The Anathema of Akhenaten (Book 3 of the "Patrick Malone Adventures" series)

Chapter Two

A month passed. Foster had simply dropped off the face of the earth it seemed. The police could not find him to arrest him for assault and his girlfriend Elizabeth Sanders, daughter of the wealthy socialite Al Bert Sanders, knew not where her beau was. Thus, life went on and the Royal Ontario Museum found itself host to the sarcophagus and meteoric iron dagger of Tutankhamun, as that was all the Egyptian Museum was willing to loan the Royal Ontario Museum.

With his wife, son and uncle, Patrick stared at the sarcophagus. Or rather he, his wife and uncle did, Patch's attention wasn't as much on the sarcophagus as one the floor.

"This is the first time I've ever seen any of the artifacts in person." Enrico said, his eyes wide with awe. "I'd be as giddy as a school boy but I have never been giddy, even when I was a school boy."

"How old were you when you read about the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, Enrico?" Julie asked, Patch tugging at her long, straight hair. It did not hurt that much but it was somewhat annoying and Julie was wishing she had put her hair in a ponytail as she usually did.

"Fourteen." Enrico answered. "Same age Patrick was when I gifted him a book on Egyptian history."

"I still have that book, Uncle Enrico." Patrick said. "In as good a condition today as the day you gave it to me."

"I find that book to be very informative." Julie commented. Patch was still tugging on her hair but it had lessened a bit, he was looking up at the lights. "I've managed to know quite a bit on Egyptology thanks to it, now I don't ask Patrick quite so much questions."

Patrick wrapped an arm around Julie and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He did not need to say anything, he just smiled and stared into his wife's eyes while Julie stared back with an absolutely loving expression upon her countenance. This was a perfect moment, a shame it had to end with Foster's return.

Foster it seemed had gone all Batman villain. How? He was wearing an Ancient Egyptian kilt called a "shendyt", the famous headdress called a "nemes" combined with a mask in the likeness of a statue, even including the fake beard of the pharaohs. This surprised no one as many people who had met Foster were betting that he would "go Batman villain." What did surprise Patrick, Julie and Enrico was that there were two other people with him.

One was a woman of thirty-two years. She was white with naturally auburn hair, light blue eyes and a voluptuous figure. She was wearing a simple sheath dress that had one strap and went down to the ankle and the upper edge to above the breast, a cape and a blue crown that told the three that she was supposed to be Nefertiti and thus she was Foster's girlfriend Elizabeth Sanders, meaning Foster was meant to be Akhenaten, who had been husband and paternal cousin to Nefertiti.

The other was a powerfully built man of fifty-two years and ambiguous ethnicity. He was bald with black eyes and was wearing only a shendyt. Who that was the three had no idea!

Walking towards the dagger, Foster picked it up and then looked at the four. "Well, well, well, isn't this magnificent? The four who conspired to get me unemployed here together." Enrico was about to speak only for Foster to raise a hand. "Silence! You four will bear witness to... Why tell you? I'll just show you." Turning to face the sarcophagus, Foster spoke in a language that left a blank expression on the faces of all others present. The eyes of the sarcophagus glowed and then the lid flung open. Inside, they could all see Waset, as Thebes as known to the Ancient Egyptians, a thriving city. With a chuckle, Foster said: "It works! Just as I knew it would! Aker-Am-heh, grab the girl and her infant! Professor Bulwer and Young Mr. Malone won't dare stop us from whatever they are imagining we might do when we have hostages!" 'Aker-Am-heh' was obviously the powerfully built man. When he did not nothing, an annoyed tone appeared in Foster's voice. "Aker-Am-heh..." Still the powerfully built man did nothing. Finally, Foster screamed: "Brooks!"