Mannat: Siddreem|Sumisha|Rosal|

~part 25~

"Why is this coming out as green when starch isn't in this substance?!" I moaned annoyingly, leaning over the chromatographic analyzer in the department of Forensic science laboratories.

Faisal carried a crate of test tubes in the separate racks and hustled about busily.

"Right, calm down. Put liquid hydrogen peroxide into the aquifer." Faisal pointed.

I narrowed my eyes and stared uneasily at the unidentifiable substance.

"Faisal, it's just not matching our drug criteria."

"Well, that's good ain't it? That means there is a chance that it may not be a drug."

"No, but - the texture and shape matched perfectly, just not the structure."

"The texture can be made out of calcium bi-carbonate. In that case it is toxic but -"

"I don't know." I switched off the machine and sighed impatiently, tossing my eye goggles off my face and thrusting them on the granite worktop.

"What are we going to tell the doctors?"

"That we couldn't find it; the substance is negligible." I said pessimistically.

"We can't say that!" Faisal whined.

"Well, then what?"

Faisal bent down lower and used the tongs to heat up the substance once again, while dealing with my irritation.

"REEM!" He cried suddenly and my head jerked towards his directions.

I ran across the laboratory and leaned over his shoulder.

"What? Did you find anything? Huh?" I asked desperately.

"Look closely - can you see that tiny cell? See it's cell membrane."

"Oh. My. Gosh. Ain't that looking similar?" I cried, flinging my hands across my face.

"It's a sleeping pill." Faisal straightened up with a stern look on his face.

I gasped.

"But how did he consume a sleeping pill?" I asked worriedly.

"I don't know. Maybe something he drank or ate recently?" He turned to me questioningly.

"Well - he did drink a wine at Tunisha's h...."

"So you're saying -"

"I'm not concluding anything." I sighed, stopping him abruptly.

"After all, why would Tunisha do that to us? She's good friends with him. In fact, they seem to be coming closer...." I went into a trance.

"But, we're going to have to check her glasses and wine bar I'm afraid."

"Huh?"

"Yes. I know she's your friend but we're only doing our job."

"Alright. I'll call her and say we're c...."

"No!" Faisal interrupted quite suddenly.

I motioned my hand downwards in surprise.