My stomach drops. Something cold creeps up my spine.
“Because from where I’m standing,” he continues, “he’s been hiding underground for years hiding something that doesn’t belong to him.”
“I don’t have anything you want,” my father says quietly.
Krishna ignores him.
“I need that information,” he says, his tone sharpening. “Now.”
Something shifts. The rope around my wrists loosens. I don’t even register how. One second it’s there, biting into my skin. The next—it isn’t. My hands fall forward, numb, tingling painfully as blood rushes back into them. Krishna’s attention is on my father. Not me and I will take that opportunity.
I don’t think. I move. I push myself up from the chair, legs unsteady but holding, my body running on something far stronger than fear.
“Stop,” I say, my voice louder now, sharper. “This is insane—”
“Sit down,” Krishna snaps.
I don’t. I’ve spent too many years learning how to survive to freeze now. One of the men moves. Fast. He’s on me before I can react properly, his hand wrapping around my arm, yanking me back with enough force to knock the air out of me. I twist, shove, elbow him hard in the ribs. He grunts. I don’t stop. I kick, scratch, fight like hell because I am not going down quietly, not after everything—But he’s bigger. Stronger. His grip tightens, his hand sliding up to my throat, fingers pressing just enough to make my breath hitch.
“Enough,” Krishna says.
And then—I see the gun. Black. Steady. Pointed at me. Everything freezes.
“You have five seconds,” Krishna says calmly, looking at my father.
“Her,” he tilts the gun slightly toward me, “or the information.”
My heart slams against my ribs so hard it hurts.
No.
No.
“Put the gun down, Krishna,” my father says. His voice doesn’t change.
Not even a little. Tears spill over before I can stop them.
“Don’t—” I whisper, shaking my head. “Don’t do this—”
“One,” Krishna starts.
My breath stutters.
“Two.”
My vision blurs.
“Three.”
I close my eyes. I can’t watch this. I can’t—
A gunshot cracks through the air. My body jerks. For a second, I don’t feel anything.
No pain.
No impact.
Just ringing.
