#NotEdited

Numbness.

The only emotion running through her body.

If there was one thing Zeeniya could do right now was to pinch herself but under the current circumstances her feet and hands were frozen. The room that was only occupied with a mattress a few months ago, was now piled up with more than a hundred papers. It was a clear mess.

The plain walls were lined with pictures; more specifically her pictures. From the toothy toddler to the pre-teen with fixed braces. The window was shut with wooden panels pinned across it reminding her of Harry Potter. On another wall uncountable Post Its were stuck with thumb pins on them. There was a single red thread woven across it, marking some certain notes.

With erratic breaths, uneven heartbeats and a disturbed mind Zeeniya walked towards the wall forgetting the phone ringing in her pocket.

The phone had no trace of 'the rock.'

'Noah Al-Hassam is dead.'

'Her laptop has been bugged too.'

'The last file had pointed out a few specific locations. Uniforms were sent out for investigation.'

'The bullet patterns were the same as the last guy.'

As the thread moved along the notes, her mind trapped into a deep labyrinth. On the small study table, files were piled like pancakes. Picking the top one she found it fimiliar to the one she handed Nayal a month back when she was talking to Dani outside the house. Flicking through a few more brought a new wave of surprise.

Warner, Smith. 1999.

Goldsmith, Thomas. 2004.

Patel, Khurana. 2008.

Saleh, Mustafa. 2010.

When you get off a roller coaster, it's as if the whole world is spinning around fast but you are standing still. There are strings holding you down and everybody is watching the one person who can't move. You are vulnerable and you have no idea how to snip the strings and move on. That was how she felt.

Nothing made sense. Zeeniya couldn't decipher the situation but whatever it was, it wasn't good. Nayal with the good hair and the pretty face had created a whirlpool inside her brain.

Curiosity took the best of her when she picked the green file from under the numerous documents. With a hammering heart she turned the page, relieving an image that haunted her for the last four years. Every day.

Amal Tahan who was considered one of the most beautiful and charming woman in her profession was lying on the stretcher, hair slicked back, colourless face with a few splatters of blood, the sparkling blue eyes were closed forever. It was from the morgue, Zeeniya identified it among the different reports confirming the bullet size and model.

Bile rose to her throat, the cheese sandwich she had at lunch was ready to come out but Zeeniya hunched down on the floor, supporting her weak body.

She could have walked out of the door but a massive part of her didn't agree. Tracing a finger over the array of pictures she wondered where he got them from.

One of them was from a year back when the whole Tahan family including Adam were in he backyard tossing the football around. Another one reminded Zeeniya of the time when her old bike broke down in the middle of road. The picture showed her lying under the bike and fixing the silencer. She spotted a few clicks of her in the graveyard, sitting by her Mum's grave or climbing the rustic wall. At this point, she was completely sure that the stalking wasn't sudden but it had a long history.

Zeeniya pinched the bridge of her nose, halting the severe migraine making it's way to her head. One thing that worried her the most was if Adam had any idea whom he rented out his apartment to.

A bloody criminal.

With fear creeping through her body she searched for something else to convince her jilted heart. Even when the whole room was a live proof of his crime, her heart somehow denied it. The Nayal she knew for the past six months was nothing beyond a witty lass with good hair. No part of her wanted to believe that a harmless guy like him could be capable of a hideous crime like this.

He was nothing more than a good friend!

Brain: Guess what? You just lost a good friend.

Only with a single bed, a small study table and a cupboard the room was fairly average. After trying the sixth drawer, she felt defeated that it was locked too but her wandering gaze found one of the smaller drawer ajar.
Crouching down on the floor she opened the drawer unaware that she was unleashing a monster.

Inside the wooden drawer laid a black gun, taunting at her. With shaking and sweaty hands she picked the heavy metal which seemed to big for her delicate fingers. When you get off a roller coaster, it's as if the whole world is spinning around fast but you are standing still. There are strings holding you down and everybody is watching the one person who can't move. You are vulnerable and you have no idea how to snip the strings and move on. Thag was how Zeeniya felt at the moment.

A sudden uncontrollable gasp felt her mouth as she heard footsteps followed by heavy panting.

"You need to listen to me."

There stood the traitor himself.

"Or what? You'll shoot me, you bloody murderer?" Letting out a dry laugh, she turned around with a new boost of courage.

"Call me whatever you want but don't leave. Please..." Even with a dash of plead in his voice, he couldn't change Zeeniya's attitude.

"Oh! Don't worry! I won't." Taking heavy steps towards him, she stopped right where she could the strong sniffle of his cologne. "I'll call the cops first then I'll maybe get some popcorns and wait for the action. What do you reckon?" She smoothly asked.

"Just give me that."

"Why? Shaadi hai tumhari? "

Zeeniya had over-come the fear in some ways since Nayal arrived.

Why can't she loathe him?

"This isn't funny!" He stepped towards her with a few veins popping on his neck but refrained.

"You're lucky that you're a girl, Zeen or I wouldn't hesitate to punch you."

Now that was out of line!

"I know right! You are afraid to punch a girl!"

"Ugh! You need to listen to me, okay?" Taking a few deep breaths he spoke.

"Listen to you lying about not being a criminal?" She challenged. Zeeniya couldn't contain her anger anymore. "You shameless piece of sh*t! You have MY freaking pictures all over you're room and you want me to calm down? You have documents that only the police had and you want me to calm down? My best friend cum brother doesn't know that he rented out his apartment to a serial killer and you want me to calm down?" Exhaling rather loudly, she sighed in despair.

Nayal's wordlessness gave Zeeniya a silent encouragement to yell in his face.

"You were there, weren't you? That night? 9th of July 2012! You had the same gun in your hand! I remember it all too well even after that stupid Amnesia. That's why you have been so curious about her, always poking around. My dreams....the were indicating me since the first time I saw you. You're eyes..." She took a dramatic pause, staring deep into the hazel eyes. "You killed her, didn't you? You pulled the trigger with this same fu**ing gun!" She growled in fury, grabbing his collar.

"Don't. You. Dare!" Putting his rough hand on her sensitive one, he removed it. "She was more to me than my own mother!" Zeeniya sensed his voice filled with rage crack.

"That is why you killed her? Now here to finish me off?" Nayal was well aware that there wasn't any sarcasm in her tone, she was at the wrong place at a wrong time.

"All I ask is fifteen minutes to explain myself. Not a second up. I promise." His voice was soft, almost melting Zeeniya's heart.

"Please."

Giving her a half crooked smile, he extended his hand towards her.

"Ha! You think I'm a fool? I trusted you, nincompoop! Just let me get out of this hell hole."

"Just wa...."

A loud bang interrupted Nayal's confession and entered Lieutenant Sean Anderson, panting and sweating.

Talk about coincidence!

"Sorry mate I was in the shower when beeper went off. Is everything al...."

His mouth turned into an egg when he noticed Zeeniya standing besides the door.

"Shit!" Nayal and Sean shared an haunted look before shifting their gaze at Zeeniya.

"So you guys are into this together. How much money did he offer you, Lieutenant? "

Zeeniya's mind frazzled, migraine was ruling her head and her anger was rising.

"You got this all wrong, Ms. Tahan. Dude, explain it to her!" He hissed at Nayal who was shifting on his feet.

"Are you even a Muslim?" Zeeniya wasn't sure of anything that came out of his mouth.

Jhuta sala!

"Of course! How dare you ask me that?" He roared at her.

"Says the guy who is a criminal/murderer/stalker."

"If you don't sit on that chair on the next two seconds then I'll..." He grabbed the gun from Sean's belt and pointed it at her, "I'll shoot you." That made her point the gun at him with the perfect smirk on her face.

"The magazine's empty." Nayal shrugged.

Ullu ka dash!

"Okay."

"Now give me that gun." He ordered in a raspy voice.

"I'm not giving you that until you prove that you're not a serial killer." She held the gun more tightly.

"I'm not here to kill you. Don't worry."

Rolling her eyes at him, she went over to the door and stood there.

Bhagna asan hoga na!

"The gun you have in your beautiful hands is licensed given by Scotland Yard. I'm an agent, Zeen." Taking out a wallet from his pocket he opened it in front her. She was mistaken, it was a badge. The silver logo of Scotland Yard was proudly shining, making Zeeniya gulp the lump in her throat.

"And yes I was there, that night when Amal...I mean Mrs. Tahan was murdered. But I didn't kill her I promise! You can check the post mortem report in that grey file. Your mother was killed by one of the guys she testified against, those bastards! The Yard was unable to solve the case four years back so they...erm...temporary closed it."

Zeeniya's eyes had an unknown emotion running through them.

"Well, I'm here to finish what I started. That's all you need to know."

"I'm an undercover agent, Zeen."

Super unedited!

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