The Spectaculars

Chapter 1: Peacemaker? My foot.

"Grab your tea, Maria. You know how much I hate it when you leave without breakfast." My mouth was already busy as I held the catcher with my teeth and did my hair with my fingertips. I was running late for work and I didn't wanna get there after Talha!! I just bloody hate to walk through my office with him smirking on his table with a cup of tea.

I wish I could break his perfect teeth! I hate the thought of him.

Mom pulled out the catcher from my mouth and handed me gracefully, after scowling at me. "Mom!" I groaned.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Fine. Fine." I grabbed that slice of butter and ran outside. "I'll have my tea at work. I just can't be late."

I just stomped out of the door, unlocked my car and hopped inside. The guard hurried out of his room on the sight of me to open the door. I reversed my car and with a drift, I drove out of the street.

I kept accelerating until I made it to my work place. 8:33am, I rolled my eyes. I was 3 minutes late and now I just wish Talha was late to work somehow.

Some grumpy failures like myself pray that others fail when they themselves have lost.
I grabbed my bag and rushed inside the office and wandered my eyes around.

"You're looking for someone, Officer Maria?" Ali almost had me jumped on my toes by appearing out of nowhere. I shook my head.

"Uhu.. no no-one. Actually I was.. where is Officer Samad?" I asked.

"Oh glad you asked. He insisted that I call you and Officer Talha in his office but I just can't find him." He added.

"You can't find who??" I asked Ali. Ali was a smart handsome guy, in his early twenties and he was so in love with our co-worker Saba. They were almost caught by everyone except Officer Samad. Officer Samad also knows he just pretends not to.

"Officer Talha, obviously." He said. I couldn't help but grin. So I won, may be he didn't make it to work early.

"I guess he's not here yet." I cleared the confusion with a smirk.

"No he is here, he's out on a phone call. Oh there, there I see him. Let me tell him that Officer Samad awaits you both." I squeezed my eyes in defeat and let out a groan. Why oh whyyy??

I hurried inside, into my tiny cabin and put my bag down. I really fail when it comes to him, why can't I ever do better than him at anything. I put vaseline on my lips and walked over to Officer Samad's office but grabbed a warm hand instead.

My eyes shot up immediately. "You?" I am just so absentminded sometimes or it's just that Talha appears out of nowhere in front of me.

Even he grabbed the door handle before me. I end up losing just by a secind everytime we're suppose to do something together. I looked up into his eyes and stepped back.

He was a good looking devil, undoubtedly. He had dark brown hair that shined like gold in the sun. He had almond shaped, Hazel eyes. A rude nose just like him, and soft dark lips in a straight smirk. How can even someone smirk so casually??

Talha turned the door knob as we both stepped inside one after the other. Officer Samad's eyes widened as he caught our sight. He closed his file and got up from his chair, greeted the both of us. "There is a case for the two of you" he paused.

Off course he seemed excited, they way he greeted us was different like we're we both getting trapped into something.

Talha and I shared a confronted look.
He raised his eyes in disgust. "We?"
I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "Together?"

"I want the best of my people to go there and it's the two of you I have chosen. I know it's hard and dangerous and the two of you don't get along well but its important.." We couldn't gather the courage to refuse Officer Samad but our eyes said it all. Though he refused to acknowledge it and despite the fact that we won't work together he continued. "Few smugglings have taken place in that particular building. I want the two of you to play husband and wife, a new happily married couple who buys themselves a flat and live with love and respect." Our brows crouched up. "Three months would be enough, as the building has 24 apartments it would give you enough time to know which of your neighbour is the smuggler. After you're done finding the smuggler, contact us so we can raid the area." He finished and hoped for the two of us to nod, we didn't. I haven't known who my neighbours are in ten years. How will I find them in three months.

"Why don't you send Ali and Saba? They can be the best couple. They are quite in love too." I suggested.

"Exactly they are so much in love, they wouldn't concentrate on the case and get so much into the role" Officer Samad reasoned. "And it's I who will decide who goes, I have chosen you both and it's final. There's no space left for argument."

"But Sir-"

"No ifs and buts Talha. I trust the two of you more than anyone else, isn't that enough for the two of you to obey my order?" His tone held authority and fatherhood. We could not refuse, I sighed in defeat and bowed my head down.

I Maria Ali, will bear Talha for the sake of Officer Samad and for the sake of our country, I promise to get rid of the smugglers and come back with success. I will-

"Am I very much clear with the both of you?" He asked, he was someone we both couldn't refuse, we respected him like a father, like a mentor nonetheless. I was baffled, this case did sound interesting but it screamed danger.

And who said I was afraid of danger. I bloody loved it. But not with Talha, anyone but him.

Officer Samad cleared his throat, it held warning. "Yes Sir," the two of gave a curt nod.

"Very well then," he walked back to his chair, picked two files and handed us. "Study your case, and be ready to leave by 6:00am in the morning. You'll reach there within a day with a truck load of furniture. Your apartment has been rented and you'll get your keys there, my man will hand them over to you. And most importantly don't reveal yourself, be in the best disguise ever. I repeat don't reveal yourself. I'll visit you both at the end of every month as your big brother and only then you'll update me about everything. I don't want you two stay in touch with me, our phones might be taped. Buy yourself a new contact number. No personal contact is allowed-"

"But sir, my fiancee-"

"This is a serious matter, Miss Maria. I want more than adequate amount of discipline and the two of you need to abide by the rules." He clarified and sent me a stern look. I bowed my head down in an apologetic manner.

Not that I'm so madly in love with my fiancee, but if he ends up breaking the engagement my mother will break my legs without any second thought. She had finally found the guy she can hand me over too and she won't lose him at any cost.

"Sir, I live with a sick grandmother, my father is no more with us, my sister is too young to look after her and my mother despise the woman so much that she wouldn't care even if she dies right in front of her eyes. Someone has to be the peacemaker-" I scoffed at his words, they didn't sound believable.

"Peacemaker? My foot" I added, Talha shot me a glare but didn't say a word in front of Officer Samad. I rolled my eyes away and let him continue with the shit he had to blabber about.

"Maria?? Cease that tongue of yours. How will you both live in one flat for even a day, without throwing vases at each others?" He asked. I myself have been wondering that ever since he signed us this mission.

Talha cleared his throat. "I will try my best to bring the both of us alive" his eyes drew back to me with hate, I smiled back. "Until someone minds their own bloody business." He retorted.

"Out now, I'll see the two of you tomorrow morning. Be here at 5:00am sharp." He added. We both gave a curt nod and walked out. Talha's eyes met mine just as he closed the door.

"I'll pick you up at 4:30am sharp. If you're late, don't expect me to wait outside, and get yourself a cab." That was all he said and before hearing what I had to say he walked away.

Let's just hope for a better tomorrow, even though all I see is dark clouds. Trapped in a small car with him, then an apartment for three months, I could already see the future right in front of my eyes.