Luxor Lost and Found

by Graham Warren

  Alex could see from the expression on the warlock’s face that he thought himself to be so very clever. “I am bright enough to know that your soldiers were unable to capture either Kate or Cairo, so they will already be on their way to get help,” said Alex through gritted teeth, in an attempt to remove some smugness from the warlock. However, he failed, as the warlock burst into over exaggerated laughter. Alex could have ignored him, but the soldiers in the room grinned and even Nefertiti grinned. He failed to see that he had said anything even remotely funny.

  “We are so far from anywhere here, I say let them go, let them try and find help before they burn to a crisp. I am sure someone will come across their naturally mummified, wrinkled bodies at some point in the future.” He laughed again, though Alex saw a look of total disgust appear on the face of Nefertiti at the mention of ‘wrinkled bodies’. This started him thinking.

  “Take the girl,” said Nefertiti, as she waved her arms in a very theatrical manor, “and if you hurt her on the way, I will be only too pleased, though I want no broken bones. Those I want to hear snap, one by one, on my return.”

  Alex felt himself being taken hold of by soldiers, one of which covered his mouth.

  The soldiers holding Emmy manhandled her over to Nefertiti. “Once I have your partner in crime, and have no doubt, I shall have her very soon, I shall look forward to a magnificent banquet. You should feel honoured, as I have prepared it especially for the both of you. The breaking of your bones, when combined with your screams, will be the most wonderful entertainment for my dinner guests. It will also serve to remind them of what will happen to them if they are not loyal to me, and being reminded is never a bad thing. Oh, it will be such a fun evening. Now, take her out of my sight.”

  Alex could neither move nor say anything as a total of six soldiers left the room with Emmy. Two in front, two behind and two restraining her. There were still far too many soldiers in the room, but the odds just moved a little in their favour.

  “Release him,” commanded the warlock. “Sorry about that, but I could not have you ruining the moment now, could I.”

  “You will never get away with this,” shouted Alex.

  Kate turned to Cairo, and in an annoyed whisper she said, “That is the best he could come up with, ‘you will never get away with this’! What do you think the reply will be?”

  Cairo opened his mouth to speak, and he and the warlock spoke as one, “I have already gotten away with this.”

  It was as much as Kate and Cairo could do to hold back the laughter. Knowing what the warlock had done, and could do, was definitely far scarier than listening to him speak. They had to be really quiet though, as they had slowly crept back to be at the tunnel opening. Now they could see into the room, though they remained just far enough back to be hidden by the cover of darkness.

  “Tell me what Gadeem is up to.”

  “As I said before … NO!”

  “And, as I have told you before, I do not take kindly to being shouted at. Hurt him.” The warlock pointed to David.

  “NO!” shouted Alex, who had soldiers standing far too close to be able to do anything more than this. “Don’t hurt him, and I will tell you what you want to know.”

  Kate instantly said, “Traitor,” though she then experienced the strongest feeling of relief that her father was not going to be hurt anymore.

  Cairo picked up a very small pebble. He could not throw it towards Alex without moving into the light. He also thought that at this distance he may well hit a soldier or even the warlock, then they would know they were still here. He was convinced that the warlock thought they had run away in a futile attempt to get help. He was also convinced that they now had the benefit of surprise. Throwing the stone as hard as he could, it hit David in the face, causing him to scream out.

  “I told you not to hurt him,” shouted the now very annoyed warlock to the soldiers restraining him.

  “What the hell are you doing?” asked Kate as she thumped Cairo.

  David hung his head, though his eyes were looking towards the entrance to the tunnel. With the soldiers pleading their innocence and looking towards the warlock, Cairo stuck a hand out into the light, gave a single wave, then immediately withdrew it. David gave two shallow nods.

  “Genius, Cairo,” said Kate, at which point he wondered if all geniuses had to suffer for their work. That thump of hers really hurt.

  David’s legs crumpled under him as he passed out. The soldiers were told to put him down against the wall, but to stay close. He did manage to make a fleeting okay symbol with his hand.

  “He’s okay,” said a much relieved Kate. “What is your plan?”

  Now Cairo was taken by surprise, as he was not the one who came up with plans.

  Alex had no idea if David had really passed out or not. He also had no idea if Kate or Cairo were near, but if he did not do something now, they were all destined to die, regardless of any assurances the warlock may give to the contrary. The warlock spoke, breaking his thoughts.

  “Tell me what Gadeem is up to, and I will spare the life of David.”

  “Now, why would you do that?” asked Alex. This was exactly what he had expected the warlock to say.

  “Well, obviously you will have to die. It is a fact and you know it. You have ‘seen’, so you will always be an enemy of mine, a danger to me. I wish I could spare your life, and if things were different, I could, I would … well I might … though I doubt it. David, on the other hand is broken. I am the one who broke him. I killed his friends. I actually enjoy seeing him suffer. He never had the knowledge or understanding that you have, so he cannot hurt me. So, tell me now what Gadeem is up to and I will release him … Only after your death of course.”

  It was not a fantastic offer from the warlock, though again what Alex heard was almost exactly what he had expected to hear. It was now his turn to play the game. “Let me make sure David is alive, then I will tell you everything, but please promise to make mine a quick death.” He added the death part to throw the warlock off guard, and it worked.

  Immediately Alex was promised a quick death and allowed to check David, though he no longer needed to. He had noticed David shallow his breathing at his mention of checking if he was alive, so now Alex knew he was fully conscious.

  “Let’s forget checking David,” said Alex almost nonchalantly, “as you have promised not to kill him and I do need a quick death. How you have coped for over three thousand years is beyond me as I’m tired of all this. I just want it to end.” He took a step away from the warlock which also put him behind the closest of the soldiers. He then took another step back, where, as quick as a flash, he raised his left arm as he put his right hand in his pocket: a typical stance just before a magic spell was cast, only he had no magic. “Nobody move,” he shouted, and nobody did. “I told you that I am tired of all this, that I just want it to end. Well, I am the one to end it.”

  “Do not be stupid, boy, you have no ingredients with which to perform magic, as we checked your pockets.” The soldiers standing either side of David nodded to say they had indeed checked him, but nobody else was nodding. “Oh, give me strength, please somebody tell me you emptied this boy’s pockets.”

  Two soldiers spoke over each other in an attempt at a justification of their actions, or, more correctly, their inactions. They explained that as Alex had been barely conscious they had to lift him up and support him, so they did not have a free hand with which to search him.

  “Idiots, I am surrounded by idiots.” The warlock started to wave his hands around.

  Alex knew this was potentially dangerous for him, so he demanded the warlock put his hands by his sides, as then he would be unable to use magic. Aware that if the warlock had no other spell upon him, he would still have the one of last resort, where they were all likely to end up dead, he decided to lower the tension just a little. “The magic which Gadeem has taught me will not kill you, even though I wish it would.”

  The look of relief on
the face of the warlock was palpable. “So, what is your spell then?”

  “Quite simply, it is one which will make everyone in this room live in the afterlife looking old and ugly, with bodies full of the deepest wrinkles.” Nefertiti screamed, then fainted. Every soldier rushed to her aid. Alex turned and ran, David sprang to life, and the two of them ran from the room. Soon there were four of them running through the tunnels, but, just as before, nobody followed.

  As they caught their breath, Kate hugged David. They could hear, someway off in the distance, the warlock throwing a tantrum.

  “He acts like a true general,” said Alex with a smirk and a mock salute.

  “My mum buy General from the shop. It toilet cleaner.”

  “Yes, I have seen that brand in the shops here,” said David by way of confirmation.

  To which Kate replied, “Well, his victory today is certainly down the toilet.” Before anyone could enjoy the mental picture of the warlock being flushed away, David spoke, and he was deadly serious.

  “We are not out of danger yet as the warlock is still very much alive.” He wiped some blood from his split lip with his sleeve. “Also, do not underestimate him, because I have seen not only first-hand, but also very close up what he is capable of. He scares me, and that crazy mad woman seems to be equally capable of dishing out pain and death … and she has Emmy.”

  The mood became sombre as they considered what to do next. It did not improve as they thought about what was either in these tunnels, or up ahead, because there had to be a very good reason why fully armed soldiers made no attempt to pursue them.

  Chapter 35

  -

  Escape to Where?

  “Do we have any water?” asked Kate. She received confirmation that they did not, from the vacant faces looking back at her.

  “It also looks as though we only have two torches.” Alex had attempted to get two very broken pieces of his back together. With the realisation that he was attempting the impossible, he opened his hands and let the pieces drop to the ground.

  David’s torch appeared to be undamaged, though it proved to be as equally dead as Alex’s. Out of frustration he threw it down the tunnel. Upon landing, it bounced three times before coming to a rest. They all knew this as it sprang to life as it hit the ground, and despite the three bounces it continued to work.

  “Well,” said Kate, “at last we have some good news. We now have three working torches. Is there any other good news?”

  “A little,” said Alex, who then complained about being blinded as the three torches were turned towards him. Kate and Cairo pointed theirs to the ground.

  “Sorry, Alex,” said David who was walking back after picking his up. “You will not believe this, but now the flipping thing will not turn off.”

  “Just point it to the ground.”

  “Yes, of course. What is your good news?”

  “We can get to Amarna.” Shocked faces looked at him. “Those soldiers took Emmy to Amarna, and I am sure they will not be walking there. Also, David, you did not see the warlock leave Amarna, so there must be an underground tunnel from there with some sort of transport.”

  “Perhaps wooden cart like Ropet and Sanuba use.”

  “Exactly, Cairo.”

  “That would make sense, because otherwise, for the life of me, I cannot understand how the warlock got out of the palace, let alone the city without me knowing. The tunnel must lead right back to Nefertiti’s palace. That gives us not only a chance to get out of here, but also the possibility of rescuing Emmy.”

  “Dad, you are in no condition to rescue anybody.” Kate was right.

  He nodded in agreement, though from the pain wished he had not. David’s eye was now totally closed and his jaw clicked as he talked. He needed a hospital.

  There was a period of quiet before Alex told them of his plan. “We need to go forward and find a way out of here.”

  “Why, when you have so cleverly told us that there is a tunnel to Amarna, aren’t we racing off to save your girlfriend?”

  David was going to rebuke Kate for being so unnecessarily rude, but Alex got in first. “Firstly, she is not my girlfriend, and secondly, I do not think the warlock was lying when he said Merenptah’s and Ay’s armies are on their way here. My guess is that he has settled on this as his battleground.”

  “Why here, why not Luxor or the Valley of the Bees?” asked Kate with slightly less attitude.

  “Because of Nefertiti.”

  “I don’t get it,” said Kate, in the second or so before the penny dropped. “I do get it! Because he can use Nefertiti’s army as well, if he fights here. He could not use them if he took the battle to Luxor, as she would never leave herself undefended.”

  “Exactly! The warlock has power over Merenptah and Ay, so bringing their armies here is not a problem.” Alex could see that they were all thinking, so he thought he would give them something else to think about. “If there is a tunnel from here to the royal palace at Amarna, perhaps there are large waiting areas. You know, underground rooms, just as there was in the tunnel from the merchant’s house, which we were all very pleased to make use of.”

  “Oh, my God,” said David, “if that is the case and Ramses is on his way here, then his entire army could pass right over the army of Nefertiti without even knowing it. He would be prepared for the full-frontal attack, not for an attack which would come from behind. They would not stand a chance.”

  “I am fairly confident that Ramses, Nakhtifi and Gadeem are on their way here.” Alex paused for a second to gauge any sign of disagreement, there was none. “By now they will know the armies of Ay and Merenptah are heading for Crocodilopolis, and, of course, they know Dr Margretti dropped us off here. Gadeem needs the six sacred scuta from a single Nile crocodile if we are to rid the world of the warlock. They will go to war expecting to fight two armies over the sacred scuta, when up pops a third from behind them. Okay, Ramses and Nakhtifi cannot be removed from the afterlife, but I am not so sure about Gadeem, and I know their soldiers can be.”

  “Do you think this could be all about Gadeem?” asked Kate without any of her previous attitude. She was now as worried as they all were.

  “I think it could be. Gadeem does not have the spell ready with which he could defeat the warlock. If he is removed from the afterlife, then I’m pretty sure there is nobody else who could prepare that spell. This, when combined with the possible annihilation of Ramses and Nakhtifi’s armies, would leave the warlock with unassailable power.”

  “No wonder Nefertiti is in bed with him.” David realised that his words had not come out as he had intended. “I didn’t mean literally in bed with him, I meant supporting him. Combine her with her army, along with the warlock being untouchable, and they would both have the power they crave.”

  “That is too scary to contemplate,” said Alex with a shudder. “You have been very quiet, Cairo. Is there nothing you want to say?”

  “Yes, I hungry, but we save Gadeem first.”

  They moved along through the tunnels as quickly as they could. Often a tunnel would split into two, or even three directions. Any decision on which route to take was a case of total guesswork, so they could now see why no soldier had followed them. It was easy to work out that they were in naturally formed tunnels, from their almost circular shape. Thousands of years ago, they guessed, an ancient underground river must have run through here. As if to confirm their theory, they heard what they all considered to be the faint sound of running water. Being as thirsty as they were, they walked ever quicker, which they could now do, because the guesswork of which tunnel to take had been taken from them. They just had to head for the sound of water.

  At the first sight of light ahead, torches were turned off. David took the batteries out of his. Kate went ahead, but she returned quickly. “No way out, crocodiles, and it sounds like there are lots of them.”

  Dejectedly they turned to head back. David fumbled with the batteries for his torch. He ended up hu
nting in the dust for the one that he dropped.

  Cairo, who had been listening intently, suddenly said, “They not crocodiles.” He turned and ran towards the light.

  “Stop him, he will be eaten alive,” shouted Kate.

  Alex tried, but he only managed to catch up with him as they reached the end of the tunnel, so they both saw the same. Yes, there were crocodiles, but crocodiles that were lying on their backs whilst reading papyrus, as if they were on sun loungers. Four of them sat around a card table. There was some serious gambling taking place as the flimsy table struggled to hold the weight of gold placed upon it. The stream which ran through the area was not only wide enough, but also deep enough for two crocodiles to be able to practice their synchronised diving. They raised themselves up onto the tip of their tails, on a purpose-built diving board, then carried out a perfect dive.

  Kate and David arrived to join the boys. They were amazed at what they saw, as apart from the crocodiles directly ahead, there was clear blue sky above, from which the sun shone down onto a beach scene, set some twenty metres or so below a dry desert. The same two crocodiles raised themselves onto the tips of their tails. They were about to dive again, when one saw that they were being watched. In the panic that ensued, one crocodile knocked the other off the diving board. The two massive animals belly-flopped into the stream, sending a tsunami of water over the papyrus reading crocodiles as well as completely wiping out the card table and players.

  One of the card players had an ibis beak hanging from the corner of his mouth, he was the one approaching them now.

  “Sobek, we are sorry, we didn’t mean to scare anybody,” said Kate.

  “None of you can be here.” Two crocodiles, also walking upon two legs, came up behind him. They looked angry, but then crocodiles always looked angry. It turned out that they wanted nothing more than for Kate, Alex and Cairo to sign their copies of ADD. They did try, but as the paper was far too wet, the ink went into the page as if it had a mind of its own.