Chapter 11
"I'm not free to follow you" (Blutengel, Song "In my dreams")
=== Next day / Aboard the train to Cairo ===
The tiresome rumble of the train let Meela drift off at last after fighting the urge for sleep for hours. She had to find a way out, out of the custody of the police! Still there was a way to accomplish her task, but she had to be free! Her last vision had taught her as much: Lord Imhotep was in Cairo, and he would be there in the Great Pyramid where he should be, if the time had come. Nothing else mattered. If HE was there, he would open the gates of the underworld and release the dark spirits imprisoned there. She would see to it that no one came into their ways again, hindered the fulfillment of the prophecies and her own retribution! The thought accompanied her in her dreams and she smiled victoriously.
…
Ardeth Bay watched the policemen, Cramer and O'Connel, all in the middle of a card game he didn't understand. He was the only Medjai in the train, the rest of his fighters followed by horse in some distance. To be honest, Ardeth did not understand how men could play at all in a situation like this! Instead of preparing themselves for battle or eventually death (not understanding the way of life of an English gentleman)! He himself had been brought up in the spirit of fight and sacrifice; he had learnt to keep his senses vigilant since he had heard for the first time about the task of his tribe and the ancient enemy of the Medjai, the evil lying hidden in the ground of Hamunaptra! Hidden – no more! He frowned instinctively. Yes, the creature was in their world again, and exhaling all sorts of pestilences over the land and its people. Ardeth had no idea how to stop it, but he was ready to give his life in doing so.
His dark gaze rested on Rick O'Connel, who took his cards rather absently. He was not like the other strangers. He had a heart full of strength and endurance much alike to a Medjai. Moreover, the woman he loved was a special one, too. With a special place in this destiny. She had raised the deadly creature from its grave and she had banished it again… Therefore, Allah might have chosen her to destroy it once and forever! The old prophecies spoke of a woman with Egyptian blood, who came nonetheless from a far away land, and who would vanquish the curse and the evil. Was Evelyn Carnahan this woman, Ardeth mused?
"Hey, Mr. Bay, don't you want to join us for a little game?" Detective Cramer asked.
"No, I don't like games like that, thank you."
"Ah, I get the impression you don't like the modern times at all, don't you? No cards, no trains…."
"Leave him alone, Gordon!" Rick threw his cards away, stood up and nearly lost his footing as the train stopped with shrieking brakes and loud rumble. "Why we halt again?!" he said annoyed, looking out of the window only to see leaving and boarding passengers with huge bags and baskets and lots of kids.
Cramer shot a glance. "It is a regular station, Rick. We cannot do anything. It's enough that I've sequestrated a whole wagon for my men and the prisoners. There is no way I could force hundreds of people riding non-stop to Cairo. I have already pushed my authority to the limit – given the circumstance that we are in pursuit of a 'non human undead being who makes sand devil tricks'. My boss will think I sat in the sun far too long if he reads my report! This may well be the end of my career!"
"But-"
"No more 'buts', please."
Unnerved, Rick grabbed the cigarette his friend was about to light and followed Ardeth Bay out on the little platform at the end of the wagon. "At least YOU believe me, that Evie is in serious danger," he said, arrived there.
"Yes. However, I trust the prophecies. If Evelyn is the chosen one, she will overcome the creature. We must have faith and strength. For now, it is all we can do. I have sent my falcon back to Cairo to my friend there to let him be our eyes and ears in the meantime."
"Well, that's better than nothing I suppose."
…
The stop of the train had awakened Meela. She sat up immediately, fearing they would already be in Cairo. But no, not yet, she recognized an instant later. It was still time to get free…
"Miss, everything okay? Should I bring you something to drink?"
She looked upwards in the face of one of the police guards, a red haired boy for whom obviously a woman was always a lady, even if she was suspected for murder. "Yes… this would be… nice," Meela answered with her sweetest innocent smile and downcast eyes. "It is so hot in here… I'm feeling not very well."
...
=== Later the same day / Egyptian Museum in Cairo ===
As promised, the friend of the Keeper's family managed to get Imhotep and Evelyn in the building past the officials and security. They both wore the clothes of the natives now and this was the best way not to attract any attention from the European guests. They arrived unnoticed in the Library, Evelyn's former working place.
"Miss Carnahan! What a surprise!"
Evelyn recognized the voice and turned slowly, carefully setting a mien of surprised joy as well. Lewis was one of the librarians working here, a nice guy with huge glasses who always seemed somewhat lost behind the staples of books in front of him. Of course, HE would recognize her, so it was useless trying to hide.
"You will work here again? I heard you went off to England to marry…" He tried to clean his hand from the dust of the books and hold it out to Evelyn.
"It's nice to see you too, Lewis! No, I'm not here to work regularly. I'm … on a search right now for a project, a publication I would like to make! And I hoped… you could help me a little." Better that, than having him looking over my shoulder constantly.
"O… oh, me?" He blushed. "Yes, of course! Of course, Miss Carnahan!" Now his eyes fell on Imhotep. "And this is your lucky husband? Welcome and congratulations!"
Evelyn cleared her throat. "Actually, it's not my husband, Lewis. This is I…Ibrahim. A cousin of mine." She wondered how easily she could lie.
"Uh…" The fellow librarian blushed further and blinked through his glasses. "I'm sorry. I mean…that's wonderful you are here – Nonetheless, welcome!"
"He … can't speak. An accident when he was a child. He was just curious to see what I do with my time, so I took him with me."
"Ah, I understand!" However, it was eminent Lewis felt somewhat uncomfortable in the presence of Imhotep, who did not react in any kind, because he feared to make a mistake. The librarian smiled uncertainly, and then tried his best to ignore him and turned again to Evelyn. "So what is it that you're looking for, Miss Carnahan?"
"A pectoral." She opened her suitcase and took Imhotep's drawing out. "Before 19th dynasty. It was part of the crown jewels of the Pharaohs. Is it on display somewhere here?"
The librarian studied the paper carefully, nearly punching his nose on it. "On display… no… I don't think so…" he said after a while. "This is a beautiful piece, I would remember! But you know we have hundreds of boxes down in the basement."
Yes, I know, hundreds! That's exactly the problem!
"Do you know where it has been found? Any official record?"
"Unfortunately not." I do not even know if it still exists.
"Well, you have to try it with the registers, in that case." Lewis went over to the bookshelf behind his desk, where some huge folios rested. While taking one after another down he explained: "At least, we have the records of the excavations since Mariette here…"
This will take forever, Evelyn thought discouraged. We will never make it in time.
…
Evie had made Lewis promise not to tell anyone that she was here as he left for home, but she did not think he could pose a threat. As far as she knew, her former colleague always went straight to his apartment two streets ahead, the mind still back in some old book. He had no relatives here and no friends and he hated gossip.
Already hours had passed and it was dark outside. Evelyn read the entries of the register, made in French, German and English, and Imhotep filed the papers for visual representations. Until now, they had found absolutely nothing, not the smallest note of a scarab pectoral in this particular shape and style!
Evie rubbed her eyes and took a sip of the cold coffee left behind by Lewis. "What if we can't find it? If it's lost, or destroyed, or simply still buried out in the desert in some ruins not yet discovered?"
Imhotep looked at her. It was obviously that this idea had not crossed his mind before. "I… do not know."
Well, as I suspected… However, she could not blame him; the reality of 3000 years of history with all its implications was hard to grasp, no doubt. "This is the only way to revoke the curse?"
"The only way I know of," he replied sadly, as the possibility they might not succeed slowly settled in his mind.
"Why the gods cannot interfere? Osiris himself? He helped you against the forces of darkness in the desert, when I threw the medallion over to you!"
"A curse of this magnitude bounds the gods themselves. They can only fight the evil coming through the gateway… through ME, but they cannot destroy it and they cannot destroy me. They can only take the immortality from my body - until someone wakes me again – but not from my soul and spirit."
Evelyn tried to understand. For her, god always had been an almighty being, not someone who could be trapped by magic! You LET it happen, that ancient part of herself suddenly screamed in the back of her mind, full of desperate fury against Osiris. I begged you for Imhotep and YOU let this come upon him!!!
……You both did wrong….. Evelyn squinted in the flame of the petroleum lamp on the desk. Osiris? The light reflected brightly in Imhotep's medallion, and she heard the voice of the god again. …….You both did wrong. You took another life. This made it easy for the Dark Ones to make a claim on you both……
The same instant the memory was back in her consciousness, THAT awful, dark memory! Evie tried in vain to block it. All she could do was crying. "I murdered the Pharaoh! I killed myself and… and our child, Imhotep!"
He pulled her in his arms. "I warned you, do not try to recall it all…" Pity sounded more through his words than reprimand. For a while, they just sat there on the floor between the books and papers, not able to do anything, despite the pressing time. Imhotep did not know when the comforting strokes over her back became more caressing and exploring, and when their lips met again. Life! What a beautiful illusion, to hold her, to think there could be any hope of another salvation than death… No, he did not want to die! As he sank backwards and thereby overthrew the staple of books on the floor, the noise catapulted him and Evie back in the present. As much as he wanted her – this was not the way and certainly not the time!
"We must continue the search!"
"Yes." She stood up, adjusted her dress and avoided eye contact. With trembling hands, she took the coffee pot again, then sat down behind the desktop and scrolled through the register volume 12. However, it took a while before she could realize again, what she was reading at all.
...
=== Same night / Dwelling of Achmad's family ===
"Achmad! Achmad, wake up!"
Alarmed by the voice of his elder sister the boy snapped to attention. "What is it?"
"Father is not well, he wants you to come!"
At these words, the boy jumped out of the bed and followed his sister to the room where his parents and the youngest children normally slept. As he arrived, his mother had already left the room with the twin babies. His father sat in the bed, blankets around his thin shoulders, looking very pale.
"I go and bring a doctor!" Achmad said, trying to soothe his own fear and unease.
"No. This won't help, you know it," his father answered, suppressing a cough. "And we have no time for that! I know the Medjai have an emissary here in the city and I know he is aware of Lord Imhotep. The battle will begin soon. The time has come for you, my son."
"B…but… father… I'm only 12! You always said… I'm still too young and I … I don't know enough…" Achmad was afraid. He felt weak. He just wanted to hug his father or to run for a doctor, but above all, he feared to disappoint him.
"You know how to read the old scripture; you know how to interpret signs. The task of the keepers is an old and holy one! It needs a strong servant! I…" He sighed. "It is your turn, Achmad! Remember the story I told you. The story about Mentechepre. He was not older than you." The man reached out and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I know I can be proud of you! You will be a good servant of Osiris. – Now go, your mother will prepare you!"
…
As the first sunrays colored the morning sky, little Achmad knelt in front of his father, with shaven head and dressed in a black tunic. The perfume of incense and roses floated through the house, which suddenly had lost its shabbiness and breathed something of very old glamour and solemnity instead. The boy was still afraid of the things, which should happen to him so soon. A servant! How should he ever live up to such high expectancies? The teacher in school had always said he was too slow, he was not very smart… how could he fight in a battle, how could he fulfill the will of such a powerful ancient god as Osiris?
He broke off in his thoughts as his father began to speak while signing him with the sacred oils.
"You will be a keeper. A keeper of the truth, a seeker of forgiveness, a seeker of justice. You will help to bring freedom and peace for the one, whom it has been denied." He placed the medallion of Osiris around Achmad's neck – from now on, he would wear it rightfully and until his death. "Your secret name will be …"
Glass split.
The atmosphere of solemnity was gone with the appalled cries of Achmad's sisters and mother.
A gun barrel pointed through the window, and full of distaste a voice demanded: "Stop these infamous rites, old man!"
