THE LIST

chapter 5

I walked into the Qatar scientific club. That was our entrance to the agency, no one even knew the  club was part of the CIA, nor that they stared hidden there. For a moment my mind drifted to the first time i walked on that tiled floor, i was only ten, my hair was set in an afro , my sky blue dress had a white peter pan collar and my black sandals where a size bigger. Everyone did stare at us, my father, mother and i. Not because we where a lovely family or special but because we were people of colour. The melanin always drew attention.
These walls where my first home away from home. They protected my family and if for two years before we were sent down to Mesaieed, the industrial land, to the underground head quarter offices, were our lives changed for the worst.
I pulled the black hoodie i borrowed from the Korean over my head as i approached the reception.
“ahlaan bik.” The Arabic lady greeted. I had learnt a few languages over the years, just incase i had to work under cover in the future. Arabic was a must, i lived with arabs, every corner of Qatar reigned with there presence.
“shukraan.” I responded, not lifting my face to her.
“kafy bi’iimkani musaeidatik” that meant ‘how can i help you.
“rayie.” I answered.
She stopped a second, she looked at me but i didn’t look back at her. Rayie was the code we people from the agency used. It meant awesome. For some reason every letter had its own meaning. “Anitazar daqiqa” i nodded agreeing to wait a minute as she requested. A minute turned into two, then three. That was longer than usual.
It usually took exactly a minute for the receptionist to come back and ask for my thumb print. I knew that much. I had frequented this place since i was thirteen when i use whn i just started out as a young sciencetist bit once i was fifteen, i never stepped foot in dDoha, not even to  bid my parents farewell.
“yumkinuk aldhahab min khilal.” The lady said once she returned five minutes later. ‘you can go through’ that was exactly what she said. She had a broad smile on her face but this time she didn’t attempt to look at my face.
Something wasn’t right, not one bit. My identity wasn’t even clearified, my thumb thumb print wasn’t asked for. The Korean was right. I couldn’t trust them, they knew i was coming, if they didn’t, they just found out. I lifted my head to the lady. It was a test and she didn’t realise it, she smiled at me again but she didn’t look me in the eye, even though my eyes were focused on her. She was knew, maybe thats why she was shy, i wanted to believe that much but my instincts where always sharper. I took off my hooodie and looked at the cameras in the corner. I wanted them to see my disappointment in them, i wanted them to see my face and know i wasn’t going to be defeated. I wanted them to know that one way or another i will find the justice i was searching for.
I wasn’t sure this was the right way but i did it, i showed them i wasn’t shaken then put the hoodie back on. I pretended to pat my pockets before i smiled to the lady again.
“laqad nasit shayyanaan fi alsayara.” I lied, making her believe i left something in the car. For sure i was smiling. “i will be right back.” I added before turning for the door. For once i released it was a long way to the door. I walked calmly like nothing was wrong. I looked back to the receptionist and her telecom was right at her ear. I should have listened to the Korean. I thought as i saw a guard approach me but before he could stop me i slipped through the glass doors.
“iimr’ atanshaba!” he called up to me but i didn’t stop. There were a lot of young ladies walking by, though i was sure he was addressing me the least i could do was pretend he wasn’t.  I attempted to look back and saw three other men jogging my way.  The traffic light was green and cars where rushing in speed down to the round about.
I didn’t wait for it to turn red, i went for it, its either i die or make it. I could hear the cars honks and the squiky sounds of the breaks fill my ears, but i didn’t stop. Eight, seven, five, four, three, two, one. I takes fifteen seconds for the traffic lights to change, i was just approximating, if i wasn’t right i would the whole plan would have turned south. The cars stopped and a bunch of people began crossing the streets.
Where was he? I questioned as my eyes searched for the black car. Panic began to over rule me as the fifteen seconds began to elapse. I couldn’t see him, maybe he left? Great, just when i needed him the most.
I felt my insides flip the when one of the guards was half way across the streets. I began to walk away, pulling my hoodie even lower on my face. Suddenly a door to one of the cars waiting in line opened.
I didn’t stop to think if it was meant for me, or if it really was him. Making sure the guard wasn’t even watching me wasn’t in thought right now. I slipped into the car through the front seat quickly sliding to the back and fixing myself in between the front seats and the back seats, sleeping on my side.
My heart was on a race of its own. I thought i was strong enough but at this second i was a reek, if i be found after showing the head quarters my vengeful face, i was done fall. I felt the car start and i buried my face in the carpet of the back seat. I didn’t know where we where headed, but been safe was good enough for me.

Enoch walked back into the ground floor. Everybody was busy with work, different cases yet under his supervision.  He sure looked furious, maybe it was because he couldn’t find whatever he went looking for at that cottage.
“Ibrahim , where is the file i asked for?” he asked as he walked past ibrahim’s cabin to his office.
“its on your desk.” Ibrahim answered dully, he always did.
“what do we have on him.” Enoch asked as he sat down and took the file in his hands. Even with the file Ibrahim knew what he needed to do.
“Name, kim tae hyung, he is a saxophone star and cartoonist from daegu korea but has been living in Qatar for the past year and six months.” He reported. “he is the first son of the family, he had a younger sister and has one brother. Both...”
“wait,” enoch stopped him. “had a younger sister?”
“yes.” Ibrahim answered. “she past eight years ago. She is the reason why he is in Qatar.”
“what do you mean?” enoch asked, he was truly a man of detail.
“his sister was part of the H.A.L  project.
Enoch’s eyes grew wide at Ibrahim. He knew what that meant.

I didn’t know for how long we had been driving or how long i had passed out but for the first time in two days i had a chance to close my eyes and not think at my horrible life. The car stopped and my flew open. I managed to sit up and peep  through the tinted doors.
“why did you bring me here?” i asked, not understanding what we were doing Doha international airport.
“we need to deceive the enemy.” He simply said as he got out of the car.
For a second i thought he was really taking the chance to run away. To leave when it wasn’t too late but to deceive the enemy, how?
He opened the back door for me but didn’t bother waiting till i was out before grabbing his backpack and walking away. I quickly got out and began jogging after him.
“i don’t understand.”i told him. “how are you going to deceive the enemy, which enemy, who is your enemy?”
My feet stopped moving when they saw him stop, but a little too late cause my forehead had the audacity to brush against his back. I stood still, not even apologising when he turned to me.
“Are you seriously asking those questions?” he still sounded upset.
“well..” i tried to pick my words right this time. “ i thought you were leaving since we are already at the airport.”
“i should, i really should go.”he sounded too serious i felt like a kid been scolded. “ but i wont.”
My eyes left the ground to his face. He couldn’t be serious. Why was this idiot so stubborn?
“what do you mean you are not.” I asked
“exactly just that. I wont leave Qatar till i get my answers.” he told me. His right hand on his waist and the other around the strap of the back pack.
“look you can come back later. by day break they will know am with you. They were check the street cameras to see where i went and they will surely find you out.” I tried to convince him. “what ever you are looking for can wait. Go, come back after a year or two to solve your questions out.”
He looked down at my face again, making me uncomfortable again. This time it wasn’t fury in his eyes, its looked like he was amused by my lack of sensitivity, or something in that line. Maybe he expected me to ask him to stay. He just saved my life, if he didn’t get me into thinking the head quarters would betray me i would have walked right into the lion’s den. Signing my own death sentence. He deserved my gratitute by volunteering to wait until he knew i was safe. I had the right to expect that thank you.
“stop been stubborn and go.” I commanded him. “i can take care of myself so you don’t need to worry about me.” Of course, i could take care of myself, thats what i have been doing most of my life anyway.
“i want to worry about you.” His words froze me. What was that? Were we shooting a drama? Where were the cameras? “ you make me worry.”
He seriously had to stop. It made me feel funny, his words sounded so sincere my spine ran cold. My eyes stayed on his, this time i wasn’t going to break the gaze, he had to do it first. He should.
“i am worried i will waste a year and a half that i have been here searching for my sister because of you, because i choose to help you.”
So it wasn’t me he was worried about. It was his invested effort and time that he put in finding his sister....his sister?
“your sister?”i asked.
“mr asmid?” A voice came from behind, forcing me to turn. A tall, slim man dressed in a pair of black pants and a white muslim dress stood before us.
“you must be hiager?” the Korean asked as he shock hands with the man.
They walked a distance to talk, leaving me out of their conversation. I saw the muslim give the Korean something, it was small and round, hard to figure out from where i stood. In no time they were headed back in my direction. I didn’t take my eyes off them, i needed them to know i was watching them.
“thank you hiager.” The Korean shock hands with the muslim again,
“you are welcome sir. Madam, congratulations, may you find happiness.” Haiger said.
Confusion raided my help. What was that about? Congratulations.
“thank you.” The Korean answered before i could say anything, wrapping his hand around my shoulders with a broad smile on his face.
I waited for the muslim to disappear before shoving his hand off me. “ what lies did you feed hm?”
“he brought us a car, we need to go.”he waved the keys in the air, that was the round thing he gave him.
He avoided the topic perfectly.
“am not going with you.” I said as i started to leave the spot at which we stood. I didn’t want to look back, i didn’t want to have this conversation any longer, leaving was for the best. Parting ways was for the best. It wasn’t like we depended on each other. “you are doing the right thing,” i whispered to myself, “this is the right thi...”
His grip around my wrist startled me, it took me a moment to recollect whatever was happening and before i knew it he was dragging me to the parking lot.

“sir!”
Ali pushed the door open to Enoch’s office. He looked excited, like he always did when he had knews that would make he look valued.
“i have information on the girl.” He said, finally getting Enoch’s attention from his sheets of work.
“tell me.”
“she was at the head quarters. She knows she is wanted. she caught up with them and managed to escape.”
“shes too good. She is one of our best, catching her wont be easy.”  Enoch said. “have the north of doha closed down. I know she will be headed there soon.”
“i don’t think so sir.” Ali objected. “it was discovered that a flight was booked in her name to leave for dubai from doha international airport.”
“she cant be that foolish. She knows we will find her that way.” Enoch objected.
“with still, look sir,” ali passed enoch the report. “the Korean booked the same flight."