The Fallen Widow

Chapter 9 - The Trenches

The walls were whispering around Shahgul. Something was building up to a crescendo, but she was unaware. Why was Jahanzaib back? What was his game? Why had Shahnawaz sacked his city executives? Tonight Dilawar-Baksh was driving to the city to meet new suitors for Fiza. Why late night? Why couldn't he go in the morning? Standing on the balcony and staring into the deep, dark sky, the moon was lost. A chill ran over her body and she shuddered. She wrapped her arms around her and stroked her arms.

"Ya Allah- protect my family." She breathed to the silent night.

Fiza was erratically searching in Uzayr's room for the so called evidence he found against baba. Unable to eat, sleep she was wearing thin terrified for Uzayr's safety. Jahanzaib informed her he spoke to Uzayr, and Uzayr was no longer seeking for revenge. Fiza didn't believe him. Uzayr was a mad man; Majnoon.

His room was cluttered and raided like a thief ransacked the room. Drawers open, clothes thrown across the room, she went through ever nook and cranny. When she felt at loss, she kneeled on the floor like she was in prayer thinking of the most precious place in his room.

"The safe!" He had a safe behind the picture frame where he'd keep documents and his weapons. She took off the frame and punched in the code.
"112211"A simple code he'd easily remember. The safe pinged open. There were wads of cash but his pistol- it was gone. She gasped emptying the safe. Why would he take his pistol?

"Ya Allah! She cried and pulled back. Her black dupatta was caught in the sharp door and tore. She unpicked it from the safe and assessed the tear. What this a bad omen? She had to speak to someone. Who could she tell?

Running down the stairs case, she ran through the haveli grounds to Shahnawaz's haveli, her heart pounding in fear. Baba was travelling to the city tonight. Uzayr's pistol was not in his safe. The maids pointed to the hookah bettak where Shah Nawaz sat with Wajahat Ali and two guests. Fiza broke through the doors, her dupatta trailing on her shoulder and behind her, barefoot she ran to her uncle, tears running down her cheeks in fear for her baba and Uzayr.

"You have to stop him! You have to stop him!" She cried. Shah Nawaz stood up on seeing his niece's terrified state. She fell in his arms, worn with worry and exhausted. Shah Nawaz lifted his hand up sending his guests out of the room. Quickly, Wajahat Ali ushered them out leaving Shah Nawaz with his shattered niece.
"Sit down. Tell me what happened?" He sat her on his arm chair and kneeled before her holding her hand. She buried her face in her hands. Should she tell Shah Nawaz the truth? He wasn't only her uncle, but the chief of Jahanpur, if anyone betrayed the royal household, they would be punished- even Uzayr. She was convoluted in worry for baba and Uzayr.
"It's baba! Something bad will happen to him tonight."
Shah Nawaz shook his head ignoring the ranting of a tired woman.
"Nothing will happen to baba. You're worried for nothing."
Shah Nawaz stood up and threw his grey shawl over his chest and fixing his turban. Fiza stood up behind him. If she didn't tell him tonight, she may never see her baba again.
"Uzayr's going to kill baba tonight."
Shah Nawaz paused and then looked back at Fiza. Death was written on her face. There was no time to waste. 

***

That night crickets chirped in a drone, whilst the wild hyena's callously whooped and laughed as though they knew what was ahead. There was one narrow, dark, road to the city. No moonlight. It was pitch black. Dressed in black, with a black turban and shawl covering his face, Uzayr waited in the trench he dug the previous night. With a handheld torch, he checked his pistol ensuring it as loaded, clean and ready to fire. He's had extra weapons and bullets in case there was a gun fight. Twenty minutes later, a motorbike buzzed from the fields. Uzayr waited for the signal. The rider flashed twice. It was him. The man who led him to this road. The man parked his motorbike yards away and switched the engine off. He was tall and instrumental in locating evidence for Uzayr's quest for revenge.
"I was there when Dilawar-Baksh promised to kill your father, Urgungzeb." The man was an eye witness to the altercation before his father's death. Making his way towards Uzayr he'd also covered his face with a spring in his step, today he would kill Dilawar-Baksh; his father. Azaad made his way towards Uzayr flashing his hand held torch in his face.
"Why are you covering your face like a coward? Don't you want to look your baba in the eye when you shoot him in the face?"Azaad was the backbone of the operation. For the past ten days he visited Uzayr at the stables convincing Uzayr that Dilawar Baksh had his father's blood on his hands. Azaad cackled lighting his cigarette.
"Have you told anyone?" Asked Azaad.
"No- well just Fiza. She won't tell anyone."
"You idiot!" He punched him. "She dotes on baba. She will tell everyone." "
She won't- trust me." Uzayr lied. Fiza had told Jahanzaib and he questioned him at the stables. But Uzayr was quick to shut him up. Both men waited in the trenches for the next twenty minutes.