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Chapter 43 The Weight of a Coin
There was no cheering, no celebration. The mood was grim and heavy, the air thick with the coppery scent of Karam’s blood and the bitter taste of an incomplete victory. They had the gang leaders, trussed up and imprisoned in a fortified storage room, but the image of Karam being shot, and the subsequent escape of the young lookout, cast a long, dark shadow over their success.“Just drive,” Shihab had growled at Jawad, who was behind the wheel of their remaining jeep. In the back, Ayham and Jalal supported a pale and silent Karam, a makeshift bandage already soaked through with crimson on his shoulder.The hospital, which had become a grimly familiar sanctuary, received them with weary efficiency. The same exhausted doctor from before examined Karam under the flickering light of a battery-powered lamp.“The bullet went through,” she announced, her voice flat with professional detachment. “It missed the major artery, by a miracle. But it’s a nasty wound. There’s significant tissue damag
Chapter 42 The Cost Of Justice
The air in the abandoned textile factory they used as a staging ground was thick with the smell of oil and tension. Shihab’s plan was set, but a final piece was missing: confirmation. They needed to know the exact number of guards at the bank, the layout of the back office, and if there were any hidden surprises.“The plan is solid, but it’s built on what we’ve seen from the outside,” Jalal had argued, his head still bandaged but his mind sharp. “We need a look from the inside. We need one of them.”Their target was Sameer, the sharply dressed lieutenant. He was the most frequent courier, often traveling with only one bodyguard to deliver his “protection” offers.He was also considered the weakest link, more of a slick talker than a hardened fighter.They found their opportunity late in the afternoon. Sameer and his bodyguard were cutting through a derelict arcade to return to the market plaza. As they passed a shattered fountain, Ayham, hidden in the ceiling rafters, dropped a heavy
Chapter 41 A Tempting Reward
The journey back to the hospital was made in a heavy, contemplative silence. Ayham and Shihab moved with a new urgency, the image of the flower seller's terror and Shareef's smug cruelty burned into their minds. They found Karam and Jalal in the recovery ward, the former practicing moving with his wrapped ribs, the latter looking stronger but still pale."If you feel better then we should go back." Shihab had said, his tone brooking no argument.Once they were back within the relative safety of their own hideout, the four of them, along with Jawad, gathered in the dimly lit command room. The hand-drawn map of the city was now joined by a crude sketch of the market plaza, hastily drawn by Ayham.Shihab recounted everything they had witnessed, the false negotiations, the calculated leading of the infected, the cold-blooded murder by proxy. He described Shareef and his lieutenants, naming the snake and his most venomous fangs: Saeed, Adham, Taymoor, and Sameer.A cold fury settled over
Chapter 40 A Declaration
The city at dusk was a canvas of long, grasping shadows and eerie silence. Ayham led the way like a ghost in the ruins. He moved with an instinctual knowledge of the urban landscape, guiding Shihab through a circuitous route of broken fences, rusted drainage pipes, and abandoned routes that formed a secret city. They found their vantage point in the skeleton of a multi-story parking garage overlooking a central plaza that had once been a bustling market. Apparently it was now the heart of the gang's territory. Makeshift stalls were manned by suspicious-looking individuals. They were standing around a man who was sitting on the hood of a polished, armored truck. He had a neatly trimmed beard and wore a clean, tactical vest, looking more like a politician than a scavenger. The men around him called him Shareef."He doesn't look like a monster," Ayham whispered, peering through his binoculars."The worst ones never do," Shihab replied, his voice a low rumble. His eyes were fixed on t
Chapter 39 Rumors
The journey to the hospital was a slow, agonizing crawl through a city that had grown teeth in the dark. With their remaining jeep crippled from Shihab’s diversion and Karam clutching his broken ribs with every jolt, the direct route was impossible. They were forced into the city's skeletal underbelly, a labyrinth of narrow service roads and crumbling alleys that reeked of decay and danger.“Take the next left,” Ayham had whispered, his voice hoarse from the river water and tension. He was navigating from the back seat, where he supported a semi-conscious Jalal. “The main avenue is a river of them. I can hear it.”They had taken the left, only to find the alley blocked by a collapsed fire escape. The sound of the crash echoed, and within moments, shadowy figures began to pour into the alley behind them.“Reverse! Now!” Ayham had barked, sliding out of the seat with his pistol.He fired non-stop, the cover of bullets giving Shihab, his face pale with pain, just enough time to maneuver
Chapter 38 The Route To The Port
The school bus stood at the center of the compound, a freshly painted symbol of hope. The dents were hammered out, the windows replaced with sturdy metal grating, and the engine purred with a reliability that felt like a miracle. It was ready to carry its precious cargo: the thirty souls they had pledged to evacuate to Al Noor Island.Inside the hideout Shihab stood over a map, his finger tracing the route to the port.“The agreement is set,” he announced to the gathered team. Ayham, Karam, Jalal, and Jawad. “Captain Nasser will have his boat fueled and waiting. We pay him the remaining fuel and supplies upon delivery. The bus is the heart of this operation. No matter what happens, the bus mustn't stop, we'll do everything to make sure it reaches the port."Jawad, leaning against the wall with his new M4 cradled in his arms, nodded. “I’ll drive the bus. It’s the biggest target. I need you all as my shields.”“We run flank,” Karam said, pointing to the two rugged jeeps. “Jalal and I in
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