The Watchmaker's Wheel

Part 03 @The First Bullet

The flashlights of the three intruders slashed through the darkness of the warehouse, moving closer to the crates where Kabir and Anaya were hiding. The sound of their footsteps was slow, deliberate, and deadly. Anaya’s heart hammered against her ribs so loudly she was afraid the men would hear it.

"Check the left aisle," one of the gunmen ordered, his voice cold and flat. "Rudra wants the girl alive, but the man... shoot to kill."

Hearing the name 'Rudra' made Kabir’s jaw tighten. A dangerous, lethal glint appeared in his dark eyes. He didn't look afraid; he looked like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He glanced down at Anaya, his large hand still holding her wrist firmly.

"When I start shooting, you run toward the back exit. Do you see that iron door under the red light?" Kabir whispered, his voice barely a breath against her ear.

Anaya looked through the gap in the wooden crates and saw a heavy metal door at the far end of the warehouse. "What about you?" she whispered back, her voice trembling.

"Just run, journalist," Kabir commanded bluntly.

Before Anaya could argue, Kabir moved. With terrifying speed and precision, he stepped out from behind the crates.

Bang! Bang!

Two deafening gunshots echoed through the hollow warehouse, shaking the dust from the rafters. The first gunman dropped to the floor instantly, his flashlight rolling away on the concrete. The second man screamed as a bullet shattered his shoulder, his weapon clattering to the ground.

"Ambush! He’s behind the crates!" the third gunman yelled, blindly firing his submachine gun into the darkness.

Sparks flew as bullets ripped into the wooden boxes right above Anaya’s head. Splinters of wood rained down on her. Terror paralyzed her for a split second, but Kabir’s voice broke through her panic.

"Go! Now!" he roared, firing two more suppressing shots to pin the remaining gunman down.

Anaya scrambled to her feet and sprinted toward the back exit. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and old dust. Behind her, the sounds of a brutal physical struggle broke out. She couldn't help but look back over her shoulder.

The third gunman had managed to rush Kabir, tackling him into a stack of old iron gears. But Kabir was too fast, too strong. He blocked a heavy punch, grabbed the man’s throat, and slammed his head violently against the concrete floor, knocking him unconscious instantly.

Anaya reached the heavy iron door, pushing it with all her might. It was rusted and stiff, but it gave way, opening into a dark, foggy forest trail behind the Ridge. The cold mountain wind hit her face, snapping her back to reality.

Suddenly, a heavy hand grabbed her shoulder from behind. Anaya gasped, ready to fight, but she turned to see Kabir standing there, his face shadowed by the mist. He was breathing heavily, his gun lowered but still ready. A small cut on his cheek was bleeding, but his eyes were completely focused on her.

"The commotion will bring the rest of Rudra's men within minutes," Kabir said, his grip on her shoulder tightening slightly as he pulled her out into the cold night. "We have to leave Shimla right now."

Anaya looked at him, her body shivering from both the cold and the adrenaline. "Where are we going? Who is Rudra?"

Kabir looked back at the warehouse, then down at the ancient brass pocket watch hidden inside Anaya's jacket.

"Rudra is the man who owns this city, and the man who killed your grandfather," Kabir said grimly, his voice echoing in the quiet forest. "And right now, you are holding the only thing that can destroy him."