House of Resurrection: House of Scarabs

By Hazel Longuet

THE MUMMIES HAVE RETURNED.

 

All over the world, in museums and private collections, the mummies have resurrected. No one knows why or how, except the Vatican & it's determined the secret shall never be told.

 

Now, held by curious governments, the ancient Egyptians are nothing but laboratory guinea pigs - helpless and frightened in this strange new world.

 

Only three people can help them; the three that resurrected them, Ellie, Ben and Gerhard.

 

Determined to maintain their monotheism power-base the Vatican hires a deadly assassin, The Phantom.

 

Now it's a race for survival and freedom.

 

House of Resurrection is the second book in the House of Scarabs urban fantasy series. If you like ancient mythology, action adventures and magical quests, then you'll love Hazel Longuet's fast-paced novel!

 

Buy House of Resurrection to unravel the mystery of the mummies today!

 

House of Scarabs is a surprisingly delightful dip into a genre readers may not know they need to discover – but they definitely do. Equal parts action/thriller, mystery, historical fiction, and modern-day fantasy, this series starts off grippingly fascinating and quickly dives into a thrilling ride you'll never forget. With quirky, lovable characters, a rich storyline, and lots of infectious humor along the way, this is a story that has a little bit of everything but blends it all together perfectly. In a wonderful display of magic, action, culture, and the many complex facets of human nature, House of Scarabs is a shining treasure and a definite must-read series from a promising new author.
Coral Coons, Editor

 

Books in this series:

Genesis - Prequel
House of Scarabs - Book One
House of Resurrection - Book Two

• Language: English
• Publisher: Novel Experience
• Release date: May 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223296324

Book preview

House of Resurrection

HOUSE OF RESURRECTION

HAZEL LONGUET

Novel Experience

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2020 by Hazel Longuet

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address: [e-mail].

Novel Experience Logo

A Novel Experience book.

First published in Great Britain in 2020 by Novel Experience

Cover design by Hazel Longuet

Edited by Rosebud Editing

www.rosebudediting.com

www.hazellonguet.com

DEDICATION

Sometimes, if you are lucky, you are given a role model who inspires you to be more, reach higher, be greater. Someone whom you learn from and secretly study to understand their special brand of magic.

This book is dedicated to my hero. To the woman that showed me you could be smart, beautiful, feminine, and still be strong and independent. She seemed like Wonder Woman to me as a child. She taught me that life must have bumps, so you can appreciate the smooth times. Her smile, her love, and her radiant humour shone light on my darkest days and united my family.

She was never afraid to forge new paths. Without her example, I wouldn’t have had the courage to give up business consulting and follow my dream to be an author. She was my family’s anchor and beloved by every generation.

To the world, she was Dr Mavis Collins (née Longuet). To me, she was simply Aunty Mai. All my books are dedicated to her. I’m glad she lived long enough to read this dedication.

CONTENTS

Prologue

House Of Scarabs

Post-Explosion

The Cavalry

The Journey To Safety

Safety Net

The Mummies

A Prisoner

Imprisonment

The Man In White

Daily Chats

The Phantom

The Commission

The Auction

The Winner

House Of Scarabs

Revival

Destiny Foreseen

Destiny Unfolds

Awareness

The Mummies

Talking

Kiya’s Advice

Realisation

An Audit

Shock

The Phantom

Bone Collector

Guardians No More

Contemplation

Thwarted

House Of Scarabs

Awakening

Planning

Revealed

The Mummies

Angst

Submission

Interrogation

Negotiation

The Phantom

Identifying The Opponent

The Tracker

The Hidden Link

House Of Scarabs

Stasis

Heaven’s Gate

Reunion

Missing

The Mummies

Caravan

Settling

Farewell

The Phantom

Profiler

The Truth

Extraction

House Of Scarabs

The Impasse

World News

Revival

The Mummies

Refocus

Hypnosis

Round Table

The Phantom

Reflections

Retrieval

Going Public

House Of Scarabs

Fleeing

Ghosts

Breaking News

The Mummies

Negotiation

Reunion

The Phantom

Creating Eden

Destiny Or Duty

House Of Scarabs

The Announcement

The Argument

Surrender

Finale

The Meeting

The Plan

Mirage

Epilogue

Heaven’s Gate

Sorrow Sown

Three Becomes Five

Glossary

Author’s Note

Also By Hazel Longuet

Acknowledgments

PROLOGUE

Nothing could have prepared him for his first breath in over three and a half thousand years. His paper-thin lungs tore under the strain. The pain was excruciating. Every new breath brought another tsunami of agony in its wake. Only the moisture from the air provided some relief for his parched, dehydrated body.

He tried to open his eyes, yet saw nothing. His heart pounded. He lashed out and found himself entombed in a space only slightly larger than his body. Blinking rapidly, he started to register the gentle flicker of lights and shadows. He reached out to touch the walls, then screamed as pain ripped through his chest, shoulders, and arms. It felt as if an army of ants equipped with the sharpest swords coated his body, stabbing and sawing at his flesh. He stilled and the pain lessened. All the injuries he’d faced in life—the crippling back pain, the battlefield wounds—yet nothing had prepared him for this.

He took a deep breath, which burned like hell’s own fire. Looking inwards, he focused on that place of tranquillity, where Kiya had taught him to find clarity and the gods’ guidance. Slowly, the pain receded, allowing him to assess the situation.

He was clearly wounded and imprisoned, yet he had no recollection of a fight or a betrayal. In fact, there was little he could remember of his recent past, just a thick, unbreachable fog.

Think, man. Think.

He knew that survival depended on packing the pain into the deepest recesses of his brain. Using his mind as a weapon was as important as his physical prowess—sometimes more so. He reached back towards it, testing his pain threshold. To his surprise, it had lessened somewhat. Still agonising but somehow bearable. He wriggled his fingers. A wave of pain swept up his arm before petering out into an electric shock that trembled across his skull. Moving his entire hand hurt more but was tolerable. The gods knew he’d had plenty of experience managing pain.

He again opened his eyes, then jumped. He was surrounded by people. He leapt to defend himself against the masses only to hit his head against the transparent barrier imprisoning him. Looking around rapidly, he realised he was contained within a box made entirely of this clear material. He stared at the people—dark haired, with almond-shaped eyes—all staring at him with horror and fear.

In the gods’ names, they should fear me. They are within a hand-span of death at the hands of the most powerful pharaoh who ever walked the dunes of Egypt. They dare to stare upon my holy face.

He raised his hand to beat the invisible wall. The crowd jumped backwards. Their screams were still piercing, despite being muffled by his enclosure.

Cowards! See them run from me. Just a raised hand is enough to flatten my enemies.

A couple crept back to peer at him. He turned his head.

Boo!

The room emptied. People tripped over each other, trampling the fallen in their desperation to escape. Their screams echoed down the corridors as they fled from the mighty Amenhotep.

With a smile, he turned his attention to his container, searching for a latch or handle to release himself. He couldn’t see any above him, so he traced the edges of the base with his fingers and toes. Finding nothing, he reached up.

He was shocked to find his arm and hand were eviscerated—just bones and scrappy parts of tendons and flesh. His arm looked like a battle scene after the crows and the vultures had visited. There was no skin to speak of, just a paper-thin material that looked like crispy vellum. He stared, unable to believe that this horror was really his arm.

He looked up and caught sight of his reflection on the surface of the box. His body tensed, frozen in disbelief. His eyeballs stared back at him, framed within a skull coated in wispy red threads of hair.

What am I? How am I? Who are these people to do this to me, and yet maintain my life source?

Blood beaded across his skull, oozing like a pink brushstroke. Frozen in shock, he watched as the blood transformed into meaty flesh, slowly thickening and stretching from the side of his jaw to his chin.

I’m hallucinating. They must have drugged me. I’m the mighty Amenhotep. I’m all-powerful, a deity on Earth. I will not succumb to their trickery and witchcraft. A fleeting thought passed across the back of his mind. Their magician’s power would be a great asset in managing my dominion. I’ll take him with me when I put down this enemy.

The case appeared to be sealed externally, so he pummelled the walls with his hands and feet. His partially fleshed limbs beat repeatedly against the transparent surface, bloodying the case. Screaming with frustration and determination, he cursed his enemies with words that would surely have made the palace’s maidens flush a dainty pink.

From the corner of the room, a man appeared. He was dressed in a long white garment over dark blue trousers and a black woollen top. He was a native of the dominion, from the look of him.

A traitor! I will have his head, and the head of his children, his siblings, his parents, and all who have ever dared to mention his name!

Amenhotep renewed his attack on the case. His arms were now restored, dressed in a golden coat of skin and glimmering red hairs.

You traitor! I curse your family, your ancestors, and all those who know you. Release me now. As your Pharaoh, I demand it. I will have you killed anyway, but I may be lenient with your family, should you obey my commands. Amenhotep stared into the man’s eyes. Say you nothing, sir?

The man was muttering in a language he’d never heard before. Amenhotep was fluent in the languages of his dominion and those neighbouring. From where was this man, who looked so Egyptian, yet seemed to neither speak nor understand their language? Amenhotep broke into a few other languages to try to make himself understood. His threats grew ever more colourful. The man shook his head. He clearly didn’t understand Amenhotep’s words in any language.

The man’s an imbecile.

Amenhotep glanced up at his reflection and was relieved to see his face peering back at him. The hallucinations must have been wearing off. He lifted his mouth into a non-threatening smile, raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, and indicated the man should open the box.

Amenhotep’s eyes flitted around the room. He spotted some warriors pointing long metal tubes at him. He surmised these must be some type of weapon, although he couldn’t see a blade concealed within the tube. Four of these men accompanied the white-coat.

The man nearest the box gestured, pulling his hands diagonally out from the middle to his sides and then lifting his hand with his fingers closed into a fist and just showing his thumb. The gesture meant nothing to Amenhotep, but he decided to placate the man, so he again smiled and nodded. He murmured his resignation to his imprisonment in a calm and subservient manner to gain the man’s trust. No one who knew him would ever be fooled, for Amenhotep was subservient to no one, but this imbecile smiled back and gestured for the pharaoh to lay back whilst he unlocked his prison. Amenhotep’s next smile was legitimate as he plotted his next tactic. Let the man open the box and then see what devastation a deity on Earth could wreak!

Just as the white-coat went to open his container, one of the men with the weapons shouted in the alien language. All four moved forward with the weapons held on their shoulder and studied him, one eye to the weapon. The senior officer replaced the white-coat and lifted the lid.

Amenhotep spluttered as the foul air hit his lungs. He tasted smoke and chemicals. The air was different to the sugary sweetness of his dominion’s air. Surely, he was in hell. He coughed, trying to get his breath. Realising the tactical benefit of looking weakened in front of an enemy, his body curled, wracked with coughs. Then his arm shot out and wrapped around the officer’s neck. He pulled the man in front of him, using him as a shield. The other warriors looked aghast, settling the tubes closer into their shoulders whilst the man in white shouted frantically at them.

Amenhotep slid his body out of the box and tried to stand. He fell; his legs were like jelly, unable to support him. He roared in rage at his own ineptitude. The man in white stepped in front of them, using his own body to shield them from his soldiers.

Maybe he’s not a total traitor, Amenhotep thought, storing the idea away for later analysis.

The white-coat turned to him, speaking urgent, yet totally alien words. He looked desperate. With his arms out and palms raised, he walked towards them. He bent and took the weapon from the warrior that Amenhotep was holding hostage, then tossed it into the corner, away from the other men. The white-coat crooned softly, as if calming a suckling babe. He reached into the folds of his coat and pulled out a papyrus with hieroglyphs.

Friend, Amenhotep read.

Friend! He thinks me a fool. No friend drugs and imprisons a leader of the world’s greatest nation.

Amenhotep tipped his head, mimicking confusion. Then he flashed a smile that would have struck fear into the hearts of his enemies. The smile of victory.

The man with the white coat reached towards Amenhotep as if offering to help him stand. He stopped within reach, allowing Amenhotep to decide to accept his support or not. Amenhotep reached forward and grabbed his hand.

The man’s other hand flew forwards. Amenhotep saw a glint of metal just before something sharp stabbed his neck. He fought, his fist accelerating powerfully, until it met the resistance of the white-coat’s nose. Blood splattered both men. Then the light faded into darkness and the shouts of the warriors into silence.

HOUSE OF SCARABS

POST-EXPLOSION

The scene was silent. It was not the silence of a quiet room, with the gentle thrum of electrical devices and the ever-present heartbeat that was the soundtrack of life. No, this was a total absence of sound.

Sand drifted like thick fog in the air, painting a beige veil over everything. People wandered around aimlessly, their clothes shredded and bloody, their mouths gaping in silent howls that reminded Gerhard of Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream. Body parts littered the paths, adding a slash of deep red to the colour palette. The uninjured scurried like ants across the tableau of utter desolation, hurrying from one body to the next, checking for vital signs and moving on when they found none.

Members of the Guardians of the Ankh wandered aimlessly, as if oblivious to the destruction they’d caused. Where once one of the world’s greatest treasures of antiquity had stood for more than four millennia, now there was just a mammoth hole. Shards of the Karnak Temple’s columns reached into the sky like shark’s teeth, waiting to bite the hand that destroyed them. The hand of the old nursemaid Mama Aida, who’d lovingly raised and protected Ellie her entire life and whom they’d trusted implicitly. The eighty-year-old woman had helped lead the deadly Guardians of the Ankh and tried to kill Ellie, first by gun and then by blowing up the Temple.

Ellie.

Gerhard’s gaze drifted back to his two friends. Ben was rocking Ellie’s body back and forth as if settling her after a bad dream. His eyes were closed.

Gerhard stumbled; his balance was impaired from the blast. Looking down, he saw a hand resting in the sand, still and pink, with a wedding ring on the heart finger. He collapsed and scooped huge handfuls of the desert soil to dig the body free from its dirty resting place. As he removed sand, more rushed in to fill the hole. After a few seconds, he changed tactics and pulled the hand, which came free easily. Just the hand. No body. No life. Just a hand with a bloody stump above the wrist.

Gerhard stared at it, sinking slowly onto his knees. Then he fell onto his hands, crying into the dry desert earth. He cried for the loss of so many, for the desecration of the wondrous temple, the loss of innocence, and finally for the loss of his friends. He cried for Ellie, for Sam, for dear old Stefan, and finally for his greatest loss: his beloved Sofia, whom he’d lost so many years before. A tidal wave of grief, blocked by his Germanic sensibilities for so long, swept across his body, wracking him with sobs. Silent sobs. He cried. He swore. He raged until he had nothing left to give and just lay on the arid soil.

The sounds returned, muffled but discernible. The screams and shouts assaulted his ears.

Ellie! Ellie! Wake up, damn it…

Gerhard turned his head away from Ben’s pleading. He wiped his eyes on his spotted red handkerchief that had somehow survived the explosion intact, unlike his glasses he realised; somewhat confused that he was able to see despite their absence.

Come on, man. Pull yourself together for Ben. Come on, Gerhard. You need to think and plan. Ja. Think and plan. He hauled himself up onto his long, shaky legs and stepped back towards his friends. Find safety, then mourn.

The screams of the wounded drifted towards Gerhard as a backdrop to Ben’s insane rantings.

Khepri, you fucking useless, shit-shovelling excuse of a god—you bring her back. You hear me? You bring her back. Ben’s eyes were red and crazed as he surveyed the surroundings, appearing to be looking for the god himself. You show yourself. Be a man. You promised us safety. You bring her back or, so help me, I will hunt you down and wreak havoc upon you.

Gerhard positioned himself in Ben’s eye line.

Calm yourself, my friend. He raised a finger to stop Ben’s response. Calm yourself. We can’t allow the Guardians to know we’ve survived. We will not let Ellie’s, Sam’s, and Stefan’s sacrifices go for nothing because a grown man can’t control his mouth. SHUT UP.

Ben stared at Gerhard, then slowly closed his mouth.

Good man. Now we must find a way to escape and hide until we can find a more permanent plan.

I’m not leaving her, Gerhard.

No, quite right. Nor am I.

THE CAVALRY

MOMENTS EARLIER

The sound of the explosion rolled along the corniche, expanding until it hit the labyrinth of small side streets. It roared through them like a jumbo jet. The sound hit the side of the ambulance, rocking it slightly to the right before it fell back onto all four wheels.

Although he’d foreseen the explosion, Joshua was still shocked by the assault of the blast. He looked out the side window and saw a mushroom of amber sand hovering over the monument.

Time to move.

Joshua quickly instructed the fleet of vehicles to drive to the former temple. Their interlinked radios were full of chatter. The drivers thanked Allah that the emergency response training operation was taking place just as Egypt suffered its largest ever terror attack.

Thank Kiya, not Allah, Joshua thought wryly.

He gave five different dates to his contacts in the Egyptian security services for holding the operation. He’d foreseen they would select the nearest date, when the Karnak Temple would cease to be. They didn’t know that, of course, but he did.

The ambulances pulled up as close as they could to the former temple. Joshua hopped down and instructed his driver and paramedic to follow him. The level of destruction made him stop for a second as shock overwhelmed his senses. He surveyed the landscape, worried that he may not have enough resources to help all the wounded and dying. He quickly dialled in to H.Q. and requested all personnel come and assist the team. Taking a breath to centre himself, he opened his location app and selected Khepri’s pillar. The app pointed forward and slightly to the right. He signalled his men to follow him.

Kiya had warned him that the scene would be grisly, but nothing had prepared him for the dystopian landscape in front of him. Entrails and gore painted a portrait of true horror. Body parts lay abandoned on the ground, lightly frosted with amber-coloured dust. He stumbled slightly and stopped, putting his hands on his knees trying to prevent the nausea churning in his gut from surfacing. Even his ex-military paramedic paused to absorb the scene before taking a deep breath, pulling his shoulders back, and continuing towards the pillar.

Joshua gulped in some deep breaths. He held each one for a second longer than normal, as he did in his daily meditations, trying to find his centre. Once he was more balanced, he stumbled behind the paramedic.

The scarab-topped pillar was the only element unscathed by the devastating explosion. The path to the pillar was scattered with obstacles. Clambering over the boulders and rubble took total concentration, so it wasn’t until they neared the dedication to Khepri that he noticed two men crouched behind the large base of the monument. One was holding a body. It was a woman with red hair.

Ellie.

The area close to the pillar was free of rubble and dust, as if it had politely avoided the bombing that ravaged the rest of the site. Joshua and his men ran the last few steps to the trio. The white-haired man stood and moved in front of the younger man and Ellie.

He’s protective of them, Joshua thought.

He glanced back at his men. The driver had automatically fallen back onto his military training and was studying the landscape for threats. The paramedic rushed to help Ellie.

STAY AWAY FROM HER! the younger man screamed in Arabic. He scuttled backwards with Ellie draped across his arms. DON’T TOUCH HER.

I’m a paramedic. I’m here to help her, but you need to let me examine her.

NO! No one touches Ellie. No one!

Joshua recognised the mania in the man’s eyes as intense shock and grief. There would be no merit gained trying to reason with him. The best course was via the elder man, the one Kiya called Gerhard. His eyes were wary but clear of the derangement that currently clouded the younger man’s brain.

My name is Joshua. I’ve been sent to help you by your allies. Please come with us. We have an ambulance, and we can get treatment for your friend.

Ah, sir, that’s where you’re wrong. As anyone can clearly see, there is no treatment that can help her. She’s beyond help, Gerhard answered. His words were strongly accented with the harsh tones of his German heritage. "And we have no allies. We have each other. That is all we have. Ja, just us."

Joshua shook his head. That’s not true. You have three powerful gods on your side: Khepri, Sobek, and Bastet. Khepri is Ellie’s guardian. Sobek is Ben’s. And you, Gerhard—well, you have the goddess Bastet. They have watched over your family for generations, protecting your ancestors, nurturing your families. They created a network of allies to help you in your coming tasks, and I head that network. My family have been your watchers and protectors since the pharaohs.

Gerhard watched him, listening silently.

My grandmother several generations removed, Kiya, sent me here today to help you find safety and security. We don’t have much time to explain... Joshua glanced at his watch. In precisely eight minutes, this site will be heaving with Egyptian military personnel, and your chance for escape will be gone. Please let my man help Ellie.

Gerhard’s face was impassive.

Prove it. Prove you are who you say you are.

Kiya said you would ask for proof. Please hold my hand. Joshua leaned forward with his hands out and palms up. He raised his eyebrow at Gerhard. If you want proof, you must hold my hands.

Don’t trust him, Gerhard. We can’t trust anyone, Ben shouted, rocking Ellie in his arms.

Gerhard looked around, studying Joshua’s men, who had pulled back from them.

Ben, our options are limited and certainly not attractive. Sometimes, my friend, it’s the first step towards trust that’s the hardest. But it’s nevertheless necessary.

Gerhard slowly extended his hands towards Joshua’s. As soon as their palms touched, they were engulfed in a sparkling blue orb of energy. Kiya had assured Joshua the trio would recognise it. A black cat sat between the feet of the two men, delicately licking its paws. The cat stared up with large green eyes at the two men before twining around Gerhard’s legs. Its form shimmered as it dissolved into a bright blue crystalline version of itself and merged into Gerhard’s leg.

My friend, I’m sorry I doubted you. No one has been able to get inside our orbs except Ben, Ellie, and me. I can only believe that Bastet supports your story. Please do forgive our doubts. But in our defence, we’ve had a trying day or two.

I think ‘trying’ might be the understatement of the century. Joshua smiled. Now Bastet, may I request our freedom from this orb?

The orb dissolved, returning the duo to the pillar.

Sir, hurry. It appears the site may have been compromised. We must move NOW, the driver shouted.

Joshua surveyed the landscape. Tom was right. The wreckage was swarming with ambulance crews, people filming the carnage on their mobile phones, and more worryingly, black-clad officials who carried themselves with a military rigidity. Looking down at his Patek Philippe watch, he saw they had just five minutes left to clear the site before escape became impossible.

Gerhard, we must go now! We must, or we lose our window of opportunity.

The old man bent down and touched his friend’s shoulder.

Ben, we can trust this man. Hurry. We must make haste. Our enemy’s not far behind us.

Are you sure?

Gerhard silently nodded, his silver hair blowing slightly in the Nile breeze. Come, my friend. We must take Ellie somewhere safe.

Ben’s eyes swung between the green eyes of his elderly friend and the lifeless face of the woman he cocooned in his arms.

We’ll take Ellie?

Yes, my boy, of course! What a question. Leave my Ellie behind? Never! Now come, my friend. Let me help you. Let us both carry our Ellie to safety.

Ben’s gaze turned to Joshua, who smiled reassuringly.

Ben, he said, bending down so that he was eye-to-eye with the man. Ellie will live. She’s on her own journey of discovery now, but soon, she will return to us. It’s our duty to make certain she still has a body to return to. Do you understand me?

Ben stared at him for a few moments. Joshua could almost see the cogs turning in his brain as he processed his words. Then, slowly, Ben smiled, which transformed into a joyous beam shining from his eyes.

What are we waiting for, then? God? Well, one of them has already been here. Let’s move. Jump to it, Gerhard.

Gerhard smiled and shook his head.

Only you, Ben. Only you.

THE JOURNEY TO SAFETY

Joshua studied the trio. The men wore the black robes of priests, whilst Ellie was dressed as a nun. He presumed they were disguises. Otherwise, his research had missed the mark.

Guys, take off those robes. They’re too noticeable and unnaturally clean.

As the men disrobed, he picked up body parts from the ground and smeared each of them with gore and dust. Once they looked suitably rough, he instructed the paramedic to strap Gerhard’s arm in a sling.

His men were two of his finest and worked like a well-oiled machine. They put Ellie onto a stretcher and hid the robes under her body. By attaching an oxygen mask across her ashen face, they were able to disguise her status. There were far too many wounded victims to allow the collection of corpses. That would happen later, after the investigation and forensic teams had done their work.

As soon as all three members of the trio looked suitably wounded, they set off across the site, working silently to navigate the smaller obstacles. Ben joined Joshua’s team, working together to pass the stretcher across the larger boulders and bomb wreckage.

Joshua murmured to Ben, When we reach the ambulance, collapse into a faint. And for God’s sake, make it believable.

Ben’s nod was slight but clear.

His team’s demeanour changed as they merged into the crowds. Shouting wildly in Arabic for people to move out of their way, they blended into the melange of other local ambulance drivers and paramedics.

I must remember to give them a pay rise after this, Joshua mused.

Joshua nodded at Ben as they reached the rear of the ambulance. Ben’s eyes widened and his body swayed before he fell to his knees and crashed to the dirty tarmac. Worried that Ben may have actually hurt himself, Joshua rushed over. His paramedic screamed at the crowd to fall back and give him room to work. The paramedic moved Ben’s shirt to one side and exposed the bloody circle of gore pierced by a long shaft of stone they’d placed there earlier.

Hurry, he screamed in colloquial Arabic. This man needs surgery immediately.

Gasps were heard from the crowd. One woman gagged at the sight of the torn and bleeding flesh. People rushed to help load the three wounded victims into the ambulance. Ben was lifted onto a stretcher, seemingly unconscious, as the paramedic worked to cleanse the wound and stop the bleeding. The driver slammed the rear doors, closing his team inside. People tried to gawk through the darkened rear windows. Soon, with sirens blaring, they were racing through the streets of Luxor.

Joshua took a deep breath. Part one was completed. He couldn’t believe they’d carried it off as well as they had, but the road ahead was still far from smooth.

We will be getting a call any moment to divert to a local hospital. I own that hospital. I have a car waiting that will take us out of Luxor to a small marina, where I have a felucca berthed. We must all clean up and don these clothes, he said, throwing plastic bags at the two men.

Gary, will you please dress Ellie.

Ben jumped up, banging his head on the overhanging shelf. Hang on just one second. I’ll be damned if I’d let some random dude dress Ellie, he protested, rubbing his head.

Totally up to you, but Gary is a trained medical professional. Who would Ellie prefer to dress her—an impartial medical man or you? Joshua’s eyes flicked from the paramedic to Ben.

"He has a point, Ben. We must think of Ellie. Let Herr Gary help Ellie whilst we dress ourselves."

Ben’s body stiffened, then he slouched down onto the stretcher. Okay, but I’ll be watching you, buster. No funny stuff!

Gary nodded calmly and turned to Ellie.

Joshua continued explaining the plan. We’ll take the identity of hapless tourists caught in the eye of a terror attack. The felucca will come back towards Luxor and continue towards Aswan. It’s been customised with a few nifty toys that will ensure we can make our camp safely without witnesses. Gary and Tom will remain here in Luxor, co-ordinating the medical operation. If anyone asks, I’ve been bunkered down by my security team for my personal safety.

Gerhard tipped his head to the left, his eyes wrinkling. "One thing puzzles me, Herr Joshua."

Please, just Joshua.

Very well, Joshua. This plan is complex and fine-tuned. How could you possibly know about the bombing so far in advance without being part of the Guardians?

Joshua saw the intelligence in the older man’s green eyes. Both had green eyes, he noticed—Gerhard and Ben.

As I mentioned earlier, I was forewarned by Kiya.

"Ja. Excuse an old man’s curiosity, but how did she know?"

There was nothing old about this man’s brain, Joshua realised. He was as sharp as a hawk.

She saw everything in a vision shared with her by the gods. Our family is blessed with the gift of sight, although sometimes it feels like a curse. We see visions of the future.

You’re psychics? Ben scoffed.

You find that hard to believe after you’ve seen gods and been protected by holy orbs? Joshua responded with a raised eyebrow.

You’ve got me there, buddy! Lord knows I’d believe unicorns exist right now... they don’t, do they?

Joshua chuckled. Not to my knowledge, but the gods choose what to share, so who knows? He threw them each a pack of wet wipes. Use these to clean up before changing. The gore’s not your normal tourist’s accessory of choice.

The men changed quickly into their tourist costumes. They grabbed the railings to steady themselves as the ambulance sped through the bumpy Luxor roads, sirens blaring.

Are the wigs really necessary? Ben grimaced at the mass of ginger hair he’d flung on the stretcher. It looks like a tomcat after a road accident.

Yes, emphatically! Joshua responded.

I don’t think I can pull off ginger. I’m too swarthy. My skin’s too dark.

"Mein Gott, Ben! Now is not the time to worry about your looks. Give me the red. You take this grey one." Gerhard threw the wig at Ben, shaking his head in disbelief.

Their banter lightened the atmosphere. Joshua checked each one of them over, adjusting the wigs and handing out sunglasses and cameras.

Gerhard, take this Panama hat. You need to cover up some of that ginger mop.

Gerhard took the hat. Using the rear windows as a mirror, he adjusted it to a jaunty angle, pulling it lower at the front to hide more of his face. He turned back to Joshua and gestured up at the hat.

You’ll do. Joshua grabbed a rail to steady himself as the ambulance went over two traffic control bumps. We’re arriving. Leave all your old clothes. Just bring any personal effects or items that can be traced back to you. Ready?

Ben and Gerhard nodded. Both turned to look at Ellie. Gary had dressed her in a full-length floral maxi dress, a flowing blonde wig, and an over-sized sun hat and shades. She looked like a mannequin dressed to impress.

Are you sure she’s going to be okay? Ben asked, a frown masking his face.

Absolutely. Now let’s go, Joshua replied, opening the ambulance’s two rear doors.

Tom appeared by the door with a wheelchair as the men climbed down. Gary lifted Ellie into his arms and placed her with great care into the wheelchair. He slid her wrists through two ornate bracelets. The wheelchair had been adapted with a range of straps, which he slid through concealed slits in her dress and fastened, securing her into an upright position.

Boss, you know how to work this, right? Tom asked, handing a remote control to Joshua.

"Yes, Tom. I spec’d the design. I’m perfectly au fait with its workings, thank you!" Joshua shook his head. A wry grin lit up his face for a moment.

Now let’s vamoose. Gentlemen, follow me please. He pointed at a door at the rear of the ambulance bay.

Gary, Tom, help as many as you can. Good luck and Godspeed. Don’t forget to set the scene for their deaths.

The two men nodded their goodbyes and jumped back into the ambulance. As Ben, Gerhard, and Joshua passed through the door, they heard the sirens screaming as the ambulance roared off.

Gerhard’s eyebrows shot up. Our deaths?

The only way to keep you safe is to make the world think you all died today. They’ll make that happen.

How?

Probably better you don’t know. But trust me. From this moment, all three of you are dead in the eyes of the world.

Ben stopped abruptly. What about our families? We can’t just vanish. I have a career, a life. Ellie has her school. We can’t just vanish.

Ben, trust me. I know this is a lot to take on board—

You think? ‘A lot to take on’ would be that we’ve just survived a monstrous bombing. ‘A lot to take on’ would be that we have freaking gods residing within us. But dying? I think that’s a bit more than ‘a lot to take on.’ Jeez!

I know. Really, I do, and I’ll answer all your questions when we’re safe, but we don’t have time right now. Please, we have to move.

Ben turned to Gerhard, his face radiating disbelief.

Can you believe this shit?

It’s troubling, Gerhard answered. He reached for his glasses, only to realise he wasn’t wearing them. More so for you and Ellie, but I fear our options are limited, Ben. Let’s get to safety and then study our situation in more detail.

Ben stared at Gerhard for a second before dropping his gaze to Ellie in the chair.

Why do I think I’m going to regret this? he said with a deep sigh. Go on, then. Lead the way, Joshua.

Joshua led them through a winding network of basement tunnels. Service pipes rattled and hissed as they passed. The tunnels were humid and meandering. After about five minutes, they came to a dead end. Red pipes converged into a massive master pipe. Valves and gauges peppered the wall. Joshua reached up into a dirty crevice in the wall, shrouded in cobwebs. The entire rear wall slid backwards into a vast antechamber.

Follow me, he said over his shoulder.

Inside was a reception desk. An immaculately dressed Egyptian woman sat behind it. The circular room had several doors leading from it and a mirrored lift. As the men made their way into the room, the wall slid shut behind them, leaving no trace of their entranceway. A beautiful tableau of Abu Simbel with its four huge statues hid its presence.

Who are you? Ben asked, looking around the room.

Joshua hadn’t considered how extraordinary this must seem. All in good time, he murmured before smiling widely at the receptionist.

Hi, Tabi. Can you call the lift please and make certain our transport’s ready?

Certainly, sir.

Joshua guided the two stunned men towards the lift. Gerhard raised his hat to the receptionist, who smiled back and nodded. The doors opened, revealing a modern mirrored elevator. Ben pushed Ellie forward and manoeuvred so they were facing the doors.

Joshua pressed the button labelled Lower Ground. A concealed touchpad slid out of the console, and Joshua placed his left hand on it. The lift’s screen displayed Approved, and they started ascending. After a few moments, the doors opened to reveal a modern and clean underground car park.

A minibus emblazoned with the logo of Aten Excursions pulled to a stop in front of them. Om Kalsoum wailed from the radio. The driver, a man in his early fifties with an exuberant moustache, hopped out and lowered the wheelchair ramp.

Welcome, welcome. It’s my deepest honour to be your guide today. I’m Tarek Abayomi, Egyptologist and guide to the rich and famous! Welcome to Aten Excursions. Let me secure your friend, then we can start our trip.

After attaching all the straps and brakes to the wheelchair, the driver hustled the men into the bus. He asked them to pull their blinds down to shoulder level.

The bus navigated Luxor, taking the smaller side roads to avoid the massive queues around the corniche. Sirens blared from all directions as ambulances, fire engines, and security personnel raced to the bomb site. Tarek cursed and apologised for the chaos, explaining a bomb had gone off at the temple.

But don’t worry. You’re perfectly safe. Tarek will take good care of you, he said cheerfully. He turned his attention back to the road. It required all his focus to avoid hitting the panicked pedestrians.

Crowds poured towards the site of the explosion, unable to withstand their own morbid curiosity. Joshua had planned on that oddest of human characteristics and booked a marina in a different direction. The crowds would slow their enemies and give them a head start. He hoped it was enough.

He listened to Tarek’s inane chatter, bellowed over the achingly sad