CHECKMATE : Game Of Shadows

4. cipher's challenge

Varun was clearly shocked, his grey eyes wide with astonishment as he stared at Yuvika. She mirrored his expressions, feeling a connection that made her momentarily forget the chaos around them.

Lost in each other's gaze, they didn't notice the bustling road outside. The blaring of a horn jolted them back to reality.

"Aye hero! Zara side hatt na! Kahan khoya hua hai?!" a voice shouted from a nearby car. Yuvika rolled her eyes, cursing herself for getting lost in Varun's thought.

"Sorry!" Varun quickly muttered, refocusing on the road.

"It could be possible," he said, regaining his composure and responding to Yuvika's earlier assumption.

"Yes, it was evident he never used to act like that, according to his maid," Yuvika replied, still gazing out the window. Despite everything, her heart raced when she looked at Varun.

Suddenly, Varun's phone rang, breaking the tension. He glanced at the screen and saw a familiar number.

"Samarth?" he answered quickly.

"Varun, you need to get here! Right now!" Samarth's urgency crackled through the line. Varun's eyes widened.

"What is it?!" he asked, anxiety creeping into his voice.

"Just be quick!" Samarth's abrupt end to the call left Varun and Yuvika puzzled.

"What did he say?" Yuvika asked, concern etching her features.

"I don't know. We'll have to find out," Varun said, instinctively speeding up.

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Meanwhile, Yuvan lay on his bed, staring at Vanshika and Arjun who were looking at a photo on his screen with growing frustration.

"Kya bakwas hai ye! Ek hi photo ko ghurne se kya hoga!" he complained, while Arjun and Vanshika studied the image of a middle-aged man beside another figure.

"Shh, I'm trying to focus," Arjun shot back, deepening Yuvan's annoyance.

"Ek to mujhe ye nahi samajh aa raha ki iss bacche ko humne apne plan mein include hi kyun kiya hai!" Yuvan vented, his frustration boiling over. Arjun, feeling challenged, stood up straight and faced Yuvan with a serious expression.

"Oye dada ji! Baccha kisko bola?" Arjun yelled, crossing his arms defiantly.

"Oye bacche! Dada ji kisko bola?" Yuvan retorted, mirroring Arjun's stance, while Vanshika shot them both an exasperated glare.

"Chup raho dono!" she yelled, her frustration palpable, and the boys fell silent, sitting up straight.

"So this is Aarav Sinha," Vanshika said, her gaze fixed on the smiling middle-aged man in the photo, the tension in the room shifting as they all focused on the task ahead.

"Yeah, it's him," Arjun said, regaining his composure as Yuvan scrutinized the photo.

"So what's the plan now?" Yuvan asked, glancing at Vanshika, who wore a confident smile.

"We're hacking into the cameras outside Bhavesh Sinha's house," she declared, and an uneasy silence fell over the room before Yuvan and Arjun erupted into laughter.

"Yaar didi, just because we're on this case doesn't mean we're suddenly experts! Hacking isn't child's play!" Arjun chuckled, and Yuvan joined in.

"It's for the first time that I agree with him!" Yuvan laughed too.

"Don't you think you're underestimating me?" she challenged, her tone firm.

Yuvan and Arjun exchanged glances, surprise flickering in their eyes. Yuvan swallowed hard. "Don't tell me you can hack?!"