CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The airport was buzzing with activity trying to prepare for the upcoming events but also to get commercial planes in and out on time.

Many of the military jets that were going to be on display were already there, parked off to the side until airport traffic was stopped the morning of the event. The men watched as bomb dogs worked their way around the jets, hangars, and buildings.

"How is it going?" Leif asked one of the handlers.

"Difficult. The jets carry bombs and bullets and fuel. All things that the dog is trained to sniff. He should be able to detect something unusual, but I think we're asking a lot of him."

"I understand," nodded Leif. "We have some retired dogs back home and some that my family trains. This one is a beauty." He rubbed the dog's head, and he nudged Leif's hand for more attention.

"He is a diva, as you Americans say," smiled the young handler. "He's an excellent dog, but he likes his rewards as well. He can be like a teenager to handle sometimes."

"You're doing great. Just wave us over if you find anything." He walked away from the young man, reminded again of how friendly the Egyptians were. They wanted peace. They wanted their families to live in a world free of terrorism and unrest. They wanted their children to attend schools and thrive. They were no different than his family. Just in a different place.

"There's so much here, brother. We're looking for a needle in a haystack," said Brix. "Their security isn't all that tight anyway, and I hate to say this, but everywhere I look, I feel like I'm seeing a possible tango."

"I know," said Leif, slapping his back. "Most of these men are good men, though. They're trying to make their country better. I just want to help them do that, and the only way we can do that is to stop this woman."

"I wish the president would change the route at the very least."

"She'd find another way. If it's here, we know where to look," said Leif.

"But why all the mystery with the tombs? What did she have to gain by that?" asked Alistair.

"I'm not sure. Remember that we're not dealing with a stable person. She's highly unstable, and we can't predict what she'll do. That's what makes this the hardest. One thing we do know is that she likes an audience, which makes me believe she'll try to follow through on her plans here."

"You know, we've encountered people with mental illness before," said Brix. "Sometimes I just feel as if they should be removed from the earth. It would be better for everyone."

"What do you mean?" frowned Sebastian.

"I mean, like Winter's grandfather, like Taylor's stepbrother, Amanda's stepfather. Need I go on?"

"No. I get it."

"But there are other times when I see that they don't want to be the way they are. There's no evil there, only disease, only dysfunction and chemical imbalance. It makes me sad for them. They've probably wanted help their entire lives but couldn't get it or didn't know how to get it. Those are the people I'm sad for," said Brix. "This woman is different. Her family had the money, the means, the opportunity to get her true help, and they chose not to. Now, the rest of the world is dealing with her insanity."

"In a crazy world, it is only your insanity that will keep you sane," said Leif.

"Mama Irene?" frowned Brix.

"Nope. Leo Buscaglia." The others stared at him with strange expressions. "What? I read. Shut up."

They chuckled, following the long lines of planes and speaking to the soldiers. As General Bakkar walked toward them, they could tell that something was wrong.

"General? Is everything alright?"

"I've tried to get the president to modify the route, and he refuses. He's trying to reach the woman's family, but they refuse to take his calls at this time."

"Well, we tried," said Leif. "I just hope we don't have to kill her. It could be trouble for everyone."

"There is something else. Whether it is part of her plan or not, there was an attempted break-in at the museum and two break-ins in the valley. One in the Valley of the Queens and one in the Valley of the Kings."

"The kings? She hadn't tried that before. What is she doing?" asked Leif.

"We are dealing with madness, son. There is no way to determine what this woman is thinking." The others gathered around Leif and the general, Ellie taking Leif's hand. "I wish to tell you all something."

"Of course," nodded Ellie. The general smiled at the young woman, touching her cheek.

"I had a daughter once. A beautiful, sweet little girl. She didn't survive childhood. Not because of war or famine, but simply because her body was not strong enough to make it in this world."

"I'm so sorry, sir," said Leif.

"I believe it was as it should be. My wife couldn't handle it. She took her own life, and I was near taking my own. I was lost, a young military officer in a country on the verge of civil war," he said, shaking his head. "I didn't know what I would do."

"What changed?" asked Ellie. "What saved you?"

"Your people," he smiled.

"Our people?" repeated Sebastian.

"Yes, son. Your people. As I said, our country was ripe with internal strife. I was a young military officer with no direction. There was an uprising in Cairo. It was terrible, and people were dying. We didn't know it, but our president had asked for non-military assistance.

"I was standing on the top of a building, watching people swarm the streets. I didn't see any hope at all. If I fell, no one would know that I took my own life." Ellie held her hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes. He smiled at the young woman, taking her hand and kissing the back of it.

"I cannot explain it, but I knew if I did that, I would be forever lost. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned, fully expecting that I would see my commander or one of the protesters. Instead, it was this big man with a beard and fire in his eyes. He was huge. As wide as a door."

"That could have been anyone," smirked Major.

"Yes," laughed Abdul Bakkar. "I learned that you seem to breed large men and beautiful women. He was a Robicheaux." Forrest smiled at the man.

"Well, that narrows it down a bit," he smiled.

"In fact, there were two. Twin brothers named Robbie and Remy. Strange names."

"Robbie is my father," smiled Forrest. Abdul nodded, laughing.

"Yes, I must confess, when I saw you, I thought perhaps you were the same man. There were others there, many. They'd come to help. Your father looked at me and said, ‘whatever it is, we'll fix it.' He didn't know what I was suffering with. He thought it was the war. But his words saved my life.

"I knew then that I would always help others. Always. I was suffering from depression at the time, although I didn't know it. We're taught as Egyptian men to hide such weaknesses. I have since learned that it is not a weakness at all. It is an illness. I still get sad around the anniversary of their deaths, but I find things to be happy about again.

"In this way, I identify with the princess. I know that she is suffering tremendously, even if she doesn't see it. I cry for her. But I will not hesitate to kill her."

"Thank you for telling us that," said Leif. "We're lucky that we have parents that are willing to change the lives of anyone, even a stranger."

"I knew who your sister was," he said, smiling at Ellie. "I didn't tell her that I knew, but it's one of the many reasons I wanted to protect her while she was here."

"You hold no blame in this, Abdul," said Ellie.

"I know that now. You are fortunate to come from such extraordinary people. Look around you. There are no others here willing to help us. Yet your family is here. A handful of people willing to risk their lives for strangers."

"But we're not strangers," smiled Leif. "We are human beings on this planet, hoping for a better world for our families. We are the same, just wrapped differently."

"General! General! Here!" yelled a man. They all looked at the man waving them over.

"Well, let's see what the fates have dealt us today."