Hidden : Under the masks ( english version)

Chapter 2 -Safiatou-

Wow, it's massive, I thought, gazing at the giant building before me. There were two guys wearing smart suits standing at the door and they opened it for us. The one on the left was really good-looking, with eyes a color of blue I had never seen. But that wasn't going to make me fall for him—my one and only love was right beside me. But I never said anything, we were on a mission. I really had no clue what was going on in his mind at the moment. He did look quite tense at the airport. Deep down, I understood; a mission like this was hard to accomplish. But all will be well, I'm sure of it. They will pay. For my mother, for my father, for our parents.

"Hello!" a woman's voice suddenly called out across the reception desk. "I hope you weren't too tired from the journey."

From the dress she wore and the necklace around her neck, we might guess that she was not part of the staff.

"Not at all. Just a little bit affected by the jet lag," answered Tidiane with a smile.

My God. he's so charming when he smiles.

"Latifa, pleasure to meet you," said the woman, shaking both our hands.

Latifa Al-Zahra. Okay, so this is the woman. She is married to Sheikh Al-Maktoum, whom she has been with for thirty-three years. That is a long time, yes, very long. They have two children, Salima and Rashid.

"Come along," she said.

After taking the elevator and passing through another door, we arrived at their home.

"This is where you'll be working."

She showed us around the flat, which is as big as my area in Pikine, Senegal. The kitchen is so fully equipped, and the lounge is so stylish, as you would expect.

According to the deer heads and other animals on the walls, there should be a hunter in the family. Tidiane wasn't surprised; he was probably already aware of everything. We didn't see anyone; Mr. Al-Maktoum was in his office, and children were out, probably having fun at some club. Time to take a look at our room. It was pretty suitable for servants.

"Ah. I'll leave you to your privacy."

"Thank you!" I said with a huge smile.

I waited for her to leave before sleeping on the bed. It was softer than my DODO brand mattress back home.

"I'll take the floor. You can have the bed."

"No issue, I don't mind sleeping on the floor."

"I insist."

I wish this marriage were real. that you were lying in this bed with me.

Mrs. Latifa came back into the room after a few seconds.

"I'll need your passports," she told them.

Tidiane and I shared a sudden look.

"Relax, I'll bring them back to you when you go see your family. Just routine."

We looked at each other again, and Tidiane nodded prior to us surrendering our passports. "Very well. Thank you for your cooperation," she smiled. "Prepare yourself, we have guests coming over. It has to be all prepared before eight o'clock."

"Yes, ma'am," I said, as she walked out of the room.

Tidiane and I were quiet for a moment, then one of us said.

"Let's get started," he told her, angling his head towards his bag, which he started to open.

He emptied the bag onto the floor, closed and locked the bedroom door, took a knife from the nightstand next to a fruit bowl, and cut at the material of the bag. He extracted small metal discs and gave them to me.

"You know what to do," he whispered, his eyes burning with intensity.

I removed the little disks from his hands and preserved them. After I had put on the uniform, I went to the living room to set and polish the cups and trays as I had been instructed by madam. Tidiane was, however, to go and pick up the twins before the visitors could start arriving. I did not find anyone in the living room, Bingo! Here was the chance to finish the first task I had been employed for. I took out three of the tiny disks, pressed a button which emitted faint beeps, and put them: one on the center of the mounted heads on the wall, the second on the corridor that led to Salima's room. "Safiatou?" I jumped in fright, and the third disk dropped out of my grasp. I suddenly felt hot, my stomach cramping into a knot. Shit!