Hey darlings, sorry it took long to update, important author's note at the end, please read.

•••••

WEDDING DAY, 7:05AM

Asad shook his head with a frown etched on his face, he pointed at the paper on the table trying very hard not to bash the man's face in.

"What do you mean you haven't seen him?! He was here last night." He banged the table out of frustration.

"Okay look, we don't have time for this game you're playing, tell me what the hell happened with this man and how he got in yesterday," The man shook his head tears welling up in his eyes but Zayn didn't notice, or didn't care to notice.

He moved back and picked a paper then walked over to the man and kept it on the table.

"Zaliha Alhassan,," Zayn stated taking a seat opposite the man, "it would be a shame for her to be a widow, or you to be a widower don't you think?" The man shook his head then started pleading but Zayn didn't spare him a second glance, he collected the iPad that was in Asad's hand and turned it to the man's viewing.

A heavily pregnant woman in her late twenties stood on the side of the road, the worn out hijab doing nothing to protect her form the blasting sun. A girl who looked to be five years old stood beside the woman, holding her hands like her life depended on it.

"Your heavily pregnant wife," beads of perspiration were already on the man's forehead and with the tears in his eyes, he looked everything pathetic, which annoyed Asad more, for someone who was a threat to his family, he sure had no backbone.

"I have two snipers pointed at her, now you have five seconds to start talking or you'll watch them get shot" he tsked, "The idea of a single widow and orphan and doesn't sit well with me, a widower though, I can live with that."

He heard a phone beep and a deep voice resonated around the small room, "waiting on your order for execution sir."

"In five minutes if I don't stop you, go for it."

"Please please, I'll tell you everything I know but wallahi I was not part of it, I swear to almighty Allah I was not part of it, I was just there when he received the order but I didn't do anything, please please leave my wife and daughter alone." He cried trembling.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Asad muttered lazily, he sat beside Zayn who kept both phones aside, his hands folded on the table.

They wouldn't have executed the woman anyways, the man's loyalty of course didn't run that deep, they were right about that.

"Keep talking, I don't have time to waste, so let's get it over with we have a wedding to attend." That was from Zayn.

The man who had tears and snot running down his face, he didn't try to wipe either and mixed with the sweat, he was nothing short of disgusting, anyone would've been disturbed by the sight but being a military man, Asad has certainly seen worst and Zayn worked for the DA, defence agancy of Nigeria, the sight was a norm for him.

"It was two weeks ago, he was complaining about money and how the boss wasn't being fair, that he was getting a lot of money but paid the drivers a meager amount that wasn't enough for his lifestyle, he has a high state in things, he has three wives and eleven children," they both nodded for him to keep going, his voice got steadier the more he talked.

"He is always deep in debt before the month ends and sometimes he has run-over debts too,"

"Get to the point," Asad snapped tired of the sob story already.

"We both received alerts of five hundred thousand naira about a month ago, I didn't spend mine wallahi because I was scared of where it came from, but he was too neck deep in debt to care so he paid some of his debts and was talking about taking another wife, I warned him but he didn't listen.

"Two weeks ago, I received a call that I should work closely with the family and tell him what is going on, I think it's a he because it's always a man's voice, I told Muri about it and he said he'll do it, I tried to warn him against it but he didn't listen, that is all I know of this, I don't know the name of the person that sent the money and what he was told after that one but that is all I know, please don't do anything to my wife."

Zayn and Asad shared a look, the latter's frustration couldn't be missed, this was the only lead they had and it was pointless.

"Do you still have the alert on your phone," Zayan spoke after a beat, the man nodded immediately and pointed to his phone that was confiscated.

Asad reached out and picked the beat up tecno button phone, he pressed the faded buttons before handing it to Zayn.

"I'll send this to the headquarters and see if they can trace the person that did the transfer," Asad nodded and watched as Zayn hurriedly left the guardroom they used for the interrogation. He turned to the still sweating man with hard eyes, he wished he'd gotten a few punches in.

He quietly walked out and after a few minutes, two uniformed soldiers walked in, one stood at the door while the other one walked up to him.

"You did good, the boss would like to see you." He nodded and stood up on shaky legs, praying that Muri was fine and his wife too, he made a mental note to call her the second he sees the boss.

Wishful thinking on his part because too bad, the boss didn't care for a widow or orphan, and just like his friend he was shot execution style.

•••••••

Fahad trudged to his mother's room, it was only seven in the morning but it felt as though he hasn't slept the night before and worked the whole night, the former held some truth to it since he hasn't slept for the better part of the night.

He recalled the call with Zayn who confirmed the alert was from a blank account, it wasn't a surprise seeing how he doesn't leave any trace, if anything, he was expecting just that, they only hoped the man would return, but even as he thought of that, Fahad knew that wasn't going to happen.

He entered his mother's room after she replied his taslim and gave him permission to enter.

"Ammie," He called after greeting her. Barr. Salima turned to Fahad with a light in her eyes that warmed him.

"Yes habibi, cold feet?" She joked sitting beside him on the bed.

"No, not that," he breathed out, "I just wanted to see you," she smiled and intertwined their hands together.

"Everything is fine right?" She didn't wait for him to answer before adding, "You may try to hide it, you and your father but I know something is wrong, I don't want you to tell me if you don't want to but Fahad, please be careful," She squeezed his hands assuringly.

"Just a little misunderstanding." They stayed quiet for a moment before Fahad breathed a soft laugh, "I can't get on that plane ammie,"

"Cold feet then? For the turbaning?" She dismissed the mirthful tone he used. Adamawa most certainly is not one of his favorite places.

"Everything will be fine,"

"Ammie, I still see her unconscious, I don't think I can go back there." He stated in a small voice, ammie turned to face him directly so she can look into the his eyes.

"Huda is here and she's fine, I know you don't want anything to do with them but they are your family, they'll always be your family." She caressed his face, nostalgia hitting her.

She didn't believe in the tradition of being shy of your first born, Fahad is her confidant and best friend, she missed when he would tell her everything, when he wasn't saddled with responsibilities of being an adult, the times when his first thought is always, 'let me call ammie and run it by her first' she missed those times, but she is glad he was handling things well, she is glad that even after everything he has been through, he looks after everyone around him, and she has realized she has to accept that he is now an adult.

"I can't get these images out of my head, it's like I'm crazy because I see him too," He shook his head as if to get rid of the image "I feel like I'll see him the moment I step foot in Adamawa and Huda will be there again, unmoving, ammie I'm so scared."

"Okay habibi, breath in and out, I assure you everything will be fine, will it make you feel better if Huda stays here with me, or with Khadijah and layla throughout, and she'll facetime you when you land okay, just keep praying." She pecked his cheeks.

They sat in comfortable silence for about nine minutes before the shrill ringing of his phone broke the silence.

He swiped the answer button with a small smile.

"Lee, where are the pictures?" His body went rigid when he heard a shaky voice, he sat up immediately.

"Layla is everything okay?" She sniffed, it took a few seconds before she was finally able to speak.

"Hamma, can you please come over?" She choked out, she was definitely crying.

"Layla tell me what happened, I'll be there in a few minutes please tell me something, are you all okay?"

"Yes, please just come." The line went dead after that.

"What is wrong with Layla?" Ammie asked worry laced in her voice.

"She didn't say, I'll call you when I see what's wrong, please call baba and inform him." She nodded but he was already out of the room.

Fahad rushed to the car and drove out of the house all the while praying Khadijah was fine, his heart wouldn't be able to take it if anything happened to her. He steadied his trembling hands on the wheel.

He was almost at the house when he remembered to call someone for backup, his best bet was Shaheed, he doesn't talk to people so he is probably the only one that's not busy, when he didn't pick, he called Jawad who picked on the second ring.

"What's up groom, cold feet?" Fahad ignored the tease and asked him to meet him at Khadijah's house, he spelled out the address before hanging up, he parked outside the gate, ahead of the blacked out SUV he assumed Xavier had camped there.

He tapped the window with his knuckles but no reply, not a good sign.

He shook off all negative feeling and walked to the gate, he almost missed Layla's trembling figure bent right outside, he helped her up immediately.

She wrapped her shaking hands around him.

They walked to the car together and when he was sure she was seated well in the passenger seat, he walked over to the drivers side and got in. He gave her water after she calmed down.

"Lee, what happened? Is Khadijah okay?" She nodded absently, trying to steady her trembling fingers.

"Can you tell me what happened?" She nodded again and took a deep breath, her face was red from all the crying most probably.

"I received a call, I thought it was you, it sounded like you, that....that you had a package for Khadijah," he nodded waiting for her to continue, "I didn't think any of it so i went out and I saw a dark blue BMW, that type you liked driving back in Australia," He nodded waiting for her to continue, deep down he knew where she was headed but he wanted to hear it from her, hopefully it wasn't what he was thinking.

"I got in the car, at first I thought it was you and," She shook her head, Fahad who had no idea how to console her took her hands in his and squeezed reassuringly hoping it would calm her down, even if just for a moment.

"He held a gun, he-he- said to tell you he's back and you should watch your back." She took the handkerchief he handed her gratefully and wiped her tears.

"He got out of the car after that, I was too shocked to move then I perceived blood, I don't know, it smelled like blood," her eyes were clouded.

"Hamma there was a man in the back, he was bloody, I–I think he is dead."

His heart stopped when he heard that, he wasn't there but even he knew it was a corpse.

"Where is the car?"

It took her a few minutes to reply, "I don't know where Xavier took it," he nodded understandably.

He leaned over in his seat and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so sorry Lee, I... I'm so sorry you had to see that." She nodded against his chest, her arms around him.

"It's not you fault, he is a psychopath,"

"It's my job to protect you, will you be fine? I'll talk with Xavier." He didn't want to leave her alone, not even for a second.

The fact that he was very close scared him, he couldn't remember whenast he felt fear like that. He prayed for strength in his mind before getting out of the car, he walked over to Layla's side to open the door but stopped when he saw a familiar car parking right beside his.

He walked over and waited for the driver to open the door, not upto a minute, Jawad walked out with a white kaftan and babban riga, he removed the zanna cap and kept it back in the car before looking up at Fahad with inquisitive eyes.

"We're about to leave and you're not even dressed, what's up man?" He asked worriedly missing his agitated expression.

"What's wrong?" He asked his eye drifting to Layla that got out of Fahad's car with red eyes proof that she was crying. He walked instinctively to her, he couldn't find it in him to ask what happened, he pulled her into a hug.

"What's wrong baby?" He asked softly when he felt her shivering. He could swear he felt his heart dropped to his stomach when he saw her like that.

She didn't reply, instead she held him closer and sobbed.

Panicked he turned to Fahad who was resting against his car, a look of resignation on his face.

"What happened Fahad?" He shook his head meaning they'll talk about it. Jawad turned to Layla and pecked her forehead.

"It's alright now, I'm here love, please stop crying you know I hate seeing you in tears." He moved a bit so he could look at her, he wiped the few tears that trailed down her face. "There, calm down okay." She managed a nod.

Fahad's phone rang and he moved to the farther side of the street, close to where the security SUV was parked, the voice he heard made his blood boil.

"Hey, there cousin," the person on the other line snickered, "Your silence means you've gotten my message."

"Why don't you meet me? If you want to get at me then fucking come at me." He tried very hard to not yell, he heard laughter again, his grip on the phone tightened, it was a surprise it didn't crush under the force of it.

"This is more fun, come on you should loosen up a bit," He heard a sound in the background like a door closing before the voice returned, all traces of lark disappearing. "Now you listen to me carefully Fahad," he stated with distaste.

"She is just the first, next I might just have a picnic with Huda again, we got along very well the last time, and maybe your wife, a few hours to the nikkah right," he didn't wait for an answer before adding, "Well congratulations, it's time for retribution."

"Fahad," he called with unrepressed anger, "You better listen to me carefully, if you go anywhere near Huda I'm going to kill you with my barehands I promise you," he didn't wait for a reply before hanging up.

An image of seven years old Huda laying motionless in the backseat of a car appeared in his mind, he quickly shook his head and dialed her number.

"Hamma, where are you?" She asked immeditaitly after picking in a high pitched scream.

"Huda, are you okay?" She laughed then replied with yes of course.

"Is everything alright? Ammie is asking of you, that you left in a rush and Abu is also looking for you, can you please convince ammie to let me come with to Adamawa? I really want to go again, I'll sit with hamma Jay quietly I promise," she whined. Fahad who only heard of half of what she rambled told her he would call her back the hung up and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Shaheed just called, they are waiting for us, you know we have to be back before juma'at prayer and it's almost nine." Fahad nodded absently at Jawad who still had Layla glued to his side.

She looked calmer, thank God. He thought walking back to them.

Jawad held Layla's hand in his and stepped a few feet away from the cars, he lifted her face so they were eye to eye, it was a bit swollen.

"You'll be fine?" He asked, when she didn't reply immediately he added, "I'll stay with you, I don't have to go okay?"

"It's fine, I'll be fine." She assured even though she wasn't really feeling it.

"Are you sure?" He asked searching her face, for what? Even he didn't know, he needed to assure himself she was fine.

She nodded, then looked down breaking eye contact. She heard him sigh.

He turned to Fahad and saw him standing in front of his car his phone to his ears.

"Okay, I'll call you immediately we land, call me if you need anything," She nodded again.

Jawad stared at her for a bit before gently rubbing her hands assuringly, his eyes drifted to her lips but he quickly averted his gaze.

"Don't answer any calls if they're not from home," whatever it is that happened must've been real bad if she was crying like that, and with that man on the loose, he didn't want to take chances.

"Layla," he called her name softly, "Promise me you'll stay safe, don't go anywhere please, I won't be calm if you're not safe," he pecked her forehead then moved back a bit, with their hands intertwined, they walked the short distance to the gate.

"Safe journey," She managed a small smile and his lips turned up a bit too.

"Thank you, I love you." He stated without thinking, he couldn't tell the emotion that showed on her face but she it was between acceptance and relief.

He didn't expect a reply, he opened the adjoined door for her and waited till she closed it before walking back to the car. Fahad looked up when he heard footsteps.

"You two are fine now?" He asked nodding in the direction of the house.

"Let me worry about that, let go of some of your burderns Barkindo, I have it under control."

He studied Fahad for a bit, it didn't take much to notice his tense shoulders and the hardening in his fore head, he whole persona screamed 'furious'.

Fahad nodded assuringly, "we'll be fine." He nodded at that then walked over to the car, his father has been calling and news like that wasn't something he would want to tell him on the phone.

They both got into Jawad's car, Fahad who didn't argue about sitting uselessly made Jawad realize just how bad whatever happened must've been.

The car ride was silent, Jawad with thoughts of Layla on his mind, last night had been okay, more than okay, he tried to repress a smile as thoughts of Layla clouded his mind.

They weren't fine fine but they were in a much better place.

"We're going to talk this night Layla, please we can't keep doing this," He'd pleaded with her after she pulled away from the hug, reluctantly.

She nodded wordlessly, a shine in her eyes, his heart did multiple jumps when he recognised it and associated with the old Layla, the Care free Layla, the Layla he'd fallen in love with.

He held her hands and they walked to the gazebo that they vacated just hours earlier with Fahad and the rest.

They sat facing each other, her attention elsewhere but he knew she was aware of him.

He let silence reign between them, she will talk in her own time, and he wanted her to know he'll wait for her till the end of time.

"I called after you left," Layla said lowly after a few minutes.

He looked confused for a bit before nodding in question, she understood and elaborated.

"I called your home phone," She stated this time more confidently.

She was tired of