Unedited
"Do you know Ian O'Brien?"
"No, I don't think so. Why? Who is he?" I asked trying to sound curiously innocent after seeming to think through.
"He's on Interpol's most-wanted cybercriminal code name black-knight. And he's also a known associate of the Tracer." He said after studying my face for a while trying to decipher if I was lying or not.
"Oh my God as in the tracer and the black-knight oh shit." I faked exclamation
"Do you know them?" He asked raising an eyebrow.
"Everyone in the cyber community has heard of them they're legendary." I pointed out which was true. Ian and I were an unstoppable team. Plus I knew that they had nothing on me since I erased the parking lot footage. I haven't done anything illegal since Zubair died. Other than, well what happened a few days ago
"You have no idea who this guy is?" He said getting out a picture that looked a lot like Ian from his folder.
"Wait a moment he looks familiar I think," I said trying to play it cool because I could tell the guy was trying to catch me in a lie and other officers were at the station that night too. So if I said no I'd seem more and more suspicious.
"Do you remember where you saw him?" He asked encouragingly
"No, I honestly I don't remember where but he looks really familiar," I said after a moment of intensely staring at the photo.
"Well thank you for your time Ms. Asim and if you recall anything at all call this number." He said handing me a card.
Since this meant I was cleared I went back to work. It was a really boring day. I still couldn't believe I got away with it. As I was working Adrian came to my desk and sat down on the edge of my table.
"So what happens in there?"
"They asked me questions about some guy I'm not sure I know. Oh shit, I remember him now. Remember the guy who Toby Connors bailed out and I went after Toby to ask him something." trying to make myself sound surprised like I'd just realized something. I need Adrian to back up my story.
"Yeah, I remember the drunk guy I brought in."
"They were asking me about him. Shit, they said he was like some criminal hacker or something like that. It all makes sense now. What Toby told me."
"You talked to Toby?" He asked in a startled by my revelation
"Well yeah." I shrugged
"Maria you know better than anyone else to be associating with him."
"I know but..." Trying to come up with an excuse but couldn't think of s valid one that would aid my story and get Toby on my side. But that didn't matter because from the look in his eyes he believed me.
"I'll talk to the sheriff. And tell him about this. Don't Worry About It." He said to be before he smiled his boyish smile "so what are you planning on doing after work?"
"go home and binge-watch something."
"I'm babysitting Anisa today. And she asked me to bring 'Aunty Mia' when we go out for dinner."
"Awe what did I tell you before I'm her favorite Aunt." I gushed "I'm so in, I could never deny my girl anything."
"Me too." He laughed. "See you later, I'll pick you up at 7:30."
"Okay, deal." I agree before packing up. I was done for the day and it was only 3 in the afternoon. When I got home I was surprised to see Hanaan home so early. She was sitting on a prayer mat facing the Qibla reading the Quran softly as tears streamed down her face. I went over to her and sat next to her and listened to her recitation. My heartfelt like it was being stabbed with overwhelming emotions as I listened to her. I sniffed back a lot of times trying to hold back my tears.
"I miss everything about him." She choked out through her streaming tears as she stopped reading. I put my arm around her causing her to place her head on my shoulder as I gently gave her upper arm a comforting squeeze.
"I miss him too." I voiced softly as I remember mi Hermano Zubair.
"We are a team don't ever for a moment think your alone in what're mi Hermana pequeña. Don't ever forget that."
Was something he always said to me whenever I felt down and no one noticed but him. Even with his sick heart, he was caring and compassionate with a lot of warmth to share more than Seth and Talha had ever been. He was four years older than me while Talha two years and Seth eight years. He was first diagnosed with heart disease when he was eight and had become my parents' number one priority because his symptoms relapsed a lot causing him to be in and out of hospitals mostly all his life. Even though he was sick he always had a genuine smile on his face. His eyes and face had so much energy radiating off of him that you forgot how sick he was. I never thought the day he would go back to Allah would be so soon. I always had a thought that he would be there for me. But he isn't anymore he is in a better place because to 'God we belong and to Him, we shall return'
"I am craving some strawberries right now." She sighed suddenly breaking my train of thought.
"I will go to buy you some strawberries." I immediately told her jumping up out of my seat.
"No, I'm okay. I'm okay I wouldn't die from craving strawberries." She tried changing her mind.
"It doesn't matter I'm going anyways plus I need the walk you should come with me. I read it somewhere It'll be good for our baby." I didn't give her a chance to decline it's I pulled her arms to help her up and we walked out the door. To the grocery store near our home. It was just a block away.
Once we got some strawberries, we bought some frozen yogurt. I waited on one of the benches while Hanaan used the washroom and played with my phone to try to avoid making eye contact with anyone. Sadly someone didn't get the hint. As they decided to sit across from me in Hanaan's seat. And I knew exactly who the person was before looking up at them from the smell of the deliciously mouthwatering cologne they had on.
"Stop messing with me Toby and go do what you do during the day."
"Sweetheart how would I get anything done when I see a beautiful chica like you alone here. Plus I need to talk to you"
"Why?" I asked a bit alarmed to hear he wanted to talk to me considering how our last meeting went."
"I heard something odd today. And I've been thinking so much about it. It's just very odd that you're the one I've been searching for." He said leaning towards me I might be delusional but at that moment I swear I caught him looking briefly down at my lips before scanning my face and finally staring into my eyes. And briefly bit the side of his lips. At that moment I stopped breathing and stared at him in Awestruck Wallah I'm not kidding it should be illegal for him to do that because he seriously messed up my thinking process.
"... So what do you say you help me and I'll take your secret to my grave."
"Whoa wait up chico what secrete are you talking about."
"Exactly my point just help me find someone named Emma Connors and there wouldn't be no secrete there to mention."
"Are you blackmailing me," I demanded alarmed I don't know how but he found out I was the tracer and he was using that against me to find someone. Oh, shit did he say, Connors??? That's the same last name as him. Is he married? How do I not know this? She might have run away from him and now He's after her. He's going to use my skills to find and hurt her.
"What no querida I'm hiring you to find someone since that's what you do." I flushed for a moment when he said querida. What gives him the right to call me that. That Cabrón what does he take me for.
"No. I'm not doing it even if you threaten to kill me or report me, I'm not doing it so you could hurt someone," I said as I trying to recover by getting up and trying to getaway. where in the world did Hanaan disappear to? I thought just before I felt his hand around my forearm
"Get your hand off me or I swear to God I will castrate you with my heels," I demanded in a panic as alarm bell rang in my ears. I was ready to do just as I had promised before he said
"I would never hurt my baby sister." In a tone void of all playfulness.
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