Palmist
Tsvetana Alekhina

© Tsvetana Alekhina, 2022

ISBN 978-5-0055-9542-3

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

CHAPTER 1

Amir was born and raised in Laos, in the family of a noble doctor. He inherited his gift of reading the fate of people by the soles of his feet from his father as a child. His father taught him everything. With age, this gift gained strength and Amir felt this gift in himself, but unfortunately, he did not know how to use it competently, and he did not really like it. His father is the owner of a dental clinic; he fully devoted himself to his business. His mother has been engaged in home improvement and raising her son since her marriage. Amir’s childhood was joyful and carefree. This joy ended with the advent of the gift of palmistry and when this gift gained its strength, Amir lost his childhood and sense of protection. It seemed to him that he was in danger everywhere. He read people’s destinies without mistakes, and he was already known as a hereditary fortuneteller. Instead of being proud of his gift, Amir felt a sense of fear, and he could not understand what it meant. He never opened up to his father for fear of offending him.

After graduating from high school, Amir entered a medical institute in Moscow, the capital of Russia. A change of scenery and study dispelled his fears, and he thought little about his abilities. Sometimes he resorted to them to earn some money. At the institute, no one knew about his ability to read the fate of people. He was widely known in his homeland thanks to his father, he was well known as a hereditary predictor, and crowds of people turned to him. His father used this gift for its intended purpose and was a sought-after person. People loved him, knew and respected him. In his spare time, Rashid received people from a noble family. Thanks to his gift, he helped many successful businesspersons to conduct business, as well as many families successfully arranged the lives of their children. Rashid expected the same from his only son. But over time, he saw that his expectations did not justify his hopes. Deep down, he believed that Amir would prove himself and one day take his place.

Amir’s mother, first, was a loving wife, and a good mother. She always tried to try on her son and father, but in any position, she took the position of a father. From childhood memories, he recalled how his mother stroked his hair, listened to the problem taking his position, and eventually said, let us do as our father says. Amir always agreed with his father’s will because he loved his parents very much. His childhood was golden, this child was so spoiled that he really had nothing to complain about. This golden childhood did him good, he was very proud of his family, his origin, his gift, which was passed down from generation to generation. Sometimes this gift was given after a generation. Over time, these abilities manifested themselves so well that Amir could so accurately predict the time and date of the event, this ability came to him at the time of admission to the institute.

Life was much easier for Amir in Moscow than at home. This environment had a beneficial effect on him. And despite his religion of Buddhism and the climate in which he grew up, Amir felt like a fish in water. Since the upbringing once invested in him and the atmosphere that prevailed in his family so benefited him that many could envy him. Fellow students and teachers treated him with great respect, and since he was so well mannered that even many teachers greeted him as a colleague. Rashid did not prevent his son from choosing a profession, Amir chose the department of surgery, and he liked it. Rashid did not like this idea of studying in another country, believing that it was too far from home, and his parental instinct had a premonition of bad things. Amir did not want to practice dentistry, justifying this by the fact that you do not have to be a dentist to have your own clinic. It was easy for him to study, he studied well at school, and medical school subjects were given to him without much difficulty. He still has not revealed his gift to anyone, only occasionally he wondered to his well-known fellow students to find out about relationships with people. Amir asked them not to tell anyone about what is happening here. Carefully examining the girl’s foot, he saw much further than she expected. A seemingly smart girl sat and chatted incessantly, telling about some guy who didn’t stay in her life for long.

– I do not understand you. That is exactly what you are telling me. Why don’t you make money from it? Here, in Moscow, you can cut a lot of money on this. Even at our university. I can imagine how many girls would run after you. The guy abruptly interrupted her.

– I am asking you. Do not tell anyone about this. No one should know about this.

– “But why?” Amir himself could not explain the reason. But he was terrified of his gift. Amir was guessing at these two friends only out of friendship with them, and in order not to lose his gift. He understood that someday he would have to use his gift for its intended purpose, and waited for this day.

– You are going to have another boyfriend. You will see this a couple more times. If your friend wants to, then let her come today. I am home today. The friend left offended, quietly closing the door behind her. She was more offended by not wanting to talk than by the prediction. Amir knew about it, but he did not like chatting with girls. He was more of an ascetic. In the group, he was a sociable guy and helped those who did not study well. Everyone loved him.

Remembering his last prediction in his hometown, Amir remembered how wrong he was. He made a mistake by specifying an incorrect date, and this mistake sank so deeply into his soul that sometimes he doubted the accuracy of his predictions. The girl’s mom was so scandalous that she even went to swear at his father, accusing Amir of being a charlatan. Despite their abilities, Amir and his father never took money from people, especially from poor people. Poor people thanked them themselves as best they could; noble people paid generously, and gave gifts. On that day, Amir made a mistake with the date of the wedding, although in fact it was postponed. The bride’s mother screamed so much that Amir felt remorse. Perhaps that is why it was easier for him in Moscow than in Laos in his provincial town. No one here knew him as the son of his respected father. Amir could safely go outside and he did not need to either hide, or guess on his feet, or behave appropriately on the turn, since he is from a noble family. That is what Amir liked about this city, that here he is the way he is, just a person. But as Amir did not hide his gift, it became known sooner or later.

One day he stayed too long in a cafe and his attention focused on one man at the next table. This man was nervously overstressed. He had business problems. Amir was sitting at the table next to the bar and saw how this man was nervous and frantically throwing the phone at the bar. Amir understood that he could help, but he was in no hurry to help, and continued to watch, thinking about the situation, to help or not. Fearing the consequences that would follow from this situation, he thoughtfully looked at the red rims around the eyes of this man. – It would be easier if I could read the lines of fate on my hands, but it is not given to me, I cannot see anything. This is the essence of the hereditary gift, to read only what you see. Amir thought to himself and looked no longer at the man, but at what he imagined, trying to imagine his lines, a blurred picture emerged, and that was it. Through his thoughts, he heard the curses of this handsome man and when he came to himself, he saw him leaving the cafe. Amir quickly paid for the coffee and quickly followed him out. When he went outside, he looked for him with his eyes; the stranger was standing in front of him, with his back to him.

– I will help you.

– What? The man also looked at him nervously, as for the first time in the bar when Amir tried to examine him.

– I want to help you.

– In what way?

– Listen to me. You should accept my help in your situation. Then see for yourself. Amir told him about his gift. And he offered to test it in practice.

– OK. The man also spoke nervously. But if you’re lying to me, then I’ll find you. Amir’s heart was pounding wildly; he remained calm and was confident in his abilities. They arrived at the man’s house, and Amir carefully examined his legs. The feet of this man’s feet were small, his legs were as neat as he was, this man was not tall, but very attractive. He was young, about thirty-five years old, of a thin, strong build, dark-skinned, with a clear contour of eyes and thick black hair neatly arranged back. Amir examined his legs for a long time and carefully, saying nothing.

– Your close friend works for your opponent. These words dealt a strong blow to this man and his forehead was covered with sweat. You have a big leak of information and with it the loss of large sums.

– What should I do?

– Don’t say anything to your so-called friend. Now he will be the bearer of false information, so you will destroy your competitor. The man smiled back.

– I guessed, but not that much. I already know what to do. Thank you. You did not let me down. How can I thank you?

– I do not need anything. We will see you repeatedly. They exchanged a phone number, and Amir left satisfied with his work. Over time, he began to realize that he sees more than he should. His abilities are much stronger than his father’s abilities. Amir saw not only the lines of fate, but also the exact date, and sometimes the right place. These visions began to appear to him during his arrival in Moscow. Sometimes he had visions in which the lines of a person nearby were visible, but he could not see them. This vision was blurry, he could not see anything, and the vision was disappearing. These abilities distracted him from reality, and Amir began to study worse. Trying to develop this ability, he was constantly immersed in his thoughts, but his efforts were in vain, it angered him, and this ability faded into the background.

Amir was followed by crowds of girls, as one of his friends blabbed and he had to settle it all, explaining that he wanted to learn it, but nothing worked out for him, and he decided to give it all up. Amir was a handsome guy, and many girls liked him. His tall stature, deep penetrating gaze, smooth combed back hair, plus the greatness that he inherited from his father set him apart from the crowd; he could not be confused with anyone else. His mindset and subtle flair helped him to get to the heart of the problem and master the situation. The girls considered him almost a genius, and his oriental beauty captivated the hearts of many students. But Amir did not give preference to anyone. Amir just flirted with girls, nothing more, believing that he was not ready for a serious relationship, and good upbringing did not allow him to fool girls.

Amir understood that eventually his ability would be revealed, and he would have to use it since it was a generic gift and it could not be concealed. Amir did not want to use it just like that, and even more so at uni. He needed to share it with someone, and he could not stand it and told everything to his friend, with whom he lived in an apartment.

– You have a good ability. But you shouldn’t have bragged to our girls. Now you will have many clients. You cannot hide it all for long.

– Yes, that is for sure. I am sorry myself. I do not know how long I will last. This gift prevents me from learning to some extent.

– And why do you need to study? If I had such a gift, I would have given up my studies long ago. You can earn such money here in Moscow.

– I know, but I am not ready for this. I have not gotten used to my abilities yet. I have not fully uncovered them, and I feel some kind of fear. I know for sure that I will have problems because of this palmistry.

– Yes, what a fear. It is all nonsense. You screwed it up yourself.

– No. It appeared with the gift in my childhood, I do not know yet, but danger awaits me.

– Well, if you think so, I do not know. Ask your father to help you, he can.

– “You’re right. I have never asked him. My father will definitely be able to help me. Amir said these words, but he never had a heart-to-heart conversation with his father. His mother was always the mediator between them. Amir thought about it, but always put it on the back burner. His phone rang, it was the man he helped, and he urgently needed to meet him.

The man was aggressive and overworked, as evidenced by his red rims around his eyes. He drove up to the entrance and Amir got into the car.

– Help me. Igor said with uncertainty. Amir realized that it was bad. They left. During the trip, Amir had pictures, he saw lines and even a man, but he could not understand anything. After examining his legs again, Amir realized that this man was trapped and decided to help him out himself.

– I do not know how to tell you, I need to become your assistant for a while. I will help you get your business back. But it will be difficult.

– “You were right about my friend. He stole some of my shares. I am his companion now.

– I understand. But all this can be returned. I see that you still have a share of shares and you urgently need to conclude a contract with another firm, this contract will bring profit and eventually destroy your friend’s shares. Without your head, this person is nobody. You urgently need to sever all ties with him, including friendly ones. He will not be able to manage these papers and will eventually die. You will have another company, and it will find you by itself do not sign anything without me, always call me. They can send their own man to you, and you will be ruined. With these words, they said goodbye and Amir left. Amir did not know why he decided to help this man, but he decided to help him. Amir saw that this man was noble and to some extent helpless. Besides, he became attached to him, even if not so much, but he became attached, and at the same time felt responsible for him.

Returning home late, Amir could not sleep for a long time, he was haunted by a vision in which he saw a danger threatening the life of this man. If Igor severed all ties, he could be killed, and he did not know how to protect his ward. With these thoughts, Amir fell asleep.

A week later, the phone rang and he needed to come to the designated place urgently. At the meeting, Amir realized that the contract needed to be signed right now, and Igor was waiting for him. Amir was not ready for this – he should have called me yesterday, I would have prepared.

– I could not yesterday. Everything happened unexpectedly. What now? Amir strained his thoughts and closed his eyes. He was trying to see the future. But he couldn’t do it. – You tell me, yes or no. Amir made another attempt and saw the lines and a successful future.

– Yes. Agree. With these words, they entered the room and went up to the office. Igor introduced Amir as his assistant. After negotiations, Igor signed a contract. After leaving the room, Amir asked – tell me, have you severed all ties with your best friend.

– Yes. And what?

– Nothing. I just saw that you were in danger, and you need to be careful. Amir could not say that Igor could be killed and he was choosing his words.

– How to understand? – What kind of danger?

– The danger will come from your friend. Now it is your best enemy. He will take revenge on you. And anything can happen. Stay in touch, and be careful. They said goodbye to these owls. Amir was afraid for the life of his friend now. But he was dragged out by life in Moscow, he began to visit more entertainment places with his neighbor and did not notice how a month had passed. These two friends rented accommodation not far from the institute, only three metro stops. It was a studio apartment; the neighbor from above liked to watch life near the entrance, she noticed these guys and always waited for them to return, and always said, -“where are these two from the casket?

Exactly a month later, Amir came home and a gift was waiting for him at home. There was a small box on his bed, and when he opened it, he saw an expensive watch. – Where is this from?

– This is for you!

– From where?

– Your friend Igor gave it to you. That is what his driver said. He said it was a sign of gratitude.

– Igor, damn it! I completely forgot about him.

– And he is not talking about you. See! What a gift! Your gift is worth a lot.

– That is not what I am talking about. He could be killed. I need to meet him.

– Are you a lifeguard? You warned me, and then it is none of your business.

– This can be avoided. I need to see him. Amir dialed his number, but the caller did not answer. Amir became nervous. Lyosha tried to calm him down, justifying everything by saying that he should not save someone’s life and climb under bullets. Amir turned the watch in his hand, plunged into his thoughts, and did not notice himself how he saw the lines of this man and with them he had a vision of how this man was being kidnapped. He recovered quickly. – I need to establish the date and time of the abduction urgently.

– How?

– I need to see him. With these words, Amir left the apartment. He arrived at the building where the contract was signed and went up to the same office. It was not difficult for him to get into the office, since he was once Igor’s partner. He was warmly welcomed in the office, but Igor was not there.

– We cannot find him ourselves; he has not been in touch all day.

– I need to see him urgently.

– “Is something wrong?” Do you need it so urgently?

– Yes. It is a matter of life and death.

– Well, if so, then sit down, I will take you to him, I really need him too. Igor’s apartment was not so far from the office, and when they drove up, Igor got into his car and at the same moment, a passing car cut him off. He did not attach any importance to this, but Amir quickly flew out of the car and ran up to Igor.

– What happened?

– An attempt is being made on you; I need to see your lines urgently. Igor invited everyone to his house, but since they were not alone, Amir could not do anything and wanted to leave. Igor detained him, referring to a serious conversation, and made it clear that his new companion would leave. Left alone, Amir told Igor everything. – I need to know the exact time and date, and then we will prevent all this.

– “You’ve saved my life more than once. I am your eternal debtor.

– Don’t worry. We will see you repeatedly. I was on time today. I am sure that car was not an accident.

Igor plunged into thought, and after a long pause said: – I have one little man, I know what to do. If your set date and time do not let me down, then everything will turn out as well as possible. Amir left, leaving Igor alone, but he was not at ease. He was actually very worried about his friend’s life.

The set date and time were not so far from the actual dates. The abduction was supposed to take place in the entrance of his own house, late at night, when Igor had to return home from the restaurant where he liked to sit on Fridays. He had no family, he was lonely. Igor had a girlfriend with whom he liked to spend time, but never let her into his affairs. On Fridays, he liked to sit in a restaurant alone or with friends, this evening. As usual, he spent without his girlfriend. Everything was prepared, enemies for abduction, friends for protection and justice.

On the night from Friday to Saturday, Igor got out of his car and headed towards the entrance. He did everything mechanically and confidently, as always. Approaching the entrance, he opened the door with the key from the intercom. After a short period, two men came out of the entrance, and they both headed towards the car waiting for them. The police who arrived detained them.

– Just do not let him down. Igor spoke. Igor and Amir were sitting in the car opposite and watching what was happening. – It is good when there are acquaintances everywhere, Igor said with a sly smile. A familiar homeless man, a familiar cop.

– A familiar palmist! Amir said with a laugh. They exchanged glances with a smile as a sign of friendship, and a real friendship began between them.

This familiar homeless man disguised as Igor told the police how he was attacked with a gun, and he wanted to hide in the entrance. He had the keys to the intercom for a long time, someone lost them, and he went to bask in this entrance. The homeless man was released on the same day. And Igor’s former best friend was detained for questioning. A familiar cop interrogated him for a long time, and this friend turned in his companion and told him everything, as in confession. He said that he did everything with the instructions of one person. How he was able to take away part of Igor’s shares, and about many other frauds, including the kidnapping of a man, and an attempt to kill him. The two scammers were remanded in custody pending trial. Igor had nothing to fear anymore, and he felt free.

Spring was coming; Amir and his friend Lesha were dating girls. Amir was not in love, it was just an interest, and he tried to keep his distance in the relationship, despite all the pressure from the girl. His friend changed girls too often, and did not feel any inconvenience in this; on the contrary, it turned him on even more. Amir did not expect from himself that he would lead such a wild lifestyle in the future. Almost every weekend they spent in nightclubs, and on ordinary days, they spent in local cafes. He was going to fly to his homeland in Laos for the summer holidays. Amir completely stopped practicing palmistry, and did not even remember about it. His friend Igor did not make himself known.

– Tell me a fortune!

– I hope you are joking!

– No, I am serious. I wonder what awaits me in the near future, and in general, I wonder how you are guessing there. Well, guess!

– Well, sit down. Lyosha sat down in a chair and kicked off his sneakers.

– I see a knock!

– What.

– I see a girl pregnant with you; you will soon become a dad!

– All thanks; you do not have to continue.

– I was joking. Everything is fine with you. Do not worry. Pass the session, have a fun summer.

– Thanks, friend. You know how to cheer up. The phone rang. Amir answered and looked questioningly at Lyosha. – What happened?

– Igor invites us to a picnic.

– Say we agree.

– We agree.

The picnic took place outside the city. There were three of them, and they had fun. – Tell friends what you have been doing all this time.

– We pretend to study during the day, and have fun in the evening.

– So you are pretending!

– Amir does not need to study. He already knows everything. He is a genius. Amir smiled modestly and was silent.

– Yes, Amir is well done. I do not argue.

– And what actually happened?

– Actually nothing! I just remembered long-forgotten friends and decided to remind myself. It happens.

– It happens. I do not argue.

– If something ever happens to you, remember, you can always count on me. Igor carefully looked into Amir’s eyes. Amir mutually looked into Igor’s face and did not say a word. With these words, they hugged tightly and continued their gatherings. Amir flew to Laos for the summer holidays, and Lyosha stayed in Moscow.

CHAPTER 2

In Laos, Amir was waiting for the same life as before. Nothing has changed except for himself. The parents immediately noticed the change, but did not say anything. In the evening, at dinner, the father made a speech and praised his son, saying that the year of study had done him good. The mother did not say anything, she immediately noticed a change in him, and felt the danger that was coming, just like her son. After dinner, Amir and his father locked themselves in the study.

– Tell me, are you using your inherited gift for its intended purpose.

– Yes, Father, I use it. But I need to talk to you very seriously.

– What happened?

– It is okay so far. But, my gift, it’s much stronger than I expected.

– How does it manifest itself?

– When I see the lines of people, along with their fate, I also see the exact time and date of what is going to happen. I can predict it, and I am good at it. I have already put this into practice.

– “Is that all?”

– No. In addition to all this, when I am next to a person, I see his lines of fate without examining his legs. True, these are still blurry lines, they are not clear, but I can see.

– You are doing great. I am proud of you. But you said its okay so far. I hope nothing should happen, or I am wrong. Amir stood confused and did not know how to tell his father that he was scared.

– Father. I am scared. Sometimes, I feel like something is going to happen to me. This fear does not go away, and the more time passes, the closer my feelings get.

– This is normal. You are much stronger than your grandfather or me and that is why you are scared. Do not be afraid. You are a strong boy. My boy, I am proud of you. His father hugged Amir, and they left the office.

The mother had been eavesdropping on the conversation all this time. She realized that her fears were not in vain. The son could not tell his father everything, and she took a picture of Amir’s legs while sleeping. The next day, the father arranged a reception at their house and decided to advertise his son’s abilities. Amir considered many of the feet of notable people and predicted to them the exact dates of the conclusion of profitable deals, to some he called the dates where they are waiting for failures and deals that need to be abandoned. He predicted bankruptcy for one of the guests. Many people did not like it, but there was nothing to be done, his prediction soon came true.

– Son. Soon you will take my place. Learn how to receive visitors. Amir listened to his father’s instructions with pride. The next day, a woman and her daughter came to them; she asked them to predict when her daughter would finally get married. The father carefully examined the girl, and walked from side to side. Then he called Amir over and said, “It’s time for you to find a bride. I take it you are not in love yet. Amir wanted to object, but listened to his father to the end. – This girl is very well mannered; she comes from a good family. I know her late father.

– Dad, I did not even have time to read her fate.

– And you do not need to read her fate. I read it.

– I am not ready for such an acquaintance. I am still too young. I study.

– And no one is forcing you to get married right now. You will just be wooed and that is it. And over time, you will love the bride and marry her. We will celebrate this event and arrange a holiday in our house. Amir had no choice but to agree. This event, which happened so unexpectedly in his life, was not to his liking. Besides the fact that he was not ready to get married, he did not like the bride herself. Although she was pretty, but she did not sink into his soul, and could not hook him in the way that usually happens when you meet your love at first sight. Amir could not tell his parents about this, and decided to leave everything as it is. There was time, he thought. Everything will have time to change before the wedding. Alternatively, maybe my father is right, maybe I will fall in love with her and we will have a strong family. Especially since my father watched her feet, so he knows what is best for me. Rashid decided that if he married his son in his homeland, he would be able to move him back, and this would solve the problem that loomed.

The family was preparing for the engagement. On the appointed day, the groom’s family had to go to the bride’s house to ask for her hand in marriage. Deep down, Amir hoped that this wedding would not take place. Still he went to this engagement. The bride’s family welcomed the guests as befits this celebration. Everything was prepared for the arrival of the welcome guests. While both families were celebrating the holiday, the Sultan’s girlfriend lived in another country, in the same provincial city. And at the moment she wasn’t having as much fun as about the aforementioned newly-made bride.

Sultana was born in the country of Cambodia, the city of Poipet. The religion is Islam. She was born into a poor family, and grew up in complete poverty. Unlike Amir, she had a completely different relationship with her father. They were friends. Sultana told her father everything, shared secrets, asked for advice. It was a full-fledged happy family, despite the fact that it was poor. Sultana, just like Amir, was spoiled, and despite the fact that she grew up in complete poverty, she possessed beauty and greatness. It was given to her from above, and it was very becoming to her. This girl looked like an empress, but her poor background left an imprint on her, and she knew about it. Her mother died when she was twelve years old. Her father never married again, he devoted himself to his daughter, and they lived together. Ahmed earned his living by working as a handkerchief seller. He worked for well-known people, and this money was enough for them to live. One day this man had problems, and he had to bury his store for a while, Ahmed, out of respect for his friend, was waiting for the store to open, but it all dragged on and poverty set in in the family. At that time, Sultana was sixteen years old, and she went to work as a dancer. Her father was categorically against it, she managed to persuade him, and this allowed her and her father to improve their financial situation. Sultana has been dancing since childhood, her mother taught her to dance. A year later, she became the best dancer in the city and was offered to go to Phnom Penh. She was against it. From that moment on, people began to come to their house and threaten. At first, these threats were not taken seriously. But the Sultan’s last threat did not want to leave, and even more so to leave her father alone horrified her, she was told that if she did not agree, her father would be killed, and she would never be able to dance again, much less get married. Sultana agreed, and reluctantly left her home.

Sultana danced better and better, and gathered a huge audience. Cafes and restaurants were crowded. It was ordered for private banquets. Over time, Sultana began to regret that she had once gone dancing. She wanted so much to return home, to her father, to her poverty. But nothing could be returned. She felt so alienated and rejected in this city, she had no one to tell about her condition and this made her stronger. One day Sultana overheard a conversation that concerned her. The mercenary for whom she worked opened several restaurants in Moscow, and she had to attend the opening, and in the future earn an audience for these restaurants. Having overheard this conversation, Sultana decided to run away. She had money, but she did not know where, her master was such an influential man, she was afraid of him all the time. She could not imagine living in a foreign country without knowing the language. Not knowing where to run and who to turn to for help. He had her documents, and she was thinking how to steal them. The main problem was that she did not know where her passport was. All these problems suffocated the poor girl, and Sultana drowned in her grief.

To some extent, Sultana did not live as badly as it seemed. She did not need anything, her work was well paid, she sent the main part to her father, and she kept less for herself. Sultana lived in good conditions, and a guard was assigned to her to protect her beauty. The owner himself did not encroach on it, he needed it for business. The Sultan was afraid of her future, and even more so she did not want to fly to Russia. She wanted to escape from reality, to start all over again, she already wanted to get married more than to work as a dancer, and Sultana decided to escape. Sultana noticed that one of the guards was not indifferent to her and decided to use feminine charm. She was right, the guard succumbed to her charms, and after a few dates, and the poor girl was already asking him for help.

– Of course I will help you. I do not want you to leave either. I will not let you die. To be alone in a foreign country, with this dark man. You will disappear there, or he will get rid of you eventually. Let us run away together. I am going to marry you. You and I will leave and live with me. At first, the Sultan was frightened by this proposal, but after a little reflection, she agreed. It was a chance to start life over. Having accepted his offer, she completely trusted the guard and her life was in his hands. It was decided that the passport would be seized at night while the owner was watching Sultana’s performance. I had exactly a month left before leaving for Russia. Sultana could not believe her luck. There was a man who would help her get rid of this slavery.

– After I steal your passport, we will run away early in the morning when everyone is asleep. We will hide at my friends’ place in the market and sit out until night. And at night we will be taken to my city, and we will be safe. Sultana was elated with happiness. She thought for a minute that she was in love with this guard. Who is capable of madness for her sake? But the guard was not just in love, he loved, and loved with all his heart.

Night was falling, and Sultana was preparing to perform. She was beautiful. Just gorgeous. She was bold and at the same time gentle and these oriental costumes simply emphasized the curve of her waist and complemented her oriental beauty. Early in the morning, the girl had already packed her things; it was a small bag and hid it under the bed. After the performance, she was to be brought home, and two guards were to guard the entrance to her house. When she was brought back, she looked for her friend with her eyes, but for some reason he was not in his place. There was another one instead. Her heart was pounding. What could have happened? She did not show that she was worried, but inside her soul was all in tears. In the morning, Sultana went to the door and tried to eavesdrop on the conversation, tried to hear a familiar voice, but it was in vain, she did not hear anything. Realizing that something had happened, and deciding not to find out what had happened to her savior, Sultana began to eavesdrop on every word.

Sultana was allowed to leave the walls of her house on certain days, strictly accompanied by guards, and of course, so that her master was notified of this. Sultana worked every evening, and sometimes at night. She no longer liked dancing as much as it once began in her hometown. When it all started, Sultana was a very young girl, and was under the wing of her father. She always came home, and was not afraid of anything. Now the dance meant nothing to her, it was just a reminder of her mother, sometimes she danced so expressively and this made the dance even more spectacular and attractive, at these moments she remembered how her mother taught her. Sometimes she liked to dance for the audience, because it was her only entertainment. Sultana loved dancing, but lately she believed that dancing had ruined her life, and now her life will never be the same.

Exactly a week has passed, and every evening, returning home, Sultana looked imploringly and questioningly into the eyes of each guard. But there was silence in response. Sometimes she tried to talk to each of them, but all her attempts were in vain. Each of the guards was working his shift, but none of them said a word. Deep down, she hoped that her lover would find her and they would run away, as he promised, but her heart told her something completely different. Every morning there was a change of post, and Sultana eavesdropped on their conversation, hoping that someday they would blab. One shift was too harsh, she did not like them, and she never went shopping with them. Sultana studied each of them, and waited for the others, who were constantly whispering, and thus she sometimes learned news, including those that concerned her.

– God forbid anyone such a fate. She heard.

– It is your own fault. Contacted a woman. So I got it.

– May Allah rest his soul. Hearing these words, Sultana’s legs gave way and the girl realized that her savior would not come again. She covered her mouth with her hands and continued to listen so as not to miss a word.

– May he arrive in paradise. He died for love, and is worthy of paradise.

– Yes, yes, he will arrive in paradise. The lesson to be learned from this is that our host Arthur does not forgive such tricks. We need to be extremely careful.

– “You’re right. And what will happen to her? To be honest, I feel extremely sorry for her. He’s got to get rid of her, too.

– I think so too. As soon as he does not need her, she will face the same fate as her fiance. I feel sorry for her too, but I do not want a bullet in the forehead. Sultana pressed herself against the door and tears flowed down her cheeks. After hearing everything she needed to know, and realizing that she would no longer see her own father, and that she was no longer a tenant in general. Sultana realized that she was just a temporary bait for money. She sat on the edge of her bed and hung her head on her hands.

– I will not give up. I will run away, even without a passport. I will run away anyway. She decided so and lay down on the bed. Her thoughts were confused, tears choked her, she could not afford to cry, so as not to swell her eyes, pain tore her chest, and the girl fell asleep. Waking up, Sultana quickly came to her senses, and immediately decided that she was running at the first exit to the street. – I will run away to my city and tell the police everything, they know me there, and they will protect me there, even without a passport. I will hitch a ride, she thought, and warmed up her food. The evening was as boring as all the previous ones yesterday, Sultana brightly made up her eyes to cover up the traces of emotions. – Although he already knows about everything. Sultan was taken away to perform. She prayed to God that God would spare her from unnecessary meetings with Arthur.

In the morning everything was according to the standard, Sultana had breakfast, cleaned herself up and asked to take her to the shopping center. As usual, two guards accompanied her. They were the ones she did not like. Sultana could not wait any longer and decided to try her luck and escape today. There were few people in the mall, she looked around nervously, and feeling her helplessness, she wanted to call for help. But quickly recovering, she continued the hike. Her body was trembling, but the girl did not show it, and did everything on autopilot so as not to arouse suspicion. They went into a clothing store, and she picked up a whole bunch of things.

– Why does she need so many clothes? She does not go anywhere. Is she going to get married?

– Yes! To the late groom!

– I will go to him myself soon!

– Quiet. We are in public.

– Exactly. I forgot. She probably took it with her to Moscow. It will be like a madam walking there!

– That is right. If he has time. Sultana listened attentively to every word, and pretended that she did not even hear what they were talking about. She laughed sweetly with them, pretending that she did not understand what they were laughing at.

Sultana went into the booth, closed the curtain and let out the air that had accumulated in her chest. The next booth was occupied on one side, on the other was empty. Thinking how she could escape, she bent down and tried to see the guards’ legs, and not seeing them, she was afraid to look out, so as not to attract attention. Sultana tried to see them through the curtains, but they were dense and nothing could be seen. Deciding to go to the extreme, she began to look through the crack. There were no guards in sight, and she had to look out even more, they were standing to the side and for some reason with their backs to her. She began to shake even more, or she was just confused, or it was fright, but Sultana hesitated and did not know what to do.

– “She won’t run away from us?” One of them said, and turned to face the booth.

– If he wants to die prematurely, then let him run.

– Let her die, but I do not want to die because of some girl.

– She has many rags, let her measure. Relax. And if she runs away, we’ll catch her and get praise from the boss.

– A good option. I like the way you think. The partner smiled contentedly and looked at the fitting room. They were still standing with their backs to each other, but this time Sultana did not hear their conversation. She hung a fitting room door with rags, quickly changed clothes, wrapped herself in a long shawl, put on glasses and quickly left the booth, leaving the curtains closed and silently slipped into the rows of clothes. Sultana was choking with fear and confusion, not knowing where to run. She quickly and silently made her way to the exit and walked at a brisk pace, and then ran and ran out into the street.

During the year of living here, Sultana had studied this area well and already knew from which bus stop and where the bus goes. Jumping into the first oncoming minibus, and all, trembling with fear, she sat down in the farthest corner, the door slammed shut, and the minibus drove off. Having reached the final stop, the girl got out of the gazelle with fear, and realizing that she was on the outskirts of the city, she breathed a sigh of relief. Now she had to get to her hometown and tell her father and the authorities everything. – How to do it? Go by bus or hitchhiking? Therefore, and so dangerous? Sultana understood the danger she was in, and if she were found, she would face the same fate as her fiance. She did not have a passport, so they will not put me on the bus. We will have to get there on our own. But Sultana was a woman, a Muslim woman, and hitchhiking was much scarier. Moreover, many men of the capital knew her by sight. Sultana went to the suburbs, she had money, and she rented a room from a single woman. A day later, she told her everything and asked for help. The woman believed her and with tears in her eyes promised to help.

Two guards, who discovered the loss, turned themselves in to their boss. – Look for yourself. Alive or dead. Better alive. I need her for the case. You are two of my best guards; I would not like to see you with a hole in your forehead. The guards came out of the office briskly. A whole search party was assigned to search for Sultana.

Arthur was a terrible man. His power was much greater than anyone suspected was. Not many people knew about it, and those who knew it were a few. His main official field of activity was cafes and restaurants. He himself did not like nightclubs, and therefore did not open them. Arthur liked to look after young girls and dancers, and later they found themselves in his slavery. It was his weakness. Only a few people knew about his slavery, the bulk of the workers believed that he was just a cruel restaurant owner who loves girls.

By nature, yes, Arthur was very cruel. This cruelty had developed in him over the years, even his harsh features on his face spoke about it. He had such an evil face that, looking at him, you could tell a lot about this man. Arthur was not tall, about one hundred and sixty-five centimeters. A solid build, his skin was dark, and flabby, despite the fact that he was not old. He was about fifty years old. His eyes and hair were black, the arrangement of the hair on his head was similar to a lion’s mane, and they were stiff and not pleasant to the touch. His habit of combing his hair back with his left hand has developed over the years and over time, he did it so mechanically that the hair took a certain pose. His gaze was aquiline, his eyes glittered maliciously, and nothing could escape his gaze. His rough skin on his face and sunken dimples indicated that he smoked too much, and he always smelled unpleasantly of cigarettes. Despite all his rudeness, Arthur was always clean-shaven, and always wore the same suit and never changed it for another.

Despite his hobby of looking after girls, Arthur did not like women, including Sultan. In his entire life, he has never been married, he has no children, and any woman has not yet conquered his heart. For him, women were a source of income, a living commodity, nothing more. And when he didn’t need the product, he just got rid of it without any regret. Its activities have been developed in several countries, including Russia. In addition, Arthur got rid not only of girls, this also applied to the male sex. As soon as he did not need a person, he saw him as a threat and the person disappeared without a trace. Everyone was afraid of him, and not everyone went to work for him. Those who went to work for him received good money and did not complain, they had no idea where they were. Many have already talked about his dark deeds, but no one opened his mouth more than necessary, everyone was afraid to disappear without a trace. Those who helped disappear without a trace disappeared after, so that there would be less talk. Arthur was afraid of unnecessary gossip, he considered it a threat, and thus covered his tracks.

These two guards knew their outcome, so they prayed to God for help to find this escaped dancer. Meanwhile, Sultana was having a nice breakfast in the company of a kind woman who sheltered her. Sultana always cooked the food herself. She was not accustomed to ready-made food, and did not like it. For breakfast, she always mostly cooked scrambled eggs with tomatoes; it was their favorite dish with her father. At breakfast, Sultana always remembered her father and ate slowly to prolong the pleasure. This lovely woman listened to Sultana’s stories about her childhood, about the death of her mother, and finally about how she fell into slavery. – It seems to me that your master is a dark man. This woman was not so young, perhaps she understood people.

– I think so too. He killed my fiance.

– So you had a fiance? I did not know about it, but I was. I had a truly devoted person. He died for me. God did not give us the happiness to be happy, but I found out that I was loved. Sultana told the woman about the guy who tried to save her.

– It is a sign that you can handle it. You will still be happy. You managed to escape. You are so young, so beautiful, and so smart. I feel that you will succeed. What city are you from?

– Poypet.

– Not very close. We need to think about how to transport you. My friends can take you to a nearby town and buy a bus ticket, but you are so young, I am afraid to let you go alone without documents.

– I have no other choice. At least I will see my father there, and I will be safe. The whole town knows me there. And here the whole town knows this killer. No one will believe me.

– I know. I know.

– When your friends can take me.

– Tomorrow. I will ask them, and they will take you tomorrow. Sultana’s eyes lit up with fire. She was already at home and did not think about the danger that lay in wait for her.

A great danger awaited the Sultan, but she did not suspect it. Arthur was beside himself with anger, he was tearing and throwing. He did not kill his guilty guards, in principle, so that they would look better. Everyone was looking for Sultan, everyone wanted to live, and finally everyone concluded that they should look for her in her hometown of Poipet.

– Go there and guard her house until she shows up. But when she shows up, grab her and bring her. Not really. I will personally go to her house. I will surprise her. And when the surprise is done, I will personally take her to Moscow, and I will send her father to hell. Arthur shouted these words and angrily walked around the room. His black shirt was sweating all over and gave off an unpleasant smell. His people listened to him and thought with regret about Sultana’s father. They understood that the father of a woman like her should have been a respected man, and did not deserve such a death. No one dared to contradict Arthur and everyone obeyed the decree stupidly and silently. Everything was ready for departure, Arthur and his men left for Poipet.

CHAPTER 3

Amir was having fun at the party and he really had fun. It turned out that his fiancee has an older sister, much more beautiful than his fiancee, more daring and open. The wedding was scheduled for next summer, as the bride is not yet of age. Amir could not understand the trick of his father, who arranged this engagement. He realized for sure that this was not his fiancee and was not going to marry her; he liked her sister much more, but nothing more. He imagined meeting his future wife in a completely different way and wanted to marry for love.

– Your mother and I were also introduced, and you see we are happy. Rashid was speaking. Amir saw his parents happy, but he would not want such a marriage. Now, he did not know what he wanted yet. Amir was a modern young man, but this did not prevent him from honoring and respecting the will of his parents.

On the day of departure, Amir still asked his father, “Why did you arrange all this?” – Dad, I am not marrying her.

– Who knows? I examined her feet; she will have a happy marriage.

– Yes, but not with me. Did you see me there? Have you examined my feet? Father, finally look at my lines of fate.

– I will definitely look at them, but next time. You see, I want to see you happy, and next to you, I want to see a good wife. Which will make you happy. Maybe you are right; maybe it is not your destiny.

– Then why did you arrange this engagement? She will wait a whole year and hope.

– “An engagement can always be broken off. If she is not your destiny, then her destiny will find her, do not worry.

– It is impossible to talk to you. It was the first time Amir had spoken to his father in such a tone. Rashid was understanding and did not say anything. At the airport, they said goodbye as usual, Amir hugged and kissed his father. His mother had changed since the day of his arrival, Amir could not understand this change, and thought it was something feminine. The plane arrived in Moscow, where his friend joyfully greeted him.

– You have finally arrived. I am already tired of hanging out here without you.

– And why didn’t you go to your home?

– Went for a couple of weeks. There is nothing to do there. Amir gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. Tell me how you spent the summer.

– You will not believe it, but I am a betrothed groom now!

– How is that?

– And that is it. My dad was engaged. He found me an imperfectly summer bride and arranged a matchmaking.

– “Gee!

– And how? Are you happy?

– “Are you kidding me?” Although, the bride is pretty, and will be a great wife.

– So what are you getting lost for? Marry her.

– You see, I am not mentally ready. I do not know, maybe something will change in a year, and I will marry her. Lyosha laughed.

– I have the same thing, I would also get married, but I am not ready.

– We are still just young. We need to grow up! Lyosha continued to laugh.

– Here! Clever words. We need to go to a restaurant and look at oriental beauties.

– What restaurant?

– Opening soon! An Oriental fairy tale! There will be such a beauty performing there. I forgot her name. And, in my opinion, the Sultan. I saw an advertisement, there is such a girl.

– Yes, a woman with that name should be a Sultana, not a dancer. Amir thought about it.

– What are you thinking about?

– You know, Sultana. Such a name is just fascinating.

– So we’re going?

– Yes! Let us go! When is the opening?

– In September. Do you want me to show you a minute-long video of her dancing, though you cannot see her face?

– No. I want to see her live myself. Amir pronounced these words so sternly that Lyosha even froze.

– Have you already fallen in love after hearing the name?

– No. It just will not be interesting.

– Well, as you know. I suggested it.

Arthur posted a short video on the Internet to attract customers. To promote his new restaurants, he posted a video where Sultana dances with her face covered. This is quite a fascinating dance, where she takes off her headscarf at the end. This exclusive room gathers a full hall of guests. Many visitors came only for her sake, the public loved Sultana. Arthur could not have suffered such a collapse and lost Sultana on the opening day of the restaurant. Of course, he could easily find a replacement for her. Change the performance number. But not now. Now he wanted to use her and take revenge on her for what she had done. Arthur’s people came to Poipet with him. Arthur was preparing a trap for her and this only provoked him, he often smoked, almost did not let the cigarette out of his mouth, and smiled slyly.

Sultana left early in the morning and was looking forward to the end of the journey. She did not sleep a wink the whole way. The car drove up to her father’s house late at night, she was afraid to go out, sensing danger. She rarely used mobile communication for fear that her phone was tapped. And after what happened, she stopped using the phone at all, she was afraid for her father’s life, and her fears were not in vain. The persons accompanying her entered with her. Her father was not revived by her arrival and was extremely surprised. Ahmed was quite young and full of energy. He greeted the guests joyfully, unaware of what had happened.

Arthur himself watched their house. Seeing the extra people, he gave the order to wait. – Let these people leave. We do not need extra eyes and ears.

– Chief, you are right. But they can guess something if they hid it.

– You are good, but I will get even with them later. I will settle the score with this girl first. Arthur waited patiently for the guests to leave the house, but they did not come out. – Well, we will wait in the wings and he leaned back in the car seat.

Sultana hugged her father so tightly that Ahmed immediately realized that something had happened. He looked questioningly at the guests, and after greeting them according to Muslim customs, invited them to come in and feel at home.

– What happened? Sultana looked imploringly at her father and could not say anything.

– Your daughter is in great danger. And maybe you are too. You need to contact the police urgently. The woman and her husband told Ahmed everything. – It is better to call the police right now.

– “Yes, but its night, and we haven’t been attacked. We have to wait for the morning and go to the station.

– When you are attacked, it will be too late. It is extremely dangerous for you to even stay here. My husband has heard about the dark deeds of this bandit. Many people are already talking about him. Ahmed could not believe what had happened. Sultana sat with a drooping face and was silent. She was breathing fast and had a terrible headache.

Ahmed fed the guests a modest dinner. Apologizing all the time for my modesty, I was not expecting guests, and I am not satisfied with much myself. After dinner, he offered the guests a modest bed for the night, and escorting them to the room, all the time apologized for his poverty. The guests were well mannered, and as poor as the Sultana family.

– What are you? We live the same way as you. Wealth is not about money. This Arthur, he is much poorer than we are. Ahmed was pleased to hear these words. Smiling through his beard and mustache, he said, “You’re right. With these words, he left the guests alone and went to Sultana’s room.

Sultana sat on the edge of the bed and waited for her father. Her father sat down next to her and took her hand. – Well, how so. How did it happen that I could lose you at any moment? Sultana looked into her father’s eyes with eyes full of tears; she barely restrained herself from crying.

– “Oh, Dad, I don’t know. I miss my childhood so much. I really want to get back into it. When Mom was around, when I felt safe. I am so sorry that I once went dancing.

– And I regret that I allowed all this. I should have locked you up and never let you out. But nothing Allah is great. He will enlighten our minds and send us help and the key to the right decision. Sultana smiled sweetly and, without saying anything in response, continued to look at her father.

– Dad, I am so afraid of losing you.

– Don’t be afraid. I will not leave this world before my time. How many earthly days Allah has given me, so long will I stay here. Do not worry. Sultana squeezed his hand even tighter. Her father stayed with her for another minute, kissed her on the top of her head and left the room. My father gave up his room to the Sultan, and he spent the night in the living room. He prayed hard all night, and fell asleep in the morning.

While Sultana’s father was praying, Arthur kept an eye on their house. – When the morning finally comes. He uttered these words in such a nasty voice that the driver involuntarily shuddered. – When will these compassionate guests finally leave, and in the end, I will shoot them so that they do not climb anywhere. Dawn was coming, and all the residents of the house got up to perform prayer. After that, a delicious breakfast was waiting for them. Breakfast was lively. The guests talked about their city, their family and shared recipes. It was time to say goodbye, and they were going with great reluctance.

– We are not kicking you out.

– We are just scared to leave you. It is so dangerous to live in such fear, when at any moment they can kill.

– It was so nice to meet Swami. God has sent me people who value my daughter’s life so much. Allah bless you. And after saying goodbye to them, he closed the door. After getting into the car and driving a short distance away, the woman called the police.

– Urgent! She was shouting into the phone. Armed attack.

– What are you? Are you crazy? What are you doing?

– You will find out now. Come back. The husband obeyed his wife and returned. Exactly five minutes have passed. Arthur was already getting out of the car, and his men, armed, were approaching the house.

– Wait. She stopped him. Wait for the police to arrive. Perhaps Sultana’s father will need help. Allah, protect their home. People have already entered the house, knocking the door off their feet. The police were approaching. The siren could be heard.

Sultana stood up, covering her father with herself. The father threw back the Sultan and the shot hit him in the shoulder. Hearing the arrival of the police, one of the people grabbed Sultana and ran out with her into the street, Arthur was waiting for him. They quickly left, leaving an order for two to kill the remaining two and escape. People quickly obeyed the order; they opened fire, killing their partners. Having quickly completed their task, they did not have time to escape, the police entered the house. One of the two jumped out of the window and quickly ran away, the second opened fire on the police, and pushing them ran out into the street. The police shot at him on the street and he was wounded.

The police and the guests who did not leave entered the house. Sultana’s father was alive, but seriously wounded. He was breathing heavily, but he was in his right mind. They could not tell him that she had been abducted.

– She is already at the station. Everything will be fine soon.

– You did not leave!

– No. The woman said with a smile. We are swami to the end. Ahmed smiled back and closed his eyes. An ambulance took him away. Karima and her husband drove to the police station to tell the police everything. – This girl came running to me to spend the night. She managed to escape from the clutches of this bandit. Now, fate has changed her again. This bandit is so strong. I have heard many terrible things about him. Karima told all this with such an expression. Her husband talked to the investigator alone, their conversation lasted a long time. He knew a lot more about Arthur than his wife. He did not let his wife into such secrets. She only knew what she had heard on the street.

– Thank you for your testimony, they will help us a lot in the investigation. The woman smiled happily, after waiting for her husband, took him by the hand, and left the station with him. Karima was such an adult, intelligent and, of course, a beautiful woman that the shawl in which she was wrapped like a blanket could not hide her beauty. Her husband knew about it. And I always tried to wrap it as carefully as possible. Therefore, after leaving the station, he made a stop and corrected all the details of the handkerchief on it. Karima loved it so much when he did it, it did not bother her at all, but on the contrary pleased her. They got into the car and drove to the hospital to visit Ahmed.

The last thing Sultana saw was her father falling from a gunshot wound. Next, she was seized and taken away. Sultana was sitting in the back seat in a semi-fainting state. She did not want to live. She thought her father was dead. Sultana did not have time to see anything, she only heard the howling of the approaching police, and she did not know what happened next. All these events happened in just two or three minutes. She did not have time to understand anything. It seemed to her that barbarians had raided their house, destroyed the entire inventory, killed her father, and she was kidnapped and sent into slavery. To some extent, it was. Only her father remained alive, the entire destroyed inventory remained in place. His own men, one managed to escape, killed two of Arthur’s men, the wounded man was on his last legs, which caused a lot of trouble to Arthur. He was afraid that he would shake up something superfluous and then he would be finished. He could not find a place for himself, and sent one of his men to finish him off.

Despite the fact that Sultana was not well educated enough, she had the dexterity of mind that she inherited from her mother. But her main quality was the ability to eavesdrop, she could hear even what the walls could not hear. This girl was always silent, but her ears were the ears of the walls. Sultana realized that she had taken another life. It was this guard who shot at her father, and he missed and hit her in the shoulder. Sultana did not know this; she just thought that this guard was on her side. It was so; he missed on purpose, not wanting to kill an innocent, respected person. Sultana realized that she was bringing death, and this feeling made her disgusted with herself, it seemed to her that everyone around her was leaving her. The car brought her to Arthur’s private plane, and she was prematurely delivered to Moscow.

Moscow was preparing for the Day of knowledge. There was a week left until 1 September. Students stocked up on textbooks and notebooks, flower sellers received orders for bouquets. Lyosha and Amir were sitting in a pizzeria and enjoying the last days of the outgoing summer. – It is somewhat boring.

– Yes, there are not enough girls.

– I am not talking about them. I miss my gift. I need to apply it somewhere. I fade out without him. Do you understand?

– To be honest, no. If I get bored, it means that I have not been with a woman for a long time and have not received female energy.

– Yes, you are an obvious womanizer. Lyosha looked at his friend with a smile. His smile was so funny. His front upper teeth bulged forward so much, Lyosha did not notice it or just got used to it, and it attracted attention, including women. Lyosha had no problems with girls, and he did not value them. Amir still shunned them. Their sweet conversation was interrupted by a phone call. Igor called and asked Amir to come. Amir gladly agreed and took Lyosha with him to make it more fun.

– What happened? A man was sitting in Igor’s apartment, he looked kindly at the guests who arrived and gave the floor to Igor.

– It is okay. It is just that this young man has very strong problems in his personal life. Women just run away from him. And the last time, a woman who is very dear to him left him. I wanted to ask you to help him. Maybe you know the reason. Amir listened attentively to Igor, and silently examined the two feet of his friend’s feet.

– Who do you work for?

– A pathologist.

– By whom? Amir could not stand it and laughed. You know, if I were your girlfriend, I would run away too. Just do not be offended. The guy looked at Amir sadly.

– And what exactly is the matter?

– That is the whole reason that you do not understand. Women should not be told what is happening at your work. And even more so on yours. Your position is not enviable. And your details just scare them. They run from you like the devil from incense.

– That is right. This guy was so simple and straightforward, he just couldn’t be any different. After a long conversation, Amir agreed to come to his work. He was interested in getting into the morgue himself.

– See you later. And don’t forget what I told you. This meeting, as well as the meeting with Igor, was not accidental in Amir’s life. In the future, she will play a big role in the events taking place.

Meanwhile, the man who carried out Arthur’s orders found out that Sultana’s father was alive. Ahmed was seriously injured, Karima took care of him, and her husband looked after the house. They did not know that the guard who shot Ahmed was seriously wounded in the same hospital.

This man has done his job masterfully. He made his way to the hospital and injected through a syringe into a vial with a dropper solution some kind of remedy, after which a cardiac arrest occurred. Walking along the corridor, he saw Ahmed lying in the slightly open door of the ward, he hesitated, and not knowing what to do, he quickly left the building. Having reported to his boss about the work done quickly and efficiently, the killer did not tell that Sultana’s father was alive, and the same woman who delivered her to him was taking care of him.

When he came to, Ahmed immediately asked about his daughter. They could not hide the truth from him for so long, and the truth had to be told. Ahmed’s eyes grew sad. Ahmed fell into silence, spoke occasionally, mostly answered questions briefly. An investigator came to his ward and accepted a statement about the abduction of his daughter.

The sultan was placed in some kind of basement room, which was illuminated by a dim light; there were no windows in this room. The door was tightly closed, and it seemed to her that no one could hear her from outside. It was like a laundry room, or a vegetable warehouse. This warehouse was empty. Her accommodation, which was rented for her in Phnom Penh, was much better. It was a whole house, and she felt like a mistress. – Nothing, I will get out of here. She spoke, but no one heard her. After sitting there for exactly a day, she was transferred to a room that was not very cozy, when she was led down the corridor, she realized that she was in a restaurant, and this room was for relaxation. The sultan was fed dinner, and she spent a day in this room. No matter how she tried to find out something, no one talked to her, even the employees of this restaurant; they walked by as if she was not there. The girl gained patience and began to wait in the wings. The main staff of this restaurant was brought from Morocco, as Arthur had Arab roots; they were cooks and a bartender. The bartender, knew several languages, including Russian, and was one of Arthur’s loyal people. The waiters were brought from different countries, including Cambodia, but this did not help the Sultan, it was simply forbidden to talk to her. Arthur knew Russian, but he used this language when it was extremely necessary.

CHAPTER 4

Sultana was waiting in the wings; Arthur was waiting in the wings. A great plan had matured in his head, and luck helped him in everything. Arthur kept Sultana just for one performance in a restaurant. Further, he no longer needed her, and he planned to get rid of her in such a way that no one could establish her identity and find traces. He found her a suitable replacement, no less worthy than her. It was an Indian woman from Indonesia who was in no way inferior to the Sultan. She is also good-looking, also danced only Indian dances in Indian costumes, and is poor in origin. He plans to replace one dancer with another, and the audience will not feel the difference, and will not have time to get used to the dancer in one evening. But this evening will gather a full hall of people. Arthur rejoiced, and did not think about the problems.

Arthur made frequent flights from one country to another, as he had his dirty business in several Indo-European countries. In one of which he found this Indian woman Guilty. A guard who informed him that Sultana’s father was alive and being cared for by a woman who helped her escape overshadowed his happiness.

– The blockhead. You let him live. Why did I send you? I want you to ruin my whole holiday. Arthur pulled out a gun and took it off the safety and shot the guy in the head. The gun was with a silencer, no one heard the shot, and Arthur called his partner to get rid of the corpse as soon as possible. – People know how to spoil the mood, he said, and stepping over the corpse went outside and went to a restaurant to watch the performance of Guilt. Arthur watched this girl dance perfectly, the audience would not feel the difference, he thought, without taking into account the opinion of the Guilt itself. The girl did not know yet that she was already considered a slave in Arthur’s opinion, and she was going to perform in restaurants in Moscow. Arthur also thought about what actions Sultana’s father had managed to commit against him. This news crept into Arthur’s head and gave him no peace. This girl is nothing but trouble, he thought, looking at the new dancer. Guilt, unaware that evil itself was looking at her, came up to him and seductively let out a wave with her stomach. Arthur gave her a sly wink, and the girl smiled back.

Unlike Sultana, Vina had the advantage that this girl was not a dancer; she worked at a dance school and taught dancing to girls, girls. A friend of her family invited her to work in the restaurant, he asked her to help him. His restaurant had fallen into disrepair and he was on the verge of bankruptcy. Arthur did not suspect that it would not be so easy for him to take this girl to Russia. She was poor, but she was not as lonely as Sultana was. She had a full-fledged family, including brothers. Vina was beautiful, very beautiful, but she did not have such greatness as Sultana, and she was not so proud. Rather, on the contrary, softer. Maybe thanks to her gentleness, Arthur will be able to take this beauty away voluntarily, and in addition to everything, she herself contributes to her removal.

Sultana lived out her days in the staff room. She could not talk to anyone, eat as she was used to, she did not have the opportunity to bathe and clean up. Her life has turned into an even bigger nightmare than it was before coming to Russia.

The first of September came, and all the students started classes. Amir and Lyosha were surprisingly happy about this day. – The day of knowledge has finally arrived.

– Yes, with his funny smile, Lyosha picked up. The girls at the institute were waiting for Amir; they really needed to know everything about the guys they met in the summer.

– What nonsense. You might think that they have written on their feet in detail about every guy they meet.

– “Isn’t that right?”

– Of course not. You can read fate, not a fleeting acquaintance.

– And why are you guessing on your feet?

– I did not study it. I inherited this gift through the male line. He came to me by himself. And my father helped me figure it out.

– Cool. You are lucky. You can find out everything about every person. No, not about everyone. I cannot read my destiny. And my father has not read it until now, and I do not know where danger may await me.

– So no one knows where danger awaits him. That is the whole joke.

– You know, you are right; it is actually easier to live this way. Not knowing what is waiting for you around the corner.

– You see! And don’t forget that I ordered us a table in an oriental restaurant.

– So early. Plenty more time.

– So there are no more free tables. Everything is packed!

– Holy shit. Is it really going to be such an evening there.

– yes. There will even be real oriental musicians.

– You are doing great. And I completely forgot about this oriental dinner.

Arthur was trying to find out what Sultana’s father had managed to do against him. What he managed to tell the police, and how the search is progressing. This information did not give him peace of mind, Arthur wanted to personally fly to this area and find out everything, but out of fear of attracting attention to himself, he said goodbye to this thought. “I’ve seen enough of this town,” he thought. And I decided to send a well-tested person. Arthur had people who served him like dogs. But there were few of them. And he got rid of the rest as soon as he didn’t need them. He himself was preparing for the opening of a restaurant in Moscow, and was going to fly there in the coming days. He was more interested in how to take the Blame with him. Something told him that there would be more problems with her than with Sultana. It was easier to get rid of Sultana, Vina was too necessary and famous a person. Her search could create too many problems, but Arthur was obsessed with revenge, and revenge clouded his eyes. At his own risk, he negotiated with the owner of the restaurant where the Wine was performed. But these negotiations were in vain. – Her family will not do it. The man answered, and spread his hands. Arthur decided to talk to the Guilt itself, deciding not just to bribe her, but also to recoup. Promising that as long as she works for him, her family will not need anything. The fault itself was not against this trip, it remained to persuade the family, and the girl took on this complexity. Of course, Arthur could not understand the purpose of Vina’s visit to Russia, but her goal was simple. Vina fell in love with this villain and was ready to go anywhere just to be with him. This happened when Arthur began to come to their restaurant and stay there, the wine was already dancing there at that moment. He often came to this restaurant to look after a girl for work; it could be a waiter or a dancer. No one suspected where the girls were disappearing. Everyone thought they were just quitting. And his next victim was Guilt. She took over negotiations with her parents and a few days later the plane with Vina and Arthur flew to Russia. Vina had no idea who she was falling in love with.

Arthur was ready to do anything to find a replacement for Sultana. And when he finds a replacement for the Fault, he will have to either return it or get rid of it. But he wasn’t thinking about it now, his head was busy opening the “Oriental Fairy Tale”. There was exactly a week left before the opening, and Arthur, to his misfortune, decided to show Vina Moscow. He did it not out of love for her, but in order to appease her and win her over. Vina took it all completely differently and her eyes shone with brilliance. Arthur did not notice this, he was thinking about his plans, and placed the Wine in one of his apartments, not very far from the restaurant. He did not want to arouse any suspicion towards himself and created the promised conditions for Guilt. Vina had a connection to the house when she wanted to, and everything went well. She was guarded as carefully as Sultana, only she did not know about it, and she did not really go anywhere without Arthur’s escort. Food was delivered to her apartment, and she did not need anything.

Meanwhile, Sultana, who was mourning her father, was obsessed with revenge, she so wanted to take revenge, or even destroy her tyrant, who had done to her and her father what she is going through now. But Sultana understood that she had almost no chance of salvation. She had not spoken to anyone since arriving in Moscow, she did not know the language, no one contacted her, there were three days left before her performance, and all these days she had to stay locked up. One of these days, Amir went to the morgue after studying, he accepted this invitation with pleasure, not expecting it from himself. When he entered the morgue building, he immediately smelled death and felt sick. The morgue is a creepy place. Moreover, this applies to people with supernatural abilities. It seemed to Amir that he could hear the voices of the dead, or even see souls walking along the corridor. But moments later, the visions disappeared. – Don’t be afraid. Said the guy. – We should be afraid of the living.

– “You’re right. Amir looked around in horror, not daring to go forward.

– “You’re going to have to go through this anyway. They will take you to the morgue anyway. All students go through this.

– I know. Somehow, I am not ready.

– It is better to step over yourself right away. This guy was acting so naturally. He was just born to work in the morgue. Amir got the impression that he came to the museum for a tour. This guy was acting so lively. He was always saying something. – Look at me. He said, and passed his hand over himself. – I have been working part-time here at night for six months, and nothing, I am used to it.

– Are you working part-time? So it’s a side job for you.

– Yes. Everything suits me. And the money is good. I am my own boss. Shut down and work. And you can’t please the living.

Amir bit his lower lip. – Now I fully understand why girls run away from you. Amir was scared to be with this guy in the morgue. And he, not daring to go any further, took a few steps back.

– Where are you going? Do not be afraid to come in. It is easier to work here at night. There are no bosses.

– No thanks. I will come on this tour with my guide and a group.

– Are you scared? I do not bite. You said something to me about my girls. So why are they all running? Amir has already taken a determined step towards the front door.

– Lets not do it today. I am not ready today. And taking a decisive step, he opened the door.

– I hope we will see each other again.

– Absolutely. With these words, Amir left the morgue building and walked with a quick decisive step to the metro station.

– Well, how was the meeting with a friend! Lyosha uttered these words with interruptions, between each word he laughed with restraint.

– What is so funny? Amir asked in all seriousness. At the same time, he himself restrained laughter.

– Nothing. That is why I am asking.

– Morgue, this is actually a serious excursion. She needs to be taken seriously, and that is why you are coming with me next time.

– How is that?

– That is it. I am afraid of my new friend. I wonder why girls run away from him!

– “He probably takes them to the morgue on their first date!” Friends laughed at the poor guy for a long time. – Why should we go there at all?

– “I don’t know. For some reason, it skidded. Let us go together while they invite.

– Okay, come on. Let us go to the restaurant first, and then to the morgue. The restaurant is more interesting. There are live girls there!

– You are all about your own.

On the opening day, the restaurant was lively and many people crowded around the entrance. As already mentioned, all the tables were ordered and even more, there were those who just wanted to come during the performance, and since there were no empty seats, the audience watched the performance standing up to watch the dance. Lyosha and Amir arrived earlier to enjoy oriental cuisine and an oriental-style interior. I must admit that this host was generous, and did not skimp on the interior and treats for guests. Everything was decorated with exquisite taste and chic. The menu of this restaurant was also designed with taste, and fully corresponded to the interior of the cafe.

– And here the truth is like in a fairy tale.

– Yes, but be careful with Oriental women.

– Thanks for reminding me. Lyosha was looking around animatedly. It was his first time in an institution decorated with such a subtle oriental taste.

The musicians were already ready to play their instruments. They were sitting in their seats. The uniform of all employees of the restaurant was also in the Oriental style. It was something medieval, reminiscent of the period when men wore dresses. The waiters and cooks were men. There were two waiter girls, they served certain tables, and they were forbidden to talk to customers. Alternatively, they just did not know the language. The ceiling was painted with a fine oriental painting, and Lyosha just went into himself admiring this beauty. But the most important highlight of this restaurant was that the tables were in Oriental style, and the guests were sitting on pillows. It was a surprise for the guests, the guests found out about it when they entered the restaurant. This highlight was surprisingly exciting, and the guests were simply delighted. The seats were occupied, the musicians played their instruments, and after making a pause, the owner of the restaurant came on stage. After greeting the guests, he congratulated the guests and himself on the opening and left. The musicians continued to play and there was a performance on stage, several numbers were presented before Sultana came out.

When Sultana came out, complete silence reigned in the hall. She created an atmosphere of rigor and at the same time, she quickly captivated with her rhythm. Everyone looked expectantly at the girl whose face was not visible. Sultana felt like a fish in water. And thanks to the fact that her face was not visible, no one knew what she was feeling right now. In fact, it was her last dance and the last hours of her life. Sultana had several performances and all took place with interruptions. At the very end of the dance, she took off her headscarf and showed her face. Lyosha and Amir’s table was not far from the stage and Amir was able to see the girl’s face in close-up. A shiver ran through his body and it seemed to him that they were familiar. – Strange, where did I see her?

– Do you know each other?

– No. But I have a strange feeling. Lyosha grinned and said nothing.

The next two dances Sultana danced with an open face, it was a dance with a sword and a dance with a candlestick on her head. The audience applauded standing and those who did not have enough seats did not want to leave. Amir was also in no hurry to leave, and they sat until closing time.

Nobody wanted to leave. All the guests did not even get up from their pillows and most of them booked their tables for the next performance.

– When is the next performance?

– If I am not mistaken, three days a week, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

– That is, tomorrow?

– Yes. Tomorrow. What happened to you? You got a crush on the Sultana.

– Sort of.

– I will order a table.

– Thank you. I will pay for the treat.

– So I do not mind. With these words, they left the restaurant and went home.

By his origin, Arthur had Arab roots, which is why he had such a subtle and rich oriental taste. He had been accustomed to money since childhood, and this habit of getting rid of people originated in him since childhood. Arthur had a younger brother, the children grew up with their father, since their parents divorced, and the children belonged to their father’s family. The boys did not know their mother and grew up in cruelty. Their father died when they were old enough, they never managed to find their mother. Their father bequeathed them his business, in half, together with his brother. But since Arthur was quite cunning and cruel, he got rid of his brother and appropriated everything for himself. Thus, he became such a wealthy villain. All the people who worked for his father and did not want to be his supporters, they just disappeared without a trace. His brutality grew with his power. His dirty deeds grew with his years, and now he has achieved such results as business in different countries. Arthur was very pleased with his heights, and the success of tonight only made him even more excited.

Now, his main problem was how to silently get rid of Sultana. He did not want to get rid of her just like that, and a thought was maturing in his head. As previously stated, Sultana was a Muslim, and she had not yet had contact with a man. Arthur wanted to sell it to a very rich man for one night. This thought was spinning in his head, and he wanted to put it into action. Then of course get rid of her body.

Lyosha and Amir came to their apartment. – Tell me, are you into her?

– To be honest, no.

– And then what?

– When she came to the edge of the stage, I smelled death. I saw death walking beside her. But I could tell by her eyes that she knows this and doesn’t want to die. I could not mistake this smell for anything else.

– You are at it again. The whole world cannot be saved, much less a dancer. You just will not be able to contact her. She is well guarded.

– And here it is possible. I will order it. I will come up with something and order it.

– Nothing to yourself. Well, you give. See for yourself. If you are so set up, then it is up to you.

Amir was not the only one who wanted to order Sultan. After her performance yesterday, the restaurant received calls and even customers came to order a dancer. But the dancer disappeared without a trace, and this disappearance caused a sea of indignation.

On Saturday evening, the restaurant hall was as full of guests as on the opening day. The evening also began festively, it was Sultana’s time, but to everyone’s surprise, a completely different girl came on stage. Indignation was heard in the hall. But this murmur quickly subsided, out of respect for such a charming young dancer, and Vina began her performance with an Indian folk dance. As Arthur expected, the audience did not feel the difference, and fascinated the audience. The majority of the audience was sure that Sultana would definitely return, and these young girls would delight them in turn. The only guest who knew the reason for her disappearance was Amir.

– She will not appear on this stage again.

– Are you sure?

– Absolutely.

– And what should I do now?

– It remains only to pray.

– And how did you smell the smell of death?

– You know, when I first went into the morgue, I immediately smelled this smell. Now I will definitely not confuse it with anything. I felt the same yesterday as I did that night.

– To be honest, I feel sorry for her. You know, I am sure there is something wrong here. The guy who performed yesterday is kind of muddy. He has such a criminal face. Amir silently listened to Lyosha and thought about his own. “You’re right. It is actually muddy. Is there something wrong here, just what? With these words, they paid for the order and left the restaurant.

– What are you going to do?

– The first thing I will do is call Igor, really on Monday. I will not bother him on Sunday. Then we will see. Do not forget that we have an excursion to the morgue tonight. You know, it seems to me that you and I will be interested there. Amir switched from one topic to another so quickly that Lyosha felt uneasy.

After her brilliant performance, a terrible imprisonment awaited the Sultan. She was placed in some kind of basement and the door was closed. It was a restaurant basement where canned food was stored. She recognized this basement because she had been in it once. The night passed, in the morning it was heard how the work shift came, but everyone passed by her room. So a day passed, the girl was wearing an oriental costume in which she danced the last dance, and for exactly a day neither food nor water entered her stomach. She sat leaning against the door with the corner of her ear, hoping to hear and understand something, but it was all in vain. So the morning passed, and finally at lunchtime she heard movements in the hallway and realized that the front door had opened. Hearing Arthur’s voice, Sultana froze. Russian Russian was one of the languages Arthur knew, but he did not like Russian and did not speak it well. Fortunately, Sultan Arthur spoke in Lao, since his interlocutor knew this language. Arthur was talking to one of the guards who took part in the attack on Sultana’s father’s house. Sultana tried to hear every word as best as possible. They opened the door to ventilate the room and after smoking, a cigarette exchanged a few words in Lao.

– First I will finish her, and then I will personally fly to Poipet to finish her father. I am tired of this family. That is enough. They took too much time and effort. Do not let me down, or that fool let me down, leaving her father alive. She is here in this basement, you grab her in the evening, put her in the car, and then I will tell you what to do. With these words, the door closed and the voices died down. Sultana remained in the same position, but her heart beat joyfully. She found out that her father was alive. It makes sense to live, there is where and for what to return. And she decided to fight for her life.

There was not much time left until the evening, in her favor was the fact that the person who was supposed to grab her knew the Lao language, so he was his own. “Where is my passport now?” And what time is it now?

Everything was quiet in Poipet. Ahmed felt well enough, and could even get out of bed already. He had not received any news from Sultana and did not know whether she was alive or not. It was killing him, and the only thing that kept him alive was the hope that his daughter was alive and could be saved. The police were searching, including Arthur, he was already a suspect in several crimes, but no one could accuse him of anything, he always managed to get away with it. This time his position was shaken, there were too many clues pointing to him, and various rumors were circulating about him not only in this city, but also throughout Cambodia.

Arthur understood his situation, and to some extent in the depths of his soul, he was losing his peace. But he didn’t want to realize it and pretended that nothing was happening. His dirty deeds gradually surfaced. The police found the corpses of men and women who were once wanted, their relatives were looking for them, and over the years, their traces were lost. And gradually the moment came when it was time to answer.

CHAPTER 5

Amir and Lyosha were waiting for their evening to go to the morgue. To their surprise, they were not afraid, but on the contrary, they were having fun, and they laughed uncontrollably. On the way to the morgue, they stopped at McDonald’s to have a snack, and laughed at their new friend – maybe he should buy a burger, and the fact that he is sitting there hungry!

– No, if anything, he will eat homemade food next to the corpse on a stretcher!

– Oh, yeah, I forgot, he is at home there!

– Exactly.

Approaching the morgue, they looked around with apprehension. – Are you sure we are going?

– Exactly. And opening the door slightly, they entered the room.

– Hi. I thought you were not coming. Their meeting is a little man in a white coat, with a pleasant voice and with too smart and boring appearance.

– Why?

– I extracted this information from our last meeting with you. Lyosha could not stand it and laughed. – I do not see anything funny.

– You are right, it is not funny. We came in all seriousness. Come on; take us to your workplace.

Roman led them through a gloomy corridor and led them into a room where there were several corpses, two of which were covered with a sheet, two were lying undressed. – These have just arrived. These two are rootless; they are on a mass grave.

– What a horror. How bitter it is.

– Yes, a sad fate.

– And this one did not die a natural death.

– I have already had a look. Stop mourning everyone.

– Lyosha is right. The whole world cannot be saved. You know how many of these I have already washed.

– He fell in love with a dancer yesterday and is eager to save her. He says she should not die her own death.

– With such zeal you gather troubles on your head.

– “I know about that, too. That is what I have been afraid of since childhood. Troubles on your head. And Sultana, yes, she charmed me. But I can’t see her like my ears. She is already gone.

– Who knows? Never say never. I need to wash these two corpses, and then the autopsy. I am still studying. I work at night, on corpses that have no relatives. Then, over time, I will become a better pathologist. He uttered these words with such pride that Amir and Lyosha looked at him with admiration. – Sometimes it’s quiet, almost no one. And sometimes there are such nights that there is not enough day. I study during the day, the same place as you.

– And how do you know Igor?

– Our parents are friends.

At the same time, in the restaurant, the door of the basement in which Sultana was located opened, and the guard shouldered her and carried her to the car. Of course, no one saw it. Everyone was busy serving tables, the Wine was dancing its folk dance, the chefs were preparing an order and trying to watch the performance, the waiters were running around the hall and could not cope with the work, the music was playing loudly, and no one heard or saw anything. Sultana was thrown into the back seat of the car, the door slammed shut, and she realized that this was the end. Arthur was sitting in the front seat. The same security guard they had talked to at lunch got behind the wheel. Sultana recognized him; he was there too on the day she was abducted from her father’s house. She quickly ran over, looked into his eyes, and took her gaze away.

– “Don’t fall for her tricks. Otherwise, you will suffer the same fate as her late fiance. The driver drove the car in silence and occasionally threw quick glances at the back seat. He was afraid of Arthur’s anger. Arthur nervously negotiated in Russian so that Sultana and the driver would not understand anything. Arthur did not know that the driver had learned Russian while working for him and was silent about it. Arthur tried to behave with restraint so as not to spoil the deal. The driver understood what was going on, wanted to release the steering wheel of the car, but restrained himself in time and pretended that he did not understand anything. He worked only as a personal driver for Arthur and spoke to him only in Lao. This man realized that now everything depends only on him.

– Now we will come to a cozy place. Take this girl and give her to a very useful little man. Then you take me and come back, this little man will return it to you, and you will get rid of it. When you get rid of her, you will need to get rid of the corpse so that this corpse will never be caught anywhere under any circumstances. There are too many corpses. Bury her in an unmarked grave, or I do not know where. He made these speeches so easily that the driver could not help but keep silent, but he kept silent. He began to drive noticeably slower, and Arthur noticed it. Do you feel sorry for her? Do you want to lie down next to her on an unmarked grave?

Sultana heard everything. Her eyes widened. She became even colder from the horror she heard. The clothes she was wearing did not warm her. It was no longer hot outside, and she froze over. Her teeth were chattering, probably from fear, and her body was covered with goosebumps. She took a handkerchief that was lying next to her; maybe someone left it, and wrapped herself in it. Arthur nervously negotiated in Russian so that Sultana and the driver would not understand anything. The driver turned his head to the back seat, and made it clear with a gesture that this was a sign. Sultana quickly understood everything and took hold of the door handle. The driver pressed the pedal and accelerated the jeep. Arthur got scared and started swearing loudly. The car reached a high speed and crashed into an oncoming car rushing at the same speed. The car braked sharply, and making a turn put Arthur sitting next to him under attack. It turned out to be a cool accident. Both cars were smashed. Arthur’s driver received severe blows, but he was able to get out and stood on his feet.

The ambulance and the police arrived quickly. There were four victims, Arthur and Sultana were unconscious. The driver of the oncoming Jeep was dead. His two passengers sitting in the back seat were injured and were in serious condition. The police examined the accident and tried to identify the culprit. The ambulance examined the injured and carried Arthur and Sultana away on a stretcher. There was a car nearby to take the body to the morgue. While the police recorded the death, the driver stared intently at Sultana’s body, which was lying on a stretcher next to the ambulance.

– Well, let us go?

– Yes, bring the gurney in.

The deceased body was also standing next to the waiting car, and the police turned their backs on him, discussing something. There was no time to delay. And Arthur’s Driver decided to do it, knowing that he himself would soon become the same body. He swapped the bodies, not knowing how he did it, but he could. His body was trembling from the fear he had experienced, from what he had done, but he knew what he was going for— – I hope, he said faintly, that she knows what to do next. He covered her face and helped her roll the gurney into the car.

– Thank you, he heard. He nodded his head in response and quickly walked to the ambulance to fix the headscarf on the head of the deceased as soon as possible, which he removed from the Sultan and carefully covered the man’s face with it. He wrapped this corpse in a sheet so carefully that everyone thought it was her fiance.

– This must be your fiancee?

– Yes. This is true. He said in broken Russian. She is a Muslim; she is not allowed to show her beauty. The doctors smiled and gestured for him to go with his fiancee. Arthur was unconscious, and this poor guy was afraid of the day when he would come to his senses. He did not take decisive steps towards the ambulance, and he had to go with them. After getting into the car with them, he put his hand to his heart and groped there for his driver’s license and passport, believing that God himself was smiling at him in heaven. This man decided to run. Run wherever you want. Moreover, he had earned money. And he ran away as soon as the ambulance arrived at the hospital.

The car arrived at the morgue in parallel with the ambulance. While the ambulance was processing the patients, a stretcher with a corpse was brought into the morgue. The ambulance found the substitution of corpses and raised the boil. – Which morgue was the living girl taken to?

– What is the difference? If she is alive, then she will be delivered by herself. You do not have enough work. Let us make out the corpse now. Where to deliver it? Call your relatives? Relatives were waiting in the morgue for the corpse of the deceased. A phone call alerted them to the substitution.

– How is this even possible? Does that happen? To confuse a living person with a dead one, and even a man with a woman. Where to complain. Roman heard the indignant woman’s voice receding. And entering the room, he threw off the covers from the corpse.

– This corpse is rootless. But I’m sorry to send her to a mass grave. The time was about three o’clock in the morning. But this boiling dispelled the dream in the whole morgue. Amir and Lyosha approached the girl and froze. She was lying in front of them. Sultana was actually lying like a corpse, but there was still a glimmer of life in her.

– She is alive!

– How? And she’s really alive. Sultana opened her eyes. She lay motionless as a corpse and moved her eyes from side to side. From the recent events that she had to go through, she decided that she had been brought to be killed, and there were already corpses lying next to her, working for Arthur.

– “They’re already dead. I am next. She thought, and after looking at Lyosha and Roma, she realized that they would not understand her language. Amir approached her and looked into her eyes, he saw fear. The first thought that came to her mind was that he was Arthur’s man and wanted to kill her. And at the same time, she had hope that she would be able to persuade this guy to let her go. She could not figure out where she was. Turning her head from side to side, she was attacked by such horror, these corpses disgusted her, and she felt sick. And the feeling of hunger caused such weakness that I just didn’t have the strength. Her body was so weak that she closed her eyes again and passed out.

– You are alive, you are all right. Amir tried to bring her back to consciousness. Roman heard footsteps in the corridor.

– They are coming here. Oh my god. It is behind her.

– A girl. Where is she?

– Here it is. Roman replied with indifference.

– How did she get here?

“She was wrapped up like a corpse. She is a corpse. Especially not Russian. Nobody needs it. Do not worry, it is in my line. Look at her. They just got rid of her. Sultana was actually lying like a corpse. But she was as beautiful as a sleeping beauty. This girl was young, so fresh, the length of her black and smooth hair reached to her buttocks. Her eyelashes were lush like a porcelain doll. Eyebrows are clear and even. And her dark skin complemented her beauty. This flower girl looked like Princess Jasmine from the cartoon about Aladdin. Roman tried to cover the sleeping corpse with himself, and wriggled out as best he could.

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