Duplus

Chapter 52

—-Amaani's POV—-

Broad Shoulders and an expression as hard as rock.

Jaber's wide back towered over me as he stood in the front, talking to Usama about the next step in their plan. We had returned to the cottage and three more had accompanied us by the grace of Allah. I had to take a double take at the fact that it was that simple. Something tugged at the back of my mind and for some reason, Jaber's interrogation of Sumayya's story kinda made sense to me. Although I didn't mention it but Uncle Amir's strange choice of sending Sumayya and Lexie by the lake also bothered me but I just couldn't voice it out to him.

"Finding Lexie is our priority but someone needs to stay here and collect information while Sumayya takes me and Ms. Sohail to the spot where they were attacked. Usama," he addressed a quiet Usama who quickly straighted up at the call. "Yes?"

"I trust you to fulfil this task." He said with an arched eyebrow. "Of course, sir." Came an instant response. Junior had told us that passing officers let him know Lx2 had gone for some days and left one of his appointed officers as a substitute in his absence. It was perfect for Usama to easily investigate inside the headquarters as an old officer that had been on leave on Jaber's orders for some work. This was the story we made up for him.

"Lx2 isn't as dumb as we thought. He already knew we were going to come to the headquarters to save Saira and the Duplus. I expected to find him here and

reclaim my position after taking him into captivity but he was a step ahead of me." Jaber turned to the rest of us and started to explain, tsking to himself before continuing. "He deliberately took Lx16 somewhere else so we could get caught up in our own plan and buy him time to get her where he wanted to."

I saw his hands curling into a fist. His expression showed he was annoyed at his negligence.

"He's a strategic genius, Jaber. Don't take him for anything less." Lx45 stepped into the light from the hanging bulb over the table, his white stubble bridging the ends of his chin. He looked weak than when I last saw him. His slightly wrinkled face showed spots of purple bruises which implied that their time under Lx2 wasn't as easy as we thought. "He is at the top of even the Auctrix. It won't be that simple to predict his moves."

I noticed those words got him thinking. Usama spoke in, "What about the new laws being implemented?"

I immediately nodded. "We need to do something about these strange restrictions, Jaber! They might be part of another big scheme to trap us."

Jaber's head whirled towards me like I had given him a great idea.

"Allah knows why the Auctrix and the government wants us to consume the food they're giving us for free. Of course saving Lexie is important but we can't let our people continue to eat whatever kind of chemicals and drugs they've added to the meals." I stated which made everyone look like a horrifying realisation had hit them.

"Good thinking, Ms. Sohail." Jaber exclaimed with a knowing smile that hinted his brain was running fast, generating ideas and strategies. "I know what he's doing." He paused for a second before continuing, "He's predicting my every move as if it were him in my place." Saying that, his eyes glinted like he had thought of the perfect plan.

"Alright. Everyone get some rest. Usama and I are going to pay the headquarters another visit early morning tomorrow." He left me thinking about what great idea he had come up with. Curiosity pricked me and I frowned when the meeting was over so quickly and everyone had started to move away from the table.