The fine dust that had covered everything fell away in a dense shower as he picked them up for inspection. The weight seemed unfamiliar but his mind was on the treasure and satisfied his stuff was still there, he went to the wall and removed the heavy, artificial cover, exposing the dark tunnel beyond.

"So far, so good. I just hope that big bang didn't collapse any of the interior," he grunted, ducking through the door and shining his light up the passage.

"Doesn't look too bad," Stone said, peering over his shoulder and adding his light to the illumination.

They stepped carefully up the tunnel in single file until they reached the familiar junction and paused to check out the original exit.

"Lot of dust still floating about," Stone said, "but the tunnels seem intact."

"Quite a bit more on the floor too," Karl began, choking off his words as his light beam fell on a set of clear, fresh looking footprints. Nobody spoke. Three shafts of light jiggled their nervous puddles over the tracks in the dust. To a man, they swung the lights together toward the outer chamber, the trail of prints plainly visible for several yards.

"Do you suppose somebody found another way in?" Karl asked tentatively.

"I'm not sure I like this," Harry hesitated. "If you notice, the prints only go one way- out."

"He's right," Karl said, "whoever made them came out of the chamber and went up the exit tunnel . . ." He stopped speaking, his mouth working silently as he tried to assimilate what was obviously an impossible feat.

"Yeah? And then what?" Harry waved his light down the tunnel, trying to see further without actually proceeding.

"C'mon, let's get this over with and get the hell out of here," Stone pushed past Harry to the front, and set off for the chamber. Karl trailed the other two, flashing his light across the familiar carvings, pausing now and then to give particular images a second look. As he was about to enter the outer chamber, his flash caught what appeared to be, fresh marks on the wall.

Moving closer, he aimed the light at the spot and felt his heart begin to pound. The voices of the others floated back out of the chamber as he stood frozen on the spot. It was a drawing of two men, lying prone next to a vertical rectangle, beneath a series of pointed triangles. Karl knew immediately what it represented. Even more baffling, was the style and technique of the work. It was exactly the same a the original drawings in the site.

Had he not known that this was not here before, he wouldn't have been able to tell them apart. When Karl entered the room, a few minutes later, he found the others standing staring down the beam of light at the entrance to the inner chamber. The panel had disappeared back into the ground and the ominous trail of footprints marched backwards across the threshold.

"Where's Baeder?" Karl's shakily voiced question hung in the stifling air without direction.

Stone stepped slowly into the doorway, flashing his torch around the room. "Baeder's not the only one that's missing fellas." The three of them crowded into the entryway, filling the room with more light. Except for the sarcophagus, it was empty. No bodies. No skeletal remains that had held the treasure laden jewel boxes. Nothing. Just the dogged set of prints leading back to the stone crypt.

Karl sidestepped the tracks and made his way to the sarcophagus, playing his light over the shiny grey surface of the lid. A crimson stain came into focus as he peered closer, lowering his light to the surface. Stone and Harry watched without moving, as Karl moved his flashlight around, touching the marks with his fingers.

"Gentlemen," he said, in a falsely confident voice, "I think we've got mail." They moved to where the professor was standing, careful to avoid the footprints, and stared down at the meaningless scribbles.

"Mail? Whadda ya mean, mail?"

"Somebody has left a message here- recently." Karl placed his fingers on the red marks and began a halting translation, 'I, Arom Phat, betrayed by my ruler and,' something, something, 'sentenced to journey with him to the afterlife, declare,' something, 'an end to my eternal curse upon his deceitful line. With the reopening of the tomb of Hasramus, the gods,' can't make this out, 'have freed my soul and,' I can't make out this other part either, but the gist is, the author of the curse has declared a truce and has finally left this place to join his ancestors in the embrace of his gods."

"This is nuts!" Harry said, darting glances about the empty room.

Stone shone his light up to the ceiling and smiled grimly, even though his neck prickled. "Remember that crack we found. Where the breeze was coming from? Take a look." The beams flashed around the ceiling like searchlights from an old war newsreel. The crack was gone- along with the breeze.

Karl sighed and shook his head, "Remember Amin's story? The part about how the curse was on anyone coveting the treasure for personal gain? Remember he said it was for the people?"

"Yeah, something like that. So?" Stone dragged his eyes away from the writing. The map Massam had given him was burning a hole in his pocket.

"Well, just outside, in the tunnel, there's a new drawing depicting the death of the two policemen in the explosion."

Stone looked helplessly at Harry and back at Karl. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely. Remember the others I showed you? The ones that showed the priest, and the skeleton we found outside? Well I think this new one is the last of the series. So far, everyone we've heard about or known, that tried to get their hands on it, died." He gave the others a meaningful stare. "We're the only ones recovering it for the people of Egypt." With a wry smile, he placed his hands on the message, "You know what I think? I think our slave friend has accepted us as trustworthy guardians." Harry slapped his forehead and stalked away, muttering to himself.

"Karl," Stone pleaded doubtfully, "I think you've exceeded your medication. In the first place, three policemen died in the cave-in."

"Precisely."

Stone stared at the professor, waiting, his mind spinning. Suddenly his jaw dropped as the implication hit home. "Oh wow. I don't-let's just get the hell out of here and regroup."

With an amused look, Karl waved a dismissing hand and took a deep breath. "Help me with this lid. We might as well take a last look inside while we're here." Hesitantly, the three men leaned into the slab of limestone and grasped the sides of the lid, heaving it off to one side with a grunt. The gold coffin rested exactly as before, the gems glowing in the eye sockets. Nothing had been disturbed.

"Well there's no way in hell we're gonna get that thing outa here," Harry griped, "and where's the other stuff? We left it in the other room?"

"We might very well lose a good portion of the grant as well," Karl pointed out morosely. He had expected to find everything inside the sarcophagus. "I guess somebody will have to come back down with Rafiman to confirm what we've found.

I doubt the Ministry will take our word for it." Stone turned, indicating their departure with a sweep of his hand. Karl showed them both his discovery on the way out, calling out his theory at their retreating backs.

Melanie stomped around the rugged area in front of the opening, fuming at Stone as he patiently stowed Harry's gear in a neat pile. They had agonizingly hauled it out on the rope, and left him to explain to her why her father had stayed below alone, and why Harry and Rafiman were returning to the chamber.

"He's perfectly safe Mel, they'll all be back in a few minutes. Calm down and, and-"

"How do you know he's safe? Who made those footprints? What if-"

"Mel! For cryin' out loud would you just sit down and relax. I told you everything we found. The place is empty. The prints went up the other tunnel and didn't come back." He stood and held out his arms in supplication. She stopped pacing and turned to look at him; big blue eyes, sparkling with the dampness of restrained tears.

After a moment of hesitation, she stepped wearily into the circle of his arms and buried her face in his chest.

"That's better," he soothed, reaching down and tipping her chin upwards, "let the tension out." Stone felt himself being drawn into her childlike expression. Through the teary film, her eyes silently implored him for assurance and comfort. Stone tilted his head and gently placed his lips against hers. Gradually the pressure was returned and they stood in a teetering, hungry embrace.

"Ahem!" Rafiman crawled from the opening, straightening his tunic and studying the couple with mild surprise. "It would seem that at least some of us found treasure after all." Melanie stepped back, touching her mouth and blushing furiously. Stone grinned and did an 'Aw shucks' kick at the ground in front of him.

"It's going to take some fancy report writing to explain what we've found here today. I'm afraid this means another government, expense paid stay in Cairo while we settle this new turn of events." Rafiman gave Stone a wink and bowed politely to Melanie. Harry emerged behind the professor, dusting himself off and going straight to his pile of gear.

Melanie and her father embraced and began an animated discussion with Stone and the Sergeant. It wasn't until they realized that Harry was sitting stock still beside his haversacks, that they ended their talk, directing attention to his open gear. Poking out from under the flap of one pack was a strand of glittering jewels, their facetted surfaces capturing and reflecting the shimmering rays of the sun.

"What the-" Stone knelt down and pried open the pack. It was filled with the artifacts they had originally removed from the chamber. He moved Harry's wooden grip from the other bag and opened it wide. Same again. All the things they had been forced to remove by Baeder were stuffed into the two large packs.

"How in blazes—?"