"Come in." Jamaal called as someone knocked on his office door, and as Issam stepped into the room, he blew a smoke ring towards him. "What do you want?"

Issam plopped down on the chair across from him, putting his feet up on the desk.

"Wow what a welcome."

"What do you want Issam?"

Issam shrugged, putting his hands behind his head.

"I was bored, and I haven't bothered you today, so I thought I would get it over with." He said with a grin, and Jamaal rolled his eyes.

"I don't have time for this."

"Why?"

"I'm busy."

"You're just sitting there!"

"Did you do what I asked you to?"

"It's a done deal."

Jamaal nodded.

"Good."

"So why are you in here? I would have expected you to be with Emma."

"Nah, I decided to let her get some sleep, I'll go see her later today."

"So what are you doing?"

"I'm thinking!"

"Wow I didn't know you could do that!" Issam said sarcastically, and Jamaal shook his head.

"Shut up.

"So what are you thinking about?"

Jamaal blew a cloud into the air.

"What are my chances with Emma?"

Issam laughed.

"Are you serious!?"

Jamaal glared at him.

"Would I have asked if I wasn't serious?"

"What the hell kind of a joke is this!? Don't tell me you've gone soft?!" Issam exclaimed, and Jamaal shook his head, taking another puff.

"I haven't gone soft. Want me to prove it to you?"

Issam rolled his eyes, and snatched the cigar from his friend's grasp.

"Tough guy huh?"

"Shut up and just answer the question."

"Since when have you had your eye on Emma? What happened to Jenna?"

Jamaal waved a hand in the air.

"That was mainly just to torture Muhsin, and then to get back at Hudayfah. I never really liked the girl, how could I? I've spoken to her a handful of times. Plus, what would I do going after a married woman? I have morals you know!"

Issam laughed, extending the cigar across the desk.

"You do not you jerk!"

Jamaal grinned, taking it back from him.

"Yeah, that didn't sound like me." He put out the cigar on the ashtray that was on his desk, before he sat forward. "So that's a no then?"

"Dude, you kidnapped the girl, I'd say your chances are pretty slim! Unless you force her to marry you, I don't see any other way."

"That, is not a bad idea. You know play the whole, 'if you marry me, I won't kill your family' card."

Issam rolled his eyes.

"Have you met the girl? I guarantee you, if you tried that, she will land you in the hospital, or worse."

Jamaal chuckled.

"She sure would. You know at first I just took Emma for the sake of saying 'fine, you keep Jenna away, I'll just take the other one!' but now, these stupid feelings won't go away."

"Ooh feelings?! Dude what are you a girl!?"

Jamaal glared at him.

"You're asking for it."

"Bring it on."

Jamaal shook his head, picking up a small ball off of his desk, and tossing it in the air.

"You have to admit she's intriguing."

Issam shrugged.

"She's alright. Too spirited for my taste."

"She's beautiful too."

"I've seen better."

Jamaal glared at him.

"Well I like her."

"You can like her all you want, but you know as well as I do that she isn't going to suddenly fall into your arms declaring her undying love, while her brother is tied up in the room next door."

Jamaal laughed.

"How is Hud doing anyways?"

"Who cares? You have me running all your stupid errands, I don't have time to check in on our prisoners."

Jamaal gave a bark of laughter before pushing up from his desk.

"Very well, I'll go check on him myself."

"Check on him?" Issam asked with a raised eyebrow. "Since when do you care? Dude, I think these feelings are getting out of control."

"Shut up. You came to bother me, so in turn I need to do some bothering." He tossed the ball at Issam before stepping out of his office, and making his way down the hallway towards Hudayfah's room.

"Rise and shine bro!" Jamaal shouted, and as he stepped into the room, Hudayfah turned his head to look at him.

He wasn't looking good.

He had dark circles under his eyes, his skin was slightly ashen, and there was blood staining the carpet from where the ropes had chafed his wrists.

"What do you want?" he asked, and Jamaal leaned against the wall.

"I'm bored Hud! Entertain me!" he whined, and Hudayfah rolled his eyes, leaning his head against the wall. His breathing was slightly shallow, and there was a fresh sheen of sweat over his forehead.

Perhaps keeping him bound in a room without food for days wasn't the best of ideas.

Jamaal stood up and opened the door.

"Get me a tray of food in here." He ordered, and as one of the men walked down the hallway, Hudayfah shook his head.

"I don't need anything from you."

Jamaal grinned, and sat down in one of the chairs.

"Come now Hud, you have to eat!"

"Why? So you can poison the food and kill me?"

Jamaal laughed.

"Hudayfah! If I were going to kill you, I wouldn't use poison! Man! Just take away my fun!"

Hudayfah rolled his eyes.

"How am I supposed to eat if my arms are tied?"

Jamaal stood, pulling a knife from his pocket, and bending over, pausing with it poised just over the rope.

"If I untie you, do you promise not to attack me?"

"Man! Just take away my fun!" Hudayfah said sarcastically, and Jamaal chuckled.

"I missed your dry sense of humor Hud! We should hang out more!"

Hudayfah didn't answer, and as the ropes fell the ground, he brought his arms forward, wincing at the stiffness in his joints. Once he had gotten the blood flowing in his arms again, he stood, stumbling slightly as he walked towards one of the chairs.

"It's like watching Bambi walk for the first time!" Jamaal crowed, and Hudayfah sunk into one of the chairs.

"You are unbelievably annoying today." He said before examining his blistered wrists.

"You should get that looked at Hud!" Jamaal exclaimed cheerfully, and Hudayfah glared at him.

"You are just a horrible human being! Did you know that!?"

Jamaal put a hand over his heart.

"Flattery will get you everywhere!" he teased, and Hudayfah shook his head, stretching out his legs. A few seconds later there was a knock on the door, and one of the men appeared, holding a tray. Jamaal took it from him before putting it down in front of Hudayfah.

"Prepare a feast, and take it to Emma. Tell her I will be in around lunchtime." He said, and as the man left the room, he sat down. "Eat."

"You sure this won't kill me?" Hudayfah asked examining the plate of pancakes and eggs, and Jamaal laughed.

"Just eat Hudayfah!"

Hudayfah hesitated for another few seconds, before picking up his fork, and soon he was attacking the plate.

"Wow, remind me never to not eat for five days! You're like inhaling the food!" Jamaal exclaimed, and Hudayfah rolled his eyes.

"Must you still be here? I'm losing my appetite."

"I'm not going anywhere!"

It was silent in the room for a few moments, before Hudayfah threw his fork down.

"Why are you doing this?!"

"What?"

"Ruining our lives like this!? Keeping me and Emma locked up, terrorizing us! Are you going to keep us here forever?!"

"Hey! If you hadn't violated our deal, I would have Muhsin, and you and Emma would be home!"

Hudayfah eyed him suspiciously.

"I paid the money Muhsin owed you, there is no way in hell you are getting Jenna so you might as well accept it. So why could you possibly still want him!?" Hudayfah asked, and Jamaal rubbed his hands together.

"It's story time!" he exclaimed, and Hudayfah rolled his eyes.

"I'd rather you just give me the short less painful version."

"Well unfortunately that choice isn't yours. Now shut up and listen!" he said with a grin. "As you are probably aware of, Muhsin's Uncle Haytham got into some shady things about fourteen years back, and instead of owning up to it like a man, he ran, ratting out the leader of the biggest gangs, and getting himself killed."

"Yes I knew that."

Jamaal nodded, and paused to light a cigar.

"Want one?" he asked, and Hudayfah rolled his eyes again.

"Is this another attempt to kill me?"

Jamaal grinned.

"Aw come on, it would take years before you died from lung cancer!" He paused to take a deep drag, before leaning back in the chair. "Now back to the story. What you probably don't know, is that the leader of that gang dear Khalo Haytham was involved with, was on trial for years, finally getting sentenced the death penalty four years ago, along with six of his men." He blew out another ring.

"Okay, but what does this have to do with Muhsin?"

"You didn't think I would associate with such an idiot as Muhsin unless I had a reason did you?"

"What was your reason?"

"Simple. I wanted him to get into trouble like his Uncle. I wanted him to not be able to pay me back, and then I could get my revenge."

"I don't understand."

"Come now Hud, you aren't stupid."

Hudayfah shook his head.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"The leader of the gang was my father."

Hudayfah started to choke on the sip of water he had just taken from the bottle.

"What!? You mean to tell me your father was the leader of one of the biggest gangs?"

"No. He was the leader of the biggest gang."

"What!? For how long?"

"Some odd thirty years."

Hudayfah's eyes widened.

"What!? Did you know?"

Jamaal shook his head.

"Not until I was standing in a prison saying goodbye to him ten minutes before they killed him."

"So your revenge plan against Muhsin is because his Uncle ratted out your dad? How does that even make sense?!"

Jamaal shrugged.

"You think I could just let my dad's death go without getting revenge!? Haytham didn't have any kids. Muhsin was easy prey. Plus, while the original plan was to trick him, he didn't need any help. All of his debts were of his own doing, I just sat back and watched. With popcorn."

"And what about him putting Jenna on the line?"

"That was of his own doing. I was as surprised as the rest of you."

"But that didn't stop you from agreeing to it, and disrupting innocent people's lives."

Jamaal stood, spreading his hands in the air.

"Hudayfah, I have been planning my revenge for years. I won't do well not getting it."

"What does that mean!?"

Jamaal smiled.

"It means, I won't let anyone get in my way. So let me warn you. Your men better not be planning anything." He went to reach for the doorknob, when the door flew open, and one of the men came rushing in.

"She's gone!"

"What are you talking about Lois?" Jamaal asked, and Lois ran a hand through his hair.

"Emma! She's gone!"