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I almost died today. And I had no idea who to blame. The explosion had been fast and brutal. One second, I was fighting that man in the storage room- his presence suffocating, his strength overwhelming and the next the whole place had been thrown to chaos. Flames and screams. A figure disappearing into the smoke.

It had only been a few hours since the explosion and I was already itching to get out of the hospital. I told Kunal not to bring me here in he hospital but how can I stop him. He is too stubborn to listen. I was totally fine just had some minor cuts.

I had barely begun to sit up when the door swung open with a loud bang.

"Didi!"

Before I could react, Aryan, my twenty years old menace of a brother lunges at me wrapping me in a tight hug. I groaned as apin shot up my arm.

"Aryan, teri toh-

"I was so worried," he said dramatically pulling back inspect me. "You look terrible. Like even worse than usual."

I smacked his arm making him help. "No need for too much drama."

Before he could complain, my mother stepped her head at our conversation. My mother could intimate a room full of students with just a look.

"How could you be so careless?" She said her tone firm but with worry. "Ma, it wasn't exactly my to-do list."

"Accidents don't happen when you're careful," came a gruff voice from the doorway.

I turned to see my father. He was dressed in his usual crisp attire and his sharp eyes scanning me for injuries like he was assessing damage on a battlefield.

I sat up straighter. "Papa, I'm fine."

He didn't look convinced. Instead, he turned to the doctor who had just walked in. "Is she for to travel?"

I blinked. "Wait, travel?"

My mother nodded. "You're coming home. For fifteen days."

"What? No-

It wasn't like I don't want to visit my hometown but I was happy away from home. I am happy alone, doing everything alone and everything according to me.

"No arguments," papa said, his voice leaving no room for debate. "You were caught in an explosion. You need rest."

Thank God, they don't know about the fight with the mysterious man. If they got to know, they surely force me to stay with them.

"I can rest here."

Aryan snorted, "Yeah sure. You'd be sneaking out within the hour and investigating your own accident like some detective."

I scowled. "That's not true."

"Really? Then explain why your laptop is hidden under your blanket?"

I curse under my breath. Damn him for knowing me too well. Papa gave a long state before signing. "You're coming home. That's final. I have taken permission from Colonel Manveer and he granted you fifteen days holiday."

Damn I already know I had lost. Arguing with my father was pointless- his army discipline made sure of that. And my mother? Scarier than him.

"Fine," I muttered.

Aryan threw an arm around my shoulders, grinning. "Finally! I missed annoying y-"

God, this boy. He is repeatedly touching my wound. Before he could finish his sentence, I slapped him hard with my injured arm. The echoed through the hospital room.

He stumbled back clutching his check like I had betrayed him in battle. "What the hell? I was showing affection."

My mother stared, "Trisha."

It was his mistake, why is she looking at me like that? I hate this.

The familiar walls of my military quarter should have felt comforting. Not instead of feeling at home, I felt...restless.

My parents had insisted on staying with me for the one night turning my once peaceful space into chaos central. Ma had already reorganized my kitchen.

And after that I had barely stepped inside when Aryan flung himself onto my bed like it was his own personal mattress. "Seriously?" I raised a brow. "That's where I sleep."

Aryan smirked. "And? I need a good mattress after a long journey."

"You've been here for five hours."

Ma ignored us both already busy rearranging my kitchen. "Trisha, why do you have so many instant noodles? Where are the proper groceries?"

I bit my tongue. I do eat healthy bhr there are times when I don't feel cooking for myself. And instant noodles are the saviour at that moment.

"Ma, I live alone not in a restaurant."

Papa, who had been inspecting the locks on my doors and windows like we were preparing for war chimed in. "You should have better security."

I exhaled. "I live inside a military base, papa."

"Exactly. Too obvious of a target." He muttered shaking his head.

Ma was preparing dal chawla for dinner and papa was beside her cutting salad. And Papa was beside her cutting salad.

After few minutes, the dinner was ready. I was already tired- really tired. As soon as I finished my dinner, I went to my room and slept off.

The morning sun streamed through my curtains but peace? That was a luxury I could never afford in this house. Especially not with my family around.

I was barely out of bed when Kunal, strolled into my quarter like he owned the place.

“Good morning,” he grinned plopping down on the couch. “Did you sleep well or were you too busy plotting world dominance?”

I rolled my eyes. “Morning to you too, idiot.” Before I could respond further, Ma stormed in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her duppata.

“Kunal beta, you came at the right time.” She beamed. “Breakfast is almost ready. Have you eaten?”

Kunal shot me a smirk before switching on his ‘good boy’ mode. “Not yet, Aunty,” he said sweetly. “I was hoping to steal some food here.”

Ma said, “Of course, you don’t even need to ask. You eat properly, unlike this girl.”

I gaped, “Excuse me?”

Papa entered just in time to hear the conversation. “She’s right. You barely eat anything nutritious.” I blinked in disbelief. “I literally eat the same food as everyone else.”

“Uncle I came to inform that the police and investigation team has arrived. They have called us if we want to come on the scene.”

I was having my breakfast. After hearing his words, I stopped in the middle. I immediately stood up. “I want to head to the explosion site.”

The moment I said that, all hell broke loose. Ma slammed the spatula on the table. “No, you are not.”

Papa crossed his arms, “Absolutely not.”

Aryan scoffed. “You literally got injured two days ago and now you want to go running back to danger?”

I sighed. I should have seen this coming.

I patiently stated, “I’m fine.”

Kunal suddenly stood up and stretched. “Yeah Trisha, they are right. You’re healing. You need rest.”

I saw that my door was open.

“Fine,” I sighed dramatically. “I won’t go.”

Ma and Papa relaxed slightly. But just as they turned away –

I bolted out the door and Kunal was running after me. I shut the door. He laughed as we sprinted away.

“Damn, you’re fast even with an injury.”

“Shut up and drive before they kill us.”

Within minutes, we were in Kunal’s car heading straight for the explosion site. My family could kill me later.

Right now, I have a case to solve.

Yellow crime scene tape cordoned off the wreckage – what was left of the headquarters that had gone up in flames two nights ago.

I stepped out of the car adjusting the sleeve of my jacket to hide the bandages on my arm. I wasn’t about to give anyone an excuse to send me back home.

Kunal had begged me to rest but we both knew that wasn’t happening. So here I was slipping past the caution tape like the stubborn fool I was.

The place was barely standing. Burned walls, broken shelves, the smell of burnt paper etc.

Who had been there that night? Who was that man?

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