StarGaze

Loose Ends Equal To Loose Heads

“Good job, Thomas. We didn’t expect things to work out so easily.” Tony said to Thomas, who was busy tying up the hotel manager where Tony and his agents were formerly staying.

“Yeah, it would seem easy to you people. After all, you weren’t the ones doing all the heavy lifting and risking your life staying in the most dangerous area in the city.” Thomas said and scoffed.

“And we wholeheartedly thank you for that,” Emma said and fist-bumped Thomas’ shoulder while grinning.

“I like this one. Now, let’s wake up the manager and listen to what he has to say.” Thomas said and checked out Emma’s ass.

Yeah, he was a p*****t. I hope you didn’t forget that. And after his encounter with betrayal from Amanda, his mind was seriously screwed.

Gabriel pretended he didn’t see that and splattered a glass of water on the manager’s face. Ehsaan took a huge amount of air in and opened his eyes wide. He was shocked, no surprise there. You would be shocked too if you slept after a night of drinking and dancing, and woke up tied to a chair with a terrible hangover.

“Hello again, Ehsaan,” Tony said, coming into his bad cop character.

“I…what happening here? Why I tied in my own hotel?” Ehsaan started babbling in his extremely ‘fine’ English.

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe you already know the answer to that question. You see, moments after we escaped this hotel, we turned around and saw almost a whole battalion of trucks and armored SUVs pull up right at your doorstep. And what’s more, is that you came out to guide them to our rooms.

You seemed far more comfortable with them than you ever were with us. I don’t know about you, but that tells me a lot. WE were the ones who gave you money and security, but instead, you chose to stab us in the back and help THEM kill us.” Gabriel said and punched Ehsaan in the face.

Ehsaan knew he was f****d and there was no way out of this conversation. So he hoped that the agents were foolish enough to let him go if he begged.

“I am sorry! I had no choice. You are scary people, I was an ordinary hotel manager. And after I understand your plan, I knew I was expendable. So when I hear the government paying a bounty for giving black magicians, I took chance.

What would you do if you had to choose between your own people and some foreigners who might kill you after their job is done?” Ehsaan said and started crying.

“Well, you made your choice and chose your own people. It seems like it wasn’t a very good choice. And choices come with consequences. So get ready to face the consequences.” Thomas said and took out his knife.

And just like that, Ehsaan was trapped in his own words. He could have fooled the rookie agents who still had a soft spot, but Thomas had no soul. I’m not saying it was a good thing, but it was quite helpful in the field that Thomas worked in.

“Maybe we should just let him go. After all, the man does have a point. He is just an ordinary citizen who acted out of fear.” Emma said.

Everyone else considered the point and made up their own opinions about the situation. But Thomas wasn’t exactly a believer in democracy. He just walked up and slashed Ehsaan’s throat, starting a fountain of blood that spread all across the wooden floor.

“Too bad, I think the debate is over.” He said and wiped the blade as Ehsaan coughed up blood and choked on it.

“Why would you do that?!” Emma said and ran to help Ehsaan. But of course, there was no way he was making out of this one.

“Never leave any loose ends. Being the good guys' doesn't mean we have to have mercy. You have no idea how much a life you have spared can cost you in the forthcoming future.” Thomas said and placed the knife back where it belonged.

The other people in the room couldn’t argue with him, but it didn’t mean they agreed with his point of view. Tony and Gabriel went to the bar to get a drink while Emma just continued looking at the cold corpse.

“Now, get on your job and find out the whereabouts of our agents. We set off during the night to capture the nearest target.” Thomas said and adjusted his disguise.

Olivia nodded in support and helped Emma to get up. The guys sitting near the minibar took the bottle and walked up the stairs.

“What will you do until then?” Gabriel turned around and asked.

“I have some unfinished business to take care of. I’ll be back before we have to take off, you can count on that.” Thomas said and adjusted his scarf, making sure it covered his foreign face.

“Are you sure it is safe to go out during broad daylight? I mean, it hasn’t even been a single day since we, correction, you killed that senator and his daughter. The police and army are on high alert for any strange-looking foreigners.” Tony said in suspicion. What could be so important that Thomas was risking his life to do it?

“That’s why scarves are made, idiots. I will go in disguise and my Arabic is as good as any other afghan. So just make sure you do your homework by the time I return.” Thomas said and walked out, necessarily ending the conversation.

After two hours of cautious traveling, Thomas was finally walking in the deserted alley behind the house he intended to enter. After jumping the high stone wall, Thomas opened the back door and made his way downstairs to the basement.

He opened the door and let out Tara and her little son. This time, he didn’t take the little boy hostage while ordering his mom to make food for him. Instead, he had a look of gratitude in his eyes. Tara almost didn’t believe he was letting them go and was convinced that he was going to kill her. And so she opened her mouth to scream. But Thomas put a finger on his lips, warning her not to make a sound.

“I am sorry for everything I put you through. I hope you know it was for the good of your country. Not too far ahead in time, the Khalq will have fallen and democracy will rule once again. Your son will be able to walk on the streets without any fear in his eyes and you would be sure that he WILL return home in the evening.

And all that would be possible just because you let me stay safe in your house for a few days. For that, I will ever be grateful.” Thomas said in Arabic and bowed a little.

Tara didn’t know what to say. All the kidnappings end with either death by killing or starvation, but her kidnapper was just letting her go and was grateful.

She didn’t know how to respond to that. So she just nodded and smiled nervously. But Thomas wasn’t finished.

“I know being a single mother in an explosive environment like this can be really tough. And though you are a very strong woman, I would like to repay you.” Thomas said and held out his hand, gesturing her to walk out.

Tara walked out in hesitation, although she felt a lot more comfortable around Thomas now. He walked behind her to the dining room. And on the dining table, there were at least five black duffle bags. And I think you are smart enough to guess what are duffle bags used to carry by people like Thomas.

Tara looked at Thomas with wide eyes to confirm what it was, and the smile on Thomas’ face removed any doubt from her mind.

“This will be enough to live out a generous life, at least for as long as that little boy starts earning. Don’t try to use too much in one go as it will gather attention, which will necessarily raise suspicion. And the last thing a woman like you needs is getting robbed. So you mus….” Thomas was saying but Tara suddenly ran up to him and hugged him tightly.

He wasn’t looking forward to it and was shocked for a moment. He wasn’t used to hugs, at least not since Amanda….never mind.

After a little chit-chat with the crying woman, Thomas told her he was getting late and wanted to take her to leave. She thanked him again and made him promise that he would stay at her house if he was to return to Baghdad.

After a little walking, he was standing outside the seemingly endless alley. He turned around and looked at the house. It seemed little from where he was standing, and he could barely see it. After a little thought, he took out the detonator and pressed it.

The explosion blew off the walls in pieces and the whole house went up in flames. Having finally tied up the loose ends, he turned around and walked away as people started screaming and throwing water at the demolished structure.

“Too bad I wouldn’t be able to stay here if I were to return to Baghdad,” Thomas whispered as he stole a final glance at the ball of fire at a distance.

And by the time night fell, he came back to the base as promised. And after seeing the look on his face, his companions thought it would be better to leave him alone and mourn.

"So, what did you learn from this?" Thomas asked Raghav.

"I don't know. Kill everyone you come in contact with?" Raghav said, trying to get over the deaths of the innocents.

"Yeah, close enough. You should always tie up your loose ends. If loose ends are not tied up, your head will fall loose on the ground. Mark my words, this is THE most important lesson." Thomas said and moved on to the next lesson.