Chapter 11

An uneventful (in terms of excitement) week had passed at modern day Karnak since the rescue of Princess Henuttawy. Progress at the dig moved along smoothly, both in the tunnels and at the Second Pylon.

One of the students Mia was supervising in deciphering the writings on the main hallway chanced upon a painting of the Second Pylon. It was a large battle scene with Ramses capturing scores of Hittite slaves. The drawing was an immense help in determining how the plaster shards they were collecting went together. Because every shard was photographed, numbered and input into a Cray CX1 computer, once they scanned in a line drawing of the painting it simplified finding how the shards fit together.

In the tunnels a steel mesh fence inset with a heavy gate was put in place near one end of the central corridor. The gate had a cypher lock and a Sargent and Greenleaf high security padlock. The other gate Rachael ordered was promised for a couple of days later.

The relationship between the four dreamers continued to grow stronger as their individual personalities found their place in the group. Rachael had the toughest time fitting in because she was so new to relationships or even friendships. Overprotective parents and her family’s wealth kept her isolated while she was growing up. The same factors plus her drive to succeed had the same effect in college. Until the dig at Karnak, Rachael was destined to end up like many heiresses: either lonely and unhappy, strung out on drugs; or trapped in a marriage of convenience orchestrated by her parents.

Watching Rachael emerge from her shell was fun for everyone. Especially when she found the sex she liked and turned into a major horndog. One minute she would be focused on some task and the next she’d be dragging Johnny off for a ‘private discussion’.

Rachael would start some pseudo argument with Johnny and say. “I think we should discuss this in private,”

She’d blush when she received a chorus of, “Perhaps we should.” But she still took Johnny’s hand and headed for whoever’s trailer was closest.

On one such occasion Rachael was sprawled across Johnny’s desk, her cargo shorts and panties tangled around her left Under Armor tennis shoe. Her tee shirt and bra were pushed up above her small breasts, and Johnny was behind her.

“Now, Johnny, now!” she yelled.

Johnny smacked her medium hard on the left cheek of her firm and compact butt.

“In a minute,” he said sternly, “but first we need to discuss what you are going to say to your father or boss when one of them hears you screaming for more.”

He was yanking her chain of course, but just the thought of it made Rachael’s fire hotter.

“You wouldn’t dare do me while they are here,” she moaned.

He gave her a swat on her other cheek.

“Oh no, Sweetness,” he said gruffly. “I’ll do you whenever and wherever I please! Comprende?”

On Tuesday morning of their fifth week at the site, Doctor Drake, head of the Archaeology Department of Boston University arrived at the small Luxor airport. With Drake was Khaled al-Anani, the Minister of Antiquities and Samuel Stone, Rachael’s father. Rachel met them at one of the private hangers as her father’s Gulfstream G-550 taxied up. Johnny and Mister Gamil were standing unobtrusively off to the side to act as porters. Mister Gamil was there because he was driving the nine passenger van Rachael had rented.

Hany Gamil drove the van to Karnak as Rachael sat in the back-seat briefing Doctor Drake and Minister al-Anani. Johnny sat in the front passenger seat chatting with Hany and Sam Stone who was sitting alone in the second row.

“How are things going here, Johnny?” asked Stone.

“Your daughter is an amazing young woman, Mister Stone. I think she’s made a hell of a discovery, here. You must be extremely proud,” Johnny replied.

Sam Stone smiled and leaned back in his seat. “Good to hear,” he said.

Drake and Minister al-Alani were impressed with how professionally Doctor Stone was conducting the dig and they were excited about the truly outstanding artwork that decorated the tunnels and only slightly disappointed that no possessions of the ancients had been found.

Doctor Stone briefed the men as they explored.

“The earliest reference to a pharaoh we have found was Mentuhotep II from the Middle Kingdom’s Twelfth Dynasty. We think priests from his reign started the tunnels and succeeding generations of priests kept expanding them, regardless the pharaoh. It could be the pharaohs never knew they existed, especially when the northern cities: Memphis, Tanis or Pi-Ramesses were the Capital.

“The Priests of Amun-Ra did not rewrite history when pharaohs or dynasties changed, so we have already found references to rarely mentioned pharaohs like Mentuhotep IV. As a source of scholarly study, this complex is a priceless historical library.”

On the first day Rachael showed the dignitaries the part of the underground temple that she proposed be open to the public.

“As I said, the first mention of Mentuhotep II begins right here. Then, as you move down the passageway, the lineage of rulers is documented. This version of the line of pharaohs differs from what we have been teaching but not by a lot.”

The men nodded showing her she had their interest, so she swept her arm down the corridor and continued.

“The list of the pharaohs and other rulers of Egypt continues through Cleopatra VII, the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty. So far, we have only discovered paintings and writing up to the 19^th Dynasty. That fact leads me to believe we have only found about a third of the tunnels and rooms. I believe there is at least one more level here and possibly two.”

On the second day Rachael took the men back down into the main corridor and, in front of the room in which Sulihotep was entombed, presented her plan for the dig.

“Here is what I propose. I think I should be allowed to stay and oversee the exploration of this complex. We can rotate students, and even send other professors; but this is my discovery, and my baby.

“The Ministry of Antiquities can open up the main tunnel to tourists and scholars and charge an admission fee to help preservation efforts here and at Luxor. I think in between these gates we have erected, is some of the most beautiful artwork ever discovered. I’m guessing a lot of people would pay to see it.”

Their visitors left two days later and, in the end, Rachael received everything for which she asked. Doctor Drake signed a new agreement with Minister al-Alani granting the University exclusive access to the site beyond the gates. In turn Drake put Rachael in charge of the site, and Sam Stone wrote another check to cover costs.

Despite his threats, Johnny did not grab Rachael and bend her over in front of her father and boss. He did, however, grab her butt a few times, just out of their view. Then that night he teased her about it as he drilled her to the mattress in his trailer. She bitched and moaned about it, but she came like a banshee.

The night after the three men left, Johnny and the women moved back to their underground rooms.

They were all thrilled with the idea that they would be staying at the dig for a while longer. Rachael proposed that Sulihotep influenced the men because they spent time in the tunnels. It was a startling admission from a University Professor, but it was a feeling shared by the four of them.

Being in their ancient room all together again made for a joyous occasion ... and they fell asleep happily sated ... and of course, they dreamed...

Kopi survived her ordeal at the Temple of Sobek with little memory of it. The drugs Tresumut used to make her compliant, also erased her memory of what happened. Getting the information second hand from her husband and wives did not disturb her. Hala’s influence helped Kopi’s ataraxia a great deal. It helped because Hala had experience dealing with the uninvited advances and abusive behavior of some Arab men.

Sulihotep gave Kopi a day to rest then he called her and her mates into his chambers.

“The Servant of Sobek confirmed that the Hêtshepsu paid to have Princess Henuttawy kidnapped. Now we must find a way to check on Queen Nefertari and the Princess’s siblings. I fear the minute it suits his plans they will disappear or die mysteriously,” said the Amunaten.

Sulihotep questioned Kopi about routes in and out of the palace and Alarec quizzed her about the status and habits of the palace guards when the Pharaoh wasn’t there. Alarec was also interested in any patrols outside the palace proper, but inside the eight-foot walls around the palace compound.

Kopi knew several ways to sneak into and out of the palace from when she was a child. What she didn’t know was the habits of the guards. She was ashamed to admit that she paid them little notice when she lived in the palace.

“They were just there, like furniture,” she said.

Gathering intel became their priority. That night Li Na was perched on a ladder set up in the darkest portion of Luxor outside the palace walls while Ruth and Kopi stood watch. Li Na was peeping over the wall and describing to Ruth what she saw.