The Anthem of the Rebels | ✓

[17] Masked insecurities

Chapter Seventeen

"Am I talking to Mr. Azhar?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Assalamualaikum Mr. Azhar, I got your number from Mrs. Syed-"

Beep. Beep.

A sigh escaping his lips, Zahid lowered the phone receiver, cutting the fourth name in the list of people who were closely acquainted with Syed Manzoor during the time he worked with Shahid Raza.

"No luck?" Harris asked, lowering his phone as well. "None on my side either."

"Not one person responded from your list?" Zahid asked, but as expected, Harris shook his head.

"Three of them cut the call when I mentioned Syed, and two did not pick up."

Apparently, this plan had not worked out either. What had Zahid expected anyways? A sign of humanity in a world that was overruled by hate and fear?

Zahid ran a hand over his face, trying to ignore the helplessness that was beginning to build up. There has to be a way, he told himself, I can't be losing hope already. With a determined nod, he looked up at Harris. "Try calling the two numbers who didn't pick up after some time. We might get some sort of a response."

Harris looked like he rather disagreed, but he nodded none-the-less. "Till then, I'll take a look at the CCTV footage again." As Zahid opened up his laptop, Harris turned on the television, frowning when the news channels blared with Shahid Raza's name. The news that Samra Syed's appeal had been accepted had leaked out and was now causing quite a ruckus.

"Let's just hope nobody finds out about our law firm," Harris muttered, turning off the TV and getting back to work.

Zahid nodded briefly, opening up the CCTV footage Harris had gotten from the police file. He had watched the footage several times; and as Harris had said, it was not beneficial at all. Around five in the morning, a van could be seen stopping by the alleyway where Syed's body was found and five minutes later, it had driven away. Hoping for some sort of a clue, Zahid watched the footage again, his eyes narrowing as he tried to pay attention to all of the details.

For the first two times, Zahid failed to spot anything, but the third time- he saw a figure near the alleyway. Straightening up in his seat, Zahid rewinded a couple of seconds, pausing at the scene. It was a street vendor; Zahid was sure of it. He had a horse cart with him, one which he probably used to sell some sort of vegetable or fruit.

"Harris, look at this," Zahid muttered, already having taken a screenshot. Harris walked over, leaning over Zahid's shoulder to look at the screen.

"How is this going to help us though?" Harris asked, glancing at Zahid whose eyebrows were drawn together.

"The man might have seen something. I doubt if it's anything of importance, but any clue can help us at the moment. We need some sort of a lead that can help us prove Shahid Raza's involvement in the case."