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The farmhouse stood in eerie isolation under the pale glow of a waning moon. Rajiv Malhotra’s retreat was a sprawling property surrounded by high walls and patrolled by armed guards. Kabir observed the scene from the cover of a nearby thicket, his sharp eyes scanning for weaknesses.
The security was tighter than he expected—Kapoor had clearly anticipated a move. Kabir’s lips curled into a faint smirk. If Kapoor wanted a battle of wits, he’d chosen the wrong opponent.
The Setup
Ananya crouched beside him, her fingers deftly assembling a drone. “We’ve got five guards on the perimeter and at least two patrolling the inner courtyard. The cameras are positioned at every corner.”
Kabir nodded. “They’ve invested in security, but they’ve also become predictable. Look at the rotation patterns. There’s a blind spot between shifts—our window is three minutes.”
Ananya glanced at him, her admiration barely concealed. “You’re insane, you know that?”
He shrugged, checking his gear. “Sanity’s overrated.”
The plan was simple in theory: create a diversion at the main gate, slip through the blind spot, and reach Malhotra’s office on the second floor. But Kabir knew no plan survived first contact with the enemy.
The Infiltration
The drone buzzed low over the compound, its small camera feeding live footage to Ananya’s tablet. It hovered near the main gate, dropping a small firecracker. The explosion was loud enough to draw the guards’ attention without raising the alarm.
“Now,” Kabir whispered, slipping through the shadows.
He scaled the wall with practiced ease, his movements silent and precise. Landing inside, he pressed himself against the wall of the main building. The guards at the gate were distracted, shouting orders and searching for the source of the explosion.
Kabir darted toward the building, slipping through a side entrance Ananya had identified. The interior was dimly lit, the hum of surveillance cameras blending with the faint sounds of the forest outside.
The Encounter
Kabir moved through the hallways like a ghost, avoiding cameras and guards. He reached the staircase leading to Malhotra’s office and paused, listening for footsteps.
The office door was ajar, light spilling out into the corridor. Kabir crept closer, his heart pounding as he heard voices.
“I don’t care what Kapoor thinks,” Malhotra’s voice snapped. “The Rathores are still a threat. If we don’t eliminate Kabir Singh Rathore soon, everything we’ve worked for will fall apart.”
Kabir’s fists clenched. He peeked inside, spotting Malhotra seated at a desk, speaking to a shadowy figure on a video call.
“Project Lotus is too far along to be jeopardized by a street rat,” the figure replied. “Kapoor has already doubled his resources. Rathore won’t evade us for long.”
Kabir’s jaw tightened. He needed proof, and this conversation was gold. He carefully set a recording device on the ground near the door.
The Strike
The conversation ended abruptly, and Malhotra rose from his chair. Kabir barely had time to pull back into the shadows as the bureaucrat stepped into the hallway.
“What’s that noise?” Malhotra muttered, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the faint glint of the recorder.
Kabir didn’t hesitate. He lunged, his hand clamping over Malhotra’s mouth as he dragged him back into the office.
“Make a sound, and it’s your last,” Kabir hissed.
Malhotra’s eyes widened in terror as he nodded. Kabir released him slightly, his voice cold. “You’re going to tell me everything about Project Lotus, or I’ll make sure Kapoor finds out you’re the reason it’s compromised.”
Malhotra stammered, his composure crumbling. “I—I can’t. Kapoor will kill me.”
Kabir leaned closer, his gaze icy. “If you don’t, I’ll make sure you wish Kapoor had.”
The Revelation
Under Kabir’s relentless interrogation, Malhotra began to spill details:
Satisfied, Kabir left Malhotra unconscious, tied up, and gagged in his office. He retrieved the recording device and slipped out of the building.
The Escape
The guards were on high alert, having discovered the source of the earlier diversion. Kabir moved swiftly, retracing his steps to the side entrance.
He froze as a flashlight beam swept past him, a guard approaching fast. Kabir waited until the last moment before springing into action, knocking the guard out with a precise blow to the neck.
As he climbed back over the wall, he could hear distant shouting—Malhotra’s discovery was inevitable. But by then, Kabir was already gone, melting into the forest like a shadow.
The Implications
Back at the safehouse, Kabir played the recording for Ananya. Her face paled as she listened, the enormity of Project Lotus becoming clear.
“This isn’t just a business move—it’s a coup,” she said, her voice trembling.
Kabir nodded. “Kapoor’s not building an empire—he’s tearing ours apart from the inside. If we don’t stop him, everything my family built will be gone.”
Ananya looked at him, determination hardening her features. “Then we’ll fight back. What’s the next step?”
Kabir’s eyes burned with resolve. “We expose the safehouses. If we hit them fast and hard, Kapoor won’t have time to recover. And when he’s vulnerable, we take him down for good.”