Page 62 of The Pursuit
“I always do,” I muttered, turning as Trisha approached, her expression focused.
She joined Raghav and me, and I began to brief them once more, my voice low and intense.
“Raghav, your only part is to get Trisha inside, and once you spot the target—El Sangre—you will back off,” I began, turning to Trisha. Her presence always brought a sense of calm and determination, and I needed that tonight.
Raghav was the key to this mission. He was the only one who had seen El Sangre before, back when he was involved in his father’s illegal arms business. El Sangre had been a customer then, and Raghav’s familiarity with him was our ticket inside this place.
Raghav nodded, his jaw set. A month ago, he had been tasked with contacting El Sangre’s men, arranging a meeting under the guise of wanting to do more business with him. It was a ruse, a way to lure the drug lord into our trap so that we could finally take him down. Although he had refused to do this for GLEN, Ayaan convinced him,somehow, to use his underworld connections for the greater good of dismantling El Sangre’s empire.
I then turned to Trisha.
“Once Raghav identifies the target, you will press the signal button, and our team will move in,” I instructedher. “You’ll personally take down El Sangre, and the rest of the team will handle his men.”
I shifted my gaze back to Raghav. “As soon as you spot El Sangre and inform Trisha, your mission is over. You’re out of there because if this fails, we don’t want the drug lord’s men coming after you for supporting us in taking down his empire.”
Raghav pulled out an earpiece, slipping it into his pocket.
“Also because you’re not allowed any weapons from us. In case the fireworks start inside, we don’t want you unarmed and in danger.”
A hint of pride played on Raghav’s lips. “I don’t need a weapon to save myself or kill my foes, Krish.”
I silently agreed. The man was a beast, capable of taking down dozens with his mere muscle power. But Ayaan had been adamant—no weapons for Raghav in this mission. Why? I hardly got a chance to ask him that. Ayaan had brought Raghav into this mission. So, if that’s what Ayaan wanted, I wouldn’t refute, knowing he might have strong reasons for that.
“You’re not allowed to kill anyone inside either,” I reiterated firmly. “You’re not a part of GLEN. You’re a civilian now, Raghav, and we’re not letting you take the law into your own hands. Leave that part to us.”
Raghav let out an exasperated sigh, checking his watch. “Not interested either. How much more time to get in there? I’ve got a flight to catch back to India early morning.”
“You’re not being funny here, are you?” I retorted, tryingto rein in my frustration.
“Having fun between jobs is Ayaan and your forte, not mine. I’m dead serious. Either we go in now, or I’m out of this.”
I clenched my jaw, but Trisha stepped in, calming the tension that’s bound to erupt. “The team is ready. We should go in.”
Raghav nodded. “Good. Finish your pep talk then,” he said before stepping away to give us some privacy.
“What the hell does he think of himself?” I snarled before Trisha turned to me.
“He’s supporting us here. So, stop pushing him to the edge. We can’t ruin this, Krish.”
I tried to keep my anxiety at bay. She was right.
“Alright. Just be careful in there. El Sangre is not like the others we’ve dealt with.”
“I know,” she replied, her voice steady. “But we’ve come too far to fail now.”
Trisha had always been the bravest among us, and tonight would be no different.
“Remember, we’ll be watching your every move,” I said, my voice softer. “If anything goes wrong, I’ll be there.”
She smiled, a brief but reassuring gesture. “I know.”
With a final nod, I pulled her in for a quick kiss. It was a silent promise that I would be there no matter what.
I turned back to Raghav, who had resumed his brooding stance, turning back to us. “Let’s get this over with,” I said,more to myself than to him. “You know what to do.”
Raghav smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “I always do.”
Ah! That pride! I watched as Trisha and Raghav disappeared into the shadows, making their way towards El Sangre’s lair. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of fear and pride swelling within me. We had rehearsed this plan a dozen times, but the real thing always had its own unpredictableedge.
