The Porus Legacy

by Daniel Leston

  And always to his benefit.

  Now prepared for the first of two scheduled early morning meetings, Tazir chose to light one of his rare cigarettes. It was a minor indulgence that sometimes helped focus his thoughts. There was more than adequate time. With almost an hour to fill before driving over to his base office, a careful review of the previous evening’s events was in order, a proper assessment made of the consequences.

  There was no question the overnight killing of seven people in just one Bulaq household would cause a major stir. Most regrettable, he realized, and to be fully expected. Though it was an exceptionally bold move on his part, his present reasoning still insisted the action was nothing less than essential. Prior to it, all other avenues had been explored and eventually rejected as unfeasible.

  Second-guessing himself at this point wasn’t even on the table.

  What did marginally worry him, however, were the possible ramifications that might develop over the next few days. Experience had taught him the potential harm created by unknown variables were always reason for concern.

  Yet the need to eliminate Abdel Khafaghi was a given—an unavoidable necessity. With the damn fool’s continued curiosity and meddling regarding the activities of David Manning in El Quseir, no viable alternative had existed. Not only had his clear warning to back off been completely ignored, but there also existed the nagging possibility that perhaps Abdel might’ve learned what it was Manning and his small group was on the trail of finding.

  He doubted it, yet one couldn’t be entirely sure.

  Now it was all a moot point, for the deed was done.

  Satisfied with the unassailable logic of his analysis, he silently contemplated his next moves. As with other significant advancements achieved in life, he recognized timing and sound planning were indispensable. In his estimation, personal ambition by itself seldom accomplished anything truly significant. Ultimate success in reaching any goal also required intelligence and supreme confidence in one’s abilities—not excluding, of course, a certain amount of inborn luck and a willingness to seize opportunities whenever they arose. This overall combination of attributes was a gift he possessed in abundance.

  To date, it had taken him very far, indeed.

  In a country dominated by the military and rife with political, religious, and social turmoil, he was now but one step away from becoming a full general. Quite a remarkable accomplishment for a former child of the streets.

  The facial scar reflecting back at him from his bureau mirror was a constant reminder of when it all began—and of how his first real lesson in survival came close to being his last. Fortunately, even as a youngster, he’d possessed the internal strength and mental acuity to not only survive that grim encounter, but to use the near-fatal outcome to his advantage. Though in retrospect the material gain he reaped from it had been relatively modest, without that harsh learning experience to build upon he wouldn’t have come to Cairo—let alone then embark on what eventually became a successful career in the army. Truth be told, his initial intent back in October of 1973 was simply to secure someplace to lay low and heal for a period of time.

  He anticipated nothing more.

  But fate would have it otherwise, for he quickly came to appreciate how well his unique abilities—both physical and intellectual—lent themselves to a cycle of continual promotions in rank. Of equal importance, he also discovered the many lucrative opportunities these advancements routinely made available to him, each serving to feed his growing aspirations. Most were illegal, of course, but those that he cautiously undertook served to fine-tune his natural talent for deception—and with rising ambition came a growing requirement for funds to attain his next goal. It was an undeniable maxim he knew all-too-well. With ever-loftier ambitions came the necessity for ever-greater sources of financing.

  To this end, being a habitual loner was of considerable help.

  Even to this day, Tazir seldom employed others to perform onerous tasks that he believed himself better qualified to accomplish on his own. To unnecessarily delegate authority in matters of extreme importance would involve a level of trust in other people’s capabilities he didn’t readily possess. It was a cardinal rule of thumb that served him well over the years—hence the early morning elimination of Abdel Khafaghi and his entire household. Though he took no joy in these calculated executions, he knew of no one else with equivalent expertise to properly pull off something of this critical importance.

  In this particular instance, no margin of error could be afforded.

  Far too much was at stake.

  Not that Tazir didn’t regularly use paid henchmen to service his wide-ranging business activities across Egypt. This he certainly did, though the majority of them were always judiciously selected through untraceable channels. In recent years the growing necessity had become quite unavoidable, for so extensive were his illegal operations in smuggling and the black-marketeering of antiquities that simple logistics allowed his business to be maintained in no other possible way.

  Most, but not all, of these people were small-time players of limited use. Several, however, were employed strictly for their proven ability to carry out deadly violence whenever the need arose. Having no other gifts beyond this—and definitely no conscience to impede them—it was enough that they greatly feared Tazir, obeying his orders to the letter without question. Always recruited from candidates of limited intellect, he felt reasonably confident they posed no long-term threat to him. On those very rare occasions that he suspected otherwise, the individual in question invariably disappeared, the potential problem eliminated.

  He butted out the last of his cigarette as he again pondered the question of what his next actions should be regarding David Manning.

  He knew his plan must be absolutely flawless. If all of his information was correct—which he didn’t doubt for an instant considering the reliability of his source—then whatever preparatory moves he now made had to be carefully considered, cautiously looked at from every conceivable angle. Raising the degree of difficulty even higher, he also understood how precise timing would be of critical importance, involving the very best people in his employ. If the treasure chest actually existed—and the growing evidence suggested it did—he’d have to secure it within moments of its discovery. By itself, a very tricky operation. But not unmanageable; particularly when one considered the unbelievable financial reward to be reaped. In comparison to all his previous ventures, this one would be the proverbial ‘mother lode’.

  Never someone lacking in imagination, anticipation brought a rare smile to Tazir’s lips. It seemed incredible, but it was all within his grasp. If properly marketed through his contacts across Europe and beyond, it would literally add untold millions to his coffer—and of even greater importance to him, a goodly portion of this could then immediately go toward reaching his final and ultimate ambition.

  And why not!

  Even attaining the presidency of Egypt was realistically now within his reach—and he knew exactly how to accomplish it!

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  El Quseir

  The sun was at its zenith as David and Elizabeth strolled hand-in-hand through the impressive ruins of the 16th century fortress that dominated the heights of El Quseir. Overlooking the Red Sea, it was built by the then ruler of Egypt, Sultan Selim, its huge size indicative of the strategic importance the Ottomans once placed on protecting this small city from invaders. Constructed as a military stronghold in an era of relative prosperity, the massive walls and solid masonry were duly imposing—and, in David’s opinion, it came as the perfect ending for their walking tour of the town’s many exotic attractions of tiny shops and bazaars. Here the open area was far less crowded, much more conducive to relaxed exploration and conversation. Since neither of them was very knowledgeable with this period of Egypt’s long history, they found themselves quite enjoying the various cultural and historical displays presented throughout the citadel’s spacious visitor’scenter.

>   Overall, it had been a pleasant and diverting morning.

  In more ways than one.

  By far the most agreeable part for David was in simply savoring the hours of quality time spent alone with Elizabeth. It wasn’t something they’d done anywhere near enough since the beginning of what was initially intended as a stress-free vacation. The fault for this wasn’t entirely his, but the nagging reality of it was still there, nonetheless. To help rectify this situation—at least in small way—David had decided to allow Omar to pursue on his own whatever further information could possibly be gleaned from El Quseir’s hall of records and police department on the long-dead Tahan Shadid. His friend’s success or failure at this task wouldn’t be revealed until much later in the day when they were scheduled to meet again at David’s bungalow.

  He again took her hand as they existed the visitor center.

  “About ready for some lunch?” he asked. “It’s not yet one o’clock, so we’ve still plenty of time.”

  “Sounds lovely.”

  “Anyplace come to mind? Your choice, hon.”

  She thought a second.

  “Well, if you don’t mind, I was thinking we might try the luncheon fair at that small seafood restaurant we walked by near the wharf. Lana highly recommended it, saying the food is excellent. She and Karim apparently eat there regularly.”

  “Deep Bounty?”

  “Yes. How did you know?”

  “Let’s just say we think alike, you and I.” He paused, then grinned and winked. “Actually, I was earlier struck by the enticing aroma wafting out of their kitchen.”

  Her smile was one of contentment as they headed back down.

  While making the descent, he asked, “Has Lana seen any recurrence of that young man?”

  “Nothing. No sign of him. She’s now beginning to think his following us was all in her imagination. I know Karim believes so.”

  Once they placed and received their mixed order of grilled shrimp, they secured one of the empty tables available on the restaurant’s wide veranda, there enjoying the traditional seasonings unique to Egypt.

  When she could eat no more, Elizabeth sipped at her hot tea, showing no desire to rush David in any manner, for his hunger was clearly greater than hers. The lunch crowd of tourists had already started to thin—and only when she saw his appetite begin to flag did she say, “That was delightful, darling. We should do this more often. Watching you eat with such gusto I was thinking just how much Jake would also love this place—what with your mutual passion for spicy seafood.”

  David’s grin returned as he sampled his coffee.

  “Like father, like son, right?”

  She chuckled.

  “Well, you two do share some common traits. Which now reminds me. We really should put a call through to him back in Boston fairly soon. It’s already been a week.”

  “I agree, but surely you’re not worried about him, are you? Between the people at that fancy prep school and our closest friends—all having the ability to reach us at a minute’s notice—I can’t imagine he’s gotten himself into any kind of trouble without our learning about it.”

  “Oh, I know.”

  “You just miss the bejeezus out of him, right?

  She gave a guilty nod.

  “Think I’m being too protective?”

  “Not at all,” he assured her. “That’s what good parents do. Once we figure out the time difference we can call tonight before his bedtime. How’s that?”

  Appearing satisfied, she took another long sip of her tea, a pensive expression now slowly building on her face. She then said, “Since we’re on the subject of Jake, mind telling me something? I’ve been meaning to ask, but wasn’t quite sure how to bring it up.”

  “Of course. What is it?”

  “It—it’s about Jake’s future.”

  Puzzled, David’s eyes narrowed in mild confusion.

  “You’ve lost me, hon.”

  “Let me put it another way. Just curious, but has he ever expressed to you any desire to eventually follow in your footsteps?”

  “Meaning what? Become an archaeologist? If that’s the question, then the answer is no—and at this stage of his life it would surprise me if he even considered the subject.”

  “Why?”

  “For openers, because he’s only thirteen. I admit he’s always shown an interest in what I do for a living, but beyond this I don’t image he’s given it any real thought one way or the other. And who can blame him? The little guy has only recently come to grips with the realization he’ll eventually be expected to manage the DeCaylus fortune—and I’m sure in his mind that’s so far off as to be well outside any present consideration.”

  He suppressed a laugh.

  “Hell, we both know the only reason he didn’t fight our enrolling him into that exclusive high school had nothing to do with its emphasis on college prep and business training. Instead it was the overall strength of their sports program. At this point in time, I’m reasonably confident his desire to make first-string on their soccer team is his one and only focus. And I think that’s as it should be.”

  “You won’t be even a tiny bit disappointed?”

  “Certainly not,” he said, his face becoming more reflective and somber. “My only wish is he eventually settle on a career choice and pursue it with a passion. No pressure from either of us.” He reached across the table and clasped her hand. “After all, he’s scarcely more than a boy. Let’s allow him time to enjoy his teenage years to the fullest—and God willing, we’ll both by there to support him far into the foreseeable future.”

  Knowing her husband’s early history as well as she did, Elizabeth seemed to appreciate the source behind his final words on the subject. At a mere fourteen, David had lost his parents and little brother to a tragic car accident, throwing his young life into unimaginable turmoil.

  This dark memory was now clearly on his mind.

  It took her but a moment to find a means to improve his mood. Feigning an innocent expression, she asked, “Okay, and what if Jake later decides to abandon his education opportunities to pursue a career as a professional soccer player? What then, my darling?”

  The intended humor didn’t escape him, and his sudden burst of laughter drew attention from around the veranda.

  “Now that,” he finally managed, “might be an entirely different matter!”

  * * * *

  Omar and Karim reached the bungalow within mere minutes of David and Elizabeth’s return. Their stern faces put a decided end to the morning’s period of relative tranquility. According to Omar, old Haleem back in Cairo had been trying without success to reach David on his cell phone for the past few hours. He then gave up and finally managed to obtain Omar’s private cell number though a reluctant secretary inside the Cairo Museum.

  “His persistence finally wore her down. From what he told me I believe you really need to call him back right away. Did you have your cell shut off?”

  David jerked his head toward the table.

  “Might as well have. I never took it with me this morning. Did he say what this is bout?”

  Omar nodded, but with little elaboration.

  “He did—to a degree, at least—but I think you better get it all direct from him. No point in having it repeated twice. Besides, I’m fairly certain I wasn’t given the full story. My guess is he’s reserving that for you”

  David retrieved Haleem’s phone number and picked up the phone.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  It was twenty minutes later when David finally severed his call to Haleem back in Cairo. Through their entire conversation he had the old man on speakerphone, the better to scribble notes into his pad as well as satisfy the intense curiosity of everyone else in the room.

  To say Haleem’s news regarding the previous night’s multiple murders was disturbing was an understatement. Shocking was a more accurate description. Despite their having already received a truncated version of the gruesome event, both Omar and K
arim now appeared freshly dazed after hearing all the grisly details that was earlier denied them.

  The best Elizabeth managed was to listen in stunned silence.

  David was at a loss what to make of it all. Abdel Khafaghi and his entire household slain execution style! Equally troubling was his own visceral reaction to Haleem’s rather confident theory of why it occurred. He couldn’t quite put his finger on the problem, but there was definitely something vexing about the old man’s simplistic explanation. Regardless of the conclusions being drawn on the streets, it somehow didn’t ring true that this was entirely drug related. Only hours after the incident and already the accepted theory throughout Bulaq was this was solely the result of Abdel’s recent venture into a new and lucrative market—one that others had no wish to share with the Khafaghi family.

  So what was so troubling?

  He needed time to isolate and hunt for inconsistencies.

  Elizabeth watched the worried expression building on his face. Long familiar with his thought processes, she now asked in a hesitant voice, “Surely you don’t imagine for a moment this can have anything to do with us?” She hesitated, waiting for his response that seemed slow to come. “Are we in any danger, do you think?”

  He knew better than to attempt deceiving her.

  It would be pointless to even try.

  Instead, he lifted his shoulders with a slight shake of his head, admitting he honestly didn’t know. “There are a couple things about all this that just don’t quite add up—at least not in my mind, anyway.”

  Omar apparently saw everything different, far more willing than David to accept Haleem’s evidence at face value.

  “I think you’re alarming Elizabeth needlessly,” he cautioned, glancing briefly at Karim for support. “I mean, if you accept what he says, then isn’t this the most plausible reason for what happened? I really can’t see it having anything to do with us. If we heard him right, even the investigating authorities are on-board with this rationale.”