Back to You

14] The Couple

After the whole revelation of the dark blackmailing Krish had faced, the agency had settled upon the fact that they needed to act as soon as possible and rescue Minakshi back. Krish was completely awake and was providing every other detail of how he was in contact with the CABROs and how did Mark, a significant member of the enemy, communicated with and kept an eye on him simultaneously.

Haseena and Karishma although willing to help were too exhausted in the moment. They were forced to get to the bed room on the side and get some rest before helping, otherwise they would do more damage than any good.

Haseena rushed inside the bathroom as soon as they both stepped in the four walls of that privacy. Karishma went behind her to see her bent over the basin, still not over with the emotional baggage of everything that happened. She knew too that this trauma also included a reason which was hidden from every member of their team.

" You are being too hard on yourself. "

Haseena looked up in the mirror to had her eyes connect with the most subtle pairs of another that she ever had witnessed.

" You as well has suffered so much. So much Karishma. How do you see any good in the world even after that! "

" I don't. I just... try... to make it better. "

Haseena nodded wiping away her tears and making her way towards the bed. It didn't even take her a second before she went off to sleep. Karishma smiled watching her exhausted friend slip off into darkness, escaping this world so swiftly. Covering her with a sheet, she muttered, " Whatever is it that ever hurts you Haseena, I want to eliminate from the root. Forever! "

......

Haseena felt her cheeks all heated up. Her sleep fluttered open into consciousness slowly. Last she remembered hearing Karishma speak something soothing as she drifted off to the land of dreams. But her dreams weren't particularly interesting. She dreamt something disturbing.

" Is it for real. "

She murmured wiping the sweat off her forehead as she comprehended that it all only was a dream. Sitting upstraight, now fully awake she sighed, her heart heavy and her eyes searching for some familiar face to calm her down. But to her dismay nobody was in the room. Out of options Haseena got up and washed her face. Getting freshened up she went outside to the main hall of operation.

" Where is everybody!! "

Now things had started to become wierd. There was nobody in sight still. Everybody seemed to have evacuated out of the place. Her heart beat paced upwards, feeling danger in this silence. Her dream replayed in her mind. Making her more so anxious about what is the reason of such sudden disappearance of her fellow mates.

Her heart jumped out in panic as a sudden sound tickled the back of her ear. When she turned, all out of breath to look, it only was a mouse running in the corner. This eeriness got on her nerves. She breathed deeply shaking her head in frustration while running her eyes on their common board to look for some message, if they all had gone on purpose rather than as a consequence of something bad happening.

And there is was. A chit from the cheif. The kind, she hated to read.

Dear Haseena,

She being addressed by her real name was indicative enough that it was going to be a justification of some kind which she wouldn't like. It was an attempt to make her somehow less angry after reading this bit of information.

When you read this, we probably will already be away. Trust us, we will save Minakshi without fail. We just couldn't have risked taking you for this mission. You are the target. You have to stay safe. Take care.

Chief.

Haseena found herself breathing deeply. Her hands automatically reached for the chit, shredding it into tinier and tinier pieces. Her mind reflected thoughts unasked for. Her head swirled as she sat suddenly down in the middle of the floor, with her head in her hands. The bits of pieces fell abrubtly everywhere around, some even sticking up her face. But she wasn't in any normal condition to feel what was happening.

The closeness of the base made her feel suffocated.

Her dream crossed her mind a couple of times again. Her numbed shrieks and a broken heart replayed in a loop. The feeling of trust being broken along with every other dream she ever held close to herself, came crashing down on her heart at this moment.

Her vision went back to the triggers of her life. Back to the sunday evening when she had seen a couple. A couple near her office building. The same couple in the club. Then the same couple outside the coffee shop! Their figures went in and out like a shade of a ghost.

Haseena closed her eyes and screamed closing her ears. She couldn't bear the feeling. She wanted to break her promise to Karishma! She wanted to find a bottle of poison and gulp it down her throat!

But then anxiety has it's shelf life too. After a humongous bout of it, Haseena suddenly felt calm. Her heart beat normalised as her head became clearer. She began to get back the idea of her existence and the fix in which she was. She wanted to go along her team, to accomplish the mission. She didn't want to be that helpless, here also.

She wanted to go. Not to prove anybody else anything, but to prove herself, that she was of significance. That she held value still, even after being a complete failure! She wanted to prove to herself her own ability as an agent, as a person.

" I couldn't let anyone else be in danger, just to save ME! No... I need to go!!! ...."

Determined she went round the whole place, finding some loophole to escape. But this time chief had it all set. He had ensured that no window or door was open. She was completely locked inside. But the AC was on, she realised.

Watching the AC vent blurt out that cold air, Haseena twisted up a smile, smirking. She had just found the way out. She opened a drawer and took out a screw driver.

If not through the doors or the windows, she would go outside throught the underground airconditioning tunnel.....