Read The Arab Fall (A James Acton Thriller, Book #6) (James Acton Thrillers) for Free Online Page B

brother, Fadil,
wrapped his arms around them, joining in their sorrow.
    He broke
away from the hug and held both brothers by the shoulders, looking at Jabari
then Fadil. “We must not let our god’s final resting place be desecrated. We
will stand guard until they have sealed the chamber.”
    Jabari
nodded in agreement, but Fadil opened his mouth, then apparently thought better
of it, closing it.
    “What is
it, little brother?” asked Tarik.
    Fadil
opened his mouth, made a noise as if about to speak, then closed it again,
looking at the ground. “It’s nothing.”
    Jabari
squeezed Fadil’s shoulder. “Speak, we are all brothers here.”
    Fadil
looked up at Jabari, then at Fadil, then down in the valley below at the
ceremonial guard. “Well, I mean no disrespect brothers, but isn’t that their
duty?” he asked, motioning at the troop of soldiers below with his chin.
    Tarik
grunted. “It may be their duty, but can they be trusted? How many times have we
heard of the graves of our ancestors, the graves of our gods, being desecrated,
while under guard?”
    Fadil
nodded slowly. “Yes, I suppose it’s true. Anybody can be bought for a price.”
He looked at his brothers with a smile. “Except us, of course!”
    “Of
course, little brother!” agreed Jabari, giving him a one armed hug. “We want
for nothing, we lust for nothing, we are untouchable by graft and bribery.”
    “Which
is exactly why it should be up to us, up to people like us, to protect the
resting places of the gods,” said Tarik.
    Jabari
paused for a moment, studying his brother. “You sound as if you have a greater
purpose in mind than simply standing guard until the chamber is sealed at full
moon.”
    Tarik
nodded. “Yes, I do. As I think of it more, we have a responsibility to all of
our gods. And who better than us to find out who has been robbing these sacred
places. I, a gemsman, who has been trained to recognize the craftsmanship of
the Pharaoh’s jewelers for many dynasty’s past. And you two, who also were
trained in the trade, but instead decided to get your hands dirty in the soil
of the Nile delta”—a grin broke out amongst all three, it an old family joke
that Jabari and Fadil moved to the farms to escape the need to bathe daily—“you
are both able to recognize the craftsmanship as well, and we as a family
frequent the very parties where this wealth would be displayed. It is us that
could bring these heathens to justice!”
    “But if
we did so, brother, would we not expose ourselves to the very element we
attempt to find?”
    Tarik
looked at Jabari then nodded slowly.
    “Then we
must find them in secret, and bring them to justice in secret.”
    “You
mean murder?”
    Tarik
looked at his little brother, then placed a hand on his shoulder.
    “Justice
is never murder.” Tarik looked between his brothers, and the burial below. “We
three, and others we can trust, will protect our sacred places, and weed out
those who would desecrate the final resting places of our gods.”
    Both
Fadil and Jabari smiled, their chests swollen with the pride they all felt in
their new sworn task. Tarik broke from the huddle and stepped to the edge of
the cliff, staring down at the valley below, hands on his hips, his jaw set,
his eyes alive with the prospects before him.
    I
swear, almighty Cleopatra, we will let you rest in peace. And should we fail,
we will bring justice to those who would disturb you.
     
     

 
     
     
    Nubian Desert, Egypt, University College London Dig Site
    Two Days Before the Liberty Island Attack
     
    Acton returned the Glock to Jeffrey, one of the security personnel, and
walked away from the shooting range, deciding he had had enough practice for
one day. Laura joined him, beginning to limber up for the hand-to-hand combat phase
of the training, both of them already crack shots, when Chaney came running
into the camp, holding something over his head, a huge smile on his face.
    Acton
and Laura walked toward their