The Office Night (SidNaaz)

Chapter ~ 57 { Through Fire and Shadows }

Sidharth didn't waste another second. Grabbing his car keys, he stormed out of the house without a glance at his worried mother, who stood frozen, watching him leave. His heart was racing, and his hands trembled slightly as he unlocked his car.

As he drove, he called his team with urgency in his voice. "Track that number. I want the exact location right now!" he barked into the phone.

Within three minutes, his team called back. "Sir, the location is near Bandra, an old area, possibly an abandoned building."

Without thinking twice, Sidharth sped towards Bandra, the storm outside doing little to slow him down. The rain lashed against the windshield, and the streets were almost deserted. His mind was in overdrive, fear gripping him at the thought of Shehnaaz being in danger.

He reached the area described and found an old, rundown building. The place was eerie, with broken windows and graffiti-covered walls. The dim glow of a streetlight flickered nearby, adding to the unsettling atmosphere.

Sidharth pushed open the creaky door and stepped inside. The air was damp, and the faint smell of mildew hung around. His footsteps echoed in the empty halls as he searched each and every room. He opened doors, checked under stairs, and even peered into dusty corners. The building was mostly empty, filled with old furniture and debris, but no sign of Shehnaaz.

Frustration was building inside him as he ran down the narrow hallways, calling out her name. "Shehnaaz! Shehnaaz! Can you hear me?" But there was no response, only silence.

Sidharth ran through the old, crumbling building, his heart pounding in his chest. His voice echoed off the walls as he called out desperately, "Shehnaaz! Where are you?!"

Room after room, he pushed open doors, his eyes scanning every corner, every shadow. "Shehnaaz! Answer me! Please, where are you?" His voice cracked, but he kept shouting, louder each time.

He searched the hallways, his footsteps echoing in the emptiness. "Shehnaaz! It's me! Sidharth! Can you hear me?" His tone grew more frantic, filled with fear.

Outside the building, the rain poured down, but he didn't stop. He ran into the storm, yelling at the top of his lungs, "Shehnaaz! Please! Where are you? Say something!"

The wind carried his words into the night, but there was no response. His voice faltered as he shouted again, "Shehnaaz! Shehnaaz SHEHNAAAAZZZZZZZ..." His desperation grew with every passing moment, the silence around him cutting deeper than the storm.

Sidharth stepped out of the building, his drenched shirt clinging to his skin as the rain poured heavily. His eyes darted around, desperate for any sign of Shehnaaz. Clutching his phone tightly, he opened her photo in the gallery and ran toward the nearest roadside tea stall.

He rushed up to the tea vendor, holding out his phone. "Bhai, ek minute. Dekho, is ladki ko dekha hai kya?" he asked, his voice shaky but loud.

The vendor squinted at the screen, then shook his head. "Nahi sahab, maine toh nahi dekha."

Without waiting for another word, Sidharth turned to the small group of people gathered under the stall's roof, shielding themselves from the rain. He showed them the photo one by one. "Please, yeh ladki... kahi dekha hai? Kahi bhi?"

"Nahi bhai, maaf karna," one of them said, while the others simply shook their heads.

Sidharth muttered frustrated, "Thank you," and rushed to the next shop—a general store. Pushing the door open, he startled the shopkeeper.

"Bhaiya, sorry disturb kar raha hoon, par please help karo," Sidharth said, quickly showing the photo. "Yeh ladki dekhi hai kya? Shehnaaz... naam hai iska."