Broken trust

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Maish is a perfect gentleman. He has this perfect smile that never leaves his face, as he takes in the appearance of the young lady in front of him, he couldn't help but smile broader. She just looks gorgeous and innocent, those eyes...they look almost scared. He couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable she was in their company, and how her smile never reaches her eyes. Was she not happy being here? He wasn't on-board with the plan of letting her be here in the first place. But Sardat was pretty adamant; he had said he wanted to keep an eye on her. He seems to think there was more to her than meets the eye, but Maish couldn't see what Sardat was on about, she was just a clueless girl just as the others.

How wrong he was.

'Well I hope you heard good things, unfortunately I've heard nothing about you'. She manages to answer after composing herself, as she threw an accusing look towards her husband.

'That should not be a problem my dear, there's still time, why don't we hangout for a bit after the party, surely Hameed wouldn't mind...' he smiled at his son as another man came behind him and whispered something to him as his body tensed. Maish stood up abruptly and left without saying another word. How very rude!

Sardat and Hameed left a few minutes after Maish left and Amal couldn't help but feel unease with their absence. 'What was that all about?' she hissed into the communicator.

'I'm not sure, but something must really be going on. Amal, this is your cue; you should go now before they come back.' Nolan suggested. Amal agreed but she desperately needed a drink before going into the lion's den.

She walked gracefully to a table around the corner, taking another cocktail on her way. She seems to be getting thirsty a lot today and she doesn't seem to figure out why! As she sat down on one of the seats on the empty table, she just needs to get her acts together and go on with this. All she needs to do is walk right into Maish's office and look for the important documents then she captures them with the camera in her eyes that will transfer the files to Nolan and Najeeb who are just outside in their van waiting and when all this is done, she comes back to hameed and they leave for home.

What could possibly go wrong?

She stood up and headed to the staircase by the left side of the hall. As she reached the top, she was met with a very narrow hallway leading to her left and right. Nolan guided her to follow the left hallway and she did so.

'Are you sure this is the right place Nolan?' she asked for the seventieth time, she just needed to keep the conversation going sso she wasn't left alone with her thoughts. She really can't afford to be getting second thoughts right now.

'Just keep going Amal, you're doing great. We are almost there'. Najeeb said comfortingly. Just when she reached the end of the hallway she spoted a turn and headed for the turn when Nolan shouted for her to stop.

'You are to wait for my signal Amal, this is not the place or time to go rogue on me. You are treading on a dangerous layer here we cant afford to make any mistakes. There are two guards by the door right after the turn.' Nolan said panicking. 'What should I do?' she asked frustrated. She hadn't really expected it to be that simple; I mean the guy was a freaking assassin boss! Surely his office wouldn't be so welcoming to strangers now. would it?

'Just walk up to them; I'll guide you to it.' Najeeb said confidently.

'How? Are you sure that's a good idea? That's why I said to bring my pepper spray but someone said I shouldn't, something about it being too risky, well here we are!' she whisper-yelled managing to put emphasis on the 'someone'.

'Do you trust me?' he asked calmly and she looked taken aback by the question. Does she? Well they've been on this for quite some time now but she really doesn't know him that much, he hasn't really been forthright with her all this while. He recently introduced her to the team and was constantly asking her not to do this. She wondered if he himself trusts her. But even if she doesn't, there's no other way to do this. what the hell, that question probably was a rhetorical one, he doesn't really need an answer to it but nevertheless she answered in the affirmative.

Unknowing to Amal, that hesitation gave Najeeb his answer, and for the first time he felt awful. But Najeeb was not the man to sulk, so he brushed it off determined that when all this is done, he will make sure to change her view on him.

But will he though?

'Ma'am this is a restricted area do not come any further.' A gentleman said. Amal did not adhere to that though, because she in fact went further.

'Excuse me sir, but there's a lady passed out over there, I think you should call the ambulance she really needs help. Of course her vitals are responsive but faintly. I suggest you do that quick before we lose her.' Amal said panicking and to her amazement, the two guards left their post and rushed to the supposed passed out lady. She seized the opportunity and quickly enters the office.

The office was huge and organised, it smelled of coffee and she couldn't help but relaxed. How ironic!

'Okay, I'm in.'

'Good, we have like two minutes before the guards find out you were lying and rush back here. Look for a safe in the office because I doubt a man like Maish will leave important documents lying freely in here.' suggested Nolan. Amal smiled at his strategic thinking and headed to search for a safe.

'I don't see any safe here'. She sighed frustrated. They are running out of time!

'Calm down, there must be one. But it wouldn't be obvious, let's think like him. If you were Maish where will you place a safe?' Nolan asked and she wasn't sure that question was meant for her. There was no way she could be Maish and if she was, she wouldn't have a safe altogether.

'Somewhere that wouldn't be easily detected; somewhere no one but me can see it. Amal, check behind the paintings.' Najeeb said almost shouting. Indeed there were three large paintings on the wall. that will be a perfect hiding place.

After checking the first one that turned up to be just a painting, Amal checked the largest on and saw it. Bingo!

'What now?' she asked.

'Use the scanner and run it on the keypad, you will get the right numbers.' Nolan said and Amal felt relief he has really thought about this thoroughly. She had disapproved of coming with the scanner and not being able to come with her pepper spray.

'This is ridiculous! How on earth is this more useful than my pepper spray?' she had argued. But right now, she felt glad she agreed to come with it. She really couldn't figure out how that pepper spray could have helped in opening the safe. She opened it successfully and retrieved the documents.

She had successfully captured three files on human trafficking and drug dealings. There seem to be so much of this illegal activities and she wondered if Hameed had really done one of them. The crimes were outrageous.

'It's tragic, what happened to the curious cat. Wouldn't you agree Amal?

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