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"Can I have a word?"

"Of course," Aahil looked up from where he was sitting on the lounge eating the chocolate dessert, but it seemed like he was lost in thought and wouldn't even know if he ate sawdust.

Noor took his seat beside him, "What are you thinking?"

"It's nothing," Aahil replied with a slow shake of his head.

"You can tell me," Noor invited but Aahil was adamant that there was nothing wrong.

Finally, Noor turned towards me. His forehead covered with lines of worry, "Aleena could you please let me know what's going on? Aahil isn't being himself from the previous evening. He isn't even talking to me or making eye contact."

I bit my lower lip with worry. I did not wish to offend him on his face. Partly I too agreed with Aahil, as we couldn't be completely sure of Noor's intentions. Could we?

Nothing was as simple as it seemed.

"He isn't himself after he has gotten shot and I believe that's the reason for his sour mood," I replied with uncertainty and gazed in Aahil's direction to find him send me a grim expression.

"Excuse me. I believe it's time I called it a day. I'm exhausted."

"Good night," Noor answered with a soft smile.

I got up from my place and made my way to the upstairs bedroom.

Once inside, I slowly closed the door behind me and opened my closet with shivering hands.

It had suddenly struck me that there could be a possibility of finding some clue in my room, among my things, as dad had so confidently declared that I had access to the information.

A thorough search of my closet, drawers, bookshelves and all other possible places rewarded me nothing. Sadly I gave up my search when I heard the soft knock on my bedroom door.

I opened the door and cringed internally at Aahil's expression.

"What's wrong with you?" He grimaced.

"What?" I sounded confused.

"It looks like there was a mini hurricane. The whole room is messed up," He threw his hands in the air in a gesture of frustration.

"It's unfair of you to be angry on me when I'm clearly trying to help you."

"I don't think to put my brother in the spot of a criminal can be of any help to me."

"Fine. If you want to keep arguing on that matter it's your wish."

"Aleena I understand that all the stress has taken a toll on you and at this point, we are unable to trust anyone, but suspecting our own family members is only going to make things worse."

"Ok," I stormed out of the room when he held me by my wrist.

"Let go of me," I tried to wriggle free from his hold. "I have realised my worth in your life. I just say something that goes against your family and you are ready to brand me as a liar. For god's sake, they are my family too," I threw at him in provocative intent, hoping to douse the dark flames of arousal in his intent stare.

Aahil didn't flinch. True, a momentary gravity tightened his facial features, but it swiftly turned soft, "I'm sorry I didn't mean it. I agree that you might have genuine reasons for suspecting him but as a brother, it is impossible for me to put him on that spot."

Understanding dawned upon me and I nodded my head, "I agree but I'm still not forgiving you for calling me a liar."

He ran the fingertips of his other hand up along the line of my hands in a caressing gesture that was curiously chilling, "What I'm I supposed to do to earn your forgiveness."

"If you really want me to forgive you then you'll have to please me."

"How?"

"I don't know," I drawled wickedly as I walked past him and climbed the bed to retire for the night.

-----------
Aahil was sitting on the dining table, his laptop and files spread before him in a neat manner. He was working on his new drug research from the past six hours and had barely taken a moment to relax other than to use the washroom or to offer namaz.

He had tried several times to make me agree for a truce but to my own surprise, I hadn't forgiven him. He had hurt me and I wasn't ready to let it pass lightly.

The silence between us was killing me but I wanted him to realise his mistake and therefore had completely avoided him.

The sound of the doorbell made me lift myself from the sofa and get the door.

I opened it to find the man I least expected to visit us.

"Assalamu alaikum, Aleena dear. How are you?" He gave me a soft smile.

"Wa Alaikum salam uncle. I'm good alhamdulillah. How are you?"

He looked a lot different, life had taken a toll on him. He looked a lot older than his age.

Tears trickled down his cheeks, "How do you expect me to be?"

"Please come in," I moved away from the door granting him space.

He just stood there staring at the ground and not making any move.

"We all need to have faith. Right now only hope can help us achieve our objective."

"Aleena I'm unable to think clearly. Rushda has gone missing from the past two days and we haven't been able to locate her. Even the police haven't been of much help," Fresh tears made their way into his eyes and he ran a hand through his hair. The stress he was going through was perfectly visible in his slumped shoulders and the huge under-eye bags.

My heart went out to him. He had always helped dad in his hard times and now when he was in trouble it was our duty to lessen his burden.

I asked him to take a seat and went inside to fetch a glass of water.

On my way to the kitchen, I noticed Aahil stack the files neatly one above the other. He then closed his laptop and let out a large yawn as he stretched his hands in the air.

He raised his eyebrows at me, asking me who had visited. Uncle Haroon's name surprised him and I did not miss the expression of panic on his face.

He jumped up from his seat and made his way towards the living room.

When I returned, Aahil and Uncle Haroon were deeply engaged in a conversation and I took my seat opposite to them after handling them glasses of water.

Uncle Haroon turned towards me, "Aleena I'm afraid that I have to confide something."

I felt my heart clench and a cold sweat broke through my skin. I licked my dry lips and encouraged him to speak.

"I have searched your room when you were away."

I already knew that from Ayath but I had never come to any conclusion for his weird actions, but hearing him confide himself as guilty made me want to cry.

"Why?"

"I know you'll never forgive me," He covered his face with his palms and began shaking uncontrollably as loud sobs escaped his lips.

It took us several moments to convince him to stop sobbing.

Aahil got up from his place and took his seat next to Uncle Haroon. "If your conscious is making you feel guilty then you cannot be blamed for the mistake you have done. None of us is perfect, we all commit mistakes and it is understandable."

I had to beg him to confide the secret he was withholding.

He removed his hands from his face and drew in a ragged breath, constantly looking at his foot. It seemed like he was finding it difficult to look at me.

He sat tight-lipped for several minutes. It felt like the longest wait of my life, I was going through such conflicting emotions that I wanted nothing other than to run away from all the confusion.

But I considered myself more than a coward and I wouldn't run away, not while I had to face the truth. I embraced myself mentally and promised that I wouldn't break down whatever the outcome of this conversation might be.

He cleared his throat and kept chewing his both lip with worry. I did not dare take my eyes off him as I did not wish to miss even a word that would leave his mouth.

"I knew that your father's life was in danger and I believe that I'm partly responsible for his death."

"What?" I blabbered, stunned by the revelation.

Aahil sent me a sympathetic expression and asked me to keep calm.

"I'm not going to say the rest. I have come here to ask you to save my daughter. Please save her. The people out there are very dangerous," He sank onto the floor and held Aahil's hand in a gesture of helplessness, begging to help him.

I wanted to tell him that he did needn't beg. Rushda was as important to us, as she was to him.

Aahil had already sent his men on the search and private investigators were hired too.

I wanted to comfort him and bring him out of his misery but I was unable to form a sane sentence. I just kept staring at him.

"We have already begun the search for rushda, you don't have to worry about her safety," Aahil held him by his shoulders and shook him gently, trying to stop him from completely losing himself.

"Please don't involve the police," His voice sounded weary and he looked battered.

"Why do you say so?" Aahil asked curiously.

"They will kill her if the police get involved. Please save her," His voice sounded hoarse.

"I promise you that the police won't be involved and I will hire private detectives, but you need to confess the whole story in return for the favour."

He stopped sobbing and looked at Aahil with an expression of complete fear.

"Is that fine?"

He nodded his head.

"Then you need to stop crying right now and get on with all the secrets that you know. The sooner you confide, the sooner I'll hire more members for the search."

"But I need another help too."

"What is it?"

"I beg you to hand over the file to me. I'm sure Ayaan hid them somewhere his daughter could find, and I believe that it's already found. Therefore please pass it to me."

Aahil looked at him with fascination, "Have you lost your mind?"

"Yes, I have lost my mind. He will kill my daughter if I don't hand him the research papers within the midnight."

"We do not possess it."

"You cannot do this to me. I have worked hard for the research, isn't solely Ayaan's hard work. I beg you."

"Whatever your reasons are it isn't worthy enough to put my country in danger."

"What if Aleena was kidnapped? Would you allow her to die for the sake of your country?" He questioned unflinchingly.

Before Aahil would reply, I spoke up, "I myself would choose to die for my country. It is part of one's Imaan to love their motherland."

Uncle Haroon began hyperventilating and Aahil had to convince him that he would do something to save rushda's life.

"I have promised you to help you but you still haven't told us the complete story."

"I searched Aleena's room for research papers but found nothing. I did not find any clues to where the papers could be."

"Where could it be?" Aahil inquired. "You knew him well. Where did he keep his important documents?"

"I don't remember exactly but he often used his laptop."

Aahil looked at him surprised and I jumped from my seat and ran to dad's room.

When I reached there, I realised that they had followed me and it took us almost half a day to locate his laptop.

It was wrapped in one of his old shirts and kept well hidden in between a pile of his clothes. Aahil snatched it from me and placed it on the bed.

He quickly plugged it to the nearby socket and logged in, but he was unable to open it.

The whole system was locked using a password and if the password was consecutively typed wrong for three times then the system would automatically delete all of its contents.

Aahil looked at me, shall I try typing the words of your name?

I nodded and he began typing ALEENA. We held our breath and stared at the laptop screen hoping for a miracle.

But instead, there was a loud beep

**INCORRECT PASSWORD**