Quarantine Hearts

Chapter Eight: Revelations in the Shadows

Meera's heart raced as she lay on the rooftop, the sound of the silenced gunshot still echoing in her mind. The bullet had missed her face by mere inches, leaving her shaken but unharmed. As she got to her feet, she noticed a small black USB drive lying on the ground, partially hidden by debris. She quickly pocketed it and hurried back to her hotel, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and fear.

Once inside her room, Meera locked the door and took a moment to steady her breathing. She stripped off her dirty clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the grime and tension. But no amount of water could cleanse her mind of the image of Vivaan, his face emotionless, the cold steel of his gun pointed at her.

After her shower, Meera dried off and dressed in comfortable clothes. She sat down at her desk, plugging the USB drive into her encrypted laptop. The screen flickered to life, revealing a series of files. Her heart pounded as she opened the first document, her eyes scanning the text.

The name "Raghav Kapoor" jumped out at her. Kapoor was the CEO of Ludic, a biotechnology firm renowned for its innovative medical solutions. However, the files on the USB drive painted a much darker picture. The documents detailed covert deals with military agencies around the world, transactions that were not public knowledge.

Meera quickly contacted her friend from the Indian Intelligence Agency, Rajat. He had been her confidant and ally in many tough situations.

"Rajat, I need you to look up someone for me in the database. His name is Raghav Kapoor, CEO of Ludic," Meera requested urgently.

"Give me a moment," Rajat replied. The sound of typing filled the line, followed by a low whistle. "Meera, this guy is bad news. There's a lot here. He's scheduled to launch a new neural drug in a week. The drug supposedly lessens the effects of cancer and could potentially eliminate the need for chemotherapy. But there's more—he's been linked to various shady dealings."

Meera's pulse quickened. "What else did you find?"

"Kapoor has a main factory right there in Berlin. It's heavily guarded and has restricted access. Whatever he's up to, it's going down soon," Rajat said, concern evident in his voice.

"Thanks, Rajat. I owe you one," Meera said, disconnecting the call.

She sat back, piecing together the puzzle. Kapoor's new drug launch was imminent, and Vivaan was somehow involved. The information on the USB drive was damning, revealing a network of secret military deals that hinted at something much bigger and more dangerous.

Her mind raced with possibilities. Vivaan's disappearance, his emotionless demeanor, the attack—all pointed to Kapoor's influence. Meera clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. She couldn't let Kapoor's plan come to fruition, whatever it was.

As she stared at her laptop screen, one thought crystallized in her mind: Whatever is going down, it's happening here in Berlin, and she had to stop it.