Malik joins his underling Eric in his car and sighs deeply as soon as he shuts the door. "How are you doing?"
"I am doing fine sir, I am sorry for the quack report earlier." Eric apologises with his gaze fixed on his senior.
"Is everything set?" Malik asks again.
"Yes sir." Eric nods. "Twenty men in your house, five inside the main building, five in the compound and ten outside."
"Very good." Malik nods with a fake smile.
"You already looked very stressed sir. Please take things very easy on yourself, I am sure Ella is fine."
"I hope so too."
"So, what is the next thing to do sir? Do we go to the mall alone or raid the entire place?" Eric asks again.
"I will go there alone." Malik replies bluntly.
"What? Alone? That is very crazy to think sir, what if that lady planned something else for you awaiting your arrival?"
"I don't want anyone to be in more danger because of me. I am not sure of what Jessica plans on doing so I have to be extra careful."
"But I still suggest I come with you alongside three to five men." Eric persists.
Malik exhales deeply and says. "Fine, you can come with me but we have to come up with a plan on how to attack, we can't just go there as we please. My daughter's life might be in danger."
"May I ask you a question sir?"
"Of course, go ahead."
"Why do you care so much about this Ella girl?" Eric asks. "You and I both know she isn't your daughter."
Malik stares at him for a moment not uttering a word and when he opened his mouth to say something, it is quite difficult to do so. "I adopted her, so she is still my daughter."
"But why have you refused to make the search and rescue an official one?" asks Eric again.
"I want to avoid the unnecessary attention from the public. The daughter of an ex governor and the inspector general being kidnapped by her former secondary school mate?" He pauses and continues. "What do you think will happen after then?" He didn't wait for a reply and continues. "Reporters everywhere trying to make news out of my family, dig out our private life and even the past which we preferred people not to see."
"I can see you and your family really enjoys a private and regular life without any paparazzi." Eric comments with a smile. "Imagine a whole inspector general living in a mansion as big as this without any maids. Think of a former governor living with her husband without any maids too."
"Living a life where you are free to do or say anything you want without the fear of anything is a blessing. If we were to have maids in the house, I am sure the whole country would be aware my daughter is missing."
"That is very true you know, one of them would have said it to one of her blogger friends." Eric adds and they burst into laughter.
"But actually, my children are the ones who detest living celebrity life the most. Especially Kylie who cries any time she sees so many unfamiliar faces."
"I wish I had a family like yours, who sees nothing in being famous and walk on eggshells." He sighs. "Enough of the talk, shall we head to the mall?"
"We shall." Malik nods with a smile hiding the reality that he is scared. He rests his back on the seat and closes his eyes exhaling deeply. "Can you play some cool music for me?"
"Okay sir." Eric says still with a tone of respect then puts on the coolest music he knows. "Is this okay sir?" He asks.
"I guess it should, I love the intro." Malik whispers with his eyes closed and he remembers the first day he set his eyes on Ella. Though, he never knew then, that he was going to adopt her. "I just hope she is safe." He murmurs.
"What?" Eric asks as he thinks he heard something but worried less about it because his senior never gave him a reply.