Kiara couldn't help but stare at Aryaman, her eyes fixed on his chiseled features. But Aryaman caught her staring and scowled.

"Can I help you with something, Miss Sharma"? he asked gruffly, his voice dripping with disdain.

Kiara felt her cheeks flush, but she stood her ground, "N...o, I was ju....ssst admiring the outside panoramic view " ,she said confidently, her eyes never leaving Aryaman's face.

Aryaman's eyes narrowed. "Save it Ms. Sharma.We're not here to exchange pleasantries or admiring views".

Kiara's smile faltered, and she felt a spark of anger ignite within her. "And we are not here to be insulted either" , she shot back.

Aryaman's face darkened, and he took a step closer to Kiara. "You want to play it that way? Fine. But don't say I didn't warned you".

The air was thick with tension and the two of them glared at each other. Finally, Atul Sen, Aryaman's senior, intervened.

"Enough, both of you. We're here to work, not to fight."

Kiara turned to her senior, her voice trembling with anger. " Sir, I don't know why I was called here. I had to leave my valuable research behind for this.....this stupid work with an arrogant person."

Aryaman snorted. "If, you find this stupid, then maybe you should leave."

Kiara's eyes flashed with anger, but before she could respond , Aryaman continued.

Alright everyone, let's go down to business. We have lot of work to do.  "Neha, I want you to analyze the data we've collected so far on the drug cartel's operations. Look for patterns, connections, and any discrepancies. We need to know how they are moving their product and who's involved."

Neha nodded, her eyes lighting up with interest. "On it, Sir".

Aryaman turned to Rohan . "Rohan, you're going with me on the fieldwork. We'll conducting raids on suspected drug dens and gathering evidence. I want you to keep an eye out for any signs of trafficking and take note of any witness or suspects."

Aryaman turned to his teammates. "Pia and Raghav, I need you both to go undercover to Club Zara tonight. We've recieved intel that the club is a hub for drug dealers and we need to identify who's providing the drugs".

Pia nodded her eyes sparkling with excitement . "Got it, What's our cover story?"

Aryaman smiled wryly. "You're a couple celebrating your anniversary. Try to blend in and gather as much as information possible."

Raghav grinned. "Sounds like a blast".

Aryaman nodded his gaze flicking to Raghav. "Remember, you're both in danger .Be careful, and watch each other's backs."

Pia nodded , her eyes locked on Aryaman's ." We will get it done, Sir".

Aryaman turned towards the whiteboard, gesturing to the notes and diagrams. "Atul Sir, is working on hacking the club's security system ,so we can get better look at what's going on inside ". Rao Sir, is testing the drugs we've seized so far, trying to identify the source."

Pia nodded, her eyes scanning through the notes . "And what about Kiara?"

Aryaman's expression turned guarded and for a moment, there was a flicker of something else in his eyes. But then his mask slipped back into place.

Finally ,he turned to Kiara. "Kiara , I want you to go through the files on the cartel's financial transactions. We need to track their money trail and identify any top companies or fronts they're using. It's a tedious task but crucial to our investigation."

Kiara's face fell, but she nodded reluctantly. "Okay, Sir".

Aryaman handed her a thick stack of files. "Get started. I want a report on your findings by the end of the day".
_________________________________

I stepped into the office after conducting raids alongwith Rohan, my eyes scanning the room as I made my way to my desk. Neha was already there, typing away on her computer .

"Find anything?" I asked, dropping into my chair.

Neha shook her head. "Not much Sir, just a few scraps of paper and cryptic notes" .

I nodded, my mind only turning to the next step. "Keep digging. See if you can find any connections".

I spent the next hour reviewing everyone's findings. Pia and Raghav had managed to infiltrate the club, but they hadn't found anything concrete. Atul Sir, was still working on the hacking system and Rao Sir was running tests on the drugs we'd seized.

Finally , I made my way to Kiara's cabin. I pushed open the door, expecting her to find poring over files or typing away on her computer.

Instead, I found her dozing off
, her hand resting on her arms, with a drool on her face.

My anger flared, and I spoke without thinking. "What the hell, Kiara? You're supposed to be working , not sleeping on the job."

Kiara's eyes snapped, and she sat up straight , her face flushing. "I was just resting my eyes," she said her voice defensive.

I raised and eyebrow . "Resting your eyes? For the whole day?"

Kiara's eyes flashed with anger, " You've no right to question me, Sir. You're so quick to assume the worst about me."

I took a step closer to her , my voice low and even, "I'm trying to get the job done. And I have no time for the people who can't keep up".

Kiara's face twisted in anger. "You know , Aryaman you're always so quick to dismiss me. You never give me any fieldwork, you never trust me to handle anything important."

I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "That's because you have no expertise, Kiara. You're a toxicologist, not a field agent."

Kiara's face was red with anger, and for a moment, I thought she was going to explode. But then she seemed to collect herself and spoke in a low, even tone.

I'll have you know ,Sir, that I'm more than capable of handling myself. And I'll prove it to you."

I snorted. "I'm shaking in my boots, so terrifying ".

Kiara's smile was sweet and deadly. "You will see, Aryaman. You'll see."

And with that she turned and walked out of the cabin, leaving me feeling more than a little uneasy. What was she planning?

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I am writing for the first time , I really don't know if it's upto the marks, it's a slow burn story , so have patience.
Readers,Do tell me the places where I have to improve.