Chapter 12 - Attack

The journey began and to break the awkward silence, Rachel started the conversation "you are a very good cook, why did you not think of being a chef instead of a doctor?"

Daniel said "actually I had a passion for cooking. But I am more passionate about studying medicine, If I had not been a doctor I would have definitely been a chef. What about you? You like cooking?".​​

Rachel said "I never cooked, I was interested in learning but my grandpa never allowed me."

Daniel asked, "So you never cooked?"

Rachel said, "Once, I almost did, I remember one incident from my past. There was a cooking competition in my school where we had to participate with one of our family members, as my grandfather doesn't know cooking I couldn't participate in that event, if I would have had then it would have been my first experience with food but I didn't and never got an opportunity again".

Daniel asked "you could have participated with other members from your family, why didn't you?"

Hearing this Rachel turned silent and with a tinge of sadness in her voice, she said, "my parents and my grandmother were killed in an accident when I was six years old. My grandfather looked after me".

Daniel felt sorry for her and regretted asking this question, he said, "sorry to know that, I shouldn't have asked this question".

Rachel said, "please don't apologise, you shouldn't feel sorry as we are not aware about each other".

Daniel nodded and agreed and said, "So tell me more about yourself Rachel".

Rachel smiled and told him more, "As you know I live with my grandfather, I have pursued my entire education from high school to MBA in the United States. Two years ago I returned from the USA to look after my family business, what about you?"

Daniel then started, "I belong to a business family where my grandfather along with my father and younger brother look after the business, my mom runs an NGO. I have had a passion to become a doctor since I was in high school because of my interest in science and medicine. For many generations we were into business but I didn't want to follow the path my family set and wanted to pursue what is interesting for me and to do something on my own instead of relying on my family. I have got admission through my merit and scholarship".

Rachel was impressed with his attitude, "wow, you are really great".

Daniel blushed, and wanted to know more about her, he asked "How did you land in Peebles and who is Andrew?"

As Rachel was about to answer, Daniel suddenly stopped the car at one side of the road. Rachel panicked and asked what happened.

Daniel said "I have observed that one car is following us, I want to confirm whether they are following us or am I over-thinking".

Daniel observed the car too stopped at a distance, then he started moving and again the car followed. Rachel panicked seeing this and thought Andrew was following them. Daniel again stopped his car and decided to confront the person who was following them when they stopped too but surprisingly this time the car which was following them didn't stop and rather passed past them.

Rachel sighed in relief and said, "I guess we just misunderstood."

Daniel agreed but he was still feeling uncomfortable.

Seeing his discomfort Rachel said, "let us have lunch as we were travelling for three hours at a stretch, you too can have a break".

Daniel said "ok we will stop at a nearby restaurant".

Within 1 km radius they found a restaurant, Daniel parked the car and they went to the restaurant. They both ordered pizza with coke and Belgium waffles. They completed their lunch and again started their journey.

Unbeknownst to them, while they were having lunch someone tampered with their car.

After a good lunch, they two again began their journey but on the highway the car stopped suddenly there with a big noise. Daniel saw that the front tyres got punctured, he saw the highway was deserted. Rachel too got out of the car and was worried seeing the tyres. Then they saw the same car which was following them previously was again behind them and it too stopped just behind their car.

Daniel saw a person got out of the car, there was a knife in his hand. He headed towards Rachel to attack her. She got scared and before the unknown man could attack Daniel jumped standing before her and punched the attacker. When the attacker raised the hand carrying the knife to attack on Daniel, he held his hand with one swift motion, attacked on his wrist and smoothly took the knife away from him. Next second, Daniel held the knife on the attacker's neck.

Daniel asked, "who sent you here, tell me honestly or I'll cut this knife so smoothly on your neck that you will have the most painful death."

The attacker got scared seeing the murderous look on Daniel's face. He secretly took a drug from his pocket and ate it, his body turned blue and the next moment he was dead.

It all happened so quickly that Daniel and Rachel couldn't stop him and looked at each other with worry on their faces. It took a while for both of them to calm down from what happened.

Rachel too got scared seeing the earlier look on Daniel but she felt assured as he was on her side to protect her, Daniel offered her a water bottel. She drank some water and relaxed her nerves.

Daniel called the police. Police reached the crime scene and the car was trolled to the car garage.

Police asked them for their side of the story, Daniel told them everything of how they suspected a car following them but then it went past them so they ignored it and how the guy tried to attack them and took a pill to avoid their questions and committed suicide.