03. You know, girl-girl

*****

"Z-Ziah."

Her whisper fell on the eerie silence and Marwan just looked at her for a few seconds like a creep.

Why? He himself had no idea.

Composing his stance before he could make a fool of himself, he cleared his throat and looked away.

What was he doing?!

"Ziah, nice name. So, Indian?"

The one called out to gave a soft nod and he slumped down on the ground to get more comfortable. Sitting crossed legged on the floor, he gave her a wide smile.

"Great, precisely from where?"

Ziah looked at him cautiously for a while, her eyes displaying the conflict that her mind was going through and Marwan found himself questioning about what was so wrong with the question.

"K-kyu?"

He heard her hesitant question and frowned at the tremor in her tone.

His eyes met Daiyan and Aliya's and the two looked as clueless as him and even a little alarmed. Had she been through something bad before being abducted to Turkey?

"Aise hi. You know, just to try and contact your family and to assure them that you are safe and unharmed."

Aliya tried to ease her worries by her words but the stiffness in Ziah's posture just increased. Aliya bit her lips, regretting speaking and sighed before walking up to the slightly trembling girl.

"Ziah, kuch nahi hoga tumhe. We will not leave you in unsafe hands. Not here, neither in India. Sorry for being blunt here, but are you an orphan?"

Marwan and Daiyan simultaneously glared at the brunette but she disregarded their looks and focused solely on the girl in front of her. She needed to win her trust to share the sense of comfort because until that didn't happen, Ziah would not be able to open up.

Aliya could sense the sorrow around the petite female and for once, she had the strong urge to hug her tight but seeing the circumstances, she didn't think that Ziah would appreciate it, so she remained where she was and tried soothing her with her soft gaze and an assuring smile.

Ziah's eyes met the man that was still sitting on the floor but the difference was that his smile was replaced by a scowl. She then looked back at Aliya and gave a small nod, before blinking her eyes to stop the unwanted tears from falling.

The situation was extremely overwhelming for her and her emotions were a mess. She just wanted to cry or sleep but right now, she could do neither of them.

Aliya nodded her head in return and closed her eyes for a nanosecond.

"That's settled. Do you stay with a relative or..."

Aliya continued but she didn't have to drag it since Ziah knew what she was talking about. The latter gave another nod but this one, this one was different. It felt as though she was trying her best to not break down and hide herself somewhere.

Being commandos, they were taught how to know what a person was thinking or was about to do by their body language, not precisely but they gave hints about what was to come next.

The three commandos shared a look before slumping their shoulders and Aliya motioned with her eyes for Marwan to continue.

Marwan gave her a flabbergasted look since he was never good at dealing with sad people, like come on, he was all rainbows and cotton candy and here she was, trying to make him question his bright aura.

Was it not enough to make her smile?

But then again, she had witnessed enough for the day and by her reaction, maybe even before that.

Giving a look of betrayal to his partners, he looked back at Ziah who was already staring at him with her glassy eyes depicting innocence but the sorrow and fear that her heart held, surpassed the emotion so pure.

Sighing in dismay to himself, he said a few colourful words under his breath before looking up and giving her an assuring smile. Ziah didn't bother returning it and diverted her attention back to her fingers that were fiddling among themselves. Marwan's aura dimmed a little but he anyhow put it aside.

"Unke paas wapas jaana hai or would you like to stay with Aliya until further notice?"

Aliya whipped her head to give him a look of disbelief but Marwan had his sole attention on the female that wore a conflicted expression on her face.

"W-woh-"

Ziah's words didn't get a chance to be completed due to the middle aged man that had stepped into the room.

Major Mahajan, a man in his late fifties. The head of the whole recruit present in the room and the mastermind behind most of the successful missions carried by the Indian military till this date.

"Commander Mirza."

Mahajan called out and Daiyan was quick to offer a salute along with the rest of them. Marwan's once gleeful expression was all serious, not giving a single hint of the child within him. Ziah stared in awe at the sudden change in demeanor of the man that was a second ago trying to act like a mother hen and now stood emitting the aura of a lion.

Well, he was wearing a suit with the national symbol of the country imprinted on it. The four lions.

"Yes sir."

Mahajan smiled at his commandos. His eyes took in the bruised cheek of Marwan and he instantly grew concerned but once Marwan motioned with his eyes towards Daiyan and then rolled them, the old man chuckled and shook his head at the two men who were bonded more strongly than brothers related by blood.

"We'll be leaving back for Delhi tonight. Sare bachiyon ke ghar khabar bhej di hai. Their parents will be awaiting their presence with utmost excitement. Lekin,"

When Mahajan was informed about the girls, he had asked his tech team to connect with their parents without any further delay. But since one was still left, he had come in to check whether all was going smoothly or not.

"Sir, if you don't mind..."

Daiyan motioned for a private conversation and Mahajan was quick to give an affirmative reply.

The next five minutes, Daiyan explained Ziah's situation to his Major and Mahajan was left in deep thought.

Such cases of girl trafficking were most commonly tied with orphans and orphanages. Since these organizations were not paid much by the government, they often opt the wrong way to make more money and to look after their own families.

Not that it justifies their move but it wasn't the fault of a single person. The case was more complex than what meets the eyes. It wasn't just kidnapping or selling, it was a whole racket that needed to be found before they destroyed more lives.

Mahajan looked at Ziah who was now intrigued in a silent conversation with Aliya. The latter was never friendly but seeing as Ziah needed something to distract her mind from the current events, she gladly volunteered, while Marwan too gave his sarcastic inputs every now and then.

Ziah smiled in gratitude at the two people around her. Her mind felt partly relieved as she witnessed the mini bickering session between Aliya and Marwan. Giggling every now and then at how childish the two were even after looking extremely serious in front of their Major, she stayed quiet the rest of the while, only listening to the two and letting the stress evaporate from her form.

"Daiyan, Marwan's parents are available, aren't they?"

Daiyan looked confused but anyhow gave a nod. Marwan's parents were currently residing in Bandra. They had moved from Lucknow to Bandra a few months back due to business related work and it definitely didn't please Marwan to say the least.

"Very well. Marwan?"

Mahajan called out and Marwan was quick to get to him. He raised an eyebrow at his Major and Mahajan shook his head with a smile.

"Jaha tak main dekh raha hu, you are doing a pretty good job with keeping her entertained. The headquarters are not ready to take in a visitor yet, but I will try my best to shift her there lekin tab tak, she is your responsibility."

Marwan choked on the air as his wide eyes looked at his Major with disbelief and bewilderment.

"S-sir, aap-"

"Marwan, she needs to subside the trauma of the situation or else her mental health might be affected. Please-"

"Sir, lekin Aliya can take her in. You know, girl-girl?"

"Aliya will not be available. I don't think she'd be able to handle her wedding preparation alongside Miss. Ziah. You are the next best option and I know your mother is available. Take care of her Commander."

The last sentence was more of a command than a request and Marwan could only gulp and give a nod.

His eyes found his best friend who wore an amused look on his face. Marwan narrowed his gaze at him and Daiyan had the audacity to ruffle his hair as if he was a kid and walk away.

Sighing in dismay to himself, Marwan looked at the door and then towards Ziah who was smiling at something that Aliya had said. He rubbed his temple as a conflicted look took over his face and his brain raced with one thought,

Yeh kaha phas gaya main?

*****

Ziah sat on the aeroplane seat with a grim look. She didn't want to go back. She didn't want to stay with her mama and mami. She didn't know if she could take all that anymore.

The tension of what had happened in the past few days with her was long gone and now the worries of what might happen when she returns back settled in.

She was orphaned at the tender age of 9. What happened? How did it happen? She had no idea.

All she knew was that a 9 year old Ziah was ecstatic to wake her parents and as she entered the room at 8 in the morning, she found her father hugging her mother but what she didn't know was the blood stain on her parents stomach, the red stain that covered the whole duvet and bed.

All she knew was that one second she was waiting for a happy day to begin and the next, her house was flooded with police, ambulance and a few of their close relatives.

She could feel tears clouding her vision and she quickly shook her head before wiping her eyes gently. She had cried enough over that incident but the wound still felt fresh.

"Make yourself comfortable. We have a long way before landing."

Marwan informed her with a gentle smile and got in the seat behind hers. She was sitting with Aliya who too gave her a look of comfort while Marwan and Daiyan were seated behind them.

Sighing to herself, her eyes looked outside the glass window with a far away look.

Was she saved for a better outcome or was life still going to test her more brutally than it already had?

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And, there you go.... The first part of the story is finally coming into action and imma loving it. I swear, I didn't think I would make the story intense or complicated but I am legit having second thoughts about it at the moment.

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