[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

rubble and stepped down into the shaft after Bradley.
Bradley was standing halfway down the stone steps that formed the
floor of the shaft. He was shining his flashlight here and there on the walls,
which were covered with colored pictures. The paint was faded and flaking,
but it was easy to make out lively scenes of people eating and paddling
boats and playing musical instruments some naked dancing girls in one
panel, complete with very can-did little black triangles where their legs
joined as well as other activities Jesse couldn t identify. Animals, too, cats
and baboons, crocodiles and hippos and snakes; and, in among the
pictures, lines of hieroglyphic writing.
There were also some extremely weird figures, human bodies with
bird or animal heads.  What are they, Jesse asked, pointing,  spirits?
 Gods, Bradley said.  Neterw, they were called. The one with the
jackal head, for example, is Anubis, god of burials and the dead.
 This one s got a boner.
 Oh, yes. Ithyphallic figures weren t unusual. Bradley headed down
the steps, swinging his flashlight.  But we can look at the art later. Let s see
what we ve got down here.
The shaft leveled off into a narrow passageway. The walls here were
covered with murals too, but Bradley barely spared them a glance as he
strode down the corri-dor.  Ah, he said as the hall suddenly opened into a
larger and very dark space.  Now this is oh, my God.
Behind him, Jesse couldn t see at first what Bradley was ohing his
God about. He looked over Bradley s shoulder into a low-ceilinged
chamber, about the size of a cheap motel room. The flashlight beam
showed more paintings on the walls and ceiling. It also showed a stack of
wooden boxes against the back wall.
Bradley crossed the room fast and began yanking at one of the
boxes. The lid came off and thudded to the stone floor.  Shit! Bradley
cried, shining his light into the box. He reached in and hauled out what
Jesse instantly recognized as an AK-47 assault rifle. Kalashnikov s
products tend to make an indelible impression on anyone who has ever
been shot at with them.
Bradley leaned the rifle against the wall and opened another box. This
time it was a grenade he held up.  Bas-tards, he said, almost in a whisper.
Another corridor led off to the rear. Bradley charged down it, cursing
to himself, and Jesse hurried after him, disinclined to wait alone in the dark.
The corridor was a short one, ending in another room about the size of the
first. It contained an even bigger stack of boxes and crates, piled to the
ceiling. Some wore red DANGER EXPLOSIVES markings in Arabic and
English. There were also a number of plastic jerricans full of gasoline. No
wonder they went outside to do their smoking, Jesse thought. What the hell
was this all about?
Bradley ripped off the top of a cardboard box.  Great, he said sourly,
and pulled out a small oblong packet.  U.S. Army field rations. Good old
Meals, Ready to Eat. Possibly the most lethal item down here. Wonder
where they got them?
He flashed the light around the room. This chamber was fancier than
the other one. Somebody had even painted fake columns along the walls.
 Bastards, he said again.  A priceless treasure of art and knowledge,
and they used it for a God-damned terror-ist supply dump.
 What do you suppose they did with the mummy? Jesse asked,
thinking about those stories about the mum-my s curse. And that snake-bit
guy lying outside.
 Oh, that was probably disposed of centuries ago, along with any
portable valuables. Tomb robbing is a very an-cient tradition in this country.
Bradley made a disgusted sound in his throat.  Here. He tossed the MRE
packet to Jesse and fished out another.  We better do lunch. We ve got a
burial detail waiting for us, and I don t think we ll have much appetite
afterwards.
* * * *
They buried the dead man in a shallow grave, using a couple of shovels
that they found in the outer chamber of the tomb, piling rocks on top.  Rest
in peace, Bradley said.  You poor evil little son of a bitch. He wiped his
forehead with his hand. The heat was incredible.  Let s get out of this sun,
he said.  Back to the tomb.
Back in the outer chamber, he tossed his shovel into a comer and sat
down on a crate. He took off his cap and hoisted the water bottle and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]