And with Priya she had come back to India. She entered her apartment holding her travel bag, her face looking a little tired.
" I'm home." She said and heard a reply.
She entered the Hall and saw the owner of the reply, which was a tall handsome man, placing food on the table.
" Krishna! You made dinner again." She said with a smile and she hugged him.
" I'm so tired." And he let her go.
" It's really troublesome." And she sat on the table, making herself comfortable.
" What happened? Wasn't the case supposed to be closed or something?" He asked, a little confused.
" It is, but they just don't want him to let go." And Krishna sat in front of him.
" Why?" And she grabbed the spoon and took a bite..
" It's all because of you." And she ate slowly.
" Me?" he said, a little surprised.
" Didn't I stop going to those countries you told me to not go to?"
" It's not that things are complicated, your father suspects either they want a way to solve you or make someone like you." and Krishna wasn't worried about it, but looked expectedly wanting to know more.
" It's just their fear and greed nothing more, they just want to kill you and get your body for study, they think you are too dangerous." And Krishna didn't say anything.
" So what should I do?" And she smiled and asked.
" Why did you start to become Krish?"
" Save people." There was a faint smile on Priya's face, and just as she said that, they heard something on the news channel. They both looked at the secret, and they saw in the news.
[Breaking News: International Terrorist Group Seizes Basra, Holds 15 US Soldiers Hostage Amid Explosive Standoff]
The headline was catchy enough. They both looked at it, and saw it on the Monday morning news channel.
"In a brazen escalation of violence in the Middle East, an international terrorist organization calling itself the "Global Jihad Front" (GJF) has seized control of Basra, Iraq's second-largest city and a key oil hub with a population of over 2.5 million. The group, which claims affiliations with remnants of ISIS and Al-Qaeda networks across Syria, Yemen, and North Africa, announced their forceful takeover in a chilling video released on social media platforms early this morning. They are holding 15 American soldiers captive, captured during a routine joint patrol with Iraqi forces, and have threatened to detonate a massive improvised explosive device—described as a "city-leveling bomb"—unless their demands are met within 48 hours."
A video played- The GJF's video, featuring masked militants standing amid Basra's iconic Shatt al-Arab waterway with the city's skyline in the background, showed the bound US soldiers kneeling in front of a large, concealed device purportedly rigged with high-yield explosives and chemical agents.
"This is our declaration of sovereignty," the group's masked spokesperson declared in Arabic and English subtitles.
"The infidel occupiers have poisoned our lands for decades. We will not stop until every foreign boot is removed from my soil."
" They have over five hundred heavily armed militants, armoured vehicles, military grade drones and what is suspected to be a chemical bomb made for the purpose to destroy the oil lines of an area around five hundred kilometres, and rumoured to be able to destroy the whole city all together." Then she explained that this is a very strategic part of the entire Iraqi oil system.
" They have given an ultimatum of three days to America, and to hero Krish. If they try anything smart they'll detonate the bomb in advance."
Priya became worried, she looked back at Krishna wanting to say something but he was already gone, and a gust of wind on the balcony remained, whistling the curtains.
She looked at the TV screen again, and saw the American military making encirclement of the city entrances and exits.
The newly constructed US military outpost sat on a dusty ridge overlooking Basra, its bunkers and razor-wire perimeter barely a week old. Inside the command tent, Colonel James Whitaker, an old officer with deep lines etched into his face, stood over a tactical map, his fists clenched.
The air was thick with the hum of radios and the distant thrum of drones patrolling the dusty skylines. Reports of the GJF's takeover of Basra and the 15 American soldiers they held hostage had reached him an hour ago, and his temper was fraying.
"They've got the whole damn city locked down," Whitaker growled, glaring at Captain Elena Torres, a hardened yet beautiful militant lady, his intelligence officer. She stood across the table with a tablet.
"Fifteen of our men, caught like rookies. What the hell were they doing out there?" Torres, her face taut, swiped through satellite imagery.
"They were on a joint patrol with Iraqi forces, sir. GJF hit them hard ambushed the convoy with RPGs and suicide drones. The soldiers are alive, held in a warehouse near the port. Bound, under guard, no major injuries reported yet, but they're surrounded by civilians used as shields." Whitaker's eyes narrowed.
"And the enemy? What are we dealing with?"
Torres tapped the tablet, pulling up a grainy feed.
"GJF's got at least 500 fighters, well-armed. AK-47s, Russian-made anti-tank missiles, some stolen US gear—night vision, body armor. They've got those drones rigged with explosives, and they're claiming a massive bomb, possibly chemical, rigged in the city center. They're dug in deep—checkpoints at every major road, snipers on rooftops, and control of the oil refineries. Their placement's smart, sir. They know we can't hit them without killing civilians." Whitaker slammed a fist on the table, maps rattling.
"Damn it! Those bastards planned this to the letter. And our boys' negligent, careless idiots walked right into it!" He paced, his voice rising.
" Where did they get those drones?"
" I don't know, but it looks new." And he looked at the screen.
"Fifteen soldiers, Torres! They should've seen it coming. We trained them better than that."
Lieutenant Carlton Reed, a younger officer manning the radio, spoke up cautiously.
"Sir, they were following protocol. The Iraqis didn't share intel about GJF's movements. We're getting blindsided out here."Whitaker shot him a glare.
"Don't make excuses, Reed. Negligence is negligence. Now they're hostages, and we're stuck with our hands tied, and when did you start believing in their intel? " He turned back to Torres.
"What's the word from higher-ups? Pentagon, White House—anybody got a plan?"
Torres hesitated, scrolling through a secure message.
"CENTCOM's pushing for a surgical strike, but the White House is holding off—too risky with the bomb and civilians. UN's in talks, but GJF's demands are non-starters: full US withdrawal, $1 billion, prisoner release, and Basra as their own territory. They're not budging, sir."
Whitaker cursed under his breath, rubbing his jaw.
"A billion dollars and a free pass to build their little caliphate? They're dreaming. And that bomb—if it's real, we're looking at a catastrophe worse than Brasília last year." He paused, the memory of Krish and Arya's clash flashing through his mind—buildings flattened, lives lost.
"What about that freak in the mask? Krish? Any chatter on him?" Reed glanced up from the radio trying to say something when they heard the sound of a sound barrier breaking.
" Name the devil and devil shall appear."
The trio came out from their tents, not looking anywhere, but directly at the setting sun, up above.
The militants all pointed their guns above, a sense of trepidation on them. The trio walked forward, and reached the middle when they saw a figure in black hovering in the sky, his figure obscured in the sky, casting a shadow on them.
And this was even shown on the news live, Priya was watching this on TV.
Krish landed slowly on the dusty land, guns and eyes followed him.
Commander James Whitaker moved forward but his two adjacent stayed behind, the man having little fear in his eyes, and the woman little excitement.
" May I ask what your Excellency is doing here?" There was a sense of humor in his words but not in his manners. Krish didn't reply to this, but asked.
" What's the situation?" Whitaker was about to say something negative when little fangirl Elena spoke up.
" They have a chemical bomb in the middle of the city, suspected to be a chemical bomb." And Whitaker looked at her glaring a bit.
" Ms Torres means that the situation is under control, and should remind you that this place is declared an American war zone. And civilians aren't allowed here, even like yours." and Krish didn't reply, and he looked back at a from hovering.
And seeing him ignoring him, he became a little furious, but he controlled his anger.
" If you have something to say, say it. We are currently handling this." and Krish hearing this said.
" I'll wait for two days, after that I'll do it myself." and he flew away ,and this was recorded in the news channel and they even questioned what he was doing? And Priya saw all of this from television.
" As we can see, after a brief conversation he left the Basra aeroplane, and returned back. The information we got suggests that he had a heated confrontation with the commander in charge, and it seems they reached some short agreement. This reminds us of the incident that happened six months ago which alarmed the whole world, a confrontation between a person and a country." And then he showed some past images of a war zone, where a lone figure was hovering in the sky where bullets were raining.
" The incident raised a question? Can a human decide the fate of a country or the direction of wars? And it also raises a question if he should be stopped from saving life."
And just as the news channel continued the news, she heard something on the balcony, and when she saw it, she saw Krish standing there in all his glory.
He removed his mask, and sat on the sofa there, and he looked a little worried.
" What happened Krishna, why did you come back? Did something happen?"
" No! It's just… I gave them two days to solve it, after that I'll interfere." And after hearing this, she relaxed.
" Ohh! Then it's ok! Why are you so worried?" And he looked at her.
" I just feel a little uncomfortable. I could have solved the problem, what if something happens?" And Priya got close to him and sat on his lap facing him.
She hugged his neck and said in a soft voice.
" Then it's not your fault." and she kissed him.