The days following Major Bhargav's arrest were quieter than Naina and her team had expected. It was almost as if the calm before the storm had descended upon KMA and the world outside. The news of the traitor within their ranks sent ripples throughout the academy, but with Lala and Bhargav now behind bars, there was an unspoken sense of relief among the cadets. They had won, but the victory felt hollow, as if there were pieces missing from the puzzle.

Naina sat at her desk in her room, reviewing the intelligence reports and cross-referencing everything they had learned over the past few weeks. Rajveer had been quiet, withdrawn even, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. It was as if they had uncovered one layer of deception, but the deeper layers were still hidden from view.

"Hey, you okay?" A familiar voice broke her train of thought. Yudi stood in the doorway, his usual carefree expression replaced with something more serious.

"Yeah," Naina replied, her gaze still fixed on the papers in front of her. "Just trying to make sense of everything. It feels like we’ve missed something."

Yudi stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "You know, after everything we’ve been through, you’d think things would slow down for a bit. But I’ve got this feeling..." He paused, watching Naina closely. "I think we’ve only scratched the surface."

Naina glanced up at him. "You’re not wrong," she admitted, running a hand through her hair. "Lala was just a pawn, and Bhargav? A traitor, yes, but what if there’s someone even higher up? Someone who orchestrated all of this?"

Yudi’s expression hardened. "If that’s true, we’re not done yet."

Naina exhaled slowly. "I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I feel like we need to dig deeper." She leaned back in her chair. "Rajveer's been acting strange. I think he's hiding something."

---

Meanwhile, Rajveer was in the training hall, surrounded by his thoughts. It had been a while since the explosion—since his supposed death—and though Naina believed in him, there were moments where he wondered if his presence was truly a blessing or a burden. The mission had changed them all, but he had seen something in Naina’s eyes that night—the depth of her love, her struggle. She wasn’t just fighting for justice anymore; she was fighting for her own heart.

The sudden creak of the door interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to see Amar step into the room, his face unreadable.

"Rajveer, we need to talk."

Rajveer nodded, motioning for him to take a seat. "What’s on your mind, Amar?"

Amar sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "It’s about Naina. I’ve been noticing things—she’s been more distant lately, quieter. I think she’s onto something."

Rajveer raised an eyebrow. "You think she suspects something?"

"It’s not just that," Amar said, his voice low. "She’s been keeping a lot to herself, especially about her brother, Naveen. You know how much that means to her. But there's something... off."

Rajveer’s eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by ‘off’?"

"I think she’s pushing herself too hard. Trying to find answers where there might not be any. We both know what happens when you dig too deep. It can consume you."

Rajveer stood up slowly, his fists clenched at his sides. "She has every right to know the truth, Amar. She’s been through too much for too long. We all have."

Amar stood up, too, meeting his gaze. "I agree, but we’ve also lost people along the way. We can’t afford to lose her, too."

---

That night, Naina couldn’t sleep. The unanswered questions had been gnawing at her since the arrest of Lala and Bhargav. There were too many loose ends. She needed to get to the bottom of it, but she couldn’t do it alone. Not anymore.

She stood up, grabbed her jacket, and made her way to the training hall, hoping to find Rajveer. But when she arrived, it wasn’t Rajveer she found. It was Ali, standing near the edge of the room, his eyes scanning the floor. He looked up as she approached, offering a small smile.

"You’re up late," he remarked.

"Couldn’t sleep," Naina admitted. "Have you seen Rajveer?"

"He’s around. But you don’t look like you’re here just to find him."

Naina chuckled softly. "You’re perceptive." She crossed her arms, her gaze drifting to the floor. "I’ve been thinking about everything that’s happened—about Naveen, about Rajveer, about Lala... And it feels like the more I dig, the less I understand."

Ali nodded, walking toward her. "You know, sometimes the answers don’t come all at once. But you’ve got to trust that you’re on the right path."

Naina met his eyes. "I’ve been trying. But what if the answers aren’t what I expect? What if the people I trust the most... aren’t who I thought they were?"

Ali placed a hand on her shoulder. "You’re not alone in this, Naina. We’ve all been through it, and we’re here for you. Whatever you need, we’ll face it together."

Just then, Rajveer entered the room, his presence commanding the space. His eyes met Naina’s, and there was an unspoken understanding between them. He could see the turmoil in her expression, the confusion and doubt. He walked over to her, standing silently for a moment before speaking.

"You’ve been thinking too much," Rajveer said, his voice low, though there was concern hidden behind his words. "Sometimes, the mind plays tricks. You need rest."

Naina didn’t respond immediately. She didn’t need to. She could feel the weight of his gaze and the words unsaid between them. "I think I’ve been too focused on the wrong things," she finally said. "I need to find out who’s really pulling the strings. We need to find out who’s behind everything."

Rajveer nodded, his expression hardening. "And we will. Together."

---

The next day, as the sun rose over KMA, the team gathered in the war room, a sense of determination hanging in the air. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, but they were still missing something—someone. The truth was out there, hidden in the shadows, and they had to expose it before it consumed them all.

"We’re not done yet," Naina said, her voice steady as she addressed her friends. "We’ve uncovered the lies, but the truth is still out there. And we will find it."

The journey was far from over.