#9

A bus was parked at a bus terminal in Bristol. The passengers were walking out of bus one by one. Nawaz too walked out with a backpack and was wearing a cap and goggles. He was holding the strap of the bag with his one hand and was carrying the bus pass with the other one. He walked through the terminal and came out. He began to walk on the pedestrian lane. He stretched his hand out for lift. A taxi stopped near him. He opened the back door and sat at the backseat. The taxi driver drove away the car. Khalid Hasan (in his early fifties) was working on an UK accounting software in a computer inside the audit section office which was at the third floor of a three storey building which was an operational space for 'AVON SHIPPING SOLUTIONS'. He looked at the wall clock of which the hour needle was on twelve and the minute needle was on one. He left working. He stood up from his seat to have his lunch. He washed his hands in the washbasin of the washroom which was attached to the audit office. He wiped his hands with the handkerchief and sat on the chair at a table which was at the corner of the room designed especially for having meal. He was sitting alone their. His office bag was kept on the table. He took out his lunch box out of the bag. He was about to open the box when his phone beeped which was kept by the bag. He picked up the phone and accessed the chats. He sighed. Hasan came out of the office with the office bag in his hand. He came across a female colleague Perry (in her late twenties).

She asked, " Are you leaving sir? "

" Yeah, actually I feel like my head is getting heavy. I have been doing overtime for a week. "

" Why didn't you go to the doctor? "

" I am going to consult the doctor now. Then I'll take a few days leave. It might help me to get recover soon. "

" We'll, get well soon. "

" Thank you, Perry. "

He headed towards the elevator. The elevator door opened at ground floor. He walked through the open corridor. He walked out of the building to the car which was parked outside at the concrete parking lot. He wore goggles and sat inside the car. He kept the bag on the passenger seat. He drove the car out of the office premises. Nawaz was standing at the courtyard of the Clifton based Museum and Art Gallery. He was carrying a large size brown packet. Hasan walked into the museum. He came to Nawaz and removed his goggles. They shook hands. Nawaz gave him the packet.

Hasan said, " Oh, what is it? "

He took the packet. He opened the packet and pulled out a miniature painting.

" Oh, great. Thank you. "

" It's for your wife. I knew she loves contemporary paintings. "

" Indeed. "

He kept the painting back in the packet.

He said, " She is definitely going to love it. Thanks. "

Nawaz smiled. Hasan kept the packet inside his office bag.

Nawaz asked, " Shall we go upstairs? "

" Yeah, sure. "

There were three two seater comfy benches kept in the middle of the art gallery which was at the first floor of the museum. Hasan and Nawaz sat on the second bench. Nawaz kept his backpack on the ground while Hasan kept his bag by him.

Hasan said, " If Razzaq was still alive then he would have been invited here too. "

Nawaz huffed.

" You always considered him an idiot. He used to be upset with you because of this. "

Hasan nodded.

" I can understand how he felt. I used to trust him lot but sometimes he used to be very negligent. "

" If your mercenaries had been effective, Razzaq would have been alive today. "

" Dhiven? "

" What happened to him is not yet known. "

" The Indian agent who had been in London is responsible for what happened to Razzaq and Diven. Do you anything about him? "

" The girl couldn't speak much about him. They call him Alpha. "

Hasan hummed. He sighed.

" Alpha. "

Nawaz picked up his bag and stood up. Hasan stood up from the bench with his bag in hand. Hasan was driving the car which Nawaz was sitting on the passenger seat.

Nawaz asked, " What happens after you join the Blackstone? "

" Right now I am on notice period in my current company. Once I join the Blackstone they'll make me a member of their trade union in which some of our sleeper agents are already waiting for orders. "

" Does Mr. Mehta has any idea about this trade union? "

" They are carrying out this operation right under Mehta's nose and he has no source that makes him vigilant about it. "

" I see. "

Hasan smiled and looked at him. He turned ahead.

" What would you like to have for lunch? "

Nawaz smiled and sighed.

Carla Devins (in her mid thirties) was standing by the window of a hotel room in Geneva, Switzerland. She was having a conversation with her husband, Paul over the phone. Paul (in his late thirties) was leaning against the table in his office cabin. He had his one hand folded and was carrying the phone in the other one. He used to work at an office based in Frankfurt, Germany. Carla's daughter, Venice (nine years old) was playing online game in her phone while sitting on the bed of the hotel room. Venice was coughing too.

Paul asked, " Is Venice good now? "

" She is fine since the fever subsided yesterday. But she has started having regular coughs. "

" Did you give her the medicine? "

" No. I am just leaving to get those from a nearby pharmacy. "

He hummed.

" So, will you come back or will stay there till her vacations end? "

" We are coming back tomorrow. Venice is not well. She won't be able to stay here for long. "

" Okay. I'll send someone to pick both of you up from the airport. "

She hummed and hung up the call. She turned to Venice.

" Venice, what are you doing? "

Venice didn't respond and kept on playing the game.

Carla came to her.

" Put the phone down, Venice. "

She grabbed her phone and snatched it from her hands.

Venice cried, " Mom! "

" You are coming with me. "

Carla locked the door from outside the room. Carla was with Venice in the elevator which was moving downwards to the ground floor. She was accessing an application in her phone in order to book a cab.