One more time : Where Oblivion meets Obsession

#13 — THE MISHAP

It was just the beginning of Myra's struggle and she knew it. His ego, the betrayal, Rajat's revenge, it was just the start.

***

—Other Wing, Khan Villa—

Conflict is what happens when you don't agree with your heart. Your heart says something but you shut it up and make your hands do something else. Shahmeer leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes thinking about the past betrayal. He told her he would come back after a few hours but he couldn't. He was disgusted by her. He didn't want to face her now or ever. the whole night passed like that. He didn't even remember the last time he trusted someone so much. And when he did, she showed him exactly why he shouldn't have.

He took out a photo frame from the drawer and stared at those brown eyes, black ruffled hair. "Yaara (buddy) why is this happening with me? You know how hard I try not to be more evil than I already am. Yet? Why does it happen that the people I love either betray me or leave me? Had it not been for you, I would never have undertaken my father's damn business and focussed on my dream. I miss you a lot." He sighed and placed it back into the drawer.

He watched her every now and then through the cameras but for some reason, didn't want to go in there.

He watched as a few hours passed and they interrogated her again. Rajat tried to talk very politely which was so not his nature but she in return only mocked him. Well, as a revenge, he lowered the temperature to almost 5°C. Shahmeer saw her shiver and waited for about 20 minutes to reach her endurance edge but after that quickly called Rajat and asked him to stop.

The same thing happened when he raised the temperature, when he depleted the oxygen to the point where she was left gasping for air, but Shahmeer ordered to stop. Rajat was irked and told Shahmeer not to back her up like that if he wanted the truth. 'I don't want the truth at this cost.' He said helplessly to himself.

'Was everything a lie? Those eyes, those talks, words, smiles, the time they spent together.' He did everything to keep her safe and she tried to kill him. Restlessly, he opened the laptop again just for a glance of her and saw her pacing around apprehensively. She then huffed and sat in the exact same spot she was when he left. She looked so weak, so frail. Her eyes no more held the shine, lips parched and shivering, breaking his heart. She pulled her legs closer to her body and leaned her head on them. His eyes landed on her feet. She had beautiful feet. He never noticed before as she always kept them covered with anti c***k socks.

Her voice pulled him out of his trance. "I know you’re listening. Happy?" She spoke looking nowhere in particular, startling him. But… how? "This oxygen depletion and cold, you think this will do it? I've seen worse. and by worse I mean, a lot worse." He knew she wasn't lying. He had seen the syringe marks on her hand. She had been drugged before. Sharp feeling of regret and pain ran through his veins.

He shook his head to avoid thinking about it when he heard the knock on the door. He quickly shut the laptop and mouthed a “come in”.

Rajat walked in and sat in front, eying the laptop and then Shahmeer.

“I hope you’re happy.” Shahmeer mocked massaging his forehead with his fingers.

He replied, “yes Boss, I was but after seeing your state-”

“What state?” Shahmeer snapped angrily.

“Fine. LIE!” Rajat yelled with equal intensity instead of replying. “anyways, I didn't come here to have this conversation. I just came to say… it’s been 14 hours. she won't say anything. I tried everything. After you left, we interrogated after every few hours. Inflicted a lot of pain. Can't go any farther with a woman. But she withstood all of that. I am afraid if this continues she’s not going to survive. She is weak and starving-”

“Why wasn't she given food?” Shahmeer asked.

“She didn't eat it.” Rajat replied with a sigh. He wasn't an insensitive person but when it came to Shahmeer's security being compromised, it felt like a personal attack on him, his self respect, his role.

Shahmeer thought for a while and said, placed his hands on the glass table and said, “Call Sufyan. Ask him to arrive after two hours.”

Rajat nodded and left. Sufyan was a reputed, practicing surgeon. Shahmeer kept him out of direct business but when needed, he had to be available on call. he had seen these dark, death chambers and treated bullet wounds of his men in return for a huge chain of hospitals in Kovai and the safety of his family against other mafia who knew his acquaintance with Shahmeer.

Shahmeer opened the drawer of the table and took out a small glass bottle. It was a psychedelic d**g which could easily get the truth out of Myra. He could have used it right when he captured her and brought her here but he wanted to see her in pain, to see her suffer, to pay for her betrayal.

'Am I this selfish and despicable?' He asked himself as his eyes clouded with Myra's image. It was supposed to bring him peace and satisfaction but it didn't.

Rajat walked in and looked at the d**g in his hand guessing his intentions. “Then what Boss?”

“Hm?”

“You inject her with this, she reveals the truth about who sent her to kill you, then what?”

“Then I let her go.” Shahmeer sighed.

“What?”

“Yes. When my rivals know she is unsuccessful, They'll kill her themselves.” He tried to put on an expressionless face, staring into space but Rajat could see his palms sweaty. “That's the rule. You get only one chance and you don't leave proof. I don't have to stain my hands with her blood.”

“Oh okay.” He tried to be supportive.

“But I just have this feeling that this step will change the course of our investigation.” Shahmeer said hopefully and Rajat left with a nod.

***

The sweet melody of Azaan reached his ears and he headed for ablution. there was a time when he was hesitant, guilty and ashamed to spread the prayer mat and stand in front of God but someone made him realize that even if we sin, God still loves us. A sinner is not a disbeliever until he totally abandons his beliefs and associates others in worship with Allah. It was early morning now. He prayed Fajr and asked God for one thing he asked everyday since he joined this business, “protect me from harming innocents.”

***

Myra sat in the same spot thinking how her team must be trying hard to get her back. If she could just let them know somehow where she was, it would make this so much easier. The door opened and Shahmeer stepped in. His face looked peaceful like he had all his answers. “Here you go. end of your pain and mine.” he murmured more to himself and gripped her wrist. She tried to free it with her other hand, and surprisingly even in such weakness, she was unbelievably strong. She was about to free her hand when a sharp pain erupted in her arm from the sting. He let half of the liquid and then stopped looking at her. She was already weak, an overdose could be dangerous.

He glanced at his watch and waited patiently for the d**g to kick in. as Myra felt some rush in her brain, it clicked to her what he just did. NO NO NO! She mentally shouted but it only came out a whisper. She was disappointed with herself. She was the strongest one, the most unbreakable one. That is why she let others escape and threw herself in front of his men because she couldn't give away anything. She was confident about that. Slowly her brain went numb and she knew she wouldn't remember any of it anymore.

Shahmeer watched her dizzy eyes and started speaking each word slowly and separately in their simplest form.

“What. is. your. real. name?”

“Myra Grey.” She answered in a low, semi conscious voice.

“where are you from?”

“Canada.”

“how old are you?”

“27.”

“What task made you come to Shahmeer mansion?”

It took a few seconds before she spoke, “you are hereby assigned the mission of ‘defending’ the warlords that remain until we find the organisation behind this and end the killing spree.” She spoke words exactly as they were spoken to her, without manipulation taking him off guard.

“what? you are saying you were there to protect him?”

“Yes.” She said shocking him more.

“Why did you cut the rope and let the chandelier fall at him then?” he asked hoping he had heard it wrong or confused her.

“To activate and alert all his security and scare the two other shooters present at the location.”

He clutched his head with a palm to digest the new found information. His mind was in total chaos now. He wanted answers. But this one sentence from her totally messed up his questions too. His questions were a chaos and puzzle now. He stepped away for a minute to clear his thoughts but he couldn't. This couldn't be true. He wouldn't let her words drown him in guilt.

He bent before her again and asked, “Myra, look at me.” his voice turned softer. “I know of no one who would want to keep me safe. Who is this well-wisher? Who do you work for? Who hired you? Tell me.” he asked impatiently.

As he asked that question, something in her body language changed. He could see her pupils dilating, her breaths going rapid and beads of sweat forming on her forehead. “Myra?”

Within a few seconds, she completely closed her eyes and fell in his arms.

“Damn it! The d**g cant wear off so quickly!” Shahmeer yelled frustrated. He wanted more answers. “Get up. I’m not done with you yet.” He said slightly patting her cheek in desperation. She couldn’t leave him guilt-ridden hanging in the middle with so many questions.

***

—A few years ago—

“Step inside.” A beautiful, tall, red haired woman who was their senior from UDO pushed Myra and Shermon inside a dark chamber and locked the door. It was a sight horrible enough to make a person want to pull out their eyeballs than watch it. There were skeletons, blood stains, rotting smell, high pitching voices and screams, broken things, unfavorable, eye pricking dim lights. She strained her eyes a little and read on the walls, it was written,

Who hired you?

Name of that Organization.

Name that person?

“What is this?” Myra asked Shermon. She wasn’t shaky or panicked. The training had pushed her to her breaking point and this wasn't even close..

“You’re nearing the end of training. As you know we are field agents. This is for the protection from truth serum or other psychoactive drugs. If somehow we're under its influence, our mind cannot be manipulative and is totally defenseless. So, if someone asks us those questions only this memory should be triggered and nothing else should come to our mind. Don’t close your ears, and remove the handkerchief from your nose. Let this sight completely blend in all your senses. Keep your eyes, nose, ears open to this so your mouth doesn’t betray you.”

***