A New Day Part 2.

Continuing the story:

Clara was the first to her feet, leaping on Colonel Wang, she hurled him back against the fountain.  Darcy was slightly slower and his opponent started to lead the professor away as other Tong members hurried in support.

The pair, snatched him away and hurried deeper into the back streets, others, their attention drawn by the scuffle could only watch.

The deeper they went into the alleyways, the nearer to trouble they went.

Clara was grabbed from behind, but quickly beat off her attacker.

Spotting the converging tong members they dodged into the next alleyway.  Pulling the professor along, they emerged near the rear of the souk just as the two Englishmen approached.

Their attention momentarily distracted, the professor was grabbed from them and hurried away.

Rushing after them, they quickly caught up .....

Assisted by the two Englishmen they battled to free the professor, Tong reinforcements being temporarily blocked by a passing camel train.

Outnumbered the two Tong members, beat off their assailants and bustled the professor away, exhausted, he could only struggle weakly.

Still struggling he was led away, as a lone Tong member blocked the alley.

More Chinese flooded the alleyway.

The odds against Clara and her companions was growing fast, but still they struggled to catch up.

One man blocked their way in the narrow street.  Then with a blow from Peter Lewis' umbrella he was down.

The alleyway was clear, no sign of the professor.   Leaving the Lewis twins to guard their backs Clara and Darcy raced to catch up with the professor and his captors. 

The Colonel had a good lead now, and calling others to protect his rear he hurried the professor away...

The Lewis twins did their bit to help...

And a passing French Gendarme and his Spanish companion joined in.  But the colonels daughter Tsu-Tsi and his number one son, helped hold them off.

More Tong flooded the scene.

Diana and Sophia were still too far away to help. Darcy and Clara miles behind.

By the time, they arrived at the edge of the city, all that could be seen was the tail end of a small convoy of trucks, and behind them a figure wearing a leather jacket and fedora, riding a white horse to the rescue, like some modern day film hero.  For a moment, Diana was reminded of her father Milton.

Impossible. Milton Keynes Jones was somewhere in South America seeking a small golden idol.

Meanwhile the Sphinx gazed enigmatically on the scene as others tried to discover the secret.

Perhaps She knows what happened next;

A new Day Dawns.

As the professor turned towards the city, the market was beginning to come to life.

All seemed normal.

Clara and Darcy were walking the city streets, hoping for news of her father....

But others too were searching....

Diana Jones and her sister were trying to find the professors friend Abdullah, whilst members of the 19 Crows Tong had been alerted to his escape. Their instructions had been clear, recapture the professor without alerting the authorities, things were at a crucial stage. Interference could be disastrous.

The Tong members tried to remain inconspicuous, but the alert observer would spot them.**

Converging on the area of the old city souk....

From the South...

 East and West....

Professor Loft entered through the Northern gate, unaware of those behind him.

The gods looked down as the situation developed.

As the Tong members moved towards the centre of the old town, the professor, distracted perhaps, or maybe just cautious, wandering into the back alleys.

They seek him here, they seek him there, often obstructed by the moving population, frequently back tracking to recheck something.

But soon all approaches to the souk were covered by observers as other groups searched the ginnels...

From the remains of the temple walls near the Sphinx, two men, obviously English Gentlemen by their appearance and manner, approached the old city gates.

Meanwhile by the fountain of the Lions, Clara thought she had spotted her father amongst the crowds.

Moving closer, she could see she was correct, calling out, she rushed over, Darcy following.

As the three stood greeting one another, they failed to notice the approach of Colonel Wang.

He and his colleague, roughly pushed Clara and Darcy to the ground and proceeded to seize the Professor.

To be continued.....

---oXo---

Notes on mechanisms for those interested in such things.

Initiative was decided by the use of playing cards.

• Spades meant all agents of the Tong could move, or a new group appear at random locations.            
• Clubs: one unit of the tong could move plus other figures up to the face value of the card. This led to the professor wandering backwards and forwards in an apparently aimless manner.
• Hearts; All "Goodie" units could move, or again appear. 
• Diamonds: The professors faction could move one unit, plus  others to the value of the card.  This was used to divert and block the searchers, civilians got in the way, or searchers turned around. 
• Jokers: An event, such as the arrival of the Lewis Brothers. plus reshuffle pack.             

Whilst the grass green bases did help to identify tong members, it was due to the master plan of overpainting bases to suit the game, failing.       

Somewhere else in Cairo

Continuing the story......

    It was still early and Professor Loft decided to take a closer look at The great Sphinx before making his way to meet Abdullah.He walked the almost deserted streets until he reached the old city gates,    then on into the desert proper.

 Time passed as he stood and studied the site with a fresh eye, pacing out distances and looking at the layout of the site. 

   There seemed to be a slight depression midway between the Sphinx and a ruined building.

He wandered closer to the set of ruins as the sun rose higher, and sounds of the wakening city came to his ears.

Time to find Abdullah. He turned and made his way back into the city wondering what this new day would bring.

To be continued......

Somewhere in Cairo....

Kit Campion, Ruffles and Captain Pollock  had arrive in Cairo and were going to meet an old friend who could give them some information; as they passed through a market Kit glanced into an adjacent square....

as the man in the turban raised his sword the chap in the hat shot him and then ran out through the far corner ... 

there was always something happening on somewhere in Cairo....