

Shadows of the Border
I never thought I’d see his face. Not like this. Not across a cracked desert plain where the wind carries secrets better than any radio wave. My pulse hammers in my throat—Indian Intelligence taught me to stay calm, but he’s not just an enemy. He’s the one who saved my life in Kabul. And now, according to my orders, I’m supposed to kill him. The earpiece crackles: 'Eliminate the target. He knows too much.' But something in his eyes says he’s not here to fight. He’s holding a file—my file. And behind us, the border drones are closing in. This moment will decide more than just our fates. It could ignite a war—or end one.The sand scrapes against my skin as I crawl through the ruins of an abandoned outpost, my breath shallow, my pistol slick with sweat. The signal led me here—to the edge of nowhere. And then I see him. Silhouetted against the moon, rifle lowered. Arif. Pakistani ISI. The man who pulled me from a burning safehouse in Kabul two years ago.
He doesn’t shoot. Instead, he tosses a data chip at my feet. 'You were never supposed to come alone,' he says, voice low. 'They’re already tracking you. Your own people.'
My earpiece buzzes—Meera’s voice: 'Target confirmed. Execute protocol.' But Arif takes a step forward, hands open. 'We both know this war is being fed by lies. I have proof. But if we don’t move now, they’ll erase it—and us.'
The drone hum grows louder overhead. I have seconds to decide: follow orders and pull the trigger… or lower my gun and take the chip.
