur.

And then—

A figure emerged.

A helmet. A black jacket.

Standing at the entrance, surrounded by thick smoke, was The Dog Man.

Hasib Jackson.

The two massive beasts flanking him snarled, their muscular bodies tense, ready. Their eyes burned like embers in the smoke-filled room.

Alexander's heartbeat thundered in his chest.

Leonardo's breath hitched.

They could barely see. But they knew.

The Dog Man was here.

Before Alexander or Leonardo could react, the dogs moved.

Tiger— a beast that was more monster than a dog—lunged straight for Alexander.

Alexander's scream echoed through the lab as Tiger sank his massive jaws into his shoulder, crushing bone.

Alexander twisted, reaching into his coat, pulling his pistol—

CRACK.

Hasib was faster. His boot slammed into Alexander's wrist, sending the gun skidding across the floor.

"Not this time."

The words were calm, final.

Alexander barely had time to react before Tiger bit into his neck, shaking violently.

Leonardo turned to run—

But Tommy was already on him.

The second dog launched at Leonardo, knocking him to the ground with terrifying force. The air left Leonardo's lungs in a strangled wheeze.

Then Tommy's jaws found flesh.

Screams.

Screams that did not sound human.

Hasib didn't waste time. He moved to Kavin, his gloved fingers working quickly to undo the leather restraints.

Kavin gasped for air, every muscle in his body screaming. His vision swam, but he forced himself up.

Hasib pulled him to his feet, steadying him. "It's time to run."

Kavin nodded weakly, his mind still struggling to catch up.

"Tommy, Tiger—RUN!"

The two beasts released their victims, panting, their muzzles slick with blood.

Hasib grabbed Kavin's arm, pulling him toward an old emergency tunnel.

They burst through the heavy doors, sprinting through the darkness.

Behind them—

BOOM.

The ground trembled.

A second explosion ripped through the underground lab, the force knocking them forward. A searing wave of fire erupted behind them, turning the night into an inferno.

Hasib swung his leg over his motorcycle, the engine roaring to life.

Kavin stumbled to the side, gasping, watching as the flames devoured what remained of Alexander's empire.

Hasib turned his helmeted face toward the burning wreckage.

Then, in a voice cold, steady, and full of finality, he repeated the very words Alexander's men had once screamed before raining bullets from a helicopter.

"Go to hell."

And then, The Dog Man was gone.

Alexander and Leonardo are DEAD.

Hasib and his dogs just annihilated the most feared criminals in Kolkata.

Kavin is saved—but at what cost?

And where the hell is Sohana?

The city outside Kavin Peterson's window was alive, humming with the distant sounds of traffic, the occasional blare of a siren, the whispers of the restless night. But inside his apartment, everything was silent.

He barely made it through the door.

His vision swam, dark spots dancing at the edges. His breath was shallow, ragged. Every muscle ached, and my joints screamed in protest. The room tilted—or was it him?

He stumbled forward, collapsing onto his bed. His limbs felt like lead, his body drenched in sweat. Something was wrong.

He fumbled for his phone, his fingers shaking as he found Loren's number.

Ring…

He could barely hold the device to his ear.

Ring…

Then, a click.

"Kavin?"

Her voice was sharp, urgent.

"You're—how are you calling me?!"

He swallowed hard, his throat dry, his head spinning. "Come… now," he managed, his voice hoarse, barely above a whisper.

Silence.

Then a choked sob.

"Oh my God. Kavin—" Her voice broke. "You're alive?"

"Just… hurry," he whispered before the phone slipped from his grasp and hit the floor.

Darkness swallowed him whole.

Loren Samantha had spent the past twelve hours drowning in grief.

The news had been everywhere.

KOLKATA POLICE OFFICERS DEAD IN EXPLOSION.

She had read the words again and again, refusing to believe them.

And now, Kavin's voice, weak but alive, still echoed in her head as she drove through the empty streets.

Her hands were white-knuckled on the steering wheel.

She barely remembered parking, remembered rushing up the stairs to Kavin's apartment.

The moment she shoved the door open, she froze.

Kavin lay sprawled across his bed, motionless, shirt half-unbuttoned, sweat glistening on his skin. His face was pale, his body trembling slightly under the dim glow of the bedside lamp.

Loren's breath caught in her throat.

"Oh, Kavin…"

She rushed to him, kneeling beside the bed.

Her fingers trembled as she touched his forehead. Burning. Too hot.

"Shit."

She glanced around the room, looking for something—anything.

Spotting a clean rag hanging near the sink, she darted to the kitchen, filled a jar with cold water, and hurried back.

The moment the damp cloth touched his burning skin, Kavin stirred. His brow furrowed, his body tensing slightly before sinking deeper into the mattress.

Loren carefully ran the cloth across his forehead, wiping away the sweat beading at his temples.

His lips were slightly parted, his breath shallow.

Her gaze dropped to his shirt—half open, revealing the hard, muscular lines of his chest.

For a moment, she just stared.

Her fingers hesitated over the buttons before she slowly, carefully, undid the rest, exposing his broad shoulders, the defined ridges of muscle, the faint scars across his ribs.

Her breath hitched.

"Jesus, Kavin…"

She ran the cloth over his collarbone, his shoulders, his chest—slow, careful.

Even in his fevered state, his body tensed under her touch.

Her lips curled into a small, bittersweet smile.

"Even half-dead, you're still a damn fighter."

She finished sponging his skin, then pulled the blanket up over him, tucking it around his fevered body.

Then she stayed.

Sitting in the chair beside the bed, watching over him as he shivered and sighed in his restless sleep.

Somewhere around 2 a.m., Kavin stirred again.

His face twisted, breath coming in shallow gasps. His hands clenched at the sheets, his body tensing as though caught in a nightmare.

Then, suddenly—

His arms reached out blindly.

Loren gasped as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him.

His grip was desperate, needy.

He mumbled something—a name?

His head buried into her shoulder.

Loren's heart nearly stopped.

His breath was hot against her neck, his body warm, vulnerable.

She hesitated only for a second.

Then she slid into bed beside him.

She pulled him close, cradling his fevered body against her own.

One hand stroked his damp hair, the other resting against his racing heartbeat.

His breathing slowed.

His body relaxed.

And then, in the quiet of the night, she whispered:

"I love you, Kavin."

And she pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his forehead.

To Be Continued...