Undercover Negotiations, Veiled Schemes

The phone in Imran's room had been ringing for a long time! He was sitting nearby reading a book. He paid no attention to the ringing, but when the phone kept ringing, he threw the book on the table and started calling his servant Suleman.

"Yes, sir!" Suleman said as he entered the room.

"Hey, see who the idiot is ringing the bell."

"Sir, it's the phone."

"Phone," Imran said, looking towards the phone in surprise. "Pick it up and throw it on the street."

Suleman picked up the receiver and handed it to him.

"Hello!" Imran spoke into the mouthpiece. "Yes, yes, it's Imran. Who else do you think is barking?"

"Why didn't you meet near the racecourse last night?" came the voice from the other side.

"Get lost, idiot," Imran said to Suleman without covering the mouthpiece.

"What did you say?" growled the voice on the other side.

"Oh, that was to Suleman!... He's my servant... So, can you tell me why I didn't go to the racecourse last night?"

"I'm asking you."

"Then listen, my friend," Imran said. "I didn't work so hard for nothing. The handbag is now worth ten thousand. If you offer more, I'm ready to deal."

"You're in trouble." (Literal: Trouble has come to you.)

"Yes, I did meet her! I liked her a lot," Imran said with a wink.

"Tonight, you will be given another chance. After that, your corpse might be found floating in a city sewer tomorrow."

"Oh, father! It's good you told me. Now I won't step out of the house without a shroud."

"I advise you again," came the voice from the other side.

"Understood!" Imran said very obediently and disconnected the call.

He picked up his book again and got absorbed as if nothing had happened. A little while later, the phone rang again. Imran picked up the receiver and said in an irritated voice, "Now I'm going to present this telephone to an orphanage, understand... I am a very popular man... Did I say popular? I meant I am a busy man."

"You mentioned an amount earlier," came the voice from the other side.

"Not a pen, a fountain pen!" Imran said.

"Don't waste time," the voice on the other side said irritably. "We also value it at ten thousand!"

"Very good!" Imran said. "Alright, that's settled! You'll get the bag."

"Tonight."

"Do you know me well?" Imran asked.

"Just as the index finger knows the middle finger."

"Good," Imran snapped his fingers. "Then you must also know that I'm a perpetual fool."

"You!"

"Yes, me! The racecourse is a very deserted place! If you take the bag and shoot me, who will I complain to?"

"That won't happen," the voice from the other side said.

"Let me tell you! Send one of your men with the money to Tip Top Nightclub! I swear on Madhubala's youth that I will return the bag."

"If there's any mischief..."

"Make me a rooster."

"Alright! But remember, even there, you'll be under the barrel of a revolver."

"Don't worry. I have never even seen the shape of a revolver," Imran said, placing the receiver back on the cradle and started searching his pocket for a packet of chewing gum.

***********************

Around eight o'clock, Imran arrived at Tip Top Tight Club, clutching a leather handbag tightly against his chest. The place was bustling with activity, tables filled almost to capacity. Imran cautiously made his way closer to the bar.

"Ah... My Lady," he greeted with a slight bow.

Lady Jahangir raised her right eyebrow, giving him a sharp glance before breaking into a smile.

"Well, well... Imran!" she said, raising her right hand. "It's always a pleasure to see you! This is Miss Tasneem, the daughter of Khan Bahadur Zafar Tasneem! And this is Ali Imran."

"M.Sc Ph. D.," Imran said like a fool.

"I'm delighted to meet you," Tasneem said, feigning a foolish accent.

"I regret," Imran replied.

"Why?" Lady Jahangir asked, astonished.

"I thought maybe her name was Gulfaam," Imran said.

"What nonsense!" Lady Jahangir was startled.

"I'm telling the truth! That's what I thought. Tasneem isn't quite fitting... It could be the name of a girl suffering from tap dance syndrome, Tasneem... just a name bent over," Imran explained.

"You might be drunk," Lady Jahangir suggested. "Come, drink some more!"

"You have falooda?" Imran asked.

"Dear Tasneem!" Lady Jahangir quickly said. "You must'nt mind his nonsense! He's such a humorous person! Oh... Imran, please sit."

"What's the harm in minding?" Imran said, taking a deep breath. "I'll remember her as Gulfaam."

Tasneem was looking disgruntled and perhaps regretted her behavior now.

"Alright, I'm leaving!" Tasneem said as she got up.

"I'll leave myself," Imran said, intending to leave.

"Dearies! Both of you, sit down," Lady Jahanagir said, grabbing their hands and gleefully speaking.

"No, I've remembered an urgent task," Tasneem softly said, releasing her hand and leaving quietly.

"And me!" Imran placed his hand on his chest and said, "I can sacrifice a thousand tasks for you."

"Don't lie, you always manage to provoke me," Lady Jahanagir replied.

"I adore you! Sweetheart... but in that old man's life..."

"You're starting to tease me again."

"No, dearest! You're my moon, my moonlight... it's not a joke..."

"Okay, okay! Sometimes you become too cheap!"

"I'm sorry," Imran said softly, then looked towards a nearby table. A familiar figure was staring at him! Imran lifted the handbag from the table and hugged it, then sat in front of the smiling man who winked at him. In response, Imran winked at him twice! Lady Jahanagir was looking towards her glass, perhaps a very romantic sentence was echoing in her mind.

"I'll be back!" Imran said to Lady Jahanagir and went to the man's table.

"You brought that?" he said softly.

"Isn't it here?" Imran gestured towards the handbag and then said, "You brought it."

"Yes indeed!" The man said, placing his hand on the handbag.

"Alright then!" Imran said. "Take it and quietly slip away."

"Why?" The man asked, staring at him.

"Captain Fiaz might suspect me. He may have appointed someone to watch me."

"Any trick!"

"Absolutely not! Nowadays, I urgently need money."

"If there's a trick, you won't be saved." The man stood with the handbag in hand.

"Buddy, I didn't collect money to build my tomb," Imran said softly. Then he watched the man leave. There was a mischievous smile on his lips. He took the handbag, then sat next to Lady Jahanagir.