Taking Prisoners

A loud, cracking boom errupted just above Hattie's head, and she let out a little scream, grabbing onto Jonathan's sleeve instinctively. She met his confused gaze before glancing over to look into Beni's fearful grayish-blue eyes.

"What was that?" she asked above the noise.

Beni smirked grimly. "A gun. A very big gun."

Despite the fear that charged through her veins and made her blood thud like a hammer in her ears, Hattie twisted out of Jonathan's arms and leaned just a little ways out from under the table. She caught just the beginning of Jonathan's warning protest before a big, dark hand took hold of her arm and yanked her out into the chaos.

She was dragged to her feet and her back collided with something heavy and warm and heaving. She was stiffly pinned against it by a thick, dark arm, and it took her a moment of blind confusion to realize that someone had just taken her up as a human shield. Hattie blinked and suddenly there was the attacker before her, a tall figure all in black, glistening sword raised, and only a set of flashing dark eyes peering from his swathed face. She was too terrified to scream.

The figure spat a word under his breath which made Hattie's captor tense with anger. After a moment, the attacker lowered his sword and shouted something that made the deck suddenly very quiet. He stared angrily past Hattie, at the man holding her, and pulled the cloth from his face. Hattie's breath hitched in her throat.

She supposed she had imagined him a goblin of a man, with an inhuman face and gnashing teeth hidden behind the black cloth. Who else would attack an innocent barge full of tourists and civilians? That was probably a silly thing to expect, but she couldn't help but be surprised at the handsome face of her would-be attacker; at his high cheekbones and strong nose and piercing, endlessly black eyes. Her eyes traced over the strange symbols marking his face for only a second before he startled her by saying in English:

"I have called them off, Lock-Nah. You can release the girl."

The arms that had trapped Hattie suddenly let go of her, and she stumbled to regain her balance. She turned and looked all around to see them surrounded by those strange, red-shrouded men that Meela had brought with her. She twisted her head this way in that, desperately searching for a familiar face. Somewhere in the darkness of the crowd, she caught sight of Rick, who looked both relieved and upset to see her in the midst of this.

"Ah. Ardeth Bay."

Meela's smooth, cool voice jerked Hattie's attention back to the scene she was accidentally a part of. The woman seemed to appear out of nowhere, stepping out from the crowd of her men as if each one knew just when to move out of her path. She found her place next to Lock-Nah, and Hattie tried to carefully inch away from them, but the crowd of gawkers was unmoved.

"What a pleasure," Meela purred, a cruel almost-smile on her lips. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked him over in something like amusement. Had she a tail, it probably would have been twitching. "Though I must admit, I was not expecting you so soon."

Ardeth straightened his shoulders, standing like a noble statue. "We were not here for you, actually."

Meela did smile now. "A happy coincidence, then."

A hand on Hattie's shoulder made her jump, and she glanced up to see her brother beside her now, having fought through the crowd in his usual, bullish way.

"What the hell is this about?" he demanded. "You know these guys?"

Meela's gaze barely flitted to Rick before returning to Ardeth.

"Mr. O'Connell, this is Ardeth Bay, the son of Ayman Bay, high chieftain of the twelve Med-Jai tribes, sacred guardians of Hamunaptra."

"Wait a minute," another loud voice interjected. Hattie looked up to see Gabe's friend, Daniels, pushing his way through the crowd. "You mean all this ruckus was about us goin' to Hamunaptra?"

Meela might have smiled. "Indeed, Mr. Daniels." The man looked confused, and Hattie could just barely hear him ask Gabe how she knew his name. She turned her attention away from Ardeth and addressed the fearful gaggle of tourists and treasure-seekers:

"These men might have made it very difficult for us in our endeavor to study Hamunaptra. Fortunately, we've just captured their leader."

Daniels grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. "So kill the bastard, then."

A murderous grin split Lock-Nah's face. "With pleasure."

But Meela raised her hand, and Lock-Nah took a step back, his smile faded to confused irritation.

"No, Mr. Daniels. I'm afraid that's not what we'll do."

Daniels' brow furrowed and his jaw tensed. Hattie could tell from the way he glanced at his friends that he wasn't the sort of man who was used to taking orders, especially not from a woman, and that he wasn't about to start taking them tonight:

"Oh? And why not, honey?"

Meela didn't even look at Daniels. She was gazing at Ardeth thoughtfully, and she took a few smooth steps closer to him, raising a hand to his cheek. He flinched under her touch but otherwise remained motionless.

"Because there are twelve tribes of Med-Jai, and if we kill the only heir to the caliphate, they will all descend up us," she explained patiently. "However, Ayman will have no choice but to leave us to our business if we have something very dear to him in our possession." She gave Ardeth a little smirk and let her arm drop to her side.

Ardeth's dark gaze followed her, and he shook his head angrily. "Do you know what dark fate you condemn these people to?"

Meela raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you tell them, Ardeth? You have certainly won their sympathy by staging an attack on this vessel, and interrupting what was promising to be a lovely evening."

His jaw clenched. "This woman cannot be trusted!"

Meela held back a chuckle and made a motion with her hand that sent her men into action. Ardeth was immediately bound and dragged across the deck.

"Turn back now before it is too late!" he shouted just before being shoved below deck.

Hattie took a breath and glanced up at Rick. They shared a look before he turned his attention to Meela and strode forward.

"So we're taking prisoners now?"

She sighed. "I would prefer it if you focused on the task I hired you to do, and leave me to my business."

Rick was taken aback, and didn't have a chance to manage a retort before she turned and followed her men below deck.

A strange feeling was twisting in Hattie's stomach, and she didn't know what to think of it. She knew she ought to be grateful for Meela's intervention; certainly the barge would have burned and sank if not for her. But there was something troubling about Ardeth's words...something troubling, and an earnestness in his eyes that Hattie couldn't forget. Meela may have saved them from the Med-Jai attack, which seemed to be enough for most of the passengers, who just looked relieved to still be alive, but her dark eyes were emotionless and calculating.

"I don't like this."

Rick's words pulled Hattie away from her thoughts, and she glanced up at him with interest. He shook his head in the direction Meela had gone, crossing his arms over his chest grimly.

"A hostage situation...I don't like it one bit."