H2G2 Storytime III: From Prussia with Love. Part XXXII
Created | Updated Sep 25, 2006
The bullet exploded off the side of a mobile market cart. The sniper cursed the stupid civilian who had pushed his wares into the way, then lost himself in the rooftops as Fort-Willaim's body began to draw more attention.
The seller analysed the wound his stall had been dealt then eyed the buildings suspiciously before looking at the two crouched Agents.
"You don't want to get yourself caught up with those types, my friends," he said offering Arthur a hand up. "They are nothing but a temple in which doom resides."
"Who are you?" Arthur asked. X moved to check Fort-William but Arthur held him back. Members of the public rushed to where the man had fallen along with, inevitably a few police.
The market seller eyed the milling crowd and turned back to Arthur. He wore a dull red fez with a beige-white suit, yellowed in parts with dust and sand covering his broad shape.
"My name is Rhysdah," he said through a black beard, offering his hand again, this time to be shook. "And you, my friend are in need of some Moroccan street smarts."
"The day is drawing in - you will not be safe at night. Please come with me."
Out in the Egyptian desert, night had already arrived. Ody and Jamilla finished packing down the last layer of sand over the place where the entrance to the Temple of the Turquoise Moon lay, Ody moped his brow with a cloth as the temperature started to drain away. Jamilla swigged from a canteen.
Jamilla caught Ody's eye. she put down the canteen and wiped her mouth across her forearm.
"Not a word to anyone." she vowed sincerely
Ody emerged from his private thoughts. "No."
"It's ours, we found it."
Behind a Dune, Slepp had been keeping a vigil since that afternoon. 'So they'd already found it.' What inquisitive young minds they were.
"Are you ready?" he said turning to Daltmooreby.
Daltmooreby looked at his fellow assasin but saying nothing, lowered his fedora and set off down the dune to Ody's camp.
A short while later Daltmooreby was sat over a camping table inside a tent. He rested his hands on the map that was spread out and looked across at his quarry.
Ody, as his son inssted on being called, and Dr Jamila Najil. He'd perused their files before setting off this morning.
They looked tired, the pair of them. The younger Daltmooreby hadn't shaven recently, he noted dispairingly. Fighting this parental instinct he began.
He linked his fingers into a ball and looked straight at them "You know why I am here, presumably?"
"Your English!" Ody exclaimed.
"10 out of 10 for observation boy, but now probe deeper."
"Why are you here?" interrupted Jamilla.
A flash of annoyance passed Daltmooreby features and vanished.
"An excellent start, Ms Najil." theatrically flicking through a notebook, the contents of which he'd already committed to memory.
"Why stop us digging?" Asked Ody leaning forward. This time it was he who looked annoyed.
"I'm from the embassy." Daltmooreby lied.
"We got the Telegram." said Ody, reaching back and taking it from a desk. "It says The Egyptian Ministry." presenting it to Daltmooreby sceptically.
Daltmooreby metaphorically ducked, weaved and delivered a body blow.
"You obviously aren't keeing abreast of foreign affairs out here in the desert." he condescened a touch scornfully. "It's a crisis."
"The Americans are up in arms. Downing Street is recalling all Ambassadors back to London. The Egyptians are furious! Now, we do favours for each other occasionally, y'know the old boys network stuff. The Egyptian Consulate staff are struggling to keep up, they tapped my boss, he tapped me, now I get to come out all the way to you to tap you."
Ody backed down. The last thing he needed was another diplomatic row.
"So you see the problem?" Daltmooreby said with utmost sincerity.
"No. Actually." said Jamila tersely, folding her arms
"My dear - Do you think the Egptian Government let you dig holes in their desert without knowing precisely what you are up to at all times?"
He dropped his bombshell.
"I take it you found it then?"
'The quick glance across at each other. The nervous stare down at the feet. This was too easy.'
"Found what?" Ody stonewalled.
"The Turqoise Moon obviously." In the current polictal climate it's not a good thing to have Foreign Nationals stealing into the night with pricess ancient artifacts.
Daltmooreby stood up for the drama of it.
"You'd better take me to it. Now."
Rhysada strode around his Morrocan apartment while several of his rugrats hid undernath tables and rugs, and played noisely. He shooed them out of the door and closed it, then took up pacing the room. In the kitchen behind them his wife was baking soemthing that smelt delicious.
The constant "fwop" sound of the ceiling fan intruded into proceedings, keeping the heat of the cooling evening air at bay.
Dusk was settling over Casablanca.
Rhysada kept pacing, occassionaly he'd take a date from the table and flick it up in the air, catching it in his mouth. A trick he'd learnt from an old friend.
"So you say you were pursuing this man. why?" he announced finally, after much mulling.
Arthur hunched his shoulders up defensively and wiped his brow.
"Yes, Fort-William is...was..a traitor. I think he wass mixed up in this "Cult" business, mindless zombies and something called The Turqoise Moon."
Rhysada stopped mid-pace, the trajectory of the date took it into the ceilign fan which exploded it with a damp "thwaap".
"This is not the first time I am encounting this name." turning to face Arthur.
"You've heard of The Turqoise Moon?" said X sitting up.
"Indeed." My work, I am a guide, for foreigners like yourselves."
"And others have been asking after this Turqoise Moon?" said Arthur suddenly interested in where this conversation was headed.
"Yes. There was a research team out of New York not long ago, I helped arrange shipment of their equipment into the desert."
"Where?" said Arthur urgently.
"Long way from here, in Egypt."
"Egypt again." X slumped back
"That's..."
"...a long way from here." Arthur said, completng X 's sentence for him. He hung his head.
"Why are you looking for the Turqoise Moon?" prompted Rhysada.
"It's a long story."
Without moving X flatly intoned: "Secret Agents, Killer Robots, Girls, The Swiss President, Thieves, a Traitor, A monk from a secret sect, a key to a lost city and getting shot at in a Casablancan market place. Which brings us up to this morning."
"Girl?" enquired Rhysada, detecting the most important factor in the précis of X.
"Anna." said Arthur, rubbing his face, a touch mournfully. "We met her in Switzerland. She was kidnapped by er...another traitor, called Daltmooreby."
"Another?" Rhysada expressed surprise. "You know a lot of traitors then?" jokingly.
"Come's with the territory." Arthur said hoping down of his perch.
"We were on their trail but got a little side-tracked in Paris, took a detour through Gibralter where we met Fort-William - The Gentleman you saw today with that bit missing." Arthur pointed roguhly over his heart.
Rhysada nodded grimly
Arthur walked over to a window gazed out across the low rooves of Casablanca and rested his hadn on the arch. "but I know Daltmooreby is with a man called Von-Trapp and I know Von-Trapp is after that diamond and they are in Egypt. So somehow I've got to get to Egypt too.
"Then I think I am in a position to Help you."
Arthur turned to face Rhysada. "How?" Arthur asked levelly.
"I can get you to Egypt and across the desert."
Behind them Rhysada's Wife was emerging from the kitchen with steaming bowls that smelt spicy and inviting.
"First we eat." he said gesturing to the table behind them. Then we talk business eh?" Slapping Arthur on the back and puling him inexorably towards an evening meal.
