[hr][center][h1][color=007236]Mahendra Huq Zalil[/color] & [color=#255DB3]Richard Barker[/color] [/h1]
[img]https://i.ibb.co/NnrWy0t/ezgif-com-webp-to-jpg.jpg[/img][img]https://i.ibb.co/sy2fGQz/ezgif-4-10f332fdde31.gif[/img][/center]
[hr][center]Location: Athribis (Underground)
Skills: [Color=007236]Geology, Excavation, Understanding of local Egyptian superstition[/color] - [Color=#255DB3]Observation, People-reading, Deduction[/color][/center][hr] 

Mahendra would have let out a most proper and polite sigh of relief now that the honourable Lord Major was more inclined to delve deeper into the unknown in search of Bella, but his body did not let him have the pleasure of it. Firstly Gene's continuous un-lady like behaviour was giving him quite the headache, both as a figure of speech and slowly giving him an actual headache with her frank speech. It was not proper for Mahendra to give her a stern talk, though he wanted to; that was for the Lord Major to take care of, even if he wasn't the de facto leader of the little Fellowship. But Mahendra did give her a stern look, annoyed at her. 

Secondly, and more strange than anything else, was the mystical haze that had set upon him and his vision. But as Mahendra heard the others mention it as well, it would seem he was not alone in being effected by this phenomenon. [Color=007236]"Yes, Lauren dear, I see it too…Miss Kingston?"[/color] Mahendra assured first Lauren that he was experiencing the same, then turning to Nora as she spoke to him. Were they all under this veil of fog? [Color=007236]"Lord Major, Miss Benaszewski? Do you see it too?"[/color] Mahendra was at this point focusing on assisting Nora in her map-making, instead trying to figure out what on Earth was befalling them!

Further up the tunnel, Richard and Faye were still trying to make sense of what they'd found so far. Richard kept his eyes locked onto the group of strangers snooping around up ahead of them, listening intently to what Faye speculated about their case. [Color=#255DB3]"Them trying to figure out why that man died? Could be, who knows how many people the ticket-man told that story to. Still doesn't answer why they'd be interested…then again, we're here."[/color] Ricard speculated back to Faye, turning around for a moment to look at her with the mention of a gun, rubbing his eyes trying to get whatever annoyed his eyes out. No success…great. 

[Color=#255DB3]"You and me both, but guns in this country would be just as tricky as an armless guy playing the violin. Hopefully push won't come to show…"[/color] Richard had wanted to bring his gun along with him, but honestly didn't think it was worth it now. Having to explain why he, an American tourist in Egypt needed a loaded gun on him, he wasn't too keen on that. Perhaps when he had time he could get a proper permit for it, unless both that and the gun got nicked off him. Then he'd be in real trouble. Hopefully these people would be causing any of that…

Deep in that thought, Richard attempted to move quietly forward towards the group talking amongst themselves about something. He needed to get closer…and in the process tripped on something and falling face first onto the ground of sand and stone, sliding forward and almost falling into a…a hole in the ground? Had it been there before? Perhaps his blurred vision had obscured it at the distance? This really was starting to feel more and more like a Pulp-novel. 

Mahendra was coming up blank with his mental analysis of the haze. It wasn't like anything he'd come across or experinced before himself, so what could it be? [Color=007236]"I don't know what sorcery this is…not an allergy or simple dust, that I can assume…"[/color] Mahendra informed the others who were experiencing the divine veil, but getting no further when he heard something. Turning around to where the sound came from, he was taken back at seeing a man lying on the tunnel floor, clearly having fallen over. Where on Earth did he come from? 

[Color=007236]"By the Gods, what on Earth? Who are you, what are you doing here, Sir?"[/color] Had they been discovered, had their cover been blown?

Richard lifted his head and slowly began to push himself off the sandy floor beneath him, his eyes meeting those of the group they had tried and utterly failed to keep an eye on. One of them, a foreign-looking fella with a thick accent talked to him. This could mean trouble, real and mean trouble. What were they going to do to him? As Richard got slowly back up on his feet, he couldn't figure out head from tail. Either those people were the friendliest bunch of tourists he'd seen, or the meanest bastards he'd come across. The only thing he could do now, he thought, was to act calmly and not attract any attention to Faye in the background. If he was fucking up this, he was doing it alone and not dragging her down with him. 

[Color=#255DB3]"Well…I'd ask you bunch the same thing, but it's obvious you lot are looking for something. Clearly you weren't chased down here by crazy goats or camels."[/color] Richard said back to the group, holding up his half-lit torch and resting his blackjack club under the arm, pinching his still lit cigarette between his fingers as he pulled in a good drag. Was he smoking socially, or as a soldier before a firing squad? He had to act calm and think quickly. [Color=#255DB3]"Look pal, I'll give you a square deal; You tell me what you and your friend are doing here, and I'll tell you. Simple, and we can all walk away from here like merry lambs, without the authorities getting unnecessarily involved? Capiche?"[/color]