Nil: The Lost Brother

Interrogation

They were sitting facing each other on chairs in a room with a dark smoke-colored floor and gray walls. There was no table, no furniture, no pictures or shelves on the walls, and no other agent present. Only the two of them and the chairs. Nil's gaze caught the open door of the room.

"You willingly came here, I assume you don't plan on escaping, do you?"

"Why would I need to escape?"

"It's a different way of asking why we're following you. I must say, I admire your style. But asking questions we already know the answers to isn't very productive."

This agent, like the others, was tall, well-built, and had short hair, but he was darker and more intimidating than the others. Although he constantly had a smile on his face while talking, his tone of voice and gaze were very unsettling.

"Alright then, ask me something I don't know."

"Agreed. So tell me, Nil, why did you rush to come here? You knew eventually you'd be interrogated."

"I truly don't know why you're following me, or rather, I don't understand. If you couldn't find Mustafa, how could I? Or do you think Mustafa would share any information that would put me or his loved ones in danger? Apparently, you don't know him at all."

"Let's say we don't know him completely. But we will, and he will know us too."

"You seem to be quite high-ranking. And since you think he will know me too."

Ending her sentence with a sarcastic smile, Nil understood from a momentary change in the agent's face that she played her game well.

"I believe you think the hierarchy will bother me. Trust me, what you're thinking is so wrong and insignificant..."

"Your reactions and words are so contradictory..."

"I can't understand how you can fit so much arrogance into your short lives..."

The agent seemed to be asking this question not only to Nil but to all people. But as soon as he finished his sentence, something unexpected happened. It was as if he heard something Nil couldn't, and he suddenly shook and composed himself. His face now had a serious expression.

"That's enough chit-chat! You think you're protecting Mustafa, but there's something you don't know. Right now, there's an international criminal with Mustafa and his friends. A terrorist. They must have mentioned it at the café..."

Nil's mind suddenly became so confused that she struggled to gather her thoughts. Were they being listened to in the café? He must be talking about the girl named Neith. Could Mustafa have done something stupid for real? The agent in front of her had begun to play with his mind. She had to keep control. Playing with open cards was the best option.

"I don't know that girl, I've never heard her name before. Mustafa and I haven't seen each other for a long time, and he never mentioned anything like this to me. So, I can't help you with that either."

"I know you can't help us right now; otherwise, we would have brought you here earlier. But that doesn't mean you won't be able to help. Whether you like it or not, you will help us in the future."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Let's call it instincts. That's why I advise you to act smart. Stop following Mustafa."

"And if I can't find Mustafa, how will I help you then?"

"Ah, yes. He will try to reach you, and then you will help us. Now go on with your life where you left off. Cover pandemic news, complain about inflation, criticize the education system, protect nature... abandon this matter so that

at least you can survive until Mustafa finds you."

"Since you're threatening me with death, you must be an illegal organization. And the person you call a terrorist is probably someone who hinders your plans..."

"Believe me, what I've told you is just friendly advice. Besides, your family is very worried about you. Nonetheless, you're free to do as you wish. The door is open. You can do whatever you're willing to face. Long live free will!"

Nil, without saying a word, slowly stood up from her chair and walked towards the door. As she was leaving the room, she heard the agent's voice again. "Our guys are at the door. If you want, they can drop you home." Even though the agent was behind her, his mocking smile could be felt in his tone.

She walked with heavy steps, her mind echoing with conversations and thoughts all intertwined. She didn't know how long she had been walking. Instinctively, she made her way home and approached it. She tried to gather her thoughts. From now on, every move she made would be monitored. Her phone was probably tapped, and her social media accounts were likely being followed. She remembered a conversation she had with a friend at the office just a few weeks ago. Her friend had said that through cell phones, every movement could be tracked, and she had responded with, "Who would track me and why?" Why was she experiencing all of this? Everything she had deemed impossible in the past week was now coming true. The events she had mocked were slapping her in the face. She thought of many things as she walked, she planned, she remembered, but giving up never crossed her mind. For the first time in her life, she had a real purpose. Exposing this organization, revealing the truth, understanding the shape of the world, became just as important as finding Mustafa. Even if it meant facing death, she would not deviate from her path. She realized that on her journey to find Mustafa, she first needed to find herself. She clenched her fists and muttered with determination, "I'll show you what free will truly means!"

Nil entered the apartment, and it was already evening. As she climbed the stairs, Yusuf came to her mind. He must have been very worried. Upon entering her home, she realized that Yusuf wasn't there. She picked up her phone from the table in the living room and unlocked the screen, finding a message from Yusuf. "Can you message me when you get home? I'm curious." She replied with a message informing him that she had arrived home and sent it. Within a few minutes, the doorbell rang. It was Yusuf, eagerly handing a piece of paper to Nil. On the paper, it said, "I found their traces."