HQ, Swindon — Late Afternoon
The warmth from earlier laughter had barely settled when Kiaan's expression shifted, pulling the atmosphere taut again like an unseen string. He stood from his desk, his voice now lower, measured, and serious—so unlike the man who was just teasing back with them moments ago."I need to tell you something," he said, glancing toward the glass-paneled doors to ensure no one was near. "It's about Zid."Dev blinked. "Zid? What about him? He's solid. Has your back like the rest of us.""No." Kiaan's voice cut clean, his eyes hard. "He's not here for us. He was never meant to be part of this team... not fully. He's not one of ours. He was sent — by Reyaan Malhotra."Tara straightened up, her entire demeanor flipping from casual to razor-sharp. "Wait, what? Sent by Reyaan? You're serious?"Rehaan's brow furrowed. "Zid… works for Reyaan?"Kiaan nodded, pacing slightly now, the adrenaline stirring in him again. "Zid's been monitoring me from the start. He's one of Reyaan's men. Quiet, clean, and planted well enough that even our system couldn't flag it. I figured it out weeks ago, but I needed proof."Dev stood up slowly. "You're saying Reyaan has eyes inside our squad.""Yes," Kiaan said. "And if Reyaan wanted me watched this closely, it means something's coming. Something big."Tara crossed her arms. "So why let him stay? Why not confront him or report it upstairs?""Because we need him," Kiaan replied. "We need Zid right where he is — close. Watching him gives us a glimpse into Reyaan's plans without tipping him off. But…" He paused, locking eyes with each of them one by one. "From now on, none of you say a word about the Reyaan missions in front of Zid. No strategies. No updates. Not even casual talk. We run silent, and we keep him out of the core loop."Rehaan exhaled sharply. "Damn… Reyaan really plays long games."Dev muttered, "This is like walking around with a ticking bomb."Kiaan added, "Then don't give the bomb a reason to blow. Zid's still dangerous, but he thinks he's in control. Let's keep it that way until we make our move."Tara nodded, stepping closer. "You trust us, we trust you. We won't slip. Not even once."Rehaan gave a dark grin. "He thinks he's watching you… but now we're watching him."As the four of them stood there, the walls of the HQ suddenly felt tighter, the air thicker. Trust, loyalty, betrayal — it all tangled in the room like invisible wires. Kiaan knew the next chapter of this game had already begun. The shadow of Reyaan Malhotra stretched farther than any of them anticipated.And the storm was far from over.