Chapter 34 — A New Beginning in Goa
The plane descended slowly through thick white clouds.
Sunlight flashed across the windows as the Arabian Sea appeared below like a vast sheet of blue glass. Golden beaches stretched along the coastline and rows of coconut trees swayed gently in the warm wind.
After the freezing mountains of Ladakh…
Goa looked like paradise.
Inside the plane, several people were still half-asleep.
Percy wasn't here anymore to scream dramatic wake-up calls.
So the quiet felt strange.
The announcement echoed softly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now landing in Goa."
Lyra stretched in her seat.
"Finally…"
Alex rubbed his eyes.
"My back is officially dead after that flight."
Ash was already awake, calmly scrolling through encrypted updates on her phone.
Cole glanced out the window.
"Hot weather again. I missed this."
Care sat beside the window silently, watching the coastline approach.
No expression.
Just quiet observation.
Behind them, the HU students looked both excited and nervous.
For the first time…
They were stepping into a completely new life.
The wheels of the aircraft hit the runway.
The plane slowed.
The doors opened minutes later.
Warm, humid air rushed inside.
Zein stepped down the stairs and inhaled deeply.
"Okay… this is definitely not Ladakh."
Matt wiped his forehead instantly.
"Why is it so hot?"
Race laughed.
"Welcome to coastal India."
Allison looked around the airport curiously.
People moving everywhere.
No guards watching them.
No surveillance teams.
Just normal life.
Care led the group outside where a large black SUV convoy was already waiting.
Everyone stopped.
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"Well damn."
Cole smirked slightly.
"Someone arranged VIP treatment."
Care simply said,
"Transportation."
Nobody questioned it.
They were too tired.
The vehicles drove through Goa's bright streets. Palm trees lined the roads and colorful Portuguese-style houses appeared everywhere.
Some of the group stared outside like tourists.
Lyra pointed at the beach when it appeared between buildings.
"We're going there later."
Ash didn't even look up from her screen.
"We are not. We're sleeping."
The convoy eventually turned onto a quiet private road surrounded by tall trees.
A massive iron gate slowly opened.
Beyond it stood a huge white mansion.
Three floors.
Large balconies.
Glass windows reflecting the sunlight.
A massive garden and a private driveway.
The vehicles stopped.
Everyone got out.
Silence.
Alex blinked.
"…Care."
Care looked at him calmly.
"Yes?"
"WHAT THE HELL."
Lyra looked at the mansion with wide eyes.
"This is where we're staying?"
Care nodded.
"For now."
Cole whistled softly.
"Your contacts don't do things halfway."
Ash smirked quietly.
"Looks comfortable."
The HU students stared at the place in disbelief.
Mia whispered,
"This is bigger than the HU dormitories…"
Zein laughed nervously.
"This is bigger than my entire neighborhood."
Matt looked impressed.
"Your people really arranged this?"
Care shrugged casually.
"They handle things efficiently."
Only Lyra and Ash exchanged a quick glance.
They knew the truth.
This wasn't arranged.
This mansion belonged to Care.
But nobody else needed to know that.
Inside, the mansion looked even more ridiculous.
Huge living room.
Modern kitchen.
Multiple guest rooms.
Private gym.
Library.
And large glass windows overlooking the ocean in the distance.
Alex dropped his backpack on the couch dramatically.
"I'm claiming this sofa."
Cole walked toward the kitchen.
"Food first. Then sleep."
Ash immediately disappeared upstairs to inspect the rooms.
Lyra followed.
Everyone else slowly spread out around the house.
The exhaustion from weeks of survival training finally caught up with them.
Within an hour…
Half the group was asleep.
---
The Next Morning
Sunlight slowly filled the mansion.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
For exactly ten minutes.
Then chaos started.
Alex's voice echoed through the house.
"WHO STOLE MY PILLOW."
Lyra shouted from upstairs.
"YOU THREW IT AT ME LAST NIGHT."
Matt groaned from the couch.
"Please… lower your voices…"
Ash walked downstairs calmly already dressed.
"You're all unbelievably loud."
Cole stood in the kitchen cooking something.
Alex joined him.
"What are we making?"
Cole pointed at the counter.
"Eggs. Toast. Coffee."
Alex cracked eggs into a pan.
"You cook like a professional."
Cole shrugged.
"Survival skill."
Soon the kitchen turned chaotic.
Oil sizzling.
Alex almost dropping a pan.
Cole shoving him aside.
"Move, you're burning it."
Lyra entered the kitchen.
"Something smells good."
Ash sat at the counter.
"You mean something smells like Alex destroying breakfast."
Alex protested.
"HEY."
Meanwhile in another corner of the mansion…
Ace, Race, and Matt sat around a small table with laptops open.
Their voices were low.
Serious.
Race looked at the screen.
"The Silver Wolves territory map hasn't changed."
Matt nodded slowly.
"Our Vietnam operations are stable."
Ace leaned back in his chair.
"But we can't go back there right now."
Race sighed.
"Which means we control everything remotely."
Matt rubbed his temples.
"That's going to be complicated."
Ace closed the laptop calmly.
"We adapt."
Across the mansion in one of the upstairs rooms…
Zein, Allison, and Mia sat on the floor with their phones.
Their voices were equally quiet.
Allison looked worried.
"The Crimson Roses members are asking questions."
Mia checked another message.
"They want to know why we disappeared for weeks."
Zein leaned back against the wall.
"Tell them we're reorganizing operations."
Allison raised an eyebrow.
"You sound like a leader now."
Zein smiled faintly.
"Someone has to keep the Crimson Roses alive."
Downstairs…
Alex and Cole were now eating breakfast while discussing something else entirely.
Cole opened his tablet.
"The Silver Fangs situation is getting messy."
Alex leaned closer.
"Territory disputes?"
Cole nodded.
"Two of our units in Goa are arguing about control zones."
Alex sighed.
"And we're supposed to be on university break."
Cole smirked slightly.
"We should visit the base."
Alex looked at him.
"You mean the Silver Fangs headquarters outside Goa?"
Cole nodded.
"Just to make sure everything stays under control."
Alex grinned.
"Road trip."
Cole laughed.
"After breakfast."
Behind them, Care entered the kitchen quietly.
Her hair still slightly messy from sleep.
She poured herself a cup of tea calmly.
The entire mansion was now alive with noise.
People arguing.
Laughing.
Planning.
Living.
Care watched the chaos silently for a moment.
Then she sat down with her tea.
For the first time in weeks…
Everyone was safe.
And tomorrow…
A new chapter would begin.
Aranya University.
A new battlefield.
But for now…
The mansion was filled with something far more important.
Life.