The Skyfall

The wastes were burning fiercely in the night, and thick clouds of smoke covered up the cold air. The smell of burnt metal and fuel got into my lungs, making it hard to breathe. Ravi and I sprawled across the dirt, with aches all over our bodies and sooty faces.

Behind us, the black SUV idled, its headlights throwing long shadows over the debris. The engine purred like a predator waiting to strike.

Ravi grabbed my arm, his grip tight. “Bro, this feels wrong.“

He was right.

The men who stepped out of the SUV weren’t paramedics. They weren’t police either. They moved with eerie precision, boots crunching over dry grass, their faces hidden under caps. One of the tall boys spoke into the walkie-talkie with some urgency, his voice low.

The girl beside me groaned and squeezed my wrist. Though she was injured, her grip was surprisingly strong. “Hide the case” she whispered.

My stomach clenched.

I turned toward the wreckage. Strapped to the remains of the passenger seat was a small, metal case. No bigger than a shoebox.

And from the way she said it, I knew—whatever was inside, these men wanted it badly.

“Stay here!” I told Ravi under my breath. Then, I ran.

The heat stung my skin as I lunged for the case, yanking at the straps. My fingers burned, but I managed to pull it free and shove it under my jacket.

Then—

“Hey!“

One of the men had seen me.

“Drop whatever you just took…” he ordered, stepping forward. His hand slipped into his jacket.

I knew that move.

Gun.

My pulse slammed against my ribs.

Before I could react, Ravi did.

He kicked a rock—hard. It smacked right into the guy’s face. The man stumbled back, cursing.

“RUN!” I shouted.

We bolted.

Branches clawed at my arms as we tore through the orchard. Behind us, angry shouts filled the air. Footsteps pounded against the earth. They were fast. Too fast.

I turned to the girl. “What the hell is in this case?“

She gasped for breath but didn’t slow down. “A flight stabilizer chip.“

I almost tripped. “A what?“

She glanced at me, eyes wide with urgency. “An AI-based system for vertical takeoff. It makes aircraft fly like a drone but without military-grade tech. If it works—“

“It’ll change aviation forever.” I finished, my heart hammering.

Now it made sense.

This wasn’t just about a school project gone wrong. If these students had developed something like this—something that could revolutionize air travel—the defense industry wouldn’t be the only one interested.

Big corporations. Private firms. Smugglers. Arms dealers.

Hell, maybe even governments.

Ravi swore under his breath. “And those guys?“

“They’re not ours,” the bespectacled boy panted. “Someone hacked into our system last week. We thought it was a prank, but now…“

A gunshot split the night.

“DOWN!“

I tackled the girl as the bullet ripped through the air, slamming into a tree trunk inches away. Bark exploded over us.

We needed cover. Now.

The farmhouse was close, but leading these guys there would be a mistake. Then, an idea sparked in my head.

The bunker.

My grandfather had built it decades ago, a hidden underground cellar behind the cow shed. It was meant for storing fertilizer and tools—now, it might just save our lives.

“This way!” I whispered.

We veered off the path, zigzagging through the orchard. The men were still behind us, their flashlights sweeping through the darkness.

My hands fumbled for the rusted metal hatch. I yanked it open.

“Go!” I hissed, pushing Ravi and the others inside.

The last thing I saw before I shut the door was a beam of light slicing through the trees.

We held our breath.

Footsteps approached.

They stopped.

A voice cursed in frustration.

Then… silence.

For now, we were safe.

But we all knew the truth—this wasn’t over.