Author POV

The meeting hall of the Solanki empire was shrouded in an eerie silence, broken only by the rhythmic tapping of Jitendra Solanki’s fingers on the heavy wooden table. Ketan sat across from his father. To his right, Bali leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, his sharp gaze locked onto Jitendra.

“Any updates on yesterday’s attack?” Jitendra’s voice was steady, cold.

Bali straightened slightly; his expression unreadable. “Still investigating. The attack was well-planned, but it lacked precision. Whoever was behind it wanted to send a message rather than eliminate us. But we will find them.”

Jitendra gave a slow nod, eyes narrowing. “And Vedant?”

At the mention of his name, Bali’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Still looking into his history. So far, there’s nothing.”

A heavy silence filled the room. Ketan shifted slightly in his seat, glancing between the two men.

“No history?” Jitendra repeated, his tone laced with intrigue.

Bali exhaled sharply. “Nothing substantial. He came with valid documents, but they seem too clean. No family records, no past affiliations. It’s as if he appeared out of nowhere.”

Jitendra smirked slightly. “A man without a past is useful in our line of work. We can use him, but we’ll have to keep a close watch.”

Bali gave a nod of agreement. “I’ve already assigned my men to keep an eye on him.”

Jitendra shifted his focus. “What about Amresh Pal?”

Bali’s expression darkened. “That bastard has stopped our payments. He’s refusing to send the next shipment until we renegotiate the terms.”

Jitendra’s lips curled into a sneer. “He thinks he has power?”

“He’s not making it easy,” Bali admitted. “After our last warning, he’s doubled his security. He’s holed up inside his estate, surrounded by mercenaries. Even his own men aren’t allowed inside without clearance. No one gets in or out without going through three layers of security.”

Jitendra tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought. “That means a direct assault is out of the question.”

“Exactly,” Bali agreed. “We tried to approach through his men, but they’re loyal. The moment we get too close, he’ll go underground, and we’ll lose our chance.”

Jitendra smirked, his gaze flickering to Ketan. “Then we send someone he won’t suspect.”

Ketan immediately knew where this was going. “You want to send Vedant?”

Jitendra nodded. “Exactly. If he fails, we lose nothing. If he succeeds, we gain a ruthless weapon.”

Bali seemed satisfied with the decision, but Ketan’s stomach twisted slightly. There was something about Vedant that unsettled him—not fear, but an instinct that told him the man wasn’t just another disposable pawn. Sacrificing him so soon felt like a mistake. But he knew better than to argue.

Bali grinned, a rare sight. “A perfect pawn.”

Jitendra turned to Ketan. “Where is he?”

Ketan exhaled slowly before replying, “I sent him to the shipping site early this morning to oversee the latest shipment.”

Jitendra smirked again. “Good. When he returns, we will see if he is ready to prove his worth.”

Bali chuckled darkly, already envisioning the bloodshed to come. Ketan, however, sat in silence, gripping the armrest of his chair a little tighter. He had a feeling Vedant wouldn’t break so easily.

(Vedant POV)

The sun glared down at the shipping site, casting long shadows of men scurrying around, loading crates into the cargo trucks. I stood at a distance, arms crossed, silently observing every movement. The Solankis' shipment was moving smoothly, but I knew better than to take anything at face value.

I walked forward, inspecting one of the containers, keeping my expression neutral. Inside were neatly stacked packets wrapped in thick black plastic. Drugs, weapons, or something worse—I didn't care. Not now. I turned to one of the workers.

"Double-check the security on these. I don’t want a single packet missing before departure," I ordered in a sharp tone. The worker nodded hastily and got back to his task.

Stepping aside, I leaned against a metal crate, taking out my encrypted phone. Dialing Mehul, I kept my voice low.

"The shipment is ready. Solankis are moving something big. I placed a tracker on one of the vehicles," I muttered.

"Got it. Akshat and I will follow the route. You just focus on playing your part," Mehul replied, his fingers already flying over his keyboard. "Once I get the data, I’ll send you the location and details of the dealer."

"Make sure no one finds out. If they track this back to me, I’ll be dead before I can get close to Jitendra," I reminded him.

Mehul chuckled. "Relax, Vedant. You think I don’t know how to cover my tracks? Focus on not getting yourself killed."

I ended the call just as another phone in my pocket buzzed—the one Ketan had given me. My jaw tightened slightly before answering.

"Where are you?" Ketan's voice came sharp and impatient.

"Shipment is almost done," I responded calmly.

"Good. Get back to the office in thirty minutes," he ordered.

I exhaled, shifting my gaze to the last few crates being loaded. "I’ll be there."

Ketan didn’t wait for a response. The call ended with a sharp click.

Tucking the phone away, I adjusted my stance, watching as the last truck was sealed and the workers dispersed. My eyes followed the vehicle I had tagged, memorizing its route before stepping towards my car.

I had played my part for the day. Now, it was time to return to the den of wolves.

I stepped into the Solanki empire’s office, my boots hitting the polished marble with quiet precision. The air was thick with the scent of cigars and gunpowder—this was a place where power was currency, and blood was ink.

Ketan was waiting for me just outside the meeting hall, leaning against the doorframe with his usual cold expression. His eyes flickered over me before he turned on his heel. “Come.”

I followed him inside without a word.

The room was dimly lit, with a long wooden table at its center, surrounded by men who were clearly not just businessmen. Their eyes were sharp, calculating. Weapons rested within reach. A few had laptops open, blue light reflecting off their faces.

Ketan moved to the head of the table and gestured for me to step forward. “This is Vedant Khanna,” he announced. His voice was flat, but his words carried weight. “From now on, he will handle the Amresh Pal situation.”

I met the stares of the men around the table. I could feel them sizing me up, some skeptical, some curious. One man, stocky with a scar running down his cheek, leaned back in his chair and exhaled smoke from his cigar.

“He’s just one man,” he muttered. “You think he can pull this off?”

Ketan’s lips curled into something resembling a smirk. “That’s what we’re about to find out.”

He turned to me, his dark eyes narrowing. “Amresh Pal has been refusing to pay his debts. We’ve given him enough time, but now, he’s locked himself up in his compound, refusing to step out. He knows we’ll come for him, so he’s surrounded himself with guards. Getting to him won’t be easy.”

I remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

Ketan gestured to the men around the table. “This is my team. They specialize in tech, weapons, tracking. If you need anything for this mission, you ask them.”

One of the men, a lean guy with sharp features, tapped on his laptop. “We’ve been monitoring his movements for weeks. The compound is fortified, heavily guarded. Armed men at every entry point. Snipers on the rooftop.”

Another man, bald with a mechanical arm, placed a small case on the table and flipped it open. Inside were an assortment of weapons—knives, suppressors, explosives. “You’ll need something quiet,” he said. “Something that won’t alert the entire block the moment you move.”

I stepped forward, scanning the case before lifting a sleek, silenced pistol. The weight was familiar, comfortable. I met Ketan’s gaze. “So, I’m your disposable asset now?”

Ketan smirked, crossing his arms. “Smart man. You catch on quick.”

I knew this was coming. From the moment I entered this empire, I understood their game. They wanted someone who could get their hands dirty without a trail leading back to them.

I slid the pistol into my belt and straightened. “Then I guess I better not disappoint.”