Cyber Operations Room – 11:00 P.M.
Mahima's fingers flew across the keyboard. Streams of encrypted traffic revealed a network of shell accounts, proxy servers, and VPN reroutes designed to hide the mole's identity.
"Rishika," she said, tension lacing her words, "he's clever… this isn't a single attack. It's layered. He's planting fake trails, false logs, encrypted drop points. Every move has a decoy. D. Singh wants us to chase shadows while he manipulates the real flow. It's… psychological warfare."
Rishika leaned over, studying the live traces. "Then we anticipate his layers. Every fake trail, every diversion, every delayed log… we treat as bait. Let him think he's in control. Then we isolate and neutralize him."
Shivam interjected, frowning. "And the mole? If he's inside logistics, he could compromise real-world operations—trucks, shipments, even our field deployments. One slip, and the entire city operation is at risk."
Rishika's jaw tightened. "We act decisively. Layered defense: counter-hack, isolate, monitor, and contain. Field teams ready to intercept if any operational compromise occurs. No risk to civilians. No risk to Veer—he's still recovering. This is our shadow war, and we control every variable."
City D – Rooftop Surveillance – 11:30 P.M.
Mahima traced digital signals to a rooftop feed. Drones hovered silently, observing the northern and southern corridors. Hidden cameras, planted months ago, caught subtle patterns in field activity.
"There," Mahima pointed. "One of the devices we recovered from the failed convoy attack—someone is using it as a relay. It's active now. Live trace confirms external communication. The insider's link is operational."
Rishika's gaze was sharp. "Who's handling that feed?"
"Looks like Devraj himself," Mahima said. "He's watching everything, timing operations based on insider info. This isn't just revenge. This is an obsession, a compulsion to control every element, every reaction. He's studying us like chess pieces."
Shivam's expression darkened. "Then let's play the board differently. Make him think he's ahead. We turn his obsession against him."
Upadhyay Group Headquarters – Cyber War Room – Midnight
Rishika addressed the team, voice steady but forceful. "Mahima, I want a full trace on every shell account. Pinpoint every relay, every proxy. Block the mole from accessing operational files. Shivam, maintain physical security around logistics, transportation, and field units. Do not confront directly unless evidence is solid. We need the mole alive—for interrogation, for leverage."
Mahima's eyes never left the screen. "Already isolating accounts. Counter-hacking initiated. Incoming encrypted traffic is being rerouted into a honeypot server. Every access attempt is logged, timestamped, and traced. Devraj won't know the difference."
Rishika nodded. "Perfect. Layered defense. He manipulates from shadows; we control the flow of information. And when he makes a mistake, we act decisively."
Shivam asked, "How patient do we need to be? The mole could act again tonight."
Rishika's voice was calm but ironclad. "Patience is our weapon. Observation first. Isolation second. Neutralization last. Devraj is obsessed—he will overextend. That's when we strike."
City D – Logistics Hub – 12:30 A.M.
At the logistics hub, field operatives remained in position, eyes scanning monitors. The mole, unaware of the digital trap, attempted to transmit operational files. The data was rerouted into Mahima's honeypot server.
"Trace confirmed," Mahima's voice rang through the comms. "Mole identified. Real-time location secured. Live feed shows workstation in use. Shivam, move in silently. Capture without alerting Devraj."
Shivam's tactical unit moved like shadows, surrounding the workstation. A single command unlocked the door, and the mole, frozen in shock, was secured.
Rishika's voice over the secure line was calm, almost surgical. "Good work. This is exactly the leverage we need. Interrogation will reveal his contacts, his payments, and potentially Devraj's next moves. Every layer of his obsession is now exposed."
Upadhyay Group – Cyber Operations Room – 1:00 A.M.
Rishika, Mahima, and Shivam reviewed the data from the captured mole.
"He gave up access credentials to multiple shell accounts," Mahima said. "Every proxy server, relay, and decoy feed is now mapped. D. Singh's obsession… he wanted complete control. And he almost had it."
Rishika's gaze was icy. "He underestimated us. He thought fear and chaos could manipulate strategy. But we anticipated, contained, and controlled. Every move now is his reaction. The shadow war is ours."
Shivam exhaled. "Next step?"
Rishika's lips curved slightly. "We consolidate. Monitor, anticipate, and prepare for the final confrontation. Devraj's obsession with revenge will be his undoing. Every layer he creates, every diversion he plants, only tightens the net. And soon, he will realize the shadows have turned against him."
Mahima nodded, fingers poised over the keyboard. "Cyber control secured. Insider neutralized. Full surveillance in place. Devraj cannot move without us knowing."
Rishika's eyes scanned the monitors one last time before looking at the team. "Tonight, we've reclaimed control. Tomorrow, we go on the offensive. Shadows may hide him, but they do not protect him. He's next."
City D – Eastern Logistics Corridor – 2:00 A.M.
Streetlights flickered along the deserted corridor as Rishika monitored drone feeds. A convoy of unmarked trucks approached the eastern hub, engines humming like predators in the night.
"Mahima, verify the IDs on those vehicles," Rishika instructed, eyes scanning the monitors.
"They're clean," Mahima replied, tension in her voice. "No registered company names. But the heat signatures indicate multiple occupants. Could be decoys."
Rishika's jaw tightened. "Then we let them play their part. Shivam, deploy field units at the northern and southern exits. If they try diversion, we intercept. No engagement until we're certain of their intent."
Shivam's voice was steady over the comms. "Units in position. All perimeters reinforced. They won't slip through."
City D – Devraj's Makeshift Command – 2:15 A.M.
Devraj observed live feeds of the convoy, fingers drumming against the tabletop. A faint smirk played on his lips.
"Decoys will distract them," he murmured, eyes glinting. "Psychological pressure will force errors. They think they anticipate, but I control the flow. Every reaction is preordained."
Two operatives approached. "Sir, field reconnaissance shows high alert on all corridors. They're expecting decoy movement."
"Exactly," Devraj said coldly. "Now we escalate. Create fear, confusion, and doubt. Make them question the integrity of their team. Mental pressure will make them slip. That's when the real operation begins."
City D – Eastern Logistics Corridor – 2:45 A.M.
The convoy approached the central intersection. Drone feeds showed several dark figures in civilian clothing moving along rooftops.
"False attack," Mahima confirmed. "These are distractions. Heat signatures don't match any known operatives. They're meant to provoke response, split attention."
Rishika's eyes narrowed. "Do not engage. Observe. Record every move. Devraj's obsession with control will make him predictable under stress. Shivam, keep units on standby, but maintain stealth."
Shivam replied, voice calm but alert, "Understood. All teams in silent observation. Any deviation triggers immediate response."
City D – Operations Room – Upadhyay HQ – 3:00 A.M.
Rishika addressed the cyber and field teams. "He wants us to react emotionally. Decoys, false threats, psychological pressure—they test patience and discipline. We give them neither. Every decoy is a lesson. Every diversion, a pattern. Mahima, keep digital trace on all feeds. Shivam, ensure perimeter integrity. We anticipate, we observe, we neutralize when confirmed."
Mahima nodded. "Already correlating rooftop movement with GPS of decoy trucks. Every signal is logged. Every false lead mapped. His psychological play is layered, but predictable."
City D – Southern Corridor – 3:15 A.M.
In another sector, a lone masked figure moved toward a minor distribution point. He triggered a small smoke device, sending a thin fog across the area. Tactical units immediately moved in—but the figure had vanished, leaving only a package.
Shivam held the package up to the camera feed. "False alert. No weapon, no data breach. Just a distraction."
Rishika's voice over secure comms was calm and commanding. "Perfect. Let him think he's caused disruption. We let him expend energy and resources while our strategy tightens the net."
City D – Northern Rooftops – 3:45 A.M.
Mahima's fingers flew across the keyboard. "We've identified a live feed from a rooftop camera Devraj used to monitor logistics. The signal is encrypted, but routing shows it links to the decoy truck convoy. He's literally watching his own decoys. Obsession drives him to verify chaos with his own eyes."
Rishika's eyes gleamed with resolve. "Exactly. He underestimates patience and observation. Every move he makes to manipulate fear only reinforces our control. Continue monitoring. Do not alert field units unless necessary. Let him believe he is unseen and in command."
Shivam's voice, calm and precise, broke the silence. "All units report. Perimeters secure. No breach detected. Decoys neutralized or contained. Psychological pressure not working on teams—discipline maintained."
City D – Eastern Corridor – 4:00 A.M.
The decoy convoy reached a dead-end intersection, blocked on all sides by silent, shadowed field operatives. Devraj, observing from his hidden command, did not anticipate the foresight.
"Impossible…" he muttered. "They anticipate every contingency. Every move… neutralized before executed. They are… patient."
Back at HQ, Rishika leaned back, studying the live feeds. "Every decoy he sends, every distraction he plants, is a reflection of his obsession with control. But control cannot exist without discipline to counter it. Tonight, he will learn that patience and precision outweigh obsession and impulse."
Upadhyay Group – Strategic War Room – 4:30 A.M.
Harshvardhan entered, observing the team's focus. "Rishika, the decoys were meant to split attention, create mistakes, force reaction. Your team's discipline neutralized his psychological warfare. That is leadership. Devraj's obsession blinds him—he cannot anticipate calm strategy."
Rishika nodded, eyes on the monitors. "Every decoy, every false attack, every threat was a lesson. We documented, analyzed, and contained. Next phase, we move from defense to controlled engagement. He will attempt escalation again, and we will be ready."
Mahima added, "Digital traces confirm all decoys linked back to Devraj's command network. He's monitoring his own diversions. Obsession driving action. If we wait, he will overextend. We are closing in."
Shivam spoke, voice low but firm. "Field units remain ready. Every exit, every corridor, every hub under surveillance. When he acts again, it will be decisive. We control the board."
Rishika's gaze swept across the room. "Tonight, we proved patience, observation, and layered strategy triumph over obsession and chaos. Devraj's decoys and diversions only tightened the net around him. Let him escalate—he has nowhere to hide. Every move now is his reaction. And we are prepared."
Outside City D, fog lingered in the empty streets. Decoy trucks sat abandoned. Masked operatives melted into darkness. The night whispered of calculated discipline, a battle of shadows, and the inevitable downfall awaiting Devraj Singh.
City D – Upadhyay Group Headquarters – 5:30 A.M.
The first pale light of dawn filtered through the glass walls of the war room. The monitors displayed an intricate web of data, field feeds, and live security footage. Rishika stood at the center, her sharp gaze scanning the room.
"Mahima," she said, voice firm, "any anomalies overnight aside from the decoys?"
Mahima's fingers hovered over the keyboard. "Yes. Digital breadcrumbs indicate coordinated misinformation campaigns. Multiple fake news articles, social media posts, and insider leaks—designed to create distrust among field units and delay operational response. D. Singh is trying to manipulate perception, not just actions."
Shivam crossed his arms, frowning. "He wants our teams arguing, confused, panicked. That's why last night some units were hesitant. He's layering misinformation with real-time observation. A psychological trap."
Rishika nodded. "Then we neutralize perception first. Clear all misinformation streams. Deploy internal alerts to every department. Every employee must know verified channels for operational communication."
Mahima's eyes lit up. "Already sending secure intranet updates and encrypted notifications. Counter-propaganda measures initiated. Fake social media accounts traced back to overseas servers."
Rishika's voice carried authority. "Good. Every false narrative must be addressed within minutes. We cannot let fear guide action. Discipline and verification first, reaction second."