Relieved to have been released from Scotland Yard's mental ward, Alisa began the day bright and early with a careful reading of the financial newspapers. She telephoned Barings Bros. bank to let them know that she had been released on bail and would be in the office that afternoon. She also sent a telegram to Peabody-Kidder in Boston declining their offer of an attorney, then took a taxi to the Russell Hotel where she met Nell, Lya, Niles, Dan'l, and Rupert for breakfast.
"Where's Scott?" asked Dan'l. "He never came back last night". Rupert then informed the group that Scott had disappeared. "Scott had been acting strangely for the past week - as long as I knew him, in fact. He was convinced that this book had mystical powers and was spending all of his time studying it. Last night he insisted on going to Hyde Park and attempting to summon a creature he called an Aerial Servant. I went along just to humor him. Along the way he kept insisting we were being followed by a youth in a ragged bellboy's uniform, but I didn't see anyone unusual. I think he was convinced that the bellboy he got fired from the Russell Hotel was after him. He certainly seemed paranoid about him.
"When we got to Hyde Park Scott waited until the moon had set, then began chanting in Latin. This lasted for about half an hour, and then a large flying creature appeared. Scott seemed paralyzed with fear and the creature flew off with him. Fortunately he dropped the book and I retrieved it, along with his translation of the chant." Rupert then showed the group a sketch he made of the Aerial Servant, along with the Clavis Solomanus.
"Well, for him the bellboy told" remarked Niles, as he sipped his mimosa.
Lya became quite agitated and insisted that the group find Scott. "I've already paid him for a week's work as my researcher. First Quentin, now Scott - who's next?" Rupert agreed to take the group to the site in Hyde Park.
The group then discussed their plan to investigate the Blue Pyramid night club that evening, disguised as ignorant American tourists. Rupert told the group that he intended to investigate Derbyshire next week.
As Alisa was about to leave for her appointment at the laywer's office, Nell advised her to act normally - go to work at Barings, dictate a letter or two, and then go do some serious shopping to take her mind off the situation. "And avoid disreputable people or places". Alisa then told Lya not to include her in any more stories she writes for The Scoop - her reputation must remain above reproach. "Too late for that", remarked Niles.
Rupert, Lya, Nell, Niles, and Dan'l squeezed into a taxi and went to Hyde Park where they examined the site of last night's summoning. After some searching, Dan'l and Lya discovered a pair of tracks that appear to have been made by a large, humanoid with claws. Lya became even more agitated at this evidence of Scott's fate and fled the scene, taking a taxi to a theatrical costume store, where she purchased two more wigs and two toupees. She then went over to Fleet Street and picked up her new business cards that identified her as a reporter for The Scoop.
Undeterred by Lya's panic attack, Nell photographed the tracks and the site. After that the group dispersed. Nell went to the chemists to develop her photographs. Rupert went back to the British Museum Library and hired a graduate student to translate the Aerial Servant incantation from the Clavis Solomanus. Niles and Dan'l went to a sporting goods store and purchased two shotguns.
Alisa arrived at the law offices of Llewellyn & Descoynes for her consultation. Lionel Descoynes informed her that Sir Llewellyn thought it possible to work out a plea bargain. If she pleaded guilty to the weapons charges he could get the obstruction of justice charge dropped. The penalty would be a fine and an agreement to leave Britain immediately and not return for 1 year. Alisa was dismayed at the prospect of being unable to visit her British clients for a year but Descoynes assured her that it was essential for her reputation in the business community to avoid a trial. He asked Alisa to give him a reply by Monday - otherwise it would be necessary to appear at a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey . Alisa promised to consider it. Descoynes also told her to avoid disreputable places and persons - if in doubt apply the "maiden aunt" rule - and not to leave the greater London area.
Alisa then had the first of her police-mandated sessions with an alienist (discreetly retained by Llewellyn and Descoynes). The alientist asked her numerous questions about her attitude toward snakes, dinosaurs, firearms, cigars, family life, and her father. He suggested that her recent problems might have been due to stress and overwork and gave her a prescription for tranquillizers. Alisa said little other than to deny that she was under stress and that she loved her work. She agreed to return in a week if the plea-bargain had not been arranged and suggested the alienist consult her if he needed investment advice. Alisa then went in to work at Barings for about an hour before meeting the others at the cafe.
At lunch, Niles and Dan'l showed the group their new purchases. Nell was appalled and told them to stow the weapons in Niles' room.
After lunch, Rupert called Inspector Barrington and reported Scott Theobald's disappearance. He told Barrington that he had met Scott at the British Museum library while doing research. Carefully omitting any mention of the occult, Rupert stated that Scott had a strange desire to visit Hyde Park at midnight and recite poetry from an old Latin text. When Rupert wasn't looking, Scott slipped away and had not been seen since then. Barrington asked if Scott had been intoxicated that evening. Rupert replied that he didn't think so, but that Scott had seemed nervous about something. Barrington thanked Rupert for the information and promised to refer it to the proper department.
Rupert then called Mickey Mahoney at The Scoop and asked him if he knew anything about the Blue Pyramid. Mahoney told him that there was something shady about the place but that the police had not found anything.
Nell and Alisa went shopping at Selfridges. Nell purchased a scarf and a non-descript day dress while Alisa purchased a raincoat, shoes, and a formal gown. They then spent the rest of the afternoon at the Victoria and Albert Museum . If Alisa was being shadowed, she hoped that this would convince Scotland Yard that she was abiding by the terms of her bail.
Having learned long ago that writing was the best way to calm herself and take her mind off her problems, Lya spent the afternoon writing up the story about the Ju-Ju House in New York for The Scoop. She was very careful not to name any names and told the story in general terms, emphasizing the strange and exotic nature of the place. No mention was made of the Cult of the Bloody Tongue or the deaths of the two policemen.
Back at the Russell Hotel, Dan'l (who had been rooming with Scott) received a phone call from a Scotland Yard investigator inquiring about Scott Theobald. Dan'l said that he barely knew Scott but that he had arrived recently from New York. He referred the investigator to Lya Brighter and Nell Parker for more information.
Late that afternoon the group rendezvoused at Brown's Hotel. The gentlemen declined to wear the toupees purchased by Lya, but the ladies put on wigs and disguised themselves as Maud (Lya), Addie (Nell), and Jessica (Alisa). Alisa was particularly concerned that Scotland Yard not discover that she had been to the Blue Pyramid, given its reputation.
After a short taxi ride to the Blue Pyramid, they were seated in the dining room, which was decorated in a style inspired by the recent "King Tut" discoveries. The group enjoyed a pre-theater dinner of lamb shish-kebab and couscous. Niles noted that the wine list was quite acceptable and ordered a Lebanese red wine.
After dinner, Nell and Lya excused themselves to visit the powder room but managed to catch a glimpse into the nightclub section. They noted that two beefy bouncers in Turkish garb stood just inside the beaded entrance. Near the ladies' room they found a stairway leading up to a darkened landing. Nell and Lya then stepped out into the alley behind the Blue Pyramid, noting that there was a basement entrance and a fire escape.
The group then walked two blocks to the Empire Theater where they enjoyed a performance of a new comedy called Hay Fever, written by an up-and-coming young writer named Noel Coward. Afterwards they returned to the Blue Pyramid and entered the nightclub, wjere they were greeted by an attractive Middle Eastern woman. She told them that it was customary for men and women to be seated at separate tables in this club, and she escorted Niles, Rupert and Dan'l to a prime table near the stage (and the belly dancers). She then escorted Alisa, Nell, and Lya to a table in the back of the club, far from the stage.
Looking around the club Rupert noticed that most of the patrons were Middle Eastern men wearing laborer's clothes. A couple of tables were occupied by well-dressed men, one of them wearing a fez. Rupert ordered a baklava and Turkish coffee, Dan'l ordered a beer, and Niles ordered a bottle of champagne.
The air in the night club was heavy with the smell of pungent Turkish tobacco and incense. Raucous Middle Eastern music punctuated the gyrations of three attractive dancers on the stage. Niles was definitely having a good time.
Seated in the rear of the club, Nell ordered a baklava and brandy, Alisa ordered a baklava and a shot of Cutty Sark, and Lya ordered a double scotch. Lya then pretended to down her drink rapidly (while actually spilling most of it on herself). She then pretended to be tipsy and staggered off to the ladies' room. Alisa and Nell tried to overhear conversations at nearby tables but the music was too loud.
Lya used the opportunity to investigate the second floor landing (locked door) and checked to see if anyone was out in the alley. As she made her way back into the club, a solicitous waiter helped her back to her table. A few minutes later a waitress brought her a cup of Turkish coffee "on the house".
Suspicious, Lya sniffed the coffee but detected nothing amiss. However, she noticed a note written on the napkin: " I must speak with you. Meet me in the alley at midnight". She managed to show the note to Nell and Alisa and they decided to get the group outside immediately, since it was 11:45.
Noticing that Niles was waving a pound note at one of the dancers, Nell walked over to his table in a huff and dragged him out. Lya then swaggered over and pretended to flirt with Dan'l, taking him by the arm and leading him out of the club. Alisa and Rupert then made their way out as well.
After explaining the situation, the group divided up as follows: Lya in the alley near a street lamp, Rupert in the outside stairwell by the basement, Niles and Nell further down the alley in the darkness, Alisa in the ladies room standing on a chair looking out the window, and Dan'l in the hallway leading to the alley.
Just before midnight, a Middle Eastern woman stepped out into the alley and approached Lya. It was the waitress who had brought her the coffee. She told Lya that her name was Ayesha and that she had information about the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh. Lya asked how she knew that she was interested in that and was told that she thought Lya and her friends were undercover police agents investigating the Egyptian murders.
Ayesha told Lya that the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh had murdered her fiance and she felt that her own life was in danger. She would tell everything she knew but needed the sum of 20 pounds to leave England afterwards. Lya agreed to these terms and asked her to meet "Maud Brixon" in the lobby of the Midland Grand Hotel at 10 AM the next day. Ayesha then returned to work at the club.
The group then took a taxi back to Brown's Hotel and made plans for
the next day. Nell and Lya returned to their rooms at the Midland
Grand and rented two more rooms, in the case the group needed to relocate
from the Russell.
Rupert, Dan'l, Nell, and Lya met for breakfast at the Midland Grand Hotel, Alisa having decided to spend the morning at Barings and Niles having an appointment at his tailor's on Bond Street. The group waited in the lobby until almost 11 AM, with no sign of Ayesha. Lya checked with the front desk and found that there was a telephone message from 9 AM for "Maud Brixon": "Meet me at Cannon Street Station, track 5, noon".
Concerned that something might be wrong, Lya called Alisa and asked her to meet them at the station. They then took a taxi to the Blue Pyramid (closed) and checked the alley for any signs of foul play (none). Lya then telephoned Inspector Barrington from a booth, told him the situation, and said that she would call back at 12:30. The group then took a taxi to Cannon Street station, arriving about 11:45, where they met Alisa.
While Lya waited for Ayesha at track 5, the others tried to blend in to the crowd. Rupert purchased a crossword puzzle book from a newstand and noted that the next train to depart track 5 was the 12:30 Southern Railway express to Dover. He decided to purchase a ticket just in case. Nell put on her "long-suffering and dutiful" face and acted as if she were about to depart to visit her aunt. Dan'l watched the crowd for Ayesha. Alisa read the Financial Times.
At noon Ayesha emerged from the ladies' room and met Lya. Ayesha appeared quite worried and tense. She told Lya that she had decided to leave England immediately and asked if she had brought the money. Lya said that her friend had it and motioned Rupert over to join them. Ayesha then told her to purchase a ticket to Dover, and that she would tell her what she wanted to know enroute. Lya did so. After observing Lya's actions, Nell and Dan'l also purchased tickets to Dover.
At 12:15 Ayesha, Lya, and Rupert boarded the train for Dover, finding an otherwise unoccupied compartment in 1st class. Dan'l and Nell followed at a discreet distance, boarding at the last minute. Dan'l found a seat in the compartment across from them, while Nell sat near the end of the railway carriage. Nell noticed a number of "foreigners" on the train. Realizing that she must not leave London or risk being re-arrested, Alisa telephoned Inspector Barrington and asked that he notify the police in Dover. She then returned to the bank.
At 12:30 the train departed Cannon Street station. Ayesha seemed to relax a bit, and told Lya and Rupert that she had been afraid that someone at the Blue Pyramid had seen them talking last night She told them that her fiance, Achmed, had been employed at the Crescent Empire warehouse in the East End as a stevedore. One day a crate he had been unloading came open and he saw something strange inside...
At that point the door to the compartment opened and a Middle Eastern man stepped inside, brandishing a knife! He attempted to stab Ayesha but Rupert stepped between them. Dan'l attempted to tackle the assassin from behind but just pushed him toward Rupert. The assassin then slashed at Rupert but missed. Lya threw her baseball at the assassin but missed. Nell came running up from the rear of the carriage and flailed ineffectually at the assassin with her purse. The assassin then turned around and slashed Dan'l, re-opening his wounds from New York. Rupert then punched the assassin, while Lya tried to throw her overcoat over his head but missed. The assassin then tried to slash Rupert but missed. Nell then tripped the assasin with her umbrella, while Dan'l pummelled him with his fists. Lya then kicked the downed assassin in the head, knocking him unconscious. Nell summoned the conductor, who telegraphed ahead to Dover requesting police and medical assistance.
Dan'l, bleeding profusely, lasped into unconsiousness. While Nell applied first aid, Lya continued questioning the terrified Ayesha, who managed to stammer out the following information in a series of disjointed sentences: The Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh was long-established in London and well-known among the immigrant community. They killed Achmed and left his body in Hyde Park as a warning to others. The cult is responsible for the Egyptian murders. Their leader is a man named Tewfik al-Sayed, a spice merchant who also owns the Blue Pyramid. His shop is on Wardour Street in Soho. Every Friday night at midnight a truck picks up cultists from the Blue Pyramid. The cult symbol is a broken ankh....
At that point the train pulled into Dover Station. Ayesha hurried off the train and disappeared into the crowd. Nell, Lya, and Rupert waited with Dan'l and the unconscious cultist for the police. The police took the assassin into custody, and Dan'l was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment, accompanied by Nell. After a brief discussion with the police Rupert and Lya were absolved of any responsibility for what had happened. They then met Nell at the hospital and were told that Dan'l would be laid up for three to five days. Nell decided to remain in Dover for that time and reserved a room at the Lord Warden hotel , near the station and pier. After telephoning Alisa, Nell gave Lya her map of the Penhew Foundation for possible use later. Rupert and Lya took the next train back to London.
Meanwhile, Alisa decided that London was becoming too inhospitable and called Lionel Descoynes to accept the offer of a plea-bargain. She asked him to expedite the process so she could leave as soon as possible.
Rupert returned to the British Museum library and asked the translator for a status report. He was told that the text was written in a variant form of medieval Church Latin used by the Albigensians of southern France. He promised that the tranlsation would be completed by Monday.
Thoroughly spooked, Lya checked out of the Midland for herself and Nell and decided to accept Alisa's offer of the adjoining servant's room at Brown's Hotel. She spent the evening updating her journal while Alisa telephoned clients to let them know that she would be leaving Britain in a week or so. She also telephoned Niles at the Russell Hotel and informed him of the day's events.
That night, Lya dreamed that she was standing in the desert before a curiously-shaped pyramid several hundred feet high. At the apex of the pyramid stood a gigantic man, wearing robes the color of sunset-flame. Instead of a head his body was topped by a bloody tongue. From the sands arose a host of faceless sphinxes, who attacked her with their claws and teeth.....
Lya awoke screaming from this horrible dream. Alisa came over
to see what was wrong but Lya could only babble incoherently. A knock
at the door proved to be that of a concerned bellboy who had been passing
by. Alisa assured him that everything was fine and gave him a generous
tip. She then gave Lya one of the pills she had gotten from the alienist
to calm her down. The powerful sedative took effect almost immediately
and Lya fell into a mercifully dreamless sleep.