"He probably went ahead to check something," Kabir said. But his voice had a slightly careful quality, like a man keeping his tone level by effort.
They walked faster. The next section of the ravine was straight — fifty metres visible ahead, ending in another curve. No Vikram.
"VIKRAM BHAI!" Tanya called, louder, the title instinctive — the respect of someone raised to address older men correctly.
The ravine did its thing with the sound. Then: nothing.
Aryan stopped filming. This was the first time he had lowered the camera since they entered the ravines. Priya kept hers rolling — not because she didn't feel what was in the air, but because the footage was the record, and you kept the record even when things went wrong.
"Options," Aryan said.
"He went ahead quickly for some reason," Kabir said. "We keep moving and find him at the vehicle."
"Or he went off the main path," Tanya said.
"Why would he do that?"
She did not have an answer to this. The question sat in the air between them.
