Chapter 2
Something didn't feel right. Rose paced her apartment, having changed out of her dress pants and sweater from work. Though the faded denim and yellow T-shirt she wore was comfortable, she still felt wrong.
Was it the weather? Was it the dampness that hung in the usually warm air?
No, it was Ali. His demeanor and words tonight told her that all was not right. She was certain he'd fibbed to her about knowing when he was to leave California for his homeland in Egypt. Something inside told her Ali was leaving much sooner than she realized.
Grabbing a dark sweatshirt Rose hurried out of her apartment, not even taking the time to lock her door. She ran to Ali's place a mere hundred yards away and took the stairs to the second floor two at a time.
They lived in a typical California apartment complex with landscaped greenery surrounding the two-story high units. She enjoyed where they lived, but deep in her heart longed for something more exotic. After spending the past five years in California with its unremarkable architecture and fast-paced, meaningless lifestyle, she could certainly stand for a change. And if her best friend was truly leaving her stranded in this place, perhaps she would mend her heart by finding another state, maybe even another country, in which to reside.
Reaching Ali's door, Rose quickly knocked and waited for him to answer. When he pulled the door open to his apartment, Rose nearly gasped. His black hair was down and fell past his shirt collar in a sexy wave. She had not seen his hair down in such a state since he'd begun growing it out and as she stared at his face that held a hard look, his fingers nimbly worked on the buttons of his shirt. Before Ali could redo all the buttons, Rose caught sight of his smooth, olive skin and what she thought might have been defined muscles that he'd hidden well from her for the past two years. But she couldn't be certain, for he finished with his shirt before her eyes could completely focus.
"Rose," he said with much surprise in his deep voice. "What are you doing here?"
"I.uh," she began to explain when suddenly a form appeared in the hallway leading to his bedroom. Rose took her eyes from Ali long enough to focus on the woman with the long white skirt and baby-blue top. She leaned against the wall with a casual guise and smiled at Rose without warmth.
"Ali," the woman called in a low seductive voice that held a hint of an accent. "Lets not keep me waiting."
Ali bit his tongue and turned swiftly to glare at Yasmeen. His look and the power it held to "persuade" others immediately shut her up and she turned and reentered the bedroom.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I had no idea," Rose said, a flush filling her cheeks. "I'd better go."
She turned to leave when Ali called to her, "Rose, wait!"
Throwing a wave to him over her shoulder as she descended the steps, she simply said, "I'll just talk to you later, Ali."
She refused to turn to look at him, for in her eyes were fresh tears. Not only was Ali leaving very soon, but apparently he had very sexy company to accompany him on his trip.
*****
Ali turned abruptly away from the steps when Rose's form disappeared into the dark and slammed the door. Yasmeen was trying her best to create waves for Ali, only now he no longer had to endure her devious ways for he held a position of power far above her.
"Yasmeen!" he called harshly as he stormed down the hallway. "Damn you, woman! What do you think you are doing?"
She threw him an innocent look as she stood in the doorway to his room.
"Me? I am doing nothing," she insisted. "I was merely attempting to hurry you along. We do have a plane to catch."
Ali bit back an oath and moved in front of her, glaring at her with dark, angry eyes.
"Ten years ago, you may have been able to taunt me, but things have changed now. I am chief of our people. You need to learn to obey," Ali declared.
A look of acquiescence traversed her face and she nodded her head.
"Of course, my lord," she said with only mild sarcasm. "I sometimes forget the new role you have inherited." She moved away from him, glanced around the room, then narrowed her gaze on him. "Who was that woman?"
"A friend," Ali answered simply.
When Yasmeen raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at him in question, he added, "A very good friend."
"Friends? That is all?"
"That is all," Ali said with a hint of regret.
Rose was very special to him. And because of how special she was, he had not spoiled their relationship by trying to turn it into some sort of romantic affair. Instead, he had maintained his low profile, continuing his work at the computer company, learning as much as he could about the workings of modern technology and computer systems, while his and Rose's friendship grew.
Now, however, it would come to an end. It would not end badly, though, and as Ali grabbed the duffel bag he had packed in his closet, along with his high-powered laptop computer, he said to Yasmeen, "Take these to the car. I will meet you in the parking lot in a few minutes."
"You expect me to carry your bags?" Yasmeen quipped.
"You followed me home, broke into my apartment and provoked me. You are capable," he said with a laughing face and headed out the door. He needed nothing else from his apartment and had an envelope with instructions for the landlord that he would drop in the rental office on his way to the parking lot. All he had to do was fix things with Rose and he would return to his homeland with a clear conscious.
****
How stupid of her to assume that just because Ali never discussed women with her, that he never dated anyone. Rose was not only heartbroken but embarrassed as well over having discovered the beautiful woman in Ali's apartment. What also had her reeling was the look of him so casual and sexy. For a moment, he had appeared like a different person with a dangerous look upon his face and his body lean and athletic. But that was definitely not the Ali she knew. It more than likely had just been her mind playing tricks on her, for the Ali she knew was not dangerous, had never looked so sexy to her and spent too much time behind a computer to attract such a voluptuous woman. There more than likely was a logical explanation to what she had witnessed and if she just waited until their movie date tomorrow, all would be explained.
Rose comforted herself with those thoughts as she returned to her apartment on the first floor. Her front door was wide open and she wondered if in her haste she had not closed it all the way.
Still, it was with much caution that she entered her apartment and began looking around. She was not stupid. She had not survived these past five years by walking blindly into suspicious situations. After all, her father was a powerful man with many friends and resources and she had to be sharp to keep her new identity hidden from him.
Quietly, she moved through the doorway, keeping her eyes peeled for any movement in her apartment. The living room was clear, so was the small kitchen. She slunk into the bedroom and searched each corner, under the bed and in the closet.
Nothing.
Just as she began to think her suspicions were causing her to lose her mind, a wide, unidentifiable figure appeared from out of the bathroom, pointing a handgun with silencer at her face. Rose sucked in a quick breath of shock and focused on the chrome gun in front of her. Then, she tried to identify her attacker, but he was well covered in black from head to toe.
"Leave with me quietly, or I'll have to use this," the man said in a low, menacing voice.
Rose did not recognize the voice, but she was positive this man had been sent by her father. He was no ordinary burglar; the hardware in his hand was evidence of that. No, he was one of the San Giovoni clan and he was here to take her back home.
"You wouldn't use that or my father would pour you a nice little cement grave," Rose said back.
He shrugged his shoulders slightly, acknowledging her words, then swung at the side of her face, rendering her unconscious with a blow from the gun. Rose heard her lips release a small cry before she slumped to the ground in a pit of darkness.
******
Ali's keen hearing picked up the faint cry as he crossed the threshold of Rose's doorway. Her door was wide open, something he'd never seen before, and every light was on in the front rooms. The cry, however, had emanated from the back bedroom, so Ali hurried there, all the while keeping his senses peeled for danger-just in case.
He was glad he had not called out to her and entered with a stealth he had honed as a child, for when he reached Rose's bedroom, he saw a man dressed in dark clothes leaning over Rose's unconscious body. Reacting quickly, Ali grabbed the man from behind, wrangled the gun from his hand and turned it upon his adversary.
The man said nothing as he looked at the gun in Ali's hands, then reached into his coat and began drawing a small backup weapon. With no choice, Ali fired without hesitation and watched as the man fell in a heap next to Rose.
Bending down to first check Rose's health and finding a nasty, bleeding bump upon her head, Ali figured she would fare well with some medical attention. Her attacker, however, was dead and from the look of the guns he was carrying and the outfit he was wearing, it was obvious he was no run- of-the-mill burglar. This man had been outfitted with the best equipment and clothes and Ali was certain this situation was unique.
Suddenly, Rose mumbled something. Turning to her, Ali touched her cheek and asked softly, "What is it, Rose?"
"They found me," she said in a whisper, her eyes still closed. "God, they found me."
There was desperation in her tone and though Ali had no choice but to leave this country tonight, he knew he could not leave Rose here in such a situation.
"Ali?" a female voice called from the front of Rose's apartment. "Ali?"
"Back here," he said to Yasmeen.
Yasmeen appeared in the doorway to the bedroom along with a tall man dressed in dark clothing. He sported shaggy, dark hair and skin that had been baked by the desert. Ali knew him well, for Devraj was a childhood friend. Now, however, was not the time for a reunion and when the two visitors laid eyes upon the scene, they both frowned.
"Ali, what happened?" Yasmeen asked.
"This man attacked Rose, then turned his gun upon me. I had no choice but to take his life," Ali said with no emotion as he stood.
Yasmeen surveyed the scene without shock, for she too had the disposition of a warrior and nothing caused her to turn away with disgust.
"This is not good, Ali. We have to cross the border and fly out tonight. The chartered plane will not wait forever," she announced, then asked, "Was this man after you?"
"No. He was after Rose," Ali explained.
Yasmeen's eyes scanned the man on the floor. "He does not look like a typical American thug."
"I do not think he is," Ali agreed, having already deduced that for himself. "I believe he was after Rose."
"Why?"
Ali shrugged his shoulders and reached out to touch Rose's face, making doubly sure she was all right.
"I am not sure of all the particulars, but Rose is hiding from someone or something. I have sensed that about her for a long while now. And she spoke a moment ago. She said, 'they found me.'"
Yasmeen knelt beside Rose and felt her pulse and examined the wound on her head.
"She will be fine," Yasmeen said. "Call the authorities, leave her here and let's go."
Ali glared at his friend with shock. "I cannot do that, Yasmeen."
"Why not?"
"Because, she is my friend. If she is in trouble, I must help."
Just then, they heard a male voice call from the living room. It held an American accent and they all quickly stood and moved into the shadows of the room for cover.
"Hey, Lou," the man continued to say as his voice neared the bedroom. "What you doin'? You know the big guy'll take you out if you're messin' with his daughter."
The man's voice trailed off and an oath issued from his mouth as he entered the room and laid eyes upon the two bodies on the floor.
"What the.?" the man began to ask out loud just as Devraj moved behind him hitting him squarely on the head, rendering him unconscious. The second man slumped to the floor and Ali and Yasmeen swiftly moved back into the open of the room.
"So, what do you plan to do, Ali?" Yasmeen questioned as surveyed the three bodies now on the floor.
Having already decided his course of action, for he owed Rose as much to protect her, Ali answered, "We'll leave the two men here. We take Rose with us. Grab a bag from her closet and pack her things."
Yasmeen stared at Ali, awestricken.
"But Ali." she began to protest.
Throwing her a sharp look, Ali asked, "What? You question my leadership?"
Yasmeen's eyes traveled to Devraj. She knew it was unwise to question Ali in front of his men. Behind closed doors, he allowed her much leeway because her father was a respected Council member and because they had known each other since childhood. But to question his authority now, in front of one of his faithful warriors, would be foolish.
"Of course not, Ali. I will pack her a bag," Yasmeen agreed and quickly went about her task.
As Yasmeen collected clothing and a few personal items for Rose, Ali knelt down next to Rose and attended to her wound, wiping the blood away with a damp cloth and checking for consciousness. She was still unresponsive and Ali felt himself worry more than he should over her condition. He was, after all, a hardened warrior having seen more than his share of battles and death already at his young age of thirty. Death and injury was part of life and he and his people had come to accept that centuries ago. Yet staring at Rose's injured body, a victim of some bizarre attack, Ali felt all his usual calm and cool begin to evade him for his best friend was in peril.
Devraj immediately went to the two men and began searching their pockets for identification and additional weapons. He found additional weapons but no identification. Ali had already figured they would find no identification for these men were professionals of some sort and he wondered again why they had chosen Rose as their target.
Perhaps it was that someone else had chosen Rose as a target. Maybe there was someone who was after Rose and these men had been hired to find her. It wouldn't surprise Ali if that were the case after hearing Rose's words before she had slipped away into unconsciousness. "They found me." That statement still resonated in Ali's ears and as he gazed at Rose's beautiful face, he wondered exactly who had found her.
"I am done, Ali," Yasmeen announced as she zipped up a nylon duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder along with a brown leather purse that Ali had seen Rose carry often.
"Good. Take her things, Yasmeen, while I carry Rose." Ali gathered Rose in his arms then looked at Devraj. "Dev, take care of things in here."
Ali needed to say no more for Devraj would understand the complete meaning of that order. He would see to it that the second man was dead and then arrange the scene to appear as if the men had attacked each other. Hopefully, their interference would confuse the American authorities and leave this scene a mystery forever. Of course, it didn't matter to Ali if the authorities realized the scene had been rigged, for he was never planning to return here. And as for Rose, well, after this, she too would be unable to return to her life here.
"You do realize you are making a decision for her that will affect the rest of her life," Yasmeen commented to Ali as they exited the apartment. It was as if Yasmeen had been reading Ali's mind. He said nothing to her in return.
"How do you think she will respond to that, Ali?" Yasmeen then questioned.
Ali finally looked down at Yasmeen as they reached the large Suburban truck they had acquired for their trip. "I do not know."
Yasmeen frowned at his answer as they loaded Rose into the back seat of the car. Ali sat on one side of Rose, Yasmeen on the other. Immediately, Yasmeen dug out a first aide kit and began examining Rose's wound with expert eyes.
"Who were those men in her apartment?" Yasmeen then inquired.
"I do not know," Ali said.
"Why would someone attack her?"
"I do not know," Ali said again.
"Where does this woman come from? Is there something in her past that would make her a target?"
"I do not know," Ali repeated yet again.
Looking frustrated, Yasmeen glared at Ali and quipped, "It appears as if you know nothing of this woman."
"I know she would do the same for me if circumstances were reversed. And, I know I can trust her," Ali finally said.
"Trust her? Really? Does that mean she knows what you really are?"
Ali shook his head. "No. We speak only of the here and now. We do not discuss our pasts."
With a surly tone, Yasmeen replied, "Yes, I can see how you two have developed such a trusting friendship."
Ali glared at her with his dark eyes and she closed her mouth to continue her work on Rose's wound. She would say no more, for it was obvious Ali believed he could trust this woman. And if Ali insisted Rose be brought with them to Egypt, Yasmeen would have to comply for Ali was now the master of their people.
Something didn't feel right. Rose paced her apartment, having changed out of her dress pants and sweater from work. Though the faded denim and yellow T-shirt she wore was comfortable, she still felt wrong.
Was it the weather? Was it the dampness that hung in the usually warm air?
No, it was Ali. His demeanor and words tonight told her that all was not right. She was certain he'd fibbed to her about knowing when he was to leave California for his homeland in Egypt. Something inside told her Ali was leaving much sooner than she realized.
Grabbing a dark sweatshirt Rose hurried out of her apartment, not even taking the time to lock her door. She ran to Ali's place a mere hundred yards away and took the stairs to the second floor two at a time.
They lived in a typical California apartment complex with landscaped greenery surrounding the two-story high units. She enjoyed where they lived, but deep in her heart longed for something more exotic. After spending the past five years in California with its unremarkable architecture and fast-paced, meaningless lifestyle, she could certainly stand for a change. And if her best friend was truly leaving her stranded in this place, perhaps she would mend her heart by finding another state, maybe even another country, in which to reside.
Reaching Ali's door, Rose quickly knocked and waited for him to answer. When he pulled the door open to his apartment, Rose nearly gasped. His black hair was down and fell past his shirt collar in a sexy wave. She had not seen his hair down in such a state since he'd begun growing it out and as she stared at his face that held a hard look, his fingers nimbly worked on the buttons of his shirt. Before Ali could redo all the buttons, Rose caught sight of his smooth, olive skin and what she thought might have been defined muscles that he'd hidden well from her for the past two years. But she couldn't be certain, for he finished with his shirt before her eyes could completely focus.
"Rose," he said with much surprise in his deep voice. "What are you doing here?"
"I.uh," she began to explain when suddenly a form appeared in the hallway leading to his bedroom. Rose took her eyes from Ali long enough to focus on the woman with the long white skirt and baby-blue top. She leaned against the wall with a casual guise and smiled at Rose without warmth.
"Ali," the woman called in a low seductive voice that held a hint of an accent. "Lets not keep me waiting."
Ali bit his tongue and turned swiftly to glare at Yasmeen. His look and the power it held to "persuade" others immediately shut her up and she turned and reentered the bedroom.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I had no idea," Rose said, a flush filling her cheeks. "I'd better go."
She turned to leave when Ali called to her, "Rose, wait!"
Throwing a wave to him over her shoulder as she descended the steps, she simply said, "I'll just talk to you later, Ali."
She refused to turn to look at him, for in her eyes were fresh tears. Not only was Ali leaving very soon, but apparently he had very sexy company to accompany him on his trip.
*****
Ali turned abruptly away from the steps when Rose's form disappeared into the dark and slammed the door. Yasmeen was trying her best to create waves for Ali, only now he no longer had to endure her devious ways for he held a position of power far above her.
"Yasmeen!" he called harshly as he stormed down the hallway. "Damn you, woman! What do you think you are doing?"
She threw him an innocent look as she stood in the doorway to his room.
"Me? I am doing nothing," she insisted. "I was merely attempting to hurry you along. We do have a plane to catch."
Ali bit back an oath and moved in front of her, glaring at her with dark, angry eyes.
"Ten years ago, you may have been able to taunt me, but things have changed now. I am chief of our people. You need to learn to obey," Ali declared.
A look of acquiescence traversed her face and she nodded her head.
"Of course, my lord," she said with only mild sarcasm. "I sometimes forget the new role you have inherited." She moved away from him, glanced around the room, then narrowed her gaze on him. "Who was that woman?"
"A friend," Ali answered simply.
When Yasmeen raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at him in question, he added, "A very good friend."
"Friends? That is all?"
"That is all," Ali said with a hint of regret.
Rose was very special to him. And because of how special she was, he had not spoiled their relationship by trying to turn it into some sort of romantic affair. Instead, he had maintained his low profile, continuing his work at the computer company, learning as much as he could about the workings of modern technology and computer systems, while his and Rose's friendship grew.
Now, however, it would come to an end. It would not end badly, though, and as Ali grabbed the duffel bag he had packed in his closet, along with his high-powered laptop computer, he said to Yasmeen, "Take these to the car. I will meet you in the parking lot in a few minutes."
"You expect me to carry your bags?" Yasmeen quipped.
"You followed me home, broke into my apartment and provoked me. You are capable," he said with a laughing face and headed out the door. He needed nothing else from his apartment and had an envelope with instructions for the landlord that he would drop in the rental office on his way to the parking lot. All he had to do was fix things with Rose and he would return to his homeland with a clear conscious.
****
How stupid of her to assume that just because Ali never discussed women with her, that he never dated anyone. Rose was not only heartbroken but embarrassed as well over having discovered the beautiful woman in Ali's apartment. What also had her reeling was the look of him so casual and sexy. For a moment, he had appeared like a different person with a dangerous look upon his face and his body lean and athletic. But that was definitely not the Ali she knew. It more than likely had just been her mind playing tricks on her, for the Ali she knew was not dangerous, had never looked so sexy to her and spent too much time behind a computer to attract such a voluptuous woman. There more than likely was a logical explanation to what she had witnessed and if she just waited until their movie date tomorrow, all would be explained.
Rose comforted herself with those thoughts as she returned to her apartment on the first floor. Her front door was wide open and she wondered if in her haste she had not closed it all the way.
Still, it was with much caution that she entered her apartment and began looking around. She was not stupid. She had not survived these past five years by walking blindly into suspicious situations. After all, her father was a powerful man with many friends and resources and she had to be sharp to keep her new identity hidden from him.
Quietly, she moved through the doorway, keeping her eyes peeled for any movement in her apartment. The living room was clear, so was the small kitchen. She slunk into the bedroom and searched each corner, under the bed and in the closet.
Nothing.
Just as she began to think her suspicions were causing her to lose her mind, a wide, unidentifiable figure appeared from out of the bathroom, pointing a handgun with silencer at her face. Rose sucked in a quick breath of shock and focused on the chrome gun in front of her. Then, she tried to identify her attacker, but he was well covered in black from head to toe.
"Leave with me quietly, or I'll have to use this," the man said in a low, menacing voice.
Rose did not recognize the voice, but she was positive this man had been sent by her father. He was no ordinary burglar; the hardware in his hand was evidence of that. No, he was one of the San Giovoni clan and he was here to take her back home.
"You wouldn't use that or my father would pour you a nice little cement grave," Rose said back.
He shrugged his shoulders slightly, acknowledging her words, then swung at the side of her face, rendering her unconscious with a blow from the gun. Rose heard her lips release a small cry before she slumped to the ground in a pit of darkness.
******
Ali's keen hearing picked up the faint cry as he crossed the threshold of Rose's doorway. Her door was wide open, something he'd never seen before, and every light was on in the front rooms. The cry, however, had emanated from the back bedroom, so Ali hurried there, all the while keeping his senses peeled for danger-just in case.
He was glad he had not called out to her and entered with a stealth he had honed as a child, for when he reached Rose's bedroom, he saw a man dressed in dark clothes leaning over Rose's unconscious body. Reacting quickly, Ali grabbed the man from behind, wrangled the gun from his hand and turned it upon his adversary.
The man said nothing as he looked at the gun in Ali's hands, then reached into his coat and began drawing a small backup weapon. With no choice, Ali fired without hesitation and watched as the man fell in a heap next to Rose.
Bending down to first check Rose's health and finding a nasty, bleeding bump upon her head, Ali figured she would fare well with some medical attention. Her attacker, however, was dead and from the look of the guns he was carrying and the outfit he was wearing, it was obvious he was no run- of-the-mill burglar. This man had been outfitted with the best equipment and clothes and Ali was certain this situation was unique.
Suddenly, Rose mumbled something. Turning to her, Ali touched her cheek and asked softly, "What is it, Rose?"
"They found me," she said in a whisper, her eyes still closed. "God, they found me."
There was desperation in her tone and though Ali had no choice but to leave this country tonight, he knew he could not leave Rose here in such a situation.
"Ali?" a female voice called from the front of Rose's apartment. "Ali?"
"Back here," he said to Yasmeen.
Yasmeen appeared in the doorway to the bedroom along with a tall man dressed in dark clothing. He sported shaggy, dark hair and skin that had been baked by the desert. Ali knew him well, for Devraj was a childhood friend. Now, however, was not the time for a reunion and when the two visitors laid eyes upon the scene, they both frowned.
"Ali, what happened?" Yasmeen asked.
"This man attacked Rose, then turned his gun upon me. I had no choice but to take his life," Ali said with no emotion as he stood.
Yasmeen surveyed the scene without shock, for she too had the disposition of a warrior and nothing caused her to turn away with disgust.
"This is not good, Ali. We have to cross the border and fly out tonight. The chartered plane will not wait forever," she announced, then asked, "Was this man after you?"
"No. He was after Rose," Ali explained.
Yasmeen's eyes scanned the man on the floor. "He does not look like a typical American thug."
"I do not think he is," Ali agreed, having already deduced that for himself. "I believe he was after Rose."
"Why?"
Ali shrugged his shoulders and reached out to touch Rose's face, making doubly sure she was all right.
"I am not sure of all the particulars, but Rose is hiding from someone or something. I have sensed that about her for a long while now. And she spoke a moment ago. She said, 'they found me.'"
Yasmeen knelt beside Rose and felt her pulse and examined the wound on her head.
"She will be fine," Yasmeen said. "Call the authorities, leave her here and let's go."
Ali glared at his friend with shock. "I cannot do that, Yasmeen."
"Why not?"
"Because, she is my friend. If she is in trouble, I must help."
Just then, they heard a male voice call from the living room. It held an American accent and they all quickly stood and moved into the shadows of the room for cover.
"Hey, Lou," the man continued to say as his voice neared the bedroom. "What you doin'? You know the big guy'll take you out if you're messin' with his daughter."
The man's voice trailed off and an oath issued from his mouth as he entered the room and laid eyes upon the two bodies on the floor.
"What the.?" the man began to ask out loud just as Devraj moved behind him hitting him squarely on the head, rendering him unconscious. The second man slumped to the floor and Ali and Yasmeen swiftly moved back into the open of the room.
"So, what do you plan to do, Ali?" Yasmeen questioned as surveyed the three bodies now on the floor.
Having already decided his course of action, for he owed Rose as much to protect her, Ali answered, "We'll leave the two men here. We take Rose with us. Grab a bag from her closet and pack her things."
Yasmeen stared at Ali, awestricken.
"But Ali." she began to protest.
Throwing her a sharp look, Ali asked, "What? You question my leadership?"
Yasmeen's eyes traveled to Devraj. She knew it was unwise to question Ali in front of his men. Behind closed doors, he allowed her much leeway because her father was a respected Council member and because they had known each other since childhood. But to question his authority now, in front of one of his faithful warriors, would be foolish.
"Of course not, Ali. I will pack her a bag," Yasmeen agreed and quickly went about her task.
As Yasmeen collected clothing and a few personal items for Rose, Ali knelt down next to Rose and attended to her wound, wiping the blood away with a damp cloth and checking for consciousness. She was still unresponsive and Ali felt himself worry more than he should over her condition. He was, after all, a hardened warrior having seen more than his share of battles and death already at his young age of thirty. Death and injury was part of life and he and his people had come to accept that centuries ago. Yet staring at Rose's injured body, a victim of some bizarre attack, Ali felt all his usual calm and cool begin to evade him for his best friend was in peril.
Devraj immediately went to the two men and began searching their pockets for identification and additional weapons. He found additional weapons but no identification. Ali had already figured they would find no identification for these men were professionals of some sort and he wondered again why they had chosen Rose as their target.
Perhaps it was that someone else had chosen Rose as a target. Maybe there was someone who was after Rose and these men had been hired to find her. It wouldn't surprise Ali if that were the case after hearing Rose's words before she had slipped away into unconsciousness. "They found me." That statement still resonated in Ali's ears and as he gazed at Rose's beautiful face, he wondered exactly who had found her.
"I am done, Ali," Yasmeen announced as she zipped up a nylon duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder along with a brown leather purse that Ali had seen Rose carry often.
"Good. Take her things, Yasmeen, while I carry Rose." Ali gathered Rose in his arms then looked at Devraj. "Dev, take care of things in here."
Ali needed to say no more for Devraj would understand the complete meaning of that order. He would see to it that the second man was dead and then arrange the scene to appear as if the men had attacked each other. Hopefully, their interference would confuse the American authorities and leave this scene a mystery forever. Of course, it didn't matter to Ali if the authorities realized the scene had been rigged, for he was never planning to return here. And as for Rose, well, after this, she too would be unable to return to her life here.
"You do realize you are making a decision for her that will affect the rest of her life," Yasmeen commented to Ali as they exited the apartment. It was as if Yasmeen had been reading Ali's mind. He said nothing to her in return.
"How do you think she will respond to that, Ali?" Yasmeen then questioned.
Ali finally looked down at Yasmeen as they reached the large Suburban truck they had acquired for their trip. "I do not know."
Yasmeen frowned at his answer as they loaded Rose into the back seat of the car. Ali sat on one side of Rose, Yasmeen on the other. Immediately, Yasmeen dug out a first aide kit and began examining Rose's wound with expert eyes.
"Who were those men in her apartment?" Yasmeen then inquired.
"I do not know," Ali said.
"Why would someone attack her?"
"I do not know," Ali said again.
"Where does this woman come from? Is there something in her past that would make her a target?"
"I do not know," Ali repeated yet again.
Looking frustrated, Yasmeen glared at Ali and quipped, "It appears as if you know nothing of this woman."
"I know she would do the same for me if circumstances were reversed. And, I know I can trust her," Ali finally said.
"Trust her? Really? Does that mean she knows what you really are?"
Ali shook his head. "No. We speak only of the here and now. We do not discuss our pasts."
With a surly tone, Yasmeen replied, "Yes, I can see how you two have developed such a trusting friendship."
Ali glared at her with his dark eyes and she closed her mouth to continue her work on Rose's wound. She would say no more, for it was obvious Ali believed he could trust this woman. And if Ali insisted Rose be brought with them to Egypt, Yasmeen would have to comply for Ali was now the master of their people.