The question wasn't whether Bharat would kill Rajan.
Was whether he'd survive long enough to try.
They stood in the desert—Bharat, Mira, his mother, Dev, Vikram's remaining men. The temple behind them like a tombstone. The sky above turning purple with dusk.
Twenty-six minutes until Rajan's forces arrived.
Two days until Bharat died.
One decision that would determine everything.
"You can't kill him," Dev said.
"Watch me."
"You'll die trying."
"Probably."
"Then why do it?"
Bharat looked at his mother.
At the way she was barely standing.
At the twenty years of suffering carved into her face.
"Because he deserves it."
Dev stepped forward.
"This isn't about revenge. This is suicide."
"Maybe both."
"Bharat—"
"He raped her. Cursed me. Killed her family. And you want me to let that go?"
Pause.
"Yes."
Bharat laughed.
Bitter.
Cold.
"Fuck you."
"I'm serious—"
"So am I."
He turned to Mira.
"We're leaving."
"Where?"
"Mumbai. Rajan's estate. I'm ending this."
"Bharat, you have two days—"
"Then I better move fast."
Dev grabbed his arm.
"If you do this, you doom everyone. Mira. Your mother. Yourself."
"We're already doomed."
"Not if you take my deal."
"What deal?"
"Leave Mira. Let me protect her. I'll give you everything—resources, intel, safe passage to Rajan."
"In exchange for what?"
Pause.
"You never come back."
Silence.
"You want me to abandon her."
"I want you to save her."
"By leaving?"
"By not dragging her into a war she can't survive."
Mira stepped forward.
"I'm right here. Stop talking about me like I'm not."
Dev looked at her.
"You're my daughter—"
"I was your daughter. Until you turned me into bait."
"I was protecting you—"
"You were using me."
Pause.
"And now you want me to what? Sit quietly while you make decisions about my life?"
"I want you to live."
"I'm already living. With him."
She grabbed Bharat's hand.
"We're not separating. Ever. So either help us or get out of the way."
Dev's jaw tightened.
"You're making a mistake."
"It's mine to make."
"Mira—"
"I love him, Dad. And I'm not letting you take that away from me."
Pause.
"Even if it kills you?"
"Even then."
Dev looked at Bharat.
"You're okay with this? Letting her throw her life away?"
"She's not throwing it away. She's choosing."
"Same thing."
"No. It's not."
Pause.
"She's not a bargaining chip, Dev. Not yours. Not Rajan's. Not anyone's."
He looked at Mira.
"She's a person. And she gets to decide what happens to her."
Dev's expression went cold.
"Then you've made your choice."
"Yes."
"And you're refusing my deal."
"Completely."
"Fine."
Dev pulled out his phone.
Typed something.
Sent it.
"What did you just do?" Bharat asked.
"Cut you off."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning every resource I gave you—bank accounts, safe houses, contacts—all of it's gone."
Pause.
"As of now, you're on your own."
Mira's phone buzzed.
She looked at it.
Went pale.
"What?" Bharat asked.
"My accounts. Frozen. All of them."
"How much?"
"Everything. Savings. Trust fund. Credit cards."
She looked at her father.
"You're cutting me off too?"
"You chose him over me. There are consequences."
"I'm your daughter—"
"And I'm trying to save you."
"By destroying me?"
"By making you see reason."
Pause.
"Come home, Mira. Leave him. I'll fix everything."
"No."
"You'll die out there—"
"Then I'll die."
Dev's hand tightened on his phone.
"Last chance."
"My answer's the same."
He typed again.
Sent another message.
"What now?" Bharat asked.
"I'm letting certain people know where you are."
"What people?"
"The temple network. The divine contractors. Everyone who wants you dead."
Pause.
"By tomorrow morning, every priest and mercenary in India will be hunting you."
Bharat's fists clenched.
"You're signing our death warrant."
"No. You did that when you refused my help."
Pause.
"I gave you a way out. You spat in my face."
"You tried to buy me."
"I tried to save you."
"By taking everything that matters."
"Sometimes that's what saving looks like."
Bharat stepped forward.
Close enough Dev's hand moved to his gun.
"If you pull that," Bharat said quietly, "I'll kill you before the bullet leaves the chamber."
"You don't have the strength—"
"Try me."
Pause.
Dev's hand dropped.
"You're a fool, Bharat."
"Maybe."
"You'll be dead in two days."
"Probably."
"And Mira will die with you."
Bharat looked at Mira.
She nodded.
"Then we die together."
Dev stared at them.
Like he was seeing strangers.
"I tried," he said finally.
"You did."
"And you threw it away."
"No. I chose differently."
Pause.
"There's a difference."
Dev turned to leave.
Stopped.
Looked back.
"When they find you—and they will—don't call me."
"Wasn't planning on it."
"Good. Because I won't answer."
He walked away.
Into the desert.
Alone.
Bharat's mother watched him go.
"He'll regret that."
"Will he?"
"Yes. But by then it'll be too late."
She looked at Bharat.
"You made an enemy today."
"I've made worse."
"Not like Dev. He's dangerous when he's hurt."
"So am I."
Pause.
"Good."
She touched his face.
"You're more like me than I thought."
"Is that a compliment?"
"It's a warning."
Her hand dropped.
She swayed.
Bharat caught her.
"We need to move," he said.
"Where?"
"Anywhere that's not here."
Vikram walked over.
"The van's ready. But we're low on fuel. Maybe two hundred kilometers. After that, we walk."
"How many men do you have left?"
"Four. The rest bailed when Dev pulled funding."
Pause.
"Can't say I blame them."
Bharat looked at the remaining mercenaries.
Young.
Scared.
But still here.
"Why did you stay?" he asked.
One of them shrugged.
"You paid upfront. Figure I owe you the job."
"The job was the vault. That's done."
"Yeah, but you're not dead yet. Seems rude to leave before the ending."
Bharat almost smiled.
"What's your name?"
"Arjun."
"You're an idiot, Arjun."
"Runs in the family."
Pause.
"Let's move."
They piled into the van.
Bharat's mother in the back, lying down.
Mira beside her.
Vikram driving.
Arjun and the others on lookout.
As they pulled away, Bharat looked back at the temple.
At Dev's silhouette disappearing into the distance.
At the place where his mother had been imprisoned for twenty years.
"You okay?" Mira asked.
"No."
"Me neither."
She leaned against him.
He wrapped his arm around her.
"We're going to die, aren't we?" she said quietly.
"Maybe."
"That's not reassuring."
"It's honest."
Pause.
"I'm scared."
"Me too."
"What do we do?"
Bharat looked at his mother.
At the brass key she'd given him.
At the Codex display in his vision:
NEW QUEST: KILL THE FATHER
Objective: Eliminate Rajan Singh
Reward: Access to Unmade City + 20 days lifespan
Failure penalty: Permanent death (no resurrection possible)
Difficulty: IMPOSSIBLE
Estimated survival rate: 0.4%
"We do the impossible," he said.
The van drove into the night.
Headlights cutting through darkness.
Two days left.
No resources.
No backup.
No plan.
Just rage.
And love.
And the faintest, most dangerous thing:
Hope.
Behind them, the temple burned.
Dev's final message.
A warning to anyone looking:
"They were here."
"They're gone."
"And they're already dead."