Gold Deal

He dashed forward, dodging a hail of bullets with inhuman speed. The first droid barely had time to adjust before he sent a brutal kick into its midsection. The force sent it flying several meters, crashing into the side of the disabled convoy.

The second droid turned to fire, but Sanjay was already on it. He grabbed its head with both hands and crushed it with ease. Sparks erupted as the lifeless body collapsed.

The third droid tried to retreat, raising its weapon, but he was faster. With one swift motion, he swept its legs out from under it, grabbed its torso, and ripped its head clean off. The metallic remains sparked violently before going still.

The first droid, now struggling to rise, didn't stand a chance. Sanjay strode over, planted his boot on its head, and drove it into the ground until its metallic skull shattered.

Silence.

The only sound left was the faint hum of cooling circuits and Maya's labored breathing.

Sanjay turned back to her, his heartbeat steady despite the chaos. His augmentation was working too well.

"Let's get the target and get out of here," he said, extending a hand.

Maya, wincing from the pain, smirked. "Remind me never to piss you off."

He let out a small chuckle, helping her up. She pressed a cloth-like patch to her wound, grimacing as it adhered to her skin. The bleeding slowed almost instantly.

Wasting no time, they rushed toward the transport van. Through his interface, Sanjay detected two heat signatures inside—soldiers, still armed.

He grabbed an automatic rifle from one of the fallen soldiers and stepped forward. With a single powerful yank, he tore the van's reinforced door from its hinges, sending it flying.

Gunfire erupted from inside.

Without thinking, Sanjay fired back. His shots were quick, precise. The enemy fell before they could land a second round.

His eyes swept the interior. Amidst the chaos, a man sat on the floor, his body trembling. His wrists were bound, his clothes torn. His eyes, wide with fear, darted toward the masked figures standing in the doorway.

"Raghav! Get up! We're here to get you!" Maya's voice rang out.

Hearing his name, the man hesitated. Then his gaze snapped to her. Recognition flickered in his eyes.

"Maya…?" His voice was hoarse, disbelieving.

"Yes! Now move! We don't have time! Reinforcements will be here any second!"

Raghav swallowed hard, pushing past his fear. He gathered what little strength he had and stumbled forward. Maya grabbed his arm, helping him out of the van.

Without another word, the three of them sprinted toward the car.

Sanjay's interface remained active, scanning for threats. So far, the area was clear—but that wouldn't last long. They had maybe a minute before backup arrived.

They reached the car, shoving Raghav inside before jumping in themselves.

Maya slammed the accelerator. The tires screeched against the pavement as the vehicle shot forward, kicking up dust in its wake.

As they sped away, Sanjay glanced at the battlefield in the rearview mirror. Smoke curled into the sky, the remains of the battle fading behind them.

The entire mission had lasted less than five minutes.

---

The three of them sat in the car, the hum of the engine filling the silence. Maya drove while Sanjay sat beside her, scanning his interface for any signs of pursuit. Raghav sat in the back, his expression unreadable.

Sanjay's eyes flickered over the real-time data. "No one's following us," he said.

Both Maya and Raghav let out a breath of relief. They had been tense, half-expecting police reinforcements to catch up. Luckily, they had escaped before backup arrived.

Raghav leaned back with a smirk. "Maya, your new boyfriend is pretty cool." He gave Sanjay a thumbs-up. He hadn't seen the full battle, only the part where Sanjay took out the guards outside the van.

Maya groaned. "He's not my boyfriend. He's the supplier I told you about."

Raghav blinked. "Wait… what?"

"He's the one who brought the gold."

Raghav's eyes widened. He had assumed Sanjay was some kind of mercenary, not the source of the gold itself. But thinking about it, it made sense. Maybe he was a mercenary, and he got the gold as payment for his jobs. That seemed logical enough.

Raghav extended a hand. "I'm Raghav."

Sanjay shook it. "Sanjay."

Raghav wasted no time. "Sanjay, are you a mercenary? I might need your help for my next plan."

Sanjay frowned slightly. "Plan? What plan?"

"What are you going to do next, anyway?" Maya cut in, glancing at Raghav.

"I'm going to take back what I lost." His voice was hard as steel, his fists clenching at the memory.

Sanjay met his gaze. "Sorry, Raghav. My services aren't for sale."

Raghav sighed. "Well, that's disappointing." But he didn't push. He had always planned to handle things on his own, with or without outside help. However, there was one thing he still needed.

"Fine," he said, leaning forward slightly. "Then at least sell me more gold. I'll pay five million per kilo."

Maya stiffened but didn't say anything. She knew what this meant. Now that Raghav had met Sanjay directly, she was no longer needed as the middleman. Even though she had saved Raghav, he wasn't obligated to repay her. They both understood that.

Sanjay, however, didn't even hesitate. "Sorry. I'll only sell through Maya."

Both Raghav and Maya looked at him in shock.

Raghav chuckled. "Maya, you've got a good boyfriend. Don't let him go." He gave her another thumbs-up.

Maya didn't respond. She just kept staring at Sanjay. If the AI hadn't been handling the driving, the car might have crashed by now. For the first time, she saw him in a different light. Right now, to her, he looked like the most attractive man she had ever met.

Sanjay, oblivious to her gaze, kept his eyes on the road, scanning for any possible threats.

Raghav leaned forward again. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. I need more gold. How much can you supply at once?"

Instead of answering, Sanjay looked at Maya. She gave him a small nod.

"I can give you 1,000 kilograms."

Silence filled the car. Neither Raghav nor Maya spoke for a few seconds, their minds processing the sheer amount.

Then Raghav burst into laughter. "HAHAHA! Sanjay, I'll never forget this favor."

Maya recovered first and nodded. "I'll get the gold from him as soon as possible."

Sanjay still didn't understand what Raghav needed so much gold for, but since Maya approved, he didn't question it.

And just like that, another deal was made.

---

A few hours later, Maya pulled up to the address Raghav had given her. He stepped out of the car, turning back for a moment. "Thanks, Maya," he said with a small nod.

She smirked. "Don't go getting yourself caught again."

Raghav chuckled before disappearing into the night.

As they drove back, Sanjay glanced at Maya's leg. "You should go to a hospital," he suggested. "That wound might be worse than it looks."

"I'll be fine," Maya replied. "The Healing Machine will take care of it."

Sanjay didn't press further. If she said she'd be okay, that was enough for him.

When they reached the shop, Maya immediately went inside to use the Healing Machine, while Sanjay sank onto the sofa. He absentmindedly played with the AI interface, keeping himself occupied in case she needed anything.

A few minutes later, the sound of water dripping caught his attention.

He turned his head—and froze.

Maya stood there, completely bare, her damp skin glistening under the dim lights. She walked toward him with an effortless grace, her beauty enhanced by the perfection that came with gene modifications. In this era, everyone looked flawless, but Maya… she was in a league of her own.

She lowered herself onto his lap, her fingers tracing slow circles on his chest.

Sanjay swallowed. "Maya, what are you—"

She pressed a finger to his lips, leaning in so close he could feel her breath against his ear.

"Paying you back… for saving my life," she whispered.

Before he could respond, her lips met his.

Sanjay didn't resist. Instead, he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Their bodies tangled together, heat rising between them as instinct took over.

He lifted her, pushing her down onto the sofa. She smirked up at him. "Let's see what your augmentations can do."

A roar and a gasp followed. Clothes were discarded, barriers disappeared, and soon, the battle between man and woman unfolded in the dimly lit room.

At one point, Sanjay pulled her up, lifting her effortlessly.

Maya let out a breathless laugh. "Looks like those augmentations really paid off. My feet haven't even touched the ground."

Much later, as the room settled into silence, she traced a finger down his chest and grinned. "Satisfied, my princess?"

Sanjay chuckled, wrapping an arm around her. He raised his hand, aiming to smack her playful backside, but she dodged, grabbing a sheet to cover herself.

"Call me your queen," she teased.

She dressed and walked off, leaving Sanjay lounging on the sofa. A few minutes later, he got up, saying he had some business to take care of.

Maya frowned but didn't stop him.

As she watched him leave, a realization sank in. Sanjay was a complete enigma. He had appeared out of nowhere, and he disappeared just as easily. She had tried to trace him before, but it was like he didn't exist. No digital records. No past. Not a single camera in this high-tech world had captured him. That was impossible.

At first, she had been wary of him. A ghost like that couldn't be trusted. But then there were moments—small, human moments—that made her drop her guard. He was like a child at times, clueless about certain things, yet when it mattered, he was more reliable than anyone she had ever met.

She touched her lips, remembering the moment he had jumped in front of her without hesitation. Her face warmed, and she quickly shook the thought away.

Meanwhile, Sanjay hailed a taxi and headed to the warehouse he had rented.

With a few quick trips to the medieval world, he transported nearly 1,000 kilograms of gold to the storage facility. Once everything was in place, he granted Maya access and informed her. After that, he left for his new penthouse.

---

Back at the battlefield, the aftermath of the fight was being examined.

Two massive jets hovered above the ruined landscape. Their thrusters sent dust swirling as a team of soldiers and robots descended.

A man in a bulky, armored suit landed with a heavy thud, sending another wave of dust into the air.

A soldier in lighter armor approached. "Commander, no survivors."

The commander scanned the wreckage, his gaze falling on the remains of the three combat robots. Their heads were missing—completely torn off.

"Who did this?" he asked, his voice cold.

"We don't know. No known underworld groups operate like this," the soldier replied, glancing uneasily at the destroyed machines.

The commander's eyes narrowed. These were high-grade security robots, only deployed for the most dangerous criminals. Yet someone had ripped through them with ease.

"Level 6 augmentation," he muttered.

The soldier stiffened. "Impossible. Level 6 is still in the testing phase for military use. Only Nova Tech has access to that technology."

"Then ask them," the commander ordered. "Find out if anyone has undergone Level 6 augmentation."

"Yes, Commander."

"And the convict?"

The soldier hesitated before answering. "Gone. He must be long out of reach by now."

The commander lit a cigarette, taking a slow drag. "Some people are going to be very pissed off."

Smoke curled around him as he exhaled, staring at the destruction before him.

Whoever had done this…

They weren't just dangerous.

They were a problem.