The Star of Egypt
You lean forward and pull on the lamp. It moves, and a rumbling echoes throughout the cavern.
The slab begins to shake and it slowly moves to the side and out of the way.
"You first, Mrs. Knight." Arthur gestures towards the arch with his gun, still clutching the Star of Egypt to his chest with his other hand. You step forward and slowly walk up the steps, conscious of Arthur's presence behind you.
You reach the living room again and turn around to face Arthur.
"Well, this has been lovely," he says. "I really wish we could continue playing this game of cat and mouse, but I have a treasure to collect and a plane to catch." He raises his gun. "It's been lovely knowing you, dear."
You close your eyes, but before a gunshot can ring in your ears, Arthur cries out in pain. You look up to see him collapse on the ground.
"Are you alright?" Shocked, you look up to see a police officer standing in front of you, his fist having just collided with the back of Arthur's head.
"I, uh-" You swallow and lower your hands to your sides. "I think so, yeah."
"Carol!" A familiar voice calls out your name, and you look beyond the officer.
"Dmitry!" You rush forward to embrace your husband. "I'm so glad you're alright!" You pull back and look up at him. "But what are you doing here?"
"That was us," you turn to see Matthew and Peggy standing near you, too. "We started to catch on to what you were up to after you questioned both of us," Matthew explains. "We came here to confront you about it."
"But when we saw Mr. Hughes here breaking into your house, we contacted the police," Peggy continues. "I'm just glad they arrived in time."
"Me, too," you add. "Thank you. For everything." Matthew and Peggy smile and walk outside. The police are already carrying an unconscious Arthur away and investigating the cavern and the living room.
"The police heard everything," Dmitry tells you, his arm around your waist. "They're going to arrest him as soon as he wakes up."
"Good." It's been a long day, but it's a relief to know your husband is safe and your father-in-law has been properly avenged.
"So, I guess as proper owners of the Star of Egypt, we're pretty rich now, huh?" Dmitry smiles down at you with a twinkle in his eye.
"I guess so," you answer, thoughtfully wording your next sentence. "But don't you think we should preserve these relics? I mean, maybe we could give them to a museum, but I'm sure Pavel hid them for a reason. He didn't want them to be perverted, you know?"
Dmitry is thoughtfully quiet for a moment.
"Yeah, I think so," he answers. "I'll make a call to the Smithsonian in the morning."
You smile brightly and step forward, your arm wrapped securely around your husband's waist.
"Sounds like a plan," you say with a squeeze. "Sounds like a plan."
The slab begins to shake and it slowly moves to the side and out of the way.
"You first, Mrs. Knight." Arthur gestures towards the arch with his gun, still clutching the Star of Egypt to his chest with his other hand. You step forward and slowly walk up the steps, conscious of Arthur's presence behind you.
You reach the living room again and turn around to face Arthur.
"Well, this has been lovely," he says. "I really wish we could continue playing this game of cat and mouse, but I have a treasure to collect and a plane to catch." He raises his gun. "It's been lovely knowing you, dear."
You close your eyes, but before a gunshot can ring in your ears, Arthur cries out in pain. You look up to see him collapse on the ground.
"Are you alright?" Shocked, you look up to see a police officer standing in front of you, his fist having just collided with the back of Arthur's head.
"I, uh-" You swallow and lower your hands to your sides. "I think so, yeah."
"Carol!" A familiar voice calls out your name, and you look beyond the officer.
"Dmitry!" You rush forward to embrace your husband. "I'm so glad you're alright!" You pull back and look up at him. "But what are you doing here?"
"That was us," you turn to see Matthew and Peggy standing near you, too. "We started to catch on to what you were up to after you questioned both of us," Matthew explains. "We came here to confront you about it."
"But when we saw Mr. Hughes here breaking into your house, we contacted the police," Peggy continues. "I'm just glad they arrived in time."
"Me, too," you add. "Thank you. For everything." Matthew and Peggy smile and walk outside. The police are already carrying an unconscious Arthur away and investigating the cavern and the living room.
"The police heard everything," Dmitry tells you, his arm around your waist. "They're going to arrest him as soon as he wakes up."
"Good." It's been a long day, but it's a relief to know your husband is safe and your father-in-law has been properly avenged.
"So, I guess as proper owners of the Star of Egypt, we're pretty rich now, huh?" Dmitry smiles down at you with a twinkle in his eye.
"I guess so," you answer, thoughtfully wording your next sentence. "But don't you think we should preserve these relics? I mean, maybe we could give them to a museum, but I'm sure Pavel hid them for a reason. He didn't want them to be perverted, you know?"
Dmitry is thoughtfully quiet for a moment.
"Yeah, I think so," he answers. "I'll make a call to the Smithsonian in the morning."
You smile brightly and step forward, your arm wrapped securely around your husband's waist.
"Sounds like a plan," you say with a squeeze. "Sounds like a plan."
