Chapter 19
Tim's heart was in his throat and he almost couldn't breathe.
"They will be coming at any moment, Tim."
Then, suddenly, he realized that he recognized the voice even though it had been many years since he'd heard it.
"Suhayl?"
"Quiet," the bedouin said.
Tim started to sit up, but Suhayl's hand kept him lying down on the bed. He turned his head just enough that he could see him kneeling.
"What's going on?" Tim asked, almost inaudibly.
"They are coming for you and your family. We must get you out of here and out of Cairo. Now."
"Airport?"
"No. These people have connections that I do not know yet. They have power and they are prepared for that. We must get you out of Egypt another way as soon as possible."
"How did you get in here?"
"The balcony."
"But..."
There was just enough light in the room that Tim could see the slight twinkle in Suhayl's eyes.
"It required that I speak quickly to those who guard you. They are getting in place to defend you, but they do not wish to start a battle. Nor do I. There are too many here who should not be harmed because of them."
"I agree," Tim said. "What do we do?"
"We will wake your family and get you all out of here before those who would take you make their move. Inshallah, it will work."
"Should we pack?"
"Only the simplest things."
Tim nodded and then rolled over to Zahara. He shook her gently and her eyes opened. They moved quickly from him to Suhayl's quiet form and Tim felt her tense.
"Zahara, it's Suhayl," Tim said quickly and very quietly. "Someone's coming and we have to get out. All right?"
He could see the fear in her eyes but she nodded. Tim felt the stirrings of that destructive anger in the midst of the sick fear and he tried to keep himself in control. He couldn't fall apart right now. There was too much at stake.
"Get dressed and I will have robes for you to put on later," Suhayl said.
Tim knew that Zahara was afraid of what would come of this, but she just nodded again and got out of bed. Quickly and almost silently, she went to the suitcase and got out some clothes while Tim did the same. Then, they each got some clothes for Salma and Jonathan and went to the other bed. Tim picked up Jonathan and changed him without waking him. Zahara woke Salma because she was less likely to stay asleep.
"Salma, we have to leave right now. It is very important that you stay quiet, all right?" Zahara said in a whisper.
"Mama?" Salma asked, sounding afraid.
"It is all right, Salma," Zahara said quickly, "but we must be very quiet and say no words for now. You need to get dressed and we will leave with a friend of your baba."
"Norris?" Salma asked.
"No. Not Norris. His name is Suhayl. We must go now."
Salma's eyes moved from Zahara to Suhayl's silent form to Tim who was finishing dressing a sleeping Jonathan. Then, she nodded and let Zahara help her dress. It was clear that she was afraid of what was happening, but she was listening and doing as she was asked.
Once they were dressed, Tim grabbed a bag and put a few things in it, including a couple water bottles with built-in filters, a few small books and the stuffed animal that Salma slept with. It was a small plush lion and she slept with it every night. He also put in Jonathan's small blanket. Then, he looked at Suhayl.
"Should we bring extra clothes?"
"No. What you have will be fine. Now, we must go."
Tim nodded and took a step toward the door.
"No, Tim. We must leave as I entered."
Tim's eyes widened but he nodded. If they left through the hallways, that would likely signal his would-be captors that they were aware of what was planned.
"How will we all get down?"
"Quietly."
Then, Suhayl strode silently to the balcony and disappeared over the edge. Tim hurried over, carrying Jonathan who had not yet awakened. Zahara followed, leading Salma who was clinging to her hand. Tim looked down and saw Suhayl and two of his CIA guards.
For a moment, he froze, thinking of the last time he had left a building this way. He was holding Jonathan and unable to move. He could feel his breathing speeding up as he remembered what had happened after getting out. Who would die this time? What if it was his family? What if it was Suhayl who was likely sacrificing so much to do this for him? What if–?
Then, Zahara was there beside him. She put her hand on his cheek and rubbed the scars around his eye.
"We will be all right, Tim," she said. "We will."
Tim swallowed and took a shallow breath. He let it out is a whoosh and then took a deep breath and let it out more slowly, striving for the calm that Bob had begun to teach him. He wasn't calm, but he could think again. He looked at the rope and then handed Jonathan over to Zahara. He switched the backpack around to the front, took Jonathan and carefully put him in between the pack and Tim's chest, winding his limp arms and legs into the straps. He cinched the straps as tight as he could and prayed that Jonathan wouldn't slip out. Then, he climbed over the edge of the balcony and tried not to look down. It was two stories down to the pool, but there were no balconies directly below theirs. It wasn't devastatingly high, but it was high enough that he felt more than a little bit of fear. He looked at Zahara and Salma.
"When I get down, Salma, you will need to hold onto your mama very tightly and she will climb down like I am," he said.
He made eye contact with Zahara. She nodded and then kissed him.
As carefully and quietly as possible, Tim began to climb down the rope, grateful that this was something he'd actually learned how to do. It seemed to take forever and yet, Tim was worried that he'd go down too fast. As he climbed, Jonathan spasmed a little and Tim prayed that his son wouldn't start moving.
Hands were on his legs, supporting him, slowing his descent. Finally, his feet touched the pool deck. He took a deep breath and let it out as silently as he could. Then, he quickly maneuvered so that the pack was on his back again and he was just holding Jonathan who had miraculously stayed asleep. Then, he looked up and saw Zahara leaning over. Then, suddenly, she looked back into the room and then looked down, fear in her expression. There was a sound. A loud sound.
Tim felt his heart clench. They were trying to get in. They'd get Zahara and Salma. He lay Jonathan down and started toward the rope again, but hands held him back. He wasn't thinking. He could only see the danger to his family.
Because of him.
Then, there was someone else on the balcony, lifting Zahara over the balcony rail and helping her start the climb down. The person kept looking back into the room.
Salma's soft crying could be heard as Zahara began to slide down the rope more quickly than was probably safe. Tim pulled away from the hands holding him back and moved directly beneath the rope. There was more noise from the balcony. The person on the balcony disappeared back into the room and then there was another person on the balcony.
Zahara was just out of Tim's reach.
The person pulled out a knife. Tim realized what was about to happen and he reached his hands up.
...just as the person the balcony cut the rope.
Zahara cried out a little bit and Salma screamed as they started to fall.
Tim caught his wife and daughter, but the weight was a bit much for him and they all fell to the decking. Then, there was a soft sound. Tim looked up and saw Suhayl throw a knife up at the balcony. The person staggered backward out of sight once more.
Suhayl ran over to Tim and helped Zahara stand up. Salma was crying and clinging to her. Then, when Tim stood, she moved to him and held onto him. Tim just picked her up and gestured for Zahara to get Jonathan.
"Are you all right?" he whispered.
"Yes. I am fine. You caught me," she whispered back.
Tim could see that she was shaking, but Zahara was obviously setting aside her own fears while they had to get away. She hurried over to pick up Jonathan. Then, she turned and the fear was back.
"What about Ahmed?" she asked. "What if they find my brother?"
Tim looked at one of his guards. There was a moment of hesitation, and Tim knew why. They weren't supposed to leave Tim unguarded, and even with Suhayl, that would mean two people at the most. Two to guard four. But Ahmed could easily be in danger as well if these people had been watching them on this trip.
Zahara picked up her son and then walked to the guard.
"Please, you must protect my brother," she said, her whispered voice trembling slightly.
Another moment of hesitation and then a nod and the guard disappeared into the hotel.
Suhayl took the lead and headed, not for the hotel but for a gate at the far side of the pool. The remaining guard gestured for Tim and his family to precede him and they started to run. Salma was still crying.
"It's all right, Salma. It's all right, ibnatī. I will protect you," he whispered as they ran.
Salma held on to him even more tightly. Tim kissed her quickly on the forehead but kept moving.
They got around the pool and Suhayl opened the gate. Tim didn't bother to wonder how. This was what always happened when Suhayl was involved. He just was able to do things. It was like the world shifted to do what he wanted.
Then, they were through the gate and out on the street. Tim felt very exposed and he was looking in all directions for the people who might be coming after them.
"This way," Suhayl said and hurried toward a dark alley.
Tim hesitated and looked at Zahara. She just nodded and they all followed Suhayl into the alley. When they got there, Suhayl stopped and reached into a stack of baskets. He pulled out a number of robes and handed them to Tim.
"Put these on," he said. "Quickly. We will be better able to hide if you do not stand out so much."
Tim nodded and started to put Salma down, but she refused to let go. She was still crying. Tim knelt down and balanced Salma on one knee as she hid her face in his shoulder. While the anger at what this was doing to his family threatened to take over, he had to keep himself focused on Salma for the moment.
"Salma, you must let go."
"No, Baba," she whispered and held him even more tightly.
"Yes. I will be right beside you. I will not leave you, but we'll be safer if we can put on these other clothes and I can't do that if you're holding on to me. Just for a moment and I'll hold you again. All right?"
Tim knew he could force her to let go, but that would be worse for her and would likely result in much louder protests. So he tried to calm her down enough that she would listen to him. It seemed to take forever and Tim knew that Suhayl was watching him, but since there was no further urging to get going, Tim tried to ignore that.
Finally, Salma let him go and Tim quickly put on the bedouin robe and then helped Salma get one on as well. Then, she grabbed hold of him again and Tim stood up. He looked at Suhayl.
"Now, what?"
"Now, we leave here. It will be hard but we can do it."
"All right, but first, I need to make phone call."
Suhayl raised an eyebrow at him. Tim returned the look.
"This will take no more than a minute, maybe thirty seconds, but I'm doing it."
Suhayl nodded and said nothing more.
Tim shifted Salma to one hip, reached under the robe and pulled out his phone. Then, he dialed a number.
It rang and rang.
"What is it?" The voice was not at all sleepy. Perhaps a little weak. Nothing more.
"Levi, they're after us. We're running. I don't know where to yet, but we can't go to the airport. We're going to need help in order to get back to the States. Let them know."
"I will. Call back if you can."
"I will."
"Good luck."
"Thanks."
Then, Tim hung up and then turned his phone completely off and looked at Suhayl.
"Now, we can go," he said.
"Then, we will go. Stay close and say nothing if you can."
Tim nodded and looked at Zahara who also nodded. Jonathan hadn't yet awakened, but it would be hard to keep things quiet if he did wake up, so Tim hoped he would sleep as long as possible.
Suhayl walked to the end of the alley and checked the area. Then, he gestured. Tim looked at his family and at the only guard to come with them. He tried not to think about what that meant for the other guards who had been at the hotel. It would all come out eventually. It would have to.
But right now, he had to stuff it all down and keep his mind on what was needed to get away. He couldn't think about anger or fear or worry.
Just the escape. That was all.
Suhayl gestured again.
The McGees followed him out of the alley and onto the streets of Cairo.
Hoping they could escape.
