The greatest weapon

She was draped in lovely white. We were invited for her wedding but we attended her funeral-in the same marquee decorated with lights and flowers. We looked grotesque, wearing gowns and jewels, washing our make up with tears. Her parents and Mehmed, her to-be husband were stricken. She had been overjoyed, even though it was an arranged marriage. But from what I had seen, Mehmed was the most compassionate and caring human alive in Turkey.

The last time I saw Evren, she was laughing, her blonde hair dancing around her waist. But often there are things going on in ones head. Resolutions. That became my faliure. I know Evren was happy to die the way she did but I wanted her to live.

We had been friends from childhood. Since then, she Evren was eccentric. Maybe, she was a hijabi and extremely religious-she prayed salah in her office and donated 2.5% of her earning to charity every year as zakat- because her family was that way, despite being billionaires. But the sensitivity and extreme emotions terrified me. The first time she saw a boy being bullied, she cried after beating up the bullies. Later I found out it was because she grew up in a fairyland her parents had built for her.

It was late. Everyone had left the office except the CEO. Evren was still working. I went to her office, to she her radiant.

"Designing shockers so that Palestinians can freeze their attackers?" I asked her. Our company made weapons, unfortunately. I was the head designer.

"Handan!" She smiled. " No. Just. . . Packing up."

I choked. Packing up for her death. Investing, so that her parents have enough money. Giving funds to her charity organization.

"We've got a chance." I said.

"Yeah, but I can't leave the preparations. I'll have to work all night, I think. Is'nt it funny how I've fulfilled my resolution but I'm still busy." She laughed. Mehmed had told me she looked upset at the party. I sensed a strain in her laugh too. Was that the human part, afraid to die? Or-

" I'm a bit worried though." She said. "For my family."

"Here." I passed her a big box of chocolate doughnuts. Mehmed had given them to me. Told me to give it to Evren to cheer her up.

"Oh thanks!" She opened the box and starten eating them. "They're my favourite!"

I stare at the city light behind her, envying her not for the first time. I failed. She succeeded. She will die because of me. I stood up.

"They're not from me."

She smiled, like a naughty girl. She never meets Mehmed.

I was helpless. She, strong. It was unfair to complain because we both had choosen our ways. And, as always I became a slave of the worldly jewels. If I am proud of anything, it's that day at ECOM, when our mere arrival made people gape, after what Evren had done. But she walked on, shamelessly to the CEOs office. Mr. Kemel was less than pleased to see her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his fat nose flaring. "Regretting you actions? It's too late."

Evren remained undisturbed by his rudeness and smiled.

"I just wanted to say sorry for my childish act." We're partners now, we should be friends." She said as sweetly as an extra sugared juice that you spit out.

The three of us-me, Evren and Ahmet, our bodyguard were in the room with Kemel and his secratary. I saw Ahmet walk behind Kemel stealthily. Evren and Kemel were still talking. My muscles tensed.

"Now!"

Ahmet jammed a needle on Kemels neck, who resisted in vain. Evren pointed her gun at the secratary and I ran to bolt the door. It was neat. Within a few minutes, we had done what we meant to. But when it came to escape, the monitor showed two armed guards standing outside the door.

"Now what?" Evrens voice was panicky. We stood petrified. She turned to the secratary. "You! You've got to help us."

"Are you kidding?" I said. "He works for them!"

"Just for money. He's good. He'll help us. Won't you?"

The man remained dumb for some times. Then, with a glance at Evrens gun, nodded.

"No!" I said. "You don't get it! This is not a fairyland, we're not angels." We kept debating until there was sound of heavy footsteps outside. Three men had came, including Murat, whom Evren could never forget.

"No choice." She said.

Kemels body was locked up in toilet. We walked out, lead by the secratary.

"Mr. Kemel just had a meeting with them. He told me to take them out. He's busy at the moment." He told them.

I was trembling, thinking of how far we can go before they come with guns.

To the second floor, by a glass wall. That's when they came running. Evren whipped around and shouted, "Down!" We obeyed, lying on the cold marble. At the same instamce she shouted, "Burak!". The gunfire increased, the glass wall shattered and rained on us. The guards collapsed. No one hesitated. We jumped up and dashed to the broken window. A rope ladder was hanging, the helicopters fan making it swing. Ahmet jumped first, clutching the rope ladder. Then Evren told me to go. I was shaking. My mind was dizzy, looking down. I couldn't even close my eyes. "Jump!" I lunged for the ladder. I was still hanging, when the secratary, who was ignored till now, pointed his gun at Evren. They stood for some time, while Evren shouted for me to go up. I froze. I had told her not to trust him.

'Just because I believe in goodness dosen't mean I'm dumb'. She said, before pressing a button. The gun fell and the man collapsed, vibrating. There were loud, thudding footsteps. I began climbing up furiously. Men appeared at the corrider, armed. Ibsaw Evren jump down-not to the rope.

I don't know how I climbed up. I was numb and dead. Like Evren, I thought. She can't die. She can't die. Maybe I was bad but she's like my sister. I was already because of me that we came here. She had asked me to hack thier computer. I tried. We stayed up all night at the office. Only to be face by a welcome screen asking for Mr. Kemels thumbprints in the morning. In the end, there was no other option than to get to his thumbs.

Maybe, I am hallucinating, I thought when I saw her climb up, but I hugged her blindly.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I weeped.

"Hey, it's alright." She said.

I looked at her pale face and it hit me. What if she's not dead now? She's sure to die now that she's blasted the whole company, ECOM with the strongest weapon she had. But no bomb survives its own blast.

. . .

I went to her house, wanting to be hanged upside down as a punishment. Evren was looking at ten velvet boxes with jewels glinting in them, choosing for her wedding. Her mother was helping her wear a diamond necklace.

"Handan!" She greeted me as cheerily as ever. "Come and look at these. You'll love them."

I went and sat on a sofa. Her mother went inside to do something.

"Listen, " I began, awkwardly. "I-I'm sorry."

She looked at me strangely.

"It's alright." She said nicely. "I've nothing against you."

"No, I was jealous. That's why I did that. I should've understood why you asked me to leave the company." I couldn't meet her eyes but she came and sat beside me. She's still the girls from wonderland and I'm still from this ugly world. To a normal girl, my actions would be hurtful, I can't imagine what they were to her. I was not surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"What will you do?" I asked. "About ECOM?"

She paused for a second.

"I've thought about it. Deeply." She sighed. "There aren't many choices, are there?"

"For you, no."

"I've got a resolution. A promise to myself and as long as it's fulfilled I don't care what happens." She smiled "I won't be a slae at any cost."

I was surprised. She looked at my perplexed face and explained. "We're all worlds slave. For money. For pleasure. For success. I will be true to my soul."

Yeah, not like me, I thought.

"Is that it? "

"We'll deal with it." She smiled. "Oh! I'm so happy to have you back. I'm sure, we'll win now."

I smiled back and that's when I decided to walk with her to the north pole, barefeet.

How could I have been so cold, so selfish to sit at the meeting that was supposed to be my last and think bad of her, when she needed my support the most. We all waited for her amid whispers about an incompetent CEO who was trying to run away with her fathers money. I secretly consented with every word though I scowled at the speaker. Then she walken in, dressend in all black and glanced around the room. I didn't meet her eyes.

"Mr. Kemel?" She looked at a fat man. He smirked. "Didn't I tell you we're not dealing with your company?" I smiled mischieviously.

"You should proceed the meeting." He said.

Mr. Burak, her personal assistant whispered something to her. She sat down, looking sick.

"Okay. Good evening ladies and-"

Mr. Murat entered the room without permission. Evren scowled. He threw papers at the table, just in front of Evren.

"What are these?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Proof, that we're now partners." He said loudly and happily. "We should-"

Evren stood up and punched him so hard on the face, he screamed. She crumbled the papers and threw them at him before walking out. We all stared, stunned. How arrogant! I thought before stomping out. I passed her office on the way to mine. I could not resist the urge to shout at her face. And why should I? I had brought my resignation letter. As for friendship . . .

I stormed in, slammind the door.

"Hey plastic!" I sneered "Having a good time making money?"

But I stood gaping. Evren had just raised her head from her hands and looked at me. Her eyes were red, and hurt.

And I left her alone to deal with the most difficult situation of her life, alone. I became the slave of the world. Just because she had very politely asked me to leave the company- and for my own good. I let the flames of jealousy engulf me. If I hadn't found out what the matter was I'd have always been like that, I think now.

But I did see those files, proposals, threats from ECOM. The company run by warlords who add gold to thier pile by killing innocent children. And I imagined how Evren would've felt. After spending a harsh year trying to free Palestine, Syria and Kashmire, while not going bankrupt, designing painless weapon and listening to gossips about how she is incompetent, and ruining the company.

I was the culprit. When I had seen Mr. Murats offer I had no idea he worked for ECOM, I just knew that it would be bad for Evren and thus made the deal that gave them partnership. The devil was holding my hand when I signed. Evren, ofcourse never doubted anything I approved. She trusted me blindly.

. . .

When we were getting ready for Evrens engagement a month ago, she wouldn't even have dreamt that a month later she will insert a deadly virus in the system of one of worlds strongest firm that will destroy almost all thier data, weapon designs and other valuable files. Or that she will sue them and the case will turn out in her favour, putting a lifetime ban on the company ECOM.

No we didn't. We were at the salon. She had roller in her hair and I was having a manicure. She couldn't stop talking. About her company, her dress and the rest blabber. Her cheeks were pink and shining with glee.

"I'm looking forward to our new project," she said "once it completes, I'll give mum and dad a surprise gift."

I remained silent because the beautician was applying lipstick.

"And we'll go on a nice vacation to Paris. D'you like Paris?"

"Oh! I love it!"

We went on, talking about things that were never going to be.