Everything was in slow motion. Evy's slender hands, gripping the dagger and bringing it down toward her chest. Rick, diving out of bed and sprinting across the floor to her. After what seemed an eternity, he reached her, hands locking around her wrists and turning them. Her eyes widened and realization dawned on her, as the knife clattered to the stone floor of the balcony. Those dark eyes fixed on Rick, returning his intense gaze as he tipped her chin up uncertainly.
"Evelyn?" His voice was tremulous. Tears filled her eyes and she pushed herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest as he ran a hand through her hair.
"It's over now," he said quietly. "You're all right.. I've got you..." He continued to speak softly, nonsense meant to soothe, somehow understanding what had happened. He'd seen the look on her face.

Oh, yes. He knew that look.

* * * *

The taxi door opened and out scampered a labarador retriever puppy. Following it, jumping onto the curb, a boy of eight or nine years old, who went chasing after the dog maniacally, exclaiming, "HORUS!" Finally, the O'Connells stepped out, Rick offering a hand to Evy and resting a hand at the small of her back, guiding her into the hotel.

Evy looked up, and all around, suddenly feeling like she was being watched. She shook her head and glanced back to see that their luggage was taken care of, brushing it off. It was nothing, she was sure.

He ducked back into the shadows, breathing a sigh of relief. He hadn't been seen. He couldn't afford to blow his cover now, not if he wanted that chalice. A cold smile curved his thin lips. This woman knew where it was. She was going to find it.

And he... was going to take it.

* * * *

Evy had started to unpack. The sun was setting as Rick pushed the door to the bedroom open and made his way in, looking at the michiever she had created, spreading clothes about and putting things in drawers.
"What'd you do, Evy, bring the whole house?"
She gave him a dark look. "No, just a few things."
"Should I ask why your tool kit and supplies are here? Evy..." She put a finger over his lips.
"It's okay, Rick, no worries, right?" Then she smiled brightly and carried some things into the bathroom. Rick held up a finger, starting to protest, then just sighed as Alex came barrelling in, carrying a squirming Horus. Rick ruffled his son's hair and petted the retriever in Alex's arms.
"Hey, Dad. Horus found something in my room. You wanna see?" With that, Alex pulled out a small, square box and held it out to Rick, who took it and started to look it over.
"Hey, Evy? You might wanna get a look at this...."
She came back in, took the box, and sat down, fingering it gingerly. "Alex, where did you get this?"
Alex blinked innocently. "Horus found it in my room, Mum."
Evy gave him a skeptical look and turned the box over and over, studying it more carefully. It was gold. On what she assumed was the top, since it seemed to have no lid, was a lapis lazuli scarab, with a copper ankh set into its' back. This box was very, very old.
And it was covered in inscriptions.
Evy read them silently, pausing briefly and looking up at Rick. "I think he may have found something..."
Rick merely frowned and leaned over her shoulder to study it. She turned the heiroglyphic-covered box over, pressing on the bottom and the two narrower sides at the same time. With a click, a crack appeared all the way around the box.
She'd found the lid.
With a dubious look at Alex and Rick, she gingerly lifted the lid.

Her sharp cry echoed throughout the suite of the hotel.