đź’” The Contract Groom
The rain outside became merciless.
Thunder shook the shattered windows while flashes of lightning illuminated the destroyed living room again and again.
But inside—
nobody cared about the storm anymore.
Because something far more terrifying had entered the room.
The Circle.
Even the name itself felt dangerous.
Hidden.
Powerful.
Untouchable.
Sasmita slowly lowered the gun slightly, though her guard remained high.
"So Tiger Gang answers to them?" she asked quietly.
Nandu remained silent for a moment before replying.
"Not officially."
A pause.
"…But nobody escapes the Circle completely."
The armed men around the house stayed perfectly alert, scanning the darkness outside.
Professional discipline.
No unnecessary movement.
Because even they knew—
tonight had changed everything.
Dr. Prem stood motionless near the broken wall, rainlight reflecting faintly across his face.
Aryan.
Project Aryan.
The Circle.
Every truth revealed another lie underneath it.
"And what exactly do they want from me now?" he asked coldly.
Nandu looked directly at him.
"You."
A dangerous silence followed.
"The Circle spent years believing Aryan was dead," Nandu continued quietly.
"When your memories were erased, Ravan convinced them the project failed."
"Then why hunt me now?"
"Because someone leaked information."
Sasmita's eyes narrowed instantly.
"Rudra," she whispered.
Nandu's expression changed slightly.
"You met him."
"He came here before the attack."
That answer sharpened the atmosphere instantly.
Nandu stepped forward.
"What did he tell you?"
Sasmita hesitated briefly.
Then—
"He said Tiger was protecting Aryan."
For the first time tonight—
Nandu smiled faintly.
"Then at least he told one truth."
Dr. Prem looked toward him sharply.
"Enough half-answers."
The authority in his voice changed the room again.
Even the guards became more alert unconsciously.
Nandu noticed it too.
And for a brief second—
something almost like realization crossed his eyes.
The project hadn't just created intelligence.
It had created presence.
Leadership.
Instinctive dominance.
Dangerous qualities in the wrong hands.
Nandu exhaled slowly.
"Years ago," he began, "Tiger Gang had three powerful divisions."
"Business."
"Operations."
"And research."
"Project Aryan belonged to the research division."
Lightning flashed violently outside.
"But after your success…"
His eyes darkened.
"…the Circle decided Aryan should lead everything in the future."
Sasmita frowned immediately.
"A child?"
"Not a child," Nandu replied quietly.
"A system."
Nobody spoke.
"Your brain processed information differently," he continued while looking at Dr. Prem.
"You predicted patterns faster than adults."
"You learned languages unusually quickly."
"You solved strategic simulations impossible for your age."
Another sharp pain struck Dr. Prem instantly.
More memories surfaced.
Rows of chessboards.
Computers.
Men watching silently.
A child answering questions before they were completed.
His breathing slowed dangerously.
"So they turned me into an experiment."
"No."
Nandu's voice lowered slightly.
"They tried to turn you into a future ruler."
The sentence felt colder than violence.
Sasmita stared toward Dr. Prem slowly now.
Or Aryan.
For the first time—
she understood why powerful people feared him enough to erase his identity.
Then suddenly—
one of the guards near the entrance spoke urgently into his communication device.
"Movement outside."
Instant tension returned.
Nandu reacted immediately.
"How many?"
The guard listened carefully before replying.
"…Too many."
At the same moment—
all electricity across the street died instantly.
Darkness swallowed the entire area.
The armed men outside raised weapons immediately.
Dr. Prem's instincts sharpened.
"This isn't random."
Nandu nodded once.
Expression serious now.
"They found us."
Then—
from somewhere beyond the rain—
a deep mechanical sound echoed through the darkness.
Vehicles.
Multiple.
Approaching slowly.
Headlights suddenly appeared one by one through the storm.
Black SUVs.
At least six.
No hesitation.
No attempt to hide.
They stopped around the house methodically.
Perfect formation.
Sasmita's heartbeat slowed.
This wasn't a gang attack.
It looked military.
The doors opened simultaneously.
Men stepped out wearing black tactical gear.
No insignias.
No faces visible.
Only the silver-circle symbol marked near their collars.
The Circle.
One of Nandu's guards whispered softly—
"…We're dead."
Nandu's eyes hardened instantly.
"Shut up."
But even he understood the situation now.
This wasn't intimidation anymore.
The Circle had arrived personally.
Then—
one final vehicle stopped directly in front of the house.
Longer than the others.
More heavily armored.
Silence spread instantly among every operative outside.
Even the Circle soldiers stepped back slightly.
Respect.
Or fear.
The rear door opened slowly.
Black shoes touched the wet ground.
Then—
a tall older man stepped out holding no weapon at all.
Gray hair.
Sharp eyes.
Calm face.
Elegant black coat untouched by panic.
And somehow—
his quiet presence felt more dangerous than every armed soldier combined.
Dr. Prem froze instantly.
Because another memory exploded violently inside his head.
A laboratory.
A hand resting on a child's shoulder.
A voice saying calmly—
"Aryan belongs to the future."
His breathing stopped for a second.
The older man slowly lifted his eyes toward the broken house.
Toward him.
Then—
he smiled faintly.
Not warmly.
Not cruelly.
Proudly.
"…You survived," he said softly.
Nandu's face darkened immediately.
"Everyone inside," he whispered urgently, "do not let him enter this house."
Sasmita looked sharply toward him.
"Who is he?"
Nandu answered without taking his eyes off the man outside.
"The founder of Project Aryan."
A pause.
"…Professor Veer Malhotra."
And outside in the storm—
the man who helped create Aryan finally came to reclaim him.