LAST MAN STANDING

CHAPTER-18

After the blast was captured by the American satellites, America stopped exporting weapons to Pakistan and broke ties with them. The UN pressurized Pakistan to stop such nuclear activities due to the harm caused by the missile. Pakistan was forced to sign the nuclear test-ban-treaty which was issued by the United Nations when Kadir agreed this was not a government project.

After further strikes in Pakistan, against the general and the power of the army, The president was reinstated with a completely new legislative assembly. This decreased the power of the General to interfere with any of the decisions made by the legislative assembly. India and Pakistan soon closed ties with each other and agreed on a weapon development program. Kadir was later arrested for killing Omar Faruq due to a lack of evidence that proved he is a terrorist. But later, Omar Faruq's body could not be found. As for China, it was having its own problems. The prime minister got assassinated and Xin Cho was declared the new prime minister by the dominating party.

In Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, Aasim had his sunglasses on sunbathing on a couch over that fine sand. The sun was shining brightly in the early morning. The sound of the waves hitting the shore and the usual chatter between the kids and adults. He was sipping a blue-coloured mojito from a glass next to him. His phone was ringing in his pocket.

"hello, Minister Xin Cho. Is my mother all right?"

"yes. She is now in Pakistan safe. With Inaaya just like you told me. I am having a problem with setting up the missile. There is something wrong with setting up the missile from the remote you gave." Aasim checked his phone and got a pic of his mother with Inaaya. He sighed in relief.

"well, it's just normal. Check all the stats are going fine and then just initiate the launch by clicking the launch button." "I have done that but it's asking for a fingerprint verification."

"Oh, now open the package I sent you," Aasim instructs.

Xin looks around and calls one of his men to get the package on the floor. Xin takes a scissor and cuts it open. He gets startled as soon as he sees what's inside the box. "why would you send me a decomposed hand? Is this a joke?"

"his fingerprint only will help in the verification process." "his hand is decomposed. What am I supposed to do out of it?" Xin asked.

"look you didn't pay service taxes. I cut his hand from his body and tried to package. That took 2 days. I went and sent it for delivery through speed post. That took 3 days. Now by that time, it would decompose. What could I do?" Aasim justified.

"I will...". Then, Xin opens one of the pages in the instruction manual in the package. He starts laughing.

"I knew something like this would happen. I got a hacker to hack your system. Now it will override your instructions. Now I am launching it to the same house your mom's in."

"no, don't ..."

"sorry, Aasim."

BOOOM!!! The call gets cut. *I don't understand if is he deaf or illiterate. Nobody has the patience to understand. If anyone tries to hack the system I made, it would automatically self-destruct since I installed my software there. All defective people are my customers. Strange business. Feel like an assassin more than a weapons dealer.* he thought to himself. Then, he gets another call.

"please leave me I am on vacation. Call me later."

"yeah, I know Jumeirah Beach seems a pretty carefree spot." The caller replied.

Aasim turned his head around to look who is speaking.

"Don't worry, I am not there. Sorry for disturbing you. I just want to congratulate you. You won the game." The caller replied.

"What game? And how are you related to me? Are you the one who killed Qasim and why?" he asked.

"Qasim was supposed to be the NPC but he went a little off the role so I had to kill him. well, for some, I might be god but to give you a better illustration. I am the game developer for the game you won."

"so you are trying to say I am like the main character of the game?"

"Not exactly. You are ... you are just. The last man standing." The call cuts

3 YEARS LATER

Inaaya is combing her daughter(sia)'s hair as she is sitting on the chair.

"Inaaya, get her ready. We have to go fast." A manly voice shouts. "just wait a minute, Kenny." Inaaya adjusts her dress. "okay, now go, sia." Sia runs to the door and holds Kenny's hand. Kenny was a tall man(above 6 feet) with blonde hair and a sharp nose. He had hazel-like eyes and snow-white skin. His voice was deep but very calm and helpful atmosphere.

"Fine, then I will leave. I wish you could come. it will be fun." he said.

"I have to take care of her. She needs someone during her old age." Inaaya tells. "I understand. Come, sia."

Kenny holds Sia's hand and opens the door for her to his Honda City sedan. Inaaya waves them goodbye as they leave. She closes the door. she walks to the hall. Aasim's mother stares out the window at the snowy weather. Inaaya goes and sits next to her. "what happened, Aunty?" she asked.

"Nothing, it's been a while since I have met Aasim. It's been almost 3 years and all he does is call me and send letters. I don't know how to be thankful to you." he said.

"Aunty, I should thank you. I don't have anyone in my family. You give me the warmth of a mother. It's something I haven't felt for a long time." " you will always be like my daughter."

The doorbell rings. Inaaya walks to open the door. She stands there stoned.

"Aasim?"

"Hi, how are you? how is mom and where is your daughter?" He asks.

"your mom is inside while Sia and Kenny have gone to play near the snowy mountains. Come inside." She says.

Aasim goes inside and her mom sees Aasim from afar. Aasim runs to hug her tightly. Inaaya sits at the side and watches both of them happily bond. A few minutes later, Aasim is going around the house browsing through the pics. One of them catches his attention. He picks it up. "who is this small girl?" "that is my daughter. She is 9 years right now."

Aasim gets staggered as he hears it. He walks outside the house. Then, he takes his phone out of his pocket while standing on those snowy streets.

"stop whatever you are going to do right now. stop whatever you are planning.", Aasim shouts to the person on the line.

"Everyone have their own destiny, my friend and.... as said...

destiny can not be changed."