The silence in their headquarters was heavy. The four young women sat, their helmets off, the shame of their failure a bitter taste in their mouths.
Krishna stood in front of a large digital board, replaying a simulation of their failed mission. "Here," he said, his voice calm but serious. "This is where we lost control. We went in blind, we used a brute-force plan, and we did not work as a single unit."
"We failed because you weren't there with us, Krishna," Rosy said, her voice low. "Your voice on the mic wasn't enough. We need our leader on the field."
The other girls nodded in agreement. They realized that protecting him by keeping him away from the action had actually put the mission at greater risk.
Simran, who had been quietly working on her tablet, looked up with a determined smile. "I agree," she said. She tapped her tablet, and the debrief on the digital board was replaced by a new suit schematic. "I've been working on a command suit for Krishna. The under-suit has a micro-servo network for enhanced strength. The armor plates are fully bulletproof. The helmet has a full command digital screen inside, and a mic linked to all of you." She added the final detail. "It also has a sidearm. It fires non-lethal rubber bullets."
A few days later, in the middle of a bright, clear day, the alert came. It was a big one. The Devagiri Express passenger train had been hijacked and stopped on the bridge over the Godavari river, just outside the city.
"Suit up," Krishna said, his voice now crisp and authoritative. This time, there was no argument. This time, they would do it right.
For the first time, all five of them stood together in their full armor. They were a complete team.
They arrived at the bridge to a scene of controlled chaos. Police had cordoned off the area for kilometers, and news helicopters were already circling in the sky. The train was stopped in the middle of the bridge, a metal serpent silent under the hot sun.
"Anura, give me a sit-rep," Krishna commanded, the data from Simran's scans appearing on the digital screen inside his helmet.
"I'm detecting at least eight hijackers," Anura reported. "And... Krishna, they have multiple bombs. It looks like the whole bridge is rigged to blow."
Krishna's mind raced. "Okay team, here's the plan. We go silent, and we go fast."
The plan was a masterclass in coordination. Pritha moved to the underside of the bridge, her body turning to steel as she climbed the girders. Rukhsar, disguised as a railway worker, managed to get onto the tracks at the far end of the bridge to provide a second angle of attack.
The main assault team was Krishna, Judith, and Anura.
"Judith," Krishna commanded, "the doors, not the wall. On my mark."
With a mighty roar, Judith leaped onto the tracks. She didn't smash the wall; she grabbed the sealed doors of the central carriage and, with a groan of protesting metal, ripped them clean off their hinges.
The three of them stormed the train. The hijackers were shocked but opened fire. Judith was a walking fortress, her armor deflecting the bullets as she used her massive strength to disarm and disable two of the men with non-lethal force.
Another hijacker turned, raising his weapon at Anura. He never got the chance. Krishna moved with a fluid grace, using his Kalaripayattu training to disarm the man in two swift moves. Another hijacker appeared, and Krishna drew his sidearm, firing a single rubber bullet that hit the man squarely in the chest, knocking him to the floor, stunned but alive.
It was a blur of perfectly coordinated action. In the other cars, Pritha burst up through the floor to shield a group of passengers, while Rukhsar created a diversion that allowed police to board the rear of the train.
But the leader, in the driver's cabin, was still holding a detonator.
"Everyone out of my way!" he screamed as Judith smashed through the cabin door.
Krishna was right behind her. He saw the panicked hijacker's finger tighten on the trigger. There was no time to talk. He fired his sidearm. The rubber bullet hit the man's hand, forcing him to drop the detonator. In the same instant, Judith was on him, and the leader was subdued.
"Anura, the bombs!" Krishna commanded.
"Already on it," Simran's voice was calm. She was already inside the cabin, her fingers flying over the complex wiring. "And... defused. All of them."
It was over.
They gathered all the hijackers, tied them up, and left them on the tracks for the authorities. As police teams swarmed the train, securing the scene and helping the grateful passengers, a high-ranking police commissioner approached the five heroes. He and his officers had their weapons lowered, their faces a mixture of awe and gratitude.
"We... we don't know who you are," the commissioner said, his voice full of respect. "But you saved hundreds of lives today. On behalf of the city, and the entire state, thank you." He paused, then asked the question the whole world would soon be asking. "What is your name?"
Krishna stepped forward, his black helmet hiding his face but not his confidence. He looked at his teammates, and through their helmets, he could feel their unified agreement. This was the moment.
He gestured to the powerful figure in red and black armor. "She is Judith." He pointed to the sleek indigo form with the glowing white eyes. "She is Pritha." He indicated the graceful hero in the dark, shapeshifting suit. "She is Rukhsar." He nodded to the brilliant white and blue figure next to him. "She is Anura." Finally, he gestured to himself. "I am The Leader."
He stood tall, surrounded by his team, and made their final, official declaration to the world.
"And together," his voice was clear and strong, "we are Panch Shakti."
The chapter ends with the five heroes standing tall on the bridge, the police and the news cameras of the world watching them. They are no longer a secret. They have announced themselves. Their lives, and their city, will never be the same.
[To be continued…]
Support me: vanshbosssrahate@oksbi (UPI ID)
Author: Vansh Rahate
Editor: Vansh Rahate
Story by: Vansh Rahate
Under: Alaukika Studios