The clock hit 6 AM and Anaya got up to go make wudu so she could offer Fajr. She had stayed up all night due to her anxiety, and she wasn't even tired, just more and more nervous by the second. It was as if someone was watching her, or if someone was behind her ready to attack her. She read ayat ul-kursi over and over, along with every safety dua she knew.

Anaya came out of the bathroom and nudged Amee to wake up as well. She stood on the towel and began to pray, and by the time she was done, Amee had started. Anaya sat on the bed, wondering where she was even going to go. She had no phone, no knowledge of the city, and a very small amount of money.

"Where will we go now?" Amee asked.

"I- I don't know.."

"We can go apartment hunting on our own, the last time I checked my credit is very good. However, they'll ask for proof of employment. I'm for sure not employed anymore, and even if I were to job hunt... I-... I have no clue." Anaya stopped, placing her face in her palms. Fatigue finally taking control of her.

"Oh, sweetheart. You need to sleep first. We still have four more hours until we check out. We will figure this out after you close your eyes for a minute."

Anaya laid back, placing her head on the pillow and closing her eyes. The throbbing in her head immediately dimming as she kept her eyes closed, and she could feel herself fall asleep, but the pounding of her heart, and the images of danger in her head wouldn't go away. She kept her eyes closed, and tightly grasped Amee's hand, and just laid there silently praying that one day she wouldn't have to worry this way anymore.

- - - -

"Ugh." Ali got up groaning, as the sharp pain shot through his head. He got up from his bed, still, in the suit, he was wearing last night, he took his phone and dialed a maid to come up with water and aspirin, and as he waiting he unbuttoned his shirt, that smelled of alcohol and he got up to use the washroom.

Ali sat on the bathroom floor, as yet again Anaya's face flashed through his mind. He hated having any other woman in his room, it was as if he believed they didn't deserve it, because there was only room for one other person, in his space and heart. He was losing his mind. How can he be so hung up on a girl? It made him angry, why was he caring so much about a woman who was just like any other person, she left, she didn't care and neither. should he.

Ali finally stood up and got in the shower, trying to wake up. As soon as he got out he did his hair and applied lotion. He took out his entirely black suit and wore it along with his black shoes, and gray watch. Stepping out of the bathroom, he took the aspirin that was on his nightstand with the glass of ice cold water.

He headed downstairs, to his ready hot black coffee along with a sandwich. He took out his phone as he ate, and the first thing that came up was a note that read 210 Diamond Ave.

"She chose to leave. She didn't care enough to stay, it's absolutely pathetic for you to consider her safety. Move on." Ali scolded himself in his mind.

He disregarded the note and began to reply to his work emails, and in the midst of it, he received a call from Aryan.

"Hey! I landed this morning. I'm getting ready for the meeting this morning with you and Mr. Wong. I needed to give you a briefing before it but we won't have time to meet up."

"Okay. Fill me in." Ali replied, finishing his coffee, and walking out of the house to get in his car.

"He is willing to sell the third branch of Flux: Flux Neutral to us. He denied to sell us Flux itself, but his lowest bid is 28 Million."

"28? For Neutral? No way in hell. He's trying to trip us, Neutral is the most worthless brand he has come out with in the past 3 years, it's not even worth 3 Million. It's a hard no from us."

"Yup! Though I didn't know all of that, I did say no, based solely on the fact that $28 million was way too high. So he decided he wanted to go over this with you instead. A few warnings, he can be very manipulative." Aryan advised

"Oh, I'll show him manipulation. See you in ten." Ali said, hanging up the phone.

"Unread message from Unknown number." His car announced.

"Read the message," Ali said, taking a turn into his office building.

"I told you not to cross paths with me. You took my men and killed them, so I took what's most important to you. I'll show you who the real man is in this game." His car read, pulling up a picture on the screen.

Ali's eyes landed on the photo screen displayed and he could his stomach dropped, blood rushing to his face, as his hands tightened around the wheel.

one hour earlier.

"Sweetheart, get up. We have less than 20 minutes before we need to check out." Jameela said, tapping Anaya awake.

Anaya sat up and sat still for a good minute before she gained sense. She stood up and went to go wash her face and brush her teeth. She put on her Abaya over the shirt and tights she was hijab pinning it in place.

"Let's go." She said.

Jameela and Anaya left the hotel room and went down the stairs to get some breakfast. They had some coffee and ate the muffins that were for breakfast. As soon as they were done, they left outside and got into their car. The roads were busy, and people were walking everywhere.

Anaya started the car and as she was about to pull it in to reverse, she heard a metal click, and Jameela gasped.

"Drive. Or the lady dies," A man said, sitting up with a black cap on with a gun pointed to Jameela behind the seat.

"Okay. Okay. I will, I will- just leave her alone. You can take me, just don't hurt he-"

"DRIVE!" He yelled.

Anaya jumped in her seat and quickly pulled out of the parking lot, driving straight ahead.

"Take a left, into the alley," He ordered.

"La hawla wala quwwata illa billah," Anaya continuously read, pulling into the alley, the sounds of the busy city fading away.

Anaya stopped the car, and the man got out of the car.

"Amee, I love you so much." Anaya cried.

"I love you too baby, just keep reading the Qalma," Amee spoke, her voice cracking and trembling.

The man headed over to Anaya, and she quietly grabbed the taser and hid it in her pocket.

"Out!" He yelled, grabbing Anaya's arm and yanking her out. Anaya took the taser, and she tased him hard on the leg, as he screamed, she smacked the gun out of his hand but before she could grab it or he slapped her so hard she fell against the car.

"ANAYA!" Amee screamed.

"I TOLD YOU-" He slapped her again

"NOT A SINGLE MOVE," He grabbed her by the scarf and pulled her in.

"You should be thankful, I can't kill you yet, because if I could- your brain would be bleeding right now."

He let her head go, and dug his nails into his shoulder, throwing her in the backseat of the car.

"YOU. TO THE BACK." He ordered Jameela.

Jameela quickly rushed to the back and took hold of her precious child. Caressing the bruise that was starting to appear on Anaya's temple. Anaya placed her head-on Amee's lap, as the man drove to yet another location of despair.

Tears fell out of her eyes silently, as her heart broke, and her body shook of fear.

"And trust me, Anaya. They are not Merciful. I gave you a room, they'll give you a cage." Ali's words rang through Anaya's head, frightening her further.

Anaya ready every dua that came to her mind, she felt as if this man was driving her straight to her death. Her body was paralyzed with terror, as she held hands with Jameela as strongly as she could.

After what it felt like days of driving, she saw the man pull into a house. It was surrounded by trees and no other house was near it. It looked exactly like a house you'd see in a crime movie. The door opened and another man came jogging out of the building to hand something to the first guy.

The man took Anaya's wrist and tied them with the zip tie, and took the tape placing it on her mouth, they did the same with Jameela and grabbed Anaya by the shoulder dragging the two of them inside.

They threw them inside of a room, that was empty besides the chair they made them sit on. The tiles were white just like the entire room, Anaya sat on the chair in the middle, and Amee sat on the chair against the wall.

Anaya was out of tears to shed, she sat there lifelessly staring straight ahead. The door opened and in walked in a man, in a black turtleneck, tattoos peeking out on his neck and arms. He walked in and took a look at Anaya, coming closer and grazing his finger over the bruise on her temple, she tried resisting the man's cold touch, but he didn't care. He pulled out his phone, and a shutter was heard.

The man typed something onto his phone and let out a chuckle. Looking back at Anaya, he kneeled to her and pulled off the tape.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Anaya asked.

"I'm Noah. And I don't want anything from you darling, you'll find out real soon what I want" He said, holding her chin, only backing off as his phone began to ring.

"Uh, looks like we're ready to know." He winked at her.

"Yes?" He answered, his tone teasing the person on the other end.

"Woah Woah Woah! CALM DOWN! I think your forgetting. I'm the one with the upper hand, tread lightly Ali," He said, pulling out a gun and shooting the wall, Anaya let out a scream, as she began to cry out of fear, her body quivering in her chair.

"Oh, it's astounding how gorgeous she looks, she'll look even better when I'm done with her." Noah chuckled, ending the call

- - - - -

"GOD FUCKIGN DAMN IT!" Ali screamed slamming the wheel. After hearing her screams and sobs on the call, he had never felt so fearful in his entire life. He grabbed his phone and dialed Luis.

"Luis, I texted you a number. I need you to break it down, track down its location IMMEDIATELY, If it's a dead-end, track down Anaya's car, or track down Noah's last location." He ordered.

"Yes, boss."

"HURRY."

"Yes, boss. The phone is a dead end, but Anaya's car was last seen at 341 Highway, then the GPS entered an unknown location. I'm plugging that location to any of Noah's properties- and just a minute-"

Ali tapped his foot out of anxiety, beads of sweat forming at his forehead, his hands getting warmer, and for the first time in the past twenty years in his life.

Ali's clutched his hands together and prayed.

"Allah, keep her safe. Please, I've never loved someone more, please... keep her safe."

"YES!" Luis's voice broke Ali's silent prayer.

"Just sent you the address, It's a bit far from where you are right now," Luis said, and Ali hung up the phone, speeding out.

"Incoming call from Aryan," His car announced. Ali picked up the call, as he drove full sleep down the road.

"Where are you?" Aryan asked.

"I can't make it, something very important came up."

"What can be more important than this?" Aryan said, clearly frustrated.

"It's more important than my entire career. Continue on your own, you can do this, bye." Ali said, hanging up.

Ali drove faster than he had ever driven, he called for backup, because he knew Noah wasn't going to be alone. Ali's mind kept drifting to what Noah could've already done, and every time he thought of it, rage flooded his mind, and he pressed harder on the gas pedal. It was good, it was a Saturday, and the road was empty, or Ali wouldn't have hesitated to hit and run at the moment.

Ali pulled into a forest, and his speed decreased as he looked around for the house, and the next second, he could see it. The black and gray building, peeking through the tall trees. Ali parked right there, pulling his gun out of the glove compartment screwing the silencer to the tip of it, and then he got out of the car.

Ali ran through the bushes and finally spotted the first guard, Ali sneaked up behind him and covered the guard's mouth knocking him out with a hard hit from the gun. He searched through the pockets of the unconscious man and put the key in his pocket, as he jogged up to the other two guards, and he spotted Anaya's car. He ran up to it and aimed at the two men at the front, shooting them right in the back of their neck.

He ran up and opened the back gate, and the back door, ducking in as he walked inside. He knocked out the guard that stood there, and he gazed at where most of the guards were standing. He aimed at the fire alarm, and shot it, triggering the whole house to ring, as all the men scattered around looking for the source, One of the men stood firm by the door, and he pulled out his gun at Ali as soon as he saw, but Ali shot him twice in the chest. He kicked the door open, and there was the chair, Anaya sat on in the picture, but no Anaya.

He left the room, and walked down the hallway, shooting each guard that came in his way, until finally, his eyes landed at the last door on his right, he could hear whimpers and he clenched his jaw shooting the lock and kicking the door down.

And there she was.

Her hijab off, his arm under her neck, and a gun pointed to her temple, her face red and stained with the endless stream of tears that were falling down her eyes. The alarm finally stopped and Noah smiled.

"There he is! Just the man we were waiting for,"

Ali aimed his gun at Noah's head, but Noah's grip tightened around Anaya, as Anaya let out a cry.

"Put the gun down Ali, and kick it towards me. Or-" He ordered, pressing the gun harder on Anaya, as she let out a yelp at the pressure.

Ali threw the gun on the ground.

"Let her go. Your problem is with me,"

"Yes, it is. But you see, nothing ever phases you Ali, but her... oh something about her is different. And I see why too... if you were even a second late, oh I would've devoured her,"

"Enough," Ali said, his voice low but carrying so much prestige.

"Oh," Noah moaned, his face on Anaya's head as if he was smelling her as she cringed, ducking her head. And that was the last straw for Ali, He lunged forward and kicked Noah in the stomach, immediately then punching his face, not giving the man a chance to react.

"GO ANAYA!" Ali screamed.

Anaya listened and she took the chance to run out and hide somewhere even a little bit safer, her hands still tied. Ali proceeded to beat the living hell out of Noah, Anaya's helpless face flashing through his mind, enraging him further. Noah's face spewed blood from all corners, as he began to lose consciousness. And then a shot was heard.

And then another.

"ANAYA!" Ali stopped, grabbing the two guns, and running out the door.

"ANAYA! WHERE ARE YOU?" He yelled, running down the hallway ducking. Shots were continuously fired, and heard all around the house, as Ali began to panic until he heard a muffled cry, he put the guns in his waistband.

He looked at the thin door that was in the middle of two big ones and opened it.

Anaya stood there, shaking, her cries muffled by the tape over her mouth.

"Anaya.." Ali went inside, closing the door behind him. The thin ray of light coming from the top of the door, glazing Anaya's face. He pulled off the tape as gently as possible.

"Ali..." She cried.

"Please.." She continued, her body vulnerable with no energy, her voice breaking.

"Shhh, it's going to be okay now." He said, ripping the zip tie off her hands, with his. Immediately pulling her in to his chest, as she began to lose the remaining strength in her body, crying harder, damping his shirt.

"Ali, hh-he, t-tried to t-t-ouch m-m-" Anaya tried to speak, but her hiccups prevented her.

"I know. I know, baby." Ali said, kissing her head. He took her face in his hands, to look at her.

"I'll make that son of a bitch pay. But right now, we need to get out of here. I'm going to take you outside, and I need you to go with my men. Okay?"

"W-wh-where is W-wh" Anaya tried to form her words.

"Jameela? I'll find her okay? But you need to go with them now." He said, as Anaya backed away to look at him.

"Y-your a-alone, in here. Th-they all have g-guns, and the-y are s-so v-vi-olent. Th-they s-slapped me t-twice." She said in the middle of her unfinished cry.

Ali carressed the bruise that was on her temple, his heart clenching at her pain.

"I'm sorry, but I'll be fine. I will come back for you." He said, pecking the bruise.

Ali took off his blazer and placed it around Anaya's head, covering her hair.

"Let's go okay, stick right by me." He said, taking her under his right arm as the walked out.

Ali paced out with his gun loaded, as they came down the stairs, he spotted the several bodies that laid on the floor, he covered Anaya's eyes with his right hand, and just then a man with his gun aimed right at Ali came in front of him, but before he could even blink, the bullet already left Ali's gun on it's way to his gut.

Ali ran out the door, and Luis along with the three other men stood ready, and armed by Ali's escort car.

"Go inside, Anaya." He said, letting her go to the protection of his men.

Anaya sat in the car, holding on to the blazer so it kept her covered, as she watched Ali walk back inside as he cocked his gun.