"You wouldn't believe the half of it.", Skyler gave a small chuckle as she quickly got serious again. "But that can be somewhat explained later, right now, I take it that you must be the leader of Agrabah's resistance?".
The man nodded with a smile and bowed his head, "That I am. And you may call me Cassim. Some of my people has seen you near the entrance of the city gates. What was it that has gotten you interested in, over there?".
Skyler nodded, "I believe many, many of the people have tried to walk out of Agrabah over the years, yet they can't, correct?", and many voices murmured in agreement as Cassim held up his arm again, "That's very true.".
"Next to being a shapeshifter, I can track and see dark magic, and why anyone of Agrabah wouldn't get out is because there's a ward lock of a spell. Between the dome tops of the gates, is a large lock of a keyhole which is invisible to normal people like you, but to me, I see it.", Skyler explained.
Cassim rubbed his beard as he nodded, "That sounds about right then... Jafar and his magic... it... it practically defies about everything that we know, even legends of magic never had anything like this sort of power that he wields.".
"There's a good explanation with that... and unfortunately it's bad news for us.", Skyler said. Cassim replied, "How do you mean by that?".
Skyler exhaled deeply, "We truly had destroyed a few things of dark magic, killing Iago, saving Jasmine in the process, and rescued Aladdin's monkey, Abu here, and also restored Carpet here. Yet the traps for the genie's lamp is aimed for humans, with Rajah as a monster cat by his dark magic, and the spell over Agrabah, it would be a huge alarm for Jafar if we break it, yet we are only two who can't do it alone, but with your rebellion, and plenty of planning, we will take away more of his power, starting with Rasoul and his squad.".
"Rasoul and his men truly are a problem...They're very loyal to Jafar.", Cassim hummed, stroking his beard, and Skyler smiled, "And that's where George comes in. Is there a map of Agrabah, and the pathway to, ah, the cliffside location of the palace?".
Cassim smiled, "I'm starting to think you two might be the turning point for us to win against Jafar. Come along. The map of Agrabah is in the war room, and you two must be hungry as well.".
"Yes, we'd very much like some food if you're offering.", George said as they continued to follow Cassim. "I didn't really mention this before...", Cassim said. "But I have to assume that Jafar's grand powers are responsible thanks to that genie he keeps protected, am I correct?".
"Yes.", Skyler nodded. "His power... according to Jasmine, was much weaker than now before he gained control of the genie.".
Cassim nodded, "I have heard stories of him being the grand vizier. I was one of the very few people who survived in thieving from the royal treasury before he killed most of my men. I was the leader of the Forty Thieves, you see.".
"You got that far inside the palace?", George asked in surprise, and Cassim replied, "Barely. A few of the staff is part of the rebellion, but one of them were caught by Iago while the others kept their heads down. It was a trap...".
Skyler replied, "Why were you going for the royal treasury?", and Cassim sighed, "We were trying to find a way to dig underground through the previous site of the palace as the entrance gates didn't work, send people out with some of the gold to get some of Jasmine's previous suitors to bring their armies.".
"As if that would work...", George sighed. "Jafar has powers that would destroy entire armies with the snap of his finger. I'm honestly surprised he isn't all knowing with all the power he has... but he's probably saving the last wish he has just in case. He probably feels at least comfortable enough in his position not to change anything. Simple rebels are hardly a problem for him.".
"Of course, now thanks to you two, that might change. We heard the screams too... he's afraid.", Cassim said. Skyler chuckled, "Good to know that you heard him too...", as they came into an obvious war room, with the map of Agrabah, and a few women came in with trays of food and tea, bowing their heads to George and Cassim, and smiling at Skyler before placing them before the group, and leaving.
Abu chittered happily as he went to munch on bananas and pieces of melon, and Carpet went to rest on a chair, while the group went to eat, with Cassim asking, "How do we get rid of Rasoul and his squad?".
George replied, "To start, you have been mapping out their routes, yes?", and Cassim nodded, "That's one of the earliest things we have done as we couldn't afford to be caught.".
"And?", George raised an eyebrow. "Most of them keep to the same route. Little changes but times might be slightly off. Sometimes they might have a bit more pace in their patrol, other times they're taking it slower. Rasoul however... there's no rhythm or reason to his.", Cassim responded.
Skyler replied, "Did you see anything different about him?", and Cassim replied, "He has been more pompous than his men, probably because he's captain, and that he has this permit by Jafar that he uses to check houses, stables, and especially brothels...I have been hearing things from the women here that Rasoul has been beating concubines for every failure of catching my people, and for every successful win of seeing a person breaking one of Jafar's laws or catching my people, he is the worst yet best customer for he pays the brothels then...", with a disgusted scowl.
George shook his head, "Taking after Jafar then...", and Cassim replied, "That's not the worst thing. Ever since Jasmine had been exiled, Jafar has been trying to find a woman, and Rasoul, at Jafar's orders, takes the best-looking girl or woman out of the brothels, to the palace, and most of the women return with damaged goods, and some others don't return for they are killed on the execution stage, with Jafar appearing with signs of knife wounds or nail cuts on his face or hands before healing them away with dark magic...With food barely at survival levels, the ways of stopping their fertility or causing miscarriage by purpose, they have been running out, and the women is in hard spots between rocks and walls, forced to choose between being used by the guards or Jafar, and well, with Rasoul to use that permit, it's a terrible way for the brothels.".
"Practically cutting the birth rates down, it seems at this rate. He might be willing to let the whole kingdom die off before he might find himself 'happy'.", George bit his lip as Cassim nodded.
"I think he will never find it... he clearly only wanted Jasmine and now with her gone, he's trying desperately to find someone exactly like her which would be impossible.", Skyler said.
Cassim nodded, "Especially when he lost a lot of dark magic, thanks to you freeing Carpet, Jasmine, and getting rid of that horrible display...Jafar had put it up there to scare everyone, to tell them that he can do practically anything to anyone...", with a horrified look.
Skyler smiled proudly, "Well, you'd be glad to know that the dark magic is gone from the display, and after eating the display, I saved Jasmine's beloved goods, and via my creator, she is whole again.".
"I heard about the horrible act Jafar did from the few staff in the rebellion via messages and all...Jasmine's all healed?", Cassim gasped in surprise, hearing loud murmurs via vents in the war room, and Cassim realized that the people of the underground ruins is overhearing the conversation.
George chuckled, "You shouldn't underestimate Skyler's remarkable abilities. She owes Jasmine more than you'd ever know.", and Skyler smiled warmly, kissing George on the cheek before replying, "More than just healed. Princess Jasmine's able to bear children once again.".
Cheers and laughs echoes through the ruins, and Cassim smiles warmly, "That's great news, and to know that our beloved princess is alive and well, and all healed, most of all, I have a feeling that the rebellion is behind you two, ready to help anytime.".
"We obviously still need some more time... our key move is mostly just to get the lamp and then get Skyler close to Jafar... especially if he doesn't know her, he's doomed.", George said.
Cassim turned to her. "You could get him?", he asked as Skyler nodded, "I have my ways... and I certainly have an idea, but it'll require us to even the odds just a bit more.".
Cassim replied, "How so?", and Skyler grinned, "By creating distractions. We have to take the ladder one rung at a time, starting with the lowest ranking officers in Rasoul's squad. But we have to be in many places at once so the squad would be very confused and vulnerable, hence needing your people to create distractions before your swordsmen or archers take them down permanently.".
"That just might work, but what about Rasoul?", Cassim asked, and George replied, "How often do you see him go to the palace?".
Cassim replied, "Sometimes three times, four times mostly in a week, and most of those times are taking taxes, taking notes of the population and food supply, and catching people breaking Jafar's laws, but mostly, it was taking a woman out of one of the brothels around the city...".
Skyler then smiled, "Which job would be less suspicious in Jafar's eyes?", and Cassim replied, "Taking notes of the population as he only cares about ruling a kingdom, not the people, and with the food at an all-time low, he doesn't care about the dying people or anything as long as they don't cause a problem.".
George grinned at Skyler, "Oh, ho, let me guess. Thieves taking food, leading guards to see the thieves giving food to people who are dying, but actually not dying, and when the guards are cornered, they're killed before they even get the alarm off.".
Skyler nodded, "Precisely, and since we get sinkholes sometimes, we throw the dead guards in those sinkholes, and the remaining guards search for them, presuming that the dead guards got caught in the sinkholes and got slammed into their heads, killing them on the spot, that's where the remaining guards get caught and killed as well. And as for Rasoul, he will think that I'm a coming-of-age girl, in the shadows, and I will lure him into one of the brothels where I'm sure the women would be glad to give room for you to kill him, Cassim, as he was the one who despised your son the most of all the guards, I believe.".
"If we take him out... it certainly will set the guards to a panic. I know that for a fact.", Cassim said. "Especially if we take out a number of the more experienced ones along with him; the guards' organization would be decapitated and leaving Jafar even more alone and isolated.", George added.
Skyler then replied, "Which is why I said that it has to be done at the same time whereabouts of our traps and such to the guards. Do you have a signal?", and Cassim replied, "Usually a flag during the daylight, and a flash reflection in the nighttime, by the moon or a lantern.".
"Then Carpet will be the signal for your people to do their thing of thieving and fake-dying, and then your people, when the archers or swordsmen are done with the guards, they signal back with purple flags, all the while Skyler lure Rasoul and you kill him.", George said.
Cassim grinned, "That's starting to sound more and more possible, and since the guards pair up two by two, with the exception of Rasoul, we can get more guards out, and we have the routes mapped up here since they go spread out throughout the city.".
"Exactly.", George nodded. "Now of course, we might need to wait a bit to better plan things out for what comes after because we decapitate the guards; Jafar won't take that lying down and if anything, will probably draw his full attention.".
"Right...", Cassim nodded. "Probably start causing untold destruction upon us all in an effort to put as much distance between us and him without most of his guards.".
"He's clearly scared someone's going to get close enough to put an arrow through his head with how stripped his defenses would be.", Skyler added.
Cassim replied, "Then you're both welcome, along with your allies, Abu and Carpet to stay here, to plan better for afterwards of the plan, and set a time to enact the traps for the guards. Most of my people has to go aboveground to do their lives when sunrise comes, but some of my people are wanted thieves or just plain forgotten, like me, and they will be around to talk, deliver food, and of course, news from aboveground.".
Skyler smiled, "That would be brilliant, thank you, Cassim.", and George nodded, "Yes, many thanks, Cassim.", relieved for the aid and offer of shelter.
George then sighed as he rubbed his temple, "Forgive me for what I said before, Cassim, I wasn't trying to make things difficult or change up your carefully laid plans but if we do take out the guards, then we must strike for the palace immediately and kill Jafar that very same day, preferably within an hour or sooner to make sure he doesn't raze the entire kingdom into ash. He'll clearly rather rule nothing but dust if it means he can continue to live.".
Cassim exhaled deeply, "Then after I kill Rasoul, I will take his clothes, disguise myself, pretending to have slunk away in the rebellion's battle, grabbing a camel, while you pretend to be the leader of the rebellion, and Skyler, you can hide in one of the baskets as you are smaller than us men. As we get close to the palace, we must somehow distract Jafar while we get in, as I'm sure there's still some guards in the palace after we get rid of the other guards and Rasoul...".
Skyler hummed in thought, "Can we think more of that part, Cassim? After all, plans require stages, and time to figure out the details and such.".
"Of course, that makes sense, and since we have practically the city here for the rebellion, it would require many, many teams to make it work, with the signals and such as you mentioned.", Cassim nodded before replying, "Come along, all of you. I will talk with my lieutenants in this war room while you rest and figure out the rest of the big day's plans, perhaps, my lieutenants would have ideas to share, and I would have them to show their ideas to you two if they can be intertwined in the plans.".
George nodded, "We are willing to listen to any idea, small or large from the citizens of Agrabah, for they're all fighting for their home, their freedom, and their lives. And yes, we would appreciate a place to rest.", helping Skyler get up from her chair, and Abu, along with Carpet followed the duo as they left the war room to follow Cassim.
"It's the least we can do for you two... you're the first ones to get close to Jafar and truly break his grip than any of us had in the past... and of course, what you have done for the Princess.", Cassim said.
Skyler smiled, "Don't get me wrong, living in a humble apartment like Aladdin's was nice, but it's technically in the open, and even if Jafar never had found us as we have cut his dark magic trace away, there was always a thought in the back of our minds that we might be found by the guards.".
Cassim blinked in surprise, hearing that they knew of his son's home, and replied, "As I am a wanted thief, I hide here every day, so you can tell me your story anytime while we take time to plan out the little and big details.".
"Of course.", Skyler replied, as Cassim led them to an intact underground apartment, bowing his head, "I know it's not much as it's the ruins under the city, but I hope this place is enough room for you all.".
"It's more than fine.", George said. "Anywhere that's safe is perfect for us.", he told him as Cassim nodded, "I'm sure it'll do for you two for the time being as I am right to guess that you two might go back to where the Princess is if we're victorious?".
Skyler smiled, "That's the plan with Genie. When we get rid of Jafar for good, all the dark magic should be gone, and the palace back where it should be, and Genie will take us home...". Cassim exhaled deeply, "That would mean just you two, or the kingdom?".
"Jasmine always worried about her home, but having news of Jafar's death and the kingdom's return, with someone we trust, to be on the throne unless the kingdom is going a different political path, it would be enough for her one way, but we won't force all of Agrabah to move to our world unless they want Jasmine back on the throne and a safer, free place without laws of Jafar and the old Sultan, Allah bless his soul.", Skyler replied.