The safehouse in Dharavi was a cramped, two-room metal shack built over a sewer line. Outside, the rain beat a relentless tattoo on the tin roof. The room was lit only by a single kerosene lamp, its flickering yellow flame casting long, dancing shadows on the walls.
Vikram lay on a thin mattress, his chest wrapped in tight bandages. Every breath was a struggle. In his head, the echo of the photonic backlash still hummed, a persistent ring that made his ears feel full.
Rhea sat at a wooden table, her laptop connected to a portable solar battery she had salvaged. "The entire South Mumbai is offline," she said, her voice quiet. "The Vow has declared a 'grid emergency' through the media. Police Commissioner Patil has deployed armored patrols under the guise of preventing riots. In reality, they are hunting for us."
Rohan stood by the window, peering through a gap in the wooden shutters. Outside, the narrow alleys of the slum were dark, the local residents hiding in their homes. Every few minutes, a Malhotra searchlight drone would buzz overhead, its red beam scanning the rooftops.
"My Prana," Vikram said, his voice hoarse as he tried to sit up. "It's... fractured. Whenever I try to channel the energy, my muscles seize up."
"You took a direct backlash, Vikram," Mr. Desai said, stepping into the room with a cup of hot herbal tea. The old mentor looked tired, his hands trembling slightly as he handed the cup to Vikram. "Your spirit channels are flooded with chaotic dark photons. You need time to heal."
"We don't have time," Vikram said, wincing as he took a sip of the bitter tea. "Malhotra has the primary core active. They are expanding the grid. If they cover the whole city, Mumbai will be their personal playground."
"We can't fight Javed or Malhotra's enforcers like this," Rohan said, turning from the window. "We are outnumbered. We need a crew."
"A crew?" Vikram asked.
"My father's gang," Rohan said, his face hardening. "The Gawde Elites. They control the docks and the markets. If we can get them to help us, we can strike Malhotra's distribution hubs. But we need to convince my father first. And he doesn't like losing."