by Barry Reese
Sensing that his employer was slipping into a brooding state, Eun switched topics. "Where are we going, Chief?"
"To the area of the pier where the storage areas are housed."
"You think that’s where Morgan is?" Samantha asked, leaning forward so that her head appeared in-between Eun and Lazarus.
"I know it is. After the affair with The Devil’s Bible, I asked all of you to drink a mixture of my creation."
"I remember," Samantha said, recalling the icy pink concoction that tasted a bit like chalk mixed with toothpaste. Lazarus hadn’t explained his reasons for asking them to ingest the solution but that wasn’t uncommon. Lazarus usually played his cards close to the vest and his aides trusted him implicitly, though there were certainly times when his secretive nature ate away at them.
"There were certain radioactive isotopes in there that have attached themselves to the lining of your intestines. I’m able to track it with a specialized device of my own design."
"So you know where we are at all times?" Eun asked.
"For precautionary measures, yes."
Lazarus swung his vehicle to the right, steering them toward the docks. In addition to the honest men and women who made their living in Sovereign City’s harbor area, the place was also home to many unsavory types. These criminals ducked out of sight as Gray passed, recognizing one of the city’s few crusaders for justice.
The car came to a stop in front of a set of storage units set into the side of a small hill. It was mostly beneath the main harbor area and was swathed in darkness. Rats, both human and animal, scurried away into the shadows. The three members of Assistance Unlimited were out of the vehicle in a flash. Lazarus held a Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector II in his right hand. The revolver was chambered with .45 caliber rounds and was his weapon of choice. Samantha held a smaller handgun, one that she normally carried strapped to her garter. Eun carried no weapon, preferring to use his hands and feet. Around his neck, he wore the seven-pointed star pendant.
Gray held his gun in front of him, slowly approaching one of the storage units. The heavy door was open, revealing a little of the stone floor within. There was flickering light that could be seen and Gray knew that it was from a mounted torch. He had been in similar places before, in his old lifetime. Places where men in robes conducted dark rituals, usually involving the defiling of virginal female flesh.
The three of them moved cautiously inside. Samantha gasped, being the first to spot Lorraine’s bloodied body, still strapped to one of the two altars erected in the center of the room.
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.
Samantha Grace felt nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof. She’d hated to leave Morgan alone at the hospital but she also couldn’t stand the thought of missing out on the showdown with Femi. When all this was done, she was planning on mending fences with Morgan. Perhaps she’d ask him out to coffee, assuming she could make it clear that she didn’t think romance was – or should be – in the cards.
"We should have called ahead," Eun said. "We might have saved this man’s life."
Gray impassively looked at the younger man. "I’m convinced that such a thing would have only led to more deaths. We came as quickly as we could. We can debate this later."
Eun nodded, knowing his employer was right. Gray allowed his aides to question his decisions to a certain extent but ultimately he was the man behind Assistance Unlimited.
"Chief," Samantha whispered. "Look at that."
Gray spotted it immediately: the sign that led into the Egyptian exhibit. It seemed too perfect that a resurrected mummy would seek out the familiar in a museum. "Single file," Gray commanded. "I’ll be in the front, Samantha in the middle, Eun at the rear."
Down the corridor they crept, hearing voices up ahead. There was also a terrible stench that forced Samantha to pull a tissue from her pocket. She held it over her nose but it did little to help.
When they came round the corner, all three of them froze in place at the bizarre sight before them. Femi sat on her throne, looking like the Cheshire cat, with a grin that spread from ear to ear. The Undying cultists stood before her, talking softly to each other. The four mummies shuffled their feet, making hoarse groaning sounds in the back of their throats.
Femi spotted the newcomers and stood up, alerting The Undying in the process. Achmed clenched his hands into fists but remained silent, allowing Femi to determine how this should proceed.
"Who are you?" she demanded, using an imperious tone of voice.
Lazarus stepped forward, displaying no fear of the mummies who hovered nearby. "My name is Lazarus Gray and these are two of my assistants. Earlier this evening, you killed a woman who had hired us and left another of my aides near death. I’ve come seeking retribution."
"You address me as if you were an equal," Femi replied. "I do not like that."
"You might have been royalty at some point in the past," Gray countered. "But that was long ago. The world has changed."
"Then I shall change it back."
Gray took a deep breath before answering in the negative. "That won’t happen. Surrender now and I’ll see that your return to the grave will happen quickly and peacefully. Resist and I’ll send you to hell with a scream on your lips."
Samantha blinked. Gray didn’t usually use such strong language and very rarely did he go into a combat with death as his goal. She didn’t know if it was something related to the woman from his past or just simply a recognition of the danger posed by Femi, but it was obvious that he wasn’t playing around tonight.
Femi stared at Lazarus in evident disbelief. With a sneer, she raised her chin toward the four mummies who stood in the room, each of them smelling like an open grave. "My undead warriors… kill these intruders."
The mummies hissed, their bodies suddenly flooded by a devilish desire to murder. They shambled toward the three members of Assistance Unlimited while The Undying backed away, eager to watch the carnage. The first of the undead creatures reached Gray, who discharged three shells from his Hand Ejector II. The bullets ripped through the cloth and skin of the mummy but did nothing more than stagger it. It grabbed hold of Gray’s wrist and bent it cruelly to the side, squeezing so hard that he was forced to drop his gun.
Eun sprang forward, attempting to distract two of the monsters before they could gang up on Samantha. He kicked one of them in the chest and sent it toppling backward, where it finally smacked into the wall. He then drove a karate chop into another’s neck but the impact sent a shockwave of pain up his arm. Hitting the mummy felt like striking a sack of potatoes. The mummy shot out both hands and grabbed the young Korean around the neck, applying enough pressure that Eun quickly saw stars.
Having witnessed the futility of Gray’s attempts at shooting his opponent, Samantha quickly hiked up her skirt and placed her own pistol back in her garter. She then allowed the fourth and final mummy to lunge for her. She grabbed hold of its arm and twisted, tossing it over her shoulder in a classic jujitsu maneuver. The mummy landed with a thud on the floor and Samantha drew back before diving down with knee extended. Her knee struck the mummy in the face, crushing its nose. The mummy made a wheezing sound as Samantha stood up again and began kicking its head, finally reducing its dried skull to a pile of dust.
The pretty blonde whirled about and realized that her two male companions were not faring nearly as well. Both Gray and Eun were grappling with their enemies, which left one mummy free. This creature was now lumbering toward her with malice in its glowing eyes. Samantha glanced up to see Femi had taken her place on the throne again and was watching the battle with obvious bloodlust.
Samantha knew that her same judo flip would probably not work on a second mummy so she elected to take the offensive. Now that she knew that the creatures might have tough flesh and be resistant to pain but that their insides were quiet brittle, she pulled her gun back out and rushed toward her foe. She jumped into the air, wrapping her legs around the mummy and jamming the barrel of her gun right down its gullet. She unloaded four rounds into the beast, completely blowing out the back of its head. It staggered before toppling over and Samantha rolled out of the way before she could be trapped beneath it.
Eun was close to passing out and his attempts at breaking the mummy’s hold on his throat were growing feebler. He thought he saw the ghost of his father over the undead monster’s shoulder, smiling to him. In Korean, his father seemed to be saying, "Do not give up. We will see you eventually�
� but now is not your time to die."
Drawing strength from the vision, Eun raised his hands to the mummy’s face, digging his fingers into the toothless mouth. He focused all his strength on pulling the thing’s maw open wider, hoping that the brittleness of the creature’s bones would help him. The thing had dense flesh that felt like it was padded with some thick material but it was still an ancient thing and the bones had grown soft. Eun cried out as the mummy’s skull cracked and the top half of its head gave way, splitting along the seam of its mouth. The top half of the skull flew into the air, smashing against a nearby wall and falling to the floor in shards of dust and bone.
By this point, Achmed was growing concerned. He looked desperately at Femi but the Princess merely held up a hand, obviously telling him to be patient. She was studying Lazarus Gray closely, her pink tongue darting out to moisten her lips. Achmed felt a surge of jealousy and turned his attentions back to the battle. He had hoped to become a consort to Femi – after all, it was he who had restored her to life. But now he recognized the signs of physical interest she had in Gray. If necessary, he swore that he’d kill Lazarus himself to ensure that no one came between him and his princess.
Lazarus and his opponent were still locked in a tight grapple but the founder of Assistance Unlimited was slowly gaining an advantage. Despite the undead’s tremendous strength, Gray was possessed of an indomitable will that often allowed him to overpower seemingly superior foes. Lazarus gritted his teeth as he forced the mummy’s arms out from his body and with tremendous effort, Gray suddenly brought them up and then down, cracking them at the elbows. Bone and dust flew from the wounds and Gray took one of the ruined limbs and used it to beat the mummy about the head, driving it to the floor. He continued his assault until the mummy’s head was nothing more than powder.
