Zain and Hashim were searching in every shop in the market. It was not a very big one but just some shops of grocery items. After ten minutes they both were standing in front of Zain's car.
"They are not here," Hashim said. Zain nodded, taking out his mobile. He again dialed Moona's number but no answer. He turned to a man.
"Excuse me. Did anything unusual happened here, today?" He asked. Hashim looked at him in disbelief.
"No, nothing happened here." He shook his head and went away.
"What was that?" Hashim asked him.
"I don't know. I am so scared right now." Zain sighed. Just then his phone rang, it was Moona's number.
"Now she is calling." He said picking up the call.
"Hello, Moona where have you been? We are so worried here." He shouted.
"Oh Mr. Zain, so you do get worried." A harsh voice came over the speaker. Zain quickly placed his hand on the microphone and turned to Hashim who was looking at him intently.
"Tell Usman to trace Moona's number." He said and put back the phone on his ear.
"Who are you?" He asked. This time his voice was cold.
"Me?? We haven't met yet." The voice came.
"What. Is. Your. Name?" Zain gritted looking at Hashim who was talking to Usman on the other side.
"Well, My name is Mazher."
"Mazher? Mazher who?" Zain asked, confused now.
"I told you, you don't know me," Mazher said.
"What do you want?" Zain asked.
"Your sister and the woman of your heart is here. With me."
"And why did you take them?" Zain asked bitterly.
"Don't you believe in an eye for an eye?"
"I do."
"That's what I am doing?"
"I don't understand you."
"A life for life. Khalid's life." And Zain froze in his place. Now he got the letter M. on the notes he received.
"You took the wrong people." He said.
"I want that file back. Give me that and the women will be free. Unharmed. You don't give that file to be. I can't guarantee their safety." Mazher said.
"You will not touch them," Zain said in a cold voice.
"That's your call. You have two hours to think about this." And the line was dead.
"Who was it?" Hashim asked.
"Mazher. The man who is behind all this." Zain sighed.
"What does he want?" He asked.
"That file," Zain said and went towards the passenger seat of his car. Hashim opened the door of the driving seat and sat in.
"So what are we gonna do?" Hashim asked.
"First we go home, then we will decide," Zain said and gestured him to start the car.
..........................
The lounge of Moona's house was silent. Salma was weeping silently as Khadija was sitting beside her to console her. Khalil was roaming in the room. Zain and Hashim were sitting silently in a corner. Usman was also sitting on the sofa while Shanzay had taken the children out in the lawn.
"What are you gonna do? It's been an hour now." Khalil turned to Zain.
"My boss is coming, we will discuss it then." Zain looked up, Just then the door knocked. Usman rose to his feet and opened it. Najeeb entered the lounge and nodded to them then he sat on the couch. Zain came towards him.
"What do we do, boss?"
"We can't give him the file." Najeeb shook his head.
"We can't let Moona and Yumna stay there either. He is a monster." Zain replied.
"Why can't we make microfilm of the file?" Hashim asked.
"Because we need the original one," Zain replied.
"Usman, did you trace the location of her sim?" Khalil asked. Khadija and Salma were quietly listening to them.
"Yes, I did."
"Then we go there," Khalil suggested.
"We can't just go there, What if they have shifted them from there?" Zain said.
"I have a plan," Usman said. He was standing by the couch.
"What?" Najeeb asked.
"Next time when they call. We will trace them again and ask them to let us talk to Moona." Usman said.
"So what?" Hashim asked.
"I am not finished yet." He gritted. "Then we will check if the last location and that location is the same that will mean that they are keeping them there then we go there," Usman said.
"That's a good one." Zain nodded.
"We will ask for some time and then we will act," Najeeb said.
"What if it goes sideways?" Khadija spoke for the first time.
"Then we will have to face the circumstances," Zain said watching her intently.
"So what now?" Khalil asked.
"Now we wait," Najeeb answered. The Lounge fell into deep silence. The balloons were still rolling over the floor but no one had the heart to put them in a place. Zain stood up and came out on the lawn.
"What's the plan now?" Shanzay asked him as she saw him coming out. Saud and Haniya were playing with Assad on the grass. Zain looked at them for a moment and nodded.
"Let's hope it works." He said.
"It will, Zain," Shanzay assured him
"I am scared Shanzay, scared for both of them," Zain said.
"Me too. I can't even give you any words of consolation." She said.
"I know. All we have to do is wait."Zain sat on one of the chairs placed there. Shanzay came and sat with him. "Can you stay here tonight?" He asked.
"Of course I can. They need me." She nodded towards the children.
"Thanks," Zain said. He then put his head on the back of the chair and closed his eyes. Shanzay just kept watching at the children's play. Assad did know what was happening but he was trying to keep the children busy. Shanzay smiled at his intelligence.
..................
His mobile rang and he sprung upon his feet. Shanzay looked at him and followed him inside.
Everyone looked alert as Zain picked up the call.
"Hello."
"So, Mr. Zain?" Mazher said. Usman was dialing a number on his mobile.
"I want to talk to her." He said.
"Oh really? And what makes you think that I will let that happen?" Mazher asked.
"You have to. Because the file you need is placed in front of me right now." Zain said in a cold voice.
"Let me clear something, I can take that file by other means and these girls are not important for me. So, I can do whatever I want with them." Zain closed his eyes for a moment. His grip on the phone tightened.
"I want to talk to her." He repeated.
"Alright." Mazher sighed. Zain nodded to Usman who nodded back.
"Zain?" Moona's voice came over the phone. It was wet.
"Are you alright?" He asked softly.
"It's okay Zain. I am fine." She said.
"Yumna? How is she?" He asked.
"She is also fine," Moona replied.
"Thank God. Look Moona, don't give up to them." Zain instructed.
"I was going to say the same for you." Zain could hear Moona smiling.
"That's enough. Look. She is fine. Let's talk about business." Mazher said.
"Okay, I will bring the file and you will give the girls to me. Tell me the address." Zain said.
"I am texting you the address we will meet after an hour. Exactly an hour."
"Alright." Zain sighed and hung up. After five minutes, Usman nodded.
"It's the same address." He said.
"Let's go then," Zain said standing up.
"I am calling the team," Najeeb said taking out his phone. "They will be ready." Usman nodded and both of them set off to the headquarters. They have to reach that place before time.
................
It was a double story house. Usman stopped the car at some distance. The van behind them also stopped.
"What's the plan?" Usman asked Zain who was examining the house.
"One of us will stay here in cars. Khaqan, find yourself a spot and give me the location. Half of us will go from behind." He said in the microphone. Then turned to Usman, " You will come with me." And got out of the car.
"And now our time starts." Usman loaded his gun and came out of the car behind him.