The Sands Of Time Part 25

'Of course.'

'But why am I driving? And why aren't you coming?' hissed Tegan. 'There are quicker ways to get to Cornwall, you know.' She glanced across at Prior, but he had pulled himself out of his chair and was hunting through a pile of books, presumably for a road atlas.

The Doctor nodded. 'I know. But Atkins and I have an appointment somewhat further afield, and I rather fancy we have a greater need for the quicker means of transport you have in mind. I don't think there's a great need for haste, and it will give you something to do while we'rebusy.'

Tegan sat back in her chair. 'Terrific,' she said. 'I get the second rate a.s.signment again.'

'Not at all, Tegan. We're on a short quest for knowledge, but you could be saving lives.'

'All right, Doctor.'

The Doctor rubbed his hands together. 'Splendid.' He stood up and started towards the door. As he pa.s.sed Tegan, he said quietly: 'Oh, there is just one other thing.'

'What's that?'

'We really have no idea if Norris can be trusted.'

'I have no idea if anyone can be trusted,' Tegan told him. 'Why did Vanessa lie about the cobra?'

'I don't know. Perhaps she's got a rotten memory, or perhaps she didn't want to implicate her fiance.'

Tegan nodded. 'Maybe.'

'You like her, don't you?'

Tegan nodded. 'She's okay. She reminds me of someone. To look at, I mean. But I can't think who it is. Maybe someone I was at school with.'

'Yes,' said Atkins, 'there is a certain familiarity in her features.'

The Doctor grinned. 'Perhaps she's just got that sort of face,' he said.

Vanessa felt no better than the previous evening. Her head was still swimming, and she could hear disjointed and distant voices echoing in the back of her mind. She had tried to call James, but all she got was the answerphone. Either he was out, or he was working and did not want to be disturbed.

She had also tried to sleep, but even when she managed to doze off for a few minutes she had nightmares. They were gone when she awoke, just the memory of a distant terror lingering on the edges of sleep.

After she woke the third time in a cold sweat, she decided to have a shower, and then to read or watch television in the hope of taking her mind off things. She let the cool water splash across her body and run down her skin towards the drain, washing over tiles that had been parched for a thousand years.

A thousand years? Where had she got that idea? She shook her head, her long wet hair swinging round and sending droplets of water skidding against the gla.s.s walls of the shower cubicle.

Prior seemed happy for Tegan to take his car. He could, he pointed out, always borrow Vanessa's should he need to get out. And since they were actually in the middle of London anyway, he could choose between taxi, bus and tube for any local journeys.

So, soon after lunch, Tegan found herself sitting behind the wheel of a Jaguar, wondering where the windscreen wipers were operated from should she need them, and wishing the seat were a couple of inches higher. Another of the shocks she got from being over ten years behind in automotive technology and not used to the state of the art even in her own time was the power steering. She had gone almost a complete circle in the driveway before she managed to crunch to a halt on the gravel and learn about the latest anti-lock braking systems.

Prior tapped on the driver's window, and after a short pause as Tegan discovered electric windows, handed her a road atlas.

'A bit easier on the steering,' he said as he showed where he had marked the relevant page with a sticky yellow notelet. Then he showed her the pencilled circle in the middle of what appeared to be a trackless swamp where Norris had his cottage. 'There is a track. I've drawn it on the map for you, so far as Vanessa could remember where it is. Had to drag her out of the shower to show me.'

'Is she still not feeling well?'

Prior shook his head. 'Not a hundred per cent. I thought she'd ask why I wanted to know, but she just pointed and went back into her room. I can't fathom what's up with her, but I hope she's better soon.'

Tegan agreed, and studied the map. 'Doesn't look as easy as it might be. I could end up in a ditch.'

'Well, the car's insured,' Prior laughed.

Tegan laughed too. 'I'm not sure I am, though.' She thanked him, almost caught his nose in the window, and swung the car round carefully so that it faced back down the drive.

As she turned past the front of the house, she caught sight of movement at an upper window. As the car stopped, Tegan adjusted the rear view mirror so she could see what the movement was. Vanessa was standing at her bedroom window, the curtain pulled back. Tegan turned and studied the figure in the mirror for a moment. The window was almost full length, and she could see Vanessa framed against the dark interior of her room. She was strikingly beautiful, tall and slim. Her dark hair was still folded up on to her head in a towel after her shower. Her features were aquiline, and her eyes large and cat-like with huge pupils. She was dressed in a simple white night-gown which reached to her knees.

And in that moment, Tegan realized who Vanessa reminded her of. With her long hair tied up, she was the image of the Shabti figures in the entrance corridor of Nyssa's tomb.

Vanessa watched the car set off down the drive. Then she pulled the towel from her long hair, and shook it free. She sat in front of her dressing table, head slightly to one side as she dried and brushed her hair. In the mirror, Vanessa could see the door to her room. She had almost finished when she saw the reflected handle begin slowly to turn.

She swung round on her seat, putting down the hair drier and comb, one knee pulled up to her chin. As the door swung open, she stood up, backing away from the figure which filled the doorway.

The mummy stepped into the room, the floor shaking slightly beneath its heavy feet as it swung towards Vanessa. She stood, back to the far wall, staring at the huge shape as it lumbered towards her.

Behind the mummy, Sadan Ra.s.sul appeared in the doorway. His broad squat shape was silhouetted against the wall of the corridor outside. 'Do not be afraid, my child,' he said gently as the mummy reached out for Vanessa.

An unholy roaring sound broke the stillness of the desert air. One moment, nothing but sand and the breeze; the next, the TARDIS melted into existence on a dune overlooking a deep crater. After a pause, the TARDIS doors opened and Doctor and Atkins emerged. 'What we really need,' the Doctor said, 'is to contact someone who was on the expedition. If there was an expedition. But someone must have been here, to know about the Nephthys hieroglyphic.' He handed Atkins a heavy torch, and showed him how to switch it on.

Atkins considered. 'So we see if we can find clues as to how long ago the pyramid was re-excavated, then use the TARDIS again to try to trace someone who can divulge information to us about the expedition.'

'Exactly,' the Doctor smiled. 'Now then...' He twisted round trying to get his bearings, licking his index finger and holding it up. Then he stared out across the desert sands in the opposite direction to the crater. 'That way, I think.'

'Actually, Doctor, if I may?'

The Doctor nodded.

'I'd suggest this way.' Atkins pointed down into the crater. The far side was a more regular shape than the other ragged edges. In places a gleaming blackness glistened beneath the sand. It was the side of the pyramid.

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They stared at it for a moment. Then the Doctor said: 'Can I ask what methodology you used for that inspired geographical deduction?'

It took them several minutes to stumble and trip down the steep side of the crater. As they approached, the could see the door of the pyramid standing open, a deep pile of sand covered the floor and prevented the door from closing again. It had been open for a long time.

'Do you think they survived the traps?'

The Doctor nodded. 'Oh I should think the traps were deactivated when we removed Nyssa's body. Pretty much served their purpose by then.' He clambered up the shifting pile of sand and through into the main pa.s.sageway. Light came in through the open doorway, but they still needed their torches to see where they were going.There was gradually less sand as they made their way up the corridor. The Shabti figures were gone from their alcoves, and the sound of the echoing footsteps seemed deadened and dull. At last they reached the burial chamber. The doors were pulled shut, but not fastened. The Doctor and Atkins looked at each other. Then the Doctor nodded, and they each opened one of the heavy double doors, and together they stepped into the chamber.

It was empty.

They walked to the centre of what had been the burial chamber, stopped and slowly turned round. Their torchbeams played over the floor, ceiling and walls as they took in the enormity of the change.

'You know,' Atkins said, 'I can understand the removal of relics and even furniture. But why take the walls?'

The Doctor nodded. The stone had been hacked away, leaving a scarred mess of stonework where once there had been carved hieroglyphics. 'They certainly did a thorough job.'

'I don't remember this.' Atkins crossed to an open archway on the far side of the rough cave that had been the chamber. 'What was it?'

The Doctor joined him. Beyond the archway, illuminated by their torches, was another smaller cavern. Like the main chamber it had been stripped bare, the walls hacked down.

'This,' said the Doctor, 'was the hidden chamber I described where the second mummy was incarcerated.'

'Not hidden any more,' commented Atkins.

'No,' agreed the Doctor grimly. 'And, as we should have realized, the mummy, like everything else, has gone.'

St Helena - 1821 Napoleon had managed to struggle into a position where he was half sitting, propped up by the pillows. He had sent the nurse from the room, and was alone now with Tombier. They looked at each other for a while, saying nothing in the way that only friends can. From outside, came the cry of seagulls, and the faint sound of the waves lapping on the sh.o.r.e as the tide went out.

'Not long now, my friend,' Napoleon whispered hoa.r.s.ely. 'I am losing my final battle, I fear.'

Tombier said nothing. He grasped his general's - his emperor's - hand tightly. Napoleon laughed, a half cough of humour. 'A good habit, Tombier, to say nothing when there is nothing to say.' He reached over and patted his friend's hand as it held his. 'Yet I am always so open with you.'

Tombier smiled, though the smiled did not reach his eyes. 'Yes, sir.' He stood, and walked to the window. 'Except once.' He hoped that Napoleon had missed the way his voice caught, and that he had turned quickly enough to hide the tears welling up in his eyes.

'Ah, yes,' Napoleon said from behind him. 'The Great Pyramid.' He was silent for a while. Then he said: 'I have spoken to no one about that. Ever.'

'Nor I,' said Tombier softly. But he knew that even if Napoleon had heard he would have expected no less.

'Even when the Prussians linked up with the British at Waterloo, I was less afraid than I was in that chamber.'

Tombier turned from the window. 'What happened? I have never asked before, not since that day. But I have always wondered what could engender such fear. Even now you seem calm by comparison.'

Napoleon shook his head weakly. 'Death holds no terror for me. After that day in the pyramid, I could face anything with a strong heart.' His body was wracked with a sudden fit of coughing. Tombier went back to the bed and eased him up so that he was sitting almost upright.

Eventually his coughing subsided, and Napoleon sat wheezing in the bed. 'I will tell you, Tombier, you who have been my friend even in the darkest adversity. I will tell you what I saw that day.' His head rested into the pillows, he was breathing deeply and erratically.

Tombier leaned forward. 'Yes, my general? What did you see?'

Napoleon stared at Tombier, his eyes misted over as if he was looking into the past. Then his eyelids fluttered, and Tombier knew that he was drifting back into sleep. He beckoned weakly for Tombier to lean closer, turned his head slightly so his mouth was close to his friend's ear.

For a moment, all Tombier could hear was Napoleon's shallow breathing.

Then the former emperor gave a sigh. 'What's the point, Jean?' he murmured. 'No one would ever believe me.' And he sank back into dreamless sleep.

Chapter Twelve.

The Doctor was examining one of the walls of the inner chamber. He peered through a magnifying gla.s.s held close in front of his half-moon spectacles while Atkins held both the torches.

'Judging by the amount of weathering and discoloration of these marks,' the Doctor said as he pocketed the magnifying gla.s.s, 'I'd say that the work here was done quite recently.' He turned to Atkins and whipped off his spectacles. 'Maybe as little as twenty years ago.'

'Twenty-three, actually.'

Atkins swung round, waving the torches in a low arc. The beams of light pa.s.sed over a bundle of rags in the far corner of the chamber, then stopped and swung back. The rags were untangling themselves and sitting up. A grubby weathered face lifted towards them, eyes gleaming in the light. Blackened teeth cracked into a broken smile, and the figure slowly stood up.

The track Tegan was driving along finished at a gate. She skidded to a halt, and slammed her palms against the steering wheel in frustration. A cow watched her from the field beyond the gate. Its lower jaw moved rhythmically as it ground up a mouthful of gra.s.s.

'I hope you choke,' Tegan said, reaching yet again for the map. She peered at it in the fading light and wondered how many single track lanes there were left in the area that she had not yet tried.

The Egyptian was about five feet tall, aged perhaps in his late forties, dirty, unshaven, and introduced himself as Kamose. 'I am on my way to Cairo,'

he told the Doctor and Atkins. 'I often shelter in here during the heat of the day if I am pa.s.sing. My feet are not as young as they once were, and it is good to rest in the cool shade. Especially in a place that n.o.body else knows about.' He glared suspiciously at the Doctor and Atkins. 'Or so I thought.'