Like a hive on the verge of collapse, the newsroom buzzed. Breaking news tickers lit up on the monitors. The phones kept ringing. Ashwin, a sharp-eyed photojournalist renowned for his fearlessness and unwavering commitment to the truth, was at the heart of the turmoil. Like a sidearm, his camera bag dangled from the back of his chair. It was more than simply a tool; it was a historical witness.
Today’s task was not intended to be special: attend a regular political rally in Chennai. However, when Ashwin showed up, something seemed off. The atmosphere was excessively charged. The audience is also too rooted. The slogans are excessively staged. CM Yogeshwaran’s grin appeared to be somewhat… forced.
Ashwin’s instincts had been sharpened by street experience—broken systems, corrupt police, scams, and riots. He zoomed in and clicked when a glint from a roof caught his attention. A sniper. Without a question.
Chaos broke out in seconds. The CM fell apart. The sky was filled with gunfire. Everyone yelled and fled. Ashwin continued to shoot as he crouched behind a police barrier. The shooter got away, but Ashwin’s camera didn’t.
Ashwin’s heart raced as he uploaded the images at the Tamil Nadu Times. However, as soon as the first image loaded, Vinod, the editor-in-chief, came up behind him. “Don’t release that,” Vinod said, too composed. “Let the official story come first.”
Ashwin scowled. “However, it’s an attempt at political assassination.”
Vinod murmured, “This isn’t simply politics. It’s warfare. “Be clever.”
Hours later, the official narrative was broadcast: “CM collapses due to a mild cardiac arrest.” There is no confirmation of gunfire rumors.
Ashwin became ill. He was certain of what he had seen. He had evidence. However, coming out meant putting everything on the line—his career, his life, and perhaps even his family.
Someone made an attempt to break into his flat that night. His desk was ransacked, and the lock was scratched. However, the original photos’ hard drive was secure; he had it concealed in an aluminum foil-wrapped freezer.
The following morning, Ashwin ran into Renuka, his old flame and a passionate investigative reporter. Although their history was complicated, their ethical compass matched. “Yogeshwaran is not the only thing at stake here,” she remarked upon viewing the pictures. “A power shift is on the way. And someone is tidying up.”
Ashwin and Renuka started linking the dots: a series of recent fatalities among the chief minister’s senior staff, the inexplicable award of new commercial contracts to foreign firms, and an increase in social media bots disseminating false information. They discovered that the sniper was a former soldier who had most recently provided security for the ambitious Deputy Chief Minister, Arjun Prabhakar.
With little time left, Ashwin had two options: leak the tale to the public or submit it to a dishonest system that would suppress it.
He selected the latter.
Though not without a strategy, however.
While Ashwin facilitated a public upload through scheduled posts and encrypted backups, Renuka got in touch with an international wire agency. With Renuka’s article and Ashwin’s evidence, the tale would go live on several worldwide platforms at 5:30 p.m.
Ashwin got a phone call at 5:20 p.m.
“A cold voice said, ‘You upload that, you die.’ Your mother’s home is being monitored.”
Ashwin was frozen. Her family. They were aware of where to strike him.
Renuka glanced at him. “We must. “If we don’t talk now, no one will ever speak.”
He nodded. “Then we shall battle.”
Deadline at Dusk went live at 5:30 p.m. precisely as the sun set. Pictures. Names. Places. All.
There was an explosion of reaction.
Protests broke out throughout Tamil Nadu. Arjun Prabhakar rejected all allegations but left the nation within 24 hours. Renuka was given protection from the international press. Ashwin disappeared for weeks. Vinod, the editor, quit “for health reasons.”
However, the light has revealed the truth, no matter how unpleasant or beautiful it may be.
Ashwin came back to the newsroom after several months. Although the dust had settled, the world was changed. The simple story was no longer trusted by the public. They posed inquiries and sought accountability.
Renuka greeted him with a smirk as he walked in, camera in hand. “Are you prepared for your next task?”
Ashwin grinned. “Always.”
