by Rai Aren
“I will lead the way. Please prepare our people. We will leave as soon as possible.”
Chapter 57
The Flame Extinguished, Present-day Egypt
THE pulsating blue flames were gone. The chamber was quiet. The Pharom was now inactive.
Alex awoke with a start. Her heart was racing. When she opened her eyes, she saw Mitch and Dr. Khadesh kneeling over her. She tried to sit up.
“Whoa, hang on there, warrior girl,” Mitch said, as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “Not too fast.”
She nodded.
He grabbed her hand, and put his other hand around her back, slowly lifting her to a sitting position.
Her head swam, she felt like she was going to be sick.
Mitch saw the color drain out of her face. He ripped the sleeve off of his t-shirt, wet it with bottled water, and placed the cool, wet fabric against her forehead.
“Thanks,” she said, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to catch her breath. She waited until the sensation started to pass. She opened her eyes again. “Where is everybody else? Are they ok?”
“We’re going to go for help right now,” Mitch said. “Jack’s been hurt bad.”
“Mitch, Dr. Khadesh, you’re both hurt, too,” Alex said, seeing their injuries.
“I will be fine,” Dr. Khadesh winced. His shirt was covered in blood. “The bullet went through my shoulder.”
“I’m okay, too,” Mitch smiled. There was a large gash on his forehead where the Sun Disk had impacted with his head. “Just a bit of a headache. Good job deactivating the Pharom, Alex. You saved us all from horrible deaths, which is more than I can say for Herr Reichmann, his goon Hans, and a couple of their buddies.”
She smiled sadly, looking down.
She didn’t notice that the Pharom was no longer on the platform.
“Let’s get topside,” Mitch said, as he and Khadesh helped her up. They walked outside and heard voices coming from Maximilian’s tent. They headed over.
Inside, Bob tended to Jack’s injuries, wrapping his shoulder in a tourniquet he made from his pantleg. Fessel moaned, he was still alive, but barely. Khamir tried to tend to his wound.
The lone surviving member of Maximilian’s team struggled in his restraints. Bob and Khamir had managed to tie him up.
“You need to stop wiggling around,” Bob said as he stepped into his view, holding the man’s gun. “If you don’t I think I can figure out how this works,” he motioned towards Khamir, “he definitely can.”
Khamir looked over at him, nodding towards the gun he had taken from Hans, now resting on his hip.
The man glared at them and spat in their direction.
“I’d adjust your attitude there, mister,” Bob said. “Your bosses, your friends - all dead. We’re all you’ve got. Behave or we’ll leave you to the scorpions.”
“Liar!” he yelled. “I will be collecting my reward yet, just you watch.”
“What reward?” Bob asked.
“Why should I tell you?”
“Ooh, a chicken Stasi,” Bob taunted him. “Some ‘Shield and Sword’ you turned out to be. Pathetic.”
The man struggled wildly with his restraints, practically growling. “We were promised that no matter what happens tonight, if we kill all of you, two million euros would be automatically wired to each of our bank accounts.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, jerk,” Bob said, aiming the gun squarely at his head. “But there’s no one left to send you any money. How about a bullet instead?”
“Police! Drop your guns!” Egyptian paramilitary police, wearing masks and black body armor, burst through the entrance. “Everybody put your hands up!” Police sharpshooters positioned themselves around the room.
Everyone dropped the weapons and raised their hands.
Dr. Khadesh shouted something in Arabic. The police captain walked over to him. Dr. Khadesh and Khamir spoke to him briefly.
The captain shouted a few orders and the police took Maximilian’s guard away. Medical personnel rushed in to tend to the injured.
As they were tended to by the medics Alex looked around at all the police. If they wanted to keep the Pharom a secret, they were going to fail at that. ‘Too many people could potentially see it,’ she thought nervously. ‘They’re going to search the subterranean chambers and want an explanation for what happened there.” Alex was dismayed at the thought of what might happen next.
Mitch looked at her, worry etched on his face. He knew she was thinking the same things he was.
Alex peered out a window. She watched as medics carried Professor Dustimaine away from the subterranean chambers on a stretcher. He had been found cowering in the first chamber behind one of the columns. He looked terrified and was rambling incoherently.
Mitch joined her at the window. They watched as Dr. Khadesh, initially refusing medical attention, walked over to Dustimaine. He whispered something to the Professor. Dustimaine said something back. Then Khadesh reached down and took from his shirt pocket what looked like a gold pendant on a chain. The medics took Dustimaine to a waiting ambulance. Dr. Khadesh held onto the pendant tightly.
Mitch and Alex watched as Dr. Khadesh was also escorted away for further medical care. Khamir and the police captain joined him. The three of them spoke for a few minutes. The captain nodded, and placed a hand on each of their shoulders, then took his leave.
Khamir turned towards the chamber entrance. He stopped, sensing something. He looked in their direction, seeing the questions written all over their faces. He smiled and winked at them, as he disappeared underneath the Sphinx.
Chapter 58
Amsara, Circa 10,000 B.C.
THE Head Priest and his wife had quickly arranged small search parties to cover the maximum area in as short a time as possible to see who needed help. Amid all the chaos around them, Odai suddenly stood still. His heart had felt as if it had stopped for a moment.
Senarra, realizing Odai was no longer running alongside her, turned around. “Odai, what is it? We must keep going!”
He wheeled around, facing in the direction of the Lions’ den and whispered, “Amsara…”
Senarra stepped in front of Odai, whose gaze was locked off into the distance and did not flinch. “Odai, did you hear me?” She reached out to touch his shoulder.
Her touch brought him back to the moment. “The lions…Amsara…I must check on them.”
“Do we have time?” Senarra asked gently.
“I could not live with myself if I left them Senarra,” he replied.
She nodded. “I will go with you, my husband.”
“Thank-you,” he said and took her hand. Together they raced off towards their charges.
“Oh no…” Odai said, his voice cracking as the habitat came into view. He could see at a distance that the den was badly damaged. Smoke rose in menacing trails, as if to say it had been victorious. They noticed that one of the sides had been torn apart. It was then that Odai saw the tawny form laying at the base of the of damaged fencing. “Amsara!” he cried out, racing for the downed creature.
Senarra’s heart was in her throat as she said a silent prayer.
Odai’s fears were realized. It was Amsara. He knelt down beside the big form of the lion. Amsara’s breathing was labored. The lion opened his eyes, recognizing his lifelong friend’s voice, but though he tried, he could not raise his head. His mane was charred and sticky with blood. He had been hit on the head. Odai looked around and noticed a massive tree, now blackened, that had fallen near him.
“It must have hit him,” Senarra said.
Odai nodded, the tears that filled his eyes blurred his vision. He wiped them away. Then he noticed the angry, bloody gashes covered Amsara’s enormous paws, his nose and cheeks. His side and underbelly were also covered in l
ong, deep cuts.
“My friend,” Odai said as his tears kept falling.
The lion tried to greet his friend, but only a guttural, raspy utterance came forth as his breathing quickened. The lion closed his eyes, his face twitching with pain.
Senarra stood back, trying unsuccessfully to hold in her own emotions.
Tears kept streaming down Odai’s face. Suddenly, he realized the lionesses and cubs were nowhere to be seen. He whipped his head around to look. They were gone. “The lionesses…the cubs…” he said, looking back down at Amsara, then at the toppled fence. Odai wiped the tears away, he understood. “You tore down this fence. You did it to save the others.” He cried.
Amsara grunted in response. The creature was very near death, this Odai knew. He prayed as he gently stroked his friend’s thick mane. He wished there was something, anything, he could do to ease his pain.
Just then, Amsara’s ears flicked and his eyes opened.
“I heard it, too,” Odai whispered, straining his ears to figure where the sound had come from. He heard it again, a tiny cry not far off.
Amsara tried to lift his head. Odai gently touched his shoulder. “I will go see what that is. You rest, my friend.”
Odai got up and looked around. Senarra’s back was to him. She was kneeling by some bushes.
She stood up, holding a small bundle in her arms. She smiled, her eyes filled with tears of both happiness and sorrow. She walked towards her husband. “Someone did not run far.”
“Jabulani!” Odai exclaimed. Senarra motioned to Odai, and he took the tiny cub from her arms. Jabulani was the runt of the litter, but somehow he had managed to survive. “I think there is someone who would very much love to see you,” Odai said, smiling softly through his tears.
He brought the little cub over to his father. Amsara’s eyes opened at the sound of his cub. Odai placed the small form beside Amsara’s face. Amsara sniffed the little cub, who squealed with joy to see his father again. Amsara licked Jabulani’s face. The cub, excited, tried to climb onto his father, but Odai held him back. “No little guy, your daddy is hurt.”
Jabulani sniffed his dad’s face, searching, mewing. Amsara licked his cub’s little face again, as if to reassure him it would be all right. But all was not going to be all right. Amsara’s head shifted back slightly as he once again closed his eyes. His breathing slowed. Odai held the little cub tight, and touched Amsara’s side gently. He saw the lion’s breathing grow more labored. He felt Amsara’s side spasm slightly, as the lion gasped. Odai then felt the last breath his friend would ever take rise then fall.
Chapter 59
Farewell
TRAMEN and Anjia rushed around, helping their people to prepare for the long and trying journey ahead. Suddenly, Anjia stopped in her tracks. Her ankh pendant abruptly cooled, then buzzed. Her heart raced. She felt dizzy. Everything went dark.
A vision came to her of Amsara. She was stretched out beside him in a meadow on a small hill watching a lazy, slow sunset, her head resting in his thick mane. She could smell him, a comforting scent, like a favorite old blanket. She fell asleep to the rhythm of his deep, rough breathing. Perfectly content.
But then she awoke after a time. She slowly became aware that his breathing had become labored. She raised her head and looked at her dear old friend. She could tell he was in pain. ‘Amsara,’ she whispered. ‘What is wrong?’
The old lion opened his eyes, weary with life’s burdens. He looked at her. She heard his voice in her mind, ‘My time with you is ending.’
‘What? What are you saying? You are going to come with us, we will build a new home for all of us.’
‘Anjia, I must go now. I am tired.’
‘But you cannot leave me, too,’ she cried, ‘I need you.’ She owed her life to this majestic creature. ‘I love you Amsara. I cannot bear to lose you, please stay with me…’
‘I…cannot. It is time. I am sorry.’ He raised his head and gently nuzzled her. ‘You will find your way, Anjia. Trust your instincts, they will guide you. Do not be afraid.’
As the lion laid his head back down, tears welled up in the young woman’s eyes. Her heart was breaking. She saw the pain he was in. ‘I love you so much.’ Her tears fell and glistened on his rich mane.
His eyes, half-lidded, were still warm with love. ‘Do not be sad for me, Anjia, I am going to a beautiful place, it will be all right.’
She wept and held him tight. She wanted to hang onto him forever. If she could just…but, she knew it was selfish. In that moment she felt his suffering as though it was her own. She knew it was not right to try and keep him with her any longer. His mortal journey was ending. She touched his mane. ‘I know.’ She kissed his forehead, her lips lingered a moment. She pressed her forehead to his. ‘Rest now, my friend, all of your hard work here is done.’
His eyes closed.
‘I love you Amsara, thank-you for everything.’ She watched his breathing as it became more irregular. Then, finally, he let one last long breath out.
He was still.
Anjia lovingly rubbed his mane. ‘Good-bye my dear, brave friend…’
And with that she came back to conscious awareness. Her cheeks were wet with tears. Her heart broke. She knew her friend was gone.
Tramen was in a state of panic, seeing his sister standing motionless all of a sudden, staring off into the distance. He rushed to her side. He saw the sorrow etched across her face. “Anjia, are you all right?” he asked, gripping her shoulders.
“Yes,” she answered as the fog of her vision cleared. She wiped away her tears.
“What happened? What is wrong?” he asked. “You just suddenly stopped moving.”
“I-I had a vision…of Amsara,” she said, trying to make sense of what just happened.
“Amsara,” he asked, puzzled. “Why…”
“He has left us.”
Chapter 60
Energy
THE Royal twins headed back to the meeting place at the front of the Palace at the agreed upon time.
Odai and Senarra returned as well, though late. They were exhausted and covered in dirt after burying Amsara in an undamaged corner of the lion habitat. A few larger trees had remained standing, so they decided to bury him there, in his home, with nature standing watch over him. Odai had not even had to say anything, when Anjia expressed her condolences and sorrow over Amsara’s passing.
Tramen stood by her side, amazed. She had been right.
Odai knew that by now he should not be surprised by her abilities, but it was startling none-the-less. However, he was very grateful he had not had to say the words, it felt too painful to bear. He was drained and his emotions were raw. He felt a hollowness in his soul from everything that had happened.