Safe House – Morning
The air was too still.
Too heavy.
The safe house was no longer safe. The internet storm hadn't just exposed them—it destroyed them.
Samruddhi sat alone on the cold floor, her back pressed against the wall, clutching the photograph Arpan had shown her—the baby labeled "Subject Delta."
Her hands trembled.
Her mind kept repeating the prophecy:
"One sister will betray. One will forget. One will die."
She didn't know which one she was yet.
But she was starting to fear the answer.
Elsewhere in the Safe House – Medical Room
Rhea remained unconscious, her vitals erratic. Vikram hovered over her, unable to stabilize her fever.
"She's mutating," he muttered. "I don't even know what into."
Arpan stood silently in the doorway.
Watching.
Blaming himself.
"She's like this because of me."
"No," Vikram said without turning. "She's like this because of them."
But Arpan wasn't convinced.
He remembered the footage Vasundhara leaked—of him executing a man.
It was real.
Twisted in context. But real.
And now Samruddhi wouldn't even look at him.
Flashback – Two Years Ago
A smoky alley in Chennai.
A man kneeling.
Begging.
And Arpan pulling the trigger.
Not out of duty.
Out of fear.
Back then, Vasundhara whispered in his ear:
"Kill him, or I kill Samruddhi."
He did it.
And now the whole world had seen it.
Present
Samruddhi found him by the broken window.
"I saw the video."
His shoulders tensed. "I know."
"You didn't deny it."
"Would it change anything if I did?"
Her silence was answer enough.
He turned to her. "I didn't do it because I'm a killer. I did it because you were—"
"Don't," she said quietly. "Don't make me a reason for your bloodshed."
He flinched.
Her voice cracked. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Because I knew you'd look at me the way you are now."
And she did. Like he was a stranger.
Mirror Moon – Unknown Location
The girl walked barefoot through a fog-drenched forest.
Not alone.
Shadows moved beside her. Not people. Memories.
They whispered in ancient voices, looping truths and lies like a chant.
"Samruddhi will break. Arpan will burn. Rhea will vanish."
She closed her eyes and whispered, "Show me."
And the forest peeled away like paper—revealing glimpses of lives she'd never lived.
Samruddhi on a rooftop, bleeding.
Rhea submerged in a white tank, screaming silently.
Arpan... kneeling.
A gun to his own head.
"No," she whispered. "That's not how it ends."
Back at the Safe House – News Break
On the screen: a government-issued red alert.
"WANTED: ARPAN MEHRA, SAMRUDDHI KAUL, RHEA VERMA"
High-resolution photos.
Crimes fabricated and real.
Terrorist affiliations. Medical experiments. Public danger.
Bounties.
Vikram slammed his fist on the console.
"We have 48 hours before every bounty hunter, cop, and lunatic with a gun starts hunting us."
Samruddhi stared at the screen.
"I won't run anymore."
"You don't have a choice," Arpan snapped.
She turned on him, voice rising. "You made the choices, Arpan! You lied, you killed, and now you expect me to pretend this is survivable?"
"I did it to protect you!"
"Then why do I feel like I've already lost you?"
Suddenly – An Alarm
One of the perimeter cameras flickered to static.
Then another.
Then all.
Vikram jumped to his feet. "We're not alone."
Samruddhi pulled her pistol.
Arpan grabbed the emergency escape bag.
Rhea stirred in her bed.
Her eyes fluttered open.
Gold, again.
Only this time, cracked with veins of black.
Outside the Safe House – A Girl Appears
The Mirror Moon stood at the door.
Not walking. Floating.
Vikram aimed through the scope.
"Target in visual. Identical to Samruddhi."
"No," Arpan whispered, lowering the gun. "She's not the same. She's... wrong."
The girl raised her hand.
A sonic pulse erupted from her palm.
The wall behind them exploded inward.
Inside – Explosion
Vikram was thrown across the room.
Arpan shielded Rhea.
Samruddhi faced the doorway, dust and blood in her hair, gun pointed.
The Mirror Moon stepped through.
Eyes glowing like stars dying in slow motion.
"You shouldn't have awakened me," she said softly.
Samruddhi raised her weapon.
The girl didn't flinch.
"I'm not here to kill you."
"Then what do you want?"
The Mirror Moon smiled.
"To take my place."
"I am the original. You are the copy."
And then she whispered:
"And I know which one of us was meant to die."
Samruddhi raised her gun.
But the Mirror Moon raised her hand.
Samruddhi froze mid-motion — eyes wide.
Her hand began to tremble… then spasm… then bend backward, as if yanked by invisible strings.
Arpan shouted, "Let her go!"
But the girl whispered only two words:
"You're next."
And suddenly—
Arpan collapsed.
His nose bleeding.
His heartbeat slowing.
A mark glowing on his chest.
The same sigil Rhea once drew unconsciously.
The prophecy was activating.
To Be Continued…