𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐜𝐭

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Vanishing Act

Geetanjali gripped his shoulders tightly, unsure of what to do. She felt torn between the desire to keep her identity hidden and the urge to confess it aloud. Her heart raced, each forward beat pulling her closer to his lips. Conversely, with every backward beat, her thoughts dissolved into the background. Shubman waited anxiously, fingers tightly gripping Geetanjali's dress, anticipating her next move.

She inched closer, almost grazing her upper lip against his, when the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted the moment. Vasisth tossed him next to her, and Gill, now seated beside her, winced as his head collided with the wall, emitting a pained whine. "Ommphhh, women," he muttered, expressing his discomfort.

The guard woke everyone up and glanced at Gill, who had a frustrated expression. "What happened?" the guard inquired.

"Nothing," Gill scowled, shooting a glance at Vasisth, who avoided eye contact.

"Fine," the guard responded, shifting his attention to the rest of the group.

"The scum and his associates will arrive any moment, so be ready. A car will be waiting on the other side of the electrical fence," the guard instructed everyone.

All nodded, but hesitancy was evident on their faces, except for Gill and Vasisth. They were prepared to take down the scum and deliver both him and Azaan into the hands of the government.

The ticking of the clock seemed to grow louder as the guard left. Exactly ten minutes later, five men in long black coats arrived. Khatri positioned himself between two associates, each flanked by one guard. Behind them, two additional guards who were assisting the hostages, and at the rear stood Azaan.

Vasisth, always serious in such situations, couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the peculiar choice of clothing these men had made. Despite living in the 21st century, they were dressed like Severus Snape. Suppressing a cough, she managed to control her laughter.

With his hands folded behind his back, Khatri gestured towards the nurses and authorities. "We still hold the upper hand with the nurses and authorities in our grasp," he declared, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Now, we can exert even more pressure on Raghav and the Prime Minister."

"You are seriously cruel, Khatri, but worthy," one of the associates remarked, casting an evil gaze at the authorities and wearing a predatory grin directed at the nurses.

"Who are these four?" The other associate inquired.

The two individuals standing on either side of Khatri glanced at Vasisth, their expressions reflecting a sense of recognition as if they were trying to recall where they had seen her before.

"Oh, these four agents are the jackpot, you see?" Khatri remarked, directing his gaze towards the four agents in the room.

"And these two," Khatri continued with a smirk, "are Raghav's top agents, now under my control. It feels so good," he added sarcastically, blowing a mock kiss towards Gill and Vasisth.

Vasisth smirked as she looked at the two associates she had previously confronted. "I did warn you –Kaha tha na kahi mil gye wapis toh saath mein tumhare Janab ke sath tumhe talungi chandni chowk ke samose ke tel mein," she taunted with a wicked grin.

The associates' eyes widened in terror, and they stumbled back, breathing heavily. "Janab, she... she..." one of them managed to stammer.

Khatri, observing the commotion, questioned his associates, "What's happening? Why do you look so weak in front of a tied-up lady?"

"Janab, she is the one who..." they huffed with fear, unable to articulate their words.

"Speak up! Who is she?" Khatri shouted, his anger reverberating in the chamber.

In a low and heavy breathe they both muttered "Every criminal worst nightmare RAW Agent Geetanjali Vasisth"

Khatri turned around, his eyes widening in shock as he heard their words. He had always heard rumours about some agent, known to be a dangerous and feared operative, the stuff of nightmares for criminals. However, he never expected to come face-to-face with the person.

With a calculated calmness, Vasisth withdrew her gun, loaded with bullets. In an instant, the remaining associates dropped to the ground, incapacitated. Khatri's eyes widened in fear as he witnessed the swift and decisive action, realizing the true extent of Vasisth's prowess.

Simultaneously, Gill sprang into action, swiftly taking down the five guards who had been accompanying them. His movements were precise and efficient, leaving the guards incapacitated before they could react.

Azaan, realizing the tide turning against them, attempted to make a run for it. However, the two guards who had been assisting the hostages intercepted him. They seized Azaan and hurled him towards the hostages, who collectively held him in check. Meanwhile, Gill seized Khatri by the collar, opening the escape door.

In an orderly retreat, all the hostages, along with Raman and Sukhlal Ji, moved first. Gill and Vasisth brought up the rear, ensuring that Khatri couldn't escape before they left. As they reached the exit, Vasisth paused to glance at the guards, muttering a sincere "thank you" before swiftly departing.

Khatri, who had been shocked and momentarily frozen, suddenly snapped back to his senses as they reached the exit of the passage. Quietly reaching into his pocket, he pressed a button that triggered an alarm echoing throughout the empire. A smirk played on Khatri's face as he looked at Vasisth and Gill.

"How can you leave so easily under my rule? This is Khatri's territory, and I am the ruler here," he declared with a mix of arrogance and confidence.

Gill gazed forward at the waiting car and then back at the empire where guards were converging, preparing to escort their Janab. He retrieved his phone, staring at it with a hint of resolve. He knew what he had to do.