The 11:07 PM Guest

The park at 3AM

The park was dead silent.

3:02 AM.

The only sound was water dripping from the broken fountain. Street lights were flickering.

Elena sat on the cold bench. Her jacket was too thin for August nights. Inside her right pocket, her phone was recording. Location was shared with Aarav and Mira. In her left pocket, she was holding the burner phone "A" had mentioned in the text.

"Can you hear me?" Aarav’s voice came through the tiny earpiece. "Elena, reply."

"Main theek hun," Elena whispered. "Koi nazar nahi aa raha abhi."

"Hum yahan hain," Mira said. "50 meter pe trees ke peeche. Agar 10 second mein kuch hua, hum andar honge."

Elena nodded even though they couldn’t see her. Dil zor se dharak raha tha.

Footsteps on dry leaves.

A man walked out from behind the big oak tree. Black hoodie. Black mask. Black gloves. Sirf aankhein nazar aa rahi thi. Thandi. Bejaan.

"You're late," he said. Voice robotic. Voice changer.

Elena stood up slowly. "Tumne bulaya tha. Main aa gayi."

The man stopped 3 feet away from her. "Brave. Or stupid. Not sure yet."

"Where is my aunt?" Elena asked. Voice didn’t shake. She was proud of that.

"Safe," the man said. "For now. Depends on you."

"USB leak kar di," Elena said. "Police ke paas sab proof hai. Ab kya chahte ho?"

The man tilted his head. "Proof? Proof se kya hota hai Elena? Paise wale log proof khareed lete hain. Lawyers khareed lete hain. 14 gaye jail. 20 aur aa jayenge. System kabhi nahi badalta."

Elena felt anger rise in her chest. "Toh phir ye sab kyun?"

"Kyunki tumne meri neend kharab ki," he said. "Aur iski keemat chukani padegi."

He reached in his pocket and threw something on the bench. An old Nokia. Burner phone.

"Is mein ek address hai," he said. "Warehouse 17. Port area. Andar 20 larkiyan hain. Age 15 se 20. Agar tum 4 AM tak akeli wahan nahi gayi, to main un sab ko kisi aur country bhej dunga. Aur agar police ko bataya, to main tumhari khala ki ek finger tumhare ghar bhejunga."

Elena’s stomach turned. "Tum pagal ho."

"Nahi," he said. "Main practical hun. Tumne jung shuru ki. Ab khatam bhi tum hi karo."

"Who are you?" Elena asked. "Naam to batao."

The man was quiet for 3 seconds. "Koi jo tumhare bhai jaisa tha. Koi jisne bhi system badalne ki koshish ki thi. Aur haar gaya."

He turned and started walking away.

"Wait!" Elena shouted.

He stopped but didn’t turn.

"If I come, will you let everyone go?" Elena asked.

"Maybe," he said. "See you at 4, Elena."

And he was gone. Into the dark. Like he was never there.

Elena immediately sat down and picked up the burner phone. Screen on. One message. One location pin. Warehouse 17.

Earpiece: "Elena?" Aarav’s voice was sharp. "Kya hua?"

Elena’s hands were shaking now. "4 AM. Warehouse 17. 20 girls. Wo chahta hai main akeli jaun."

"Bilkul nahi," Aarav said. "Ye trap hai."

"Mujhe pata hai," Elena said. "Lekin agar hum nahi gaye to wo larkiyan..."

Silence.

Phir Mira boli. "Toh hum sab jayenge. Door se. Agar usay pata bhi chal gaya, kam se kam hum bachane ki koshish to karenge."

Elena looked at the dark park. The burner phone buzzed again.

New message: `Don’t bring anyone. I’ll know. 4 AM. Alone. -A`

Elena closed her eyes.

War was not over.

It had just changed battlefields.