Crystal Canyon and the Secret Caves part three

The General shrugged when he saw my face. “Don’t worry; the body is not of your friend Gilson. Yes, I know about him. He is in for a big surprise, but is not in danger. Uh, per se, he’s not in danger.”

I smiled stupidly and pretended I didn’t know what he was talking about.

“You found the ancient burial room we’ve been looking for. Thank-you.” He smiled as he looked at my dusty face. “Quite by accident I see. Come into my abode.” The General’s office where Eugene had just come from was loaded with shoe boxes stacked three feet high all around.

An artificial boulder had been moved aside and air was freely blowing in. The golden light pouring in invited me to make a run for it, but Eugene was already back. He dusted off his pants and hands, “I placed him under a boulder so it looks like he fell.” He stared at me like waiting for me to say something. “If anyone recognizes him, they’ll never find us anyway.”

Freidrich paced the floor with his hands behind his back. It reminded me of classic gestapo- movie stuff. “You’re absolutely certain that wasn’t the free agent who was supposed to deliver us a message right?”

“Now, what is a free agent?” Eugene asked. “Define that for me. He was removing coin and antiquities, and then putting them in his pocket. We would have returned to Egypt without our Geb money. Anyways, I think they have forgotten about us over there.” He smiled guiltily, “That is, they forgot us way back then.”

General Freidrich started a staring contest while nose to nose with Eugene. Eugene stared back and pushed a button that closed the “rock” door. “We need to go back!” Eugene insisted.

“You could have killed one of our own.”

“Unlikely, the man probably followed these two invaders in and is from the present time. Sir, I urge you. So many incompetent plans ruined our World War. This time we must not fail.”

“Patience Lieutenant, we are leaving. And we can’t go without our new good luck charm.” The General pulled me up to his side and smiled. “It just so happens I have some…additional clothing for our journey.”

The General vanished behind another rock and returned with a silky looking linen outfit in blue on crème batik. “I am a gentleman. Change into this in the room I just came from. It’s time for the harvest festivals. We have an event to attend. Eugene?”

Eugene looked scared and backed away from the rocky closet. “Right sir.”

“Do you have our metal key ready?”

“Yes, sir, it’s the one meant for the closest Port Key.”

“Good!” The General exaggerated in a loud voice.

While I was changing I looked out to see Eugene holding a rectangular piece of metal with indentations in it. It was much like the one I found in the coffin where Gilson was supposed to be. I placed the similar looking metal thing in my top garment and pulled on loose batik pajama pants. To me the style was ancient circus clown.

“Hurry,” the General barked. “The port key will remain open for only a few minutes and then it will have to rest for several hours. Gretchen you must come with me now.”

Eugene’s tough soldier approach morphed into that of a nervous mad scientist. “Sir this hasn’t been tried in over six months. It has not been recharged. The neutrino lasers may not respond. Time travel is very dangerous.”

“It doesn’t need to be recharged, Eugene, for heaven’s sakes. Speaking of cosmology.” The General cleared his throat and shoved the thin metal “key” into a metal casing. The casing was connected to a doubtfully small looking generator with ancient-looking wiring.

While in Las Vegas a few years before, I “rode” a flying carpet in a green room. It was convincing. I sent the filmed copy to my mother. This room reminded much of that room.

As bright lights vibrated around us, I heard the sound of a roaring train. My ears popped. Tingles like the feet of many ants scattered over my skin. Seconds later, we were standing in Upper Egypt looking to the north.

“Now that is more like it,” the General said. He opened up an umbrella for shade. “You see Eugene? We had nothing to worry about. Welcome to ancient Abydos. Home of Set, and, ahem, correct future prophesies.”