Chapter one.

A/N: Heya. This is my first Relic Hunter story so plz be nice. I don't own Nigel or Sydney, but I do own Emma, Dirk and various other characters that will appear later on in the story. Muhahahahaha!

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"Sydney!" Nigel exclaimed.

"What is it, Nigel?" Sydney replied, annoyed. She had just been about to puther hand on a lever on the wall, which would hopefully open the door to the next room, which would hopefully lead to the relic they were searching for. Hopefully. "Well?"

"Take a closer look at the lever Sydney." he said, slightly taken aback at her harsh tone. She gave him a sort of apologetic look and examined the lever carefully. She then noticed that there was a slightly raised circle on it. She took an even closer look and saw that it was a button.

"What do you think it is?" she asked.

"Well it's a button." Nigel replied with a slightly confused expression. Was the great Sydney Fox losing her mind? Sydney rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"I know that." she stated. "I meant, what do you think it does?"

"Oh." he said looking relieved. "Haven't the foggiest." he shrugged. "A booby trap?"

"Hmmm…might be. But-" she was cut off as she felt something wet splash on her shoulder and their torches went out. Before she could react, she felt a strong hand around her throat and a gun against her temple. At the same time, Nigel felt a small gust of wind against his face as a foot stopped mere inches away from it. They then heard clicks and electric torches were trusted into their faces. Sydney growled and turned away squinting, but she turned back again as she heard her name.

"Sydney?" her attacker asked and she felt him immediately let go of her throat and took the torch out of her face. She nodded but still didn't recognise their company as she was still slightly dazed from the torch. The figure nodded towards his accomplice who lowered it's foot and stepped back. "Sorry about that." he said as he began going round the dark room and re-lighting the torches on the walls. "I couldn't see your faces from behind and we were surprised to see someone else here."

By then, Sydney had regained her vision and she glanced over to Nigel to see he was looking from her, to the man then to his companion who still stood in the shadows.

The man sighed.

"For God's sake, Em, light the torches." he snapped.

"God, you don't have to get so upset about it. It's a bloody torch." she replied. The voice was female, British and sounded quite young.

"Three to be exact."

"Oh no! Bring back the death penalty!" she said sarcastically and there were footsteps going towards the wall as she began to light the torches. The man grinned and turned back to Sydney, with Nigel still looking thoroughly confused.

"So, how've you been, Syd?"

"Uh…do I know you?" Sydney asked.

"Huh? You really don't recognise me?" Sydney shook her head. "It's Dirk! Remember? Dirk Owen? Your best friend for two years at college?" Sydney thought for a moment. She did recognise the constantly ruffled, brown hair, and the sparkling, mirth filled blue eyes. She even recognised the large muscles and large figure. Her face lit up and she threw herself into his arms, laughing. He hadn't changed a bit. Accept he had a slight stubble now and his muscles were larger and more toned. He was wearing baggy, dark green trousers and a tight exercise vest. Sydney stepped back and one quick look at Dirk. 'God, he's gotten cute.' she thought to herself. Where had that come from?

She shook her head and turned back to Nigel with a huge grin on her face.

"Nigel, this is-"

"Dirk. Yeah, I heard." he said.

Sydney rolled her eyes and turned to Dirk again. "Dirk, this is Nigel Bailey. My, slightly cranky, assistant."

Dirk held out his hand and Nigel shook it slightly suspiciously. "Nice to meet you Nigel." he chuckled slightly as he saw the expression on the Englishman's face. "You don't have to look so worried. I'm not here to slaughter you and take the relic." This didn't seem to ease Nigel's suspicions anymore and even raised them.

"How do you know about the relic?"

This just caused the American to laugh more and he slapped Nigel playfully on the back, nearly knocking him over. "Did you hear that, Em?" he called, for some reason finding Nigel's question hilarious. "He wants to know how we know about the relic."

"Yeah, I am right here." she replied stepping forward after lighting the last torch. She had long, brown hair that was tied into a low pony tail, large brown eyes and, in Nigel's opinion, red, slightly pouty and nicely shaped lips. 'My God, what's wrong with me?' he thought to himself. Her cheeks were rosy and she was wearing a rather dusty white t-shirt with a union jack across the chest and a pair of black shorts.

"Oh yeah. Sorry." Dirk said with a grin. Her eyes softened for a moment, then her gaze shifted to Sydney. An evil glint flashed in her eyes and a grin to match spread across her face.

"Ah. So this is her?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"You know, that girl you've been going on about non-stopfor the past 5 years."

Dirk flushed. "Oh…um…I…um…I may have mentioned her once or twice, yeah."

"Oh, ok then." she said with a satisfied grin. Sydney turned to Nigel and Dirk glared at Emma.

"Anyway," Sydney continued, sparing Dirk the embarrassment of Emma's previous statement. "How come we didn't hear you come in?"

"Oh, we came through there," he replied, pointing towards a whole on the upper level of the room. "Why, where'd you come in from?"

"Through the big door at the front of the room. But I'm sure we would've heard you."

"We must be pretty quiet." Dirk shrugged and ignored the glare he received from Emma for making her crawl through the tiny hole, although Sydney was picturing him trying to squeeze through with great amusement.

"Well I for one am very surprised she didn't here you tramping along in your giant boots. Why'd you buy those again? Oh I remember. Because you wanted to make your already SIZE 9 feet look even BIGGER! And what did it result in? THIS BLOODY BIG BRUISE ON MY FACE!" Emma yelled, looking slightly scary.

Dirk looked both amused and embarrassed at the same time, on the other hand. "I already said I was sorry."

"Yeah, but I haven't had the chance to have a go at you yet. You told me to shut up when I was about to."

"That's cos I heard voices."

"Well, it was your bright idea to go through the tunnel first with those submarines on your feet. 'It'll be safer!'" she said in a fake American accent. "Safer my arse."

"Aw, you love me really." Dirk stated and put his arm round her shoulder. She rolled her eyes and slapped his arm away. He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, by the way, this is my assistant-" he stopped as he received a kick in the shin. " My 'colleague', Emma Smith. Em, this is-"

"I heard. I'm not stupid, Dirk."

"It's a good impression."

"Do you have a death wish?"

"Maybe."

"Then keep talking."

"Okay, I will."

"Dirk, tell me. Would you like for me to shove your foot up you arse?"

"I dunno, depends on whether you mean the smelly foot that's on the end of my leg or the Shakespeare version of foot."

"Your sick."

"It's a gift."