Chapter 26

   Taimur               "Haris did you get the list ready?" Taimur asked as soon as he entered Haris's cabin.

         "Yeah you got it, would you like me to mail it?" Haris asked         "No, not now, first we need to deal with those bloody murderers. I won't rest till Ahmed's death is avenged", He said looking at the folder Haris had handed him.

       "Yeah we have traced them, they are 50 miles from the capital in a small cabin. And they are being watched", Haris replied as he pointed to the red spot on the screen with a map.

     "How many? Taimur asked.

     "7 most probably 8", Haris replied.

     "Get me, Connery, on the line", he said as he watched the images shift on the screen.

      "Listen, I have warned you to let me handle this my way, but because of your carelessness, my friend is dead. And if as much as a hair is harmed of the persons related to me, I am coming for you" Taimur hissed as soon as the line was connected.

      "I am sorry for what happened today, I didn't expect them to retaliate in this way", Connery said in a guilty tone.

      "Do you really?, I had warned you regarding the Interpol spy. But instead of negotiating with them, you decided to go on your own. And now I have the Interpol, RRH, and God knows who else wanting to murder me", Taimur snapped at him.

     "I have spoken to the President, he is holding talks with the Heads of the  Government of other countries involved. I will need the list to act fast", Connery said.

      "You will get the list when I have taken care of the killers of my friend", Taimur said and was about to hang up when Connery said.

      "Taimur please I understand what you are going through, but please I need the list", Connery pleaded.

        "Do you?, I risked it all for you. Now my life, my reputation and my country are at stake. The woman I love thinks I am some mafia, murdering people in cold blood", Taimur snarled at Connery.

      "I am really sorry Taimur but I am trying my best to make everything alright. Please the list", Connery was getting desperate. He needed the list without it the President won't be able to do anything.

     "I will ask Haris to mail it to you", Taimur said as he hung up.

      Riyadh was looking at him with astonishment. Then he looked at Haris, from the expression on His face he understood Haris knew everything.

     "What's going on here?", Riyadh asked.

      "Riyadh I need you to go and take care of the arrangements of the funeral. I have spoken with the King. Ahmed is getting a state funeral", Taimur completely ignored his question.

      Riyadh knew better not to ask anything if he was not in the mood to answer. Riyadh kept staring at Taimur's face for a few minutes and then turned and left the room.

       "Do I mail it now?" Haris asked, looking at Taimur who was in deep thought.

     It had all started two years ago when the Director of the CIA had approached Taimur. Taimur was in the US at that time. He had received a call from an unknown man asking him to meet.

     Taimur had ignored the calls, he knew they were just trouble. Until one day when he came to his apartment after a business dinner and a man was sitting in his living room smoking a cigar.

     "Sorry for coming announced Mr.Jahaan but I know after hearing me out you won't mind my unwelcome visit", The man said as he blew out the smoke from his nostrils.

      "Why are you here", Taimur was startled to see him. But he tried to keep a calm composure.

     "Take a seat Mr. Jahaan we have a lot to discuss. My assistant has been trying to set up a meeting with you for the last few days, but I am afraid you didn't want to spare time for our little rendezvous. So I thought it would be better if I met you without an appointment ", The man replied.

       " You are George Connery, the Director of the CIA I know you", Taimur said as he remembered the face of the man sitting in front of him.

     "You will be a delight to work with", Connery said as he forwarded a folder towards Taimur.     Taimur opened the folder and it contained many documents. Some, where the excerpts from telephone conversation dated 4 decades ago, between the then American President and his Grandfather Mohammad Al Jahaan.

    He skimmed through the pages and looked at Connery in disbelief, who was looking at him with a poker face.

     " These must be fake", He said to Connery.

      "I am afraid of Mr.Jahan but this is only the truth. Your Grandfather is the only man on record, who was approached by the Red Right Hand. At that time the Arab world was not as developed as it is now. Your late Grandfather contacted the then President of the United States of America"

    Taimur interrupted him, "You mean to say, my Grandfather, was approached by the Mafia organization of which there is no proof that they exist", Taimur said perplexed.

      " Yes, Mr.Jahaan but unfortunately the RRH is not imaginary it's real. They carried out an attack as a sign of warning to the US and the UK. A plane crash in which more than two hundred people died three years ago when we started a crackdown on their operations",  Connery said as he lit another cigar.

      "And why are you telling me all this?" He asked looking at Connery with suspicion.

      "You see Mr.Jahaan I have got a gut feeling and trust me it's never wrong. You will be approached by the RRH in the near future", Connery said looking at Taimur in his eyes.

      " You must be kidding", Taimur gave out a laugh.

      "I can bet on it Mr.Jahaan, if you are not approached within a year by them I will resign from my post", He said dropping the ash from his cigar into the ashtray.

     " And what if they do?" He asked looking Connery in the eye.

     They had a staring contest for a few minutes and then Connery spoke.

       "We would want you to accept their offer".

      " And you believe I will oblige to your wishes?" Taimur asked with a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

      "You see Mr.Jahaan you don't have a choice if you are approached by RRH. You only have two options, it's their membership or death. And I hope you will choose wisely", Connery said as he rose from his seat and headed towards the door.

      He then opened the door and turned to look at Taimur, with his hand on the knob, and said " You know where to find me when they approach. It was a pleasure meeting you Mr.Jahaan". Connery said and exited his apartment.

         Taimur took a deep breath and looked at the folder in his hand. He had planned to go to bed early tonight, but now it seemed sleep was out of the question.

        He went into the bedroom with the folder, turned on the bedside lamp, and started reading it.

      His Grandfather Mohammed Al Jahan was approached by a member of the Red Right Hand. They had given him a choice to join them or face death. Mohammed Al Jahan was a wise man, he approached the government of the United States and asked their assistance to take down the organization.

     The United States government was more than willing to help him. They planned out a strategy but unfortunately, there was an infiltrator within them who had informed the RRH about Mohammed and the US allying to take them down.

     And the consequence of it was the death of Mohammed Al Jahaan. Taimur was shocked no one in the Al Jahaan family knew about this. Nor even his father Sikander and Waleed the King of Azmaayir.

   He had heard about the RRH but he thought it was the work of someone's imagination and that it didn't exist in reality.

      His father was not even married at the time his grandfather died. Taimur had always seen him in photographs. But every one in his family used to say that Taimur resembled him both in likeness and disposition.

     One of the reasons King Waleed was so fond of Taimur was his resemblance to his late father. Did they only have similar personalities or were their destinies similar?

      Taimur wanted to share this news with his family but Connery had warned him to keep it to himself. It was not easy for Taimur to keep such crucial information from his family.

       And as Connery had predicted, Taimur was approached by the RRH after 10 months of their meeting. He was given the same choice of death or RRH member.

       Taimur had accepted their offer and had contacted Connery. But this time Connery made sure that only the President of the United States was in the loop and no one else other than Taimur.

      They had come very close to luring the members of the RRH to meet in Azmaayir for the meeting of the decade. But unfortunately, the Interpol had started sniffing for information on RRH.

      One of their operatives had even found out Taimur was involved with them. The news started circulating in the intelligence cycle of the countries and had reached the RRH that Taimur was suspected to be involved with them.

        The RRH members had canceled their visit to Azmaayir and were plotting to kill Taimur.

       The members of RRH never met each other directly, they had a very well organized network for their operations. It was only at the end of the decade that the members met.

        Taimur and Haris were successful to get a list of the people who had applied for the visa. And have booked their tickets to Azmaayir near to the date of the meetings.

      They had run the names of each of the people involved in the system till their list was cut down to Business tycoons, Ministers Celebrities, and few Head of States of third world nations.

      The list had shocked them both, they didn't expect so many people to be involved with the RRH.

      Taimur had sent the list to Connery hoping they would all be arrested before anyone found out the arrangement between Taimur and the United States.

     But first, he had to avenge Mohammad Al Jahaan and Ahmed, they had given their life and Taimur swore he would bring down RRH for messing with the Al Jahaan.