The Anubis Plague полностью

He screamed in pain and was almost instantly overwhelmed by thousands of man-killers.

Feroz’s cries only lasted a few seconds.

Khaliq waited for Feroz’s body to finish convulsing before he pulled his attention away. He was alone now. It was fitting too. Khaliq wanted to be the first to see Anubis’ lair. Feroz’s death had all but guaranteed that.

He shook with anticipation. The muscles in his body and face spasmed slightly. Something in him broke. He no longer had any interest in pushing forward slowly.

With his flashlight gripped tightly in one hand and Feroz’s backpack in the other, Khaliq took off at a sprint, needing to see what was at the other end before more time passed.

The Big House was, in essence, a big house. And it was hosting a community event for the residents of Bawiti. Dozens of vendors had set up tents on the grounds outside the estate’s gates. It reminded Baahir of the markets he had seen around the world. People hawked their goods, shouting as loud as they could at every single passerby.

This was Baahir’s chance to evade his pursuer. He needed a place to hide. His first choice was the Big House itself, but he doubted a man in his current, filthy state would even be allowed on the premises. So, he decided to keep as many tents in between him and Ajmal as possible. He stationed himself at the center of the market, spying Gebel Dist in the distance. There, he watched and waited, eventually spotting a hulking mass hiking up the long, winding drive.

The other option had been to keep running and head for the middle of town, but it was a few miles off, and Baahir was too tired. This was his best option. Baahir peeked out from behind a booth selling handmade trinkets constructed of bits of junk. They were impressive, resembling miniature sarcophagi and pyramids.

Ajmal stopped and swept his head from left to right slowly, scanning the area for his prize. Baahir inhaled and squeaked when Ajmal snapped his eyes directly toward him.

Did he see me? Baahir asked himself. He didn’t think so, but nor was he going to take the chance.

He scurried behind three more tents and parked himself behind the fourth. He leaned out around the hastily built structure and was forced to peer through a haze of deliciousness.

Everything in front of him was some sort of food item.

Baahir hadn’t enjoyed a proper meal in some time. The lamb looked incredible, and the spices wafted into his nose.

Dammit!

Ajmal had vanished. Baahir had lost the goon somewhere between hiding behind the tent and pining over the sights and smells of this food.

“You want something?” a voice asked.

He looked up. “No, I—”

But the vendor wasn’t speaking to Baahir — he was talking to Ajmal. Baahir shuffled backward, bumping into a table directly behind him.

“Watch it!” cried a young woman.

Before Baahir could apologize, he planted a hand on her table, leaping over it. He crashed to the ground beside her. She attempted to berating Baahir, but was quickly silenced.

“Shhh!” He held a finger to his lips. “If you stay quiet, I will buy everything you have!” That quieted her, but she frowned down at him.

He suddenly realized something else about the woman.

She was absolutely gorgeous. Her skin reminded him of delicious cocoa.

He swallowed. “Please…”

She glared down at him, then back up to the crowd in the market. “He with you?”

The young woman’s inflection was similar to the dialects Baahir had heard in Kenya. Her English was flawless but accented. Baahir figured she was talking about Ajmal, but he didn’t know for sure. “What does he look like?”

“Big and angry.”

He belly-crawled under the front table. “Yep, that’s him.” A heavy cloth was draped over the front of it so no one on the outside of her booth could see what laid beneath. The contents now consisted of this woman’s personal belongings.

And Baahir.

“What does he want?”

Baahir snickered. “To kill me.”

She looked appalled. “And this is funny?”

Baahir shrugged. “If you knew what I have been through, I— ”

“Can I help you?” she asked, stepping forward, talking to someone else Baahir couldn’t see.

Her foot landed on Baahir’s pinky finger. He squeaked, but thankfully his protector coughed to cover up the sound. She subtly lifted her foot while continuing to speak to the newcomer, allowing Baahir to remove his trapped digit.

“I said — can I help you?”

A shadow blotted out the light on the vendor’s face, and Baahir knew, in that instant, that it was Ajmal. His pursuer was leaning in close to the merchant now, and Baahir could hear his breath falling out over her face. Baahir wouldn’t forgive himself if he got this nice woman hurt.

“I’m looking for my friend,” Ajmal said, “have you seen him?”

Baahir’s blood went cold. The woman could just as easily sell him out and save her own skin. He had given her no reason to trust him. No reason to think he was the good guy.