Ok I've been busy typing away and this is what came out. This is just an introduction chapter so its not very eventful but I had to set the scene somehow. Oh yeah, based on the word 'feather'.
Disclaimer: Jeez I never will own it. Talk about rubbing salt in the wounds.
Enjoy.
Security officer Jack Regan was stuck in the hut watching fuzzy black and white CCTV footage of empty corridors, again. Outside the crescent moon was high in the sky and a scattering of stars would have been visible if it wasn't for the bright lights illuminating Landmark City. He wouldn't be doing night shifts at all if he didn't need the money. Sighing he rubbed his tired eyes and absently watched Bill, the other night guard, patrolling one of the darkened exhibitions of Landmark City Museum. It was funded almost entirely by Lee Industries which explained the state of the art security systems and the best pay for any guards in the city.
Propping his head up on one hand Jack swirled his lukewarm coffee, eyes scanning over the screens before him. He was about to turn away again when a flicker of movement caught his attention. In the corridor that led to the Ancient Egyptian exhibit there was a shadow of a lithe figure falling on the wall.
He watched the shadow almost flow from camera to camera then it stopped in the doorway to the exhibit and an almost transparent smoke filled the room. The usually invisible sensors were flickering red lines that crisscrossed the room in a complicated pattern. The shadow somersaulted between them narrowly avoiding the sensors in a kind of dance.
Jack jumped to his feet hand on the gun at his belt and rushed from the room. "Bill." He said, raising the walkie talkie to his mouth, "There's an unauthorised person in the building. Over." He released the button waiting for a reply but all that came across was static. "Bill?" There was no reply.
Now that he wasn't certain about having any backup he was feeling a lot more nervous about confronting the trespasser. Basic training wasn't enough to deal with this kind of thing. His palms were sweaty and his heart was pounding in his chest as he crept forwards and stumbled on something. On the floor, propped up against the wall was the unconscious form of Bill, his legs stretched out in front of him.
Jack only paused to check his friends pulse before moving on to the exhibit where a small amount of smoke was still swirling from the room. He stepped inside tripping the alarms and pulled his gun from his belt checking each display in turn. In the gloomy far corner there was a glint of light reflecting off one of the artifacts that was being moved. If he squinted Jack was certain there was an outline of darker shadow.
"Freeze!" He commanded, wishing his voice didn't give away how scared he truly was. The shadow spun and he caught a glimpse of green eyes before a loud screech of static sounded from his radio. He looked down to where it was clipped to his belt and flicked it off with one trembling hand then turned back to the intruder. The shadow was gone, and in its place was a crimson feather floating gently to the floor.
The Alpha Teens were relaxing, Mr. Lee was preoccupied with some project or other and so did not have any rides for them to test and Paine hadn't reared his ugly head in weeks. King was frowning the concentration clear on his face. He strained again, the muscles standing out on his arms and managed to bench press the heavy weights one last time before letting them drop back into place. Panting he remained lying for a moment or two so he could recover.
Axel and Lioness were on the couch, leaning forwards in their seats intent on the t.v. screen. Lioness whooped as she pressed a button and activated the special. Her player sprouted wings and shot into the air grabbing Axel's player by the head and tossing it out of the ring. Axel sighed having lost for the 4th consecutive game.
"Who rocks?" She asked grinning and joining her player in a victory dance. Shark wandered into the room from the kitchen. In his hand was a bowl of cereal and he was spooning the food into his mouth as he walked. He headed past the t.v. towards the table his foot catching on a cable as he went and disconnected the games console just as Lioness was about to enter her name into the top spot on the leader board.
"Watch it!" Lioness complained as Axel sniggered and gave Shark the thumbs up behind her back. She rounded on him. "I saw that!" She said and smacked him up the back of the head.
At the table Hawk was slouched in one of the chairs, his feet up on the other and his nose buried in a book.
"Whacha reading?" Shark asked coming up behind him and peering over his shoulder. Hawk tried to ignore the surfer, who was now chewing loud enough to wake the dead, and clenched his jaw.
"Eww Mummies, totally creepy," Shark commented dropping his spoon back into the bowl and splashing milk onto the side of Hawk's head. Hawk glared at the boy, slowly and deliberately wiping the liquid away, but the blond was oblivious. He was absorbed instead in reading the book in Hawks hands a look of morbid fascination on his face. "Could you turn the page, I'm finished with this one." he asked picking up his spoon again and taking another bite of food.
Hawk growled, his face turning red he was so angry, and slammed the book shut. "Aww man I was reading that!" Shark protested then took in Hawks expression. "Why do you care about a bunch of dead guys in tatty sheets anyway?" He questioned the fuming redhead. At this Hawk seemed to brighten a little.
"The Egyptians were some of the most advanced people of their time. And the pharaoh's had the right idea, slaves, wealth, total power." He told Shark. "I'd be perfect for the job." Shark made a face.
"But still... mummies." He shuddered and managed to slosh the last of the milk in his bowl over the sides and into Hawk's lap. Hawk didn't notice, too busy daydreaming about life as an Ancient Egyptian. The phone rang and Axel answered.
"Ahh Axel. I need you up at the offices." Mr. Lee said.
"You have new rides for us to test?" Axel asked eager to get out on the road again after the lull in activity.
"Not exactly, stop by and you'll find out."
"We'll be right over Mr. Lee. We've been getting a little stir crazy here anyway." He told him, chuckling as he watched Hawk chase Shark around the room, tossing his book as he went, as revenge for the milk that had finally seeped through the material of his trousers.
"Ok guys, lets go!" Axel ordered.
"Finally!" King exclaimed removing the towel thathe hadslung round his neck after the vigorous workout.
The team piled through the revolving door of Lee Industries central offices and headed across the shiny marble floor of the reception area before jostling into the lift with two serious looking lawyers.
"Top floor." Axel said nudging King whose elbow was digging into his side. One of the lawyers reached forward to press the button that would send the lift upwards but Shark got there first pressing every single button, watching gleefully as they lit up. The other lawyer was stuck in the back corner with Hawk standing on his foot.
The top of the building was very different from the bustle of the reception. The doors of the lift slid open and Lioness practically fell out. Behind the large mahogany desk Mr. Lee's secretary stared over at them a condescending look on her face. She tapped her garish red nails on the polished surface and rose one overly plucked eyebrow while the teens straightened themselves out.
"We're here to see Mr. Lee." Axel said finally.
"Yes. He's expecting you." She said stuffily as though she didn't approve of Mr. Lee's choice of company at all and waved them towards his office.
In the office Mr. Lee was sitting at his desk and beside him a woman was leaning over, a sheet of blonde hair hiding her face from view, pointing at something in a large leather bound book open on the desk before them.
"So you see Janus." The woman said, her voice husky, "The point of the burial ritual is not to keep evil spirits out but to keep the dead's spirit from reanimating the corpse. The dead are supposed to pass on to the after life."
"Hmm... Yes of course." Mr. Lee replied slightly flustered and looking like he was having a hard time concentrating on the book with a woman leaning so close.
Axel cleared his throat. The two of them looked up.
"I'm glad you're here." Mr. Lee said. "This is Jenny Night, expert in Ancient Egyptians and their burials."
"Hello boys." She said warmly, tossing her hair over shoulder, her green eyes sparkling. Lioness snorted but Jenny didn't seem to notice.
"I'm in heaven." Hawk whispered smoothing a rumple out of his shirt.
"Total babe." Shark agreed.
"She's here in preparation for the opening of the special exhibition of Chephren's tomb. It's at Landmark City Museum in three days."
"Chephren?" Hawk asked perking up. "The Pharaoh of the fourth dynasty."
Jenny Night looked surprised. "That's right."
"Eh, a mans gotta have a hobby." Hawk replied shrugging and winking.
"That's also the reason I called you in," Mr. Lee continued. "I want you present at the opening party to make sure everything goes smoothly. After the theft at the museum last night I'm not taking any chances."
Who's betting the party's not going to go smoothly? You'll have to wait a few chapters to find out. And now for a few explanations, I know next to nothing about Ancient Egypt (the extent of my knowledge is pretty much that it was sandy). I looked up Chephren on the internet and he really was a Pharaoh... I think. The burial ritual thing is a load of mumbo jumbo but I'm claiming artistic license. It'd nice if you could find the time to review and tell me what you think of it so far.
