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    Sofia shook her head.
    "The Hokkian archaeological dig is a Chicago Museum of History sponsored and directed expedition. Any and all artifacts recovered are therefore the property of the museum until such time as we have completed our initial categorization and testing. I'm not finished performing those tests and so the artifacts stay here."
    The man remained resolute.
    "I'm afraid the order stands." he said coldly. Sofia stood up and looked at her angrily searching for the eyes concealed behind those dark lenses.
    "Do you know just who you're talking to mister Nuncio." she said raising her voice.
    "Yes, I know who you are. Doctor Sofia Mendell, assistant director of the department of archaeology at the Chicago Museum of History. Born 1962 in Newfalls, Iowa. Went to Newfalls Central primary school, was found to be incredibly talented intellectually bordering on genius level at the age of 11. Admitted into Harvard with a hefty scholarship at the age of 17 after skipping two years of high school. Graduated from Harvard in 1989 at the age of 27 with honors at the top of your class in ancient history and archaeology. Became assistant director of archaeological studies at the Chicago Museum of History in 1998. Discovered the relation between ancient Mesopotamian writings and ancient aztec religious artifacts. Won multiple awards from the American Society of Scientists and gained international recognition as a leading ancient culture archaeologist. Yesindeed I know who you are Doctor Mendell. I can appreciate your concern, and I assure you that these artifacts will be handled with the utmost of care back in Washington..."
    Sofia was somewhat intimidated having heard such an accurate and detailed history of her life. Why would the Smithsonian go to so much trouble to find out so much about her? None the less the artifacts would stay here no matter what they knew or said.
    "The answer is still no. If you want the artifacts you're going to have to call up your lawyers and that's all I have to say." she stood up and walked over to the office door clasping the doorknob in her right hand. "Good day mister Nuncio."
    Mr. Nuncio stared at her for a moment, closed and picked up his briefcase and proceeded to the door. Sofia turned the knob and opened it back into the hallway. Mark who had been standing at the other side of the door bumped into Mr. Nuncio spilling the pile of files he was carrying and knocked Mr. Nuncio's sunglasses off his face and onto the floor. As Mr. Nuncio bent over to retrieve the glasses Sofia caught a glimpse at his eyes. Sofia's heart skipped a beat at the sight of those eyes, not like human eyes they were completely black, like two marbles inserted in the man's head. He stood up and replaced the glasses on his face, covering those inhuman eyes. Before stepping out he turned to her one last time.
    "You are making a big mistake doctor."
    Sofia looked at her own distorted refection in Nuncio's sunglasses the thought of those dark eyes haunting her mind. She watched him walk down the hallway and disappear around the corner in his black suit. I have the feeling I'll be seeing him again. she thought. I'd better hurry up with those tests. She closed the door and returned to her desk casting a scornful look on the folder Mr. Nuncio had left there. She picked up the phone receiver and dialed an internal number.
    "Mark. Yeah. Drop whatever you're doing, I need your help with something. Meet me in my lab." She hung up the phone, donned her lab coat and set off downstairs. She turned on the lights and equipment in the lab and began moving some of the artifacts and equipment around to prepare for the examinations and tests. It was going to be another long night.
    Mark arrived a few minutes later wiping some crumbs off his face with a napkin. He threw the dirty napkin in the garbage and looked to Sofia for guidance.
    "What's up?" he asked curiously.
    Sofia turned around and looked at him standing in the middle of the lab in a T-shirt and blue jeans.
    "Clean up, put on a lab coat and give me a hand here. We need to run some tests on all of these artifacts and we don't have much time." she said quickly before she turned back to the drawer in front of her where a variety of tools and log sheets were kept. Mark shrugged and wandered into the back to clean his hands and change.
    "What's the big rush anyways doctor?" he yelled over the sound of the water rushing over his hands into the sink.
    "Just hurry up! You can start by getting the sword ready for a dating test! The computer's already booted up!" she yelled back carefully removing a chain necklace from its packaging and putting it on the table. By ten-thrity, four hours after they'd begun working both Mark and Sofia were beginning to lose energy. They had accomplished a great deal but much more remained to be done. Sofia removed her mask and turned to Mark who was just returning from the computer room where he had been checking the results of the computerized dating tests.
    "Did you run those dating tests?" she asked sitting down on a stool facing Mark.
    "Well yes. But..." stuttered Mark looking at her sheepishly like a child who's just been caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar.
    "But what?" asked Sofia tired but still showing some interest past her sagging eyes.
    "Well there must be an error. Some kind of malfunction in the machine or something." responded Mark nervously trying to avoid the question.
    "Why do you say that?" asked Sofia becoming more and more interested.
    "According to the measurements taken by the computer this sword is over forty thousand years old..." Mark said, almost ashamed. "I, I'm sure I did it right. I even ran it again when it came up the first time." he said fearing the consequences if he made a mistake. Sofia struggled trying not to burst out with excitement in front of her student.
    "That's okay, its not your fault. You can go home now. You deserve it. Its been a long night." she said trying to subtly get rid of him so she could check the results for herself. Mark appeared hesitant looking at her feeling like a failure, she smiled to try and reassure him. He smiled back taking off his lab coat and walking to the door.
    "Want me to give you a hand before you go?" he asked trying to be considerate and make up for any mistakes he may have made. Sofia simply smiled at him.
    "No I'll be fine. Go on." she said urging him on.
    "Okay. See you tomorrow." he said heading out the doors and back upstairs. Sofia crept over to the double doors and listened to his footsteps climbing up the stairs and the sound of her office door closing. After a few moments of silence, satisfied that he was gone she dashed into the computer room and planted herself in the seat. Grabbing the mouse and deactivating the screen saver her eyes rolled along each line of the report until she arrived at the estimated age.
    "Thirty-eight to forty-one thousand years." she whispered. In the silence of the lab all she could hear was the deafening roar of the computer fan and her own racing heart. "My god."
 

    Sofia dropped the envelope in the mailbox and got back into her car. Within ten minutes she was back home and preparing for bed. She hoped to hear from Greg soon, ideally in person. If custody of the artifacts came down to a legal battle she'd prefer to have him at her side rather than going it alone against the likes of Mr. Nuncio, whoever, or whatever he was. She yawned and slipped under the covers in her bed. She turned to the bedside table and turned off the light. The clock read 10:21, the earliest she had gotten to bed in over two weeks.
 

    Sofia regarded herself in the mirror. She was looking quite good tonight, but something was wrong, something in the reflection didn't look right. Unable to figure out what it was she turned her attention to putting the golden bracelet in her hand around her right wrist. She had never seen the bracelet before but it was beautiful, glowing golden and inlayed with many shining gemstones. She lost herself in its glamourousness for several moments before she looked back up into the mirror.
    Sofia staggered back at the sight of her own reflection. Instead of her normal smooth dark skin stood a twisted, sickly version of herself, covered in open wounds and sores with sharp teeth. She closed her eyes and shook her head trying to dispel the image from her mind.
    "You all have a duplicate on the other side. Many are nothing but mindless slaves. Others evil in the extreme." echoed a deep voice in her head. Sofia opened her eyes and found herself standing in the deserted corridors of the museum at night. She looked around in fear, the silence was deeper than any she had ever heard. Her footsteps as she walked down the hallway were almost deafening as they echoed back and forth through the exhibits.
    She stopped at the entrance before the gift shop at the wall sized mirrors that lined each side of the lobby. She stopped and regarded her own reflection. Her hand moved down to her wrist and came to rest on the golden bracelet still on her arm. She looked at it intently in the mirror as she felt it with the tips of her fingers. As she looked hands reached through the mirror towards her. She jumped back in terror. All around her, in every direction she turned she was faced with mirrors wherever she ran a mirror, an image of herself blocked her way. She fell the the ground and began to weep.
    As she pleaded for it to end a hand came to rest on her shoulder. Feeling comforted she stood up, her weeping subsided. When she turned around however she was greeted by the lifeless black marbles of Mr. Nuncio's eyes. She let forth a scream and ran. She ran and ran and at last found herself in her lab clutching the sword from the dig ready to strike down anyone who should enter through the double doors.
    "Evil comes in all shapes and sizes. Those in a position of trust can become your worst enemy and those that appear to be monsters may well be your salvation. Do not be too quick to judge, but always be wary." resounded the deep echoing voice again. The sword began to vibrate and glow, eventually its light flooded Sofia's eyes and blinded her...
 

    Sofia hung up the phone. It was impossible to get a message to Dr. Sladden or the expedition due to a tropical storm, it could take days to clear up and get anything across. Sofia thought it odd, she hadn't heard anything about a storm but figured the people knew what they were talking about. Perhaps she had just been too busy to notice. She'd simply have to wait for the letter to get through. A response was taking a long time, it was usually a week or less for letters to get across by priority mail, it had been more than eight days since she sent her response. Oh well. Sofia thought to herself. I'm sure he'll get through.
    Even so Sofia had difficulty getting it off her mind. She was scared and didn't know what to do. As she sat at her desk contemplating her situation she suddenly decided to look at the sword from the dig again. She didn't know why. She had already thoroughly examined it, like the rest it was forty-thousand or so years old, intricately decorated and designed and in remarkable condition. Even so she felt a need to go down and look at it again. Somehow she felt it would make her feel better.
    In the lab she drew the weapon from its drawer without using protective gloves. Somehow it didn't seem necessary. The sword felt good in her hands. Somehow right as if it had been meant for her to hold. She laughed at herself quietly, she was being so foolish, this was childish. Still she couldn't help but feel safer, more powerful and confident with the sword in her hands.
    "Something isn't right." she uttered under her breath. She was startled when she got a response.
    "You're quite right doctor Mendell."
    Sofia recognized that deep, steady monotone voice, devoid of emotion. She turned and saw the silhouette of Mr. Nuncio standing menacingly in the doorway, blocking the light from the warehouse.
    "What do you want." she asked not even bothering to mask her anger. She was quite fed-up with the entire situation and at last felt like she could do something about it. Mr. Nuncio took several steps into the lab, quickly closing the distance between them.
    "I think you know. I'm here for the artifacts and I'm not leaving empty-handed." he stated, matter of factly.
    "No you're not. They aren't yours to take." Sofia responded spitefully. Mr. Nuncio shook his head.
    "You foolish woman." he said reaching into his jacket and withdrawing it with a pistol in hand. "I'm taking these artifacts whether you let me or not." He pointed the pistol squarely at her chest.
    Sofia growled, her mind filled with rage. Ignorant of the weapon aimed at her heart she lashed out with the ancient weapon in her hands slicing the arm holding the pistol. A shot was fired grazing Sofia's shoulder, she ignored the pain and poised herself with the sword in front of her body for protection. Mr. Nuncio grasped his arm and looked up at her, his face as cold and emotionless as ever. He lunged, both arms outstretched to attack her. Out struck the sword again and again, it happened so quickly Sofia didn't even know what happened. Mr. Nuncio stood limp, his arms dangling at his sides his body pierced in half a dozen places by Sofia's sword.
    Sofia gasped in horror at what she had done. She turned around holding the sword away from her body in disgust but unable to let it go. The burbling and crunching sound behind her gasped her attention however and she slowly turned...
    Mr. Nuncio's body stood limp but bubbles of red blood oozed from his mouth. His body convulsed and shook. A moment later his head tilted back and a bulge appeared in his throat. It moved and made crunching noises as Sofia gaped in horror. Moments later the skin burst, streams of blood trickled down the man's neck as a pair of small black mandibles pushed forth from the ripped skin. In a matter of moments a large black beetle-like creature its shell shining under the fluorescent lights with the glisten of freshly spilled blood. The creature scurried towards Sofia its feet tapping eerily on the tile floor.
    Sofia raised the sword above her head and struck at the creature once, twice, and then dozens of times with all her might raising the blade and crashing it down on the giant insect's body time after time even after it stopped moving. At her feet in a pool of blood the remains of the creature, mangled beyond recognition laid. Sofia panicked. Had she killed a man? Or some king of monster? She didn't know. She ran out of the lab, out the warehouse door into the parking lot and raced he car away from the museum back to her home.
    Sofia held the sword, wrapped in a blanket from the car under her arm as she jostled her front door open. She reached into the mailbox and withdrew a series of letters from it, one from Dr. Sladden at Hokkian.
    She sat at the table the sword lying in front of her clean of blood and shining despite the low light.
    "What have I done?" she mumbled her head in her hands.
    "You've begun what will be a long and dangerous journey. But you do it for the survival of all human-kind." said a voice in her head.
    "Who's there!" Sofia exclaimed standing up from the table, horrified that she had been caught.
    "Don't be afraid Sofia. It is me. Here on the table. I have spoken to you in your dreams." said the voice. Sofia looked down suspiciously.
    "The sword?" she asked.
    "Indeed. But I am no ordinary sword as you well know. I was forged over four-thousand years ago to fight a war against a terrible foe. A foe that has returned to this world." it answered. Sofia sat back down looking at the sword in a new light.
    "I don't understand." she said.
    "An evil as old as the universe itself called the Dark. It has empowered a few ancient and greedy sorcerers from long long ago, these sorcerers, calling themselves the Nightlords tried to take over our world those many years ago. They failed and were exiled to what is now called the Nightlands. There they have waited all this time for the moment when they would return to conquer this world. The day the sun did not rise marked the beginning of that quiet invasion.
    "I was designed to fight the Dark and its minions the Nightlords. To do that I need a brave soul to wield me. You are that soul. It will not be without danger but no prize worth winning is without danger. I have great powers to help and protect you, your shoulder for example is already healed by my power. We will work together, and together we will make a difference."
    Sofia pulled up her sleeve and looked at her shoulder. Healed without even a scar. For a moment she wondered if she was imagining things. If this was all just another dream. But something, somewhere in her mind told her it was true, somehow it was right and this was her time to make a difference.
    "Then we have work to do." she said lifting herself from the table and lifting the sword in her hand. It transformed itself into a beautiful golden bracelet around her arm. She smiled confidently and walked into her study to begin work on new plans. The letter laid open but unread on the kitchen table...