Chapter 4 - The Girl in the Alley
I stared at Amina, unable to process the magnitude of her words.
"You know where Tara is?" I begged, grabbing her by the shoulders.
Amina nodded quickly, her eyes darting toward the street to make sure we were not followed.
"Tara is my sister, not by blood, but by the chains we shared for twenty years," Amina explained bitterly.
She told me that David's reporting career was nothing but a brilliant cover story.
He was actually the lead smuggler for a massive international black market ring specializing in stolen Egyptian antiquities.
Twenty years ago, Tara had stumbled upon a secret underground tomb while digging in our garden.
"Your husband didn't report the discovery to the authorities," Amina said softly.
"He sold the location to a ruthless syndicate, but the buyers demanded collateral to ensure his silence."
My stomach churned with violent nausea as the horrific truth finally clicked into place.
David had given them our eight-year-old daughter to secure his fortune and his freedom.
"We have to go to the police," I cried, tears streaming down my face.
Amina let out a dark, humorless laugh.
"The police work for the syndicate, Sarah."
"If you want Tara back, we have to steal her from the most dangerous men in Cairo."
Amina grabbed my hand and led me through a maze of winding, narrow alleys.
We finally arrived at a small, abandoned apartment building on the edge of the city.
"I have weapons and a map of their compound hidden upstairs," Amina promised.
We climbed the creaking wooden stairs and Amina pushed open the door to her safehouse.
I stepped inside and instantly froze in absolute terror.
The apartment had been completely ransacked, the furniture smashed to pieces.
May you like
Painted on the wall in dripping, fresh red blood was a message meant entirely for me.
"Welcome back to Cairo, Sarah."
