CHAPTER 100: STERLING’S ARRIVAL.

The Mumbai heat hit Sterling the moment he stepped out of the airport. He’d been traveling for nearly twenty hours, but adrenaline kept him sharp. His local contact was waiting in the arrivals area, a slim man in his forties named Rajesh who’d been conducting surveillance for the past week.

"Mr. Sterling," Rajesh said, shaking his hand. "We need to talk."

They walked to Rajesh’s car and drove toward the city center. Rajesh pulled out a tablet and showed Sterling photos of the apartment building where Mira was staying.

"She’s in unit 304," Rajesh said. "Third floor, corner apartment. Small, maybe 800 square feet. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, combined living and kitchen area."

"How often has she left the apartment?"

"Barely at all. In the past five days, she’s gone out twice. Once to a nearby market for food, once to a pharmacy. Both trips lasted less than thirty minutes. The rest of the time, she stays inside with the curtains drawn."

Sterling studied the photos. "What about the two friends? Raquel and Liam?"

Rajesh shook his head. "I haven’t seen them leave at all. Not once. Either they’re staying inside completely, or..."

"Or something’s wrong with them."

"Exactly."

They reached a building across the street from Mira’s apartment. Rajesh had rented a unit on the third floor that gave them a direct view of her windows. Sterling set up his equipment immediately, unpacking high-powered cameras and directional microphones.

"Tell me about yesterday," Sterling said as he adjusted the audio receiver. "You mentioned hearing something."

Rajesh’s expression darkened. "About twelve hours ago, maybe a bit more. There was screaming from the apartment. A woman’s voice, high pitched, terrified. Then a man’s voice, shouting but incoherent. Like he wasn’t making words, just sounds."

"How long did it last?"

"Maybe five minutes. Then complete silence. I thought about calling the police, but Mr. Koker said to observe only."

Sterling nodded. "What happened after the silence?"

"Nothing for hours. Then I saw movement through a gap in the curtains. Just Mira, walking around. No sign of the others."

Sterling aimed his photo camera at the apartment windows. The curtains were still drawn, but through small gaps he could see slivers of the interior. A piece of furniture here, a section of wall there.

He activated the directional microphone and adjusted the sensitivity. At first, just ambient noise. Then he heard it.

Mira’s voice, clear and steady. "You need to understand what happened. You need to accept the new memories."

Sterling and Rajesh exchanged glances.

"Who is she talking to?" Rajesh whispered.

Sterling increased the gain on the microphone. He could hear Mira moving around, her footsteps, the sound of water running. But no other voices. No responses to her statements.

For the next three hours, Sterling monitored the apartment. Every so often, Mira’s voice would come through. Always one-sided conversations. Always her explaining things, answering questions no one was asking, describing events that may or may not have happened.

"It’s like she’s rehearsing," Sterling said. "Preparing for something."

His phone rang. It was Mr. Koker.

"I’m set up here already," Sterling said. "But we may have a problem."

"What’s wrong, Sterling. Tell me."

"The other two kids. I haven’t seen them at all. Rajesh heard screaming twelve hours ago, then silence. Since then, just Mira moving around and talking to herself."

"Are they dead?"

Sterling had been asking himself the same question. "I don’t think so. This doesn’t feel like a crime scene. There’s no panic, no attempt to cover up or flee. Whatever happened, Mira expected it. She’s a bit jittery but she’s handling it well. She’s controlling the situation."

"What do you think is happening?"

"Based on what I’ve heard so far, the screaming could have been an adverse reaction to something. Because there was no sign of a fight or any struggle. The silence means they’re either unconscious or..." He paused. "Or something worse."

Koker’s voice was tight. "I need to know if those kids are alive."

"I’m working on it. But sir, I can’t just break down the door. If this goes wrong, if Mira really has done something to them, we need to handle it carefully or we’ll lose any chance of helping them."

"How long do you need?"

Sterling looked at his equipment, then at the apartment across the street. "Give me twenty-four hours. I’ll find a way to get visual confirmation that they’re alive. If they’re not, then we call the authorities."

"No. We’re not calling the authorities, Sterling. You handle everything yourself."

"But Sir..."

"No authorities, Sterling. And that’s final."

"Noted," he nodded. "But, I need twenty four hours."

"Fine. Twenty four hours. But Sterling, if those kids die while you’re waiting..."

"I know, sir. I’m moving as fast as I can."

After hanging up, Sterling settled in for a long surveillance session. He watched the apartment through his camera, listened through his microphone, and took detailed notes on everything he observed.

At hour five, the curtains moved slightly. Sterling zoomed in and caught a glimpse of Mira looking out at the street. She seemed calm, not paranoid or worried. Just checking, like someone might casually look out a window.

At hour seven, he heard what sounded like furniture being moved. Heavy scraping sounds, then Mira’s voice again. "This will be more comfortable. Just rest here."

Rest where? Who’s resting?

Sterling increased the audio sensitivity as far as it would go. He could hear Mira’s breathing, her footsteps, the sound of pages turning. But still no other voices. No sounds of two other people living in that apartment.

"They have to be unconscious," Sterling said to Rajesh. "There’s no other explanation."

"For how long? It’s been twelve hours already."

"I don’t know. And she seems very relaxed about it. Maybe she’s responsible for their unconsciousness."

After a pause, he said, "I’m starting to think she..."

"She what?"

"She drugged them." He admitted grimly.

Rajesh sucked in a sharp breath.

"And whatever drug she used, it must be powerful."

"But why drug them? They’re all in the house together. And they’re not moving either. So it’s not like she’s trying to change their location or something. So why?"

"I have no idea about that Rajesh. Which is why we have to keep watching, to see if any of this can make any sense."

As the twelve-hour mark approached, Sterling noticed increased activity in the apartment. Mira’s voice became more frequent, more animated. He heard water running for a long time, like she was filling containers. The sound of dishes or glasses clinking together.

"She’s preparing something," Sterling said, adjusting his camera to try to get a better view through the curtain gaps.

At exactly twelve hours after the screaming had stopped, Sterling heard something that made his blood run cold.

A groan. Faint, barely audible, but definitely human. Then another, from a different voice.

"The other kids, they’re waking up," Rajesh said.

Sterling grabbed his phone, ready to call Koker. But then he heard Mira’s voice, sharp and clear.

"Don’t try to move too quickly. You’ve been asleep for a while. Just take it slow."

A male voice, confused and slurred. "What... where..."

"You’re safe," Mira said. "You’re in Mumbai, in our apartment. Do you remember?"

Silence.

"Liam, do you remember why we came here?"

More silence. Then the male voice again, still confused but trying. "I... no. I can’t..."

"That’s okay. Your memory is still foggy. It’ll come back. Just rest for now."

Sterling was recording everything. This was crucial evidence of whatever Mira was doing.

Over the next few hours, he heard fragments of conversation. Mira talking patiently, explaining things. Liam and Raquel responding in confused, uncertain voices. Like people waking from a coma, trying to piece together where they were and what was happening.

"She’s feeding them false information," Sterling said to Rajesh. "Listen to how she’s doing it. She’s not asking them what they remember. She’s telling them what to remember."

Rajesh nodded. "It’s like brainwashing."

"Exactly, it’s like brainwashing."

Sterling called Koker again. "I have an update now. Both kids are alive. They are awake. But something is very wrong with them."

"What is wrong with them, Sterling?"

"They’re confused and disoriented. They can’t seem to remember basic things. And Mira’s using that confusion to plant new memories."

"Can you hear what she’s telling them?"

"Some of it. She’s talking about a shared past that I don’t think exists. Schools they supposedly attended together, places they supposedly lived. None of it matches what we know about these kids."

Koker was silent for a long moment. "That sounds likes she’s... trying to rewrite their identities."

Sterling nodded. "That’s what it looks like. And based on how confused they are, it might be working."

"I need you inside that apartment."

"Sir, I can’t just break in. There are legal issues, and if I spook her, I fear she might do something desperate. She’s trying to change her friends’ identities. Who knows what else she’s capable of?"

"Then find another way. Pose as building maintenance, a neighbor, I don’t care. But I need eyes on what’s happening in there."

Sterling looked at Rajesh. "Can you arrange for me to get inside legitimately?"

Rajesh thought for a moment. "There’s a way. You go in with disguise. Building inspection. I can forge the credentials, bribe the building manager. It’s common enough that it won’t seem suspicious."

"How long will that take?"

"Two days, maybe three. These things require preparation to look authentic."

Sterling relayed this to Koker, who cursed. "That’s too long. She could finish whatever she’s doing by then."

"I know, sir. But if I rush this, if I make her suspicious, she’ll shut down completely. We need to do this right."

Koker reluctantly agreed, and Sterling continued his surveillance.