When the clock struck exactly nine in the morning, a knock echoed in the room where Shreya resided. She raised her head from the envelope of her palm and stared at the door in anticipation. She was sure that it was the same 'Sultan' guy but she was proven wrong when instead of him, a young girl of her own age entered inside.

"Ma'am, Sultan wishes for your presence in his study. I am here to show you the way." She announced politely.

Shreya nodded quickly and stood up from her position and walked towards her. She too was curious to know everything, and get out of here soon to her home.

As soon as she stepped outside, her breath hitched for a moment. It was such a beautiful house. Whoever made it, sure was an amazing architect or interior designer; she thought. She knew by now that she was very high from the ground floor. The corridors were decorated with chandeliers and fancy lights. The floor was carpeted and vases with real flowers were kept close to each other. They made the hallway smell heavenly.

She could see another door approaching that looked like a lift. And, sure, it was a lift. The number displayed to be at the ground floor. The girl pressed the button and the number in the display started increasing. When it finally pinged at twenty four, the door opened and the interior of the lift made her gulp again. It was beautiful, just like the corridor. When they both entered inside, shreya spoke.

"Are we in a hotel?" Shreya asked. She couldn't hold her curiosity anymore.

The girl looked at her bewildered. Shreya raised her eyes at it.

"Aa...actually, I am not supposed to tell you anything! I am so sorry, Ma'am. " The girl said.

"Oh okay! It's perfectly fine!" Shreya lied.

"Not even your name?" Shreya asked just to initiate a conversation.

The girl smiled. Shreya noticed her pressing on for the fifth floor.

"Ananya." She replied with a smile.

When she did not ask for her name, Shreya herself mentioned her name.

"And my name is Shreya." She said. She heard Ananya chuckle which made her feel like a child.

Did I say something wrong! She wondered.

"Everyone knows you here, Miss Shreya." She said.

"Why so? I am seeing you all for the first time!" Shreya asked.

"Well! Whenever Sultan is free, he always talk about you." She said.

Shreya narrowed her eyes. This guy was really irritating her. Who was he? How did he know her? And why in hell would he talk about her? Her mind threw all sorts of questions at her.

After that sentence, Shreya did not ask anything. She just wanted to know about what was going on. And soon get away from this place. She missed her home now. But she knew that she had to behave bravely and consciously. This guy, if he is telling the truth about being Sultan, then she was in deep danger. Because he is a terrorist who can kill or torture her as he desired.

When the door of the lift opened and she followed Ananya towards wherever she was taking her, she made up her mind to control her emotions while being with Sultan. She decided to keep silence and speak whatever is important. Her life was more important than some fruitless attempts for escape. She will have to manipulate 'Sultan' to gain her freedom.

Ananya knocked the door twice before the door opened. Shreya noted two men on the front looking at them directly...more like glaring.

As soon as their eyes fell on Shreya from Ananya, they seem to lower down their gaze and quickly turn around to announce.

"Sultan, Miss Shreya is here." One of the two men said.

Shreya noticed them nodding their heads at something as if Sultan had allowed.

"Miss. Please this way." The man said.

Shreya looked at Ananya.

"Aren't you coming inside?" She asked Ananya.

"I am not supposed to!" Ananya replied with a sheepish smile.

Shreya felt uncomfortable now.

She nodded slightly and entered the room. She looked at the direction that the men had pointed towards, and sure enough, the same guy who claimed himself to be 'Sultan' was sitting on a chair behind a big work table with a cup of coffee in his grasp.

As soon as their eyes met, she noticed him standing up and smile.

And that irritated her. Why does he always smile like that at her ! She did not like it. She did not know him and therefore, she wanted him to act like a stranger.

"Come Shreya!" He said and motioned her towards the sofa where he himself approached.

She looked behind her unintentionally and noticed that the only other men had left.

How rude! She wondered and instantly she realised, that she was alone...with a potential terrorist!

Taking a deep breath, she looked at the front again, to see that he was looking at her expectantly with raised brows.

She took small steps towards the destination while praying for everything to turn okay.

"Sit! Please!" He said which such a gentlemanly gesture.

Shreya sat down gently and when she did, he did too.

She had to shift a bit back as she noticed that he had taken seat a bit too near her.

And it did not go unnoticed by him. But, he ignored it and looked back into her eyes.

"I heard that you did not eat what I brought for you!" He asked in concern.

"I couldn't eat in a stranger's house. " she answered, trying to be at the safe side.

To her amazement, he nodded in understanding.

"If I bring packed food for you, would that be okay?" He asked.

"No, it's fine. I am really not hungry." She answered. Wasn't their conversation going too smoothly. She wasn't expecting that. But she was sure to come up with resistance if something wrong happens.

"But you never miss any meal!" He objected, which made her narrow her eyes at him again. He was correct though.

"You said that you will tell me everything!" She asked, coming straight to the point.

He smiled again, and nodded.

"Still the same!" She heard him murmur.

"Where should I start from?" He asked.

"Who are you....really?" She asked, trying to figure out who this man was.
"As I said, people call me 'Sultan'." He answered.

She was about to protest about how the 'Sultan' that she had seen in the photograph was different from him, but he beat her to it.

"And, before you object again, I must inform you that, it is not hard to fool a group of idiots." He said.

"You mean to say..."

"Yes. The photograph that was shown to you is fake. The so-called intelligence, has false information about me."

"But...but how is that possible?" She asked, not believing the fact that the capable intelligence could be fooled like that.

"Simple! I have my men employed there. They help me get the 'inside' information and also, to spread fake information about me. And before you ask me why I did it, then I'd like to tell you that it's to keep my identity hidden. For them and everyone else, I am nothing but a common, regular citizen. You are the only 'outsider' who has seen the real me." He said with so much intensity that it brought chills to her body.

She gulped to ask for the next question. Her heartbeat accelerated in fear and concern for her safety. It isn't an easy thing to sit infront of a renowned terrorist.

"Why are you against the nation? What intentions do you have?" She asked.

Silence. His intense stare made her even more nervous. She wondered if she had asked a wrong question that might put her in danger...now that she was sure that he was really Sultan.

After a momentary silence as he studied the situation, he answered.

"I'd like to skip this question. " he answered in a polite tone that made her internally sigh in relief. At least, he wasn't angry as she had expected or thought.

"Where am I?" She asked looking at him again, battling with herself to maintain eye contact with this man who is wanted by the national defence.

"This is my home." He answered. "And currently, we are in the fifth floor." He said.

"And where is this home of yours?" She asked specifically so that she will have an idea of where exactly she was in the city and what should she do in case of emergency or how can she contact her family.

Mumbai. " he answered.

The simple word confused her so much that she immediately stood up from the seating position.

"What?" She asked, making him raise his brow.

"We are in Mumbai." He repeated.

"H.how? How is that possible?" She asked.

"Why isn't it possible, Shreya?" He asked in the much similar calm tone.

"B.because...." she tried to contradict but couldn't find anything against it. It was true. There was nothing wrong with being in Mumbai. It was just six hours drive away from the place where she resided.

But it all seemed so dream-like.

"Please sit down. " he asked making her agree.

She sat but maintained a much desired space between them. He still didn't object on that.

"When can I go home. I want to go home, please." She said as her voice broke at the end. His eyes narrowed instantly. He didn't like it.

"I know that you miss your home, Shreya. But, I am afraid to say that you must stay here for a while before I make everything okay for you there!" He said.

"I will be fine there. I was and I am sure, I will. "

"That's where you are wrong. Trust me! The whole intelligence is after you and your family." He said with genuine concern.

"My family? A..."

"They are perfectly fine. They can't harm your family without any solid proof. But they can hurt you as they know that I know you."

"But..but that's not my fault. I don't even know you. " she objected.

His eyebrow raised making her heart beat fast again.

He nodded but she could feel that he was angry at that comment. Was he controlling his anger infront of her! She wondered.

"You sure don't remember anything...as I expected." He seemed to tell himself.

"Anymore questions?" He asked finally after a short moment of silence.

When she didn't reply but just looked at the floor, he continued.

"I'll get something for you to eat." He said as he brought his phone out of his pocket.

"I..."

"Please don't say that you aren't hungry! That's as ridiculous as it sounds. " he mumbled and texted his chef to get something to eat.

All the while Shreya thought of asking some more questions. And finally when the most awaited question came in her mind, she startled him by the sudden outburst.

"Why am I here?....and why were my photos sent to you? " she asked, not realising that she had actually startled him.

He had to control his smile because he knew what he was going to say would not make her happy. If anything, it would make her suspicious and perhaps angry, that she rarely gets.

"Isn't that obvious, Shreya! " he asked her making her confused to the utmost limit.