The Null Wing headquarters was very quiet.
Too quiet.
It was not like a normal base.
No loud talking.
No running.
No showing off weapons.
Just people working silently.
Like they were tired of war.
Manav noticed first.
"Why is this place so quiet?"
Priya answered softly.
"Because these people have seen too much."
Arjun did not say anything.
He was thinking.
Still thinking about his village.
Still thinking about the truth.
The leader of Null Wing walked inside the room.
Four guards stood outside the door.
Not to trap them.
To protect them.
The man looked normal.
Not scary.
Not special.
Just tired eyes.
Like he had not slept for years.
He spoke calmly.
"My name is **Rayan Korr**."
Manav said,
"That's your real name?"
Rayan nodded.
"Yes."
Arjun crossed his arms.
"So… what now?"
Rayan looked straight at Arjun.
And said something unexpected.
"My boy… forget everything I said about your village."
Silence.
Arjun did not move.
Then slowly he asked:
"What?"
Rayan repeated:
"It was a lie."
That was enough.
Arjun exploded.
He stood up fast.
Chair fell behind.
"You think this is funny?!"
His voice was shaking.
"You said you knew!"
"You said you knew who did it!"
Rayan did not react.
Arjun continued shouting.
"So you DON'T KNOW?!"
"So my village just died for nothing?!"
Priya tried to calm him.
"Arjun please—"
But he pulled his arm away.
"No!"
Rayan finally spoke.
"I know the truth."
Arjun stopped.
Breathing heavy.
"What?"
Rayan continued.
"I know who ordered it."
Arjun stepped closer.
"Then why lie?"
Rayan answered simply.
"To see if revenge controls you."
Arjun clenched his fists.
"I'll show you revenge."
Rayan raised his hand slightly.
Guards did not move.
He trusted the moment.
Rayan said:
"Sit down."
Arjun did not.
Rayan repeated:
"Sit. Down."
After few seconds…
Arjun sat.
But anger was still there.
Rayan continued.
"When World War 3 started…"
"Chaos was everywhere."
"No rules."
"No control."
"Cities burning."
"Countries breaking."
Arjun listened quietly.
Rayan continued.
"You said soldiers wiped your village."
Arjun nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Rayan said:
"And we both know something."
Arjun asked:
"What?"
Rayan answered:
"They were not enemy soldiers."
Arjun's expression's didn't show anything.
Rayan continued.
"They were from your own country."
Priya said:
"We knew that…"
Rayan nodded.
"Yes."
Manav asked slowly:
"Why would they do that?"
Rayan looked at Arjun.
"Because someone told them to."
Arjun's voice became cold.
"Who?"
Rayan answered:
"A politician."
Silence.
Arjun whispered:
"Name."
Rayan shook his head.
"Not yet."
Arjun stood again.
"WHY?!"
Rayan replied calmly.
"Because the reason matters more."
Arjun shouted:
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT REASON!"
"I JUST WANT HIM DEAD!"
Rayan looked straight into his eyes.
"That is why I did not tell you earlier."
Arjun froze.
Rayan continued.
"If I told you before…"
"You would already be dead."
That slowed him down.
Rayan said:
"Sit."
This time Arjun listened.
Slowly.
Rayan continued talking.
"You joined the army after that."
Arjun nodded.
"Yes."
"You wanted revenge."
"Yes."
"You wanted answers."
"Yes."
Rayan said softly:
"And now you have a path."
Arjun asked:
"Where is he?"
Rayan answered:
"He was supposed to attend a meeting."
Arjun leaned forward.
"Where?"
Rayan paused.
Then said:
"Kheiron City."
Silence.
"Meeting was scheduled for tomorrow."
Arjun asked:
"So where is he now?"
Rayan answered:
"Most likely in the emergency command zone near the ruins."
Arjun did not wait.
He started walking toward the exit.
"I'll kill him."
Rayan did not stop him.
Just spoke.
"Revenge gives nothing."
Arjun replied without turning.
"It gives peace."
Rayan answered:
"No."
"It gives more ghosts."
Arjun stopped.
But only for one second.
Then said:
"I already have ghosts."
Manav stood up.
"We're coming too."
Arjun said:
"No."
Manav replied:
"Too late."
Priya nodded.
"We started together."
Arjun looked at them.
"You might die."
Manav answered:
"We already almost died many times."
Priya added:
"And you saved us."
Arjun said quietly:
"This is different."
Manav replied:
"We know."
Silence.
Then Arjun nodded.
"Fine."
Rayan walked closer.
"You three really don't understand what you are walking into."
Manav asked:
"Project Void?"
Rayan looked surprised.
"You know the name?"
Manav nodded.
"We heard it."
Rayan sighed.
"Then you know cities are being erased."
Priya asked:
"Why?"
Rayan answered:
"To reduce population."
Manav whispered:
"To ten million…"
Rayan looked at him carefully.
"Yes."
Arjun asked:
"And you?"
Rayan answered:
"We try to stop them."
Priya asked:
"Are you winning?"
Rayan smiled slightly.
"If we were… cities would still exist."
Nobody argued.
Rayan continued.
"If you go to Kheiron city…"
"You may face Continuity Authority."
"You may face hunters."
Arjun asked:
"What about this politician?"
Rayan answered:
"He is protected."
"Very protected."
Arjun said:
"I don't care."
Rayan asked:
"You should."
Arjun asked:
"Why?"
Rayan answered:
"Because he might not be your real enemy."
Arjun became angry again.
"You just said he ordered it!"
Rayan nodded.
"Yes."
Arjun shouted:
"Then he dies!"
Rayan said quietly:
"And what if he was ordered too?"
That stopped everything.
Arjun did not answer.
Rayan continued.
"What if someone above him exists?"
Manav whispered:
"Like Project Void leaders?"
Rayan nodded.
"Exactly."
Priya asked:
"Then why go?"
Rayan answered:
"Because truth has layers."
Arjun said:
"I'll start from the first layer."
Rayan did not argue.
Rayan showed a map.
"If you move fast…"
"You reach outer zone by night."
Manav started calculating.
"If we move 8 hours… rest 1… then again 6…"
Arjun finished:
"We reach by midnight."
Rayan nodded.
"Yes."
Manav smiled slightly.
"We can do it."
Rayan looked serious.
"You might not come back."
Arjun answered:
"I already didn't."
Rayan understood that answer.
They prepared to leave.
Rayan said one last thing.
"If you see Continuity aircraft… hide."
Manav asked:
"Why?"
Rayan answered:
"Because they will wipe the city tomorrow morning."
Priya asked:
"And Null Wing?"
Rayan smiled slightly.
"We leave choices."
Arjun asked:
"What choice do I have?"
Rayan answered:
"Kill him."
"Or learn why."
Arjun replied instantly.
"I'll do both."
Rayan did not reply.
Because that answer scared him.
Outside the base.
Night was coming.
Manav adjusted his bag.
Priya checked supplies.
Arjun just looked forward.
Manav asked:
"You okay?"
Arjun answered:
"No."
Priya asked:
"Still going?"
Arjun nodded.
"Yes."
Manav asked:
"What if truth hurts more?"
Arjun answered:
"It already does."
They started walking.
Step by step.
Toward ruins.
Toward answers.
Toward danger.
Back inside headquarters.
One Null Wing member asked Rayan:
"Should we stop them?"
Rayan answered:
"No."
"Why?"
Rayan looked at the map.
"Because this path will change them."
The member asked:
"For better?"
Rayan answered:
"Or worse."
On the road.
Manav asked something important.
"Arjun… what if you find him… and he says sorry?"
Arjun answered fast.
"Sorry doesn't rebuild graves."
Priya asked:
"What if he had no choice?"
Arjun stopped walking.
Then said:
"Everyone has a choice."
Manav whispered:
"Even soldiers?"
Arjun looked at him.
Long silence.
Then said quietly:
"No."
They continued walking.
Hours passed.
No talking now.
Just walking.
Thinking.
Remembering.
Hoping.
Fearing.
Finally Manav asked:
"What will you say when you see him?"
Arjun answered:
"One question."
"What?"
"Why my village?"
Priya asked:
"And if answer is bad?"
Arjun replied:
"Then he dies."
Manav asked:
"And if answer is worse?"
Arjun stopped again.
Then said something strange.
"Then I might break."
That was the most honest thing he said.
Far away.
Back on the road.
Rayan's last words echoed in Arjun's mind.
**Revenge gives more ghosts.**
Arjun whispered to himself:
"I already have too many."
Manav heard it.
But said nothing.
Because some pain needs silence.
They reached a broken highway.
Signboard half destroyed.
Direction written:
**KHEIRON – 62 KM**
Manav looked at it.
"Still far."
Arjun answered:
"We keep moving."
Priya nodded.
"No turning back now."
Arjun looked ahead.
Eyes not angry now.
Just heavy.
Then he said one last line before they moved again:
"If revenge gives nothing…"
A pause.
"...then I'll take the truth instead."
And they walked into the dark.