by Rai Aren
Mitch looked over the man’s shoulder at Alex. One of the men was gripping her shoulders. He tightened his grip, as he sneered at Mitch. Alex winced, as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Ok, ok, you win. Let her go.”
“Good, very good,” Hans said, his German accent thick. He nodded to his accomplice. The man loosened his grip on Alex. Hans took his arm away from Mitch’s neck and straightened his jacket. “Now, let’s just all keep calm. We don’t want any unfortunate accidents, do we?”
Mitch glared at him.
The men reached for their bags, again. “We can carry our own luggage,” Alex said defiantly.
Hans considered her for a moment. “As you wish, but I warn you, do not try anything or it will go very badly for you.” He patted a bulge under his arm.
Alex trembled. Jack and Bob stood on either side of her. Jack put a reassuring hand on her arm.
“Follow me.” Hans directed them where to go.
The four of them nervously walked along the busy airport hallways with the muscular men close behind. Mitch wondered if these men would use their firearms in a public place, but he wasn’t willing to test their resolve. He considered breaking away and making a run for it towards one of the guards patrolling the airport, but he was afraid of what could happen to his friends if he did.
From the corner of an intersecting hallway, a couple dozen children approached and swarmed Hans and his men. The children, shouting excitedly and waving their hands to sell their homemade goods, temporarily separated the men from the foursome. A man, his head and face covered in keffiyeh, drove an empty motorized luggage cart up to the four friends.
“Get in! Quickly!” He removed his scarf to reveal his identity. It was the face of a familiar young Arab man.
“Khamir!” they exclaimed.
“Hurry!” he said, keeping an eye on the children, who were being roughly pushed aside by Hans and his men.
They all threw their luggage and themselves onto the cart. “Hang on tight!” Khamir said as he slammed on the pedal and they raced away, with Hans and his men in pursuit.
“Boy, are we glad to see you!” Alex exclaimed. “We were hoping to see a friendly face when we arrived.”
Khamir focused on weaving through the busy crowds.
“What’s going on, Khamir?” Mitch asked, looking behind him as they outpaced their would-be captors. He could see Hans yelling into a cell phone. “Was it you who brought us back to Egypt?”
“Yes, Dr. Khadesh and myself,” he answered, his expression serious.
“Why?” Mitch pressed.
“I can explain, but first, we must get out of here,” Khamir said as he hurriedly drove the four Americans out of the busy terminal. Khamir took the group down a corridor normally reserved for the use of maintenance employees. He slipped a piece of paper to a security guard, who glanced at it quickly, then waved them through the secured area.
Shortly, they exited the building. After a quick drive through the parking lot, they came to a white Volkswagen van, with tinted rear windows. Khamir jumped off the golf cart and unlocked the van. The group loaded their luggage and jumped inside.
Khamir pulled off his head covering to reveal a clean-shaven face, and long shiny, black hair pulled into a ponytail. He wasted no time as he sped the vehicle down roads reserved for emergency vehicles.
“I think we lost them,” Bob said, looking behind them.
“No, here they come,” Khamir pointed to a pair of black BMWs speeding towards them. Khamir made a sharp turn and sped along a narrow road. The VW van slammed through a locked gate and headed towards the highway. The BMWs followed. Flashes of light, accompanied with loud bangs came from the pursuing vehicles. A hiss and sharp crack was heard as one of the side mirrors exploded into pieces.
“They’re shooting at us!” Jack shouted, growing hysterical.
“Hang on!” Khamir yelled. He made a series of turns. The van slalomed through the chaotic Cairo traffic. This was his city and he knew the roads better than the foreigners chasing them. The VW van turned onto a side street. Khamir honked his horn as he weaved through a crowded market. Shocked shoppers dove out of the way, shouting and gesturing angrily at them. The BMWs continued their pursuit without hesitation.
Khamir waved to a vendor as he drove past him. Several wooden carts, filled with homemade Egyptian crafts, rolled onto the pathway. The lead car slammed into the carts, spun out of control, and crashed into a building, blocking the pathway for the other car. Angry vendors poured into the street and surrounded the cars.
Khamir glanced up at what transpired in the rear view mirror and roared with laughter.
As the van sped away from the pursuers, Khamir looked at his four nervous passengers and smiled, “On behalf of Dr. Khadesh and myself, welcome back to Egypt, my friends!”
Chapter 4
Reunion and Truth
AFTER nearly an hour of driving through a maze of winding, narrow streets, navigating through the noisy congested traffic, they arrived in a quiet, dimly lit residential community. Streetlights were spaced far apart, leaving much of the neighborhood cast in darkness and shadows. Soft yellow lighting was visible through many of the homes’ small rectangular windows. Thin curtains wafted in the slight evening breeze. Faint music could be heard coming from a nearby house.
“We are here,” Khamir said as he parked on the street behind an old beat up brown truck with only three tires. He took off his earpiece. He had made a call once they had eluded their pursuers, and had been speaking rapidly in Egyptian Arabic the entire way.
That had frustrated Mitch and Alex. They would have liked to have some questions answered, sooner rather than later. It had been a long and tiring trip and they wanted to know what was happening that was so important it had to be shrouded in such secrecy, and why they were being chased. They also wanted an explanation for something else.
The weary and frazzled passengers got out of the van, taking their bags with them.
Jack rubbed his backside, “Ow, I think I have permanent indentations from the springs in that seat.”
“I keep telling you that you need more padding,” Bob said as he walked up next to him. “You’re skin and bones, it’s not healthy.”
“We can’t all be so well-padded, my rotund friend,” Jack replied, sizing him up.
“You’re just jealous of my manly frame.”
Mitch laughed.
Alex stretched and took a deep breath, her eyes closed. The evening air was warm. She looked up at the night sky. The moon shone brightly. Many stars were visible, but she recognized that these were not the constellations of home. It was a reminder that they were the foreigners here, and after what happened at the airport, that they would have to be very careful if they wanted to get out of this situation alive.
“Lost in thought?” Mitch asked.
“Yeah,” she replied.
“I know,” he said.
“Come, my friends,” Khamir said, “we should get out of sight.” He escorted the group down a cracked pathway, to an average sized, one-story stone house. He unlocked the plain door, flicked on a hallway light, and held the door open for his American guests.
“Welcome to my home,” he said as he closed and locked the door behind them. “You will be staying here, while you are back in Egypt.
“Thanks, Khamir,” Mitch smiled, “it’s good to be here.”
“And not to be on the run anymore,” Alex added. “We owe you a lot for getting us out of there. Thank you.” She hugged him.
Khamir smiled, patting her gently on the back. “You have a saying, I believe, ‘that is what friends are for’. I am just glad you are all safe. I am sorry I was late in meeting you, I was delayed by security.” He had his suspicions as to why he was singled out.
Jack and Bob didn’t wait for an
invitation. They dropped their bags in the hall, and walked into the small living room, to the left of the hallway. The room was simply furnished and decorated. They immediately flopped down on an old worn, dark brown sofa. They were crashing after their adrenalin rush.
“Ok, Khamir, we’re here,” Jack said. “What’s going on?”
Mitch interjected, “He meant to first say ‘thank you for rescuing us from those thugs, Khamir’ and then, what’s going on?”
“We will tell you everything in due time,” said a distinguished-looking, older Egyptian man, stepping out of the shadow of a doorway on the other side of the room. He turned on a tall lamp, which bathed the room in a warm, soft glow.
Khamir bowed and then disappeared into the kitchen.
“Dr. Khadesh!” the group exclaimed. Jack and Bob jumped off the couch, excited to see the man who had seen them out of many a scrape on their last trip to Egypt.
“My friends,” he said, smiling warmly. “Welcome back.” His dark eyes sparkled with affection for their guests.
Alex gave him a hug, relieved to see him. Mitch shook his hand then embraced him as well.
“We were hoping we would see you again,” Alex said as she beamed at the older man, who in some ways felt like a father figure to her. Knowing he was there gave her a sense of relief.
“It is good to see you all, it has been too long,” he said, looking at each of them in turn. He took in a lot about them with his observations. “Thank-you for coming under such…unusual circumstances.”
“Yeah, it’s been a bit challenging,” Bob admitted.
“I know. I apologize for having to be so vague about this matter. I am afraid there are too many eyes and ears around these days. I could not risk saying anything more. The airport incident is a perfect example of that.”
“That was pretty crazy,” Jack said.
“Please, do sit back down,” he said. “You have all journeyed long to get here.”
Mitch and Alex sat down on the long, upholstered sofa along with Jack and Bob. Mitch cleaned his glasses.
Dr. Khadesh took a seat in one of the well-worn armchairs across from the sofa. Alex grabbed a small, fringed cushion and held it tightly to her chest. Questions burned in her mind.
“I am sorry for the troubles you faced getting here. Khamir filled me in on everything while he drove from the airport. It seems someone else is keeping your activities under tight surveillance and was purposely interfering with Khamir.” His expression looked grim. “We must be extremely cautious,” he said, leaning forward.
“Who were those guys?” Mitch asked. “What were they planning on doing with us?”
“We will get that,” Dr. Khadesh said. “There are a few things we need to discuss first.”
“Actually,” Alex said, leaning forward, “we need to tell you something, too.” She filled him in on the break-in at their apartments the same day they received the invitation to come back to Egypt and that they believed the two events were related.
“I see,” Dr. Khadesh said. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You are correct, that would not be a coincidence.” He looked at the four young adventurers. He had a deep fondness for them and knew how much courage it took for them to come back to Egypt after everything that had happened.
“Are the guys from the airport involved with whoever it was that broke into our places?” Mitch asked.
“Very likely,” he nodded.
“Just great,” Bob whispered to Jack. “I knew it was a bad idea coming here.”
Jack stared at Khadesh. He felt there was something strange about him, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. He shook his head, feeling that his tiredness was getting to him.
“We need to know what we’re dealing with here,” Mitch pressed.
“Of course, of course,” he assured him. “But this will be a lot to digest on empty stomachs. First, let us offer you some coffee and some Umm Ali,” he grinned, knowing the Egyptian bread pudding was a favorite of theirs. “We cannot allow our guests to go hungry. Dinner will be served soon as well.”
Bob’s eyes lit up as Khamir came back from the kitchen carrying a large brass tray with plates and cutlery, and the dessert. He momentarily forgot about their troubles.
“The coffee is brewing,” Khamir said.
They could all smell the strong aroma wafting into the room.
“Thanks!” Jack exclaimed. “I’m starving!”
“Me too,” Bob said, barely able to keep from grabbing the tray.
“Please help yourselves, my friends,” Khamir smiled.
Dr. Khadesh filled him in on the news of the break-in. He and Khamir shared an uneasy glance.
The bread pudding had been devoured in virtual silence. Their near-capture had worked up large appetites. Dr. Khadesh had patiently waited for them to finish.
He looked at each of them intently, “I promise you, my hungry friends, all will be answered in due time, but first, let me explain why all of you are back in Egypt.” He took a deep breath. “The Pharom is in danger of being found.”
The look of complete shock on the four faces was apparent. This was their most closely guarded secret. They had been so careful to cover their tracks…or so they thought.
“Yes, we know all about it,” Dr. Khadesh said. “Who do you think led you to it?”
“And you know the Kierani language,” Alex added, thinking to the mysterious note they had received. “With all due respect, this requires some explaining.”
Dr. Khadesh smiled softly and nodded in the affirmative.
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Dr. Khadesh was the influential Director of Egyptian Antiquities. He had long held the powerful and prominent position. It gave him say over the timing and direction of archaeological activities, amongst other important areas. He had kept a close eye on Mitch and Alex’s work for many years after he learned of their controversial and bold theories regarding the age of the Sphinx. Unlike many who had proposed such theories, they had steadfastly dedicated themselves to proving it and had withstood much criticism as a result. Even their academic careers had suffered because of it, until he stepped in from afar. He had been so impressed by their work that he began to support it behind the scenes.
Eighteen months ago Mitch and Alex were PhD students, working in Egypt. During that time, while working on Professor Dustimaine’s excavation near the Great Sphinx, Alex accidentally discovered a chest, containing artifacts and scrolls that dated over twelve thousand years old. Keeping their find a secret and working at night with Jack and Bob, after their shifts on their assigned dig, Mitch and Alex painstakingly deciphered the scrolls, with the help of a small piece of papyrus found hidden in the chest’s false bottom. This papyrus contained both Kierani and ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, making it the equivalent of the Rosetta Stone for the Kierani language. With it, which they called their ‘crib notes’, they had learned some of the history of the unknown Kierani civilization. These people from antiquity had inhabited Egypt prior to recorded ancient Egyptian history, and were the original builders of the Great Sphinx. The Kierani had incorporated secret chambers underneath the Sphinx to operate and hide a powerful and highly sophisticated device called the Pharom.
Mitch and Alex had received a note from an unknown source informing them where to find the secret chambers, the entrance to which was behind the Dream Stela, between the Sphinx’s paws. They were also granted permits to explore the Sphinx site by an anonymous source. Mitch and Alex eventually found the Pharom, hidden deep within a subterranean chamber below the great monument. Not understanding what it was, they had set it on a platform that was designed to hold it. However, the mysterious object was powered by the chamber itself, and close proximity to it resulted in the sudden onset of severe nausea and dizziness. They left the chamber to recover, and as they were trying to fig
ure out what to do next, a spy had snuck in to steal the artifact. As he tried to remove the Pharom, he inadvertently triggered a deadly explosion, and was killed instantly.