{No matter how much time passes, we will wait for your return}
As the sun began to set, the time for Hakan's departure drew near.
"So, after seeing everything... what do you think of the apartment?" Hakan asked.
"It's wonderful. We couldn't have wished for anything better," Rina replied.
"Good. Do you want to buy some new toys, Mayar?"
"Please!" the little girl beamed.
"I'll head out now. I don't think you need me anymore. If anything happens, call me—or call Kinjin."
"Thank you for everything," Rina said firmly. "We will repay this debt one day, I promise."
"Then take care of Kinjin," Hakan said with a small sigh. "He might act tough, but he crumbles easily under the pressure of work. Goodbye for now."
"Goodbye, Uncle Hakan!" Mayar waved.
"Farewell."
Just as Hakan reached the door, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the hallway. Silence fell for a heartbeat, followed by a violent pounding on the door.
[Is it the guard? No... he has no reason to be here. Kinjin won't come today. Could it be...]
Hakan turned to the sisters, signaling them with a sharp gesture to hide in the bedroom.
[It seems the boredom ends now,] he thought, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.
He swung the door open. A bald man in a white shirt barged into the center of the room with brute force.
"Where is my daughter?" the man barked.
"Usually, people start with 'hello' when entering my home," Hakan said, leaning against the wall. "I'm alone here. If you don't leave, I'll call the police."
"I am a policeman! You can't stop me. If you insist on lying, I'll find them myself."
"Go ahead then, sit and search as much as you like, Mr. Funny Officer."
"Bastard."
The man began ransacking the house until he reached a locked door. He rattled the handle violently.
"You piece of trash, open this door before I rip the key from your corpse!"
"I don't have the key. I just moved in today and forgot to ask for it."
"Don't lie to me! I'm not a child to be fooled by such a pathetic excuse!"
"I'm not lying. Search my pockets if you want."
"I'm breaking this door down."
"I suggest you don't. It's my first day here."
The man suddenly whipped out a pistol and aimed it directly at Hakan's head.
"One more word, and you're a dead man."
[Is everyone I meet this quick to anger?] Hakan wondered, his expression unreadable.
Hakan remained silent. The man began kicking the door. A small sneeze escaped from inside. The man's eyes widened, and his kicks became more feral. Finally, the wood splintered, and the door gave way.
"Father..." Rina gasped, trembling.
"Mayar, I'm scared!" the little girl cried.
"So you were here, you two... disgraced daughters. Living with a different man every time? I'll kill you both and end the shame you've brought upon me!"
Just as he leveled the gun at them, he felt the cold, hard press of metal against the back of his own skull.
"Let's play a game," Hakan's voice was a terrifying whisper. "Move, and I fire. Breathe, and I fire. Say one word I don't like... and I fire."
"You bastard! How dare you threaten me!"
"Steady now, Officer Jan. I'm in a good mood because of that little girl. But I don't mind a bloodbath if the occasion calls for it. Drop the gun. Now."
"Do you think your threats scare me—"
BANG.
Hakan fired a shot into Jan's shoulder. The man collapsed to the floor, screaming in agony.
"Rina, take your sister to the kitchen and lock the door," Hakan ordered, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Understood... Come, Mayar."
Left alone with the wounded man, Hakan pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
"Get to my location immediately!"
He looked down at Jan. "I didn't want to terrify that little girl with this sight, but you seem insistent on dying here."
"I'll kill you... I'll make you pay!" Jan groaned.
Hakan's eyes filled with pure, unadulterated hatred. He aimed and fired again—this time into Jan's leg. The apartment filled with agonizing screams until Hakan stuffed a cloth into the man's mouth to muffle the sound.
"The next bullet goes through your head. I'm taking the cloth out, but you will speak the truth."
Hakan pulled the cloth away.
"Please don't kill me... I have an infant son!" Jan pleaded.
"And aren't the two you tried to kill your own daughters? It seems you need more lead to understand your situation. How did you find us? Who told you we were in this exact apartment? Every second of silence costs you a bullet."
"I... I followed you from the hospital!"
BANG. Hakan shot his other leg.
"Liar. You're running out of blood. Keep lying and you won't finish your sentence."
"Don't kill me! Please!" Jan sobbed. "It was one of the men... the one who was watching you. When you left their old house, he told me you forced him to lie, but he told me everything anyway. He knew you were headed here."
[I was a fool to let that spy go,] Hakan cursed himself. [I should have killed him.]
"You have loyal followers, it seems. Lovely. I'll make sure to kill them all next. Now, a question: Why do you want to kill these girls when they've moved far away from you? You were the cause of this from the start. Speak, before I cut your eyes out while you're still alive!"
Jan remained silent, his face pale from blood loss.
"Do you really want to die that badly? Fine... have it your way."
Hakan aimed the gun at Jan's forehead. But at that exact moment...
"Hakan, stop! Don't kill him, please!" Rina screamed, rushing out.
"Please, Uncle!" Mayar begged.
"Go back to the kitchen. This doesn't concern you."
"I beg you, don't do it!" Rina cried, tears streaming down her face. "Please don't... because after all..."
"He is still..."
"...Our father."