The next morning, Sagira sat in a local diner, the address she had given Eveyln, a knapsack in the seat next to her. She waited patiently for her to show up. Sagira didn't have to wait long.
Evelyn walked in the door and sat down across from Sagira without saying a word. The book was not with her.
"Are you trying to play games?" Sagira asked angrily. "Where is it?"
Evelyn looked at her levelly. "It is safe. It's in the car."
"Bring it in here and you will get your prize."
Evelyn glanced out the window and nodded. Rick stepped out of the car with the book in his arms. Sagira smiled.
"Good," she said. "And don't forget that if you try anything, Alex will die."
Evelyn sucked in her breath.
"I will make it home," Sagira replied. Evelyn understood that if she didn't go home, Alex would be killed.
"Why are you doing this?" Evelyn asked.
"You know why." Sagira waited as Rick set the Book of the Dead on the table. She then opened her bag and took out the Book of Amun Ra, placing it next to the other book. She took the Book of the Dead and put it in her bag.
Standing, Sagira nodded to them. "Good day. Tomorrow morning you will meet me back here. At this time, you will get this back along with Alex."
As she left, she wondered what exactly they had planned. After all, she knew they wouldn't have given her the book without some sort of plan to stop her from using it. Once at Daniel's house, Sagira told him to find a young woman and bring her back. Daniel gave her a strange look, but left.
Sagira let Alex speak. She got a knife and cut the rope around his mouth, letting the cloth fall on his lap. "What is this? Is he your slave?"
She laughed. "No, you are."
Alex looked at her, confused. "What do you want from me?"
"You're going to do some reading for me. That's all you need to know." Sagira produced the Book of the Dead from her bag and put it in front of him.
Alex's eyes grew wide. "If I don't?"
"You will die."
Alex was silent.
At that moment, the outside door to the basement flew open. Sagira jumped. A man in black rushed toward her. Instinctively, she threw the knife at him. Sagira was surprised to see it lodge in the man's side. He dropped to the floor in pain, but not before throwing a knife of his own. It caught Sagira in the leg. She screamed and fell.
Pulling the knife out of her leg, she quickly wrapped the cloth and rope around her leg that had held Alex's mouth. The man was already getting up. Sagira threw his knife back at him but it bounced harmlessly off him, handle first. It was then Sagira got a good look at the man.
"Ardeth Bay!"
The man stopped. He had pulled her knife out of his side and was holding it, ready to fight.
"What is this?" Sagira cried. "Is this their great plan? You're trying to stop me, when you've screwed up your job so many times?"
Ardeth looked hurt, which surprised Sagira. She would have felt bad, if he hadn't been trying to kill her. "I must stop you."
Sagira had no weapon. She cursed herself for throwing his knife back at him. He picked his knife up, so he was holding one in each hand.
Daniel came back then. He cursed when he saw the door, hanging slightly off it's hinges. Then he saw Ardeth. "Whoa!" He held up a gun.
Sagira frowned. "Where did you get that?"
"I found it on this girl," he said. "I think she's with the police."
"What?" Sagira screeched. "You brought me a policewoman?"
Daniel looked back out the door. Sagira assumed it was at the woman. "I don't know exactly. Do you want the gun?"
Sagira nodded, glancing at Ardeth. He looked like he was weighing his consequences. Daniel walked over to Sagira, keeping the gun on Ardeth. Sagira took it from him.
"Now, you can either die or leave."
Ardeth glared at her. "I will die before you use that book."
Sagira faltered. She had expected him to leave. Unsure of whether or not she actually wanted to kill someone herself, she closed her eyes and pulled the trigger.
When she opened her eyes, Daniel was standing over Ardeth, who was lying on the floor in a puddle. "Take him outside, please," Sagira said. "And where is the woman?"
Daniel pulled the body up the stairs and outside. When he came back in, a cute little blonde was with him. She was obviously drunk.
"Daniel!" Sagira cried. The blonde, who had been giggling hysterically and apparently oblivious to the body she had passed before coming in, quickly shut up. "I can't use her! She's drunk!"
Daniel looked down. "She was the only one I could find." The blonde started laughing again.
Sagira limped over and slapped the girl hard in the face. Immediately the joy stopped. The woman glared at her angrily and leapt toward her. Daniel grabbed her arms. Sagira smiled and stood nose to nose with her.
"Still drunk?" Sagira asked sweetly. She looked at the woman closely. She seemed alert now. "Didn't think so."
Taking a few pieces of extra rope, Sagira gestured to Daniel that he put the blonde on the kitchen table. Soon the woman was tied to it.
Sagira went to Alex next. She loosened his ankle bindings enough for hiim to walk.
"What are you? A witch?" Alex asked.
"No, why?"
"He looks like he's under a spell to me."
Sagira looked to Daniel, who was staring at the woman. Despite her cursing at him continuously, Daniel's face was expressionless. "Oh, that. No, he's just stupid."
Once Alex was in a chair by the table, Sagira set the book back on his lap. "I want someone's soul in this body. Do it for me."
Daniel handed Sagira the knife Ardeth had. She put it to Alex's throat.
Alex swallowed. "Who?"