The car rolled to a stop, kicking up dust as Ali and his family arrived at the campsite. The air smelled of pine and charcoal, someone had already started a fire nearby. His relatives waved from their cabins, calling out greetings. "Yalla, habibi, come help unload!" his father shouted, tossing him a backpack. Ali forced a smile. The first hour was always the same: hugs, kisses, and fake pleasantries. His aunts pinched his cheeks, his uncles clapped him on the back, and everyone pretended they hadn’t spent the last year ignoring each other’s messages. But Ali knew better. The moment the suitcases were unpacked, the real performance would begin. Sure enough, before he could escape to the woods, his eldest aunt, Umm Mahmoud, snagged his wrist and pulled him onto the log beside her. "Ya Habibi, why don't you visit me?" she cooed, her grip tightening. "Don’t you miss your fiancée? She asks about you!"Ali stiffened. "Auntie, we’re not engaged. There’s nothing between us."She wav

The phone pressed against Laith's ear felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. It felt like eternity before Ali finally answered."Ali... I I'm in trouble," Laith blurted out, his words tumbling over each other. The salty sea wind whipped at his back, carrying the scent of brine and his own rising panic. "I need you to come. Now."On the other end, Ali's casual greeting shifted instantly into concern. "Where are you?"Laith's gaze darted to the crashing waves, their rhythmic mirroring the chaos in his heart. "By the sea. Near the old pier. "His fingers clenched around the phone. "Please come."A heartbeat of silence. Then Ali replied "Okay, I'm coming."The line went dead, leaving Laith alone with the gulls' cries and the growing weight of what he'd done. When Ali arrived he found laith sitting alone on a bench, he could tell something was wrong from his voice on the phone, after approaching him he was sure of it."Talk to me," Ali demanded as he settled on the bench. And so Laith

The police station buzzed with activity as officers processed the arrested gang members. Among the detained were several high-profile figures, businessmen and underground dealers whose operations had finally been exposed. Hadi leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching as handcuffed men were led into interrogation rooms. His sharp eyes flickered with satisfaction. This is justice, he thought. Nearby, Hazim sat on a bench, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his fingers tapped restlessly against his knee. The past few weeks had been a blur Laith’s addiction, the investigation, the sleepless nights. Hadi approached him. "You look awful," he remarked bluntly. Hazim let out a dry chuckle. "Feel like it too.""Go home. Sleep.""Can’t. I need to check on Laith in the rehab center. Then I got three articles due by tomorrow, I've been delaying them for weeks I need to write them tonight."Hadi sighed, rubbing his temple. "You’re going to burn

The sun hung low over the olive groves, casting long shadows across the scorched earth. Smoke curled into the sky, a grim reminder of the fires that had plagued the village for days. Ali adjusted the strap of his pack, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon. Beside him, Karim checked his dagger, its blade glinting in the fading light. Fadi, ever the strategist, unfolded a worn map, tracing their path with a calloused finger. “This isn’t just a wildfire,” Fadi muttered. “Something’s keeping it alive.” Karim smirked. “You think it’s really a ghoul? Sounds like an old tale.” Ali exhaled sharply. “Tell that to the farmers who’ve lost everything. The firefighters couldn’t stop it, what does that leave?” The three knights had been sent after Laith’s sudden departure to rehab and Hitham’s extended leave. The remaining team had been stretched thin, but Karim and Fadi had risen to the challenge, their skills sharpening with each mission. Now, they stood at the edge of a mystery that defie

Marwan slowed his motorbike to a halt, the engine’s growl fading into the vast silence of the desert. He wiped the sweat from his brow, squinting against the relentless sun as he scanned the horizon. Nothing but endless sand stretched before him, shimmering under the heat. What was I even looking for? he wondered, his thoughts sluggish from the scorching air. With a sigh, he turned the bike around, deciding to head back home before the desert swallowed him whole. Then a sound. Faint, but unmistakable. A whisper of movement, something out of place in this barren expanse. Marwan hesitated, then turned his bike toward the noise, curiosity pulling him forward. Minutes later, an oasis emerged like a mirage, a small pool of clear water surrounded by swaying palm trees. Relief washed over him as he cut the engine and dismounted. His throat was parched, his water bottle nearly empty. Kneeling by the water’s edge, he refilled it, the cool liquid a blessing against his cracked lips. Exh