ALIZEH

"You seem disturbed ever since you returned early from your vacation, yesterday," Agent J observed, flinging some files on her table and drawing up a chair.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, you're rubbing your neck from time to time and sighing."

"How long have you been observing me?" Alizeh couldn't keep the scorn from her voice.

"Why are you stressed?" he asked again. If she had sounded rude, he didn't seem to mind.

"Let's just say my weekend didn't go as planned and I left that cloud for good. I just hope Lady A allows me to stay here. Alizeh had secretly felt guilty about her overreaction to the situation. Throughout the entire Sunday, time and again she had picked up her phone and scrolled to that one particular contact and then again slammed her phone on the bed in fury.

Her egos had gotten the better of her. But now she was genuinely ready to forgive and apologize if the need be. After all, Aileana had been a good friend and what she had done was just a prank. But she wouldn't call first, not this time.

"Well, we all stay here. It won't be an issue. But it's not right, you sitting with your own thoughts and sighing."

"Are we even allowed to talk about our personal lives here?" Alizeh turned towards him to find his eerily serene eye regarding her coolly.

"We break a lot of rules here. And unless it directly threatens our identity, we're free to make friends," he shrugged, taking out a cigarette and lighting it with ease.

"Please! I hate this habit," Alizeh slid her chair away.

"Oh! My bad," he commented, tossing it on the ground and putting it out with his foot. He stared at the thin swirl of flames that rose from the dying stump. His expression was unfathomable due to the stupid mask.

"Thank you so..."

"You're Alizeh," he stopped her midway.

"What?" Alizeh gaped, her mouth falling open and then closing shut.

"Don't behave like a fish taken out of the water. I held you in my arms. One doesn't forget that easily. Tell me I'm wrong," there was no mockery in his voice. If at all, there was an undertone of admiration.

Alizeh simply nodded without replying.

"I had been searching for you ever since that day."

"Why?" Alizeh asked, without turning towards him. Her heart was doing somersaults in her chest.

"Because you were different. And you were obedient. You almost seemed to believe me when I said we're not bad people."

"Believe me, I seriously had my doubts. But you didn't seem bad. And I'm the farthest thing from obedient," Alizeh bit back.

"Sassy. I like that, honey!" Agent J crooned.

"I'm the honey that is extra sweet but leaves a bitter aftertaste. I can't guarantee to appeal your gustatory tastes. Want to try?" Alizeh looked straight at him this time, shifting her posture so that they were facing each other now.

"Interesting. You'd be nice to sample, even outside of here," his eyes lit up mischievously.

"What's your name? Now that you know mine, it's only fair that I know yours too." Alizeh now spilt the question she had been dying to ask.

"Jurian," his reply came short and crisp.

"And what work do you do outside of here?"

"Oh. You didn't tell me yours," Jurian took up the little jar of glittery stars from her desk, twirling it between his fingers.

"You know that I work with Arya fashions," Alizeh put her hands on her hip, feigning anger.

"I'm a martial arts teacher. Boxing, judo, karate, taekwondo, fencing, archery, and shooting- you name it and I can do it." A smirk spread on his face.

"Damn! So you're the soldier, the weapon of this organization."

"You're utterly wrong. I'm a killing machine. You don't know what I can do. I've always been different from every other. And I'm strong, stronger than an average human," he got up abruptly, striding to the other side of the room, picking up a stray marble piece from a bowl of decorations. He held them between his forefinger and his thumb and pressed slightly. The marble disinterested with a pop, crumbling to million little pieces of dust which he blew away.

Alizeh got up from her seat in excitement and fear. This kind of strength was too much to comprehend.

He closed the gap between them in a few steps, holding her shoulder between his hands,

Just then, Alizeh's phone rang with a sudden ping, making them jump apart. She quickly ran to it, thinking it might be Aileana. If she was sorry about Saturday night, Alizeh could sort it out between them.

She was disappointed to see Nina's name flash on her screen. Obviously, Aileana wouldn't call, why would she?

"Hey Nina," she tried to put some cheer in her voice.

"Liz..." Nina's groggy voice answered from the other end.

"Nina, what the matter?"

"Liz..."

"Nina, tell me. Were you crying? What happened? Did Ash do something? Did Aileana?" Alizeh was now frantic to know what happened. Nina's voice was scaring her. Nina never cried. Something serious must have happened.

"Hello, Alizeh. Actually, a mishap happened," Ash's voice floated from the other end. He had perhaps taken control of the situation.

"Ash! What's wrong?" she got up in her anxiety, pacing to the other side of the room. Jurian was looking at her too, his eyes frowning in confusion.

"Five electrobots attacked the cloud yesterday night due to a thunderstorm."

"What? That's bad!" Alizeh whispered, still confused.

"And they burned up three buildings," Ash paused, to let the words sink in. "And we couldn't do anything to salvage those buildings. It happened so suddenly. They charred fifteen people to death on the streets alone. We couldn't..."

"Ash! Do you mean..." Alizeh felt like her throat was being strangled by emotions.

"Your building was among the ones burnt."

"Lean..." Alizeh recognized the sinking feeling in her chest.

"We couldn't get any remains from those buildings to even identify who was killed. They were all burnt beyond recognition..."

The world seemed to spin around her as she reached out to catch anything for support. She felt Jurian's arms around her as her knees buckled under her weight. Aileana was gone. Aileana would never come back again.

Nina was thankfully with Ash. Aileana had been alone. Sickly visions of Aileana screaming in the dark as flames lapped her up, started whirling in her head. She felt faint.

Jurian snatched the phone from her and nodded glumly, throwing it on the table.

"Alizeh, you're going into shock. Sit down," he was guiding her into the chair. Alizeh's body felt heavy as she sank into the chair. Her face was numb, her hands were trembling. Heavy sobs racked through her body as Jurian held on to her. His arms were soft and steadying.

"I killed her. I killed a friend. I'm a murderer," she wailed, as tears flowed freely from her eyes.