— Damn, it's all so simple! — I exclaimed, both impressed and cursing. — And yet, hell, it actually works!
— NoWay, what are you even talking about? Do you see our situation? — Adelgunda cried out in anger and fear, but the master cut her off:
— Unlike you, he sees everything and understands the full value of the show. For him, it's a second breath. As for you — you're merely expendable material.
From the darkness behind the master emerged a man of rather unimpressive build, holding a heavy sword. Despite his unheroic appearance, he darted toward Odile with practiced ease and—
Once.
And the head was off the shoulders. Clean.
My vision swam, nausea rose in my throat. I think Ada screamed piercingly, and one of the brutes burst out laughing at our reaction. I urgently needed to sit down! I collapsed onto the floor, staring in shock at our (now former) operator.
This was a nightmare.
I wasn't allowed to sit long. One guard yanked me up, while the other turned Ada to face me. At the same time, the master explained what came next:
— Now look carefully into the eyes of your proud companion. Is she ready to share your friend's fate?
From Ada's bloodless lips I could read only one word: "No." And I hadn't expected anything else. What could she possibly say? I lowered my head even further and asked in a breaking, slightly shrill voice:
— What do I have to do?
— Have fun. After all, that's what you love most. So let's take a little ride.
Bound again, we were led back into the corridor. We barely resisted. The image of Odile's head separating from his body was burned into my eyes — and honestly, it wasn't the kind of movie I wanted to watch before sleep.
— Why? Why did you do this to him?! — Ada and I asked over and over.
No one answered. They simply led us outside, where the taxi driver we'd asked to wait was still standing near the pavilion.
— How convenient. — the master remarked. — You even brought us a car. Get in.
They shoved us into the cab without any concern for comfort — first they roughly tossed Ada inside, then the master of ceremonies sat down in the middle. Only after that did they seat me.
I assumed at least one of the brutes would take the front seat to keep an eye on us, but none of them did. Strange… even though they'd left their cold weapons back in the circus, they still had obvious physical superiority.
And as an intimidation factor, they worked flawlessly.
The driver turned toward us in shock, staring wide-eyed at the strange masked client in a robe. I automatically blurted out:
— We're performers. Just finished a show.
He didn't know English, but apparently caught the gist, because he pointed toward the circus and smiled broadly. Either he or his kids must have liked places like that.
But who the hell cared?! None of this mattered!
My hand twitched, trying to grab the master by the throat, and Ada instantly raised her fist over his head. When suddenly his quiet phrase cut through the air:
— Feel my fingers between your ribs. One move — and you're dead.
He really did have them exactly where he said. At least with me. Most likely between Ada's ribs too.
— And what? — I froze halfway, absurdly stuck with both palms near his Adam's apple. Adelgunda didn't attack either, clearly startled by his behavior. — You're about to use Dim Mak and send us down Bruce Lee's death-touch path? We're not movie stars, you know.
— No. — the bastard replied calmly. — You're gullible fools who failed to use the chance you were given. And now you can feel what's between your ribs instead of my fingers.
Fuck. How many times had he played us already? I'd lost count.
Yeah… a very real gun was now pressed into my body — one that would absolutely end my life if I so much as twitched.
Ada gasped and sagged.
— Scum… — her voice cracked hard. I stayed silent. I wanted to scream from helpless rage.
— No. Just a professional at his job — unlike you amateurs. And now… — he rattled off an address in Egyptian, and the taxi driver, who'd been watching this little scene with confusion, nodded briefly. Apparently, he assumed everything he'd seen was just eccentric behavior typical of people in our line of work.
In a way, he wasn't wrong.
We quickly reached the edge of the city, paid the driver, and he finally drove off. Under the cheerful supervision of two revolvers in the master's hands, we trudged gloomily into the desert.
— We're heading toward the Temple of Seti I. — Ada tipped me off, then turned to our captor. — Why are we going there?
He shook his head:
— You're wrong again. The direction just coincided. I'm taking you deeper into the desert, where it will be easier for my master to maintain contact with you through me.