Mummies & Daddies (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 15

Nicole huffed. "Best I can do. I'm usually the other side of the law. What do you think?"

"Oh, you should do it," Wynonna replied, winking at Waverly. "So want to see you dressed as a local. I get to take the photo."

"This isn't a joke," Nicole snapped. "No photos. And, no fucking this up Wynonna."

Wynonna raised both hands. "My bad Sheikh Haught. Oops, Sheriff Haught."

Nicole returned to her room, stopping for a moment to gather her thoughts. She no longer knew if she was doing the right thing, or if the right thing was the right thing to do. All she knew was there were too many bad guys, too many wanting to get their hands on Waverly's piece for them to stick around and let whatever was about to play out actually play out.

It wasn't just her intuition. Years of being a cop taught her to be wary of whatever didn't look right, or smell right, and this had an ugly stink. A certain look a person might give in the bar, a person suddenly crossing the street as she approached, alerting her to those who didn't want to engage with an officer of the law. And, here she was trying to work out the best way out before they no longer had a way out.

Grabbing her case, placing it on the bed she began going through the contents, pulling out essentials, stuffing everything into her rucksack. She could replace whatever was left behind, hoping Waverly and Wynonna would do the same, take only what was necessary. Five minutes later she was done, sneaking out to the laundry room, thankful the basket was there. Spying several large tubs on the floor, she threw them in, pulling a clean set of bedding off the shelf.

Wynonna and Waverly were outside the room when she returned, ushering them in. "The cab will be here shortly," Waverly said, Nicole taking their bags.

"Okay, Wynonna you go to the gate, wait outside the complex. Waves, you and I go to the wall."

Wynonna left the room, Waverly standing by the bed, her face pale. "I'm really scared."

"It's fine. We get away from here. Get home. We'll work everything out when we get back."

"I've messed this up for everyone."

"Waves, hey, this is not your fault. Now we need to get going. You ready?"

Waverly nodded, about to follow Nicole out the door. "Wait. I started making notes of everything I could remember. It's in the drawer in the other room."

"Okay, but be quick. We need to hurry."

Waverly disappeared, returning a few minutes later, a notebook in one hand, what looked like a string with beads in the other. Her face spoke volumes. "It...in the room, the drawer with my notebook. I didn't. Nicole, I never took this."

Nicole eyed the item in Waverly's hand. "I knew it. Now do you believe me? You're being set up. It comes with us."

Waverly nodded, her body shaking once more, following behind to the linen room, watching as Nicole cut a hole in one of the sheets with nail scissors, placing it over her body, taking a pillowcase and fashioning a head covering, using a strip of black tee shirt to tie it in place. "Best I can do. Hop in."

Waverly was impressed, although Wynonna's tease about Nicole enjoying this a little too much came to mind, lifting one leg over the side of the basket, then the other, Nicole's hands on her waist to assist. Hidden underneath a sheet, her legs resting on top of the tubs and bags, she felt the movement of the basket out of the room, through the door, into the courtyard, heading towards the wall.

Nicole kept her head down, knowing her quickly constructed costume wouldn't win first prize at a fancy dress party, hoping it was enough not to draw suspicion. The hour was early, a little after four, no one around to see what they were doing, although that gave them little or no protection. Maybe Wynonna had been right, she thought, as she wheeled the basket towards the back wall of the complex. Maybe she had watched too many action movies, maybe they could have simply all walked out of the complex, got in a cab, headed to Luxor airport. Maybe, maybe, maybe.