The Sheikh's Lost Bride - completed

Chapter Twenty-one

Tahir's men saw to the wounded. The enemies either dead, or wounded. The wounded gather up into the corner, kneeling, hands on their heads, stand over by armed guards. "Turn the lights on," Tahir snapped. Light flooded the area. There were connections on both ends.

He walked by and the light remained red, as he went over the dead men, crouching down and turned them over one by one. The last one, the light went green. He had his man, turned him over. Shocked rippled through him, it wasn't who it was supposed to be. He lifted the cape, he always wore with the bug he had planted that had been given to another.

How did he know? So where was he? Hearing footfall he spun around, weapon aimed, only to be lowered at the sight of Abdul, armed, yet seemed to favour his left arm. "Where is the queen?" He roared, when she didn't appear behind him, and running towards him as she would have done if she had been there.

"With Ameen." Tahir swore savagely, snapping orders as he headed for the stairs, Abdul followed.

"What?" He asked behind him.

"You are wounded, no good to me," he snarled, taking the stairs two at a time, running.

"Just a scratch, nothing."

"And you just handed her over....." He took a deep breath. No, he told no one of his suspicions. Of course, Abdul would have trusted him. "I am surprised she went quietly," he said softly.

"I do not think she was over impressed."

"Yes, well, he is a part of all this. He is the missing piece of the puzzle."

Abdul swore. "And I just handed her over. I am so sorry."

"Not your fault, I did not tell you or anyone, so he would not get suspicious, I was onto him." He spoke into this ear piece, having all exits shut down, and Ameen apprehended, without putting the Queen's life in danger. They came to the crossroads. The palace or the other tunnels, where Hashim would be waiting. The palace was in lock down, so he chose the tunnels.

Casey glared at the horrible man, whom she never liked. Tahir was going to get an earful about trusting her instincts more. Also, he had known about his secret tunnels, hello, not so secret after all. She didn't bother disarming him, since they were heading straight into armed men, he didn't know about. Hashim had come in the back way, under cover. Knowing Tahir, he had that also hushed up, the less who knew, the less cock up, like this mess she was in. At least it wasn't Malika holding the gun. She would have shot her on the spot.

"Why are you doing this?" She eyed off the weapon pointed at her side. He nudged her on, with the front of the handgun. She moved forward, more off towards the side, away from him. Heart pounding in her chest, she using her breathing technique, keeping herself calm, under very stressful situations. She had no idea palace life could be like this. It was supposed to be time consuming with ribbon cuttings, visiting orphanages or hospitals, not fighting for her life.

"Because Tahir is just like his father, trying to change things, when there is nothing wrong with our lifestyle. We do not need westerner like you, or your ways. As we speak a countdown has started to put things right."

She looked at him, startled, gulping. "What countdown? What have you done?"

"He wants fireworks; he is going to have them, bigger and better than the last one."

Her eyes widened. "The resort," she gasped. "There are people there, innocent people."

"A plague upon our lands that will be eliminated. An eyesore, but would Tahir listen? No. Just like his father, stubborn."