The air in Minsk was still thick with the tension from the sniper attack as Pathan sat beside Rubina Khan in her secured hospital room. Outside the window, the city was draped in the soft light of dawn, but the tranquility of the early morning did little to soothe the unease that gnawed at him. The events of the previous night had only deepened the mystery, and as Rubina recovered from her injuries, the need for answers grew more urgent.

Pathan watched as Rubina stirred awake, her movements slow and deliberate. The graze on her shoulder, though not life-threatening, was a stark reminder of how close she had come to death. Her eyes, sharp and vigilant even in her weakened state, met Pathan's.

"Did you catch the shooter?" Rubina's voice was raspy but firm, betraying none of the pain she must have been feeling.

Pathan shook his head, frustration evident in his expression. "They got away. But this wasn't just a random attack, Rubina. Someone wants you dead, and they're willing to go to great lengths to make it happen."

Rubina sighed, her gaze drifting to the window. "I suppose it was only a matter of time before the past caught up with me."

Pathan leaned forward, his voice low and urgent. "Then it's time we face that past. We need to figure out why Tiger is targeting you, and what connection it has to his family's murder."

For a moment, Rubina said nothing, her eyes narrowing as she considered his words. There was a flicker of hesitation in her gaze, as if she was weighing the consequences of what she was about to say. Finally, she nodded, a decision made.

"Alright, Pathan," Rubina said, her tone resolute. "I'll help you. But you need to understand something-this goes deeper than you think. If we're going to uncover the truth, we're going to have to dig into places that are best left undisturbed."

Pathan met her gaze, determination burning in his eyes. "Whatever it takes. We're running out of time, Rubina. And I need to know who we can trust."

As Rubina recovered, Pathan filled her in on the progress-or lack thereof-in their investigation. The sniper attack had raised more questions than it had answered, but it had also made one thing clear: they were dealing with a highly organized and dangerous enemy.

"I've already put a team on tracing the shooter," Pathan explained. "But they were good-too good. Whoever's behind this has resources and connections that run deep."

Rubina nodded, her expression grim. "If they're willing to go to such lengths to silence me, it means we're on the right track. But we need to be careful. There's no telling how far they'll go to protect their secrets."

Pathan's thoughts turned to Tiger. He had been the catalyst for this entire operation, the man who had set everything in motion. But as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, Pathan couldn't shake the feeling that Tiger wasn't working alone-that there was someone else pulling the strings.

"What do you know about the people who might want you dead?" Pathan asked, his voice probing but gentle. "You mentioned that this goes deeper than I think. How deep?"

Rubina hesitated, clearly struggling with how much to reveal. "There's a lot I can't tell you, Pathan. But what I can say is that Tiger's family's murder wasn't an isolated incident. It was part of a much larger conspiracy-one that involved both Indian and Pakistani intelligence."

Pathan's eyes widened slightly, his mind racing. "You're saying there were people within RAW and ISI who orchestrated the murder?"

Rubina nodded. "Yes. And they did it to protect certain interests-interests that would be jeopardized if the truth were ever revealed. I don't know all the details, but I do know that Tiger's quest for revenge is driven by more than just grief. He's hunting the people responsible, and he won't stop until they're all dead."

Pathan absorbed her words, the gravity of the situation sinking in. If Rubina was right, then Tiger's vendetta was more than just personal-it was a war against a shadowy cabal that had infiltrated the highest levels of both intelligence agencies.

"And you think there's a mole within RAW?" Pathan asked, his voice tight with tension.Rubina's expression darkened. "I don't just think it, Pathan-I know it."

Pathan's heart sank. A mole within RAW would explain a lot. But the realization also filled him with dread. If there was a traitor among them, then no one was safe.

"We need to find out who it is," Pathan said, his voice steely with resolve. "And we need to do it quickly."

Rubina nodded in agreement. "We start by going through everything-old case files, communications, anything that might give us a clue. But we have to be discreet. If the mole gets wind of what we're doing, they'll try to stop us."

Pathan's mind was already working, formulating a plan. They would have to tread carefully, using every resource at their disposal to uncover the truth. But the stakes had never been higher, and failure was not an option.

Back in Delhi, Zoya Khan was facing her own set of challenges. Ever since she had started digging deeper into the old case files related to Tiger's family's murder, she had encountered resistance at every turn. Requests for access to classified documents were stonewalled, and key figures who might have had information were suddenly unavailable for interviews.

It was as if someone didn't want her to uncover the truth.

Zoya sat at her desk in the dimly lit records room, frustration gnawing at her as she sifted through yet another stack of redacted reports. The more she searched, the more she began to realize that the entire investigation had been deliberately obfuscated, with crucial details buried or erased altogether.

She had always prided herself on her tenacity, on her ability to find the needle in the haystack. But this time, it felt like the haystack was rigged against her. Every lead she followed seemed to end in a dead end, every question she asked met with vague answers or outright hostility.

It didn't help that her superiors were less than supportive. When she had first brought her concerns to her boss, he had dismissed them as baseless speculation, warning her to stay focused on her current assignments. But Zoya couldn't shake the feeling that she was onto something big-something that someone didn't want her to uncover.

Despite the obstacles, Zoya refused to give up. She knew that the answers were out there, hidden among the layers of deception and bureaucracy. And if there was one thing she had learned in her years with RAW, it was that persistence paid off.

As she continued to dig, Zoya's instincts told her that she was getting closer to the truth. She just needed to find the right thread to pull, the one that would unravel the entire conspiracy.

Her phone buzzed on the desk, interrupting her thoughts. Glancing at the screen, she saw that it was a message from Pathan-a brief update on the situation in Minsk, along with a request for any new information she might have uncovered.

Zoya frowned as she read the message. Pathan had mentioned the possibility of a mole within RAW, and the idea sent a chill down her spine. If there really was a traitor among them, it would explain the resistance she had been facing-but it also meant that the situation was even more dangerous than she had realized.

She quickly composed a response, summarizing her findings and expressing her concerns about the roadblocks she had encountered. As she hit send, Zoya couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out. The conspiracy they were uncovering was vast and far-reaching, and if they didn't act soon, they might lose their chance to expose it.

But Zoya was nothing if not determined. She would continue to dig, continue to push, until she found the answers they needed. No matter the cost.

While Pathan and Zoya were racing against time to uncover the truth, Tiger was on the move once more. His next target: an ISI agent in Rome.

The Eternal City was a world away from the cold streets of Minsk, its ancient ruins and bustling piazzas providing the perfect cover for Tiger's next strike. As he moved through the crowded streets, blending seamlessly with the tourists and locals, his mind was focused on one thing: the mission.

The agent, codenamed "Rana," had been a key player in ISI's operations in Europe, responsible for coordinating covert activities across the continent. He was well-protected, surrounded by bodyguards and security measures designed to keep him safe from any threat.

But Tiger was no ordinary threat.

He had spent days preparing for this moment, studying Rana's movements, identifying the weaknesses in his security. And now, as he approached the café where Rana was scheduled to meet a contact, Tiger knew that the time had come.

The café was a small, unassuming place, nestled in a quiet corner of Trastevere. Rana was seated at a table near the back, his eyes scanning the room as he sipped his espresso. He looked like any other businessman enjoying a late-morning coffee, but Tiger knew better.

As Tiger entered the café, he felt a surge of adrenaline. The familiar rush of the hunt, the thrill of being in control. He had always been at his best in moments like this, when the world narrowed to a single point of focus.

Rana didn't notice Tiger as he approached. His attention was on the phone in his hand, a slight frown creasing his brow as he read a message. Tiger's steps were silent, his movements fluid as he closed the distance.

When he was close enough, Tiger drew his weapon-a compact, silenced pistol-and aimed it at Rana's head. The shot was quick, precise, and deadly. Rana's body slumped forward, his phone slipping from his fingers as his life drained away.

Tiger didn't linger. He slipped the pistol back into his jacket and exited the café, his expression calm and composed. As he walked away, blending once more with the crowds, he felt no remorse, no guilt. This was what he had been trained to do, what he had become.

But as he made his way through the winding streets of Rome, a nagging thought tugged at the back of his mind. The sniper in Minsk, the escalating complexity of the missions-it was all leading to something bigger, something he couldn't yet fully grasp.

Tiger knew that he was getting closer to his ultimate goal, but he also knew that the game was far from over. There were still pieces of the puzzle that didn't fit, still shadows that he couldn't quite see into.

As he left the scene behind, Tiger resolved to stay one step ahead-to continue his hunt, no matter where it led.

But even as he walked away from the café, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him, that the net was closing in. And for the first time in a long while, Tiger wondered if he was the hunter-or the hunted.

The news of Rana's assassination spread quickly, sending shockwaves through both ISI and RAW. It was clear that Tiger was continuing his deadly campaign, striking at the heart of the intelligence community with ruthless precision.

For Pathan, the news was a bitter blow. Despite their efforts, Tiger had managed to evade them once again, and another life had been lost as a result. The urgency of their mission was now greater than ever, and the need to uncover the truth behind Tiger's actions had never been more pressing.

But with each new revelation, the conspiracy they were uncovering grew more complex, more dangerous. The realization that there was a mole within RAW added a new layer of tension to the already volatile situation, and Pathan knew that they were running out of time.

As he stood in Rubina's hospital room, the weight of the situation pressed down on him. They were up against a formidable enemy, one that was determined to protect its secrets at any cost.

But Pathan was not about to back down. He had come too far, risked too much, to give up now. The truth was out there, buried beneath layers of deception and betrayal, and he was determined to find it.

The hunt for Tiger was entering its final phase, and Pathan knew that the next move could determine the fate of everything they had fought for. But as he prepared for the battles ahead, he couldn't shake the feeling that the greatest threat was still lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.