Midnight | Rex HQ Safeline | Undisclosed LocationThe encrypted message popped on Zayed's device with a sharp ping.
Zid: "The setup is ready. Kiaan's going in as planned. He's staying close to the cadet."
Zayed's thumb hovered over the screen as his sharp eyes narrowed. He didn't hesitate. The stakes were rising faster than smoke in a firestorm.He stood, stepped outside the war room, and dialed."Sir," he said, the line connecting directly to Reyaan Malhotra, the man who ruled silence like a storm and power like a whisper."What's the update?" Reyaan's voice was clipped, low, and dangerous.Zayed's tone tightened. "The trap is set. Kiaan's taking point. Using himself as bait. No agents near the cadet except him."
There was a pause on the line. The silence from Reyaan wasn't empty—it was loud with decision.
"…Get me a sniper," Reyaan finally said. "The best. I want him eyes on Kiaan, locked. If that psycho so much as breathes too close to him—take the shot."Zayed blinked. "Sir, if the sniper fires in a civilian zone—"
"No one will know," Reyaan snapped. "I want a silenced round. No sound, no trace. Get him in position. I won't risk Kiaan's life for bait. Not again."Zayed nodded, understanding the weight of the words. "And what if someone notices the kill?"
"Clean it. We've done it before. You know what I do to those who fail me, Zay."
Zayed didn't need a reminder. He'd seen Reyaan take down entire cells without flinching. Marked men didn't walk back out if they crossed Reyaan Malhotra.
"I'll handle it," Zayed said. "He'll never see the sniper. And if the killer makes a move, he'll drop before he even finishes blinking."
"Good." Reyaan's voice dipped darker. "No scratches, Zay. Not on him."
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03:10 AM | Swindon – Roof of a Derelict Building Near the Cadet Complex
The sniper lay prone on a rooftop, the muzzle of his high-powered rifle fixed toward the alleyway. His breathing was calm, regulated. The crosshairs followed Kiaan as he moved casually with the cadet, blending like he belonged.In his ear, the command whispered. "Code Red only if Kiaan is threatened. Repeat—Code Red on contact. No misses."The sniper whispered back, "Understood."Through the scope, he saw the boy cadet fidget nervously, walking beside Kiaan who kept an easy, reassuring smile. His body language was casual, but the sniper knew—this wasn't calm. This was a storm waiting for thunder.Behind the dark windows, other hidden agents waited. Silent shadows with loaded triggers. But none were cleared to act—only the sniper had clearance to kill.
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HQ – Hidden Comm Line
Zayed watched the signals on the monitor pulse. One was red. Reyaan's private line.
He picked it up immediately."Position locked. Your sniper is active," Zayed said."Tell him," Reyaan said calmly, "that if anything touches Kiaan again, he's not just firing a bullet—he's firing my wrath."Zayed smirked faintly. "Understood."
Back on the Streets
As Kiaan moved under the flickering lamplight, his eyes scanned every shadow.
He didn't know someone had him locked in a scope, ready to paint the alley red at Reyaan's order. But somewhere inside him—he felt it.Somewhere out there, a ghost in the shadows was watching for him, not to kill him… but to protect him with deadly precision.Tomorrow, blood would spill.
But tonight… no one touches what Reyaan Malhotra has marked.