Chapter 5: Robbery in a Robbed House

Whether Fayez was a savior or a robber didn't matter anymore — not when the other party agreed without resistance.

Still, he felt uneasy about providing those kids. Roshni didn't seem like someone who'd accept handouts forever. It'd be better to give her a stake in something meaningful.

". I'm starting a security firm, maybe more ventures later. I'll give you a 10% stake. You can work from home, like an employee."

The sudden proposition caught Roshni off guard. In this era, women rarely left their homes — let alone having a job or owning company shares. It felt foreign concept to her.

"I can't do a job. I don't have knowledge or experience. And besides..."She stopped mid-sentence. Likely, it had something to do with her being a girl.

"You don't need much. Basic education is enough. I'll help you if you need me. Besides, you're not planning to live off my money forever, right?"

He intentionally said that to force her to take the offer.

"Fine. But what job exactly? I won't have to work with strangers, right?"

Fayez smiled. He already had something in mind.

"You'll be the treasurer. Just handle money, records, and spending; just some basic math. That's all."

"Sounds manageable... But if you've gone running the company, who'll take care of us?"

"I'll teach you all how to fight and fire a gun," Fayez said half-joking — but he meant it."Plenty of women fought on the frontlines."

Fayez said it as a joke but if the situation turned that way he'd have to train the girl firing which is not his forte to begin with.

Roshni didn't know whether to laugh or panic. She stayed skeptical.

As he stood up to leave, he remembered something.

"Oh — one more thing. Can you gather all the cash in the house? Rupees might become useless soon."

That was a lie. The market would likely keep the rupee circulating for a while as the taka would be too unstable as a currency. But Fayez just needed that money under his control.

"I'll bring it to your room."

Since when is it "my" room? Fayez wondered.

Soon after his peaceful "robbery," Fayez started counting the cash.₹71200 — which in future value (2025) would be over $200,000. But for a war-torn nation, it's a big fortune.

That evening, he walked through the wide corridors — a beautiful architecture but destroyed by the war.

Then he heard it — footsteps.

His instincts flared.

Is it an ambush? My arm still isn't healed...

He had money in his pocket and a nearby bush he could hide behind.

He thought about running.

But then he remembered the faces of two girls and a child depending on him.

'Even if it's a robbery in a robbed house... I swore to protect them. I won't let anything happen.'

His resolve was strong, even if his body trembled.

Fayez gripped his pistol tightly. It was the only weapon he had.

Footsteps echoed closer. He quickly took cover behind a concrete beam, steadying his breath. His knees bent, eyes scanning the darkness ahead.

"There are too many of them… This might really be my last day. But I've already died once — I don't have much to lose. And retreat isn't an option now."

Fayez closed his eyes for a second, steadying the rising panic. He felt a deep, gnawing regret. He had been given a second chance at life — and now, it looked like he wouldn't even survive a week.

Voices approached.

A soldier fired first. Instinctively, Fayez returned fire. Several shots rang out, echoing through the ruins, but none hit their mark. The distance was too great, and the lighting was poor.

Suddenly, a figure slipped into the corridor from behind.

Before he could react, some subdued him on the floor twisting his wounded hand. Pain exploded in his side. Fayez let out a scream of agony as he collapsed, blood spilling from the wound.

A soldier's voice rang out, confused."Aren't you one of us who was Recently discharged? What are you doing here?"

"Step aside," another voice commanded, calm and commanding."I'll talk to him personally."

Captain Reyaz stepped forward, his face shadowed by the dim light. He looked down at Fayez with concern."Whatever you're trying to do, you need to stop the bleeding first."

"There's a medkit… in the house," Fayez gasped, clutching his side. "Help me get to it."

Captain nodded and ordered. "you two, carry him. Get him bandaged."

Siraj — the man Fayez had met during his discharge — came forward with a grin.

"Didn't take you long to find trouble again, huh?" he joked as he helped lift him.

Fayez didn't respond. His face said enough.

Once the bleeding was stopped and his wound tightly wrapped, Fayez found himself propped up in a chair, facing Captain Reyaz in a dimly lit room.

Reyaz's voice turned sharp."So? What are you doing here?"

"I just needed shelter. You don't expect me to sleep outside in winter, do you?" Fayez replied flatly.

"Don't try to joke your way out of this." Reyaz's tone hardened. "We got reports that a group of rajakars ambushed our men and took shelter in this house. Now all we find you here… with a bunch of kids."

Fayez exhaled. Lying would only make things worse — and he wasn't a good liar to begin with. So, he told the truth. Everything.

When he finished, Reyaz's expression darkened.

"Those scumbags... They even forced themselves on children?" he muttered, disgusted. "If our own comrades are like this then what future do we even have ?"

Bitterness filled the room.

"Captain's right," Fayez thought. "A pathetic future lies ahead. Even in the 21st century, nothing really changed. Only Allah knows when this nation will see peace and prosperity"

Reyaz finally turned back to him.

"I don't know whether to call you a foolish hero or a cunning thief. You saved three kids… only to rob their fortune? You used to be a reckless idealist. Did your injury make you smarter ?"

Fayez met his eyes calmly."The post-war world isn't kind to any of us, Captain. If you're not clever enough, you won't survive. I didn't become worse — I adapted."

Reyaz narrowed his eyes."So, what are you doing with all those money? You aren't someone who will waste away money. I can tell you have something brewing."

Fayez leaned forward and gave a proposal with a straight face. Brewing net of hypocrisy wasn't something he liked.

"I'm going to start a security agency. I won't lie — I'm planning to seize abandoned factories and run them myself. And I want you to collaborate with me."

Reyaz didn't flinch, but his gaze sharpened."Do you think you can just bribe me off? I won't let anyone harm the interest of this country."

"You're too idealistic, Captain," Fayez said, voice steady. "It's been only two days since independence, and already soldiers are looting and killing. Even if you stop me from taking the factories, they'll end up in the hands of some capitalists at throwaway prices. And nationalization? That's just some Soviet fantasy, isn't it?"

He continued, pressing the point.

"If we take control and start manufacturing now, we can create jobs, supply goods, and help refugees who'll return soon. The whole country is broken, running on foreign aid. Taking these factories might be morally grey, but it's better than letting them rot."

Fayez wasn't lying. Historically, Bangabandhu's government had nationalized all major industries — but corruption and inefficiency ruined them. The GDP drop down 82% surprising the whole world. Most factories collapsed before they could be rebuilt. While leaders lived lavishly at the beg given by foreign nations, the people starved.

Reyaz was silent. Thinking.

Then finally —"What exactly are you proposing?"

Fayez didn't hesitate.

"Many of our comrades will be discharged soon. I want them in my agency. Also, there are trucks, equipment, and arms left behind by the Pak army — I need access to them. I hope you help me to acquire them cheaply."

He added one final offer."I'll unify the factories, the security service, and the logistics division into one group. You'll get 3% equity. You'll need it, Captain — your family is still in Tripura refugee camp. And only Allah knows how they're doing."

He wasn't bluffing. Most arms would soon be taken by Indian forces. If they didn't act now, they'd lose the chance to keep anything themselves. As for the last part, no matter how patriotic a man appears to be family is his weakness.

Reyaz looked at him silently then when he thought of his family, he sighed… and extended his hand.

With a firm handshake, the first cornerstone of Fayez's vision of the future was laid.

As Reyaz pulled away, he gave a wry smile.

"I still can't tell if you've really lost your memory… or if you're faking it all."

Fayez smiled faintly.

It wasn't a question he could answer honestly.