The air in the room was heavy, filled with the quiet hum of the makeshift computer system and the occasional rustle of paper as Isabella traced her finger over the faded map. The soft blue light from the monitor cast shadows across the walls, making their sparse, scavenged room feel even smaller.

Rajan, his back straight against the doorframe, glanced over his shoulder. "You've been at this for hours, Kira. Maybe you should take a break." His voice carried a note of concern, but his watchful eyes remained fixed on the narrow gap in the boarded-up window.

Isabella, without looking up, chimed in, "He's right. You haven't slept properly in days. At this rate, you're going to burn out before we make any progress."

Kira didn't look up. Her fingers continued their relentless dance across the keyboard, a soft clacking filling the space. "I can't stop now," she said, her voice firm but tired. "I've widened the search radius. If she's out there, I'll find her." She paused, leaning back for the first time in hours. Her eyes closed briefly as she massaged her temples. "We need to find her at any cost."

Isabella exchanged a glance with Rajan before folding up the map. She leaned forward, her tone softer now. "Kira, we're not saying this isn't important. But if you push yourself too hard, you'll miss something crucial."

Kira finally looked at them, her resolve clear despite the dark circles under her eyes. "I know," she admitted quietly, "but every second we waste gives them more of a lead. That woman with the pink aura...she could be the key to everything."

Kira leaned forward, her fingers laced tightly as she stared at the monitor. Her voice carried a mix of frustration and determination. "If she's deliberately staying off the radar, she's better than anyone I've ever traced, and trust me I have traced a lot of people And that scares me." The scanning grid blinked back at her, an unyielding reminder of the silence they were fighting against.

Isabella placed the folded map on the table, her brow furrowed in thought. "We can't afford to keep running without a plan. If she's as important as you think, she'll have a goal—something she's after. What if we stop chasing and start thinking like her? If we can figure out what she's looking for, we could draw her to us."

Rajan, leaning casually against the wall but with his sharp eyes betraying his tension, raised an eyebrow. "So, you're suggesting we bait her out? What exactly would that look like? Maybe leave a trail of breadcrumbs—or better yet, hang a big neon sign that says, 'Mystery Woman with Pink Aura, Here's What You Want'?"

Isabella shot him a smirk. "Not quite, but close. If we can pinpoint her objective, we could mimic it. Set up something she can't ignore."

Kira turned in her chair, her gaze flicking between the two. "And what if it backfires? What if we tip off the wrong people? You know they're still hunting us. The last thing we need is more attention."

Isabella crossed her arms. "It's a risk, sure. But let's face it—what we're doing now isn't working. We've been spinning our wheels for weeks, chasing a ghost. If this pink-aura woman is out there, she's staying one step ahead of us. We need to get creative."

Rajan rubbed the back of his neck, a hesitant look crossing his face. "It's not the worst idea. But it hinges on us figuring out her goal. Any guesses where we even start with that?"

Kira chewed on the inside of her cheek, her mind racing. "She's connected to the Morphin Grid somehow. I don't know how, but the aura, the power—it's tied to everything we've been fighting for. If we focus on grid signatures, artifacts, anything that might attract someone like her, maybe we can get a lead."

Isabella straightened, the hint of an idea lighting up her face. "What if we go back to the temple?"

Kira froze mid-gesture, her fingers poised above the keyboard. She slowly turned her gaze to Isabella, her expression skeptical. "The temple? You're suggesting we go back to a place full of people and security cameras……you do realise that is not how we stay off the radar?"

Isabella leaned forward, her tone insistent but measured. "Think about it. That's where Rajan saw her. It's the strongest lead we've got. If she was drawn there before, there's a chance she might be drawn there again. Besides," she added, her gaze locking with Kira's, "the temple is ancient. There could be something we missed—something she's tied to."

Kira tapped her fingers against the edge of the desk, clearly weighing the suggestion. "The temple is a risk. We've been avoiding places like that for a reason. It's not just about her—it's about what else might be waiting for us there."

Isabella shrugged. "And staying hidden forever isn't exactly risk-free, is it? We're running out of options, Kira. We need to stop being so reactive and take the fight to the source."

Rajan cut in, his voice steady but cautious. "If we're seriously considering this, we'd need a solid plan. If she's there—or if someone else is—we need to be ready for anything."

Kira leaned back in her chair, her jaw tightening, "You have a point, Isabella. The temple is our only real lead, no matter how dangerous it is."

The temple stood as a grand testament to ancient Indian architecture, its towering spires and intricately carved walls exuding a timeless reverence. Covered in vibrant garlands of marigold and jasmine, the temple was alive with color, the air thick with the scent of incense and the hum of prayers. Devotees moved through the temple grounds, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished stone floors. Bells tolled rhythmically in the inner sanctum, each chime resonating through the space like a sacred heartbeat.

Kira, Rajan, and Isabella blended into the bustling crowd, each dressed to fit the setting. Kira wore a simple beige kurta and a dupatta draped loosely around her shoulders. Rajan had opted for a modest kurta-pajama ensemble, his posture relaxed yet alert. Isabella, in a light cotton salwar suit, kept her head covered with a scarf, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings from beneath its folds.

The trio moved through the throng of devotees with practiced subtlety. Kira clasped her hands together as if in prayer, nodding respectfully to those around her. Rajan, familiar with the rituals and traditions, expertly navigated the labyrinthine layout of the temple. Isabella kept her movements measured, her gaze darting from face to face, searching for anything—or anyone—that might stand out.

Stopping near a vendor selling offerings of coconuts and incense sticks, Kira leaned in to ask softly, "Excuse me, have you noticed anyone unusual here recently? Perhaps a woman with…an aura about her?"

The vendor, an elderly man with a weathered face, furrowed his brow. "So many people come and go here, beta. It's hard to say. But if she is someone special, the temple's priests might have seen her."

Kira nodded with a polite smile, thanking the man before turning to Rajan and Isabella. "The priests might know something. Let's check."

They moved further into the temple, passing intricate stone carvings that depicted scenes from ancient epics. Rajan couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship, even as his mind stayed focused on the mission. "This place hasn't changed much since I last visited," he murmured, glancing at Isabella. "But it feels…different now."

Isabella responded with a quick nod, her voice hushed. "Let's hope that difference leads us to her."

At the sanctum, the trio approached a priest adorned in saffron robes. Rajan took the lead, bowing slightly before speaking. "Namaste Panditji, we're looking for someone—a woman who may have visited here recently. She might have seemed…unique."

The priest looked at them curiously but shook his head. "Many come seeking blessings" he says before looking at the three of them for a moment and smiles, "The divine works in mysterious ways, beta. Perhaps you should seek her not with your eyes, but with your heart."

Kira frowned subtly, her frustration evident as they stepped away. "That's poetic, but not exactly helpful."

For hours, they continued their search, weaving through the crowd and asking subtle questions of shopkeepers, devotees, and temple workers. But every lead fizzled out into vague responses or puzzled looks. The woman with the pink aura was as elusive as ever.

As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the temple, Isabella sighed, leaning against a weathered pillar. "Nothing. Either she's long gone, or she's hiding too well."

Rajan rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at Kira. "We've hit a dead end. Maybe she left clues somewhere else, or maybe this isn't the right temple."

Kira stared at the crowd, her jaw tightening in frustration. "We're missing something," she muttered. "I can feel it.

As the trio stood there, lost in thought, the vibrant atmosphere of the temple buzzing around them, Rajan's sharp eyes caught sight of something—or rather, someone—unexpected. He froze for a moment, his gaze narrowing.

There, among the devotees milling about, was a young woman, perhaps in her early twenties. She moved through the crowd with an air of quiet grace, her features soft yet unmistakably familiar. Rajan's heart skipped a beat. There was a subtle but undeniable glow surrounding her—an ethereal pink aura that shimmered just on the edge of his perception. It was faint but unmistakable, like the brush of something powerful but hidden.

"Kira…" Rajan's voice was low but urgent as he nudged her arm, nodding in the direction of the girl. Kira turned to look where he pointed, her eyes locking onto the young woman, her curiosity piqued.

"Do you see it?" Rajan asked, his tone almost reverent.

Kira's brow furrowed as she studied the girl more closely. The faint shimmer around her wasn't nearly as pronounced as what Rajan had described from the woman he'd seen months ago, but it was unmistakably there. A spark of recognition stirred in Kira's chest, and the weight of déjà vu settled over her like a heavy blanket.

Before she could process the feeling fully, the young woman turned toward them, her eyes meeting Kira's with an intensity that made Kira pause. There was something deeply familiar in the girl's gaze—a quiet understanding, like she knew Kira, but neither of them had ever met.

The girl offered a polite smile, though it held a trace of wariness. "Hello," she said softly, her voice carrying a serene calm. "

Kira instinctively took a step closer, drawn in by the aura, the words feeling oddly like a piece of a puzzle clicking into place. "Hello, are you from around here?" Kira asked, her voice quiet but insistent, as if probing for something deeper.

The girl shook her head. "No, I am from the north. I am visiting here with my family." She paused, her eyes lingering on Kira for a moment too long before a soft frown passed over her face, as though trying to place the recognition that flickered between them.

Rajan, standing slightly behind Kira, watched the interaction with growing tension. He noticed the girl's discomfort, as if she were wary of saying too much. Before Kira could speak further, the sound of hurried footsteps interrupted the moment. A middle-aged man, tall and well-built, emerged from the crowd. His face was stern, but there was a softness in his eyes as he approached the girl.

"Beta," he called in a low but firm voice. "It's time to go."

The girl looked up, her face shifting from one of quiet curiosity to a more guarded expression. "Yes, Father." She nodded once to Kira and Rajan, a fleeting but meaningful look passing between them before she turned, following her father's lead.

Kira felt her chest tighten as she watched them leave, the moment fading almost as quickly as it had appeared. The girl, the aura, the overwhelming sense of familiarity—everything seemed to slip through her fingers like sand.

"She was the one," Kira muttered, more to herself than anyone else, her voice carrying a mix of certainty and frustration. "I know it. She has to be."

Rajan, still watching them leave, frowned. "That was… strange. She wasn't exactly hiding, but the woman I saw was in her early 50s and she…"

Kira glanced back at the retreating figures, her thoughts racing. "But why the sudden change? The woman we've been searching for… she's much older. And yet, this girl…" Kira trailed off, her mind working through the implications.

"Maybe this girl is a key to understanding who the woman really is," Rajan suggested, his eyes still on the man and girl as they disappeared into the crowd. "But we don't have much time to figure it out."

Before Kira could respond, the girl and her father had vanished behind a thick cluster of devotees, and the moment was lost to the ebb and flow of temple life. Kira turned to Rajan, her determination now burning hotter than before. "We have to find her—now. Whatever connection she has to the other woman, it's important. We can't let her slip away."