March 20, 2006
1202hrs
Giza
Atop the greatest wonder of the ancient world, chaos reigned as several parties fought one another to the death to claim absolute power for their homelands that would last a millenium. Jack West Jr of Australia found himself dangling over the edge of the Great Pyramid of Giza at gunpoint. His American ex-mentor, Col. Marshall Judah had him staring down the barrel of his Glock 9mm, so sure he could put an end to this thorn in his ass. Jack called out above the wind, "Judah! I have something that you don't!" Judah strained to hear the reply as Jack yelled, "Horus!". Within seconds, a brown form shot out of the sky and performed an effortless touch-and-go on Judah's face. A subtle rip was heard as the shape took off flying. It was Horus, Jack's Peregrine Falcon that he'd rescued from Judah years ago and taken far better care of him than his mentor. Judah wailed and clutched his face in agony, dropping his gun. Jack looked up to see what Horus had done and the saw the little falcon holding something white in her talon. He realized that she'd torn Judah's eye out of its fucking socket! Jack shook it off and quickly recovered himself in time to watch another party- the crazed terrorist Mustapha Zaeed perform a ritual of power that would bring 1000 years of invincibility to the Muslim world, or so he thought.
Horus watched the ceremony take place from 3000 feet in the air. As she circled the Great Pyramid, something clicked in her little mind. She realized the man who she'd blinded was the same man who'd beaten her nearly every day of her life as an example to his men. When Jack had rescued her, she was weak and emaciated, starved half to death. She knew now that he was no god, just a mere mortal like the birds she hunted in her own time. She could hurt him, and suddenly thirsted for revenge. Seeing Judah begin to help himself up, Horus angled herself downwards, tucking in her legs and wings for maximum aerodynamic efficiency. She was now the avian equivalent of a World War 2 divebomber, reaching the 200mph speeds her kind was famous for. Jack had his back turned toward Judah, assuming he was down for the count and shot Zaeed. At last Judah got to his feet and aimed a rifle squarely at Jack. Horus saw this and willed herself to dive even faster. So concentrated was she on her quarry that she didn't notice the gun explode in his hands as he pulled the trigger, but she flew for what she was worth. At the last second, she fluttered her wings open like an airbrake and stuck out her legs, talons fully extended. Judah was struck dead center in his chest and hurled several steps back. He never saw her coming. Before he could come to his senses, Horus tore into him with venomous, psychopathic fury. Judah's screams and flails were matched with Horus' own murderous screeching as she pecked and clawed his face apart. Jack watched the spectacle with a mix of awe and terror, and at last recalled her with another shout of her name.
Horus flew over to Jack at once and perched obediently on his shoulder, claws and beak thoroughly slicked with blood. Judah was still alive- barely. He parted his lips to speak, but the bird had pecked his throat to shit and merely air came from his mouth. Judah's face had already looked like hell before with his stump nose, now he was all but unrecognizable as a human. Strips of flesh hung limp from his cheeks and neck. His lips were completely ripped apart, exposing what remained of tooth and gum. A foul liquid stained his pants. Jack could barely stand the sight of it, and decided to make this a quick end. He levelled his Desert Eagle at Judah's temple and spoke, "This is what happens when you don't care for your people-or animals. By the way, Doris sends her regards. Happy trails, Judah." He pulled the trigger and the massive .44 Magnum round exploded Judah's head. Satisfied that nobody else on the pyramid posed a threat, he gave Horus a quick wipedown with a handkerchief, before moving to retrieve the Capstone, Alexander and his team members. Within 10 minutes, he had departed the Great Pyramid, a member of what was now the most powerful nation on Earth, if only they would ever know.