Chapter ten, Modern Day-Blue Nile opening scene

The Blue Nile Canyon:

The sun was up, lighting the canyon valley. Kat's head jerked over to the side of the blanket, it was empty. Alex was gone. Quickly she scrambled up, searching. Her eyes landed on two risen figures over by the water.

Lock-nah was holding Alex up, shaking and yelling, muscles bulging. Kat's mouth hung open, slightly dazed-what was going on? Blinking quickly she darted for them to break them apart but then Lock-nah's head jerked to the side, he froze and slowly put the boy down. Kat ran over, seeing Imhotep waist high in the blue nile as Lock-nah watched him. As she ran forward she could make out that Imhotep was talking,

"-I hope your parents enjoyed their journey." Imhotep said in the different language, looking at Alex.

Kat's eyes widened as she neared, there was something in the way he spoke. Something intimidating.

The man from her dream was not standing in the water before her, this man had dark black eyes that reflected no light. She reached Alex, firmly placing herself between the boy and Lock-nah as Imhotep turned and faced the river. He took a deep breath, then shouted.

"BROOOOAAAAAAHHHHH!"

An inhuman roar erupted from him and with it the water of the river shot up into a huge wall towering a hundred feet high in a matter of seconds. Alex, Kat and Lock-nah all stumbled backwards, gaping up at the wall of blue water. Hands up, Imhotep lifted the wall higher, filling up almost to the top of the canyon cliffs' walls. Then he paused and with another thrust of his hands and a great roar (both from him and the wind and water around them) he shoved the enormous wall out of the valley, crashing through the canyon walls. After a moment, arms raised and river still rushing around him, Imhotep smiled.

"BROOOOAAAAHHHH!" He raised his arms out wide, as if trying to catch the open air. Kat looked up as the canyon started to crack, rocks and debris falling down from the cliff walls. She grabbed Alex and quickly backed him away further from the trembling cliff walls as small stones tumbled down to hit her shoe.

Behind the stone tremblings, there were echoes of voices. Familiar voices.

A high pitched screaming tapered off after a rumble of stones and left no doubt to Kat and Alex as to who uttered it.

"Uncle Jon?" Alex blinked, realizing. His eyes popped wide, looking down into the canyon the nile had carved out, "Uncle Jon! Mom! Dad! They're here! They're just down here!"

Kat's face darkened as she whipped her head back to Imhotep. The large wall of water he made-he was trying to kill the O'Connells!

Imhotep stumbled forward, arms falling suddenly as if dropping something. Kat watched as he made a large scooping motion and lifted whatever had fallen back up again. Kat's hand trembled on Alex's shoulder, watching him. This was an inhuman being who could lift the nile…and he was going to drown Alex's family with it. She had to do something!

But what?

Kat's eyes widened as she stared at the creature in front of her, roaring in voice that had only creature-origins, lifting a nile and trying to kill a young boy's family. How could she fight this man, this monster? Her feet froze.

Imhotep lunged forward and the voices echoed through the canyon again, and then…

Imhotep dropped his arms, a sudden silence resounded across the canyon. Imhotep grinned and walked out of the water, splashing his ankles now as most of the water had receded into the giant wall.

There were no more voices.

Alex looked off into the water, "…Mom?...Dad?"

Imhotep walked up to the two, smirked as he put a hand on the top of Alex's head as he had for Kat earlier. Alex angrily shoved the hand off as Imhotep kept walking, not breaking stride.

Kat watched as he rejoined Anck-su-Namun and Hafez, the black-haired woman staring at him with true astonishment. Her hands halting a moment before he himself wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Kat looked back down at Alex, she suddenly fell down to her knees and wrapped the boy in a tight hug. His arms squeezed her closely back. Her cowardice and failure to act had cost him his parents. But what could she have done?

"We'll see them again, I promise." Kat whispered in his ear. One way or another they would. Without the O'Connell's to save them, it was only a matter of time before Kat and Alex were found less than useful to this group.

Kat felt her heart skip a beat as she held Alex close, there was only one thing that could save them now:

She looked up at Lock-nah. Meeting his gaze.

...

Rafting Down the Blue Nile:

Soon the group was moving down the river, rafts being constructed out of the supplies and loaded up with people. Kat had made sure Alex and her were on separate rafts, and her and Lock-nah were on the same. It ended up being the same raft with Imhotep, Anck-su-Namun and Hafez-a few nameless red guards aboard as well. Anck-su-Namun and Imhotep stood up front and Lock-nah and Kat were in the back, within eyesight of Alex. Lock-nah had watched the loading of the rafts with interest, now as they moved down the river he spoke, voice deep and mistrustful, "Is this a plan to separate me from the boy in an escape attempt? I should hope not."

Kat looked over to Alex in the other raft, out of ear shot and struggling against a hand on his arm by a different guard. Kat took a deep breath through her nose and faced Lock-nah, his chocolate brown eyes staring at her with a brow raised.

"No. You…earlier you were saying something about a new world power. I can see how poorly I understood that now, witnessing what I just did. That was…incredible." Kat said, feeling her stomach start to churn in sickness from what she was doing. She ignored it.

"…You're reconsidering my offer?" Lock-nah asked slowly.

Kat stared straight back in his eyes, leaning in closer, "You still want to partner with me, don't you?"

Lock-nah stared silently for a moment, blinking. Then a small smile tugged across his lips.

"I want to accept your offer, if it's not too late." Kat said, looking away. She didn't like that smile of his.

"It is not too late." Lock-nah said.

Kat closed her eyes, lowering her voice, "I'm glad...but..."

"But what?"

"There is only one problem:…Anck-su-Namun."

Kat opened her eyes to see Lock-nah's head turn and eyes narrow slightly. "What of her?" He asked quietly back not wanting to rouse the attention of anyone nearby, deep suspicion in his tone though. He was not about to betray his employers, wondering if that was the plan she was going for.

"I don't think…she likes me much. How can I change that?" Kat asked, glancing discreetly over to where Imhotep and Anck-su-Namun stood beside each other, looking out at the Nile and canyon.

Lock-nah's eyes relaxed slightly, a smirk returning to his face.

"Your favor with lord Imhotep has not gone unnoticed…I've known Meela for some time now, she's never had any sort of competition…in anything." Lock-nah replied quietly.

"She's jealous?" Kat blinked.

"You would be blind to miss it." Lock-nah's smirk widened, glancing over at Anck-su-Namun and Imhotep. He continued, "I can think of a way that may work…simply remove the competition. Ensure she knows that you know where things stand. Tell her that you wish to offer services to her. She will need a handmaid once she becomes ruler with lord Imhotep, and she could never be jealous of a servant."

"Will that be enough?" Kat wondered, recalling the ice-cold glares of the soon-to-be queen of the world.

"No. She trusts me, stay close to me and I can protect you." Lock-nah leaned in, extending an open palm.

Kat looked down at his hand, the same one that had offered her the fabric from his own cloak in the sandstorm. He had kidnapped her, but he had also never really hurt her. He had even gone out of his way to help her from time to time. She glanced over to Alex on the other boat, still preoccupied with struggling out of the grip of a guard. She could only save him if she switched allies.

As if her body were a machine and she were watching Kat felt her hand rise up and grasp Lock-nah's. Her fingers tiny in his massive grip.

He smiled, the edges of the smile curling ever slightly as the intensity of his stare increased.

…

Entering Ahm Shere:

Soon the Oasis of Ahm Shere was in sight, the cliffs parting to reveal a lush green jungle that had no place in the middle of the barren desert.

Lock-nah jumped out of the raft and helped guide it up on the bank, the other rafts skidded to a halt alongside the sandbank of the jungle with them.

Kat stepped up towards the edge of the raft and hands were on her waist lifting her down to the bank. Lock-nah helped her down, placing her easily on the ground next to him. She looked up into his eyes, heat creeping over her face. His eyes turned to her cheeks, then he smiled, touching her cheek with a thick finger, "You're blushing."

Kat looked away. He took his hands off her and turned his attention back to the raft, pulling supplies off it with the rest of the group. Kat glanced up to see Anck-su-Namun watching her, daggers no longer in her stare as she glanced between the busy Lock-nah and Kat. Realizing something had changed.

Hafez stood before Imhotep, asking something to do with directions in poor Egyptian.

Kat swallowed, feeling her sweat turn cold in the shade of the tall jungle of palms. She walked up to Anck-su-Namun slowly, feet sinking in the sand. She would almost rather have it swallow her now and sink deep into it, away from what she was going to do.

She was going to give up on the O'Connells and all humanity. She was going to give up her freedom and whatever pride she had left after failing to intervene to save the O'Connells lives at the Nile.

Stopping directly in front of Anck-su-Namun she dropped to her knees, bowing her head down as she recalled she had from her dream. It seemed like a position she knew well-though she had never done it before.

"My lady," Kat began as Anck-su-Namun turned to look down on her, almond eyes black and unfeeling, "I know I am not worthy. Your beauty and intelligence are truly the worthy traits of a queen and I humble ask to be your handmaiden. I know of your disdain for me, but I wish to show no ill will. The demonstration of Imhotep's powers has made me realize my unworthiness and how I should like to serve you in whatever capacity I can. All I have, even my very life, I wish to give to serve you."

Hmph.

Anck-su-Namun raised a perfect eyebrow, looking down at Kat. Her lips pursed together as she contemplated, "So, you wish to be my servant? What of the boy you watch, aren't you supposed to be a nanny?"

"His parents are dead, I'm not getting paid anymore." Kat replied, not looking up.

"You look unfit, what makes you think I want you for a servant?" Anck-su-Namun said coolly.

A moment passed and Kat heard the sand shift, looking up she saw a pair of bare feet and ankles. Imhotep spoke from up above, "What is this?"

Anck-su-Namun wrapped an arm around his waist, looking down at Kat with a raised, unimpressed eyebrow, "The nanny wishes to enter into our service."

"Of course." Imhotep said. Kat's head snapped up, seeing Anck-su-Namun looking at him equally surprised.

Kat glanced out of the corner of her eye to look over at Alex, being loaded off the raft some distance away. In a moment of inspiration she knew that now would be the time to press the continued survival of her charge, if ever there was a time within this last day of the bracelet.

Imhotep was looking down at her, eyes back to their very human looking, shining appearance. Different than how they had been when he was lifting the entire nile.

Anck-su-Namun looked at Imhotep, frowning deeply. Kat realized then that she couldn't let the woman hear this, and deep inside she somehow knew that Imhotep could understand Hebrew. Maybe because in her dream, he had understood it? Her parents had taught her classic Hebrew as part of her Jewish upbringing. The feeling was so strong, she decided to try.

In Hebrew she addressed Imhotep, "Sir, I wish only to serve you, and when this is over, me and the boy will be your faithful servants."

"The boy?" Imhotep brow raised, answering easily in Hebrew back. "The O'Connell child was not meant for a life of servitude."

"He is like my son, where I go he will go as well." Kat replied.

"We shall see." Imhotep replied, words changing back into Egyptian.

Kat looked up but saw that a small smile tugged at his mouth, he seemed amused by the suggestion. Anck-su-Namun was watching him closely, brow still furrowed.

Imhotep faced Anck-su-Namun, smiling as he spoke ancient Egyptian he gestured to Kat, "Our new servants. The girl and the boy, one for each of us."

Anck-su-Namun turned sharply to look at Kat, clear disapproval on her face. Her mouth opened but nothing came out, she did not argue it.

Hafez called out and with a sigh Imhotep turned.

"We shall see." Anck-su-Namun mimicked quietly in English, looking coldly down her nose at Kat.

…

The Jungle:

The group began their trek through the dense jungle, Imhotep leading the way with Anck-su-Namun beside him. Hafez, Lock-nah and Kat followed behind. The rest of the group followed behind in a long, thin line. Alex was now with another guard towards the back of the group as per Lock-nah's design.

Kat was by Lock-nah's side now. Fronds and branches were keeping Lock-nah busy as he hacked at them with his machete. For which Kat was grateful.

They kept hacking and walking through the forest as it slowly darkened from both denser green foliage and loss of light as the hours ticked by. Finally they stopped for a short break.

Kat sighed as everyone started to sit, she could finally check on Alex now. He must be getting worried, there were only so many more hours until sunrise. She started to walk back when Lock-nah's head jerked to her, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to check on Alex." Kat replied, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Completely drenched in sweat she felt wet all over. There was a sharp pinprick on her neck, she slapped the mosquito frowning, that was probably the hundredth time she had gotten bitten since noon. It had been a miserable trek.

"I want my servant!" Anck-su-Namun shouted in Egyptian, unnecessarily loudly, looking over at Kat as she fanned herself with her hand. Kat looked back behind, thoughts going back to Alex before turning around towards Anck-su-Namun.

Great. Anck-su-Namun still didn't like her, being her servant was probably going to be the worst job she had ever taken. Lock-nah smirked as Kat trudged over to the black-haired woman.

Imhotep came up then, his dark eyes looked over calmly as he said to Kat, "Slave, fetch the boy. He is to be Anck-su-Namun's servant."

Kat froze. Lock-nah's smirk dissolved.

Anck-su-Namun's eyes popped open wider as her head whipped, black hair whirring, to look at Imhotep, "The boy?"

Imhotep turned to look at her, his expression remained the same carefree and easy one. At staring a moment at Anck-su-Namun's expression he merely lifted an eyebrow, "The boy will be yours, as we said earlier. One for each of us."

"You mean to say the girl is yours?" Anck-su-Namun questioned, tone clipped.

Imhotep's brow wrinkled slightly, looking between Anck-su-Namun and Kat briefly, "Of course, the slave has always been mine."

Imhotep turned to Kat, waving a hand, "The boy. Go."

Kat looked between Imhotep and Anck-su-Namun, the woman stared at her with shock, face slowly turning purple. Looking down Kat turned and quickly hurried back, undergrowth slapping at her wet, exposed skin.

Getting away from them as quickly as she could she hurried back to Alex, the guards around her began lighting torches in the fading light, casting the surrounding jungle in an orange light that magnified the streaks of dark shadows behind the leaves.

Kat caught sight of Alex's golden hair amid the orange and black streaked foliage, he was sitting next to a large dark man all in red. Though this man wasn't quite as intimidating looking as Lock-nah, he was still quite an impressive looking guard.

Alex looked up with mild curiosity as Kat approached, "Hey. Anything good happening up front?"

Kat shot a look at the man beside Alex, "The lady Anck-su-Namun has requested the boy be brought forward, Imhotep instructs me to take him."

The guard frowned, brow darkening, "I go with the boy."

"Fine, we'll go together. Get your arm off him, she won't be happy if you bruise him. Come on Alex." Kat put a hand on Alex's back and hurried him in front of her as the large guard scrambled to get up and follow behind them.

Kat leaned down and whispered quickly as she pushed him up through the line of guards, "I've offered for us to be servants so that we won't be killed once we reach the pyramid, behave yourself and I'll get us out of this."

"Whoa." Alex said stopping.

Kat looked up to see Anck-su-Namun coming down the line, hitting the jungle away from her face. Her face was almost completely purple. In a few seconds she stood before them, looking down at the boy, speaking harshly, "Go back to where you were."

"You." Anck-su-Namun looked up at Kat, eyes steely, "I need to talk to you. Over there."

She gestured towards the jungle as the guard put a hand on Alex and steered him back. Alex's brown eyes flickered backwards, watching Kat anxiously. Kat carefully moved out of the light and into the jungle with Anck-su-Namun leading.

Almost instantly the orange streaking light from the torches disappeared and the ever darkening jungle surrounded them, but Anck-su-Namun continued into the jungle. After a couple minutes of silence she finally stopped.

Kat stopped as well, watching her dark figure turn in the shadows of the trees.

"I remember you now," Anck-su-Namun said, her words piercing the darkness, "you were the slave that died. There were rumors in the palace about the two of you, he spent so long on your burial preparations and would not hand you over to the other Hebrews. You were just a slave, why should the high priest care how you were prepared? Rumors that he killed you…some saying that he cared for you. I've always hated you."

Kat's mouth slowly opened, "…What? What are you talking about? I'm not a- what palace? I'm…not...you're confused."

"You think you can claim something over him?" Anck-su-Namun hissed.

Kat's eye twitched, heart picking up speed as she realized the sudden danger, "You're insane…"

"Ha! Enough talk, I don't care to hear you anymore." Anck-su-Namun took a step toward Kat and lunged a hand out.

Thump.

Kat felt a punch to her chest and Anck-su-Namun drew her arm back, something dark in her hand.

Her lips curled back as white teeth flashed in the darkness while she whispered through them, "He's mine."

Frowning Kat watched as she walked around her and back towards the direction of the group. Kat looked around, confused. The punch still lingered on her chest and she reached a hand up to touch…warmth. Wet, warmth.

Kat looked down, the darkness closing in around her making it hard to see. She pulled her hand close up to her face as the breeze rustled the leaves above her, moonlight peeking in and lighting her hand up. Her black-covered hand.

Kat blinked, "I'm…bleeding."

Then the pain started to grow in her chest. Eyes widening she gripped at her shirt, falling to her knees as blood drenched the front of her chest. The sweat on her body started to turn cold as the pain grew and grew, feeling like a squeezing and a tear at the same time.

"She…stabbed me." Kat gasped in the darkness, "…I'm…dying?"

She looked around, "H-help! Someone…help…"

The ground was pressing against her face roughly. How had that happened? Everything was turning cold as the pain continued, horrible, wrenching pain in her chest. Every breath was labored, becoming more difficult to suck in. Dizzied thoughts of panic swirled around her and then all there was left was the darkness.

After a moment, Kat felt her heart spasm to a stop.

Writer's note: ooooh cliffy...don't worry, story isn't over yet ;). Just out of curiosity, how are people feeling about the length of the recent chapters? Are they a good length for you or would you prefer longer/shorter? I'd appreciate any feedback, thank you :)