Area 51: Nosferatu-8 by Robert Doherty

terms of pressing the hexes, a massive one in terms of time.
    Was

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    Nekhbet still alive? Was the influence of the Airlia Gods now little more than a representation in a human called a Pharaoh?
    Nosferatu pointed at Kajihi. "You will take me to the Roads of Rostau. There is something I must get."
    "The Roads are guarded. The Gods may be gone, but there are others about who do their bidding. The Ones Who Wait. Guides. They keep the Atlantean truce. They will not allow any disturbance of the truce."
    The world had indeed changed, Nosferatu thought. Six thousand years. If Nekhbet was still living, was she sane? Could anyone survive that long in the state they had put her with their mind intact? "Who are the Ones Who Wait? And these Guides?"
    "The Ones Who Wait are like you, if what I was told about you is true. Half-human, half-God. They serve the God Artad. I have never seen one, but my order reports they are active. The Guides serve the God Aspasia. They are human but they obey with more vigor and blind obedience than even the high priests. And as I said, there is a belief that Aspasia's Shadow is nearby and can also control the Guides. It is said he is a fearsome creature with little love for any other living thing."

    Nosferatu rubbed his head. Even when hidden, the long hand of the Airlia Gods still reached out and affected things. "Can you get me into the Roads?"
    "It is dangerous. And it is against my charter as a Watcher."
    "Your ancestor took me into the Roads a very long time ago," Nosferatu said.
    "He thought it was part of doing his duty." He waited as Kajihi wrestled with the problem. "Let me be more blunt. If you do not take me, I will kill you and your family, then there will be no more Watcher here. How will that fulfill your charter?"

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    "What is it you need from the Roads?"
    "My love."
    Kajihi frowned. "I do not understand."
    "My betrothed. She is buried there. I promised her I would return and I have.
    And I am late. Very late. Taking me to the Roads will not upset the balance of anything." Nosferatu rose to his feet, towering over the Watcher. "I have had great patience, suffered much, and traveled far, but my patience is wearing thin. Take me where I want to go. Now."
    Kajihi had jumped to his feet and he stepped back in fear as Nosferatu came forward. The two Bedouin warriors closed in on either side of the Watcher.
    "The Roads are dangerous," Kajihi sputtered. "I have only been down there a few times. I do not know if I can find—"
    "I'll find her. You just get me in there. One entry I knew of is now underwater. The one along the Nile. The other was at the base of the Black Sphinx. Is there another way in?"
    Kajihi nodded. "Yes. There are several. There is an entry at the base of the stone sphinx behind the statue of Horus, but I cannot enter there. Also one through the Great Pyramid."
    "Can you get in that entrance?"
    Kajihi nodded.
    "Take me. Now. No more words, Watcher. I have no more patience. If you do not take me, I will kill you. And your family."
    Kajihi stood still for several moments, then seemed to diminish in size as his shoulders slumped. He grabbed a gray cloak and tossed it to Nosferatu before throwing one over his own shoulders. Then he got one for each of the Bedouins.
    "Put these on and follow me."

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    They left the hut and made their way to the large temple built along the shore of the Nile. Just before the temple, Kajihi turned to the left and moved toward the Great Pyramid, creeping in the shadow of a long stone causeway that connected the two. They reached the large pile of limestone rubble at the base of the massive pyramid.
    Briefly Nosferatu wondered what had become of Vampyr. Was he still alive after so many years? And if so, where had he made his lair? Did his anger and hatred still burn so brightly?
    "What happened here?" Nosferatu asked, as Kajihi paused.
    "According to Watcher records, shortly after the Great Pharaoh Khufu had the pyramid built, he had the smooth