One more time : Where Oblivion meets Obsession

#12—THE GOOD PSYCHIATRIST

—Khan Villa—

“X ray? I have a flesh wound. Why would a doctor recommend a full X-ray? It’s for bones right?” Myra asked Rajat suspiciously, tightening her grip on the fork in anger but maintaining a straight, smiling face in front of Shahmeer.

Rajat smiled, “How would I know? but if it's about your health, I don't think you should say no. The Doctor knows better.”

“Yes Myra. Rajat will drive you there. No arguments. ” Shahmeer said.

“Okay I’ll be ready soon after breakfast.” She said and kept eating.

this man won't let it go that easily.

***

Before going to the hospital, Myra made a small incision in her wrist and removed the microchip, discarding it. She knew even though the metal detectors couldn't, but Xray would surely show it up, Which is exactly why Rajat suggested it. But he failed this time too.

Even after she came out clean, he still chose to trust his instinct because he knew the parrot escaping couldn't be an accident. It was trained to stay in the cage even if the door was left open. her confidence and passing every test, just solidified his doubts.

***

Myra leaned her back on the couch worried. 'Was my team prepared?' In a few hours, the party would commence. Some one from her team would show up. There would be more attempts on his life there. All his rivals would be invited. For a few minutes, she was frustrated. How long? Why didn't the organisation get caught and stopped yet? How long would she have to be here. She wanted to leave before her heart gave away or Rajat succeeded.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her thinking. “Yes?” she said with closed eyes.

“Madame, the dress and jewellery.” A maid said holding an ankle length blue velvety gown and placed it on the bed, and left without another word. She got up from her place and looked at it. It was a royal blue colored, long, beautiful, off shoulder gown of a thick, stretchy velvet. She looked at the wall clock and proceeded to get ready.

She blow dried her hairs and wore the gown he brought. It totally covered the injury on her back and shaped over her flawlessly. It shone in contrast with the diamond earrings, bracelet and ring he sent.

After about an hour as she was combing her hair, the bedroom door opened and Shahmeer stood there adjusting his cuffs. He looked so handsome, so stylish. Her eyes and brain were in a constant battle to keep looking or look away but her eyes won.

Her gaze travelled from his leather shoes to slowly taking in all his features, his black tux, the sky blue shirt beneath, the bow tie and his smirk making her embarrassed for staring at him so long. She turned her face away and said, "you look nice."

“And you look irresistible. I didn’t know your size so I brought that one. Well not after today.” He said boldly looking at her from head to toe.

Without taking his eyes off her, he covered the distance between them. “Okay so, stay in my vision, but not too close.” He said in a serious tone. She could feel the aroma that made her helpless. It was the same cologne he wore on their coffee date.

She nodded. “Let's go.” Her eyes followed his hand movement and he was adjusting the holster and Myra felt jealous about how carelessly he could carry a firearm everywhere.

She missed hers. “Scared?” he asked with a smirk. 'What do you know?' Myra thought with a smirk but nodded nervously.

***

The ride was silent as Shahmeer was totally worried about her safety while Myra was worried about his.

There is no way none of the people there would recognize her. Someone would. They must have crossed paths with her sometimes. Many times both glanced at each other but out of nervousness, forced a smile and looked away. As they reached the party, Myra was relieved as she saw the ambience there. It was a mascarade ball with dim light and tiny, flashy lights shining all over. As they entered, they were given masks and after wearing them, they totally blended in.

Myra was alert as she parted from Shahmeer. The interior was a sight to watch. A huge round hall that led to Beautifully carved, Curvy staircases on either sides descending into this huge opera-like hall.

He asked her to go upstairs and stay by the railing, in his vision which she did. Elegant chandeliers brightly illuminated the place.

She leaned her hands on the balcony and carefully watched Shahmeer's every move as he gave formal hugs and polite handshakes to everyone. “Care for some Whiskey?” she heard the waiter's thick voice.

She turned her face towards him and slightly shook her head nervously, “No thank-… Bryan?” she gasped as she recognized him and he turned around and started serving other people with a smile.

She looked around cautiously and said, “What’s the update?” “Shermon is waiting outside. The mission is officially terminated. You need to come with us.”

“W-what? Did they get caught?” she was too shocked to maintain the social conditioning and blurted looking at him catching attention of a few people and earning a ‘don’t-be-stupid' gesture from Bryan.

“It's complicated. We came to retrieve you. Let's leave.” He whispered irritatedly, arranging a few glasses back in the tray.

Myra was in a dilemma. Her mind was in a total chaos. She didn’t expect to leave like this. Did she even expect to leave at all? She shook her head at the thought. The same thing she did with Scott would be repeated again but this time she didn’t feel relief, or freedom or pleasure like she should.

The thought that this man would never see her again and forget her like a dream made her uncomfortable.

For a few seconds, she kept staring in space. Even if not the Dark Nation but this party was full of his enemies. How could she leave him like that? He had his security but if they were so great at what they do, she wouldn’t be here in the first place.

“I don’t believe you’re here.” Rajat said sarcastically with a fake smile stressing the word ‘here’ way too much.

She looked around and saw Bryan had disappeared. “Yes I am. And sorry for bothering you.” She retorted.

“Oh no. My job is Shahmeer's security. Anything for that…” and he kept on blabbering but Myra’s mind caught something on Shahmeer's retreating figure.

It was a neon sticker clearly visible on his jacket and slightly glowing against the dark ambience. A slight gasp left her mouth as the realization shook her. She had to alert Rajat. “Wow that design.” She said looking at Shahmeer, stopping Rajat from further blabbering. “What design?” he asked following her gaze. “The sticker on the Shahmeer's back. It’s totally making him stand out. Even in the crowd, he is totally recognizable. Oh he never fails to surprise me. I didn’t ‘quite’ notice it when we arrived.” She completed calmly hoping he would understand.

Someone must have slipped it during the hugs he had been giving people. Rajat’s eyes widened as it clicked and he excused himself and swiftly ran towards the staircase and descended towards Shahmeer who was busy with some guests. As he retreated, “Should we leave or you want to watch what happens?” she heard Bryan’s irked, sarcastic voice. She nodded and followed his lead but halted when her sharp eyes caught some moment on the side.

She looked around and on the opposite side of the balcony and from behind the huge curtains was peeking a little round pipe like metal. She had seen it too many times to not recognize what it was. She followed its aim and it was none other than Shahmeer.

Even if she ran, she would never make it. Even if she shouted, the blaring noise would make her inaudible. Her instincts yelled for her to act quickly. “Byran leave. I don’t know the consequences of my action now but I can't stand any of you becoming my weakness. Call retreat for our team.” He had no time for Q and As.

He knew if Myra had taken a decision, she wouldn't backoff. but he said, “waiting outside for five minutes. Try to make it.” and was lost in the crowd.

She removed a knife from her purse and made an exact calculation for Shahmeer's safety, darted it towards the rope holding the chandelier. In a swift motion, as the rope lost its hold, the chandelier fell down minutely escaping Shahmeer's head but injuring his left shoulder. Nobody noticed but two gunshots hit the chandelier in that very moment too. In shock and blood, his eyes snapped up to see the familiar, recognizable masked face, which stood in the direction of the knife.

His eyes held questions, confusion, shock, pain and betrayal. The security was in action and everybody was alerted. She gulped and ran towards the terrace.

Rajat rushed towards Shahmeer but was stopped by him mid tracks. "This will be taken care of. You. Find. her. now. And get. her. to. me." He ordered enraged. She tried to kill him and missed. That's what it looked like.

The guards saw her and scattered in various directions to prevent her escape. She removed her sandals and climbed over the edge of the sloppy inclining roof and slided down falling in the front yard. ‘You can make it Myra. Just hold on for four more minutes.’ She kept chanting while trying to reach Shermon's car. It was just ten steps away from the car when a sharp pain erupted in her neck and her eyes started to blur.

she shook her head in denial and raised her eyes to look at the tall Figure, holding the g*n, with a winning smirk on his face, and a satisfied look in the eyes. She tried to keep herself moving but had slowed down weakly uptil her legs totally gave up.

***

Myra’s eyes opened to a pricking white light and she instantly stood up. Last thing she remembered was the piercing of a tranquilizer dart and the smirk in Rajat’s features. She looked at herself and her locket, phone, bluetooth, Everything that could be used as a weapon or for communication was gone.

She looked around the room and it was more like a cell, with no windows, or ventilators, or furniture. Just a metal door and one small light too much above her height. 'But why tranquilizer? Why didn't he kill her? He had all the reasons to do it.'

“Wondering why aren't you dead yet?” She heard the cold, intimidating which once held warmth and affection for her. “Trust me Myra or whatever your name is, if you hadn't been shielded with a woman's shape and form, you can't even imagine where you would have been.” His voice held venom, like he meant each word.

He rubbed the bandage slowly and threw a glance at her but she looked away indifferently. It wasn't the first time she was captured. She knew how to deal with it, the tortures, the mind games, the polygraph, the drugs, everything. He wouldn't stop until he got the truth. “Now that you've got me, aren't you going to kill me?” She asked, making it easier. She walked hand in hand with death every second of her life. She had no facade to keep up now.

Her eyes were no more lowered, submissive and squinted rather she stared back at him with equal intensity.

“Oh I will but not before you answer some questions. So do you want this the easy way or the hard way?” he asked, hardly controlling his anger and maintaining his calm.

She could see the muscles in his neck tighten as he talked. “Um... well let's try the easyway first.” she said as casually as him.

“Tell me who hired you.”

“I'm afraid I can't tell you that.” she spoke calmly.

“Hell you will!” he shouted and totally lost it. He gripped her neck and pushed her to the wall.

The pain was excruciating and she was choking but somewhere both of them knew this couldn't happen. their eyes clasped each other in an unending stare. “not hard enough.” she replied looking into his eyes and he angrily pulled away leaving her gasping for breaths.

He angrily turned his face in another direction and frustratedly ran a hand through his hairs. Where did the heartless, cold blooded murderer go? Or maybe she was too brave to break this way.

He calmed his heavy breaths with that thought. “You have a few hours of time.” his voice held the same anger, his breaths sharp and heavy, and his eyes avoiding her gaze.

“You can hear my reply right now.” she said in an unwavering voice.

He walked out without replying to that. she sat back considering all the ways to escape but saw none.

The walls were not cement or bricks but pure, hard, rocks.

The door was the only possibility and was guarded all the time. She thoughtfully sat there digging her nails in the floor when her wrists brushed against something rough. She looked around and felt it with her hands, a microphone.

She huffed and pushed it back in the wall angrily. Escaping from this cell was not possible but if she was injured, he would take her to the hospital. She carefully placed a hand around her collar and in a swift motion pulled a thin metal strip which she had sewn inside all her dresses to keep the stand collar intact.

As soon as the strip landed in her hand two men barged in with guns and asked for it. “Give it here Miss.” They maintained a distance from her but their huge guns were aimed at her. No doubt they could shoot her. Shahmeer was going to kill her a few minutes ago.

She knew she could easily take them down but engaging in a conflict was not the wisest thing to do right now. Even if she kept fighting he would throw more men at her and keep doing that until she couldn't fight anymore. Her seniors’ words flashed in her mind, ‘On your territory, use your might. On enemy’s territory, use your brain.’ “You cannot die that easily.” One of them said while walking outside and banging the door shut. She leaned back in her place. 'So there are cameras too.'