Arrival to the Scene

The dry desert air flushes over a man's roughly shaved beard and he licks his lips to moisten them up. He had been sitting in the plane and then the car for the whole day.

"What a sight! Look! You see that? It's the great pyramid of Nuhkmut. In the flesh! Or I suppose stone. Big, huge stones..." The scruffy bearded man raises his eyebrow to his excited friend who gets a blush and clears his throat: "I-I mean... that sounded bad. Did I say that out loud? Ah, it's been so long since I came here last. Did you know, I came here four years ago! Four years! And just campus work since then, phew. Good to be on the field!"

The two of them cross a thin string that acts as a fence to the expedition site. "Just don't get too excited. You give off a... vibe." The bearded man comments and waves to a round man with a large mustache and a flat cap. "What vibe? I'm just happy... oh, am I not supposed to be happy? Is this not only the greatest find of this century or what?!" The other man raises his voice excitedly and the man with a mustache looks at him furrowing his brow. "Sorry. N-nice to meet you. I am Nolan Barham. Of the-..."

"Of Howard university. Name's Connor Tusk. It's a pleasure."

Connor lifts his hat and Nolan stands awkwardly as he doesn't have one to lift. The mustache man has neat clothes and suspenders. He's the supervisor of the Nuhkmut area diggings and expeditions. A native gentleman, he has spent all his life here. He offers his big hand and the men exchange handshakes. "Hello, hello. Come. We were waiting for your arrival, gentlemen." He leads the two to a big tent erected closeby. It's an archeological station used for closer field duty research. "Ah, this is what I'm talking about. I almost feel at home." Nolan sighs and the three walk to a pair who were chatting intensely by a big table. A middle aged man with a suit and tie and a young woman with a good posture and glasses.

The man sees the two arrive and bows with a big happy smile on his face. "Hello, I am the director, Zou . I'm glad you could come with such a short notice. You see, we have already encountered robbers. We have no time to waste." It's true, and that's why Nolan's comments were somewhat misplaced earlier.

"Yes, we've heard. But you've managed to keep it untouched, haven't you?" Connor asks and the tall asian woman next to the man mutters: "Yes, of course." She looks at the Americans through her sharp glasses and offers a hand: "Monica Shun. Professor of archaeology and Egyptology. Multiple campuses. I move where I'm needed." Connor takes her hand and finds it much tighter than he thought and judges her character.

"Oh hey! I know you. I was on your lecture in Miami the other week! A big fan!" Nolan hurries to shake her hand and she takes a step back and crosses her arms: "Your assistant is obnoxious." She says coldly and Connor looks at Nolan smirking. Nolan's face goes red and he groans: "P-professor of archaeology and egyptology as well, so you know... I am the superior here. Connor's just... he does field work." Nolan sits down obviously hurt and the stern woman turns to look at Connor.

"Yes, well. I got no doctorals, but I got an archeologist's papers. That enough to check out that dusty hole?" Connor notices the woman bothered and sees her leave the room. "Psst. Not a dusty hole. Bad word, Connie." Nolan whispers and the two sit down with the two other men to discuss the technicalities of the situation. Apparently two tourists discovered the hidden space out of curiosity. The wall came down and a previously undiscovered space opened up. That's usually how it happens. Only this one was not just any old building, but the legendary great pyramid of Nuhkmut. This discovery is already a hot topic worldwide and every single news outlet wants the first look inside, not to mention tomb raiders, of which there's already been a few.

"Got it. Well. Let's go check it out. Right, Nolan?" Connor teases his overly excited partner who almost jumps up and the four of them begin the walk towards the pyramid looming above.