The streets of Cairo buzzed with life as Wolfe and Bunny navigated the bustling crowds, the city's ancient allure blending seamlessly with its vibrant present. Vendors called out from colourful stalls, offering everything from ornate carpets and jewellery to exotic spices. The scent of sandalwood mingled with the smoke of street food vendors, created a heady atmosphere that seemed to transport them back through the centuries.
Bunny soaked it all in, her eyes alight as they passed sandstone buildings covered in delicate geometric patterns. "I can't believe we're actually here," she murmured, her gaze scanning the minarets and narrow alleys that stretched into the city's heart. "It's like stepping into another world."
Wolfe gave a faint smile, his gaze distant as they walked through the labyrinthine streets. "There's no place quite like it," he replied, though his tone held a hint of tension.
Bunny picked up on it immediately, glancing at him as they moved through the crowds. "Something on your mind?" she asked, keeping her tone light.
"Just taking in the sights," he replied, though his attention kept shifting, his eyes scanning the bustling market as if searching for something—or someone. "It's an… interesting place."
Bunny noticed the subtle change in his posture, the way his focus seemed to sharpen, and she felt a familiar twinge of curiosity flare up. His behaviour on recent trips had been increasingly secretive, and she could feel her patience fraying. This time, she wasn't going to let it slide.
They continued through the city until they reached the entrance of a centuries-old mosque, its intricate patterns carved into the stone, and its domes and minarets rising against the bright blue sky. Wolfe led her into the shaded courtyard, where the sound of running water from a nearby fountain mingled with the quiet murmur of tourists.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Bunny said, trailing her fingers along the cool stone as she took in the structure's architectural splendour.
Wolfe nodded, though his gaze was elsewhere, scanning the arches with an intensity that didn't match the relaxed atmosphere. Bunny's curiosity grew as she watched him slip his hand into his jacket, pulling out a small notebook that he pretended to study casually.
"What's that?" she asked, nodding toward the notebook.
Wolfe glanced at her, his expression carefully neutral. "Just some notes for the trip," he said smoothly. "History and all that."
Bunny narrowed her eyes, sensing his evasion. "You're taking notes? Since when?"
Wolfe gave her a faint smile but pocketed the notebook without a word. "Care to see what's inside?" he asked, nodding toward a nearby doorway that led to the ancient crypts beneath the mosque.
She hesitated, watching him closely, but her curiosity won out. "Lead the way."
They moved down the narrow staircase, the air growing cooler as they descended into the crypts. The walls were lined with sandstone carvings, faded but still visible under the faint light from the torches that lined the path. The crypts were nearly empty, the faint whispers of their footsteps the only sounds in the dimly lit space.
As they reached a small chamber, Wolfe paused, his gaze lingering on a carved alcove at the room's far end. Bunny moved past him, examining the walls, her fingers tracing the grooves in the stone. She felt a strange thrill at being so close to such an ancient space as if the echoes of the past were whispering secrets through the walls.
"This place is incredible," she murmured, her voice soft with awe. "Can you imagine how old these carvings must be?"
Wolfe's eyes shifted to her, but he said nothing, his focus drifting back to the alcove. With a quick glance to ensure they were alone, he moved toward it, pressing his hand against a stone that seemed slightly out of place among the others. Bunny watched as the stone shifted under his touch, revealing a small compartment hidden behind it.
Her heart skipped a beat, a surge of suspicion rising as she realised that this wasn't just a casual visit to an ancient site.
"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Wolfe didn't answer. Instead, he reached into the compartment, pulling out a small, ornate relic—an ancient pendant with a strange, shimmering gem at its centre. He tucked it into his coat, turning back to her with a calmness that belied the tension in the air.
Bunny's eyes narrowed, her voice sharp as she spoke. "Are you going to tell me what that was? Or am I supposed to pretend I didn't see it?"
Wolfe hesitated, his gaze meeting hers with a flicker of something she couldn't place. "Bunny, now isn't the time—"
"No," she interrupted, stepping closer. "Now is exactly the time. I've watched you slip away on every trip, disappear without explanation, and come back like nothing happened. I need answers, Wolfe."
He let out a sigh, his expression softening as he reached for her hand. "It's complicated. And it's dangerous, which is why I've tried to keep you out of it."
But Bunny wasn't having it. She pulled her hand back, her eyes flashing with frustration. "No more secrets. Either you tell me what's really going on, or I'm done playing the fool."
Wolfe's jaw tightened, and he glanced around the chamber, as if weighing his options. After a moment, he let out a resigned breath. "There are… certain people," he began carefully, "who pay well for information and artifacts that are difficult to find. I… work with them, on occasion. But it's not as straightforward as it seems."
"Not straightforward?" she echoed, crossing her arms as she watched him. "You've been lying to me, keeping me in the dark while we travel the world and you—what, play spy?"
"Something like that," he admitted, his gaze steady but filled with regret. "I thought I could keep you separate from it, protect you. But the truth is, Bunny… the people I deal with, the ones I call 'those Old Bastards,' don't take kindly to interference."
Her frustration gave way to a sense of foreboding, and she felt her heart sink. "So you're saying this is a job for some… secret society?"
Wolfe's silence was answer enough, and Bunny's suspicions solidified. "You've put me in danger, haven't you? All this time, you've been dragging me along on some mission, risking our lives for… for what, exactly?"
Before he could answer, they heard footsteps echoing down the corridor. Wolfe's posture tensed, and he pulled her behind a nearby column, his gaze sharp as he looked down the darkened hallway.
A figure emerged from the shadows—a man dressed in dark clothing, his face partially obscured by the hood of his jacket. Bunny felt Wolfe's grip tighten on her arm, a silent warning as the man approached.
"Wolfe," the man said, his voice low and cold. "You're a hard man to track down."
"Perhaps you should consider that a warning," Wolfe replied evenly, his tone steely as he kept himself positioned between the man and Bunny.
The man's gaze flicked to Bunny, and she felt a chill run down her spine. "Your friend seems… interested. I hope you're not getting sentimental, Wolfe. That's bad for business."
Bunny's pulse quickened as she processed the words, a sense of dread settling over her. Wolfe's life wasn't just complicated—it was dangerous. And she was tangled up in it, an unwilling participant in something far more significant than she'd realised.
"Leave her out of this," Wolfe said, his voice cold.
The man smirked. "That's not really your decision, is it?"
With a swift movement, Wolfe pulled Bunny close, shielding her as he spoke in a low, urgent tone. "We're leaving. Now."
They moved quickly, retracing their steps through the crypts and up the narrow staircase. Wolfe's grip was firm, his face set in grim determination, but Bunny could see the storm of emotions in his eyes—fear, frustration, and something close to regret.
When they finally reached the bustling streets above, Bunny pulled her arm free, turning to face him. "You have to tell me everything," she said, her voice trembling but resolute. "No more lies. No more half-truths."
Wolfe looked at her, a weight settling over his shoulders. "All right," he said softly. "You deserve to know."
As they walked through the crowded streets of Cairo, Wolfe began to speak, his voice low and steady as he recounted the truth of his secret life, his ties to the shadowy organisation, and the dangers they now faced. Bunny listened, her mind reeling with every word, realising that the man she thought she knew was more complex, and dangerous, than she could have imagined.
But even as fear gripped her, she felt a strange, undeniable thrill. Her world had just opened up in ways she'd never expected, and despite the risks, she knew she was in too deep to turn back now.