7:00 AM.
Mumin woke up from sleep. Soft sunlight was falling on his face through the window. For a moment he stayed lying down, staring at the ceiling. He had not seen any dreams last night. He had slept peacefully.
There was a knock on the door.
"Mr. Mumin? Are you awake?"
Mumin sat up. "Yes, I'm coming."
When he opened the door, a soldier was standing there. Polite in manner. "General Crane asked me to take you to the library. He wants to introduce you to someone there."
Mumin got ready and followed the soldier. After passing through a long corridor, they arrived at a huge room. Books covered the walls. Long tables, comfortable chairs. The lighting was soft. He liked this place.
Three people were sitting beside a table.
A man. Wearing glasses, neat clothes, a pen in his hand. Beside him a woman wearing a hijab, kindness in her eyes. And between them a little girl—maybe five or six years old. The girl had a doll in her hand. She was smiling.
The soldier said, "Mr. Mumin, this is Mahim Hossain and his family. Mr. Mahim is our top-class engineer. A world-famous researcher. He has made many great inventions."
Mahim stood up. He extended his hand and smiled gently.
"Assalamu Alaikum, Mumin. I've heard a lot about you."
Mumin shook his hand. "Wa Alaikum Assalam. It's nice to meet you."
Mahim gestured toward his wife. "This is my wife, Rokeya Begum. She is a teacher."
Rokeya smiled softly. "It's nice to meet you, Mumin. How are you?"
Mumin said, "Alhamdulillah, I'm well."
Then Mahim looked at the little girl. "And this is our princess. Zakia."
The girl shyly hid behind her mother. But then she peeked out again and looked at Mumin.
Something stirred inside Mumin's chest. Zakia. The name sounded like Zara. Zara—the girl from the city of Fez in Morocco.
But he quickly composed himself. This was another Zakia. Just a little girl.
Mumin tried to smile. "Your name is Zakia? That's a very beautiful name."
Zakia stepped out from behind her mother. She held up the doll in her hand and showed it to him.
"Uncle, look at my doll. I made it myself."
Mumin looked at the doll. A small handmade doll. Beautiful.
"Really? You made it yourself? You're a very smart girl!"
Zakia jumped happily. "Uncle said I'm smart!"
Rokeya Begum laughed softly. "She loves making dolls. She's always creating something."
Mahim said, "Do you like spending time with children, Mumin?"
Mumin replied, "I haven't had many opportunities. But I do like it."
Zakia grabbed Mumin's hand and pulled him. "Uncle, sit down. I'll make a doll for you. What color do you like?"
Mumin held her small hand gently. "I like blue, Zakia."
Zakia ran to her mother. "Ammi, I need blue cloth!"
Everyone laughed. Mumin laughed too. For a moment he forgot where he was. He forgot Musa, the General, Imolodia—everything.
Mahim said, "Do you know, Mumin, we are prisoners in this country too. We have to work for them. If we refuse, our family will be harmed."
Mumin froze. "You're prisoners too?"
Rokeya Begum said, "Yes. We have been here for almost three years. They need Mahim's work, so they've given us a little freedom. But that doesn't mean we are free."
Mumin looked at Zakia. The girl was playing. She didn't know her parents were prisoners.
Mumin said, "I'm a prisoner too. But I don't know why I was brought here."
Mahim said, "We are all here for one reason or another. Some for knowledge, some for power, some just because of fate. But trust in Allah, Mumin. He is the only true rescuer."
Mumin nodded. "Alhamdulillah. I trust Him."
Zakia ran back with blue cloth in her hand.
"Uncle, I found it! Now I'll make your doll."
Mumin smiled. "I'll watch you make it. Will you teach me?"
Zakia clapped happily. "Yes! Yes!"
Everyone laughed. In this corner of the library there was only laughter now. And for a while, Mumin forgot everything. He simply watched Zakia's tiny hands making the doll. There were dreams in her eyes. A smile on her face.
Maybe today would be a good day.
Afternoon passed into evening.
General Crane was once again at the President's palace. This time alone. The inside of the palace was quiet now. Guards were on duty. The General walked down a long corridor and stopped near the President's room.
The door was slightly open.
The General peeked inside. President Morgan Cross was standing beside his desk. A phone in his hand. But he wasn't talking to anyone. Instead, he was looking at the wall—as if he were speaking to it.
The President whispered,
"Yes, I understand. The work will be done according to your instructions. But that boy… Mumin… will he become part of our plan? Alright. I'll wait. For the next instructions."
Then he fell silent. He lowered the phone and kept staring at the wall.
The General noticed there was nothing on the wall except a painting. Had the President gone mad? Or was he talking to someone who could not be seen?
The General knocked on the door. "Sir?"
The President turned around. His face looked normal.
"Come in, General. I was waiting for you."
The General entered. The President sat beside the table. The General sat as well.
The President said, "Tell me. What news?"
The General explained everything—the laboratory, the prison incident, IDFC, Dark Psycho. The President listened. There was no expression on his face. Only thought in his eyes.
Finally the General said, "Sir, that boy Mumin wants to meet you. He agreed to work with us, but he has one condition—he wants to see you."
The President stayed silent for a moment. Then he said,
"He wants to see me? Why?"
"I don't know, sir. Maybe he wants to know something. Maybe he wants to understand something. He's just a crazy boy, but the second personality inside him—Musa—is very powerful. He could be useful for us."
The President said, "Alright. Bring him. We'll meet next week. Before that, prepare him. And let him spend time with Mahim's family. He might find peace among them."
The General said, "Sir, but the prison incident… our prisoners are gone. An entire nation. How is that possible? And who did it?"
The President stood up and walked toward the window. Looking outside, he said,
"There are many things, General, that we do not know. Things beyond our power. But we must continue our work. We must move our plan forward."
The General didn't understand. But there was a depth in the President's words—as if he knew something but did not want to say it.
The President turned and said,
"You may go now. Make sure everything is handled properly. And tell Mumin that I am waiting for him."
The General saluted and left.
The President remained alone. He looked at the wall again and whispered,
"Your wish will be fulfilled. But will I ever know who you really are?"
The wall remained silent. Only the painting seemed to stare back—with strange eyes. Eyes that seemed to see everything.
Outside, the sun was setting. Another day ended in Imolodia. But the mystery had not ended. Instead, it had become more tangled.
The prison incident. Dark Psycho. IDFC. And now the President speaking to a wall.
Who is this mysterious power? Who really controls Imolodia? And will Mumin discover the truth?
Darkness falls over the palace. The President sits alone. Questions in his eyes. The wall remains silent.