The helicopters hovered above like dark vultures.
Searchlights scanned the burning parking lot.
Preyajeet pulled Akanksha behind a half-destroyed concrete wall.
"Those aren't Indian military choppers," he said, observing carefully. "No national markings."
Akanksha's breathing was still uneven from the explosion.
"They belong to the Shadow Network," she whispered. "Private war contractors. They create conflict… then sell protection."
"So they want India and Pakistan to blame each other."
"Yes," she replied. "And we're their perfect trigger."
Gunfire erupted again from above.
Bullets hit the ground near them.
Preyajeet grabbed her hand.
"Move!"
They ran through the smoke-filled exit tunnel, flames lighting their path.
Behind them, masked men descended from ropes attached to the helicopters.
Highly trained.
Not random mercenaries.
Professional killers.
One attacker blocked their path ahead.
Preyajeet shot him instantly.
Another aimed at Akanksha—
She ducked, rolled forward, and disarmed him in one smooth move before firing back.
Preyajeet stared for a split second.
"You fight like an army commando."
She gave a bitter smile. "I was trained to be worse."
They reached the outer gate.
But a black armored vehicle blocked the exit.
Five armed men stepped out.
No escape.
Preyajeet checked his magazine.
Almost empty.
Akanksha looked around quickly.
"There's a fuel tank behind that vehicle."
He understood instantly.
"On my signal."
They stepped out together.
Gunfire exploded from both sides.
Preyajeet provided cover fire while she aimed precisely at the fuel tank.
One bullet.
Direct hit.
The armored vehicle burst into flames.
The explosion forced the attackers to retreat.
Using the chaos, Preyajeet pulled her toward a side alley.
They ran until the gunshots faded behind them.
Finally, they stopped under an old flyover.
Both breathing heavily.
Covered in dust and sweat.
Sirens echoed far away.
He leaned against a pillar, exhausted.
She looked at him.
"You're bleeding again."
"It's not serious."
She stepped closer anyway.
Without asking permission, she gently touched his injured leg to check the wound.
He didn't pull away.
Her fingers were warm.
Careful.
For a second, war didn't exist.
Only silence.
"Why didn't you leave when you had the chance?" he asked quietly.
She paused.
"Because if I walk away now… you'll die."
"And if I stay?" he asked.
She looked into his eyes.
"Then I might."
Their hearts beat loudly in the stillness.
He slowly reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"You don't have to carry this alone anymore."
Her breath trembled.
"No one has ever said that to me."
Before he could reply—
Her secure device vibrated again.
A message flashed:
"Phase Two initiated. Military intelligence compromised."
Her face turned pale.
"They've hacked internal defense communications," she said urgently.
Preyajeet's expression hardened.
"They're framing both sides."
Suddenly, his own phone buzzed.
Emergency alert.
Border tensions rising.
Troop movement authorized.
He looked at her in shock.
"This is it."
She nodded slowly.
"The Shadow Network just triggered international escalation."
Silence fell between them.
The stakes were no longer personal.
It was bigger than love.
Bigger than betrayal.
It was war.
He stepped closer.
"We stop them together."
She hesitated.
"If we fail…"
He gently held her hand.
"We won't."
For a brief moment, under the dim city lights—
She leaned into him.
Not as a spy.
Not as an enemy.
Just as a woman who was tired of fighting alone.
But in the distance—
Explosions echoed again.
The countdown had begun.
And this time—
It wasn't just their hearts in danger.