Avp 2004 21

Minutes after Lex and her group departed the Chamber of the Sarcophagus, a seemingly immovable stone portal rose into the ceiling. Then a shimmering blur appeared at the doorway of the murky chamber, stirring the stagnant air. Blue lightning crackled and the Predator uncloaked. As the creature stalked toward the open sarcophagus, a
low clicking sound reverberated deep within its throat.

Standing over the now empty weapons bin, the clicking morphed into an angry rumble. A breeze stirred as more ghostly figures drifted into the chamber. One by one, they disengaged their cloak-
ing devices and approached the sarcophagus, until all were assembled. The lead Predator tapped the computer keypad on its wrist with two oddly elongated middle fingers. There was a hum of energy from behind his mask as a rubyred ray emanating from his glassy eye slits stabbed through the darkness.

Utilizing the thermal sensor built into its battle mask, the Predator scanned the stone floor for any traces of residual energy. With its head twisting to the left, then to the right, the creature's high-tech dreadlocks swung about, scanning every inch of the chamber. Finally, the Predator found the spoor-the residual heat of foot-prints left behind by the humans as they moved on. The Predator roared and thrust the tip of its curved spear in the direction of the long corridor, where the
trail of ghostly footprints led deeper into the pyramid. Shifting the spear in its hand, the Predator engaged its stealth armor and faded from view.-Chpt. pg.172