Phase 1: The Mission Begins
The rain lashed against the windows of the abandoned warehouse where Veer, Rudra, Zayan, and Karan sat in dim lighting. The air smelled of rust, dust, and gunpowder—a scent they were all too familiar with.
They weren't the kind of men who took just any job. They picked their missions carefully, and this one? It had come in the most unusual way.
A black envelope had been left at their usual meeting spot. No name. No sender. Just a single message written in shaky, almost frantic handwriting:
"Find out what happened to the children of Black Hollow Orphanage. But beware—the walls remember."
Along with the note was a thick wad of cash—more than enough to make even the most cautious man consider taking the job. But it wasn't the money that intrigued them.
It was the way the letter arrived.
Veer had checked the security footage. No one had come in or out. No cars. No shadows. Nothing. The letter had simply… appeared.
Zayan leaned back against the couch, flipping a lighter open and closed. "So, are we really doing this? Chasing ghosts now?"
"Doesn't feel like our usual kind of job," Rudra admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
"That's exactly why we should take it." Karan smirked, twirling a knife between his fingers. "We've taken down traffickers, arms dealers, and corrupt officials. Maybe it's time for something different."
Veer was silent for a long moment, staring at the letter. The ink was slightly smudged, like it had been written in a hurry… or by someone whose hands were shaking.
Finally, he exhaled. "We find whoever sent this and figure out what the hell is going on. If it's a trap, we handle it like we always do."
No one argued.
That was how they ended up here—on a road that no longer appeared on maps, heading toward a place that didn't want to be found.
And when they arrived at Black Hollow Orphanage, something deep in their gut told them—this was not going to be just another mission.
This was going to be a nightmare.
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The night was ink-black, swallowing the road ahead as Veer gripped the steering wheel. The GPS had cut out miles ago, leaving only the vague directions scribbled on a crumpled piece of paper. The air inside the car was tense, charged with something unnatural—even Zayan, usually the most relaxed, sat upright, fingers drumming on his knee.
"Are you sure this place even exists?" Rudra muttered, eyes scanning the dense forest surrounding them. "Because it sure as hell doesn't want to be found."
Karan, flipping a knife between his fingers, smirked. "That's what makes it interesting."
The road curved sharply, and then, without warning, it ended.
They stopped in front of Black Hollow Orphanage.
A towering, decayed building loomed before them, its windows hollow and dark. The iron gates stood half-open, as if someone had been expecting them. A cold wind snaked through the trees, carrying the faintest echo of children's laughter. But the place was abandoned. Wasn't it?
"Let's move," Veer ordered, stepping out first. Their boots crunched against dead leaves as they approached the entrance. The closer they got, the heavier the air became, like something unseen was watching, waiting.
The wooden doors creaked open on their own.
No one spoke. They exchanged glances, then stepped inside.
The moment the doors shut behind them, the outside world seemed to disappear.
The orphanage had swallowed them whole.