Gray’s attention was fixed on the still form of Morgan Watts, who remained chained to the wall. "Samantha, please check on Mrs. Mitchell. Eun, remain in the door and make sure no one is watching us."
Gray lowered his weapon, moving quickly to stand beside Morgan. He felt for a pulse and found one, faint but steady. He lifted Morgan’s head and noticed that his friend’s throat was a bloody mess. It looked like a dog had attacked him, ripping away the skin until red meat was exposed. Gray peered through the blood and saw that while it was quite horrific, it shouldn’t prove fatal and a full recovery was possible.
"How is he?" Samantha asked, standing just behind Gray.
"He’ll live. Mrs. Mitchell?"
"She’s dead. Her heart’s been cut out."
Lazarus turned slightly, seeing how pale Samantha’s face was. "Do you need to step outside?"
Samantha visibly composed herself. "Of course not. I’m just worried about Morgan, that’s all."
Gray nodded, returning his attentions to Morgan. "Eun!" he said, raising his voice.
"Yes, Chief?"
"Start the car. We need to get Morgan to a hospital." Gray examined the cuffs that held Morgan’s hands and he reached into the pockets of his coat to retrieve a set of lock picks. After only a moment of work, the cuffs snapped opened and Morgan sagged into his employer’s arms.
To Gray’s astonishment, Morgan began mumbling something. Given how much blood he had lost, Morgan was displaying incredible strength of will. Gray pressed his ear close to Morgan’s mouth. "Tell me again," he whispered.
Morgan’s words were so soft that Gray had to strain to hear them. "The Sovereign Museum. That’s where she’s leading them."
"Who?" Gray asked, though he knew the answer. He still had to hear it.
"Femi. She lives again."
Chapter IV
Past Lives
The Sovereign Museum of Natural History was a sprawling structure, standing in the heart of downtown. Comprised of twelve interconnected buildings, the Museum housed well over a million specimens, only a relative few of which were on active display. With a scientific staff of over a hundred, the Museum funded nearly four-dozen scientific expeditions each year, sending explorers out all over the globe. The Museum was divided up into numerous displays but the most popular was the ever-present Start of Sovereign Hall, where the origins of the city were examined. To access this, visitors had to stride through the huge entranceway, where they could stare up at a full-size model of a Blue Whale which hung from the ceiling. It was an awesome view but none of The Undying cared for it, especially not their leader, the Princess Femi.
She led her followers past an old man in a security guard’s uniform. He had been foolish enough to try and stop the group from entering the museum after hours.
Night had fallen in Sovereign and the streets were alive with activity: the frightened footfalls of the innocent and the stealthy movements of those for whom sin was second nature. No one had dared say a word to the beautiful woman encased in cloth rags or the mysterious hooded men who followed in her wake.
The group paused at the entrance to the Henry Jones Exhibition Hall. A sarcophagus stood in the doorway, next to a sign that read:
NOW ON DISPLAY!
THE TREASURES OF ANCIENT EGYPT
MUMMIES, ARTIFACTS AND MORE
LIMITED TIME ONLY
Femi traced the letters with her fingertips. The words slowly came into focus, just as the English language had done. She was no longer mortal and her brain was attuned to strange things. Language was not a true barrier any longer. She communicated with things on a primal level now: life and death were her constant companions.
"I need suitable clothing," Femi had said, which had inspired Achmed to lead her to this place. He’d visited the exhibit, feeling a sense of pride intermingled with disgust as he’d toured the museum. Here were the remnants of a great and mighty empire that he adored, put on display for the masses to gawk at.
They found the display room quite gaudy in its appearance. Artwork and styles of clothing from various ages of Egypt were lumped together into a mishmash of false history and the hieroglyphs on the wall were meaningless. Femi took note of the four mummies placed on display and sniffed disapprovingly. All were servants who had been buried with their masters so they could assist them in the afterlife.
A set of mannequins showed a Pharaoh and his bride in full regalia and it was to these that Femi strode. She smiled broadly, quickly divesting herself of the cloth rags that covered her ample beauty. When she was naked, she glanced over at Achmed, whose eyes were like burning coals. He drank her in and his frequent swallowing made it clear that he hungered for her.
"I will finally look like the Queen I always should have been," she purred.
"Nothing can improve upon the loveliness you already possess."
Femi laughed and began to remove the royal garments from the mannequin. She draped them across herself, noting that they fit perfectly, as if they had been meant for her. The dress featured a jeweled collar and it matched the elaborate nature of the rest of her attire. Rings, anklets and bracelets, along with a pair of glittering gold earrings, were all part of the mannequin’s apparel and Femi felt like she were a goddess herself once she was finished donning them all.
She turned to face her followers and they fell to their knees, bowing before her. "You will be my priests and royal guard," she pronounced. "But you will not be enough. The men of this time are strong and their weapons are potent. If I am to rule, as I should, we will need assistance. Let our dead brothers rise again so that they may serve!"
Femi raised both hands and a strange silence filled the room. Not even the breathing of The Undying could be heard. And then, ever so faintly, came a stirring. It became louder until it sounded like a stuck door being forced open. A foul stench filled the air and Achmed wrinkled his nose. It was like being in a charnel house and his eyes began to water in response.
The four mummies in the room jerked to life, the sunken pits where their eyes had once been now glowing with a yellow light. With shambling feet and jerking movements, they pushed their way out of the caskets in which they had been propped, moving to stand before Femi. The Undying, stout men all, looked upon them fearfully, awed by the power of their resurrected Princess.
Femi looked around until she saw a replica of an Egyptian throne in the corner of the room. Mannequin slaves stood on either side of the throne, holding large fronds with which to fan the Pharaoh or his Queen. Femi marched toward it and sat down, enjoying the moment. After so long in her twilight sleep, she was breathing the air again and being doted upon by her followers. This was the ultimate proof of her victory over the old gods, as well. They had sought to punish her for heresy but here she sat, resplendent in victory.
With triumphant malice in her voice, Femi declared once more, "God is dead."
"Shouldn’t we call the police?" Eun asked, taking the museum steps two at a time in order to keep pace with Lazarus Gray. Samantha lagged slightly behind, though she herself was moving far quicker than most men could manage.
"All that would do is put more innocent lives at risk," Gray replied. Eun started to point out that with all the corruption in the ranks of the Sovereign PD, there probably wouldn’t be all that many innocents involved. He held his tongue, however, and instead followed his employer into the cavernous entrance of the museum. They spotted the dead night watchmen immediately and after checking in the vain hope that he might still be alive, the three of them began to look about with caution.