Song of the chapter is
Mind by Maison Ware

-21-
-Kartik Malhotra-
-Present-

_____________

Delmore Inn
20 November, 2030
12:12 am

Moving past me, Veronica entered the surveillance room. I followed, closing the door behind us with a click.

I went and stood next to her as she appraised the multitude of computer screens before us, showcasing different areas of the Inn. I glanced at her, looking at the glow of the blue light gracing her features.

"Do we even know what we're looking for?" I asked.

"Not yet." She shook her head.

I turned my gaze and focussed on the task at hand, observing the grainy shots of the Inn. The technology had been upped since the last time we had had to do this, with touchpads replacing the keypads and security lock system guarding the entire place.

Veronica took a step closer to the screen before slowly raising her hand and pointing at one in particular, "That'll be the one."

It was a shot of the third floor hallway, where no activity was happening. It gave a view of the caution tapes that the police had put as a barricade to secure the crime scene. The door to the room where the incident had taken place was closed, similiar to the rest of the rooms.

Veronica sat down in one of the swivel chairs, in front of the keyboard, and I tentatively took the seat next to her, feeling my palms beginning to sweat. Swallowing, I focused my gaze on the monitors, trying to help.

I scooted my chair a little closer to both the monitors and leaned forward.

" So you can just type in a date and it'll pull it up?" I asked.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her looking at the monitor with a curious gaze. " That's what I'm hoping for." She said, before entering the date of four days ago into the system.

As she clicked enter, a static sound was heard before the screen just cut to black, flashing the message,
'File Doesn't Exist'.

I narrowed my eyes as Veronica tried once more. Static and then nothing, again.

"What's going on?" I asked, turning my gaze to her.

Her brows furrowed further. "That's what I had feared."

"What?"

"The security tape. It was taken....by the police or...."

"The killer." I completed for her. A look of forlorn washed over her as she nodded.

I breathed an exasperated sigh.

"It's a dead end." I uttered, standing up. I felt utterly exhausted at that moment. There was nothing we could do to be one step ahead of this bastard. "What do we do now?"

"Let's just hope that Moose and Zoya find something at the school." She uttered, resting her head on her hand.

I looked at her with a hint of surprise.

"So....you still call him Moose?"

She looked up at me with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

"It's....a habit... I never got over, I guess."

I gave her a small nod. She went back to fidgeting with the strings of her hoodie.

"I know it's not the best time....but can I ask you a question?"

She slowly looked up at me again and gave me a nod.

"What exactly.... happened in the past few years with you?"

A gulp, a frown, a shade of unease on her features.

She looked away, sitting straight.

"Many things. Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm just.... I've always been confused.....as to why you didn't keep contact." I said, sitting down on the chair beside her. "I mean.... I would still get the rest of the us, but..... Himanshu? You guys were-"

I trailed off, seeing the look on her face. Tears had welled up in her eyes at the mere mention of him.

"I'm sorry, I-" she began but choked up, unable to continue.

"It's okay, Veronica. I'm sorry I asked. We don't have to talk about it." I immediately apologised, feeling guilty.

"No, no it's fi-ne... I'm just..." She stuttered, her voice quivering and small. "All of this....is just bringing back....a lot of unpleasant memories."

"I can understand." I breathed. "It's like living through our worst nightmares all over again."

She slowly nodded, her eyes meeting mine. I could see the redness, and a similar tiredness to mine etched in them.

"But I just....want you to know....that I'm here...okay? We're all here. If you ever need someone to talk to.... about anything at all, I'll be here...." I placed my palm on her hand gently, trying my best to comfort her.

Her chest heaved up and down slowly as she took deep breaths.

"Is there anything....you want to tell me?" I spoke even more gently.

She looked up at me and her lips parted, but before she could utter any words, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

"Sorry. I just-" I apologized, taking out my cellphone to see who it was this late at night. The caller id flashed 'Love'.

"It's Siya." I furrowed my brows as I looked back at Veronica. She nodded her head, signalling me to pick it up.

As I did so, Siya's panicked voice echoed from the other end. "Kartik, are you there?"

"Yes yes, I'm here, Siya. What's going on? Why do you sound so panicked?"

"Are you done with your work? Did you guys find anything?" She asked frantically.

"No..the security tapes are all missing. We think the killer might've deleted all the footage of him being here." I explained, exchanging a look with Veronica. "But what's the matter with you? Are you okay?"

"No... I don't think so." She uttered ominously. "Saina and I were just talking in our room when all of a sudden, there was a knock on our door. When we opened it, there was no one outside. Just a note."

"A note?"

"Yeah,uh...it has something written on it. I don't know.. I'm trying to decipher what it means...but...." She trailed off but I could hear her breathing becoming louder.

"Siya, but what?"

"I think....i think whoever left the message is still within the hotel grounds."

A look of alarm crossed Veronica's features.

"How are you sure?" I asked and for a moment, there was no reply. "Siya?"

A solemn silence followed before she spoke again.

"Because I can see him through the window right now."

_____________

Veronica and I rushed to the Inn's parking lot within no time, half out of breath.

As we reached the almost empty lot, I looked up at where my room's window was supposed to be and found Siya and Saina both standing inside. I could see the alarming look on both of their faces.

"Kartik, there's no one here." Veronica said, as she walked around scanning the surroundings.

"Are you sure? Did you check behind the cars?" I asked.

"Yeah, there are only three of them and no one's behind any." She answered, breathing heavily.

My brows knitted. "Let me call Siya."

She picked up in no time. "Did you find him? Did you find the guy?"

"Siya, there's...no one here. Are you sure you saw him here?" I asked, looking up at her.

"Yes, I did, Kartik! I saw him...he-he was standing there, wearing a black cloak and-and he had this rope in his hand. I took my eyes off for just one moment to call you and he was...he was gone." She spoke desperately. "But I swear! I swear I saw him!"

"Alright, alright, I believe you, okay?" I tried to calm her down. "Did you see his face? How he looked like?"

"No... no he had his back towards me." Siya sighed. I could sense the frustration in her voice.

"Okay, let's do one thing. Veronica and I are coming upstairs. Let's atleast try to figure out whatever the note says." I enunciated, my hands unconsciously traveling to my hips again.

Before she could say anything in response, Saina's voice echoed from behind, "Veronica, watch out!"

I spun my head in an instant and found a figure wearing a black cloak and the same ghostface mask like Yash, choking Veronica with a thermo wire.

"Veronica!" I yelped as I rushed towards her direction. She coughed as the killer tightened his grip on her neck.

"Let her go!" I yelled as I kicked him in the leg, causing him to stumble back, leaving Veronica gasping for air. I took this chance to grab her hand and escape, but before I could do that, the killer rose to his feet again and chased after us.

We ran in the direction of the front gates, hoping one of the patrol cars outside would hear our screams, but to no avail. As we almost neared the silver gates of the Inn, the killer grabbed Veronica's leg from behind causing her to fall.

"Kartik go!" She yelled at me as he pulled her back.

"Not a chance." I said, determined as the anger boiled inside of me. My eyes fell on the fire extinguisher kept beside the entrance gates of the Inn and I rushed towards it, broke the glass with my elbow, and took the axe that was kept inside.

"Kartik, go!!" Veronica yelled as she struggled to fight the killer off. The killer managed to stab her in the leg and an ear piercing scream ricocheted off her lips.

I swung the axe in the killer's direction, but he ducked, missing the shot. Just then, an idea popped into my head and I stabbed the axe onto the killer's left ankle, causing him to fall backwards.

Helping Veronica up, I steadied her arm around my shoulder and retrieved my phone to call the police.

"Kartik." She uttered after a second.

"The touch is not working from the stupid blood!" I yelled angrily, as my hands kept shaking, making it almost impossible for me to dial.

"Kartik!" She yelled a little louder and I turned around to look at what she was looking at and only two words slipped out of my tongue.

"He's gone."

____________

aaaaaaaand we already have our first official encounter between our gang and the new killer!

needless to say, if this is the beginning, can you imagine what's about to come?

only way to find out.
stay tuned.

and don't forget to vote, comment and share the book!

love,
Bosedisha