Thaumonuclear

The generator has a relatively simple control panel, Synth just turns a key (which was left in the panel) from locked to unlocked and pushes a green button marked "Start" which begins to glow. There is a rumble as the starter turned over and the generator roars to life. The fluorescent lights in the electrical room slowly flicker to life. Upstairs, the lights also come back on, leading to a roar of excited voices among the visitors. Synth's examination of the guard does not reveal much, he has a heartbeat and is breathing, but both are faint. Atomic Bob also looks at the guard quickly, but frowns and shakes his head. "Medicine's not my field, if there's no bleeding to stop I'm out of ideas. Maybe we can ask the guards to discreetly find a doctor or nurse." Just as Bob suggests this is a guard standing near the stairway where Synth and Bob are hidden and walks over to speak, looking. "That's great, I'm glad we have some help here. I don't know what happened to Frank downstairs or what's blocking the door, but I know it's out of our league." Bob nods, "We've got Frank here, I think. He's hurt, but we don't know how. We want to find him a doctor, someone who can help him, but we don't want to panic people more." The guard nods and relays the request through his radio.

I'll take that, you find the gloves.

There is a tool-chest near the door, and inside Vector is able to find a variety of protective gear, including insulating gloves.

Bob picks up the radio and tosses it to Vector. "Nice to meet you, Vector. I don't like this situation, so glad to have as much help as we can get here. I'll follow her upstairs and see what we can do to help keep order," he says, nodding toward the Synth carrying the guard. He's really unsure how to talk about multiple copies of the same person. Should he assign them numbers? Would that be rude? "Call for help if you need it, I'll try to get someone to lend me another radio so we can keep in contact." Synth (with the flashlight) and Vector head in to the electrical room. There are rows of circuit breaker boxers, but as they look toward the back a cable lies disconnected in the back and the darkness is split by an arc of electricty from the severed live wire. It appears the main electrical line from outside the building has been cut. Not far from the wire is the backup generator, fed from an underground fuel tank. Another spark of electricity arcs from the wire to strike the generator. Synth (with the guard) and Bob head upstairs again, reaching the lobby where guests sit huddled nervously together and flashlights dart around the room. "If the doors are blocked like they say, where will we take him for help?" Bob asks. "We should probably try not to let too many people see us carrying around a body, that might just make the panic worse."

Bob shakes his head, "Hopefully we can borrow his flashlight, unless the culprit is emitting radiation, I'm just as blind as you down here." On the evacuation, he adds "We're going to have to be careful about innocent bystanders, then. As well as worrying about all the expensive exhibits and artifacts." The security guard has fallen on top of his flashlight, blocking the light. Pulling it free allows Synth to see the man is unconscious. There are no obvious wounds, but lifesigns are faint. Chatter comes across his radio, as the guards and administration try to keep order and discuss how to handle the situation. "Whatever's blocking the main entrance seems to cover the windows as well. We've called for emergency assistance, try to keep people calm and keep them from wandering until help gets here."

Synth's clone saw the guards trying to keep order, ushering people out of the exhibits and out to the main lobby. They at first suggest they're going to evacuate everyone, but quickly the story changes. "We think it's best if everyone remains inside until we know exactly what's going on. We have contacted the power company and the police and they'll help us resolve the situation as soon as possible." The three heroes head down the stairs, ignore "No admittance signs", pass offices and storage rooms and converge at the electrical room in the basement. The door stands ajar and a figure is collapsed against the door frame, inside the room is dark and no movement is visible. Atomic Bob carefully floats down the hallway toward the other two. A muscular six-foot two man in a green costume decorated with yellow radiation symbols. A faint green glow comes from behind his dark goggles. He smiles uneasily and whispers, "I'm Atomic Bob. Came down to figure out what happened to that man, and the lights."

Bob jump when he heard the scream over the radios. This wasn't good. This wasn't just a power outage, someone (or something) dangerous was down there in the electrical room. He snuck away quietly from the other visitors, don't want to alarm them any more. A quick trip to the nearest restroom gave him the chance he needed. Under his polo-shirt and cargo-pants were his green body-suit, worn just for such an occasion. Goggles and gloves came out of his pockets (cargo-pants are useful) and Atomic Bob was ready for action. (Hopefully no one will notice the shoes). Costumed up, Atomic Bob slipped back out of the bathroom and headed down toward the basement.

Atomic Bob Radiance at Dusk Twilight at the Museum

Without warning, all through the museum, the lights blink out. In the Egyptian exhibit, and other exhibits with exterior windows there is still some light coming in from the darkening skies outside, while other exhibits (including the armor display) are pitch black. Flashlights blink on all over the museum and security guards attempt to keep order. "I want everyone to remain calm and stay where you are. I'm sure this is a temporary outtage, we'll let you know when we know more." The guards chatter on their radios and individually calm anyone who gets too upset. It is only a few moments before emergency lighting comes on around the building, leaving pockets of shadows everywhere. Synth's eye at the window notices looks like a wall of smoke crawl over the outside of the window, unnoticeable to anyone further from the window. Synth, Catherine and Bob all overhear a voice over a nearby radio. "I'm heading down to check the electrical room, outtage seems to be restricted to just this building. Wait, who are you..." followed by a scream. The guards react quickly to turn down the audio on their radios.

There are shadows behind the stone but quick inspection is enough to see the man is not simply hiding in them, and no sign of hidden doors or other tricks. The Hieroglyph translations are incomplete. The first sign concentrates mostly on translating example glyphs, but the others point out sections describing the history of the 18th dynasty and Thutmose V himself. The last is a section about the Onyx Sphynx of Aken, found in Thutmose's tomb. Aken takes Ra through the underworld in his ferry every night, and the Sphynx was meant to help guide the Pharoah to his proper place in the underworld.

The eye at the window doesn't see anything unusual. The stars are beginning to appear as lights come on in nearby buildings. Blinking lights indicate an airplane crossing overhead. There is no obvious sign of what the man was looking at. The man does not appear to notice Synth watching him, and after a few minutes he smile and taps his cane against the window before turning sharply and heading swiftly toward the back of the room. Several large stones covered in Hieroglyphics stand, alongside signs providing translations. He appears to be reading the signs, but then casually walks around one of the stones and never reappears.

Can I just say, ewwww?

As Synth is observing the exhibits and the visitors, she notices a man acting strangely. There are more than a few guests who have come to the museum in some sort of costume, but the man in an ornate renaissance-era jacket, a velvet cape and jeweled walking stick looks out of place even beyond his outfit. He walks around looking not at the exhibits, but at the lighting, security cameras and guards. Then he stops to watch out the large windows in the Egyptian exhibit, looking intently at the skies.

The speaker nods, "That is the nature of legends, though. We do know Dragos was unpopular and it is likely that much was added to the story after his death. The string of murders is confirmed, though, in local church records and no murderer was ever tried. It is also confirmed that Dragos's coffin in the family mausoleum lies empty without a lid. Many historians attribute that to grave robbers, though." He is then distracted as he has shoos away a small boy, attempting to climb onto the horse of a mounted warrior. A security guard rushes to help and ushers the boy, whining "aww. you guys are no fun...", toward the lobby.

Bob headed toward the egyptian exhibit, in a large room on the first floor of the western wing of the museum. The space was dominated by a replica pyramid structure, nearly reaching the roof of the two story room. Within the pyramid people crowded around to see the stone sarcophagus, carved with the likeness of the pharoah. Beside the sarcophagus, outside the velvet ropes, stood a replica mummy with its arms extended in classic movie-monster pose. On the other side of the pyramid, on a stone pedestal stood a 3 foot long sphinx with the head of a ram, carved from black rock. Large plaques stood beside both artifacts explaining their historical significance and where they were found. "Hey Mr. Rutherford!" a high school student called, pressing a camera into Bob's hands, "Get this picture for us." The student and his friends were posing around the fake mummy. Bob snapped the picture and returned the camera, "Don't forget about the test this friday, Jack. We're covering chapters three through five." Jack groaned and he and his friends headed off to the next exhibit, laughing. Catherine arrived at the armor exhibit and saw the new items. A group of new armor suits stand in front of tapestries and an elaborate throne from the castle of Baron Dragos of Bardonia. An older man standing near the throne is droning on about Baron Dragos. "Dragos was a brutal warlord in his time, feared by all his neighbors. It is rumored that his excesses became even greater after a visit from the infamous Vlad the Impaler and the people in his own towns began to show up murdered in the nights. Ultimately Dragos was killed by a mob of revolting peasants and a cousin replaced him as Baron, but the mysterious murders continued. Rumor has it that not only did is tomb turn up empty, but it appeared to have been broken open from the inside."