The rain began again shortly after midnight.
It fell softly at first, tapping lightly against the glass windows of Nadia's apartment. The city outside glowed under streetlights and neon signs, blurred by thin sheets of water drifting through the humid air.
Inside the apartment, Nadia sat at her small desk, surrounded by open documents.
Her laptop screen illuminated the room with a pale blue glow.
She had been working for hours.
Shipping records.
Insurance filings.
Corporate ownership structures.
Everything connected to the explosion ten years ago.
Most of it led nowhere.
But a few details were beginning to form a pattern.
Nadia leaned closer to the screen, zooming in on an old cargo report.
The restricted container again.
The one that had never been properly documented.
She stared at the blank space where the cargo description should have been.
"Why hide something like that?" she murmured.
Her father had discovered something inside those containers.
Something important enough to confront several men at the port.
Something terrifying enough to change his expression completely.
Nadia remembered that moment clearly.
Even now, ten years later.
Her father's voice had been tense when he spoke to the men.
Angry.
Afraid.
Then the explosion.
The memory made her chest tighten.
She closed the document slowly.
There was only one conclusion left.
Whatever had been inside that container…
It wasn't meant to be discovered.
A sudden sound broke the silence.
A faint metallic click.
Nadia froze.
Her apartment door.
Someone was trying to open it.
Her heart began pounding instantly.
She stood up quietly and moved toward the hallway.
The clicking sound continued.
Slow.
Careful.
Someone was picking the lock.
Nadia's mind raced.
Who would break into my apartment?
Then the answer came immediately.
The men following her earlier.
Her stomach twisted.
She moved silently toward the bedroom and grabbed her phone.
But before she could dial anyone—
The lock clicked open.
The door slowly creaked inward.
Two men stepped inside.
Both wore dark jackets.
Their movements were quiet and professional.
Not thieves.
Not amateurs.
They closed the door carefully behind them.
One man spoke in a low voice.
"Search the place."
Nadia felt cold fear spread through her chest.
She slowly backed toward the balcony door.
The men moved through the apartment quickly.
Opening drawers.
Checking shelves.
Scanning documents.
They were looking for something specific.
One of them reached the desk.
He opened Nadia's laptop.
His eyes scanned the files.
"Port investigation," he muttered.
The second man walked closer.
"So she knows something."
"Not enough yet."
Nadia's breath caught in her throat.
They weren't robbers.
They were connected to the explosion.
And they had come to silence her investigation.
The first man closed the laptop.
"We should report this."
The second man nodded.
"But check everything first."
They moved toward the bedroom.
At that moment Nadia quietly opened the balcony door.
Rain poured outside.
Cold wind rushed into the apartment.
She slipped onto the narrow balcony.
Her heart pounded as she slowly closed the glass door behind her.
The balcony overlooked the street twelve floors below.
No escape.
Nowhere to run.
Inside the apartment the men continued searching.
One of them opened the bedroom door.
Then suddenly—
A voice spoke behind them.
Calm.
Controlled.
"Gentlemen."
Both men turned instantly.
Varma stood in the doorway.
His expression was calm as ever.
Almost bored.
One of the men frowned.
"And you are?"
Varma stepped inside slowly.
"Someone who dislikes uninvited guests."
The two men exchanged a glance.
Then the taller one spoke.
"This does not concern you."
Varma glanced briefly toward the balcony door.
His sharp eyes instantly noticed the faint reflection of Nadia standing outside.
Good.
She was safe.
He returned his attention to the men.
"I disagree," Varma said quietly.
"Breaking into apartments tends to concern many people."
The second man reached inside his jacket slightly.
Varma's gaze hardened.
"Before you consider that decision," he said calmly, "you should know something."
The room fell silent.
Varma's voice remained soft.
"But very precise."
"If anything happens to the woman who lives here…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…your employer will lose far more than he gains."
The two men stared at him.
One of them spoke carefully.
"You know who we work for."
Varma smiled faintly.
"Of course."
Silence stretched across the room.
Then the taller man sighed.
"We found nothing useful anyway."
He gestured toward the door.
"Let's go."
The two men walked past Varma and left the apartment.
The door closed behind them.
For several seconds the apartment remained silent except for the rain outside.
Varma walked slowly toward the balcony door.
He opened it gently.
Nadia stared at him in shock.
"You followed me?" she whispered.
Varma looked at her calmly.
"No."
"Then how did you know—"
"You are asking dangerous questions," he said.
"And dangerous questions attract dangerous people."
Rain fell harder around them.
Nadia's voice trembled slightly.
"They were going to kill me."
Varma didn't answer immediately.
Then he said quietly,
"Yes."