Chapter 11:

At sunrise the boat reached the port of Abu Simbel. A warm breeze greeted the group when they left the boat and travelled direction small temple. They were covered by an uncanny silence. Normally, at this time of the day there were several tourists and guides who would explore the ancient buildings, errected by the pharaos of the past.

„What a curious atmosphere, right?" Howard asked, he experienced an uneasy feeling and he felt the need to look over his shoulder after every step he made. The group moved closer and closer together.

„Where are the tourists?" Penny wondered.

„Maybe today is a public holiday" she searched for a logical explanation in order to calm herself down.
„No, it's a normal Thursday. People should be at work, the attractions this city offers should be accessible and they didn't announce a sandstorm" Amy replied. After the peak of the party yesterday she had locked herself up in the chamber and had tried to distract herself from the unsuccessful attempt to approach the linguist by reading the newspaper and compiling information that would simplify their journey.

„Let's see if we can enter the small temple" Leonard suggested. He felt like this wasn't the best idea but he didn't dare to show his friends his fear and discontent. Something wasn't right, he knew that for sure.

They skated over the big temple and set out for the one of Nefertari. Even though it was considered to be smaller in size and splendour the temple made a dignified impression and the group gathered around it for a moment to let the construction work its magic.
„Shall we?" Raj asked and painstakingly tried to climb the steps of the temple. He got help from Howard who was overwhelmed by his feelings. He couldn't belive that he was about to gain access to a building site, manufactured thousands of years ago.

They discovered the six columns and the sides Sheldon had mentioned earlier on.
„We need to walk straight ahead. That's were we will find the small niche on the right side of the back wall. Should we split up or should we remain toghether?" Raj wanted to know but got immediately quiet when they heard whispering coming from an adjoining room of the building.

„Did you hear that?" Penny asked, she unconsciously grabbed Leonard's hand and moved back to the entrance.
„We might have disturbed the peace of the sacred monarchs" Bernadette murmured but Sheldon shook his head.
„This reminds of the scene from „The Mummy". Rick, Eve and her brother climbed down to the preparation room where the dead bodies got mummified, Eve called it Sonettia. Suddenly they heard gentle voices coming from the underground passages and..." he got interrupted, „and it turned out that the voices belonged to the American excavators" Leonard finished the sentence.

„There is nothing myterious to expect in this temple, I'm sure we'll find a rationale for it" Sheldon asserted.
The whispers became louder and more agitated that the linguist was forced to rethink his assumption.

„Let's find out where the noises come from" Howard followed the sounds to the adjoining room on the right side.

As soon as the group had entered the chamber they spotted five men, covered in black coats and an elderly gentleman with a red hat on his head. He was holding a small golden object in his hands and viewed it from all angles. Amy recognized the person who was behind this red headgear. She blanched.

„Mr. El-Kebir? What are you doing here?" The man turned around and smiled at her maliciously.

„Ah, Miss Amarna, that's how we meet again. Did you have a pleasant journey? I would like to thank you and your group of American scientists who finally brought us to our long-desired treasure. We wouldn't have been able to find it if it wasn't for your brain and your combination ability. Now, we're one step away from fulfilling our evil plan. Medjais, take Amarna and her friend that resembles a huge praying mantis and bring them to our arranged place."

Before Leonard or one of the linguist's friends could intervene, the Medjais had already thrown Sheldon and Amy to the ground and started to bound and gag them. They pulled them out of the adjoining room. Howard and Bernadette pursued them, tried to grasp Sheldon's legs but the Medjais were stronger and armed, they took out sabres and attempted to wound the mathematician who stuck to his guns. The hooded figures towed the captivated into the sanctum and sealed the door behind them.

Leonard adressed Mr. El-Kebir. „What are they going to do to our friends?" he wanted to know, red from anger. Mr. El-Kebir didn't answer, packed Bastets Box and followed his subordinates. By using a crank handle a mechanism opened up and obstructed the passage for the scientists. A giant grid moved down from a small seam in the ceiling.
Mr. El-Kebir turned around. „If they are not willing to help us, they will suffer from a tragic destiny" he accessed the sanctum and with the noise of a muffled thud the door closed a second time.

There was a tense atmosphere in the sanctum. Amy was lying on the groundfloor. One of the Medjais pressed a foot against her back. She writhed with pain and breathed heavily. Sheldon could only watch but didn't have the chance to do anything. Mr. El-Kebir approached the linguist and hold the box under Sheldon's nose.

„Read the inscription" he commanded. „Don't dare to refuse this order or it was the last time you saw your friends and Amarna alive" he bitingly said. Sheldon turned away from the golden object. He couldn't take the liberty and risk an invasion of cat legions channelling a way through Egypt but on the other hand he didn't want his friends and especially Amy to get hurt.
„I said, read the inscription" Mr. El-Kebir insisted. He grabbed Sheldon by the collar and forced him to read the words on the box out loud. At the same time the linguist heard a stricken cry from Amy. The Medjai had kicked her in the side causing her to roll down a few steps. Sheldon had seen enough, he had to interact, put all his courage together and started to decipher the hieroglyphs on the edge of the small golden object in front of his eyes:
„Jw ns.t n=j, wd ntr pn (r )d(j)=f n=sn miu"
„No" Amy shouted, but it was too late. The floor began to tremble and parts of the plaster detatched from the ceiling. A niche formed in the marbled soil. A black fog escaped from the hole, built up to a enormous cloud and forced its way through the Medjais. They all sunk on the ground, woozy and disoriented. Mr. El-Kebir guffawed and circled around almost as if he tried to wrap himself into the dark fog.
„Finally, after so many years" he yelled, let the box fall and followed the fog outside.

Leonard and the rest of the scientists had found an exit and became witness of the mysterious cloud growing unceasingly.
„He read the inscription" Bernadette put her hands in front of her mouth.
„He didn't have a chance, he was forced to" Howard tried to protect Sheldon, he had done something really stupid and no one was aware of how the cats legion could be stopped.

The Medjais followed tha dark fog outside. They observed the fog turning into hundreds of black cats, each one armed with spears and shields. They struck out to the nearby villages and soon after it the Medjais heard death wails and cries of pain. Mr. El-Kebir was wearing a big smile on his face. „Now that the cats legion awakened it is time to bring them under my command" he triumphantly said. „No one can hinder me. Make sure that the last thing our dear friends will see are the walls of the sanctum" with a flick of his wrist he ordered his subordinates to carry out his plan.