Death of a Pharaoh

  “There are several items in the box that you will need as Pharaoh, please guard them with care. They have been passed from True Pharaoh to the next for more than two thousand years. In a special container, you will find the royal seal in the shape of a falcon. It represents Lord Horus who protects the living Pharaoh. He will watch over you. The seal is necessary for official documents. In another box, you will find the crook and flail that are the symbols of your office as Pharaoh. I have selected those that belonged originally to Ramses II, a great warrior king. There is also a treasury that will be at your disposal to finance your travels and expenses. It consists of gold bars, diamonds, cash and bearer bonds. All of this wealth is for your duties as Pharaoh and you may never consider it as personal property. The Vizier will soon explain the functioning of the foundation that supports the work of the Servants as well as your Royal Council.”

  Ryan paused the video for a moment and took a deep breath. He stood up and walked over to the ornate chest. It had a large metal clasp on the front. It was unlocked. He gently raised the lid almost expecting a brilliant light to blind him like in a Harrison Ford movie. Instead, he found a square wooden box. He removed the cover and inside he could see the seal his grandmother had spoken of nestled in purple velvet. It took it in his hand. It was extremely heavy and Ryan knew that it must be solid gold. It would be priceless at an auction.

  Underneath the seal was a longer box that he removed. Inside, he discovered the crook and flail that he recognized from his visit to the King Tut exhibit. Finally, there was a large leather briefcase similar to the ones that lawyers use. He opened the top and inside he found bundles of Euros, US Dollars and Pound Sterling as well as a layer of gold bars, two pouches of cut diamonds and other precious stones. He knew everything had to be worth several million. He was flabbergasted.

  He replaced the items and returned to the video.

  “There is great urgency in the succession,” she continued, “The Gods will only listen to you on matters of Ma’at. In your absence, they will assume that the forces of evil are winning and they will punish humanity with everything at their disposal. There will be a surge in natural disasters, famine and plague when they require a meeting. The frequency will only increase as their patience wears thin. Should you ignore the signs and not respond to their call, millions will suffer needlessly and many innocent people will die for no reason. You will know just by picking up a newspaper and any refusal to act will only increase the destruction. The fate of the world is literally in your hands.”

  “I am one of the Pharaoh’s most solicited to visit the Gods. The meetings took place during trips to Senegal because that is where my mother’s ancestors came from. They have lost their faith in mankind and it is up to you to restore it. As I mentioned earlier, this dynasty is voluntary. You could refuse to assume the throne but to do so would put the future of the world at risk. Your destiny is to be Pharaoh. Your ancestors sacrificed to maintain Ma’at and now the responsibility is in your hands. I would have preferred to give you any other inheritance but this is the will of the Gods.”

  “Please know that you were never truly an orphan and that you were loved more than you could ever imagine. Both by your mother, for the all too short time she had you with her, and by a grandmother who thought of you every waking moment of every day. I hope that this love will sustain you now.”

  “May Horus protect you and give you wisdom. May Seth, the Lord of Chaos have patience until you are ready, and may the Gods have mercy on this world! Long live the True Pharaoh!”

  Seconds later the video ended.

  Ryan sat a moment pondering what he had just seen. It was all so fantastic, so difficult to accept. The grandmother he had never known was the Pharaoh of Egypt. She had a gold seal that would cover the foreign debt of a small nation and could fill a box with cash and diamonds for his traveling expenses. She commanded an army of disciplined soldiers, Ethan being one of them, who could break people out of a medium security prison. On top of it all, he had to accept this unbelievable legacy or the world might end and the bad guys would win. Ryan buried his pounding head in his hands. He needed some time to think.

  Just then the door opened and Mr. Lewis walked in, “My Lord, if you have finished I must return the seal and your symbols to safe keeping. Zach is waiting to have dinner with you."

  Ryan didn’t respond at first, still deep in thought.

  “My Lord, is everything alright?”

  “Yes, just a bit shell shocked. It has been a long day,” he explained then added, “Mr. Lewis, where is my grandmother now?”

  “Her body is in route to Egypt where you will perform a special ceremony for her when you are Pharaoh.”

  “I would have liked to see her.”

  “In a way you will, but more important you will soon feel her presence.”

  “Mr. Lewis did you know my birth mother?”

  “Yes, I had the honor of working on Princess Eshe’s personal staff.”

  “Tell me about her, please,” he pleaded.

  Herbert knew the time had come.

  “She was a remarkable lady, intelligent like you, and devoted to the work of the organization. About a year and a half before you were born, she was diagnosed with leukemia.”

  Ryan was visibly shocked. “I never knew.”

  “She decided to delay her treatment in order to have a child. She put her duty before her own well-being. Having an heir was more important than her own health.”

  “Was she married at the time?”

  “No, she was single and the identity of your father is a secret that she took to her grave.”

  “Didn’t he ever come looking for me?”

  Herbert ignored the question.

  “When you were six months old, your Mother was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation because the cancer had spread. She was returning from a treatment when an attacker rammed her vehicle. You were in the car with her. The impact broke her hip and her legs became entangled in the crushed door. She could not free herself. She selflessly handed you to the driver to save you from drowning. Her last words were “It is not his destiny.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because I was the driver of the car!” he stated, his voice quivering. “I grabbed you out of her hands and obeyed her order to take you to safety. There is not a day that I don’t regret not doing more to save her.”

  Ryan felt great compassion for the choices this man had made.

  “So you have actually saved me from drowning twice,” he noted.

  “A hundred times if the Gods command me, my Lord.”

  “Let’s stay away from water for now,” Ryan suggested. He was thoughtful for a moment.

  “Why didn’t my grandmother keep me?”

  “Your mother’s killer belonged to a fanatical Catholic organization and we assumed that if they determined that you had survived the crash then they would stop at nothing to murder you as well. Your grandmother had no choice. As heir, we needed to ensure you reached adulthood alive. It pained her terribly and she suffered for her decision. She was celebrating your 17th birthday just before she was shot, as she had every year since the accident.”

  “Where was her security?”

  “I…we failed…” He couldn’t continue, too overcome by emotion.

  “You were in charge of her security?”

  “Yes, my Lord and may the Gods forgive me.”

  Ryan looked at the man who had saved his life twice. “I can’t speak for them yet, but I do.”

  “Thank you my Lord. The investigation into her death is still ongoing but we will find out who did it and we will bring them to justice.”

  Ryan withdrew into his thoughts again.

  “Zach is waiting,” Herbert gently reminded the teenager sitting before him. He broke protocol and placed a fatherly hand on his shoulder.

  “Have dinner and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a special day.”

  As he was about to turn, Ryan spoke.<
br />
  “Mr. Lewis, can I do this? I’m barely seventeen,” he reminded the man standing before him as well as the Gods, wherever they were. “What if I screw up?”

  “You are brave and I have faith that the Gods know what they are doing. Besides, you are the only option. If you decide to decline the throne, we will be disappointed but we will understand. Just remember this, if you turn your back on your destiny then it is humanity that will become orphaned and the consequences would be unimaginable.”

  Ryan forced a smile, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  He got up from the chair as one of the security guards entered to take the chest away. He went looking for Zach and found him at the dining room table that someone had set for two. He was showered and dressed in news jeans, rad sneakers and a polo top.

  “Ethan says we can order anything we want,” he blurted out in excitement. “There’s a little fridge over there loaded with beer and wine. I don’t think anyone will know if we have some.”

  “You go for it, my head still hurts too much but I think I’ll have a steak. I’m starved.”

  “What did your grandmother say?” Zach inquired while they waited for the food to arrive.

  “She’s a neat lady but she laid a heavy trip on me about all this pharaoh stuff.”

  “Based on this crib, it can’t be such a bad gig,” he admitted. “Looks like they have loads of money.”

  “You can’t even imagine.”

  “Ethan says I can get a job as part of your security team. That way we don’t have to spit up. Whadya think?” the eagerness was patent in his face.

  “Of course! I really need a friend with me now and since you kept my back in prison, I’m sure you’ll do fine out here.”

  “So what is going to happen now? We can’t stayed holed up here forever, even though I wouldn’t mind. You should see my bed. It has a big curtain on top and at least six pillows. I’ve already forgotten about the one I left behind. I’m going to hump two maybe three tonight; a regular orgy!”

  Ryan chuckled. Zach’s crude sexual honesty was a balm for his aching head.

  “I have a meeting with some dude from Africa tomorrow morning and I have to decide if I want to be the next King Tut or else everyone will be real disappointed.”

  Zach thought about it for a moment.

  “Didn’t those Pharaohs have harems full of beautiful women? Maybe I can get some of your leftovers?”

  “Keep it in your pants for now.”

  “Ethan assured me that they have people watching my Mom’s place just in case.”

  “You guys seem to be real tight all of a sudden,” Ryan observed. “Do I need to be jealous?”

  “Actually, he’s a nice guy. I still think he’s gay, but in a good way. You know what I mean. Like the dude helped me pick out these clothes, man, and he was bang on. I once read on the internet that those guys have great taste.”

  Ryan relaxed for the first time since he received Herbert Lewis’s call in prison.

  The food was delicious, much better than the cafeteria at Sullivan, and he even split a beer with Zach. After dinner, they went into the living room to watch a movie.

  “Look there’s pay per view and they even have porn. A movie costs $12.95. Think they’d be pissed?”

  “Go for it. I’m hitting the sack. Tomorrow is decision time.”

  “Well don’t think about it too much. Ethan said your headache will only get worse and if you wait too long your dick will shrivel up and fall off!”

  “That last part better be a joke or I’ll have your head cut off.”

  They both laughed. It felt good.

  “Goodnight Ryan. See you in the morning.”

  The bed was heaven. The sheets were the softest he had ever experienced. He had to throw half the pillows on the floor just to get horizontal. Despite the luxury, he couldn’t sleep. He must have tossed and turned for an hour. He was finally about to pass out from exhaustion when he heard someone call his name. It was Zach. He was standing by the bed naked with a pillow covering his privates.

  “Hey buddy. Can I sleep in here tonight? It’s too quiet in my room and I miss having you just a few feet away.”

  “Sure, I was having trouble sleeping without all that rustling you used to make.”

  Ryan looked at the pillow Zach was holding. “That your new girlfriend?”

  “Nah, she’s a slut! She didn’t even resist through the first scene of the movie. She’s stuffed full of feathers though; real soft!”

  “You can climb in but the pillow stays out,” he ordered. “Understand! And keep to your side of the bed.”

  Zach smiled and crawled under the covers. Before long, Ryan could hear his steady breathing just as if they were back in their cell and he soon fell asleep.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Presidential Suite, The Rittenhouse Hotel, Philadelphia: 08:37 EDT September 17, 2016

  The nightmare came back. The water was dark and cold. Ryan panicked as he fought for air. Just as he was about to black out he heard someone calling his name. It was a different voice this time. It was his grandmother and then he woke up.

  Ryan turned on the television to see if there was more on the prison break. Sullivan was old news already, replaced by graphic images of lifeless bodies among broken concrete and twisted rebar in the aftermath of a massive earthquake in northern Turkey. Rescuers worked frantically to find survivors in a primary school not far from the epicenter. Authorities estimated that more than a thousand children were in class when the tragedy struck. It didn’t look like there would be many survivors. Updates danced across the bottom of the screen, unseen by the hundreds of stunned parents standing helplessly behind emergency lines, refusing to believe the reality before their eyes. Ryan remembered his grandmother’s words in the video. Reports suggested that fatalities exceeded 50,000 with double that number still missing. He knew it was crazy, but somehow he felt responsible.

  Ryan barely spoke at breakfast unable to forget the horrific scenes at the school. Zach had just finished a huge breakfast with extra side orders of bacon and Belgian waffles.

  “They taste just like American ones,” he assured his friend unaware of the motive for his introspection. A knock on the door interrupted his next comment.

  Herbert Lewis walked in.

  “My Lord, there is someone who wishes an audience before your meeting.”

  “Sure, show him in,” he agreed wondering who it could possibly be.

  He could barely believe his eyes when David, his Sensei, walked through the door. He leapt from his chair and ran to give him a bear hug.

  “Where have you been, I missed you so much.”

  “My Lord, I…”

  “Wait, you’re one of the Servants?”

  “Yes, my Lord.”

  “That’s why I could never read any of your thoughts.”

  “They train us in that,” he confessed.

  “So you didn’t go away because you were disappointed in me?”

  “Of course not,” he assured him. “When you moved away to private school, I was no longer needed there and I transferred to our training academy. I have watched you from a distance and I am proud of the man you have become. You will make a great king.”

  “I am not so certain.”

  “Ryan, forgive me,” he corrected his style of address, “my Lord… I think I know you better than most and I have no doubt that you will kick some serious butt.”

  “Thanks for the confidence.” Ryan suddenly remembered his breakfast companion, “David this is my best friend, Zach.”

  Zach smiled and waved.

  “Zach, this is my karate teacher,” he announced. “He used to be my best friend, well, I mean he still is and…”

  “My Lord, I am your humble servant and I would give my life to protect you. Friendship such as the one you have with Mr. Adams is not my place.”

  “Well, when I’m Pharaoh, I’ll say who my friends are.”

  “So you have made up you
r mind?”

  “Have you seen the news?” Ryan asked. “Maybe it is a reminder of the price of indecision.”

  “Perhaps, but it could also reflect the great anger of the Gods over the murder of your grandmother,” he observed. “You have enough on your plate already.”

  “That is why you came this morning, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, my Lord.”

  “Will you help me get back in shape with my karate?”

  “It would be my great honor.”

  “Then I look forward to beating your tired old ass,” Ryan added backed by his first smile of the day.

  “My Lord, the group in the next room is glued to CNN,” his former Sensei advised. “More than ever, they await your decision. I will take my leave.”

  “Don’t go too far. I’ll be calling for you soon.”

  Right after he left, Herbert Lewis returned followed by three other men. The first was a short black man very African looking. Ryan assumed he was Chief Mbaye.

  Both Ryan and Zach rose to greet them.

  Chief Mbaye stepped forward and shook Ryan's hand. "All heaven and earth await your decision, My Lord. Are you ready to accept your destiny?" His voice sounded grave.

  Ryan heard himself answering, “On behalf of those children in Turkey and my ancestors, Yes.”

  "Then there is no time to lose," the Chief responded, "If you please, My Lord." Chief Mbaye gestured for Ryan to accompany him into the living room of the suite. Herbert Lewis and the others followed at a respectful distance.

  "Where do we begin?" Ryan asked.

  Chief Mbaye warned him not to speak by placing a finger in front of his lips.

  One of the team set up a laptop on the coffee table then took out an electronic scanner and began to check the room for listening devices. Everyone stayed silent. When the technician signaled that all was clear, Chief Mbaye invited Ryan to take a seat.