A.N: Thanks for all the reviews, InkStainedHand, sevenofdiamonds7, and the guests. I do appreciate them so keep them coming! The next few chapters are just building up to something, keep reading to find out what!
That night, I wandered into the kitchen for dinner to find Razi seated at the table chatting with my uncle. Both looked up as entered, Razi's eyes following me as I drew a chair out. I'd slipped on a floaty white cotton top, and some shorts after my hugely enjoyable shower earlier. I'd quickly learnt loose, or white coloured clothing was a good idea here – any other colour absorbed too much heat and tight clothes didn't agree with sweat. I offered Razi a smile, an apology for the way I spoke to him before.
"Sorry, for earlier. I was cranky, tired. I'm not usually such a bitch." I tried to say lightheartedly.
"Don't worry about it." He said, glancing down shyly before giving me one of his gorgeous smiles.
"How are you feeling sweetheart?" My uncle asked kindly. "Your body seems to be adapting well, you're less achy?"
"Mmm, definitely." I said swallowing the mouthful of water I had just taken. "It doesn't really bother me now, I just work off the stiffness the next day."
"Yes, that's good. We might send you out on an op soon, give you some field experience. And you're getting through all the Net profiles I see. It's brilliant, we can start work on planning the first stage as soon as she's done." Haseem said in a side note to Razi, dropping his voice slightly. "I want you to get the others ready, polish everyone up, refresh them on the basics. We need everyone spot on before we do anything." Razi nodded in agreement, leaning in close. I watched on, trying to get the meaning behind their words.
"What about Soraya?" Razi muttered.
Both raised their heads from where they were bent together to look at my questioning expression.
"She's not ready. We'll keep working her, today was good but she needs more time. I'd like you to take over some of her privates too, she responded well for you today." Razi nodded in agreement.
"She is here!" I snapped, fed up of being talked about. The two scheming men drew apart, wearing matching apologetic expressions.
"Sorry sweetheart. I'm used to discussing these things with Razi over dinner, I didn't think." Haseem said. "Would you be alright with Razi taking some of your privates?"
"Well I suppose. I don't really have a choice, do I?" I replied bitterly.
"You do have a choice. But I really think Razi could help you. Do you agree?" Haseem persisted.
"Yes." I mumbled, slumping in my chair and crossing my arms like a little child.
"I'll not take that reluctance personally Soraya." Razi smiled at me. "May I join you on your run tomorrow morning?"
I nodded, welcoming the company on my morning run. Whenever I strayed far from the house I felt more at risk.
"Finally she accepts your company without dispute!" Haseem joked, laughing with Razi. The two spent the entire dinner joking together and discussing matters not concerning me. It became very clear that Razi was a very trusted member of Haseem's circle, as I watched their interaction. I was yet to be introduced to the 'big boss', I wasn't highly regarded enough to have that privilege yet. But according to Haseem, my work on the Net profiles was fundamental, and would earn me the opportunity. Haseem and Razi were obviously highly ranked in the boss' opinion, as they were heavily involved in the planning of something.
The next morning, I was woken by a rapping on my door, just after half past five. Groaning, I rolled out of bed and went about my normal morning routine. I had it down to a fine art – it was timed to the last second so I was dressed, fed and stretched by exactly 6am. Why, Razi had therefore woken me at this ungodly hour was a mystery to me. He was stretching in the forecourt when I arrived, very ahead of my normal schedule.
"I appreciate the wake up call but it was a little early." I said dryly as I approached Razi. He looked up, grinning again.
"Forgive me. I'll remember next time." He replied, his eyes following me as I began my stretches. I had taken to wearing a tank top and there quarter length running tights to go out in, to combat the searing heat. I had muscled out since beginning training, even I had to admit I looked good in it. Couldn't blame the boy for looking. I just wasn't looking for, that. I noticed Razi was sporting a small backpack over his tank top, with a couple of water bottles on either side. He spotted me looking, and straightened up to explain as I finished my stretches.
"I thought we'd go up into the mountains today, we can run up, doing some training up there and run back down. Make a day of it, if the idea of spending a whole day with me doesn't disgust you too much?"
I laughed despite my less than cheerful mood, looking up to a face also full of laughter.
"Sounds good to me!" I felt I needed to make up for my less than friendly attitude towards him so far. Today was my opportunity.
We set off, with Razi leading the way and setting the pace. We pounded along the pavement, for the first time heading into the heart of the city. Despite the early timing of our run, the streets were already bustling with life as people set up for the market. We weaved through children playing and carts pulled by donkeys as Razi led us on a route through through the alleys and out of the other side of the city. From there, we took a goat herders path up towards one of the peaks. It was no more than a dusty single file track which wound its way up the side of the mountain in a series of hairpin turns. The footing was very loose, and I found myself slipping several times while the sure footed Razi, apparently very used to these paths, ambled up with no issues.
We paused briefly halfway up, for a water break and already the sun was beating down causing sweat to slide off my body. Razi stood with a hand shielding his face as he looked up, surveying our route, before leading us on up the mountain. He upped the pace somewhat, pushing me to my limit. By the time we reached the summit, I was struggling for breath and my throat was on fire, yelling for a drink. Even Razi was out of breath, but somehow still smiling. He leant over resting his hands on his thighs, trying to catch his breath. I on the other hand collapsed onto the floor in a heaving mess, earning a laugh out of Razi. He leant over, grabbing my hand and pulled me up.
"Don't sit down yet. You'll stiffen up, do some stretches with me." He led me in a few stretches to cool our muscles down, before taking a seat on a rock and pulling the waters from his bag. I sat beside him and surveyed the view. The whole of Kabul was laid out infront of us, with the suburb where my uncles house was sticking out as a blob of green in the sandy beige tones of the rest of the view.
"You did well Soraya. That was a challenging run." Razi praised, breaking the silence. I glanced at him, unable to reply due to the mouthfuls of water I was gulping down. It was probably a good thing, I'd had a snarky comment ready, but I was making amends today.
"You remind me of Haseem you know." I said instead when I had had my fill of water.
"I do?"
"Yes. You have the same mannerisms, and you speak in the same way."
"Well Haseem is like a father to me. Mine died, when I was a young boy so I didn't know him. Haseem took me in, raised me, taught me. I owe him a lot." Razi looked out at the view as he spoke, half in the past it seemed.
"I'm sorry." I murmured fiddling with the bottle I held.
"It's ok." Razi said throwing me one of his heartwarming smiles. "I have a purpose with Haseem, I'm doing something I believe in. Soon, it'll all pay off."
"Pay off on these plans you're making? Oh come on, you were hardly trying to keep it quiet, I was sat right infront of you when Haseem talked about the first stage. What is the first stage?" I said as he looked at me as if about to shoot me down. He turned his gaze back across the valley, seemingly contemplating my question.
"I suppose you're right. Haseem didn't try and hide it from you. The first stage is exactly what it sounds like, our first move. We're planning a raid on one of the Net HQs in America. We want intel on their planned ops, so we can spoil the party so to speak. As soon as you're done with the Net profiles, we're moving in." Razi said calmly, turning his attention to me to gauge my reaction.
"What do you hope to gain from getting intel on their ops?" I asked confused. Razi turned to face me where he sat, getting down to the business of it.
"The ops are based on taking out the rogues, right? Well Ramin is keen to get the rogue savants onside with our cause, although Haseem is against this. According to him, they would be too likely to try and question our authority as previous leaders of posses themselves, and it would lead to uncertainty in the ranks. Our main aim is just to mess up the ops, cause them to fail. Because if the Net starts failing at their job, and not succeeding in controlling the rogue savants, people will start to lose faith in them."
"Who's Ramin?" I asked while mulling over their plan.
"He's the one in charge, basically. A lot of people think Haseem would be better to lead, but Ramin has it in his head its his duty, his destiny. His name even means warrior in Dari, he believes he's a warrior for the cause!" Razi said with an unbelieving laugh. I had a suspicion 'a lot of people' included Razi. We sat in silence as we were both lost in our own thoughts.
"So you start making people doubt the Net." I said quietly. "Then what? They turn to you?"
"They turn to us Soraya. You're part of this now, you've betrayed the Net too many times to go back." Razi said gently, looking me softly in the eye.
He was right. Their plan was simple, and would work, if they could get the necessary information.
"So they turn to us." I said clearly, looking up to meet Razi's eyes and immediately losing myself in them.
"They turn to us." He smiled
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