Beintehaan (Completed)

49. Gun shots (Part 2)

She heard him before she saw him.
"Anika!" His voice sliced like venom through the thick air. Her body flinched in response. She swallowed, roughly yearning to respond.

But the sharp muzzle of Yousif's gun dug deeper into her temple as a deathly reminder.

Another gun shot was heard and they were shuffling in the darkness.

"Yusif" Shivaay called out. His voice sounding close to a growl "get out here.. Or I'll come in" there was a pause and Anika felt Yousif stiffen behind her "come out and say hello to your brother"

"son of a bi-" Yusif hissed. His grip flattered on her neck for a second only to fist it in her hair. Anika cried out in pain her hands flying to her scalp. They both struggled and staggered slowly into the opening.

The sun had already risen, flooding its rays into the old warehouse, she was distracted for a half a second, her eyes darting around the huge place, but soon they fell on the reason why she suddenly didn't mind the stinging pain in her head.

Shivaay stood there, basking in the sun rays, his face set as if engraved from stone itself. Her eyes darted on the whole figure of his, searching. Searching for any sign that he wasn't ok. But other than his rumpled clothes, a slight bluish bruise on his forehead he seemed just the way she had left him.

She looked up then. His eyes were already on her. Her throat closed and the dam in her almost broke. She knew it had just been hours since she had last seen him, but it felt as if a life time has passed. A time she never wanted to repeat again.

"let him go!" Yusif's voice bellowed in her ears almost deafening her. It was then that she noticed that Shivaay strangely seemed to mirror Yousif's stance.

Only Yusif had Anika at gun point while Shivaay had a very petrified Shoaib at his gun point. A flicker of pride swelled in her chest. She tilted her head to the side, looking at Yousif's face twisted in a mixture of terror and rage " told you he was alive" she rasped. His jaw clenched wordlessly and Anika smiled.

"let him go or else she dies!" Yusif yelled. Anika gasped when he suddenly let go of her hair, wrapping his arm around her neck instead, chocking her.

"bhai" Shoaib whimpered. Anika had to agree that she was in much better shape than he was. His eyes were swollen and clearly developing into a black eye, and a bloody upper lip. She was glad that someone's fists had found his face. Secretly she hoped that it was Shivaay who had given him the black eye.

"This is my place filled with my men!" Yusif continued to bargain for his brother's life "one wrong move and I will put a bullet in her head" he pressed the barrel deeper into her temple as if to make a point.

"And what makes you think your little brother will be alive if you make a wrong move?"

Yusif grounded his teeth. She knew he was contemplating his choices which seemed to be pretty much at a dead end.

Sadly both the men were head to head. Shivaay had Shoaib and Yusif had her, there was no way the four of them were going to get out of this without getting hurt. Or even worse. Killed. If only she could escape, so that Shivaay would have nothing to bargain for,

Wait a second. What if..

Her mind hadn't even completed the thought when her body was already in action. She pulled her hands forward, and with all her strength, slammed her elbows into Yusif's body.

He let out a loud uff. And his hands flew up. The second his hands fell away. Anika bolted forward. There was a loud roar from Yusif and then everything was a blur.

She forced her legs to run, her heart thundering in her ears. Yusif screamed something. And men from every direction charged into the clearing. Gunshots and shouts filled the air. Anika's eyes blurred and she wiped them hastily. At the far end she could see Shivaay, struggling to keep a hold on Shoaib.