The walls were whispering around Shahgul. Something was building up to a crescendo, but she was unaware. Why was Jahanzaib back? What was his game? Why had Shahnawaz sacked his city executives? Tonight Dilawar-Baksh was driving to the city to meet new suitors for Fiza. Why late night? Why couldn't he go in the morning? Standing on the balcony and staring into the deep, dark sky, the moon was lost. A chill ran over her body and she shuddered. She wrapped her arms around her and stroked her arms.

"Ya Allah- protect my family." She breathed to the silent night.

Fiza was erratically searching in Uzayr's room for the so called evidence he found against baba. Unable to eat, sleep she was wearing thin terrified for Uzayr's safety. Jahanzaib informed her he spoke to Uzayr, and Uzayr was no longer seeking for revenge. Fiza didn't believe him. Uzayr was a mad man; Majnoon.

His room was cluttered and raided like a thief ransacked the room. Drawers open, clothes thrown across the room, she went through ever nook and cranny. When she felt at loss, she kneeled on the floor like she was in prayer thinking of the most precious place in his room.

"The safe!" He had a safe behind the picture frame where he'd keep documents and his weapons. She took off the frame and punched in the code.
"112211"A simple code he'd easily remember. The safe pinged open. There were wads of cash but his pistol- it was gone. She gasped emptying the safe. Why would he take his pistol?

"Ya Allah! She cried and pulled back. Her black dupatta was caught in the sharp door and tore. She unpicked it from the safe and assessed the tear. What this a bad omen? She had to speak to someone. Who could she tell?

Running down the stairs case, she ran through the haveli grounds to Shahnawaz's haveli, her heart pounding in fear. Baba was travelling to the city tonight. Uzayr's pistol was not in his safe. The maids pointed to the hookah bettak where Shah Nawaz sat with Wajahat Ali and two guests. Fiza broke through the doors, her dupatta trailing on her shoulder and behind her, barefoot she ran to her uncle, tears running down her cheeks in fear for her baba and Uzayr.

"You have to stop him! You have to stop him!" She cried. Shah Nawaz stood up on seeing his niece's terrified state. She fell in his arms, worn with worry and exhausted. Shah Nawaz lifted his hand up sending his guests out of the room. Quickly, Wajahat Ali ushered them out leaving Shah Nawaz with his shattered niece.
"Sit down. Tell me what happened?" He sat her on his arm chair and kneeled before her holding her hand. She buried her face in her hands. Should she tell Shah Nawaz the truth? He wasn't only her uncle, but the chief of Jahanpur, if anyone betrayed the royal household, they would be punished- even Uzayr. She was convoluted in worry for baba and Uzayr.
"It's baba! Something bad will happen to him tonight."
Shah Nawaz shook his head ignoring the ranting of a tired woman.
"Nothing will happen to baba. You're worried for nothing."
Shah Nawaz stood up and threw his grey shawl over his chest and fixing his turban. Fiza stood up behind him. If she didn't tell him tonight, she may never see her baba again.
"Uzayr's going to kill baba tonight."
Shah Nawaz paused and then looked back at Fiza. Death was written on her face. There was no time to waste. 

***

That night crickets chirped in a drone, whilst the wild hyena's callously whooped and laughed as though they knew what was ahead. There was one narrow, dark, road to the city. No moonlight. It was pitch black. Dressed in black, with a black turban and shawl covering his face, Uzayr waited in the trench he dug the previous night. With a handheld torch, he checked his pistol ensuring it as loaded, clean and ready to fire. He's had extra weapons and bullets in case there was a gun fight. Twenty minutes later, a motorbike buzzed from the fields. Uzayr waited for the signal. The rider flashed twice. It was him. The man who led him to this road. The man parked his motorbike yards away and switched the engine off. He was tall and instrumental in locating evidence for Uzayr's quest for revenge.
"I was there when Dilawar-Baksh promised to kill your father, Urgungzeb." The man was an eye witness to the altercation before his father's death. Making his way towards Uzayr he'd also covered his face with a spring in his step, today he would kill Dilawar-Baksh; his father. Azaad made his way towards Uzayr flashing his hand held torch in his face.
"Why are you covering your face like a coward? Don't you want to look your baba in the eye when you shoot him in the face?"Azaad was the backbone of the operation. For the past ten days he visited Uzayr at the stables convincing Uzayr that Dilawar Baksh had his father's blood on his hands. Azaad cackled lighting his cigarette.
"Have you told anyone?" Asked Azaad.
"No- well just Fiza. She won't tell anyone."
"You idiot!" He punched him. "She dotes on baba. She will tell everyone." "
She won't- trust me." Uzayr lied. Fiza had told Jahanzaib and he questioned him at the stables. But Uzayr was quick to shut him up. Both men waited in the trenches for the next twenty minutes.

Later, from afar, they could see the headlights of the convoy of vehicles. It was time to put their plan into action.
"There are always three cars. Baba is in the middle car." Uzayr informed.
"I'll deal with guards, you drag the old bastard out of the car. Don't kill him, before I see him." Azaad had his own vengeance he wanted to make his father pay.

Sitting in the car on the bumpy road, Dilawar-Baksh held his walking stick over his lap. He'd planned meeting with his old friend in the city. His grandson was of marriage age and would be suitable for Fiza. It broke his heart the thought of sending her away. He secretly hoped Uzayr would grow a pair and ask for her hand in marriage. She would stay in the haveli and nothing would change. Instead, he had to send her away to punish Uzayr and he would also suffer. Since Shah Nawaz rose to power, the haveli wasn't the same. Shahgul's gloating face roamed around him, Jahanzaib had returned but he refused to meet him after he requested time with him. Poor Fiza, she was heartbroken and he knew she would not refuse her beloved baba. The car in front screeched and a shot was fired. Quickly, he grabbed his walking stick and pulled out his pistol from the seat.
"Go, see what's happening!" The car halted to a stop. Dilawar-Baksh leaned forward watching through the front windscreen. There was gunfire. An enemy attack. They were surrounded. His guards hid behind the car and fire into the darkness.

Azaad took out his gun and targeted the car at the back. He blew the wheels. He shot the windows. The firing lit up the night sky. There was pause. Then the guards shot back.
"Go- I will keep them busy you drag the old bastard out!" Azaad kicked Uzyar distracted the guards. Their guns powerful firing entire magazines in space of seconds.

Sitting in the back of the SUV, Baba cocked his gun ready to attack. He heart pounded with adrenalin. If he was younger, faster with strong eye sight, he fight the enemy out in the fields. Now, age weakened him. He mumbled prayer under his breath whilst the shots fired. Was it Muzaamil? Did his brother finally attack him? His door opened and a masked gunman poked his gun in his face.

"Get out!" Uzayr's muffled voice ordered his baba. Poking the gun into his chest. He grabbed his murderous grandfather and dragged him out of the car. Uzayr dragged him to the side of the road blinding him with the torch glaring in his face and pushed him to the ground. Finally, he had him; the old man who killed his father, Arungzeb and dumped his body in the river. It was time to seek justice. Uzayr cocked his gun his finger on the trigger.
"Show your face." Dilawar-Baksh roared at the masked man shielding his eyes from the blaring light. The road was rough and stones dug into him.
"Tell me what I've done- I refuse to die without an account."

Revealing his face Uzayr and pulling back his face covering. Without his turban, Dilwar-Baksh looked like a weak, pathetic man, bald, and small.
"I am your enemy- son of Auregnzeb Sultani- the man you murdered over a piece of land. Uzayr kneeled down staring at his grandfather fearful eyes. He held his father's taveez he took from Dilawar-Baksh's personal drawer.
"I have the amulet you snatched from my father's dead body- you stole piece of his clothes, documents and land documents." He trembled with anger with rage that his heart would burst.
"A son should protect his father instead I was with-" He paused biting is tongue. On the day his father was murdered Uzayr was with Fiza at a mela. Anger, guilt regret coursed through his veins. He hated Fiza. He hated the world, most of all he hated himself and blamed himself. Since that day he froze with anger- but tonight he thawed facing the man who murdered his father. He pointed his pistol into his grandfather's face with his finger on the trigger, breathing in the moment making it last.

Azaad sneaked behind and kicked Dilawar-Baksh's shoulder sending him hurling to the opposite side. Anger rushed through his veins as he stamped on his stomach beating the old man. He threw punches, kicks smashing his face.
"You bastard!" He cursed his father who neglected and abused him and called him the son of a whore. He'd killed his guards one by one, now it was time to kill his father. Dilawar-Baksh coughed up blood. 
"What are you doing?" Uzayr yelled at Azaad. This was his moment, and Azaad was stealing time. Another set of headlights were upon them. It was Shahnawaz and his guards. Time was of the essence.
"Quickly-" Said Azaad. "Shoot him." Azaad yelled in anger and whacked the gun on his father's head knocking him nearly unconscious. 
"Your time has come father." Azaad hissed in his father's ear. "Pray. Tonight you will die like a dog by the hands of your blood." Azaad cackled spitting on his father's face. I have dreamed of this day I dreamed of for so long." Dilawar-Baksh head was thudding in pain. His ear was ringing and his trousers were wet. He'd soiled himself.
"We will drag your body to the river and dump it like you did with your son in law, Aurangzeb."
Dilawar-Baksh was dizzy. He didn't understand. "I didn't kill Aurangzeb."
Both men stood side by side looking down at the pathetic heap of mess. He wasn't powerful now, was he?
"Kill him! What are you waiting for!?" Azaad pointed his gun at Uzayr froze. His hand trembled. He recalled Fiza's cries, it was her or her baba lying on the floor. If he killed Dilawar-Baksh he would lose Fiza forever.
"Hurry!" Azaad pointed his gun at Uzayr. If he didn't do the job, he would kill them both.

***

Driving in a fit of rage, Shah Nawaz stamped on the accelerator whilst yelling at Wajahat Ali who sat next to him.
"You should have gone with baba!" Up ahead he could see stranded vehicles. He feared the worst. They'd killed his father. Protecting his family and the people of Jahanpur was his mission as Chief of Jahanpur. The drive was taking too long. The guards leaned out and fired warning shots at the murderers. Shots were fired back. Shah Nawaz speeded and took out his semi-automatic machine gun. He tilted out of the car, his foot on the gas pedal, Wajahat holding he steering wheel and shot up towards the vehicles. The guards jumped out first to secure the area. Bodies were littered on the ground. By the time Shah Nawaz arrived at the scene, Azaad ran away knocking Uzayr unconscious and dumping him by Dilawar-Baksh's body. No one would know he was involved. His job was done. Dilawar-Baskh must have died from the gunshots he fired at him. It was dark, but one of the three shots must have pierced his wretched body. Dumping his motorbike, he snaked out of the scene through the fields.

When Shah Nawaz approached the stranded cars he feared the worst. The guards were injured, and three dead. Baba's car door was open but where was he.
"Baba!" he yelled into the night. "Baba!". He ran his hands over his face and the fear of losing his father hit him. He looked at Wajahat Ali like a child.
"My Baba?! They killed him!"
Wajahat Ali was in soldier mode, he'd sent his twenty guards to find anyone else lingering in the fields, secure the area and look for baba. Shah Nawaz took out his mobile and switched on the torch. Wajahat grabbed his powerful torch from the car and shone it cutting through the darkness. They searched round the road, the bushes then they found a brown shoe. A walking stick. Shah Nawaz grabbed his father's bloody shoe. He gasped a cry and quickly muffled it. He's dead. He trembled. Pressing the shoe against his chest he shone the light around desperate for a flicker of hope.
"Baba! Can you hear me?"
Wajahat's strong flashlight found a body. Shah Nawaz rushed to the scene where they found two bodies. One dressed in black. The other, Dilawar-Baksh, dressed in white. His clothes bloody, wet, lying on his side. Was he dead?
"Baba! It's me! Shah Nawaz. Your son!" He voice broke. He kneeled on the stones closer to his baba and shook him. "
"Baba! It's your hopeless son. Who can't do anything right- not even save your life." He touched his hand- it was warm. Shah Nawaz leaned over, running his hand over his body and found his pulse on his neck. He closed his eyes and whispered.
"Please Allah, let him be alive." He held his breath like it was a million years desperate for that beat in his neck to touch his fingers.
"Oh Allah!" He cried out in the night and by magic, there it was. A feint pulse.
"He's alive!" Shah Nawaz cried out with joy. "He's alive- the old dog is alive." Tears of happiness filled his eyes and he shook his baba trying to wake him up.
Once Baba was safe, Shah Nawaz's blood fuelled with anger and vengeance.
"Who did this? Who is behind this?"
The guards lifted Uzayr's unconscious body.
"Tie him and throw him in the car. I will kill that son of a bitch!" 

***

The haveli was on edge- everyone waited eagerly in the courtyard with their eyes pinned on the gates. Rumours flurried around the haveli that Uzayr was going to kill his grandad. Shahgul called her son a hundreds times; no answer. What was happening? The silence was unbearable. Malaikah stood beside her mother, despite the ignominy she was worried for her father. Maybe this would be a suitable end for a bitter old man? She tried not to think of her hate for her father, for locking her away and her children. She hoped he was alive. Fiza was run ragged as Meh'r-Bano tried to calm her, standing with her like a shadow.

It was half an hour later when the battered SUV drove through the gates. All eyes were on the dents caused by bullets. Fiza gasped and ran towards the door waiting for news.
"Baba? Is he okay? Where is he?"
The guards jumped out and stepped around the vehicles.

"Where is my husband?" Shahgul demanded. "Where is my son?"

It was the second car that carried Shah Nawaz that gave the answers. His clothes bloody, everyone looked around for Dilawar-Baksh. There was no sign of Dilawar-Baksh. Instead it was Uzayr, bruised, half conscious, held upright my two guards with his arms around their shoulder dragged out of the car held out to Shah Nawaz. He was a prisoner. Tears filled Fiza's eyes unable to look at her beloved. Meh'r-Bano placed her arm around Fiza's shoulder as her knees buckled.
"Uzayr-"

"No one will speak!" Shah Nawaz roared, his voice echoed in the courtyard. He made his way towards Uzayr's bowed head, he kicked his jaw knocking his head back, blood shooting from his mouth. Fiza screamed and cried running towards Uzayr, but the guard held out his arm and stopped her. Snatching his jaw, Shah Nawaz forced him to look at him, but Uzayr was out of it.
"Look at me you son of a bitch! You will die. My baba will strangle you and throw your corpse in the river like your wretched dad!"
Shah Nawaz head butted him into unconsciousness. His body hit to the ground and Fiza knees gave way and fell on the ground in a mess. Had Uzayr killed her baba? Fiza sobbed holding her face in her hands, and Meh'r Bano bought a large shawl protecting her modesty as she kneeled on the floor. Shahgul was overwhelmed by events. As Uzayr was taken away to the prison, she made her way inside and with Wajahat Ali following for a debrief. She wanted answers. 

That night the haveli froze in shock. The maids mouth were dry with fear. What did they witness? What would the morning bring? One thing was certain; there was no future for Uzayr. He would certainly face the death penalty for betraying the royal household.