Chapter Six:
The night of the opening of the Xena Scrolls Exhibit finally arrived. People from all over the city flocked to the Bay Area Art Museum. News reporters and their camera crews bustled all around the place. The crowd overflowed onto the sidewalk in front of the museum.
Miranda paced nervously back and forth in Amanda's office. She had to give a speech before the doors to the exhibit opened and later she was giving a free lecture. She was a scientist and scholar, an explorer. She was not good with the public at all.
"I can't do this. I can't handle this," she complained. "This was a bad idea. What was Janice and Mel thinking when they sent me here?"
"Calm down. You'll do fine. No one here knows more about the Xena Scrolls than you," Amanda soothed her. "We would have never gotten this far without all your help. You deserve to give the welcome speech."
"Thanks. I'm sorry. It's just that I've never done this before. The Xena Scrolls have been kept locked away from the public for over fifty years. I've spent the last thirteen years of my life studying them. I never thought this day would come."
Amanda looked at her. "Why is that? Why have the Scrolls never been displayed in a museum before?"
"You saw the information they contain. The facts recorded by the bard Gabrielle contradict so many things taken as historic fact. Everything we thought we knew about the ancient world is wrong. If the Scrolls were ever to get into the wrong hands, think of the damage that could be done," Miranda told her. "The world could be thrown into chaos."
Amanda nodded. "I see your point. I read the translated text myself. I found myself shocked at some of the items I found. Especially Xena's relationship with Julius Caesar."
"Yes, most of us at IAXS agree with you on that. His betrayal of her trust turned her into one of the most vicious warlords to ever walk the planet. Who knows what would have happened if she had defeated Hercules that first time." Miranda became more and more animated as she talked on the subject she loved the most.
"See? You're doing fine."
She looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"You're giving me a lecture right now. And, you're doing just great," Amanda pointed out.
Miranda smiled gratefully. "Yeah, I guess I am. Thanks. I mean that."
"No problem. Just glad to be of help."
A knock came at the door. Mr. Hepplewhite popped his head in. "Ten minutes, ladies. Get ready."
"Yes, sir. We'll be there," Amanda told him. As he left, she gave Miranda a hug. "You'll do great. Trust me."
"I'll try."
"That's the spirit. Now, come on. Knock 'em dead for me."
Presley sat on a bench in the museum lobby. He was so bored. His mom had dragged him along with her after all, wanting to be sure he came to the opening. He had been there all day long and he still hadn't been allowed to see the exhibit. Mom told him she wanted him to be surprised.
He yawned and looked at his watch. Five minutes to go. He wondered when the mummies would show up. At least he'd have some company. Strange company, but company nonetheless. They'd keep him busy explaining everything for hours.
It was going to be a long night.
Nefer-Tina searched the crowd for her classmates. She did not see one face she recognized. People had been drawn to this exhibit likes flies to a feast. She had not seen crowds like this since her days in Egypt.
She waded into the sea of faces, hoping to see just one person she knew. She wondered if Ja-Kal and the others had gotten to the museum yet. She had told them that she wanted to get a head start checking out the museum for anything that may endanger the prince. She had gotten there very early, using her extra time to put on her make-up. She knew she would have to avoid them all evening unless an emergency arose. It would be disastrous if they saw her in her "Tina Niles" persona.
Finally, she saw Kait and Matt. This was going to be very awkward. Matt had asked her on a date while Kait wanted him to ask her. Kait had also confided her private feelings about Matt to Nefer-Tina. She knew she would not say anything about the incident but would Matt be smart enough to keep his mouth shut? She prayed to the gods that he had not said a word.
Unfortunately, her prayers came too late. Matt was telling Kait the whole story. She decided not to go over. But, as she tried to back away, Kait saw her.
"Tina! Over here!" she shouted. She did not sound unhappy, as Nefer-Tina would have thought. In fact, she sounded like she was laughing.
She pulled her purse strap higher onto her shoulder and went over. "Hi, guys," she said. Thinking quickly she added, "Can you believe we got a whole class off to go to a museum opening?"
Kait laughed. "You really are new to this school. Dr. Raymond always lets us go to these things. She thinks it will help us learn better to see it someplace other than a textbook or classroom."
"I guess it makes sense. I was going to skip class to come here anyway," she confessed.
"You skip class? That's a laugh. You haven't missed one class since I've known you. You have perfect attendance," Matt reminded her.
"Well, then I'm entitled to miss at least one," she stated.
"If you say so," Kait put in. "Let's go closer to the podium. Aunt Miranda's gonna give a speech soon."
"I can't believe they talked her into that and a lecture. She has trouble speaking at meetings," Matt explained to Nefer-Tina.
"I'm sure she'll do just fine," Nefer-Tina told them.
Ja-Kal saw Nefer-Tina approach her friends. He wondered how much the girl, Kait?, knew of the incident last night. The evening before that he had heard her express her feelings towards Matt to Nefer-Tina. It was a very unusual situation for any three friends to be in.
At first, Nefer-Tina hesitated and tried to sneak away, but Kait had called her over. He could not hear what was being said from his position, but from the expressions on their faces, he could tell no one was hurt or angry so far. Maybe she did not know.
He saw that she was once again wearing her concealing cosmetics. It was amazing. She looked as alive as anyone else in the room. He had let her leave for the opening early, knowing full well what she was going to do. It was so rare that she even talked to him lately, that he would have agreed to anything she said. He knew that she would avoid him all night and probably Rath as well. He did not think Armon would think anything of the make-up and she would most likely talk to him, if anyone from their group.
He watched her disappear into the crowd with her friends and turned to go and find the prince and the rest of his team. He spotted Presley sitting on a bench, looking completely bored. He walked over to the boy.
"Greetings, Presley. I take it that you are not having a good time," he said as he sat down next to him.
"Oh, hi, Ja-Kal. Mom forced me to come in with her this afternoon. I have been in this museum all day. This exhibit better be good or else Mom will never hear the end of it," Presley told him.
"I'm sure you will enjoy it. Your mother knows you better than anyone."
Presley grinned up at his guardian. "Yeah, right. She still believes all those crazy stories I tell her. I don't believe me anymore!"
Ja-Kal smiled back at the reborn prince. During the past year and a half, he had grown to truly love the boy as he would a son. He had a second chance at being a father with Presley. If he only had the second chance at being a husband.....
Before he could say anything else, the stage at the front of the room was hit by a spotlight. Presley's mother, Amanda, stepped up to the podium sitting on the stage.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, you are about to witness the first public unveiling of artifacts kept hidden for over fifty years. To welcome you all, here is the director of the International Association of Xena Studies, Dr. Miranda Larson."
A roar of applause filled the room. Miranda stepped up onto the small stage and shook Amanda's hand. She then took her place in front of the podium. She adjusted the microphone as Amanda left the stage.
"Thank you, Ms. Carnovan. Well, this is a very exciting evening! I have been a part of IAXS for over ten years. Studying the Xena Scrolls, which all of you are about to see tonight, has been a large part of my life. I wish to share with all of you here and many others in the future what so few of us have had the privilege of experiencing. The Bay Area Art Museum has done a wonderful job creating an environment in which to do so. Let's give them a hand for all their hard work," Miranda told her listeners.
Again, cheers and applause broke out. Amanda waved them off, smiling and laughing as Miranda clapped the loudest. Mr. Hepplewhite took a bow, eliciting even more audience approval.
After the excitement died down, Miranda resumed her speech. "I appreciate all the support shown here tonight. This has been a dream of ours at IAXS for a long time. On behalf of myself and the rest of the team, welcome and enjoy the Scrolls Exhibit."
Behind the stage, the two large doors leading to the exhibit swung open. The crowd began to make its way into the area that housed the Scrolls.
Kait grabbed Nefer-Tina by the hand. "Come on. I want you to meet Aunt Miranda." She pulled her along and Matt followed them. "Hey, Aunt Miranda! Long time, no see!" Kait shouted to her mentor.
"Kaitlin, Matthew! Oh, I didn't know you were here!" Miranda cried out happily. "Come here and give me a hug!"
The three of them engaged in a group embrace. Nefer-Tina stood by them, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the minute. As they broke apart, Matt took Nefer-Tina's arm and pulled her forward.
"Aunt Miranda, there's someone we'd like you to meet. This is our friend Tina. She's in our classes at school," Matt introduced her. "Tina, meet our 'aunt,' Dr. Miranda Larson."
"Tina Niles. I've studied some of your research. Your views on the ancient world are brilliant," Nefer-Tina said, shaking her hand.
"Thank you. It's very nice to meet you," Miranda greeted warmly. "Have these two been giving you any trouble? I've got some stories to tell you about my experiences with the 'Terrible Twosome.'"
"Well, Matt did hit on her last night," Kait offered good-naturedly. "She wisely turned him down."
Nefer-Tina was shocked. How could Kait be so nonchalant about the whole thing? She would have been devastated if something like that happened to her.
"Thatagirl! This no good louse right here doesn't know how to treat a lady," Miranda laughed.
Matt grinned slyly. "Gee Aunt Miranda, it's just that I've never met a real lady until now."
"Am I interrupting anything?" Amanda asked, as she came up to Miranda. She looked at the four people grinning in front of her.
"Oh, no! Of course not! Amanda, I'd like you to meet Kaitlin Peters and Matthew Covington. Janice and Mel are their grandmothers," Miranda told her.
"Nice to meet you," Amanda said. She looked at the fourth person. "Hi, I'm Amanda Carnovan." This woman looked strangely familiar, but she could not place her. "Have we met? You look familiar."
"No, I don't think so. My name's Tina, Tina Niles." The prince's mother recognized her! What could she do? If Amanda remembered her as one of the strange people hanging around her son, her cover would be blown.
Amanda shrugged. "In my line of work, I meet so many people. I guess you just reminded me of someone. But, never mind that. All of you, I'll give you the grand tour of the exhibit."
"Sounds good to me," Kait chimed in. "Let's go!"
Presley and Ja-Kal walked through the exhibit. It was amazing. Xena had been a person possessing many skills. Her actions had set many things in motion that defined the history of the modern world.
"This is epic," Presley told Ja-Kal, giving the exhibit his seal of approval. "Xena is way cool, even for a girl."
The next section they came to was entitled "Xena's World Tour." Xena's adventures had not been limited to Greece. She had visited many other nations, including China and India, during her time as both a warlord and a hero. But the one that caught the attentions of Presley and Ja-Kal was Egypt.
According to the Scrolls, Xena had helped Queen Cleopatra a number of times before her untimely death. One of these ventures involved both Amazons and Greek goddesses. One tribe of Greek Amazons decided that they were tired of the poor treatment Amazons were given in general by the Known World. Their queen proposed that the Amazon Nation actually needed to become a nation. The perfect country seemed to be Egypt, since it was ruled by a woman. When Cleopatra turned down the Amazons, they released Velasca, a one time Amazon who had eaten ambrosia and become a goddess. She had agreed to their plan and was going to help remove Cleopatra from the throne.
Unknowingly, by releasing Velasca from her prison, the Amazons had angered their patron goddess Artemis. Velasca had publicly denounced her and destroyed one of her temples before Xena imprisoned her the first time. Artemis dispatched another Amazon turned goddess, a woman originally from Egypt, to help Xena and Gabrielle save Cleopatra and punish the renegade Amazon tribe. The three of them succeeded and Velasca was taken to Mount Olympus where she would be held prisoner for all eternity. The name of the goddess who had helped Xena was Tia.
"Ja-Kal, wasn't Tia the name of your wife?" Presley asked. When he got no answer, he tried again. "Earth to Ja-Kal, come in please! I asked you if Tia was the name of your wife."
"Yes, it was," Ja-Kal answered quietly. He could not believe what his eyes had just read. An Egyptian woman named Tia had become a goddess in Greece? It was too much of a coincidence. Wasn't it?
Tia had been such a sweet, loving individual. As long as he had known her, she had not shown any qualities associated with the women warriors called Amazons. Even if she had eventually traveled to Greece, how would she have ended up as an Amazon? What would they have done with Padjet? He couldn't bear the thought of his only son losing his mother as well. The stories told about the Amazons said that they sent all their male children away to far away villages. He would have truly been an orphan.
Ja-Kal sighed heavily. He missed them so much. She had been his love, his whole life. He had lost so much time with her and Padjet due to his duties to the prince and his pharaoh. He had failed them all that day....
Even as he thought about Tia, his mind drifted back to Nefer-Tina. He wondered how his life would have been different if he had met her before he met Tia. What would life have been like if she had been his wife?
He realized that his feelings for her were growing stronger every day despite his telling himself that it was wrong. He did not know how much longer he could keep them hidden. He felt guilty thinking of her like this, and rightfully so. He was married! What he was doing was contemplating adultery. His personal code would not stand for such behavior.
What would Nefer-Tina think of him if she knew? Would she resent him for thinking of her in that way? Would she despise him for his unfaithfulness to his wife? How could he bear to be around her if she hated him? Or, was it possible that she felt the same way....
He shook himself out of his thoughts. This was not the time or place for this. He had to be alert to any possible hazards to the safety and well-being of his prince. He finally turned to Presley and said, "I think it best we move on to another part of the exhibit."
"Sure thing, Ja-Kal. I want to see the weapons section next!"
Kait found an opportunity to speak to Nefer-Tina alone. She pulled her friend into a bathroom in a secluded hallway to get away from Matt and Miranda. She did not want anyone they knew to hear their conversation.
Nefer-Tina looked puzzled as Kait checked all the stalls to make sure they were empty. She then watched her lock the door.
"Now, I want to hear everything," Kait demanded. "Matt told me you got upset again last night. He also told me you're in love with someone who you can't admit your feelings to. Spill it. Right now."
Nefer-Tina looked away from her friend. "I can't. It hurts too much."
Kait walked over and took her hands. "Tina, look at me." Nefer-Tina obeyed. "I am your best friend, right?" A nod. "Best friends don't have secrets. Is that clear?"
"What about you and Matt?"
"That's different. He's a guy. I hate to push you like this, but this is affecting you too deeply. Who knows, maybe I can help."
Nefer-Tina let go of Kait's hands and turned to face the wall. "It's a long story."
"We're not leaving until I hear it all. So, I suggest you start telling me right now."
"I first met him a long time ago. I was only sixteen at the time. He was a few years older than I, but it didn't matter. I fell in love with him almost instantly and we had never exchanged more than a few words. There was something about him. It just felt right..." she trailed off, fighting the fresh tears that were threatening to fall. "Anyway, a few months after that, something happened and I had to go away. Two years later, when I came back, I found out he had gotten married."
"Oh, Tina, I'm so sorry! I can't imagine what you're going through," Kait said sympathetically.
"To make it worse, I was put in a situation where I had to be with him every day. Soon, we became very close friends," she continued. "It was so hard to keep my feelings from him. Especially when he began to see me as a confidant. He would tell me things, things he couldn't tell anyone else, even his wife." She stopped, the depression returning full force. "I felt so unworthy of his trust. Here I was, living a lie, pretending to be someone I wasn't, hiding my true feelings from him, and he was telling me his deepest secrets and feelings."
Kait did not know what to say. She had never met someone in a situation as sad as this. One woman denied her only love because she had missed her opportunity. It was heartbreaking.
Nefer-Tina leaned heavily against the wall. "He lost his wife and son in, uh, an accident a few years ago. He still loves and misses them to this day. I could never bring myself to try and come between them. It would hurt him too much. He would hate me. And, I'd hate me too," she finished.
Kait felt like crying. She hadn't realized the pain her friend lived with every day. Some friend she was.
"I'm sorry I dumped all this on you," Nefer-Tina apologized. "You didn't need to hear my sob story."
Kait shook her head. "Never apologize for how you feel. My parents taught me that." She went over and unlocked the door. "It's time we got back. Aunt Miranda's lecture is going to start soon and we want to get good seats."
Nefer-Tina followed, strangely feeling better after talking about her problems. Well, an abridged version anyway. She thought about telling Kait of her secret admirer, but decided she wanted to keep that private for now. She did not want her friend to worry about that too. "Thanks," she finally managed.
"For what? Listening to you? No problem. That's what best friends do," Kait told her. "No more secrets, okay?"
"I'll see what I can do," Nefer-Tina said, smiling slightly.
The two women began walking back towards the auditorium. While they traveled in relative silence, something else occurred to Nefer-Tina.
"Just one question. How come you weren't upset when Matt told you he asked me out?"
"He's been going on for weeks about how he wanted to ask you out. I'm surprised you haven't noticed his interest in you. He's been acting jerkier than usual lately," Kait explained. "I'm also surprised you turned him down so fast. What did you exactly tell him so that he wasn't totally bummed?"
She grinned maliciously. "I told him that there was a girl who really liked him and was waiting for him to ask her out."
"You didn't!"
"Uh-huh. But, I didn't want to spoil the surprise when he finds out it's you."
"Thanks. You really are the best, you know that. That man was a fool to pass you up. Don't worry, one day you'll find the right guy for you."
She sighed. "I hope you're right. I really do."
It was two in the morning. The museum was dark inside and there was not a soul in sight. Or, so it seemed.
Scarab, wearing his beetle armor, softly landed at the back entrance to the museum. He removed a small key from one of the many pouches he carried with him and slid it into the lock. There was a click and he pushed the door open. He silently entered the museum.
He put Heka down as he approached the first security console. She slithered after him, grumbling to herself about never getting any beauty sleep.
Scarab flipped a few switches, deactivating security cameras all over the museum and shutting down alarms as well. "This is it, Heka. The day of my triumph has finally arrived," he confidently boasted to her.
"You say that every time and you know what happens? The mummies- MMPH!"
"Not another word, Heka. I don't have time for your brainless comments. Understand?"
Heka, whose mouth was clamped shut by one of his feet, waved her tail to signal her comprehension and surrender.
"Good." He put more weight down on her mouth sadistically before lifting his foot. He walked away, heading for the next bank of controls.
Ten minutes later, with all security systems disabled, Scarab and Heka entered the Xena Scrolls Exhibit. In the center, displayed in a large glass case, stood the Scrolls. There were at least eighty of them in the case.
Grinning evilly to himself, Scarab blasted the case open. No alarms went off. He began to put the scrolls neatly into the pouches he had brought with him. Soon the case was devoid of any scrolls.
"Very soon, with the knowledge contained in these scrolls, I will have achieved my immortality and will rule the world," Scarab gleefully said to Heka. He began to laugh wildly as he left the exhibit.
Heka rolled her eyes, pretty sure this was another scheme destined to fail. She followed him out of the door.
They left, being careful to put everything back the way it had been when they came. No one would know what had happened until it was too late.
Chapter Seven:
Miranda and Kait were curled up on the couches in Kait's apartment. They had mugs of hot chocolate in their hands that they were slowly nursing. Both wore light silky robes.
"I still can't get over the question that man asked," Miranda was saying. "He obviously holds a very high opinion of himself. He actually had the nerve to imply that we had wasted the last fifty years by studying the, how did he put it, 'fanciful stories of an overimaginative female.'"
Kait giggled, "But he was so cute!" She took a sip of her drink. "I think Tina may know him though. She got so embarrassed when he stood up that she sank down into her seat."
"Hmm. I can't imagine such a nice girl knowing such a snotty jerk," Miranda told her.
"Maybe he's from the place where she works. She has a job at some nightclub, but she won't tell us what she does. I think Matt and I embarrassed her the other night by implying that she was either a stripper or a hooker," Kait added.
Miranda's eyes went wide in disbelief. "You told her you thought she worked as a stripper or hooker? I thought you two had better manners."
"Blame it on Matt. Both were his speculations, not mine," Kait defended herself.
Miranda put down her mug and folded her arms. "You expect me to believe that? I've known the two of you since you were eight years old. You, Miss Peters, are a born leader."
"Okay, I admit I may have helped him reach those conclusions, but-" She was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. "Saved by the bell," she said, reaching for the receiver. "Hello?"
"Are you Kaitlin Peters?" a stern voice inquired.
"Yes, I'm Kaitlin Peters. Can I help you?"
"This is Officer Laura Whittner of the San Francisco Police Department. Is Dr. Miranda Larson currently residing at your apartment?"
"Yes. She's right here if you would like to speak with her," Kait answered. She turned to Miranda. "An Officer Whittner would like to have a word with you."
What's it about? Miranda mouthed. Kait shook her head as she handed her the phone. "This is Dr. Larson. How may I help you?"
"Dr. Larson, we need you to come to the Bay Area Art Museum immediately. There has been a theft."
Amanda sat at the breakfast table, eating a bowl of cereal when the phone rang. Presley was still asleep, so she got up to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Amanda Carnovan?"
"Yes, this is she. May I ask who's calling?"
"My name is Officer Laura Whittner with the SFPD. You need to come to the museum right now. There has been a theft."
The entire premise of the Bay Area Art Museum was swarming with police officers and news reporters. Amanda pulled a still very sleepy Presley through the crowd into the building. She spotted a livid Miranda and her young friend Kait standing with a female police officer, presumably the same one who had phoned them.
"What I want to know is why the security measures that were here failed," Miranda was saying angrily. "We were told that there was no way anyone could have gotten past them. So, what happened?"
"Calm down, Dr. Larson. That is exactly what we're trying to ascertain," Whittner told her.
"Trying isn't good enough! My job is on the line here," she said.
Amanda came up to them. "Miranda, what exactly happened here? What was stolen?"
"The Xena Scrolls. Someone took the Scrolls," she told Amanda.
"The Scrolls? But that's impossible. No one could have gotten past security," Amanda interjected. "We had the most advanced technology installed just for this exhibit."
"Well, it looks like your state-of-the-art technology failed," Miranda pointed out bitterly. "Janice and Mel trusted me with the protection of these artifacts. I don't know what'll happen if they aren't found."
"Grandmother and Granny Janice won't blame you for this," Kait said. "They'll know it wasn't your fault."
"Thanks, sweetie. I hope you're right."
Amanda suddenly remembered something Miranda had told her last night. "Do you think the person who stole them knows the power the Scrolls can give them?"
"If they do and we can't get them back, the world may be in very serious trouble."
Presley sneaked away from his mother while she was busy with the police and that scientist lady. He had to tell Ja-Kal and the others what had happened.
The door he needed to use to get into the Sphinx was currently blocked by two cops. One short and fat, the other tall and skinny. They were having a conversation about space aliens, of all things. The tall one, who referred to the fat one as Bob, was trying to convince his partner that he had met and interacted with them on several occasions. Bob, eating a donut, just nodded as he indulged his friend.
Presley decided getting past these two would be a piece of cake. All he needed was a really good excuse. Inspiration struck and he took a running start for the door.
Bob held out his hand at the oncoming teen. "Just hold it right there. Where do you think you're going?"
Presley began hopping up and down. "To the bathroom. I really, really gotta go and the closest one is down there."
"What do you think, Joe?" Bob asked the one who was obsessed with aliens. "Should we let him pass?"
"Sure thing. Run along, kid. Just watch out for space aliens," Joe told him.
Presley smiled as gratefully as possible and rushed through the door. Suckers! he thought gleefully. They must be the two dumbest cops on the planet. However, their voices sounded familiar, but he just couldn't place them.
Now, back to business. There was only one man he knew who could possibly want the Scrolls. And, if it was him and he had finally returned, he and the world were in serious trouble.
Rath sat studying at his desk. He was still rather miffed by the way that impertinent woman had replied to his innocent question. He never got the respect he deserved any more!
Suddenly, the young prince burst into the Sphinx looking quite agitated.
"Greet-" Rath began to say.
"No time for that," Presley cut him off. "Where's Ja-Kal? The two of you need to hear this."
"He's recharging in his sarcophagus," Rath informed him.
"Someone stole the Xena Scrolls last night," Presley announced. He went over to the sarcophagus with the falcon motif. "Come on, Ja-Kal, time to wake up." He knocked on the lid.
The leader emerged from behind the lid. "Presley? What is going on?" Ja-Kal said, immediately alert upon spotting the boy.
"The Scrolls were stolen from the museum last night," he repeated. "And, whoever did it knew how to get past security."
"Scarab," Ja-Kal murmured. He turned to look at Rath. "Is it possible that he returned without our knowing?"
Rath went to his scrying pyramid. He said a few words then frowned. "That's odd. I'm not even getting a response to my inquiry."
"This is very bad," Ja-Kal said. "If Scarab is back and he can keep us from detecting him, then the prince may be in graver danger than ever."
"Not only me this time," Presley added. "I overheard Mom and that scientist lady. They were saying something about the world being in serious trouble if the Scrolls ever fell into the wrong hands."
"There's no telling what kind of dangerous magic the Scrolls may contain. They could make anyone unstoppable if they knew how to use them," Rath put in. "It's imperative that we retrieve them as soon as possible."
Miranda sat holding her head. "Kait, this is a total disaster. The police will never be able to get the Scrolls back. I don't know what to do."
Kait draped her arm around her "aunt." "I know what you can do. You can help me and Matt solve this ourselves. We don't need the police," she asserted.
"Are you crazy? What makes you think we could do a better job than the police?" Miranda questioned her.
"Well, for starters, you know more about the Scrolls than anyone except Grandmother and Granny Janice. You probably have a better idea of who might have stolen the Scrolls and for what purpose. Matt and I can get into places you can't since we're just college students. The three of us would make a great team."
Miranda seemed to think about for a moment. "All right. Let's go get Matt and start working on a plan."
"Now that's what I wanted to hear! Let's go!"
Scarab sat locked in his chamber, pouring over the multiple scrolls he had "acquired." They were mostly filled with stories of the many adventures Xena and her sidekick Gabrielle, who was the author of the Scrolls. So far he was rather unimpressed. He was not interested in a tale of redemption. He preferred the stories of Xena when she was the Destroyer of Nations. Now, she had been a villain. Too bad she had reformed into a goody-goody hero.
After hours of reading the ancient papyrus, he was beginning to think that stealing these had been a waste of time. He pushed aside a scroll entitled "Destiny" in which Xena had "died" after remembering her past with Julius Caesar. Scarab reached for the next one and opened it. It was called "The Quest." He began to read, expecting yet another tale of Xena coming back to life while Gabrielle cried over her supposed "loss." By this time, he was beginning to wonder about the type of relationship those two had had.
Suddenly, something of interest caught his eye. An interesting twist in the plot of this story was the appearance of the Amazon Velasca. She was the acting queen of the tribe that Gabrielle had been adopted into. She had won the queenship through the Royal Challenge and slayed the actual queen, her adopted mother Melosa. Scarab immediately liked this woman. She was very much like him, ruthless and power-hungry.
Velasca's ascension to the throne was thrown into jeopardy by the return of the "rightful" queen, Gabrielle. Velasca was infuriated by the way the tribe just turned on her. This girl had no right to the throne. She wasn't even a true Amazon!
Velasca finally lost the throne when Gabrielle accepted the mask of the queen. When Velasca angrily challenged her right to the queenship, the brat seemingly offered her the mask to take before putting it on herself, humiliating Velasca. But, she soon got her revenge when Gabrielle and the thief Autolycus escaped with Xena's body. They led her straight to the secret location of a supply of ambrosia, food of the gods. The power-mad Amazon decided that it was not her destiny to be queen. It was her destiny to be a god.
After a battle in which Xena was restored to life, they thought Velasca was dead. In fact, she was not only still alive, but she had gotten her hands on ambrosia. She returned to her village and consumed it in front of the new queen, transforming into the God of Chaos right before everyone's eyes. Then, just for kicks, she began destroying the village, the Amazons, and went after Gabrielle. She wanted revenge for the way she had been treated before reaching her true destiny.
Unfortunately, before she could destroy the annoying blonde, Xena trapped her and the other new goddess, Callisto, in a lava pit. Callisto was Xena's nemesis who was only helping because of the promise of ambrosia. Velasca was later released by another tribe of Amazons who wanted to take over Egypt and form a true Amazon nation. She was again defeated and was currently held in a prison on Mount Olympus.
After reading all he could about Velasca, Scarab realized the potential he had found. Velasca, with the right persuasion, would be a powerful ally who would have no problems destroying the mummies. She was a ruthless, cold goddess with no connections to the modern world. He could use her to attain his own destiny and immortality.
Bringing Velasca to San Francisco would prove difficult. The Greek gods were very different from their Egyptian counterparts. Mount Olympus was not as easy to access as the Western Gate. He would need a powerful transportation spell.
It was perfect. Once she was in his power and under his control, Velasca would be the perfect weapon to use against Ja-Kal and his annoying team. There was no way for them to win. His strategy was flawless. Victory was finally at hand. Immortality was almost his for the taking.
Scarab began to laugh uncontrollably. His laughter echoed throughout the entire Pyramid.
Chapter Eight:
Nefer-Tina pushed the lid of her sarcophagus open and stepped out. She was well-rested for her big night. She stretched her muscles and took a look at the clock on the wall. It read five-fifteen. She had to leave in fifteen minutes.
She felt a little guilty about her secret rendezvous. She and Armon had been out when Presley arrived with his news. She could not believe the audacity of such a person. The Xena Scrolls were meant to be shared with everyone. Whoever this thief was had a lot of explaining to do.
Ja-Kal and Rath's suspicion that Scarab had returned and was responsible bothered her a great deal. If it was true, she would have to give up everything she loved once more. Her duty as a guardian to Prince Rapses took precedence over all else. Most of all, she was saddened at the thought of losing her friends .
She went into the bedroom where she kept her secret stash of items. She opened the closet and pulled out a small box. Inside was the special cosmetics that she used to give herself the appearance of being alive. She would need a lot more than usual for the outfit she planned on wearing.
As she rummaged through the box, she noticed one compact was missing. How could that be? No one else knew she had this. Unless....
No! she firmly told herself. If either Ja-Kal or Rath had found the box, her activities would have been stopped long ago. She had probably left it in a bathroom somewhere.
Next, she grabbed her dress and shoes. Jewelry and hair accessories came after. Finally, lingerie was packed as well. In Egypt, no undergarments were worn by anyone. They were definitely a perk of the modern world.
Nefer-Tina zipped up her backpack and grabbed her purse. She looked at her watch. It was time to go. She opened the bedroom door and peered out.
There was no one around. Relieved, she entered the main living area of the Sphinx. She quickly made her way out into the darkening day.
One hour later, she emerged completely transformed from the park public restroom. Gone were her kilt and bandages. She now donned a slinky strapless black dress which accentuated her figure nicely. The entire area of exposed skin had been covered with the flesh-colored cosmetics. Additional make-up had been applied to her face for evening wear. Her hair had been styled into an exquisite French twist. Her amulet, which was now safely tucked into her purse, had been replaced by a delicate diamond pendant. Two matching earrings adorned her ears. Black high heels enveloped her feet.
Her backpack neatly stowed into a courtesy locker for the evening, she went to hail a cab. The nearest one pulled over and she got in.
"Where to, Miss?" the driver asked.
Nefer-Tina smiled to herself. "The Crystal Room, please."
"You got it," he responded. "Big date tonight?"
"You could say that."
The cabby nodded knowingly. He then proceeded to pull into traffic and promptly brought her to her destination.
Nefer-Tina paid the driver and got out. She stared in awe at the sight spread before her.
The entire building known as the Crystal Room was encased in glass crystal that sparkled in the street lights. Elegant people went in and out in a continuous flow. A doorman greeted all the patrons. It was absolutely beautiful.
She had dreamed of going here ever since it had opened eight months ago. It was known as the most romantic spot in all of San Francisco. Although she could now afford it from her singing, she never thought she would actually ever go there, much less brought on a date. She was in heaven. She hoped this night would never end.
She snapped herself out of her thoughts. She glanced at her watch and saw that she was ten minutes early. She mustered all her courage and headed for the door. The doorman opened the door for her and bid her a good evening. She smiled back, still overwhelmed that this was really happening.
The interior of the Crystal Room put the outside to shame. The atmosphere was quiet and intimate, very romantic. The color scheme was soft pastels that seemed to glow by the candlelight being given off from every table. A large dance floor took up most of the room in the center. A live band played on a stage in the back. Couples danced to a slow fox-trot.
The bar where she was supposed to wait for her mystery date was in a room to the left of the main dining area. She went in. The bar was dimmer than the rest of the restaurant. It was mostly filled with men, probably waiting for their dates to arrive. She went up to the counter and pulled up a stool. She ordered a drink and began to wait.
As she sat, Nefer-Tina did not notice that she was being watched from the other end of the bar.
Scarab stood in his laboratory, magic books strewn all over the room. It was time to begin the transportation spell.
He knew bringing Velasca to San Francisco would be difficult. According to the Scrolls, she was being held in a secluded cell somewhere on Mount Olympus for her crimes against the other gods. The minor goddess who had brought her in had not told Xena or Gabrielle much about how the gods treated their criminal element. She had only said that no god could ever take the life of another, meaning that there would be no execution of Velasca for her treason.
The goddess who helped them was named Tia. He knew that name. It was also written that she had been Egyptian. He was positive that she had been someone important to one of his enemies, but he could not place her. But, it was really not important and could wait.
The Greek pantheon was quite different from the hierarchy of the Egyptian gods. One main difference was that they were not animal deities. They were very human in appearance and behavior. They were also more involved in the lives of the mortals over which they ruled.
The Greek gods had a tendency to be petty and temperamental in their dealings with humans and each other. They each had unique views of how to do their jobs and would act accordingly. They directly interfered with the lives of mortals as well, some even having children with them. Zeus, king of the gods, was notorious for his many half-mortal children, especially Hercules, a good friend of Xena's and a major hero in his own right.
Scarab was aware that penetrating Mount Olympus was going to be much more difficult that passing beyond the Western Gate. Whereas the Western Gate was more of a realm, Mount Olympus was a palace complex where most of the gods lived. He would have to first find Velasca before even figuring out how to release her. The gods would not be happy to discover an unwelcome guest breaking out an important prisoner.
He hoped that Velasca would appreciate all that he was going through for her. He knew better than anyone what a couple of hundred years of imprisonment was like. And, how it did nothing to improve one's disposition.
He began to recite the incantation to locate her whereabouts.
Heka laid curled on the floor near her urn. She had declined to accompany Scarab this evening. She did not like this plan of his one bit.
She had taken the liberty of reading the scrolls on Velasca herself. This woman scared her. She sounded uncontrollable and deadly. Compared to her, Scarab was only a minor threat to the world.
Scarab had no aspirations to attain actual godhood. All he wanted was immortality. He was satisfied with the level of magic he had already reached. This was not true of Velasca. She had wanted everything.
Velasca had started out only desiring to rule the Amazons. When she had gotten her queenhood, she had been satisfied until Gabrielle had taken it away from her. Then, she realized that she was "destined" to be a god. The God of Chaos, she had called herself. She was dedicated to revenge and destruction, not truly caring to rule anything anymore.
Scarab was getting in way over his head this time. His obsession with the boy and his guardians was blinding him to everything else. Velasca was insane and dangerous. She belonged where she was. Heka was sure that this was the worst idea of Scarab's evil career.
If he could not keep her under his power, it could spell disaster for them and the entire world.
Heka hoped Scarab knew what he was doing. For the sake of the world.
In the bar of the Crystal Room, Nefer-Tina waited for her date to arrive. She sat, sipping her drink, wishing for time to go faster. She could not bring herself to look around the room to see if he was coming. She was so excited and nervous about the whole evening. After all, this was her first secret admirer.
She wondered who he was. Was he one of the regulars that she flirted with at the Moon Zone? Or, was he someone who had caught the show one night and became infatuated with her? It was possible he was just some psycho stalker as well. She hoped it was not the last choice. Above all, she wanted him to be nice. She did not care about what he looked like, but it wouldn't hurt if he was cute!
She sighed. She knew who she wished she was waiting for, but that would never be. His heart would always belong to another. Ja-Kal would never be hers. Her love for him would have to remain one-sided forever.
She glanced at her watch. It was one minute to seven. The wait was almost over.
The man sitting at the other side of the bar, who had been watching Nefer-Tina the whole time, got up from his seat. He began to walk over to her.
Suddenly, Nefer-Tina felt someone come up behind her. Was it him? She was too nervous to turn around. Another look at her watch told her it would be another thirty seconds before seven. With the man standing behind her, time seemed to come to a complete standstill. Finally, the hour and minute hands indicated that time was up.
"Hello, Miss Niles," the figure behind her spoke. "I'm pleased you could make it."
She froze. That voice! She knew that voice. It was a voice she knew almost as well as her own. A voice that haunted her dreams... But, it couldn't be him. If it was... Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves and gather her courage, she finally turned around to face the man behind her.
"Ja-Kal!" she gasped. It was him! She began to panic. What was he doing here? How had he found her? How did he know her alias? Then, she noticed something. He looked as normal as she did.
His skin had regained its natural tone, looking as it had not in over 3500 years. His wrappings were gone, replaced with a black suit. He had also completely unwrapped his head, revealing a full head of hair as white as her own.
Where had he gotten the make-up? The suit? If he had just followed her here, when had he had time to change? It was impossible, unless...
Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place. He had not followed her here. There was no secret admirer. It had been him. The rose, the note, the missing compact-it all made sense now. They had been part of a trap to lure her out into the open. A trap she had blindly walked right into. She felt all her hopes and dreams of a new beginning with someone shatter.
A bevy of emotions rushed to the surface. First and foremost was anger. Anger at his cruel ploy to trap her. How dare he play at her emotions like that! He knew how much she wanted someone to love her. He knew! Did he know how much he was hurting her?
Next came hope. Hope that her fondest wish had come true and that she was wrong about this being a ruse. But, deep down she knew it wasn't. Sadness that he knew she had betrayed his trust again. Why did it have to be him who found her? Fear that he was angry at her for doing so.
Fear, being the most powerful emotion, finally won out. She couldn't bear the thought of him being angry with her again. It was too painful right now. She rose from her stool quickly. She had to get out of there now. She began to walk away without looking at him. She'd deal with this later at the Sphinx, after she'd had a chance to pull herself together.
"Nefer-Tina, please. Don't go," he quietly implored.
His plea took her by surprise. She stopped and turned around. She searched his face. There was not a trace of anger. Her fear immediately dissipated. She came back and stood in front of him, curious now. "Why?" was all she said.
"I needed to talk to you," he explained. "I'm sorry for the deception, but it was the only way I could get you alone." Her initial reaction had startled him. He had come expecting anger. Instead she had been terrified. In the 3500 years he had known her, he had never seen her this afraid. Not only afraid, but of him. What was wrong? "You've been avoiding me for weeks."
"How did you find me?" she asked, pretending not to have heard the last sentence. She sank back into her seat and looked away from him. He was right. She had been avoiding him, but for reasons that he could never know.
"I'm a hunter, remember? You're very easy to track," he said, smiling gently. "Like a gazelle who has grown too confident in her ability to outrun the lion."
She almost laughed at the way he compared her to one of his animal stories. Leave it to Ja-Kal to try to instill morals in every situation. It was one of the traits she loved about him. Still not meeting his eyes, she inquired, "How long have you known?"
"Six months. I watched you leave every evening, but I didn't follow you until three nights ago."
She looked up at him in shock. Six months?! He had known about it for six months and he had not followed her until now? If he wanted to put an end to it, why wait so long to confront her? And, why go so far out of his way to do so? She didn't understand it. This was not like Ja-Kal.
The most puzzling part was the lack of anger. She would have expected him to be reading her the riot act by now. This was by far the worst instance of her disobedience since their resurrection. His behavior was starting to worry her.
They regarded each other in silence for a few moments, neither knowing what to say. Each was lost in thought. Finally, Ja-Kal broke the tense silence by saying, "I didn't know you had such an interest in going to school."
Again, she looked away from him. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me."
It was the first statement she had made since their encounter began. Her voice was sad as she spoke. He did not know how to respond. It was very true. He knew very little about her life before she came to the palace as "Nefer." She had never spoken much about her past.
After another brief silence, he said, "Come on, we'll finish this conversation once we're seated. We have much to discuss."
"Seated? Discuss? You mean we're actually going to go through with this?" she asked incredulously. The sadness was gone from her voice. "You want to stay and have dinner? With me?"
"Of course. Isn't that why we're here? To have dinner?"
"Yes, but that was before..."
"Before you knew it was me," he finished for her. "Do you find me that uncomfortable to be around?"
"No, of course not!" she told him vehemently. "Don't ever think that! It's not you. It's me. I just wouldn't be very good company tonight."
"That's another reason why I came. I just want to talk with you, that's all. So, will you honor me with your presence for dinner?" he asked, offering her his arm.
Hesitantly, she stood up and accepted his arm. "All right, since you asked so nicely. Lead the way." She smiled at him.
He smiled back as they began walking out of the bar, heading for the main dining area. He glanced at the woman on his arm. She was always so beautiful and tonight she looked absolutely gorgeous. How could anyone have ever thought she was a man? He felt the feelings she invoked in him stirring once again. If he weren't married... "You look very nice tonight," he told her.
She was caught off guard by the compliment. Ja-Kal was not a man of many words by nature, so anything he said was not to be taken lightly. And, he always meant it. "Thank you," she answered.
She had never been this close to him before, at least not in a situation like this. She was overwhelmed by the emotions her proximity to him was summoning. She hoped she could make it through the evening without revealing too much by mistake. It could be disastrous.
They entered the dining room, arm-in-arm.