Sassiebone: Thank you as always ^^. Zahara is a twisted yet likeable character. I really hope you enjoy her antics in this chapter :D
AvalonTheLadyKiller: You are more welcome, hopefully you will like this chapter ^^.
casper6six6: Thank you ^^.
Please review :)
xx
SSC
Chapter 17
The ballroom was used as the host room for the performances. As a welcoming event the Sheikh had arranged a theatrical presentation. A stage was placed at the far left side of the room. It had a height of two feet and ten in width with tall, crimson curtains raining down the sides. Khan was impressed by how quickly the stage was made for the evening's use.
The guests sat on sleek mahogany chairs, with royal red cushioning. The Sheikh was seated at the very back, behind his fifty guests. His ornate chair was on an elevated platform, between his two cousins, Mohammed and Ahmed. Khan was also surprised to see (the Sheikh's adviser) seated among them. He was under the impression only royalty sat among the Sheikh.
Clearly his advice must have been helpful enough to elevate his position.
They were facing the stage and clapping at the end of each performance. Khan lingered in the sidelines with Zahara beside him. The curtains opened again and the stage was filled with children. The young girls were wearing a dress similar to the Salwar he had seen on woman in India. The dresses were full of vibrant colours and twinkling sequins. Their hair was long and flowing. Khan had never seen such long hair on children before.
They danced to the front of the stage to a lively arabesque beat. They leaned forward gallantly, swinging their head of long hair while swaying their bodies to the rhythm of the music. The young boys were dressed in bleach white Gandurahs while supporting (what Khan made sure) were plastic guns. They would hurl the weapon above their heads and then catch it. Then one would spin the device while the other children metrically pushed up the weapon in their hands in a pulsing beat.
The Emarati's in the crowd grew excited and would clap along, encouraging the other diplomatic guests to clap with them. Khan watched the spectacle with high interest.
"That's him." Zahara abruptly spoke up, distracting him from the dance. He looked to find her staring a head at someone among the guests. He would have asked her to point the man out, but being among enemies he tried to follow the direction she stared in. Unsure about whom she was referring to; he bent down to her eye-level. His gaze fell to a man, he was older.
Khan judged him to be in his early fifties from his seamed yet chubby face. He had a crown of cloud like white hair, with a pair of moon rimmed glasses balanced on his pink nose. The effect of the harsh sun the Emirates was obvious on the man's flushed cheeks and the peeling skin on his forehead.
"Doctor Hemming, he was one of the main scientists in our tests." Zahara explained her voice just above a whisper. Khan nodded in acknowledgement, despite being distracted by the earthly scent of citrus that radiated from her.
"I think it would be polite to invite him for a drink after the celebration, don't you think?" He responded while leaning back into his full height.
"You say one thing but your tone suggests another." She muttered to him under her breath. He smiled, amused by the confusion in her voice.
"In such a situation always listen to my tone." He stated. Her head bobbed in understanding. Khan did not miss the shiver of thrill that she expressed.
Just before dinner, Khan had Susan invite Doctor Hemming. He had given her instructions to assure the doctor that it was a private meeting with the Sheikh. Humbled by the request he accepted, unaware of the man who awaited his presence.
Khan waited in one of the spare meeting rooms within the palace, casually strolling past the length of the window. He heard the door opened and slowly turned to greet the meek doctor.
"Ah Doctor Hemming, welcome." He boomed nobly. The lanky man flinched at the sight of the Augument. Khan watched with gleaming eyes as the doctor attempted to turn away only to find the door had been shut. Hemming tried to remain calm and coolly spun around to face the cryptic man again.
"Thank you Mr. Khan. I was not expecting this invitation." He uttered while trying to hide his nervousness.
"Yes well I thought I'd extend my congratulations for your success with the Wahash." Khan voiced amiably despite the coldness in his gaze. Hemming immediately fell silent. His lips pressed down into a thin, fretful line.
"I-I don't know what you are referring to." He stammered out while taking cautious steps away from Khan's looming form.
"Yes you do." The Augument insisted in a foreboding manner.
"Why would you hide the fact that you are the creator of these sublime creatures?"
"I am not hiding anything." He blurted out defensively.
Khan smiled "Not even a small dagger in your jacket sleeve?"
The man froze instantly and Khan's smile grew, he knew he had the man cornered.
Doctor Hemming's beady eyes narrowed in attempt to be guarded, but the sweat beads that rolled down his forehead, gave away his fear.
"What do you want?" He demanded clumsily pushing up the bridge of his glasses.
"Answers."
"To what?" He bit back.
"The reasons behind the making of the Wahash." Khan responded casually.
"They are for you, for your army."
"Now why would I need soldiers for an army of genetically modified beings?" The Augument responded utterly bored by Hemming's excuse. The doctor shifted his weight from one foot to the other, while tugging at his sleeve. Khan knew what was going through the man's mind. He could see it in the deep worry lines on his forehead. The doctor was wondering why Khan hadn't disarmed him even when he knew about the concealed weapon.
"They have what you lack." The grey doctor uttered tautly.
"And what's that?" Khan inquired, one dark brow perked up in question.
"Obedience."
Khan couldn't suppress the deep, haughty chuckle that escaped the base of his neck.
"That's questionable."
The doctor's pale, chapped lips parted to voice his irritation with a figure behind Khan caught his eye. His eyes widened at the sight of the female that emerged from behind the shadows. Her golden eyes gleaming like amber in fire, full of rage and blood lust.
Hemming took a stumbling step back, stunned by the sight of her. Khan was curious about his reaction. Maybe it was the fact that she was growling in his direction? Maybe he had wronged in more than just the experiments? Maybe he didn't expect to see so much life in her eyes.
"Arba." He croaked.
"Don't call me that." She hissed her arms trembling at her sides.
A thick tension permeated the air. Khan could feel the temper that radiated off her overwhelm the doctor's fear.
Khan faltered back to stand beside her. Her irate glare was focused on the doctor, her shoulder tense and rigid.
"Zahara is very opposed to the title you had given her." He noted chidingly.
"It wasn't me, I was just supervising." The doctor stammered out. A hiss left her lips, slouching forward and ready to pounce. Part of him wanted to her to, but she suppressed her desire as if knowing Khan wasn't done goading.
"Don't be so modest Dr. Hemming." He began to say "I know of your role at the Apello. Zahara was very informative. How many of her kind have you dissected, spliced and transformed to the image you wanted?"
Khan was surprised by the sudden change in Hemming's appearance, despite the beads of sweat across his forehead and the weakness in his posture. An abrupt spark of anger emerged in his quivering blue eyes, he frowned at Khan.
"Don't throw morality in my face Khan." He spat viciously "I know of your kind, I know what you are capable of. I was there and I saw the destruction."
"Destruction?" Khan echoed marveled by the accusation "We are making the world a better place."
"You are a tyrant." He vocalized wrathfully "I wanted to help amend for their mistakes, the Wahash are our salvation."
Khan was no pleased by the malicious righteousness in the doctor's words. A warm erratic fire began to brew inside of him but he relinquished it quickly. He loomed over the doctor in four quick strides. Hemming was forced back to edge of the meeting table behind him.
Khan glared through the gleaming spectacles and narrowed his gaze on the man's beady eyes. He leered down at him, his arms clasped behind his back.
"You just wanted a chance to have a second trial. There is no amending needed because my kind is far from flawed." The conviction in the Augument's voice made the doctor gulp down his retort.
Khan leaned back into his full height. He lifted his chin in a lordly elegance.
"We are the salvation for the human race." He said, a devious smile pinched at his the corner of his mouth.
"Unfortunately you won't be alive to see it."
Khan turned around stiffly marched to Zahara. She watched him a little captivated. He stopped at her side, their shoulders brushing.
"Zahara, try to avoid spilling too much blood." He ordered gently. Her eyes widened, the tip of her sharp ears perking up from behind her mass of curls. She stared at him trying to read any deception and found none. He slipped her a sly half smile which was all the confirmation she needed.
A pandemonium of pleading screams filled the room as Khan took his leave. He stepped out and shut the doors behind him, deafening the doctor's cries. Down the corridor he could hear the uplifting, riotous sound of celebration in the ballroom. The fast paced drums and quick strumming of strings made the murder that was taking place seem like a dull affair.
The night had a very ceremonious end. Orlando and Susan had achieved their tasks perfectly. Susan found out there was no spy present to represent General Malt, but there were a few supporters for the Rebellion. Khan wasn't too worried. He saw the Rebellion as petulant children, but their boisterous behaviour was not permitted to the party.
Malt was his main worry. The General had been causing problems for the Auguments for a while. He still had power over the world, power Augument's plan on extinguishing. The General was the main reason why the US was yet to be conquered. Malt had been clever enough to evade them for the time being, but his involvement with the Sheikh will soon be their advantage.
Khan returned to his room with Zahara. He could not help but notice her silent merriment. Despite being lost in her thoughts, it wasn't for forlorn reasons. He saw the light in her eyes, the fire that burned bright. Her rage and blood lust had been quenched, for the time being.
She followed him into his bedroom and walked past him to the bathroom. He watched her step into the room and then shut the door behind her. He discarded his jacket and loosened his tie. He heard the rush of water from the shower.
His thoughts were on Doctor Hemming's corpse. Despite his warning, Zahara had not suppressed her animalistic instincts in the slightest. Hemming was a slaughtered bloody mess after his encounter with Zahara. She had slit his throat. Crimson liquid was still squirting out of his fat neck when Khan arrived. The pitiful doctor's face was frozen in terror, a few scratch marks on the side of his pale face.
And Zahara, she was the epitome of contentment. He saw the relief in her. The way her shoulders were sagged. The dazed smile across her pretty face. She wasn't trembling anymore. She was satiated. He didn't even care about the mess she had made.
Khan changed out of his suit and into a comfortable black t-shirt and long, loose dark blue pants. He wasn't ready to sleep just yet. He was hungry and he had work to do. He rang for a hot meal and then suddenly reminded of the woman in his room. Occupying his bathroom. He ordered enough for two.
The food didn't take long to arrive. The servant walked in, placed the silver tray of dishes on the table in the foyer, bowed and then left briskly. Khan moved the tray to his study. He had made room by placing his papers and books to a side. On cue, he heard her emerge from the bathroom. His first instincts was to step in to the room and invite her for dinner, but then his mind flashed back to that time, when he witnessed her naked skin. Even though he ached to see her in such a state again. He wanted her to trust him, want him.
"Zahara" He called from the threshold. The rustling of clothes paused for a moment.
"Yes?" She uttered quickly.
"You are sensible I assume."
"Sensible?"
"I mean, you are dressed yes?" He reworded the sentence.
"Yes." She responded but he heard the hesitation in her voice.
"Good." He concluded and left the door to return to his study. Alerted by his sudden departure, Zahara was swiftly out of the bedroom. When she entered the study in her casual clothes. Khan was already seated at his desk.
"Join me." He insisted gesturing to the open, steaming plates of fresh Arabic bread and curries. Zahara lingered at the door eyeing the food and him suspiciously.
"I haven't had the chance to eat at the ball. I trust you haven't eaten either." He said while arranging at third, separate plate of barbecued kebabs and chicken legs in the centre.
"No." She answered slowly leaving the comfort of the entrance. She reached the head of the guest chair. He watched, fascinated as she climbed over the chair with the stealth of a jungle cat before plopping down on to the soft leather. Ignoring the odd behaviour he witnessed, he chose to ask a second question.
"Do you eat?"
"Only when necessary." She said while poking at the gleaming cutlery beside her plate "We don't need to feed everyday like others do. The science of our bodies are very different."
"What do you eat?" He inquired neglecting his fork and using his nimble fingers to pick up the round,flat bread. Zahara watched his movements very carefully and mimicked him as he tore of a piece of bread, dipped it into the murky brown curry.
"Nutrition bars, is what the scientists called it. They provide the sustenance we need." Her answer was rehearsed, monotonic. Her fascination was with his eating habits.
He frowned, displeased by the news "You will not eat those anymore, you shall dine with me. I have the suspicion that these bars you speak of, contribute to your relapses."
She smiled, amused by his command "I have no qualms with that order."
He nodded satisfied by her answer. She had her arm posed at an angle parroting his. Her finger balanced the peace of bread soaked in gravy and humus.
He brought his own slice of food to his lips and they simultaneously ate. Apathetic to his own fare, he watched her very carefully. Her eyes lit up, her dark shapely brows shot up in surprise. She chewed softly. Savoring the taste like it was brand new. Khan guessed it was. He gave her a moment to delight in the taste as he poured himself a glass of wine.
"How is it?" He asked nonchalant, averting his attention to the plum liquid filling his glass.
"This is different, does food always taste so...so..." Her struggle to express her wonder made him laugh.
"Delicious?" She fell silent when he spoke. He smiled as warmly as he could and leaned back into his chair. The glass of wine was poised in his large hand, the stem of the goblet rested between his fingers.
"Yes." He answered her questioning gaze "But my tongue has grown accustom to the Indian cuisine, though I do enjoy humus and Arabic bread. However I do not find their charred meat appetizing."
"I never imagined such tastes." She murmured in awe while tearing off another piece of bread. His dove gray eyes observed her as she ate. She was sloppy and eager yet there was a certain appeal about the way she ate. Maybe it was her pure enjoyment or the sparkle in her eyes. He had never witnessed anyone dwell so completely on such a simple thing as food.
After a while she was satisfied, she had emptied her plate and sat back. His eyes glinted in hunger when she began to suck on the tips of her fingers. The act was serenely erotic. He was entranced by her pursuing lips and long sandy eyelashes.
He brought the brim of his glass to his lips and took a needy gulp. The tangy taste filtered down his throat. An idea sparked in him. He stopped drinking and leaned forward in his chair.
"Drink this." He suggested, grabbing her attention. He gestured the glass of wine in his hand to her. She lowered her arm and watched him unsurely for a moment. She cupped the glass in both inexperienced hands.
"What is it?" She asked peering into the sloshing currant.
"Wine." He answered simply "Though I warn you the taste is very refine—"
His warning fell on deaf ears. She had already chugged a mouthful of the liquid before spitting it out callously into the glass.
"This is repulsive." She spluttered clumsily placing the goblet on to the table.
"Are you trying to poison me?" She hissed, her lips a light sheen of gloss. Khan smiled utterly amused by her actions.
"Hardly." He said unperturbed by her ferocious glare. He picked up the tall bottle beside him and read the label carefully. His smile widened at the Merlot wine. Written beneath the title in italics was the number 1982.
"It's a very good year" He commended, placing the bottle gently back on the wooden surface. He spun the bottle around by its neck so she can read the age.
Her bright eyes narrowed to slits as she read the label. Her features softened, perplexed by the year.
"Doesn't that make it expired?" She asked curiously.
"Not with alcohol." He replied. Khan had asked for a mug of hot milk too. He poured it into a short glass and then offered it to her.
"Drink this. Its date milk"
"Dates do not produce milk." She expressed all knowingly while accepting the drink.
"Its milk mixed with dates." He explained factually.
"Oh." Her ears perked up intrigued as she sly took a sip. He watched the same reactions of wonder replay in her face.
"I like this one."
"I know." He smirked and resumed eating.
They fell into a peaceful silence. The warm lights caste a soft glow upon the room. Zahara was contentedly enjoying her cup of milk, taking occasionally sips while staring into space. Khan found he didn't mind these silences. The ones he had before were forced, he didn't know much about her and that made him uncomfortable around her. The same way he knew she was uneasy around him.
He wiped his hands on his napkin after his meal and leaned back into his chair once more. He watched her for a moment. Sensing his stare she raised her gaze and met his. He couldn't help but be a little charmed by the contest she had initiated.
He decided to break the quiet "Did you gather any information from our unfortunate doctor?"
"Yes" She answered her lips hidden behind the brim of the glass. "Coordinates to the location of the Apello."
"That makes our job easier, you wrote them down yes?"
"I have them memorized. Along with other details of the night." She added with a mirthful turn up of her lips.
"Liberating was it?"
"Yes."She responded without missing a beat. She leaned forward. The empty cup still in her hand as she balanced her elbows on the edge of the table.
"What will the fair-haired one do with the body?" Zahara requested. He didn't understand the deep pleasure he felt, when his friend's name had not left her lips.
"Orlando will dispose of it efficiently. He will leave a trail of evidence suggesting the doctor took a vacation. To avoid any suspicion of course. By the time his demise is revealed, it will be unnecessary." Khan stated.
"He simply disappeared." She snorted in hilarity, but it was forced, sarcastic.
"That is amusing." She murmured and fell back into the comfort of her chair.
Perturbed by her behaviour he fixed his iridescent gaze on her.
"How so?"
Her gold in her eyes grew dark and guarded. She dazedly stared down at her empty plate.
"That was his excuse when I had demanded my sister's location years ago." She said slowly raising her gaze to meet his. Despite the coldness in her stare her smile was malicious.
"The turn of it all makes this all the more enjoyable."
"It's good that you are seeing the enjoyment in this, the tasks will only get harder." He warned, her eyebrows furrowed in question.
"What do you mean?" She voiced her concern.
"Once we establish the location and floor plan of the Apello, you will be the one infiltrating it."
"To find my sister?" she asked, excited and at the edge of her seat.
"If she is there." He replied coolly "The main objective is to know the identity of the sponsor."
"You said it was the Sheikh." She grumbled, displeased by his indifference.
"Those are my suspicions, but I can't leave things to chance." He explained. She continued to brood but she did not disagree with him. He could tell she understood his logic. Without the knowledge of the second command, she and her kind were still dangerous.
Khan wouldn't risk his team for her. Even if she stirred a fire in him he had never felt before.