2025-01-18 09:54:48The sun barely peeked through the clouds as Akashi sat at the breakfast table, his plate of food untouched. Hakimi and the younger siblings, Amira and Khadija, chatted animatedly, but Akashi's silence loomed heavy over the morning meal.
"Are you okay, Akashi?" Amira asked, concern etching her beautiful features.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he mumbled, his gaze fixed on his water glass.
Hakimi shot him a worried glance. "Maybe the weather is getting to him, he said, trying to brush off the tension. It's a bit gloomy today."
Khadija nodded, but Akashi merely poked at his food, the fork clinking against the plate. "We should hurry. I need to drop you guys off," he said abruptly, his impatience cutting through the conversation.
Once they finished eating, Hakimi pulled Akashi aside, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Look, he began. I need to plead with you on something. You can't tell them about what you saw last night. I know you're still very mad at me. But you should keep it away from them. They don't need to know; I don't want them to worry."
Akashi frowned, confusion mixing with concern. "But it's important. What if something happens to you?. Maybe something ugly. If they know at least I won't have much explanation to do. They have the right to know!"
"Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm always very careful. Just promise me you won't mention it, Hakimi insisted, her eyes pleading. Please. I don't want them to panic."
Heaving a long sigh, he finally spoke. "Fine," Akashi relented, though the knot in his stomach tightened. He glanced at hid sisters, who were obliviously finishing their meals, and then turned away.
As they gathered to leave, Hakimi offered him some money for transportation. "Here, take this."
He shook his head, irritation flaring. "I don't need your money. I can pay for it myself. I've got a job now; I'm not going to burden you Dad."
Hakimi sighed, frustration simmering beneath her surface. "Just take it for Amira then. She can buy snacks on the way. You know they'll want something."
Akashi took the money reluctantly, handing it to Amira. "Just don't spend it all on candy," he said with a half-hearted grin, which earned him a playful punch from his sister.
Once they were outside, he escorted his sisters to school, feeling the weight of his own anxiety pressing down on him. After dropping them off, he hurried home, skipping school against his better judgment.
Hiding in the nearby bushes, he changed into a darker outfit, adrenaline surging through him as he prepared to follow his father.
-_-_-_-_-_ Later that day -_-_-_-_-_-As Hakimi stepped out of the house, Akashi trailed behind, careful to keep his distance.
But his father, keenly aware of his surroundings, noticed he was being stalk.
Moving briskly, Hakimi made sure he glanced at the side mirrors and windows of every vehicle he passed, as he tried to get a reflection of the person that kept on stalking him. Almost reaching his destination, he decided he has had enough. He suddenly stopped and turned, eyes narrowing. "Akashi! What are you doing? Why aren't you at school?"
Akashi felt a mix of fear and determination as he stepped forward, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. "I wanted to know what you're really doing, Dad!."
"What?! I can't imagine. You call this work? Why are you putting yourself in danger?"
"Danger? You skipped school for this? Hakimi's voice was low but laced with anger. He grabbed Akashi's arm, dragging him back toward the house. You need to understand, I'm doing this to protect you." he kept his voice low as he kept on pulling his boy
"Protect us? Akashi cried, his voice rising with desperation. How can risking your life protect us? What if something happens to you? I can't lose you!"
Tears threatened to spill from his eyes, his heart pounding. The thought of losing his father was unbearable. "You're doing something dangerous! It's not just a job-it's a risk!"
Hakimi paused, his expression softening momentarily. "I have to do this. I can't let us go back to how we used to live. This is survival, Akashi."
"Survival?" Akashi spat, frustration boiling over. "If you keep doing this, I swear I'll report you! I won't stand by and watch you throw your life away! You're also throwing us away as you aren't considering us"
"Reporting me won't solve anything! Hakimi's voice was sharp, cutting through the tension. This is my decision. I'm doing this for our family, whether you understand or not."
"Maybe if you trusted me, you wouldn't have to do this!" Akashi shot back, his voice trembling with emotion. He turned on his heel, storming away, his heart racing with anger and fear.
As Akashi paced the empty hallway of their home, he felt the weight of uncertainty settle over him. He didn't want his family to fall apart because of this, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that his father's choices were leading them down a dark path.
Just then, his father's phone buzzed on the table. Curiosity pulled him closer, and he glanced at the screen. A message flashed: Location for tonight's job: Warehouse on the outskirts.
Panic surged through his spine. They were planning to rob a rich man's warehouse. He felt a chill creep up his spine. This was deeper than he realized, and if he didn't act quickly, he might lose everything.
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CHAPTER 37: THE CONFRONTATION
The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, illuminating the small but cozy living room where Khadijat and Amira sat on the worn sofa. The scent of breakfast still lingered in the air-freshly made tea and the faint aroma of bread Bashir had toasted earlier. Akashi leaned against the wall, flipping lazily through a magazine, his long hair loosely tied back.Bashir entered the room, his sleeves rolled up and a playful grin on his face. "Alright, you three, coats on!" he declared, clapping his hands together.Khadijat frowned, looking up from the book she had been skimming. "Why? Where are we going?""To see your father," Bashir said simply, his smile widening.At those words, Khadijat's face lit up, and Amira let out an excited squeal. "Really?!"Akashi, too, straightened up, his expression softening. "To Dad's restaurant?" he asked, the hint of a smile playing on his lips.Bashir chuckled. "Yes, now hurry up before I change my mind."The room burst into movement as the siblings
CHAPTER 36: A THIN LINE BETWEEN ALLIES AND ENEMIES
The meeting with Malik was set for midnight. Hakimi and Laila arrived at an underground café hidden in the heart of the city, accessible only through a narrow alley flanked by decrepit buildings. A flickering neon sign above the entrance read "The Rabbit Hole." The café's air was heavy with the aroma of roasted coffee beans, mixed with a hint of tobacco and something metallic.Hakimi scanned the room, his sharp eyes catching every shadow and corner. The place was dimly lit, with heavy velvet curtains draped over private booths. The hum of muted conversations and the occasional clinking of glasses filled the air. Laila nudged Hakimi toward the booth in the far corner, where a blonde haired man sat hunched over a laptop. He was dressed in black and wore a dark gloves. Malik.He looked every bit the eccentric tech genius. His wiry frame was wrapped in a mismatched hoodie and cargo pants, his wrists adorned with bands of worn leather and tech gadgets. His thick glasses magnified his rest
CHAPTER 35: THE SHADOWS CLOSE IN
The morning light barely seeped through the heavy curtains of Bashir's house. The air was quiet, almost too still, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Bashir shuffled to his front door, his old cat trailing behind him with a soft meow. He bent to pick up the morning paper but froze when his eyes caught a crimson-colored envelope resting on the doormat. What the hell was that? He silently prayed it was not what he was thinking.His hands trembled slightly as he opened it. Inside, scrawled in uneven red ink, was a single sentence:"You better stay out of it, or you'll regret it."The words seemed to leap off the paper, their menace almost palpable. Bashir's heart thudded painfully in his chest. He glanced around the empty street, the morning fog curling like ghostly fingers around the houses. There was no sign of anyone, but he felt like someone was watching him. Carefully, he folded the note and tucked it into his pocket, forcing himself to act normal as he turned back insid
CHAPTER 34: ALLIES AND SHADOWS
The cold night air was sharp and biting, slicing through Hakimi's coat as he stepped out of the truck. The streetlights buzzed faintly above, casting a dim yellow glow on the empty parking lot of a run-down diner. Hakimi stood still for a moment, his breath curling in front of him in pale clouds. Beside him, Akashi slammed the truck door shut, his movements sharp with bottled frustration."Why here?" Akashi asked, eyeing the flickering neon sign above the diner. The smell of old grease wafted faintly through the air, mingling with the faint hum of a passing car somewhere in the distance.Hakimi didn't answer immediately. His eyes scanned the lot, the shadows of parked cars, the dark alley to the left of the diner. His hand hovered near his coat pocket, fingers brushing the handle of the knife he had tucked inside. "It's quiet, he finally muttered, nodding toward the door. Let's go inside."The diner's door creaked as they stepped in, the bell above it jingling. Inside, the place looke
CHAPTER 33: ESCAPE BEFORE DAWN
Hakimi's blood ran cold as the words on his phone screen burned into his mind."It's today. Hope you'll comply with your part of the deal and bring what's mine."His breath caught in his throat, and he gripped the phone tighter, the edges digging into his palm. The weight of the threat sat heavy on his chest, making it harder to breathe. He felt trapped in his own body, paralyzed by fear and indecision. How had it come to this?He glanced at the dim glow of the clock on the bedside table. It was barely past midnight, the world outside cloaked in silence, but his mind was anything but still. His chest tightened as a flood of questions and regrets swirled within him. He had known the risks when he made the deal, but now, with his children's safety on the line, regret hit him like a tidal wave."Think, Hakimi, think!" he muttered to himself, running a hand through his disheveled hair. He couldn't stay here, not with the looming threat. His family came first. Always, and he certainly kne
CHAPTER 32: AKASHI'S SECRET INVESTIGATION
The morning sun streamed through the tattered curtains, casting a pale glow over the modest kitchen. Hakimi sat at the dining table, nursing a cup of tea as steam spiraled lazily upward. A worn newspaper lay open before him, but he wasn't reading. His eyes skimmed over the words without comprehension. His mind was elsewhere-on Riqqo's threat, the cryptic note, the stranger outside his house the other day, and the weight of keeping his family safe.The sound of lighthearted chatter pulled him back to the present. At the far end of the room, Amira was gently braiding Khadija's hair, something his wife has always done, her younger sister giggling at something she had said. The sight of his daughters filled Hakimi with a bittersweet ache. They were innocent, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing around them. He envied their ignorance.At the other end of the room, Akashi silently packed his bag, his expression stoic but his movements unusually deliberate. His mind wasn't on school. He h
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