Chapter One
"The Three Amigos"
Fort Brydon, Cairo
Egypt
1933 AD
Outside of a casbah located somewhere in Fort Brydon, Cairo, Jonathan Carnahan, Ardeth Bey, and Izzy stood at its entrance, as the Med-jai listened to the other two bickering like a couple of old hens. Rick, Evie, and Alex were spending a quiet night on the dirigible just outside of town. All had just returned from their journey to Ahm Shere in Izzy's somewhat imaginative "balloon," and in Jonathan's opinion, it had not ended nearly as quick enough.
Both he and Izzy had become positively ill from the constant "lovey dovey" looks passing between Rick and Evelyn O'Connell during their sail, and as Alex had so aptly put it, the two of them had needed to get a room! Needless to say, Jonathan was relieved he was nowhere near that ship tonight.
Ardeth too, was glad to be back on his feet, but for far different reasons. Flying had its moments, but he much preferred to be on something which breathed and that didn't hold the possibility of becoming popped.
After a short stay at the Med-jai camp, Ardeth had taken the O'Connells up on their offer to give him a ride out of the desert to spend a few restful days with them back in London. First, however, they had needed to return Izzy to Cairo, before heading home, where they would take a train the remainder of the way.
"Absolutely not!" shouted Izzy, striking him arms into a downward motion for extra emphasis.
"Well it was only a suggestion, Old Boy! After all, you keep bloody complaining about the 'defiling' of your precious ship. I was only trying to offer you some friendly advice!" said Jonathan, clasping onto his "prize" from the long journey.
Izzy had been complaining nonstop the entire way to the casaba about leaving the O'Connells alone on his ship and frankly, Jonathan was becoming quite annoyed without having so much as a drop of liquor in him to quell his impatience.
Izzy watched as Jonathan began to stroke the diamond as if it were a pet just to taunt him some more. Why the hell couldn't he have left it back on the ship! He carried it just to spite him; he knew it!
"Advice? Huh! Is that that what you call it? I know what you're up to, and it ain't gonna work!" he exclaimed, pointing a finger in Jonathan's face.
"Excuse me? Just what are you trying to suggest? That I would lie to you, my bestest best friend in the whole entire world?" said Jonathan with a tone to suggest that he was hurt.
"Save it for your 'wife!'" Izzy retorted. "You know as well as I do that the second I turned my back, you'd be off and running with half of what's mine! Isn't that right, Ardeth?"
"Here we go again…" muttered Ardeth Bey, while rolling his eyes.
The entire trip back to civilization had consisted of Rick and Evie's love nestling and Jonathan and Izzy's arguing over who the diamond rightfully belonged to. Ardeth, who was usually a patient man, had been tempted to throw it overboard, along with Jonathan and Izzy, but it would not have been the proper thing to do for the leader of the twelve tribes of the Med-jai, so Rick had done it.
"As I have said before, My Friends, I believe that such a thing should not come between the two of you. You should share it, fifty-fifty and be done with it," he answered, trying his best not to get into the argument.
Jonathan and Izzy stared at one another for a moment, their eyes switching back and forth between the diamond to the other.
"But-" Izzy began, only to be stopped by a scimitar's blade being thrust between him and Jonathan.
"Fifty-fifty…" repeated Ardeth, with a stern gaze, which caused both Jonathan and Izzy to immediately grab the other's hand and shake it.
"Fifty-fifty," they said in unison, trying to act convincing for the Med-jai, Jonathan gulping. Ardeth nodded, satisfied with the outcome. Sometimes you had to instill fear to maintain order. It was a rule he lived by.
"Now, what is this place that you have brought us to?" he asked, motioning to the door as he replaced his weapon to his sash.
"This would be a casbah," answered Jonathan, still trying to keep an eye on Izzy. Though they had now made an agreement, he did not trust him any more than he had before, after all, Jonathan knew he fully intended to keep the diamond to himself. It was what he would do, no actually, it was what he planned to do.
"We're gonna pick up some chicks!" Izzy added with much enthusiasm.
"Um yes, well that too," said Jonathan, taking his eyes from Izzy and looking to the Med-jai. Ardeth looked at the two of them blankly.
"Pick up chicks?' Why would I want to pick up a chicken?" he asked, rather confused. Izzy and Jonathan exchanged looks, trying not to laugh, but failing miserably.
"Just follow us and we'll show you how it's done!" said Izzy, putting his arm around Ardeth's shoulder. Ardeth gave an unfriendly gaze, causing the smaller man to retract his arm.
Jonathan chuckled. "Stick with us, Old Boy and you'll be popular in no time," he said, as the three of them pushed open the door and entered the casbah.