Area 51: The Sphinx-4 Read Online Free PDF Page A

the location of the Hall of Records to those who would know the symbol," Kaji said. "But they had help from these star creatures."
    "And the pyramids?"
    "The same. They were built by men for these creatures from the stars. These others have influenced our development since before the dawn of time." Kaji's voice trailed off to a whisper.
    "And all you do is watch?" Burton could not understand such a life's mission.
    "We watch and prevent interference by men in the creatures' war."
    "Then you are siding with the Airlia."

    -27-

    Kaji shook his head. "No. We are preventing interference. The two sides of this ancient war seem to be in balance. If that balance is upset and one side is victorious, it is written in our scrolls that doom will come upon the planet.
    Then all will die."
    A bead of sweat dropped off Kaji's forehead onto the stone floor. Burton could see that the tourniquet had almost completely closed off the circulation to the trapped arm. The skin in the forearm was a paler color, the cells dying from lack of blood. But he also knew that releasing the band would send a surge of blood to the smashed hand and finish bursting the vessels in the wrist, quickly killing the Arab. He could tell that shock was overwhelming the old man and it might be merciful to release, the constriction.
    "There must be another way out," Burton said. "Or a way to raise this stone. I can get you to a doctor if you show me."
    Kaji shook his head. "You can open this stone only from the other side in the tunnel we came through. And there is no other way out."
    Burton considered that. Why have a room that was a dead end? And Kaji had said he had seen only three of the Duats. There were three more somewhere. Kaji did not know all the tunnels, then.
    "Ah!" Kaji let out a moan and dipped his head onto Burton's wadded shirt.
    Burton could see the rise and fall of the Arab's chest, but he knew the man had not much longer to live. He got up and searched the chamber, holding the lantern close to the wall, searching for any marking.
    The stone was smooth.
    He walked across the chamber from Kaji's body, to the far wall. Kaji had used the ring to open some of the secret doors -- of that Burton had no doubt. He didn't think that this was a dead end.

    -28-

    "Englishman." The word was little more than a whisper.
    Burton hurried to Kaji's side. "Yes?"
    The Arab's eyes were closed, and Burton had to lean close to hear. "Remember, you gave your word."
    "I always keep—" Burton began, but he saw that the Arab's chest was still. He slid the shirt over the man's face.
    After a brief prayer for the dead that Burton had memorized from the Koran, he set the lantern on the floor and turned it to the dimmest setting possible. He pulled the ring off Kaji's listless hand. The design was intricate, with a pyramid in the background. He turned it in the flickering light of the lantern—an eye within a circle, just like the medallion. The lantern had less than a quarter inch of kerosene in it; after that Burton would be in utter darkness.

    Burton began searching once more for any sort of marking on the walls, moving quickly, but thoroughly., around the chamber. By the time he made it back to Kaji's body, without success, the lantern was flickering. He forced himself, to sit still to think. Kaji had used the ring to open .the doors. But the last door had been
    different. There had been no sign of it until Kaji had pressed the ring against it at a certain spot. That meant--The lantern went out and a complete blackness, such as Burton had never experienced, consumed the room.
    He pressed his palms against the wounds in his cheeks, the pain diverting him from the panic that threatened to overwhelm.
    He remembered Kaji's last words. Why would the Arab have been so concerned that he keep his promise if he was certain there wasn't a way out? The answer was obvious to Burton -- because there was a way. And Kaji

    -29-

    had spoken of two gateways to the Roads of Rostau: one on