Our pace slowed to a complete stop, unable to move any further as all possible access was blocked by them. The men that followed behind us slowed down, feeling triumphed that we got ourselves surrounded. Hussaini finally had us both cornered and check mate. The only way that Nick and I could get out of this was to fight them or die.

One of the men that chased after us earlier had me quickly by the arms from behind. Nick attempted to rescue me, but he too was being busy getting attacked by three men under Hussaini's command. Hussaini then watched his son's ass get kicked by his men from afar.

Nick's battle against the three men grew intense and tenacious with too much kicking, punching and thrashing. I feared for Nick's defeat, yet he persistently fought them as though he had never worn-out. I vehemently squirmed and wriggled to release myself but failed as my captor's gripped my both hands tightly. So, I shouted and pleaded for them to stop but none took attention to my demands.

When Nick successfully beat all three of them, Hussaini charged towards him with a half empty alcohol bottle and whacked it on his son's head from behind, causing the class to shatter and some leftover liquor gushed out from the broken bottle. Nick flinched from the attack, he staggered away from his dad, didn't even fight back.

"Come on, fight me!" he shouted but Nick refused. Hussaini lifted his left knee and swiftly thudded his foot on his son's chest. Nick was thrown backwards from the force of his dad's kick. "Get up!" Hussaini yelled. Nick did as he was told but remained his distance from his dad. "Why don't you fight me, you fucker?!" Hussaini exclaimed.

"I don't want to fight you!" Nick shouted back.

Hussaini slapped and hit Nick on the face but Nick didn't budge except to fend off in his reflex. Hussaini's few continuing slaps on his son turned violent into punches and poundings as he repetitively beat Nick with the broken bottle in his hand. The shard on the bottle went through his upper arm and his cheeks, leaving cuts on them. Nick toppled once more, allowing more relentless beating and kicking by his father.

I released myself by kicking my captor in the groin, sprinted towards Nick and shielded him from his dad. I felt the first painful strike from the shard of the bottle on the back of my shoulder. Nick pushed me to the side while Hussaini looked down at us in disgust. He tossed the bottle away and reached for his gun and aimed at us.

"I was proud of you, son," Hussaini growled. "You hone skills needed for the job but I'm disappointed that you wasted all that for a fucking imbecile girl. For what?!"

"She has nothing to do with this. I want out," Nick corresponded.

"So, is it okay if I kill her?" he hovered the gun, aiming at me.

"You don't need to kill her to kill my spirit, Dad," he said breathlessly. "You've already done that when you killed Mom."

Hussaini stood silent, eyes widened like he just heard a ghost name. "Don't talk to me about your mother–"

"You fucking killed her!" he roared. "It was never Mo, you caused her death. You wanted us to die because we're a burden. You left so you don't have to see her die!"

"I said shut up!"

"You're a fucking coward and I fucking hate you! I wish Mo killed you instead of Mom," Nick bit back.

Hussaini threw a couple of vigorous kicks on Nick's face causing his nose to crack and his mouth spurted blood. I tried to stop them but Hussaini's swift kick forcefully pounded onto my chest, I was thrown a few feet away.

Hussaini seized his son by the collar and aimed the gun at his face. "If you talk bullshit once again, I won't hesitate to pull this trigger. Either that or your partner dies."

Nick's weary expression turned calm as though he surrendered. He forced his lips to move and finally muttered, "I'm not an animal like you. You kill Zahida, you kill us both."

Hussaini's ferocious face turned indignant with animosity. His lips quivered angrily and wasn't able to contain the wrath over his son. His body trembled violently that the gun he was holding began to shudder unsteadily.

But Hussaini aimed the gun on Nick's left thigh and pulled the trigger. The loud banging sounds from the fired gun was able to shake off the silent night. Nick screamed in pain and I screamed out of shock. I got up to attack Hussaini but my captor once again had me in a headlock. As I struggled in between his arms, I saw Hussaini knelt towards his depleted son and whispered something into his ear.

As soon as I was being released and Hussaini's men quickly retreated into their respective vehicle, I rushed straight to Nick and frantically assessed his injured leg in between my cries and screams.

"Oi, you!" Hussaini called out to me before returning into his vehicle. "Don't be a daft, call the paramedics."

I obeyed and immediately pulled out my phone to dial 999 to lodge the report while Hussaini and his men drove away swiftly, fleeing the scene. I followed the dispatcher's specific instructions through the phone, removed my sweater, and put pressure on his wound to stop the bleeding.

Nick's distressing groan turned into sudden chuckle and giggle, observing my agitation and distress attempting to save him with whatever sources I had. He snatched the phone from my hand and hung up the call.

"Why the hell did you do that? They're guiding me to stop the bleedin'!" I shrieked.

"Zahida, stop. You already gave them the location, they're coming. Let them handle this, not you," he said wearily. "Come sit next to me."

"No, I can't," I cried while determinedly pressing the wound with my sweater. "If they're not coming, I'll lose you."

"Haha! That's the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard," he giggled and grabbed my hand, pulling me to his side.

I moved around behind him and let his back to lean on me. His raspy breathing grew louder as he coughed, groaned and wheezed. I propped my both hands on the ground, allowing him the space and comfort to rest on me.

"There you go," he said, lifting a ruby studded yellow gold ring over his shoulder towards me. "My mother's ring."

"Where did you get this?" I asked, picking up the ring from his fingers.

"From Dad. He asks for first born son. Make sure we have all girls, okay?" he panted.

I was rather confused as to how I would react to his statement, so I mouthed, "Okay" and he shuddered into laughter.

I followed, giggling behind him in hope that having him occupied with the conversation would divert the pain of his leg.

"Why are we laughing?" I asked again.

"All this hassle for the love of an eccentric woman," he breathed out and winced in pain. "Congratulations, you achieved your resolution in time."

"What was my resolution again?" I queried, couldn't make any recollection of my memories at this point of time.

"To make sure that we sustain," he replied before slowly withdrawing his breath and closed his eyes.