The mission was simple: Episode 3, Part 5 of his descent into hell. He had to intercept a courier carrying a ledger that could bring down the city’s entire political hierarchy. The "Hunters"—an elite, off-the-books mercenary squad—were already closing in. He could hear the low hum of their drones circling the block, their thermal optics searching for the heat of a guilty man’s heart. Vikram checked his watch. 3:00 AM. The courier was late.
But Vikram was a Karzdaar—a man in debt. Not to a bank, but to the Butcher of Bandra, a man who had cleared Vikram's father’s gambling debts twenty years ago. Now, the Butcher wanted his interest paid in full. The mission was simple: Episode 3, Part 5
He didn't fire back. Not yet. He needed them to think he was trapped. As the first Hunter stepped into the room, silhouetted by the glowing orange embers of the doorframe, Vikram pulled the pin on a flash-bang and threw it at the man’s feet. He could hear the low hum of their