Species Of Life

46. Collisions and Realizations(Updated)

Just two to three minutes after the argument faded behind the locked guest room door, a clicking sound echoed in the hallway. Abhi and Vaish and Avneet turned toward it with mild curiosity that quickly twisted into shock as they saw the door creak open—and Sid stepping out, calm and composed, wearing a smirk.

Abhi's eyes widened. "How the hell did you come out?"

Sid walked right up to him and casually raised his hand, a small set of keys dangling from his fingers. The spare keys.

Abhi shut his eyes, realizing with disbelief how he had completely forgotten about the backup keys every room had. How could he miss that?

Handing them over, Sid quipped, "Dada, I think it's time you start eating almonds. You're starting to forget things."

Abhi clenched his fist and narrowed his eyes. "You—"

Before the mock fight could escalate, Sid turned to Avi and Vaish, ignoring the glares Abhi was now getting from them. "Okay, Avi, Bhabhi, I'm going. Bye."

He walked away. Abhi turned to see Jan still rooted at her spot, her eyes locked on Sid's retreating figure. She looked... hollow. He walked up to her and gently pulled her into a hug. She didn't hesitate. Her arms wrapped around him like a child needing reassurance.

He cupped her face. "Don't worry. Just give him a little time. Everything will be normal again."

Jan nodded softly, but Avi's expression showed a flicker of concern. The way things had unfolded was not what she'd expected. After last night, she had genuinely thought Sid would forgive Jan. But now it all seemed to be falling apart again.

Later that day, Sid sat in his office cabin, going through the final slides of a presentation for his meeting scheduled in half an hour. After scanning the last page, he closed his laptop and leaned back in the chair.

"Well, that's done," he murmured. "Now onto the more difficult task."

He got up, heading toward Abhi's cabin, but just as he reached the corridor, he was intercepted by Vishal.

"Sir, wait!"

Sid paused. "What happened?"

"You're going to Abhi sir's cabin?"

"Yeah."

"Sir is working on the presentation for the new project. He said no one should disturb him."

Sid gave a short nod. "Alright."

Vishal walked off, and Sid turned away, deciding he would talk to Abhi after the meeting.

The presentation ended and Sid returned to his cabin, flipping through a few new files when his phone began to ring. The screen flashed Dada Calling.

He frowned slightly. "Why is he calling from the office when he could just walk over?"

He picked up. "Hello, Dada?"

Abhi's voice came in, urgent and tense. "Ashu, where are you?"

"I'm in the office... and why are you calling from inside the office? You could've just come to my cabin."

"I'm not in the office," Abhi replied, his voice more serious now. "I stepped out for some important work."

Sid straightened in his chair. "Why do you sound tense? What happened?"

"Akshu is missing."

Sid's heart stuttered. "Dada, please stop lying."

"I'm not lying!" Abhi snapped. "Vaish called me. Akshu left this morning and told her she would be back in an hour or two. It's been over five hours now. She hasn't come back and her phone is switched off."

"Dada, I'm not going to fall for this. You're clearly trying to trick me again just like this morning—"

But before he could finish, the call disconnected. Frowning, Sid redialed, only to hear the dull tone of a switched-off number.

He tried to brush it off. "He's lying."

But he couldn't. His mind wouldn't let him.

Within a minute, a gut feeling overtook him. Something was genuinely wrong. Jan wouldn't just disappear like this. He quickly dialed her number—again, switched off. He stood there, uncertain, when suddenly something clicked in his memory. The tracker. He had once placed a discreet tracker inside the anklet she always wore.

Without wasting a second, he opened the tracking app on his phone. The location flashed—a distant, unfamiliar spot on the outskirts of the city.

He didn't hesitate. He rushed out of the office, got into his car, and drove toward the blinking dot on the map.

Somewhere on a deserted road, two cars screeched to a stop—barely inches apart. Dust swirled around them in the quiet air. The doors opened simultaneously and people poured out, angry, tense, shocked.

"What are you doing here?" one voice barked.

"I could ask you the same thing!" came the reply.

Then another voice broke in, showing a phone screen. "Jan's location is showing here."

The three froze. No one spoke for a moment.

Each of them had followed the same signal.

And now, they stood in the same unknown place, unknowingly drawn together by a single person.

Jannat.

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