"Code Green. Code Green.", a metallic sound suddenly came from everywhere as Irrfan hung up the call.

"All Agents assemble in the command room.", the command repeated.

"What's happening?", I asked Irrfan.

"All trainees to return to the hostels immediately.", Irrfan said looking at me. "Fourth years - Code Green, direct all the students to their rooms immediately.", Irrfan told the seniors and they nodded.

"Don't you trainee me, Irrfan. I want to help.", I said, turning him around as he started walking away.

"You're a first year, Tisha. You don't even know what code green is. You want to help? Get back in the hostel and make sure you stay there.", Irrfan said removing his shirt to reveal a black bullet proof jacket on top of a gray shirt. 

"Tisha?", the senior said holding me by the shoulders and taking me back to the group.

"Stay safe.", Irrfan said, nodding at us. And then almost as a second thought added "Team." He nodded and left as the seniors took us to the hostel.

"That's the last of the lot.", the warden said to her partner on seeing us entering.

"Everyone is in and accounted for in hostel 4.", her partner said into the comms.

The seniors - Shreya and Arnold started talking to the wardens and Aradhya and I proceeded towards my room.

"You're not planning to stay, are you?", Aradhya said, looking at me.

"No.", I shook my head.

"I want to help too but I know if I go out it will create just another problem for the Agents.", Aradhya said as we sat down in my room.

"Let him go and we can work this out.", I heard Irrfan's voice in my comms all of a sudden. 

"It's Irrfan.", I called to Aradhya and she hurriedly came and sat next to me.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to jump out the window this time.", I heard Irrfan chuckle and the next moment the comm went blank completely. Whoever had Irrfan trapped had removed his comms and probably disabled the gps too. 

"From Irrfan's words, it was clear he knew the person he was talking to.", I said to Aradhya as we tried figuring out whatever clues we could from this abrupt conversation.

"It's someone from the Academy.", Aradhya nodded.

"Yeah, an experienced agent. Someone who knew Irrfan was a part of the group task, someone who knew Irrfan would have the comms on, someone who was smart enough to disable them.", I said.

"Could you guess where he could be?", Aradhya asked.

I shook my head and put my face in my arms trying to figure it out. 

"Let him go - this clearly means that Irrfan was trying to negotiate Gaurav's release. Gaurav is with him, that's for sure. But where could he be? All he said was that he was not going to jump out the window wait that's it - he's in the morse code classroom, he's with the morse code professor.", I said getting up.

"Wait, how can you be sure? He could be talking about any window!", Aradhya said holding my hand, demanding me to listen to reason.

"No, he knew we still had our comms. He hoped I was still listening. Okay, I don't have much time, you have to trust me on this. I walked into Irrfan and the Professor talking months ago and the Professor said the same words - the deal is to look interested in the class and not like you want to jump out the window. I remember every word from that incident.", I said getting out of the room.

"Okay, if that's the case, we should inform the agents. Look, whoever this guy is, he's dangerous and capable enough to kidnap two agents in broad daylight right from the middle of the Academy.", Aradhya said as we ran down the stairs.

"We can't wait. All the agents are in the command room right now. It'll take them at least seven minutes to reach the classroom. Irrfan doesn't have that kind of time. I can reach there in two.", I said.

"Okay, what do you want me to do?", Aradhya asked and for a moment it felt like it was just another one of our group tasks.

"Distract the guards. I don't have time to make them believe me. Distract them for enough time for me to escape. Tell them everything once I'm out and tell them to send backup.", I said as we jogged up to ground floor.

"Good luck.", she said, holding my shoulders and I nodded.

"Ready.", I said, hiding behind the wall.

"Oh my God! Help me! Someone please help!", I heard Aradhya wailing a moment after I was hidden.

I heard the guards come running towards her and once they had passed me, I snuck to the gate. But I found a warden standing just outside the gate.

"Damn their security protocols.", I said, thinking of a plan.

"Hey warden.", I said, "A first year is getting out of the building right now. She says she wants to help the trapped agents - the girl from the 3rd floor.", I said. The warden nodded and ran inside the hostel  immediately.

"Oh not now. What do I have to do to get out of here!", I said as I saw Abhay patrolling in front of the hostel.

"And where do you think you're going?", Abhay asked, tilting his head. He had his armor and gun and I knew that even without them he could take me down.

"Abhay, you have to trust me. I know where Irrfan is-", I began.

"Tisha, I know you want to save him, we all do but-", Abhay interrupted me.

"Abhay, I don't have the time to explain. You have to let me go-", I said, trying to walk past him.

"Afraid I can't do that, Tisha.", he said holding my elbow and stopping me. I gave him a death glare and he looked back at me calmly.

I took a deep breath. Every moment wasted here took Irrfan closer to death. And as I had expected, no one, not even Abhay would take the word of a first year because of course we were just too excited to understand the complexity of things. And maybe that's exactly what Irrfan needed right now. Recklessness was the only way that could take us to Irrfan in time. I won't let him down. I was going to save my team come what may. I was going to complete this task.

I looked at Abhay as I decided on a plan I already knew I was going to regret for life.

I knew surprise and swiftness were my strongest assets here and so with all the boxing practice I had had I punched him in the face with stronger  force than I'd believe myself capable of.

I took one look at him on the ground, and ran.

"I'm sorry.", I said against the wind as I ran out of the building. As I ran towards the language department, I knew I had eliminated the possibility of anything happening with the guy I had liked for months now. I had betrayed his trust and if there's one thing an agent can never forgive you for, it is betraying him in mission. So much for wanting my first kiss to be special. 

I ran faster. It won't take the agents long to figure out that Aradhya was faking her panic attack and then she would tell them my plan as I had told her to. And Abhay could wake up any minute. The only way any of this was going to be of any use was if I reached Irrfan before they reached me. No one would take my word if they caught me running like a rogue agent in the middle of a lockdown. It would be too late before they figured out the truth. It would be too late for Irrfan. I shook my head refusing to let those feelings creep in yet.

I ran up the stairs and reached the floor of the classroom. The campus was completely deserted as all the students were in their rooms and the agents were in the command room planning the defense. I had always seen the campus full of people - my friends, batchmates, seniors and teachers walking around. Whenever I looked down the railing, I could always spot a familiar face down on the ground. I suddenly felt a sudden sense of hate for this intruder. He had kidnapped my friend - my team, and my senior and he had turned my campus into this locked down fortress. Suddenly the fear was completely gone and replaced by anger, raging anger.

I tiptoed to the classroom and heard voices.

"Let him go and we can work this out.", I heard Irrfan speak. He was trying to negotiate Gaurav's release.

I  tried opening the door but it wouldn't budge. Of course, he had locked it!

"Oh common, Irrfan. You and I both know better. There's going to be no understanding after this. There's no going back", I heard another voice.

I made my way to the back of the class. I always opened the window next to where I sat. The wind coming in was the only thing that kept me awake in classes. 

"You're right. By now, they would have locked all the doors and there will be heavy security at every exit. There is no way possible for you to escape. But if you let him go, I can ask them to go easy on you.", Irrfan said.

"Not him, dammit, demand to let both of you go. Why do have to be such a hero every time?", I said to myself. I breathed a prayer as I pushed the window hoping it was still unlocked.

The Professor's back was towards me and I slowly opened the window. The window budged open and I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god they greased the windows regularly. One creak was all it would have taken for the Professor to shoot me dead.

I heard the gun click as he chuckled. 

"But I didn't come hear hoping to get out alive, Irrfan. We both know how these kind of missions go down. I am the sacrifice. And now the one loose end of the operation will be dead.", the Professor said, taking aim at Irrfan's forehead.

I jumped over the window and landed silently on the inside of the classroom. Bless the rubber soles of my shoes.

"Let him go. He had nothing to do with it.", Irrfan said with a sense of urgency in his voice. He took one look at me and without his expression or voice giving anything away he looked towards Gaurav and I looked in the direction and saw Gaurav bleeding profusely. He was knocked unconscious and he was losing too much blood, too fast. If he didn't receive medical care immediately, he won't make it.

The message was clear - protect Gaurav.

"Sorry Irrfan you don't get to be the martyr. Not today.", I said to myself as I slowly walked towards the Professor.

I saw Irrfan's jaw twitch as he realized the direction I had taken.

"Tch, noble missions have collateral damage.", the Professor said.

I looked around for a heavy object I could use to knock down the professor. I knew strength was my Archille's heel. He wouldn't even feel my punch. I had the element of surprise. I had to use it. One shot was all I had at this.

Irrfan had one hand raised and the other palm front facing the professor as he tried to calm the situation down.

"Goodbye Irrfan.", the Professor said and Irrfan closed his eyes.

I scoffed. Could this guy have any less trust in me? I kicked the Professor in the back of his knees and he stumbled to the floor. I tried holding him down but a second later he had his gun pointing at me.

I closed my eyes. This is it. 

A second later Irrfan kicked the Professor's hand and hit him in the head with the but of the gun.

"Seriously?", he said, "Said your prayers?", as he gave me his hand. I grasped it and got up.

"You're welcome.", I added sarcastically.

He gave me a rare genuine smile.

"Gaurav!", I said running towards him.

"This is Agent X4Z. Cadet down. Send medical aid to room B10. The threat has been eliminated. Agent Tisha and I are unhurt.", I head Irrfan speaking into the phone.

I pressed down on Gaurav's wound but my napkin became soaked immediately.

"Gaurav! Gaurav, common.", I said as I felt his pulse rapidly decreasing.

I looked at Irrfan helplessly.

"We can't take him without a stretcher. He'll lose more blood. And he doesn't have much left. All we can do is wait for backup to arrive.", Irrfan said as he knelt beside me.

"No.", I said as the tears rolled down my face. Gaurav had always been the friendly smiling senior. He would always make me feel welcome at the court. He didn't deserve this.

"No!", I said as blood kept oozing out.

"Hey.", Irrfan whispered and held me by the shoulders as my body began shaking.

"We're here.", I heard voices at the door.

"Get aside.", I heard a stern authoritative voice behind me.

Irrfan picked me up by the shoulders and stood aside.

The doctors picked Gaurav up and put him into a stretcher. They ran out of the room but I could still see Gaurav's blood on the floor. I prayed to God to let him live. He had to, he couldn't die.

Suddenly the room was swarming with agents. I saw Agent Raturi put handcuffs on the Professor and carry out his unconscious body in a stretcher with Agent Ronald.

An Agent pulled Irrfan away to heal his wounds and I realized he had been bleeding all this time. He was consoling me when I was crying while he was himself bleeding in pain. What is wrong with this guy, I thought as Doctor Kumar removed his armor.

Without Irrfan, I realized I was still shaking. I got out of the room after an Agent had given me a blanket. They wanted me to sit down for a medical checkup. But all I wanted to do was get out of here. 

They tried to stop me but I kept walking. Irrfan nodded at one of the agents and no one came in my way after that.

"Tisha.", Roger said as I saw my team running towards me.

Aviral took me into his arms and patted my back till I had stopped shaking.

"Hey.", Aradhya said, holding my hands as we sat on the grass on our usual spot.

"Gaurav - he's lost a lot of blood, I don't know if he'll make it.", I said looking at the ground. I was too guilty to admit this. 

"I could have solved this attack sooner. I should have figured it out much sooner. Gaurav should not be fighting for his life.", I said, shaking my head.

"Tisha.", Aradhya said as she held me by the shoulders and made me look her in the eyes.

"We had legends in the Academy today. We had field agents and trained experienced officers in the Academy. No one saw this coming. And you did, heck I supported you in your crazy adventure because you of all people wanted to act without a plan and that is exactly what Irrfan needed. You saved one agent and in all probability Gaurav too. We're not accepting defeat after this much havoc. Gaurav will make it and till then we'll pray for him.", Aradhya said and I nodded. Those were the only words that had registered in my mind since the incident had occurred.

"Just got the intel. Gaurav is out of immediate danger. Professor is being questioned. He was acting solo. The campus is officially free of any threat now. Enough reason for celebration, Tisha?", Roger smiled and I nodded with what little of a smile I could manage.

"Wait, you're not hurt, are you?", Aviral asked, lifting both my hands and inspecting me.

"No.", I said and shoed him away.

"By the way did you really take down Abhay?", Aviral whispered as we lay on the grass, "I thought you liked him."

"How would you know that!", I whispered to him.

"The only thing the guy could say as he gained some consciousness and was being carried towards the infirmary was - Tisha. With every rugged breath he took, all he said was-", Aviral said dramatically and I elbowed him to make him stop with his monologue.

"He was there at the patrol, he won't let me leave-", I said.

"Obviously.", Aviral interrupted.

I gave him a glare and he raised his hands in surrender.

"So I hit him in the head to knock him down.", I winced.

AUTHOR'S NOTE : After a long while, I'm penning this down because I'm really excited to write down this chapter. 

Happy reading you amazing people.