Free The Amulet of Power by Mike Resnick Page A

thing when the time comes. I trusted you, didn’t I?”
    The two men looked at each other, then back at Lara, and nodded.
    “Good,” she said. “Let me go wake up my friend. He’ll want to help as well.”
    “No,” said Gaafar. “We know of Lara Croft’s reputation. We know nothing of your friend.” He paused. “You are in danger as long as you remain on the
Amenhotep
. Too many people know you are here. Soon we will leave the boat and be met by our confederates. You will come with us, and we will travel across the desert to Khartoum. Your friend will stay here on the boat.”
    “You’re making a big mistake,” said Lara. “My friend is Kevin Mason Junior, the son of an archaeologist who is more famous than I’ll ever be. He’s not only followed his father’s footsteps, but he can probably draw upon his father’s knowledge and wisdom.”
    “No!” repeated Gaafar harshly. “There will be many hardships and dangers ahead.
You
may be up to them; we don’t know that
he
will be.”
    “He saved my life and has shared all the dangers with me,” protested Lara adamantly. “He is my friend. How can I leave him behind?”
    “If you care for him at all, let him remain on the
Amenhotep
. Surely you agree that he will be in far less danger if he is not at your side. You can meet him once we reach Khartoum, where we can provide better security.”
    “All right,” she said. “I’ll go with you, but I must at least be allowed to leave a note telling Kevin that I left willingly, that I haven’t been abducted, and letting him know where I’ll meet him in Khartoum.”
    “That is acceptable.”
    “When do we leave?” she asked.
    Gaafar briefly studied the shore. “In another ten miles,” he said. “Hopefully it will be before sunrise.”
    “We must leave the boat before it reaches the Temple of Abu Simbel,” added Hassam. “We have information that a group of Mahdists have gathered there. They will of course assume that you are aboard the
Amenhotep
.”
    “All right,” said Lara. “I’ll go write that note to Kevin now.” She paused thoughtfully. “I’ll tell him to meet me at the Khartoum Hilton.”
    Gaafar shook his head. “No. That is the first place they will be watching.”
    “The only other hotel I know is the Aeropole,” suggested Lara. “How about that?”
    “Our leader says no,” said Gaafar. “There are too many English there. When you do not show up at the Hilton, the Mahdists will look at the Aeropole next.”
    “Okay, I give up,” said Lara. “You choose one.”
    “I will ask our leader,” said Gaafar.
    “He’s aboard the
Amenhotep
?”
    “Yes. I will get him.”
    Gaafar walked down the deck and returned a moment later. “He suggests that you meet your friend at the Bortai Hotel. We can provide security for you there.”
    “All right,” she said. Then, curiously: “Have I seen your leader?”
    “Oh, yes,” Gaafar assured her. “Omar has been on the
Amenhotep
as long as we have.”
    “Omar,” she repeated, trying to remember all the passengers’ faces. “What does he look like?”
    “I’ve been traveling incognito,” said a voice behind her, and she spun around to confront the leader of the anti-Mahdists.
    Her eyes widened in surprise.
Things are getting very interesting indeed,
she thought.
    “I’m pleased to meet you too,” replied Omar the waiter with an amused smile.

9

    It was still half an hour before sunrise when they set foot upon dry land, pulling the lifeboat ashore behind them. Two robed men were waiting for them, each holding three camels by the lead shanks attached to their halters.
    “You have found her!” enthused one of the men. “You have found Lara Croft!”
    “Yes,” answered Omar. “She does not have the Amulet, as we had hoped, but she has agreed to help us find it. Now we must reach Khartoum before the Mahdists find
us
.”
    “We are ready,” said the man.
    Omar shook his head. “You will not be coming with us—at least,