Aarav's heart pounded as he took a cautious step back. The underground chamber suddenly felt smaller, the air heavier. The man in black, his face half-hidden in shadows, did not move. But his presence alone sent a cold shiver down Aarav's spine.
Meera's fingers brushed against the cold steel of a rusted iron rod lying near her foot. She didn't reach for it just yet—but her muscles tensed, ready for the worst.
The man tilted his head slightly. His voice was calm, almost unnervingly so.
"You have no idea what you've just uncovered."
Aarav clenched his fists. "Maybe you should enlighten us."
The man chuckled. A slow, measured sound. Like someone who knew he held all the cards.
"I could." He took a step forward. "Or I could make sure you never leave this place."
Aarav's mind raced. He needed to stall. Needed to figure out who this man was. "You're with them, aren't you? The ones who erased Bose from history."
The man gave a small, knowing smile. "You still think history is written by the victors?" He took another step forward. "History is written by those who control the ink."
Aarav's pulse quickened. This wasn't just about Netaji's disappearance. This was bigger. Much bigger.
Meera, sensing the shift in Aarav's stance, spoke up. "If Bose was alive, if he had a plan—why was he erased?"
The man turned his gaze to her. "Because Bose's India… was never meant to exist."
Aarav felt his breath catch. "What do you mean?"
For the first time, the man hesitated. A flicker of doubt. A fraction of a second. But Aarav caught it.
And then—the lights went out.
The chamber was swallowed in darkness. A sharp whisper cut through the silence.
"Run."
It wasn't from the man in black.
It was from somewhere behind them.
Aarav didn't think—he grabbed Meera's wrist and bolted. Footsteps pounded against the stone floor. The air was thick with dust and the scent of something old, something forgotten.
A gunshot rang out.
The sound exploded through the chamber, bouncing off the walls like a warning. Meera stumbled, but Aarav held her upright. They didn't stop.
Another whisper. Closer this time.
"Left."
Aarav obeyed blindly, pulling Meera into a narrow passage. The darkness was suffocating, but something—someone—was guiding them.
Behind them, the man in black cursed under his breath. "They're here."
Aarav's blood turned to ice. They?
He barely had time to process it before a set of hands reached out from the shadows—grabbing them both.
And then—silence.