Chapter 7

The next few hours were spent with everyone listening to Evy's explanation of what was going on. She told them about how her visions were simply memories from her previous lives. Question after question was answered until Rick asked Caroline what had been happening to her and how she knew Evy was going to fall. Ardeth, who had been slowly pacing behind the woman, was the one to answer. He didn't sound happy at all.

"She knew because she is the Lioness. When she attempted to grab hold of the powers given to her, it's likely that she got pulled into the effect of Imhotep's incantation. Everything Evelyn saw, I think Caroline saw it too."

"Lioness? What does that mean? Powers? Ardeth I don't understand." Caroline's voice was tiny as she looked up at him from her seat and it was obvious that she was scared. Finally sitting, the Medjai folded up in front of her and took her hands before answering her.

"That story Alex told you? About Sekhmet choosing a mortal that she would train and imbibe with power? That mortal is called the Lion or Lioness. Imhotep called you that name as we fled the museum. I was unwilling to believe it until earlier when you found the power with your mind."

"When Imhotep touched me, a bunch of memories and stuff burst into my head. Things I know I've never learned before. I thought it was just something that he did to me. Then when I found that dot and touched it I felt so….powerful. That's when I got pulled into Evy's vision. I saw Imhotep stab the Pharaoh and then Evy, or I guess Nefertiri, fell over her bedroom ledge trying to help the Pharaoh. Something told me that Evy was going to fall and I knew I could save her this time." Caroline looked a little haunted as she looked at Ardeth asking what this all meant.

"It means that at some point Sekhmet is going to come collect you. It isn't clear but the myth is that she will use you to conquer the world. Together the two of you would be absolutely unstoppable, especially with your powers combined. The ancient texts have never been fully translated so we don't know any of this for sure. What we do know however, is that if you tap into that power you would be a force to be reckoned with. You could bring plagues, heal injuries in an instant, burn your enemies with a heat like the sun, and many other things. The Medjai have prepared for many likely futures and Sekhmet's warrior is one."

Everyone on board suddenly found their hands very interesting as it sank in what Ardeth meant. As a leader of the Medjai he was expected to protect his people, eliminating all threats at any cost. Caroline, with her newly discovered gift, was going to one day be a threat. A threat Ardeth would have to eliminate. The woman in question cleared her throat before meeting Ardeth's eyes and nodding once.

"When the time comes I want someone else to do it and I don't want you watching. Please." His expression hardened but he eventually nodded. "Until then, let's make the most of our time!"

The tense atmosphere broke as the group laughed at the cheeky grin on Caroline's face. Ardeth laughed loudly then leaned in and kissed her cheek, dangerously close to her lips.

After a bit of lighthearted conversation the group decided to get as much rest as they could during the cool of the night. The next day they arrived at Karnak in the late morning. Even Rick had to admit that the dirigible was an efficient way to travel. Now they were all hoping it had been quick enough to catch up to Imhotep's group. While Rick and Ardeth ran off toward the unmoving train with their guns at the ready, Evelyn and Caroline went to look around the ruins for clues.

After only 15 minutes of searching, Evy found Alex's tie and the sandcastle he had made for them. They quickly moved on to Philae which was quite beautiful and they saw plenty of it as they searched. An hour later, Caroline continued wandering around as Rick talked with Evy about the next step. The realization that the boy might not have been able to leave another clue was hitting them hard. It was becoming impossible for the couple to focus past that thought.

Turning down a hallway that they had already been through, Caroline searched even more. She entered a large chamber filled with a multitude of statues and mentally listed the gods they represented. Jumping up onto the pillar supporting a statue of Sekhmet, the woman examined the lion head on top of a female body. Her teacher definitely didn't look like this. A soft whisper to her right suddenly reached her ears and was followed by a strange warmth shooting up her spine. Shaking her head quickly, she made to jump down when she noticed a familiar tan jacket. It was hidden behind this statue and if she hadn't been up here she would have missed it completely. Climbing down carefully, Caroline lifted the jacket to reveal another sandcastle.

"Evelyn! Rick!"

Her shout echoed loudly, even hurting her own ears, and almost immediately she heard running. Caroline never shouted unless it was something important and the O'Connells knew that. The woman poked her head around the statue's base just as Evy came through the hallway. Running over, Evelyn peered hopefully over her friend's head. Relief flooded her body so quickly she dropped to her knees but wrapped her arms around the younger woman. Rick and Ardeth arrived seconds later, guns ready in case there was a threat.

Still smiling down at the sand castle, Caroline gently curled Evy's hand around the collar of Alex's coat. The boy had managed to make a miniature replica of Abu Simbel with disturbing accuracy. Everyone was impressed, very impressed. Evy pulled the jacket over her friend's shoulder then hugged it to her chest. Snapping out of the momentary trance left by their relief, the group hurried back to the dirigible. With good luck, they would be able to catch up with Alex's kidnappers before he was forced to leave another clue.

The next problem arose immediately, Izzy didn't have enough fuel left to get them there without stopping somewhere to refuel.

"There's only one fuel station between here and there that has what I need. The problem with that is the station is controlled by the Viper." While Rick shrugged, indicating that meant nothing to him, Caroline's face had lost all of its color. Izzy rolled his eyes at Rick and gestured wildly around him at the ship. "The Viper only does business with people who are triple diamond flight status or higher. In other words, the best of the best. Does any part of this thing look like the best of anything to you?!"

Rick quickly pulled Izzy away from the others and together they discussed options. Without drawing attention to herself, Caroline began sifting through Izzy's paper then began scribbling on a blank piece. The next closest station would put them off their path by a day, time they couldn't afford to lose. The two men went back and forth in agitated voices for several minutes until Caroline grabbed Izzy by his shoulders. She spun him to face her and shoved a sketch into his hands.

"Is this the man you're talking about?" Izzy looked at the paper he now held. The drawing, hastily done, was rough but was enough to give a general idea. It depicted a man with a long face, sharp cheekbones, wide nose, round chin, and a small forehead. Overall an unattractive face not enhanced by the line drawn down one cheek to mimic a scar. The pilot affirmed that he thought that was the man but didn't know for sure because nobody had really seen him. Caroline nodded stiffly, her face cold.

"Take us there. I'll get us in."

A few minutes later, Caroline paced back and forth across the same 4 feet of space. Her hair had been brushed out then tied into a very high ponytail. It was pulled back tightly, straight as a pin without a single strand daring to anger her by falling out of rest of the group watched her, waiting patiently for an explanation. They were all wondering how she knew who this Viper person was and how she was going to get the supplies they needed. She continued pacing as she asked Evy if she remembered first hiring Caroline to which the older woman nodded.

"Yes, I looked at your resume and asked about the 4 year gap before you came to London. You said it was a past you had put behind you and that it wouldn't affect our family or your work."

"Okay so with that in mind, I guess it's best to start as close to the beginning as possible." The woman spoke slowly as she came to a stop with her back resting against the side rail. "Semi ended my training when I was 20. She said there were things I needed to discover for myself. I wandered for awhile, not really sure what I was supposed to do with myself. I'd spent so much time learning with Semi that I didn't really have any skills applicable to most jobs. Eventually I got a job working for a security company. I didn't need the money but it was good to actually be doing something. There were normal assignments monitoring sports games and street fairs but occasionally a few of us would be chosen for a personal security detail. Politicians, entertainers, socialites, those types."

"There was an incident during a personal job and some aggressors got past the other guards. I was assigned as side guard which meant I stayed with the client and protected them no matter what. There had never been a breach in our security before so there wasn't really a plan of action for assassination attempts like this. We ever only given a small knife and baton for protection by the company. Long story short, 6 people were in that room but only 2 of us left the room alive. Myself and my client, Damien. Come to find out this client is an extremely successful businessman with very dangerous connections, like the Italian and Irish mobs dangerous. He liked my work and offered me a job. I 'took care' of anyone causing too much trouble in his business or anyone who was in the way of a deal acquisition. I was very good at it, almost too good. With my training, attention to detail, and the ability to separate my emotions from the job, it was almost like I was perfect for it."

"I had only done 3 jobs when word began getting around and suddenly I was getting offered work left and right. I left Damien's employ and made a name for myself as a freelance worker. The next few years were a very dark time. I did things I'm not proud of and they were taking their toll on me. I wasn't sleeping and I barely ate. I was throwing myself into one job after another, not allowing myself to make any kind of mistakes." Caroline sighed and ran a hand down her face before she continued. "2 years ago I took a job doing simple protection work. It was easy and didn't immediately require my more deadly skills. The man who hired me was called Omal at the time. Small time drug lord and smuggler who was expanding his reach. He wanted a finger in every pie and had every intention of using me to get himself to the top. In the first few weeks on the job, Omal and I somehow became very good friends. He could tell I'd become unhappy with my lifestyle, unhappy with the blood of so many people on my hands. I was dying on the inside."

"He helped me get out, pushing his ambitions to the side. We faked some documents and I snuck away to America with a new identity and a new start. Eventually I moved to London when I heard that Omal had finally gotten himself the reputation he had wanted. The man had always been ruthless and tricky but now people called him the Viper. Somehow he'd managed to distance himself so far from his dealings that he had become merely a rumor. Shrouded in mystery and danger, nobody really knows who he is, the only people to meet him ended up missing or dead, that whole thing. I didn't know what to expect from my old friend so I used the last of my money to leave. Started again in London, used my birth name again, and eventually met Rick and Evy."

Caroline's eyes hadn't left her boots the entire time she spoke. Her words had been spoken clearly but quickly, as if she couldn't hold it inside anymore. It seemed to release a weight from the woman, if the lack of tension in her body was any indication. Even if her friends reacted negatively she was prepared for it, expected it even. She couldn't blame them. Who would possibly want to stick around when they knew how dangerous she was? Knew how many lives had ended in her hands? So it didn't matter if they shunned her. It really didn't because at least she had told someone. Four years after beginning her path to darkness, Caroline finally trusted someone enough to tell them the truth.