Start of the journey

We returned to my apartment after visiting the market to get Rick some new, shall I say decent clothes. We had bought him two buttons up shirts, brown pants and new boots, lucky that Egypt is a cheap place to shop. I walked to the closet and took out blue towel, showed it in Rick's hands and told him to go take a long shower.

When he came out he looked a little bit the Rick I knew, not dirty but his hair was still way too long to be called civilized. He dressed into the new clothes and I waited him with scissors in my hands.

''I'm not going anywhere with you with that hair.'' I stated as I motion him to sit down. I may not be a professional barber, but I think I managed to cut his hair pretty well. It was no longer up to his shoulders, but his top hair was up to his ears while his lower hair had been cut close to an inch long.

''Much better,'' I stated as I started to take the scissors back to the kitchen.

''Nikki what are all these letters,'' I heard him ask. I looked terrified when I saw him reading one of my bills. He raised his head up to look at me.

''Are you in debt?'' He asked. I couldn't find words so I simply nodded.

''Why didn't you tell me?'' He said.

''What was I supposed to do? I didn't know where you were and then I hear you're in prison. Was I supposed to come see you and say: 'Hey Rick I see you're in prison, oh and by the way I'm on huge dept. How's it going?' '' I said to him. He looked down to the floor.

''I'm sorry,'' he almost whispered. I smiled at him.

''It's okay you didn't know.'' I said. I went to the closet once again and brought a big bag with me. I slammed it into the table

''Here you go,'' I said to Rick.

''Is that…'' he asked in awe.

''You bet it is,'' I said as he opened his old gun bag. ''Everything is in there in perfect condition,'' I said.

''You know you're the best sister I could ever ask, '' he says

''I try,'' I say as we start laughing. ''Now to sleep young man. We need to get up early tomorrow.'' I state

''Fine, fine. You win.'' He surrenders as he starts to walk towards his regular sleeping place, the couch.

''I always win,'' I say as he starts to get comfortable on the couch.

''Yea whatever,'' he says sarcastically.

''Night, Rick,'' I say as I lie on my bed.

''Night Nikki,'' He replies.

XXX

In the morning after we woke up and had a small breakfast. Something from my almost empty cupboards. After that we left my apartment and started walking towards the port. We were walking down the dock when we heard Evy's voice,

''…Filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel. I don't like him one bit.'' I smile to Rick knowing who they're talking about.

''Anyone I know?'' Rick suddenly asks them as we appear behind them. They turn around and when they saw what miracles I had made on Rick it leaves Evy totally speechless.

''Morning'' I say happily. That makes Evy's mouth open even wider.

''Um, oh, hello,'' Evy tries to say probably still a little awestruck by my brother's new, should I say little more handsome, appearance.

''Smashing day to start an adventure aye O'Connell,'' Jonathan says as he smacks Ricks chest.

''Yea, sure,'' I mumble.

''Yeah, yeah smashing,'' Rick says as he checks he still has his wallet as we have learned that Jonathan has slippery fingers that might steal your priced possessions if you're not careful.

''Oh no I would never steal from a partner, partner. And good morning to you to Ms. O'Connell,'' he says very enthusiastically to me.

''Hi,'' I just say and wave my hand to him.

''That reminds me. No hard feelings of the…'' Rick says and makes punching motion on Jonathan.

''Oh no no happens all the time,'' He states.

''Somehow that's not hard to believe,'' I say earning a little laugh from Rick and embarrassed laugh from Jonathan.

''Mr. O'Connell can you look me in the eye and guarantee that this isn't some flim flam because if it is I am warning you…'' Evy started, but Rick interrupted her,

''You're warning me. Lady but let me put it this way. Our whole damn garrison believed in it so much, that without orders they marched half way cost Libya into Egypt to find that city. And when we got there all we found was sand and blood. Let me get your bags,'' he said. I remember very well that long march we were on. Oh the heat. I thought I was going to melt during it.

Rick took Evy's bags along with his own and went to the ship.

''Yes, yes, your right. Filthy, rude, complete scoundrel, nothing to like there at all,'' Jonathan said to Evy.

''Maybe, but one thing he's not is a liar. Hamunaptra is not place for weak minded,'' I say to them as I start walking to the ship. I then hear some noise ear-piercing noise behind me and as I turn to look I see the dirty fat warden behind me. Oh no, he's not coming to is he? If he's not careful during this trip and watch his mouth I might actually kill him by purpose or by accident. Not that I'm gonna miss him afterword's.

I put my bag in mine and Rick's cabin and after checking that my gun was safely in its holster I went to deck. Our cruise was pretty smooth and the night came quickly. I found Rick on the deck and started walking with him as a way to avoid boredom. We then heard laughter from the other side of the ship and went to see what was going on and there we saw some Americans playing poker with Jonathan.

''Oh O'Connell sit down, sit down. And bring the pretty lady with you. We could use another player or two,'' one of them said.

''I only gamble with my life never my money,'' Rick answered to him.

''Too true,'' I say. One of the Americans, the blonde one, then looks at me and says,

''You know miss if you ever get tired of O'Connell and his croup your always welcome to come to us.'' After that statement I saw Rick giving him pretty mean glare.

''No thanks Blondie,'' I say making Rick look a little more comfortable.

''Oo, Henderson got rejected. First time for everything,'' the one with the classes says.

''Shut up Burns,'' Henderson angrily says to him.

''So you never gamble with your money? What if I were to bet you five hundred dollars that we get to the Hamunaptra before you.'' One of them, Daniels, says. That got my interest.

''You're looking for Hamunaptra?'' Rick asks.

''Damn straight we are,'' Henderson says.

''Who says we are?'' I ask them as I don't think that Rick or Evy had told them where we were going.

''He does,'' they all point Jonathan. I mentally face palm myself, I should have known. Can't he ever keep that big mouth of his shut?

''Well how about it? Is it a bet?'' Daniels asks.

''Alright you're on,'' Rick says after quick thinking. Never can say no to bet, can you Rick?

''What makes you so confident, sir?'' One with a fez and British accent says as he looks up from his book.

''What makes you?'' I ask annoyed by his snobby attitude.

''We've got a man that's actually been there,'' Henderson says confidently.

''Oh what a coincidence see O'Connell and Nikki…'' Jonathan starts to say, but is interrupted by Rick who hits him on the head with his bag and by me as I kick him on the shin under the table. ''…Oh whose play is it, is it mine?'' he quickly says getting the hint to shut up about mine and Rick's lives.

''Gentleman good evening, Jonathan,'' Rick says squeezing Jonathans shoulder as a remainder to remain quiet and he laughs uncomfortably as he got the hint.

''Remember what I said beautiful,'' Henderson yells after me thinking that I found his flirt intriguing. Oh he's so gonna get it if he continues it.

We walk to were Evy is reading and Rick just slams his bag on the table startling Evy on the process.

''Sorry, didn't mean to scare you,' Rick says smiling.

''Anything that scares me are you manners Mr. O'Connell,'' She says as she put her book away.

''He doesn't have any,'' I reply. To this Evy giggles and Rick glares at me and I just smile back at him knowing that it was true.

''Still angry about that kiss?'' Rick asks drily.

''If you call that a kiss,'' she says. Rick just shrugs and rolls his gun bag open to the table. I take two guns and check that they had enough bullets while Rick starts to check his guns even though I had assured him that they were in excellent condition.

''Um, did I miss something? Are we going to battle? '' She says clearly confused as she looks at the guns and knives in the bag. I just put one of the guns on my waistband as I already had one gun in my own holster and put one knife to my ankle case inside my boot.

''Lady there's something out there,'' he says and I have to agree completely.

''Something underneath that sand,'' I say remembering the attacking sand that drove us out of the Hamunaptra in the first place.

''Well I'm hoping to find a certain artifact. A book actually. My brother believes there's a treasure. What do you think's out there?'' She asks.

''In a word evil.'' Rick says as he checks one of his favorite guns.

''Whatever it is hopefully it stays where it is,'' I say as I sharpen one of the knives.

''Amen to that. The Bedouins believe Hamunaptra's cursed,'' Rick says to Evy.

''Oh I don't believe fairytales and houccoming Mr. O'Connell, but I do believe one of the history's famous books is buried out there, the book of Amun-Ra. It contains within it all the secrets of incarnations of the old kingdom, it's what interested me in Egypt when I was a child it's why I came here, sort of a life pursuit,'' she explains.

''And the fact that they say it's made out of pure gold doesn't makes no never mind to you, right?'' Rick says.

''You know your history,'' Evy says impressed that Rick actually showed some intelligent.

''He knows his treasure,'' I tell her, crushing her hopes that Rick would be highly educated man. My brother may know a lot history of Egypt if it contains a lot of gold and treasures. Then Evy becomes a bit uncomfortable she looks around for a while and then she starts talking again,

''Why did you kiss me?'' She suddenly asks. Both I and Rick let out a small laugh for her naivety.

''I was about to be hanged it seemed like a good idea at the time,'' Rick says like it's something everyone would do. Oh dear brother of mine you got lot to learn. I may know why you did it, but you must never admit it to a woman. And now surprise there that she seemed really pissed off by that statement. Evy then got up and walked away, feeling very offended. And Rick looked totally clueless.

''What? What did I say?'' He asks.

''You know for someone as smart as you, you really do say some stupid things,'' I say to him. We then heard a small scream behind some boxes next to us. Rick and I walk to see what it is and Rick pulls none other than that little rat known as Beni from behind the boxes.

''Aa, what a surprise, my friends you're alive. I was so very worried,'' he tries to convince us.

''Well if it isn't our little body Beni. I think we'll kill you,'' Rick says and points a gun at Beni.

''Think about my children,'' he says weakly.

''You don't have any children,'' I say to him, knowing full well how no woman would be desperate enough to have kids with him.

''Someday I might,'' he says and looks at me. Ew! Get those thoughts out of my head. Ew!

''Shut up!'' Rick says to Beni, ''So you're the one leading the Americans, I might have known. So what's the deal, you lead them to middle of dessert and leave them to rod?'' He asks knowing Beni's schemes.

''Unfortunately not these Americans are smart. They pay me only half now and half when I get them back to Cairo. So this time I have to go all the way,'' he says feeling scared by the fact that he actually has to work for his money.

''Dams the breaks huh,'' I say sarcastically.

''You never believed Hamunaptra O'Connell, why are you going back?'' Beni asks.

''You see that girl,'' Rick says and points where Evy is patting the camels, ''she saved my neck,'' Rick tells Beni.

''You always did have more balls than brains,'' Beni says trying to lighten the mood. Heh, nice try. Not.

We start faking laughter, but then Rick graps Beni by the collar and simply says,

'' Goodbye Beni,'' and throws him off the ship. We lean over the rail to listen his hopeless yells for help as he floats in the river. I laugh at the sight. Then Rick turns serious and walks away. I look at where he went and then at the floor and see wet footprints leading to the direction where Rick just went. Then it hit me where they eventually lead.

Oh no, Evy!

I start running after Rick and when I get to Evy's cabin I see Evy being held as a hostage and Rick aiming both of his guns at the man in black, who was holding Evy. I too pull my gun out and just then Rick starts shooting and hits another man in black. Same time Evy hits her holder in the eye with a candle and he let's go of her. One of Rick's bullets hits the lantern and stars a fire on the ship. Rick covers Evy and we run out of the fiery room. Evy starts running along the corridor when she suddenly turns around yelling,

''The map, the map, I forgot the map''

''Relax I'm the map. It's all up here,'' Rick says pointing he's head while leading Evy away from the burning cabin.

''Is there actually something up there?'' I ask sarcastically.

''Well that's comforting,'' Evys says getting the same idea as me.

When we get to the deck Rick gives his bag to the Evy and says to her,

''Hold this,'' and starts loading his gun. We then heard somebody shooting at us and I, in our defense start shooting him, while Rick loads his gun.

''Hurry Rick,'' I mumble while I shoot. Finally Rick has loaded his gun and we start running across the deck while shooting at the unwelcomed guest.

''Can you swim?'' Rick then asks Evy as we come to the rail of the ship.

''Of course I can swim when the occasion calls for it,'' she says offended.

''Trust me it calls for it,'' he says and throws her off board. He then looks at me.

''Don't even think about,'' I say and jump on my own off board. I hit the water and immediately after surfacing start swimming to the shore. I see Rick jumping off board leaving panicking warden behind. I smile at this hoping that he doesn't have the brain to follow us. We all get to the shore safe, unfortunately so does the warden, who actually had enough brain to jump over board.

''We lost everything. All our tools, equipment, all my clothes.'' Evy starts complaining as she reaches the shore. I sat down to the ground and take off my boot to pour out all of the water that had gotten into it.

We then start hear shouting behind us. There is that little rat Beni, on the other side of the river with the Americans and all the horses.

''O'Connell! Hey O'Connell! Looks to me like I got all the horses.''

''Hey Beni, looks to me like you're on the wrong side of the river!'' Rick yells to Beni. When Beni realizes that he starts kicking the water like an angry child. I laugh at the site.

''Where to now?'' Evy asks.

''There's a village couple miles from here. We should get new stuff there,'' Rick says to us.

''Well let's get walking we have lot walking ahead of us,'' I say as I put my wet boot back on to my foot and start walking.