When the Empire Blinks

Delhi – Lutyens Bungalow Zone

Two Days Later

The sun dipped low over the horizon, casting a burnished gold across the whitewashed mansion nestled behind a canopy of ancient gulmohar trees. The bungalow, outwardly serene, was a fortress in disguise—one that belonged to the man the rest of the underworld whispered about but never saw.

Devraj Rathore.

Inside, a table stretched between the great hall's marble pillars—twelve chairs filled with the most feared names in India's criminal circles.

On the thirteenth chair sat Devraj, fingers interlaced, rings glinting in the candlelight.

"So," he began, his voice silk over steel, "the Vora boy is moving too quickly."

A murmuring agreement passed through the room.

Ruhan stood behind Devraj, hands behind his back, expression unreadable. Aaradhya sat beside him, calm but observant.

"We were meant to hold peace until August," one of the elders said.

"And yet Tanish sends men into Mumbai without blinking," Devraj said coldly. "He touched what's mine."

All eyes turned briefly to Aaradhya.

Her spine straightened. She didn't blink.

"What do you propose?" asked someone down the table.

Devraj smiled faintly. "We blink back. Once."

Then, his eyes slid toward Ruhan. "My son will take lead."

Ruhan bowed his head slightly. "Understood."

Devraj turned to Aaradhya. "You'll assist him."

Aaradhya nodded. "Of course."

A beat passed.

Then Devraj leaned back. "And after this is done, we talk about bloodlines. About the Rathore name."

The air stiffened.

Ruhan didn't react. But Aaradhya's heart skipped.

He meant adoption. Or something deeper.

Claiming her, legally.

It sounded like protection—but she knew better. It was war strategy.

---

Mumbai – Late Night, Rathore Estate Basement

Iqbal slid a folder across the desk.

"Intel from the USB. Not just coordinates and names—there's footage. Years of it. Some of those kids were experimented on for months."

Ruhan flipped through it.

"Some are still alive?"

Iqbal nodded. "Two. Hidden. Underground."

Aaradhya stepped closer. "We get them out."

"We try," Iqbal said. "But it's a fortress in Nashik. We need a breach plan, not a mission of hope."

"Then we make one," Aaradhya said sharply.

Iqbal looked at Ruhan.

He nodded.

"Start assembling a team."

---

Ruhan's Quarters – Midnight

Aaradhya sat on the window seat, knees tucked in, gazing at the dark garden below. The jasmine vines had started blooming again.

Ruhan emerged from the shower, drying his hair.

"You okay?"

She nodded slowly. "Just… remembering."

He sat beside her.

"Which memory?"

"Being fourteen. Hiding in the library after Arnav got punished for protecting me. I used to think if I became smart enough, strong enough… I could stop all this."

He looked at her, his tone softer now. "You are."

She turned to him, voice low. "But I still feel like I'm behind. Like I missed a thousand lessons everyone else had."

He reached for her hand. "That's what they want you to believe. That your strength only matters if it comes from them."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "You ever afraid you'll turn into your father?"

Ruhan was silent for a moment. Then, "Every day."

"But you haven't."

"Not yet," he said. "But I'm walking a thin line. And if anything happens to you… I won't stay on it."

---

Nashik – Underground Lab Sector D

Three Days Later

Karan opened his eyes again.

The room was colder this time. There were new restraints. And two new faces.

Dr. Arya stood beside a tall woman in military fatigues—Captain Meenal Dhuri.

"He's building resistance," Meenal said, watching the brain scan. "The last dose only stunned him."

Arya clicked his pen. "We need more aggression. Less sedation."

Meenal looked at Karan. "Then let's wake him up properly."

She leaned close to the boy's ear.

"You like playing hero, don't you?"

He blinked slowly.

"You gave them the flash drive," she hissed. "You think they can save you? You're a failed prototype."

Karan didn't move. But his hand twitched.

His eyes—still calm—locked onto hers.

"I'm not the only one," he whispered.

Meenal froze.

Arya turned.

"What did you say?"

"I said," Karan murmured, "there are others. You made more monsters than you can leash."

A siren began to wail in the hallway.

Emergency breach.

Meenal swore and drew her gun. "Check the perimeter."

Arya looked down at the boy once more.

And saw him smirk.

---

On the Road – En Route to Nashik

Ruhan drove, eyes fixed ahead, his silence deep. Aaradhya sat beside him, fully armed.

Behind them were two black SUVs—each loaded with mercs trained in breach-and-pull missions.

"You think Karan did this?" she asked.

"He leaked something," Ruhan replied. "That's why they called in reinforcements."

"What if they're planning to move the other kids?"

"They will."

He changed lanes.

"That's why we move tonight."

---

Nashik Underground – Sector B Hallway

The first explosion came at 2:14 AM.

The second blew the security door clean off its hinges.

Ruhan and Aaradhya entered first—one left, one right, clearing the corridor with precision.

Gunfire burst from the second level catwalk.

Aaradhya slid behind a steel cabinet and returned fire, two headshots in quick succession.

Ruhan kicked a door open—inside, two children huddled, shivering.

He motioned to one of the mercs. "Evac them!"

"Sir!"

Aaradhya moved down the hall, checking each room.

Then she froze.

Inside—Karan.

Still restrained. Barely conscious.

She moved fast, disarming the sedative line.

His eyes fluttered.

"Aaradhya…"

"Yeah," she whispered. "I'm real. Come on."

But behind her—footsteps.

Then pain bloomed across her back as something hit her shoulder, slamming her forward.

She turned, gun ready.

Meenal.

"You really don't know when to quit," Meenal said, blood streaking her forehead from the explosion.

Aaradhya smirked. "You'll remember me, though."

They fought hand-to-hand—brutal, fast, relentless.

Meenal punched like a hammer. Aaradhya dodged, kicked, slammed her elbow into Meenal's ribs.

Then—Aaradhya's knee connected with Meenal's face.

She fell, unconscious.

Karan groaned behind her.

She pulled him up and half-carried, half-dragged him down the hall.

Outside, the building burned.

Ruhan was waiting at the SUV, blood on his collar, fury in his eyes.

"You got him?"

She nodded, heaving Karan in.

"Drive," she ordered.

The convoy vanished into the darkness.

---

Rathore Estate – Medical Wing

Three Days Later

Karan slept.

Properly this time.

No machines.

No wires.

Just silence and healing.

Aaradhya stood at the foot of his bed, arms folded.

Ruhan joined her, holding a file.

"Two more labs. One in Jabalpur. One under a school in Jaipur."

"Children?"

"Unknown."

She looked at him. "Then we keep going."

He nodded. "Until we burn it all."

She leaned on him slightly. "You think we'll survive it?"

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Doesn't matter."

"Why?"

"Because they'll remember our names."