Shubman woke up, feeling groggy from a restless night. He freshened up quickly, hoping to shake off the lingering drowsiness. Eager to hear Sara's voice and reassure himself, he picked up his phone and called her. To his surprise, Tara answered.

"Hello?" Tara's voice came through the phone.

Shubman paused, momentarily caught off guard. "Tara? Where's Sara? Is she okay?" He couldn't hide the concern in his voice.

"Hey, Shubman!" Tara replied cheerfully. "Sara is fine, but she's busy with the mission right now. She asked me to answer her calls while she's unavailable."

Shubman felt a slight relief, but the worry still lingered. "I see. How is she holding up?"

"She's doing great. You know how dedicated she is to her work," Tara reassured him. "She'll call you as soon as she gets the chance."

Shubman nodded, though Tara couldn't see him. "Thanks for letting me know, Tara. I just wanted to make sure she's okay."

"Don't worry, Shubman," Tara replied with a smile in her voice. "Sara is tough. She'll be back before you know it."

After hanging up, Shubman tried to focus on his day, but his mind kept wandering back to Sara.

As Shubman arrived at the practice ground, his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Sara and the troubling sense of unease he couldn't shake off. The familiar rhythm of cricket— the thwack of the ball, the chatter among teammates, and the warm sunlight—usually provided comfort. But today, it felt distant.

Shubman tried to focus on his training. He took his position at the crease, but his usual precision and sharpness were missing. His shots lacked power, and his timing was off. He missed a straightforward catch, something that rarely happened.

Virat, who was observing the session closely, noticed Shubman's unusual behavior. Between drills, he walked over and said, "Shub, you're not yourself today. What's going on?"

Shubman hesitated, trying to brush it off. "It's nothing, Virat bhai. Just a little tired, that's all."

Virat wasn't convinced. He placed a hand on Shubman's shoulder, his eyes serious. "Come on, man. I've seen you play through worse. This is something else. Spill it out."

Shubman looked around, making sure no one was listening. He took a deep breath and finally confided, "It's Sara. She's on a mission in Bangalore, and I haven't heard from her since she left. I called, and Tara picked up instead. I'm just worried, that's all."

Virat nodded, understanding. "I get it, Shub. It's tough when you care about someone and they're out of reach. But she's strong and smart. She'll be fine. You've got to keep your head in the game."

Shubman nodded, appreciating Virat's words but still feeling the weight of uncertainty. "I know, bhai. It's just hard to focus when I can't help but think about her."

Virat smiled reassuringly. "Listen, why don't you take a break for a bit? Clear your head. We've got your back."

Shubman agreed, grateful for the support. He stepped off the field, took a seat on the sidelines, and tried to calm his racing thoughts. As he watched his teammates practice, he realized how lucky he was to have them. But the nagging worry about Sara persisted, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right.

As practice wrapped up, Shubman felt a mix of relief and anxiety. His body was tired, but his mind was still racing with thoughts of Sara. He thanked Virat and his teammates for their understanding before heading back home.

The drive home was unusually quiet. Shubman replayed the last conversation with Sara in his mind, wishing he had insisted on talking to her one last time before she left. When he pulled up to his house, he noticed that his family was still there, waiting for him.

Inside, the house was filled with the comforting smells of his mother's cooking. Shahneel was chatting with their parents in the living room, and they all turned to greet Shubman as he walked in.

"Shubman, you're back! How was practice?" Shahneel asked with a bright smile.

Shubman managed a small smile. "It was good, just a bit distracted today."

Keart, picked up on his tone immediately. "Is everything okay, beta? You seem a bit off."

Shubman hesitated for a moment before deciding to share his concerns. "It's Sara. She's on a mission in Bangalore, and I haven't been able to reach her. I'm just worried about her."

Lakhwinder, nodded understandingly. "That's natural, bachha. It's hard when someone you care about is away, especially on something important. But you need to trust that she knows what she's doing."

Keart placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Your father's right. Sara is a strong and capable young woman. She'll be back before you know it."

Shubman nodded, trying to take comfort in their words. "Thanks, Mumma and Papa. I know she'll be fine, but it's just tough not knowing."

Shahneel chimed in with a reassuring smile. "Why don't we have dinner and then maybe you can try calling her again? She might just be busy with her work."

Shubman agreed, and they all sat down for a family dinner. Despite the warm and lively atmosphere, Shubman couldn't fully enjoy the meal. His thoughts kept drifting back to Sara, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

After dinner, Shubman excused himself and went to his room. He picked up his phone and dialed Sara's number, but there was no answer. He left her a message, hoping she would call back soon.

As the night wore on, Shubman found it hard to sleep. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to shake the worry and uneasiness he felt. He knew Sara was strong and capable, but the unknown was a heavy burden on his mind.

Eventually, exhaustion overtook him, and he drifted off into a restless sleep, hoping that tomorrow would bring better news.

The next morning, Shubman woke up with a lingering sense of anxiety. He had slept fitfully, his dreams filled with images of Sara in danger. As soon as he was awake, he reached for his phone and tried calling her again. The line rang and rang, but there was no answer.

With a heavy heart, Shubman decided to reach out to the head of Sara's crime department to get some information. He knew it was a long shot, but he needed to know that she was okay. He found the number in his contacts and dialed it, hoping for some answers.

"Hello, this is Inspector Kumar," came the voice on the other end.

"Hello, sir. This is Shubman Gill, Sara's boyfriend," Shubman said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I've been trying to reach Sara, but her phone is off. I was wondering if you could tell me if she's okay."

Inspector Kumar paused for a moment before responding. "Hello, Shubman. I'm glad you called. We've been trying to reach her as well, but her phone is not reachable. We're looking into it and trying to establish contact with her team in Bangalore."

Shubman felt his heart sink. "Do you know where she is? Is she safe?"

"We don't have all the details yet, but we're doing everything we can to find her and make sure she's safe. I assure you that as soon as we have any information, I'll let you know," Inspector Kumar said, trying to reassure him.

Shubman thanked him and hung up, feeling more worried than ever. He sat on the edge of his bed, running his hands through his hair, trying to figure out what to do next. The feeling of helplessness was overwhelming, and he couldn't shake the sense of dread that was building inside him.

He decided to go for a run to clear his head. As he ran through the streets, he tried to focus on the sound of his footsteps and the rhythm of his breathing, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Sara. He wondered where she was and what she was doing, and he prayed that she was safe.

After his run, Shubman returned home and showered. He tried calling Sara again, but there was still no answer. He sent her a text message, hoping that she would see it and get back to him when she could.

As the day went on, Shubman found it increasingly difficult to focus on anything else. He went to practice, but his mind was elsewhere. His teammates noticed his distraction and tried to cheer him up, but he couldn't shake the feeling of worry and unease.

That evening, Shubman decided to spend some time with his family. He talked to his mother, who tried to reassure him that everything would be okay.

"Shub, I know it's hard, but you need to stay strong for Sara," Keart said gently. "She'll come back to you. You just have to have faith."

"I know, Mumma," Shubman said, his voice heavy with emotion. "I just wish I knew where she was and that she was safe."

"You will, beta. You just have to be patient," Keart said.

After talking to his family, Shubman felt a little better, but the worry was still there. He went to bed that night, hoping that he would hear from Sara soon.