"Think, Hanna. What could it be?" Emut's voice came from behind me as I sat cross-legged on the floor of Vault 38.
Demir had gone and found Emut shortly after we saw Vault 38 whilst I looked to the locker of 719. By the time I had found it, Emut and Demir had come bounding in.
I had thought that would be the hardest bit, but now looking down to the pin padlock on the small briefcase I had gotten from the locker, I let out a small groan in frustration.
"I don't know; it could be anything." I said honestly to which Demir tutted, leaning against the door.
"And, tell me again, why Emut can't just smash it open?" He asked poignantly and I glared at him, holding the case close.
"Because we're leaving everything as we found it. If it's found broken, they'll check whose name it's under and, inevitably, a search would go out for me. I don't want anyone I know panicking about me." I spoke, thinking of Sue and Marie, in particular.
Emut sighed at this before leaning down from his position near the lockers.
"I could break it just slightly, if that's what you want." He suggested and I let out a small sound of annoyance before jutting the box towards him.
He smiled at this before taking it from me and opening it with ease. The padlock by which the briefcase was closed was half off now, but the whole thing was still intact and I smiled thankfully that he controlled his ability for me.
"Thanks." I muttered before opening the briefcase slowly. The first thing that fell out was an old weathered letter and I frowned, picking it up. The writing on it was just a few sentences. It looked to be of an ancient language, one that I most definitely could not decipher. I felt the presence of warmth beside me.
"Here, let me." Emut murmured and I smiled at this, handing it over. He read over it slowly, translating the words as he did.
Hanna.
What could I possibly tell you? How do I invoke my wishes without fear of consequence.
What could I possibly tell you, oh cherished one? Perhaps that you're searching far too much? That in all that searching, you haven't spared the time for finding?
Alas, a pity to have eyes like mine- ones that read you like a book! What could I possibly tell you to aid your story?
I have very little to say, but much less to give. Save for this; this is my all. Wear it as you would your skin and remember:
The key of persistence opens all door closed by resistance
With love and caution,
Mother.
The room echoed with silence after as I processed her words. This was the first time that I even had some semblance of a conversation with Isis and I didn't even understand what was going on.
I let out a small sigh before reaching into the briefcase and grabbing at the item we had come for:
The pendant.
Indeed, it was just as Debra had described- a small gold and blue bird hung from a gold chain. I clenched it tightly as Emut silently passed the letter back. In fact, both were silent now as though they were allowing me my own time to process and I felt grateful for this.
It was only when I opened the briefcase fully that I breached the silence.
"Holy shit!"
***************
"Just stay quiet and leave it to me, okay?" I instructed Emut as we walked up to the Common Farm Motel, the yellow light of the sign flickering in the grey hues of 7am.
After having taken the briefcase, Emut had decided that I rest for a while before deciding our next step on how to get back. I was slightly reluctant, but my tiredness betrayed me and I had to relent when I yawned a few times.
"Got it." Emut reassured me and I followed after him, watching as he looked to the outside again.
"Tell me again, why is Demir stood outside?" He said in a quiet voice as he opened the door for me. I was hoping that it would be slightly warmer inside, but it was just as cold in the small reception as it was outside.
"Because someone needs to hold the weapons out of sight from people who think we're robbing them. That's why we also chose a motel and not a hotel." I explained in a whisper as we walked up to the desk where a scrawny woman was sat, wearing a checkered shirt and jean shorts.
I ignored the smell of antifreeze that emanated in the small room before plastering a smile. The clerk looked at us expectantly to which Emut cleared his throat, leaning his palms against her desk.
"We need a room." He said bluntly and the clerk smiled at him warmly and I rolled my eyes at his defiance of my instructions.
"Which kind? Double, twin or single?" She asked and I noticed how her eyes gravitated to his biceps briefly. He thought for a minute before speaking.
"Single." He answered, brushing his hair back to which the clerk raised an eyebrow.
"And single will accommodate the two of you?" She asked and I reddened at her words, turning to Emut who remained oblivious, a stern look on his face.
"It will if I wish it to." He said simply and I internally facepalmed as the clerk let out a small impressed giggle at his words. I interrupted then as Emut eyed her as though she had two heads.
"We'll have twin, please." I jutted into the conversation and the lady nodded at this, turning to the backboard and grabbing the key. She moved back to the desk and wrote down into her logbook as she spoke.
"Your room is No. 22 and the total is here. Are you paying with cash or card?" She asked and I handed her the cash quickly. Emut watched the exchange, a curious expression on his face at, perhaps, the odd customs.
The clerk smiled in thanks then before handing the key to Emut.
"Hope you have a lovely stay!" She let out, giving him a small wink to which he took the key and moved to the door, opening it for me. I thanked him as we walked out.
"Humans are odd." He said and I laughed at his words as we neared Demir who looked to us, weapons in hands.
"I'm not one for waiting." He mentioned as we walked to the small motel building opposite the reception and up the small stairs to the door labelled 22.
"Well, good on you for holding out." I muttered, opening the door.
I clicked the light on and surveyed the room. There were two beds near the wall on the right-hand side and a TV adjacent to it. There was also a small table with a number to call for a cleaner. Attached was a small cubicle of a bathroom. All in all, it was small but adequate and that was enough for us to rest.
"I'll take one bed, Emut the other and Hanna will take the toilet." Demir teased and I threw my backpack at him playfully which he swiftly ducked.
Emut caught it without even so much as a glance as he looked down at the letter.
"Try not strangle each other while we're together." He joked and I nodded at his words with a small stretch before gesturing to the bathroom.
"I'm just going to shower first before I rest." I let out, grimacing at how I smelt like wet rain. He nodded at this before turning to Demir and talking through something.
I turned and made my way into the bathroom, thanking god when it looked clean and there was a proper walk-in shower.
Locking the door, I turned the hot water on and removed my clothes, putting them against the hot radiator to dry. Stepping in, I sighed at the feel of the hot water against my freezing body and it felt so strange. For the last month, I had become so habituated to the feel of cold water making me feel refreshed and, yet, here it was different.
This was completely different to Aaru- to be sat in my bedroom with Ayla and Maya as we talked, or at the large dining hall with the others or even on the terrace looking at the view.
I sighed at the thought of Ayla. I had told her I'd be quick and, now, I've been away for a few hours. She must be worried.
That is, if the Bakenanouke didn't find them.
I shook the dark words out of my head; it was pointless to even dwell in such negative thoughts if I had no clue what was happening there. Instead, I focused on grabbing the motel-offered shampoo and lathering it into my hair. I massaged thoroughly, hoping it could ease the headache as I thought of what would happen if I couldn't get us back.
If we were to truly be stuck here. Would Demir and Emut blame me? Or, would they make do with it?
I laughed at the notion of both males even trying to fit into such a mundane life. They were far too indomitable for that. Me, on the other hand, I fit right in here. I could see how Earth life was so much more ingrained into me.
That didn't mean Earth was where I wanted to stay.
I grabbed the conditioner then before squeezing it into my hair. The thought of having chosen Aaru made me smile. For a long while now, I had an internal conflict of choosing between Aaru and Earth, but now coming back here, I felt I had the closure I needed. The ties could well and truly be severed without regrets.
I grabbed the body wash as I thought more so to the current issue- the letter given by Isis. She had been trying to relay a message, of which the pendant was a clue, but I couldn't think of what it meant. I thought back to the moments in the vault.
"Holy shit." I repeated, but this time as a mutter, watching as Demir and Emut neared, looking into the case.
"Is that..." Emut started, looking down in awe.
"Yeah." I answered, laughing slightly in disbelief.
"Why so much gold?" Demir asked, looking to us and I shrugged, looking to the gold bricks that shone brightly.
"Perhaps, this was her way of making sure you were well looked after." Emut guessed with a smile, his eyes shining from the reflection of the gold. I sighed at his words with a small smile.
"Too bad it didn't work."
I stepped out of the shower then, turning it off. The whole bathroom was foggy and I wrapped a towel around my body before grabbing at another to wipe at the mirror. When I could finally see my reflection, I dropped the towel and patted myself dry. My skin was considerably more golden than it was the last time I was in Staffordshire and I smiled as it complimented my brown eyes perfectly.
I grabbed the clothes of the radiator before pulling them over my form, reveling in the heat they held. They were fully dry now and I felt more comfortable as I walked out to the main room, rolling my eyes at Demir and Emut who were playfully combating, laughing jokingly amongst themselves.
One minute one was flipped over and then, the next minute, the other was and I let out a small groan before sitting myself on one of the beds and wrapping the blanket around my shivering form. They didn't even seem to notice me as they continued.
"Lovebirds." I muttered before grabbing the phone from the bedside table and calling a familiar takeout place I would call to grab food when I was too tired to cook for Richard who worked the night shift.
I regurgitated my typical order, feeling a wave of nostalgia from hearing the familiar voice of one of the most frequent employees I would talk to. I hung up shortly after before turning to Emut. At some point during the call, Demir had excused himself to have a shower.
"I've ordered food for us." I told him to which his eyes lit up slightly.
"I wonder how Earth food would taste." He wandered, sitting on the adjacent bed and I leaned back, my eyelids feeling heavy.
"Much less flavour than Aaru food." I said, half as a joke and half the truth. The food here was nothing compared to the food there.
He laughed at this, as he leaned back on his arms.
"Someone sounds like they've picked a favourite." He said, the double meaning of his words about Earth and Aaru making my head snap to him and I frowned slightly.
"Let's say I have picked one well and truly now? Is that bad?" I asked to which he smiled slightly.
"What would be so bad about picking?" He asked back just as quickly without even answering my question and I sighed, sitting up straighter; a wet strand of hair fell against my cheek as I did, making his eyes fall there.
"If I pick, it means I give the other up." I let out somberly and he turned his attention back to me, a matter-of-fact look on his face.
"You can't expect to have both. We're always made to make difficult choices. It's just a matter of making the one you feel is right." He told me and I smiled as I took in his words before looking to the briefcase.
"What does the bird stand for?" I asked curiously and Emut leaned back onto the headboard, his eyes on the briefcase.
"Isis is known as the bird goddess." He answered and I lay back against the cushion as he spoke again.
"She's known for her ability as a protector of the people; for healing the grief we suffer. When the world was bereft of humans, she was considered one of the few rulers amongst the Gods and was the one to suggest allowing humans a chance to better themselves to prevent their doom." He explained and I listened in awe to a woman that was supposedly a kin of mine.
"If the world was once their creation, where do they all dwell now?" I asked curiously and I looked to Emut who was gazing vacantly at the ceiling.
"Duat- the spirit world of magic and the Gods. Like Earth and Aaru, Duat sits parallel to the waking world like a vast ocean." He recalled and I felt my head heavy with all the new information. Emut leaned on his elbows as he looked to me, his eyes gleaming.
"No mortal has ever seen it, but it has been described in scriptures." He explained and I let out a small laugh in amazement.
"I can barely get my head around it." I commented to which Emut nodded. He opened his mouth to speak, but the sound of the knock against the door made him jump up as he grabbed his sword instinctively. He neared the door as I let out a small protest, but he paid no heed as he opened the door swiftly, baring his sword at our guest.
Save to say, I had left the delivery boy with a big tip.