Metal Birds

Chapter 46: Tanks and a Medic Tent

Cairo, Egypt, October 24, 1940

"Come on now, get up."

Arthur startled awake to a splash of water on his face, and a hand around his forearm. He jolted, feeling his wings standing on end as he moved to sit up, simultaneously moving to kick at whoever had him, letting out a scattered yelp that sounded much like a terrified, broken scream.

"Don't touch me! Get away!"

The hand quickly pulled away, and there was a concerned gasp.

It took Arthur a moment to get his bearing as he fell back onto Seamus, startling the man awake with similar results, the two of them looking around and shaking like startled children until Arthur felt a hand on his shoulder; and his focus snapped back to the present moment.

He was breathing heavily as he found himself staring up at Imhotep, who was crouched before them in the reeds. Fat flies and mosquitoes were darting about everywhere he could see, and Arthur quickly noticed a man standing behind him.

"Wh-wh-"

"Where have you been? What's happened to you?" Imhotep asked sharply, and Arthur flinched at the sudden intensity of those words.

There was a long silence as Arthur found himself gaping, and Seamus spoke shakily, seemingly staring up with just as much nervous relief and bewilderment. As Arthur heard Seamus' voice, the words began spilling from his own mouth in an awkward conundrum of explanation.

"They all woke up and-"

"-we tried to run but one had me by the feathers-"

"-I went back to get him and the bashed me over the head-"

"-woke up in the bunker-"

"-they wanted to know why we were there-"

"-I was drowning, I was drowning-"

"-I couldn't breathe-"

"-Ludwig came and-"

"-then I found a nail, and-"

"-we came out the window-"

"-we flew here, I think."

"Yeah, yeah we flew here."

The two finished breathlessly, and at each word Arthur could feel himself breathing heavier and heavier in what must have been a fit of hyperventilation, the lump in his throat growing more and more evident as his voice cracked every so often between his words. Imhotep listened though, intently, his brow turning further and further up until he was physically unable to allow them to do so any further. And then he scowled, grabbing them both by their forearms once more.

Arthur didn't complain, though he winced. He noticed the man staring at them worriedly, though his expression mirrored something like shock.

"Come now, we must seek shelter. He is probably searching for you."

The two stumbled along, Arthur continuing to limp along as the man -uniformed, wearing a cap, definitely somebody important- continued forward. They pushed past a small crowd of people, darting into the alleyways nearby, before coming out among a series of tents, and then tanks. Tanks.  The whole thing felt like a decade long trip through a labyrinth with a much too startling ending.

Arthur swallowed as Imhotep led them both two one of the mid-sized tents, sides wide open and offering only a canvas roof. With that, he gestured for them to sit. His face was contorted with something like frustration and worry. Arthur wasn't sure how to respond to that, but when he turned, he sighed.