~ MUQAABIL ~

~ Vyakulta ~

AUTHOR'S POV

"Adhrit, kya hua? Tu itna restless kyu lag raha hai?" Avinaash asked, his voice filled with concern as he watched Adhrit pacing around the living room like a caged animal.

"Mujhe khud kuch samajh nahi aa raha yaar!" Adhrit burst out, frustration evident in his tone. He ran a hand through his hair, his thoughts spinning in circles.

"Aise pehle kabhi nahi hua," Adhrit continued, his voice growing more agitated with each word. "Kaainaat and Ravishankar sir have always been transparent with me—har chhoti se chhoti baat share ki hai unhone mujhse. Fir abhi kya badal gaya? Aisa kya hogaya ki unhone mujhe andhere mein rakha? This isn't just any mission, Avinaash—this is something far bigger, kuch aisa jo humare soch se bahut aage hai. Mr. Ravishankar jo keh rahe hain, woh sach ho sakta hai, par pura sach nahi. Something about this whole situation feels off, it feels... personal?" Adhirt stated, more like questioned.

Adhrit's mind raced as he tried to piece together the fragments of information he had. "Kaainaat," he murmured, almost to himself. "She's not one to blindly follow orders, kabhi nahi. She's always been the kind of person who carves her own path, apne tareeke se kaam karti hai, protocols ko apni marzi ke mutabik rookh deti hai. Phir ab kya badal gaya? Why did she suddenly turn into a rule-following robot? Why did she obey every fucking protocol this time without question?"

His words hung in the air, charged with a mixture of confusion and suspicion. Adhrit couldn't shake the feeling that something was being kept from him, something crucial. The mission wasn't just another assignment—it was a puzzle, and he was missing too many pieces to make sense of the picture. He knew Kaainaat, knew how she operated, and this wasn't like her.

"Yeh kuch aur hai, Avinaash," Adhrit finally said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Something deeper, something more dangerous. Aur jab tak hum yeh samajhne ki koshish karenge, tab tak shayad bahut der ho chuki hogi...bohot der ho chuki hogi." Adhrit's head drooped as he sighed.

Avinaash stood there, listening to Adhrit's frantic words, but his mind was struggling to keep up. The torrent of emotions swirling inside Adhrit was almost overwhelming, but Avinaash found himself lost, unable to grasp the full weight of what his friend was saying. The names, the scenarios, the implications—it was all too much, too fast.

Yet, amidst the confusion, there was something else gnawing at Avinaash, something deeper. A dull ache began to settle in his chest, a sting that was all too familiar. It was the same pain he had felt after hurting Kaainaat, a sharp reminder of the guilt that had haunted him ever since. But this time, it was different—more intense, more frightening.

Why did the mere thought of Kaainaat being in danger send a chill down his spine? He had barely known her, had only seen glimpses of her life through the shadows of his own actions, but the fear that gripped him now was almost primal. His heart raced as images of her flashed through his mind—her strength, her determination, the fire in her eyes that had once challenged him and now seemed to be calling out for help.

But why? Why did he care so much? Why did the idea of losing her terrify him more than he was willing to admit? He couldn't understand it, but the fear was real, and it was growing stronger with every passing second.

"Adhrit..." Avinaash finally managed to speak, his voice shaky. "Kaainaat... uske saath kuch galat hone wala hai, isn't it? I don't know what's happening, but... I can't shake this feeling, this... dread." He paused, trying to steady his thoughts, but the fear had already taken root deep within him. "Mujhe yeh samajh nahi aa raha, par agar woh khatre mein hai..."

He didn't need to finish the sentence. The look in his eyes, the tremor in his voice, said everything. Kaainaat's safety had become more important to him than he ever could have anticipated, and the realization was as terrifying as it was undeniable.