A Twofold Tale

At the same time that Ali is giving 1 million dinars to Mass Anazar, Nizam Mahfoud is on the phone and smiling ear to ear. “Great news! Publish the photos straight away with an article that makes him look really bad, I leave it in your hands. And send me all of the incriminating evidence you can get. See if you can get witnesses. Pay them whatever it takes.” He’s thinking ’This isn’t as good as rape and murder of a teenage girl, but at least I can put him behind bars.’ He hangs up and calls Rachid Hamed, the Head of National Security, “Hello Si Rachid, issue a warrant for the arrest of Aziz Elbaz and Dr. Asra Hanadi for having infringed article 480 of the criminal code, then track him down and bring them in. They were last seen yesterday morning at the hotel “The Ksar Stars” in Afthas. They’re in a blue AM Vantage droptop roadster, license plate number 94729 د 6. Apparently, they drove south.

The next morning Ali gets a call from Scheherazade. “Good morning, Ali, have you seen the headlines?”

“No, why?”

“You and Asra are in trouble. I’ll send you the link now. Be careful!”

Ali opens the link, and reads the article with Asra, who’s next to him in bed:

AZIZ ELBAZ CHEATS ON HIS WIVES! RISKS IMPRISONMENT FOR ARTICLE 480

According to several eyewitnesses, Aziz Elbaz, the celebrity performer, has infringed article 480 of the criminal code by having consensual sexual relations with Dr. Asra Hanadi, the Director of the National Library, at a seaside hotel in the south of the country.

The couple are being actively sought by the police and will be brought before the criminal court and judged, risking a month to a year of imprisonment.

Mr. Elbaz and Dr. Hamadi were last seen yesterday morning at the hotel “The Ksar Stars” in Afthas, Their vehicule is a blue AM Vantage droptop roadster, license plate number 94729 د 6. Anyone having any information as to the whereabouts of the two fugitives should contact the police.

It is known that Aziz Elbaz has recently taken a second wife. Perhaps he believes that he can have all the women he wants. Even if he is rich and famous, Aziz Elbaz is not above the law. Any man in our country can legally take up to four wives, so there is no excuse for breaking the law.

“That photo doesn’t prove anything. If they don’t have any better evidence than that, it’ll be hard to make the charge stick.” Asra winks and smiles. “We made love on the beach, not in the hotel room, so we didn’t even leave any evidence on the bedsheets.”

Ali is long-faced, “You don’t know Mahfoud. He’s behind this and he has the power to make it stick. When he couldn’t frame me, he set a spy on my heels, and I didn’t even notice. I feel really stupid. It’s all my fault.”

“Forget about whose fault it is. That won’t get us anywhere. Let’s be practical; We only have two possibilities. On one hand, we run the risk of turning ourselves in, in that case there’ll be a legal battle, and you have the means to pay for the best lawyers. On the other hand, we run and hide, and we’ll constantly be fugitives. If we turn ourselves in, it’s also like saying that we have nothing to hide. What’s more, there are a lot of people who think that the article 480 is absurd and should be abolished. If we run, it’s like saying that we’re guilty, and we risk being sentenced more heavily. What do you think of my analysis?”

“You’ve wrapped it up neatly my dear Asra. I guess that means you’re not afraid of giving ourselves up to the police?”

“I am afraid, but that makes no difference. Do you remember what I told you about courage and fear the first time we met?”

“Yes, I remember your exact words, you said that courage doesn’t mean not being afraid; it means moving forward with your fear. You also said that you started with nothing and were ready to risk it.”

“I still am. You mentioned that my double on your planet helped to break your twin brother out of prison. How long was he in for?”

“A month.”

“You see? What’s a month in prison? Your brother did it. That’s all we’re risking. Even if they try to throw the book at us and give us the maximum, a year, it’ll be difficult for them to pull it. That’s what you pay lawyers for. Here’s what I propose; we’ll make love now, as if it were the last time, and we’ll hand ourselves over tomorrow, if they don’t find us before that.”

“You know what I told Aziz about your double in my world? I said you were something else, and it’s true. You’re amazing, in one world or the other, and I love you just as much here as there.”

Asra’s car is camouflaged in the oasis, so it can’t be seen by the helicopters that are combing the area. The couple spend an entire day just enjoying each other’s company. The next day they meet with Mass Anazar and update him on their situation.

“Tafrara, my dear child, you know that you could both stay here, and we would hide you from the police. You don’t have anything to fear here with us.”

Yes, Anazar, we know that. We don’t want to live a life of fugitives. Don’t worry, we’ll be alright, it’s not such a big deal.”

“But you may have to go to prison.”

“If I were a weak woman, that would be a scary thing, but I can take care of myself.”

“What do you want me to do first to start our alliance?”

Ali speaks up, “The best way you can help us is to start sabotaging the construction of the prison. Destroy the buildings each time they start. It’s too bad the drones are being manufactured in Al Naqab, otherwise you could sabotage them as well.”

“If you can find out where the drones are being delivered, we can attack the site.”

“Insha Allah. If ever things get too hot for Asra and me, if we don’t contact you after a month has passed, you can contact my wife Scheherazade, here’s her number.”

“May Allah bless and protect you both. I’ll be watching the news and our prayers will be with you.”

“Amine. Thank you for your help, Mass Anazar.”

Asra gives a big hug to her adoptive father, and they set out on the road, driving north. Ali calls Scheherazade and tells her to inform Yasser Talbet that they are handing themselves over to the police peacefully, and that he should contact the Head of National Security to make sure that all the police are immediately informed not to take them by force. He also tells her to find a good lawyer for them. Next, as Asra drives, he writes a statement for the press and sends it to Yasser.

PRESS RELEASE

Mr. Aziz Elbaz, who has been charged with the criminal offence of having consensual sexual relations outside of marriage with Dr. Asra Hanadi, the Director of the National Library, under article 480 of the criminal code, herewith makes the following statement:

Although we have done nothing wrong, Dr. Hanadi and I are not resisting arrest, and will be cooperating with the judicial procedures. We are therefore handing ourselves over to the police and our lawyers will take any necessary action. Rachid Hamed, the Head of National Security, has been informed that there is no need to use force in our arrest. Therefore, any use of excessive force will be cause for a legal process against the police. Furthermore, there has been a public accusation made in the press without respecting due process and without definite evidence of guilt to prove said accusation, which is also a crime punishable by law and our lawyers will pursue the guilty parties.

They have two days’ return trip, and they go the same route because there aren’t two ways. They stop again at the same little seaside town, but go to a different Hotel, “The Kasbah Afthas”. They inform the hotel manager about the warrant for their arrest (assuming that he already knows anyway) and their press release, tip him generously, and sleep in separate rooms. No romantic walk on the beach this time. Ali gets a message from Si Yasser confirming that the press release has been sent out, that the message to Rachid Hamed was sent, and that he’s hired Master Kaltoum Jiddi, the best attorney that he knows, to represent them both.

Arriving the next evening near Al Madinat Aladwa, several police cars, motorcycles, and a police van overtake them with their sirens wailing, surrounding them, and forcing them to pull over. As soon as the car stops the officers are all aiming their handguns at the couple as a loudspeaker blares at them “Get out of the car with your hands over your heads. Do not make any sudden movements. Keep your hands up. Lie on the ground face down. Keep your hands up.” Asra whispers to Ali. Keep calm. Whatever you do, don’t resist.” Their eyes meet for a full minute in silence as they probe each other’s souls.

“Yes, I know Asra. I love you. Let’s go.”

The arrest has caused a traffic jam and people have recognized Aziz Elbaz. Phones are taking videos and pictures to post on the internet.

Once face down on the pavement, police run up and grab their hands, handcuff them, and start beating them with their blackjacks, throwing kicks in for good measure. They frisk them and take everything, then throw them in the back of the black Maria. Two officers climb in with them to escort them. Neither of them says a word, and they both look like Ali did on the night of the protest. The videos and photos are going viral on the internet.

They’re taken directly to the main police station and thrown into cells. When they are brought into the office to have their statements recorded, they both refuse to say anything without having seen a lawyer. The police get rough and start battering them brutally to try to force them to admit their guilt, but they both remain silent.

Yasser has caught wind of the police assault at the same time as the whole world and contacts Master Kaltoum Jiddi. She goes to the police station to talk to her clients. They don’t want to let her have a private discussion with either, but she threatens them with an action for denial of access to counsel and she’s admitted access to the interrogation room with both Asra and Ali one by one. There’s just one glitch…Master Kaltoum knows Aziz Elbaz, but Ali has never seen her (at least he knows her name from Yasser’s message).

“Hello Si Aziz, Al Salam Alatkoum.”

“Alaykoum Salam Master Jiddi”

“It’s good to see you again! What’s this ‘Master’ stuff? It hasn’t been that long, has it?” she laughs. “They really worked you over, you look like you did when they beat you at the protest! You didn’t tell them anything?”

“Not a word. I’m sure Asra didn’t either, she’s even stronger willed than I am.”

“That’s good. Let’s get down to business. I already have the article that appeared in the press and the press release that was sent out to the press afterwards. I also have a copy of Yasser’s message to Rachid Hamed. That’s all good, however, the message isn’t valid as evidence in court. Yasser informed me of the horrid events at your engagement party at his villa, and I understand that Mahfoud is trying to frame you because of your recent public stand against the new censorship law. Unfortunately, that information cannot be used here in our case. I need you to be completely truthful with me. I’m sure that you know that already. You stated in your press release that you had done nothing wrong, but that’s very vague. I need to know if you have, in fact, infringed he article 480. Have you?”

“Yes. As far as we know, there is no physical proof. We slept in the same bed at the hotel, but we didn’t make love in the bed, only on the beach. The beach was empty, and we were hidden in a hollow in the rocks. You saw the picture that was in the news article. While I know that it’s a photo of us kissing, the details are not clear. It could be any couple, no one can recognize us from the photo.”

“True. Next, they say that they have witnesses. Whether or not anyone actually saw you in the act is irrelevant, because Mahfoud can get as many witnesses as he wants. But of course, that’s not cold hard evidence, like soiled bedsheets would have been. I’m sure that they probably looked for traces on the bedsheets. If you were being tried in front of a jury in another country, you could easily be put in jail. Everything will depend on the judge. You know that judges can be bribed, and it’s likely to happen. Meanwhile, they don’t have a strong case against you, and I’m very good at making people contradict themselves when they’re lying, it’s a useful strength for any attorney. You know what you risk?”

“Yes, I believe everyone knows that, because of all the recent dissent about the article 480.”

“Good. I have to be truthful and tell you my honest opinion. You may well have to do a month or more in prison; maybe even the max. Asra only risks the article 480, but you are at a bigger risk; you can be prosecuted for adultery as well. It’s precisely because of the people being up-in arms about the article 480 that they might want to use you two celebrities as an example. It could backfire on them though. If you do prison for it, you’ll have an enormous following, it’ll probably even boost your sales and popularity. It’d be hard though. If you plead guilty it will even boost your image more because of all of the people who believe that it shouldn’t be a crime, and you’ll probably do less time than if you plead not guilty and they don’t acquit you. But if you plead guilty to extramarital sexual relations, you’ll also have to plead guilty to adultery. Actually though, either Scheherazade or Kabira would have to file charges against you for there to be any sentence for adultery, and we both know that won’t happen.”

“Yeah, I thought about pleading guilty. It was something I was going to ask you. As well, most of the people who are in the fight against the censorship law are likely to be against the article 480. It’ll strengthen our movement.”

“So, you want to plead guilty?”

“We have time to decide that. I want to know what Asra thinks first. We’ll have to plead the same.”

“Alright. I’ll analyze the risks as we go further. Next, the media was literally flooded with amateur videos of your arrest. You easily have enough evidence to file suit against the police for the use of excessive force upon your arrest. Should I initiate the proceedings?”

“Yes, please. Make it an international scandal.”

“Very good, my man. I’ll speak with you again soon. Now I’ll talk to Dr. Hamadi. Can I ask a personal question?”

“Do I love her?”

“I don’t mean to meddle, but…”

“Yes. More than any other woman on this planet.”

“Because you love some woman on another planet more?” She laughs again, for her it’s just a joke.

“I’ll answer that in the presence of my lawyer…wait, you are my lawyer. Seriously. I love Asra enough to do prison for her and more. I don’t know if it’s a two-way street.”

“Why didn’t you marry her then? You wouldn’t be in this mess now if you had.”

“We only met a month ago, it was a coup de foudre for me, and I don’t know if she loves me enough to be my third wife. I don’t know what Scheherazade and Kabira think of all this either. It’s complicated.”

Kaltoum Jiddi J.S.D. has a very similar interview with Asra, and leaves to prepare her defense.