Pharaoh’s Curse Pt. 07

"Hello again," Halima greeted cheerfully, yet she sensed their guard was up, namely Andrew's, as he turned towards her. "I know this must seem alarming to you, me and the others being here," slyly gesturing to the others of her order, "yet our Potiphar," noticing how that got an eyebrow raised out of Andrew, yet he remained silent, "he's our leader, thought given who you are a security detail was in order. We assure you, Dr. Sanders we will not interfere with your work," she promised, looking over at Alex, yet her attention was on Andrew who kept his thoughts from his face. Nevertheless, she sensed he didn't believe a word of it.

"As long as you adhere to that, we have a lot of work to do at Amkhakha without untrained professionals underfoot," Alex said, showing she was not pleased with this change of events.

"I fully understand what you're saying, Dr. Sanders; trust me, I do. I know having us around might make you think we will hold up any of your findings you might unearth. We are only here to ensure his lordship," leaning in and whispering low," is safe while out in the desert for so long. A group like this is a prime target for Sudanese bandits," Halima said, referring to the country that now made up the once-ancient kingdom of Nubia. "Although, I don't think taking a cat with you out into the dessert is a wise decision," she stated, noting how the silver spotted mau with a scarab design on its forehead as it rested on top of Anta's bag she was holding in her left hand.

"Where I go, she goes," Andrew said plainly, to which Bast chirped in conformation.

"Okay," Halima muttered, drawing out the word, wondering why he had gotten defensive about a simple cat. Unbeknownst to her, who or what that cat truly was. "We're almost ready to head out, so load up your gear in whichever vehicle you want; just know I'll be tagging along. And don't think I've forgotten about what I promised you. I assure you when I'm not on duty, I'll be working on it, so you'll have the most glorious blueprint for your temple, wherever that might be," she said, casting him a friendly smile, seeing if he'll let slip the location.

"Everyone! Might I have your attention, please?!" Mido said, keeping to his disguise as the head of the antiquities council and not the leader of the Medjay order. "Thank you," he said, noting how Andrew ignored him and walked off to one of the vehicles. "I know some of you were there in the late summer when this new find was uncovered by the fortune of fate. Yet those of you that have not been to the site, please look to your peers on anything you might have an issue with while there. Dr. Sanders will be in charge of this expedition like she was during the preliminary survey of the site when we learned about it. So listen to her and follow her guidance to keep that historical site as pristine as we can before the oxidation sets in and rids us of the fabulous paint that's survived the ages. Most importantly, have fun and be safe," Mido stated, noting how two of the undergrads were watching Andrew and not paying attention to his speech. Slyly looking at Halima, who shrugged her shoulders and lifted her hands as to indicate she had no clue what was going on as he stood on the raised platform of the loading dock. "Oh! One more thing... I'm sure you all have noticed the individuals who are standing over to your left. Please, don't be alarmed by them; the museum thought it best to hire security for you for the duration of the expedition. The council and the museum take's the safety of our archaeologists and budding ones very seriously. I can't wait to go over your results once you all have returned." Waving to them all, giving his men the glance to hop to and to report anything they witness about Andrew straight to him before heading back inside to start planning his rise to power. Sure, he would allow Andrew to think he was leading the country, yet behind the curtain, he would be the true power of the throne. He was going to make sure of it. Unaware of the eyes on him as he passed dozens of statues of gods as they sensed his intent for their chosen vessel in the world of man.

"Andrew, are you ready?" Carla asked, coming up to him, noting how he was pocketing his phone. "Who were you just talking to?"

"Mom."

"Oh, and how is she? Is her pregnancy going well?" Carla asked, interested in the welfare of Andrew's stepmother and soon-to-be mother-in-law.

"Yeah, she's just upset that I won't be coming home anytime soon," Andrew said, looking off into the distance as his mind raced as he tried to sort out what to do about the Medjay. It was true he did need them; however, that didn't mean he trusted them. Even from his memories, it seems many of the Pharaohs didn't trust the Medjay either, more so in the waning years of the Pharaohs' rule. Still, the question nagged at him as to what he would do with them once their usefulness to him was over.

"I'm sure you're missing home quite a lot, especially now that things are happening," Carla said vaguely when she noted how Halima was approaching them with Alex and Anta.

"Yeah, life seemed so much simpler a few months ago," Andrew joked.

"But if you hadn't come here in July of last year, you would never have met us, and we both know your life is not complete without us in it," Carla said, smiling coyly at him as she slipped her free arm around his waist.

"True, let's just hope that weirdness doesn't start up the moment we get there," Andrew said, getting a kiss in before helping Carla stow her bag in the rear of the Rover he had chosen.

"I'll take the front seat; best to keep you protected," Halima stated, moving off to the front of the SUV.

"Good, you should be at my side always," Anta cooed, placing her bag beside Carla's.

Twelve engines cranked to life as Alex started the clock on their expedition. As she backed out, the rest soon followed her, filing in behind her as she waited for the others to line up behind her. Seeing the box truck that brought up the rear that contained all their support items such as tents, tables, hammocks, their foodstuffs, supplies for the cooks and the nurse's station, and everything else they might need for their three months out in the field. Granted, there would need to be dozens of trips back to the city to resupply, yet that would get them going for two or more weeks.

"So... tell me what I'm going to expect to find when we arrive?" Halima asked, breaking the silence they had been riding in for the past thirty minutes of their four-hour trek out to Amkhakha temple.

"A temple dating back to the Fourth Dynasty," Alex said factually.

"Oh? How do you know it's from that long ago?" Halima inquired, peering over at Alex.

"Because it was dedicated to Onouphrios and given who he was entombed with, it's a safe assumption that he was a part of the Fourth Dynasty," Alex spoke, glancing at her son in the rearview mirror.

"I bet you must have been excited when you first arrived there?" Halima asked, trying to build a rapport with Andrew as she peered around her seat.

"Not really," Andrew answered vaguely, giving out as little as he could to her. He had a suspicion that everything he said and did was going to be reported back to Mido. He wanted to keep him and his order in the dark for as long as he could.

"Can I ask why? Surely, given who you are, you'd be joyous to step foot back in Egypt," Halima said, trying to be friendly.

"Personal reasons," Andrew replied, silently telling her that was all she was getting. Noting how she was studying him, gauging him, looking for a way past his armor to worm out some nugget of knowledge from him before she turned back around.

"So, Pharaoh, are you going to use Memphis as your capital like all the rest, or are you going to build a new one like Pi-Ramesses?"

"Haven't thought about it," Andrew lied, shrugging his shoulders as he noted how she peered at him from the corner of her left eye. If he wasn't mistaken, he could have sworn she knew he was lying to her.

"Surely you must have; how else are you going to consolidate your power when you take back your throne? Unless you're thinking about moving the capital back to somewhere said like Hierakonpolis to return back to the roots of the First Dynasty," Halima said, tilting her head back and tapping her chin. "No, I'm thinking you'll be wanting something fresh when you cement the Pharaonic line back onto the world stage. But that's just me speculating on what might be," she uttered offhandedly, turning her gaze out the window, allowing Andrew to think she knew more than what he thought she did. Which was true; she did know a lot about him. Given how they had really dug into his life when he revealed the hidden chamber where the heretics were entombed in. So they knew everything about his father, his new wife, his father's brother, and his family, along with his mother's father, who lived alone in a little cabin in the mountains of Virginia. Not that they would ever harm one of them, that wasn't their style, yet they wanted him to know they knew when or if the time ever came if Andrew posed a threat to them. Not something she was proud of; nevertheless, two thousand years in hiding made them very paranoid. Sighing in her mind when Andrew didn't utter a word, knowing it was going to be a long, silent ride to their destination.

******

Once they had arrived at the temple site, Alex got to work setting up the area just like it was the last time they were there, just with a few extra tents. She even put their so-called security to work, helping to pitch the tents. Once the tents were set up and their quarters squared away, the cooks started to get the meal tent ready for their evening meal while their nurse went about setting up her area, as well as Alex and the other archeologists got the command tent situated so they could get started first thing in the morning.

The dessert wind ruffled Andrew's hair as he stared down at the temple from on top of the bank. Recounting the last time he was there, it seemed so long ago to him. It almost felt like he was a different person than he was now. Hearing his mother's voice on the air as she gave those new to the site a summary of what they had found so far and gave a refresher to those that were here the last time. He was even surprised to find those that had come to spy on him listening in. Looking down when Bast had padded out to him and sat down in the sand.

"Well, Bast, this is where it all started. Have I lived up to your expectations?" Andrew asked, watching the polymorphed goddess nodding along. "You're keeping the paint from fading, aren't you?" He saw the glint in her green eyes as she looked up at him, knowing he had hit the nail on the head. Since he would have assumed that five thousand-year-old paint would have faded over the months, they had been gone from the place.

"Of course, my Pharaoh, you think I'd let my temple look ugly?!" Andrew snorted at the vanity of her words.

"Why did I even ask?" Andrew muttered jokingly.

"Don't trouble yourself; people like them come and go, and usually, they bring about their own downfall. Stay the course, my Pharaoh." Nodding in understanding as Bast's words rolled across his mind.

"Bast, since we're here and all, can I ask what exactly happened the last time we were here?" Andrew asked, looking down at her. Arching an eyebrow when Bast did something so uncharacteristic of her as she looked away.

"I was horny." Bast's words were so soft he thought he had missed them entirely.

"Huh?" Andrew muttered, very confused.

"You try being sealed away for thousands of years and not get horny the moment you're freed... don't you laugh at me?!" Bast berated as Andrew was fighting not to laugh like crazy and bring attention to themselves.

"What in the world is Andy doing?!" Carla whispered, very perplexed as she and Anta watched Andrew chasing Bast around off in the distance once they were done with their meeting.

"Don't you want your belly rubbed!" The two of them shared a questioning look between the both of them, remembering how Bast had flashed her claws at Andrew in the taxi when they were in London. "Come back here and let me love you!" Turning their heads when they heard his voice getting louder, only to see Bast running straight for them, Anta precisely. Who quickly dropped the items in her hand as Bast made a running leap into the air.

"Whoa, now!" Anta uttered, a little shocked that Bast would do such a thing. She would have thought she would have just returned back to Duat if she wanted to get away from Andrew. Not that she minded; she rather enjoyed having Bast in her arms. Only to watch as Bast hissed and clawed the air as Andrew stood a few feet away from them. "Andy, what brought this all about?"

"What? Can't I give the pretty kitty a belly rub that she so enjoys?" Andrew asked, the mirthful light shining in his eyes.

"You three knock off the horseplay; this is a working site, not a playground!" Alex chided from within the depths of the tent. "You two go put your things away while we get the ground radar prepped," she ordered. "Andrew, come inside if you're done horsing around."

"Man, where did that playful woman go?" Andrew whistled, causing Alex's face to heat.

"Yes, Professor," Anta and Carla answered. Who picked up Anta's dropped items for her before heading off to the tent they were sharing with Andrew.

"Please, come in, Andrew," Alex said, waving him in and leading him towards the table with a map of the site laid out on it. "Andrew, I'd like for you to meet Professor Rose and Mrs. White; she's a T.A. at the university who's working on her doctorate as we speak," smiling at the young woman who was wearing a look of pride to be selected to join the expedition, "and this is Mr. Cox, Ms. Plum, and Ms. Applegate, all Professor Rose's students," she introduced.

"' Sup," Andrew greeted informally. Noting the look, he was getting from the man about his mother's age and nods of hello from the other five. Ignoring how Bill and Haas were standing off behind them, eyeing him throughout the whole thing.

"Andrew, do you remember when you told me that there was more to this site?" Alex asked, not missing the scowl on Bill's face, something she didn't know why it was there for, and Haas' shocked eyes.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Would you please indicate on the map where you think this extra portion is?" Alex instructed, waving to it.

"Here," Andrew said quickly, drawing out roughly the size of it on the map.

"And tell me, why do you assume there's something there?" Dr. Rose questioned; his skepticism was clear as day.

"I don't assume, I know," Andrew stated firmly, getting a snort and an eye-roll from Bill.

"Okay, let's assume you 'know,'" throwing up air quotes, "tell us why did they build this when they already have this vast complex?" Dr. Rose asked, pressing Andrew for answers. Noting the 'you're an idiot look' on Andrew's face as he stood across from him.

"You did tell them what this temple was and who it was dedicated to, right?" Andrew asked, peering over at his mother.

"Nope," Alex shook her head with a devious smile on her lips. "Why don't you enlighten the good Professor here of just what this site used to be."

"You do know who Bast is, yes?" Andrew asked the man as if he was a child.

"Of course I do; I've studied the New Kingdom extensively," Dr. Rose said with disdain in his voice.

"Ah, that must be why you're so ignorant of what this site once was," Andrew spoke, noting how his mother was slyly biting her lip and the fuming look on the man's face. "I can understand why now since the New Kingdom tended to redefine the gods they worshiped to fit their worldview at the time. But really, that's kind of egotistical to think that man can just do that to a god," he said, feeling Bast's mirth in his mind as she was listening in. "As to what this place was, well, this was the temple where her sex cult worshiped in the Old Kingdom. Since you say you know who Bast is, then you know she is also a sex goddess, right?" Andrew asked, slapping Dr. Rose across his face with the man's own dunce cap before sitting it back on his head, metaphorically speaking, of course. "As to why this little area," waving to the map, "do you honestly think the priests of this place are just going to let the masses come into their private sanctum? Surely you can't be that... lacking in the brain department, so this is where the public would come to participate in the major festivals for the goddess."

"You want us to believe that this is some sort of twisted..." His voice died away when Alex laid down the photos of the eastern wing on the table before him.

"Maybe before coming in here thinking you know everything about Egypt with that arrogant attitude of yours, you might realize you honestly know nothing about Egypt. You might actually learn a thing or two," Andrew said, returning the man's rudeness back to him. "If this is how he teaches, I would suggest getting another Professor because you'll learn nothing about the real Egypt from his over-inflated ego," he stated to the man's students. "So, that the thing you said, whatever it was?" Andrew asked, pointing at the device.

"Yes, it will help us see beneath the sand without having to excavate it," Alex nodded, referring to the ground-penetrating radar she had requested. Slyly giving her son a look, silently asking him with her eyes why they weren't feeling the effects of the place like they were the last time.

"Okay, well, you all get that thing ready, and I'll meet you all out there after you pick up his shattered ego," Andrew said, waving dismissively at the man. He heard the cry of a falcon as he turned around to go use the restroom they had just dug out. He just wasn't expecting it to land on top of his head the moment he walked out of the tent. "Really?" he grumbled low as Horus released a cry. "You better not poop on my head, or I'm so going to have fried chicken tonight," Andrew threatened, glancing up at the animal whose beak dropped open in shock.

"Andrew, are you okay?" Alex asked, hoping that the bird's talons hadn't ripped open her son's scalp.

"Yeah, just peachy, wouldn't you be when you have Horus perched on your head?" Andrew retorted, pointing up to the animal that spread its wings as the sun disk hovered over its head. Showing everyone there, at least the ones that recognized the significance of the gesture, who the true king was.

"You think that's Horus?!" Dr. Rose laughed hysterically.

"Be careful there, doc, you don't go around insulting Gods without it coming back and biting you in the ass," Andrew said, waving the man off, not missing the flabbergasted looks on Bill's and Haas' faces as he walked off.

"Dr. Sanders, I demand you remove that man from this site this instant!" Dr. Rose stated forcibly.

"No," Alex answered coldly. "I'm in charge here, and he stays; if you can't handle that, I'll have one of my students drive you back to Cairo. Now if you're done spouting off demands, we have some work to do before dinner," she stated, staring the man down. Turning her head and looking out onto her son, seeing how he was pacing around, seeming to be chatting away with the bird that was still on his head. Unaware that within the shadows between the two tents, Andrew was being live-streamed back to the council, who was watching in awe of what the falcon meant and the fact that it appeared Andrew was conversing with the animal as if it was the god himself.

******

"Isn't he like going to go away?" Alex asked low as Bill was pushing the radar along the path that Andrew had indicated on the map. "No offense, Horus," she quickly added, who paid her no attention as it preened itself.