Divulging Remorse ✔

Chapter 3

His head throbbed, but there wasn't a single trace of nervousness that could be found in his expressions or his behaviour for that matter. Leaning his head back in the chair, he carelessly sprawled his legs on the metal desk in front of him, kept at the centre of the interrogation room, and tucked his ankles one on the other. Dark, empty, and half-divided by a one-way black mirror, the room stood silently at the end of the corridor.

He knew there were cops on the other side of the glass, monitoring him and the other two guys who were brought in along with him. Each of the three was held in separate rooms, to make the investigation process easier.

A year from now, who would have thought Moutasim Ali Khan to be one of the suspects in a gang rape? Let alone that, he himself never had the foggiest idea that he'd be involved with an underworld squad. A small sarcastic smile appeared on his weary face, he rubbed his sleep stricken eyes. I've come a long way... haven't I? To the Dubai Police HQ?! He chuckled at the thought.

He was head over heels crazy for Riya Jahangiri, his maternal uncle's daughter; his first cousin. At first, along with everyone else, he thought it was just a teenage crush like most desi people have first crushes on their cousins. Proving that wrong, at age twenty-four, his love had only grown stronger over the past decade. It was unconditional, the power of it which always bounded him back to her, no matter what. Even after years of rejection, and humiliation from her, not a string of his heart went weak. He knew that love doesn't have rights, nor did he have any over her, but he was blessed to be in love with her with his own heart. He didn't come before her for the last three years or so because she didn't want to see him, so he gave her just that. Such was his love, genuine and selfless.

His brother Ammar often told him to forget Riya, and to move on with his life. But is it really easy to move on just like people say it to be as? Not for Moutasim at least. He did try to move on, or more like moving on was trying him. Unknowingly, he began hanging out with ridiculous people, who soon had him sinking in places where the police always had a sharp eye on; gambling, drug-dealing and what not.

He was forced to join a drug dealing mafia; his job was to transfer the smuggled drugs into the rest of the city's drug hub. Soon, his conscience awoke him to quit, but his ruthless gang leader had him doomed. He couldn't leave until he made some things right, or until when "Panther", the leader was out of some picture. He'd have to pay his life.

The choice was his. Soon, from one gang to another, and another and it continued. He was secretly working for multiple gangs without the other one ever knowing.

The door banged opened and hit the wall behind it with a thud. He flung out of the chain of thoughts and looked over at the tall police officer who had just entered. He was the senior officer, and especially in charge for cases like these.

Sgt. Ahmad Al-Fadel, his face stern, with lots of angry lines running across his forehead. Giving Moutasim a thorny look at the way he sat, he took a seat opposite him and slammed a paper file on the desk.

Moutasim gathered himself and sat upright, waiting for the ordeal to come about and go. He just wanted this to end quickly and go home to get some sleep.

In a threateningly raucous voice, the officer asked him, "Moutasim Ali Khan? Where were you at 12:30 last night?"

"Dancing in the rain," he replied in a relaxed tone.

The cop stared at him with steely eyes, demanding him to answer seriously, but Moutasim was in no mood for all that bullsh*t pretension to play a real suspected culprit.

"You see officer, I've been charged as a suspect for gang defilement, right? The police suspect me of being one of those, so where do you think I was last night?"

Tapping his fingers on the table, he added, "Now, the police never go wrong for that matter or does it?" He looked the cop straight in the eye, fearless.

"So, you accept the crime?" He asked Moutasim impulsively.

Moutasim raised an eyebrow and asked, "You doubting whom, Al-Fadel? Me or yourself?"

Sgt. Ahmad slammed his palm loudly against the desk and roared, "I'm the one who's interrogating you here Mr Khan, do not play smart with me!"

Moutasim put his hands out in fake defence and said, "Okay... okay, so get some sensible questions on the move. C'mon now, you are a smart officer." Moutasim had a poisonous smirk on his face.

Anger boiled within the officer's head, he curled his fists on either side of the file, and with a straight face asked, "Our constables have found your car parked outside the victim's home,
179-AKH, I suppose is your car number plate." This time, he didn't impose a question.

"How does that prove I'm involved in the crime?" He once again threw a dispute forth.

"Mr Moutasim Ali Khan, I'm interrogating one of the three suspects for gang defilement. I'm NOT arresting you for the charges, our arrest, and the final verdict will be based on the investigation we carry out. In the meantime, I request you to please co-operate with the law procedures." Sgt. Ahmad said it all out in one go, his accent full of Arabic infused.

Moutasim didn't say anything, this time, he just stretched his hands back and yawned.

The officer added, "We also suspect you, and... uhh your peers to be working for a group involving illegal activities."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Moutasim snapped back.

"We'll hold you back within the police custody until we find more details regarding your case." With that, Sgt. Ahmad Al-Fadel screeched his chair back, and in a second he was out of the room.

Moutasim put his head down on the table and yawned again. If only his sleep was that loyal to him, coming anywhere he wanted, but no. He could only sleep in his bed. He wondered what Panther was up to.

Until now, Panther had always trained his little "chipmunks" as he called the junior workers of his gang, how to outsmart the police guys. No matter what, they weren't to be spilling the beans of who they worked for because Panther's nameless, unsolved profile was a well-known one among the criminal files in the police stations all across the UAE.

He was the new rise in most of the recent criminal activities in the past couple of years. His business had grown, as well as his employees of all nationalities. Some forty people worked under him, two being his very important men, whom he highly regarded. He always had put his chipmunks out in front and got things done through them, like a boss, not leaving any pieces of evidence of his own.

Those chipmunks being very loyal to him or bound to be, never gave out on him, even though some had to be hanged to death. That way, the police had no idea of his identity, because he didn't keep one. He was a smart underworld gangster, who played his games too well.

Perhaps, Moutasim Ali Khan was a bigger player, and of course, Panther never knew that or he'd ever let him know, not in his right mind.

Although it was Moutasim's first time being held in a lock-up as a suspect, he knew he had done a very good job at being a bada*s. He also knew that Panther would be working up ways to get him out of the mess. He couldn't say the same about the other two suspects because he knew that Panther favoured Moutasim the most among all the chipmunks.

Why? This was something out of his own understanding too.

Why did he start doing all the bada*s things in the first place? This was one question the world asked Moutasim.

Strangely, he himself didn't have an answer to or maybe he did, and never wanted to reveal it till the last of his breath.

Though, that was a different matter that destiny had very daring plans for him altogether.

For her as well...