Last night there was a break in to the museum. And this time it was almost identical to the break ins we had been reading about in the cities that Nephmesu visited during his tour. The difference was that the museum didn't respond to it as a break in, nor did they report it. Just that a door had been found unlocked and we all heard about it as though someone had forgotten to lock something up before we left at night.
That's what triggered Hal and I's attention, though of course Hal was only learning about it when he visited for lunch. He and I were both thinking it, we didn't need to voice our thoughts. As he left he said simply "We're doing this." and I couldn't disagree.
He showed back up later before the museum closed, and since everyone still knew him there was no issue with him coming into the back and being chummy. Just before we'd start doing the closing announcements he mentioned needing to use the restroom and disappeared in that direction.
Later I would mention that he was already outside waiting for me as though he had passed through and the others just hadn't seen him. I counted down my till as fast as I could mentioning that Hal was waiting for me, so that it could appear that I was one of the first to leave. I ran back to my locker in a rush, but of course rather than grabbing my stuff and going I met up with Hal who was hiding. He had made friendly with one of the aids who had a key into the locked areas and using the skills Tim had taught him stole the key. In that way we were able to lock ourselves into one of the areas that should remain locked through the night and escape detection.
Hal informed me later that if they had changed the key code on the pad since he'd left, we'd have been screwed. I'm not happy with him about that.
We waited long enough for the guards to settle into a predictable routine and avoided the cameras by not going anywhere. Then we waited longer for any indication that something was up. Hal was sure that however anyone was avoiding detection, it would affect the guards and we'd notice it. That was what he was waiting for.
And he wasn't wrong. As night fell and the museum became truly dark, Hal suddenly started yawning hard and his head nodded forward. Quickly he grabbed a charm out of his pocket that he explained would protect us from the magical influence. He and I held it tightly between our hands for minutes while he continued to yawn, which of course caused me to yawn in response. With all that yawning I was starting to feel tired, and then Hal looked up at me and said it was over. He took the charm back and put it in his pocket and then we carefully made our way back to the door.
Back out in the hallway, we crept up the stairs watching for guards. Up on the second floor we finally found one, passed out on the floor with his flashlight laying next to him. Hal turned back to me and smiled and after that he stopped trying to be so sneaky confident that we wouldn't be discovered.
We stopped into the wildlife exhibits quickly to see if anything was happening there, but Hal was impatient about getting to the Egyptian mummies exhibit. There was nothing to find so we made a beeline to Nephmesu.
At first nothing looked out of order, and Hal's impatience began to show. He stationed me there to watch over Nephmesu while he explored the rest of the exhibit hoping to find something.
While Hal was gone though I watched as Nephmesu stepped into view. He wasn't resting in the sarcophagus as we expected, but rather he'd already been down the other hallway leading to his chamber and was returning. Hal had gone back the way we'd come otherwise he'd probably have run right into the ancient.
The other thing was that Nephmesu didn't appear like one would expect a mummy to appear. He wasn't wrapped up in his bandages, nor was his face or body gaunt. He looked fully alive, and was dressed in a nice modern suit. What gave him away is that he looked nearly identical to the renderings that scientists had generated to put a face on him for the public. He was much darker than expected, though not as dark as Sam. Also his face was younger, and he had a scar on his forehead that no one could have expected. Finally he was wearing all the jewelry that accompanied his mummified form.
There was also a sense of power that radiated from him. I'm not sure I can explain it properly. It's like the area around him was charged, like static electricity. But it's not like I felt if I were to try and touch something I'd be shocked. More like there was a potential there that anything could happen.
I watched him, peeking from around the corner behind which I hid, terrified that he'd discover me. But like Hal he was confident that he wouldn't be discovered. Instead he just paced, like he was waiting for something. Rather, he was waiting for some one. From the lobby came a noise that in the silence seemed loud, the click of one of our lobby doors as it opened, and then closed. I couldn't call out to Hal, but I had hoped he'd heard that and that he would be mindful enough of what it'd mean.
Nephmesu heard it too though, and fortunately for me the more direct rout to the lobby was down the other hallway. Nephmesu actually looked down to his clothing and smoothed it out, checking to make sure he looked presentable. It was almost a nervous action, and at the same time when he looked up he assumed a demeanor befitting a king.
We didn't have to wait long before someone joined us, approaching from the expected passage. This someone was also a male, his skin was lighter than Nephmesu's though still darker than mine. I couldn't quite make out his features, he never did look my direction. His hair was cloudy white as though he were as ancient as Nephmesu's actual age. His form was solid though, like he was still in his prime. Both men were skinny like Hal, but this newcomer moved in a way that made me think of Sam. He was also dressed well, but not regal like Nephmesu. It made me think back to how Nephmesu had straightened his clothes, and made me wonder why Nephmesu was nervous to meet him rather than the other way around.
Like Nephmesu though, he also brought with him a sense of power. But this was different, as though the air itself became more dense, as though there were something tangible about it. Again, I'm not sure my explanation does the feeling justice.
They greeted each other formally, the body language universal. But once the formality was over, they seemed to become more familiar to each other. I get the feeling that they knew each other at least somewhat well. They remained professional, but comfortable.
They did talk, but I couldn't understand the language. Hearing them I was reminded of clips we have used to show us how the ancient Egyptians might have sounded. I suspect that's what they were speaking.
They seemed to come to an agreement, and then they shook hands. That was when Hal tapped me on the shoulder. I bumped the wall as I spun around, bringing my hands up to my face terrified that I'd scream. It was later that I learned Hal didn't see anything, but in the moment I could only think that he was completely unconcerned with the meeting happening right in front of us between two people who could probably squash us like bugs. Hal apologized for startling me, and started to explain that he wasn't finding anything in a volume far too loud. Seeing the fear on my face though he stopped and asked "What?"
I turned to look back down the hall, but both men were gone. When I turned back to Hal he asked again what was wrong. I told him what I'd seen and Hal looked down the hall hoping to see what I was talking about. Of course by then there was nothing to see. When he turned back to me I noticed behind him a guard approaching with his gun drawn.
The police were called, we were handcuffed and dragged outside. I just about pissed myself. Hal kept whispering to me "Don't worry, don't say anything, and don't worry."
I kept my trap shut, I was more terrified of what I might say than anything. Hal remained infuriatingly calm in the face of all of it. It might have had a calming influence on me, but once the CEO arrived with head of HR all I could hope was that they wouldn't recognize me.
They talked to the police and security, glancing in our direction every so often. Before too long a lady arrived approaching those talking about us. Hal said, "She's here," as though that explained anything. She was tall, almost as tall as Hal at least. She was dressed professionally, and had dark full hair that reached down to her mid back. While they talked a security guard arrived carrying a box. There were some questions, the guard shook his head and put the box down before walking away.
It felt like an eternity passed while they discussed our fate. Eventually the box was passed to me, it was the contents of my locker. They approached me and asked what had happened, why we were there, what we'd seen. I didn't hear Hal's answers, I just stared into my box. Finally Hal touched my shoulder and guided me away. We followed the lady who had come late back to her car. Inside Hal introduced her as Brigida Sarto, his college.
We won't be charged, and The Order would make sure nothing shows up on our records. But I also don't have a job any more.
Hal spent the evening trying to reassure me. We went out to get a late dinner, but nothing could fill the hollow in my stomach. I told them what I'd seen, but Hal said he didn't see anything. Brigida was kind, said she was happy to finally meet me. She thanked me for my help and told me not to worry, The Order could offer me a job if I wanted. I told her I'd think about it and asked if I could go home.
I don't know what I'm going to do.
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