“Y-Yes, Zack replied.

“Hey, open me up!” Someone from the other room shouted. Olivia ran towards the room and found out that it was Lucy. “Olly, open me up. I can help.”

“O-Okay,” Olivia replied in a hurry. She cut her ropes and Lucy stood up, rubbing the dust off her butt.

“Okay so,” Lucy said, completing the cleaning drive. “Olivia, open everyone’s ropes, and they will in turn open other’s ropes.”

“But, where are Miley’s guards?” Olivia worriedly asked. “We needa take care of them first.”

“They’re no longer here. A guard came running from inside and commanded all of them to run away, and all followed suit.”

“Oh, okay.”

“So, open everyone’s ropes. Until then, Imma open Julia’s ropes. She is a good medic and can give a good medical care at the basic level.” She ran towards her left and walked towards her friend while constantly pushing a few. “Sorry,” She squeaked whenever she pushed a person. After a while, she reached at the back-most row towards her friend and started opening her ropes with her knife. She cut the ropes of her hands, and then her legs. The two stood up again and after another pushing session, ran towards the other room where the team just had a deadly encounter. She saw Harry near the center of the room, lying with his legs towards the desk and the window, beside which he was first lying. Zack looked at her as she scolded, “What the heck are you two tryna do? Take off his shirt to loosen him up!” The two opened the buttons of his shirt as she took her back-pack off and started searching for her emergency kit. She took out a white plastic box with a red cross on it. She kept it on the floor hurriedly and opened it up. She took out a bandage, cotton and other tools necessary. She used one of her tools to take out the bullet from his cheek. “The blood loss is too much and some of the bones are also visible to some extent,” She commented without any worriedness or expressions as she applied some crème and then started bandaging the area.

“D-Don’t worry, Harry, ev-everything’s gonna be all right,” Zack started saying as a drop of tear ran down his cheek. “I-I’m very sorry, Harry! It-It’s all  my fault. If-If I would n-not have told y-you to fo-follow Adam, it-it would not ha-have happened.”

“C’mon,” Adam said, keeping a hand on his shoulder as she continued applying bandages. “It’s my fault. It-It was me who threatened him t-to join such dark w-waters and-and I was the o-one to scare him to-to the c-core and t-tell him and—” Adam was unable to continue further as he started sobbing on Zack’s shoulder.

“B-But it was m-me who told him to-to follow you, so-so that I c-can find out wh-what you two a-are up to,” Zack felt guilty. “If-If I didn’t command him t-to follow y-you that day, ma-maybe this c-could have prevented.”

“C’mon, stop crying like girls,” Julia rudely commented, without even caring to look towards them. “It’s too much of emotional drama.”

“Don’t be so rude, Julia,” Lucy told her. Julia sighed as Lucy said, “Okay, I’ma call Dad to bring some help.” She took out a phone and dialed a number. Then, she placed the phone close to her ears and waited for someone to pick it up.

 

In the meantime, Olivia opened the door and reported, “Half of the people are free of ropes.”

“Is it an epidemic?” Julia rudely asked.

“Shut up,” Lucy told her. Then, she turned to Olivia and commanded her. “Okay, command half of the freed to climb up the valley and wait there for help. I’m calling Dad.”

“Okay,” She responded promptly and went away.

Suddenly, her father took the phone and the first questions he asked worriedly was “Where’ve you been? It’s too late!”

“S-Sorry dad, we were kidnapped again by-by the same woman.”

“What?!” He yelled. “A-Are you okay? Is everyone alright? Do you have any casualties or fatalities?”

“No dad, the situation is under control now. No fatalities, but we’ve got a trainee who’s shot on the cheeks. We need immediate serious medication ASAP.”

“O-Okay, Imma come there by hiring two-three buses. Till then, take him from another car or cab to a good hospital. I will meet you all there.”

“Okay, dad. Please come fast,” She said and cut the phone. Then, she turned towards the wounded and the ones around him and announced, “See, Adam, climb up the valley and book a bus ride or someone willing to help us. Until then, Julia will bandage him and she, with Zack, will bring his body upwards. We needa make sure to do this fast to save his life. That’s our upmost priority.”

“Yes!” Adam sincerely replied and took his exit from the room. Julia was still applying the bandages and less than half was done.

 

Adam was climbing up the valley. “I-I needa save Harry. He’s in such a position just because of me and I’m the only one who can’t help him. If-If he dies, I won’t be able to apologize myself.”

“It's done,” Julia announced after a few seconds. “Take him upwards now.”

“O-Okay,” Zack replied and got a strong hold of Harry’s left arm. Then, he pulled him up by giving him support from his shoulders. With Harry’s arm on his shoulders, Zack whispered, “We’re gonna save you, Harry. Nothing’s gonna happen to you!”

“Z-Zack,” Harry said in a feeble voice. It was so low that no one except him heard his voice.

“Y-You’ve not fainted?”

“See, I know I must’ve told you about Adam a—”

“Please, it’s not time to talk. Your life is more important.”

 

Zack took him upwards where a car was already stopped. Adam saw the two and helped Zack by giving Harry support. The car comprised of an old man and his wife. The woman said, “W-What happened to him?”

“He fell down from the valley and hurt himself,” Adam gave the excuse while making him sit on the car. “We’ve applied bandages at a basic level, but he needs immediate professional medical attention.”

 

March 14^th, 2014 (1:44 am)

The door of the hospital opened as Zack and Adam arrived in the hospital building with a stretcher in between them which lifted Harry. “Help please!” Zack yelled. He was scared and in a hurry. He was just thinking about Harry. “Our friend needs immediate help!”

A doctor, wearing the white coat, arrived towards them. He wore spectacles and had brown mustache with no beard. “Please, fill out the form first. Till then, I’m gonna take care of him.” Then, he shouted to a nurse, “Sister, make the operation theatre ready!”

Zack went towards the reception to fill out the form as Adam and doctor hurriedly took him towards the theatre. They ran for quite a few minutes which made Adam tired and breathing heavily. The OT was not too far now as they can see it at the end of the doorway. The door was opened as some more nurses ran inside. The doctor stopped him from entering and said, “Sorry, sir. You’re not allowed inside.” Adam nodded and doctor closed the door of OT. He was breathing heavily. He saw the seats on the left side of the hallway as the right side had none because that wall was made of glass. He sat on one of the chair and held his head down in guilt.

 

Zack also entered the waiting area and sat in the same position beside Adam. There was an awkward silence between the two. No one started the conversation. Although both of them wanted to start, they didn’t know what to say. One of the team-mates was in a critical state, one of them had just revealed his betrayal and Zack was just shocked what was going on behind his back. There had been so much. But, Zack was the one who started the conversation after a minute or so, “Do you think Harry will be fine?”

Adam exhaled and thought for some seconds. He didn’t have an answer for that question. He replied, “Maybe. It’s not up to me now.”

“Ads, I wanna ask you something.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Zack turned his head towards him and emotionally asked, “Why did you betray us; Harry, me, all of us at SAI? Why did you do this?”

Adam also lifted his head and replied, “It was to save all of us.”

“How come?”

“Actually, at the night of the first kidnap weeks ago, when you were fainted, she gave me a direct offer to join her terrorist organization. She pointed her pistol at me, saying that now that I know the truth, she won’t spare me. I-I had no choice.” Adam’s eyes were full of tears by then as he continued telling him, “She-She said that she may spare your life and everyone’s lives if I join her. S-So I readily agreed. B-But I didn’t have the intention of betraying SAI. I wanted to grab enough information about that group that SAI can stop them.”

“How much information did you grab?”

“Sh-She didn’t give me much information because I was not officially a member. She-She told me to murder you if I want to become a member. Sh-She said something like t-testing the new me-members so they wo-won’t—”

“Enough, Ads. It’s okay,” Zack assured him, patting his shoulder. “But, you could have told me about this.”

“I-I wanted to! I wanted to tell you— or anyone who will listen to me— b-but what if-what if she killed tha-that person just in-in front of my eyes? I-I could have never seen my face in the mirror, Zack.” Adam was scared to the core. He was acting weird like never before, maybe because of the trauma.

Zack, this time, didn’t reply. With his hand still on his shoulder, he just nodded, patted his shoulder again and then tilted his head downwards with his elbows on thighs.

“Z-Zack?” Adam whispered. He asked, “D-did I say something wrong?”

Zack just shook his head, his eyes red, and said, “N-No. I-I’m…” Zack said with a lot of emotions hidden inside. He wanted to control himself, but at last he gave up. He broke into crying as he continued while crying a lot, “I-I just wanted to-to control my tears.”

 

Miley had just reached her home. She was panting heavily as she looked on all sides before entering her house in the dark and creepy street. The street was dark, with just street lights in between the road to give out light. Everyone was asleep at this point of time and it was awkwardly silent. No one— no children playing football on the street, no woman coming back from the shops with bags full of vegetables and other rations in hand— was there. She opened the gate of her house, walked the garden and then opened the door with her key. She entered the house and shut it backwards, and then locked it again. It was like she was hiding from something. She was also very scared and was sweating. Her forehead was full of her sweat. When she was just locking the door, someone from inside the house, that is, someone from behind her, said, “Failed again, right?”

“Mm… Umm…” She murmured. Her eyes were wide open now due to the shock. She was scared as she knew it was the same black-suit wearing man who’s above him.

“It’s your fourth failure overall, Miley. You’re unable to repair your ways.”

She quickly turned back and knelt before him. With her hands joined, she begged for mercy, “Please, sir, show some mercy on me!”

“Well, I’ve shown enough mercy on you, Miley. You just lost to those fucking kids!” He angrily scolded her. “I’ve already broke a rule for you. The rule says just three consecutive failures and death. But, you’ve had FOUR!”

“I-I-I know. I can ev-even beg th-the leader o-of the group f-for mercy. P-Please d-don’t kill me. L-Let the—”

“It’s not allowed for the lower ranks to meet the head! Even I’m not cut out for that job!” He scolded. “It’s up to me to decide what should be done here, Miley!”

“P-Please don’t kill me!”

“Oh, why am I even wasting my time on a bitch?!”

“S-So let’s utilize it…” She said. “Wanna—”

“C’mon! I’m not the type of running for sex!” He scolded.

“Okay, okay!” She quickly replied. “B-but what about Adam if I am killed? A-And did I ever tell you t-that so-someone else out—” She never had the time to complete her sentence. He shot her directly on her head.

“I’m tired of this bullshit!” He angrily whispered and left away.

 

March 14^th, 2014 (8:06 am)

Zack was sleeping soundly on one of the chairs of the waiting room. The television was on with various types of news flashing. “Today’s weather will be…” The news anchor spoke the news. He suddenly opened his eyes and found himself on the same chair. “So, you’re awake,” Adam, who was beside him, said.

“Did you sleep?”

“Yep, but I woke up early.”

“Oh, and, how’s Harry now?”

“The nurse has said that he’s perfectly fine for the time being, but his condition is acute and can get worse. So, yet another surgery will be performed till night.”

“So, he can be saved, right?” Zack curiously asked.

Adam turned his head towards him and replied, “The chances are quite well, but we can’t expect anything.”

Suddenly, the television in front of them flashed the news, “Girl found dead in her house. Bullet hit directly on her head. Her killer is unknown.” The anchor was also saying, “The killer must be a professional killer, because he’s left entirely on trace of his presence on the house. Not even her phone is available and many personal belongings important were stolen from the house. The police have said that they may try catching the killer but without proof, the investigation is expected to shut easily by some days. Here’s the interview of the head saying so…”

The news was still on as Adam told him, “She is Miley, I’m damn sure.”

“How?” Zack asked him. His eyes were half-shut and his hairs were also not combed. “How can you be so sure?”

“I just know. Entirely no proof at all, it can be the work of just that organization.”

“Whoa!” Zack was shocked. “It’s rare.”

“Yep, it’s known as the best criminal organization for a reason,” Adam casually replied.

“It shows how strong it is, and how difficult it would be if we were to fight it,” Zack said. “We got a powerful enemy this time.”