"Aah…"
A faint groan escaped Maya's lips as she slowly began to regain consciousness.
At first—
Everything was blurry.
Her vision hazy.
The world around her felt distant… unreal.
Through that blur, she noticed a figure.
Dressed in black.
Sitting beside her.
She tried to focus… blinking slowly… her voice weak and drowsy—
"Number… 0… is that… you…?"
Pain surged through her body.
Every nerve screamed.
Her entire body was wrapped in bandages… like she had been stitched back together piece by piece.
Yet—
Her eyes remained fixed on that shadowy figure.
Then—
A calm voice answered.
"It's alright… just rest…"
The moment she heard it—
Her eyes widened.
Recognition hit instantly.
"Number 0… so it really is you!"
Her vision finally cleared.
And there he was.
A young man… sitting quietly beside her bed.
Looking down.
Silent.
He looked almost unreal.
Like something carved out of perfection.
Messy dark hair falling near his ears…
Sharp brown eyes…
A well-built body that spoke of years of discipline…
Dressed completely in black—T-shirt, jacket, track pants.
A medical mask hid half his face…
But even then—
His presence was undeniable.
He looked up at her.
And spoke calmly—
"How are you feeling… 003?"
Maya stared at him.
A mix of relief… shock… and something deeper.
"But… how are you here? Anyone could walk in at any moment… did you… kill them all?"
Her voice carried suspicion.
But he cut her off immediately—
"Relax. I don't kill innocent people."
A pause.
"They're all with that boy… Om. And yes, they could come back anytime… but I'll be done before that."
Maya's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What about… Singhania and Bali?"
A brief silence.
Then—
A simple answer.
"They're dead."
No emotion.
No hesitation.
Just fact.
Then, almost as an afterthought, he added—
"That boy… is strong."
Maya's expression changed.
Anger flickered.
"Strong? What does that have to do with you?"
Her voice hardened.
"What made the great Number 0—who betrayed his own team, his own family, and ran away to live a normal life—come back into mine?"
Her eyes burned.
"Why did you save me?"
Silence filled the room.
For a moment—
He didn't respond.
Then—
Calmly—
"Stop the drama. We both know… my numbers and my family… mean more to me than my life."
His tone didn't rise.
Didn't fall.
Just steady.
"And it's better if we don't waste time on this."
Maya looked at him for a second.
Then exhaled.
"Fine. What do you want? What do the Numbers want from me now?"
Without a word—
He pulled out a phone from his pocket.
Handed it to her.
"Nothing."
A pause.
"Just stay with your family."
He looked at her.
"For now."
"I came… specially on 001's request."
His voice softened slightly.
"Maya… I've said this enough times. And this is the last time. If you're ever in trouble… use the SOS."
A beat.
"The Numbers will give their lives for you."
Another pause.
"You're family."
His eyes held something deeper now.
"Wherever you go… whatever you do… you're still one of us."
"And Number 0…"
A faint pause.
"…never abandons his family."
Maya's eyes welled up.
She tried to hide it.
But couldn't.
He quietly placed a bag beside her.
"There's food in it… and some essentials."
Then added—
"Get well soon. And take care of yourself."
A slight pause.
"And stop jumping into death traps alone… or you'll have to answer to 001."
A faint hint of humor.
"For all of this… it's from everyone."
He then handed her a photograph.
Maya looked at it.
And froze.
It was a group photo.
Her…
And the rest of her team.
Military cadets.
Her family.
A soft smile appeared on her face.
For the first time since waking up.
Then she looked back at him—
"You're here for that boy… aren't you? For Om."
He paused.
Just for a second.
Then nodded.
A small… knowing smile behind the mask.
He turned to leave.
But Maya stopped him—
"Then why don't you face him?"
He didn't turn back.
Just said—
"Because… it's not the right time."
He picked up a black helmet.
Wore it.
Then paused at the door.
Turned slightly toward her.
"And 003…"
A small pause.
"My name isn't Number 0 anymore."
Another pause.
"It's Shivay."
And with that—
He walked out.
Gone.
Just like that.
Maya kept looking at the door.
Then slowly turned her gaze toward the window.
A faint smile still on her face.
—
At that moment—
The TV in her ward played softly in the background.
A news anchor's voice echoed—
"Good evening, viewers. We have just received shocking news from our sources. Late last night, on a deserted road near Pratapgarh, well-known businessman Mr. Singhania and one of the country's most dangerous underworld dons have died in a mysterious car explosion…"
The words faded into the background.
But one thing was clear—
The game…
Had just begun.