Chapter 38: A Deal with the Devil( II)
Location: Main Bunker – Communication Room
The photos still glowed on the screen.
Siddharth's father, standing at their old house gate.
Akash's little niece , laughing at school.
Shiva's mother, watering plants in their hometown.
None of them spoke.
Because they all understood what this meant.
> If Kassim could find these photos…
He could find the people in them.
And if he could do that —
Killing them wouldn't be difficult at all.
That silence inside the bunker wasn't fear.
It was calculation.
> How much time did they really have? How much would it cost if they resisted?
They listened.
And then—Kassim's voice returned.
---
Video Transmission – Enemy Warship
The shadows flickered behind him. But the man himself was calm.
"You teachers," he said slowly, "you've surprised me. You've lasted this long. Defeated my best men. Survived what others wouldn't."
He smiled — not admiration, but mockery.
"But what do you think you'll get out of this? Patriotism? Glory?"
"Don't be comedians. You're not soldiers. You're just... passionate fools with no future."
He leaned forward. The camera zoomed in. His voice turned sharper.
> "Now listen carefully. If I can collect your families' pictures, I can collect their lives."
> "Resist me… and they die."
---
Pause. The Bunker Was Still.
No one moved. No one blinked.
---
Kassim continued:
"But I'm not heartless. If you follow my instructions… if you agree to help us shut this island down peacefully…"
> "I will give you a life beyond your dreams." "Luxury. Wealth. Power. A future your textbooks could never promise."
He chuckled coldly.
"Be wise. Choose life. Not death."
> "You have three hours. After that… no more choices."
And the screen went black.
---
Narrator Voice:
Sometimes, a bullet is easy to dodge.
But a lie?
A temptation?
A threat to your loved ones?
That's the battlefield even heroes fear to walk.
And for the first time since their arrival,
the three teachers were not facing guns or drones…
They were staring into a mirror held by a devil.
And the only way out — was through fire.