They maintained a brisk pace as they walked to Omar's store. Jackson held onto Carter's arm for most of the journey, his breathing still shallow. His nose throbbed, both eyes lost focus, and he stomach growled. Carter looked into the shadows and up at the rooftops, but no one followed.
The trapezohedron rubbed against Jackson's leg as he walked. He never felt guilty about stealing it, but he had to wonder why Omar wanted it so badly.
He couldn't deny its beauty. Unlike most jewelry he had seen, the hundreds of angles looked natural. Purple dominated its numerous sides, but glimmers of green bounced off the edges. Heavy for its size, its worth was unthinkable.
They approached the shop. Jackson, hand in his pocket, held tight to the gem. Carter jimmied open the back door.
"A little trick I learned in the Army." Carter walked through.
"Wait!" Jackson grabbed his friend's arm. "It might be another trap."
Carter froze. Nothing happened. He shrugged. "Nobody's here."
Jackson followed, pulling the door closed behind him. Through the curtain sat Omar's general store, dark and still. Omar's tobacco and papers sat on the desk, next to a bowl of figs. Jackson rolled and lit two cigarettes, handing one to Carter.
"Do you think he'll show up?" Carter asked. Smoke twirled around his head.
"Probably. He thinks we're both dead anyway." He blew two long streams of smoke through his nostrils.
"What, you think he sent those men after us?"
"Nobody else knew about the trapezohedron. Omar gets his priceless gemstone and the cache remains untouched. You know what that means."
Carter looked at him, mouth still open.
Jackson sighed. "We get our money."
"Oh."
A silent hour passed. They ate figs and smoked more. The sounds of the city grew louder, and Omar walked in through the front door. Forty-five minutes late and the man couldn't care less. Jackson peeked through the curtain, shaking his head.
Omar carried his cat, her white fur a perfect match to his suit. A cigarette in its holder stuck out from his mouth. His fez in the exact middle of his head and his tie perfectly dimpled, Omar smiled and stroked Shakti. Jackson expected the man to look worried, considering he had ordered two men to their deaths.
Omar made his way behind the counter and let Shakti jump to the floor. Jackson took a deep breath. After a three-count, he burst from behind the curtain. Without thinking, he punched Omar square in his jaw.
Omar stumbled back a step, his cigarette holder falling to the floor. Jackson's hand throbbed, like he punched a brick wall. He flexed his fingers.
Carter stepped up next to him. His massive fist smashed into Omar's jaw with a dull smack. The man in the white suit fell to the floor, both hands clutching at his face.
Jackson threw the trapezohedron to the floor, next to Omar. "How dare you, you lout? If you wanted this so bad, the least you could do was take it when you had the chance!"
"I-I don't know wh-what you're talking about!" Omar said. "I didn't try to kill you!"
Jackson narrowed his eyes. "I never said anything about killing. You just admitted it."
"No, I swear!"
"White Lotus assassins, supposedly the best in all of southwestern Asia." Jackson scoffed. "Not so. I killed them. All of them." He glanced over at Carter, mouth still agape, staring at Omar. "Looks like you have to hold up your end of the bargain after all."
Omar looked up at them like a scolded dog. Jackson and Carter both grabbed an arm and hefted him to his feet. With tears running down his cheeks, Omar reached into his white suit jacket. He produced a rolled up paper and handed it to Jackson. He slumped back against the wall.
"So sorry. I swear, I am scum, just look at me! How can I make this up to you?"
"Tell me one thing. Why do you want this so bad? Do you not want us to go to the cache?"
Omar stared ahead. Carter kicked him in the knee. Omar howled, pushing himself away. "The money. This is the only trapezohedron in the world. I have a buyer in Italy, willing to pay top dollar for it this very weekend."
"So why didn't you just wait for our transaction like we agreed?" Jackson asked. He balled his fists again.
"I am so sorry!" Omar sobbed. "There are more riches in the cache than this is worth. I would never be welcome back to Egypt if I were to claim and sell any of them. Please, I beg your forgiveness for this mistake."
He leaned against the counter, tears shiny in his eyes. Shakti passed by. He ran his fingers through her fur. Jackson and Carter both shook their heads.
"You've made a lot of mistakes." Jackson waved the roll at Omar. "This better not be another one." He unrolled the paper.
The hand-drawn map started with Cairo at the top, and a small drawing of a house indicating the city of Matai at the bottom. In between the cities was a detailed desert, including a path to follow. The trail ended at a symbol indicating a cave.
Inside would be the cache, and Omar's well. They could easily follow the path, sticking close to the Nile. Something still gnawed at Jackson.
He tapped Omar with his foot. "Is this really it? Are these directions accurate, or are you pulling one over on me again?"
"They're real, I swear it," Omar said. "Please, my boat leaves in two days. Come find me if I am lying."
Despite his thick accent from crying and fussing, Jackson recognized the strain of truth in Omar's voice.
"You never let my father down. If I find out you lied to me, I'm going to find you…and kill you." He glared down at Omar's bald head.
Omar nodded, his eyes on the floor, holding the prize that Jackson realized was probably worth more than he could ever imagine.