by Scott Peters
"That person—the one I saw before!"
"Before when?" Kat said, eyes wide.
Hui scooted backward and angled himself behind some potted plants. "Get back here, will you?"
Zet raised his chin and chanced a look around.
Hui wrenched on Zet's ankle. "By the beard of Ptah, what are you doing? Are you crazy?"
"Is it the mummy?" Kat said. "Did you see the mummy?"
"Of course not. I told you, it was that person I saw before. Ohhh! I hope they didn't see us."
In a fierce whisper, Zet said, "Who are you talking about?"
"From the square! The other night, like I told you." Hui got on all fours, held onto the potted planter and peered around it. "She's still there."
"She?" Zet got up and mimicked Hui's hiding position. Soon all three children were clutching giant clay urns that spilled with plants. They peeked around the sides.
"Whoa!" Zet said when he spotted who Hui was staring at.
A woman stood on a rooftop, not ten houses away. A line of flapping laundry partially hid her from view. Still, Zet would have recognized her anywhere. It was the lady from the river!
Hands on her hips, she frowned intently down at the crowd. Every once in a while, she scanned left and right as if to confirm she wasn't being watched.
She began turning toward Zet.
He flopped out of view, sitting with his back to the urn. His thoughts were spinning. "She's who you saw in the market square? The other night?"
Hui nodded. "Too weird, isn't it?"
Kat sat down hard. "The woman from the river."
Zet said, "So let me get this straight. First, you saw the big man from the river in your street. The night the mummy came and haunted your house?"
"Uh huh."
"And second, you saw that woman the night the mummy haunted our pottery stall? She was in the market square?" Zet said.
"Right again," Hui said.
Kat said, "But this means—"
"They both have to be involved," Zet said, cutting in.
Kat frowned. "I was going to say they're being haunted, too. But no. That doesn't make sense. Why are they everywhere the mummy goes? And what about their sick daughter?"
"I don't think there is a sick daughter," Zet said. "I think they made her up."
"What?" Kat gasped.
Zet rapidly reviewed the clues in his mind. The man and woman had appeared at every haunting. And there were strange facts about the mummy itself. Why it had been lit up in that boat? Why had it spoken real words to them in the mortuary?
He burst out with a sudden revelation. "That mummy—it was using the lamp we found in the tomb. It must have been!"
Hui scratched his neck. "I dunno. You think a mummy knows how to use a lamp?"
"And it left the lamp in the tomb for us to find. So that we'd light it and be scared out of our minds. So that we'd go and call the medjay and the Royal Guard."
"Why would the mummy do that? And if that's true, how did it get rid of everything in the tomb?"
Zet ground his fist into his palm. Parts of this mystery were growing clear. "Easy. The mummy had help. A bunch of help."
Hui burst out laughing, and then slapped a hand over his mouth. "Hah. Very funny. Who would help a mummy? More mummies? Wait—" He groaned. "There are more mummies, aren’t there? That's what this is about! It's an army of mummies. They're taking over Thebes. I should have known! Oh, this is the worst. The absolute worst."
"There are no mummies," Zet said.
"Now you're just completely daft," Hui said. "We saw it. It grabbed us both."
"There are no mummies," Zet said again.
"Then w-w-what is t-t-THAT? Over there!" Kat said.
She had raised herself to peek at the Temple of Isis. Her finger shook as she pointed at the temple's rooftop. Zet stared at the mummified figure that was crawling across it on all fours. The way it moved, it looked more animal than human.
Hui said, " By the wings of Isis, they're coming! The mummies are coming!"
"Shush!" Zet said. "It's just the same mummy it's always been. And it's not actually even a—" He stopped talking as the mummy reached the edge of the temple's roof.
So far, the crowd had been unaware of the creature's presence.
Now, however, the mummy straightened. It angled upright in all its horrifying glory. As raised both hands, several people pointed upward. A murmur spread through the crowd. Men, women, and children began to shout and scream. They shoved at each other, trying to clear the square. It was packed so tightly they were trapped.
Merit and Pharaoh tried to peer up at the roof. From their angle, they were clearly unable to see the monster right above them. Then the Royal Guard closed around them. They were rapidly hidden in a protective net of spears and shields.
In the square, medjay blew their whistles to try and direct the crowd.
Who would chase the mummy, now that the authorities had their hands full?
On the temple roof, the mummy moved with stiff, jerky motions. It backed up to where the crowd could no longer see it. Zet, from his vantage point on the roof, however, could see it perfectly. The mummy broke into a run. It moved with the speed of an acrobat, leaping swiftly to make its escape. Within moments, it disappeared.
And then a woman screamed. It was the loudest scream imaginable. It tore through the heaving crowd. It made everyone pause. It was the same scream Zet heard when the mummy first haunted his street.
AAAaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!
The bloodcurdling wail sounded like a woman's dying breath.
AAAAAaaaaaaaahhhhhh! AAAAAaaaaaaaahhhhhh!
Despite the chaos on the ground, people searched for the scream's source. Medjay gave up their crowd control efforts. They ran to investigate. Leading the chase was Merimose, his eyes fierce. Clearly, the big medjay meant to get to the bottom of this mystery woman.
But Zet now knew her identity. Everything was falling into place. He had a strong suspicion of what this was all about.
His eyes fastened onto the screaming lady who stood partially hidden by the laundry that hung on the nearby rooftop.
"The screamer—" Kat gasped. "It's the lady from the river!"
Chapter 22
The Chase Is On!
What does this mean?" Kat said as the children huddled behind the tall vases.
"She's in on it," Zet said.
Hui scratched his head. "The lady from the river? She's friends with the mummy?"
"Yes."
"Um—are you sure you got enough sleep last night?" Hui said.
"Just—come on, we need to move." On all fours, Zet crawled for the far side. The sun-scorched surface felt hot under his hands and knees.
"Where are we going?" Kat said.
"To the river. Stay down! They can't know we've figured it out."
Hui scuttled along on all fours. "Wait—we've figured it out? When?"
Kat said, "What have we figured out? Zet? Hello!"
"There's no time, just hurry! To the raft!"
Zet wanted to tell them what he knew, but his energy was being poured into running. Except for the pigeons, the streets were empty. Everyone was still in the square. Zet, Kat, and Hui ran so hard their breath came in huge gasps.
Finally, they reached the Nile's shore. All three stood with their hands on their knees, bent double. Zet swallowed, his mouth painfully dry.
"We've got to get to that fishing shack," he said.
"Why?" Kat demanded.
"Something terrible's about to happen. We have to stop them."
"Stop who?" Kat said. "Zet, you're not making any sense."
Zet smacked his forehead. "By the gods, I just realized something."
"What?" Kat and Hui demanded at once.
"One of us has to go for help. We need backup. Someone has to go for the medjay. Or the Royal Guard."
"ZET!" Kat said in a furious voice. "Unless you tell us what's going on right now, no one will be going anywhere."
He r
ealized it was true. As quick as he could, Zet explained all his suspicions. Kat and Hui's eyes grew wider and wider.
"I don't believe it, what horrible people!" Kat cried. "They're threatening all of Egypt!"
"Not if we stop them," Zet said. "So who wants to go for help?"
Kat crossed her arms. "Not me. No way. I'm always the one who has to run for help. This time, I'm coming with you."
"What?" Hui said, brows flying up. "I'm not going for help! Merimose is your friend, not mine. And that Renni will clap me in chains if I bother him again."
"Just decide!" Zet groaned.
Hui and Kat glared at each other.
"Fine." Zet ripped strands of dry grass from the bank and held them in his fist. "Draw for it."
They dove at Zet's hand and each pulled a blade.
"I won!" Kat shouted, holding the longer piece and dancing around. "I won!"
Zet said, "Let's get the raft in the river."
But Kat bit her lip at Hui's downcast expression. She fiddled with her piece of grass and finally threw it down. "Oh, all right! You can go, Hui."
Hui's face brightened. But then he shook his head. "No, you won fair and square." He puffed out his chest and adjusted his tunic. "And this whole thing will fall apart without me to bring help." He patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, Kat. I won't let you down. Or you, Zet."
At this, Zet suddenly had a horrible sense of foreboding. What if Merimose and Renni wouldn't listen to Hui? But they had no time for another plan.
Hui saluted. "I'm off!"
"Good luck," Zet said.
"You, too."
"See you on the other side," Zet said.
Hui dashed off and disappeared around a corner. Zet and Kat splashed up to their knees in the cool river, pulling their raft. They clambered on board and took up paddles. The current grabbed hold and they started moving.
"We're getting pretty good at paddling," Kat said.
Zet couldn't help grinning. "I love this raft."
"Me too!" Kat said. "So, how did you figure everything out?"
"It was a bunch of things. First off, the river people showed up whenever the mummy did—that was too strange. Then there was that lamp. Why would a mummy need a lamp? And that pair of building blocks on the riverbank all covered with hieroglyphics. I couldn't stop thinking about them. How would fancy building blocks get there unless someone carried them? The woman tried to hide one by sitting on it. Remember?"
"Sort of," Kat said.
"When we went back, that's when I saw the second building stone. I wondered where they got it from? But if my suspicions are right, now we know."
"Yes." Kat took a stroke with her paddle. "So you're telling me the man has no sick daughter?"
"Nope. They were faking it to get rid of us."
"Huh. And I really felt sorry for her!" Kat looked mad. She started paddling with fury. "What I still can't understand is, who's the mummy?"
"We're about to find out. Look, we're almost there. Let's bank this raft."
They pulled it on shore and tied it to a tamarisk tree. A sudden breeze sent blooms raining into Zet's face. He brushed them away and crept toward a thicket of low-lying shrubs. Kat followed.
Soon, the fishing shack came into view.
To Zet's surprise, the area was deserted. Baskets lay here and there. Dozens of them. Zet and Kat hurried forward to inspect them. Every basket was empty.
Kat grabbed Zet's shoulder. "Look how high the sandbank is!" she whispered. "They must have dumped all their baskets of dirt out there. That's why it's so big. Because of all their digging. And there's a boat!"
A big expensive-looking boat floated at anchor, just beyond the sandbank. The hull was made of wood and its sails were rolled up. The boat could carry dozens of people.
"Looks like no one's on it," Kat whispered.
"Not for long," Zet whispered back. "Let's check the hut."
Kat swallowed. "All right."
Zet's glanced inland to where the wall partially hid the Treasury from view.
Who was guarding the Treasury now? With a mummy on the loose and all of Thebes in chaos, was it possible the Royal Guard had been forced to abandon it to protect the royal family?
Zet feared the worst.
He nodded at Kat. "Let's go."
Chapter 23
Through the Door
What if someone's in there?" Kat whispered.
"Shhh!" he cautioned.
They inched up to the shack. Sand stuck to Zet's ankles. How he longed to bend down and itch them! He didn't want to make any extra noise. Instead, he slowly pushed open the door. Then, fearing someone might rush outside, he leaped back.
Nothing happened.
Carefully, he squinted into the gloom.
"Empty," he whispered.
At his elbow, Kat gulped loudly.
They inched inside. The shack was bigger than it looked. It stank of sweat and old food. His foot squished down on something spongy. A moldy loaf of bread. Eeew. Gingerly, he kicked it away. Dirty sleeping pallets lay here and there. At least a dozen of them.
Kat wrinkled her nose. "Someone needs a bath," she whispered. "Bad."
"Over there. I was right. Look, a big hole in the wall. Come on!" Zet covered his nose and hopped over the nearest reed mattress. He headed for the dark gap. It was just as he suspected.
A tunnel!
That's where the sandbank came from. The thieves had been digging their way into the treasury. They'd been carrying dirt out in baskets and dumping the dirt in the river. No wonder the sandbank had grown so large.
There wasn't a soul in sight. Then again, why post a guard? No one suspected these awful people. And they had the mummy leading a chase all over town. But they'd never get away with it. Soon, everything was about to unravel.
Zet thought of Hui. Please let him bring the medjay and the Royal Guards. Fast!
"I wish we'd brought a lamp," Kat whispered, stepping through the hole.
"It's probably better we don't have one."
"You're right."
"Use your hands. We'll have to feel our way along. Whatever you do, don't trip!"
They shuffled into the blackness, staying close together. Zet moved his hand along the wall. The dirt was hard-packed. Digging must have been tough. Still, what if the ceiling came tumbling down? At least the thieves had put what felt like wooden supports at random intervals. He sure hoped they were enough.
"How much further?" Kat whispered.
"I think I see a light up ahead."
"You're right!" Kat murmured.
A glow flickered in the distance. It grew larger. Zet could see more clearly. He no longer needed to run his hand over the surface to find his way.
His heart thumped in his ears.
If he was right, the mummy haunting would stop today. Because that mummy wasn't real. It was a living human being. A person whose job it was to cause confusion. To send the medjay and the Royal Guard on wild goose chases. To lure the authorities away from the real target. To lure them away from something huge.
The Royal Treasury.
That's why the man and woman had acted so strangely. They desperately wanted to keep Zet, Kat, Hui, and Merit away. They didn't want anyone to know about their tunnel. For the man and woman were part of an enormous heist.
They were robbing the Royal Treasury!
And they'd dug a tunnel to reach it. That boat out on the river was waiting to receive the spoils. Today was the mummy's last show. The biggest one, too. The mummy's appearance and the woman's screams had caused madness in the square. Panic in the streets. Talk about clever! The Royal Guard was tied up protecting the royal family.
For who would care about guarding the Treasury when Egypt's Royal Family was in danger?
Zet's knee slammed into something warm and solid. He tripped and fell flat on his face. He'd fallen over a body. And the body was thrashing about.
"Zet?" Kat hissed. "There's someone here!"
Zet squinted in
the half-light. He saw a man, bound and gagged. The man wore a gilded headdress and a robe of fine linen.
"He's tied up, help me."
Kat got down beside Zet. But they had nothing to cut the ropes. Zet pulled the gag from the man's mouth. The man sighed in relief.
"Who are you?" Kat whispered.
"My name is Ptahmose. I'm the Overseer of the Treasury."
"Are you all right?" Zet whispered.
"Yes. Thank you. But you mustn't worry about me. Hurry. Go for help! The thieves. They'll be coming back at any moment."
"The authorities are on their way," Zet said, hoping it was true. He glanced at Kat. "We'll try to block the tunnel up there. Make it cave in and trap them inside."
"It's worth a try," Kat said. "I'm sorry, Ptahmose, we'll have to leave you for now."
"Go with my blessing."
"We'll need some kind of tools," Zet said.
"You'll find swords and spears and all manner of things if you can make it without being seen," Ptahmose said.
"We'll do our best."
Ptahmose nodded. "May the gods be with you."
As Zet and Kat closed the final distance, Zet's heart was hammering so loud he felt dizzy. Beside him, Kat was shaking. And then they arrived.
The tunnel mouth opened into a vast chamber.
Zet sucked in his breath. Kat did the same.
Everything seemed to be glittering. Mounds of golden objects. Reams of spun fabric. Goblets and jewel-encrusted platters. Ceremonial daggers and breastplates. Trunks with the lids thrown open to reveal necklaces, and bracelets and amulets. There were objects from foreign lands—things that mystified him beyond all understanding. But it was clear this was only a portion of what it had once been. Meritamen was right. The treasury was nowhere near as full as he expected. Worse, the remains were disappearing into the hands of plundering thieves.
From every corner of the chamber, enormous statues of long dead pharaohs looked down on the scene below. Their carved faces stared at the scene playing out before them.
A dozen men and two women shoveled treasures into thick bags. Big men with filthy shoulders and hands dragged the bags across the floor and heaved them into waiting carts.
Zet shot a hopeful glance toward the colossal pair of front doors. Dust motes swirled in the vast space between them. How he wished those giant doors would fly open with Hui leading the charge! He'd never longed to see his best friend and Merimose so badly. And the crotchety Renni, too.