The Reckoning

The night was thick with tension as Lena and Rehan moved through the abandoned streets. The city lights flickered in the distance, but here, in the shadows, the world felt eerily still.

Lena's mind was racing.

Riven will die.

The words haunted her, clawing at the edges of her sanity. She barely knew who she was anymore. Lena Carter. Aarya Sen. A girl who had loved two men—and lost everything.

"Where is he?" she asked, her voice raw.

Rehan didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver device. He clicked a button, and a faint blue screen flickered to life.

"He's being held in an underground facility," Rehan said, his eyes scanning the data. "Sector 7."

Lena frowned. "Sector 7? That's—"

"The Watchers' stronghold," he finished. "The place where they erase people like us."

A cold shiver ran through her spine.

Riven was trapped inside the very place that had killed her in her past life.

Lena clenched her fists. "We have to go. Now."

Rehan glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "You're not ready."

Lena turned on him, her eyes flashing with anger. "I don't care if I'm ready or not. I'm not losing him again."

Rehan sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You're exactly the same."

Lena blinked. "What?"

Rehan chuckled bitterly. "In your past life. You were always reckless when it came to him."

Lena swallowed, ignoring the way her heart twisted at his words.

She couldn't afford to dwell on the past—not when Riven's life was hanging by a thread.

Rehan exhaled. "Fine. But we're not charging in blind. We need a plan."

Lena hesitated, but nodded. "What do you have in mind?"

Rehan smirked. "Something dangerous."

---

Sector 7 was a fortress.

High-tech surveillance. Armed guards. And worst of all—Watchers.

Lena crouched behind a concrete barrier, her breath shallow as she surveyed the massive underground facility.

The entrance was guarded by two men in black suits, their eyes scanning the area with sharp precision.

Beyond them, a long corridor led to a series of reinforced doors.

And somewhere behind those doors—Riven was waiting.

Lena's pulse pounded.

She turned to Rehan. "How do we get in?"

Rehan smirked, pulling out a small, sleek device. "Leave that to me."

He pressed a button, and instantly—the facility's power flickered.

The guards stiffened, reaching for their radios—

But before they could react, Rehan was already moving.

Fast.

A blur of motion—and then silence.

Both guards collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Lena stared. "That was…"

"Efficient?" Rehan finished, tossing the device aside. "Come on."

Lena followed him through the entrance, her heart hammering.

The corridors were dimly lit, the air thick with an unsettling stillness.

Every step they took felt like walking into a trap.

And then—

A voice crackled over the speakers.

"I was wondering when you'd come, Aarya."

Lena froze.

That voice—

It was him.

A door at the end of the hallway slid open, revealing a dark room beyond.

Lena's throat tightened.

She stepped forward, her hands trembling.

And then—

She saw him.

Riven.

Chained to a chair, his head hanging low.

His clothes were torn, blood staining his shirt.

But when he lifted his head—

His eyes found hers.

And in that moment—

Nothing else mattered.

"Lena…" His voice was rough, filled with something between relief and agony.

Lena's vision blurred.

She ran to him, her hands reaching for his face—but before she could touch him—

A sharp, electric current surged through the room.

Lena gasped as pain shot through her body, sending her crashing to the ground.

"Lena!" Riven's voice was desperate, filled with rage. He struggled against his chains, his muscles tensed—

But it was useless.

A slow clap echoed through the chamber.

Lena forced her eyes open—

And saw him.

A tall figure stepped forward, dressed in all black, his face partially obscured by shadows.

His presence was suffocating, his aura filled with raw power.

Rehan's expression darkened. "Of course it's you."

Lena's heart pounded. "Who—?"

The man tilted his head, his lips curling into a smirk.

"I suppose introductions are in order," he said smoothly.

His cold, dark eyes locked onto Lena's.

"My name is Kian. And I am the reason you died."

---