Suez Canal

As the Crested Triceratops anchored, the family, along with the crew, dispersed. Everyone had specific tasks they needed to do. Some were also tasked with staying behind and taking care of the dinosaurs.

Raul entrusted the refueling process to his team. He took advantage and left the ship to entertain himself in the bustling city.

A caravan nearby caught his eye. Upon closer look, he recognized the merchant who was handling the business.

With two albino camels adorned with jewelry, anyone could tell it was him. His caravan was well-known for selling various exotic goods. Whether they worked or not was a matter of will.

Raul slithered his way through the bustling market and approached the merchant. On closer examination, the caravan was a tad bit ominous.

"Well, whatever~" thought Raul as he scanned through the merchant's inventory.

Looking closer at the merchant, he seemed to be middle-aged. Unlike the ominous products he displayed, he had a jolly aura surrounding him.

"Hm? Where have I seen you before?" inquired the merchant.

"Hm~ probably some sort of magazine?" Raul responded as he continued to observe the items on display.

"Hmm," the merchant pondered for a minute.

"Well, whatever, a customer is still a customer," said the merchant as his eyes turned into gold.

"Ah, it's a pleasure to see you," the merchant said with a nod of respect.

Without the need for a conversation, the merchant began explaining the various items on display. Especially about the bottles and barrels.

He said that those were obtained from the far east. He said they could only be obtained by passing through Batavia. Meanwhile, the other bottles were alcohol from the region.

"Batavia?" Raul spoke his mind.

"Yes, anything wrong?" the merchant asked back, puzzled.

"No, nothing's wrong. It's just that my cargo is heading there," Raul leaned in and whispered into the merchant's ear.

"Cargo? Batavia? Familiar face… you're the dinosaur master!" the merchant pieced together the clues that were laid in front of him.

"How'd you know?" Raul backed off in suspicion.

"Haha, don't worry, my friend. Here, read this," said the merchant as he handed Raul a piece of newspaper.

On the piece of newspaper the merchant handed out was the mayor of Batavia. On it, the mayor declared that they'd be opening a dinosaur park.

"Huh…" Raul contemplated the situation.

"Here, I'll give these rums for free," announced the merchant with a hearty smile.

The rums he handed weren't any ordinary rum. It had a distinctive aroma to it. Raul's pupils dilated from one sniff.

"I'll take it!" Raul exclaimed.

The merchant carefully wrapped around multiple bottles of rum and loaded them into a wagon.

Raul snickered at the wagon of rum and thought, "The crew would love this."

With the bottles of rum secured, Raul returned to the Crested Triceratops with his wagon. When he got back, he noticed that the crew was exceeding expectations.

"Attention!" shouted Captain Raul to his crew.

The crew paused their activity momentarily and looked at Raul. They noticed the massive wagon of rum behind him.

"If you guys are done before night, we'll have a party!" Captain Raul declared this while holding a bottle of rum.

"Aye!" the crew raised their hands in unison.

When everyone on the ship was at work, Ahmed and Layla went exploring. The market was vastly different than the one near their home.

The array of spices, textiles, and overall goods was vastly different, especially when most came from outside the region. It was the second time Ahmed experienced sensory ecstasy.

While Ahmed and Layla explored the wonder of new and unknown objects, Amina was drawn to a colorful display of silk.

There wasn't only silk on display. There were also various types of fabric, such as linen, cotton, and many other types. Each showed their vibrant color as they flapped in the breeze.

The merchant with a turban noticed Amina's approach and initiated the conversation. "Welcome, dear lady," he said with the smile perfected by merchants.

Amina took a glance at the scarves on display and commented, "You have an impressive collection."

"We take pride in that, ma'am," the merchant chuckled since he was complimented.

"Is there anything you're looking for, ma'am?" the merchant recomposed himself and asked.

"Something commemorative, I suppose," answered Amina as she continued going through the collection.

"It's my son's first time here," she added.

"You must love your son lots, huh?" remarked the merchant as he scruffled through his inventory.

"Of course!" exclaimed Amina with her chest held high.

"How about this?" the merchant recommended.

The merchant's recommendation wasn't bad. The scarf he displayed was woven with threads dyed in the colors of the Suez Canal at sunset, capturing the very essence of the place.

Amina gazed at the exquisite scarf. "I'll take it!" she announced while grabbing her purse.

"Choice well made," said the merchant as he wrapped the scarf meticulously.

While being busy with her interaction, Ahmed and Layla separated from her. Layla suggested it since she saw a shadow moving discreetly.

"Interesting~," Layla proclaimed as Ahmed was buying an apple.

Layla dragged Ahmed around to follow the shadow. The longer they trailed it, the more suspicious its movements became.

Its head was continually glancing around corners as if it were escaping or searching for something.

Layla's curiosity peaked at that moment. She decided to follow right behind it while also moving discreetly.

After following the shadow's movement through the labyrinth of the market, it led them to an obtrusive metal door at the edge of an alleyway.

At the door, the shadow knocked on what seemed to be the password. That was until a man spoke out and asked, "Password?"

The discovery of the iron door left Ahmed and Layla baffled. However, Layla's curiosity hasn't wavered. She looked around for an opening but could only find a small hole.

"She reminds me of Anita," Ahmed thought as he was getting dragged around.

The hole was so small that not even a rat could get in. The only option they had with the hole was to use it to eavesdrop and occasionally peek inside.

When Layla took a glance inside, she saw a dimly lit room. In the middle of the room, there were five chairs. Four of the chairs were sat on by robed individuals.

"You're late," said the robed person at the far right, crossing their arm. Their voice was deep.

"Unlike you, I'm easily recognizable," said the robed person who just came in. The same person, Ahmed and Layla, trailed from the market.

"Enough. Talk," said the robed person next to the newcomer.

"You see that gargantuan ship?" asked the newcomer, their hands reflecting the image of a ship.

"What of it?" inquired the person opposite them as they crossed their legs.

"It's the dinosaur ship!" exclaimed the newcomer with enthusiasm.

"For real?" asked another person sitting across from the newcomer.

"Yeah, I even met its captain," declared the newcomer.

"Woah~," said the two across from him.

"So? Who are you going to sell this information to?" asked the person at the far right.

As they kept listening to the conversation, Ahmed and Layla exchanged alarmed glances. The ship and captain they were talking about were related to them.

The newcomer then began discussing their plan. They were intent on selling the information to the infamous pirates of Malao. They even told the others that they had put a tracker on the ship.

"What would you get in exchange, though?" asked the robed person on the newcomer's left.

"One whole dinosaur," said the newcomer while holding up one finger.

"You think they would agree?" asked the person across from them.

"Of course. Especially the feud they have with each other," answered the newcomer.

Shocked by what they heard, Ahmed and Layla decided it was time to escape. Panic grew as they began running away from the iron door. They stumbled over every little obstacle.

Even baskets filled with an assortment of fruit toppled, and their contents spilled all over the sandy ground.

The merchant who sold Amina the scarf watched in dismay as the kids knocked over a display of scarves.

Despite tumbling in a hurried escape, the urgency of the matter pushed them. If they fell, they got up nearly instantly. The worrying matter needed to be conveyed as soon as possible.

When they arrived back at the ship, they were greeted by Amina. She looked at them with worry since they looked exhausted.

"Kids? What happened?" coincidentally, Raul was nearby and saw the tired kids.

Ahmed swiftly conveyed the urgent matter with the last of his breath. When Raul processed the information, his expression turned dark.

"Malao pirates, huh?" Raul muttered to himself.

"What's wrong, dear?" asked Amina with a concerned look.

"Don't worry about it," asserted Raul as he got back on deck.