Ardeth strode up to the crowd, followed closely by Rick and Evy on either side

Ardeth strode up to the crowd, followed closely by Rick and Evy on either side. Egyptian officials were everywhere, holding people back from the door of the vault building and calming down frightened vault guards. A policeman noticed Ardeth and shouted unbelievingly, "There he is!" He ran over with another cop to restrain Ardeth, who stopped considerately and took in with bewildered eyes the alarmed reaction of the policemen to his appearance. "Well, well," said the first policeman, holding a gun to his neck, "Look who's back. Vault number two hundred and sixteen has been robbed and there are three dead policemen on the grounds. Would you care to explain?" Evy started forward in alarm at the gun. Ardeth would have protested more physically as well, but there was a gun to his neck. Mildly, he looked at the men holding him. "I am not responsible," he said calmly. The policeman pushed the gun farther into his skin, closing off a bit of his windpipe. "Don't even try, buddy. We have dozens of witnesses-" he gestured with his other hand to the intrigued, dismayed crowd, "-that say you robbed this vault. Who am I to disagree with all of them?" He grinned unpleasantly. "Just tell me where you stashed the goods, and maybe I won't kill you."

Evy stepped forward indignantly. "Gentlemen, please! There is no need for all of this! This man was with us all night." Rick nodded. The officer glanced at Evy. "If that's what you say, then we'll have to take you both into custody as well." Ardeth was beginning to get angry, working himself up to express himself more vehemently. Then suddenly his eyes widened in shocked realization. "Ashëla…" he murmured inaudibly. Then his eyes narrowed resolutely. He jerked his head forward, causing the officer to reflexively shoot- hitting the policeman holding Ardeth's other arm. He shook free of the now-dead man and knocked the gun out of the other officer's hand. He almost didn't notice another twenty or so guns click, ready to fire into him, but when he did, he realized he was outnumbered. "Run!" he shouted in Arabic to confuse the officers. Rick and Evy couldn't understand his words, but they understood his meaning just fine. They all turned and ran as hard as they could, wincing every time a bullet shattered the bricks in the road at their heels.

They turned a corner and continued to run. As they came to a three-way split, Ardeth said, "Go! Get your son and meet me outside the northern city. We'll go on from there!" He started running along the right-hand path. "Ardeth!" called Evy. Rick yanked on her arm to get her running. "No time, honey," he yelled. "Gotta go!" They ran down the middle road, not stopping to see if anyone was behind them. Evy almost stopped when she heard a shot to her right, but she kept going at Rick's insistence. She ran wildly, her heart pounding in her chest and a cramp starting to form in her side. She could hear feet quite a ways behind them, but that sound kept her full of fear-produced adrenaline. Rick led her all over the quarter, taking detours whenever he could. Evy puffed, trying hard to keep up, and just when she thought she couldn't run anymore, they were in front of the inn. "C'mon!" Rick said, and dashed inside to collect Alex.

When they got to the second level, Alex was already outside, fully dressed. "Mum, Dad!" he said anxiously. "I heard gunfire. What's going on?" Rick ruffled his hair as Evy went in to get their things. "The police are chasing us, son. Look at you, all ready to go. That's my boy." Alex stared at his father. "What did we do?" Rick shook his head dismissively. "They think we robbed vault two-sixteen," he said, catching the bag that Evy threw to him from the doorway suddenly. As they pounded down the stairs, Alex said, "You mean they think we robbed our own vault?!" Rick laughed. "When you put it that way, it sounds so stupid," he said a bit sarcastically. At the top of the stairs, Evy had a thought, and rushed into Ardeth's room. She surveyed it quickly. There was nothing in it except for his turban and swords. She rolled her eyes, muttering about material needs, and grabbed the swords. Finding no room to carry the turban, she plopped it on her head and ran out to join her impatient boys.

Rick eyed her new costume. "Okay…" he said. She shrugged and they ran. Halfway down the street, Rick imprudently dug in his pack, still running, and brought out a knife and some money. "What…?" Evy asked as they flew down the street. Up ahead was a camel seller, about to close up so late at night. As they passed, Rick cut loose two camels and threw some money at the surprised man tending them. "Oh," said Evy as Rick hoisted her up on a camel with Alex. They rode away, at least twice as fast as they could have on foot, and headed for the north end of the city. "I think I paid him too much," yelled Rick to Evy. Happy shouts echoed through the cobbled alley. "Yep," he yelled with a grin.

Outside the city, they wheeled around, searching for Ardeth. After just a few minutes, he rode out, a few feet away, and quickly trotted to meet them on his own camel. "How did you-?" asked Rick incredulously. Ardeth shrugged. "There was a man selling camels near the edge of the city. I persuaded him to give me one." Rick shot him a look. "You didn't hurt him, did you, Ardeth?" Ardeth made a noncommittal sound. "He did not feel any pain, no." Evy rolled her eyes. "Men," she said disgustedly. Ardeth took his swords from her, inclining his head appreciatively, and, noticing where his turban ended up, twisted his lips so as not to smile. He plucked his turban off her head and put it on. "Thank you," he said wryly. He wheeled to face the northeast. "We will ride from here to Heliopolis," he said authoritatively. Rick kicked his camel lightly to get it moving slowly. "What's in Heliopolis?" he asked. "People that are not looking for us," replied Ardeth, also kicking his camel. "Dik dik dik!" Evy said to hers. They swiftly rode away from the city.

Riding across the desert without stopping, they soon became tired. The sand seemed to go on and on forever. The sun slowly crept up and absorbed the night, signaling a new day. Within no less than an hour, Heliopolis came into view. "Finally," said Alex sleepily. Evy kissed his head and snapped the reins lightly, urging her camel to go just a little faster. They rode on, heartened by the plain view of the sprawling city. Once inside the city, Rick tipped a hired boy extra to make sure he didn't steal the camels. The small, thin boy led the three beasts off, skipping and humming an ancient Israeli hymn. Straightening up, Rick wiped the sweat from his brow, cursing the morning sun silently. "Let's find an inn with a bar this time," he said exhaustedly.

Ardeth sat down uneasily at the bar between Rick and Evy. He looked down at the badly sanded wood, hardly hearing Evy say, "Go on up to bed, now, Alex." The outraged boy protested shrilly, "But Mum, it's seven in the morning!" Evy sighed and closed her eyes. "I know, sweetie, but you didn't get very much sleep last night. Now go to bed, all right?" "All right," he said sulkily, and scuffed his feet on the short stairs to the second level of this inn. He dragged his hand along the railing of the open hallway. "But I won't enjoy it," he called rebelliously. "Probably won't even sleep at all." "All right," said Evy tolerantly, opening her eyes. "I'll just lie on the bed and stare at the ceiling, that's what I'll do," he continued. Realizing that his mother was too tired to care if he actually slept or not, his scowl deepened and he disappeared into the hall. Ardeth noticed none of this, his wearied mind running monotonously over the same thought: What was he going to do?

"What are we going to do?" asked Evy disconsolately. Ardeth shook his head to both uncertainty and the bartender offering him a drink. "I don't know," he said dejectedly. "I have no idea." He looked at the persistent bartender, too confused to be annoyed. "No, thank you. I need my wits about me right now, need to think…" he was mostly talking to himself, trying to force his mind past the blank wall he couldn't think through. "Need to think." Evy whistled slightly, raising her eyebrows at what she took for his dedication. "Ardeth, you of all of us need to relax. Just one drink won't do you any harm. Just take the drink," she cajoled. Ardeth looked at her, then at the invitingly smiling bartender, then at the proffered shot glass.