The streets of New Delhi were unusually quiet in the early morning hours, the calm after the storm that had rocked the nation to its core. The revelations of Aditya Bakshi's conspiracy had sent shockwaves through the corridors of power, and the people were still reeling from the truth that had come to light. But in the stillness of that moment, another story was unfolding-one that would leave a deep and lasting impact on those who had been at the center of the storm.

Tiger moved through the city like a shadow, his presence unnoticed by the few who were awake at such an hour. His thoughts were a whirlwind of conflicting emotions-regret, anger, and a deep, unshakable sense of purpose. The truth had been exposed, Bakshi's empire was crumbling, and yet, Tiger knew that his work was not yet finished.

As he approached a small, nondescript building tucked away in one of the city's quieter neighborhoods, Tiger paused, taking a moment to steady himself. This was the place where everything would come to a head, where he would make his final decisions-the choices that would define his legacy.

The streets were eerily quiet, reflecting the calm before dawn. Tiger knew that his every step could be his last, but there was no turning back. He had made his choice on that rooftop when he decided to walk away from Pathan. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that walking away had left too many things unsaid, too many loose ends untied.

He needed closure, not just for himself, but for Pathan, who had been dragged into this chaotic world because of their shared past. There were things Pathan needed to know-things that couldn't be conveyed in a fleeting goodbye. That's why Tiger was here, returning to the place where their paths had first diverged.

The building housed a safe house, one that Pathan and his team had used during their operation to take down Bakshi. Tiger had chosen it for this meeting because it was a place where the two men had once fought side by side, united in their mission to bring justice to the world. Now, that same place would serve as the backdrop for a different kind of confrontation-one that Tiger had been dreading, yet knew was inevitable.

He reached the door and hesitated, his hand hovering over the handle. The weight of his decisions pressed down on him, but he pushed the doubts aside. There was no room for hesitation now. The time for reckoning had come.

Tiger opened the door and stepped inside.

Pathan was waiting for him in the small, dimly lit room that served as the safe house's main area. The two men locked eyes, the tension between them palpable. Pathan's expression was a mix of relief and concern-relief that Tiger was still alive, concern for what might come next.

Tiger closed the door behind him and crossed the room, his movements deliberate and measured. He could see the questions in Pathan's eyes, the unspoken thoughts that lingered in the air between them.

"I didn't think you'd come," Pathan said, breaking the silence.

Tiger offered a faint smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Neither did I."

For a moment, they stood there, the weight of their shared history hanging over them. But the moment of quiet reflection quickly passed, replaced by the urgency of the situation at hand.

"There's something you need to know," Tiger said, his voice steady but laced with an underlying tension. "Something I've been thinking about."

Pathan nodded, sensing that this was more than just a conversation. "What is it?"

Tiger took a deep breath, his gaze flickering to the window before returning to Pathan. "I've been considering surrendering. Turning myself in, letting the world know that I was part of all this."

Pathan's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly masked it with a look of concern. "Why would you do that?"

"Because maybe it's time," Tiger replied, his voice quiet but firm. "Maybe it's time for me to stop running, to face the consequences of everything I've done."

Pathan felt a pang of sympathy as he looked at Tiger, a man who had been through so much, who had sacrificed everything in his quest for justice. "You've done more than anyone could have asked, Tiger. You don't have to carry this burden alone."

Tiger shook his head, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I'm not looking for sympathy, Pathan. I know what I've done, and I know that there's a price to pay. But I also know that my work isn't finished yet."

Pathan frowned, sensing that there was more to Tiger's decision than he was letting on. "What do you mean?"

Tiger reached into his pocket and pulled out a small USB drive, holding it up for Pathan to see. "This contains everything you need to dismantle the remaining parts of Bakshi's network. All the names, all the connections, everything."

Pathan's heart raced as he took the drive from Tiger, the significance of the gesture not lost on him. "Why are you giving this to me?"

"Because I trust you," Tiger replied, his voice firm. "And because I know that if anyone can finish this, it's you."

Pathan looked down at the drive, the weight of the responsibility settling on his shoulders. "You know what this means, right? This is the end of the line for you."

Tiger nodded, his expression resolute. "I know. And I'm ready for it."

The room fell silent as the two men stared at each other, the gravity of the situation hanging heavy in the air. Pathan could see the weariness in Tiger's eyes, the toll that the years of fighting and running had taken on him. But he could also see something else-a sense of determination, a final push to make things right.

Before Pathan could respond, Tiger turned and walked to the window, looking out at the city beyond. "There's one last thing I need to do," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Pathan's heart sank as he realized what Tiger was planning. "Tiger, you don't have to do this. You've done enough."

Tiger shook his head, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "I do have to do this, Pathan. It's the only way I can atone for everything that's happened. The only way I can find some measure of peace."

Pathan moved closer, his voice filled with urgency. "What are you talking about?"

Tiger turned back to face him, his expression one of quiet resolve. "There's an assassination attempt coming, Pathan. I've been tracking them-they're Bakshi's last loyalists. They're coming for you."

Pathan's blood ran cold at the revelation, but he quickly pushed the fear aside. "Then we'll stop them together. We can take them down."

But Tiger shook his head. "No. This is my fight. I'm the one they're after."

Pathan's heart pounded in his chest as he realized the full extent of what Tiger was planning. "You're going to sacrifice yourself."

Tiger nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "It's the only way to make sure you survive, to make sure the truth gets out. If I'm gone, they'll think they've won. But you'll still be there, with everything you need to finish what we started."

Pathan felt a lump rise in his throat as he listened to the man who had once been his adversary, now standing before him as a friend. "You don't have to do this, Tiger. There's always another way."

Tiger's smile faded, replaced by a look of deep sadness. "Not for me, Pathan. This is the only way I can make things right."

Before Pathan could say anything else, Tiger turned and started toward the door, his movements quick and purposeful. Pathan reached out, grabbing his arm to stop him.

"Tiger, wait," Pathan pleaded, his voice filled with desperation. "Don't do this. We can figure something out. We can-"

But Tiger gently pulled his arm free, his expression softening as he looked at Pathan. "You're a good man, Pathan. A better man than I ever was. And that's why you're going to survive this."

With that, Tiger turned and walked out the door, leaving Pathan standing alone in the room, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on him like a physical force.

The next few hours passed in a blur of tension and anticipation. Pathan and his team moved quickly, setting up defenses around the safe house, preparing for the attack that they knew was coming. But despite their best efforts, Pathan couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had settled in his chest.

He kept replaying Tiger's words in his mind, the sense of finality in his voice, the determination in his eyes. Pathan knew that Tiger was planning something, but he couldn't bring himself to believe that the man who had fought so hard for so long would simply give up.

As the night wore on, Pathan found himself standing alone on the rooftop of the safe house, the city spread out before him in a sea of lights. The air was cool, and a light breeze rustled through the trees, but Pathan's mind was far from at ease.

Then, just as the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, Pathan heard it-the distant sound of engines, growing louder with each passing second. The attack was coming.

He quickly moved to the edge of the rooftop, scanning the streets below. Sure enough, a convoy of black SUVs was speeding toward the safe house, their headlights cutting through the early morning gloom. Pathan's heart raced as he realized that they were outnumbered, outgunned.

But as the convoy drew closer, something unexpected happened. One of the SUVs suddenly veered off course, slamming into a parked car with a deafening crash. The other vehicles skidded to a halt, their occupants scrambling out in confusion.

That's when Pathan saw him.

Tiger emerged from the wrecked SUV, his movements swift and calculated. He was armed, but he wasn't using his gun-he was drawing the attention of the attackers, leading them away from the safe house, away from Pathan.

"Tiger!" Pathan shouted, his voice filled with a mix of fear and desperation.

But Tiger didn't respond. Instead, he continued to lead the attackers on a wild chase through the streets, using every trick he knew to keep them off balance, to keep them focused on him.

Pathan watched in horror as the scene unfolded, realizing with a sinking feeling that Tiger's plan was working. The attackers were following him, their attention completely diverted from the safe house.

But Pathan also knew what that meant. Tiger was sacrificing himself to save them.

The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, but there was no time to dwell on it. Pathan quickly called for backup, coordinating with his team to move in and take down the remaining attackers. But even as they moved into position, Pathan couldn't shake the image of Tiger, alone and outnumbered, fighting to give them a chance.

The gunfire echoed through the streets as Pathan and his team engaged the attackers, the battle fierce but short-lived. Within minutes, the area was secured, the attackers neutralized.

But Tiger was nowhere to be found.

As the dust settled, Pathan stood alone in the aftermath of the battle, his heart heavy with the weight of what had just happened. The streets were littered with the wreckage of the fight, but all Pathan could think about was Tiger-his final act of sacrifice, his determination to make things right.

Pathan searched the area, hoping against hope that he would find some sign of Tiger, some indication that he had survived. But as the minutes ticked by, that hope began to fade.

Finally, Pathan's radio crackled to life, one of his team members reporting in. "Sir, we've found something."

Pathan's heart raced as he made his way to the location the team member had indicated. When he arrived, he found a small, secluded alley, the walls marked with bullet holes, the ground stained with blood.

And there, lying motionless on the ground, was a body. His mind raced, but every piece of evidence pointed to one devastating conclusion-Tiger was dead. Pathan approached the body with a heavy heart, the smell of burnt flesh and smoke filling his nostrils. He crouched down beside the remains, his hands trembling as he recognized the watch, the clothing, and the few personal effects on the body.

It was Tiger.

Pathan's breath caught in his throat as he rushed to Tiger's side, his hands trembling as he checked for a pulse. But there was nothing-no sign of life, no indication that the man who had fought so hard for so long was still with them.

The reality of the situation hit Pathan like a ton of bricks. Tiger was gone.

The realization hit Pathan like a hammer to the chest, the full weight of the loss crashing down on him. His vision blurred as he tried to process what had happened, his mind reeling from the shock.

"Sir," one of his team members said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We need to secure the area."

Pathan nodded numbly, barely hearing the words. The mission had been completed, the truth had been exposed, but it had come at a terrible cost. Tiger, the man who had fought so hard and sacrificed so much, was gone.

As the team began to clear the area, Pathan stood there, staring at the body that he believed was Tiger's. A deep, aching grief settled in his chest, a sense of loss that he knew would never fully heal.

Tiger had given everything to bring down Bakshi's network, to ensure that justice was served. And in the end, he had sacrificed his own life to protect the truth, to give Pathan and his team the chance to finish what they had started.

Pathan bowed his head, a silent prayer passing his lips as he honored the man who had been both his adversary and his ally. "Rest in peace, Tiger," he whispered. "You've earned it."

For a moment, Pathan just knelt there, his mind numb with grief. He had known that this was how it would end, that Tiger had made his choice. But knowing it didn't make it any easier.

As Pathan finally stood, his eyes wet with unshed tears, he realized that Tiger's final act had not been in vain. The evidence he had provided, the confession he had secured, and the sacrifice he had made-it all added up to something far greater than any one man's life.

Tiger had given everything to expose the truth, to bring down a corrupt system, to make the world a better place. And in doing so, he had found his redemption.

As Pathan walked away from the alley, he knew that his own journey was far from over. There was still work to be done, still battles to be fought. But he would carry Tiger's memory with him, a reminder of the man who had given everything for a cause greater than himself.

As the news spread, the intelligence community was thrown into turmoil. The manhunt for Tiger was officially over.

Pathan was left to deal with the aftermath, the grief of losing a man he had come to respect weighing heavily on him. The USB drive that Tiger had given him became his sole focus, a way to honor the man's sacrifice by dismantling the remaining parts of Bakshi's network.

But even as Pathan worked tirelessly to finish the mission, a part of him couldn't shake the feeling that Tiger's story wasn't truly over. There was a sense of finality in the evidence, but Pathan had learned to trust his instincts, and they were telling him that there was more to the story.

Still, he pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand. Tiger was gone, and it was up to him to ensure that the man's legacy would not be forgotten.

As the first light of dawn broke over the city, Pathan made a silent vow-to honor Tiger's sacrifice, to continue the fight, and to ensure that the truth would never be buried again.

But deep down, Pathan knew that wherever he went, whatever battles he fought, Tiger would be with him, watching from the shadows, guiding him when he needed it most.

And as the sun rose, casting a golden light over the city, Pathan whispered a final goodbye to the man who had been both his greatest adversary and his most trusted ally.

"Goodbye, Tiger. Until we meet again."

But even as Pathan grieved, far away, Tiger was already planning his next move. Hidden in the shadows, alive and free, he knew that his fight was far from over. The world believed he was dead, and that gave him the perfect opportunity to continue his work, to fight the battles that still needed to be fought.

Tiger knew that the consequences of his past actions were inevitable, and that his path had been one of destruction as much as it had been of justice. But as he stood on the precipice of his supposed demise, he realized that faking his death was not just a way to escape-no, it was a necessary sacrifice, a strategy to ensure that he could continue to do what was right without being hunted, without dragging others into the crossfire.

This was all a part of Tiger's plan. He had prepared everything in advance, knowing that this moment would come. He had procured a half-burned body of a nameless man who had died in a recent fire with the same height and build as himself with the help of his contacts at the local municipality morgue. The body was burned beyond recognition. Tiger dragged the body to the secluded alley, positioning it just right where he needed his body to be found by Pathan and his men. He then placed his own belongings-his watch, a few personal effects, and a piece of clothing-on the body to create a plausible scenario.

The goal was simple: when Pathan and his team arrived, they would find what they believed to be Tiger's remains, convincing them that Tiger had perished in the battle between the attackers and Tiger.

But this wasn't just about evading capture. Tiger understood that his continued presence, if known, would only complicate matters for Pathan and others trying to rebuild what Bakshi and his allies had torn apart. By erasing himself from the picture, Tiger was giving those who fought alongside him a chance to finish the fight without the baggage of his past weighing them down.

This was it. The moment where Tiger would disappear forever, leaving behind a ghost story that would haunt the intelligence community for years to come.

Satisfied with the setup, Tiger took one last look at the scene before slipping away into the night, his heart heavy but resolute. There was no turning back now. He had orchestrated his own death and, in doing so, had given himself the freedom to continue his mission without the weight of the world bearing down on him.

Tiger had always been a man who lived in the shadows, fighting battles that others couldn't or wouldn't fight. And now, with the world believing him dead, he could do so with even greater effectiveness. It wasn't about escaping justice-it was about ensuring that justice could continue to be served, even if it meant he had to disappear to make it happen.

And as the first light of dawn touched the rooftops of New Delhi, Tiger disappeared into the shadows, a man reborn with a new purpose, knowing that his work was far from over.