Chapter 8: A Race Against Time
Zayn ran a hand through his hair. "We can't waste time. Imran and I will check the locker. Aria, Nadia—you try to find Rayan."
Aria nodded. "Be careful."
They split up.
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Team 1 – The Storage Locker
The storage facility was nearly empty, lit by dim yellow lights. Zayn and Imran found Locker #217 and slid the key in. The lock clicked open.
Inside was a single black duffel bag.
Imran unzipped it and froze.
Inside were printed documents, a flash drive, and a burner phone.
Zayn grabbed a folder. The first page read:
Project Revenant – Phase 2 Initiation.
Imran plugged the flash drive into his laptop. It contained surveillance footage.
The video showed a group of people in a lab. A masked man stood at the center, giving orders.
Zayn pointed at the screen. "That mask… it's the same one I saw the night Samir died."
Then, another figure stepped into the frame.
Rayan Malik.
Imran's blood ran cold. "He wasn't a target. He was one of them."
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Team 2 – Searching for Rayan
Aria and Nadia checked hospitals, train stations, and police reports. Nothing.
Then Nadia's phone buzzed. A new message.
Unknown Number: "Looking for me?"
A live location pin appeared.
Aria's breath caught. "It's him."
They followed the location to an abandoned parking garage. The air was thick with tension.
Nadia whispered, "Something doesn't feel right."
Footsteps echoed.
A figure stepped out from the shadows.
Rayan Malik.
But he wasn't scared. He wasn't running.
He was smiling.
"You shouldn't have come," he said. "Now it's too late to walk away."
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Twist Unlocked: Rayan's True Allegiance
What happens next?