LAST MAN STANDING

CHAPTER-14

"HAHA...HAHA," Zoya was laughing with her uncle when he reminded her of childhood memories. She was smiling at her uncle, Amarinder and her heart felt satisfied for that day. Then, they were silent all that could be heard was the gentle breeze swishing past those trees. "can I ask you something, uncle? Please give me an answer to this" "Sure, Zoya." 

"why was Dad killed?", she asked. Amarinder put his head down without giving a reply.

Zoya kneeled in front of him and she put her hand over his. "Uncle, I need to know. I have become big enough. It's important." "Uff... Zoya your father was the only one in the family who wasn't interested in our family profession and he was very stubborn. He was the one person in a family who was a really good artist. We often had fights for him to change the profession but he wouldn't listen. He didn't know the fact that I was a RAW agent." "Wait, you were? I thought it was Dad who was the RAW agent after seeing what happened to him."

 "No, Zoya it was me. I had to be in Karachi for a mission while we all were in Lahore. So, I left since this was my last mission as a field agent. I did not tell anyone. Then, because your mother complained of me wandering everywhere, your father put a tracker on me which I hadn't realized. We had to kill Riyadh Faruq, Omar Faruq's father. I killed him there worried about the countless lives he was going to damage. As I was on my way back, I saw the tracker on my shoe and threw it near the murder site thinking someone did that to blow off my cover. That stupid son of mine reached late to the murder site and the police thought he was the mastermind. They tried to catch him but he escaped that time. We booked the flight immediately. We were leaving at night and ... the rest of it you have seen."

Zoya was sitting and trying to control her tears. Those Nightmares never went out of her head. "wasn't there anything you could do to save him? Anything? After all, he is your son." " Zoya, I tried I fought for getting a lawyer to get him out of this case. I also asked the RAW agency to provide me with money to get the lawyer but they couldn't. They were busy with other business. The other RAW agents left the country after the mission and new ones were being assigned. I wasn't even informed regarding the new RAW agents. The RAW chief hated me for some reason and he wasn't even ready to help me. Even after trying different ways, He was executed by the Pakistan government. I was supposed to be coming to India and receiving a bravery award. They gave it to someone else from our team."

Tears were dripping from Zoya's cheeks, she tried to control but they wouldn't stop. "Do you ever regret having such a stubborn son?", she asked. There was a slight pause. Amarinder wiped his eyes. "I was proud of him. He accepted he was the RAW agent for no reason in the court. I asked him why he told me " I couldn't live like one but what could provide greater honour than dying like one?". It came all over the news but nobody acknowledged it. Headlines were 'an Indian dies in Pakistan'. Nobody wanted to know why he died, what he died, and what he is doing there because at some point nobody cares. The world doesn't even care."

Amarinder covered his eyes with his hand. "they just don't care." Zoya hugged him and patted him on his back. suddenly, there was a huge thud outside amidst the silence. She opened the backdoor and saw some delivery guy fall. The delivery guy lifted his head and started running. Zoya saw he had a box of krygonium left on the door. She ran towards him.

Aasim was walking back after the fight with Noel. He was pulling his hair with his hand in anger. *why didn't she tell me? what is wrong with her? Or is it my mistake that I didn't ask? *. He was struggling with all the negative thoughts in his head.

BAANGG!!!...

Aasim immediately started running toward the sound. He started to panic he left Zoya in the house. He had done so many mistakes till now. He still doesn't know why he kissed her. "AARGH!!!" He hears the sound of the man louder as he was getting closer. He hears another gunshot. He runs faster. Then, his legs stop instantly and he falls off. The delivery guy was murdered. It was evening and the forest was getting darker. He heard some rumbling of leaves. He ran towards the tree and he sees a cat. He hears the footsteps of someone running behind. He turns to find Zoya. "what are you doing here? You are supposed to stay with your uncle." "This delivery guy came to our house and ran away after looking at me. I ran after him but by the time I reached you came before me. It is with krygonium." "He didn't give. He was trying to steal it there is a box in the house", Aasim replied. Suddenly, Zoya's phone pings. Zoya was about to check it but Aasim snatched it from his hand.

Aasim played the video. As the video played, his reaction changed from sad to horrified. Zoya snatched the phone and saw it was some CCTV footage. In the video, Aasim was there lying on the ground and after some time, A man just woke up and left the exit. Inaaya got up and took Aasim along with a her men. she paused and asked, "do you know who he is?" 

"Inaaya saved me from him when I messed up a deal with him. She shot him and he died at least that's what I thought. I fell unconscious and she brought me here to Karachi convincing me to join QUT. Out of all people she had to trap me?" Aasim left a teardrop from his eye and Inaaya hugged him. She rubbed her hand over his back comforting him. "it's okay. I am there for you." She said.

She puts her hand over his shoulder and accompanies him on the walk back to the house. "Zoya, I have to tell you something I was planning." 

"what is it?" she asked curiously. Her fingers were crossed waiting for him to propose. 

"I have decided on my new scientist for the missile. He will help me do the nuclear part." "that's great. Who is it?" she asked uninterested after the huge letdown.

 "it's Omar Faruq."

 Zoya just stopped walking further. She hit her fist over her forehead. "Aasim, please anyone but Omar. If you want to forget about the missile, forget it but don't bring Omar into this. He will create chaos for the missile you are making anything could go at fault." "Zoya, it is the missile even which he wants to use why won't he make it successful? The only thing he can change is the devastation it can bring. So, that will just be a plus point for my client.", Aasim mentions. "CLIENT...ooh...right, your CLIENT. There is a terrorist in your house along with a RAW agent and all you care is about your CLIENT. Other thousands of people could die but all you care about is one brainwashed maniac who thinks destruction is success. Do you even listen to yourself?"

"And all you think is he is a terrorist, Zoya. You get driven by emotions not realising that he is also a scientist who used his inventions for a bad cause. We can change him. he was also driven by emotions and took a wrong decision." "And you are a person who was driven by emotions too. your feelings for Inaaya made you get into this whole mess while you were supposed to go and enjoy spending some time with your family. Do you realize that Aasim? Why don't you ever trust me?", Zoya cried.

"Yes, Zoya. I do realise that fact but he is our only option. If we try to call someone else, our cover has a higher chance of getting exposed to more people. I will convince him in some way. Well for your second question, find the answer yourself."

 he walks forward and Zoya just follows keeping her head down. She was startled with Aasim's behaviour. *does he still think I can betray him? didn't we kiss before? What does he want?*. she then just got the thoughts out of her head. Both of them stepped inside. Her uncle understood what happened when he saw both were coming with dejected looks. "ok, I have to go." He said to Aasim and Zoya. "wait a minute. I will put Zoya to bed and drop you off. it's dark." Aasim took Zoya up the stairs and tied her in the same room with the rope. Before leaving the room he whispered a 'sorry' next to her ear and left ensuring the box of krygonium was safe. Just as he got down the stairs, he saw the box from the delivery guy. He checked the note on the box :

                                          WAITING IN EAGER FOR THE SUCCESS

                                                             OF YOUR PROJECT

                                                                              - XIN CHO

"AASIMM??" Amarinder was shouting. "ONE MINUTE COMING" he was surprised. He just saw one box clearly in the room. If this box that was delivered was from the minister, who delivered the other one?