Bhalla leaned against the wall, arms folded, casually watching Aarvansh stare at the ground like he was trying to solve the universe.
Bhalla
"You okay there, detective? Or did Aryan's little sob story actually get to you?"Aarvansh looked up, his face dead serious.
Aarvansh
"It made sense, Bhalla. That's the problem."
Bhalla blinked.
Bhalla
"Sense? You think a rogue agent building a cult in the desert is rational?"
Aarvansh
"He was Albert's best friend. A founding agent. You don't turn on your country without a reason."
Bhalla
"I've known Albert longer than I've known most people. If he knew what Aryan was becoming, he'd never let it happen."
Aarvansh stood, pacing.
Aarvansh
"But he did. Or he missed it. Either way, that's not nothing."
A silence lingered.
Bhalla
"Listen... Aryan tortured these people. He left them here to rot. He's not some misunderstood genius. He's a dictator in disguise."
Aarvansh
"Yeah… you're right."
But his mind whispered something else.
Albert was always cold. Always hiding something. Aryan's story doesn't clear him—but it raises questions. And I can't trust anyone until I find the answers myself.
Bhalla interrupted the thought.
Bhalla
"Let's go. You said two a.m.? We're breaking out. And after that—Pokhran."
At exactly 2:00 A.M., Aarvansh snapped the ropes like threads. The lock clicked open seconds later. Bhalla was up behind him, but Aarvansh didn't wait. He moved fast, silent, calculated. As they stepped out of the cell, Bhalla caught a glimpse of something scratched faintly into the back wall—D-17. His eyes widened.
"Kid… not Pokhran. I know where to find Albert," Bhalla whispered, urgency in his voice.
Aarvansh's eyes stayed locked on the door.
"Yeah. But first, we get out of here."
They reached the front of the house. Three villagers stood there, still as stone, watching them.
"You shouldn't be here,"
one of them said, voice low.
"Agreed...….Run," Aarvansh muttered.
And they were gone.
Villagers shouted, torches igniting like sudden flames. Sand kicked up as half the village gave chase. Aarvansh sprinted ahead, Bhalla beside him. But Aarvansh wasn't human anymore—his strides longer, his reflexes cleaner, his mind faster.
They darted through tight alleys and past rusted carts. A stone zipped past Aarvansh's face. He ducked without losing speed. Another villager lunged. Aarvansh veered, grabbed Bhalla's arm, and pulled him through a narrow gap in the wall.
The desert opened up ahead.
The wind was vicious, throwing sand like needles. Bhalla slipped—Aarvansh caught him, threw him over his shoulder, and pressed forward without slowing.
"We're not dying here"
Rocks flew from behind. One struck Aarvansh in the back. He didn't flinch. Another grazed Bhalla's leg. Aarvansh adjusted his grip and kept running.
The torchlight faded behind them. The villagers couldn't keep up.
They crested a final ridge—then vanished into the dark.
Bhalla
"That was... hell of a chase."
Aarvansh
"Two people were being chased. Only one was running."
Bhalla smirked.
"Fair enough. Now… D-17."
Aarvansh frowned.
"What's D-17 now?"
Bhalla
"It's not a code name—it's a location. A sector inside AGNI's original headquarters. When Albert carved that into the wall, he was leaving us a message. He didn't want the villagers to know what it meant, but any AGNI agent would recognize it instantly."
Aarvansh
"Wait. I thought Aryan was living in AGNI's old base?"
Bhalla shook his head.
"No. Aryan built his own base in Pokhran. It's nearby, but separate. He chose it because it's close to the border, uninhabitable, and perfect for secrecy. The real AGNI headquarters—the one nobody talks about anymore—is where D-17 is. And that's where Albert is."
Aarvansh nodded.
"Then let's go."
The bunker doors opened with a rusted groan, revealing a narrow corridor lit by flickering ceiling lights. Cracked concrete. Old AGNI seals worn with time. The past buried under silence.
Bhalla led the way, confidently weaving through the shadows of memory. Aarvansh followed, scanning every wall, every turn. The air was dry. Still. They moved deeper, passing abandoned labs and sealed rooms, until finally—they reached it.
A single steel room. Plain. Unmarked. Inside, a man sat at a rusted metal table, peeling boiled potatoes.
His beard had grown in thick and uneven. His eyes were hollow but sharp. He didn't look up when the door opened.
Albert
"Bhalla. If you expect me to say I missed you, you're wasting your time."
Bhalla grinned.
"Sir, I don't know about that... but I definitely missed being emotionally neglected by you. Really keeps a guy warm inside."
Albert's hand paused over the next potato.
Bhalla gestured to Aarvansh.
"Meet our new recruit. Aarvansh."
Aarvansh stepped forward and pulled down the scarf from his face.
Albert stared. Blinked. Recognition crept in, slow but certain.
Albert
"You're… from IIT Delhi."
Bhalla raised a finger.
"Long story. But before we start—I need your word, sir."
"That when you hear what I'm about to say… you let me walk out alive."
Albert didn't flinch.
Albert
"I'll decide that after knowing everything."
Bhalla under his breath
"Oh shi—"