2 CHAPTER ONE

Presented day 1920's. She pull one of the book from the shelf and sit on the floor, reading. That supposed her duty to dusting not reading. People this lately rarely coming in library.

The library is dusty, stuffed full of books with faux antiquarian bindings. The librarian is clumsy, that's Evelyn Carnahan.

Reading, learning is part of her life. Especially about egyptian. Makes her more interested to learn something people don't discovered. Leaned her back on the shelves with smile, her nose stuck in a book as usual.

"Oh my god. I've never known this symbols. Must be ancient and deeply meaning word I've learn today".

Her finger on the symbol she stop, then slowly she turn her side, see what where she left before she pull out the book.

"He's gonna kill me if he found me like this. I haven't finish dusting the place nor even rowing the book back inside the shelves. Everything is mess".

She muttered.

"Oh yes I will". She gulped, and how he can hear her. A familiar voice spoke back. "Miss Carnahan?"

Hurried she rose up with book on her chest, she turn her back where he stood. Dr. Bey is the curator of the cairo museum of antiquities and the employer of Evelyn. He expressed great displeasure in on account of Evelyn's sometimes disastrous clumsiness.

"I just asking you to dust". She pulled out her glasses. He spoke back. "Look around you, is mess! Everything still strewn all over the place. I almost got kill by cleaning cart you left right at the door without using it. The broom, the mop, cloths. Everything not settling down, not even you kept it back where it came from".

Oh no she did.

"Any reasonable you wanted to said Miss Carnahan? before I asked Mejid to help you".

"Well yes". She step out. "I'm sorry Dr. Bey. I didn't notice everything around me, I'm quite busy myself and I found something inside this book I discovered".

She show him. "Then I forgot everything until you came".

"No excuses, Carnahan." He pointed. "Clean it. All I know this place are clean before I get back in here again. You were lucky that you are my favourite clumsiness assistant. No doubts".

He sigh, continue. "My previous librarian ran away with her long beard boyfriend. Deciding having a family and baby. Whatever, clean ... THIS!"

Evelyn watch him left the room. Heavier breath, she sit back on the floor. Her back head leaned on the shelves as her eyes close.

Stupid.

That all she can said in her mind right now. "I'am an stupid".

"Oh, you are".

Evelyn look at the door. A man standing at the frame door, his hand in the pocket. He walk toward her.

"Look like you been slapped by, Bey". He take a sit at the edge of the table. "You wanna hug?"

She shakes her head, said. "Rough day".

"No. It wasn't rough day but you did. Who know but me".

She dust her skirt, walking toward him. "I discovered something that I forgot what supposedly I do. He sudden show up and saw me with this".

She show him book.

This man is Evelyn's brother, Jonathan Carnahan. The two sibling had each other since the parent died in a plane crash. Which is now Jonathan takes the parent responsibility looked after Evelyn.

"My dear sweet baby sister". He said, she turn to him. "You must stop this, or else you get fired by Bey. I know mother features had passed onto you but doesn't mean you had to".

Clearing his throat. "You both probably sleep with it".

"We're not".

True. Both his mother and Evelyn caught sleeping with book. Not count how many time they gig in their sleep. Sound creepy but this is the truce.

"We're not sleep with book, Jonathan".

"Whatever". He walk to the door. "You got plenty time to clean this up before he show up again. I waited for you outside the library after you done".

"You wanna help?"

"Rather not sis. Proof yourself to him that you can do it all by yourself without someone help. Good luck".

He's gone. She snort and hated all this mess she done. She clean, rowing book as fast she can back to it place.

Later evening. She saw Jonathan talking with someone, she approached and stood beside him with smile.

"Jonathan?"

"Ah, my sweet Evelyn. This is Hisham the dealer, I've just met today. He had his own business that I probably considered later if I want to".

Evelyn shake hand with Hisham, after that he left the sibling alone. "Come. I'm so hungry".

Carnahan's house in night. After dinner Evelyn went to her room, she wear satin sleep gown that night. Jumped on her bed with book on her laps.

Same book she read at the library. Jonathan walk to her room, jump on the edge of her bed with suddenly smile.

"What do you want, Jonathan". She said without look at him. Thought you were out".

"I'am. But now I'm back".

He study her. "I'll have you know that, at this precise moment my career is on a high note".

"High note, ha! Jonathan, please. I'm really not in the mood for you. I've just made a mess in the library that you know and the Bembridge scholars have rejected my application form again".

Sigh. She spoke back. "They said I don't have enough experience in the field".

"You always have me, old mum. Besides I have just the thing to cheer you up".

"Oh no, Jonathan. Not another worthless trinket. If I have to take one more piece of junk to the curator to try and sell for you -"

As she muttering by herself, He sloped his hand inside the pocket, gently puzzle box out from his pocket. He show her.

"Where did you get this?"

"On a dig down in Thebes". She reach the box with amused. She scanned. "My whole life, I've never found anything, Evy. Please tell me I've found something".

She gasp, said. "Jonathan -"

"Yes?"

"I think you've found something. You see the cartouche there? It's the official royal seal of Seti the First. I'm sure of it".

Jonathan nods, "Perhaps, two questions. Who the hell was Seti the First, and was he rich?"

"He was the second pharaoh of the 19th dynasty, said to be the wealthiest pharaoh of them all".

His eyes wide. "Good. I like this fellow. I like him very much".

"And the mean time people will look for this".

She breathe. She know what she know but she must make sure of it with Dr. Bey. Yes, she will confirmed it with him. Which leads the hidden city in the desert, the place where Imhotep been buried.

At a young age. Evelyn acquired an interest in egypt and its history. Namely its artifacts. Commencing her career as a librarian till now.

Despite being experienced in egyptology, was denied an application by the Bembridge scholars in england at first, as they had insisted that she lacked of experience. Having an employment in the cairo museum of antiquities that would be great for her at least she can learn more as she like.

She hear the cracked sound from her window room, she turn to see what is going on with the window. Maybe from the wind. She look down back to the box, an sudden her window room bursting for no reason.

Glass shattered on the carpet, a man burst in. He wear black suits covered all over his face.

Jonathan grab Evelyn up from her bed, they two stood the end of the corner room. But then Evelyn grab him running downstairs, the puzzle box she hid under her satin gown. Knowing the man were here because of this box.

They two stop as the same man stood middle of the room, blocking the door. The door is the only we they can escape.

Not the window.

"What the hell? He was upstairs inside my room but now his here - HOW?"

The man slowlt slide down his mask under his chin, revealing his face. An handsome man just show himself.

"You two must leave this place".

"But this is our house. Our parents buy this house before they died. And who the hell are you trying to kick us out".

The man sighed locked his eyes on, Evelyn.

"Is Ardeth Bay. The guardian, a medjai who protect this place from harm. My people are watching you two for so long and you must leave this place before is too late".

Jonathan step out. "Like what my sister said to you, Ardeth Bay the Medjai - Why?"

She could hear him breathing. Not wanting telling the truth, he spokes back.

"The thing I couldn't not explain to you but you must leave this place immediately. Like I'd said you two don't belong in here".

She snort, "His crazy. We're not leaving this place. Neither can't you". She crossed her arm. "You must've pay what you did to my room".

"If I pay will you leave this place?" He ask her, Evelyn shake her head no. "Then I don't. This is not the end of you two. My people will watching you - just remember one thing".

He step foward them. "I'll make sure you two will regret it after disobey my order". He left the house, and gone.

"How rude. He will not pay my window and he left just like that". Evelyn slope her hand under her satin gown, she show Jonathan that the box is safe with her.

He frown. "Where did you hide that thing?"

"Under my bra".

"You disgusting, Evy".

"For protecting this box. I'm sure that medjai here because of this. Tomorrow I will show this to Dr. Bey. Wait what will he said about it".

The next morning, Bey sit on his office chair while Evelyn is standing. Finger under her chin, she spoke.

"I've already dated the map. It's almost 3,000 years old. And if you look at the hieratic just here, well, it's Hamunaptra".

Bey look up at her. "Dear God, don't be ridiculous. We're scholars, not treasure hunters. Hamunaptra's a myth told by ancient Arab storytellers to amuse Greek and Roman tourists".

"I know all the blather about the city being protected by the curse of a mummy, but my research had led me to believe that the city itself may have actually existed".

"Are we talking about the Hamunaptra?"

"Yes. The city of the dead. Where the earliest pharaohs were said to have hidden the wealth of egypt?"

"Yes, yes, in a big underground treasure chamber".

"Heh! Oh come on. Everybody knows the story".

Bey burnt the map without hesitate. Jonathan triggered. Evelyn yelp. "You'be burnt it! You've burned off the part with the lost city?"

"It's for the best. I'm sure. Many men have wasted their lives in the foolish pursuit of Hamunaptra".

Bey study her. "No one's ever found it, Evelyn. Most have never returned".