Entry 8 - Cairo: Arab attack at the mosque, a Dutchman with stolen scrolls, and trip to the Sphinx

Sunday Feb 8^th- morning began as a comical treat as Jame’s fake moustache kept falling into his breakfast plate. Confusing discussion of where to next, till we settled upon returning to Faraz’s shop hoping a cash bribe would settle his worrisome soul. Other patrons stroll his shop as Guin and Norman gather a few items to purchase. Once the patrons thin, they approach the counter to barter hoping to relax the merchant. Finally an extra bag of British pounds to sweeten the deal, “We were hoping you could tell us about those items you acquired for Mr. Carlyle all those years ago.” At least Faraz wasn’t skittish as the last time, “No, no. Not here. We can discuss more away from here. Noontime at the bazaar; the El Husen mosque.”

Near the appointed time, Guin and Norman approach the mosque as the others try to be inconspicuous on watch; Yoseph searching for a back door. Faraz is late. But he arrives directing the two to a side entrance more appropriate for foreigners…especially women, “Cover your face.” Inside, Faraz meets Mohamed who directs him past the men smoking hookahs to a side room, where they sit at a long table fronted by large grated bay windows.

Once comfortable, with the coin before him, Faraz tells how Carlyle’s agent, Warren Besart, paid for the 4 items (a scroll mapping the insides of the Black Pharaoh tomb, an alabaster bust of said pharaoh [we’ve seen this in London], a small drum with hieroglyphic symbols, and a zirconium crown-said to be that of Queen Nitocris). As for how Faraz came to possess these items…I'm thinking he didn’t rob a tomb, just maybe Omar. “But all is well now.” Still, Faraz warns all about the brotherhood, “I hear they are planning to rob another mosque tonight.”

Guin takes the moment to ask about protective spells or items which encourages Faraz to reveal the silvered necklace with inlaid opal, “Protection from beyond.” As Guin haggles over the price, the others are busy outside. Our guide MocMood chooses this time to arrive on scene. But James is more interested in the dozen plus arabs approaching with spiked clubs. With offer of coin, he sends the guide to warn those inside. But MocMood circles the building once he sees the men push inside clubbing Mohamed to the floor.

A shot rings out causing the worshipers inside and outside the mosque to scatter; James trying another method to give warning. Norman is already up and headed to the back door as Guin sits at the table finalizing her purchase. Thus when the doors burst open, she can only spray the nearest assailant with her mace before she clamors to escape. “We warned you Faraz; now you must pay.” Everything happens at once: the arabs club Faraz to the floor, Yoseph kicks open the back door, MocMood throws a brick thru the grated windows, and the investigators dive thru the window leaving Faraz to certain death. The chase is on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pEF5cAkFXg

Three groups of 5 arabs close on the slower Norman as the normally slow Guin takes off at a sprint. The speedy James tries to give cover fire to at least slow the pursuers but they determinedly charge ignoring the shot. And that’s when Rene appears with his Thompson leveled. A full clip easily drops 5 of the men along with civilian casualties. Ahead, MocMood directs the group toward a shop’s backdoor, once they dodge a pull-cart suddenly appearing in the alley. 

With a little breathing room, Norman slips down a side alley knowing he can’t outrun the arabs. But it’s a dead-end and one arab follows him as the others follow the team. And that’s when, with steady aim, and a hell-of-a-lot-of-luck, James shots and actually hits Norman’s pursuer. Giving Norman the chance to club the arab unconscious.

Hours pass as the team shakes their pursuers, then backtrack for Norman. Guin sending MocMood to the mosque to retrieve her payment to Faraz, “Fifty-fifty,” As we wait, “How did they find us?” Yoseph reasons they were watching Faraz’s shop. Surprisingly the guide returns as promised [probably realizes he can collect even more than the other half with easy work]. It’s already evening and the museum has closed. So much for finding news about the Dutchman’s location from the curator. We return to our hotel.

 
Monday 9^th- We split up: Norman back to the newspaper, Rene to the police station, the others to speak with Ali Kafour at the museum. “Did you hear about the break-in at the Ibn Tulun mosque?

6 scholars were crushed when the ceiling of their study collapsed. Another scholar Nessim Efti is missing, presumed dead. The nazir Achmed Zehavi survived but is at the hospital in shock. Fortunately the historic structure is undamaged; only the adjacent building collapsed.”

 
All regroup and go to the hospital to interrogate Achmed, “I failed in my mission.

A giant worm tunneled from below, took Nessim and the girdle of Queen Nitocris; it is said to hold part of her soul. But she is just a tool to sow war across the land. Time is getting closer. Rituals at 3 different locations will proceed the awakening of the Dark One.” Well so much for acting on Faraz’s warning of the break-in. Not that we could have stopped anything; no clue which mosque was to be targeted.

 
It is near dusk with a full moon when we follow Rene’s advice to seek the Dutchman in the old city. But throngs of arabs dressed in robes with inverted ankhs walk westward. We learn a ritual is to be performed at the great Sphinx. James reasons we can find the Dutchman and still follow the crowd. So off to the poorer section looking for a tailor shop. Cats everywhere as we are directed to the backroom.

There, in the faint oil lamp light, his reddish nose the giveaway, slumps Janwillen Vanheuvelen. Who revives at the sight of the two full liquor bottles we present. “Omar? Yeah, Dr. Clive met with him. Omar provided the manual labor at the site. They found the mummy at the collapsed pyramid at Median. You tell me how a 2 ton sarcophagus could be stolen along with a handful of scrolls. Not a drag mark or scrap to imply the thing was hauled out of there. They fired me before they moved on to Memphis. Them? The Clive group is back in town; just saw them yesterday. Avoid the German. Ms. Bradmore, the English psychic, is another matter. She believes in that psychic shit.” One bottle empty, he starts on the next before slumping.

 
The drunkard revives when James mentions all the cats reminding him of the Egyptian goddess Bast. “Some woman has been by claiming to be a priestess of Bast. Claims I stole scriptures. But if I can just translate this scroll, I’ll reclaim my fame as an archaeologist.” James takes the opportunity to read the scroll, realizing Janwillen’s translation is way off. Mostly psalms to Bast. But there is a spell within the hieroglyphics, “Control Crocodile.” And that’s when Yoseph takes the empty bottle to the dutchman's head. “What? We didn’t have time to negotiate. We’re late for the ritual.”

The crowd has gathered at the Sphinx before the pyramids. But rising before the Sphinx is an out-of-place stele where a robed leader wearing a fez chants. And as the stele turns translucent, he walks thru it with the crowd following. The group stands in wonder before they realize Norman has entered, soon followed by Yoseph. And the stele fades away leaving blowing sand at the feet of the Sphinx.