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Hopkins opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was a barrel of gun. He groaned, his head spinning. Charlie's giggle echoed inside his mind, and in a blink of an eye, everything was on focus again.

"Gotcha, buddy." Charlie laughed. "Don't I deserve a 'thank you' for saving your ungrateful little ass?"

Hopkins snorted, pushing away the gun from his face. Charlie offered a hand, a cocky smile dancing on his lips. Hopkins got up, ignoring the help, and looked around the rounded room.

It was a small version of the first hall, with two statues of the imperial eagle, one at each end, both holding a golden orb and scepter. The only exit was through another stone door, beside the one they came, and Hopkins sighed. That again. Long and dark corridors trying to kill them. Great. Charlie raised the lantern for each statue, grinning.

"What now, Sherlock?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Hopkins replied, walking to one statue.

He pulled the scepter down, thinking it would trigger a lever system in the door, but nothing moved. Irritated and feeling his leg aching, he shoved the statue and, with the corner of the eyes, saw a little movement in the scepter. Instead of pulling to the front, Hopkins pulled up. A small grin lit his face when the new door started to open, but stopped. His ex-partner blinked. "Charlie, pull up the other scepter!"

"It's... not... going..."

"Pull up, goddammit!"

"Stop treating me like an idiot, Hopkins!" Charlie barked, gritting his teeth and pulling the scepter. "It's fucking stuck."

"Try the orb, then. Pull down, at the same time," he countered, puckering his lips. The damn phrase again. Above, below. What was the thing with ancient people and riddles? Hopkins put the scepter back in place and looked at Charlie. "At three."

They moved the pieces at the same time, hearing the undercover gears raising the stone door. Hopkins smiled, feeling the sweat soak his ridiculous tourist shirt.

"And another death corridor lies in front of us," Charlie joked, indicating the way with the lantern. "Ladies first, Hopkins."

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