Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter 17 - At What Cost?

Summoning the last of his strength, Arif reached for his backup pistol, raising it toward her. Meera, panting and battered, had seconds to react. She knew she couldn't move fast enough—her body was reaching its limit.

The sharp crack of a gunshot echoed through the space.

Meera flinched, her heart racing, but instead of her falling, Arif crumpled to the ground, his lifeless eyes staring at her in shock. The Colonel stood behind them, gun smoking, his face a mixture of relief and exhaustion. "You're done," he muttered, as he surveyed the scene.

Ayan rushed to Meera's side, concern etched on his face as he took in the sight of her blood-soaked shirt and the grim determination in her eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked, breathless from the chaos.

She shook her head slightly, trying to focus. "I'm fine, just... a little hurt," she replied, though the pain in her arm throbbed relentlessly, dulling her senses.

"We need to get you treated," Ayan urged, his voice firm yet laced with worry. He glanced over at the Colonel, who was barking orders to secure the area, then back at Meera, his gaze fierce and protective. "You can't ignore this."

But Meera wasn't ready to succumb to the pain. She forced herself to stand straighter, her body protesting with every movement. "The mission isn't over," she insisted, her voice steady. "We need to regroup and assess the situation." Arya was back with them, she had subdued Zara.

The Colonel turned to them, nodding in agreement. "You're right, Meera. We need to get everyone to safety first," he said, but his eyes lingered on her wound, revealing his concern.

As they moved toward the safe house, the adrenaline began to wear off, leaving behind a weighty sense of exhaustion. The sounds of battle faded into the background, replaced by the heavy breaths of the survivors, each person processing what had just occurred.

Once inside, the backup team swiftly began to secure the perimeter while others prepped for a final sweep of the area. Arjun, visibly shaken, was immediately taken to the medic for treatment. Meera's heart ached for him, but she couldn't let her emotions distract her.

As the chaos around them subsided, silence descended like a heavy weight. The sounds of battle were replaced by the heavy breaths of the survivors, each of them processing what had just occurred.

Meera looked around, her heart racing, a mix of relief and lingering dread flooding her senses. They had survived, but the specter of betrayal loomed large in the aftermath of chaos. As Ayan rushed to her side, his eyes widened in alarm, she could see the worry etched into his features.

"Is everyone alright?" she managed to ask, her voice strained as she scanned the faces of her teammates. They nodded, but the air felt heavy with unspoken fears.

As they stepped outside, Rahul rushed over, his expression a mirror of concern. "Are you okay? Are you both okay?"

"We're fine, we're fine," Meera replied, forcing steadiness into her tone as she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Everyone's safe now."

But even as she spoke, fatigue clawed at her, the weight of the moment pressing down on her shoulders. Her gaze flickered to Arjun, who had regained consciousness. He winced, managing a nod, his eyes betraying his worry for her.

"Yeah, a little better," he murmured, trying to muster a reassuring smile, but it faltered under the weight of their reality. Arya, seated beside him, offered quiet support, her presence a balm in the chaos.

Meera sank onto a nearby rock, the adrenaline ebbing away, leaving her with a bone-deep exhaustion. Ayan crouched in front of her, his expression shifting from concern to alarm as he spotted the deep red stain spreading across her shirt.

"Princess," he said softly, his voice tinged with urgency, "you're going to lose too much blood if you don't get that treated."

She flinched, not from the pain in her arm but from the vulnerability his words exposed. A shiver of annoyance shot through her; she wasn't looking for sympathy. Keeping her eyes fixed ahead, she pushed herself to stand, moving away from him and toward Rahul.

Ayan sighed, frustration boiling just beneath his calm facade. "You're not invincible, Meera," he muttered, mostly to himself, but the words hung heavy in the air between them.

Arya noticed the exchange and gave Ayan's shoulder a reassuring pat. "She will come around. Don't worry."

Though Ayan nodded, his gaze lingered on Meera, concern deepening the lines of worry on his face. He felt helpless watching her try to shoulder the world alone. He just hoped that, sooner or later, she would allow someone to help carry the burden.

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As Meera sat on the ground, blood seeping steadily through her fingers from the deep gash in her arm, Rahul knelt beside her, his eyes wide with alarm. "Meera! What happened? You're hurt!"

"It's just a scratch," she said dismissively, forcing a weak smile, though the pain was etched in her voice. She winced, the effort to stay strong weighing heavily on her.

Rohit, usually the one to crack a joke or lighten the mood, looked at the others, his expression now serious. "We need to get her treated. This doesn't look good."

"Keep pressure on it," Virat instructed, his focus returning quickly. His shock was replaced by a steely determination. "We can't afford you losing consciousness now."

Shubhman, visibly shaken, chimed in, "You're one of us, Meera. We can't let you bleed out here!"

Rishabh shook his head, his usual light-heartedness replaced with concern. "Keep talking Meera, Don't close your eyes. You're tougher than this."

Ashwin, keeping an eye on their surroundings, muttered, "Let's get some first aid for her. Fast." His voice held a sense of urgency that cut through the tension.

"Jaddu, help me find something to stop the bleeding," Ashwin called out. Jadeja, already scanning the room, responded quickly. "On it," he said, while Siraj sprinted ahead to find the medics.

Meera looked up at her friends, a mixture of gratitude and pain washing over her. "You guys, I'm fine. It's just a little blood," she said, leaning back against the wall, trying to play down the severity of her wound. Her breath was becoming shallow, and exhaustion was creeping in.

Rahul shook his head, his expression fierce, his usual calm nowhere to be seen. "No, you're not fine. Shut up and let us help," he said, his voice trembling slightly with worry. His protective instincts kicked in, refusing to let her downplay her injury.

"Please, Meera," Virat added softly, kneeling beside her. "Let us take care of you. You've done enough fighting today."

Meera groaned, pain searing through her as the medics finally arrived and began treating her wound. Rahul held her hand steady, his grip firm but comforting. 

Rohit, seeing her falter, quickly enveloped her in a protective embrace, calming her as Shubhman and Rishabh passed a bottle of water to her, their faces lined with concern.

"You've got us," Rishabh whispered, his voice gentle, as the medics worked. The pain was overwhelming, but for the first time in a long while, Meera felt a deep sense of belonging anywhere apart from her teammates.