Scene: The Journey to Moscow
In Japan, Haruki stood before his daughter, Misaki, with a countenance she had never seen before. He was no longer the calm, smiling father she knew… he was a man of gravity, as if preparing for something perilous.
He said to her with a firm calmness:
"Misaki, get ready. We are going on a mission with Ahmed's father."
Misaki smiled enthusiastically and said quickly:
"Wonderful! We will see Ahmed too, won't we?"
But Haruki did not answer. He remained silent for a moment, then said in a low voice:
"We must prepare for the worst."
Misaki was taken aback. It was the first time she had seen her father this serious.
She replied quietly: "Alright… I will get ready."
A few hours later, they were on their way to the airport. They boarded a plane bound for Moscow—a long flight, spanning nearly ten hours from Japan to Russia. Misaki sat by the window throughout the journey, staring at the clouds in silence, while Haruki sat lost in thought, contemplating the plan he had shared with Abu Ahmed.
Ahmed's Dream
At that time, Ahmed was still unconscious inside the cold warehouse. But his mind began to reclaim memories… like an old dream returning slowly to the surface.
He saw himself as a child in Moscow, walking with a little girl who had golden hair and hazel eyes. They were entering a supermarket together. She would point at sweets and snacks, and he would laugh and pay for them. Then, they would go to a park near the sweets shop. He held her small, white hand as they sat under a large tree that shielded them with its shadow. She would speak Russian rapidly… and Ahmed would just laugh because he didn't understand a single word.
Then, the scene shifted abruptly…
A speeding black car…
The sound of an impact…
A scream…
He saw himself pulling her away from the road…
Then, darkness.
Ahmed Awakens
Ahmed opened his eyes slowly. His head throbbed, and his body was weighed down by hunger and fatigue. He looked around with difficulty.
"Where am I…?"
Then, he remembered. "The warehouse…"
Someone stood before him. It was Irina. She looked at him and asked in a strained voice:
"Do you remember now… or do you still remember nothing?"
Ahmed raised his head with effort and said in a weak voice in English:
"I remember... some things."
He paused, then continued:
"When I used to take you to the supermarket… I would buy you snacks and sweets."
Tears began to well in her eyes. Ahmed continued painfully:
"Then we would go to the park… under the big tree that gave us shade."
He looked at her and said:
"You used to hold my hand and speak Russian so fast… and I understood nothing."
He sighed. "Then the car accident… I saved you… and I went to the hospital."
Irina's voice trembled. Ahmed went on:
"You came every day… and you told me you would marry me when you grew up."
Ahmed said with a weary calmness: "I learned English… I learned Japanese… and my native Arabic. But I forgot many things."
Irina collapsed in tears. "Oh, Ahmed… why did you remember me only now…?"
Ahmed said softly: "I think I deserve all of this… because I forgot my promise."
She raised her head, her eyes bloodshot, and said:
"I will not stop now. Either I die… or you do."
Ahmed shouted despite his weakness: "Stop! This talk helps no one!"
He then said more gently: "I will do anything… just stop."
She stood in a long, heavy silence… then approached him slowly. She slipped a small piece of paper into his pocket without the guards noticing. It contained the coordinates of a location.
She whispered to him:
"I will hide in a secret place in the mountains. If you truly remember your promise… come and save me."
Then, she wiped her tears quickly. She turned to one of the guards and said:
"Take my phone."
She handed him the phone and told him calmly:
"Free Ahmed… and take him to the front of my house. And do not let my father know a thing."
Then, she vanished from the place.
At the Hospital
At that moment, Alexei opened his eyes in the hospital. The first words he uttered in a faint voice were:
"I am sorry, Mohammed… for all of this."
Abu Ahmed shook his head and said: "Do not say that… your health is what matters now."
The manager sat up slightly and said: "Let's go home… there is little time left."
Irina's Plan
In the meantime, Irina called the guard again. She told him:
"Blindfold Ahmed… and take him to the front of my house."
She added: "Do not forget to give him my phone."
She ended the call.
The plan had begun… but no one knew how it would end.