The sound of car engines roaring at a distance buzzed in Murtasim Khan’s ears as he paced back and forth, deep within the shadows of a quiet alleyway. His mission was simple—kidnap the girl, use her as leverage, and complete the deal. The clock ticked toward midnight, the perfect hour for a clean job. His informant had assured him the girl, Nayab, would be leaving the club in an hour, alone.
His dark eyes scanned the club’s entrance from across the street. The night was thick with tension, the air heavy with the musk of the city. Murtasim, though ruthless in his line of work, prided himself on precision. He didn’t make mistakes. Until tonight.
---
Inside the Club
Meerab Sayeed was frustrated, to say the least. She hadn’t planned on attending this party, let alone staying until now. Her friend Saba had begged her to come along, only to ditch her halfway through. Now, she was stuck amidst strangers, in a noisy club, feeling irritated with herself for not driving her own car.
Her phone buzzed again. *Saba: I’m so sorry, babe! Got caught up with Naurez. Can’t make it back. You’ll have to find your own ride.*
Meerab cursed under her breath. “Great, just great.”
With a heavy sigh, she grabbed her bag and decided to leave. The cold night air slapped against her face as she stepped out of the noisy chaos. She fumbled with her phone, trying to book a cab.
---
The Mistake
From the shadows, Murtasim’s sharp gaze caught sight of a lone girl stepping out of the club, her face half-hidden by her scarf. *That must be her*, he thought, his adrenaline spiking. Without wasting a second, he nodded to his accomplice parked around the corner.
Meerab, oblivious to the dark figure approaching her, frowned at her phone. The app was glitching, and no cabs were available. Suddenly, before she could react, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, a hand clamping over her mouth, muffling her scream.
“Shut up and don’t make this difficult,” Murtasim growled in her ear, dragging her toward a black van that had pulled up to the curb. She struggled, panic surging through her veins, but he was too strong. He shoved her into the backseat and slammed the door shut, the vehicle speeding off into the night.
---
Realization
The van drove in silence for several long minutes. Meerab’s heart raced as she tried to understand what was happening. She glanced around, her eyes narrowing at the man sitting beside her, who had yet to remove his mask. Murtasim, however, was lost in his thoughts. Something felt… off.
“Who are you?” Meerab hissed, her voice filled with fury rather than fear.
Murtasim turned, finally pulling down his mask, revealing a ruggedly handsome face framed by intense eyes. “You don’t need to know,” he replied coolly, his voice like gravel.
Meerab scoffed. “You made a big mistake, buddy.”
The venom in her voice surprised him, and something gnawed at the back of his mind. She wasn’t acting like a scared girl. His usual targets begged, pleaded, and whimpered in fear. But this girl—she was defiant.
As the van pulled into an abandoned warehouse, Murtasim’s mind raced. He grabbed Meerab by the arm and dragged her out, locking her inside one of the rooms. His accomplice, Raza, approached.
“Boss, that’s not Nayab,” Raza whispered urgently, eyes wide.
Murtasim’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean?”
