Chapter Text
The smell of gasoline hung heavy in the air , as they watched the building burn . The screams of Arshad Pappu's men crying out in anguish , could be heard far and wide across the street as the other inhabitants of the neighbourhood latched their windows , and locked their doors shut , not a single soul daring to help .
Everyone knew, that to interfere was to invite death . Afterall no one , and no thing could stop Rahman Dakait's men when they decided to cause havoc .
Hamza leaned on his motorcycle , watching the flames reach new heights , yet he could not truly pay attention to it .
Nay today his attention was diverted towards something else , diverted towards the towering giant next to him .
Uzair Baloch .
The right hand man of Lyari's bastard king , a man who was no doubt the enemy . An enemy he knew he had to deceive and then kill. A man who was far too dangerous for his mission to be left unobserved . So Hamza had observed and observed him closely , until he knew the man as well as he knew himself.
That's how he knew something was amiss , tonight something was different , to anyone else it would appear as if Uzair was brimming with pride and joy after yesterday's events , like the rest of those bloody bastards . But Hamza , he knew better because something about those smiles seemed fake . Forced . Superficial .
Because something about those laughs felt much like his ,like his fake expressions when he had to cheer with the rest of those savages as they all watched Mumbai drown in terror and violence , yesterday .
Simply thinking about yesterday diverted his attention again , it sent him into an internal spiral of wrath and guilt . It made him feel murderous , made him want to burn them all , every single one of them who had taken gleeful part. Rip them apart and cleanse the world of them , he wanted to bathe in their blood , enact vengeful justice for the crimes they dared to commit against his country . He closed his eyes , trying to control his emotions , he was a spy in enemy territory, he could’nt afford to give himself away , not when the stakes were so fucking high .
“Hamza”
A voice snapped him out of the daze he was in , bringing him back to reality . He cleared his throat awkwardly , and looked at Uzair .
The man was looking at him pensively , his expressions sharp yet strangely soft under the gleam of the moon , with beauty etched on his face.
It made Hamza realise , that sometimes even monsters have the prettiest of faces .
“Hamza” Uzair called out again , his eyes gesturing downwards . Hamza looked down and saw that the man had extended a lit ciggarrete towards him . Gingerly he took it and inhaled the cancerous smoke along with the relief it offered .
Tipping his head back and blowing out the smoke in circles , he asked “Kyu ?" (“why?”) referring to the deathstick between his fingers . Hamza could feel Uzair’s dark gaze on him as he answered ( Hamza totally did not think about the way , it sent shivers down his spine)
“Tumhe dekhe mujhe laga , ki tumhe zaroorat hai iski” ( Looking at you, I felt that you needed it )
Cold dread wrapped around him , had Uzair sensed something off about him . Did he see Hamza slip up and make a mistake in hiding his emotions ?
Unaware or perhaps deliberately ignoring his internal turmoil , Uzair continued speaking , his kohl lined eyes still sharp as ever , yet there was a certain sobreity to his tone.
“Kabhi …Bharat gaye ho ?” ( “Have you ever been to India?”)
Hamza’s eyes widened as he took in the unusal softness with which the gangster mentioned India .
“Nahi… aap?” ( No….you?”) he replied uncertain of where this conversation was going .
“Nahi”
It felt like a lie , a lie spoken deliberately , a hidden confession .
Uzair plucked out the cigarette from between his fingers , taking a drag and then spoke. The words spilling out of his mouth , both confusing and cryptic in equal measure .
“Abhi bhi iss karobaar mai naye ho , itna bata du, kabhi aasan nahi hoga, kuch cheeze dekhna . Par dekhna padta hai , sehna bhi padta rehna hai , tabhi aage badhoge….. sambhal ke rehna”
( “You are still new to this line of work . Let me tell you, it never gets easier to see certain things .But you have to see them and tolerate them regardless , only then will you move forward . Be careful”)
Hamza choked , quickly masking it as a coughing as if due to the smoke .What on earth did Uzair mean ?????
Was he referring to the life of a gangster , deep in the bloody trenches of Lyari or did he mean something deeper ….
Before he even think about what to reply , Uzair dismissed him , dousing the ciggarette . “ Ghar jao tum jaldi aaj . Mai akele dekh lunga baaki ka kaam”
( Go home early today . I’ ll take care of the rest of the work by myself )