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Hall Place Conference Room, late afternoon, the next day:
An air of excitement filled the conference room. True to Sybil´s prognosis all equipment which Evie would need for analysing the chest and its content had been delivered and Evie and Sybil and Amanda had spent most of the morning getting everything ready.
“Before we begin” Chris turned to Sybil “Any luck with the smartphones of our new friends?” “Nope” the Tech Wizard shrugged “There are some algorrythms I haven´t come across ever before”
“But you will be able to crack them?” Anna pressed on
“I hope so, but it will need time”
The Russian huffed “Why can´t things be easy for a change?”
“Where would be the fun in that?” Kate teased her Friend good-naturedly.
“The encryption codes are first class” Sybil explained “I would like to meet whoever programmed them – there is something about them, but I can´t place my finger on it … yet” The Tech-Wizard added.
Anna nodded and turned to Hayley and Kirsty “Why didn´t you bring the two with you, we could have interrogated them here, which would save us some trouble”
“We thought about that” the Briton conceded “But it would have looked suspicious to stash two unconscious women in the trunk in open sight” “And” Hayley added “We reasoned bringing them here would have posed a risk: At some point we would have to get rid of them”
“It was your call” the Russian conceded grudgingly “Then we must take the long road”
In the Meantime:
Evie had put on a white lab coat and cotton gloves. In a first step the Egyptologist had scanned the chest and it content, she pointed at the scans, which had been projected on the wall with a beamer “There is indeed a scroll inside the container – if this is an ancient scroll, we cannot tell by the scans”
The others followed Evie´s explanations with rapt interest.
Kate noticed a change in the Egyptologists behaviour and manner. True, she acted like the professional she was, but she seemed to glow from the inside –and the investigator had a shrewd guess about the reason for that change, or more precisely who, she corrected herself, smiling at the thought – she glanced sideways at Sophie.
Yes, the lawyer was relaxed and happy. They had skyped from time to time so Kate knew Sophie was going through a transition. Professionally and personally: Sophie had quit her old job and for her personal life?
She had not talked much about it, but the lawyer had felt being left alone by her husband, after she had revealed to him, what her father in law had done to her. Though Sophie had not told her how long she had been the plaything of the old bastard, but from what Sophie had let on, it had been well over a year.
Kate had urged her to seek professional help. She knew how difficult that step was: After she had been shot by a sniper, she had refused any professional help at first, even lied to Castle – which had almost destroyed her relationship. To admit that she had been traumatized had been difficult.
Evie´s commanding voice interrupted Kate´s musings:
“Amanda, would you please assist me?” “Of course Doctor Callahan” her assistant replied, a good night´s sleep had obviously helped the young woman to deal with the horrors of the previous day. Together the two women lifted the chest out of its heavily padded container and the Egyptologist began a closer inspection with a magnifying lense:
“The artefact is made of highly polished dark wood, probably ebony” she stated “The craftsmanship suggests that this piece was made for Pharaoh´s court. It is perfect. It is only an assumption at this point, but all factors indicate, that this chest was manufactured in the late 4h dynasty, I will not bother you with the details” she smiled.
“Perfectly fine with me” Kirsty stated “You could tell me aliens manufactured that piece and I would believe you”
“I take that as a compliment”
The Egyptologist continued her visual inspection “On the lid we see a cartouche, inlaid with gold” Evie read the cartouche, hesitated and read it again “That is strange …” she added thoughtfully
“What is it?” Chris sensed that something was up
“Don´t get me wrong” Evie explained “but this cartouche belongs to no Pharaoh of the 4th dynasty we know”
“What is a cartouche?” It was Hayley who had posed the question
Evie looked at Amanda and nodded
“A cartouche is an oval with a line at one end tangent to the oval, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name” Amanda explained
“It is a fake?” The Dark Lady asked “a very clever one?”
“I didn´t say that ….” Evie countered “The chest is genuine that is for sure, but it´s the name which puzzles me” Then a thought seemed to cross her mind and her face lightened up
“You all know the Great Pyramid of Giza, right?”
The Great Pyramid of Giza
Nods all around “To common knowledge the central chamber had been plundered in antiquity, but there are Egyptologist that dispute that claim, are you with me so far?”
“Yes” Anna confirmed “ I have heard theories that the pyramids were built by slave labour.
“Yes and god created earth in seven days” the Egyptologist stated flatly
“But back on track”
“According to a small number of my colleagues, the real tomb of Khufu and its treasure has not been found yet. There is a mysterious gap between Khufu and Khafre, or more precisely between Djedefre and Khafre; the exact chronology is open to dispute. There are theories about an unknown Pharaoh between them.
The cartouche on the chest is from the 4th dynasty that is for sure. But the name belongs to no known Pharaoh. The chest alone would be a sensation, because it would prove the existence of a king, unknown so far”
“Sounds intriguing if you ask me” Anna stated “But the real catch would be the scroll right?” she asked Evie
“If the scroll dates to the 4th dynasty? That alone would be a sensation, because it would be the oldest complete papyrus discovered so far”
Anna looked at Kate. She knew that expression of concentrated thinking “What´s up Kate?”
“Something puzzles me” Kate explained “I still find it strange how we discovered the scroll it was almost by accident …”
The Dark Lady nodded “Me too”
“So how do we proceed?” Chris asked the Egyptologist “That is simple” Evie replied “We open the container and I wrap out the scroll and translate it, then we know more”
She looked at the others:
“Leave Amanda and me alone we are used to this kind of work – Sybil you stay please!”
They were dismissed as Chris discovered.
“She can be really bossy” Chris remarked to Kate a little perplex
“You mean more bossier than you?”
The detective teased her friend. Chris pouted.
They retreated to the library.
10 Minutes later:
“So where does that leave us?” Chris opened the Session “I think Kate is right, it is strange how we found the scroll and we have still no idea why Al Mansur was targeted – any thoughts?”
“If you ask me“ the thief spoke first “Al Mansur did not know about the scroll”
“This is why?” Anna challenged her
“And I thought only blondes were slow on the uptake” the Dark Lady grinned – adding loftily “present company excluded” after Chris and Hayley glared at her.
“If Al Mansur had known about the scroll he could have found himself an expert to translate the scroll, the guy had clearly the resources for that”
Anna nodded “Stands to reason”
“Obviously the Egyptian you encountered knows more than we do” Sophie stated “Or she wouldn´t be here” she paused “What is their mission? If we assume, the Egyptians or whoever she works for are behind Al Mansur´s kidnapping and the plundering of Al Mansur´s estate it is a safe bet, they did not know about the scroll, or they would have taken it with them – and if we take into account the attack on Amanda yesterday, their real target is ….”
“Evie Callahan” Kate finished the Sentence.
They fell silent, everybody thinking about the implications. There was silence for a moment around the table.
It was Hayley who broke the silence “Fact is, so far we know not very much. We must find out, what this scrolls content is. When I take what Evie said? It could be anything: The map to Khufu´s tomb and treasure or the blue print for a weapon of mass destruction”
“I hate to admit that” Chris nodded “But that pretty much sums it up: We need to find out more about Anck-Sun-Amun and Evie must crack the secrets of that scroll and we must protect Evie. There is no other way”
“This is what we will do …”
Hall Place Conference Room
Additionally to lab coat and gloves, both Egyptologists wore magnifying lenses. Sybil would record every step. Evie was excited. She had unwrapped and deciphered countless papyri in her career, but this was different:
If she was not mistaken, this was the opportunity of a lifetime this might be very well her Howard-Carter-Moment. An intact royal scroll from the 4th dynasty would be a sensation. Not many papyri from that period had survived the tides of time. Most were damaged or mere fragments.
The Egyptologist concentrated on the task at hand: “I remove the lid” she spoke into the voice recorder. Very carefully she lifted the lid. Inside the chest laid the leathern container.
“Inside the box is a scroll container made of brown leather” She examined the container with her hands. The leather was in perfect condition. Never had she seen such a perfectly preserved scroll-container.
It was ancient, but not from the 4th dynasty “The container is made from brown leather, probably calf-leather. It seems to be in perfect condition. Make and model suggest that it was made in the 18th Dynasty. The container is not sealed”
Amanda photographed the container from every angle, while Sybil recorded every step.
“I open the container” Evie announced, after she and Amanda had retrieved the container from the Chest “To her surprise the cap which closed the container could be removed effortlessly.
The Egyptologist took a deep breath her heart was beating up to her throat, as she took a pair of large tweezers and began to extract the scroll form the container, millimetre by millimetre. Sybil and Amanda held their breath: The first inches of the scroll could be seen now. To the human eye the scroll seemed to be in perfect condition. At last the complete scroll lay on the table.
The three women looked in awe at it “It is still sealed” Evie whispered “I see wonderful things” The Egyptologist examined the seal more closely: A piece of knotted string had been wound around the middle of the scroll and sealed with a seal made of wax, a royal seal.
“It is the same cartouche as on the lid of the chest” Amanda whispered in awe.
Sybil projected the seal on the wall so that they could examine it more closely “You know what that means Professor” her Assistant quizzed “Yes” Evie replied, her voice quivering slightly “This is the holy grail of scrolls from the 4th dynasty. An intact and sealed royal scroll, no other does exist – we will write history!”
The Egyptologist pulled herself together “Have we recorded and photographed everything?” “Yes we have mistress” Amanda and Sybil responded in perfect unison, both women giggled “I am not that bossy!” Evie sounded a little hurt, but in a good natured way.
“Amanda the scalpel, if you please?” “Of course Professor!” Very carefully Evie cut through the woven string under the seal.
“And now?” Sybil asked curiously, instead of Evie Amanda replied “Now we unwrap the scroll” And that Amanda and Evie did, with utmost care, not to damage the Scroll. After one hour of concentrated work, they had unravelled the scroll. It was nearly two Meters long.
Evie looked in awe at the beautifully made hieroglyphs “They look like written yesterday” She touched the scroll softly, like a lover would do. The scribe had used black and red ink. Between the scripture were drawings of sorts.
“The style of writing confirms that this papyrus” dates from the 4th dynasty the Egyptologist stated after carefully examining the scroll “Translating this, will take time”
“How long?” Sybil asked “At least one, but probably two days, even three …” Evie thoughtfully as something caught her Eye “Look at the end of the scroll!” Amanda nodded
“Looks like the scroll has been cut in two – and not recently, the assistant pointed at the cutting edge” “So the scroll was cut in antiquity?” Sybil queried “Probably” Evie concluded, examining the cuts “And that means another thing ….”
Sybil´s eyes got wide “There is another scroll – at least one”
“Correct” Evie nodded “But we are jumping ahead let us begin with the translation …. and Amanda, I have a special task for you!” “Yes Professor?” And Evie explained what she had in mind …. “Not a word to anyone” she told Amanda and Sybil, both women nodded “Not to Chris, not to Anna, not to anybody”
“Right …” Sybil hesitated
“It is for the best” Evie reassured the secretary
“I hope you know what you are doing” Sybil still seemed to not to be totally convinced
“Believe me, I do” the Egyptologist replied
“You better be” because Chris will kick your ass to hell and back again if you don´t” Sybil replied dryly.
Evie was not intimidated “This will be our failsafe and if we don´t need it the better. Tell my Sibyl, isn´t Chris a bit too controlling at times?”
Sybil´s cheeks turned red “That´s not the way I would put it, she simply likes to know what´s going on – she is the boss”
“Well, then it´s time she learns a lesson” Evie smiled “Look Sybil, I have the feeling you are loyal to Chris and I will do nothing to put you in a difficult situation. Just trust me I know what I am doing – as does Chris”
Sybil looked at her for a long moment “Right Evie, I trust you, but don´t tell me, I didn´t warn you”
“I won´t Sybil” the Egyptologist smiled at her. “Let us continue then”