The Seven Seals of Egypt

CHAPTER TWO

It was no coincidence that the shrewd, streetwise New Yorker, Lauren Fox, mentioned returning to DC that night. She’d thought it all through and planned it for days. She’d walked the roads, learned the routes, found out the time the first bus stopped by. In addition, she had scoped out a car that she knew how to hotwire. Leaving a double trail was better if they decided to follow.

Smyth would want to, maybe Mano too. Maybe even Dahl. But the others had seen right through to the core of her plan, considered her role and resolution, and saw that it might succeed. She was willing to accept whatever consequences came her way.

Wrapping up warm, cursing the cold she’d picked up, she left her room just before dawn when the night was still dark. The mist helped conceal her but also jabbed at her lungs. She managed to stifle another cough before moving on. Soon, she was clear of her room, walking a familiar path toward the center of town. Around her, though she could not see, homes were built atop the undulating slopes, all following the angles of the mountains and valleys. Some flickering lamps shone out against the darkness, sparse and bare, promising a safe haven, but Lauren pressed on through the wet murk, head down, and stuck to her pre-planned route.

Vague sounds caught her attention, sharp over her softly padding footsteps. A dog barking, a large bird taking flight. A car burbled over up ahead to the right, revealing that she wasn’t the only one abroad in the chilling gloom, and offering an odd, small amount of comfort.

The long walk. The last walk. Would she ever see them all again? A team of strangers that had gradually become family. A bunch of misfits that had accepted her, befriended her and valued her opinion. She wasn’t like them at all, wasn’t built to fight and hunt and kill enemies. She hadn’t even had much chance to showcase her skills, but when she did… they all respected her.

They would respect her again now.

Drake awoke to see Alicia staring out of the bedroom’s single window, the glass foggy, a weak, stray beam of sunlight trying to find its way inside.

“Dawn?” he asked.

“A little after.”

“Come back to bed. We have nothing to rush out for.”

“Yeah, ain’t that true.”

Drake propped himself up on an elbow. Alicia was fully dressed as though prepared to head straight out on a mission. “Is something wrong?”

“It’s all wrong. We should be out there. Fighting. Hunting. Putting the fear of the Devil into every would-be killer that crosses our path.”

“Nobody asked for this.”

“That’s not the point.”

He shifted a little. “Don’t you… ache?”

She turned her head toward him, the blond of her hair catching the fragile light. “For what?”

“I don’t mean mentally, Alicia, I mean physically. All the injuries, the wounds, the bruises; they add up.”

“Of course I ache. I just get on with it.”

“So take some time to heal.”

Alicia shook her head. “Shit, Drakey, do you even know me?”

Of course he did. He knew her innermost thoughts and feelings, her fears and ambitions. He knew that right now she wanted nothing more than to keep moving, with friends; simply set her feet on a forward course. It was the inaction that hurt her.

“If it helps we’re gonna have to leave here soon. We don’t need more attention.”

“How are the funds?”

“Not bad, love. Not bad. Yorgi appropriated a small fortune from that safe near where they were keeping the Sword of Mars.”

She managed a smile. “Ah, yes, well at least that promises another future adventure.”

Drake climbed out of bed naked and padded over to her. “Plenty more to come.”

“Are you trying to distract me?”

“Who?” Drake bent down to kiss her. “Me?”

The sudden knock at the door was like a grenade going off. Drake felt his heart leap into his mouth. Alicia was off her chair and taking cover just as a familiar voice rang out.

“You decent?”

“Smyth? What the fuck do you want?”

“We have a problem. Main room — two minutes.”

Alicia wrenched the door open, sparing Drake no embarrassment, but Smyth was already gone, knocking hard on the next door.

Drake dressed quickly and followed Alicia to the meeting room. Most of the crew were already assembled, and within minutes the rest had joined them.

Hayden addressed the team.

“Lauren has taken off. Sometime during the night. We don’t know how far away she is or how she’s traveling.”

Drake was surprised but spoke up immediately. “Bus station is a short walk.”

“Tried it,” Smyth said. “The first bus left two hours ago. We can catch up pretty easily.”

Drake saw where this was going. “You want to catch her? Bring her back? And then what?”

Smyth stared as if he didn’t understand the question. “What are you talking about?”

“She hasn’t been kidnapped,” Hayden said softly. “She wasn’t coerced. Lauren left of her own free will. Do you want to be the one that makes her come back?”

Smyth bristled. “Well, well, yeah. If I have to. She can’t… she can’t just…” He ran out of steam.

“First of all,” Mai said. “Are we sure she left of her own accord?”

Hayden shrugged. “Her room’s tidy. Nothing amiss. Her luggage is all gone. Why would anyone just take Lauren? Oh, and we found this note.”

She placed an A4 sheet on the table, on which were written just a few lines.

Don’t come after me. I’ll be in touch. It’s my turn now.

Smyth looked away. Drake felt a rush of admiration for the New Yorker. “She’s going to help us. Like she said — don’t underestimate what she can do.”

The team sat down, reflecting on what Lauren might have to endure. The outcome was entirely unknown, and she knew it.

“We should leave this place,” Mai said. “Today.”

“Sprite’s right,” Alicia said instantly, then. “Whoa, what did I just say?”

“Alicia,” Mai glared at her. “We’ve been working together for what: five years now? And before that, on occasion. You really need to come up with a new and improved name.”

“I do? Well, here’s a few that roll right off the tip of my tongue—”

“Before we get to that,” Drake hastily interrupted. “Shall we start packing? We should put a fair distance between us and Transylvania over the next few days.”

Smyth looked unhappy. Hayden reminded him that Lauren was going to volunteer all the information. Hopefully Crowe would get involved.

Hopefully, they could trust Crowe.

Either way, they were in Lauren Fox’s hands for a while now.

Drake walked over and took his first proper look out of the window that morning. The night mist had cleared away to reveal a rolling valley, dotted by trees and small houses, bright colors against the green and brown of nature. The skies were covered with gray clouds and a light drizzle greeted the rising dawn. People were moving out there, going about their business. Since they had chosen a guesthouse right on the edge of town they could see for miles — at least in two directions. The shambling old place also had the advantage of several egress and exit points.

“Meet at the cars in an hour?” he suggested.

A muted chorus of agreement met his ears. The team were rising when there came one more loud knock at the door.

Drake couldn’t help but glance at Smyth.

“Don’t look at me,” the angry soldier snapped.

Hayden sprang to the side of the door; Mai sidling to the other side. Kinimaka took cover behind the sofa and then started to shout: “Who is it?” his head visible just above the cushions.

Hayden waved him down. They shouldn’t reveal themselves yet.

Drake and the others edged to the sides of the room. No sound was heard inside or outside, and of course, there was a rear exit. Yorgi was already there, inching the door open a crack and Kenzie was right at his side.

The Israeli signaled that they keep quiet. Most of them rolled eyes back at her. Dahl was at her shoulder and then the three of them were gone.

Drake waited, imagining them creeping around the side of the house, vigilant in every direction. It shouldn’t take long…

Another knock. Of course, anyone seeking to do them harm wouldn’t be knocking, but it could be some kind of diversion. They could take nothing for granted.

“Hold it!” Kenzie’s voice, commanding and harsh.

“Not a problem. Just don’t shoot.”

Drake frowned. That voice sounded familiar.

Alicia narrowed her eyes, staring at the front door. “I’m sure—”

“What do you want?” Kenzie asked. “Best be quick, old man. I haven’t killed anyone for a week.”

“I want you to take it easy,” the familiar voice said. “And I want Drake and Alicia to get their arses out here.”

“Bloody hell,” Drake said. “I’d know that voice anywhere. Eventually.”

Alicia used the comms system to stand Kenzie down in her unique manner. “Put it away, bitch.”

Drake walked straight to the door and pulled it open. “Michael Crouch,” he said. “Been a while, mate. How did you manage to find us?”

His old boss grinned. “You know me. Contacts everywhere. I don’t like to reveal my secrets.”

They dragged him inside, confronted him gravely. “This time,” Dahl said, “you do.”

“Alicia here—” the Englishman shrugged “—I have her personal number of course, for getting in touch when we need her help. I simply tracked it.”

To a person, the entire team turned to stare at the blond woman.

“Are you kidding?” Drake said.

“What?” Alicia protested. “Only the chosen few have access to my personal number. Do you have it, Smyth? Kenzie? Mai? No, I rest my case.”

“And what if they’d kidnapped this Crouch person?” Kenzie asked, staring at Alicia.

Drake managed to stifle a laugh. Alicia did no such thing. “Don’t be a fool.”

Crouch maneuvered his way to the center of the room. Though absent from their small circle for some time, Crouch had previously worked alongside them and separately with Alicia. His loyalty was absolute and unquestioned and it was a testament to the allegiance and trust he inspired that everyone in the room simply stood and listened to what he had to say.

“I need your help.”

“That’s easier said than done…” Hayden spoke fast and then deliberately let the sentence hang.

“I know your situation. I know what happened. Well… I’ve chosen to believe a certain one of the conflicting reports — let’s put it that way. Someone across the pond is seriously pissed at you, my friends, and that needs taking care of.”

“Is that why you’re here?” Kinimaka asked.

“No. My mission is much more important.”

Drake blinked. “What could be more important than unravelling a conspiracy that may stretch all the way to the President?” he asked.

“Egypt,” Crouch said.

“Egypt?”

“Yeah, sandy place with a big river running through it. Turn left at the top of Saudi.”

“All right, I know where Egypt is,” Drake said. “What’s the problem?”

Crouch reached for a glass of water, settling himself on one of the room’s long, sagging sofas. “I wouldn’t bother you if it weren’t vital. And I do believe you’ll hate what I have to say.” He took a breath and another gulp of water.

“An ancient Egyptian tomb is about to be unsealed and unveiled to the public. Barely disturbed by the authorities except to make it safe, it will be unveiled with everything in-situ. The Egyptians are billing the event as top-level, all sorts of socialites, celebrities and well-known figures are attending. They’re going to feed it across the Internet for maximum exposure.”

Drake sighed. “And that’s a problem why?”

Alicia smirked. “You weren’t invited?”

Even Crouch cracked a smile. “Well, no. But that’s not the worst of it. They will unveil that tomb and then they will go inside. They’re planning to unseal an inner chamber on the night itself to ramp up the drama of it all.”

Hayden shifted on her feet. “I still don’t see where we come in.”

“It’s the first seal,” Crouch said with some fear in his voice. “And when the first seal is broken the curse is unleashed.”

“What curse?” Alicia looked around. “Is this something to do with a bloody mummy?”

“What are you looking for, Michael?” Mai wondered.

Alicia spoke first: “You know, the usual. Scarabs. Dead things wrapped in bandages. I don’t like the sound of where this is going.”

Dahl leaned over to whisper. “But can it be worse than sleeping just a few miles from Dracula’s castle?”

“Shut the hell up.”

“Listen.” Crouch sounded genuinely shaken, which surprised Drake. He’d rarely seen his old boss so anxious.

“The curse simply points us toward the final seal, of which there are seven. All the seals need to be broken, but the seventh is literally — Armageddon. The problem is—” he gulped more water “—as explained, when they break the first seal the whole thing is going to play out, right down to the wire, right down to the seventh seal.”

“You’re talking an ancient Egyptian curse?” Hayden said doubtfully. “Kinda like Tutankhamen? They say his tomb was cursed.”

“No,” Crouch said. “Nothing like that. I’m not talking about a curse as described by Hollywood or sensationalist press. This curse is very, very real, and very, very deadly. Believe me when I say I need you on this. I need the best. Anything less…” he sighed and looked out the window.

“And we’re doomed.”