Death of a Pharaoh

  “There are so many people to thank and forgive me if I forget anyone. However, there is one presence that is not here.”

  He paused to let the audience consider whom he meant.

  “My father,” he continued, “and that is because my mother died taking his identity with her to the grave.”

  “Still, there is one thing he gave me and that is a name.”

  “He chose to call me Nkosana. It means prince in Zulu and perhaps that is a clue. For most of my life I have been known as Ryan, which coincidently means ‘little king’ in Gaellic. It is my wish that from this moment forward you shall all call me Nkosana. The name my father used when he first presented me to the Gods. Some will have difficulty; it took me hours to learn how to pronounce it properly myself. I only ask that you make an effort.”

  “It was my destiny to be Pharaoh and Nkosana is the name that has followed me in whispers since the day I was born. Ryan no longer exists and like a winged chrysalis emerging from a cocoon, I have been reborn.”

  “I am Nkosana,” he declared firmly.

  “I am the True Pharaoh,”

  “I am destiny fulfilled,” he thundered.

  His words echoed over the heads of the rapt audience.

  “My friends, there is much to do. Our enemies are implacable and I cannot win alone!”

  He pointed to everyone before him, “Together we will ensure that good triumphs. With your help, we will keep Ma’at strong.”

  “The Gods have blessed my coronation,” he reminded them. “They honor me and I will earn their confidence. Thank you for your affection and support. May Horus guide my hand.”

  He stuck out his right arm and waited. From the back of the ballroom, the falcon soared into view and landed on the offered perch as if they had practiced for years. The impact was amazing. The crowd leapt to their feet cheering.

  “May the enemies of good hear your roar,” he shouted, “for it is our battle cry. I, Nkosana, hereby declare war on evil. Its time on earth is over!”

  Even for those who knew him well, the seventeen year old seemed much taller standing on the podium with the falcon by his side. He looked every inch a king.

  Chapter Forty-three

  Nkosana presided over a breakfast meeting for the members of his Royal Council early the next morning, despite suffering from a slight hangover. Although technically off duty until noon, he obligated Zach and Tony to attend since they were responsible for the fact that he had barely slept.

  With the patient assistance of Herbert Lewis, he announced several senior appointments in the structure of the Royal Council and posthumously named Chief Mbaye a Knight Commander of the Golden Ankh. Mariam accepted the regalia of the office on her uncle’s behalf followed by an emotional embrace from her Pharaoh. At the end of the meeting, the members of the Royal Council reaffirmed their oath of obedience and loyalty to the new Pharaoh. He personally bid each of them farewell at the door and thanked them for his or her support.

  When the last of the eighty-two had left, Herbert Lewis congratulated him on the successful completion of his first official act as Pharaoh. Ethan waited to escort him to the Throne Room to take his leave of Their Majesties, the King and Queen of Jordan and Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. They too reaffirmed their oath of obedience as Servants of Ma’at and the Duke of Cambridge delivered a letter from his mother, the Queen, expressing her loyalty to the Pharaoh and inviting him to London for a private visit.

  Nkosana turned to Ethan, “Are Alex and Susan waiting?” He had scheduled a coffee meeting with his high-school friends.

  “My Lord, there is one last thing,” Herbert interrupted, “you have an audience with the Swiss man who was captured two weeks ago by the Guardians. He has been forthcoming with information that proved valuable in our struggle against Sanctus Verum. We are considering sending him to the United States to work on a special team dedicated exclusively to this particular menace. We would be grateful if your Majesty could use your powers to determine if he is pure of heart.”

  “Of course, I am curious if he has ever met this Father Marco.”

  Herbert motioned to the guard at the door to bring in their guest.

  Nkosana’s first impression was that he had a friendly face but looked quite nervous. Perhaps he knew that this conversation would decide his immediate future, although there was never any question that the Servants of Ma’at would send him back to Switzerland. No one believed he would survive the trip. Still it was another thing to invite him to join their cause.

  “Your Majesty. May I present Herr Franz Glauser,” Herbert began.

  “Mr. Glauser, this is His Majesty Nkosana I, True Pharaoh and Defender of Ma’at.”

  Nkosana smiled, “A pleasure to meet you at last.”

  “I am not certain what I should do in your presence,” the Swiss announced shyly.

  “A handshake would be a good way to begin,” Nkosana suggested as he stepped forward to greet him.

  They clasped hands and Nkosana noticed that he had remarkable eyes; deep blue with a penetrating gaze. He sensed immediately that he was a good man. He was worried about his younger brother who worked in Lausanne and was now alone in the world. Most of all he missed Hassan. Almost everything Nkosana picked up overflowed with concern about the welfare of the Guardian who captured him in the desert. They had seen each other only twice in the interim and judging by the memory of their last encounter that flashed through his mind, the deep affection was mutual. He was certain there was much more to the official account of his apprehension than what he had already read. Nkosana knew they could trust this man.

  “Have you been treated well?” he asked.

  “Yes my Lord. Everyone has been very kind. I do not feel like a prisoner.”

  “It is for your own good, I can assure you. Our intelligence suggests that Father Marco does not easily forgive those who disappoint him. Have you ever met him?”

  “Yes, several times when I was a Swiss Guard in the Vatican. He is a very ambitious man and answers to no one. If he is your enemy then you have every right to be cautious.”

  Nkosana received an image of the priest from Franz. It was the first time he had seen the face of his mother’s assassin.

  “He murdered my Mother and almost got me at the same time. He feels that I am a threat to his Church and it appears he will stop at nothing to destroy my organization.”

  “I think I can help.”

  “That is my Vizier’s suggestion and I am inclined to agree. There is just one problem.”

  “What is that?”

  “I know this may be uncomfortable for you, but I think it would be valuable for you to work closely with our Servant Hassan. I am aware that he arrested you and I sincerely hope there is no animosity between you. Do you think you can collaborate with him?”

  Franz looked as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  “Of course, my Lord.”

  “Then so be it. Mr. Lewis will make all the arrangements.”

  Nkosana addressed Herbert. “In addition, please see if we can find a role for his brother.”

  He turned back to Franz and continued, “I presume being Swiss, he has already done his military service?”

  “That is correct, your Majesty.”

  “Good, I look forward to reading about the progress in our battle against Sanctus Verum. Have you ever been to America?”

  “No, my Lord.”

  “Don’t worry, Hassan can show you around. I suspect your brother will be along shortly, as well. Do you like dogs?”

  “I beg your pardon.”

  “Do you like dogs, Mr. Glauser?”

  “Yes, I had a German shepherd as a boy.”

  “Perfect. Then you might look for a puppy in the States. You could always name him Marzuq. I like the sound of it.”

  Nkosana reached out and patted him on the shoulder. His newest recruit beamed with gratitude and his eyes glistened with emotion.

  “Than
k you Mr. Glauser for your honesty. Welcome aboard and please give Hassan my best when you see him.”

  Franz made an awkward bow with his head then turned to leave. Nkosana felt pleased with himself. It was nice to put aside the grave dangers facing the world for even just a moment and be able to make two people happy.

  “That was a very kind gesture, my Lord,” Ethan acknowledged.

  “We owe them both a great deal,” he responded. “They deserve to be happy.”

  “I am certain they will be.”

  “I only worry how others might accept their relationship,” the Pharaoh commented.

  “They will have no problems with their colleagues among the Servants of Ma’at,” Herbert assured him.

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “My Lord, the organization you preside is the most inclusive in the world. We celebrated same sex marriages centuries before the phrase entered the modern lexicon. There have even been gay Pharaohs.”

  “I thought this was a hereditary dynasty?” Ethan asked.

  Herbert chuckled, “It is but duty always prevailed; even if they didn’t enjoy it!”

  “Would you say the same for the Guardians, his tribe?”

  “Perhaps to a lesser degree since they are not obligated to take the oath to defend our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”

  “I didn’t know we had one,” Nkosana admitted.

  “As Pharaoh you didn’t have to swear.”

  “Who wrote it?”

  “No one,” he replied

  His answer puzzled Nkosana.

  “It simply appeared one day in the mid-nineteenth century on the Pharaoh’s papyrus in Timbuktu,” he explained. “We later confirmed that Lord Thoth sent it but we are not privy as to the authors.”

  “Presumably it was the Gods themselves,” Ethan said.

  “Without question,” he agreed. “What we do know is that Lord Thoth assured us the document accurately reflected their views on such questions as racial and sexual equality. The Gods see homosexuality as a natural and joyous part of the human condition.”

  “How come the major religions have gotten it so wrong?” Ethan asked.

  “Because their Holy Books were written by men,” he offered, “and they are fatally burdened with the ignorance, prejudice and cultural norms of the time.”

  “Couldn’t the Gods have intervened, like with Moses and the Ten Commandments?” Nkosana suggested.

  “You overestimate the power of the Gods over the minds of men. None of the scriptures purported to be the divine word, really are.”

  “Millions believe otherwise.” Ethan played devil’s advocate.

  “Faith is a different subject altogether,” Herbert answered, “I do not deny, that the Bible is great literature and deeply inspirational, but the real problem comes with the interpretations of self-appointed arbiters of the will of the Gods. We know that our beliefs came directly from heaven. There are no bearded men blindly applying ancient texts to a modern context, no uneducated, misogynistic mullahs condemning young girls to genital mutilation or radical far-right churches teeming with inbred false prophets picketing the funerals of fallen heroes to advance their hate-filled agendas. We are the lucky ones.”

  Nkosana had no words to respond to the passion his Vizier just expressed.

  “Forgive me for my strong opinions, my Lord.”

  “Don’t even think it!” the Pharaoh responded. “I have worn the crown less than a day and I have so much to learn. Promise me that you will never hesitate to tell me the truth.”

  “I swear.”

  Nkosana felt a strange flicker in his mind; almost imperceptible but it was there. He had no idea what it meant and continued with the conversation, “If only we lived in a world free of ignorance and prejudice, a paradise of tolerance and brotherly love,” Nkosana sighed. “Do you think we will ever see such a place?”

  “Who knows what destiny will bring, my Lord,” the Vizier answered.

  With the acts of protocol out of the way, Nkosana chaired a meeting of his personal staff, including Mariam. In an emotional speech, he thanked each of them for their sacrifice and loyalty. Visibly moved, he assured them that he could have never made it so far without their friendship.

  “The coronation was an important milestone and the fact that we were able to celebrate it, a defiant blow to the tyranny of evil,” he proclaimed. “The real question is where do we go from here?”

  “My Lord, if I may,” Herbert interjected, “I believe I have the answer.”

  Nkosana signaled for him to continue.

  “Now that you wear the crown, the Gods will soon command your presence before the Supreme Council, as so many of your predecessors, including your grandmother, have done before you.”

  “It is my sacred duty,” Nkosana confirmed.

  “Throughout our history, it was always the Gods who called upon the True Pharaoh; often after a period when Lord Seth unleashed their divine wrath on thousands of innocent people.”

  No one spoke, waiting for him to continue.

  “I believe that the grave threat to Ma’at and to the future of humanity presented by the evil plans of the Consortium, provide you with the moral obligation to request a meeting with the Gods to avoid the loss of millions of lives.”

  “Is that allowed?” Nkosana asked.

  “No one has ever dared before.”

  “What if they say no?”

  “You must believe so completely in your petition that it would never occur to them to deny you,” Herbert responded.

  “If I should agree, how would I make my request?”

  “You must go to our secret archives in Timbuktu, Mali. As True Pharaoh, you have access to the papyrus where you can send a message straight to Lord Thoth. He will bring your request to the Supreme Council then inform you of the decision.”

  “I guess there’s no honeymoon period for new Pharaohs,” Nkosana joked. “What do you guys think?”

  “When did you ever wait to be asked?” Zach remarked.

  “I’ve got five hundred bucks that proves he’s right,” Ethan added.

  “You didn’t hesitate to save young Samuel from the pedophile and I don’t think you should wait now,” said Tony.

  Nkosana looked at Mariam who was the only one still to comment.

  “My uncle would have wanted you to go, I vote with him,” she said with determination in her voice.

  “Kind of sounds unanimous,” Nkosana declared. “That’s cool, I didn’t want to have to drag any of your tired asses kicking and screaming through the desert.”

  They all laughed.

  “The tired ass part doesn’t apply to you,” he assured Mariam. ”I’d drag your….”

  “Better stop while you’re ahead,” Ethan advised.

  “Ethan, we’ll need to come up with an ironclad security plan,” Herbert stated.

  “I’ll get on it right away,” the Chief of Security assured him. “We need to keep travel to a minimum, so I’d suggest that we consider leaving directly from here rather than return to Dakar.”

  Herbert concurred, “Our latest intelligence shows that the Consortium is very active in North Africa. With the failure of the operation in Dakar, they will be even more determined.”

  “Alright, so it’s decided,” Nkosana declared, “We’re going to Timbuktu to convince the Gods that evil is out!”

  “We’ll work on the message,” Herbert suggested wryly. “Once the plans are made, I’ll coordinate from headquarters in Philadelphia and Ethan will be in charge of the operation.”

  “What should we call it,” Tony asked.

  They all took a moment to consider a name.”

  “How about Operation Flail,” Zach proposed. “As in whip some Consortium ass.”

  “I like it,” Nkosana declared. “Now if you all don’t mind, I have a meeting to say good-bye to Alex and Susan. Ethan, will you accompany me please.”

  “My Lord Pharaoh, I will take my leave now,” Herbert announced.
“I depart for London in an hour.”

  Nkosana embraced his Vizier warmly, “May the Gods be with you, my friend.”

  The flicker returned.

  Alex and Susan stood and bowed as he entered the private meeting room with Ethan two steps behind.

  “I trust you both slept well,” he commented, although he already knew that Alex had barely closed his eyes before his wake-up call after an evening in the arms of a handsome young waiter. Nkosana thought he was blushing.

  “How does it feel to be a king?” Susan inquired with her usual candor.

  “Not bad so far,” the young Pharaoh assured her. “So what are your plans?”

  “I wouldn’t mind staying for a while,” Alex chimed in with indecent haste.

  “Thought I’d head up to Cairo to see if I can get a position on an archeological dig,” Susan offered.

  Nkosana glanced at Ethan who nodded his approval, “I was hoping that the two of you might consider joining my team,” he announced.

  They were both stunned into silence.

  Alex spoke first, “I don’t know about Susan but I have a good reason to sign on.”

  “That reason doesn’t go by the name Adjo, does it?”

  Alex blushed again in confirmation that he was right.

  Susan tried to look shocked, “Jesus, Alex you make me look like Mother Teresa,” although her tone suggested admiration. ”Count me in,” she added.

  “Good, I thought that would be your response,” Nkosana replied with a smile. “You’ll report to Ethan.”

  “We are going to move both of you to a hotel in Cairo,” Ethan commented then quickly continued before Alex’s face registered his disappointment, “Adjo has agreed to go along as your interpreter.”

  Alex beamed.

  “Can I get a room on another floor,” Susan pleaded, “at least I’ll get some sleep.” She punched Alex in the arm, mostly out of envy.

  “What do you want us to do,” Alex asked with sudden seriousness.

  “We’ll be travelling soon and the bad guys have eyes everywhere,” he informed them, “we need your make-up skills for disguises and Susan you’ll be in charge of wardrobe.”

  “You’ll have to tell your families that you’re taking an extended vacation but you need to be discreet about your location.” Ethan warned.