“And that is what happened?” the Medjai asked, as the scribe beside him silently wrote down everything that was said. Hawk looked around the room. The Medjai were busy with their jobs, Tori was staring them down and Rebecca seemed a little lost. Her Egyptian was all right, but Hawk doubted she could follow a full Egyptian police procedure. He wished that he did not have to keep up with it either.

“I swear by the Lady Sakhmit herself,” Tori said. The Medjai shook his head as the scribe handed him the paper.

“No one’s going to believe this,” he said. “Flame spells are one thing, but conjuring up a whole crocodile out of nowhere just in time to eat a bunch of Christian terrorists?” He sighed. “I’ll allow someone paid better than me to sort this out.”

“Are we free to go?” Tori growled. The Medjai gestured toward the door. Tori got up and walked out as Hawk and Rebecca was quick to follow.

“Is that it?” Rebecca asked in English. “Are we finished?”

“We’re done,” Tori said.

“What about Simonetta?” she asked. “Where is she?”

“She actually witnessed the attack,” Tori said. “They will probably want to speak to her longer.” They turned down the corridor and stepped into the main conclave of the airship station. It was full of family members of the airship passengers eagerly awaiting news of their loved ones.

“Rebecca! Rebecca over here, my dear girl!”

“Uncle Ted?” Rebecca said, as a skinny man, whom Hawk knew as Professor Wallis, pushing his way through the crowd toward them. Rebecca ran to him and they caught in an embrace.

“I was so frightened, my dear. To think that I could have lost you…” The Professor shook his head. “You’re the only family…”

“I’m fine, Uncle Ted,” she said, as the Professor let go of her. “Thanks to Mr. Ramsey and Miss Mowi.”

“I owe you so much, Hawk, and Miss Mowi!” he said, shaking Hawk’s then Tori’s hands more vigorously than Hawk would have expected. “I shall never be able to repay my gratitude.”

Rebecca taped him on the shoulder. “Simonetta Belzoni was there too, Uncle Ted.”

“I shall have to thank Miss Belzoni as well,” the Professor said. It was then Hawk noticed a stoic man standing just behind the professor. He was an Egyptian, with probably only a few years on Hawk, but his shaved head made him look older. He wore wire-rimmed glasses and a western suit, but around his neck hung a large turquoise charm of a crocodile. He wore a sash across his chest with hieroglyphs embroidered on it. Hawk remembered him. They had been there when the Professor hired him to find his wayward niece, but they had not formally met.

“You’d be Mr. Crocodile?” Hawk asked

“My name is Chosem Emsah, Mr. Ramsey,” he said offering his hand. “Mr. Crocodile is Professor Wallis’s nickname for me.”

“He refuses to go along,!” The Professor laughed, shaking his head. “He’s supposed to say: See you later Alligator…”

“Uncle…” Rebecca said, rolling her eyes.

“And I respond: After a while, Crocodile.” The Professor could not help chuckling at his own little joke.

“Rebecca,” Mr. Crocodile said. “I notice the family resemblance between you and your uncle.”

“Everyone has always said I look like him more than my parents. They are quite fair and I…”

The Professor shook his head. “It’s not unheard of to have brunettes in our family, Rebecca. I should tell you of your great-grandmother…”

“Anyway, bring up more important matters,” Hawk said, removing the crocodile effigy from his jacket.

“I still say you should have given that to the Medjai,” Tori grumbled.

“I consider myself lucky it ain’t come to life when I carried it,” Hawk said. “But Mr. Croc— Mr. Emsah is a priest of Sabik the crocodile god, correct?”

“I am,” he said. “And you may call me Mr. Crocodile, if you wish. I have no problem with my true name not being widely known.” How typically Egyptian, Hawk thought. He held out the little brass statue. Mr. Crocodile took it and felt the weight of it in his hands before holding it up to get a better look at it.