Chapter 20: When the noose begins to TIGHTEN! Part - I

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"You are so annoying Laura," Zahra remarked exasperatedly. "What have I done now?" her friend asked, huffing and puffing due to the heavy bag she was carrying out of the door. "You are leaving early tomorrow morning and you're still having issues with your packing. I had zipped up this bag, then why did you have to turn it all upside-down and dig in like a savage? You've ruined the whole order." "I had to get a dress out from it. I'm not wearing the one I chose to wear tomorrow. I needed another one," Laura whined. "Then you should've thought a bit earlier about it."

"Do you want us to part like this? Quarreling and making faces at each other?" Laura asked, putting her arms around Zahra's shoulders. She immediately softened. "I was just feeling extremely annoyed with you. It took me some time to pack that bag, you know." "Yes, I know. You don't need to worry. I'll pack up again. But first tell me this, are you happy that I'm going away?"

"Oh yes! I feel soo happy that I'm gonna celebrate the moment you get out of my site," Zahra replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "I mean, who in their right mind would be happy to let a person go whom they've been constantly living with since the past ten months! That's a lot of time, you know."

"Will you miss me?" Laura asked for the umpteenth time. "Absolutely! Do you want me to write it in blood or something?" "No, I believe you. I'm gonna miss you too Zee. But, promise me one thing." "Now, what is it?" "You'll take very good care of yourself and not let anything or anyone hurt you. Is it clear to you?" Laura asked, emphasizing her point by flailing her arms far and wide. "Why does everyone keeps saying this to me?"

"Because we know the world is bad, and you are still too...naive to understand things on your own." "Jeez, when did you become a philosopher?" Zahra asked, curiously eyeing her friend.

"Everyone will tell you the same thing, okay. And I'm no philosopher, I'm just a simple girl trying to make my way in the world by cutting cloths and giving it all kinds of forms," Laura replied, winking. "Oh Please! Give me a break. You rock in that thing, don't be so modest about it. And, go take a bath. You stink!" Laura playfully kicked her friend, saying, "One more insulting sentence, and I'll throw you out of my room." "You don't need to, I'll go away on my own. Gosh! Even the room stinks," Zahra replied with a smirk and got up to go.

"And one more thing," she continued in a serious tone, "by now, I haven't been very eloquent upon the subject. But, I don't want to hear anything about me and the Walworth guy from your lips. I detest the man, and my wounds are not yet filled to make me feel anything like love, alright. I'll make judgments on my own. Besides, he'll never change for me, and until then its haram (forbidden) for me to even think about him."

"As you wish. I was just trying to secure you from endless anxiety that you suffer all the time," Laura replied, hurt by her words. "Then you carried it out in the worst way possible." And saying thus, Zahra walked out of the room.

Sleep was light years away from her eyes, when Zahra lay in her bed that night. She knew that she had hurt Laura and her heart smote her for that. That girl only meant well. But, what could she do? She was afraid to let anyone in her small circle, in general, and males in particular. She really hadn't a very good experience with them in any of her encounters. She was afraid of them, and if anybody belonging to the opposite sex came close even an inch towards her, her brain began to scream at her to run away. She still remembered the episode of a few months ago and trusting another one was just out of the question.

She hadn't forgot the incident happening earlier in the day either. When that man, David, had fallen on top of her, her mind had gone blank! His close proximity had left her stupefied. She didn't even know what to say to him. All she wanted to do was to run away screaming and hide herself somewhere.

David had saved her from dying a painful death. If those million pieces of glass had sliced her whole body.........she cringed at even the thought of it, it was so horrible. Yet he had risked his life to save her and had injured his leg in the process. Why was he so ready to lend a hand to her whenever he got a chance? Maybe he was trying to atone for his mistakes was one explanation, but it wasn't convincing enough. Zahra didn't like this change. She preferred him better when he stayed away from her. Why couldn't he just be neutral? How many times had he saved her by now? She began to count on her fingers. First, he had brought her to the Hospital after the accident. Second, he had stopped her from slipping down the stairs, and third, he had prevented the chandelier from falling on her head. Gosh! She was heavily indebted to him! If she had known he had saved her from getting abducted too, she wouldn't have been able to breathe easy until she had paid back all she owed to him. But fortunately, she was blissfully unaware of all that, and no one was anxious to tell her either.

Laura was the only one, besides the doctor and David, who knew about the incident. She had been both, a parent and a good friend in these months, caring for her and waiting on her, attentively and affectionately. That led her to think about her parents. How were they getting on without her? Her father had been very weak and she'd had no positive news of him to cheer her up. He had been like an anchor in her life, on whom she had leaned many a time without fear. He had never hesitated from fulfilling all her whims and fancies. And she had left him halfway, the selfish brute!

He had been always there for her, whatever may be the situation. He was the only one to whom she told everything, including all her secrets and desires. Her mother was strict but she loved her in her own way. And the way she had dealt with that guy, Adel Jamal, Zahra was very proud of her. She had begun to believe in her daughter, and that was the best change she had seen in her mother in all these years.

As she sat at her window looking at the starlit sky, a tear dropped from her eyes. And then another, and another. She was overwrought by all kinds of mental and physical pains. Her stomach was aching severely due to that monthly thing, and her back was sore from when she had hit the ground hard due to the mighty push David had given her that day. She didn't blame him though, he was just getting her out of harm's way. She felt depressed by her life, and the problems she faced. And there was no constant person in her life with whom she could share her burden. It was in these times that Zahra longed for a sister, a confidante on whose shoulders she could lean and cry.

What had her life come to? It used to be so easy and uncomplicated. She had her parents to care for her if anything went wrong at her workplace. And then there was Avi. She loved her weekends and longed for them to come quickly. After coming here, she had begun to hate weekends. Just the thought of them made her feel lonely and all she desired for was Monday to come sooner. Laura was mostly not at home, she had to work overtime. She dreaded the weekends less when Laura was there to spend it with her. They ate a quiet dinner and then watched a movie or something.

And then there was no getting into silly businesses with those species called 'men'. They, Zahra and Avi, stayed far away from Office gossip, did as their bosses told them to do, and went home with their salaries in their pockets a.k.a bank accounts! No guy had ever gone bonkers to come between the two best friends and none had the guts to talk sugary with any of them. It was considered a desecration.

Ever since she had come here, Zahra's life had been a roller-coaster ride. She had been thrown this way and that. The less she had tried to mix-up with the male kind back in her own country, the more she had been brought into their notice over here. Nobody had ever questioned her integrity before, but all those barriers she had put up over the years had been mercilessly shattered in this place full of narrow-minded people. Whatever good teachings her parents had instilled in her, they held no meaning to the human leeches that thrived in the polluted air of this country. It had given her immense pride when she had been selected to come here with a batch of senior employees. But now, she didn't feel so good and honored. She missed her country, her parents, and the comfort and safety of her home. Each day was a struggle here. If you didn't swerve with the crowd, you'd be pushed back and crushed under a thousand feet that never got tired of moving endlessly in a circle like automatons. Human feelings were nothing to these people. For them, it was a disease that threatened to overpower their minds. All they loved was money, it was their language, and the very air they breathed. In short, it was all one needed for survival and the more one possessed of it, the better. Mammon ruled supreme in this god-forsaken land.

Almost a year had passed ever since Zahra had come here. But, it had taken no time for the people to render her broken and bruised. Oh! When was that accursed moment when she had decided to shift here? The dreams she had of this place, they were only dreams. Because there was no such thing as peace here. There was only turmoil and she was very much in the middle of it all. Everything had gone wrong with her. Her job, her engagement, her life...everything!

A light tap at her window roused her out of her chain of thoughts. It was as if somebody had thrown a small stone at her window to catch her attention...or maybe, divert it. Zahra was up from her comfy place in a trice. Saying that she was terrified to the bones, was simply stating a fact, and definitely not an exaggeration. She had never really been brave, and the smallest specimen of a mouse made her shriek hysterically.

Who could it be throwing pebbles at her window in the middle of the night? Maybe it was meant for somebody else, Zahra reasoned with herself. She slowly tiptoed out of the room to ask her friend if she had heard any unusual noises. But when she reached her door, she heard her snoring softly from within. Laura was in a deep sleep. Then she, most probably, wouldn't have heard a thing. She thought of waking her up but then decided against it. The girl had a long journey ahead of her, and she needed all the sleep she could get.

Finally, Zahra went back to her room with her breath hitched in her throat. She was having all kinds of horrible thoughts of what could happen to her in the night. But, she shrugged it all away, and pulling up the duvet over to her eyes, she fell asleep. This way, she felt safe and comfortable. If even a chink of light reached her eyes, it sorely irritated her and sleep for her was gone for the night. She wanted pitch-black darkness for a sound slumber, else she got up groggy-eyed in the morning and was in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

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"Call me when you get there, alright," Zahra told her friend, as she shook her hands for the last time. "I will. And you take care of yourself. Keep all the doors locked at all times. Don't let anyone in without asking their identity, okay. And please don't hesitate to call me anytime you want. And......," at this point, Laura paused and pulled Zahra into a bone-crushing hug.

"I'm gonna miss you soo much Laura. If I've ever hurt you, please forgive me. Believe me, it has never been my intention to give you pain by my words or actions." "Don't be silly, Zee. I never think you mean to hurt me or anything. Now, be a good girl and don't cry or you'll spoil my top. And don't dare to forget me or I'll haunt you forever," Laura replied and walked away, waving to her friend till she could see her no more.

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*********SOMEWHERE IN THE WHOLE-WIDE WORLD*********

ׅBam! Bam! Bam! Sounds of gunshots fill the air. Ciara Jackson falls onto the ground with a thud. And before she can fall, she is dead.  The mystery man throws the gun on his desk and it smashes down to the floor below. His eyes are ablaze with anger. "You are all fu**ing useless." "Oh my god! Oh my god Daniel! What have you done?" Demetria is shrieking hysterically, her hands flying to her mouth. "They'll find out and you'll go to jail for eternity." "No one will find out anything unless you go on and give me away, you sl*t," the mystery man snaps at her with disgust. "What would you do with the body then?" Demetria asks, panicking. "Shut up and don't ask me useless questions or you'll meet the same fate as hers. Maybe even worse," Daniel warns in a menacing voice, seizing the girl with her throat.

"You can't even leave her paralyzed or something. And that fu**ing man, David Walworth, he likes to meddle in my affairs a little too much. One day, he'll know what it is to clash with me and my plans. He wants to play Mr. Goody-goody to that girl. Fine. I'll take both my aims with one stone, and none will be the wiser. And this time, I won't get any of you to do my work. All you like is money."

"But, Daniel, you'll need to move cautiously. She's been seen coming this way," Demetria tells the mystery man. "I'll get her body to be dumped on the road to make them think it was a freak accident. They can search all they want, they'll find nothing." "And if they do?" "Then, my love, you will come in handy. You'll frame yourself for me. By the time they find the bullets I blasted her brains with, you'll make it clear that you did the deed." "Me? But......how? I mean why would I do that?" Demetria asks, shaken to the core.

"Because I'm telling you to. I'll fill your little pink purse with dosh, and that's a promise." "I...I'll try Dan, only for your sake baby, but I can't promise. What motive would I say I had to kill her?" "Why, you can tell them you were jealous because she took your place, or at least, took the position of your assistant. I'll get you another gun of the same make and all you need to do is to remove three bullets from it. Then present the evidence to the police, get yourself arrested and I'll bail you out," the mystery man explains to the girl, and kisses her passionately. "That was for a boost of your confidence." "I'll go get something to drink, my lungs feel parched. I can take a bottle from your vintage collection, can I?"

"Definitely. Help yourself, love."

"Mac Leer," Daniel calls out to his guard outside. "Yes, master." "Get the girl out of here, and clean the place. Don't touch that gun, I'll get it." He bends down to pick it up, smiling to himself. This one will be quite safe grounded at his suite in Switzerland. The mystery man is quite calm since his difficulties have been solved now. And he has another man in mind who'll never fail, if he entrusted the task of bringing the girl half-dead to him. His old pal, Conan Graham. Yes, he would be the best person to resort to in the time of such crisis.

"Dan, can you give me some cash in advance? I need to buy a dress from the new 'Roberto Seraglio' collection," Demetria says in a slurred voice. She's been drinking since the past fifteen minutes. "No, not now. I don't have that kind of cash with me at the moment," he tells her dismissively. "I want it now." She pushes the man from his shoulders, climbing on top of him. "Get the hell out of here, you wh*re," the mystery man shouts, and throws the girl on the floor. "Prove it to me that you genuinely care for me, and I'll give you half my loot when I complete my mission."

Demetria gets up dazed, massaging her head with the back of her hand, and slipping near the door, crashes on the rough flooring once again. "You war...want me to p..prove, I'll prove it to you. I'm gonna present myself to the police right now. And...and evven if they hang me, I won't flinch." And saying this little speech of hers in broken words, she opens the door, ready to go out of the room. But, before she can take another step, the mystery man grabs her from behind. "You will do no such thing. Come, I was only joking. Stay here until you are sober and we'll talk it all out of your system," he says in an appeasing tone, pulling her to sit on the chair opposite his own.

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Bangalore, India.

"Arif sahib (a term of respect spoken in the subcontinent before a man's name), do get up. It's time to take your medicines," Zareena called to her husband. He had become very weak and was bedridden most of the time. "Yes...yes. That's all I live on now. Just let the curtains down a little, the light is pricking on my eyes. What time is it?" "It's 1 in the afternoon. Here, let me give a hand to you. What have you made of yourself, Arif, pining away about your daughter all the time? You shouldn't have let her go, if you were so worried about her."

"No...no. I didn't want my child to waste away her youth among us old people. She needs to live her life, and live it well. I'll call her when I need her. Right now, I've got my hands full with you, my lady." "Really? Am I such a handful to you? Then I will say no more. If my presence irks you, don't pause a second in informing me, alright," Zareena replied, sorely. "I was only jesting with you. Why do you take things so much at heart? And here I am, ailing with heart problems." "Alright now, you should rest, or you'll tire yourself."

"By the way, Arif, can I ask you something?" "Ask away, dear lady. Ask away," Arif replied. He was quite in a good mood today. The cause of this cheerfulness was very much unknown to his wife, who wondered what could bring such a change in him. Nevertheless, she took the opportunity to ask him something she had been meaning to ask since a long time ago. "Do you think that that man knows about our daughter's existence? About Zahra? Do you think he will strike if he got the chance? I just pray that she stays safe every minute of the day," Zareena said worriedly.

"I think he does know about her existence, and he won't take long in striking. The truth cannot be hidden for long, my dear. It comes out eventually, no matter how hard you try to hide it." "And you are not worried that he might kill your daughter!" "Not kill her, just render her immobile. He has to make her sign those papers, remember, if he needs it all to come to him. I am not worried about anything anymore. My daughter is a brave girl, she'll find a way to avoid them as long as she can. And I left her safety in the care of my Lord a long time ago. He is better equipped to keep her safe than I, who is a mere human being. His ways are obscure, until they show themselves. And I trust my Lord completely, He will get her out from the lion's mouth itself, if her fate is not to get eaten by it. You shouldn't let that worry you, or it would take a toll on your mind, as it did on mine."

"I just don't feel she's safe anymore. You remember, your friend Mr. Jamal came to our house after what happened. He was very angry. I didn't let him see you, since you were very much unwell at that time. But, he pretty much implied from his words that he had already communicated the information to that man, and there was no way we could save her now from imminent danger."

"He is not my friend!" Arif said with extreme energy, his voice full of anger. "Any man whose son is not worthy of being called a human, is not my friend. I abhor that man and have always abhorred him. His son is worse than him. He has a habit of lying and showing his superiority in front of those whom God has not favored with his kind of wealth. And even if he did give us away, it will be just like him, coward and villainous. I only pray that our girl stays safe and leave the rest to the Almighty. And you should do the same."

"Do you think we should tell her all?" Zareena asked, thoughtfully. "I told you to tell her. Why didn't you?" "I...I didn't think the time was right. It would have alarmed her. It is not a small thing to communicate, Arif." "Yes, it isn't. But, it is better if she knows how deep she is in this whirlpool of danger. She would've been able to estimate herself as to how much danger she is in. Okay, take an opportune time and tell her. She shouldn't be oblivious to all this for long. It is better that she knows it from us than from that treacherous villain."

"I'll try to tell her if I can, but I cannot be sure if my courage won't desert me." "You are too scared. Now, go and let me sleep. It's taking a toll on me and I feel a headache coming on."