Rayaan's P.O.V

"Stop arguing there is something wrong with Sophia." I yelled over Ethan and Michael after hearing Sophia's wheezing over the loud noise

"What is wrong with her?" a new voice asked

"She's having an asthma attack give her inhaler it's in her bag, It's the red and white looking one. Hurry." I ordered him worried about Sophia. I was trying my best to pull my hands free from the confining ropes that held me from running to her aid.

"Kid you don't order me around."

"Well I can and will unless you want murderer on your hands as well as kidnapping. If she dies you might as well kill me, because I swear to Allah that I will hunt you down to the ends on world and kill you myself you'll be sleeping with both your eyes open for the rest of your days." I screamed at him finally freeing one of my hands. I should have known better then to aggravate him , but the first time in my life I knew what it felt like to lose someone I loved as much as I love myself. I can't lose her just as I was about to reach out and free my legs I felt a cold metal object being pressed in my forehead with a clicking sound

"Move and I'll shoot." One of the voices said. After analyzing the situation I knew that there was at least two people here with us, but there weren't alone

"Well shoot me you'll have to dead Maliks in your hands as well as two witness let's see were on earth you will hide, you guys can go wear masks if you like just give me her inhaler and let me go to her. I promise I wouldn't try anything."

"I will be leaving give her the inhaler, so that she can help her, we wouldn't damage the goods." Another voice from a far commanded making the person near me back up and give me room, I took off the blindfold and one saw that there were eight guys with ski masks one of them handed me the inhaler and I ran to the corner were Sophia was wheezing. I used my body as a shield to block everyone else's view of her. And helped her untangle her long niqab that was wrapped all around her and conflicting with her breathing as well as untied her and handed her the inhaler. After a few seconds of using it she slowly started to breath better and the wheezing started to seize and she started to fix her hijab and niqab. I wonder who was the idiot that tried to suffocate her with her niqab? Alhamdullilah she was okay now. After attending to Sophia, they started dragging us out of the warehouse to a closet like room. Luckily they didn't try to tie me and Sophia up again, but Michael and Ethan were still tied up.

"Don't try anything funny." one of the guys said as one of his buddies took a picture of us most like as proof that they have us, never the less I was grateful when they left us.

"Are you okay?" Ethan asked looking at Sophia.

"I know why they kidnapped us but why you too?" Sophia asked suspiciously looking at both Ethan and Michael.

"That's not important, now we have to figure out how to get out of here alive."

"Not important? How do I know they aren't working with the kidnappers? In all my life this has never happened and now it did and I'm stuck here with two other people I doubt their trust at the moment."

"You can trust Michael." I assured her in his defense "They probably did this because they are after his brother." I told her looking at the positive side hoping his brother wasn't responsible for this.

"Why would they do it because of his brother?" Sophia asked

"Because...they ...umm...because..." Trying to figure out what to tell her when I already promised him that I would keep his secret. I looked at him for help

"It is okay, my brother is Yusuf Makhmudov he's been running the family business since my parents were killed and he isn't really like and has a lot enemies some who are very dangerous."

"What exactly is your family business?" Sophia asked with her voice tell us all she wasn't buying what he was saying.

"He... he run's the Mikha's Cooperation which I am pretty sure you've heard the rumors of them having illegal activities and are involved with the underground mafia, but authorities can't find any evidence to prosecute them with. Well some of the rumors I can sadly say are true."

"Oh my Allah!" Sophia exclaimed in disbelief "and you knew about this?" she asked as she turned to me for an answer.

"Sophia I can explain I didn't mean to keep it from you but when I found out I had already promised to not tell anyone you know how keeping your word is very important."

"We will talk about this later but that doesn't explain the fact as to why Ethan is here?"

"I can vouch for Ethan, if the guy responsible for this is the same guy that tried to screw up his life when his mother died and almost put him in jail before my brother stepped in and helped Ethan out. Ethan is innocent."

"Who is this guy?"

"To be honest with you I have no Idea. I try not to interfere with my brothers business. All I know is that his named Major and he and my brother are big time rivals, he used to be under my father before he double crossed him. Major is also the reason why Ethan tries too keep a low profile."
Michael's explanation didn't really make that much sense
"What's Ethan got to do with him."
"He raised me. He's my deranged uncle that killed his own brother my father way before I was born just because he didn't agree with what he did. And he killed his sister brother in law because he thought they betrayed him. From what I heard recently He killed his own wife just because."
"That's horrible and barbaric. Why isn't he behind bars."
"He's got massive connections and has loads of dirty cops on his payroll. Major is deranged he and not to be taken lightly, but think there  might be a way to get out." Ethan suddenly said looking directly at Sophia as though to ask her for approval for him to keep going. Making me wonder what exactly is between them because he keep glancing at her to make sure she was okay like he was afraid of loosing her.

"I know one of the guys here very well. He is like a brother to me we grew up together. And he is one of the many kids that got sucked into Major's manipulation."

"If he's still with him isn't he loyal to him?"

"No, I know that the only reason why Toby might have stayed this long with Major it's because he's holding his little sister as leverage and he has to remain at his side in order to keep her safe. Major is a manipulating bastard that seriously loves holding people down and overpowering them. If we don't escape we might not ever get out of here alive. At least I wouldn't because he seriously is pissed at me. Hurry up and untie us, I got a pocket knife hidden in my sock." Ethan said urgently but sadly just as I was about to get up to do it someone opened the door making me drop back down just in case a gun got fired.

"Toby?" Ethan questioned the person with the ski mask as the person closed the door behind him and came up to Ethan and untied his hands as well as Michael.

""No I'm Mario.Toby sent me" The guy said sounding young as he took his mask off, he literally looked no more six year old and you could tell by his bruising that he's been through a rough beating recently. "He told me to give you this." He informed Ethan as he gave him something what looked like a ring and a gun. Ethan took both of them and nodded as he slipped the ring into his pinky

"What does it mean?" Sophia asked what I was wondering

"It means I have to take care of this kid he'll be coming with us. How many men are out the door?" Ethan asked the kid for some reason I couldn't get my eyes off Mario for some reason his bruises made my heart weep no kid should insure that pain. I had an overwhelming feeling of becoming his protector and make sure no one ever hurts him again.

"As of now just two but they are passed out from the drugs I put in their drinks when they ordered me to get it for them. Toby told me he has a car waiting for us at the east wing."
"You put drugs in their drink?" I mean what kind of six year old thinks that, he's so young and he had to grow up so fast his childhood was  unjustly taken away from him.

"Yeah, it wouldn't the first time that happened either." He said as though it was a normal thing to say.

"Okay." Ethan said as he got up and pulled Michael up

"Are you sure man?" Michael asked worried

"Do you trust me?" Ethan asked him seriously more serious than I swear I've ever seen him, Michael nodded as an answer. "I trust Toby as much as you trust me, I know he would never set me up to get killed."

"But how sure are you of him you haven't seen him in awhile right?" Sophia protested cautiously

"As sure as I am of myself." He answered.

"We'll go to one of my brother's safe houses that I know of because all the other places are compromised. And I'll contact him from there." Michael said not sure if it was a suggestion or a confirmation but it seemed that no one had any protest against it

"Take off your shoes." Sophia ordered me reminding me that I was wearing wedges as she took he heels off and I did just that and for the first type since this debacle I saw both Michael and Ethan crack a smile as I looked up. Once I was done we all moved out. I decided to stay in the background along with Sophia and I was so scared that I could feel my heart beat through the tips of my cold shivering finger tips and ears. Who would have thought that I would one day be in a situation like this? I started to think of all the things in life that I regret not doing. I made a silent prayer for Allah to forgive me for all my sins and that if I were to die to help my parents through the grief and loss because I am their only child.

Alhamdulillah we got outside without any problems we all rushed to the car and for once in my life I was relieved that I took off my shoes because just when we were inches from the safety of the car we heard some shouting and gun shots not sure what direction they were coming from I half ran half dived into the seats of the car. Looking side to side I noticed that Sophia wasn't inside yet as I looked behind me what I saw made my heart skip a few beats and drop to my stomach. There she was in the line of fire behind Ethan who seemed to be bleeding from his right shoulder and there were six man holding guns at them. I could hear Ethan telling Sophia to get in the car but she seemed to be glued in her spot. Just as I was about to act out of impulse and go drag her in I was blocked from their view by Michael.

"What do you think you are doing?" I angrily demanded feeling really aggravated enough to go all Rayaan bounding on him.

"Can't you see that Ethan is trying to talk them out doing anything one wrong move and we all die I don't think the guy Major is here so we still have a chance." Just as Michael said that a couple of gun shots rang and all of a sudden I was pushed to the other side of the car and the car started moving.

"Get down!" someone yelled as someone pushed my head down and more gun shots rang. This just feels like a dream like I am some action move and the rush I felt reminded me that this was my reality.

I was down for what seemed like forever and all I could think about was the afterlife hoping that Allah's mercy would protect me and take me to Jannah when I die. Today it seemed like I was thinking way too much about death then I've ever thought. Like I was waiting for judgement day to come that I forgot the main fact that I was still alive.

"Is it safe now? Is Mario okay?"I asked after not hearing and gun shot for a while

"Yeah everyone's good." Someone said close to me. Getting up I noticed it was just Michael but he was too close to my comfort even though he wasn't touching me

"Can you move?" I asked making it sound more like a demand.

"If I wanted to I can't, but sadly for you I don't want to." he said with a mocking mischievous smile gesturing to the other three other people in the care with us. The car is an old pickup truck with one row of seats which looked like it usually fit only three people but four of us were squeezed in and I could tell that contrary to his comment Michael was trying his best to give me some personal space.

"Haram man, leave her alone." Ethan scolded him before I could say anything back

"What are you now the haram police?" Michael said in a joking matter

"No it just that ..." before Ethan could continue he groaned in pain

"Man we lost them, now pull over and let me drive." Michael suggested

"No man I got it tell me were the safe house it I can last till then." Ethan Stubbornly assured him

Not long we got to the safe house and Mario helped Ethan bandaged is wounds. I noticed that Sophia had been too quiet so I sat next to her and asked her what was wrong with her when we were alone because Michael went somewhere in the house to find a way to contact his brother, Ethan and Mario went to change

"He took a bullet for me." She told me seeming still in a shock state. To this I had nothing to say to comfort her so I just hugged her. I mean what exactly was I supposed to say to her? She just told me he took a bullet for her and got hurt. The only thing I could think of was why? Why would he do something as huge and dangerous as that an risk his life for hers?

"I talked to my brother he is with your parents as well because Major contacted them for a ransom. And they were planning on solving it together with my brother he is relieved to know all of us are safe."

"You told your brother that Mario is coming with us right?" Ethan asked coming into the room along with Mario

"Yes, because I know how my brother gets with people he isn't informed of."

"Good." Ethan said sitting down

"Don't worry kid my brother is going to make sure Major doesn't ever get to you." Michael reassured the kid patting his back.

"Thank you." Mario said in a very low voice that I almost missed and at that moment an Idea came to me out of nowhere. I wanted this kid to be my brother I wanted my parents to adopt him, because I knew he had no siblings or family and I had no siblings we both need each other and this could be a sign from Allah, that Allah sent this kid to us as a way of telling me that after all these years of asking him for a sibling he had planned for me to have a brother who isn't blood related to me.

"Mario how old are you?" I asked him

"Eleven." he answered respectfully throwing my estimation off course.

"Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine, nothing broken but I'm fine."

"Can I put an ice pack on your bruises?" I asked with an ice pack in my hand the bruises on his face looked too gruesome to be left alone
"That's going to hurt."
"It will feel better soon." I assured him taking getting up with the ice pack and taking the first aid kit from the table to were Mario was sitting. After I disinfected bandaged his cuts trying my best to blow away his pain due to the stinging effect of the alcohol wipe I had him Lie his head on my lap so I could hold the ice pack on multiple places on his face.

"How in the world did you get mixed up with Major" Michael asked

"My uncle worked for him, he was my guardian and when he died in one or his jobs Major tried recruiting me, but toby was there to divert him and take me under his wing but Major kept sending some of his men to beat me into submitting to him whenever he sent Toby out to get a job done. My last beating almost took my life that made Toby decide on putting me into the system and go against Major, risking whatever Major is holding on him until you guys showed up today and he came up with alternative plan that worked for everyone. Sending me with you guys." As he told his tale I knew he wasn't sharing everything but I let it go

"Oh Allah, this Major guy is a living breathing flesh and blood shaytan!"

"I guess so whatever that mean but I'm pretty sure it's something bad." Mario said laughing

"How does the idea of being my brother sound?" I asked Mario directly

"What is that supposed to mean." Michael asked first

"I mean how would you feel about my parents adopting you and you became my brother?"

"Why would your parents do that?" Ethan asked me intrigued by the conversation the he got up from his laying position, sat down and leaned in waiting for my answer

"Well I'm an only child..." I started to say completely forgetting about the small lie Sophia and I told them when we first met them.

"No you're not." Michael interrupted

"Yes I am." I confirmed

"But aren't you guys twins and what about the triplets that came with your dad?" Ethan said sounding confused as Michael looked.

"Did your head get hit by anything while I wasn't looking?" Michael asked with a concern expression on his face "you do remember you guys are sisters right?" he asked as he walked towards me and looking into my eyes as though searching for any sign that I might have been hurt anywere

"That depends on your definition of sister?" Sophia finally spoke drawing everyone's attention to her.

"and that means.." Ethan said

"Well I'm an only child and Sophia is my first cousin and the closest thing I have to a sister. Her father is my father's younger brother and I consider her my sister plus we are both have Malik as our last name."

"I though you guys told us you were twins." Michael asked needing more confirmation

"No we never said that you guys just assumed that and we didn't correct you." Sophia stated as if it was a simple fact, I was glad she was acting somewhat her normal self.

"But your birthdays.." Ethan protested

"We were born a few minutes apart, It's one of the blessings." She said cutting his protest off short.

"And the guy and triplets you guys saw were Sophia's siblings and dad." I informed them just before the living room god swarmed with people, I could see my parents as well as Nadia and Sophia's Dad and Step-mother. And I saw Sophia get up from where she was sitting and run up to her father and hug him as if her life depend on it and I got sandwiched between my parents and almost suffocated to oblivion but I was glad to see them.