The Fall Of House Farouk

Chapter 6 : Cairo, Egypt

Cairo, Egypt

Morning in the city of Cairo, Egypt, is cold, despite the balmy heat usually seen in a desert-filled country. The market district stood out differently compared to the other districts here in Cairo, as they had already set up shop before the sun had ever risen from the horizon. Down the lane in the district chickens clucked in cages before slaughter, merchants calling out to customers for them to buy the wares they have on sale and carpet merchants flapping heavy rugs to clean out the dust. Wearing a dark blue headscarf Roxelana walked down the streets, wearing a modern set of clothes, a simple shirt and olive green pants, and carrying a tote bag she normally used for the purchasing of groceries. Egyptian by birth Roxelana was not Muslim but was Roman Catholic, a contrast to the majority of Egyptians, who are mostly Muslim.

The smell of sweets permeated the air, reminding Roxelana of the happy childhood years she had until her father abandoned the family and married another woman from Italy after escaping from East Germany. Their mother died of grief after hearing the news, leaving Roxelana and Murad orphaned and to fend for themselves. The children lived with their mother's brother, a colonel in the Egyptian Army, who was more honourable than their father could ever be, raising the twins as his own children. The children harboured a great deal of resentment towards their father and would stop at nothing to destroy him, alongside the family that he had abandoned them to build. Roxelana entered the military upon leaving secondary school, training in the Army as a combatant and trained sniper. 

Nobody knows where Roxelana came from, as when she enlisted in the Egyptian military she struck off her father's name, taking her mother's maiden name as her surname. Those she served alongside only knew her by her first name, Roxelana. "Roxelana!" a familiar voice called out to her. The vegetable stall vendor waved his hand at her, happy to see his loyal customer in person every time she came to shop for groceries. 

"Hello." she smiled in greeting. 

"How is Murad? I hope that he has moved on from being a teenage rascal." he asked as she picked out the fresh fruit and vegetable on display. 

"He's now a doctor." Roxelana said. Of course not.

"Good." the vendor beamed. "I would like to see him one day." 

"I'll bring him around someday, not an issue." Roxelana smiled. She wasn't too angry about the vendor's comment, as she was well aware of her twin brother's teenage antics. Murad worked as a sniper's scout while also serving in the Egyptian Army. And after leaving the army he went into banking and trading, something in which he had an interest. It turns out, the father that they hate had left two trust funds for them each made accessible when they became adults. Saddled with the newfound wealth but with the fire of revenge still burning they set out to avenge their mother and kill their father for what he had done, and to fully exterminate his second family. 

Roxelana walked into the lobby of the high-rise condo she shared with Murad located in the wealthy district of Cairo. Stepping into the elevator lobby she fished out a platinum white access card and stepped into the newly arrived elevator carriage. With a scan of the access card on the card reader she pressed the floor level labelled 'P' on the elevator floor panel. Thanks to the money they inherited and the investments Murad made they are able to purchase the penthouse unit of this condo in Cairo's wealthy district. The door emitted a soft beep when Roxelana pushed the door open, beeping in another tune when the door closed back. Entering the kitchen she set down the tote bag on the marble-top kitchen island, taking the groceries out of the bag one by one, putting vegetables, fresh poultry and seafood into the refrigerator. 

The scent of grilled French Toast filled the kitchen as Roxelana fried the bread soaked in butter on the metal skillet on the stove. The morning sun is in full swing, its bright sunlight shining in through the glass sliding doors of the balcony, casting a warm glow in the living room. She then set down the newly fried toast on a plate at the kitchen island, putting fresh fruits on the newly cooked bread and drizzling maple syrup on top of the bread. A plate of bacon and eggs is also set on the kitchen island while Roxelana pours a glass of milk for herself. Murad entered the kitchen while his twin sister ate, still wearing his sleepwear and a bit tired despite having a good night's sleep. "Morning." he said, sitting opposite his twin sister. 

His sister merely nodded and sipped the glass of milk calmly. "Still tired." she mused, taking a bite of the bacon. "You should have honed your body and mind." 

"You are far more determined than I do sister." Murad countered. "We killed him, who's next?"

"It is best that we do the killing in rotation, to throw off the authorities' scent on our trail." Roxelana suggested. "If the pattern of the killing is similar, the authorities are able to narrow down on those that are capable of taking a shot like this."

"Fair enough. You're the calculative tactician." said Murad. "I'm the surveyor." 

"You can still shoot, but not very disciplined." Roxelana said. 

"I'll take it as a compliment." Murad grumbled. But Murad pulled up a tablet and opened a program, showing a detailed map of Rome, Italy, with the profile of a woman by the side. "Immigration records showed that she's in town for a couple of weeks now." Murad explained. "When do you suggest we strike?"

"We... should travel to Rome, lay low for a while, and carry out a surveillance detail to monitor her movements until we strike." Roxelana said. "I'll book the tickets."

"Maybe let me take charge for a while, since we decided to swap places for a change." Murad said. 

"Whatever you say." Roxelana said.