C17 The Hunt Begins

Arjun was already moving before the message finished sending.

The command tent blurred behind him as he stepped out into the cold night air. The sky above the remote base was moonless, the mountains stretching into black silhouettes against the horizon.

His phone screen still glowed in his hand.

The tracker dot kept moving.

Fast.

Too fast.

Vehicle speed.

“Rathore!”

He didn’t stop walking.

Footsteps hurried behind him.

Major Khanna caught up within seconds.

“What’s going on?”

Arjun held up the phone.

“Kidnapping.”

Khanna frowned.

“Civilian?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

Arjun’s jaw tightened.

“They took the wrong civilian.”

Khanna stared at the map for a second.

The moving dot.

The highway leading toward the deeper mountain routes.

Then he looked back at Arjun.

“You’re sure?”

“I installed the tracker.”

“On a civilian?”

“Precaution.”

Khanna sighed.

“You never change.”

Arjun was already unlocking the vehicle parked outside the tent.

Khanna leaned against the door before he could get in.

“Hold on.”

Arjun’s patience snapped.

“Move.”

Khanna didn’t move.

“You’re exhausted. You just got out of a mission.”

“She doesn’t have that luxury.”

The answer was immediate.

Cold.

Certain.

Khanna studied his face for a moment.

Then stepped aside.

“Fine.”

Arjun started the engine.

But Khanna spoke again.

“Rathore.”

Arjun paused.

“If this turns into something bigger… you call it in.”

Silence.

Then Arjun replied quietly.

“It already is.”

The jeep roared down the dirt road leading away from the base.

His eyes kept flicking between the dark mountain highway and the glowing tracker dot.

Still moving.

Still steady.

Inside the vehicle miles away…

Aisha’s head throbbed.

The world around her swayed violently.

It took several seconds for her vision to focus.

Metal walls.

Dim yellow light.

The smell of gasoline.

She was in the back of a van.

Her wrists tied in front of her.

Her ankles bound.

Three men sat across from her.

Watching.

Waiting.

Her mouth felt dry.

“What do you want?” she asked quietly.

The man she recognized from the road leaned forward.

“We already asked.”

“Where is Arjun Rathore?”

Her stomach twisted.

“I told you. I don’t know.”

The man smiled slowly.

“That’s unfortunate.”

Another man chuckled.

“Boss said she’d say that.”

“Yeah.”

The first man leaned back.

“But the good news is… we don’t need you to know.”

Aisha’s pulse quickened.

“Then why take me?”

The man’s smile widened.

“Because he will.”

The van hit a sharp bump.

Her shoulder slammed into the metal wall.

Pain shot down her arm.

But she didn’t make a sound.

The men watched her carefully.

Studying.

Evaluating.

“You’re calmer than most,” one of them said.

“Doctor,” she replied quietly.

“I see blood all the time.”

The man laughed.

“Good.”

“Why?”

“Because things might get messy.”

Miles away, Arjun’s jeep flew down the mountain road.

The tracker dot suddenly slowed.

Then turned.

Off the main highway.

His grip tightened on the steering wheel.

“They’re changing routes.”

He zoomed the map.

A narrow road appeared.

Leading deeper into the forested hills.

An abandoned industrial route.

Arjun’s expression hardened.

“They’re heading somewhere quiet.”

The jeep engine roared louder.

Speed climbing.

Gravel scattering behind him.

Back in the van, Aisha forced herself to stay calm.

Think.

Observe.

Count.

Three men inside.

One driver.

One motorcycle escort she remembered earlier.

Possibly more waiting wherever they were going.

Her mind flashed back to one thought.

The last message she sent him.

Just send one message when you're back.

Her chest tightened.

Idiot.

Then suddenly—

Her phone vibrated in her pocket.

The men looked at each other.

“What was that?”

One of them reached forward and pulled the phone out.

The screen lit up.

Aisha’s heart stopped.

The man read the message.

Then slowly looked up at her.

His smile returned.

Cold.

Satisfied.

“Well,” he said.

“Looks like he’s back.”