The dimly lit room was silent except for the low hum of the television. The news anchor's voice filled the space, thick with emotion as she reported the fallout of the Phantom's downfall.
"For years, these families suffered in silence, believing they would never see justice. Today, that silence has been broken. The mastermind behind the trafficking rings, extortion, and illegal dealings has been taken into custody. Authorities refuse to disclose who provided the evidence, but the victims are calling them 'the unknown saviors.'"
The screen shifted to live footage from outside the police station. Families—broken, grieving—stood with framed photographs in their hands. Pictures of the ones they had lost.
An old woman clutched a worn-out picture of a young girl, tears slipping down her wrinkled cheeks. "She was only sixteen," she whispered into the mic. "Gone. They took her, and I never saw her again. But today… today, she's finally at peace."
A father held a trembling wife in his arms, his voice shaking as he spoke, "Whoever did this… whoever took her down… thank you. You gave us justice when no one else would."
Their pain was raw, too real.
Zayan exhaled sharply, gripping his glass tighter. His usual smirk was nowhere to be seen. He looked away from the screen, jaw clenched.
Karan, who always had a joke for everything, sat completely still. His fingers traced the rim of his drink, but he said nothing.
Rudra leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His eyes never left the screen. He wasn't just watching the news—he was feeling it.
And then, there was Veer.
He stood near the window, his face unreadable as he stared outside. The blue glow of the television flickered against his sharp features, but his eyes…
His eyes were dark.
Not with anger. Not with pride.
With something deeper.
Something only those who had walked through fire could understand.
Silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts.
Finally, Rudra broke it. His voice was quiet, almost distant.
"They think we're heroes."
No one answered.
Because none of them knew if that was true.
Because justice never came without blood.
And they had spilled a lot of it.
Zayan let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "Funny, isn't it? We do one good thing, and suddenly, we're saints."
Karan scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. As if that washes away everything else we've done."
A beat of silence.
Then—
Veer finally spoke. His voice was low, firm.
"We did what had to be done."
And maybe that was all that mattered.
Because in the end, they weren't looking for redemption.
They were just making sure the world feared the Vipers.
And more importantly—
That no one else would suffer like those families ever again.