by Rai Aren
His mind struggled to make sense of what he was seeing. ‘What could have done this?’ He had to get help. He would not survive long without water and aid. As he stumbled through the smoke, he looked around him. Everywhere there was devastation. Buildings, trees, people…nothing but ashes now. It was eerily quiet.
Chapter 1
Graduation, Present-day
THE hot afternoon sun shone brightly over the lush gardens, where graduates, families and friends gathered to celebrate their achievements. The Dean of the Anthropology and Archaeology Faculty at Stanford University was giving a motivational speech to the graduates. The large graduating class, dressed in their black graduation gowns with red and orange trimmings, had just received their diplomas.
Alex half listened to the Dean’s speech and looked closely at the words on her diploma:
… Alexandra Logan …
Doctor of Archaeology
She couldn’t believe this day had finally come. So many years of work, of waiting, and now it was here. She looked off in the distance…she wished her father could have been here as well. The years didn’t take away the sadness. She missed him more than ever. She kept his face etched in her mind. A kind face, with eyes that smiled with a lively intelligence. Her heart ached.
The Dean finished his speech and a chorus of applause followed. The graduates threw their caps into the air.
“Finally,” Alex said, wiping away a tear. She stood up to applaud with the others. “I thought he would never stop talking,” she said trying to make a joke. She brushed her hair back and composed herself. She was not used to having her long sandy blonde hair flowing down to her shoulders. She usually kept it tied up in a ponytail, but today was a special occasion.
Mitch had noticed the tear she tried to hide. He knew where her thoughts were. They had been friends a long time. He decided to try and take her mind off it. He knew that her focusing on the emptiness she felt at times like this would only make it worse. “It wasn’t so bad,” he said, smiling. He playfully bumped shoulders with her. “It’s not every day we get our PhDs, you know.”
Alex smiled back. She noticed that Mitch was wearing his contact lenses instead of his usual glasses. His short brown hair was combed neatly. Both of them looked a lot different than they did working in the field. They cleaned up well, she thought, though she still preferred their disheveled look. She wasn’t truly happy unless she was covered in sand.
They walked off with the rest of the graduates.
Alex thought about the speech and frowned, tucking her long, blonde hair behind her ears. “You’re right, but did he have to go on and on about how Robert Holden’s report on the Mayan civilization will change history books and what that will mean for this university? Meanwhile, our hard work in Egypt was heavily criticized in the scholarly journals and we received barely passing marks on our reports to get our PhDs,” she said, frowning.
“Most people aren’t ready to accept the truth,” Mitch said, as he put a comforting arm around his friend. “You know that.”
“Yeah, I know,” she said. “I just wish that would change.”
“Me, too,” he said, as they walked, “me too. One day…”
“Congratulations, guys!” Bob ran up to Mitch and Alex and gave them a big hug, crushing both of them in his big, burly frame. He had done his best to comb his dark, thick, curly and unruly hair into something that looked a little like he had a small animal nestled on his head. He’d even trimmed his usually scruffy beard.
“Thanks, Bob, but I can’t breathe,” Alex said as she whimpered.
“Thanks, big guy,” Mitch said, thumping him on the back. He grinned as he noticed the scent of aftershave. Not something Bob was typically known for.
Jack walked up right behind Bob and, just as excited, exclaimed, “Congratulations, Dr. Logan, Dr. Carver!”
Alex hugged Jack and Bob and smiled widely. “Thank you, to you both, for your help,” she said. “We couldn’t have done it without the two of you.” She always thought it was funny how polar opposite they were in appearance, with Jack’s short, skinny build, yet they were the best of friends and practically joined at the hip.
“I see you’re wearing your contact lenses today,” Jack said to Mitch. He made a funny face at him. “It’s weird seeing you without glasses.”
“I know, today’s a special day. They make my eyes itch, though.” He then took a moment to look his buddies up and down. “Nice suits guys!” Mitch remarked, his eyebrows raised. “Pretty spiffy.”
Alex nodded in agreement. “Very handsome.”
Jack blushed, as he brushed the lapel of his pale grey suit.
“A bit feminine, though, don’t you think, with the purple shirt?” Bob remarked.
“It’s not purple, jerk, it’s a pale lavender, and it’s in style I’ll have you know,” he huffed. “And besides, at least my shirt fits me!”
Bob self-consciously brushed his hand against the buttons going down the front of his white shirt. They were straining to hold the shirt closed. “I think the drycleaner shrunk it, it didn’t fit like this the last time I wore it.”
“Which was when exactly?” Jack asked.
“Maybe five years ago.”
“Uh-huh…”
“Shut up you scrawny runt,” Bob said swatting him. “We can’t all be sticks you know.”
“Ow!”
Mitch stepped in, placing a hand on each of their shoulders, pushing them apart. “Ok, that’s enough you two, let’s go celebrate. The doctors are paying!”
The four friends laughed as they left the garden to go and join the celebrations.
Eighteen months ago, Mitch and Alex were on an excavation project in Egypt as part of their PhD requirement. Jack and Bob, as both their friends and lab technicians, had joined them on the project to assist the archaeology students with their work. During the stay in Egypt, Mitch and Alex accidentally uncovered mysterious ancient artifacts, which had the power to change history and finally prove their theories correct. Due to the dangers this new information posed, and knowing they were out of their depth to handle it properly, Mitch and Alex, with Jack and Bob’s help, re-hid the artifacts they found. Then they left the country. It had been profoundly disappointing, but they knew they had no choice. They left Egypt’s long-held secrets intact.
yyyyy
After hours of celebrating, the four long-time friends headed back to Mitch’s apartment for some rest. Mitch and Alex were neighbors. Having worked and studied together for years, it was easier and more convenient to live nearby one another.
When they reached the complex, Alex excused herself temporarily to change into more comfortable clothes. She promised to rejoin the boys in a few minutes.
Moments later Alex burst through the door of Mitch’s apartment, still in her formal wear. “Mitch, someone broke into my place!” She looked around, “Oh, no…”
“Someone broke in here too,” Mitch said, surveying the mess. Every nook and cranny in the small studio apartment had been rummaged through. Mitch’s personal items were strewn all over the place. Furniture had been pushed about, his mattress upended, and couch cushions were thrown haphazardly on the floor. Every drawer and cabinet was open. Someone had tossed the place in a hurry.
“Who would break into your apartments?” Jack asked nervously.
“This feels uncomfortably familiar,” Mitch said, thinking back to what had happened in Egypt when they had found the artifacts. “I’ll call the cops.”
The police arrived and after a thorough survey, it was determined that nothing had been stolen. The police assumed the would-be robbers left empty-handed since Mitch and Alex didn’t have anything of value. At first the police thought it strange that nothing was stolen, but then they laughed when Mitch pointed out his old 19” TV. Alex didn’t even have one. The life of cas
h-strapped academics, they said, which was true. Mitch and Alex filed a report, leaving out what they thought the burglars were likely looking for. They didn’t want their activities in Egypt further scrutinized.
After the police left, the foursome set about putting everything right again in both apartments. For the most part anyway, a few decorative items had been broken, but since they didn’t own much of value, it wasn’t a big loss. It sure wasn’t how they thought the evening of their graduation would end.
Mitch had taken his contact lenses out, and put on his glasses, and Alex had tied her hair into her usual ponytail. They had changed into sweatpants and t-shirts. Since under the circumstances, Jack and Bob weren’t going home right away, Mitch had also loaned them sweatshirts, but he didn’t have pants that fit either one. They looked quite funny, Jack with his two sizes too big, and Bob’s was stretched tight across his ample waistline.
“Thanks for your help guys,” Alex said. “I thought now that we’re home in North America, we’d no longer have to deal with people breaking into our homes.” They had all relocated and gathered in the kitchen of Alex’s one-bedroom apartment. She put on a pot of coffee. It was late, but no one would be able to sleep well this night, after what had happened. “As Mitch was saying, the last time someone did that, Jack and Bob caught Fessel doing Dustimaine’s dirty work.”
Fessel C. Blothers was the assistant and sycophant to their former professor, Abner Dustimaine. Professor Dustimaine had a great dislike for Mitch and Alex personally, and especially for their theories on the age of the Great Sphinx of Giza. He had also been an academic rival of Alex’s late father, Dr. Devlan Logan. The rivalry carried on to Alex and anyone she associated with professionally. He kept Mitch and Alex on a short leash, and soon suspected they had been up to something. To find out what that was he sent Fessel to rummage through their rooms and lab back in Egypt.
Jack thought for a moment. “Do you think Fessel’s still around?” he asked. The memory of him and Bob chasing Fessel around Mitch and Alex’s lab in Egypt was still fresh in his mind. The chase ended with Jack punching Fessel in the face. Jack smiled at the memory.
“The last I heard he had tried to find work at a local community college, but they wouldn’t hire him either after what happened in Egypt,” Bob said. Then he grinned at Jack. “I know you’re looking to punch his lights out again.”
“Love to,” Jack replied, making a fist.
“Do you think it could be him?” Bob asked Mitch and Alex. “Maybe even with Dustimaine’s help?”
“Our places have only been broken into once before. Personally, I think that’s too much of a coincidence,” Alex said as she set four large mugs out on the kitchen table.
“Maybe, but if it was them, why now?’ Mitch asked. “Why would they come around now after all this time? Besides, it’s not like they could actually do anything, even if they uncovered something to do with our find. After the stunts they pulled during our excavation near the Sphinx, they were kicked out of the university, plus they’re not even allowed to work in Egypt any longer.”
“Good point,” Alex said, nodding. She leaned down on her elbows on the counter. “Still, they’re at the top of my suspect list. Nothing was actually stolen. Why would any other thieves do that? Break in, then leave empty handed?”
“I don’t understand,” Jack said, “you guys left empty-handed. You and Mitch re-hid the scrolls, relics and chest you found. Nothing left Egypt with you, not even your research notes.”
“But they don’t know that, do they?” Mitch replied. “If I was them, I’d assume we’d have kept our own notes, detailed diagrams, etc.”
“Right…” Jack said.
There was a knock on the door.
They all froze.
There was a second knock on the door. “Hello?” a voice called out from the hallway.
Alex tiptoed to the door, and looked through the peephole. “It’s ok, guys,” she said as she opened the door.
“Alex!” said an elderly woman dressed in a thick flowered bathrobe, and slippers. She gave Alex a big hug. “I’m so relieved to see you. The police told me what happened. Is everyone ok?” She was the superintendent of their apartment building and also happened to be their neighbor.
“Mrs. Jones,” Alex said, smiling, “yes, we’re all fine, please come in.” Alex showed her in and motioned her over to a seat in the living room. “We’re sorry that this has kept you up so late.”
Jack waved. “Hey, Mrs. J!”
“Hi,” Bob said.
“Hi there, handsome fellas,” she said, smiling.
They all sat down in the living room with her.
“Mitch, Alex, I am so sorry for you both. As I told the police, I didn’t see or hear anything all night,” Mrs. Jones said. Worry was etched on her aged face. She was like a mother figure to them and had always taken an interest in their lives.
“It’s ok, Mrs. Jones,” Mitch said. “We don’t think they took anything.”
“That’s a relief. I just don’t know what this world is coming to,” she shook her head. “I thought this was a good neighborhood.” She shifted in her seat, “Oh, I almost forgot in all of the excitement tonight,” she said as she pulled something out of the front of her bathrobe. “Mitch, Alex, I have an envelope for you. The courier wanted to drop this off for you, but you were out. He needed someone to sign for it, so I told him I’m the apartment’s super, and that I’d sign for it and give it to you.”
Mrs. Jones handed Alex a white, letter-size envelope. The return address was in Cairo. Alex looked at Mitch.
“Thanks Mrs. Jones,” Mitch said. “Can we get you something? Alex is making a pot of her famous coffee.”
“I can tell, it smells good, but no, it’s far past my bedtime, as you can see by how I’m dressed,” she said, laughing. “I just wanted to make sure you were both ok. I should get going home.”
Mitch stood to help her up. She took his hand gratefully and they walked to the door.
“I’ll walk you back to your place, Mrs. J,” Bob said, jumping up. He offered her his arm.
“Why, thank-you. You’re such a gentleman, Bob,” the elderly lady said, smiling and patting his arm. She turned back to the others. “Please let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks,” Alex replied, She gave her a warm hug. “We’ll be fine.”
“Goodnight, dears.”
“Night, Mrs. J!” Jack said.
The door closed. “Guys,” Alex said, waving them over, “let’s see what’s inside the envelope.” She grabbed a letter opener, took it over to the kitchen counter, and the three of them huddled around as she opened it.
Inside the envelope, there was a single piece of paper, a note written entirely in the ancient language Mitch and Alex discovered and painstakingly learned while in Egypt eighteen months ago. It looked similar to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, but Mitch and Alex knew it was from a civilization far older. Whoever wrote the note made sure to encrypt the message so that only Mitch and Alex could decode it.
They were astonished.