The metal let out a loud clang as it hit the base, making Meerab and Saba jump back and grab onto each other as they looked around. It was their third unsuccessful attempt at figuring out the strange contraption in the resident's gym in The Mandarin. The instructions on it were simple enough but so far, they'd just had three narrow escapes from severing a limb. Looking at the machine with affront and annoyance, they promptly turned and did what they'd done after each unsuccessful attempt; casually walking up to the glass counter displaying drinks of different kinds, they flashed the server a bright smile and proceeded to order yet another ginger-lemon water whilst huffing and stretching their body like they'd just done some hardcore, water-requiring activity.
Meerab was no stranger to exercise. Her Baba had always ensured the family played a sport since she'd been a little girl, and she could hold her own in badminton, tennis, basketball and volleyball just to name a few. But the gym was not Meerab's cup of tea; why people willingly placed themselves in a closed room with sweaty, half-naked people who kept on grunting, wiping their sweaty foreheads and then putting those very hands on communal equipment was beyond her comprehension. What was the need for this torture when you could just go running? Or play a sport? Or even just climb up and down the stairs, as long as the air was free of the smell of sweaty clothes.
But in the interest of enjoying all the fabulous facilities at their one-of-a-kind accommodation, the girls had decided to be proactive and take on all the activities on offer; the gym was their third venture, after fruitful stints in water aerobics and spin class. They'd been doing fine in the females-only section; it was when they'd decided to venture into the mixed section that problems had risen. Half the machines looked too intimidating and the other half were being used by other patrons, leaving Meerab and Saba to lose their calories by walking the path to the drinks counter again and again; the delicious-tasting water was an added perk.
"Kitnay mazay ka paani hai yaar. That's it, aaj se, it's only ever going to be fruity water for me." Saba declared whilst running the towel over the non-existent sweat on her arms.
"Mai actually thak gayi. I think ab rest ki sakht zaroorat hai." Stretching out her legs, Meerab looked over at Saba, and as if in sync, the girls walked gracefully to their second favorite spot in the gym; the massaging armchairs at the back. The chairs were positioned facing the floor-to-ceiling windows on one side of the gym, giving a spectacular view of the Doha coast from the thirty-third floor.
Sighs of delight slipped from their mouths as they sank in the confines of the chairs, humming to the music filtering out from the overhead speakers.
They had honed their routine in the past few weeks, and Meerab had come to cherish her time in the exotic world of Qatari charm. Her traitorous mind whispered that it wasn't just Qatari charm which had her walking with a spring in her step and excited to start her day every morning.
It had been three days since she'd been twirling in the night sky, feeling like she'd had a weight taken off her chest. They hadn't spoken much after that. She'd had her dessert, he'd had his coffee cake and espresso, and they'd sat watching the city glitter around them before he'd driven them back and dropped her off at her door. Her phone, which she'd taken off silent in the car, had buzzed, making him look down at it before leaning down to her ear.
"I think your plans are calling."
And then he'd been gone.
The man ebbed and flowed so drastically it made her head spin. He'd been so different at the beginning of the evening, had changed moods in the middle and then just before leaving, he'd had given her glimpse of the Murtasim she'd been with on the yacht.
Like a flame.
The following three days had seen their routine have some slight alterations. Captain Murtasim had started having breakfast in the buffet hall once again, much to the excitement of the female patrons of the hotel; occasionally taking meetings in Lounge One afterwards, before heading to his offices in Aspire Tower.
Meerab was aware of the exact second he entered the buffet hall and she had their following routine down to a science. He would walk in at 9.15am, give a perfunctory smile to the doorman and walk straight towards his reserved table, his face with its resting 'do not get in my way' expression. By day two, Meerab knew that this was a safe time to look at him; he didn't spare anyone a glance whilst he walked towards his table, sat down, placed his phone on the table and gave his personal server his breakfast order. It was also the optimal time to see if he was wearing his signature pilot's uniform, with its crisp, white dress shirt and navy blue, double breasted blazer, and his Captain's stripes gleaming on the shoulders, or another one of his formal suits.
It was when he propped his iPad up on the table, opened his newspaper and sat back that Meerab averted her gaze, because he'd do the same thing he did every single day. He'd lower his newspaper ever so slightly so that his wrists were placed comfortably on the table, and without any other movement, his eyes would slide up from the paper and straight to her, in one smooth move.
To an onlooker, it was just him looking casually up from his newspaper, but the one time she'd caught his eyes had been enough to send shivers zipping through her entire body. That had been day one, and Meerab had since taken great lengths to avoid a repeat. Now, she could thank the goose bumps which erupted on her arms and neckline for alerting her of his gaze. It confused her just how attuned she had become to this man in a span of few days, and more worryingly, why she had become so attuned.
It was one thing to have a man stare at you in admiration, love or just plain, old attraction. It was a whole different ball game to have Murtasim Khan stare at you. He did it with hooded eyes which didn't betray a single thought or touch of emotion; his face serious, his eyes piercing into her like there weren't four tables and twenty people between them. It made your breath hitch, your skin tingle and throat dry up. It also, strangely enough, made her toes curl in her heels as her lower abdomen tightened. It was maddening. And Meerab hated her body being at his mercy in such a way; especially when all he did was look up.
Meerab stepped out of the shower, her damp body smelling of the sweet-scented shower balm she'd just applied. Done with the gym, they'd decided to have a little rest before getting ready for dinner out on the back lawn. The outdoor buffet was much the same as the one indoors, with the exception that you had the option to sit on the ground. Numerous rows of soft, cushioned seating were laid out with low tables in between. It was an ode to traditional desert life, and the trainees had decided on change of scenery from the buffet hall.
Wrapping her hair up in a hair-towel, she sat down to moisturise her body just as there was a faint knock at the door.
Uff.
Shrugging the robe back on her shoulders and tightening the belt, she wondered about ignoring the knock.
What if it was him?
Trust him to always interrupt when she was in no decent state to have visitors. Walking cautiously to the door, Meerab looked into the peephole and frowned, her hand going to the door handle unconsciously. Sliding the door open, she greeted her visitor.
"You found me."
Meerab smiled at Leena, who looked shockingly different to how she'd last seen her. Clad in a casual wrap-top and tailored trousers, with her caramel curls up in a ponytail, she looked chic, but a world away from the glamorous woman Meerab had met the other night. Leena opened her mouth to speak but abruptly shut it again, her brows furrowing together.
"When you said you were MK's wife, you were serious, weren't you?"
Huh?
Chuckling in confusion, Meerab raised an eyebrow.
"My marital status isn't really great humor material, so yes, I am my husband's wife."
As if relieved, Leena nodded her head, and it was then that Meerab realised why the other woman looked so different to the last time they'd met. She wasn't smiling. At all. Leena opened her mouth and Meerab's body stiffened, her hand going to her stomach in a subconsciously protective gesture.
"There's been an accident. I think you should be at the hospital."
Seven Hours Earlier
10:30am
Somewhere over the barren sand dunes between Al Rayyan and Doha
The rotor blades of the helicopter sliced through the dusty air as its made its way through the desert. The autumn sun shone on the shiny black metal, bringing with it wave after wave of the signature Middle Eastern desert heat. The constant roaring thuds were quieted only by protective headphones, and Murtasim adjusted his with one hand as the other stayed firmly on the throttle, controlling the chopper. Slipping the microphone attached to the headphones in place, he slipped his aviators back on and turned to check on his companion.
The woman in question looked over and smiled, giving a thumbs-up to confirm she was okay.
"What did you think of the new tech?" The words were shouted over the noise and just about made it to Murtasim's ear.
He shot a glance at Phoenix's Chief Operating Officer. A young woman of Mexican descent, Zara was the only woman on the executive panel of Phoenix Air, and Murtasim was yet to meet a sharper woman. You'd think being a beautiful female amongst some of wealthiest men in the world would have her relying on their combined experience and financial strength, but Zara had been able to hold her own in every single boardroom Murtasim had sat with her in. She had made an impressive reputation for herself and was in the exclusive circle of people whose professional opinion Murtasim valued.
"It's top of the line. We just need to get it up and running. I'll be signing off on flight engineers to be on every flight with the new tech installations for the next few weeks."
"Has it been installed on any planes yet?"
Murtasim nodded.
"My next flight."
Their arms brushing one another's where they rested on the middle console, he felt Zara chuckle.
"As always, the first one to test the new tech. Gives you a kick doesn't it?"
His mouth curved into a smirk.
"The official reason is that it lets me know what to approve and what to reject."
They had been visiting the Phoenix aircraft base in Al Rayyan to supervise the inspection of some new technology Omar and Murtasim had invested in. Murtasim always made it a point to supervise anything concerning aviation tech before it was installed on the planes. Zara had joined to get an estimate for the timeline and budgeting.
The journey from Doha to Al Rayyan was hardly fifteen minutes by car, but due to security reasons, Murtasim preferred flying to the base; that and the fact that flying came even more naturally to him than driving. He'd been making this journey almost every month for the past three years, and he knew the quiet, deserted land below like the back of his hand. Relaxing back in his seat, he touched his microphone to prepare the helipad atop Aspire Tower for landing.
"Control, this is MKX101 requesting green for landing on helipad Aspire Tower, West Bay."
The static filled his ears as the control tower responded.
"Proceed as requested MKX101."
The sky-high towers of the West Bay, Doha's industrial hub came into hazy view as dust flew alla round them. Murtasim leaned forward to adjust the controls for landing just as a jarring jolt shook the entire helicopter, slamming him back in the seat. Instinctive red flags had his entire body stiffening, his mind knowing they were in trouble even before trouble had been diagnosed. His head clicking into gear, he blinked and shook off the shock as his eyes roamed over the controls in front of him. It took him two seconds to realize it was his engine struggling, and another five to come to a daunting conclusion; they were minutes away from losing the engine altogether. His hand went up to his mic as he said the words every pilot wished they'd never have to use.
"Mayday. Mayday. This is MKX101. We have a code red-"
His words were cut off as the helicopter shook with another blow, the rotor blades roaring with the extra pressure placed on them as the engine clanged again. Zara screamed but Murtasim's ears honed in on the noise coming from outside, his entire body stilling as his eyes closed in realisation. It was the sound of a flock of birds slamming into the engine. That was what had jammed the entire thing, and there was nothing Murtasim could do expect use every ounce of nerve and skill he possessed to keep calm and ensure they crash-landed in a way which didn't kill them.
The helicopter they were in was new and a perfect example of a state-of-the-art aircraft. It possessed what many other helicopters didn't; an ejection seat. Unlike in a plane, ejection in a chopper was an extreme hazard due to the merciless blades rotating on top, slicing everything they encountered to shreds. Murtasim was trained and could eject with his eyes closed, but he knew he couldn't say the same for his passenger, and there was no way he was leaving her in the metal deathtrap. With the ejection option out of the window, he put his entire energy into gaining control over the rebellious machine, the throttle used for engine control jerking wildly in his grip. Realising that he'd have to turn around the helicopter to avoid crashing into the city, Murtasim grabbed the cyclic control used for direction changes and jerked left, before using the pedals to make the helicopter hover in the air until it was facing the barren stretch of hot sand they'd just left behind.
The cockpit alarms flashed and blared as Murtasim struggled to look out of the windshield, through the frenzy of sand caused by the hover, as he tried to find the safest crash-landing spot. Knowing he had only seconds before his engine gave out and way too much fuel left, he decided on an opening between two sand dunes, knowing that the slight indent in the ground would provide a softer crash and the dunes on either side would help jam the rotor blades, ensuring less of a sand storm afterwards. Both things were critical because he'd need to get Zara out when they crashed, and he'd be useless if he couldn't see a thing or if the chopper was buried deep. That was if his strategy worked and the helicopter didn't explode with the reserve fuel on impact.
Suddenly a loud clanging sounded and Murtasim felt Zara's hand grab his forearm in death grip.
"Shit."
The word slipped from his mouth subconsciously as he realised he'd just lost his engine. And sure enough, five seconds after the noise, the controls blared the 'stall' warning repeatedly as the helicopter seesawed, and they were spiraling down towards the hot, shiny sand; the helicopter literally falling out of the sky. As the nose of the aircraft dived downwards, Murtasim used his right hand to pull back on the cyclic stick, trying to get the nose to turn upwards so they'd land on the helicopter's base. With his eyes fixated on the ground they'd soon hit, his left hand shook off Zara's grip as he roughly slammed her back onto her seat, his hand flat on her stomach as he braced her for the crash; ignoring her screams, his entire body was attuned to what his aircraft was doing.
The sand neared and the helicopter shook with the shift in momentum: Their bodies slammed onto the sides as they spiraled and just as Zara's screams merged with the static from the control tower and the 'stall' warning, Murtasim sent one last signal to Control before the golden sand suddenly turned into an abyss of black. The boom of sand meeting metal was mixed with the sounds of metal crushing and clanging, as what was once a sophisticated machine turned into a twisted tin-can, threatening to crush its occupants within its death grip. Smoke rose as the stench of leaking fuel ominously penetrated the air and surrounded the crash site.
It was now a game of time; it was either them or the fuel. If the fuel found a spark before they managed to find a way out of the crushed metal, there'd be no escaping from the catastrophic explosion which would follow.
Hello loves. Happy MeerAsim Reading!
This is Part 1 of this chapter. The next will follow very soon.
This chapter required quite some research and pestering the husband on helicopter controls, crashes and landings. If there's any pilots in the audience, please forgive any technical mistakes🙏
📷 inspo attached in header.
Enjoy and let me know your thoughts.
Till next time, D xo