The Sign of the Scorpion Read online

  “We have to take the chance,” said Jumana. “Allah knows who Al-Aqrab will murder next. We can’t sit by and do nothing.”

  Tariq looked wretched. “How will you get them to kidnap you again?”

  “At dinner this evening, we can talk about our plans for tomorrow. You can say what you plan to do and then ask me about my plans. I’ll say that I’ll be going for a ride to the foothills in the morning. I’m hoping it will reach the ears of Al-Aqrab’s accomplices. If they still want to kidnap me, this will be their chance. Since they were planning to hide me in the caves for the first kidnapping, I’m assuming they’ll want to do the same for the second one. Before I leave for my ride, you’ll use the dungeon to go to the caves and lay in wait there. If the men do kidnap me and bring me there, you nab them. It should be easy for the group of you to tackle two men. We then call the police to make the men talk.”

  “What if they decide to take you somewhere else and not to the caves?” asked Zaid.

  “They can’t take me anywhere else on a horse in broad daylight. To be on the safe side, perhaps I should take a weapon with me.”

  “I’ll give you a knife,” said Tariq. “I wish we could keep in touch by cell phone, but they won’t work underground or in the hills.”

  “Let’s meet in my suite after breakfast so we can go over the plan,” said Jumana.

  Mindful of Dr. Hakam’s advice, Layla spent the remainder of the day catching up on some much-needed sleep. Lunch was brought up to her room and by dinner she was feeling much better. Adam was concerned she was not well enough to join them in their undertaking the next morning. Layla would not hear of being left out. She felt she had earned the right to be there, come what may.

  Layla had heard that Mrs. Haddad’s hasty departure from the castle had been the hot topic at lunch. When they went down to dinner, Ghazala brought it up again.

  “Mrs. Haddad should have told us what the emergency is,” she said, her voice still scratchy from her bout of laryngitis. “Now we have no idea when she’s coming back. It’s very inconsiderate of her.”

  “Don’t be hard on her, Ghazzy,” said Suha. “She’ll probably be back soon.”

  “I didn’t even think she had family in Ghassan City,” said Ghazala. “Did you know that when she applied for the position, Kareem?”

  “No, she didn’t mention that,” said the PA.

  Faisal grinned. “Maybe she wanted to have a few days off to have some fun. Teaching two hardheaded teenagers must have taken its toll on her.”

  “Hey, my head is not hard,” said Hala. “I’ll be glad when she’s gone. She gave us too much homework. And she’s weird and mean.”

  It takes one to know one.

  “While she’s away, I’ll have more time to spend with our guests,” said Tariq. “We plan to play some very interesting games tomorrow.”

  Hala looked bored. “Sounds tedious. My hairdresser from Khaldun is coming to put some highlights in my hair. That’s way more interesting.” Ever since the scene in the inner courtyard, she had been cold to them all.

  “Do you want to join us for some games tomorrow, Jum-Jum?” asked Tariq.

  “No, I’ll leave you teenagers to it. I’m planning to go for a ride to the foothills in the morning. I need to get some exercise. All this wonderful food has made me put on some extra pounds. After I come back, I’ll have a nice, long swim.”

  Layla covertly watched the faces around the table for a reaction. But there were no facial expressions out of the ordinary. Not even a slight start or a shifty-eyed look. If any of Al-Aqrab’s accomplices are here, they could probably win Oscars for their acting ability.

  “I’m going to Khaldun in the morning,” said Faisal. “Don’t say I didn’t tell you.”

  I wonder why he goes to Khaldun so much. Maybe he’s been meeting Al-Aqrab?

  “I’m going there in the morning too,” said Kareem. “I’ll probably return after lunch.”

  Layla glanced sideways at the PA. He seems like family the way he blends in. He’s perfect for the part of Al-Aqrab’s accomplice.

  Ghazala said, “We’re going to Khaldun too. Bilal needs some supplies.”

  Hmm, rather sudden.

  Bilal nodded in wordless agreement. What an odd man he is. He hardly speaks for himself and seems to be buried in his books most of the time. Is he a genuine scholar or is that a front for something more sinister?

  Miftah struggled to cover a burp but lost the battle when his body betrayed him. The hiccupy sound filled the air and had the same effect as a car backfiring. Everyone winced.

  “I guess Suha and I are the only ones who don’t have any plans for the morning,” he said. Patting his ample stomach, he added, “I should probably get some exercise myself.”

  Layla looked at Suha, whose face wore a stoic expression. It has to be hard for her, married to an older man who has some rough edges. On top of that, she has a stepdaughter who hates her.

  The meal ended with no sign that any of Al-Aqrab’s accomplices were at the table and were going to take the bait.

  After breakfast the next morning, the teenagers sprang into action. They changed into more appropriate apparel and concealed their flashlights as they headed to the dungeon. Layla had been told the plan was to leave the dungeon at ten and be at the entrance of the caves by eleven-fifteen. For her part, Jumana would be leaving Dukhan Castle at eleven, arriving at the foothills by eleven-thirty. This would give the teenagers a fifteen-minutes head start before they expected to see any activity.

  In the dungeon, Tariq brought the pouch he had carried in the Nawaf Desert and a giant canvas bag. From the pouch, he pulled out the two hunting knives, giving one to Adam and keeping the other for himself.

  “I don’t know if the kidnappers will have any weapons,” he said. “If they do, I hope we’ll be able to catch them by surprise before they use them on us.”

  From the canvas bag, he took out two coils of sturdy rope. “I’ll carry one and you can carry the other,” he said to Zaid. “It’s always good to take ropes to the caves. We can use it to tie up the kidnappers if we catch them. Let’s wrap it around our waists.”

  After the youths completed that task, Tariq pulled out his cell phone and said, “Alright, it’s ten on the dot. Let’s move.”

  With Tariq in the vanguard, followed by Zaid, Zahra, Layla and Adam, they set off from the dungeon. The flashlights lit up the thick darkness around them. They soon came to the point where the rock tunnel ended and the rough-hewn one began. When they reached the end of the tunnel, they moved stealthily in order not to rouse the bats again. The secret aperture remained open from their last visit and one by one they passed through into the cave beyond.

  As Layla was about to enter, she heard a slight shuffling sound and wondered if they had disturbed the bats again. She slid quickly through the opening, Adam following right behind.

  Tariq said, “Remember those pits and shafts. Let’s go.”

  They had not gone very far when they heard an echoing cry of distress.

  “Help!”

  “What in the world was that?” asked Adam.

  “It sounds like someone in trouble,” said Zaid.

  “The sound came from behind us,” said Layla.

  “It must be a spelunker,” said Tariq. “Some of them come on their own to explore. He must have fallen down a pit and hurt himself. We’ll have to go help him.”

  “But what about Jumana?” asked Zahra.

  “Help!” The cry came again, louder this time and more insistent.

  The teenagers came to a stop, in an agony of indecision on what to do next.

  Zahra was the one who suggested a solution for their dilemma. “Why don’t we split up in two groups? One group go ahead and act as lookouts while the other helps the spelunker.”

  “I suppose we’ll have to do that,” said T
ariq.

  “I remember how to get to the large cave,” said Zaid. “Zahra and I can go act as lookouts. The three of you can look for the spelunker.”

  “Here, you take the knife.” Adam handed Zaid the weapon.

  Tariq pulled out his cell phone and looked at the time. “We have half an hour before Jumana gets to the foothills. Here’s what we’ll do. My group will look for the spelunker and see if we can help him. If he’s not hurt, we’ll ask him to come with us. We’ll go hide in the great cave. Zaid, you and Zahra will go to the entrance and keep watch for Jumana and the men. If you see them, keep out of sight and see where they hide her. Don’t show yourselves unless she’s in immediate danger. Once you know where she is, you come meet us in the great cave. We’ll all go tackle the kidnappers together.”

  “What if the spelunker is hurt?” asked Zahra.

  “We’ll have to get help for him after we tackle the kidnappers,” said Tariq.

  “What if the kidnappers leave?” asked Zaid.

  “That’s going to mess up our plan,” said Adam.

  “They’ll have to bring food and water to Jumana,” said Layla. “I don’t think they plan to starve her. We’ll be able to catch them at some point in time.”

  “Yes, that’s true,” said Tariq. “Zaid and Zahra, you get going and we’ll do the same.”

  Zaid and Zahra were quickly swallowed up in the bowels of the cave while Tariq, Adam and Layla turned around and began to follow the echoes of distress.

  “We’re coming to help you,” Tariq cried. “Keep calling.”

  The echoes from his voice faded away and were replaced by the echoes of distress, which sounded very close.

  “The sound seems to be coming from the same direction we came from,” said Adam. “That’s weird. We didn’t see any spelunker there.”

  “He must have been coming from another cave,” said Tariq. “Remember, they’re all connected like a honeycomb.”

  They continued forward, Tariq keeping his flashlight trained on the ground ahead.

  Then they saw it. A gaping hole in their path where the earth had caved in.

  The cry of distress came once more.

  Layla said, “It sounds like a child.”

  There was silence. Then a plaintive voice said, “It’s me. Hala.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five:

  In the Caves

  “Hala,” they exclaimed, their voices blending together to produce a jumble of echoes.

  Tariq moved cautiously to the edge of the pit and shined his flashlight down it. “Hala, how did you get here?”

  “I was following you.” Hala’s voice sounded tearful. “Then I fell into this hole.”

  It was her I must have heard making that shuffling sound.

  “Are you hurt?” asked Adam.”

  “No, I just want to get out of here.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll get you out,” said Tariq. “You’re too far down for us to pull you out. We’re going to throw a rope. Tie it around your waist so it doesn’t squeeze you. Grab onto it and we’ll lift you out.”

  “We can tie the other end of the rope to that rock over there.” Layla pointed to a narrow slab of rock protruding from the cave wall. “That way, we won’t lose hold of it.”

  “Yes, we can wind it around the rock to help bear Hala’s weight,” said Adam.

  “That’s an excellent idea,” said Tariq. After unwinding the coil from around his waist, he handed one end to Adam to fasten to the slab of rock. He lowered the other end into the pit. “Grab the rope, Hala.”

  “I can’t,” Hala wailed. “What if you drop me?”

  Layla moved forward and aimed her flashlight into the pit. She could see Hala huddled about eight feet below, looking terrified. Even though the other girl had been mean to her, she felt nothing but pity right now.

  Sounding exasperated, Tariq said, “Hala, you’ll have to grab on to the rope and tie it around your waist. It’s the only way we can get you out.”

  Hala began to sob. “I want my Abu. Send for him.”

  “There’s no time for that,” said Adam. “We can get you out.”

  “No, you can’t,” said Hala. “Why did you have to come to this stupid place, anyway?”

  Layla quickly went from feeling pity to irritation. “Listen, Hala,” she snapped. “Jumana is going to be kidnapped and we need to be there. You’re wasting our precious time behaving like a baby. Take hold of the rope and tie it around your waist. Otherwise, we’ll darn well leave you here.”

  “Jumana kidnapped?” Hala sounded shocked. “What’s going on?”

  “We don’t have time to explain,” said Adam. “Now, are you going to grab the rope or not?”

  “I’ll grab it.” Hala’s voice was chastened.

  Tariq took up his position close to the lip of the pit, followed by Layla and Adam. Layla hoped they would not all end up in the pit with Hala. With a deep breath, Tariq braced himself and pulled on the rope. Layla gritted her teeth and grabbed it with all her strength. Adam strained to wrap the rope coming up from the pit around the rock. Layla breathed a little easier as the edges of the pit held fast and did not crumble under their weight.

  They grunted with the strain of hauling Hala up. Layla’s palms were burning, and her arms were aching. She knew they would have painful blisters from gripping the rope. Hala would not get off easy either. She would have multiple bruises by the time they pulled her out.

  Layla chafed at the delay as the minutes flew by. The pit was deep, and they were making slow progress. Jumana must be on her way to the foothills by now. Would the kidnappers show up? If they did, would they bring Jumana to the caves? They can’t take her away on a horse in daylight but what if they transferred her to a waiting car? We didn’t think of that possibility. Layla’s heart sank. A cunning foe such as Al-Aqrab would realize that carrying Jumana off in the confines of a car would make better sense than carrying her off on horseback. If only we could be on our way to see what’s happening.

  To Layla’s relief, they began to make progress. Hala’s head appeared at the edge of the pit and with one final pull, she was resting halfway over the lip. Tariq reached down and grabbing her by the shoulders, pulled her to safety. They all stood for a minute, recovering their strength and rubbing their hands where the rope had abraded their skin.

  “Thank you,” Hala said in a small voice.

  “Why did you do such a stupid thing and follow us?” Tariq finally gave vent to his anger. “You were lucky we heard you and that pit wasn’t a sinkhole.”

  “My hairdresser canceled our appointment.” Hala’s voice was sullen. “Since I had nothing to do, I thought I would come see what games you were playing. You weren’t in the recreation area but one of the maids said she’d seen you go to the door of the dungeon. I was curious, so I got a flashlight and followed you. I didn’t really care for these dark caves, so I turned back to return. That’s when I fell into the hole.”

  She probably canceled the appointment with the hairdresser, so she could keep tabs on Tariq.

  “I suppose you’ll have to stay with us now,” said Tariq, as he began to untie the rope from around Hala’s waist.

  The knot, which had borne the girl’s weight, proved stubborn. Layla took Tariq’s hunting knife and lopped it off. Adam unwind the rope from around the rock. After Tariq wrapped it around his waist again, they set off for the great cave. Layla was sure Jumana would have been kidnapped by now if Al-Aqrab had given the order. She did not voice her earlier fears to the youths. They would learn the outcome soon enough. Her temple throbbed from all the thinking she was doing. Still not fully recovered from her escapade the night before, she felt tired and sluggish as they trudged through the dark maw of the caves. They reached the great cave and saw a dim light radiating from it.

  “Everyone, freeze,” a harsh voice called out.

/>   The teenagers stared in shock as two men stepped out of the darkness and shone flashlights in their faces.

  “It’s more of those kids,” the first man said. Layla drew in a sharp breath when she saw who the second man was. It was the Mole Man. Each of the men were holding a long rifle.

  “Search them,” the Mole Man said to his companion.

  With the Mole Man’s rifle trained on them, they had no choice but to submit to the search. Tariq’s dagger was seized though they left the rope around his waist.

  “Ta’al. Come,” the Mole Man growled.

  He and his cohort shoved the teenagers across the cave. In the light of the flashlights, they saw Jumana, Zaid and Zahra huddled under a huge formation of stalactites, their hands and feet bound. They all exchanged silent looks of dismay. The Mole Man’s partner unwound the rope from around Tariq’s waist. He used the confiscated hunting knife to cut the rope into portions. He tied the new prisoners one by one while the Mole Man kept his rifle pointed at them. Hala struggled for a moment, but the man grabbed her roughly. Looking miserable and frightened, she did not resist again.

  “What do you mean to do with us?” asked Tariq after they had been bound and dumped on the ground with the other prisoners.

  “That’s for Al-Aqrab to decide,” said the Mole Man.

  “You cowardly crook,” said Layla. “You won’t get away with this, just wait and see.”

  To Layla’s fury, the two men laughed. She was about to let loose another blistering set down when a third man appeared at the head of the cave, speaking excitedly in Domari. The Mole Man and his partner sprinted out of the cave with the third man, taking their own flashlights and leaving the seized ones to provide light. The prisoners all began to speak at once.

  Tariq said, “One at a time, please. Tell us what happened, Jumana.”

  Jumana said, “The kidnappers were ready and waiting when I set off on my ride. Within five minutes, they grabbed me and brought me here at breakneck speed. I guess they weren’t taking any chances of me being rescued again. When we came, two men were already here.”