THE HUNTS BEGINS

*ZAYD ARMAAN*

*CHAPTER-EIGHTEEN:18*

*THE HUNT BEGINS*

*JIDDAAH BARKUM*

⸻

Asubahin ranar… haske mai laushi na alfijir ya fara ratsawa ta manyan labulen ɗakin.

Ɗakin ya yi tsit, sai ƙar air conditioner mai laushi.

Zayd na kwance a kan katafaren gadonsa mai lallausan farin bedsheet, ɗaya hannunsa ƙarƙashin kansa, ɗayan kuma a gefen pillow.

Bai saba kashe wayarsa ba, amma daren jiya, saboda gajiyar aiki da shirin tafiyar China, ya mayar da ita silent kafin ya kwanta.

A hankali ya buɗe idanunsa, ya ɗan kalli agogon bangon ɗakin, 6:07 AM.

Ya zauna a gefen gadon, ya shafa fuskarsa da tafin hannu, sai ya miƙa hannu ya ɗauki wayarsa daga kan bedside table.

Da ya kunna screen ɗin… idanunsa suka tsaya cak.

217 Missed Calls.

Ba daga mutum ɗaya ba, daga lambobi daban-daban.

Board members, business partners, Sameer, legal team, media contacts, har da wasu international numbers.

Ya ɗan ƙanƙance idanunsa, ba tare da ya ce komai ba, ya ɗauki wayarsa ta biyu, wadda yake amfani da ita wajen muhimman harkokin kasuwanci.

Da ya kunna ta… sai ta fara shigowa da notifications ba ƙaƙƙautawa.

184 Missed Calls, 326 Unread Messages, 91 Emails.

Wayar ta fara vibrating saboda sabbin kira da ke ci gaba da shigowa, screen ɗin ya cika da sunaye.

Sameer Calling… ta katse.

Nan take… Chairman Ibrahim Calling… ta katse.

Sai kuma… Unknown Number… har yanzu kiran na ci gaba da shigowa.

Zayd ya ɗan ɗaga gira, wannan ba irin abin da yake faruwa idan gari ya waye ba ne.

A hankali ya sauke wayar a gefen gadon, ya ɗauki numfashi guda.

A daidai lokacin… wayarsa ta sake haskawa, Sameer Calling….

A wannan karon… Zayd ya ɗaga wayar,

“Sameer.”

Sai dai kafin Sameer ya samu damar amsawa… sai Zayd ya ji numfashinsa yana fita da sauri,

“Boss! Alhamdulillah ka ɗaga. Tun ɗazu nake ƙoƙarin samunka.”

Zayd ya ɗan haɗe gira,

“I just woke up. What happened?”

Sameer ya yi shiru na daƙiƙa guda, kamar yana neman kalmomin da zai fara,

“Boss... we have a serious problem.”

Zayd ya zauna sosai a bakin gadon, fuskarsa ta ƙara yin natsuwa,

“What kind of problem?”

Sameer ya haɗiye yawu,

“Social media is on fire. Ana ta yaɗa wasu pictures naka tare da Miss Raihana.”

Zayd bai ce komai ba, sai ya cigaba da sauraron sa.

Sameer ya ci gaba da magana,

“Ba pictures na event ba ne, Boss. An yi editing. An ƙirƙiri hotuna daban-daban. Wasu kamar kuna restaurant. Wasu kamar private jet. Wasu...” ya ɗan yi shiru, “…har da waɗanda ba zan iya bayyana maka ta waya ba.”

Ɗakin ya yi tsit, Zayd bai motsa ba, bai kuma katse Sameer ba.

“Hashtags ɗin sun fara trending. Blogs da dama sun ɗauka. Har wasu international media pages suna repost. Phones ɗin office na wajena anata kira. Board members suna ta kira. Investors ma sun fara tambaya.”

Sameer ya sauke numfashi,

“Boss... this is a coordinated attack. Ba abu ne da mutum ɗaya zai yi cikin dare ɗaya ba.”

Zayd ya ɗan lumshe idanunsa, lokacin da ya sake buɗe su… muryarsa ta kasance cikin cikakkiyar nutsuwa,

“Take down all today’s meetings.”

Sameer ya yi saurin amsawa,

“Yes, Boss.”

“Call the legal team. I want every fake post documented. Every account. Every website. Nothing should be missed.”

“Yes, Boss.”

“And Sameer...”

“Yes, Boss?”

“Find out who started this. I don’t want assumptions. I want evidence.”

Muryarsa ta yi sanyi, amma cike take da nauyi,

“Whoever is behind this... made a very expensive mistake.”

Sameer ya yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, sannan ya amsa cikin girmamawa,

“I’ll get on it immediately, Boss.”

Kiran ya ƙare.

Zayd ya sauke wayar a hankali, idanunsa suka tsaya kan screen ɗin wayarsa… sai ya buɗe Instagram a karon farko tun bayan event ɗin.

Kamar yadda Sameer ya faɗa… da Instagram ya buɗe, screen ɗin wayar ya cika da notifications.

99+ New Messages, 18.7K Mentions, 42.3K Tagged Posts.

Sai wani red notification ya bayyana, *#ZaydArmaan — Trending #1*

Ya latsa, nan take… posts suka fara bayyana ɗaya bayan ɗaya.

Wasu daga verified blogs, wasu daga gossip pages, wasu kuma daga accounts da bai taɓa jin sunansu ba.

Post na farko ya bayyana, an saka hoton da aka yi editing ɗinsa, kamar yana rungume da Raihana a bakin wani luxury swimming pool.

Caption ɗin ya ce—

“THE SECRET BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE THEY TRIED TO HIDE.”

❤️ 312K Likes, 💬 89K Comments, ↗️ 57K Shares

Zayd bai nuna wata alama a fuskarsa ba, ya ci gaba da scrolling.

Post na biyu, kamar suna fitowa daga wani five-star hotel, a ƙasa an rubuta—

“Is this the real reason behind her sudden success?”

Ya sake gungurawa, na uku, private jet. Na huɗu, restaurant. Na biyar… bathroom.

A wannan karon… yatsansa ya tsaya, ya yi zoom cikin nutsuwa, idanunsa suka tsaya kan hoton.

Na ɗan lokaci bai motsa ba, sai ya rage zoom, ya sake dubawa, sannan… ya yi zoom a karo na biyu.

Ba ya kallon fuskokinsu, ba ya kallon jikinsu, abin da yake dubawa… shi ne details, reflection na mirror, shadow, lighting, angle na camera, edges na hoton.

Ya sake gungurawa, wani hoton kuma ya bayyana, kamar Raihana ta jingina a kafaɗarsa cikin mota.

Comments kuwa suna ta zuba ba ƙaƙautawa:

“I knew they were hiding something.”

“Money can buy anything.”

“Poor girl sold herself.”

“CEO and his university girlfriend.”

Jawline ɗin Zayd ya matse, amma fuskarsa… har yanzu babu wani canji.

Ya buɗe comments, ya karanta kaɗan, sai ya rufe su, ya sake komawa kan hoton.

A hankali ya furta,

“…Poorly done.”

Sai ya sake yin zoom, a wannan karon… wani ɗan siririn murmushi ya bayyana a gefen bakinsa, murmushin mutumin da ya riga ya gano kuskuren wanda ya shirya masa tarko.

Ya ɗauki screenshot na hoton, sannan ya tura shi kai tsaye zuwa ga Sameer.

Message guda kawai ya rubuta:

“Don’t take this down yet.”

Sai bai jira amsa daga Sameer ba, kai tsaye ya fita daga Instagram.

Ya buɗe gallery, ya sauke hoton da aka yi editing ɗin, ya sake buɗe shi, ya yi zoom sau ɗaya, sannan ya sake yi.

Idanunsa suka tsaya kan hannun Raihana, na ɗan lokaci… sai ya matsa hoton zuwa gefen dama, ya kalli wristwatch ɗinsa, sannan ya mayar da hoton, ya sake kallon hasken da ke bugun fuskokinsu.

A hankali ya furta,

“No... this wasn’t done by professionals.”

Ya buɗe wani hoto, sai wani, sai wani, duk hotunan… yana kallonsu ne ba kamar wanda yake kallon scandal ba, yana kallonsu ne kamar investigator.

Ya tsaya kan wani hoto da ake nuna kamar suna cikin private jet, ya yi zoom kan window ɗin jirgin, sai ya yi murmushin gefen baki,

“Interesting...”

Ya latsa screenshot, nan take ya sake kiran Sameer.

Wayar ta shiga,

“Boss.”

“Listen carefully.”

“I’m listening.”

“Bana son a sauke hotunan nan yanzu.”

Sameer ya yi mamaki,

“Boss?”

“Let them spread. Every repost... every comment... every share... is leaving a trail.”

Sameer ya yi shiru.

Zayd ya ci gaba,

“Tell Cyber Security to monitor everything. Don’t interrupt the circulation. I want them to feel safe. Ina so Wanda ya yi abun ya ji kamar ya yi nasara. Only then... will they become careless.”

Sameer ya gyada kai, ko da yake Zayd ba ya ganinsa,

“I understand, Boss.”

“What about the media?”

“No statement.”

“What about the investors?”

“Reschedule today’s meeting. I’ll speak to them personally later.”

“Yes, Boss.”

Sai Zayd ya ɗan yi shiru, muryarsa ta sake yin sanyi,

“Sameer...”

“Yes, Boss?”

“Ka nemo min labarin halin da take ciki.”

Sameer ya ɗan rikice,

“Sir? Who?”

Ya lumshe idanunsa kafin ya ce,

“Raihana.”

“I need to know if she’s safe. If the media reaches her before we do... this situation could become worse.”

Sameer ya yi saurin amsawa,

“I’ll send people immediately.”

“A’a,” Zayd ya katse shi,

“Not security. Hakan zai ja attention. Just find out. I want information. Nothing else.”

“Understood, Boss.”

Kiran ya ƙare.

Zayd ya ajiye wayar a hankali, sai ya ɗaga kansa ya kalli hasken safiyar da ke ratsawa ta cikin manyan labulen ɗakinsa.

A rayuwarsa… an taɓa kai masa hare-hare kan kasuwanci, an taɓa ƙoƙarin rusa sunansa, an taɓa yi masa blackmail.

Amma wannan karon… ba shi kaɗai aka kai wa hari ba, an ja sunan wata yarinya marar laifi cikin wasan.

Idanunsa suka yi sanyi, sai ya furta a hankali,

“They picked the wrong target.”

⸻

Ummie na zaune a kan sallayarta bayan ta idar da sallar Asuba, tasbaha na yatsunta, lips ɗinta na motsi cikin ambaton Allah.

Sai kwatsam… ta ji sautin taku daga corridor, takun da ba irin na mutum mai natsuwa ba ne.

Kafin Ummie ta ɗaga kai sosai… bam!

Ƙofar ɗakin ta buɗe da ƙarfi,

“Suhaila!”

Ummie ta miƙe da sauri.

Suhaila ta shigo tana haki, numfashinta na fita sama-sama, gashinta a watse, har yanzu tana sanye da sleeping dress kawai, ko hijabi ba ta saka ba.

Fuskarta ta sauya gaba ɗaya, idanuwanta sun cika da tsoro,

“U… Ummie... ki… ki duba...” muryarta ta karye, ta kasa cewa komai.

Ummie ta dafe ƙirjinta,

“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihir raji’un...” shi kaɗai take ta furtawa.

Da sauri ta ƙarasa gare ta,

“Suhaila! Me ya faru? Lafiya?”

“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihir raji’un...” ta sake furtawa, hankalinta ya gama tashi.

A rayuwarta… ba ta taɓa ganin Suhaila ta shigo ɗakinta da wannan yanayin ba.

Suhaila ta miƙa mata wayarta da hannun da ke rawa,

“U… Ummie... ki duba...”

Ummie ta karɓi wayar cikin rawar hannu, da idanunta suka sauka kan screen ɗin…

“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihir raji’un...” ta sake furtawa cikin wata irin murya mai nauyi.

Idanunta suka fara gungurawa daga hoto zuwa hoto, kowane swipe… sai gabanta ya ƙara faɗuwa, numfashinta ya ɗan yi nauyi.

Ta ɗaga kai a hankali ta kalli Suhaila,

“Wa ya aiko miki wannan?”

Suhaila ta girgiza kai,

“Ban sani ba, Ummie... na buɗe Instagram ne... sai na gani yana ko’ina...”

“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihir raji’un...” abin da Ummie ta iya furtawa kenan.

Jikinta ya yi sanyi gaba ɗaya, a hankali ta ja kujerar da ke kusa da ita ta zauna, kamar ƙafafunta sun gaza ɗaukar nauyin abin da idanunta suka gani.

Wayar na hannunta, har yanzu idanunta na kan screen ɗin, tana gungurawa daga hoto zuwa hoto, kowane hoto… sai gabanta ya ƙara faɗuwa.

Suhaila kuwa… har yanzu tana tsaye a gabanta, hannayenta a haɗe, fuskarta cike da tashin hankali, ta kasa zama, ta kasa magana, ta kasa ko motsi.

Shiru ya mamaye ɗakin na wasu daƙiƙu.

Sai Ummie ta rufe idanunta, ta sauke dogon numfashi, lokacin da ta sake buɗe su… natsuwa ta dawo cikin fuskarta, irin natsuwar mutumin da ya yanke shawarar ba zai bari firgici ya rinjaye shi ba.

Ta ɗaga kanta ta kalli Suhaila, muryarta a hankali ta ce,

“Wannan... ba abu ne da ya faru haka kawai ba. An shirya shi. An tsara shi tsaf. Wani ya tashi da niyyar cutar da Zayd.”

Ta ɗan yi shiru, sannan ta ci gaba,

“Na san ɗana. Na san maƙiyansa. Idan sun kasa samun shi kai tsaye... za su nemi abin da zai taɓa mutuncinsa.”

Ta sake kallon hotunan, ta girgiza kai a hankali,

“Amma... me ya sa za su haɗa wannan yarinyar a cikin wannan mugun shirin? Me ta yi musu?”

Ta matse wayar da ke hannunta, idanuwanta suka cika da tausayi,

“Wallahi... duk wanda ya yi wannan... ba wai kawai yana son rusa sunan Zayd ba ne. Yana son lalata rayuwar wannan yarinyar ma.”

Ɗakin ya sake yin tsit, Suhaila ta ji wani irin zafi yana ratsa zuciyarta.

A karon farko… ta fara fahimtar cewa wannan ba kawai scandal ba ne, yaƙi ne… kuma akwai wani da ya tsara shi tun kafin kowa ya ankara.

Ummie ta lumshe idanunta na ɗan lokaci, sannan ta miƙe tsaye, da ƙarfi ta ja numfashi,

“Mu je.”

Suhaila ta ɗago kai,

“Ina?”

“Wajen Zayd. Ba na son ya farka ya tarar da wannan ta wata hanya.”

Ta ɗauki wayar daga kan tebur, ta juya ta nufi ƙofar, Suhaila ma ta bi bayanta da sauri.

Takunsu ne kaɗai ke amo a cikin doguwar corridor ta mansion ɗin, dukansu babu wanda yake magana, hankalin Suhaila ya kasa kwanciya, yayin da Ummie ke ta addu’a a ranta,

“Allah Ka bayyana gaskiya... Allah Ka kare mana mutunci...”

Da suka isa bakin ƙofar ɗakin Zayd… Ummie ta ɗan tsaya, ta buga ƙofar sau biyu, daga ciki aka amsa cikin nutsuwa,

“Come in.”

Ummie ta buɗe ƙofar, suka shiga.

Zayd na zaune kan sofa da ke gefen window, sanye yake cikin farar T-shirt mai sauƙi da black sweatpants, laptop ɗinsa a buɗe a gabansa, wayoyinsa biyu na gefensa.

A fuska… babu wata alamar tashin hankali, kamar babu abin da ya faru.

Da ya ga Ummie da Suhaila… sai ya rufe laptop ɗin a hankali,

“Good morning, Ummie.”

Ummie ta ƙarasa gabansa, ta tsaya tana kallonsa,

“Zayd... na gani.”

Ya katse ta cikin natsuwa, ya ɗaga wayarsa ya nuna musu screen ɗin,

“Na riga na gani tun ɗazu.”

Suhaila ta yi mamaki,

“Akhii... ka gani?”

Ya gyada kai,

“Sameer called me. Tun kafin ku zo.”

Ummie ta zauna a kujerar da ke kusa da shi, ta girgiza kai,

“Na ji tsoron kada hankalinka ya tashi.”

Zayd ya ɗan yi murmushi cikin cikakkiyar nutsuwa,

“Tashin hankali ba zai magance matsala ba, Ummie. Abin da zai magance ta... shi ne hujja.”

Ya ɗauki wayarsa, ya buɗe wasu screenshots, sannan ya miƙa mata,

“I’ve already activated the legal team. Cyber Security. Digital Forensics. Komai ya fara aiki.”

Ummie ta kalli screen ɗin, ta sake kallonsa,

“Ka san wanda ya yi?”

“A’a. Amma za mu gano.”

Ya jingina da kujerarsa, muryarsa ta kasance cikin kwanciyar hankali,

“Duk wanda ya shirya wannan... ya yi kuskure ɗaya. Ya bar sawu. Ko da yana tunanin ya ɓoye komai... akwai Technology. Mutane ma ba sa ɓacewa ba tare da sun bar alama ba.”

Suhaila ta sauke numfashi,

“Amma Akhi... Raihana fa?”

A wannan karon… Ummie ce tayi saurin magana,

“Zayd... abin da ya fi damuna shine. Sunan kamfani za a iya kare shi. Sunanka ma za a iya wanke shi. Amma wannan yarinyar... ba ta saba da irin wannan rayuwar ba. Idan ba a yi komai cikin sauri ba... su ne za su fi cutar da ita.”

Zayd ya lumshe idanunsa, sai ya gyada kai a hankali,

“Allah Ya bayyana gaskiya.”

“Ameen.”

Sai ya miƙe tsaye, ya ɗauki suit jacket ɗinsa daga kan kujera, muryarsa ta sake yin nauyi,

“From this moment... this is no longer a social media scandal. It is a criminal investigation... kuma zan tabbatar duk wanda ya shirya wannan, zai fuskanci sakamakon abin da ya aikata.”

⸻

Baffa Musa ya ƙaraso da sauri, ya karɓe Umma daga hannun Maryam da Mama Indo kafin ta sake zubewa ƙasa, ya zaunar da ita a hankali.

Ya juya da sauri,

“Maryam! Kawo ruwa!”

Sai a lokacin ne kowa ya tuna da ruwa, Maryam ta ruga da gudu zuwa kitchen, ba ta jima ba ta dawo da kofin ruwa.

Mama Indo ta ɗan ɗiba a tafin hannunta tana shafa wa Umma fuska.

Umma ta yi wata doguwar ajiyar numfashi, numfashinta ya fara daidaituwa, a hankali… ta buɗe idanunta.

Da idanunta suka sauka kan fuskar Raihana… hawayen da ta daɗe tana ƙoƙarin riƙewa suka fara gangarowa,

“Ya Allah... wallahi... wallahi wannan ba ɗiyata ba ce. Raihana ba za ta taɓa aikata irin wannan ba.”

Ta dafe ƙirjinta,

“Malam...” ta kalli Baffa da idanunta cike da hawaye,

“Ka san tarbiyyar da muka ba ta. Ka san yadda muka raine ta. Wallahi ba ita ba ce. Wani ne ya yi niyyar cutar da ita... wani ne yake son ya lalata mana suna da mutunci. Wallahi ba ɗiyata ba ce. Ko da duniya za ta taru ta ce ita ce... ni na san ’yata. Na san tarbiyyarta. Na san tsoron Allah da ke cikin zuciyarta.”

Ta fashe da kuka,

“Ba za taɓa cire mana mutunci haka ba... ba za ta taɓa jefa kanta cikin irin wannan ba...”

Mama Indo ta riƙe hannunta tana ƙoƙarin kwantar mata da hankali,

“Ki yi haƙuri. Ki kwantar da hankalinki.”

Amma kafin wani ya ƙara magana… Mama Sabuwa ta yi wata irin shewa,

“Toh! Shi kenan dai! Yanzu idan ba fuskar Raihana ba ce... ta uban wa ce?”

Ta ɗaga hannayenta sama,

“Allah Sarki! Shi ya sa ake cewa ‘kada ka aibata ɗan wani, domin ba ka san inda rana za ta faɗi ba.’ Yau ga shi nan. Mutanen da kullum ake cewa su ne masu tarbiyya... ashe su suka fi kowa ɓoye abin kunya!”

Tsakar gidan ya sake yin tsit.

A hankali… Raihana ta motsa, tun farko tana tsaye ne kamar an dasa ta a ƙasa, kafafunta suka yi mata nauyi.

Ba ta kuka, ba ta magana, kai tsaye ta durƙusa, ta ɗauki wayar da ta faɗi daga hannun Umma, hannunta na rawa.

Ta kunna screen ɗin, hoton farko ya bayyana, ta kalle shi, sai ta gungura, na biyu, na uku, na huɗu… kowane hoto da take gani… sai idanunta ke ƙara faɗaɗa, numfashinta ya fara nauyi.

Ta sake gungurawa, sai hoton bathroom ya bayyana, hannunta ya fara karkarwa, wayar ta kusan zamewa daga hannunta.

Ta girgiza kai da ƙarfi,

“Ni... ban taɓa...” ta kasa ƙarasa maganar, hawaye suka cika idanunta.

Ta sake kallon hotunan ɗaya bayan ɗaya… kamar tana fatan za ta farka daga mafarkin da take ciki.

Mama Sabuwa taɓe baki, ta yi wata irin dariyar rainin hankali kafin ta sake cewa,

“Ai toh! A dinga cewa kullum an tafi makaranta... an tafi lecture... an tafi presentation... ashe wannan shi ne abin da ake aikatawa a bayan idonmu?”

Ta yi wata irin tsaki,

“Daga ƙarshe kuma aka ce an ba ta international scholarship. Ah lalle! International kenan? Ashe can za a tafi a ci gaba da abin da aka fara a nan!”

Ta juya ta kalli Raihana daga sama har ƙasa,

“Ko ba haka ba... me ya sa sai ke? Duk faɗin university ɗin nan an rasa wadda za a zaɓa... sai ke? Duk ɗalibai dubban da suke makarantar... sai ke aka gani kika cancanta?”

Ta girgiza kai,

“Lallai akwai abin da idanu ba sa gani. Yau dai Allah Ya tona asiri.”

“SABUWA!”

Muryar Baffa Musa ta daki tsakar gidan kamar tsawa, kowa ya yi shiru, har Mama Sabuwa ta ɗan firgita.

Baffa ya nuna ta da yatsa, fuskarsa ta sauya gaba ɗaya, idanunsa sun kaure da fushi,

“Na ce ki yi shiru! Ko kin manta kina magana ne ba tare da wata hujja ba? Kin manta cewa abin da yake yawo a waya ba dole ba ne ya zama gaskiya?”

Ya ci gaba da nuna ta da yatsa,

“Ban ƙara son jin wata kalma daga bakinki! Idan ba za ki taimaka wajen kwantar da hankali ba... to kada ki ƙara ruruta wutar da ta riga ta kama.”

Tsakar gidan ya sake yin tsit, Mama Sabuwa ta haɗiye yawu, amma duk da haka… a fuskarta har yanzu akwai alamun rashin yarda da abin da Baffa ya faɗa.

*** ✍️