[hr][center][h1][color=007236]Mahendra Huq Zalil[/color][/h1]
[img]https://i.ibb.co/NnrWy0t/ezgif-com-webp-to-jpg.jpg[/img][/center]
[hr][center][Color=007236]Location:[/color] Benha (Trains to Athribis -> Athribis)
[Color=007236]Skills:[/color] Understanding of local Egyptian superstition[/center][hr] 

Mahendra had to admit, even though he tried to hide the toughts that were running through his mind with a firm look on his face, that Nora's conjecturing made some sort of sense. If some of the Fellowship's members had been branded by opposing gods and godesses, then the next logical conclusion could be that they as mortals were meant to be opposed to one another. For a religious man such as Mahendra himself, it wasn't too far fetched. But it frightened him. It was a sign, or it at least could be, one of death. Death for someone in their party, which had already happened. 

The Bengali in the company of Brits and Americans tried to shake off the shuddering thought as they rapidly approached their destination: Athribis. Gene he didn't pay much attention to at this moment, except for her comment on keeping an open mind. Nothing too revolutionary. The animals actually trying to tell them something, however, he gave a polite nod to her for. Mahendra knew that animals could hide great intelligence behind their decieving eyes, perhaps more so in such a land as ancient as this? [Color=007236]"I will do my best, Miss Benaszewski, I will."[/color]

It was not long before the train arrived at their destination and the group began to exit the train. Mahendra politely let others out before him, as was due conduct, while he tried to think. Nora's words from earlier stuck with him, even as he tried to shake them off. Their brandings, their meaning and purpose. As Mahenda got off the train and joined the swelling group of travelling companions talking about whether or not to take a guided tour, he tried to remember if their peculiar situation had happened before in Egyptian legend. Surely if it had, then their fates and fortunes could be predicted, no? But as Mahendra finally joined his companions, his mind came up blank. It was a shame, this wasn't boding well for Lady Munn's assistant. [Color=007236]"I second us going on without a tourist guide, something more meaningful as you said Miss Bella. Perhaps the gods will look at us with favour for once?"[/color]

[hr][center][h1][color=#255DB3]Richard Barker[/color][/h1]
[img]https://i.ibb.co/x3j4tGH/ezgif-com-crop.jpg[/img][/center]
[hr][center][Color=#255DB3]Location:[/color] Benha (Trains -> Trains to Athribis)
[Color=#255DB3]Skills: [/color]Observation[/center][hr] 

Richard wasn't sure whether or not he liked the less amount of people around them as they boarded the train. He was a New Yorker, born and bred, and the relatively empty train cart was not something the hard-boiled detective was  used to. At the one hand, the fewer people around him and Faye meant that they had fewer prying eyes going over each and every little detail that was visible. To Richard, that meant his scarred nose. At the other hand, Richard could argue for himself as he followed Faye into the train cart, down the isle and onto the seat beside her, less people also meant they were a lot easier to see with so few else around. 

Finally seated comfortably on his sorry bum, Richard leaned back in his seat and took off his fedora, fanning himself with it in the desert heat comparable to a over-worked steamboiler. [Color=#255DB3]"Hey kid, I wasn't saying anything, but you've got a point. Our ol' Mr. Gould wasn't native to Egypt, so if he got some infection down in King Tut's basement, I can buy him getting sick and dying of that. But a worker accustomed to the crypt, like you said? You're right, Faye. Let's see what the two of us can dig up of this story."[/color] Richard told Faye, looking from her and out the window, then around the inside of the train cart. 

Call it a professional habit, but Richard started looking around him and Faye for something, or someone. Not anyting in particular, just something that would normally stick out to Barker the private detective. Odd things had happened to them already, mostly him but that was beside the point, so Richard wanted to be prepared if anything or anyone took interest in them. But nothing stuck out to him. They were sitting in a perfectly normal train with a handful of people in it, Faye and himself included. So Richard breathed out and finished his now burned-out cigarette, flicking it out of the window as he looked out it. [Color=#255DB3]"Been a long time since I took a train like this, feels odd to not sit tightly packed like Swedish sardines for once. Last time I took one, I was investigating a concerned wife's husband. She thought he was cheating on her or something typical like that, always taking the train on certain times on certain days. So I tailed him, took the train more times in a week than in my life, in and out of the city. Turns out the sorry old geezer wasn't cheating or anything, he was just trying to get some time away from the madam."[/color] Richard finished up his monologue, not usually one to talk about his profession or his cases, but this one he could tell. He could relate to the husband, wanting to get away from it all. [Color=#255DB3]"And here I'm off barking again about old dogs. Old habit, my bad."[/color]