by Erin Snihur
Face paling, Tariq turns his eyes to Alia, “Everything I did, I did to ensure your safety.”
“Those jewels were mother’s, how could you, Tariq?” Alia’s cries as her bottom lip trembles.
Turning his eyes on Abbas, Tariq glares, “No, they weren’t.”
“Of course they were, Tariq! How could you defame your mother’s memory like that? And on your sister's wedding day, too,” Abbas shrieks in protest.
“She isn’t getting married. Alia, tell him!” Tariq snarls at his father and then to his sister.
Hands quaking, Alia reaches over to take Richard’ hand, and then stares at Tariq solemnly, “I do love him, Tariq, and father makes a good point that now is a perfect time to get married. You know how much I detested the preparations three years ago. This will be perfect.”
“Can’t you see what he’s doing? He’s using your love of Richard to further his agenda and strengthen his ties to Richard’s Russian politician uncle,” Tariq yells as he struggles to be free from the men holding him back.
Richard, finally speaking up and finding his voice, “My uncle is not a politician.”
Alia’s eyebrows knit together in confusion as she turns to the love of her life, “What? But father said…”
Before Alia can finish her sentence, an explosion rattles the floor and walls of the palace. Shrieks and the sounds of gunfire can be heard off in the distance. Another explosion sounds and the floods quake, causing Abbas to find his words as he yells in anger.
“What the hell is the meaning of this?”
Suddenly, Karos appears in the doorway, gun pointed in the air and his tie missing. His slicked back hair is as wild as his eyes as he slams the doors closed, bolting the lock and aims the gun directly at Tariq.
“What is the meaning of this?” Abbas asks again, gesturing to Karos.
Pointing the gun now at Abbas, Karos glares at the old man and rants, “You just had to take that bitch and her brat, didn’t you, old man. You just had to upset that fucking Sheik of Elish. Instead of giving him back his wife and kid like I ordered, you decided to keep them hostage. Now we are all paying the price for your stupidity.”
“What are you saying?” Abbas snarls and storms to the windows, staring out at the carnage below.
Aiming his gun once more at Tariq, Karos coolly grins, “I believe we have your son to thank for the Sheiks of Elish, Aman, Batra and Masarat knocking on your door.”
Motioning with his gun toward the doors, Karos growls at his goons who have now released Tariq, “Blockade the doors. No one leaves until these two are blissfully wed.”
Karos’ gun now pointed once more at Tariq, Abbas moves forward and grasps Alia by the arm, leading her back to Richard.
“Father! No! We can’t!” Alia cries and struggles in his grasp. As Richard moves to intervene, Karos yells for him to freeze in Russian.
“You will do as ordered, Richard. It is your birthright,” Karos growls and pulls out a second gun from his waist belt, aiming it now on Alia, “Or else.”
17
The tears had dried up hours ago. The lack of water was already starting to affect, Sophie. Her eyes had grown heavy and the cold had seeped into her bones, making her feel as if she was frozen to the floor. Curled in a ball, Sophie didn’t want to live. Not if Karos was right. By the end of tonight, the love of her life would be dead. And she hadn’t even gotten to tell him the truth. She could of. In the plane. He’d wanted her to, but Sophie had become too scared to say the words she ached to hear and say to the man of her dreams. Too scared that her past would ruin any chance of a future. Now, it really would ruin her future. Kill her even.
The Sheik’s celebration must have started by now. In a few short hours, the love of her life would be dead. Closing her eyes, Sophie’s mind drifted back to that first night they’d spent together. What she would give to spend more nights like that one with Tariq.
As if by an answer to prayer, the cement floor beneath Sophie began to quake. Her ears ached at the sound of explosions and gunfire going off. Forcing her aching bones to stand, Sophie presses herself up against the bars of her cell, staring down the hallway at the sounds of cries and shouts in Arabic for reinforcements.
“Tariq! Help! I’m here!” Sophie called out, knowing it was her only hope that the people attacking worked for Tariq.
Doors crashing, Sophie stepped back as men in dark suits and protective vests toting large guns entered her hallway. One man stepped forward amongst the rest and removed his face covering.
His dark skin and shaved head did nothing but intimidate Sophie, so much that she stepped away from the cell bars, growing worried that this was not in fact Tariq’s doing.
The man that had removed his face mask cleared his throat, “Sophie Alexandra Marks?”
Nodding out of habit and knowing there was no need to lie any further, Sophie whispered, her voice breaking from lack of water, “You need to save Tariq.”
Forcing a smile, the man motioned with his hand to a man behind him who stepped forward and began breaking the lock on her cell, “Yes, Miss. As per our orders, you are to come with us to where you will be safe.”
Steeling her back, Sophie’s mind turned to Karos’ words and then she lifted her head as the man finally finished breaking the lock and her cell door opened with a creak.
“Sir, the love of my life is in danger. The only place I will be going is to the palace where he and his family are in danger. I might not be able to redeem my past, but I will not allow innocent people to suffer because of my actions any longer.”
A feminine chuckle broke out from behind the men as none other than Samantha Monet stepped out. Sophie was completely taken aback. The woman before her was no longer a prim and proper agent and was now wearing an army getup with a bullet proof vest attached to her upper body and had a gun belt strapped around her waist.
“I told you, Haseem, she’s just as fierce as my sister. What did you expect?” Samantha teased and held out her hand to Sophie, “Come, we don’t have much time. Our men have just arrived at the palace, they’ll have the walls down soon.”
Taking Samantha’s hand, Sophie allowed the stronger woman to lead her out of the prison as her mind spun, “How were you able to get these men into the country?”
Samantha shrugs, “The country of Hattan and its Sheik have been involved in one too many nefarious plots. Many of the men you will meet tonight have come from the surrounding countries like Aman, Masarat and Batra. Your testimony made it possible for me to acquire the proper warrants for the Sheik’s arrest.”
Gasping at the thought, Sophie pulled Samantha to a stop, “Karos is here. And my brother.”
“I thought as much,” Samantha sneered and snapped out an order to the man in charge behind her, “Haseem, you know your orders. Keep the channels clear and inform Amoz we are on our way.”
“Teresa’s husband?” Sophie gasped in understanding.
“A Sheik in his own right and you don’t keep a Sheik away from his wife and young son. Trust me, Amoz is not in a forgiving mood. If we don’t get to the palace soon, I know for a fact that Amoz won’t wait around to arrest the Sheik,” Samantha muttered under her breath in a grumble, “Possessive man.”
Nodding in understanding, Sophie smiled at the thought of how possessive Tariq could be, “It’s one of the reasons we love our men.”
Snorting, Samantha chuckled as they exited the prison and she carefully pulled Sophie away from the carnage, “I think I’ll stick to my politician.”
Sophie had seen wars. She’d lived in volatile Russia as a child for goodness sakes, but she wasn’t prepared to see the once tall and imposing walls of the palace decimated and unfamiliar soldiers bearing all different coats of arms on their uniforms marching about. Huddled away from the palace and surrounded by soldiers all armed to the teeth were the remaining party goers.
Scanning the crowd as she stood beside Samantha, who refused to let her out of her sight, Sophie’s heart fell to
her toes when she didn’t spot Tariq or Alia amongst the party goers. Not to mention her brother, Richard. Would he recognize her? No, but she would know him.
Turning back to face Samantha, Sophie grasped the woman's arm frantically, “They must still be inside.”
Nodding as though she already knew, Sophie squinted her eyes at the woman, “What do you know?”
Sighing, Samantha pulled Sophie away from the task force, “They have locked themselves in the Sheik’s personal study. The windows are shatterproof and we cannot make out a clear shot.”
“We need to get in there. There has to be a way!” Sophie cried and when she moved closer to the palace steps, Samantha tried to stop her, but Sophie pulled away from her, “No! You don’t understand! It’s all my fault! He has my brother in there too, we have to stop Karos, he’s going to kill the Sheik and Tariq in order for Alia and my brother to marry and take the throne.”
Shaking her head, Samantha held up her hands in a show of peace, “That’s not going to happen, Sophie, I promise, there are protocols for this kind of thing. You forget, Sophie, my sister and nephew are in there too. We can’t just burst in, guns blazing.”
Not wanting to listen any further, Sophie crossed her arms and stared up at the palace as all around her guards and generals called attention to their soldiers and issued orders. Turning to scan the area, Sophie’s eyes widened as she met the dark glare of a familiar face.
Sheik Kasin of the Arabian country of Masarat. The one who blamed her for the murder of his family and people. And rightly so. Kasin wasn’t alone. Surrounding him were two of the other sheiks, Khalid and Malik. Teresa’s husband, Amoz, was seen pacing a few feet away and could be heard yelling into his cellphone about logistics and recovering efforts.
Not caring that she was only wearing a thin, ratty dress, Sophie ensured Samantha was distracted by her superior before marching toward the waiting Sheiks. Standing before them, Sophie wasn’t sure where she had found the nerve. Her love for her brother or perhaps the love she felt for Tariq.
Turning her gaze back on Kasin, Sophie held her head up high, “I know you hate me for what I did and the choices I made in the past, but right now, the love of my life and my brother are being held hostage in that palace. You can arrest me all you want after they are saved, but they won’t be saved unless we act now.”
Amoz finally approached their group, a large walkie-talkie in hand. “Haseem’s group just entered what was supposed to be Teresa’s room, but she’s not there, only a couple of guards. They swear she was in the room with them a few moments ago.”
His eyes are frantic as they land on Sophie and he approaches her, clearly desperate, “Where has he taken my wife and son?”
Shrugging, Sophie stares up at the palace, before she turns back to Amoz, “Tariq’s father confined them to their rooms. They should have been there.”
Amoz growls, “They aren’t. Neither is their maid.”
Sophie’s mind sharpened, “Why would he take the maid…”
Ignoring the frustrated and angry Sheiks, Sophie strode behind them to a table they had set up with a floor plan of the palace. They were hot on her tail and Sophie just ignored them as she scoured the plans for Teresa’s room.
“When I was doing research for my job in Hattan, I had initially planned on stealing the Crown Jewels from the palace. I learned a lot about this place. Every room on the upper floors used to belong to the old Sheik’s family and each room comes with a sealed off panic room. Usually only the royals know where it is and how to access it. Sheik Abbas wouldn’t care about the value of Teresa’s maid. He would have left her in the room with the guards. I bet Tariq managed to hide Teresa away in the panic room. Find the panic room, you’ll find your wife,” Sophie finished and stared at all four men, half expecting them to laugh at her in disbelief.
Obviously not wanting to risk his family’s lives, Amoz chose to believe her and began shouting orders in Arabic into his walkie talkie as he strode off in the direction of the big man called Haseem. Swinging her gaze on the remaining Sheiks, Sophie put her hands on her hips, “I’m tired of waiting to see if anyone is alive in that room. I’m going in, are you with me or not?”
Eyes squinting, Khalid stepped forward and glared down at her, as if trying to read her mind before he smirked and leaned his face close to hers, “If you betray us, nothing will stop me from putting a bullet through your head.”
Smirking back, Sophie tilted her head, “Get in line, your Highness.”
Turning back to the others, Khalid growls, “Get her suited up, we move in five minutes.”
Smiling in delight, Sophie sent one last look toward the palace and whispered a prayer and a thought to Tariq, I’m coming, my love, just a little longer.
18
“Well, mal'chik?” Karos growls, gun still aimed and ready at Alia.
Tariq glares at the Russian man with his hands raised in peace. If only he could quickly grab his gun without being shot at, either by Karos or the men behind him, Tariq would take the chance. Now, he wasn’t so sure.
Karos takes a step closer to Alia his gun obviously making the point as Richard dives in front of Tariq’s sister, blocking her from Karos’ aim.
“This is not the way, Karos,” Richard glares at the man and, for a split second, Tariq sees the resemblance between the boy and Sophie.
“Pity,” Karos sarcastically answers back, “Say hello to your sister for me, boy.”
Gun shattering the silence, Alia’s scream is all Tariq hears as he watches Richard clutch his chest and fall back, right into Alia’s arms. Tariq rushes forward as Alia collapses to the floor, clutching Richard’s body tightly to her chest. Applying pressure to the wound, Tariq glares up at Karos as Alia cries over Richard’s barely breathing form.
“You’ve gone too far now, Karos,” Tariq growled, “You’ll never win. Those men outside? They’re my friends and have no problem rushing in here to kill all of you, point blank.”
Turning to the guards, Karos growls in Russian, “Shoot anyone that tries to enter.”
Motioning to Abbas, Karos then points his gun on Tariq’s father, whose eyes fill with fear at the sight of the gun. “It appears we are without a groom, your Highness. I kept my end of the bargain, now it is time for you to do the same.”
Sputtering, Abbas flails his hands around, “And just where are we going to find a suitable groom?”
Keeping his gun trained on Tariq, Karos steps forward and grabs Alia to stand. She shrieks and struggles in Karos’ arms as he continues to drag her toward her father.
“We both say I do. Sign the damn papers,” Karos growls before Abbas and holds Alia close to his chest, now pointing his gun at her, causing her to freeze. “Don’t worry, child. It’ll all be over soon.”
“Father! No! Don’t you realize what you’re doing? He’s going to kill us all!” Tariq shouts, keeping pressure on Richard’s wound, as the boy’s breathing grows shallower.
A pounding from the doors of the study only grows the tension in the room as Tariq shouts his father's name, gaining the old man’s gaze, “None of us are going to leave this room alive, father. You have a chance to do the right thing. For Alia.”
The guards standing at the door fearfully glance from their little group to the shuddering oak doors. Inwardly, Tariq knows nothing is going to get through those doors. A soft beeping sounds from behind them and Tariq spins around, covering Richard with his body as he screams.
“Bomb!” Then, an explosion rocks the floors and sends everyone flying to the floor along with the remnants of the door. Rubble hitting his back causes Tariq to see dark spots as he struggles to right himself and face the door.
Dark figures approach and, through the fog of his mind, Tariq’s heart leaps at the sight of auburn hair in a black, skin tight suit and two handguns in her hands pointed directly at the two guards who scramble to grab their weapons they dropped in the explosion.
Sophie’s blue eyes sparkle as she smirks at a c
onfused Karos, “Knock, knock.”
Then, the guns fire.
Sophie fires and shoots both of Karos’ men in the legs, causing them to collapse in a heap. Thankful the explosion threw their guns far enough away. Sophie levels both of her guns on Karos, who is holding Alia to his chest and a gun to her head.
The Sheik, Abbas, trembles in the corner with papers clutched tightly in his hands. Her eyes drop briefly to Tariq who is covering a bleeding body. Noticing the dark hair, Sophie’s hands tighten on her gun handles and takes a step toward Karos.
“I should blow your head off,” Sophie snarls.
“Now, little rabbit, that wouldn’t be very diplomatic of you. Princess Alia, here, might get hurt,” Karos croons as he backs up toward the windows.
At her back, Sophie can feel Khalid, Malik and Kasin moving into formation, guns drawn and aimed at the injured guards, Abbas and Karos.
“I brought the diplomats, Karos,” Sophie snarls back and takes another step forward, “Drop the gun and step away from her.”
Karos’ eyes gleam in the way a crazed maniac does, “Not going to happen. Do you know what they do to criminals in these Arabian jails? I’d rather finish what I started. Say goodbye to your precious Prince, little rabbit.”
Sophie screamed and forgetting her guns, raced forward to push Tariq out of the way just as the gun fire started. Pain ricocheted through her body as Sophie felt the force of being hit impact her and she collapsed into a heap. The screams and cries of everything around her sounded muted as Sophie struggled to breath and keep her eyes open. Finally, when there was silence, Tariq’s face appeared in her dim line of vision.
“Stay with me, Sophie,” Tariq crooned, “Help is on the way.”
Voice raspy and croaking, Sophie tried to wave Tariq’s hands away from her wounds, but her hands refuse to move as she speaks, “Richard, save Richard.”