Muhsin sat on the windowsill, staring out at the street below. It had been a full day since Jamaal had brought them there, and he had yet to appear. The only contact Muhsin had had with anyone, was when Issam had come in with a tray of food for dinner. The two of them hadn't spoken a word, nor had they made eye contact. It was still a bit weird for Muhsin to come to terms with the fact that he was a secret agent. He had been around Jamaal's men for the past few years, and if someone told him to pick who was a good guy, Issam would have been last on his list!

He was mean.

Rough.

Cynical.

Judgmental.

Slightly menacing.

Muhsin couldn't help but wonder how much of it was an act, and how much was really Issam's personality.

He watched the people on the ground below for a few more seconds, before getting up, and walking towards the bed. He hadn't been able to sleep much the night before. He had been too worried about Jenna. Sure he had been worried about Emma when she was being held captive, but Jenna wasn't like Emma. She was too sensitive and naïve. She needed to be protected and shielded.

As for Emma?

The world needed to be protected and shielded from her!

Especially when she got annoyed!

He hadn't been surprised in the slightest to hear how hard of a time Emma had given Jamaal.

He couldn't help but smile at that. Emma was a tough little cookie, and he was proud of her. He was proud of all of his sisters. No matter how different they were, they were all amazing, wonderful, strong young ladies, and he would work forever to repay them for the misery he had inflicted upon them.

When he had first become friends with Jamaal, if he could even call him that, he had been innocent, trusting of the world and the people in it. He was a good friend, brother, and son. He was involved in his youth group at his Mosque, and coached a soccer team for little kids. He hadn't been a saint of course, but he had been nowhere near the person he had become under Jamaal's influence.

He remembered the day he had met Jamaal as clearly as if it had happened that morning. He had been hanging out with Hudayfah at his apartment, going over the plans for his new invention, when a knock sounded on the door. When Hudayfah answered it, there had been a few moments of shocked silence, after which Muhsin had caught words such as 'anniversary' and 'death', before Hudayfah had reluctantly let him in and introduced the two of them.

It had been an awkward visit, Jamaal had done nothing but sit there and stare at them thoughtfully, only speaking when Hudayfah offered him a glass of water. After Jamaal had left, Hudayfah had said nothing about him or who he was, and Muhsin hadn't asked. A few days later, while walking home from coaching soccer practice, a car had pulled up to the side of the road, and Jamaal had gotten out. He reintroduced himself, asking how Muhsin was, and after they had exchanged numbers and parted ways, Muhsin remembered thinking how much he liked him.

The next couple of weeks he spent a lot of time with Jamaal, and it had seemed just like a regular friendship. They hung out and played video games, went to basketball and baseball games. He met all of his buddies, including Issam and Laith. He had thought that Jamaal really was his friend, and that he was part of their little group. They barely talked about Hudayfah, and without realizing it, Muhsin started to distance himself away from Hudayfah and his other friends.

One day, about three months later, after a long day of playing Xbox and PlayStation and all sorts of other games like that, Jamaal said that he was having some friends over to play some cards, and Muhsin was welcome to join. He had agreed, not anticipating that not only were they playing for money, but for a lot of money. By the end of the first game he had lost four hundred dollars. Jamaal had said that as it was his first time he would cover Muhsin, and he would just do better next time. Soon, the card games became more frequent, and more intense. Eventually they started moving on to games with bigger stakes, and one day, Muhsin lost a thousand dollars.

A thousand dollars that he didn't have.

That's when he finally went to Hudayfah, telling him all that had happened. Hudayfah had been shocked naturally, he hadn't known that Muhsin and Jamaal had become friends, or that Muhsin had gotten involved in such things, but he wrote Muhsin a check without hesitation, and made him promise he would stop gambling, and get out of Jamaal's company immediately.

But he didn't.

He kept promising that he would stop, but he couldn't.

It was like a drug.

He was addicted to it.

He had to keep doing it.

Soon they started leaving the card games, going to the horse tracks, hitting the casinos, and all sorts of other things, and eventually, he was in deep. He hadn't even realized how deeply he was in this mess until it was too late. That fateful day when his tab was up to fifty thousand dollars, and Hudayfah wasn't even in the country to bail him out, had been one of the most terrifying days of his life...

"Bro, Jamaal wants to see you in his office." Issam said, the second Muhsin had entered the house.

"Oh. Well I'll be there as soon as I get some coffee."

"No. Now."

He blinked in surprise at the severity of Issam's tone, but nonetheless climbed the stairs up to Jamaal's office, knocking once before going inside.

"Hey bro!" he exclaimed, but when Jamaal turned to look at him, the smile faded instantly from his face. Jamaal was not smiling, nor did he look particularly thrilled to see Muhsin. In fact, he looked angry.

Slightly cruel.

In the two years Muhsin had known Jamaal he had never seen a side of him other than a go lucky happy guy, and he suddenly found himself very frightened.

"Sit."

Muhsin sat.

There was another few moments of silence, Jamaal just sitting there, puffing on his cigarette, before he leaned forward, and pushed a pack of cigarettes towards Muhsin. As Muhsin shook his head, Jamaal shrugged, before putting them back in his pocket.

"You're latest debt is pretty big Muhsin." He said after the silence had gone on for some time.

"It can't be that bad." Muhsin said with a laugh. He had never gone higher than two thousand dollars, and that was like a kid's allowance to Jamaal!

Jamaal pushed a notepad towards Muhsin, before blowing a cloud towards the ceiling.

"You tell me if fifty grand is a lot or not."

Muhsin's mouth dropped in astonishment.

"Fifty grand?! What?! How!?"

"Things add up Muhsin." Jamaal leaned forward, putting his cigarette on an ashtray.

"Yes but to fifty thousand dollars?! That's absurd!"

"You remember last week at the horse track?"

"Yes?"

"You lost thirty thousand there alone. That's a pretty large sum."

"I thought you only put me down for a thousand!?"

Jamaal shrugged.

"Oops."

"Oops!? Jamaal! I don't have fifty grand!"

"Well that poses a problem Muhsin, because I'm tired of pardoning your debts. I covered you so the bookies and the others you owed would stay off your back, but now you owe me. And I want my money."

"Okay well we can come up with a plan if I only owe you!"

Jamaal shook his head.

"I want all of it by Friday."

Muhsin's face paled.

"That's three days away!"

"I can count Muhsin."

"Jamaal I can't get you fifty thousand dollars in three days. It's impossible!"

"Why, is Hudayfah refusing to pay for you anymore?" Jamaal asked, and Muhsin's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Seriously?" Jamaal asked with an eye roll, "You think I don't know that Hudayfah has been bailing you out?!" he pointed at Muhsin. "I know everything. Get me my money by Friday, otherwise things aren't going to be pretty."

"Please, can we think of some kind of solution?! Like can I pay in installments?!"

"Nope."

"What about my car?!"

Jamaal scoffed.

"What about it? What would I want with that pile of junk?!"

"Please, I'll do anything if you just give me some more time to get the money. Hudayfah won't be back for another week." Muhsin pleaded, and Jamaal lit up another cigarette.

"You'll do anything?"

Muhsin nodded eagerly.

"Yes! Whatever it is!"

There was silence in the room, Muhsin jiggling his leg up and down anxiously, and Jamaal staring up at the ceiling, before he turned to look at Muhsin.

"You have three sisters right?"

"Um, yes."

"What's the name of the one I met last month when I dropped you off at home?"

Muhsin was silent for a second before clearing his throat.

"Jenna."

"Is she the eldest?"

"Yes."

"Is she married?"

"No."

"Engaged?"

"No." there was a moment of silence. "Why?"

"I will give you a month extension to get me my money," Jamaal began, and Muhsin breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh my God thank you! Thank you Jamaal!"

Jamaal held up a hand.

"Wait. I didn't finish. I will give you the extension, if I get Jenna."

There was a shocked silence in the room, as Muhsin stared at Jamaal, his mouth agape.

"Excuse me?" he stammered out, and Jamaal nodded.

"That's my offer."

"What if I say no?"

"Then get me my money by Friday."

"And if I don't?"

Jamaal tilted his head to the side, before reaching into his pocket, and as he pulled out a gun, Muhsin gasped.

"Are you serious!?"

"Muhsin, would you say you've gotten to know me pretty well over the past two years?"

"Yes."

"And would you say I'm a pretty nice and forgiving guy?"

"Yes."

Jamaal smiled.

"Well, let's just say I have a whole other side you know nothing about." He placed the gun on the desk. "And it's not a nice side."

Muhsin swallowed.

"So basically you're saying that if you don't get my sister, you won't give me an extension on my debt, and you're going to kill me?"

"You catch on quick kid." He clapped slowly. "Bravo." He paused, extending his hand towards Muhsin. "So is it a deal then?"

Muhsin hesitated for a second, before clasping Jamaal's hand in his own...

After he had left Jamaal's that day he had been so frightened, that he had just roamed the streets for hours, trying to comprehend what he had done.

He had sold his sister.

His sister!

He hadn't been able to look Jenna in the eye, and just stayed locked in his bedroom, desperately trying to find a way out. That week was the worst week of his life, and the second Hudayfah had returned from Saudi Arabia, Muhsin was banging on his door...

"Muhsin? Salaam, what are you doing here?" Hudayfah asked, opening the door and ushering Muhsin in.

"Um, hey Hudayfah. How was your trip?"

"Good Alhamdulillah. Very spiritual and healing. I loved it!" Hudayfah said with a smile, and when Muhsin attempted a weak one in return but failed, Hudayfah narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Muhsin, what's going on?"

"I have a problem, a big problem!" He exclaimed, and Hudayfah sighed.

"Muhsin! You promised! How much do you owe this time?!"

Muhsin wrung his hands nervously.

"It's more than that."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't owe just money."

"Okay, but you do owe money?"

Muhsin nodded.

"Yes."

"Well how much is it?"

"Fifty grand."

Hudayfah's eyes widened.

"Fifty thousand dollars!? Are you kidding me Muhsin!?"

"I wish I was. But there is something else." Muhsin said shakily, before sinking down onto the sofa, and Hudayfah sat in the seat across from him.

"What could possibly be worse than owing fifty grand?!"

"Jamaal was demanding the money immediately, and you were gone, and he said he was going to kill me if I didn't give it to him right away, and I didn't know what to do," Muhsin blabbered nervously, and Hudayfah stood up.

"What did you do Muhsin?"

"I gave up my sister!"

The silence was so deafening, that Muhsin had to actually get up and nudge Hudayfah out of his shock.

"Y...you what?" Hudayfah asked in a whisper after a few moments, and Muhsin groaned, falling face first onto the couch.

"I know! I know!"

"No Muhsin! You did what?!" Hudayfah asked louder, stepping closer, and Muhsin sighed.

"I don't know why, but he wanted her, and that was the only way he would get me an extension on my debt!"

"So let me get this straight. You owe Jamaal fifty thousand dollars, in addition to giving your sister to him!? YOU GAVE YOUR SISTER TO HIM!" Hudayfah shouted, and Muhsin winced.

"I know! I'm the worst person in the world! But I don't know what to do! I'm stuck Hudayfah. Please help! Please! Why didn't you tell me Jamaal was such a bad person?!"

"Are you KIDDING me?! You seriously are trying to pin this on me!? No. Get out Muhsin." Hudayfah said, pointing towards the door, and Muhsin shook his head.

"No Hudayfah! Please you have to help me. It's my sister, you can't let Jamaal get her, you know you can't!"

Hudayfah sighed.

"Okay. Okay calm down." He sat down, putting his face in his hands, before looking up. "Okay. I will try to figure things out. For now, just try to avoid Jamaal until I can come up with a plan. I will write you another check, but Allah is my witness, this is the last one I will ever write for you again. Do you understand?"

Muhsin nodded.

"Yes."

There was a brief silence, before Hudayfah cleared his throat.

"Which sister?"

"What?"

"Which sister does he want?"

"Jenna."

And to Muhsin's astonishment, Hudayfah's face paled...

It was amazing how much Muhsin had ruined everything. Before he had gotten involved with Jamaal he had just passed the bar, and had gotten into law school. He was going to be a lawyer, and a darn good one at that. And in the span of what felt like the blink of an eye, it was all gone.

But he would fix it. As soon as all of this was over, he would make things right InshaAllah.

He lay down on the bed, and within ten minutes of his head hitting the pillow, he fell into a deep sleep, so when the door flew upon an hour later, he was so startled when it hit the wall, that he actually fell out of the bed, and landed on the ground, his face coming into contact with a shoe.

"Don't tell me you are going to sleep this early are you!? It's barely nine o'clock." Jamaal asked in amusement before taking a seat, and Muhsin ignored him, pushing himself back up onto the bed. "It's been awhile since I've seen you Muhsin."

"Thankfully." Muhsin mumbled, and Jamaal rolled his eyes.

"No hello?"

"Why would I greet someone who is running our lives?"

Jamaal laughed.

"Me?! You're blaming me?! You caused all of this. It's your fault. It's your fault that your sisters got locked up. It's your fault that Hudayfah has been in captivity for the past few days. It's all your fault. Don't try to deny it.

Muhsin swallowed hard, trying to avoid looking at Jamaal.

"You tricked me into it, and you know it."

"You made your own choices. I didn't force you into gambling. I didn't force you to hang around us like a lost puppy," he leaned forward, "and I certainly didn't force you to gamble away your sister! Man! Who does that?!"

"That was then. I've changed now!" Muhsin protested, and Jamaal shook his head.

"You will never change Muhsin. You will always be the same scared little boy who dumps his problems on others, and refuses to take responsibility for his actions. You are never going to be worth anything!"

"That's not true!"

"It isn't? You know that Hudayfah doesn't care one bit for you. All those other men? They aren't your friends! If it wasn't for Jenna, none of them would care. Don't mistake yourself in thinking you are important in the slightest. Once Hudayfah can get Jenna out of here safely, they won't care what happens to you!"

"Stop!" Muhsin exclaimed, and Jamaal tilted his head.

"Make me." When Muhsin remained silent, Jamaal nodded. "That's what I thought."

"So you just came here to make me feel horrible about myself?" Muhsin asked, and Jamaal smiled.

"I came here to say I want to have a little chat in my office. If you don't mind of course."

"Why are you even asking? I don't have a choice."

Jamaal's smile widened.

"Of course you don't. It's just common courtesy to ask." He stood, signaling to Muhsin to do the same. They walked silently down the hallway, before Jamaal came to a halt, and motioned Muhsin into the room, before stepping inside himself, and closing the door behind him.

"What's going on?" Muhsin asked, looking at all of Jamaal's men who were sitting around the room, and Jamaal smiled.

"It's time for revenge."



No this is not the end.