DECEPTION

5

Read chap 4!!!

⛓⛓

The captain tapped the steering wheel with a constant staccato as he waited for the rider and it was a moment, later that the door of the Nissan was opened and a man sat in the back seat.

He took a lungful of air to catch his breath, he had run from his house to the next street where the taxi waited. The urge to blink was strong but he was afraid, afraid of the message that hadn't stopped flashing in front of his eyes all evening and he was slowly losing his mind with aching worry. He licked his dry lips, "Please, be quick."

His heart pounded in his chest, he could easily number the distinct beats if he wanted to as he glanced at the dial of his watch for the umpteenth time.

"Address, Sir? There is no drop off location-" The driver spoke, meeting his eyes in the mirror but he looked away.

"Red light area," He had deepened his voice.

The car lurched to a complete halt. He outstretched his arms to prevent himself from colliding into the passenger seat.

The driver turned over his shoulder to glare at him, "I am a respectable man, Sir. I can't take you. Please, take another ride."

"I don't doubt that but I need to go there, right now." He pleaded, throwing his wallet on the front seat, "Around 10k is inside. That is at least ten times more than the fare. Take me there, now."

The stubborn driver made no move to start the car, he tightened his grip around the steering wheel as his gaze shifted from the man to the wallet he had thrown without any regard.

"Listen here you-"

"I don't have much time. Believe it or not, someone's life is in danger." He opened the message and held the phone in the driver's face for him to read.

The driver's eyes widened, reading the two short sentences in the continuous messages.

She will die, tonight. Save her if you can.

"When did you receive it?" The driver asked.

"It's been a while. What's your name?"

"Noman. It could be a scam."

"I know that but what if it's not? I don't want to take the risk," He uttered with desperation, his heart hitting hard against his rib cage.

God, please let her be okay. 

Noman's face was as white as a sheet of paper when he switched gears and in a few seconds, they were on the road.

The play was set in motion.

Asraar had returned from the office, showered only to return to the texts waiting for him. For a while, he had ignored them but the nagging feeling in his gut overpowered his will to stay back and do nothing, he had consulted his security head, then. Saim didn't take the bait as he had. Hook, line, sinker but then, Saim wasn't emotionally compromised like he was. He couldn't just stay put knowing the sender probably knew who they were talking about- Raha.

Omer had been waiting for twenty minutes at the roof of the disorderly house, waiting for a signal.

A signal that looked a lot like a parked car- Nissan behind the trees in the empty plot, allowing him to get out, undetected.

Asraar pulled the handkerchief higher on his nose, making sure the lower half of his face was well-hidden and pulled his hood over his head before skipping over the bush and onto the narrow road.