Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2021 20:50:00 -0500
From: Richard McQueen <mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com>
Subject: Blueblood, Chapter 31 Another Exodus

Story: Blueblood

Chapter 31 Another Exodus

Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)

Adult Readers, Sexual Situations, Sex

Freedom of expression is precious. To do that Nifty needs help. Your
donation is greatly desired. Give to http://donate.nifty.org/ or this story
ends and all the others! That would be a crime!

Another Exodus

Now we risked usage but kept it at key times, but Mark was poised in front
of a computer often watching this group move. Amasis was just...fascinated
by the computer.

"This..." he pointed at the screen, "...isn't magic?" He asked with a sound
that it was incredible and had to be magic. "There is a magic window
here. You see them, but they can't see you. They are so far away! How can
you do this?"

I nodded. "It is magic." I smiled at Amasis. "It's the magic of science." I
put an arm around his shoulder. "And I'll be happy to explain, and I will,
but it's sort of involved and we don't have time. So, yes, it's magic." I
nodded.

Amasis nodded. "Just tell me, how can we see so far away?" He wanted to
know.

I thought a minute how to explain simply. "There's a magic eye in the sky
that can see them. We see them through that." I watched as he was very
uncertain. "It's not hard to understand, but there are some foundations you
need to understand. You'll get it. You're a smart man."

Amasis gave a shrug and nod. "I have a lot to learn."

I smiled. "And you have friends that will help you," I assured. "We won't
leave you, Amasis."

He looked at me and now, I saw the emotion in his eyes. "For the first time
in all the seasonal cycles, I believe you will be with me." He said as he
hugged me. "You are my friends. You and Colin and all the others. You are
my friends."

I nodded. "We are. In fact, I feel we're family."

Amasis smiled at that and nodded. "Not brothers."

"Not brothers?" I frowned.

He shook his head as I saw a twinkle in his eyes. "I love you and Colin."
He explained. "I don't remember a lot about my past and family, but I had a
brother." He said smiling. "I do remember not liking him at all."

My eyes widened. "Why?"

"He was less intelligent than..."

He said a word and I heard a beep when the translator didn't know a
word. Usually, I just thought about the word in context, but...I tapped the
translator. "I didn't get that."

He grinned. "It looks like a small horse. It is about this high..." he held
his hand up about midway on his body.

I looked surprised at him. "I think you just called your brother an ass."

Amasis shrugged. "If you say so."

I grinned at him. "You know enough English! I bet you knew exactly what you
were saying!" I shook my head. "No matter the language, there is always a
word for people that are an ass."

Then he said in accented, but clearly English. "You prove?" He challenged
and hurried down the corridor as he laughed. "He was ass!!" Again, in
accented, but clearly in English.


Stan also monitored the Internet to see if he could find out what was
happening outside just ten to fifteen miles away. We didn't dare start up
Buddy here. The power drain and the signals we sent to the satellite would
be too high and tell them exactly where we were.

The next sunrise came. George, Burke, Colin, and I stood with Amasis on the
hilltop above Amasis' City. He had not ventured outside at all in over two
thousand years! Not even at night. So, we took him out an hour before the
sun would rise. Amasis was shaking as he was both excited and scared.

"You know I am just like you," I reassured Amasis. "So are Colin, Burke,
and George...all the ones you know are vampires. You feel it. We're
fine. It will tingle for the first few times, but it won't hurt you."

Amasis was beyond words at this point and just nodded. He reached out
suddenly and grabbed my hand and in a whisper almost, he said. "I never
dared to be out here."

"We'll be right here with you," I said again. "If there's a problem, we'll
get you back in. The tunnel entrance is right there." I pointed on the
hill.

He again didn't say much but nodded, but his eyes widened with terror as
the sky lightened.

The desert was in many ways beautiful with its own charms. Looking east, we
felt the chill of air was changing to the desert heat as the sun was about
to break the horizon. I knew Amasis was feeling it, but I looked as the
first rays of the sun broke that rocky horizon and the first sunrise for
him began. Just as with other vampires, as he began to cry. He grabbed
Colin's hand with his other. I knew he was feeling the tingle. He let go of
mine a few seconds to rub his hand over his arm and body. He took my hand
again. "Khepri." He said reverently. "I thought I'd never see this again."

Colin frowned whispering to Amasis. "I thought he was Ra."

Amasis chuckled and rubbed his and my hand over his face nodding. He held
our hands too tight to let go. "He is...Ra-Atum-Khepri is his full
name. Khepri is the name of the rising sun. Atum for the setting sun." He
said as more of the sun rose higher. He shook his head. "I wish Nabia had
stayed to see this."

Colin nodded. "I wish she had, too." He let Amasis' hand go and wrapped his
arm around Amasis' shoulders. "I'm so glad we can at least touch you now. I
can't do that with any other god."

Amasis chuckled hearing it again. "We're all the same, so why not?" He
smiled. "I like being touched..." he looked from Colin to me. "...by
friends."

"I'm a big toucher, so get used to it," I said with a smile.

 The sun was rising more and I could see the tingling was becoming
more...annoying to Amasis. I said we should go back in.

"There will be many sun rises for you in the future." I chuckled. "You'll
see a lot of Atum and Khepri. I promise you."


There was another giving Amasis a meal which he devoured quickly and was
reaching for more. He smiled at Colin and me. "I have never..." he said
chewing, "...or at least I don't remember eating something this good!"

I chuckled. "There's a whole world of tastes and flavors."

Amasis shook his head. "I look forward to tasting it all!"


I went into the chamber where Stan was again hunched over a computer. Mark
was standing behind him looking over his shoulder at the screen as Stan
went through various emails. Stan was shaking his head. "There is nothing,"
Stan said sadly. "If there is anything, it's encrypted, but there's nothing
to find! Buddy is finding nothing to try to sift through."

"There may be nothing," Colin said sadly.

Mark shook his head. "Not that I can figure." He said sourly. "I'll bet my
next paycheck those guys are connected with a nonpolitical group, but what
group. I can't say." He turned to me. "The group feels less about a certain
country."

"Militia for hire?" I asked.

Mark nodded. "Most assuredly." He looked at the images they got from all
the members of this group.

I shook my head. "With no ideology or government backing, they are more
dangerous."

Mark nodded again. "They're following a paycheck for a job to do. Laws and
ethics are not going to be followed to get that job done."

Stan let out another grunt and slammed his fists down on the desk. "This is
so...frustrating!" He waved again at the computer. "Buddy can probably do
it, but the speed for these laptops is limited. The file transfer and
connection can work, but I would rather be in New York or England, using
Buddy directly." He waved at an image. "I have the face of one of
them. Using facial recognition, I might be able to find out who they
are. This is too slow!"

Mark grinned and started squeezing Stan's shoulders in a message. "Easy
there, Lightning Man. It's gonna be fine." Mark looked at me again. "With
no government backing and no political agendas, we don't know how deep the
pockets of the people backing them are. They could be well equipped, even
better than we are." He grinned. "Not that Holms Laboratories is skimping
on anything, but..."

"They could be well armed." I nodded. "And we're not."

"Against vampires, we are." Mark waved at the screen again, "Against them
and guns...no." He grinned at me. "They could have better computers."

Stan lifted his head quickly as his eyes flew wide. "What!? No way! Buddy
is the best! There is no system that can break in through his firewalls and
encrypted files." Stan looked at the screen again. "I'll get this guy's
identity using the FBI and Interpol databases and whatever...he has to have
a record." He began typing again. "I'll find him!"

Mark nodded at me and winked at me. "I know you can, baby." He said giving
Stan a quick squeeze on the shoulder for encouragement.

I chuckled at Mark and patted his arm. Leaning in so only he could
hear. "Good motivating."

Mark shrugged. "It's a gift."


Colin and I met with Willie and Alex. They had military backgrounds as we
told them what was happening and understood the danger. Amasis and Amir
were also there. Amir had a working knowledge of English, more than Amasis,
but to make sure we were understood, we had Amir fitted with an earpiece
and translator to convert English to his language and he told Amasis what
was said.

Willie groaned as he and Alex went over what actions they should take. "The
problem is the people of Amasis' City. It isn't that they aren't willing to
lay down their lives; they are going against men with guns...machine guns
and bombs! They live outside, yes, but they are swords, spears, and brute
force! We don't have weapons for this!"

Colin grunted understanding, but Amasis held up a finger. He began in
broken English. "You don't." He said slowly. "I may." Then he began in his
own language. "We have raided many groups...warriors and others. A treasure
was not our only plunder." His eyebrows waggled and he motioned for us to
follow him.

We followed him a good way through the tunnels until at last, we came to a
chamber we would never have found without him.

"These were taken over the years," Amasis said waving at the many boxes and
containers. "I wasn't sure what they were, but I kept them. Fearing they
could be dangerous, I kept them away from the people."

Now Alex and Willie were looking at guns and a lot of munitions. The labels
were written in several languages. Some were old and I thought they were
from World War II. There were other crates and boxes that were newer from
more recent conflicts.

"There is a good supply of guns," Willie said. "They need to be cleaned."
He said picking up a gun I was sure was a rapid-fire machine gun.

Colin opened a crate and stepped back instantly in fear. "Devon, look at
this!"

I walked over to the crate. This was clearly marked. "This is C4! This is a
powerful explosive!"

Colin nodded. "This amount of explosives could level the whole mountain!"
He smiled at my surprised expression. "I've seen my share of movies. I know
what Hollywood says can happen." He looked at Willie. "Can we use this?"

Willie and Alex looked at several similar crate which was packed with quite
a number of the explosives. "I don't know how to use this," Alex said and
Willie shook his head.

I smiled. "I bet Chuck, Mark, and Shelly know how." I shook Amasis'
shoulder. "And I bet Stan could help create the detonators."

Amasis' eyes became confused. "I do not know...detonator."

I chuckled. "A big boom!" I said using my hands to show the blasting. "We
can make it a big boom!"

Amasis was nodded, but it was still not clearly understood. He may not have
known "boom."

Colin smiled. "We can put some at the tunnel entrances and blow the whole
tunnel." He looked at me and frowned. "I know you want to save these
people. I know you don't want to destroy this city, but..."

"Yes." I agreed reluctantly. "But we need to tell Amasis. He must
understand and know what the consequences are."

Colin looked at Amasis who was trying to understand what we were saying. "I
guess you need to tell him. He'll listen to you." Colin put his hand on my
shoulder. "We're not blowing up the city, just the entrances to it. It will
protect it closing access to it. We know where it is now."

"You don't think," I said. "This could cause the whole mountain to come
down?"

Colin nodded. "It could, but it would be protected if we block the
entrances."

"We're really going to do this?" I asked no one in particular.

Colin didn't like saying it, but... "I don't see another choice. Those men
will find their way down here. Everything will be lost when they do. Alex,
Willie, Mark, Chuck and Shelly will set up the C4."

I looked at Amasis. "We need to talk," I said and led him back out of the
storage chamber to catch him up with all of it. Gunpowder, explosives and
what we hoped to do and he needed to understand and approved of in a few
days.


I explained about the explosions and gun powder and touched lightly on
ballistics and the destruction that the C4 could wield. Amasis listened but
was having a hard time accepting the scale of destruction.

"You're talking about the power of a god!" He said as he stood and began
thinking and working it out in his mind.

"Yes, I suppose I am." I stood up and looked at Amasis. "They are just
tools. They can do good things, too: make big rocks into smaller
rocks. Unclog a river or...the can make tunnels made of rock collapse."

He looked around the chamber we were in and I knew he was thinking of the
surrounding city. "We will get the people out first?"

I nodded. "Absolutely. We don't want to hurt anyone. You know that." I
touched Amasis gently. "You will be with us." I sighed. "There will be more
you will see that you won't understand, but Colin, me and the others will
be there to help. I swear." I smiled. "You're almost done with the
serum. George will be able to make something that can slip under your
skin. The pain will go away and you can be outside all day."

Amasis nodded as he smiled at that. "It's worth losing this to be able to
do that."


The trick with satellite images, you had to move a satellite to where you
want to see. That was a major production, we didn't try that. We used a
satellite in a rotating orbit and we only got images so often, but often
enough to keep tabs on where this militia was. Suddenly we heard Stan let
out a shout of victory.

"I got him!" Stan said coming over quickly carrying the laptop. "I got him!
He's Yuri Smirnov," he looked up, "he was named after vodka? Or that vodka
was named after his family?" He shook his head. "He's thirty-six and
boy..." he chuckled, "this guy was not a nice person."

Colin nodded. "Did you expect him to be?"

Stan just let that go. "He's Russian by his daddy, but Ukrainian by his
mommy. He was born and raised in Kiev. Educated in Moscow and joined the
military there. He's freelanced since he left the service." He shook his
head reading. "He was questioned about some...activities that were
basically war crimes." He hit a button and showed us the screen. He
smiled. "This Delkenzie program worked well with the Russian language. It
read through that pretty easy."

Colin chuckled. "Well, Mitch did say that Russian was a bitch for him. It
was one of the first languages the program learned to read and translate
for him." He looked at me. "Something about their alphabet drove him
crazy."

Stan nodded. "Well, this guy is definitely is a gun for hire. I'm doing a
search now to find out more."


We gathered again in the dining chamber. The thing was, now, Amasis was
dining with us. On food! He was proving to have nearly as good an appetite
as Colin!

Willie chuckled as Amasis was enjoying his dinner. "George, I think you
created a monster."

George grinned as he looked over at Amasis. "Let the man enjoy his
meal. It's been a long time since he's eaten!"

"When are you inserting the disc?" Colin asked smiling at Amasis.

"Tonight," George said looking at Amasis. "Amasis, the pain will stop from
now on."

"As long as you stay on the serum," I stressed to Amasis.

Amasis nodded. "The pain the last two days wasn't long. I'm just..." he
waved at what he was eating, "...not believing how good this is!" He looked
up at us. "I think you need to move those chariots from the above tunnel
entrance. You should take it to one of the villages. Not Amir's village,
but one of the others. We'll hide them there." He took a deep
breath. "And...I need to tell the people what's going to happen. I want to
be sure everyone is out of here before you do...that big boom."

Colin nodded and looked at the others of our team. "That means, you all
pack and be ready to leave."

"We'll be ready." Mark nodded.


George created the disc using Amasis' blood and inserted it under his skin
on the back of his arm. Colin and I were there as this last step was done.

Amasis sat up looking at the site where George had inserted the serum
disc. "That didn't hurt at all." He touched his own arm. "I still don't
have any feeling yet in my arm." He smiled at George. "You are a good
doctor."

George smiled and bowed slightly. "Thank you."

Amasis now had a dark covering of hair seen without his headdress and that
was growing and it was getting soft now. He rubbed his own head. "Well, I
guess I need to address the people soon." He said to Colin and me.

I nodded. "And we need to find you some clothes."

Amasis looked down at his kilt. "Why?" His hand went to his headdress.

Colin chuckled. "People don't wear that too much out there. I'm sure
between all the other men, we can find you something."

Amasis nodded and then shrugged.


Stan shook his head at the images he got from the satellite. "They're not
giving up."

"They're not hurrying down here," Colin said looking at the image as well.

Stan nodded. "Because they don't know where Amir's village is! It's not on
any map." He said. "The only signal being fed to and from the satellite now
is this one. Those other signals stopped. It's a big empty desert and they
only know approximately where to look, but not exact. They are getting
closer."

"How long?" I asked and saw Stan's eyes grow. "Just guestimate."

Stan thought. "A few days?"

Colin nodded. "We need to get everyone packed and able to leave."


The largest chamber was the temple to hold everyone at once. I frowned when
I saw the people gathered. They had numbered in the thousands or so I was
told. There were a few hundred, but not the numbers that used to be. Amasis
got up on the raised portion of the temple as people looked at him and
spoke to each other. I didn't need the Delkenzie program to know they were
talking about how different Amasis looked. Gone was his kilt, he wore jeans
and a t-shirt with mountain boots and he removed the ball cap that said
Mets. Amasis raised his hands and they stopped talking.

"I told you over the last few days, I begin a new chapter in my life soon,"
Amasis said, but this time, there was sadness clearly in his voice. "I have
lived down here a long time." He smiled. "I knew your parents,
grandparents, and great-grandparents." Now that there was the moisture in
his eyes, I saw the tears come down his face. "I have loved all of you. I
would not be here if you had not been here to care for me. You worshiped me
as a god. I am no god." He stopped and caught himself. "I owe all of you
everything. I am so grateful to each and every one of you." He looked at
the temple and now he was crying more. "I'm not going forever." He looked
over at Amir. "My son and I will be starting a life in the outside world."
He said raising his arm to Amir who came and stood beside him. "This will
also be a time for each of you to start a new life. I hope the little I
gave you..." He smiled. "My treasury has some things left. I gave each of
you something from that." He said. "It's not a lot, but I'm told the gold
alone will be enough for you to start that new life."

Mark came running in the temple. "They are in Amir's village!" He
shouted. "It won't be long before they find the tunnel entrance!"

Colin jumped up beside Amasis. "Sorry." He said to Amasis. "People!" He
said and the translator said it in their language. "The men are coming. You
need to leave now! Go out the other two tunnels! You can go to the other
village after we do...this thing we must!" He waved again. "Go!"  Amasis
also said go in their language and now the people started to hurry out, not
screaming, but very frightened.

Colin and I rushed over to Mark. "Where are Gabriella and our mother?"

Mark worked on a device he held. "They are already heading down the tunnel
to the other village where the vehicles are." He held the device up to
Colin. "This is a remote." He said. "I rigged it to detonate all the C4 at
once in an area."

I smiled. "Wow, you knew how to do that!?"

Mark grinned. "Like I tell Stan, I'm not just a pretty face." He held the
device that looked like a cell phone. One of those flip phones. "Enter 111
and hit Send 1, Send 2, Send 3 and Send 4. Send 1 is Amir's village
tunnel." He smiled. "And then..." he threw his hands away. "...boom!!" He
frowned. "There was enough C4 to cover the entrances of the tunnel a good
way on all four tunnels."

"Four?" I asked.

"The one we came in is to be blown as well," Mark said. "It's the one not
connected to any village."

Stan came over quickly. "The cameras we set up...they are getting closer!"
He pointed to the screen as the men were looking in the tunnel. "They found
the tunnel entrance!"

Colin grabbed my arm. "We need to go."

What was interesting was Stan looking at his computer as he hurried with us
down a tunnel.

Amasis was pulling on his jeans. "How do you men wear this?" He pulled on
the crotch again. "The undergarment pinches!" He stumbled lifting a
foot. "...and these sandals!" He said in disgust.

I chuckled. "We just got used to it," I said to him with a shrug. "And
those are boots, not sandals."

Amasis frowned. "They are pains!"

Stan looked startled. "They're coming in the tunnel entrance!"

Colin stopped and held his hand out to Stan. "I see you have the camera set
up, did we rig the speakers?"

Stan nodded and pointed to the top of the screen. "Here's the microphone."

"Enter here and you will die," Colin said. "You have sixty seconds to
leave. Starting now." What they heard was in Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic and
the local dialect. We saw the men stop and look at who was speaking and
didn't proceed further. "This is no idle threat!" Colin said and did a
count down and when he dialed the 111 and hit send 1. We were miles away
down a tunnel, but noise travels. At the speed of sound, we finally heard
the blast! And the cave itself shook only the tiniest bit. Amasis looked
back surprised at the blasting sound with wide eyes. The camera quit
sending the image.

"Come on!" I said to Amasis pulling on his arm. "This is going to go boom,
too!"

We made to the end of the tunnel and out to the village. They were right
when they said it was a village of mostly tents. No real permanent
buildings. There were the camels a few children or young adults tending
them and a goose or something.

Colin hit a few keys and saw the people were out of the other tunnel and
hit the buttons and that camera quit sending images. He hit the other code
and the tunnel we just left had a deafening blast. I could hear the
crumbling of rock as the tunnel walls were collapsing. He hit one more...we
all looked at the mountain in the distance and heard a more distant blast
like a volcano erupting with one single blast.

Amasis looked horrified as he watched everyone cower. So, did he.


Amasis was staring at the destruction in disbelief.

Colin came up behind Amasis and put his hands on Amasis' shoulders. "It's
not gone. It's just secured."

I came up also and took Amasis' hand. "We need to go," I said calmly and
led him further toward the SUVs. That was another thing Amasis wasn't ready
for.

Amir came up and got behind Amasis. "I told you about these chariots that
didn't need horses." He waved at one of the vehicles.

Amasis nodded. "You did, son," Amasis said in a near whisper. "I heard what
you said." He touched his own chest. "It's so unbelievable."

I nodded. "I can't know how you're feeling. I can imagine, but no one can
know how this affecting you." I waved at the SUVs. "For a while...until you
adjust." I said and hurried forward. "And you will adjust. You're very
smart." I touched the nearest SUV. "It's a machine. It's not magic, but it
will get us out of here." I looked at Colin. "Are we going back to Cairo?"

Colin shook his head. "No, we'd be in danger there." He looked at Stan. "Is
there anything on the satellite images?"

Stan was shaking his head. "I'm waiting for another pass. It will be
overhead in a few minutes." He said again walking and looking at the laptop
at the same time.

"Where will we go?" I waved at Amasis. "He doesn't have a passport!"

Colin nodded. "We're going to Israel."

"Why Israel?"

"We're allies," Colin said. "There's an embassy in Tel Aviv. We're going
there." He looked at Amasis. "It's a little travel to get there, it will
take several hours." He looked at Mark and Chuck. "Someone needs to call
Ruben. Talk with him and have him call Senator Cook or Congresswoman Chance
or both. Have them call Israel and get us cleared to cross the border
there."

Chuck nodded and pulled out his satellite phone. "I got it." He dialed.

Amasis was listening and trying to understand our quick conversations and
all that was happening. "It really is...happening."

I nodded. "It's really happening."

Stan let out one of his victory shouts. "Yes!" He said smiling. "Okay, it
looks like they survived." He counted. "Yes, they all live."

Colin nodded and shrugged. "I guess that's good." He smiled at me.

"Yes, Colin. Life good. Death bad." I said bringing him into a kiss.

Colin smiled. "Which means we need to go because they are alive."

I looked again Amasis and waved at the SUV. "There will be many instances
where you won't understand what's going on. That's fine, but you trust us,
don't you?"

Amasis nodded. "I do."

This was all too new for Amasis, but I got him to sit in front on the
passenger side. Everything was fascinating to him; from the comfortable
seat to when Colin started the SUV and the engine came to life, startling
Amasis and the air conditioning came on once it started. We liked music and
the SUV's satellite stereo came on, too.

Colin touched his ear. "Can you hear me, Alex?" He nodded at the voice in
his ear. "Let Ruben know we'll be entering Israel through the border at
Nizzana. We're going through the desert. It's a rocky path we're taking, so
we'll go carefully."

I sat right behind Colin. Stan sat in the middle seat and plugged the power
cord into the socket. Mark was beside Stan on his other side.

Stan patted the computer. "There you go, Buddy. Power." He said to the
computer. I didn't have to see Mark roll his eyes to know he did it.

Amasis said from the front passenger side. "This has been..." he looked at
his surroundings. "This is a chariot?"

Colin nodded as we started to move. "It is."

Amasis had no idea what to expect, but he was trying to accept it. "This
music..." he said looking at the dashboard. "...is from invisible
musicians?" He held his hands up to the vent. "Cool air is breathed by this
chariot!?" He waved. "We're moving with no horses and I don't see anything
pulling it!"

Colin shrugged. "But we're moving. It will be a few hours' ride. So, sit
back and relax." He looked in the rearview mirror at me. "Do you know what
day is coming?"

I hadn't thought of it, but I remembered. "I do. We missed
Thanksgiving. Where are we going now? We haven't found The Others."

Colin nodded. "We found out about The Others. We're coming back, but for
now, we need to go back to the United States." His emerald eyes in the
mirror told me what he meant. "We need to go home."

"The plane in Cairo?" I asked.

"I had them go back after we got here," Colin said a shrugged. "I didn't
know how long we'd be here."

Going was...it wasn't difficult, but it was slow. The ballooned tires
helped as we went. Stan worked out a route using the satellite imaging. We
were a caravan of three SUVs and two cargo vans, also with those balloon
tires. It was because of this length of time that was a good thing. The
border station on the Egyptian side was first. We arrived from a southwest
direction of the town. What pleased me were the military vehicles waiting
with US flags. Border guards from both sides were there waiting with the
military from the United States. We went through the passport checks and
there was a question about Amasis and Amir, but a man in a suit came up and
presented papers from a briefcase that told of political refugee status and
Amasis and Amir were allowed in to be in the custody of the US Embassy. I
grinned as we were then escorted by the military all the way to Tel
Aviv. Amasis was looking the whole way once we got to Nizzana. I watched as
Amasis got sadder and sadder. When we got to the fertile areas of En
Sharuhen he wasn't even looking anymore. I think it was just too much, too
soon.


Once at the embassy, there were some things to go over before we got to a
hotel making it late in the afternoon. We got a suite with connecting rooms
for Amasis and Colin and me. Now Amasis was very despondent. He did grab
the walls of the elevator when the door shut and began to move, but seeing
we weren't upset he settled down.

I went in after we checked in to check on him. He was looking out the
window at the beach below. The hotel was a luxury hotel on the beach and we
were on an upper floor. He stood with his arms behind his back as he just
stared. I walked over to him and he didn't move.

It was a few minutes before he said anything. "This is not my world." He
said softly and sadly.

I thought about how best to answer. "It's not mine either," I said which
caused him to look at me surprised. I shrugged. "What the world is, is the
world. It doesn't belong to anyone. It simply is." I turned to look at
him. "Should we have left you? Sealed you in your wonderful city? Or should
we have just killed you?"

He gave a shaking nod. "I don't know. Maybe." He waved at what he saw below
the people and the cars that drove on the street he could see and the city
lit for the evening. "I don't know any of this." He said sadly. "Since we
left my city, I haven't really understood anything."

I nodded. "It's all new," I said. "You need time. It will become familiar
eventually."

He walked away and sat on the bed. His eyes widened as he bounced on the
mattress. "Even this!" He patted the bed. "What's this stuffed with? It's
very springy."

I smiled as I came in and sat by him. "There are air pockets in it. Foam
filled and made to make sleep more comfortable." I smiled. "Humans are very
resourceful and finding ways to be comfortable. When we got in the
vehicle...the horseless chariot...we as people found a way to make even
that travel more comfortable. We came up with ways to entertain ourselves
and make travel more comfortable by making it cooler or warmer as
needed. You experienced that the first time today."

Amasis nodded. "Enclosed and even the ride itself had no real jolts."

"I don't want you feeling overwhelmed by this world. Gabriella had the same
problem when we rescued her." I said. "Technology changed a lot
recently. Colin, as long as he has been alive, progressed on the edge of
society, so it was easier for him."

"I shouldn't exist!"

I nodded. "No, you shouldn't, but here you are!" I smiled. "Most of them
shouldn't be here. Burke, Alex, Willie, Gabriella, and Colin should be dead
by now. Relationships that are relationships now, should never be. Mom and
Willie, Gabriella and Alex, George and Burke and certainly not Colin and
me, but Colin and I are married. My mother is married to a man that should
have died of old age when she was a baby. Gabriella should have died of old
age or been an old lady when Alex was born. George and Burke should never
have even met..." I touched his arm. "You should just be a boring notation
in history books I have read at school. We shouldn't know each other at
all, let alone be friends! I have a good friend who was a pharaoh in
ancient Egypt! That's something in itself. Not many can claim that."

Amasis nodded smiling. "And you? You didn't say you shouldn't be here."

I grinned. "I was born in it this world. There was no adjustment for me."

Amasis looked startled. "You were born in this world? How old are you?"

"I was born only thirty some season cycles ago."

Now, Amasis' eyes widened. "You're barely older than Amir!"

I nodded. "That's right." How did I make this easy? I couldn't. "You can
choose ways to look at this. It can defeat you, or you can look at it as a
challenge. You have lived longer than any human being I ever heard of." I
shrugged. "Some might view that as a curse, others see it as a
blessing. The advantage here is you have people here that are the same as
you. We won't necessarily die on you. We can and probably will, but it's
not certain when." I smiled at him. "Soon, we'll be taking another kind of
chariot."

Amasis looked wary at me. "Oh? What's special about this one?"

I chuckled. "It flies."

Amasis looked at me wide-eyed. "I was told there were strange things moving
in the sky over the past cycles. Those are chariots?"

I nodded. "With hundreds of people on it. You'll be one of them soon." I
got up. "Now, the best thing we can do...it will help you adjust. In the
morning...we're going shopping."

"Shopping?" Amasis asked.

I nodded. "You need clothes," I said. "Chuck will want his pants and hat
back. Colin will want his shirt back and shoes."

Amasis grinned and stood up. He pulled on his crotch again. "The
undergarment?"

I chuckled. "I don't think Colin cares if you keep it."

Amasis shook his head. "No, no...I want to give them back." He pulled
again. "It binds and pinches. They sell garments that might not?"

I patted his arm. "We can shop for those you may like, too." I reached over
and grabbed a remote. "Now, I'll introduce you to the fabulous world of
modern toileting!" I watched his eyebrows rise. He was fascinated! Like
many people I heard about from remote areas in the rural South that had
outhouses to use, he was flushing just to see the water come in and
out. Then I showed him about TV and how to use the remote, about the
channels and even how to use the translator to understand the languages if
he didn't know them. We finally had to leave when Colin came in complaining
about being hungry again. It had been several hours, so he was hungry. So
was Amasis.


When Colin and I settled in for the night, Colin came to me as we got in
bed.

"How's he handling all this?" Colin asked.

I nodded. "He'll be okay. He just feels out of place here right now."

Colin smiled. "We have a few days as the government offices discuss what to
do." He chuckled. "What do they need to do? He's coming with us, but he
needs permission to stay in the United States."

"Do you think there will be a problem?"

He shook his head. "We have two powerful people agreeing to let him
in. It's just the red tape." He stretched next to me and started to come
closer and stopped. "Should we...do this?" He asked.

"Do this what?"

Colin rolled his eyes. "You know what I'm asking about. It's our nightly
thing! I don't think there have been too many nights when we didn't make
love." He thumbed to the door behind which was Amasis. "He may come in."

I laughed. "He's not a child. He knows what we'd be doing if he saw us
making love."

Colin frowned and gave me a sardonic look. "Oh, you don't mind if he sees?"

"He's been alive a long time, I'm sure it will be nothing new to him. I'm
sure as many times as he married to both male and female, he probably did
it all and could give us tips!" I said pulling Colin close. "He's already
seen us naked, and we've seen him, but he's pretty tired. He's fascinated
with the TV. I don't think he'll be up for a few more hours. He's pretty
tired." I said running my hands over Colin's chest. "A few hours enjoying
each other?" I asked.

Colin smiled kissing me. "I like that idea." He began kissing me deeper and
with more longing.


It was the next morning when we went to get breakfast Amasis knew a little
more and was sharing what he'd found out.

"So, this is a country of Hebrews?" He asked. "They were nomadic before!"

I nodded. "This has been a country for a while now." I looked at him. "They
were once slaves to the people of Egypt."

Amasis nodded. "Not for a few thousand cycles..." he smiled. "...years." He
grinned. "I am trying to learn more English." He tapped his translator. "I
was seeing...watching that magic window...what you say is TV. I was
listening and understood some...the languages changed a lot, but I
realized, they were Hebrew here. This is Israel. A country made up of
Hebrews."

Colin nodded. "You got it."

I watched as both of them were eating well. "We're going to get Amasis and
Amir some clothes. Want to come?"

Colin nodded. "Sure. We won't be leaving for a few more days."

Amasis looked again a little wary. "Then we will take the flying chariot?"

Colin nodded smiling. "It's called a plane. We're taking you to where we
live far across the ocean."

Amasis smiled. "You two are very kind. Thank you for doing all this."


The mall was also fascinating to Amasis. He looked at everything. He
marveled at a lot of what he saw we had in this world now. Electronic
gadgets must hit all males in our very DNA, he was spellbound looking at
all the TV, stereos, computers and all those things. I showed him where
there was music like he heard in the SUV he could get and play anytime he
wanted on a stereo. Even Amir was a little unprepared for a lot he was
seeing. The most important thing was for Amasis was he found some
undergarments that didn't pinch or bind. The shoes he would just have to
get used to.

It was at the mall as we got something to eat that Colin breached a
subject.

"We came to your city originally, Amasis, because of the Others," Colin
said. "Those you called The Old Ones."

Amasis nodded. "They were pretty well taken care of. I hadn't seen one in a
hundred cycles."

"But they didn't originate in your city?" Colin said.

Amasis shook his head. "No. We had the records about them, but they
originated elsewhere. A place near the original capital of..." he said a
word, but the translator beeped. "...later it was called Thinis. They were
taken to many places and released in the wilds north of Egypt. From what I
understand, in what you now call...Europe. They were some released to go
North, South, East, and West. They knew how to survive. They were primitive
but resourceful." He thought. "From what I understand, the creator of these
creatures wanted a force that would overtake an enemy; providing that our
own people would be immune to these creatures."

"They would go, attack the people in these countries, wipe them out..."
Colin said.

Amasis nodded. "The people would die he thought," Amasis said. "They would
die in simple sunlight." He shrugged. "Some would live, but they would
attack his own people."

I nodded. "They pretty much did that. These creatures don't attack us
because we already are vampires. He wasn't making a race of vampires, was
he?"

"I don't think that was his intent," Amasis said.

Colin frowned. "How did you become a victim?"

Amasis frowned. "I really can't remember." He said. "It was so many cycles
ago. I remember I fought in a fierce battle. I was wounded and when I woke
up..." he shrugged. "...I just thought I'd fallen in that battle and I was
in the afterlife. I was making that afterlife better. I survived because I
was stashed away in what was going to be my tomb. It wasn't finished. I was
sealed in, but I was there, couldn't go out, so I didn't."

I smiled. "You were in battle?"

Amasis nodded with a smile. "I was a warrior! I was not just Pharaoh! I
would never lead a campaign I wasn't involved in."

Colin nodded. "That explains why we probably never have seen The Others in
the United States."

I nodded. "We have wild vampires, but those are the ones that have given
up." I sighed. "The Others..." I waved at Amasis, "...the ones he calls the
Old Ones never were taken to the New World."

Colin sat back as he thought. "The danger is far from over." He said to
us. "Those men...the militia....whoever sent them know who we are. They
know where we live. We'll see them again."

"Are we moving on?" I asked.

"We need to see what Stan has gotten from those scrolls," Colin said.

"He did get them all, right?" I asked.

"All the ones that were there, yes." Colin nodded. "Now, we'll find out if
that builds a database we can use."

I grinned at Amasis. "And you'll be with us. You get to be part of a big
celebration in the United States."

Amasis raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Celebrating what?"

"Christmas!"


We were finally cleared to leave Israel. We were given the papers needed
for Amasis and Amir complete with pictures and documentation needed. The
camera flash startled Amasis, but he weathered it well. Amasis looked as we
arrived at the airport and looked at a plane for the first time.

He nodded. "Okay, it does sort of look like a bird."

Colin slapped Amasis on the back. "That's because it is a bird! Now, we'll
be riding in one."

It was the Holms Laboratories plane again, so less hassle with the
authorities. I showed Amasis and Amir what to do when we got onboard. I
showed them the seatbelts and told them what they can expect. I spoke of
turbulence and Amasis' and Amir's eyes widened when I talked about
that. Chuck, Shelly, Mark, and Stan were flying commercial to New
York. They had lives other than chasing vampires. I sat by Colin and put my
seatbelt on.

"I felt like a stewardess or whatever they call them...flight attendant?" I
went into the voice I'd heard many times as the flight safeties were
given. "In case of loss of cabin pressure, the masks will come down and put
the mask on yourself before attaching one to your child..."

Colin chuckled. "I'd listen to you." He smiled at me.


We were good until the plane's engines suddenly got louder and we began to
move. I watched with a grin as Amasis' eyes widened the faster we went and
kept getting faster. When the nose of the airplane left the ground Amasis
let out a slow sound that got louder to become a small yelp with the rear
wheels left the ground and we began rising. Then he started breathing
faster as his grip on the arm of the seat became tighter, his knuckles were
white.

I reached over and pried his hand free. "It's okay," I said. "We're flying
and will do that for a long time."

Amasis nodded too rapidly, but couldn't say a thing. George came offered to
give him a light sedative.

Amasis didn't answer. I walked to George. "Give him a few more
minutes. When he realizes what he fears never happens; he might calm down."

George nodded and promised to watch him.

Colin smiled as I sat down beside him again. "Some people never get used to
flying." He shrugged.

"But they know about planes," I said. "He never heard of one or even knew
what they were until a few days ago."

Amasis finally went to sleep and I relaxed.

Mom reached over to me. "Son, William and I..."

I looked up at her and smiled. "You mean...my Dad and you."

Willie chuckled beside her. "Well, you had a father."

"And I remember, but you have that job now," I said. "You're Dad now."

Mom smiled at Willie and looked at me again. "Your Dad and I have some
news."

I sat back a little in my seat. "I'm not going to be a big brother."

Mom swatted me lightly on the arm. "No, not that kind of news." She smiled
shaking her head. "We're moving out."

"What!?" I asked in shock. "You're going to leave Wentworth!?"

Now Colin was listening. "You want to leave Wentworth Manor?"

Mom frowned, but Willie shook his head. "We're not leaving the two of you,
we're just moving to a place of our own."

Willie nodded. "We want a place of our own. Besides, the house is getting
crowded. You have Amasis and Amir now..."

"I still have the house on James Island. The lease will be up at the first
of the year. We'll move in there." Mom said logically.

Then Gabriella leaned over from her seat. "We're moving out, too." She said
holding Alex's hand who rose beside her. "It's better for all of us."

Colin looked from Gabriella and to Mom. "Everyone is in danger now that
those people are after us."

"Are we more safe at Wentworth?" Gabriella asked. "You two were kidnapped
right from Wentworth! On your wedding day!!"

"Which we knew that would probably happen!" I protested. I looked over at
Burke who was about to say something. "...and we've already been through
that, Burke, don't reopen that." Burke gave a shrug and settled back next
to George.

"Assign what security you think best, Daddy." Gabriella said as she smiled
at Alex. "I have my protection here."

"We land in Charleston." Mom said. "But Willie and I will be checking into
a resident's hotel there until the lease is up."

"Alex and I will be checking in there, too," Gabriella said and looked at
Mom. "I seem to remember a woman that was in the real estate business." She
smiled. "Care to help us look for a house?"

Mom smiled. "I'd be happy to!"

Colin was slowly letting it sink into his mind. "Fine." He sighed. "I guess
they all move on eventually."

I looked at Colin and waved at my mother. "That's what I'm supposed to do,
that was my job! I was her child. She's not supposed to move out. I'm
supposed to grow up and move out. Not her!"

Colin patted me on the hand. "Well, she is."

"My mother got married and is moving out." I sighed.

"So is my Gabby," Colin said sadly.

I looked at Colin. "Are we supposed to cry or something now?" I frowned. "I
wouldn't have minded a little version of Willie, that would have been
fun..." I smiled at Colin, "...or another me."

Mom laughed. "Oh, no, the world could not handle another you, Devon."

Colin pulled me kissing my temple. "I don't think that would be so bad."


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