The morning sun in Delhi was harsh, but Aryan barely noticed.The air smelled of exhaust fumes and dust, the usual chaos at the school gate. He walked in, backpack slung low, shoulders relaxed. A part of him wanted normalcy—to act like the Ghost didn't exist.
It was impossible.
1. New PE Coach
The first bell rang, and the students shuffled toward the playground.A new voice boomed over the field:
"Move faster! Push harder! Discipline before pride!"
Everyone stopped. A man in his mid-thirties, muscular, with a clean military posture, stood near the basketball court. His eyes scanned the students sharply.He introduced himself: Coach Arvind Sharma. Transfer from another school branch, supposedly retired from the army.
Aryan watched quietly. There was something familiar in his stance—the calm, measured confidence, the way he assessed every student's movement. Not flashy, not showy, but precise.
Aditya nudged him."Bro… new coach looks scary."
Aryan smirked faintly. "Not scary. Observant."
The coach's eyes briefly met Aryan's. A flicker of recognition, gone almost immediately. Aryan felt it but said nothing.
2. Gangs React
During lunch, the Apex Gang whispered about the fight the week before.Raghav leaned toward his friends. "The Ghost… he's still here. Seen him walk past classes like nothing happened."
Another gang, the Shadow Crew, overheard. They exchanged looks. "If the rumors are true, this kid's not just lucky. He's trained… dangerous."
Aryan ate quietly, listening but not reacting. He didn't need to show fear. The fear was already there—circulating, infecting every glance.
3. A New Student
Later that afternoon, Principal Mrs. Kapoor introduced a transfer student: Kabir II, a quiet boy from Mumbai branch.He had a calm aura, polite smile, but Aryan caught the subtle way he scanned the room. Like Kabir from before, but colder, calculating, and more careful.
Aditya whispered, "Looks like your fan club just got bigger."
Aryan's jaw tightened. Something in Kabir II's gaze felt intentional. He wasn't just curious—he was waiting. Watching.
4. Afternoon Observation
Aryan left class early under the pretense of library work.The hallways were nearly empty. He moved slowly, listening.
Near the lockers, he found a folded paper:
"Keep your friends close. They'll be the first to notice when you're alone."
No signature. No handwriting style he recognized.
He slipped it into his pocket.
Somewhere in the school, someone knew everything—maybe more than Aryan knew himself.
5. The Hidden Ally
That evening, Aryan went to the basketball court for practice. He moved quietly, stretching and observing patterns: students throwing balls, a janitor sweeping, the sun glinting off metal fences.
From the shadows, a figure watched—leaning against the wall, hood up.
A faint voice whispered, barely audible:
"He's here. Same precision. Still alive."
Aryan's pulse didn't rise. He didn't turn. The Ghost had learned a long time ago not to react first.
The figure stepped back into shadow, unseen.
Somewhere in Delhi, Jackal was moving again. Protecting. Observing. Planning.
6. Closing Tension
That night, Aryan sat by his window, looking at the city below.He could feel it—change in the air. Gangs repositioning, new eyes on him, whispers growing.The Broker and Circuit were active again. Jackal was near, but hidden.
And the question that had been forming in his mind since the dog-tag:How long before my past catches me fully… and pulls everyone I care about into it?
He clenched his fist quietly."I'll be ready," he whispered to the empty room.
The city didn't answer. But somewhere above, in the shadows, someone smiled.