Broken trust

Chapter twenty-one

Najeeb

The utter feeling of uselessness is disheartening. Najeeb was seated on a very large sofa in his office deep in thought. Nothing is going right, they have yet to make progress on Amal's whereabouts, he can't stop feeling responsible for her situation, but what is more disheartening is the knowledge of being a failure. He failed Sofiyya, he failed his unborn child and now he has failed Amal, he is a massive failure.

It's been weeks since her disappearance, Nolan tried searching for the signal on the communicator but that also was a dead end, he had sent people to search the venue once again but it turns out the place was just a ruse. The assassins in fact do not base there. So they are always right where they started. The last option they have left was to start tailing Hameed and see where he goes; hopefully he will lead them to her. But Hameed was no fool; he will spot them the very instance!

'I think I've got something boss'. Nolan screeched as he threw open the door his face looking excited and hopeful. Najeeb could not remember when last he saw that look on Nolan, he was always the cheerful one but whenever he's stressed, you can't ignore the gloominess he carries around. The last time he looked that cheerful was when he created that eye lens camera...OH MY ALLAH! The camera!!!

'Nolan the camera!.' Najeeb stood up abruptly heading towards the already fast striding Nolan.

'Yes boss, I managed to trace the signal after several failed attempts, but I finally did it boss.' He screeched in happiness. 'We are going to get her back!'

'Inshaa Allah, Nolan, Inshaa Allah' Najeeb stood by Nolan as he showed him the location of the signal they got.

They were undoubtedly successful with their tracking! Please note the sarcasm!

They managed to find out that Amal's location was in fact underground. Nolan's talents know no bounds, without anyone's knowledge, Nolan was in fact a very professional hacker! He hacked into the National Archives Building in Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C and found the records of all the buildings with underground. They narrowed it to the building nearest the hall in which the gala was held. Nolan went all the way as to get the blueprint of that building. After so much effort from both of them, they finally noticed a not so very obvious change in the blueprints from the one they got from National Archives building. Right then, Najeeb released the breath he was holding. Finally, his chance to not be a failure, the chance he has been waiting for, to bring Amal back!!!

Amal

It's been three weeks since her apprehension. All these weeks, Amal has not seen any soul apart from Hameed, and she hasn't seen him for quite some time since then. There were slight changes in her predicament though, she is no longer chained. Though she knew that has something to do with Hameed, he was so angry when he saw her chained that she saw his dark brown eyes turn black and his vein was constantly visible. After his visit to her humble abode, he was not the least pleased. Later that day, two strong men came in with Hameed. He carried her literally to another room, though she was blindfolded. Her new cell was far better than the previous one of course, she now have the luxury of a bathroom!

Many things have changed from the way they treated her, she doesn't see anyone but she gets her meals constantly. There was an opening just by the end of the door which can be opened by the other side of the door; they slide her food through that cursed opening. She was treated like an animal for Allah's sake! She wondered what they want from her, nobody thinks Amal was worth their attention to even try to talk to her. All she does was eat, cry, pray and sleep for the whole three weeks. Deep down, she kept replaying what transpired between Hameed and herself, the last time he had visited. After her outburst, he remained silent for a very long time. Nothing was heard between them except the sound of their laboured breathing and the sniff of her quiet cries of pain. After some agonizing minutes he heaved a heavy sigh of regret and drew her closer to him, hoping she wouldn't draw back and she didn't.

She welcomed the shoulder and his warmth as she cried harder. Everything is changed; she cannot ignore the cruel fact that the love of her life is a murderer. He had killed many and he will kill more, possibly her father amongst them.

'Was it all a lie?' she had asked staring at him with puffed eyes and trembling lips. He wiped her tears away unconsciously though that didn't stop another stray of tear to take its place. he kissed her nose and looked back up to meet her questioning gaze.

'No, it was not all a lie.'

Amal could not understand her treacherous heart, because hearing that answer from him she felt happy, almost relieved and she could not understand why she felt that way. Was that what she was supposed to feel? Should she have felt relief? Will that answer even change anything? She could not answer the first two questions but she certainly would answer the last. That answer, will not change anything. Hameed is a murderer, and being a murderer with a wife is still a murderer nonetheless.

'How long have you known?' he repeated the question he had asked before.

'For some months now.' She answered under her breath but he heard it.

'Why didn't you say anything?'

'And risk being killed! Yeah right, I am not too eager to live this amazing world believe me'. she scoffed her voice filled with humour. Hameed's demeanour changed instantly, his eyes widened and she saw the hint of disappointment in them, almost like he was hurt. He squeezed her hands and raised her chin so she could look into his eyes.

'Hey, I will never hurt you.' He said gently and her heart fluttered, she had never heard such gentleness in his voice, never seen such love in his eyes. He looked straight into her eyes as if he wanted her to see right through his soul that he meant what he said. He would never hurt her. He wanted her to believe him, how could she even think he can hurt her! He loves her for Allah's sake!!

She saw the truth in his eyes, she saw the pain in them, and she also saw the hurt in them. It was like he was hurt that she will ever think he could hurt her, but Amal knew he would. Not physically but emotionally and what pains is the realisation that he had already did.

'Who do you work for?' Hameed asked and he winced as she drew away from him and her eyes turn vile. In that moment she looked at him with so much hatred he had to look away from her. She stood up and walked away from him.

'So you are here to interrogate me, they sent you to get the answers from me. I was thinking why you decided to show up now, how stupid I was to think that you actually came here because you care! No, you came here to get the answers from me!' she yelled as more tears rolled down her beautiful face. Hameed got up immediately and walked towards her with careful strides, like he was walking on glass and he wouldn't want it to break.

'No, baby no, that is not why I am here. I just think you should you know...' he trailed off. Why did he have to ask that now! He was a fool. Amal thinks they sent him to get answers from her! How ridiculous!!

'Get. Out.'

He looked up with pleading eyes as he halted in his strides towards her. 'Baby listen to me...

'Get the hell out!!' she screamed and went into hysterics. Hameed headed towards the door with a very heavy heart. How could she think so little of him, but his profession wasn't exactly the very noble of jobs, how selfish can he be to demand she thinks highly of him?

'Just so you know, I really do love you. Always have, always will.'

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