The Last Wizard: Case Files (6 page)

Chapter One

Ten Years Ago

Jinn

  
Standing atop a mound of dirt outside the city of Alexandria, I find myself on the perimeter of a newly found excavation site at the heart of Abu Mina. Rumor says it is a monastery of a wealthy Church member from the past. This, of course, attracted the attention of the Church, which in turn surrounded the site with their crusader knights. Truthfully, I don't know what significance of the grave they dug up holds, and quite frankly, I don't give a shit. I'm not here to stake a claim and have my name remembered in history for a newfound piece of our past. I only worry about filling my stomach tomorrow, and I bet this well guarded place has something that I can 
borrow
 to get the job done.

   Today was drier than usual, the sun simply shat out its heat upon the desert lands of Egypt without a care. I could feel the heat stinging my skin under my white fleece shirt, which was loosely fitted because I like to let the wind hug my body. 
My brown khakis blended nicely with the ruins of the site, dirt and sand filling a thin lining in my lungs. Even though I have been here for five years, I still can't get use to it. The sky was as bare as a baby's butt, no cloud or anything that could save us for a brief moment. If those damned pyramids were any taller, I would love them a whole lot more. Not to mention, as a result, the ground being hard and dry, if you don't have good set of boots, like my age old sandals, you will be in pain every night. Trust me.

   I shifted my location to get a better look, for them to close the entire pilgrimage site meant they had found something. The guard was a friend of mine, the fat shit would do anything if I simply paid for his dinner. Donning the traditional Ottoman blue coat, he stood by the checkpoint barring entrance. "Johnny!" He said getting a glimpse of me in the crowd that awaited their turn for their dose of holy tranquility. The place only got busier and busier each passing day as word continued to spread, I needed to get into that monastery before the Church completely moves in.

   "It's Jinn! How could you forget after I fed you those shish kebabs." I said to him, poking at his stomach. I hug onto his shoulder turning him away from the crowd. "Why is there so many people here bud?"
   "The church took over the site." He said, looking at my arm gripping him tight so he couldn't turn away. "They received a pass from the empire, due its historical significance. So, Galahan I believe his name was, is representing the church and setting up security." He pried himself away from me, trying to get back to his post.

   "I see. Thanks bud. I'll see you tonight?" I said slipping past the checkpoint before he could deny me. "Same club right!" I yelled as I waved him off before another crowd tried to enter, forcing him back on duty to deny them, probably journalists or agents from Israel.

   As I walk through a valley of ruins, shadows and death, a long winding road connected me to the top of the hill overlooking the Abu Mina ruins. A once holy site, crushed by the powers of conquest, rested at my feet. Now, a wasteland of broken walls, decaying buildings crumbling by the minute, and sand, lots of sand. Luckily, the old monastery sat in the center, shielding the old site to its left and was what I was looking for. A cold sweat broke from my temple as I head towards the very embodiment of evil, a tomb locked deep in the earth by the sands of time. You would figure something buried thirty odd feet below the ground, should remain so. But, we are in contempt, the church tries to salvage what knowledge they can from old monasteries for its vaults.

   This could only mean one thing, valuable treasure.

   The site was busier, double the archaeologists and double the guards. I need to hit this soon, and fast. Jumping a fallen wall, I escape the worn path to get a better vantage of the dug up monastery. Still buried, except for the golden cross and a portion of the roof near the entrance, a stained window shined brightly back at me. From what I could make, it was red roses. Something more curious, a woman I've never seen before, standing by it holding a staff. She looked about my age, therefore too young to be someone of significance, yet she looked like she carried a weight upon her shoulders. Her skin was brown, but she dressed more like an English woman in her simple gown with puffed out sleeves. She wandered out of view before I could see more.

   I must get closer.

   "Hey you! Get away from there!" Someone unknown to me shouted behind me. I'm not sure what it was, maybe it was the stark voice or the suddenness of his yell that jolted me to my feet carelessly. Just as I did, I could feel the ground beneath my feet crumble and break apart. What happened next, was me riding a small dirt landslide straight to the bottom of the pit like a surfer slicing through a narly wave before braving and barely escaping a narrow barrel ride. That is what I believed to had happened, but truthfully, all I saw was the world spinning and probably me screaming like a little bitch.

   Under a layer of dirt, I felt my life end with each passing breath. The air was old and filled my nostrils with dirt. I couldn't move a muscle as the dirt of the old ruin pressed itself onto me. Light seeped away from my vision as the cracks leading to the outside world filled in with sand, encasing me in darkness. Like a brisk run, my lungs began to tire as they began to tighten and seize. Holding my last breath, I heard muffled voices surround me, a thick lair of hands dug into the dirt yanked my shirt and hoisted me out of the ground. I can't tell you enough how I took air for granted, it filled my lungs enough to expand my chest so much it hurt. The sunlight blinded me, I couldn't see anything, only blurred images of a man in armor holding me and a few other surrounding me. I was a bit too busy coughing up dirt to ask for names or look at faces at this point. They all spoke to me, but I heard none of them.

   It was till I was done coughing then the one hold me spoke. His armor was silver and decorated; it was clearly an official of some sort. Isn't he fucking hot in that hunk of metal? How does he survive. "Are you okay?" He said to me.
   "Uhh, yeah no problem. My bad." I said, keeping my head low and dusting myself off, "thanks..." I said as I realized the girl from earlier stood beside the man in armor. She looked at me like how you would look at someone running full speed into a glass door, there was no sympathy.
   "Galahan, we should get back." Someone spouted off in the corner.

   The man in armor eyed me inspecting every inch of my inner thoughts, I felt violated. "Where is your badge, are you staff?" He said, shifting his weight. I saw his hand rest on the hilt of his long sword. This is where I had to choose my words carefully, it’s now a matter of life and death. Yet all I could provide was a dumbfounding: "Uhhh, in the dirt somewhere?"
   "Mhmm, guards. Escort this man off the premises until he can reproduce a valid badge of identification."

   There I was being escorted by an entourage of guards, most people would be terrified. Not me though, I was glad I still had my head. Shoving me on my way, I started my jog back to Alexandria. It's time to get what I came here for, this looks to be the score of a lifetime. No more ghetto youth Jinn, it was time for me to step up in life.

Chapter Two

   You could say I'm a lucky bastard, and I would agree with you. I'd also say yesterday put me in the perfect position. I can finally map out my every move to get in and out of that excavation site. It'll be a walk in the park, even with big wig Galahan on duty.

   The multi colored linens providing shade in the busy streets of the market were the only things keeping the weather cool and comforting. The sharp smell of grilled kebabs always watered
my mouth. The narrow street is home to countless merchants trying to make a quick buck, to either feed their kids, or to gather enough money to escape this hell hole.

   Fatima waited for me at the edge of an alley way ahead, her frizzy brown hair was always noticeable from a distance. She's what I would call a Jordanian hidden gem, her soft brown skin could challenge any princess, yet she has a hardness about her that exemplifies her strenght. She says its from her young days from working with her dad in the mill, but there is something almost military like about her reflexes.

   "Hurry up, let’s go." She said to me before continuing down the alley way. I don't know if it was the way she walked or if her ass had a mind of its own. That thing moved miraculously with each step, curtailing against her pants in ways that gave me the strength to walk for miles. It was just right, proportional to her body and asking for a squeeze.
"Could you stop staring?" She said turning the corner. She always knew, I don't know how but she did. Maybe women have a sixth sense about that sort of thing, but to me... I don't care, its like the force of gravity. One simply cannot help it.

   Jogging up a short flight of stairs she popped open a side door and let me in. Following the path down the hallway, we turn out into the main hall of the church. Even though I come here often, it warrants a second look every time. The architectural brilliance, the high cathedral ceilings decorated in ancient paintings, telling the story of the Bible, coupled with golden trimmings and hand carved boarding around the dome. Finishing it out with a symmetrical design that eases the mind, I bet a lot of thought goes into building these places to ensure its patrons are at ease. That way they can come again and donate to our holy pastures, albeit I wouldn't mind, I've called this place home a few times.

   "So?" She said with a blank stare as she took a seat on the red bench. "What did you find out?"

   "Uhhh, well they definitely found something." I said after a moment of confusion that escaped me. I took a seat beside her, "some guy named Galahan was brought in. He looks high ranked."

   Fatima spun in her seat, taking a look around us. “Gala-han? Why would they send him?" She said seemingly to herself.

   "What, you know of him?" I said turning to her, resting my hand on the bench in front of me.

   She looks up at me with defeated green eyes seemingly staring at nothing "He's only the Church's go to Captain when they want something done. He will probably be a Commander in a short few years.” Her shoulders hunched as she let out a sigh of surrender. I know what the next words from her will be, I've seen this fucking look before...   "Forget it Jinn, this is too big for us now."

   "Fuck that!" I yelled at her, I couldn’t help it but it pissed me off. Giving up before you ever try, only worthless scums do that. A couple in the front kneeling on their prayer boards got up and looked at me. The looks in their eyes were fairly criminal for someone praying in a Church.

   "Easy." Fatima said getting up and cutting out the hall through a doorway. I followed closely behind, her pace quickened with each echoless step she made.
   "You can't do this. Not this time Fatima, this is too big to let go." I try to reason with her.

   "Jinn! Just drop it." She said flatly with no intention to indulge me with reason.

   Grabbing her by the arm, I pulled her against the wall. I felt the muscles in her body tighten, the smell of her perfume soothed me like a baby being put to rest by a loving mother. It wasn't a sharp smell, but it was enough. "What's gotten into you?" I say, looking at her eyes. It didn't show any sign of fear, only of loyalty.

   "Jinn, you need to give up on this one. Trust me." She said as I released her. "Sometimes, you just need to move onto bigger and better things. Forget the past, it'll only weigh you down." She simply walked out the door into the crowded streets and disappeared.

   I stood there wondering how she does it. How does she live her life with no one but herself to carry all of her burdens. Not only was she not able to finish a conversation but she was always evading my questions and she was so closed off to the world. She always looked like she carried this huge burden on her shoulders, if only she knew I was right here to help take some of the weight off.

   Taking to the night streets to cool my mind, the crowd grew larger during the nights. It's mostly due to the weather, its a much more cool affair then during the day where they call the sun the Shaytan. Making my way to the riverfront, I stopped to take it all in. My dreams of becoming somebody have been squashed like an insect. The bay area is more of a tourist attraction than anything else, you can see people of all nationalities mingling through the crowd. Lined on the waters were small boats that would take you on a tour out and around Alexandria for a unique look. I've done it once, as part of a job for someone who got sick. It was really beautiful, the lights shimmered off the waters as the city glowed a dim orange in the night. Snaking my way through the wooden boardwalk, I continued my walk aimlessly through the night.

   "Lighten up grouch." Fatima said from behind me, I turned to see a young woman in a dress that I could hardly recognize. Her hair was done and pinned up, and her silk green dress hugged her body all the way to the floor. A slit in her dress rode all the way up to her thighs.

   "You look..." I stammered, before I could finish, she took my arm and dragged me to a stand with freshly squeezed mango drinks. I took a sip of the heavenly goodness and treasured the silky feeling sliding down my dry throat. "Thanks for this." I said to her, crushing my cup and tossing it into a nearby garbage can.

   She didn't respond, she just stared at me with her deep green eyes as she sipped her drink and whimpered a simple "Mhmm." She took my arm again as we walked the boardwalk looking at all the people hustling for the tourists’ money, it was quite funny some of the stories people were telling.

   Fatima shivered, as a cool draft came in from the bay. "Cold?" I said, putting my arm around her. She said nothing, just smiled as we continued our walk until she led me to the water mill by the bay. She grabbed my hand and led me into it.

   The old wooden door creaked open, as she slipped inside letting go of me. What the hell is she up to now? Did she find out about a score and didn't tell me? What a devil. I followed behind carefully, I stepped with caution trying to stay as quiet as possible. It was near impossible with the god fucking old wooden boards. "Fatima!" I whispered out, as I navigated poorly through the dark room. I bumped into about two objects I still don't know what they were to this day before I made it out a doorway into a room with a large window overlooking the boardwalk. Fatima stood looking out the window with a lit torch hanging from the windowsill.

   "You know, I've slept here a few times in my younger days, when I had no other place to stay. My father would lock the house door and tell me, 'go survive the night.'" I took a seat on a pile of hay behind her. I could feel that she cared about this place a lot. This is the first time she told me something about herself. "There were days I slept in a animal pen, on the streets, but one day I wandered barefoot for hours. And when I couldn't walk anymore, I just broke into this place and slept." She said pulling the pin put of her hair and placing it on the window. "It was the first time I had slept in days, and it was the best sleep I’ve had in years."

   I looked at her blank eyes staring into the night sky, "Yeah, I guess me and you both had nights like that." My youth days weren't anything to brag about. I've been an orphan for as long as I can remember. I don’t even know where I was born, or what nationality I am. "I've been on the move so much in my life, I don't even know what a home is. I would like that, a home."

   "Your home is where you make it, no?" She said, circling around the room. Lying back on the hay I whispered.

"Nah, that's what folks that never experienced homeless-ness tell you." I started kicking off my boots to get cozier, this place was not bad at all, warmed by the fire, yet cooled by the bay wind. The buzzing from the crowd below made it seem like you had a full house of family around you.

   Fatima came and sat beside me, taking her eyes away from the bay and directing her piercing stare onto me.