12 12. CONSIGLIERE

"You have found the girl, haven't you?" Hashim exclaimed with joy and excitement.

"Lets not talk about this now. We have many things to talk about." Zain said putting the breakfast on the table infront of him.

"You are blushing!" Hashim teased. Zain raised an eyebrow.

"Shut it."

"Alright!" Hashim said.

"What is the information you got?" Zain asked him, starting his breakfast.

"I have to attend a business meeting tonight with my boss and his lawyer who is also his consigliere."

"What's this meeting about?"

"Apparently the company has decided to get back with Khalil bhai. They want to start a new project with them. As partners." Hashim told.

"And Khalil bhai knows?"

"Not yet."

"What is bothering you in all this?" Zain asked.

"You know who his consigliere is?" Hashim countered.

"Some guy named Ubaid. I haven't seen him."

"He is Moona's father. I didn't know that before." Hashim told. Zain practically chocked at this information. Hashim rushed to bring him water. After drinking the water Zain stared at him.

"What do we do now?"

"He will tell Aasim about me when he will see me." Hashim said.

"What are you? Ten? Ubaid is his consigliere. Surely Aasim had talked to him before hiring you his manager. He already knows you. Now this is the time when you have to be smart. They should not hunt you down." Zain instructed him.

"What should I do?" Hashim asked worriedly.

"Go to this meeting tonight. I am giving you a mobile. They can never trace it. So whenever you have to talk to me about this case. Call me from that phone. And yes, never come here alone again. Understand."

"What??? That's ridiculous." Hashim said.

"That's necessary." Zain said in the same tone and stood up. He left the kitchen with Hashim sitting there, struggling with his thoughts alone.

...............

"I want everybody at breakfast tomorrow." Zain said to Khalil on the other side of phone while walking over to his car that afternoon at his home.

"Is something important?" Khalil asked.

"Very important thing to discuss." He told. Now he was in his car sitting behind the wheel.

"Okay. I'll tell everybody."

"Also I will be there at dinner tonight." Zain said.

"Is everything okay Zain?" Khalil asked.

"No. Everything is complicated. I'll tell you tonight and we will talk about this in the morning. Right now I have to drive the car so I am gonna cut the call." Zain said and started the car.

................

Moona entered her office and put her bag on the table. Then she checked the mail. There was nothing special so she put it aside. A file gained her attention. She picked it up and opened it. This was a list of some new interns and she had to get it signed. She put it back and started doing her daily routine. After about half an hour she was entering in Aasim's office with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Good morning, sir." She greeted.

"Good morning, Miss Maimoona." He noded.

"Your coffee." She said putting the cup on the table.

"Thank you."

"Sir, this is the list of some new interns. Mr. Shahzad has shortlisted them and needs your approval." Moona handed him the file.

"Please have a seat. I have something to discuss with you." Aasim said. Moona sat down with a confused look on her face. Aasim took a sip from the coffee.

"Wow! This coffee is really great." He said. His face lightened suddenly.

"Thank you. That's very nice of you." Moona smiled now.

"No. I am not saying this out of courtesy. This is really good." He said.

"Well, thanks again."

"Are you free tonight?" He asked her.

"Yes." Moona replied, again confused.

"I want you to join me on dinner tonight."

"But sir, I have two little children at my home." Moona tried to excuse and the next second she realized what she had done.

"Two?" Aasim raised his eyebrows.

"My own daughter and a son. Son of my friend. His mother recently died so I take care of him too." She replied.

"You mean Hashim's son?" Aasim asked casually.

"How did you know that?" Moona asked.

"I know so many things Miss Maimoona. And I also know that you are coming with me to the dinner. Because it's an important business meeting and I want you to be there with me." He said and then opened the file. Moona stood from the chair and came out of the office. She then called Salma to tell her that she will be late so dont wait for her at dinner.

...............

When Moona arrived at the hotel with Hashim she was shocked to see her father sitting there with Aasim.

"You came in time." Aasim said.

"Baba??" Moona could not control her surprise to see her father sitting down there. Hashim looked at his feet.

"Yes. Mr. Ubaid is our consigliere. I thought you knew that." Aasim told her.

"No I didn't. It's a surprise." Moona smiled. She was very much composed now.

"You don't know your father very well then. He has been serving us since last ten years." Aasim was also surprised to know this.

"Well, I think that is a news for me." Moona said.

"Lets get started." Mr. Ubaid said. Aasim noded as he opened the file placed in front of him.

..............

At the same time at Khalil's villa Zain arrived. He parked his car in the garage and came out of the car. Then he knocked the door of the lounge which was opened by Yumna.

"Salam." She smiled and got aside to let him enter.

"Salam. Is everybody home yet?" He asked enterning behind her.

"No, Moona phupho is not home yet. She had some meeting with her boss to attend." She told him.

"How do you know? Where is bhai?" He asked looking around.

"She called. And baba is upstairs on the balcony."

"Alright." Zain said.

"You wanna eat something?" Yumna asked.

"Yeah whatever is in dinner." Zain replied.

"Okay I'll bring that upstairs."

"Has everyone eaten?" Zain asked.

"No."

"Then we will eat together." Zain replied and went upstairs. He found Khalil at the balcony reading a book.

"Salam." He said sitting on chair across him.

"Wasalam. There you are." Khalil said putting his book back on the table.

"So??" He asked.

"I have something to tell you."

"I am all ears." Khalil said.

"Aasim wants to make a deal with you."

"What deal?"

"They are starting some new project and they want you to be a part of it."

"Who told you?" Khalil asked.

"Remember I had a spy among them?"

"Yeah, I do."

"He is Hashim. He told me that."

"Hashim??? Our Hashim??" Khalil asked astounded.

"Yes. And with Mr. Ubaid as their consigliere, we are in great trouble. We have to make our move very carefully."

"Mr. Ubaid?" Khalil asked.

"Your uncle." Zain said.

"That is a very bad news."

"It is a very very bad news indeed." Zain noded then continued, "Moona and Hashim both are having dinner with them at this moment. They will ask both of them to persuade you to meet Aasim. What do you think we should do?" Zain asked.

"I think, I should say yes, and let's see what is their proposal?" Khalil said.

"I think that is the right thing to do. With this partnership we will get more close to them and we will have the chance of finding some solid evidence." Zain said.

"You are right."

"I came here to talk to Moona and you about this and then we would tell everybody at breakfast tomorrow. But I didn't know that she is the part of the meeting. I want you to gather everybody for breakfast tomorrow. We should tell them this situation." Zain said. Khalil noded. He was in deep thought. That was the time when Yumna came outside to call them for dinner so they both got up and went downstairs.

............

Salma was making pancakes in the kitchen with Yumna helping her. Everyone was present at the Villa for the breakfast. Hashim was playing with his son Saud and Asad in the garden. Khalil and Zain had put the dining table in the garden and now they were talking in low voices. Weather was very pleasant. Since it was 7 am, there was a pleasant cold breeze. Zain was wearing black highneck with black jeans whereas Hashim was in his casual dressing, a blue jeans and green shirt. Moona came out in the garden.

"Zain, please hold Hania. I have to help appa in the kitchen." She said giving her daughter to Zain. Khalil watched them with a smile on his face.

"You two play together. I also have to get ready for office before breakfast." He said patting Zain on shoulder and went inside.

"Hello dear!" He smiled at the little girl who was looking at him with her bright almond eyes, the colour she inherited from her father. Zain leaned down to kiss on her forehead and sat down.

When Humna came out with plates in her hands she saw him talking with the baby with great affection. Hania was just looking at his face and making beautiful noises.

"She never smiles in anybody's arms like this except for mama's and phupho's. You are in her good list." She said putting the plates on the table. Zain laughed and kept talking. He was telling her about her father.

"What does she understand? You are hurting youself by talking about Taimoor bhai." She said.

"I think about Taimoor daily, I talk about Taimoor daily. And I want his daughter to know that how great his father was! This is his right and also her right." Zain said watching Hania's eyes.

"But she doesn't understand a word you are saying." Humna insisted. Now Zain looked at her and smiled.

"She will eventually." He said after a moment.

"I should bring the breakfast." Humna said and went inside. Salma came outside.

"Hashim your friend Shanzay called on your phone so I invited her on the breakfast also. She will be here anytime." She said.

Hashim who was sitting on the grass with Saud in his lap and Asad telling him some story of his school, looked at her in clear disbelief. Zain also stood up from his chair.

"WHAT????" Hashim exclaimed.

"You invited her on a family breakfast?" Zain snapped.

"What is wrong in this? She is also a friend." Salma asked.

"Appa! She is a friend but that does not mean you invite her on an event like this. We were about to discuss a very critical situation we are trapped in these days and now we can't." Hashim spoke.

"You should have told me before." Salma said.

"What?" Moona asked as she came out with Khalil and Yumna following her.

"Mama just invited Shanzay appa on the breakfast." Asad told her.

"Nooooo!!!!" Moona said, shocked.

"Oh my God. Seriously Salma?" Khalil said, disappointed.

"What is wrong with you all? You must have told me!!" Salma said in anger and went inside.

"What do we do now??" Moona asked.

"I will leave after the breakfast with her. You guys talk the solution out." Hashim suggested.

"No, we need you here." Zain shook his head.

"So we postpone this meeting." Moona said.

"Yeah we will talk at dinner. Let me fetch Salma. She is angry with us." Khalil said and motioned everybody to the dining table.

"But why can't we talk in front of Sahanzay appa?" Asad asked.

"The reason is she is the daughter of Munib Sheikh, who is the head of the Sheikh family." Zain replied.

"The famous Sheikh family??" Yumna asked, astonished.

"Yes, the famous Sheikh family. Who are so much powerful that they can do anything and no one can ask them anything. As if the law is their." Moona said annoyed.

"Still why cannot we talk infront of her if she is our friend?" Asad was still confused.

"Because she is not the part of Family yet." Hashim replied and recieved a cold glare from Zain.

The door bell rang and Hashim went to open the door. He came back with Shanzay smiling at everybody.

"Good morning." She greeted them. She was wearing a beutiful maroon coloured frock which reached her knees, with black trousers. Her black hair were caught in a pony tail.

"Good morning." The family replied with mixed expressions. Yumna ran inside to get some extra chair. Khalil and Salma also came outside.

"Sit everybody. The breakfast is getting cold." Khalil said and sat on the leading chair.

"I am very sorry. I disturbed you at this family time." Shanzay said with guilt written on her face. Zain scoffed.

"Not at all dear. Make yourself at home." Salma replied with a motherly affection. Humna glared at her but she ignored and everybody ate their breakfast in silence.

............

At night they were gathered at the villa again. After dinner they all sat in the living room enjoying their tea.

"We are in a very crital situation." Khalil started. Everybody looked at him. Their expressions grave.

"Aasim offered me a partnership in business today and he wants me to work with him again." He told them. Everybody looked at him, bewildered. Even Zain was astounded. He had expected that Aasim will talk through Hashim or Moona, not directly.

"Yes. He called me today." Khalil said as looked at their expressions.

"So what is your answer going to be??" Hashim asked.

"I am gonna say yes." Khalil said.

"But baba they deceived you." Humna protested.

"I know."

"And they will do it again Khalil." This was Salma. She was the most worried.

"I know that too."

"But we have to go into their lines." Zain said.

"It's easy for you to say because it not you who is going. It Moona phupho, Hashim bhai, and my father. They are not your relatives." Humna said angrily.

"I am as much relative to them as you are or may be more good." Zain snapped.

"Hop hop!! What is this??? Take it easy guys!" Moona said placing her hand on Humna's shoulder. She just scoffed.

"I think Zain you come infront of them now. They don't know yet that you are working on this case." Khalil said.

"Oh they know. Remember they gave me threats before Mehak's death."

"But that didn't continued." Moona said.

"But still they know although we have not shown my prescence but I will. When the time is right." Zain said.

"I need you to support me. All of you. I am going to meet them two days after today. Also we have to make this thing into consideration that Uncle Ubaid is their consigliere." Khalil said.

"Your uncle Ubaid??" Salma asked.

"Yes. And he is a clever person."

"Can I say something?" Yumna asked.

"Yes. Why not!" Khalil said approvingly.

"You should appoint Zain bhai as your consigliere." She suggested.

"This is a good suggestion." Moona said.

"No it's not." Hashim shook his head.

"Why? What's wrong in this?" Moona asked.

"He is not a lawyer. He can serve this case very good by being an intelligent officer, which he is." Hashim explained.

"But we need a consigliere." Yumna said.

"She is right." Humna acknowledged her sister.

"We have Yahya bhai, our business lawyer, we should call him." Zain suggested.

"That is a good idea." Khalil said. "I will talk to him tomorrow."

"And take him with you at the meeting." Hashim said.

"Of course." Khalil said.

"I think that's it." Salma sighed.

"Yeah. That's it. I should leave." Zain said standing up.

"Moona bring Saud I want to take him with me tonight." Hashim said.

"Okay." Moona went to her room.

"You should spent more time with your son than you do." Khalil said. "You will take him with you everynight. Alright??"

"Alright." Hashim replied carelessly. Zain just shook his head in disgust and left the house.

............

Two days after that meeting, a meeting was held in Khalil's office. Aasim, Moona, Hashim, Mr. Ubaid, Mr. Yahya and Khalil were present. Mr. Yahya was a bald man with a fair complexion. His blue eyes suited on him very well.

"We are meeting after a very long time." Aasim said.

"Yeah. A very long time indeed." Khalil noded.

"I bring Miss Maimoona and Hashim so they can help me convincing you." Aasim said.

"And you used the wrong persons to approach me. Meet my consigliere Mr. Yahya." Khalil said in a cold voice. There was something in his voice that Moona shrilled. Aasim just noded at Yahya.

"So let's come to the point. What do you want from me?" Khalil asked.

"This is a project of a building. A plaza. And we want you to be a part of this." Aasim said and then motioned Mr. Ubaid who handed him a file from his briefcase. He opened the file and handed it to Khalil. Khalil studied the file for some moments and then passed it to Yahya. He took it and started studying it thoroughly.

"Why do you want me to be a part of it?" Khalil asked.

"Because we need some financial support to start this project." Aasim said.

"As far as my knowledge is correct. You are friend with Mr. Munib Sheikh. Why didn't you go to him for this project? He is far more rich than me." Khalil asked. Aasim motioned Hashim to answer who immediately got straight in his chair. But Khalil said.

"Don't let them speak. They are my relatives and they cannot convince me here. Only you are not my relative, so convince me."

"Alright. We went to Mr. Munib but he cannot help us right now."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. He had his own reasons."

"Okay. What do I get?" Khalil asked.

"40%." Aasim said. Yahya immediately leaned towards Khalil and said something in his ear who noded and turned towards Aasim.

"50%." He said.

"Well that's not good."

"Look I am agreed on working with your company only at 50%. If that's okay. We can sign the contract right here. Otherwise you have my best wishes." Khalil said. Moona moved in her chair nervously.

"Alright. 50% it is." Aasim noded. Khalil smiled and turned towards Yahya. Mr. Ubaid bring out another file. Aasim gave it to Khalil. Khalil passed the contract file towards Yahya who read it and gave it back to Khalil.

"It's alright." He said.

"Good." Khalil said and signed the contract. Then Aasim signed. Mr. Ubaid gave a copy to Khalil.

"Uncle why dont you cone over my house and have dinner with us?" He said.

"I will, my son. I will." He smiled.

Khalil and Yahya led them outside.

"The game has started." Khalil had whispered in Hashim's ear while embracing him at the gate and Hashim had smiled acknowledging.

............