Here's an expanded 23:45
Ratnodweep Resort
Two policemen quietly carried Naser's unconscious body down the corridor and out of the hotel. OC Manik Das gave Sohel a brief nod of farewell before slipping away to attend to other matters.
Tahmid approached Sohel, his face a mixture of confusion, anger, and desperation. His voice was low but urgent.
"What the hell is going on, Sohel? Why is the police taking Naser away? What did he do? And... who are you really?"
Sohel met Tahmid's gaze, noticing the flicker of pain in his eyes — the same pain Sohel himself was trying to mask. The weight of the night's events pressed heavily between them.
"Talking here isn't safe," Sohel said quietly, his voice steady but urgent. "Come with me."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and headed toward his room, footsteps echoing softly down the dimly lit corridor. Tahmid hesitated for a heartbeat, then followed.
---
Inside Sohel's room, the atmosphere was heavy. The rest of their friends — Jacob, Naomi, Mitali, Ovi — were already seated, tension thick in the air. Sohel opened the mini fridge, grabbed a can of cold coffee, and leaned against the wall by the door, his expression grave.
All eyes were on him. Sohel took a slow breath, preparing to unravel the tangled web of truth they all needed to hear.
"I owe you all the truth," Sohel began. "Why I came to Rooppur, what Naser has done, and who Naomi and Jacob really are — my squadmates." He carefully left out one key detail: that Naser's betrayal had directly led to the ambush and danger they'd faced earlier.
He watched as shock registered on Tahmid and Ovi's faces. The room seemed to shrink with the weight of the revelation.
Tahmid suddenly stood, anger and disbelief boiling over. He grabbed Sohel by the collar, shaking him slightly. "What the fuck are you talking about? We've been through everything together — since childhood. Why would Naser do something like that? It makes no sense!"
Jacob stepped between them, placing firm hands on Tahmid's wrists. His voice was low but hard as steel.
"The NWO is everywhere, Tahmid. You just saw how close Naser came to shooting Sohel. You can't ignore what's right in front of you."
Tahmid's fiery resolve faltered. His fists unclenched slowly. He released Sohel, his shoulders sagging in defeat. Without a word, he turned and left the room, but not before glancing back at Ovi and Mitali.
"I'm heading back to Dhaka first thing in the morning," he said. "You two can come if you want." Then his eyes met Sohel's, filled with silent disappointment. He didn't speak again before exiting.
Sohel watched him go, feeling the sting of the lost trust in his old friend. Ovi rose and approached him, placing a reassuring hand on Sohel's shoulder.
"You did what you had to," Ovi said quietly. "Don't be too hard on yourself. I'll talk to Tahmid. He'll come around."
Ovi left shortly after. Mitali opened her mouth to speak, but Sohel raised a hand to stop her.
He locked the door, turning to Naomi. "Did you ask Mitali again about joining us?"
Naomi nodded. "I did. But she still said no."
Sohel sighed deeply. "Mitali, we need your help. Tomorrow, we're infiltrating the power plant. I want you with us."
Jacob frowned slightly. "Boss, she turned us down once. Are you sure you want to press the issue?"
Sohel's eyes were steady as he replied, "The SNA has a critical shortage of medics. Someone with her skills could be the difference between life and death for us. Imagine how much more agile we'd be if we had a medic on hand, instead of waiting for help after an injury."
"Okay, I guess that makes sense," Jacob said, glancing at Mitali, who looked surprised herself.
"So here's the deal," Sohel continued. "It won't be easy. We're going in to investigate Lu Shen's ties to the power plant and get out without raising suspicion. We can't trust anyone. So, Mitali — will you join us?"
Mitali hesitated, torn between fear and resolve. She didn't fully understand what she was stepping into. That was why she'd refused before. But now...
She thought about Sohel — his determination, the weight he carried, the fact he'd come all this way and risked everything. She realized this wasn't just a mission for him; it was personal. And for her, this could mean staying close to him longer than she had hoped.
Without hesitation, she nodded. "I'll come."
A small smile touched Sohel's lips. "Welcome to the team, Sergeant Mitali Roy."
He turned to face everyone. "Get some rest tonight. We meet at 0600. Gear up. Tomorrow's going to be one hell of a day."
The room fell quiet. Everyone was lost in their thoughts — the dangers ahead, the fractured trust, the fragile bonds that still held them together.