- Where are you going? – Rick asked his children.
- To the movies, I told ya– Angelica answered.
- Is anybody else going "to the movies" with you? – Evelyn asked.
- Yes, Lin is going. – Alex and Angelica grinned.
- Anybody else besides Lin and you two? – Alex grinned at them.
Angelica and Alex looked at each other. They could omit things from their parents but never lie to them.
- Well, I've invited Helena… – Angelica told them.
Evelyn stared at Rick.
- Is… something wrong? – Angelica asked them.
- No, nothing wrong. – Evelyn told her.
- I guess I'm going to drive you there. – Rick smiled to Evy.
- But I was going to drive. - Alex was disappointed.
- It's because Helena isn't it? – Angelica asked her parents.
- Darling, we already talked about this. We don't mind Helena, Her parents are the problem. Her mother killed yours, you know… – Rick explained her.
- And you killed her father… - Angelica sighed.
- Exactly, although that was different... Sorry but your dad is going for precaution. – Evelyn told her.
- I got it, Evy. – Angelica said disappointed.
- You know, you could call us "mom" and "dad" more often. It sounds better. – Rick told her.
- Sorry, I…
- When you're ready, Angelica. – Evelyn caressed Angelica's face as she went to organize some books.
- I'm ready! – Lin was elegant as usual – What happened?
- I feel like I'm an unreliable child again. – Angelica told her.
- Well, you have a child size. – Alex teased her.
- So is your face!
- Children! – Evelyn scolded them.
- Mwt*, I'm going to the cinema with Angie. – Helena told Anck su namun as she kissed her face.
- Wait, I'll drive you there. – Anck su namun picked her coat.
- But, the cinema is just a block away.
- With Medjais watching you on every corner of them!
- Fine. – Helena sighed.
They left. Since a weirdo Medjai tried to attack Helena, Anck su namun was overprotective. Ardeth has apologized for it and banished Bakir for exposing the order without need. But Anck su namun didn't trust them. She knew they were being watched. The Medjais were hunting Imhotep, who rarely came to meet them since the Scorpion's incident.
The O'Connells got to the cinema. It was the third largest one in the world. When Angelica and Helena saw each other they said hello with a whoop of joy as they hugged each other. They haven't met for over 2 weeks because Angelica was helping Rick and Evy on an MI6 "little job".
- When the film ends, you go home. – Anck su namun told Helena.
- Behave. – Rick told his kids.
- God, can you believe this? I feel like I'm 10 again. – Helena whispered to Angelica after they entered.
- Me too! – Angelica rolled her eyes. – And I knocked out some bandits for them.
Outside, Rick and Anck su namun looked at each other. Anck su namun has always been a woman of fashion especially now that she was one of the richest women in Cairo.
- They want to "party" every day. – Rick told her. He had never spoken to her before. It felt weird.
- Yes – She agreed, not facing him.
- So, won't Imhotep take you to a movie too? – Rick asked her.
- I don't know where he is. – She said straightforward.
- Yeah, sure… – Rick was sarcastic – If I were him, I'd take you soon. Before, you know… going to hell again.
She only glared at him and left.
- Don't make out, uh? – Angelica told Alex and Lin, in a fake guarded tone.
- Angelica, shut up… – Lin felt embarrassed.
Alex put his hand around Lin's waist and smiled at her.
When Helena sat down, she recognized the young man next her.
- Hello, Rosenbury. – He smiled to her.
- Oh, you again?! – Helena said with displeasure.
- Boyfriend? – Angelica teased Helena
- My shadow – Helena rolled her eyes.
- My name is Hashim Bay. – The young man told Angelica – And different of what Ms. Cocky thinks, I'm here for the film.
- Uh-huh, right. – Helena said ironic.
- Bay… - Angelica looked at him- wait, you are…
- Ardeth's most charming son – he smiled – And you must be Evergreen. I heard about you. You've been away from the order…
- I've been busy. – Angelica lied. She was missing her training on purpose.
- You look great, Helena. – Hashim said.
- I know. – Helena told him.
When the movie finished, Alex and Lin went to have a dinner. Angelica asked Hashim and Helena to come with her.
- I can't. My mom told me to go home. – Helena said.
- You, obeying mommy? – Angelica said sarcastically.
- Yes. I don't wanna trouble.
- We walk you home then. – Hashim told her.
- No offense, but my mom doesn't like…
- Medjais? C'mon, Bakir still lives in 2.000 b. C. The Medjais aren't all that bad. See me and Angelica.
Helena laughed. Hashim was nice. He walked with them a little and left.
- You know, he has a crush on you… - Angelica told Helena.
- No, Whemple has a crush on you. He asks about you every time.
- Nah… My mom wants me to go to college. I've been thinking about law.
- Law? But you love singing! – Helena told her.
- Can it really be a profession? – Angelica sighed – And you?
Helena gazed at a pyramid.
- I want to be an Architect. – She said dreamy – but my dad doesn't like it.
Actually, Imhotep wanted his daughter to help him to conquer the world, not build it.
- You must like it, not him. You'd be successful. – Angelica smiled to her - Remember our tree house?
They laughed thinking about old days.
- I wish our parents weren't enemies. – Angelica talked.
- Not even the gods can grant you this – Imhotep appeared in front of them.
- Dad! – Helena was surprised
- What are you doing here Helena? Who was that boy?
- I'm going home.
Alex and Lin saw Imhotep at the distance and they rushed to Angelica.
- With Medjais… – Imhotep stared at Angelica.
- She's my friend, dad. She saved my life! – Helena whimpered
- Medjais and O'Connells are our enemies.
- No, they're YOUR enemies, not mine – Helena snapped at him.
- Don't answer me back! – Imhotep shouted.
Alex and Lin arrived by car, screaming tires. Alex got off and stood beside his sister, staring Imhotep on his eyes.
- Well, I guess your dad can walk you home. We'll leave. – Angelica told Helena, uncomfortable.
- Yes, you should leave. – Imhotep said.
- Are you threatening us? – Alex shouted at him. Lin and Angelica held Alex.
- Alex, please, let's go. – Angelica told him.
Alex glared at Imhotep and bit his lips. Angelica and Helena said goodbye and they left.
Anck su namun opened the door. It was Helena and Imhotep.
- You allow her to go out with the O'Connells! – He told her in a critical tone.
- What's wrong? – Anck su namun was annoyed for not receiving a good evening.
- They buried me!
- One of them saved her life when you've killed her!
Helena went upstairs. Nothing could be more boring than another couple fight in ancient Egyptian.
- Are you against me? – Imhotep asked her.
- No, I am not. – Anck su namun answered him.
- But you are not on my side either.
- I won't waste myself on revenge anymore! – She held his face – The past is over. We received a new chance, no more curses. Let's enjoy it. – She caressed his shoulders.
- And let them get away with it?
- Why are you dead for life, Imhotep? – She said vexed.
Helena heard a rap. She opened her small window balcony and when she looked down, she saw Hashim hanging on the balusters. He had climbed a significant height.
- What a hell are you doing? – She hissed.
- I was checking if that was your room's window – He smiled at her.
- Go away, My dad is here! He's gonna kill you!
He stunted and landed in front of her, their faces were really close.
- A Medjai doesn't fear death.
- Hashim, I mean it!
- So you care about me? – He touched her face.
Hashim was a handsome young man. He had a fashion haircut, a light goatee, and his father's dark eyes. Eyes those were too close and enchanted at Helena's eyes. Someone knocked at Helena's door. Hashim had to leave quietly and unnoticed while Helena talked with her parents. When Helena opened her window again, she found a small flower.
- Imhotep!? – Evelyn said apprehensive – You see! I knew you should have picked them up! – She told Rick.
- Relax, he's basically powerless. – Alex said.
- Don't tell me to relax, Alex. – Evelyn sighed, holding her face.
- Your mother is right. – Rick put an arm around Evie.
The O'Connells were sat together, it was a small family reunion. Lin was with them too.
- A war is coming. Your dad and I, Imhotep and Anck su namun, we've been avoiding it, but there will be a moment which we all will have to fight. – Evelyn told them.
- And unlike other wars, this one is until death. – Rick completed.
- But I can't fight against Helena! - Angelica told them.
- I know, sweetheart. I'm not asking you that – Evelyn held her hands – We don't want to fight against their parents either.
- But if Imhotep tries to wipe out the world again we'll wipe him out. – Rick told her.
Angelica remained in silence. Rick and Evie kissed her goodnight and went to bed. Only Alex and Lin were with her now.
- I've spoiled your date, sorry. – Angelica told them.
- Don't worry about that. – Lin told her.
- Angie, why have you quit your training? – Alex asked his sister
- I… - Angelica sighed – They say I'm a Medjai of Ma'at. Ma'at took me away from Evie and turned my life in this… mess. I don't want to "represent" something or someone like this.
- That's just a virtue, every Medjai has one. Yours means that you're meant to put things in good order. – Alex explained.
- My life is anything but "in good order".
- Good things are difficult before being easy – Lin told Angelica
They talked a little. Later, Angelica checked the mail. There was a cute card for her. It said:
"Welcome back, Evergreen
I missed you.
Whemple"
Maybe Helena was right about him…
Imhotep was in the Valley of the Kings. There was a reason why so many pharaohs were buried there. The valley was a gate to the afterlife. It was night and he had The Book of the Dead with him. He intended to summon his immortal soul from the underworld. He opened the book and started to read. Ardeth and a couple Medjais arrived.
- Stop! – Ardeth shouted – this book isn't to serve you!
His horses were spooked by a stare of Imhotep. The Medjais lost their control and fell off. One of them has received injuries. Ardeth and the other one rushed to Imhotep. Imhotep took a sword and fought them. He tried to use what was left from his powers, but he lost the battle and the book. Ardeth had his sword blade on Imhotep's throat.
- It's over, undead. – Ardeth told him.
The other Medjai mounted on his horse with the book.
- We shall keep it later – Ardeth didn't understand his colleague's hurry.
The Medjai uncovered his face. It was Bakir.
- I'm tired to follow your orders, Bay. – Bakir left with the book.
Ardeth and Imhotep rushed to him, but Bakir read a spell and disappeared.
Bakir was at The Baron's Hindu Palace in Heliopolis. An amazing and abandoned construction. The perfect place to invoke beings from the dark underworld. Bakir opened the book, and started to read a spell never read before:
"Hidden in darkness
Mother of Purification
I summon thee to take what doesn't belong with the living"
With these words, Bakir raised a strand of Helena's hair and a blade with Imhotep's blood. Thunderclaps and lightning flashes filled the palace. Bakir heard a screaming crowd in the darkness. He feared. The floor was ripped in front of him and from it, a spectral woman on a chariot, dressed in darkness and followed by three black jackals came out.
* Mwt means "mother" in ancient Egyptian.