Chapter 3
March 25th 1993
Khan was having a pleasant morning. Despite the blazing heat in the city of Abu Dhabi. He was enjoying the air conditioned room he was provided by the Sheikh.
Sheikh Zayed was a reasonable man. After generations of living as nomads of the desert and then discovering oil. Wealth had not flawed his logic but transformed it.
Khan remembered when he first moved to conquer India. The occupants of the land were most unwelcoming. He supposed he had set an example to the other awaiting nations. The news of his and his comrade's ruthlessness in battle had travelled across the desert and reached the open ears of the Sheikh.
The Arab leader had greeted Khan and his crew with wide open arms. Inviting them into his palace, introducing him to his many siblings, then proceeded to entertain them in his private chambers reserved for the guests.
The Sheikh's palace was enormous. A towering monument to their culture. From the outside it was ordinary, tall block like structures piled up with flat roofs. The sandy walls reflected the environment they resided in.
But from within it was like he had entered a whole another world.
Patterned glossy tiles that were polished to perfection. Rich, red Persian carpets that lead a path through winding corridors. The scent of Oud and musk had filled his lungs. The taste lingered in his mouth.
Golden chandeliers with clear sparkling crystals hung from above, on a white ceiling. The glittering, dazzling lights brightened the room in rich warm tones of colour that accented the sparks of gold in their furniture and other ornaments.
Khan had discovered that Arabs were gold enthusiasts. There were five other Augments that accompanied him to meet the Sheikh. Orland was the most inquisitive one among them. The amount of gold had prompted him to ask the question from the Sheikh.
The man had smiled wide, flashing a row of white teeth that was too blinding against his thick dark beard. He said it was to echo the wealth and it makes for great decoration. Khan liked the Sheikh. He was most charismatic, but this also made him dangerous.
Zayed's overly ecstatic approval of them made his suspicious in Khan's eyes. Khan enjoyed taking his ease while being on guard at the same time.
After the welcoming dinner, the Sheikh had escorted them to their reserved rooms. Their residency was on the easy wing of the castle. Far from the Sheikh's quarters. This revealed their true mistrust to the observant Augment leader.