Mr. Imperfectionist

19 Danger

Sabil looked at me and placed his palm on my cheek. "It's nothing." He dropped his hand and looked back at Mr Pérez. Sabil wasn't bluffing yesterday. He was in a big mess. Was he referring to the attack on his mother when he said another attack? There were so many questions in my mind. I couldn't wait to get out of here and ask Sabil for answers.

"If it's true then you should send her back to India. You know, for her own safety." Mr Pérez said in a concerned tone. He then looked at me. I don't know what my expression was but he suddenly looked concerned. "It's for your own good Señorita." 

I nodded once and then looked back at Sabil who was already staring at me. His face was serene. He placed his hand on mine which was on the hand rest.

"She's going back tomorrow." He said to Mr Pérez without taking his eyes off me.

"It's good then. Once she's safe, we'll settle this matter." Mr Pérez said.

Sabil looked at him. "We will discuss this later. Please send another truck and inform the cops beforehand. Call to the contractor at Santa Coloma and tell them the truck will reach there tomorrow morning." He said and rose from the chair.

"Si." Mr Pérez said and rose too. Sabil held out his hand to me. I placed my hand in his and got on my toes.

"I will give her an office tour." Sabil smiled at me. But I was still in a shock from the news about the attack on his mother.

"Take care of yourself Señorita. It was lovely meeting you." I heard Mr Pérez say.

I looked at his smiling face and tried to smile too. "Goodbye, Mr Pérez. It was lovely meeting you too."

Sabil and I turned on our heels and walked out of the cabin.

"Can we go home please?" I asked.

"You don't want to see the office?" He asked as we walked towards the elevator.

"I want to rest. I have a long flight tomorrow." I lied.

"Vale," Sabil said and made a call from his cell phone.

"Bring the car in the front." He said and disconnected the call. We reached on the ground floor and strode towards the exit. I could feel the curious eyes on me as we walked. Everyone greeted us goodbye. Sabil pulled the red car door open for me and I climbed in. Emilio started the car after Sabil sat beside me. 

"So your business is not illegal haa?" I asked sarcastically.

"What?" He asked in bewilderment.

"You told me that you don't do anything illegal in this office. Then what was about that truck?" My voice was acid.

Sabil rolled his eyes. "Saanj, you won't understand even if I explained it to you. That truck had medicines in it and it had to reach our contractor. The people who stopped that truck has to be a nemesis. They are trying to destroy me because I did not help them. If they were cops, they would have let the truck pass because delivering medicines is not illicit." 

"Then tell me about the attack on your mother," I asked. My eyes were sharp on him. 

"What does it matter Saanj?"

I scoffed. "What does it matter? You are saying that there might be another attack, which means I am in danger too. And...

"Saanj." He interrupted. "Nothing is going to happen to you."

"It's not only about me Sabil. You could get hurt, your people could get hurt." I ranted.

Sabil looked up at the car ceiling and exhaled. I waited for him to speak.

"Well?" I asked when he didn't respond.

He looked at me and frowned. "What do you want me to do Saanj?"

"I want to know who these people are? Why are they attacking you? Why did they attack your mom?" I asked calmly.

His eyes were now irate. "You don't have to know everything. You are leaving tomorrow. So stop asking questions that do not concern you."

I bridled at his tone. "What? You are in a life-threatening mess and you think it doesn't concern me?"

"Damn it Saanj." He bellowed and looked out the window. "Let it go."

"Sabil but...

His head whipped at me. "I said let it go." He screamed, making me jerk back a little on the seat.

I scooted farther away from him. I could feel my blood boil but I didn't say anything further. His irate eyes were still on me.

"Uhhh... Señor?" His bouncer said. Both of us looked at him in the front seat. He looked behind at Sabil.

"A black BMW X7 has been following us behind the Jaguar." He said.

I noticed Sabil's eyes become wide. He turned on his left to look behind at the rear windshield. I looked too. There were two white cars behind us and we could see the Jaguar behind the white cars, but no BMW was visible.

Sabil turned and faced ahead. "How far are they Guzman?" He asked.

His bouncer Guzman was on a call with someone. Probably the bouncer who was in the Jaguar. He turned on the speakerphone and spoke in Spanish with him. "Justo detrás de Jaguar." The other bouncer said.

"Joder." Sabil fumed.

I was staring at him all the while. My muscles were locking down. Sabil looked at me and his face was suddenly calm. 

"Saanj." He softly and placed his hand on mine. I realized I was staring at him in shock and my lips were parted. Whatever he had assumed was coming into reality now. 

"Señor, more two black cars are approaching us." Guzman didn't sound panic.

He bent and picked his tall black gun. He then moved his hand behind him and pulled out a matte black firearm from his waistband. He turned his hand behind his head and Sabil took the gun from him and pulled the slide of the gun. Then he cranked down the window. 

"What are you doing?" I asked. My voice coloured with panic.

"Saanj, por favour. Do as I say and below the seat. No matter what. Stay down." He said in an urgent tone. I witnessed Emilio pull out a gun too. Guzman and Emilio cranked down their windows.

Guzman was still on speaker with the other bouncer in the Jaguar.

"Where are they, Julio?" Guzman asked.

"One of the black cars just crossed me, they are coming towards you." I heard the other bouncer say on the speaker.

The sweat had started forming on my forehead. Not even in my worst nightmare had I thought I'll be in such a situation one day. It all looked very unrealistic, untrue.

"Saanj, for God's sake, do as you're told for once." Sabil thundered. 

I immediately scooted down the seat. But my eyes were still on Sabil. He was looking at me in fury. 

He then looked out the window and said, "I can't believe these assholes have balls to attack us in the daylight." He scowled.

"They are getting closer, boss." I heard Julio's voice on the speakerphone.

"Okay. Stay very alert. No harm should come to Saanj. If things go out of hand, one of you will safely take her home." Sabil ordered.

"Si Señor." All three of them said in unison. 

And right at that moment, there was a sharp deafening noise on the rear windshield. My body went cold. My hands automatically flew on both my ears. I closed my eyes and hung my head. 

"f**k. Their ammunition has made a hole in the glass." Sabil screamed.

"I think they have a high-quality ammo boss. Bulletproof glass won't be able to stop them." Emilio grunted.

"We have to get Saanj to safety first." Sabil raved.

"It looks impossible to escape Señor. They are surrounding us." Julio said.

I lifted my head a bit to sneak a look at Sabil. His window was still open and his head was partially out the window.

"Sabil, what the f**k are you doing?" I fretted.

He looked at me and grumbled. "Put your f*****g head down. Their people have 50 calibre bullets. If one bullet hits your skull, you're dead." His lips were pulled back from his teeth, his eyes were wide and hostile. 

Right at that moment, there was another loud, ear-piercing noise. This time it was closer. The bullet had just missed Sabil. It hit on the panel beside his window. I could see the smoke that the bullet had left and the smell of the gunpowder made my nose burn.

The blood drained from my face and the pulses thudded in my ears. I gasped in horror. The bullet could have hit Sabil. 

The strings of the gunfire began. I saw Sabil pulling the trigger at someone I could not see from here. Emilio was shooting too while driving. The nemesis cars were on both sides.

A tumult of screaming began on the road. I could hear the cars around squeal and screech abruptly. But all I could think of was the safety of Sabil. I wanted to hide him under the seat with me. But I knew he won't listen. Our car picked up the speed. I could feel the surface of the car bounce like it was running on a rugged road.