The echo of gunfire ricocheted through the narrow alley, the chaos splitting the group. Neha and Zuree hurried ahead with the girls, Tabeenah and Arham remaining behind to face Tahir and the armed guards.
Dr. Mark observed from a distance, his calm smile unwavering. "They'll come to us eventually," he said to Tahir earlier. "The portal ensures it."
Tahir now stood in the fray, his confidence bolstered by Dr. Mark's plan. Yet, the events unfolding before him were not as predictable as they'd assumed.
---
As Arham moved to shield Tabeenah, a gunshot rang out, hitting him squarely in the chest. He staggered, falling to one knee, his hand instinctively reaching for the wound.
Tabeenah gasped, her voice trembling. "Arham!"
The guards exchanged glances, their smirks fading as they watched. But instead of collapsing, Arham slowly rose, brushing his shirt with an unsettling calm.
The bullet had left no mark.
Tabeenah's voice broke the stunned silence. "Who... who are you?"
Arham turned to her, his expression grim yet serene. "I'm a dead person," he said simply. "And dead people don't die again and again."
Tabeenah's breath hitched, her disbelief overshadowed by the strange confidence radiating from him.
Tahir stepped forward, his calm demeanor slipping into something sharper. "What are you?"
"Something you can't kill," Arham replied, his voice cold as he advanced toward Tahir.
Tabeenah, spurred by his unflinching resolve, squared her shoulders and stood beside him. "You'll have to go through both of us."
The guards hesitated, their training warring with their growing unease. Tahir's hand twitched toward his weapon, but Arham was faster. With a deft movement, he disarmed the nearest guard, turning the tide of the fight.
Tabeenah moved with precision, taking advantage of the guards' distraction. Her calm and calculated actions revealed a hidden strength, surprising even herself. Together, she and Arham cut through their opponents with strategic precision, forcing the remaining guards to retreat.
Tahir, cornered, glared at them with barely concealed rage. "This isn't over," he spat before disappearing into the shadows, leaving his men behind.
From his vantage point, Dr. Mark's confident smile faltered. The chaos below wasn't following his carefully constructed plan. The portal was meant to be a means of control, but now it was disrupting his strategy.
"They're stronger than anticipated," he muttered to himself, retreating into the darkness. "But strength means nothing if I control the portal."
As dawn broke, the girls who had escaped the portal safely reached their destinations. Tabeenah and Jaisa ensured their group made it to the UOL hostel, while Zuree and Neha guided the others home.
By the time the sun crested the horizon, the exhausted but relieved group dispersed, their ordeal behind them... at least for now.
Neha and Zuree sat in a small café, sipping cups of tea with shaky hands. Arham stood near the door, keeping watch.
Zuree broke the silence. "Who is he, Neha? And why did he call you Hayati?"
Neha glanced at Arham, her heart heavy with gratitude and confusion. "He's... my husband. But he died. Hayati means 'my life'. It's an Arabic word... And I don't know how he gets here."
Before Zuree could respond, Arham approached, his expression softening as he looked at Neha. "There's a lot to explain," he said, his tone gentle. "But it can wait. For now, you're safe. That's what matters."
Tabeenah rejoined the group, her expression wary. "I don't know what just happened back there," she said to Arham, her voice firm. "But I owe you my thanks."
"You don't owe me anything," Arham replied. "We all did what we had to do."
Tabeenah studied him for a moment longer, then nodded. "Let's hope this is the last we see of them."
But deep down, they all knew this wasn't over. Dr. Mark and Tahir were still out there, and the portal's influence continued to loom over them like a shadow.
For now, though, they allowed themselves a moment to breathe, knowing that their fight was far from finished.