Sundays used to mean relaxation, late mornings, and unwinding. But ever since I joined the special department, Sunday is just another Monday in disguise. Every day is.

I woke up around 9 a.m., already dreading the pile of files waiting for me. Coffee in one hand and the file on the child trafficking case in the other, I scanned through the details. Halfway through the report, my phone buzzed.

Rudra.

“Hey, what’s up?” I answered.

“You need to get to HQ. Chief wants to meet us. ASAP,” he said, sounding unusually serious.

“It’s Sunday, Rudra!” I groaned.

“Tell that to the chief,” he replied dryly before hanging up.

And just like that, my lazy Sunday evaporated.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

By the time I arrived at HQ, the others were already waiting. Nikhil nodded at me as I entered, and Sasha looked like she was struggling with her hangover, her sunglasses perched over tired eyes. Aakar was as stoic as ever, while Rudra leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers against the desk.

The Chief walked in briskly, his presence commanding the room. “Good to see you all on such short notice, especially on a Sunday morning,” he said, his voice filled with authority but not unkind.

“Good morning, sir,” we all greeted.

“Come in and take your seats,” he gestured toward the chairs. Once we were all seated, he continued, “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I called you here on such an urgent basis.”

“There must be a reason, sir. We’re ready to help,” I said.

The others nodded in agreement.

“Good. That’s the spirit I expect from my team.” He paused, glancing at each of us before continuing. “I’m sure you’ve all heard the rumors about potential bombing attacks in various regions across the country?”

“Yes, sir,” Nikhil said, his brows furrowing. “But recently, those rumors were dismissed as baseless.”

“Well, they’re not baseless,” the Chief said grimly. “The threat is real, and we need to stop it before it becomes a reality. That’s why I need you five on this operation.”

“Understood, sir,” Aakar said firmly.

“This operation is highly classified,” the Chief explained. “Information will be shared with you in stages and through secure channels. Additionally, the Army’s special forces will be joining us, as some of the target areas fall under their jurisdiction.”

The mention of Army special forces immediately grabbed my attention. While joint operations weren’t entirely new, it wasn’t something we’d personally been part of before.

“This won’t be easy,” the Chief continued, “but I trust you. Are you with me?”

“Yes, sir!” we all responded in unison.

“Good. Here’s the initial file.” He slid a folder across the table. “Review it thoroughly and come up with a strategy. We’ll share our inputs with the special forces tomorrow. That’s all for now. You’re dismissed.”

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

As we exited the Chief’s office, Sasha let out a loud groan. “Why today? Why? With this hangover, I can’t think straight, let alone strategize.”

“Who told you to drink that much?” Aakar asked with a rare hint of amusement.

“Well, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do... to feel loved,” Sasha teased, winking dramatically at Aakar.

To everyone’s surprise, Aakar blushed.

“Ahem, ahem,” I said, smirking. “Is Mr. Professional finally reconsidering his ‘no mixing work with pleasure’ rule?”

Rudra burst out laughing, and even Nikhil cracked a smile. Aakar, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to disappear.

“Alright, let’s focus,” Nikhil said, cutting through the teasing. “We need to go through this file and prepare a solid plan. We don’t have much time.”

“Agreed,” I said, flipping through the file in my hand. “Let’s meet at the Brainsucker Café tomorrow morning before the briefing. We’ll finalize our points and get everything ready for the meeting.”

Everyone nodded, and we went our separate ways.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

Back at my flat, I sat at my desk, the file open in front of me. My pen hovered over the page as I read and re-read the details. But despite my best efforts to focus, my thoughts kept drifting back to the stranger from the club.

His voice. His touch. That fleeting moment of safety I felt in his arms.

I shook my head, trying to shove the memory aside. Focus, I told myself. But even as I buried myself in the file, the strange feeling from the club lingered.

It wasn’t just his presence that haunted me. It was the inexplicable sense that, somehow, he was connected to everything that was about to unfold.

The file, the planning, and the stranger.

Three threads tangled in a web I couldn’t quite untangle.