Jekyll & Hyde Inc.

Chapter Seven

VOICES FROM THE DUST

Daniel and Tina spent the next few days at Tina’s place, celebrating not dying after all, and only returned to the Jekyll & Hyde building because they didn’t want Edward sending someone to bang on their door. As always, there was no one in the lobby. Daniel was beginning to wonder about that. Given that the whole building only existed to house Jekyll & Hyde Inc., why did he never bump into anyone else going about Edward Hyde’s business?

When they entered Edward’s outer office, the rather more glamorous than she should be secretary gave them her best professional smile.

“Go right on in. Edward has something he wants to share with you.”

Daniel looked at Tina. “Is that good?”

“As long as it’s not another tiger.”

“Beware Hydes bearing gifts,” said Daniel.

He barged into Edward’s office without knocking, just to make it clear what kind of a visit it was going to be, and then stopped short as the smell of roast meat hit him in the face. Marvelous and mouth-watering, it was like nothing he’d ever encountered before. Tina made a loud appreciative noise. Set on an antique silver platter, the steaming meat was so rare that blood was still seeping out of it. Edward smiled at Daniel and Tina from behind his desk, tore a piece off the large joint, and stuffed it into his mouth. He chewed with uncomplicated enjoyment, already reaching for another piece. Daniel couldn’t help remembering how he’d attacked his pizza the night before, as though nothing mattered but satisfying his appetite. Daniel took a deep breath, and the amazing smell filled his head till he couldn’t think of anything else. Edward smiled knowingly, and waved them forward.

“This is a haunch off the tiger I killed yesterday. Waste not, want not. Go ahead, help yourselves.”

Daniel felt he should object, on behalf of the tiger. What had been done to it was cruel as well as wrong. But he just had to know whether the meat would taste as good as it smelled. Tina had already pushed past him, to rip a piece off the joint and jam it into her mouth. She made ecstatic noises, her eyes closing to slits as blood and juices ran unheeded down her chin. Daniel took a smaller piece for himself, and did his best to eat it in a more civilized manner. The taste was incredible, and before he realized what he was doing he’d emptied his mouth and was reaching out for more.

He stopped himself, with an effort. He remembered Tina saying that Hydes could indulge themselves however they wanted, but he had to believe there was more to him than just his appetites.

He turned away from the meat on the table, looking for something to take his mind off temptation, and his eye was caught by a mirror on the opposite wall. His reflection smiled and nodded to him, and Daniel remembered that there was no mirror in Edward’s office. He moved over to stand before his reflection. It was chewing on a really large piece of meat, while blood dripped thickly from its chin. The reflection winked cheerfully at Daniel, and spoke without bothering to empty its mouth first.

“Told you you’d like being a Hyde.” It looked past Daniel at Tina, and he glanced back to see her unself-consciously licking blood and juices from her fingers. The reflection sniggered loudly. “She is something, isn’t she? No conscience, and no restraint. Ready and willing to do absolutely anything, and never give a damn about the consequences. The only trouble is, eventually you have to get out of bed. How long will it be, do you think, before you’re just like her . . . and loving it?”

Daniel started to turn away, and the reflection raised its voice.

“You have to listen to me!”

“No I don’t,” said Daniel, facing his reflection steadily. “You’re nothing but a voice in my head.”

The reflection thrust an arm out of the mirror, grabbed Daniel by the shoulder, and pulled him in close.

“How long before I’m the Hyde . . . and you’re just a voice that no one listens to?”

Daniel punched his reflection in the face, but all he hit was the office wall, hard enough to leave a large dent and a lot of cracks. The impact should have broken every bone in his hand, but he barely felt it. Action, without consequences . . . just what he was most afraid of. He turned away to find Edward and Tina staring at him.

“Just putting down a minor rebellion in my head,” said Daniel.

Tina nodded briefly, as though that kind of thing happened every day. Edward started to reach for more meat, and Daniel cleared his throat loudly.

“Maybe I should come back when you’re done.”

Edward sat back in his chair, smiling easily. “I do so admire a practical man. By all means, let us get down to business.”

Tina looked wistfully at what was left of the steaming joint, but Edward pushed the silver platter firmly to one side. Tina dropped sullenly into a chair facing him, and Daniel sat down beside her.

“You need to know why I found it necessary to leave the building yesterday,” said Edward, clasping his hands before him in a businesslike way. “I had to meet with my inside man for the Clan of Mummies. So he could tell me where they’re going to be holding their gathering this year.”

Tina frowned. “What’s so important about this particular inside man that you were ready to go to him instead of summoning him here?”

“He would only agree to meet me on his home ground, where he felt safe,” said Edward. “He was afraid that if the mummies discovered he’d been talking out of turn . . . ”

“They’d kill him?” said Daniel.

“Eventually,” said Edward. “The ancient Egyptians had very strong feelings about betrayal, and they raised torture to an art form. Luckily for us, my man was more angry at them than afraid.”

“Would I be right in assuming that this gathering will be taking place somewhere in London?” said Daniel.

“Where else?” said Edward. “And on this very night.”

“Of course,” said Daniel. “It would have to be.”

“The mummies feel at home in London because it contains so many museums,” said Edward. “All of them positively stuffed with the spoils of Empire and the treasures of conquest. There’s more evidence of the mummies’ ancient past here than in the whole of Egypt. But like all the monster Clans, really it comes down to tradition. All the Clan gatherings take place at the same time every year, because tradition is all the Clans have to give themselves a sense of history.”

“I’m amazed the mummies haven’t postponed it, after what we did to the Frankensteins and the vampires,” said Tina.

“That is what the mummies’ security people have been saying,” said Edward. “But the mummies won’t hear of it. Because it might make them looked scared—or worse still, weak. They have added quite unprecedented levels of protection, but nowhere near enough to prevent such talented field agents as yourselves from paying them a little visit later on tonight, and shutting the Clan down once and for all.”

“No,” said Daniel.

Edward glared at him. “What do you mean, no?”

“Tina and I have destroyed two monster Clans just days apart,” said Daniel. “And came very close to being killed on each occasion. Going for a third attack so quickly would be really pushing our luck. Why can’t some of your other field agents help us out?.”

He looked at Tina, expecting her to back him up. She’d agreed with him one hundred percent when he raised the idea in her apartment. But now she just sat where she was and said nothing.

“We need backup,” said Daniel.

“All my other agents are busy.”

Daniel had to raise an eyebrow at that. “Doing what?”

“Taking care of the advance planning, to make what you do possible,” said Edward. “And then cleaning up afterward, so no one suspects you were ever there.”

Daniel frowned. “I thought that was what the support staff were for?”

“There are some things only a Hyde can do,” said Edward. “That only a Hyde would have the stomach for.”

Daniel looked at Tina, but she was deliberately avoiding his gaze. Reluctantly, Daniel turned back to Edward.

“All right . . . Where are we supposed to look for this gathering of sarcophagus-dodgers?”

“And how big a gathering are we talking about?” said Tina, suddenly taking an interest in the conversation. “Something on the same scale as the Frankensteins and the vampires?”

“Are we going to need another bomb?” Daniel said bluntly.

Edward pretended to be shocked. “Given that the gathering is being held inside the British Museum, I should hope not. Blow up a national treasure? The very idea . . . Fortunately, the Clan itself is surprisingly small. Just nine mummies, kept alive long after their time by drugs no one but them understands.

“The mummies like to boast that the ancient Egyptians invented chemistry, or alchemy if you prefer. That’s how they’re able to dominate their market—because they create and supply drugs that no one else can match. If you want what they’ve got, you have to go to them. Of course, once you put control of your life into their bandaged hands, you shouldn’t be surprised if they abuse that trust. Just one of the reasons why the Clan of Mummies is the most successful crime organization in the world.”

“Then why have I never heard of them?” said Daniel. “I used to be a cop. I thought I knew all about the London drugs scene.”

“You didn’t know because you didn’t move in the right circles,” said Edward. “The mummies supply special drugs for special people, because only the elite can afford what it takes to make them feel like gods. But once you start taking the mummies’ drugs you have to go on taking them, because if you don’t . . . you’ll die.”

Daniel nodded grimly. “And of course once you’re addicted, the price just goes up and up.”

Edward smiled happily at Daniel. “I do so love to see the moral outrage in your eyes, Daniel. The way it motivates you to get the job done, no matter what the risk. Dear Tina is an excellent field agent, but she lacks your drive.”

Daniel looked at him thoughtfully. “Why do the mummies need money?”

“To fund their researches. They’re still searching for the drug that will give them true immortality so they can walk the world freely, instead of being trapped inside withered little bodies wrapped in miles of specially treated bandages. Now . . . this mission will be a little different. You don’t have to kill everyone in the organization; in fact, I would very much prefer it if you didn’t. All you have to do is kill the nine mummies. Cut off the organization’s head, so my people can step in and take over. I’ve always had an interest in chemicals.”

“Hold everything and stamp on the brakes,” said Daniel. “You want to continue what the Clan of Mummies has been doing?”

“Unfortunately, the drugs they’ve created will die with them,” said Edward. “Because only the mummies know the formulas. My people will steer the organization into more standard pharmaceuticals. Don’t look so shocked, Daniel. You’re not a police officer anymore, you’re a Hyde. And addicts will always be with us—isn’t that right, Tina?”

“The weak will always be weak,” said Tina. “And the strong will always dominate them. It’s the way of the world.”

“Exactly! And spoken like a true Hyde,” said Edward. He leaned forward across his desk. “This evening, the mummies will be holding court in one of the Egyptian Rooms. You won’t have to worry about innocent bystanders, because the rest of the Museum will be closed all night, officially for essential cleaning and repair work. Fortunately, my inside man found a way for you to enter the Museum unnoticed by any of the guards.”

“Okay . . . now it’s my turn to say hold it and shoot the horses,” said Tina. “What guards?”

“Are we talking armed guards?” said Daniel.

Edward smiled. “The mummies have surrounded themselves with a small army of heavily-armed mercenary soldiers, inside the Museum and out. Is that going to be a problem?”

“You expect the two of us to take on a whole army?” said Daniel. “Are you kidding?”

Tina glared at him. “We can do this; we’re Hydes.”

“Do this right, and the army won’t even know you’re there,” Edward said calmly. “Your mission file includes a floor map of the Egyptian Rooms, along with the exact locations for every man standing guard. All you have to do is sneak up on them, and enjoy yourselves.”

Daniel sat back in his chair, and thought hard. Was this really any more dangerous than taking on a whole Clan of Frankensteins and their creations, or a gathering of vampires and their victims? At least this time they wouldn’t have a bomb hanging over their heads . . .

“Why the Egyptian Rooms?” he said. “Because the artifacts remind the mummies of home?”

“Presumably,” said Edward. “After all, there’s nothing left of the world they were born into. A whole civilization, gone back into the sand.”

“What do they even have to live for?” said Daniel. “What keeps them going, in a world that probably makes no sense at all to their antique minds?”

“They go on because they’re afraid of dying,” said Edward. “That’s what led to them becoming mummies.”

“They wanted to be mummies?” said Tina.

“Hardly,” said Edward. “Remember, they were scientists of a sort, uninterested in anything but the creation of drugs that would let them live forever. However, the priests of ancient Egypt saw what they were doing as blasphemy, and had the nine men mummified alive and entombed. But, of course, they couldn’t die, after the drugs they’d already taken. And so they waited out the passing of centuries, locked away in the dark, until their tombs were rediscovered and broken into.”

“It’s a wonder they didn’t go mad,” said Tina.

“Who’s to say they didn’t?” said Edward. He leaned back in his chair, smiling easily. “Think of all those brave scholars and adventurers, trekking into the depths of Egypt, searching out forgotten tombs with nothing to guide them but scraps of maps and hints of history. Now, imagine them breaking down the door of some newly rediscovered tomb, intent on treasure and the thrill of discovery—only to find something in there waiting for them. The bandage-wrapped hand that shoots out of the darkness, to crush a throat or crack a skull. And then . . . the first faltering steps out of the dark and into the light, as something from the distant past emerges into the modern world . . . ”

“You’ve clearly put a lot of thought into this,” said Daniel.

“Know thy enemy,” said Edward.

“What do these mummies look like?” said Daniel. “Are we talking about the bandage jobs from the old horror films? Stumbling along with one outstretched hand, in pursuit of tana leaves or some reincarnated long-lost love?”

“I always thought those movies were very romantic,” said Tina, just a bit unexpectedly.

“No one knows what the mummies look like,” said Edward. “They keep themselves strictly to themselves. Hardly surprising . . . who else is there, that they could have anything in common with? The world they knew has been dust and less than dust for millennia. The annual gathering is the only time they emerge from behind their usual layers of protection, to meet in person.”

“Why would they risk that?” said Tina.

“Nostalgia?” said Edward. “A chance to say I can remember when it was all sand around here . . . or simply because all the other monster Clans hold gatherings, and the mummies didn’t want to feel left out. Or perhaps it’s just vanity, proclaiming Here we are! Still alive, after all these years. Look on our achievements and despair!”

“Who’s your inside man?” said Tina.

“I had great difficulty finding one,” said Edward. “That’s one of the reasons it’s taken me so long to arrange the complete destruction of the monster Clans. I couldn’t risk making a move until I was sure I could bring them all down. Because if even one survived, it would take control of all the territories . . . And of course I couldn’t buy the loyalty of anyone in the mummies’ inner circle, because they already had more money than they knew what to do with.”

“I’m guessing you have other methods for suborning people,” said Daniel. “Blackmail, or intimidation?”

“How well you know me,” said Edward. “But, much as it pains me to admit it, everyone turned out to be far more scared of the mummies than they were of me. Which gives you some idea of how vicious those monsters can be. Of all the Clans, the mummies have always made the most use of the werewolves, to dispose of outside threats, and the ghouls, to dispose of all the bodies that accumulate in their wake.”

“Hold it,” said Daniel. “You told us that the werewolves act as muscle for all the Clans . . . but Tina and I haven’t spotted anything hairy and dangerous so far.”

“I’ve been wondering about that,” said Edward. “In the past the wolves provided security for all the gatherings, but this year the entire werewolf clan has been conspicuous by its absence. It’s as though they’ve disappeared into the deepest part of the underworld.”

“Why would they do that?” said Tina.

Edward shrugged. “The last reports I saw mentioned something about an internal power struggle in their clan. It’s a dog-eat-dog world in the werewolf clan. I’ve got people out watching for them, should they decide to reappear. For now, be grateful that the werewolves aren’t part of the problem. Silver bullets are expensive.”

“Can we get back to your inside man?” said Daniel.

“Of course. Professor Albert Pinder was a part of the British Museum academic staff, specializing in the more obscure areas of ancient Egyptology. Perfectly happy to potter around in his little ivory tower and do the odd job of authentification for the mummies—until he discovered exactly what it is the mummies do for a living. Spitting mad at the thought of his precious Museum being under the control of a criminal organization, he reached out to me.”

“How would an academic like Professor Pinder even know someone like you existed?” said Daniel.

“He didn’t,” said Edward. “But I have people everywhere. When they heard he was looking for someone brave enough to stand up to the Clan of Mummies, the professor was carefully pointed in my direction. I’m told my existence came as something of a shock. Apparently living mummies from the dawn of civilization was one thing, but a ‘fictional character’ come to life was quite another. Perhaps that’s why he insisted on meeting me in person. I like to think I wasn’t a disappointment . . . I promised him the complete destruction of the mummies, in return for their exact location and a means of entering the Museum unobserved. Luckily for us, the professor knew a lot about the history of the British Museum, and was able to provide an entirely unexpected means of entry.”

“You keep talking about him in the past tense,” said Tina. “He’s dead, isn’t he? Did the mummies get to him?”

“Something like that,” said Edward.

Daniel sat up straight, as the penny dropped. “You killed him! That’s why you had to go and meet him in person!”

“He lost his nerve,” Edward said calmly. “He was ready to betray us to the mummies. I couldn’t allow that. They would have set an ambush and killed both of you. So I did what I had to. He died very quickly, if that matters.”

“Tell us about the secret way in,” said Tina.

“The Museum will be surrounded by mercenary soldiers, so all the usual entrances are closed to us,” said Edward. “Even Miss Montague couldn’t provide you with enough weapons to get past that level of security.”

“She said she knew you, when she was younger,” said Tina.

“So she did,” said Edward. “Luckily, she’s not one to bear a grudge.”

“Hold everything and pull the ripcord,” said David. “A private army of mercenary soldiers, operating openly in the middle of London? There’s no way the police would stand for that.”

Edward smiled unpleasantly. “Trust me, all the necessary people have been very well paid to look the other way.”

He produced a map from his desk drawer, and spread it out on the desk. Daniel and Tina leaned forward.

“What are we looking at?” said Daniel.

“The sewer systems underneath the British Museum,” said Edward.

Daniel stared at him. “Oh, you have got to be kidding . . . ”

“What’s the problem?” said Edward. “Too grand to go wading through a little sewage?”

“Well . . . yes!” said Daniel.

“Hydes don’t do sewers,” Tina said flatly.

“They do if I tell them to,” said Edward. He met Tina’s gaze until she looked away, and then continued. “Professor Pinder assured me this is the only way in that no one else knows about. So get used to the idea.”

They studied the map carefully. Edward traced one particular tunnel with a blunt fingertip.

“This route leads to an old access point, from the days when certain individuals wanted to move items in and out of the Museum without being seen. Smugglers, forgers, religious fanatics . . . So, you will enter the sewers unobserved by the exterior guards, follow the tunnels until you reach the access point, and then enter the Museum and take down all the guards standing between you and the mummies.”

“How are we supposed to do that?” said Daniel.

“Quietly,” said Edward.

“How are we supposed to kill the mummies?” said Tina. “If they’re still alive, or at the very least extraordinarily well preserved, I’m guessing it’ll take a lot more than a whiff of garlic and a wooden stake to make them lie down and give up the ghost.”

Edward smiled. “I think you’ll find that fire will do the job quite thoroughly. With so many chemicals in their bodies, they should go up like fireworks. You’ll be provided with flare pistols, but please . . . try not to burn down the whole room in the process. That might attract unwanted attention.”

He presented Tina with the mission file, a map of the sewers, and a floor plan for the Egyptian Rooms. Daniel felt a little left out on not being given anything, but couldn’t see how to complain without sounding petty.

“Down to the first floor with you, o my children,” said Edward. “Where my personal tailors are waiting to outfit you with clothes more suitable for burgling a British institution.”

Tina shook her head stubbornly. “I am not giving up my evening dress. It’s lucky.”

“It won’t be, after you’ve spent some time slogging through London’s finest sewage,” said Edward. “The smell would travel ahead of you and tap the guards on their shoulders, to let them know you were on your way.”

Daniel looked apologetically at Tina. “He has a point.”

Tina scowled. “I hate it when people get reasonable. Hydes don’t do reasonable. That’s half the point of being a Hyde.”

“What’s the other half?” said Daniel.

“Sensual indulgence and indiscriminate violence.”

“That’s my girl,” said Edward. “Now, off you go and get changed. You’ll like your new outfits.”

“What if we don’t?” said Tina.

“Feel free to complain,” said Edward. “See how far that gets you.”

Back in the elevator, on their way down to the first floor, Daniel looked steadily at Tina, who was staring straight ahead and hugging the mission file tightly to her.

“Why didn’t you back me up, when I said we needed backup in the field?”

“Because it’s not easy for me to say no to Edward,” said Tina, fixing her gaze on the changing floor numbers so she wouldn’t have to look at him. “He made me what I am.”

“Doesn’t mean he owns you,” said Daniel. “I thought not taking any shit from anyone was what being a Hyde was all about.”

“You agreed to take on this mission fast enough!”

“Because the mummies need taking down,” said Daniel. “But once this is over, I think we’re going to have to do something about Edward Hyde.”

Tina looked at him for the first time. “What did you have in mind?”

“Something permanent.”

“And violent?”

“Almost certainly,” said Daniel. “But I can’t do it alone. I’m going to need your help.”

Tina grinned. “Count me in. Hydes don’t do daddy issues.”

The grim tailors, looking more than ever like unfrocked undertakers, fell on Daniel and Tina the moment they walked through the door, and thrust into their arms the new outfits Edward had ordered. These turned out to be night-dark one-piece catsuits, complete with built-in boots, all designed to keep out the cold, the waters in the sewer tunnels, and anything else that needed keeping out. Daniel was a little embarrassed when he discovered he’d have to get naked to climb into the catsuit, because they fitted so tightly there wasn’t room for any underwear. But Tina shed her clothes so quickly and unself-consciously he didn’t see how he could object.

“Just think of the tailors as doctors,” said Tina, dropping her underwear to the floor and kicking her shoes to one side. “They’ve seen it all before, and weren’t impressed the first time.”

“Really not helping,” said Daniel.

He removed his clothes with as much dignity as he could manage, and the tailors immediately grabbed his tuxedo and Tina’s evening dress and hurried off with them. Daniel was even more taken aback when he discovered the only way to get into the catsuit was to climb in through the neck hole. He wriggled his way in, struggling to pull the stretchy material over him without giving up what remained of his dignity. The tailors returned in time to watch him do it, which didn’t help.

“We should have asked for some talcum powder,” said Tina.

“Or a shoehorn,” said Daniel.

When they’d finally finished squeezing into the catsuits, Daniel and Tina stood side by side before a tall standing mirror, and studied the result.

“I know a fetish club in Soho where these outfits would win every prize going, and get you worshipped by most of the regulars,” said Tina.

“Of course you’d know about a club like that,” said Daniel.

“Don’t be a snob,” said Tina.

“These outfits are really unforgiving,” said Daniel, tugging unhappily at the material here and there. “They’re so tight they show off every extra pound. Including a few I didn’t know I had.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Tina said airily. “I don’t have that problem. Anyway, no one’s going to see us down in the sewers, and if we do this right, no one we meet in the Museum will live to tell of it.”

“Won’t there be surveillance cameras?”

“According to the mission file, the whole system will be shut down for the night,” said Tina. “The mummies are very private persons.”

“It’s all right for you,” said Daniel. “You look good in everything.”

“I do, don’t I?” said Tina. And then she surprised him with a kiss, before moving off to try out some extreme stretching, to test the limits of her catsuit. Daniel’s reflection looked him over, and shook his head sadly.

“Oh, shut up,” said Daniel.

Next, the tailors provided them both with simple gas masks.

“What do we need these for?” said Daniel.

“In case of gas build-ups in the sewers,” said Tina.

Daniel started to ask what kind of gas, and then decided he really didn’t want to know.

After the masks came the flare pistols, and half a dozen flares each. Tina showed Daniel how to load them, and he paid close attention. It seemed simple enough, but it wasn’t something you wanted to get wrong in an emergency.

“There you go,” said Tina. “Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy. But remember: we’re going to be in a room full of historical treasures, so make sure you hit what you’re aiming at. You incinerate it, you bought it.”

Finally, the tailors presented Daniel and Tina with two sets of casual clothes, to change into once they’d entered the Museum. Gray slacks and pullovers, and cheap knockoff trainers. Tina turned up her nose.

“I can’t be seen wearing something like this! I mean, it’s gray! I have my reputation to think of.”

“I refer you to your previous comment, about nobody seeing us,” said Daniel.

“Don’t push your luck,” said Tina. “I am just in the mood to hit someone.”

“Never knew you when you weren’t,” said Daniel.

They crammed everything into two backpacks provided by the tailors. Who then handed the Hydes a personal handwritten note from Miss Montague, saying: Try not to lose everything this time.

“I don’t think that’s fair,” said Daniel. “It got very busy, down in the Underground. I don’t even remember what happened to my old backpack.”

“I’m pretty sure I hit a vampire with mine,” said Tina. “By the end, I was hitting them with anything that came to hand that wasn’t actually nailed down. And I think I lost my flashlight when I stuck it up a vampire’s . . . Too much information?”

“Did the light come out his eyes?” said Daniel.

Tina stretched unself-consciously in her catsuit, and Daniel felt like applauding. She gave him a look that said Down boy, and then scowled at the mirror again.

“I miss my evening dress. It was lucky.”

“Hydes make their own luck,” said Daniel.

“Don’t you start,” said Tina.

Later that evening, they traveled across London in a taxi driven by one of Edward’s people, who was either overawed by their presence or had been ordered not to talk to them. Daniel and Tina sat wedged together in the cramped back seat with their backpacks on their laps, and studied the mission file. The taxi finally dropped them off as close as possible to the British Museum, so they could observe the guards from a distance. There did seem to be an awful lot of them.

The mercenaries were all wearing battle armor, and carried their automatic weapons in a way that suggested they were only waiting for an excuse to use them. The few people out and about on the streets gave the soldiers plenty of room, and were careful to avoid eye contact. Daniel and Tina got as close to the Museum as they could, and then slipped down a particular side alley mentioned in the mission file. Streetlamps at either end of the alley provided just enough light for them to find the manhole that would give them access to the sewers. Daniel studied the cover carefully. It looked very solid, and very heavy.

“We should have brought a crowbar.”

Tina looked at him pityingly, ripped the metal cover out of the ground with one hand, and threw it away. It rolled an impressively far distance down the alley.

“Sorry,” said Daniel. “I keep forgetting.”

They leaned over the opening, and a blast of foul air hit them in the face. Daniel and Tina competed to see which of them could appear most stoic. Tina produced a flashlight, and shone it down into the darkness.

“I thought you lost that up a vampire?” said Daniel.

“This one was in the backpack, along with a whole bunch of other useful items,” said Tina. “Didn’t you look?”

“I would have got around to it,” said Daniel.

They descended into the sewers on a series of steel hoops hammered into the brickwork. Tina went first, because she had the flashlight and because she was Tina. The smell grew steadily more appalling, and by the time they reached the foot of the ladder they were both grabbing for their gas masks in self-defense. Once they had them fitted tightly, Tina flashed her light around, and the fierce beam showed them an old brick tunnel with a ceiling so low they were going to have to keep their heads right down to avoid banging them. The partially flooded tunnel was ankle-deep in dark and murky waters that swirled sluggishly around them. Daniel made a sudden surprised sound.

“What?” said Tina.

“Something just bumped into me,” said Daniel, with as much dignity as he could manage. “There are things floating in the water.”

“What did you expect, in a sewer?” Tina flashed her light up and down the tunnel. “This way.”

“You memorized the map again, didn’t you?”

“Someone has to.”

They followed Tina’s light through the tunnel for some time. Strange sounds came and went, in front and behind and off in the adjoining tunnels. Worryingly loud groans and creaks, strange splashing noises, and what might have been some kind of animal moving about. Daniel wasn’t sure which he found most disturbing. Tina kept her flashlight moving, but they never saw anything. The murky waters rose slowly up their legs and made a bow wave ahead of them as they progressed. Some of the sounds seemed to be getting closer. Daniel tried to take the lead, but Tina was having none of it.

“Why are you so jumpy?” she said.

“I’m keeping an eye out for alligators,” said Daniel. “You know the stories, about how people used to keep the babies as pets, until they grew so big they weren’t cute anymore, and then they got flushed down the toilets and ended up roaming the sewers.”

“That’s just an urban myth,” said Tina. “Think about it: what would alligators find to eat down here?”

“Rats, cats, the occasional repairman . . . ”

“Alligators have far too big an appetite to be satisfied with that.”

“Really not helping, Tina.”

“However . . . ”

“What?” Daniel said quickly.

“I have heard stories about this incredible purple moss that can only be found in the sewers, grown wild and feral on all the various drugs and chemicals that get dumped down here from clubs and parties and private labs. Some say if you smoke the moss, it cranks your inner eye open all the way up to eleven . . . ”

“Can we please concentrate on getting to the access point?” said Daniel.

They pressed on, through a series of increasingly narrow tunnels. Tina kept a careful watch on the walls, just in case.

They’d almost reached the access point when they heard something moving in the waters up ahead. They both stopped, and listened hard. Tina velcroed the flashlight to her belt, so she could have both hands free, and light jumped around the brickwork every time she moved. Daniel leaned in close, so he could murmur in her ear.

“If Professor Pinder told the mummies about the access point before Edward got to him, they could have sent some of their mercenaries down into the sewers to wait for us.”

“Good,” said Tina, and Daniel could hear the grin behind her gas mask. “I could use a little exercise, to warm me up for the main event.”

“I really don’t like what I’m hearing,” said Daniel. “It sounds . . . big.”

“Could be guard dogs,” said Tina.

“I am not killing any dogs,” Daniel said firmly. “I like dogs.”

“We are talking expertly trained military attack dogs,” said Tina. “You try saying Nice doggie and patting one of them on the head, and they’ll have your throat out before you can figure out why you’re making that strange whistling noise when you breathe.”

“It can’t be dogs,” said Daniel, straining his eyes against the gloom ahead. “There’s no way they’d be able to stand the smell. I’ve got a gas mask on and I’m having trouble coping.”

“What else could it be?”

“I have a feeling we’re about to find out.”

“Good,” said Tina.

They moved slowly forward, the murky waters lapping up around their thighs. They rounded the next corner and then stopped again as they found their way blocked by half a dozen living nightmares.

“Alligators!” said Daniel. “Look at the size of them!”

“Those are crocodiles,” said Tina.

Daniel looked at her. “How can you be so sure?”

“The mummies are big on tradition,” said Tina. “And the old-time pharaohs really got off on throwing their enemies to the crocodiles.”

Daniel studied the huge creatures carefully. At least ten feet long, they had dull gray scales, mouths packed full of teeth, and cold, unblinking eyes. Packed tightly together, they filled the tunnel from wall to wall like a living barrier. They hadn’t just arrived, after a wander through the sewers—they’d been carefully placed in position to insure no one got past them. While Daniel was still trying to work out how anyone could have arranged that, one of the crocodiles turned its head to look at Daniel—and then lurched forward, heading straight for him. All the other crocodiles surged after him, their short, stubby legs churning through the dark waters. Daniel thrust a hand into his backpack for the flare pistol.

“No!” Tina said sharply. “Any flames could ignite a pocket of gas and blow up the tunnel.”

“Then what are we supposed to do?” said Daniel, reluctantly taking his hand out of the backpack. “Those things are really picking up speed.”

Tina’s laughter filled the tunnel. “Let them come. I always wanted to fight a dinosaur.”

“You’re weird,” said Daniel.

There wasn’t much room to maneuver in the tunnel, so Daniel and Tina just stood their ground and waited for the crocodiles to come to them. The moment the first of them came within reach, Daniel slammed his fist down hard on top of the crocodile’s head. The skull broke under the impact, and the crocodile’s head was forced down into the water. All Daniel had to do then was hold it there until the beast drowned.

Tina grabbed the next crocodile to arrive, and hauled it up out of the waters. The great jaws snapped at her viciously, but she easily evaded them and slammed the creature against the wall. Brickwork shattered, and the crocodile went limp in her hands. She turned the semiconscious creature around, took a firm hold on its tail, and then used her crocodile as a flail to bludgeon the others to death. Tina whooped loudly, as she brought the dying crocodile hammering down again and again. Blood spattered across the walls and stained the waters. Some of the crocodiles tried to back away, but Tina brought her crocodile slamming down with vicious force until nothing was moving.

One crocodile did manage to get past her and lunged at Daniel, its jaws stretched wide. Daniel grabbed them with both hands, and held the beast back as it strained toward him. Finally he forced the jaws apart until the muscles tore, and then broke the crocodile’s neck.

Daniel and Tina dropped their dead crocodiles and listened carefully, but everything was still and silent. Daniel let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, and allowed himself to relax. The mummies must have thought six oversized reptiles would be enough. And if the intruders had been anyone else, they would have been right. A thought struck Daniel, and he turned to Tina.

“Didn’t the ancient Egyptians worship crocodiles?”

Tina shrugged. “They worshipped pretty much everything at one time or another, often in strange combinations.”

“So we just killed the mummies’ gods?”

“Start as you mean to go on,” Tina said briskly.

It took them a while to clamber over the dead crocodiles and continue on their way, but the access point to the British Museum turned out to be just around the next corner. An ancient trapdoor in the ceiling, it opened easily to Hyde strength and persuasion, and Daniel and Tina quickly pulled themselves up and into the Egyptian Rooms. Which turned out to be unusually dark and gloomy because all the electricity had been turned off. Instead, dozens of candles and oil lamps had been set up all over the place, giving the setting a warm yellow glow like the patina of age. There didn’t seem to be anyone else around.

“I’m guessing this isn’t a power cut,” Daniel said quietly. “Just the mummies making themselves at home.”

“Like this place isn’t creepy enough at night,” said Tina. She glared around at the various Egyptian artifacts, as though daring them to start something.

Daniel took off his gas mask, and the smell from his catsuit hit him like a punch in the face. He all but ripped the suit apart getting out of it, and Tina did the same. They changed into their casual clothes, stuffed the soiled catsuits into their backpacks, and then dropped them through the trapdoor into the sewer—remembering at the very last moment to take out the flare pistols and the flares first, and distribute them in convenient pockets.

They closed the trapdoor quietly, and then Tina consulted the map in her head and pointed the way. They set off through the Egyptian Rooms, moving so quietly they didn’t even disturb the flames on the candles. Ancient artifacts loomed up out of the gloom, dead reminders of a dead world. Stylized faces stared out of the shadows with eyes that never closed, and tall figures of forsaken gods watched sternly from their pedestals as the Hydes padded softly past them.

And then Daniel gestured urgently for Tina to stop, as he spotted the first guard. The mercenary soldier was half hidden in the shadows, standing with his back to a sarcophagus. He had the same body armor and really big gun as the guards outside, but he also had night goggles and kept moving his head in a slow arc, so he could cover everything in his range of vision with a minimum of movement. Daniel and Tina stood very still, concealed in their own shadows. Tina pressed her mouth against Daniel’s ear.

“We have to kill every single mercenary standing guard,” she said quietly. “We can’t risk them sneaking up on us from behind, while we’re busy dealing with the mummies.”

“I didn’t join Edward’s war to kill people,” said Daniel. “I’m only in it for the monsters.”

“Some people are monsters,” Tina said reasonably.

Daniel craned his neck, to check out the shadows around the guard. “Why can’t we just go round him? We know where all the guards are stationed. It’s in the file.”

“Because we would have to be lucky all the time, and they’d only have to be lucky once,” said Tina. “We have to kill all of them, to make sure no one gets a chance to sound the alarm.” She realized her voice was starting to rise, and quickly lowered it again. “This could be our only opportunity to catch the mummies all together in one place, out in the open and vulnerable.”

Daniel shook his head stubbornly. “I won’t kill people just because they’re inconvenient and in the way. Because they’re doing their job.”

“These are mercenary soldiers we’re talking about,” said Tina, with heavy patience. “Their whole job is based around killing people who got in the way of their employers.”

“Soldiers are like policemen,” said Daniel. “Doing a job that needs doing, that no one else wants to.”

“You’re not a policeman anymore,” said Tina. “You’re a Hyde.”

“As long as I remember what it means to be a cop, I’m not just a Hyde,” said Daniel. “I’m still me.” He wished her were as sure of this as he sounded.

Tina looked like she wanted to throw her hands in the air and then grab him by the shoulders and shake some sense into him, but she forced herself to stay calm and give reason another try.

“These guards aren’t soldiers serving their country,” she said. “They’re here to protect monsters. To make it possible for the monsters to go on destroying lives. We can’t watch our backs and concentrate on taking out the mummies.” And then she stopped, and looked closely at him. “This isn’t about them—it’s about you, isn’t it? What’s the real problem here, Daniel?”

He met her gaze steadily. “I can’t kill people in cold blood. That would make me a monster. Just like Edward.”

Tina shook her head slowly. “How many times do I have to tell you this? You are nothing like Edward.”

Daniel smiled briefly. “Because you know him so well.”

“Exactly. All right . . . Try this. These guards are professional killers. According to the mission file, which I’m assuming you didn’t finish, they’ve hired out to every trouble spot there is, specializing in protecting the really bad apples. Because that’s where the money is. Every single one of them has innocent blood on their hands; people whose only crime was to live in the wrong place. And now the mercenaries have come here, to protect the mummies, who between them have probably destroyed more lives than all the soldiers put together. Just think of all the victims who’ve suffered at their hands . . . and see if your blood is still cold.”

“It’s not that simple,” said Daniel.

“Sometimes, it really is,” said Tina. “We have to do this, Daniel, if we’re to get to the mummies. You didn’t have any problem disposing of the vampires in the Underground, because you saw what they did to people. Trust me, the mummies are just as bad. It’s still all about addiction, and what it does to people.”

Daniel thought about that for a moment, and then nodded slowly.

“How do you want to do this?”

“Sneak up on them from behind,” Tina said briskly. “Go for a stranglehold or a broken neck, and then lower the body carefully to the floor so it won’t make a noise.”

“How can we get behind this one, when he has his back pressed right up against that sarcophagus?”

“I’ll go out front and distract him.”

“You’ll be making yourself a clear target. Better I do it.”

Tina smiled. “I’m more distracting.”

Daniel couldn’t argue with that. They moved cautiously from one piece of cover to the next until they were close enough, and then Tina stepped out into the light. The guard stepped forward, his gun whipping round to cover her, and Tina smiled and waved happily at him. While the guard was busy deciding what to do about that, Daniel moved in behind him, slipped an arm round his throat, and broke his neck. It was all over very quickly. Daniel lowered the body to the floor, and then quickly let go of it. Tina came over to join him, still smiling cheerfully.

“I thought Hydes didn’t sneak?” said Daniel, to avoid having to say anything else.

“Except for when they do,” said Tina. “But you’re right. It did seem a little unsporting. Never mind! Once we’ve taken care of the mummies, I’m sure we can find some time to go head-to-head with the other guards. Just for the fun of it.”

Daniel shook his head. “You and I have very different ideas about fun.”

“That’s not what you said at my place.”

They moved off through the Egyptian Room and fell silently on the guards, one after the other, like predators in the night. None of the mercenaries even got a chance to put up a fight. Once Daniel and Tina were sure there weren’t any more guards than those detailed in the file, they dumped all the bodies in a convenient storage room.

Daniel was surprised to find he was enjoying himself. The thrill of the hunt, of testing his skills against men who would quite definitely kill him if he failed . . . and it did help that he’d decided he was only killing men who deserved to die. Because of what they’d done, and because of what they served. But when it was all over, he stood in the doorway to the storage room and spent some time staring at the piled-up bodies. Tina came over to join him, but he didn’t look at her.

“Killing shouldn’t be this easy,” he said. “Or so satisfying.”

“You’re entitled to take pride in your work,” said Tina. “You enjoyed killing the crocodiles.”

“That was different.”

“Not really,” said Tina. “A threat is a threat. You think too much, Daniel.”

“And sometimes, you don’t think enough.”

She shrugged. “It gets in the way.”

Daniel shook his head slowly. “This might have been necessary, but it was still wrong to enjoy it.”

“You’re a Hyde now,” said Tina.

And Daniel had no answer to that.

When they finally got to the room where the mummies were holding their annual get-together, they couldn’t even see their targets for all the ancient artifacts that had been brought in from other parts of the Museum. They had to ease their way through a forest of exhibits, using the larger pieces for cover, until they reached an open space surrounded by a circle of standing sarcophagi that immediately reminded Daniel of Stonehenge. Nine small figures were sitting in a semicircle, engulfed in comfortable chairs that were far too big for them. Daniel and Tina crept closer, silent as ghosts among the memories of the past, until they stood watching the mummies from a deep dark shadow between two of the sarcophagi.

“The mummies must have ordered all of this moved here so they could feel at home,” Tina said quietly.

“Why so many sarcophagi?” said Daniel.

“Maybe they’re having a few old friends round.”

“Either that, or it’s a family affair.”

They moved a little closer, pressing right up to the edge of the shadow.

The short and stocky figures were wrapped from head to toe in grubby, discolored bandages. Most wore simple robes, but one had a dressing gown and another a bathrobe. They spoke slowly, in dry, dusty voices, in a language Daniel didn’t recognize. Only their heads moved, turning slowly to follow the conversation as it moved around the circle. There was no hurry in anything they said or did, as though they had all the time in the world.

Daniel put his head next to Tina’s. “Is that ancient Egyptian they’re speaking?”

“How would I know?” Tina murmured. “But what else would they speak among themselves?” She shook her head slowly. “You know their biggest crime? Being so selfish in keeping everything they know to themselves. Think of all the forgotten knowledge they could have shared with the world. All the things they could have told us about the beginnings of human civilization that modern scholars couldn’t even guess at. A society so far removed from ours as to be almost alien. These mummies are time travelers from the distant past, hoarding secrets of unimaginable value—because all they care about is dominating and destroying other people.”

“Maybe all those years trapped in the dark really did drive them mad,” said Daniel. “Or it could be like the old story, about the genie imprisoned in the bottle. At first he swore he’d reward whoever set him free, but after being a prisoner for centuries he swore to destroy whoever released him, for taking so long. It could be that all they want now is revenge on the modern world for having replaced the world they knew.”

“You’re overcomplicating things,” said Tina. “They’re monsters, responsible for generations of death and suffering just so they could profit from it. That’s all that matters.”

“Can’t argue with that,” said Daniel. “I wonder what they’re saying. Memories of a world only they remember . . . or just sad thoughts of how it used to feel, to be human? Do you suppose they can even remember what that was like, after so long?”

And then all nine figures suddenly turned their heads, to look right at the spot where Daniel and Tina were hiding. One of the mummies raised a bandaged hand, and beckoned to them.

“No need to skulk in the shadows. Come out into the light, and join us.”

The voice was flavored with an entirely unfamiliar accent. Daniel looked at Tina, who shrugged, and they stepped out from between the two sarcophagi and moved forward into the open circle, to face the mummies in their comfortable chairs. None of them moved, but their eyes burned brightly in their bandaged faces. Up close, the mummies smelled strongly of spices and other preservatives.

“How did you know we were there?” said Daniel.

“The sewers are still with you,” the mummy said dryly. “How did you evade our guardians?”

“They’re all dead,” said Daniel. “We have no time for hired killers.”

“But they do make the best guards,” said the mummy. “Did you kill the crocodiles, as well? Such a pity. One of the few things that haven’t changed at all since our time.”

“Were they your gods?” said Tina.

“They were our pets. We used to race them through the sewers, when we could find people brave enough to sit in the saddles.”

There was a brief hissing murmur from the other mummies, and it took Daniel a moment to realize they were laughing.

“Who are you?” he said.

“Our names would mean nothing to you,” said the mummy. “Anyone who might have recognized them disappeared into the sands long ago. If you wish, you can call me Lord.”

“That’s not going to happen,” said Daniel.

He started to introduce himself and Tina, but the mummy waved his words aside.

“We know what you are. Edward’s malformed children. Stranded halfway between men and gods. Did you know your precious Elixir was derived from our original work? But then, so much is. We were the first scientists, back in the morning of the world, tearing secrets from an uncaring universe because we needed them to survive.”

“Why are you still alive?” Tina said bluntly. “What quality of life can you have?”

“All the years we have known, and all the things we have done, and it still isn’t enough,” said the mummy. “We must go on, until we have a drug that will bring us all the way back. And then we shall be gods, and live eternally.”

“And do what?” said Daniel.

“Rule!” said the mummy, and the others slowly nodded their bandaged heads.

“Why?” said Daniel.

“Because anything less would be unworthy of us.” The mummy looked steadily at Daniel and Tina. “Edward sent you here to kill us. Because he’s scared.”

“I don’t think Edward does scared,” said Daniel.

“We understand the Elixir,” said the mummy. “And he doesn’t. Did you know he asked us to manufacture it, in our laboratories? We refused, of course. Because he isn’t worthy of it.” The mummy shook his head slowly. “You think we are monsters, but if you knew some of the things he has planned, you would never sleep again.”

“I haven’t heard a single good reason yet as to why we shouldn’t kill you,” said Tina.

The mummy laughed—a dry sound that was more like a cough, clearing the dust of ages from a withered throat.

“You can’t kill us, but it would please us to make you ours, and send you back to kill Edward. So kneel and bow your heads, swear your lives to us and enter our service, and we will give you years beyond your wildest imagination.”

He stopped, because Daniel was already shaking his head.

“Everything you have was bought with the suffering and death of others.”

“That is the way of the world,” said the mummy.

“But it doesn’t have to be,” said Daniel. “That’s what life is for—a chance to change things for the better. And I’ve spent my life fighting things like you.”

The mummy who wanted to be called Lord got up out of his chair, and walked over to stand before Daniel and Tina. He only came up to their chests, but there was still a power and authority in his ancient form. The eyes watching from out of the bandaged face were cold and unblinking.

“Edward is the real monster. Agree to serve us, and we will teach you the mysteries of the universe.”

“Even if you could, which I rather doubt,” said Tina, “there’s nothing you can offer that’s as much fun as being a Hyde.”

The mummy backhanded her across the face. There was a terrible vicious strength in the blow, and Tina’s head rocked under the impact. But she didn’t fall back a step, and after a moment she turned her head back to face the mummy, and smiled slowly. Daniel decided he was going to stay right where he was. Because he was just dying to see what Tina was going to do next.

The mummy stared blankly at Tina. “You dare defy us?”

“It’s what I live for,” said Tina. “Mummy dearest.”

She punched him so hard in the face that dust flew from the mummy’s head, and some of the bandages broke and fell away. He staggered backward, crying out loudly with shock as much as anything else. The other mummies rose up out of their chairs. Tina’s mummy quickly regained his balance and turned angrily to face her. Daniel aimed his flare pistol at the mummy he would never call Lord, and pulled the trigger.

The flare shot toward the mummy, and he snatched it out of midair at the last moment. The mummy examined the flare curiously, and then cried out again as the flare suddenly exploded, splashing flames all over the bandaged chest and face. The mummy screamed and staggered blindly round the circle, struggling to beat out the flames with his hands. The bandaged arms immediately caught alight, and flames from the burning body leapt even higher. A flaring orange red light filled the circle, sending shadows dancing madly. The burning shape turned to face the other mummies, reaching out to them with imploring arms, but they were all frozen in place, unable to believe what they were seeing. One did finally take a step forward, but couldn’t force itself any closer. The awful heat just pushed it back. The burning mummy staggered away, stumbling blindly around the circle, as though trying to find some place where the flames weren’t destroying it.

The other mummies turned their heads away, ignoring the burning figure. They fixed their gazes on Daniel and Tina and then headed straight for them, their bandaged feet slapping softly against the floor.

Tina aimed her flare gun at the nearest mummy, but it moved quickly to avoid her, no matter how fast she changed her aim. Tina scowled, as she realized her only real hope was to shoot the mummy at point-blank range. She walked straight at it, her extended arm perfectly steady, closing in until there was nowhere left for the mummy to go. And then the mummy suddenly reached out and slapped the flare gun out of Tina’s hand with contemptuous ease. The gun skidded away across the floor and disappeared into the shadows. Tina took a step after it and the mummy was immediately standing before her, blocking her way. Tina snarled at him, and dropped back to stand with Daniel.

A fierce crimson light leapt and flared in the circle as the burning mummy was consumed by rising flames. Every bit of it was alight now, and it was hard to make out a human shape inside the flames; just a column of fire that reached almost to the ceiling. Normally, so much heat would have set off the automatic sprinklers and put the figure out, but the mummies had turned off all the power earlier. The burning figure fell to its knees, no longer screaming, no longer moving, just burning steadily in the middle of the circle like some ancient beacon. The other mummies ignored it, giving all their attention to the Hydes. They closed in, slowly and inexorably, as though they carried with them the force of ages and the inevitability of history.

Daniel had already put his flare gun away. There didn’t seem any point in reloading. He’d caught the first mummy off guard, but after what happened with Tina it was clear that wasn’t going to happen again. He looked at Tina, and she shot him her usual reckless grin. He grinned back, and they raised their fists and went to meet the mummies, putting their faith in the Hyde strength and power that had never failed them before.

Daniel strode right up to the nearest mummy and punched it in the face with all his strength. But his fist just glanced away, and the mummy’s head didn’t even rock under the impact. Daniel tried again, slamming his fist into the bandaged throat, but all he did was hurt his hand. Whatever drugs the mummies had taken in the distant past to protect them from the ravages of time had made them unstoppable. Daniel kept lashing out, even as he was forced to back away, but the mummy took no damage and felt no pain. Daniel’s thoughts spun helplessly as he realized he didn’t have a backup plan. This wasn’t like the vampires, where he’d had several weapons to choose from. Everyone had thought the flare guns would be enough.

Daniel frowned, and made himself concentrate. How do you kill something that’s already dead? That thought reminded Daniel of what he’d done at the Frankenstein gathering. He darted forward and grabbed hold of the mummy’s head with both hands. But even though he wrenched at it with all his strength, he couldn’t tear the mummy’s head off. Bandaged hands shot up and closed on his arms, the fingers tightening with hideous strength as they crushed his muscles. Daniel cried out despite himself, as an unbearable pain filled his arms. He pulled himself free with an almost hysterical effort, and stumbled backward. His arms fell to hang limply at his sides, screaming with an agony that wouldn’t let him think and only slowly died away as the torn muscles fought to repair themselves. The mummy came after him, and all Daniel could do was keep backing away around the circle, while doing his best to stay out of reach of the other mummies.

Tina was keeping their attention fixed on her, laughing mockingly as she danced among them, moving too quickly for them to keep up with her. She struck out at them with swift blows and vicious kicks, knocking the mummies off-balance and then darting back out of reach before they could react. Until a bandaged hand shot out with inhuman speed and grabbed Tina by the arm. She fought to break free and found she couldn’t, and the mummy threw her across the circle as though she weighed nothing at all. Tina turned end over end as she flew through the air, and then slammed into one of the standing sarcophagi, almost overturning it. She dropped limply to the floor and lay there, facedown, struggling to get her breath back. The sarcophagus rocked slowly back and forth, until finally it overbalanced and collapsed on top of her. It crashed down on her like the wrath of the ancient gods, and the sheer weight of it pinned her to the floor. Tina fought to get out from under it, her hands scrabbling helplessly on the waxed floor, but she couldn’t find any leverage. The mummies headed toward her, not bothering to hurry, their bandaged hands opening and closing with simple menace. Tina’s movements became even more frantic as she realized she was trapped—and helpless.

Daniel started forward, forcing his aching hands into fists, but the mummies were already between him and Tina. His head raced as he tried to think of something he could do, and then he saw one of the mummies flinch away as it got too close to the motionless burning mummy. As though just the heat it was giving off was a danger.

And just like that, Daniel knew what he had to do. The thought appalled him, so he moved quickly forward before he could think better of it. He drove himself forward into the awful heat, even as it seared his face, and grabbed hold of the blazing figure with both hands. He gritted his teeth as the flames burned him, but somehow made himself tighten his grip. He raised up the burning mummy, spun around, and used it as a flail to strike down the other mummies. The same way Tina had used one crocodile against the others. One of the other mummies immediately burst into flames, just from sheer proximity to the blazing heat, and rippling fires shot all over his body.

Daniel sobbed in pain as his hands blackened and crisped from the terrible heat. Flames shot up his sleeves, but he wouldn’t let go. He had to save Tina. He turned to face the other mummies, and they started to back away. Daniel showed them his teeth in a merciless grin, and went after them. He swung the burning figure back and forth, and in just a few moments all the other mummies were on fire. They went staggering blindly round the circle, slamming into one another and crying out in their forgotten language, blazing more and more fiercely as the ancient chemicals in their bodies fueled the flames.

The circle was full of a terrible hellish light. Shadows danced madly across the watching faces of the standing sarcophagi. One by one the mummies stopped screaming and fell to their knees, slowly bowing their burning heads as death finally caught up with them. In the end all that remained were so many motionless forms, burning steadily like funeral pyres.

Daniel tried to drop the burning thing he was holding, and found he couldn’t. His blackened hands wouldn’t open. Horrible pains shot up his arms as he shook them hard, but the burning shape seemed to cling to him. As though determined to bring him down too, whatever it took. Flames shot up Daniel’s shirtfront and licked at his face, and he cried out miserably.

There was a great crash from the other side of the circle, as Tina finally threw the sarcophagus to one side. She lurched to her feet and raced across the circle, darting past the burning shapes to rip the blazing mummy out of Daniel’s grip. Thick smoke rose up from his blackened arms and hands. Tina threw the burning thing to one side, and then beat out Daniel’s flames with her bare hands, not flinching once. And when it was done, they both dropped to their knees and breathed heavily as they waited for their burns to heal.

It took a while, but eventually Dr. Jekyll’s marvelous Elixir brought them back from the brink, one more time. Daniel’s breathing gradually slowed and steadied as the pain died away. He held his hands up before him, though it took him a moment before he could bring himself to look at them. The blackened, twisted things that had held on to the burning mummy despite everything were now completely back to normal, and Daniel let out a long, slow sigh of relief. He leaned against Tina, and she leaned on him. Though neither of them would ever admit it, taking down the mummies had turned out to be a closer-run thing than either of them had expected. They rose slowly to their feet, and looked round the circle at the burning shapes.

“It’s a pity we didn’t think to bring a few marshmallows,” Daniel said finally.

“Or some sausages,” said Tina.

Daniel winced. “I don’t think I’m in the mood for burnt meat, just at the moment.”

“Time we were leaving,” said Tina. “Someone must have heard something by now. A small army of heavily armed mercenaries is almost certainly heading in our direction, even as we speak. And loath though I am to admit it, I do have limits.”

Daniel nodded quickly. “Back to the sewers, then.”

Tina smiled. “But if we can find the time . . . I always did fancy a pair of crocodile hide boots.”