Leaving the police station, I was brought to a car and soon our drive started. ` Soon, I will meet with somebody more in the know and hopefully get an answer but one thing came first. `

 

As we left the police station I noticed one thing. A lot of people were observing and following me. The moment the car drove, so did they, of course they stayed at distance from us. 

` Looks like there is more stuff involved then seen at first glance. ` That notion came and I focused on my two chauffeurs. “ By the way, none of you introduced himself. I can't call you minion one and minion two so what should I call you guys. ” I didn't need my Sphere to tell me they didn't like being called that but the driver, in this case being the first guy that had sat on my left was more collected while the second was a bit more responsive. 

 

The driver spoke first. “ I am Salim and this is my cousin Omar. ” 

 

“ Nice to meet you both Salim, Omar. I probably don't have to introduce myself but some of you might have guessed that Stephen is a fake name. Either way it's still a good name so you can call me that. ” There is no way I would tell them my real identity.

 

“ So, I could help but find it interesting, how did you two get where you are right now. I don't think it is easy to come into contact with the supernatural community and your both family. Has your family been involved with them for a longer time? ” 

“ Yes. ” Said Omar but Salim explained. “ Not exactly. It was our grandfather that was involved. It was him that nudged us into this direction but it is not as you imagined. We have been with this agency for 5 years already and this is the first time something like you has happened. Usually we are involved with normal people. ” 

 

“ Ho, why would you be involved with normal people more? Can the normal government not deal with them? ” I was truly interested in how everything worked.

“ They do. ” This time Omar talked. “ But there will always be those that slip the normal agencies and only in very rare cases are artifacts used. It's our first time using it too. Usually it was older agents that get the chance. ” Interesting.

“ If it's your first time then how were both of you chosen? Wait, don't tell me, let me guess. It was your grandfather that saw an opportunity for both of you and pushed the buttons from behind the curtain. Am I right? ” What a good grandpa. Lucky for them I am mostly a good person and didn't kill them, otherwise both of them would be dead. This time shook their heads and Salim spoke. “ No! It was our boss' choice as grandpa is retired. ” Ok, I take that back. They are sacrifices. 

 

“ Eh, do you guys have conflict with your boss? If I wasn't such a nice person, this could have gone much worse. ” 

“ Ibn kelb!! ” Immediately Omar realized the truth hidden in plain sight and cursed out loud I think.

 

` He must have been happy to use the artifact for the first time to not notice it, as for Salim he probably was prepared more for that chance. Hmm, I need to find a solution for the language barrier since I am going to be visiting a lot of countries from now on. `

“ Oh, well. I know you both cursed at that moment, but thank whoever you want that we met. ” I hope they do. “ Either way, tell me what was your mission? Was it just to interrogate me? ”

 

“ Yes. ” But said, Salim continued. “ We were told our mission was to retrieve any information about a stolen artifact. ” The moment Salim told me that he was looking at me in the rear view mirror. ` Probably unsure, if what I said was the truth. `

 

“ Look, it may be hard to believe but I really did not steal anything. ” It must be harder to believe when one is in their situation. “ But I can guess what you have been told to look for. It was an Ankh, wasn't it? ” Again both nodded.

 

“ When I first met the curator of that museum I told him it was fake, all my behavior and concurrent actions were there to make you guys react to my presence and send somebody after me. ” As I said that Omar had an intriguing face. “ There is no need to think about that point but let me give you guys a pointer. Look behind us. ”

 

They did and saw the black cars behind us. Of course that was nothing new to them. “ As you both can see them following us, I can assume that when we meet with your boss problems will appear. ” I didn't have to tell them what problems. “ I am assuming your boss won't believe me when I say that it was fake and will insist on force. At that moment I suggest you guys leave as far as possible to not get into the crossfire. ”

 

` To be honest, I hope he will react that way. I want some action to happen. `

 

“ Is that fine with you? ” When they both agreed silence came between us. The remaining drive soon came to an end. 

 

Leaving the car I stood in front of a huge building but nothing fancy. It looked a bit boring. Once inside they led me to where I needed to go. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For five years my cousin Omar and I worked for the agency. All this time we were given lowly jobs and every time a case happened involving the magical stuff we were given the backseat. When finally a chance appeared for us I fought with our boss for the chance and he finally agreed to it. 

The mission was simple. A suspect was apprehended, go interrogate him and if he does not agree to speak about where the things he stole are then use the artifact of Maat to at least confirm if he was the culprit or not. After that the darker means would be used.

 

` But to think everything went wrong from the beginning. Everything that happened was bait for us to appear. ` Very few people even in the government knew about the magical community as they interfere very little with us and when they do it's usually us following their instructions to the best of our abilities and if we don't usually it was the normal people that paid the price for it.

 

Either way my musings had to stop as we arrived at our destination. Leaving the car behind, my cousin and I led the current suspect to his destination, the Great Hall. When I reported everything that happened and the intentions of the suspect a new order was given. It was simple and soon it would be done.

 

As we walked in the corridors the Great Hall was ahead. It wasn't really great or anything. Yes it was bigger but nothing great about it. Once there the suspect turned to us.

 

He was a light blond man of European origin or something like it and he called himself Stephen. “ Go call your boss and I suggest you stay away from here. There is a big chance that a fight will happen. ”

 

With that we left him there and went for the boss. It was easy to find him as he was waiting in a room close by. There boss Hussain waited for us.

 

“ Salim, Omar, good tell me everything you experienced. ” Boss Hussain was quite young for somebody of his position. About 35 years of age. He succeeded our grandfather when he retired. He and our grandfather were in conflict as to how the agency should be handled and as Omar and I belonged to grandfather's side we had been excluded as much as possible from missions of importance. 

 

Either way he couldn't kick us out even if he wanted to. “ Yes sir. To be honest there is not much to tell. The artifact did not work on him but from the disposition of his behavior so far he did not seem hostile to us. ” 

 

“ I see, about the artifact, does he still claim it was fake? ” I could only nod to it. “ Fine, lets go talk to him. Come. ” With that order I hesitated and so did my cousin. “ Umm, sir there is one thing I should mention. Mr.Stephen has advised us that the chances of you not believing him are high and a fight would ensue, so umm, he advised that we stay away from him. ”

 

“ He did? ” The boss stared at us for a bit. “ Too bad for you then as you both will follow me as will the others. ”  Others?

 

Immediately from the other rooms agents appeared. They were heavily armed with guns and with the order they went inside the Great Hall and filled it. When I counted there were around 20 men.

 

When they filled the hall, the boss went in. I glanced at my cousin for a bit and followed reluctantly too. There in the middle of the room Stephen looked around the hall and the man surrounding him but he never said a thing.

 

Once we both were inside he turned to us for a second too. It was as if he understood our plight sheat that moment he smirked and his vision left us to focus on the boss. “ You know I have been wondering if you will believe me or not. Should I take this interpretation that our talks won't happen? ” He still smiled as if the presence of 20 men with guns had no influence on him. “ So what will it be? Chat or fight? ”

 

Boss Hussain said nothing at first as they stared at each other for a bit. “ That will depend on you. Are you still claiming that your artifact is fake? ”

 

“ Indeed I do. ” Claimed Stephen. “ But I have a feeling you won't believe me. Will you?”

 

“ Depends.” Came the reply from our boss. “ Will you tell me why you did what you did? ” 

 

Hearing that Stephen nodded. “ Sure I don't mind. Lets see, where to start. Not long ago I acquired power. I won't talk about what kind but when I did I came to a realization that since I had it, it meant that others exist too. So I started to roam the World in search but everywhere I looked I saw nothing. That's when I decided to make you guys come to me instead of me to you. Is that good enough? ”

 

Finally hearing his reasons made it all seem so insignificant. With that another round of staring started between the boss and him. “ And what are you searching for in general? ” Asked Hussain.

 

“ Like I said I want to know the general situation of the World and how it functions and where I might find those who I seek. Nothing big for somebody in your position. I hope. ” Indeed, if he sought such information, our boss should know a lot. 

 

“ And who do you seek? ” Asked Hussain but Stephen only shook his head. “ I see. Can you prove that your power does not come from our heritage? ”

 

Stephen only raised an eyebrow and his right hand went to his chest. There, the moment it touches something it appears. It was an Ankh made of black stone with gold hieroglyphs and golden edges on it. He pulled on it and the string holding it to his neck vanished. He looked at it then Hussain and waved it around as if it was of no importance at all. “ Is this what you meant? ”

 

Immediately Hussain glued his eyes to it just like everybody else. Stephen waved it a bit more and threw it at him. In total surprise to that action he barely caught it. “ There, examine it and tell me what you think. ”

I glanced at Omar and following a feeling in my guts I took him by the arm. He too was looking at the Ankh but when I took his arm he focused on me. With my own eyes and a tilt from my head  I told him we should leave. He nodded and we slowly made our way backwards. 

 

As we walked backwards I observed Hussain and the Ankh in his hands when I heard a snap from Stephen's direction. Immediately the Ankh in his hands dissipated. With shock I observed it happen like everybody else when we came to ourselves and focused on the culprit of the sound. 

 

“ So what do you think? Was it fake or was it real? ” Stephen smirked at everything happening. Seeing that smirk I knew it was there was no going back. Immediately I pulled Omar hard outside the hall. Not one second later I heard the boss's order to shoot.

 

Bang,bang,bang

 

It just kept going on and on and when it finally stopped I heard Omar. “ You think he's dead? ”

“ I don't know. Somehow I have this doubt though. ” I really did. The way he had this confidence even when confronted with so many people and so many guys just screams something is wrong. “ It stopped. Should we go take a look. ” Asked Omar. 

 

Aaaaa

 

Hearing that scream Omar only shook his head and soon another round of gunshots ensued. This time sporadically I heard cries and shouts mixed in with the gunfire.

 

It took another minute of that for everything to die down. Again Omar glanced at me as if asking me to check for him. “ Fine, let me check. ” Finally admitting my curiosity I looked into the hall. 

With a quick glance there I saw men on the ground and blood from some of them pooling on the floor but the most important thing was I saw no Stephen. 

 

“ Salim, Omar, no need for you to glance around the corner, you can come out. ” Hearing him, there was only one conclusion. He won. With that Omar and I went back inside.

 

Once inside I saw Stephen holding Hussain by the neck with not one injury on him. Looking around I saw many men still holding positions and many were on the floor. ` Oh, they look like they were shot and nothing else. ` Noticing everything going on I addressed him. “ What happened and how are you fine? ”

 

As if my voice diffused the situation Stephen released Hussain and turned to us. “ Well, they mostly injured themselves. They probably didn't expect their bullets to ricochet around as much as they did now when they hit me. “ He stopped as if that would explain it. Good thing he went on. “ You see, I knew at some point I would be surrounded by people with guns or close to it, so I tweaked my barrier a bit to ricochet bullets if they come from a certain angle. Considering that I just had to position my body in the right positions for it to happen, I danced along with their bullets. Was quite fun to be honest. ”

 

Hearing that I was quite flabbergasted.  “ Fun? Barrier? ”

“ Yes, well it was fun for me. As for the barrier, it probably is different then you imagine it. Either way I had hoped there would be supernatural stuff happening instead of this. ” He shook with that realization and looked at me and Omar. “ I don't want to deal with this one since his greed deluded him into believing my powers came from an artifact. Even if it was a momentary decision blib, it still happened. You said your grandfather was involved with the supernatural. Will he have the information I am seeking? ” With a nod as our reply, he made his way out and I followed him for a second before noticing Omar didn't follow us.

“ Omar? ” When I addressed him he came to himself. “ Are you coming? ” Again he looked around for a bit and shook his head. “ No, you go cousin. I will help here. A lot of them are injured. ”

 

“ Oh, Ok. ” Omar was always the one that cared more for people then I did. So this is good. 

 

With that arranged I made my way outside and followed Stephen.