The Awakening

by Tony Mazzarella

  “I’m not sure I’m buying into all of this. Can’t it just be the cruelty of Khufu sending these souls to their deaths?” asked Drew skeptically. “Maybe the passageway from the pyramid to Livorno is a natural phenomenon.”

  “You’ve seen the evidence with your own eyes, my boy. Pharaoh Khufu was a lie created by Khaheet and the creature to help conceal the truth of the Awakening. He was nothing more than a puppet used to help hide the truth.” Kirby’s eyes suddenly widened. “I suppose there is a way to confirm this, though.”

  Kirby walked back over to the light panel and stared intently for a few moments as he ran his fingers over the images. Drew looked at Cait, hoping she could shed light on the thoughts in her father’s head as they quietly waited to hear his next words, but fearful anticipation was all her expression revealed.

  “What if we were to find the hidden chamber where Khaheet is buried?” he asked. “The timeline of the next Awakening would be buried in there with her if the legend is true. What more evidence would we need than that? If any of this is true, I think I’d like to know when it’s going to happen, wouldn’t you? Find a way to stop it, if possible?”

  “You’d never get a permit for a project of that scope,” snapped Drew. “I have news for you: things haven’t changed a whole lot since you were there last, digging ten miles away from the pyramid. The government is not going to…”

  “I know,” interrupted Kirby. “I’m not suggesting finding the tomb from the surface. The authorities would think we were all crazy unless we had undisputed evidence. And with all of the unrest and uncertainty in Egypt, we’d never even get close—or we’d get killed or arrested trying.”

  Drew and Cait glanced at each other in disbelief, beginning to understand what he was suggesting.

  “That’s crazy!” said Cait. “Are you proposing we go through the catacombs and backtrack the route of the slaves? That was thousands of years ago, and we’d have no idea what to expect. None of us are equipped to make that journey. We’d surely end up like they did.”

  “It’s not crazy! It makes perfect sense,” argued Kirby. “This would surely lead us to the bottom of the tomb, based on the drawings I’ve seen and that you have here.” He pointed to the illuminated screen. “We could blast through, then we’d know the truth. Isn’t that why we’re all in this? To know the truth about the past, and maybe the future, if there is to be one for humanity?”

  “Excuse me, Dr. Kirby,” said Antonio softly, “but if this is all true, then wouldn’t we find those creatures down there, too? I don’t think that worked out too well for the Egyptian slaves.”

  “Yes, that would be a possibility,” said Kirby. “And, I suspect, a likely one we’d have to be ready for. I don’t think these quakes are a coincidence. If the Awakening is starting, these quakes could be the first sign.”

  “Quakes?” snapped Cait. “Has there been another while I was out?”

  “No. Not here, anyway,” said Kirby. “One of the signs that the Awakening is starting, according to the legend, is that the creature summons what can only be described as his two generals to opposite sides of the Earth, to begin planning and lead the Awakening. They stand at the ready to wake the others when summoned by him. I asked one of my associates to check for activity similar to what you experienced before the chamber collapsed. He let me know right before I got here that there is an almost identical phenomenon happening in the States, in northeast Pennsylvania. The U.S. military has been called to a mining facility, and they’ve sealed off the entire area. There was an accident of some type before the military got there, and they lost eleven men. We have to talk to the mine owner and find out exactly what’s going on.”

  “How can we do that?” asked Drew.

  “I say we leave for the States as soon as Cait is feeling better.”

  Chapter 6

  Cait sat in her apartment, staring at her half-packed suitcase. She’d spent the last two days trying to recover from the injuries she’d suffered in the cave-in, and her ribs seemed to be the only thing that still hurt. She picked up the phone and dialed Drew’s number.

  “Are you ready to go?” he asked as soon as he picked up, without waiting to exchange pleasantries.

  “Almost. I just wanted to make sure you had everything set.”

  “Our flight is at two, so your father and I will swing by and pick you up around twelve-thirty. Are you okay?” he asked. She knew he was really more concerned with her mental state than her injuries.

  “Are you?” she shot back. “I mean, what we’re talking about here is pretty heavy stuff. I just pray Kirby’s wrong.”

  She was startled as a loud knock at the door echoed through her small foyer. “I’ll see you when you get here. Someone’s at the door.”

  She set the phone down and walked anxiously toward the door. A sense of foreboding overtook her and her mind and body were paralyzed as she tried to reach for the doorknob. Her heart raced, as she finally found the strength to lift her arm, already knowing who she’d find on the other side. She pulled the door open, and he stood before her, staring at her with the same green eyes she’d seen in the catacombs. Despite her apprehension, she somehow felt no fear in his presence.

  “Hello, Cait. My name is Adrian Valente. I’m the director of the Italian Ministry for Cultural Assets and Activities. We met the other day, although I’m not sure you remember our first meeting. I was the one who carried you out of the catacombs.”

  Cait stood silent, not knowing what to say or do. She stared at him for what seemed like an eternity.

  “May I come in?” he asked politely.

  She composed herself, her mind still blank, and realized this was her chance to get some answers if indeed she was right about this mysterious stranger.

  “Oh, yes. Please do,” she said, stepping aside while he passed.

  “I wanted to stop by and see how you’re doing. I got your address from the permit you filed for your dig in Livorno. I hope you don’t mind.”

  Cait flashed him a puzzled look.

  “Is that standard procedure, to use confidential information to get what you want?” she asked.

  He laughed, dismissing her accusation. “The truth is, I’ve followed your work for some time, and have been an admirer. Let’s just say I used director’s prerogative to find you. I really wanted to meet you,” he said with a smile.

  She couldn’t help but notice how strikingly handsome and charming he was. His dark black hair was slicked back, creating a wave of perfect lines as it flowed back over his head. He had rugged features and was obviously athletic, based on his build. He’s too perfect, she thought to herself, as if someone reached into my mind and chose my vision of the perfect male form. She couldn’t help but think back to her father’s story of the creature taking human form. The fear that had escaped her earlier was now permeating her mind.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, touching her forehead. “I’m still not feeling quite right.”

  “You’re trembling; let me help you sit down,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the couch in the living room.

  “I’m fine. Thanks. I seem to be weaker than I thought.”

  “Yes, you have to take it easy,” he said as he locked eyes with her in a way that made her suspicious of his true intentions. “Maybe traveling isn’t the best thing to do right now.”

  Cait felt her panic build as her heart raced. “What makes you think that I’m traveling?” she responded unconvincingly.

  Adrian picked up the printed airline ticket sitting on the coffee table and pointed to the open suitcase on the floor.

  “Unless you’re living out of that, I’d say it’s a safe bet you were going to travel.”

  Cait took a deep breath and quickly snatched the ticket from his hand. “You’re very forward. Has anyone ever told you that? In any case, I suppose I owe you my thanks,” she said, slidi
ng the ticket under a magazine.

  “No thanks necessary,” he said, taking her hand. “I’m just glad you’re okay and we’re getting the chance to get acquainted. I feel like I know you so well already.”

  Cait’s mind flashed into a dream, running like a movie in fast-forward, displaying all the times she had felt the creature’s touch. All the unbridled passion she felt from his presence raced through her mind and body in a millisecond, as if someone had pressed the play button on a projector. She wrestled the dark side of her mind to pull her thoughts back to the present and resist whatever force he seemed to have on her.

  “Strange you feel that way, considering we’ve only just met,” she said suspiciously.

  “Let me clarify. I feel like I know you through your work and research. You’ve done some marvelous things throughout the past few years. I’ve watched with great anticipation as you’ve moved your craft forward, especially your new project in the Livorno catacombs. It is indeed a shame that your recent discovery was lost in the earthquake.”

  Cait tried not to show her surprise. “What recent discovery? You have access to the catacombs now. There really wasn’t more to see, just a small opening leading nowhere,” she lied defensively.

  “Strange,” he said, feigning a look of surprise. “Your friend Antonio said there were some wondrous new discoveries, and I had so looked forward to seeing what you had uncovered.”

  Cait’s blood boiled at the thought of Antonio betraying their trust by talking about the passageway to someone in the government.

  “Antonio can be a little overzealous at times,” she said, gritting her teeth. “I’m sure you misunderstood him. I’ll be sure to see that you get accurate information from Mr. Cross or me going forward.”

  Adrian seemed to dismiss her explanation as he moved closer. “In any case, I wondered if you might join me for dinner tomorrow night,” he said as he took a seat on the couch next to her. “I really would like to find out more about the work you’re doing. After all, the ministry is funding the project, and they like to know just what they’re getting for their investment.”

  “They want to know, or you want to know?” she accused, attempting to gauge Adrian’s reaction, which up until that point had been nothing but pleasant and composed.

  “As head of the ministry, it’s my job to be inquisitive,” he said, smiling. “I think we’d both be better served by continuing this conversation over dinner.”

  The magnetism of his presence began to draw her in as she looked into his eyes. There was something about his direct eye contact that made him irresistible, but she knew she had to resist his power.

  “I’m sorry. I can’t,” she said, breaking eye contact. “As you observed, I’ll be leaving for the States, and I’m not sure when I’ll be returning.”

  “May I ask what’s bringing you to the States?”

  “Don’t you already know?” she asked sarcastically. “You seem to know everything else.”

  Adrian laughed in a manner that told Cait he did know, but she strangely didn’t feel intimidated or frightened. The possibility that this could be the creature from the legend of the Awakening should have terrified her, but instead, she felt great warmth from his presence. It was something she hadn’t felt in a long time, if ever; at least, not since Tom was in her life. Instead of fear, there was comfort and security in his being. She didn’t know why, but she began to wonder if this was the same way Khaheet had felt in his presence. In a strange way, she envied her.

  “Maybe another time, then,” he said, standing up. “We have much work to do uncovering what was lost in the earthquake.”

  “Why the hell did the military have to take over?” she snapped, forgetting herself. “We should be the ones at the site, not them.”

  “The area is too unstable to be excavated just yet. The military is there at our request,” he said as he walked toward the door.

  “Don’t you mean your request? What are you afraid of?” she asked as she stood and winced, instinctively placing her hand over her bruised ribs.

  “My dear Cait, I did make the decision, but only to ensure the safety of you all and of those in the area. We’ll let you back when the time is right and there’s no more threat.”

  “And when might that be?” she asked.

  “Very soon, I can assure you. I just need a little bit more information to determine when the time is right,” said Adrian, smiling.

  Cait didn’t overlook the hidden meaning in his words. She knew he was talking about more than just the project. She felt in her heart that the only way to know his intentions was to stay close to him, and without taking any more time to think about what she was doing, she spoke.

  “I would like to take you up on that dinner invitation when I return. It’s been quite a long time since I’ve been out. Maybe I can convince you to let us back in to do our jobs.”

  “Wonderful. I shall count the minutes until we meet again,” he said as he took her hand and gently kissed it, sending a rush of adrenaline through her entire body, as if every cell had been reenergized by his touch. The aching in her ribs was suddenly gone, and she felt as if she could run a marathon. She looked into his beautiful green eyes and again heard the same silent whisper she had heard in the catacombs. “No more pain,” it said this time, although his mouth never moved and his gaze never left her eyes.

  He reached into the inside pocket of his overcoat and handed her a business card as he opened the door.

  “Please call me when you return, and we can discuss things further. Good afternoon, Cait.”

  The door closed, and she sat back on the couch, lifting her shirt and unraveling the wrap that had covered her badly bruised ribs. She stood up and looked in the mirror, pulling her shirt up to expose her midsection. Nothing remained of her injury—just smooth skin with no sign of trauma whatsoever.

  “That’s impossible,” she said aloud, yet knowing there was no other explanation.

  She was startled by another knock on the door. She took one last glance into the mirror and walked toward the door, tucking her shirt back into her pants. Drew’s loud voice echoed from the other side of the door as she approached the foyer.

  “C’mon, Cait. Open up. We’re never going to make it to the airport with this traffic if we don’t leave now,” he shouted.

  She swung open the door and immediately walked back to her open suitcase.

  “You aren’t even packed!” Drew exclaimed irritably.

  “I just had a visitor, and I was a bit distracted,” she said, pulling the airline ticket out from under the magazine and tossing it in her suitcase.

  “Distracted?” he asked. “Distracted by what?”

  “It was him, Drew. The man from the catacombs,” said Cait, handing him the business card.

  “‘Adrian Valente,’” he read. “‘Director of Cultural Assets and Activities.’ I’ve heard the name before, but never met him.”

  “It’s him, Drew. I know it. Didn’t you see him?” she asked. “You had to have passed him in the hallway.”

  “There was no one else in the hallway,” he said, confused. “Tell me what happened, and remember that I asked you to keep an open mind.”

  Cait found it hard to hide her irritation. “Well, he came and said he wanted to see how I was doing.”

  “Yeah, he sounds like a real monster,” joked Drew.

  “That’s just it. He wasn’t a monster. He was handsome and charming, and I felt genuine warmth from his presence. I might even go so far as to say that I liked him.”

  Drew couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy he felt at hearing Cait talk that way about a stranger she’d just met. He struggled to keep his emotions in check.

  “Well, what makes you think he’s this monster?” he asked. “I’ve heard no evidence so far that he’s anything but what he claims to be—the asshole that’s keeping us
from our work.”

  “There’s more. When he said he felt like he knew me, my mind was pulled into another place for a split second, and all of the dreams I’d had about the creature flashed before me. It was almost like he wanted me to know it was him. And look at this,” she said, pulling up her shirt and exposing her ribs and black lace bra. Drew’s eyes widened visibly before he could stop himself. For a moment, he forgot exactly what she was trying to show him as he unintentionally gawked with open mouth.

  “Drew,” she said, snapping her fingers. “Are you with me?”

  “Oh yeah,” he said, recovering. “Well, you healed up nicely. That didn’t take long at all.”

  “That’s just it; before he came, it was bruised horribly. It would have taken weeks to heal. But when he kissed my hand…”

  “He what?” snapped Drew. “You just met this guy—”

  “He kissed my hand in a gentlemanly way before he left. What the hell is the matter with you?”

  “Sorry,” he said, realizing that he was revealing too much of his feelings for her.

  “Anyway, when he kissed my hand, I felt something.”

  “I bet you did,” he mumbled under his breath, still fighting his own jealousy.

  “What?” she asked, now losing patience.

  “Nothing. I said, what did you feel?”

  “It was like a surge of energy through my entire body in a split second. Before that, I was fatigued and in terrible pain, even when he was here. He had to help me to the couch at one point.”

  “The couch!” exclaimed Drew, not able to conceal his irritation any longer.

  “Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?” she shouted.

  “I just don’t understand why you were so intimate with this guy, especially considering who…what he might be!” he shot back.

  “Intimate?” she fumed. “I was doubled over in pain and ready to fall over. I don’t think it was inappropriate for him to help me to the couch. As I was saying, after he kissed my hand, I was full of energy, and this was healed.” She pointed fiercely at her ribs.