Note: I'M SORRY THIS IS SO LATE! I really was at a loss as to what to write that could really match what I had in mind. The thing is that I'm hardly ever pleased with my chapters till later and it's not really different with this one. It doesn't have romantic stuff in it or anything, but a lot of things happen, the mentality of the characters is more clear hopefully. The next chapter is definitely going to be action packed iA and because I finally have a break I'll be able to write it sooner inshaAllah! ALSOOOOO I have attached the trailer I HAVE MADE FOR AMATULLAH!! I am so excited! Please check it out! Vote, comment, share! We are #15 in TeenFiction <3
Laila
Consciousness returned to me with a blast, as if I had been forced awake by some abrupt disturbance. My eyes flew open and feeling returned to my body in waves, alerting me of the sweltering heat radiating from inside my body, the sweat that plastered my hair to my scalp and made my clothes cling to me. A duvet was pushed up to my chin, uncomfortably heavy. Frustration coursed through me- here I was as though on fire and there was a thick covering over me to add to this oven? I moved my leg to kick it aside but found restraints over my thighs and shins. I tried lifting my arms to check what was holding me back but they were restrained also.
Panic swept through me and I looked around quickly, trying to gather an idea of my surroundings. My brain was excited and unable to relax so that I could gather my thoughts.
I was in an unfamiliar room. It had walls that looked like they were waiting to be painted, an uneven concrete grey colour you saw on construction sites. Various medical equipment was arranged around my bed, looking extremely out of place and with a jolt I realized it was all there for me. Tubes ran up my restrained arms and some things were connected to my stomach and chest. I had a phobia of needles and I froze, terror growing in the pit of my stomach when I realized there were many inside me right now.
As I continued to survey the room around me, I realized that I was not alone. There was a figure standing with his back to me, his black wiry hair severely dishevelled. He wore clothes an old scientist would wear when he wasn't wearing a lab coat; checked office shirt tucked into brown pants. He had dark skin, I could tell from his arms where he'd rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Involuntarily I let out a small cough, and he instantly turned around.
It was Doctor Raghuveran
We stared at each other for a few moments, his sad eyes to my wide, curious ones. I knew I didn't have to speak to ask him what I wanted to- he knew.
"Laila" he greeted, his voice hoarse as though he had a sore throat, "how are you feeling my child?"
I took a moment to respond, trying to find my voice.
"I feel...feverish" I replied slowly, "But otherwise I feel fine, nothing hurts" Alhamdulillah I added silently.
Doc nodded, "that is a good sign," he then proceeded to checking all the tubes and things while I watched him, wondering what on earth was going on. I couldn't remember anything, couldn't put two and two together. What was I doing here? This was certainly not a hospital, and I was strapped to the bed. Realizing that once more I panicked slightly, tossing my head to the side so I could demand an answer from him.
"Why am I tied down?" I asked, my voice slightly raised, "And where am I?"
A hundred scenarios were racing through my mind, but none of them made sense.
"I'm sorry Laila" Doc muttered, now readying a needle, "I don't have any answers for you"
He then knelt over, as though checking my pulse on my neck and whispered, "They'll come any minute-" moved over to check my ear, "We are in the Buria stronghold, and you're their hostage. You had poison inside you but I've got it to wear off substantially. In a few hours you'll be free of any real danger. But the effects of this might be much more long lasting, I just don't have the means to find out what they are,"
I zoned out half way through his hasty explanation because one face had resurfaced before my eyes, one pair of dark golden eyes had met mine from my memories, and my heart fluttered irrationally at the thought of him.
"...I have to knock you out," the doctor was saying, "otherwise they'll know you're awake and they'll make you sign the papers-"
I felt the jab of the needle in my side and I yelped in pain, tears rushing to my eyes.
"I'm sorry" he looked truly hurt.
"Where is Badr?" I sniffed, feeling haze take over my brain, but I fought it, wanting desperately to know if he was okay, and more importantly- if he was going to save me like he always did.
But Doctor Raghuveran's eyes told me another story.
"I'm sorry" he repeated, "Badr's gone Laila. He got arrested"
Badr
The sky seemed to have no clouds tonight, and stars were manifested in thousands across it, twinkling down at me happily. I allowed myself a few moments to gaze up at them, before my gaze blurred slightly with tears that seemed to resurface so often these days.
No need, I reminded myself, a flicker of happiness coursing through me, I'm taking you home today Laila. You better be okay.
It surprised me how emotionally weak I'd become. In the days I'd spent sulking either alone or with Harrison I'd become crippled. I was worried sick about Laila, going mad not doing anything. She was probably hurt and sad because I hadn't come yet- did she believe I was arrested? Had she signed the papers? No, she hadn't- if she had, the Buria would rub it in our faces.
"Why are we here?"
Harrison broke the spell with his quiet voice, making me release the breath I was holding. I didn't turn around to face him but pointed at the reason I was here: a large building that looked very out of place here, alight with golden lamps outside it.
"That's a mosque" Harrison confirmed, "Why tonight? Did you witness a miracle?" he taunted.
I didn't share his humour, instead hopped off my motorbike and stalked away toward the building. Harrison did not follow- he would watch over our stuff and alert me if anything went amiss. I knew he would do this because I had his loyalty, because I'd spent the last week with him, attacking those parts of him that would stab me in the back the moment my back was turned with my words and actions. I knew he wouldn't betray me, I just did. It didn't mean that we were friend's though- we were very far from that particular term. An associate was a better term.
Only when I was standing outside the Mosque did I realize that I looked extremely out of place.
Fuck I thought, looking around cautiously. In my black gear I probably looked like a bloody modernized terrorist. A few young boys in long white dresses the kind my father wore sometimes stared at me in awe, their eyes taking in my physique. I knew they were the kind that sent each other snapchats working out in the gym. I smirked slightly before walking past them, removing my shoes when I saw many littered outside.
Inside a vast room with a magnificent turquoise and golden pattern carpet stretched out before me, and bookshelves lined one wall. It was clearly designed to be traditionally middle-eastern with its arches and blue and gold and white geometric designs on the walls. The whole place had a warm glow to it despite the cold outside, and men were standing in small clusters or alone or sitting down reading a book in various different places around the room. They all looked to be from different places too, but either politely ignored each other or acknowledged the other with an "assalamualaikum."
I stood awkwardly, a few steps into the room, looking around. I knew men were staring at me and I met their gazes defiantly back, trying not to regret coming here. I didn't know what I'd expected exactly, and now that I was here I didn't know what to do. Feeling disappointed I made to turn around but came face to face with an older man who was smiling down at me kindly. His skin was a warm brown tone and a scraggly black beard covered his jawline and chin. He had dark eyes that looked extremely intelligent, and his head was covered in a white turban. I couldn't place where he was from, and when he spoke I wasn't entirely sure if his accent was Arab or African.
"Assalamualaikum brother" he greeted in a voice deeper then Bilal's if it were possible, "I haven't seen you around here, what is your name?"
"Badr" I replied curtly, "This is my first time here"
"In this particular Masjid?"
"In a...masjid in general"
The man smiled broadly, "then I am very happy to see you here Badr"
I didn't know what to say to him so I said nothing, but allowed him to lead me around the place introducing me to other men. They were all much more open and less judgemental when this man was with me, as if they were trying to make me feel welcome. I didn't know whether or not to be irked by the idea. After all, was it not strange that all these men I'd never met and who didn't know the first thing about me wanted me here? I was literally their worst nightmare.
"Now Badr, are you a student?" the man, Shiekh Mustafa I'd learnt his name was, asked.
"Was" I replied nonchalantly.
"Enlighten me" he replied, his eyes twinkling.
"I can't understand you" I said abruptly, "why are you treating me like I belong here? I don't, I came here...I came here for someone. Not because I felt a pull or something-"
"That doesn't matter to me" Shiekh Mustafa said mildly, "nor does it to anyone else here"
"Would it matter to you if I told you I was a criminal?" I asked him quietly, "What then? You should be careful who you trust"
He observed me for some time, then chuckled, his eyes becoming crescents in his mirth.
"Badr, son, you have not understood something important" he said, still smiling that annoying smile, "This is a masjid, it is a house of Allah. We are all Muslims in here and our duty is not to judge you by your appearance but to guide you to the right path. Whether you want to take it is your choice, but it is our duty to show you all the same. You may be a mass murderer or a thief or you might be a Harvard student with an outstanding GPA, but the ability to repent is not locked to you. At any time you wish you may ask Allah for His help, for His forgiveness, and He is listening. My connection to Allah is my own, and yours is your own, and you did not have to come to this Masjid to find it, nor do you have to confess to anyone in order to seek His council. The reason why I am treating you like you belong here is because you do. I am your brother and you are mine, and this place is for all of us. You may never come back here again, but the gates to a masjid will always be open"
With that he left me to my thoughts, turning to the beads in his hands as he muttered something under his breath. I stared at him without really seeing, mulling over what he'd said in my mind.
I knew there was someone up there, because at times like these when my hands were tied I had looked for solutions day and night and it all came back to the fact that in the end, it's not just me and you alone in this world- we have a reason for being here, and if you call the one who decides your fate God, then that's the external force that I'd begun to acknowledge over the past few days.
"Shiekh" I nudged him gently with my gloved fingers, "when you've done a lot of things wrong... and I mean a lot, then what?"
Shiekh Mustafa smiled again, "humans have this rare quality Badr" he began, "We have the ability to think for ourselves. We have free will, and no other creation has this. We are able to distinguish right and wrong which is why, to an extent we govern ourselves and are responsible for where we will end up. The first step to repentance is acknowledging the wrong you have done, and then to ask Allah for His forgiveness and ensure you will try your best not to do it again. "
"What if..." I swallowed uneasily, "say a guy committed a crime and the police came from him. He could easily get away...should he?"
"I do not have an answer for him" the Shiekh laughed, "He must make that decision himself. After all, he has the ability to distinguish right from wrong"
With that my phone buzzed. It was an alarm- I had to get going.
"I have to leave now Shiekh" I told him, standing up, "It was good to meet you"
With that I quickly left, not waiting for his reply. A tight feeling constricted my throat.
I knew what I had to do.
Laila
Every time I regained consciousness now it came slower and slower. I was soon able to savour a few moments of a clear mind with my eyes closed before Doctor Raghuveran knocked me out again. I was gradually coming up with a plan though, bit by bit, and this time I was ready to put it into action. I knew that everytime Doctor Raghuveran was putting the needle in he always looked at my face in concern, instead of where the needle was going. After all, with all his experience he didn't really have to.
That was going to cost him.
This time when I regained myself I slowly balled up the sheets in my hand, slowly inching it up to the bruised spot where the anaesthetic jab was going to go. My upper arm was strapped down but I managed to ready the sheet to do what I wanted it to do. My eyes fluttered open and immediately Doc was at my side with the needle. He looked drained and hollow, his eyes sad and hopeless. He raised my blanket slightly so he could inject me but this time, as his eyes flickered up I managed to stuff the wad of sheet in between and the needle went in their instead. Pretending that fatigue overtook me I let my eyes flutter shut again, but my head was alive with excitement.
I felt slightly guilty that I'd fooled the doctor like that but I couldn't lie around doing nothing, which was clearly what he wanted me to do. Badr was in jail, which meant that I had to save myself. I knew that's what he'd want me to do, instead of moping around like a damsel in distress. It hurt me to know that he'd been caught, that it might be a lot more serious in reality then I could anticipate. He was among the most wanted after all. It escaped my mind how the police had achieved it- it was almost as though he'd wanted them to catch him. A foolish part of me wanted to think it was part of a clever plan, but the other forced me to be rational.
I was not about to stay in this stupid stronghold and neither was, if I could help it, Doctor Raghuveran.
The door to my room suddenly opened and I almost opened my eyes in surprise. I'd never been awake to witness what was beyond the steel. A few sets of footsteps clipped the floor and spread around my bed. I hoped my breathing levels were normal but that would be in vain- my heart was pounding like crazy. I froze completely when voices filled the room.
"She is still unconscious?" a high cold voice asked, laced with disappointment.
"U-unfortunately" Doctor Raghuveran's voice quaked, "Sh-she could t-transcend to c-coma-"
"Oh but I don't think so Doc" the man said with a derisive laugh, "not when you've been pumping anaesthesia in her all this while"
Silence followed and I had the awful feeling I knew what was going to happen next. Indeed, after a minute a loud bang echoed throughout the room deafeningly, followed by a thump on the ground of a fallen body.
My heart skipped a beat. My brain was a whirlwind of shock.
"Dispose of him" the same voice said coldly, "And get rid of all this rubbish. I'm sure she's just fine. I want her in my office as soon as she's awake"
"But sir- she may not be a hundred precent-"
"I need her alive for about five minutes Doug, I think it'll do"
With that they started to pull the equipment off me, none too gently. I tried my best not to move when the drip was disconnected from the back of my hand, but it hurt like hell and I let out an involuntary gasp of pain, my eyes flying open.
Oh no
Three sets of eyes met, all of them belonging to males. For a moment everyone was frozen, then one of them grinned and turned around to speak to whoever was standing there.
"Boss, look who's awake"
"My my..."
My eyes found the man who had the high cold voice, and a chill ran through my spine when his cold grey eyes met mine. He had pale skin and paler hair, which was sleek and silkily fell to his shoulders. He was thin and tall, but he seemed to have coldest aura I'd ever encountered. I knew he was the one who'd shot Doctor Raghuveran, and that fact made me slightly nauseous.
"What do you want?" I asked bravely, although my voice quavered.
"You will find out soon enough" he replied, checking his watch uninterestedly.
Harrison
His heart thudded with excitement and adrenalin coursed through him as his motorbike sped at dizzying speeds across the ground. He'd never felt more alive or exhilarated as he did now, riding with the lion himself. Badr was a few meters to his right, always a few centimetres further then himself, only his sharp eyes visible from his helmet. They were taking a route they'd marked out themselves, through the dense woods that stretched on the east of New Forest. It was no man's land if you like, neither Buria nor Cedochi had interest in it but it was a good place to dispose bodies in.
Trees sped past them for what felt like an eternity, branches whipping his helmet at times. Sometimes he would catch sight of pairs of glowing eyes of night prowlers, but instead of feeling fear he felt all the more alive. This is how things were meant to be done: fast, calculated, sudden. Badr was a master at making it happen that way- so far their plan had gone flawlessly.
He couldn't believe he'd partnered up with the man he'd hated with all his soul, but he was glad he did. This was the life he'd wanted, and Buria had only been a taste. He wanted to be initiated into Cedochi after this mission was over...
"Stop" Badr's command was loud and clear in his ears- they'd wired themselves up with listening devices- phones would be impractical here. Harrison complied, slamming his breaks and tilting his body with the bike as it swung to the side. Once it stopped vibrating he jumped off, removing his helmet off his head. Badr had done the same, his hair slightly dishevelled as a result. The shadows under his eyes weren't so obvious in the semi-darkness, but Harrison knew they were there- he'd seen them the whole week.
"On foot from here" Badr said simply, although he didn't need to- they'd rehearsed this what felt like hundreds of times.
They walked the rest of the way and the trees thinned until they disappeared completely and they were facing an abandoned field. The stalks rose up to their necks, which made it the perfect cover for two boys dressed in black- they were practically invisible. The factory stood someway at the end of the field with a tall fence, dim lights and teeming with Buria guards with flashlights. Badr's eyes scanned his surroundings once, Harrison followed suit, before dipping his head and entering the field. He motioned behind him for Harrison to split ways with his two fingers behind his back.
"See you at the other end" Harrison muttered as he departed.
"Maybe" Badr replied quietly.
He managed to cross the field surprisingly fast, although his face was covered with cuts from the stalks.
"You ready?" he whispered through the mouth piece.
"Yes" Badr's reply was instant, "You sure you want to do this?"
"They won't hurt me Badr"
"I don't care if they hurt you" he snapped, "I'm just giving you a choice, wimps can never be trusted"
Harrison sighed, knowing Badr would never acknowledge he was concerned about anyone except his family or Laila.
"Okay whatever" he replied, "I've made up my mind. Be careful"
With that he ripped out his earpiece and threw it behind him- it was not needed anymore.
He rubbed some dirt over his face and messed up his hair. He had to look the part after all. Then, putting on a burst of speed he ran out of the field, instantly followed by shouts and warnings from Buria soldiers. The training Badr had made him do simply for passing his time had definitely paid off, because he knew he would have been able to easily outrun the gang members now after him.
"You! STOP!" A guy yelled, "STOP RIGHT NOW BEFORE I BLOW YOUR FUCKING BRAINS OUT!"
Harrison slowed down to a stop, panting as he turned around with his hands raised. The others caught up to him quickly, abandoning their posts. Their rifles were raised as they circled him and the one who'd screamed at him earlier spoke again.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" he demanded, gripping Harrison's chin tightly, "Don't tell me you just happened to be here- "
His eyes suddenly widened when he got a good look at his face and he suddenly released Harrison's chin as though he'd been burned.
"Shit- Green Snake-"
"You fucking bastard" Harrison hissed angrily, "You dare touch me?"
"I- I d-didn't know i-it was y-you-"
"We'll catch up later" Harrison interrupted, "there were some Cedochi after me, I dunno if I lost them"
The boy instantly snapped into motion, summoning the other guards to him. They arranged themselves so their guns were pointed in the direction Harrison had come from. With satisfaction he saw a shadow that was Badr flit past, just before he shouted:
"What are you doing abandoning your fucking positions?! Anyone could walk right into our liar and you bastards wouldn't even have a clue!"
Laila
"Ms Mohammed I'm sure I do not need to repeat myself for a third time now do I?"
Mr. Evandale's breath fanned my exposed neck as he leant over me, no doubt his gaze on the papers arranged before me. All pretence of hijab was gone- my hair was stuffed into a ponytail by one of his guard and the rest of me was still dressed in the plain white gown, which must have been forced over my head when I was unconscious.
I was strapped into a chair: my stomach, neck, left arm and hand, my thighs and shins, all of them were tightly bound to the wood. Only my right wrist was free so I could hold a pen and sign the papers in front of me. The pen I had grasped, but using it was not my intention.
I took in the tiny words of the contract in front of me without really reading it. I already knew what it was about as Mr Evandale had now hissed it into my ears a number of times. You sign your inheritance over to me, and I let you walk out of here unscathed- back to your boring life where all of this would have been a nasty dream. I knew he spilled lies whenever he spoke, my gut told me not to trust him. How could I? He'd poisoned me, ordered his men to break into my house, and then kidnapped me. Poison...I knew now that was what Badr had been going paranoid about. The thought bought tears to my eyes. He cared that much. He thought he could make me better and I'd never even have to know. Others might be angry with that but I found it sweet, and it hurt me that he was locked up somewhere far away. If I ever got out of this alive, I would never stop trying to free him. Never.
"What are you thinking about?" Mr Evandale snapped, rounding on me, his eyes scarily wide. I averted my gaze, but I knew that scary expression of his would torment me for a long time.
"I'm not going to sign these Sir" I said quietly, still staring at the desk, "You're wasting your time"
Mr Evandale laughed suddenly, tilting his head back for theatre effect. He motioned to someone behind me. My throat constricted as I heard the heavy footsteps of one of his bodyguard.
"What were you saying?" He sneered, "Repeat that for me?"
"I'm not going to sign these papers" I repeated with emphasis, feeling surprisingly brave. Mr Evandale's smile faded and a moment later a hard fist collided with my cheek and I yelped out in pain, actually feeling a tooth uproot itself. Blood filled my mouth, making me feel nauseous and uncomfortable. I blinked a few times before my vision returned in focus, though it was slightly blurred by the automatic downpour of tears.
"Why don't we just skip the part where you act heroic and I beat the pulp out of you?" he sighed, tilting my chin up to inspect the damage. I jerked it away, stifling my sobs.
"Now" he breathed, looking as though his patience was wearing very thin- which it probably was, "sign this damn thing and let us be on our merry way"
"N-no-" I had barely said the words when my chair was scraped back with a squeal of wood against stone and the next second the guy had landed a blow to my stomach. I gasped, completely winded, my head whirling with pain. I'd never felt anything like it before; the pressure inside me was intense. For a few seconds I didn't know anything except pain.
"Hurry up Laila..." Mr Evandale drawled, "It's getting late and I want my dinner"
I glared at him angrily, trying to force everything I was feeling in my eyes. He promptly ignored me.
Blood roared in my ears. This man was responsible for everything going wrong- with my mom, with Niha, with Badr, with the people that I cared about the most. I hated him with every fibre of my being and if anything, I owed this defiance to the people who would put their life on the line to protect me. I could not- no, I would not let them down.
With that in my mind and my vision hazy with anger and pain, I grabbed the pen with sure fingers and scribbled all over the page as much as I could before Mr Evandale slapped me hard across the face, his hand crushing mine with a sickening click. I screamed in agony, white spots appearing in my vision.
"Perhaps Sol can teach you a lesson" he hissed angrily, forcing my chin up to see eye to eye with him, "and we'll try this again tomorrow"