The Sabr Untold.

CHAPTER 10.

Chapter 10: Brother, Bother! 

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“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”

- Sun Tzu: The Art of War.-

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Vardah Siddique walked to the control room of the Zaeef mansion in spite. How did they get in? She didn't understand how her people could not do their jobs right. After everything they've been taught.

It all began when she was talking to the main guard at the gate after the celebrations had ended when she caught movement towards the East side of the mansion. The rules of the party was clear to everyone; no trespassing to any other place from the main location. The main house was in the middle of the Zaeef property. The west wing belonged to the boys while the east was servant quarters. The area behind the house was mostly recreational with a garden and greenhouse.

The safe house of the property however, was located a little further from the west wing, surrounded by the large trees.

Naturally, Vardah excused herself and followed while alerting her main team of the movement. She had asked Maxwell to pull out the CCTV of the place. He found nothing yet Vardah followed it. Derek and Sapphire were asked to get the family in the safe house while Vardah and Xia tracked down the person.

It may be something completely small but at this point, she was not risking it. Of course the guests had already left so the situation might be easier to control. A few other trusted agents of ACE were with Derek and Sapphire and others surrounded the east wing. Vardah trusted her team, hence she continued to follow it making it ran. Vardah chased it down until she shot a dart to his lower leg, rendering it paralyzed. Her eyes went into slits as she walked over to the limping man and raised an eyebrow. Without a word, she took his hands and cuffed it before taking out the dart from his hamstrings. Must have hurt like a b***h.

"Take him back to the investigation room, I'll be there in 30 minutes." She ordered Xia who nodded. Without looking back, she had come to Maxwell in the control room.

"V."

"Max, I want you to pull out all CCTV footages since last week." At her request, Maxwell frowned.

"Last week?" Vardah nodded at him. The door of the room opened and a furious Sahl walked in, slamming the door shut behind him.

"My family's safety was jeopardized, Miss. Siddique. I hope you know what the hell you are doing!" he snapped at her, eyes blazing in rage. If it had been any other day, Vardah could have teased him about it.

"I know." She replied turning to the screen in front of her. She then looked at her watch and tapped, the screen lit up. She tapped twice and immediately she was connected to Xia.

"Send Max a picture of the person with you." With that she hung up. A few seconds later, the picture of the perpetrator appeared on the screen.

"Max, screen for this person on the CCTV." Without question, Max did so. A while later, his face popped up. Max turned to Vardah with his mouth slightly ajar and Sahl moved closer to them.

"As suspected." Vardah muttered, rubbing her forehead. She turned to Sahl and spoke. "He has been part of the staff since this week Monday, which is why he knows his way around. Now the question is, how does he know about the camera and blind spots?" Vardah turned to Max with raised eyebrows.

"The only people with access to the footage is only me." He informed her and she frowned. If only Max has access, how did that man know?

"Max, who are in this shift with you?" Vardah questioned and Maxwell's eyes widened.

"You don't-" Vardah nodded solemnly. If it wasn't Max, it has to be someone of my own.

Ten minutes later, Vardah and Sahl stood in front of the investigation room of ACE in Gold Coast. It was an old rugged brick building located on in between other commercial buildings of the area. They walked into the building, tapping their ID at the front scanner and the automatic doors opened.

Despite the outside of the building, the insides were very modern and had an advanced finishing. It was the building of International Relations that ACE uses when in need.

"Are you sure he was there to attack?" Vardah threw him a smirk without saying anything. It was already past midnight, Sahl realized as he took out his phone. There were over 30 missed calls, all from his family.

"Tell them you are fine." With that, Vardah walked inside. Sahl dialed Safwah's number and waited for him to pick up. After one ring, as if the man was waiting on the phone, he picked up.

"Where are you?"

"I am fine. Miss. Siddique and I are at the unit, might be late. There is no danger right now but for protection purposes, stay at the safehouse. No guests were harmed, don't worry."

"The guests be damned, Sahl. Tell me you are fine." Sahl sighed when he heard Kayan's voice at the back.

"I am fine, Bhai. We might be late though."

"Stay safe, Sahl. I mean it." Yazdan's voice sounded strained, as if he was tired. Perhaps he was.

"I will. Allah hafiz." He hung up and heaved a sigh, leaning onto the brick walls of the unit. What has my life come to?

***

That night, no one slept. The following morning, Vardah had called in safe for everyone to be out on the estate. The place had been thoroughly searched for any hazards and dangers while the family had been warned to be careful with their food, water, etc. Security of the place had been heightened and Zamaairah felt shaken.

"They were there for me," she told Safwah, the following day when they were standing in her room. She was shaking, a visible shiver on her limbs. Safwah took her hands in his and pulled her in his embrace, rubbing soothing circles over her back.

"It's okay. They didn't get you." Safwah reassured her. Not yet. They were close though. Despite the tight security, what went wrong? Safwah could not help but feel angry on Vardah. He trusted her with his family. She couldn't protect them.

He held Zamaairah for a while before realizing it was almost lunch and someone would be at her door, calling her for food.

"I should leave," he told her but she tightened her arms around him, not wanting to leave. Safwah smiled, swaying from side to side.

"You're with me, Zam. I promise I'll protect you."

Zamaairah smiled up at him from the embrace. Safwah saw tears in her eyes and his heart clenched.

"Thank you." She whispered. She seemed like she wanted to say something else but didn't.

"What is it?" Safwah asked her gently. He knew her panic and anxiety sides were best handled carefully. She was emotional right now and anything can trigger her. Zamaairah bit the insides of her cheeks, contemplating. Safwah poked the cheeks, making her let it go effectively. She could make them bleed.

"Stay over?" she asked him and he raised his eyebrows at her, surprised. It's uncommon for her to ask him to stay over.

"You sure?" he questioned her, holding her at his arm's length. Zamaairah would not meet his eyes, instead she looked everywhere but him. Safwah let out a soft chuckle when she nodded at him, blushing slightly.

"Alright then." Just then a knock sounded on the door making Zamaairah look up in alarm.

"Zamaairah!" Amyrah was outside, calling for her. Safwah let out a chuckle silently when he saw the panicked look on Zamaairah's face. He squished her cheeks before grinning and walking towards the balcony. Zamaairah rolled her eyes and patted her face with her hands to calm the redness down.

Safwah stood by the large railings, looking at the neighboring room. It was balcony of the west wing upstairs. He could easily jump. So he did. He leaped off her balcony to the other side, missing the edges narrowly and stepped onto the tiled balcony with a stumble.

He dusted his jeans and turned around to enter the hallway, only to come face to face with an unimpressed Karmaan.

"What?" Safwah said, laughing sheepishly. Karmaan heaved a sigh and turned around, walking away. It didn't make sense to Safwah but he followed the younger brother inside anyway.

"Just so you know, we have doors." Karmaan remarked as they parted ways at the stairs. Safwah rolled his eyes and went towards his twin's room in search for him. As expected, Sahl was fast asleep on the bed. What was weird was the fact that his hygienic brother didn't bother to change out of his clothes from the previous night.

Sahl was sprawled in the middle of his queen size sized bed, with the black blanket thrown half off the bed. He was lying on his side with pillows in his arms and the other arm under the head pillow. Huh. He's sleeping soundly.

Safwah knew he shouldn't disturb Sahl, considering he might have had a rough night but he was Safwah. With a sly grin, he broke into a run. Sahl's room was big enough for him to gain velocity as he reached the bed. He jumped onto the bed and landed with a thud on his brother, making Sahl yell in pain. Mission accomplished.

Safwah laughed as he pushed himself off his brother and lay beside the groaning Sahl.

"My ribs broke, Safwah!" Sahl yelled sleepily as he tried to sit up. Safwah only laughed and pulled him back onto the bed, caging him by throwing his legs over Sahl. Sahl may be taller but Safwah was stronger. After a while of struggling, he gave up with a huff. Safwah knew Sahl hated anyone being in his personal space or his room. 

"All I wanted was sleep." He muttered, closing his eyes. Safwah smiled at him proudly when he wasn't kicked out. 

"Thank you for last night. Also I have a favor to ask."

"What?" Sahl was in a bad mood and it made Safwah's day. Ah I managed to piss him off. Nice going Safwah.

"Cover for me tonight?"

"Where are you going?"

"Zamaairah's room."

"No."

"Sahl!!" Safwah whined making Sahl shrug and turned away, snuggling into his pillow. Safwah pulled the pillow from under his head making Sahl growl in frustration.

"What is it Safwah!?"

"Cover for me and I'll owe you." At this, Sahl opened his eyes slightly and turned back to Safwah.

"You know what being an owe to me means, right?" Safwah sighed.

"I know. I would have asked the others but you are the best liar we have." At this, he was hit with the pillow on his head. Its true. No one ever catches up with Sahl's secrets. Which is why they remain secrets.

"I'll do it. Inform Miss. Siddique for me." With that, Sahl turned and closed his eyes. Safwah lay on his bed, staring at the white ceiling. Eventually Sahl's breaths evened out and Safwah found himself falling asleep too. I'll deal with everything when I wake up. If I wake up. 

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