Too much traffic between us

Collision Course

The stolen moment with Raunak left Vidisha with more questions than answers. She had allowed herself to be vulnerable, something she hadn’t done in a long time. The connection between them had grown undeniable, but the reality of their situation was a ticking time bomb.

Their jobs. The arsonist. The constant danger surrounding them. And most of all, the fact that they were falling for each other, despite knowing that it was the worst possible time.

The next morning, Vidisha woke up with a heavy feeling in her chest. As much as she wanted to push aside her emotions and focus on the work, Raunak was always on her mind. She couldn’t afford the distraction. Not now, with the city under threat and her team relying on her more than ever.

She walked into the station early, the sky still dark outside. The air smelled of lingering smoke, a reminder that the fires had not stopped. The arsonist was still out there, still watching, still playing his twisted game.

As she poured herself a cup of coffee, her phone buzzed on the counter. It was a text from Raunak.

Raunak: Can we talk?

Vidisha stared at the message, her heart beating faster. She had hoped that last night’s moment would be a one-time thing, something they could forget about and move on from. But Raunak wasn’t letting it go. And deep down, she knew she didn’t want to either.

But this wasn’t the time. They were on a collision course, and the inevitable crash was coming. She couldn’t let her personal feelings get in the way of the job.

Vidisha: Not right now. Work’s crazy.

She didn’t wait for his reply. She put her phone away and headed into the office, her mind racing with thoughts of the fires and the investigation. The arsonist was always two steps ahead, and it was driving her mad. Each fire was meticulously planned, set in places where the damage would be catastrophic and the risk to her team immense.

Vidisha couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing something. There had to be a pattern, a reason for the escalation. And the more she thought about it, the more she wondered if the arsonist was someone closer than they realized.

---

Later that day, Vidisha and her team were called to a fire in a residential area. This one was different. Smaller, more personal. As they arrived at the scene, Vidisha’s instincts went on high alert. Something about this fire didn’t feel right.

The house was engulfed in flames, but it wasn’t the usual chaotic inferno. It was too controlled, too methodical. Vidisha’s mind raced as she watched her team spring into action. She scanned the scene, looking for anything out of place, but everything seemed normal on the surface.

Except for the fact that Raunak was there.

Vidisha spotted him standing near the ambulance, his expression grim as he oversaw the medical team. Their eyes met across the scene, and the tension between them was palpable, even from a distance. He hadn’t called or texted again after her curt reply, but the weight of their unfinished conversation hung heavy in the air.

Shoving her personal feelings aside, Vidisha turned her attention back to the fire. Her team was making progress, getting control of the blaze, but something still didn’t sit right with her. There was something off about the way the fire had been set, something she couldn’t put her finger on.

She moved closer to the house, her eyes scanning the charred walls and smoke-filled windows. And then she saw it—something small, barely noticeable, but enough to set off alarm bells in her mind.

A faint scorch mark, too precise to be accidental, running along the edge of one of the windows.

It was a signature.

Vidisha’s heart pounded as the realization hit her. The arsonist was leaving clues. Taunting them.

She grabbed her radio, calling over her second-in-command. “I need a full sweep of this area. We’re looking for anything that doesn’t belong—a mark, a sign, anything.”

As her team began their search, Vidisha couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that someone was watching them. And as her eyes scanned the crowd that had gathered near the barricades, she saw something—or rather, someone—that made her blood run cold.

A man, standing just on the edge of the crowd. He was too calm, too composed, his eyes fixed on the burning house with a strange sense of detachment.

Vidisha’s instincts screamed at her. That was him. The arsonist.

She moved quickly, weaving through the crowd, her eyes locked on the man. He didn’t flinch as she approached, didn’t run. Instead, he gave her a slow, almost mocking smile before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

Vidisha cursed under her breath. She had been so close. But whoever he was, he wasn’t done playing his game. And now, she knew for sure that he was watching them. Watching her.

---

After the fire was under control, Vidisha’s mind was still racing. She couldn’t shake the image of the man in the crowd, the way he had smiled at her like he knew something she didn’t. She had to figure this out, had to stop him before more lives were put at risk.

As she walked back toward the ambulance, she spotted Raunak standing alone, his eyes on her as she approached. She could see the worry etched in his face, the concern that had nothing to do with the fire.

“We need to talk,” he said quietly as she came to a stop in front of him.

Vidisha let out a heavy breath, knowing she couldn’t avoid this any longer. “Not here,” she muttered, looking around at the firefighters and police officers still milling about.

Raunak nodded, understanding. “Later, then.”

Vidisha turned to leave, but Raunak’s voice stopped her.

“Vidisha, be careful,” he said, his tone soft but serious.

She looked back at him, her heart aching with the weight of everything unsaid between them. “I always am.”

But even as the words left her mouth, she knew they weren’t entirely true. Because when it came to Raunak, she was far from careful. They were on a collision course, heading straight for disaster, and there was no way to stop it now.

---

Back at the station, Vidisha stayed late, poring over the files again. Her thoughts were divided between the fires and Raunak, the lines between personal and professional blurring more every day.

The arsonist was watching her. And now, with Raunak involved, the stakes were higher than ever. She had to stop this before it spiraled further out of control.

But the truth was, she didn’t know how to stop the fire burning between her and Raunak either. And that scared her more than anything else.