The group was lucky to reach the Bedouin by dawn. Julius could say that a tent village could not be a more beautiful sight then it was that morning.

They were lucky and they found someone who spoke English within the camp. The men were able to buy supplies as the women whisked Evy away to get some actual cloths on. Julius groaned when he soon heard the voice of Jonathan rise up clear in the morning.

"5 camels, I only want 5, not the whole bloody herd" yelled Jonathan as he jumped up and down in front of the seller. It was a rather comical sight as the seller also began to jump up and down and yell at Jonathan. Julius was not the only one attracted to the sound as Rick came to stand next to Jonathan.

"Julius, do you believe the prices for these flea ridden things?" demanded Jonathan.

"Will you just pay the man! We got to be going" Rick said, his voice full of authority.

Julius was surprised as Jonathan gave in without another word, handing the seller a wad of cash. Julius went and grabbed the leads for two of the camels, while Rick and Jonathan grabbed the other three.

"Can't believe I gave him that much" grumbled Jonathan.

"We probably could have gotten them for free, if we gave him your sister" joked Rick as he took the lead back to where they had left the supplies.

"Yeah pretty tempting" said Jonathan, jokingly. Julius and he both knew that Jonathan wouldn't last long without his sister. She was his safety net when all else failed. Evy had always been there for Jonathan ever since their parents had died. She had raised him to a certain degree, and he was absolutely loyal to her, no matter what he joked.

"Quite tempting" Rick said in a slightly surprised voice as a group of Bedouin women led Evy back to the group. She looked gorgeous in robs of black and silver. Rick was absolutely memorized by the vision that was before him.

Julius noticed as his longtime friend had only eyes for Rick as she approached, smiling shyly.

"Do you like?" she asked as she came to a stop before the three men.

"You look beautiful sis" said Jonathan, smiling big at his sister.

"The women were very generous" said Evy fingering the embroidered veil lightly.

Rick had yet to say anything, just continued to stare at Evy. Julius none to gentle nudged Rick in the ribs. Rick started out of the trace he had been in. "Yeah, pretty" he said lamely.

Julius resisted the urge to roll his eyes. So much for a good impression. Though even with those words, Evy blushed faintly, looking pleased.

Rick quickly turned away and started to load the supplies on the camel, missing the slight look of hurt that crossed Evy's face. Julius paused to gentle squeeze his friends shoulder before helping out.

A short time later they had mounted the camels and began to set out. Calls followed them as they left the village and what they were saying was shocking.

Julius raised an eyebrow at Evy as he caught her eye, in his limited language skills he understood what the Bedouin's were saying to Rick and Evy, congratulating them on their marriage and wishes of long life with many children, followed them out of the village.

Evy blushed heavily, even more when the Warden started to laugh glancing between Rick and Evy and starting again.

"Evy?" asked Julius in a hushed voice.

"It was inappropriate for me to walk into that village in my night cloths with four men, only which one was I related to. I told the women that Rick was my new husband. We had been traveling on the river to go back to my village, you and the Warden were escorting us" whispered Evy sneaking a glance at Rick.

Rick gave no indication that he understood the cries that followed them, instead entirely focused on the path ahead. Julius could tell that Rick had changed. Gone was the slight care-free attitude. Now he was all business as he led their small caravan through the growing heat.

It wasn't long before Jonathan began complaining about the camels.

"Filthy buggars, they stink, not to mention they spit" grumped Jonathan. As if to illustrate his point the Warden spit. Jonathan looked disgusted, though by the camels or the Warden, Julius could not tell.

"I think there adorable" said Evy and reached down to scratch at her camels head.

"Only you Evy, only you" joked Julius.

The silence of the desert was broken as the Warden began to sing, first in Arabic and then in English. This continued for hours, until the Warden grew too tired to sing. Rick pushed them, barely stopping to eat or rest the camels. He insisted that they would be there by morning.

With each mile Julius grew more worried as each mile they passed. How were they supposed to escape the curse of the city? How was Rick sane, or was Rick sane? Looking back at the interactions that Julius had with Rick, he couldn't exactly say that Rick was sane.

As night fell Rick continued the camels. Everyone except for Rick and Julius began to doze in their saddles. The stress of what was to come had Julius awake worrying. Rick did not seem to tire at all as he steadily lead the small caravan deeper into the desert.

Julius was so focused on his own problems that it took him a few moments to realize that every so often Rick would glance to the right. Julius followed his gaze and realized that a group of horseman sat on top of the ridge just watching them as they crossed. It did not take Julius long to guess it was the Medjia who watched them. But why did they not attack them like on the boat? They had the advantage here in the desert.

Julius slowly urged his camel forward until it was neck and neck with Rick's. Rick glanced at Julius as he came to ride next to him, but did not say anything for a long time.

Finally Julius broke the silence, "They have been watching us?"

"Yeah, they have been there for a while" answered Rick, even though he knew that Julius was asking a rhetorical question.

"Do you know what they want?" asked Julius curious.

"They want us to stay away from the city, they are the same group of men from the boat" said Rick.

Julius was surprised that Rick could tell that they were the same men. "How do you know?"

"I have seen those riders before, back when I was here with the French Foreign Legion. I was young when I joined the Legion. Both my parents had died in an accident in France when I was sixteen. I joined to find adventure and maybe earn enough money to go back to America. I was wrong on both accounts. For seven years I remained with the Legion, and saw things no man should see. My last year with the Legion I was stationed in Egypt when my Captain heard tales of the City of the Dead and wealth of the Pharaohs that it held. He believed in it so much, he marched the entire Legion into the desert, determined to find it. Unfortunately for us the local hostile Bedouin tribes followed us, and strove to strike us down as a blow to France. We found the city, but all the Legion got out of it was blood and sand. The Bedouins attacked us not soon after we made camp in the city" Rick paused as the memory of that day washed over him. Julius stayed silent and waited for Rick to continue.

"My whole Legion was massacred, the only two survivors where Beni and me. Beni only survived because he was a coward. He ran away without firing a shot, and hid within the ruins. I was right behind him, and he shut the door in my face" spat Rick. "He didn't try to save his fellow soldiers, our friends, he was just concerned about his own skin. I was left out in the open with Bedouin's closing in around me. The Bedouin almost killed me, but didn't. When the battle was over I ran from the city, with those same men looking down at me."

"How did you get away from the Bedouin's?" asked Julius intrigued. It seemed unlikely that the Bedouin's just let Rick go, something had to have happen for Rick to escape alive.

"Well something happened, something not natural. But I probably don't need to tell you that something in wrong at Hamunptra. You being a magician and all" said Rick looking right at Julius.

Julius tried to hide his surprise, but he feared he did a poor job of it as he denied it. "I do not know why you mean."

"Don't try to deny it Julius, you face says everything. I know what you are, and I will keep your secret" Rick said seriously.

Julius sagged into himself; there was no point in trying to deny it now. "How did you know?"

"I had a friend in the Legion; that carried the exact same kind of workbag that you have. And like you, he did not go anyplace without it by his side. But I never in all my years serving with the Legion ever see him open it. Not until the night before we entered the city. I found him doing a spell to allow us safe passage into the city in the middle of the night when I got up for a drink of water. You should have seen his face" laughed Rick, remembering that night fondly. "He made me swear never to admit what I saw. But it doesn't matter now, he has been dead for many years."

Julius looked down at his workbag that he always carried. It was like many others that were carried by members of the House of Life. It made sense that it would be a dead giveaway to someone who knew what it was.

"You won't tell any of the others?" asked Julius.

"No, but I got to admit I wasn't really sure till last night on the boat, I heard that man call you a magician" said Rick, who smiled at Julius. Rick had instantly been suspicious of this man when he had seen the work bag. But he did not want to confront him, unless he was certain without a doubt that he actually was what Rick thought he was.

Julius chuckled quietly and looked towards the ridge again. The Medjia had disappeared into the desert once again. Julius looked at Rick who nodded at him. They both knew that that wasn't the last time they would see their desert friends.

Julius turned again to Rick, "Do you remember what your friend did to lift the spell from the city to allow safe passage?"

Rick shook his head, "No but he did tell me that he lifted the curse for an hour. When the first rays of sun hit the city, we have an hour to reach the city safely. Or else we risk the curse."

It suddenly made since why Rick was pushing the caravan so hard to reach the city by dawn. It wasn't for a bet, it was to make sure that they got their safe. Julius shook his head with wonder; it seems that at every turn Rick O'Connell surprised him. Julius let his camel fall back, letting Rick reclaim the led.

As the sun began to lighten to the east, Julius woke the other three under Rick's instructions. The Warden grumbled as he woke. But quieted down when Rick assured everyone that they were close to the city and they could rest afterwards.

Rick pulled his camel to a stop, signaling the others to as the other Americans approached them. The small caravan was shocked at the sight of how large the other group. There must have been over thirty people in the American's party.

"Good morning my friends," called out Beni to the group. Beni was the only one in the other group who rode on a camel, all the other people rode horses. Beni pulled his camel up so that it was not too Rick, and he sneered at the other man.

After hearing what the little man did to Rick, Julius couldn't help but glare at the man, totally ignoring the comments the American who looked like Rick called out.

But the scrawny man paid no attention, all his attention was focused on Rick. "O'Connell nice camel" jeered Beni.

Rick just smirked at the man and patted his camel's head. They would see who made it to the city first. Though his main concern was getting the people in his party safely to the city, he would be lying to say that he didn't want to also win the bet. Beni would get his during the race to the city, Rick would make sure of it. Beside him Evy began to shift restlessly on her saddle and Rick could feel the impatience rolling off her.

"Just wait," said Rick before Evy could even ask.

"Wait for what?" asked Evy, she didn't understand why both parties were stopped and were staring at the horizon.

Rick smirked at her. "Were about to be shown the way".

Julius gazed forward, focusing. If he concentrated hard enough he could see the city through the veil of magic that covered it. It was similar to the spell on the mansion in the twenty-third Nome had on it. But this spell that covered the City of the Dead was a lot stronger. As the rising sun began to spread across the land, the spell on the city began to melt away.

"Here we go again" murmured Rick eyeing the appearing city with apprehension. He hoped that they could find the book that Evy wanted before they woke something up that was better left sleeping.

As soon as the city became clearly visible, the race was on as both parties kicked their animals in a run.

"Tet, tet, hut, hut, hut," yelled Evy urging her mount faster. It was a thunder of hooves as the two groups urged their mounts to the city.

Though Beni had the led, Rick soon brought his camel abreast with his former friend. Beni frowned, he was not about to lose the hundred dollars that he had been promised to him by the Americans if they reached the city first. Beni drew his galloping camel alongside Rick and began to strike Rick with his riding crop.

Rick yelled in shock and slight pain as the crop hit him on the head again and again. He quickly raised his hand to ward off the next blow. Beni grinned with sick pleasure as he hit Rick more. Rick growled, he was now beyond angry as he grabbed Beni by his neck.

"So long Beni" he said pulling the other man off the camel.

He watched as Beni was clipped by Julius's camel as he rolled in the sand.

The miles were eaten up by the camels as the horses fell behind. It was clear that the camels were better suited to run in the sand as Rick's caravan pulled further and further ahead of the Americans. Rick and Evy led the charge. That is until Evy's camel let out a large groan and took off like shot, bypassing Rick's camel and raced victorious into the ruins of Hamunaptra.

"I can't believe it, you won" yelled Jonathan picking Evy up and spinning her as soon as he got off his camel.

"I did" smiled Evy smugly.

It was a fine sight to see the Americans hand over the 500 dollars to Evy when their horses finally entered the city. Some of the cockiness had worn off the group. Which made it easy for Rick to lift a tool kit off the American named Burn's saddle.

"You think Evy will like this?" asked Rick showing Julius his new found treasure.

Evy was too busy mumbling to herself and looking around the ruins to notice what the two men were doing.

Julius smiled at Rick. "I know she will love it. The easiest way to that woman's heart is tools" joked Julius shoving Rick in the shoulder. It was cute to see Rick trying so hard to impress Evy. He was like a love sick puppy, except not as cute.

Rick smiled and returned the shove. It was strange that he felt an easy comradery with Julius. Rick chalked it up to the fact that out of the whole group, Julius was the only one Rick trusted to have his back. Rick stashed the tool kit in back pocket as Evy called out to them, saying she had found the spot they would start their search.

He couldn't wait to see her reaction when she opened his gift. He knew that she had been saddened by losing all her tools when the boat sank, but he hoped that this would cheer her up and also help him earn back some ground with her. Rick had never felt these kinds of feelings towards a woman. Rick had been with many women, and he soon lost interest in them. But with Evy, there was something different. She was beautiful and smart, and not afraid to go after what she wanted. And Rick wanted nothing more than to get to know her better. This was one woman that Rick didn't want to slip between his fingers.