Escape from Ancient Egypt (Neiko Adventure Saga Book #2)

Chapter 13

Tito surveyed the crowd and finally found Francesco in a corner guzzling down wine. "Well—look what trash the desert coughed up," Tito snapped in English. "How in the world did you find your way to this party?"

Francesco looked and saw Tito. It took a few moments to figure out who he was. "Tito? I remember when you were a twelve-year-old! My how time has flown—no pun intended. How in the world did you get to this party? Coming to this party was easy. All I did was follow the trail of gossip from Memphis to Thebes about three painted men and a woman. Naturally, you made quite the ruckus. Then, I saw the crowd of people flocking to this house, so I let myself in to enjoy the new, hottest gossip. Gossip spreads in crowds like this. It's not as easy as going to the nearest grocery bazaar and picking up an issue of the Egyptian Inquirer. "

Tito scowled. "Enough, wise guy. I want some answers. What is your plan? I want to know when history will change—if that's part of your plan!" Tito said poking him in the shoulder with his finger.

Francesco chuckled. "I will tell you since you won't be telling anyone or able to stop me. Hawote will remember you no more once you pass on here in Egypt and all of the history surrounding you will change. Once Neiko dies here, Bloodhawk will never have known her, nor will her parents or friends—it will be like she never existed or was ever born. What a shame," he said with a cold, evil grin.

Tito shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I bet Raven and Bloodhawk would have something to say about that. Where did you rip that off from—Back to the Future? I thought you were loyal to them."

Francesco cackled at him cruelly. "Loyal? That was forty years in the past. I have been waiting to do them in all this time! They don't treat me with any respect. Ever since I found out that I could do time-travel with the Eye's magic, I have constructed a back-up plan. I made a crystal for that purpose, and I have done extensive studies on this time period. It's one of my favorite places, so I chose it to dispose of Neiko the Kid. Raven sent me here to get her back. Ha! I will show him! I will remain here in Egypt to ensure that she suffers many pains, and once she is dead, I will return to Hawote and go on with my plan. The entire land of Hawote will eat crow by the time I finish!"

Tito looked at him horrified like he became Hannibal Lector. "What plan? You mean there's more?"

Francesco slapped his head with his palm. "The downfall of Raven and Bloodhawk, of course. The whole history part is only half of it! Once they have their victory celebration, I will poison their food. They will die, and I will become the Pharaoh of Hawote. Any who resist will die—that's Crackedskull and Indian alike. I originally planned to wait till Neiko was wed to Bloodhawk and dead from giving birth to his child from the curse. I planned to do this instead since it was taking way too long. I may have been adopted as a Crackedskull, but I am not a Crackedskull!"

Tito's mouth fell open. "You plan to assassinate Raven and Bloodhawk? If you had succeeded back then, what would have happened to Neiko? If you are not a Crackedskull or an Indian, then what are you? I don't even think Raven could come up with something so heinous or so off kilter!"

Francesco snorted. "Yes, you stupid Indian! I would make her my palace slave to make her suffer somehow. The rest of my past...well, that's my little secret. I will be the beginning of a new Hawote—I will unite the opposing forces to one nation and begin the reign of a new emperor—the Pharaoh of Hawote!" Francesco said like he was preaching to his own imaginary congregation.

Tito looked at him as if he was the Valedictorian of a private school of lunatics. "Keep preaching to the choir, Francesco. Oh my gosh—do you actually believe you could do that alone—all by your little scrawny, weak self? Ha! The Crackedskulls are diligent followers to their rulers, and they despise you! The Pharaoh of Hawote indeed! Karo may be a big muscle head, but he'd snap you like a twig. Now I get why you look up to Ramesses the Great because you want to mimic him in the land of Hawote! Let me tell you something—it won't work. Ramesses may be an egotistical tyrant, but he is not a lunatic. Good luck with trying to outdo him in a place not even he could rule!"