I hurried after Divyansh as he practically charted a course through the dense crowd. I couldn’t help but notice the way the room reacted to him. Men who looked like they were carved out of granite—fearsome, jacked-up soldiers—stepped aside the moment they saw him coming. It was unsettling. He had this air of authority that didn't match his face, as if he held more power than people twice his age and ten times his experience.

  Once we finally broke free of the cafeteria noise, I managed to catch up to him. "What is this about? Why the sudden trip to see Khan?"

  Divyansh didn't slow down. His voice was tight, hurried. "Something is seriously wrong. The path you took? That was the main road from the airport. You were supposed to peel off onto a side road after a few miles. That’s the only way to get where you were actually going."

  I was still swimming in confusion. "So what? I told you, that blind old beggar showed us the wrong way."

  He shook his head, his pace never wavering. "That’s the problem. Why would a beggar—a blind one, no less—be sitting on the shoulder of a road like that? There’s nothing out there. No safety, no foot traffic. And how did you even know he was drunk?"

  "What do you mean?" I asked, my frustration was rising,"Why else would a guy ramble on about keys and nonsense? And what does him being blind have to do with anything?"

  Divyansh let out a groan of pure exasperation. "Listen to yourself! You said his skin looked like rotten flesh. He hid his face. His eyes were milky-blind!"

  "It’s the same thing over and over!" I snapped. "You aren't explaining why any of these details matter!"

  He stopped so suddenly I slammed right into his back. Once again almost falling! Thankfully he caught me.

  Before I could complain, he grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward the wall. He threw a quick, sharp glance sideways to make sure the corridor was empty. The way he was looking at me made my skin crawl. It was too intense, too close.

  "I... I thought you said you were straight?" I stuttered, trying to break the tension with a joke that fell flat.

  Divyansh made a face like he’d just bitten into a lemon. "What? Of course I am! That’s not what I’m doing, you idiot. Now, look closely. At my eyes."

  I frowned, leaning in to stare into his pupils. What I saw hit me like a physical blow, dragging up memories I’d spent my last few days trying to bury. His eyes shifted. The color bled away until they were a flat, milky white—exactly like the creature we’d faced in the desert.

  My heart did a slow, heavy roll in my chest. But he isn't a monster... is he?

  The white faded, his eyes returning to normal. He suddenly collapsed to his knees, clutching at his face and heaving for air. I dropped down beside him immediately. "Hey, are you okay? Can you stand? Should I call for help?"

  Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

  He jerked his head, forcing himself back onto his feet. He offered a smile, but it was strained, sweat beading across his forehead. "I’m fine. But do you get it now? What I was trying to explain?"

  I didn't have the full picture, but the pieces were starting to fit together in a way I didn't like. "You mean that old man was a monster... just like that thing? And so are you?"

  His smile vanished for a split second. "Exactly. He was one of them. But the real question is: why was a successful project just sitting out there in the middle of nowhere?"

  "Successful?" I asked. "Wasn't the thing that attacked us more successful? I mean, it was a full-on monster."

  He sighed, the weight of the world in the sound. "Duh. You always have a barge of questions and we have zero time. Follow me."

  There he went again with the twisted answers. I followed him, but my mind was racing. He was one of them. Khan had said they were trying to stop an illegal organization from performing experiments, so what was a "project" doing working here? Divyansh didn't seem like a monster, but I felt my guard go up. I didn't know who to trust in this place anymore.

  We turned through a few more grey corridors until Divyansh stopped in front of a massive, gold-coated metallic door. In bold, aggressive letters, it read: HUNTING GROUNDS.

  He pulled out a gold card, swiped it against the pad, and the door opened with a mechanical hiss.

  I peeked over his shoulder and felt my jaw drop. It was like stepping into a high-tech fever dream—an arsenal and an arena rolled into one. Soldiers were strapped into VR pods, others were navigating lethal-looking obstacle courses, and some were locked in intense duels or target practice. It was the kind of stuff you only see in big-budget Hollywood movies.

  Divyansh snapped his fingers in front of my face and gestured for me to move. The door hissed shut behind us. I was so busy staring at the tech that I almost missed Mr. Khan. He was hovering above the chaos on a flying board, barking commands at the soldiers below.

  "Hey, old man!" Divyansh yelled. "I’ve got something important!"

  "Hey," I whispered, leaning toward Divyansh. "Isn't he your senior?"

  He gave me a wink. "So what? He looks tough on the outside, but he’s soft on the inside."

  Khan descended slowly, the hoverboard humming as it touched the floor. He hopped off, looking annoyed. "Divyansh, what is it? I told you not to interrupt the training sessions."

  Divyansh’s face went completely serious—the first time I’d seen the "joker" mask drop entirely. "Sir, I think we’ve been tricked. We need to call a Red Alert. I’m certain we’re about to be infiltrated."

  I expected Khan to scoff, to ask for proof, or to lecture him about jumping to conclusions. Instead, he went quiet. He actually seemed to be weighing Divyansh's words, which told me more about their relationship than any file ever could.

  The training soldiers began to slow down, their eyes drifting toward us. After a few heartbeats, Khan made his call. He turned to his men, his voice booming. "Everyone, prep. Get your gear on. Someone tell security to trigger a Code Red."

  BOOM!

  A massive sound tore through the room. The vibration was so violent it travelled through the metal floor and up my legs, knocking me clean off my feet. I hit the floor hard, my knees taking the brunt of it.

  I looked at Divyansh. He was calm, but the smile was gone. That worried me more than the noise.

  Khan let out a short sigh. "I guess we don't need the announcement. Just get ready. We’re being hunted!"

  His voice echoed through the massive arena. The soldiers didn't panic; they gave a crisp salute and moved out in perfect, lethal order.

  Khan pointed a finger directly at me. "You! Come with us. Divyansh, get him to Dr. Oden. Immediately!"

  "Wait! What did I do?" I yelled, scrambling to my feet.

  Divyansh looked at me, a flash of genuine regret in his eyes. "Sorry, pal. Looks like you brought some unwanted guests with you."

  Before I could even process what he meant, he hit me—a sharp, precise strike to the side of my neck. My vision blurred, my legs turned to water, and once again, the world went black.

  I was really starting to build a streak for getting knocked unconscious.