The Exodus Quest

FORTY-TWO
I

The windscreen of Naguib's Lada had misted up from the storm. He couldn't see a thing. He opened the windows a slit, put on the heaters, sat there brooding on his meeting with Tarek and the ghaffirs, the implications of what he'd learned. This was getting way over his head. He needed to put it to his boss.

'Can't this wait till morning?' sighed Gamal. 'I'm in the middle of something.'

'It may be important.'

'Well? What?'

'I think there's something going on in Amarna.'

'Not this again!' said Gamal. 'The universe doesn't revolve around you, you realize?'

'That girl we found, she had an Amarna artefact on her. I think she found something here, perhaps an undiscovered site. You know Captain Khaled, the senior tourist policeman here? He's banned the local ghaffirs from-'

'Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Stop right there. Are you about to suggest what I think you're about to suggest?'

'I'm just saying, I think he knows something. I think we ought to look into it.'

'Into the tourist police?' demanded Gamal. 'Are you crazy? Haven't you learned your lesson from Minya?'

'That was different. That was the army.'

'Listen to me. You've only still got a job thanks to your friends. Go down this road again, they won't step in a second time, believe me. No one will.'

'But I only-'

'Don't you ever listen? I don't want to hear another word! Understand? Not another damned word!'

'Yes, sir,' sighed Naguib. 'I understand.'