Ayaan didn't sit.
---
He didn't slow down.
---
The moment the messages were deleted—
He shifted focus.
---
From reaction—
To response.
---
---
"They entered without force," he said.
---
Meera leaned against the table, arms loosely crossed.
---
"Yes."
---
---
"No broken lock."
"No noise."
"No hesitation."
---
---
"Which means?" she asked.
---
---
Ayaan's gaze moved toward the door.
---
"Access."
---
---
A pause.
---
---
"Or preparation," Meera added.
---
---
Ayaan looked at her.
---
---
"Explain."
---
---
---
Meera stepped away from the table.
---
Walked toward the entrance.
---
---
She crouched slightly.
---
Examining the lock.
---
---
Didn't touch it.
---
---
Just looked.
---
---
"They didn't pick it," she said.
---
---
Ayaan watched.
---
---
"They used it."
---
---
Silence.
---
---
Ayaan stepped closer.
---
---
"You're saying they had a key."
---
---
Meera stood.
---
---
"Or something equivalent."
---
---
---
Ayaan's mind moved fast.
---
---
Duplicate key.
Lock access.
Inside knowledge.
---
---
None of those options were acceptable.
---
---
---
"Who has access?" Meera asked.
---
---
Ayaan answered immediately.
---
---
"No one."
---
---
---
Too fast.
---
---
Meera noticed.
---
---
"Think again," she said.
---
---
Ayaan's expression didn't change.
---
---
"I don't give access."
---
---
"That's not what I asked."
---
---
---
Silence.
---
---
Ayaan recalibrated.
---
---
Landlord.
Maintenance.
Building security.
---
---
Variables.
---
---
"Limited access exists," he said.
---
---
Meera nodded slightly.
---
---
"That's enough."
---
---
---
Ayaan stepped past her.
---
---
Opened the door.
---
---
This time—
---
He didn't hesitate.
---
---
He stepped into the corridor.
---
---
Meera followed.
---
---
Of course she did.
---
---
---
The hallway was quiet.
---
---
Too quiet.
---
---
But now—
---
Ayaan wasn't observing casually.
---
---
He was searching.
---
---
---
He moved to the stairwell.
---
---
Stopped.
---
---
Looked down.
---
---
Empty.
---
---
But—
---
---
There.
---
---
Near the edge of the step.
---
---
A faint mark.
---
---
Almost invisible.
---
---
Ayaan crouched.
---
---
Looked closer.
---
---
Rubber.
---
---
Sole pattern.
---
---
Fresh.
---
---
"They didn't try to hide everything," he said.
---
---
Meera stepped beside him.
---
---
"They didn't need to."
---
---
---
Ayaan's fingers hovered just above the mark.
---
---
Didn't touch it.
---
---
"Direction?" she asked.
---
---
Ayaan's gaze followed the angle.
---
---
"Down."
---
---
---
Which meant—
---
---
They hadn't gone far.
---
---
---
Ayaan stood.
---
---
Decision forming.
---
---
"We're not chasing blindly," Meera said.
---
---
Ayaan looked at her.
---
---
"I'm not."
---
---
---
But he was already moving.
---
---
Down the stairs.
---
---
Fast.
---
---
---
Meera followed again.
---
---
Matching his pace.
---
---
---
The ground floor came into view.
---
---
Dim lighting.
---
---
Empty entrance.
---
---
No one.
---
---
---
Ayaan stepped outside.
---
---
The street looked normal.
---
---
Cars.
Distant movement.
---
---
Nothing unusual.
---
---
---
Too clean.
---
---
---
"They're gone," Meera said.
---
---
Ayaan didn't respond.
---
---
He was looking at something else.
---
---
Across the street.
---
---
A building.
---
---
Second floor.
---
---
One window.
---
---
Slightly open.
---
---
Curtain moving—
---
Just slightly.
---
---
---
"That's where the photo was taken," he said.
---
---
Meera followed his gaze.
---
---
"You're sure?"
---
---
"Yes."
---
---
---
A pause.
---
---
Then—
---
"We go there," Ayaan said.
---
---
---
Immediate.
---
---
Meera didn't move.
---
---
"You're doing it again," she said.
---
---
Ayaan glanced at her.
---
---
"This time it's necessary."
---
---
---
"Or predictable," she replied.
---
---
---
Silence.
---
---
Ayaan looked back at the window.
---
---
Still.
---
---
Waiting.
---
---
---
"They want us to come," Meera said.
---
---
---
Ayaan's jaw tightened slightly.
---
---
"Yes."
---
---
---
"And you're going anyway."
---
---
---
A pause.
---
---
Then—
---
"Yes."
---
---
---
Meera studied him.
---
---
Carefully.
---
---
Then—
---
She stepped forward.
---
---
Closer.
---
---
"Then we don't go the way they expect," she said.
---
---
---
Ayaan's gaze shifted.
---
---
"To where?"
---
---
---
Meera didn't answer immediately.
---
---
Instead—
---
She turned.
---
---
Walked past him.
---
---
Back toward the side of the street.
---
---
---
"There's another entrance," she said.
---
---
---
Ayaan watched her.
---
---
"You've been there."
---
---
---
Not a question.
---
---
Meera glanced back.
---
---
"Yes."
---
---
---
Silence.
---
---
---
Ayaan followed.
---
---
Of course he did.
---
---
---
The path she took wasn't obvious.
---
---
Narrow.
---
Partially hidden.
---
---
Leading behind the building.
---
---
---
No cameras.
---
No direct view from the front.
---
---
---
"You planned this too," Ayaan said.
---
---
Meera didn't deny it.
---
---
"I consider possibilities."
---
---
---
A pause.
---
---
Then—
---
"You're not the only one who prepares."
---
---
---
Ayaan's gaze sharpened.
---
---
---
Good.
---
---
---
This—
---
Was better.
---
---
---
They stopped at a back door.
---
---
Old.
---
Unsecured.
---
---
---
Ayaan looked at it.
---
---
Then at her.
---
---
---
"You're sure?" he asked.
---
---
---
Meera met his gaze.
---
---
Completely calm.
---
---
---
"No," she said.
---
---
---
A pause.
---
---
Then—
---
She added quietly—
---
---
"But neither are they."
---
---
---
Silence.
---
---
---
Ayaan reached for the door.
---
---
This time—
---
No hesitation.
---
---
---
Because now—
---
---
They weren't reacting.
---
---
---
They were stepping into it.
---
---
---
End Chapter 14