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Even from inside the Officers' Club, the Lord Major could hear the din of bells and sirens outside, muffled though it was. It was enough to pull the lightly inebriated officer away from the inked comic styling of Japhet & Happy, Bobby Bear, and Oojah the Elephant. He rose from the table and took up his still scabbarded officer's sabre, then walked to the Club doorway. He opened the door and stood within the frame, craning his neck as to best discern the direction from which the evening's disturbance originated. A quarter-hour foot patrol passed through the courtyard nearby, marching in unison like proper British soldiery. Reginald stepped from the Officers' Club portal and moved to intercept.

"Corporal!" he barked at the enlisted man taking point. Reginald's voice and demeanor altered massively from the kindly, bubbly old man that had played host to a throng of out-of-towners earlier that evening, different even than the more casual tone which he used with the local man tending bar indoors. This was a Lord and Officer addressing men under his command in a professional and determined manner. He was authority and aristocracy, having earned his position by birthright and blood spilled for his country.

The addressed Corporal halted immediately, as did the men in his patrol. They all faced toward the Lord Major and threw salutes simultaneously. "Yes, Lord MAJOR!" he responded, a picture of enthusiastic attention to protocol.

Reginald returned the salute. The men had all held theirs until he responded, at which time they ordered themselves in unison. "Would you say that sound is coming from the direction of the Grand Continental Hotel, Corporal?"

"The Corporal would say that, Lord MAJOR." Very enthusiastic.

He had feared this. Ordinarily, this is something that would be best handled by local law enforcement, but this evening was anything but ordinary. He had friends down that way, and unexpected family too. Concepts like "coincidence" had evaporated as surely as wine cast upon the sands, leaving only a discoloring stain on the otherwise pure face of the Sahara. "Quite. Have a man return to post and inform the Watch Officer to account for the absence of your patrol, Corporal."

Since the Great War The British Empire was officially the protectorate of Egypt and trainer of its standing military. This afforded people like himself a few liberties that would ordinarily be denied armed personnel in similar circumstances. Still, taking a patrol out into the evening was a little unusual, without cause. "Corporal, we are officially going out for purposes of post meridiem calisthenics, you understand? Your commanding officer is going for an evening constitutional, and you are providing escort. Now, we make for the Grand Continental!"

Reginald poked his head back into the Officers' Club, intent on one last instruction: "Ah, I say old chap... Would you be a lamb and ensure those papers - the ones that report mean things about my nephew - are delivered to my quarters. I wish to use them as lavatory wipes, you see. Shukra."

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Abbas grinned as he continued to rub his cheek. "Oh you know me, could never resist you," Abbas quipped. Aziza narrowed her eyes and connected with the other cheek with a balled up fist, sending him tumbling over the back of a chair and leaving him sprawled out on the floor.

"This... Pile of camel waste if Abbas Zien. Last time I saw him, he stole everything I had. Would have taken my clothing too if I hadn't threatened to circumcise him."

"Four play?"

It took Sgt. Walsh grabbing ahold of Aziza around the waist and pulling her back to keep her from clawing the mans eyes out.

"Get up, we are taking you to the police," Walsh said quickly as he kept one arm around Aziza's waist and his other free to point the gun at Abbas.

"Now, now, let's not get hasty. I just want to say hello to my old friend here before I leave this rotten country. Being hung for a necessary crime is just ludicrous," he said, still grinning. Reaching into his tattered pocket he pulled out pendant and held it out. The pendant in his hand has the same hieroglyphs on it as had happened to a couple of others that evening.

"For you my love."

On the street Peter nodded and lead Vera back to the car, making sure that Lauren was close behind them. Opening the door he let Lauren climb in first before helping Vera back into the car. She was still shaking like a leaf. He didn't like this one bit. "Let's go," he said to the driver once he was in. The car took off and quickly made it's way back to the barracks.

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"Not exactly sure ma'am," the clerk said as he stepped out from behind the desk and headed over to the window. "Could mean many things. A crime, a fire, it's a general alert for the authorities I believe. I could be wrong, late hours make for poor memory."

"It sounds like they are coming from the main area in town near the Museum and that Grand Continental hotel. Someone breaks out of prison and now this? Must be him, it is a good thing you came back when you did Lady."

Over at the barracks the gate swung open as the car was driven back into the main court yard area. Opening the door Peter stepped out and whistled for a corporal. "Find quarters for Miss Ridgeway and.." he started but was cut off.

"We do not house civilians sir," some random officer quipped.

Peters eyes narrowed and he stood up straighter than he had before, taking a step closer to the man. "I am the Lord Captain Peter Keystone, nephew to your Lord Major. This is Lady Munn, the Countess in his majesties court! You would dare deny housing to a blood relation of the king?!" he said in a cold tone that felt like nails being dragged over iron.

The man went white.... "I am sorry sir, I had no idea. Yes, of course, right again. Well you heard the Lord Captain! Get moving you trench rats!"

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Lauren looked towards Vera and Peter as they both climbed into the car as well, she would let out a slight sigh she was still worried hoping that Aziza and Henry will both be alright in there. She didn't see or hear them while she was outside of the hotel, Lauren gently did her best to calm down Vera seeing the woman shaking violently still from seeing the dead body that the officers were. it will be alright." Lauren said towards Vera reassuringly as the driver turned around and started to make their way back towards the barracks, she would rather prefer being in the hotel with her friend to make sure she was still alright. She ran a hand through her hair slightly as Lauren leaned back in her seat.

A few minutes later they were finally back at the barracks again, she sat there for a moment as Peter asked one of the soldiers to give them both a room. Lauren turned towards one of them that looked like an officer, saying that they wouldn't let them stay the night then, she was about to say something when Peter snapped at the officer giving his rank and mentioning Reginald as well. The officer looked like he was scared of being punished and told the other soldiers to escort them to a room. "Remind me to not make your boyfriend mad." Lauren said jokingly as Lauren was helped out of the car looking over towards Peter and gave him a slight smile. "Thank you." She said politely.

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At first it seemed to all come into place; this man, Abbas Zien, was indeed an admirer of Miss Tarek - how anyone could admire him back, now that was a story Haakon wouldn't dare write out with his pen - who just so happened to also be a tiny bit mad. He had to be mad to kill that poor man outside and sneak into the room, just to say goodbye.

"From the sound of those bells, your last goodbyes will be to the hangman. Come on, get go..." Haakon began to say to Abbas, pointing his revolver still firmly at the man. His words fell short, however, as he saw the pendant that he held up, to give to Miss Tarek. "Du milde måne..."

The hieroglyphs. They were exactly the same as those on Haakon's hand. The brand. In the wild chase Josephine and he had partaken in, he had almost forgotten about the most mysterious event of the whole night (and there was a lot to contend with). But now, now the brand was back into the picture, now ever stranger.

"What is that pendant? Why are the hieroglyps written on it the same as ours? And why the Hell are you giving it to her?"

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Nora nodded, stepping over to the window with the clerk. She peered out as if it would help her to ascertain the meaning of the sirens, but it was a fruitless effort. She sighed ever so slightly as the clerk came up with nothing to explain the meaning of the sirens. However, as he addressed her by the courtesy title, Nora did frown ever so slightly.

"Miss will do just fine," Nora instructed. "The circumstances of my birth should not merit such a title." It was rare that she explained her cynical nature as to the entire peerage system, but this evening was a rarity in general. She enjoyed the relative escape from titles that Cairo provided, but there were always those who sniffed out the earldom in the Kingston family, and then began to address her differently. Perhaps it was an attitude inherited from her nurse as a young child, who cared for her when she was nearly dead--the same nurse who spoke Gaelic to her, teaching Nora the language as well as values.

However, she was concerned for the safety of the Lady Munn. Yet what was she to do? If she were to leave the safety of the Maratos Building, she would merely invite danger upon herself as well. It would perhaps be better for her to stay where she was, and wait for the morning to make inquiries as to the safety of Lady Munn. She stepped away from the window, lost in her thoughts, as she took up her cigarette and light it. Taking in a long drag, Nora glanced back at the night clerk.

"Thank you," she said, nodding her head. While the information he had for her was slight, it was information nonetheless.

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Josephine scoffed at the man's attempt to woo Miss Tarek. Really now, she was obviously with the Captain. Plus add on the fact he was a criminal and murdered someone recently, and his chances were slim. She was about to protest and help drag him back to the police when he showed the pendant. It took her a minute to realize that it had the same design as the ones that burned on her finger. She almost forgot about it with the whole chase.

Enough was enough. "Now listen here. Just what the hell is going on? I come to this country to relax and enjoy myself and in a day I get burned by looking at a ring in the river, I join an expedition to explore some ruins because of said burn, and now I see the same pattern on the pendant as on our fingers. Look!" she showed her fingers to the man, "Now you tell me just what that pendant means. What do the symbols say? And what the hell is happening in this country?"

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The grim determination of the vigilant Lord Major had him marching off with an accompanying armed patrol of the finest of soldiery stationed within the North African Theatre; the Cairo garrison, jewel of the British protectorate of Egypt. He strode in unison from the Officers' Club, through the courtyard, past the remaining patrols, and dutifully to the main entry gate. He opened his mouth to issue words of encouragement to his men, maybe a word or two about the actual reason for their departure. They could likely guess it had something to do with the bells and alarms going off in the distance, and his previous conversation with the overly exuberant Corporal.

What he saw when he got there gave him a sudden flush of relief. His dear nephew, Lady Munn, and the American, Lauren Ridgeway had just been granted admittance back into the Qasr El Nil Barracks. He was pleased, grateful to divine providence that they were safe from whatever was causing the disturbance at or near the hotel. But naturally, he had questions.

"By Jove, it is good to see the three of you. What sort of brouhaha is afoot, Peter?" he began, intentionally addressing his nephew. Though progressive for his generation, deep down he was a bit of a chauvinist. "Is anyone else still out that way? Issue resolved or ongoing, boy? Was the local authority present when you took your leave of the place?"

Perhaps he laid out a little much, way too fast. "If you would, please enjoy the continued hospitality of the barracks. His Majesty's Officers' Club is still at your disposal, and lodging should be made available within the quarter hour." Those close to him were back home, relatively safe and in sound condition. But if memory served, his good friend Aziza and her escort were staying there, as well. The urge to march down there with a company of soldiers was still high. But he did desire an explanation.

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Abbas handed the pendant over to Aziza and smirked at the rest. Of course they had questions, granted he wasn't expecting them to be so demanding about it or for the flow of information to come out of their mouths. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. Everything he needed to know without even trying.

"Why I am giving it to her is between me and her, not you. I didn't give it to you," he said coolly as Aziza took the necklace and ran her fingers over it. Her hand slipping up and removing her own necklace as she sat down on the edge of the sofa. Flipping it over she looked at both the necklaces, Sgt. Walsh staying close to her but his gun still trained on Abbas.

"Abbas, what is the meaning of this?" she asked quietly before her eyes slowly raised to his, he just grinned towards her.

"You like? I knew you would."

"How do you know him?" Sgt. Walsh asked Aziza as he rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder, Abbas's eyes narrowing slightly.

"Huh? Oh, well, it's along story," she stammered, being drawn into the symbols on the back of each necklace for a moment before she had some out of her thoughts.

"A very romantic one," Abbas said in a sickeningly sly voice.

Aziza felt herself throw up in her mouth a little bit before kicking under the coffee table in front of her and sending it flying right at Abbas and knocking him back over to the ground with the table landing on top of him. "Hardly. Get this son of camel dung out of here and back to the prison. He's as likely to know anything about what's going on as snake in the grass would."

Shoving the table off of him he rolled over and laughed lowly as he shook his head. "I know plenty but I am not telling you all if I get turned over to guards."

"You little..."

"Brilliant ruffian? Yes, handsome as well but try to keep your lust under control my dear. Turn me in and your troubles will only increase ten fold."

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"But he's not... Oh dear," Vera stammered as she climbed out of the car and stayed near Lauren. Peter had surely let his voice be heard in the last exchange and now people were clamoring to get his orders followed as quickly as possible.

"Anything for you ladies," Peter said before turning to his uncle as he came out. Letting him question he waited until his uncle was finished before explaining what all he knew from the scene. He was concise with his delivery of information but made sure to deliver it as fully as possible. Years in the military made for some useful skills in such situations, quick and accurate delivery of information was one of them.

"I brought the Ladies to stay with us for the evening, I must return to the hotel in hopes of retrieving both Sgt. Walsh and Miss Tarek. Did you wish to accompany dear uncle or shall you remain here and see to our guests?"

The alarm was still being sounded, traveling through the city as guards made their way from building to building questioning those there and searching for the escaped convict.

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Lauren turned around to see Reginald coming out of the barracks with some men, then her attention turned towards Peter for a moment and gave the man a soft smile grateful for the protection. She could still hear the alarms going off in the distance, Lauren was still very much worried for her friends back at the hotel. "Thank you once more for the hospitality." Lauren said to the two Keystones in front of her she was a bit tired, but knew that it will take sometime to get their rooms set up for the evening. Lauren turned to look at Vera seeing the woman was still very nervous at what she had seen at the hotel.

"If you don't mind i'd enjoy a few more drinks, while they prep out rooms for the evening." Lauren said with a slight smile her eyes wondering over towards the soldiers near her. She felt more just as a guest, Vera, Peter and Reginald seemed to have a lot of the influence around here. "Maybe some drinking could help you relax?" Lauren asked looking at Vera smiling at the woman.

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As if he had been too caught up in the moment, Haakon realized he had been acting the very way he himself wished his interview-subjects were when he wanted information; talking about things that surely were related to the case (and pendant) without actually getting answers. Of course it was too late, especially when Josephine was in the mood she was in. She's quite the lady when she's mad. I don't mind, but now might not be the right time...

"Well if that's the case, we have to take care of the investigation ourselves. Mr. Walsh?" Haakon turned towards Harry and handed over his revolver to him, before returning to look Abbas up and down. He was looking for something odd, something out of place (whatever that could be on an escaped convict, Haakon wasn't sure of), anything that was of interest. "Now if you don't mind, could you be so kind as to empty your pockets and the like. Everything, even whatever hids underneath that dreaded fez. Or do we have to get forceful, Mr. Zien?"

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"Well I say, Peter!" exclaimed Reginald, with a twinkle of possibility in his eyes, "There is some skullduggery afoot, yes? Well then, I am most positively going to join you in the noble pursuit of our Fellowship's safety. That Walsh fellow appeared a decent sort. A little excitable, perhaps... But many good men came home from the War as such. No dishonor. And Miss Tarek! Indeed. I digress; we must be off."

The Lord Major looked to the men he had assembled. "Corporal!"

"Yes, Lord MAJOR!" Did he come with volume control?

"Inform the remaining staff inside the Officers' Club to treat these people as VIPs, attend to their needs (within reason) - and that they have dignitary's quarters near each other within the quarter hour. Return to us in two minutes." He produced a gold pocketwatch, inspecting the face of it. "On the clock, Corporal."

"Right away, Lord MAJOR!" Was he bucking for Sergeant?

At least he was quick to perform duties assigned. Reginald turned to his nephew, remarking, "One cannot in good conscience play attentive host to some while others of our party are in peril. I'm in, old chap. Shall we stroll, or take the Ghost back?" The men assembled were a simple patrol, useful to hold a small location until larger forces could arrive. Or more importantly, just the right size to act as a quick and mobile urban escort, should need arise. If the Lord Major orders it, that would indicate that need had indeed arisen. Reginald did find the assistance of his people, here or back at the airfield, exceptionally useful for things of this nature. Be it personal, business, or service to the Crown, the Lord Major was the man of his time and place. When the particulars of their upcoming adventure took them away from Cairo and the safety of the British Military, he would have to make much more hands-on, less secure decisions concerning his preferred courses of action, but until then, he was going to flex the mighty arms of His Majesty's Armed Forces to the benefit of himself and those close to him.

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Josephine wasn't about to let this lie, "Searching is one thing, but I'm still all for turning this man into the authorities. He killed a man, for God's sake. I'm as curious as the next person, but we do have plans tomorrow that should clear up the mystery as well. Do we need him really? Or...is there still a flame in your heart for him?" She directed that last one to Aziza, who by all accounts seemed done with the man, but the back and forth was proving there may be more than meets the eye.

"Far be it from me to tell you what to do, darling, but it seems he knows something. So, yes, kindly turn out your pockets or things will get quite rough." She still held her own gun, but she trusted Mr. Walsh to be able to handle him. Haakon, not so much.

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Her remarks appeared to have silenced the clerk. She stood at the window still, lost in her own thoughts, with the sirens and alarms serving as a most charming backdrop. The events of that day had been so strange as to make Nora ponder whether or not she had dreamt them. Glancing down at her hand, however, her finger was still marred with the strange brand. It had been all too real, decidedly so. She took in another soft drag of her cigarette, only coming out of her train of thought when the door to the Maratos building opened. In stepped a pair of guards, who presently set themselves about questioning the night clerk.

"Miss Eleanor Kingston," Nora replied quietly, once the guards had come to interrogate her. They had asked for her name, forgoing any question of station, which irked Nora ever so slightly. Even women of wealth might have an occupation, a fact that she desired to be understood. Yet there was not much she felt inclined to do about it. Better to withdraw to herself and act as she saw fit--the opinions of the world did not matter.

"There is no convict to be found here," Nora replied. "I did not glimpse any such person within my rooms or within the building itself."

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"Nothing in my heart for this man, nor has there ever been. He is nothing but a conman and a thief. And from the looks of it, a murderer as well. So please, remove him from my sight!" she hissed coldly.

Sgt Walsh had heard enough and grabbed Abbas by the scruff of his neck, forcing the man to turn out his pockets, he held nothing else in them. "Sir, would you be so good as to come with me to dispose of this man. I believe the ladies will be safe here and can take care of themselves," he said before shoving Abbas to the door.

Aziza nodded in thanks to the two as Walsh forced the man out of the room. Shaking her head she looked back down at the necklace before handing it over to Josephine. "That man has been a blight on this world since his birth from what I can tell. I made the misfortune of running into one night long ago," she said before continuing.

Aziza took a seat on the couch and sighed. She told Josephine something she didn't really tell anyone. She spoke of her past, of her son, how she was driven out of her home because of a false claim of adultery made against her, how she was nearly stoned to death on her retreat from the home she had known. She showed the woman some of the smaller scars that were visible but barely noticeable at this point. How she had run into Abbas one evening when she was homeless and without much of anything. How he had robbed her and how she had nearly killed him that night before he ran off. It was not an easy venting of her past but she managed to get through it. "All I want is to see my son again..."

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"Yes, that would be welcome," Vera said towards Lauren at the mention of a drink. Peter looked over to her, a worried expression on his face as he stepped over to her and brushed her hair back out of her eyes, placing a soft kiss to her brow.

"You just relax, Uncle and I will be back post haste," he said in a caring voice before looking back over towards Reginald and motioning towards the vehicle. He didn't look forward to walking the distance to the hotel with his leg. Vera bit her bottom lip slightly before shuffling off with Lauren into the officers club.

In the safety of the Officers Club she sat down on a love seat and touched the place where Peter had kissed, he wasn't always so affectionate but she was not going to fault him right then. Then her thoughts went to another and she sighed. Shaking her head and her thoughts clear of the mess she reached out and took a flute of champagne from one of the servants and downed it rather quickly before taking another off the same tray as she replaced it with the empty one.

Across town, the officers finished their questioning of Nora and others within the building before making their way to the next and then the next. The desk clerk rubbing the back of his neck before looking over to her. "The town is in an uproar tonight, there is no mistake about that Miss. It is probably a good thing you came back here when you did, lord knows only what type of ruffians are out and about tonight. If there anything I can do for you? Perhaps call for a meal to be brought in? Or to fetch the surgeon for something to help you sleep?"

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Lauren watched as Peter went over to kiss Vera's brow, she smiled softly at the two of them for a moment before making her way back towards the officer's lounge. Lauren followed Vera towards the loveseat and sat down on the other end of it, she reached up to grab a glass of champagne as well. She leaned back in her seat looking around at the officers that were in the room before turning her attention back towards Vera. The woman still appeared to still be in shock after seeing the body, of course Lauren was slightly shaken up about it as well Lauren decided to try and make some small talk and try and get Vera to relax some.

"So Lady Munn right? I'm sure they will make it back alright." Lauren asked to get Vera's attention, she was curious about her and wanted to get to know her more as well seeing as they will be working very closely now in the coming days. "What interests you here in Cairo?" Lauren wasn't a scholar at all, she was mostly just interested in seeing the sights while she remained low here until she could eventually go home back to her normal life. "Also what do you think of the weird stuff going on?"

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Josephine was glad the man was being dragged off. He seemed more trouble than he was worth. As Aziza sat down, she told Josephine the story of her past. Never let it be said that Josephine didn't have a heart, especially for women. Her story moved her so much. To hear that she was driven out of her home for something like adultery and not being able to see her son, it made Josephine very mad. Backwards country with backward policies, it seemed. She sat next to Aziza and comforted her as best she could.

"I can't begin to understand the pain you are going through, darling, but you seem to be a strong, sensible woman and that I can approve of. I am confident one day you will see your son again. Forget about that man. When this business with the branding is taken care of, we should see about finding your son. I am sure we would have some authority and if not, I can be very persuasive."

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Empty, not even petty stolen coins or bits of string there...something is indeed were strange here... Haakon were anticepating something of interest to be confiscated from Abbas' pockets, but the lack of items were just as interesting to him. It meant that he had not simply decided to find Aziza after whatever he had done after escaping from prison; he had gone to the hotel the first after getting out of jail. This all meant something, and Haakon feared only Abbas understood it all.

"It would be a pleasure, this bandit don't deserve to breath the same air as the ladies. Come on, get going. I'm not afraid to use this." Haakon recieved his revolver and held it pointed at Abbas as Walsh forced him out of the hotel room. "This would have been excellent source-material for my newspaper, but sadly this rat has no worthy information to be written of. And besides, his behaviour towards our friends is not worth any front-page coverage. How anyone can treat women like that..."

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"...yes yes, quite..." mumbled Reginald in response to his nephew's suggestion to take the Rolls Royce. It made sense. It was there, they were there, they needed to get from point A to point B, and what with the alarms going off, the streets might very well have cleared somewhat. "Take excellent care of these people!" he called back into the Officers' Club, and toddled in the direction of the car.

The Lord Major climbed in the back of the fashionable (if older modeled) internal combustion carriage and made himself as comfortable as the situation allowed. His sabre, still sheathed and in his hand prior to entering, leaned against one knee with the tip of its scabbard between his feet. Not the proper tool for engaging an enemy inside of the vehicle, granted, but impossible to keep on one's belt while venturing out in the comfort and style provided by a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost.

"Driver!" he said smartly to, well, the driver... "Grand Continental Hotel. Yes, we are returning. And be quick about it, yes?" Leaning his head out of the window, Reginald addressed the patrol as they began to pull away from the courtyard, "On doubletime, men! Follow to the Grand Continental!" It was better to be safe than sorry, and any single perpetrator, or even small group would think twice before engaging an armed patrol of British regulars.

As the car exited the front gates of the Barracks, one could clearly make out a very enthusiastic, baritone voice regurgitate out a very common phrase of recent relevance, "...yes, lord MAJOR!"

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Peter sat back in the car and let out a long breath as her and his uncle were driven to the hotel. He had come to town to try to start his life back over. He wasn't expecting to run into all of this when he got here yet he was going to do what he could to ensure that Vera was taken care of and safe. "Hopefully we can ensure that Miss Ridgeways friends are safe and get them back to the barracks post haste," Peter said nonchalantly as they were couriered to the Grand Continental.

In the meantime, Sgt Walsh muscled Abbas down the stairs, the man fighting along the way and spouting off anything he could think of to try to get them to stop. Saying he knew things but never saying what he knew. Saying they would pay if they turned him in. That he didn't do it. Etc. It was obvious that he was beyond nervous by the time he was forced down the stairs and through the lobby; out front towards the constables.

Aziza looked over towards Josephine and smiled slightly, resting her hand over the woman's and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, I hope you're right," she said in a grateful voice. She appreciated her understanding and kindness though she doubted there was anything that could be done. It didn't matter that she had been faithful and hadn't committed adultery. It mattered that she had been accused by someone and that was all that mattered to the people of her home. The law, however screwed up it was, was on her ex-husbands side. At this point she could only pray that her son wouldn't grow up to hate her and seek her out when he was old enough. That was if she lived long enough. The attack, the strange markings, and now Abbas showing up did not bode well.

Climbing out of the car, Peter looked around and spotted Sgt. Walsh holding a man at gun point and the reporter that was drilling him earlier in tow. That was the last man he wanted to see right then. Clearing his throat he undid the holster of his side arm and looked over towards his uncle. "This doesn't look good uncle, care to use some of that status?" he said straightening up a bit.

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Vera downed two more glasses of champagne before looking over towards Lauren. Her head was swimming already from the bubbly. This was a woman who could not hold her drink in the slightest and she had been well known for that fact when she was younger back in London. A glass or two was all it took for her to become a bumbling idiot. She had had three or four now. Granted it probably was barely enough time for the first one to kick in but hey, she had no tolerance.

When she began to talk her speech was slurred and she wobbled from side to side. "What I liked about Cairo was that it was quiet, I was away from my past and I had a bit of eye candy to look at when I worked. Now don't get me wrong, he was an ass but he had an ass. I am a librarian! I shouldn't have to deal with some all about himself American who likes to throw himself at any woman that comes into the room."

Taking another glass she nearly spilled it all over herself before finally getting it to her mouth and downing it. "Of course, Peter will take care of it. He takes care of everything. He'll help with all these shenanigans as well. Very keen mind that man, that is if I can keep him focused on it and not me. I didn't want him to come back, I mean I don't want him dead but there was never a fire between us but I am a Lady. Lady Librarian... I must do what is right, hiccup..." she rambled on before flopping back on the seat cushion and groaning out an order for another glass.

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Lauren watched as Vera downed the drinks rather quickly, after just two of them she could easily tell that the woman couldn't hold down her drink for long. She listened to the noble woman's slurred voice as she spoke about why she enjoyed being in Cairo and mentioning some American man who was flirting with her for some reason. He was most likely in the group in Vera's office earlier in the evening, though Lauren wasn't sure who the man's name was there were so many faces that she had seen there. Then Vera started to talk about Peter looking at her as she raised an eyebrow when she started to speak about Peter. Lauren knew that Peter loved Vera in someway but Vera seemed that she didn't like him in a loving way.

Then Vera was about to order yet another drink as Lauren quickly got up from where she was sitting and moved over to intercept the glass that was handed over to her. "Okay Queen of the Drunks I think you've had enough." Lauren said as she took it and drank it down herself looking at the man who was serving drinks. "Don't give her anymore drinks i'm cutting her off." Lauren said as she went over to help Vera up wondering if their room was ready yet or not.

"I think its time for you to just sleep it off, i'm pretty sure that Peter would hate to see you drunk like this." Lauren said, though it was pretty funny to see a noble woman drunk. She knew that the woman had a title and was pretty sure that if Vera drank more she would most likely start either pissing on the floor or dancing on tables pretty soon.