coe Engin Rents Better Late Than Never J. M. Newsome CAMBRIDGE Contents (Chapter Expovon (Chaprer2 Wounded Indhe bet Singing bot Avfepice Vii Phone cll Maid Nowe Minos Overthegte Rep Meyer Redootce Bex hwCharacters Avila Hakim ntsc yearold chong ving ‘Alene, Egypt “Zapira Ball: Asks haskell am te abo seen (Catal Hake Aika went-ae-yur loner ‘Ahmed Balint afr ewengrree-yeor i ou Malin Maio: South Asan ach owe ‘Say Kavi Mare busines parner Mona Diab works fr Mase Nikos Drskepouls: Grek pli ofr [Nets Sis Greek plcChapter 1 Explosion Anika could sce that Zaphira was angey. Whats wrong?” she asked "Your brother Ite’ said Zaps She was looking round lampatenly. Her wild brown baie war ccaping fom the Eno dhe had dedi infor baker ining They were on the narrow finger of land in Alexandkia thar lead so Qaithay Case herween the open sea and the Eat Harbour. They sat at» café able with planes of orange julce and water on: Even ere byte orn the evening wat hot and wil, "Tide know wharsime to say sid Anika cheerfully "Our coach He never clear about what time well Gish esha pre irae Bar mp. apaing “The sea was very calm, and the sinking sun lid Bery path acrow the dark water cowards them, Anika loosened her hijab litle and picked up her glace of juice, She looked around, Lacl people and foreign tourists were walking domly up and down the open peestian area tear the cle, Some, ke Anika and Zaps, st at café tables which were set out here and thers ‘One couple were examining scashell lid out for ale on fis perce anit. “Laker thn Som, bene! nl the ‘man in Engh. “Look atthe rainbow colors inside.” Zaphiea said in Arabic, “Thove shell dont even come fiom here she sid. ‘Ahmed may come back any second. The fst ‘hing hell want is ou phones’ The foot was hard earth, ‘A few bricks were piled up in one comer. The one window, opposite the door, had mesal barsand no glass. The hut was old but the wooden wall seemed strong, "Dorit hide i begged Anika.‘ need ie with me.I could jusc delet the phot. "No! Zaphire almost shouted, her eyes wide. “If ver we ft out of his, we may nced those photos” Anika was trying to switch her phone on. Her hand was covered in blo. "We didn actully see Ahmed plant the born she std. “Maybe the photos show who relly plate it’ She shook che phone. ‘es dead! Ie won't work! Her voice rose in pani. ‘What’ wrong wih ie?” “Maybe i broke when you ill’ whispered Zaphia But .” Anika banged the phone on her lg. ‘Oh, dear God! How will anyone find ws?” I send ext to my mum from my phone in a minute? ssid Zaphira, "Weld beer hide yours anyway. Even if es broken, someone might be ale ro get ar those photos.” “Bur this cose. dont know .. aot.” ‘know!’ whispered Zaphira feels. ‘Buc if Ahmed did plan char bomb, he'll hink we saw him and he'll need to silence us. Give two me. Plas” Anika was shocked "‘You mean kills? Ahmed” "Pethaps, Or keep us locked up ike in here, Please, Just gfve me the phone!” She lene over and tok it from Anis hhand. Then she pushed the phone carefully between two bricks. Her aie had come loose ow and fll across her face, When she turned back, here was 0 sign of the phone, "Flow is the wound? she asked Anika Bb“Very sore’ Anika sid. "The pain came and went in waves. “Please ak someone to come and get ws ou. Please!” “OK, OK, ssid Zapiea, texting from her own phone. Anika rocked backavards and forwards onthe floor "Why thas he locked us up? she whispered to herself Zaphira snc her message I think Ahmed has another choice’ she sad choughtflly "He could beat ws to death, then ke our bodies and leve chem ncar the explosion, That ‘way ou Families will chink weld been killed by he bors” “Tears can down Anikss cheeks and she rocked face. “I lon know him. Ive never spoken to him, He wouldnt do that, woud he? Oh, [just ean think!” “Youre wounded and in shock.’ Zaphira was matter of fact. She was walking backwards and forwards. If Ahmed comes back — alone or with somcone else — we may have to fight. The quickese thing isco kick chem beeween their Tepe "Not" gasped Anika, shaking her head. ‘Or you can hie chem across che throat wih the side of your hand, ike this” She showed Anika how t hit the oice hor in the neck. Anika sat still her mouth open in hhowron. She was thinking, “This cast be true: Im having 2 bad dream. Tes all that strer violence we've had in Egype these last few months.’ She tied again to get up. T cane sand up she whispered in panic. ‘Tm 40 dizay. My head's going round and round” ‘Bur Zaphira war sil raking. ‘You need eo keep your head down ~ and don’ fall over, They ean easly kick you to death if youre on the floor, Just then a step sounded atthe door and someone pulled the lengch of wowed away, “The man gribe she could erp bit sent. ‘Not helpfi smile. And he beg “Stop ie? Zaph ther hard across h finished sending F tw ear its he ha ‘Dont he even Inad appeared in guped. He sid, ite time for you then back to Zap ashe dropped het tured his foot. 7 He took anod ‘open, and spoke cdowith Ahaned. | vo minutes” He ‘Gee up hes Anika red 0 “Help het! hes Aaika was sha Zophira leant don “The man smih know what to do Zaphira was asked. “The man laugh waved his gun at Zaphiess igh “Then he put her arm under Anika god arm and helped her towands che door. The noises ouside were sl loud and confused. lt war geting dick. Zaphia whispered in Anika eat ‘Geoa” Ania looked at her sideways and groaned a ite, Zaphira went on, Pretend you hurt even worse than ware. Whe | push you, fll down and rll away ‘nia groaned agin this tine fre “They walked slowly out of the hut. Zaphira eld Anika up atahe dragged her et. ‘Move! shout che man from behind them, "Thar way? Zaphira psd Anika gery. ‘Aug Ania shouted and fll on her good shoulder She rolled off to he rght. The pain made er cry ot again, Zaphira immediately stepped back cowards the man, bending love Ashe reaches him, she hit up at hie am wih sll her strength. The gun went off and then ew onto the roof ofthe hs ‘Zaphira went forthe mans neck, hing his voce bax swith one hand, then between hi lege with her ke, He fll down, unable to breathe, Zaphira stood ove im “Give me your hija! she cid vo Anika, Anika unwound her hijab shally using her ight hand ‘She coulda belive what Zaphira had done. “Zaphira forced the mars hands behind is ace and ted them wich the hijab ‘Give me a reson co kick you agin’ she said quiedy ‘through Ber teeth "Tike that’ The man coughed and groaned "Now that there war hope of expe, Anika found the strengzh co stand. Zaphiea ran ino the hut and gor thie ”bags and Anika phone. She searched through dhe bken pats of her own phone and found dhe SIM cid “The man had his Back vo chem and was tying to gt up a Zaphiea came out of the ut. She wepped over hen, pushed him down again and kicked him han inthe fae withthe bick of her hed. Tere ws cackng sound. He ‘Sreamed and lay stl, blood runaing fom his fae, Zaps pt er hand ints his pocker and took his phone “Anika was hore Tie il war a ginger “Zaphira picked up ber own bag, tok Anis ae well and gribbed Anika good arm. She pulled her soars 3 broken-down wal away frm the way they had comme: "Did you il hin? Ania asked as hey ran, ‘Broke his noe replied Zaphira shorty, He was with Aimed eae I ecopnised him. we cam et through ere ‘onto the main sad, we can get you oan ambulance. “They ran out from benwesn buildings onto. Quthay Road, and stopped dead “Tothcrlfs the whole fhe fion ofthe Grek Marie (Club was damaged and burning. The pedestrian area was covered with earth and lump of pavement. There was 2 brag hole inthe roa ull of re: Orange flames and Black smoke poured up into the darkening lg There were people cvenhor, some anderigaround Mecdingand confused, thers running to belp Voices shouted, engines thundered [luca re lights from Bre engine, ambulances and ple cars fished near the hole and long the min oad, The ast light from the sum was an angry re ine above the sx. Perhaps Gamal is looking for un! shouted. Anika, searching the crowd for he brother's fain ie id ssid Z me bo and | Minis Ani face fe Anika lot in: thecal Zap wi ‘No Ani shore» ‘The Ane and a jumpe fallto ‘The pulled aline: wash Zap WI “He Anis stared atherand hen sepped aide OK: she sid "You go ahead and risk you life again. Perhaps you don like you life very much, Peshaps you don care whether you live ‘or dic. But Hove my life’ She began to shake. ‘My mother ied when as born so that col ive. Iwill na help you you ty co ll ha man, I wane Ahmed tobe fres, but ‘She was shaking so much she had to sit on the bed, “aphira stood like a statue with her hand on the door handle. "Then she mowed stifly to an armchair and st evr ‘Anikas mind had stopped working. She sat rocking snd staring a the epee Aer few moments, Zaphira sai Why is Ahmed here ‘on Mares yacht? What has Marte got to do with Ahmed” She was silent fora while, Then she sai, “That man sith the moustache was with Ahmed at Quithay yesterday. And ‘now theyre both ere on this yace with Maia. Bur why? “Then she jumped up. ‘OF course! Marie ordered the bomb! Ahmed andthe man with the moustiche are working {or him! They wete the once onthe boat wich us when we were under the cover. Ahmed must have been unconscious.” ‘Aika shooke her head. ‘No! she sid Zaphira had co grab che walleal asthe yacht rose and fal, “The bomb killed the Minister of Transport and the “Harbourmaster. Why would Marie: want them dead? “The sky outside was now dark grey, and the yache was beginning co behave like a wild hore, Anika was holding conto the board a the head ofthe bed, ‘Marica was talking to the Deputy Transport Minicer ‘on the phone’ Anika sid slowly, ‘about his business being good for Alexandsia, Maybe the Minne of Tamaport and 31the Harbourmaster didn think it was, But that's no reason oka chem, Zaphira sat down again. ‘People like Marte done tindestand sny langsinge but pee! She welled and par her hand on her stomach. Her fe was pale inthe dull light and she scemed co be sweating. Her long hair was wilder than ever. ‘Aika went on ‘But Ahmed works at the new altport Hows could he get involved with people like that? How could Marite persuade him to ...? No! Pl never believe Zaphira suddenly jumped up and ran bathroom. ‘Anika could hear Zaphira being sick into che wilet “Are you allright” she called soi, but Zaphira didn't answer Anika stood up co go into the bathroom to help, holding ‘onto the walla, Zaphira waved her back. ‘im OK, she said, and cher groaned again as her stomach disagreed co the 2 hey ‘One of the policemen came over and began ro push ‘Zaphiras wheelchair towards a door a the other end of the room, He said, "Miss Baskal you'll have to go up ia the lift to the back door ofthe plane.” ‘The other man said to Anika ‘Come with me, Miss Hakim. Well go this way.” ‘Anikalooked round desperately Zaphirawasdimppearing. ‘out ofthe other doo. Ws OK, said Netta kindly. “Youe going on the stme plane. Is just youl have rouse the stairs ar the front, and ‘Zaphira will go in the life ar the back. Goodbye, and good luck? she added. ‘Anika walked out into the dark with her guard. He let hhce at the bottom of the etepe up to the plane, Light from the plane door streamed doven towards her. She climbed the steps asf she were in a dream. ‘Ac the top, a fight attendant ssid, ‘Good evening, Miss Hakim’ in Arabic, and stepped aside. From behind the Aight atcendant, a man stepped forward Te wat Gamal, He took both of Anika's hands in his and sid, "Thank God youte safe at last, Ania. “Oh Gamal! cried Anika “Their tears fell on his shire as he put his arms around her and ssi, ‘T promise I will never be la again