Ch 27: Finally they meet
Written by Kavya and Concept by Sidhant First go to previous blogs if you have not already....
Five minutes later, Agent Hershel arrived—punctual and businesslike. He shook hands with both Daniel and Shree before getting straight to the point.
"As you know, this matter is serious, and highly confidential," Hershel began, his voice low. "Details about the case cannot be shared with anyone except Miss Cloe." He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle. "The Queen has been receiving strange letters. Two days ago, one such letter arrived. It contained details about Lady Petricia’s death—an event that, we believe, is part of a larger threat. The last line of the letter read: ‘You are the next.’ The letter was accompanied by a cutout of a Waq, a symbol we know has been found in similar incidents in Finland." Hershel glanced at both of them. "That’s why Miss Cloe called for your assistance. The Queen expected her to come in person, but she decided to send you both instead."
Daniel nodded grimly. "I understand. There’s a lot at stake."
Shree sat frozen, her mind racing. Tears welled up in her eyes. She had no idea what was happening. Why this sudden fear? The question lingered. As she looked up, she saw a man—a tall figure wearing a hat, a long coat, and tan jeans—approaching them.
Her heart stopped.
"Charlie," Hershel introduced.
Shree didn’t move. Her mind seemed to freeze, the world narrowing to this single moment. Her shock was so profound it left her motionless.
"Shree," said the man, his voice warm yet tinged with something else—concern, perhaps. "It’s been too long, hasn’t it?"
The words barely registered at first. But then, slowly, Shree's mind began to clear, and a flood of emotions rushed to the surface. Her brother—her dear brother—was alive.
"Dev," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Is it really you?"
"Yes," he replied gently, sitting beside her. He handed her a tissue, his hand trembling slightly as he ordered hot chocolate for her. "I know you have a thousand questions, and I’ll answer them all. But first, let me tell you that I am proud of you. You’ve done so much already—your project, the portal you created for missing people, especially for me."
He paused, his gaze serious. "I’ve been in a dangerous line of work, Shree. I couldn’t risk you or Ma and Pa knowing. The day I disappeared, I had a job to do. I couldn’t explain it all then. But now, I’m here to tell you everything."
Shree listened as Dev recounted his experiences—his efforts to stop a radical organization targeting the British monarchy, his recruitment by MI5, and his role in foiling attacks in Finland and India.
"I’ve always known you’d be strong enough to handle this," he continued, his voice heavy with guilt. "But I kept you in the dark because I couldn’t risk your safety."
Shree nodded, her eyes glistening with tears. "I always knew you were alive. I never gave up hope."
Dev smiled softly. "That’s the spirit, little sister. But for now, no one must know you’re my sister—not Daniel, not even Cloe. It’s too dangerous."
"Together," Shree said firmly, "we’ll stop this. We’ll end it, once and for all."
As Dev stood up and signaled Hershel to bring Daniel back upstairs, he whispered to himself, We’re almost there. We’ll finish this, together.
When Daniel returned, his concern was evident. "Are you all right, Shree?"
She stood up, wiping her tears. "More than ever. I was just scared. But Mr. Charlie explained everything. I’m ready to help. I promise, I’ll be an asset to this team."
