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

Chapter 37

The next day, the Indians were in the garden most of the day except for Neiko. No one had to hire Sherlock Holmes to know where she was. Evening came, and they were still outside, but Neiko was forbidden to be near them. Suddenly, their poker game was cut short because several taskmasters made their way to them with chains in hand. "Holy cow! I know they aren't here to play poker!" Mactalon said in alarm.

"We gotta fight for our freedom!" Panthero said, motioning for them to get close together and putting his dukes up.

Several of the taskmasters tried to catch them, but the defending Indians punched them and proved to he fierce hand-to-hand fighters. The number of taskmasters greatly exceeded the four, so they were beaten down and shackled within minutes.

"Take them to the cages, and let's put them to work," said the leader.

The taskmasters began to drag them to the wagons.

Neiko heard the commotion and ran out to try to stop them. "No! You can't do this!" she yelled as she ran up to throw herself in the melee to interfere with the operation. Several of the palace guards stopped her, dragged her back, and threw her into the waiting arms of her husband. "No!" she yelled, and slumped down to the ground in total shock. Neiko was powerless to save her friends.

Ramesses held her to him tightly, and she buried her face into his chest and cried since she knew there was no hope now and her friends were history.

"We'll be back, Pharaoh! You can't get rid of us that easily!" Sito called from afar, but Ramesses acted as if he did not hear him.

* * *

The four Indians rode in the wagons to Goshen. When they reached the labor yards, the cages were opened, and they were shoved to the mud pits. Many of the slaves looked at the new arrivals.

"Get to work, savages," snapped a taskmaster as he cracked the whip at them.

They got into the pits and began to stomp in the straw.

"You are strangers here. Three of you are scarred by the whip, but one is not. Why?" asked one of the slaves.

"I served Seti, while my brother and my friends were in the service of Kenes; we have recently been reunited. There is one more of us, but she is in worse bondage than we are," Sito replied.

"How is that? So where is this other one?" asked another.

"Her chains are heavier than ours, and her burden is greater. She is forced to be the Great Wife of Pharaoh against her will, but we will get out of here, rescue her, and take her with us."

"You will challenge Pharaoh and take away his wife? You will die here in this mud hole with the rest of us," said an Assyrian.

"Faster!" snapped a taskmaster as he stung Sito with the whip.

"Wo!" Sito bellowed and rubbed his shoulder. "Man, I've been here ten minutes, and I hate it already."

"Got any bright ideas on how to fly this coop?" asked Mactalon.

"We have to steal some clothes, but I have no idea how we will get into the palace. He'll have the place well guarded to be sure," Sito said.

* * *

Several weeks passed, and the four were being worked more than anyone else. Sito knew Ramesses was going to have them worked to death and into an early grave and yet have no knowledge of it. They were also made to drag the huge bricks in addition to working in the mudpits. They had more scars than any other slave. One day, Sito collapsed from exhaustion while pulling a load of bricks with the others, and a taskmaster began to beat him. "Get up, you worthless piece of wasted flesh," he snarled and hit him again.