Chapter 9

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What does a normal person do when in death's claws? They value their life and try to escape it.

And what does Ryan do? She walks in through death's tongue like a red carpet, lounges in its gut and waits for it to close on her.

Which is probably why she stood in front of Harzai building glaring at it is if she was absorbing the secrets from its walls.

It was sealed, and looked almost haunted. The previous owner was murdered by his brother. And the current owner too was a murderer who was surely planning to kill her for this company.

All for what?

Was there some treasure under it? Was there some sci-fi nongovernmental organisation going on in its disguise? Was there an oil well hidden under?? Did it open the door to freaking Narnia???

Ryan had no idea whatsoever.

He had given her a one week ultimatum. And one day had passed. Either she return the files or he returns her to heaven.

But Ryan was Ryan. She was hell bent on finding a third option. That was to get to him before he got to her. But no matter how she saw it she was at a dead end. And time was only ticking for her.

For the meanwhile however she had appointed two uniformed guards to follow her around like a shadow, who had dutifully agreed thinking she was in danger.

But for the past one hour all they did was watch her glare at the abandoned building as if it was the cause of her dead grandmother.

Just then her phone rang. She shuffled it out absentmindedly. "I'm on a tea break right in front of the office I swear."

The guards shared a meaningful look. How could she lie so professionally?

"Walaikumasalam my dear." She straightened hearing her mother's voice. She stared at the phone. It really was her mother's number.

My dear??

Putting her lips against the speaker she screamed, "THE POLICE ARE ON THEIR WAY THEY'LL BE THERE IN TWO MINUTES DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!"

The guards too straightened, getting alert.

"MAMA DO WHAT I TOLD YOU HIT THEM UP THE—!

"Shut up!!" Her mother's voice cut her off, whisper shouting.

She paused. Now that sounded like her mother alright. Wait, so she wasn't held at gunpoint? This frightened her even more.

Blinking in embarrassment she side-eyed the previously alarmed guards who had even taken their guns out.

Her mother on the other hand covered with a little laugh, and only then did Ryan hear Ali Yahya's voice conversing with her father in the back. She rolled her eyes. So that's why she was speaking so lovingly.

And then her mother, walking to another room, gritted back into the phone, "I called to say come home right away— Ali Yahya is here."

Ryan felt her mood sour like a squeezed lemon. Allah Allah, does he think of our house as a gas station that he can just come over anytime he wants and fill himself up with free snacks.

"I'm too busy with work I can't come." Ryan retorted dismissively and the guards tried their best to keep their expressions passive.

"That's why you're "on a tea break right in front of the office?" Came her mother's sarcastic reply before she shouted into the phone "come home right this instant, you loafer!"

Ryan winced. "Okay okay."

"...Oh and bring some chicken with you."

With that the line went dead and Ryan was left glaring at the phone in frustration. 

Seeing her get into the driver seat the guards blanched. "Uh—Bibi ji, why don't you let one of us to drive instead?"

"Why, is there something wrong with my driving?" She raised a brow ready to throw hands.

They reddened and shook their heads vigorously. "No-no- of course not." They hurriedly jumped over the tailgate and sat quietly on the cargo bed.

Shooting the building a last glance she turned the ignition on, almost crashing back into a fire hydrant before the jeep wobbled its way through the street. The guards holding on for dear lives.

***

Like always Ali Yahya's eyes sparkled seeing her as they sat across each other in her drawing room.

"How are you Ryan?" He asked starting the short talk.

"I'm as you see me." She smiled. She was facing the deadline of her life within a few days how the heck does he think she is!

Ali smiled dotingly.

Is he laughing at my misery??

"Ali here came to invite you to the gathering the coming week." Her father walked into the room and took a seat.

Ryan stared at Ali. This scoundrel! She had already declined him about this.

Ali grew red and flustered by her angered glare. "I-I know you said you're busy that day. But I was wondering of the soirée afterwards, can you make it to that?" He asked her, eyes hopeful. He really did want to go with her.

Before Ryan could retort her mother spoke up.

"Of course. She'll love to go with you!"

Ali sensed the frown on Ryan's face and though his heart deflated a little he quickly spoke up, "It's okay if you can't make it, I don't want to trouble you."

"Nonsense! She's going with you and that's it!" Mrs. Siddique exclaimed, before quickly covering her stern tone with a sweet one, "I mean, she works so hard she needs a holiday from work as well."

But Ali still looked at Ryan for her approval.

Ryan's heart felt like it was being tugged by a tow truck. Lately she realized how hard it was to resist his soft brown eyes that seemed so fond as they looked at her.

On one side there was Yafi Aman who wanted to kill her and on the other Ali Yahya who wanted to die for her. Yafi Aman, an amoral cold blooded killer and Ali Yahya the most wholesome man alive who couldn't even harm a flea.

Or maybe it was because she thought she was going to die soon that she felt hypersensitive to his feelings. After all if she was going to die soon she might as well leave behind a positive legacy. Also, she desperately needed to get into heaven.

"I'll go. Even... even for the main event." Ryan blurted out and the look on Ali's face made her even more annoyed because it tingled her heart in a way she didn't like at all.

God, the death had made her sappy.

"So, boy, where's your father about?" Mr. Siddique spoke to Ali. "He didn't even come to golf this weekend."

"Father's gone out to the city on some work. In fact, I just remembered I have to drop some documents to his office right now."

Ryan who was busy lost in her own thoughts suddenly snapped to them. Her eyes widening in a eureka.

"Can I go with you?"

Ali had never looked up so fast.

Her parents looked at her in confusion.

She froze. "Uh... I mean, there's a new case I just wanted to revise something about."

"Sure." Ali Yahya smiled softly.

While Mrs. Siddique beamed brighter than a star.

***

"I-I don't think we should be doing this?" He couldn't help but let out.

They were currently seated in the his father's office as an officer traced Yafi Aman's addresses and information given in the Harzai files, along with the phone number. This was definitely not "revising" a case.

"Who exactly are you tracing though?"

"A pervert who's been harassing me."

Ali's eyes bulged out of his sockets.

In the next minute an entire task force was summoned to trace the "bastard".

Finally the officer leant back and sighed, "The phone number is a dead end. And one of the addresses leads to a Private firm back in the city, and the other to... the middle of the woods."

Ryan's eyes widened at the mention. This is it! She remembered that the body was buried in the woods behind the house. If she can trace his house she can get to the body! And then she'd have solid proof to take him down.

"Which woods?!" She leaned into the screen excitedly taking him by surprise.

"E-East side."

"What do you mean woods? Is it a bear harassing her?" Ali let out, utterly lost.

"They're most likely spoofing their location, but we can't break through."

"Because they're not!" Ryan exclaimed.

They blinked at her.

Ignoring them she leaned in to the screen, "Where are the woods? I can't see anything?!" She scowled at the mosaic display.

The officer chuckled. "This isn't the city. We don't own state of the art technology, Miss. We only make use with what we have."

Ryan pulled back with a glare.

"Useless." She uttered as they drove back in Ali's blue convertible.

Ali too sighed frustratedly. "They're right though. You should just change your number."

Ryan nodded her head dismissively. But she knew it was in vain. If he can find her phone number he can very well find her address. Was she going to change houses too?

And anyway she had a lead now. She was surely going to get to him soon.

***

The next morning Mr. Iqbal stared with perplexed eyes at the two guards standing on either side of the door.

When had he hired them?

Wait, how much was he paying them??

"We're with Ryan Bibi." They clarified seeing the distress in his eyes.

His eyebrows shot up before another realisation hit him and he suddenly burst into the room, much to the guards surprise.

"I'm not paying for these statues outside!"

Ryan who was busy sitting atop the large map spread out on her table, scoffed unbelievingly. "Allah Allah look at this miser old—! Calm your knickers, I brought them from home."

"No you didn't these are mine!"

"I'm talking about the guards! Allah Allah!!"

"Oh..." Mr. Iqbal's ears burned red. He quickly covered up by glaring between her and the files and papers messily stacked into a corner. "What are you doing right now? And where the heck were you yesterday?"

Ryan sighed and crawled back from the table, and leaned nearer, her lionlike like eyes piercing into his. The aura suddenly turned serious.

He too leaned nearer in curiosity as she explained with a low voice, "Look, Mr. Uhm... Sir, this is a life and death situation going on. I promise just spare me one week and I will give you the best story of the month."

Mr. Iqbal nodded in recognition, an understanding smile on his face. And when she reciprocated, his turned into a carnivorous glare. "GET TO WORK RIGHT NOW!"

Ryan winced, stuffing her fingers into her ears.

He stepped forth to confiscate her ridiculously large map but she quickly sprawled over it.

"Just one week!!! Or I swear I'm gonna die!!"

But her pleas were like that of the boy who cried wolf, as they fought for the large cloth while the guards stood and watched like actual statues not knowing what to do.

"What am I paying you for! Help me you fools!!" Ryan called out and they quickly stepped forth.

"If they touch me I'm firing you!!" Mr. Iqbal retorted.

"Aye aye aye back back back!!" Ryan shouted making them backtrack confused. "Have your mother's not taught you to respect your elders you brutes!!"

After a few minutes of a futile tug of war they finally decided to talk like civilised Homo sapiens.

"I'm warning you. I will not... can not tolerate this nonsense anymore." Mr. Iqbal let out as they breathlessly flopped onto the chairs.

"My blood will be on your hands." She let out.

"If only." He panted out, glaring at her.

Ryan's expression fell in disbelief at his nonchalance. Letting out a nervous laugh she looked at the guards, "Isn't he funny?"

Mr. Iqbal glared stoically.

Ryan went slightly pale, coughing out on thin air.

"If you're so interested in jails, just tell me I'll talk to my father-in-law. Why bother with the effort of a murder? I mean, that's the least I can do for you, right?"

Mr. Iqbal seethed to the point Ryan didn't have to imagine the steam coming out of his ears. "I think my blood pressure is getting high. I'm going."

"Where, sir?" Ryan blurted out, she can easily sneak out if he goes home.

"To hell!"

"Oh." She slumped her shoulders before perking up, "Do you know the way? Let me drop you till the door."

***

"Yafi Aman inaugurates a private welfare organisation under the name of Aman Foundation, just two days after being announced as a new member of the UDP."  The radio narrated.

Ryan couldn't help but roll her eyes at this. Jerk was trying to invest his black money in good stuff. As if that would cover up all his devious deeds.

Within two days he had garnered quite a following. So far he had been the main topic of all the news channels. Even her own. He was rising to a stardom of sort and Ryan couldn't wait to be his downfall.

She straightened seeing the guards return with shoppers full. She snuck her head out the window, "Did you get it all?"

They nodded, albeit a little befuddled at the bags full of hiking supplies. What the heck does she need these for??

Stuffing it into the back they got into the car, a little relieved that Ryan had taken the back seat.

Just then her phone rang. She hesitated seeing the unknown number. It must be him again.

She threw the phone to the guards in the front who seeing her panicked and urging expression answered it instantly thinking it was a harasser.

His voice was low and daunting. "Listen here you lowlife scum if you want to keep your life you better stay away from this number."

"Who are you?" Came a clipped voice from the other end, muffled by the unsteady line.

The guard looked at Ryan expectantly who whispered, "my-my husband!"

The guard burned bright red and tried hard not to stutter, "Her-her husband."

The voice from the other end went silent for a second before speaking up again, formidably, "Give her the phone."

"Why should I? Who the heck are you?"

"Sufyan, her brother."

Both Ryan and the guards felt their souls fly out of their bodies.

They pushed the phone to Ryan who threw it back as if it was scorching hot.

After a lot of back and forth the guard finally stuttered into the phone, "S-sorry sahab, bibi thought it was a wrong number and had us say th-this."

Ryan looked at them wide eyes as they put all the blame on her. "You—!" But they had already left the phone there and jumped out of the cars, waiting respectfully by the side.

"Assalamualaikum br-brother." She smiled weakly. "How-how are you?"

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