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The meeting room had cleared, the plan set into motion. While Zunair and Viaan set out for Mira’s apartment, Ishani and Aditi prepared for their task. The two women exchanged a glance as they grabbed their bags and headed out.

“TechNova,” Ishani said as they walked toward their car. “Where Mira and Akhil both worked in 2018. If there’s any place to understand their connection, it’s there.”

Aditi nodded, slipping into the passenger seat. “Hopefully, someone there remembers them. Or at least, we’ll get a trail to follow.”

The drive to TechNova was uneventful, the city moving at its usual chaotic pace. But as they approached the sleek glass building, a sense of anticipation settled over them.

The polished, modern lobby of TechNova gleamed under the overhead lights. The open space exuded precision and order, with sleek glass walls and minimalist furniture. Ishani and Aditi stepped in, their footsteps echoing faintly on the marble floor.

The receptionist greeted them with a polite smile.

"We’re here to inquire about two former employees—Mira Sharma and Akhil Kapoor," Ishani said, presenting her ID. "Can you connect us with someone who might assist us?"

After a quick phone call, the receptionist directed them to a conference room where Harish, the HR manager, was waiting.

"Please, have a seat," Harish said, gesturing toward the chairs. His tone was calm and professional, but his eyes darted between the two investigators, betraying a hint of nervousness.

Ishani leaned forward, her notebook open. "We’re investigating Mira and Akhil. They were part of the same team during their time here. We’d like to know about their work, behavior, and relationships."

Harish’s brow furrowed as he searched his memory. "Both were diligent employees. Mira was efficient, though reserved. She mostly kept to herself, but she was respectful to everyone. Akhil, on the other hand, was... peculiar. He rarely interacted with anyone and often seemed to be in his own world. He carried this small chained bag everywhere and never let anyone touch it. People found it odd, but no one questioned him."

Ishani jotted this down. "Did anything unusual happen involving them before they left the company?"

Harish hesitated. "There was some talk about Mira arguing with someone in the parking lot shortly before she resigned. It wasn’t reported officially, so I didn’t investigate further."

Aditi chimed in, "Can we review the security footage from that time?"

"I’ll arrange that," Harish replied, then paused thoughtfully. "If you’re looking for more details, you should talk to Shreya. She worked closely with both Mira and Akhil. She might have noticed things the rest of us missed."

Ishani nodded. "Could you bring her in for a quick discussion?"

"Of course," Harish said, rising to fetch Shreya.

Ishani turned to Aditi. "Why don’t you check out the security footage while I talk to her? Let’s cover more ground."

---

TechNova Security Room

Aditi entered the dimly lit security room, where rows of monitors displayed feeds from various cameras around the building. A technician looked up from his desk as she approached.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"I need footage from the parking lot," Aditi replied, her tone firm. "Specifically, the day Mira Sharma was involved in an argument."

The technician frowned. "A lot of older footage has been deleted due to system upgrades or server issues, but I’ll check what’s left."

"Deleted?" Aditi’s voice sharpened. "That’s convenient. Just show me what you’ve got."

The technician nodded and began searching through the archives. Aditi crossed her arms, her eyes scanning the monitors as clips loaded.

After a few minutes, something caught her attention. "Pause that," she said, leaning closer.

The footage showed Mira walking to her car, visibly tense. A masked man approached her, and their conversation quickly escalated into a heated argument. Mira’s gestures were sharp and defensive.

In the background, Akhil leaned casually against his car, watching the scene with an unsettling calm. He didn’t intervene or react, as if he were merely an observer.

"Zoom in on him," Aditi instructed.

The technician complied, and the screen displayed Akhil’s face. His expression was unreadable, almost detached.

Aditi’s gut tightened. "Save this footage and transfer it to my drive," she said, taking a screenshot for immediate reference.

As she exited the room, her phone buzzed with a message from Rajveer: "Found Akhil’s address."

---

Back in the conference room, Shreya, a soft-spoken woman in her early thirties, sat across from Ishani.

"Harish mentioned you worked closely with Mira and Akhil," Ishani began. "What can you tell me about them?"

Shreya hesitated, fiddling with the edge of her scarf. "Mira was quiet but kind. She never spoke much unless necessary. Akhil, though, was... strange. He kept to himself and avoided group activities. And then there was that bag he always carried. He never let anyone touch it—not even by accident."

"Did you notice any tension between them or anything unusual about their behavior?" Ishani pressed.

Shreya shook her head. "Not that I can recall. They didn’t interact much. Mira seemed cautious around him, but I thought that was just her nature."

Ishani frowned slightly. "Did Akhil ever mention anything personal? Any reason he might act that way?"

"No," Shreya replied. "He never spoke about himself. It was like he didn’t want anyone to know who he really was."

Ishani made a mental note of this as Shreya excused herself.

As Aditi returned with her findings, Ishani looked up. "What did you find?"

Aditi handed over the screenshot of Akhil in the parking lot. "Mira had an argument with a masked man, but Akhil was there. He didn’t intervene—just stood there watching like it was none of his business."

Ishani studied the image. "That fits his profile so far—distant, detached. But if he’s connected to this, we need to find out how."

Aditi’s glanced at Ishani. "Well it's time to regroup. We’ve got Akhil’s address."

---

Zunair and Viaan arrived at Trinetra, the building buzzing with activity. Zunair wasted no time, turning to Viaan as they stepped off the elevator. “Send a message to everyone—tell them to meet in my cabin immediately.”

Viaan pulled out his phone and typed quickly, sending the message: “Everyone, meet in Zunair’s cabin NOW.”

As they reached the cabin, Zunair entered first, her posture confident and purposeful. Viaan followed closely behind, arms crossed, his face unreadable.

The cabin was dimly lit, with a large desk at the center. Zunair sat down, her eyes sharp, scanning the space. She knew they were on the edge of something big, and every moment counted. Viaan took his usual place by the window, arms folded, silently awaiting the others.

Not long after, Rajveer entered, pacing just outside the door before stepping in. His eyes flicked between Zunair and Viaan, the tension in the air not lost on him. He gave a curt nod before sitting down, understanding that this meeting would set the pace for the investigation moving forward.

Sia walked in next, pausing briefly when she saw everyone assembled. "Ishani and Aditi are on their way," she said, offering a brief but reassuring glance at Zunair before leaving to guide them in.

Finally, the door opened again, and Ishani and Aditi entered the room, their faces serious, clearly prepared for the task ahead.

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I know this chapter may not have the big twists you're waiting for, but I promise the story is building up!
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