Seeing Jehan approach him, Abhijat stiffened.

Jehan frowned. This was getting annoying.

“I need a favor,” he said, once he was close enough to be heard. “Something’s happened, and I–” he looked around quickly. “I need your help. It’s urgent.”

Abhijat’s eyes narrowed, the skepticism evident on his face. “You need my help?”

Jehan nodded.

Abhijat sighed. “Okay. What’s this about?”

“I can’t…I need to talk to you in private.”

Abhijat looked torn, conflicted. Then, as he looked over Jehan’s shoulder, his eyes narrowed, shoulders stiffening.

Jehan turned to see a willowy young woman – whom he had last seen hanging from Maganti’s arm – rushing towards them.

Navigating precariously through the crowded room in six inch heels, she almost crashed into Jehan, looking flushed and slightly tipsy. This prompted Abhijat to insert himself between them, before reaching out to steady the newcomer.

She giggled, her lashes fluttering, then brushed Abhijat’s hands off her shoulders with murmured apologies.

“So very clumsy of me. I’m so sorry.” She laughed, breathless, her doe eyes fixed on Jehan. “But, you see, my friends told me it was stupid but…I couldn’t not, you know! It’s been a dream of mine for so long.”

Abhijat looked baffled and uncomfortable. Jehan raised an eyebrow.

“I…Mr. Fasih, sir, I’d love to have the next dance with you.” She blushed, then glanced quickly over at the dance floor. “I’ve been a fan of yours for so many years now. I studied biochemistry and pharmacology in college, did you know? All because I wanted to work with you someday. You’ve been such an inspiration to so many poor girls like me–”

“I, ah, flattering as that is,” Jehan murmured, looking around for a distraction. “I’m afraid I can’t–”

“But it’s my birthday, today!” she whined, raising her voice so that everyone in the vicinity could hear her. Jehan bit back a curse. She was using his own trick against him. “And-and I asked them to play my favorite song next, just so I could have this dance with you.”

Her eyes were bright and expressive, her luscious lips pursed in a fetching pout. “Please, Mr. Fasih. If not for me, then for all your young fans in Maralana. For all the young girls who dream of growing up to become a great scientist and leader like you. Won’t you have this dance with me?”

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A moment passed in silence. Jehan could feel eyes on him, the other attendees turning to see what the commotion was about.

He smiled. “Of course. I’d be honored to. But I’m afraid I’ve already promised this next dance to my dear friend Abhijat.” He wrapped his fingers around Abhijat’s upper arm, causing the latter to go still.

Ignoring his discomfiture, Jehan continued, his smile growing. “You wouldn’t want me to break a promise, would you my dear?” He stepped closer to Abhijat. “Just one dance. After that,” he cocked his head to one side and favored her with his best lopsided grin. “I’m all yours.”

Eyes wide, mouth hanging open, the young woman nodded mutely. She looked like she didn’t know what to say.

That suited Jehan just fine. Without another word, he looped his arm into Abhijat’s and dragged him off towards the dance floor just as the previous song came to a close.

“Are you trying to cause a scandal?” Abhijat hissed in his ear as they stepped onto the dance floor.

“Yesterday, you thought I was trying to murder your parents. Today, it’s just a scandal I’m trying to cause.” Jehan pulled Abhijat into position, beaming. “Now that’s what we call progress.”

The first notes of the new song floated in the air and Abhijat led them awkwardly through the initial steps of the dance.

Jehan chuckled. “You’re so stiff, they’d think I was making you dance at gunpoint. I spurned that poor girl to dance with you,” he widened his eyes, pitching his voice low. “And this is the best that you can do?”

Abhijat growled and spun him in place. The move was abrupt and out of sync with the music, but Jehan just threw his head back and laughed.

He liked riling Abhijat up. Ruqaiya was going to call him on it later, but he couldn’t help himself. The man was just so easy to provoke.

Perhaps Abhijat should’ve put a bullet in his skull when he had the chance.

“What do you want from me?” his partner snarled, visibly struggling to keep his voice low.

“What I want,” Jehan said, falling back into step with Abhijat and ignoring the cameras flashing all around them. “Is irrelevant. What I need–” he twirled deftly, putting himself between Abhijat and a camera that was about to capture his enraged scowl. “Is for you to chase down Rinisa and stop her from leaving the country with President Maganti’s stock of Amven.”

“What?”

“What?” Jehan looked up at Abhijat with wide, sincere eyes. “You don’t think I coerced you into this dance just to watch you squirm, do you?”

Abhijat glared at him. Jehan giggled. “Okay fine. But that was only sixty percent of my motivation.

“The other forty stemmed from the fact that Rinisa’s heading for the airport as we speak, along with a backpack full of Amven samples Maganti has managed to accumulate over the years.

“If she leaves Maralana, it’ll be almost impossible to get her back. And those drugs will be all but lost to us, used for God only knows what purpose in some obscure corner of the world. For all we know, she’ll use them to set up more clubs like La Fantome, in places where we can’t intervene.

“We need to stop her before she can board a plane out of this country. And I can’t send someone after her who might be bribed or manipulated into letting her get away.”

Abhijat nodded, his face grim. “I understand.”

“Off you go then,” Jehan smiled, stepping away. “Just don’t forget you owe me a dance when this is over.”

Abhijat scowled, then stepped off the dance floor and made a beeline for the doorway.