Raastein

8. Hiding

The two officers who had been assigned the job of tracking Imran down, Officer Ali Abbas and Officer Omar Zafar had taken a room on the ship. They had already begun their investigation on the escaped prisoner, and the next stage was to capture and lock him away so that he couldn't escape or harm anyone else.

"Officer we need to get cracking," ordered Officer Omar Zafar.

"Yes we've got eyes on the prisoner. He's located east of the shop, room 25. There hasn't been any activity or any sign of movement that might seem threatening," reported Officer Ali Abbas

"Right that's good news. We must work out how we're going to put him back to where he belongs," said Zafar, "any thoughts on how we'll carry out this plan successfully?"

The two officers ruffled through Imran's records for a third time. Having a look at his weaknesses and strengths. At the end of the day, any little piece of information could help with their investigation. They mapped out all the boundaries on the ship; keeping in mind the various rooms Imran could use to go into hiding once his location was compromised.

The officers came out of their rooms with their guns fully loaded in their back pockets, ready for anything to cross their path. They passed the lower deck of staff and gradually made their way towards the top deck. On their way, the door to one of the rooms was slightly opened. Zafar went to have a look but was taken aback as the door swung wide open with Imran standing in the center of the doorframe.

"Oii that's him!" yelled Abbas, reaching out for his gun from his back pocket.

Imran was too quick for them. With a grin on his face, he reached for his jacket pocket and brought out a remote. "I've already placed bombs on every corner on the entire ship, you take one more step and it'll go kaboom."

"Ok ok, we surrender," said Zafar in a forfeit. He gestured Abbas to place his gun on the ground as Imran came behind the officers and pushed them into the room he was standing in. He put the officers back-to-back, tying them up with cable ties and a pole in between them.

"Don't ever, ever mess with me again," threatened Imran, emphasising his voice on the second 'ever'. He turned the lights off, strode out and closed the door with a loud bang. Remembering to lock the room as well.

Imran had been in hiding for a few days now. He was realising that perhaps his family didn't want any connection with him, however that wasn't going to change anything. He was still going to talk to his siblings, regardless of the fact that no apologies would be exchanged.

On a side note, Imran had been observing that someone from his past was on board. Firdaus Khan, a girl whom he was to wed but left him only a few days before the engagement. He had done some digging and obtained information that she was working as a dancer full time. Even though dancers were supposed to have no relations with passengers, he still wanted to talk to her, especially after their conversation outside the prison cell.

Imran had just jumped from the fence and even though he had finally found balance, his head was still spinning. Then he saw a blurry image. Several blurred images of the same thing, or was it a person? He couldn't see too well.

Then he saw it. The images weren't hazy anymore, and he could see who it was.

It was her...

Firdaus.

"Jaan, what are you doing here?" he asked inquisitively.

"I think the better question is, what are you doing out here Imran?" said Firdaus as she scowled into Imran's eyes. Clearly she didn't want anything to do with him anymore.

"Are you kidding me? Prison is a waste of time, the people are useless and the food is shit. You honestly think I'd want to stay in there longer?" he said, "Baby, you clearly don't know me if you think I'd stay in there any longer," he continued with a smirk.

The area was filled with the loud sound of a smack. Firdaus had just slapped Imran, leaving a bright red mark on his left cheek.

"Besharam!" she yelled. "You don't understand do you? What you did, what you'll continue to do to those innocent girls, it's not right! Tumhe zaara bhi akal hai? Maine theek kiya, tumhe chod diya." (Shameless [.....] Do you have any brains? Leaving you was the right thing)

Imran was left speechless. No one had ever spoken to him like that, not even a girl. But deep down, he was alright with the idea that it was Firdaus who had given him a 'reality check', or at least tried to.

It was bit vulgar and a bit wrong, to say the least, but Imran liked it when Firdaus got wrathful. She'd have a fiery spark in her eyes every time, and her voice was raspy and sultry. Basically, Imran thought it was quite sexy.

He saw Firdaus leave with shock still spread across her face.

Somewhere, deep down, the two knew that they'd be meeting again. Lo and behold, they both saw each other again...