Disclaimer: The characters in this story are from "The Mummy"/"The Mummy Returns", as are Hamunaptra and Am-shere, and so they are obviously not mine, and I am only using them for the purpose of a story.
I'm assuming you've read the first chapter, if you haven't, it's probably a good idea to do so before you get to the next chapter.
12 years after "The Mummy Returns"
Alex dropped his luggage onto the doorstep, then rang the bell to his uncle's home. When there was no answer, he rang the bell again, leaning on it so that it rang for several minutes. He worried that his uncle might not be there, might be anywhere, and finally he reached into his pocket and pulled out the door key. He opened the door, grabbed his bags, and stumbled through, hooking the door closed behind him with his foot.
He squinted in the gloom of the hallway, and dropped his bags again. As he did, his uncle came staggering out of another doorway, glaring at the young man in front of him. "Alex. Good lord, what are you doing here?"
Alex shrugged. "Well", he said, "it's a bit complicated". Jonathon nodded understandingly. "It always is, old chap. It always is. Anyway, come in, have a drink." Alex smirked, a patented Rick O'Connell, 100% guaranteed to annoy, smirk. "Looks like you've had a couple for me".
"My dear boy" Jonathon began, lurching forwards, then broke off. Dashing in the direction of the bathroom, he yelled "Make yourself at home".
Alex grinned again, then wandered in the direction of the kitchen, leaving his bags in the hall, and began to make two cups of coffee. His uncle staggered in again after a while, and slumped onto a chair, lowering his head until it rested on the table. Alex banged one of the cups on the table in front of him, and Jonathon shot up with a yell, then clutched his head in his hands.
"Oops, didn't mean to startle ya". Alex gave him another tried and tested expression, the sheepish, innocent smile. Say what you wanted about his dad, but he had an expression for every occasion, usually guaranteed to annoy people, and he'd faithfully coached Alex with all of them.
For a long moment, they sat in silence, drinking the coffee, until his uncle began to look slightly healthier. "So" Jonathon finally began, "What are you doing here? I'm sure you were in University the last time I looked, and what with your past history and your mother's constant lectures, the study of Ancient Egypt ought to be a doddle".
"Wellll, I've been thrown out".
Jonathon choked, then a grin began to spread across his face. "What for, exactly?"
"Mainly, the drinking, gambling and fighting, although sleeping with the Dean's daughter really can't have helped".
Jonathon whooped. "That's my boy". He smirked and said, "So your parents aren't too impressed, and you thought you'd stay with your Uncle Jonathon until it all blows over?"
Alex grinned again. "I haven't actually seen them, and I don't think I want to for, oh, the next couple of years until they calm down. Especially Mum." They had a shared thought as to what an enraged Evy would be like.
"Well then, my boy. Let's get you unpacked and then we'll see about curing all those problems of yours". "With liberal application of alcohol?" Alex guessed. "Exactly".
The next morning
Alex awoke to the sound of groaning. He looked around blearily, to see the terrible sight of his uncle's face, unshaven, bruised, and looking very ill. He realised that he was, for some reason, lying with his head in the cold fireplace, while his uncle was propped up against some kind of large stuffed animal. He shook his head, struggled to pull himself up, then met his uncle's eyes.
"Did I really" his uncle began, "win and gamble away again the rights to a gold mine?" Alex struggled to think, then finally managed to nod uncertainly. Bad mistake. "I remember you losing it, but I don't remember you ever winning it in the first place".
"I remember singing" continued Jonathon, "but did I really threaten to burn down London?"
"Yep" Alex agreed, on firmer ground. "You were angry with the place because it was raining."
"Oh yeah. Well, it does make sense".
"What I want to know, is, why were those men trying to kill you?" asked Alex.
"Which lot? The first or the second?"
"There were two lots?" Alex looked bemused for a second. "Oh right. No, the first lot was because you insulted them loudly, then tried to spear one with an umbrella." "I was just trying to show him what happened at Am-shere." Jonathon trailed off, then began again "Anyway, the second lot, well, they thought that I'd been sleeping with Robbie's wife. I tried to explain that it was all a ghastly mistake, but they wouldn't believe me."
Knowing his uncle, Alex pursued the point, trying to lever himself to his feet. "So, you didn't sleep with his wife?"
"Of course not." Jonathon looked offended. "What kind of a man do you think I am? No, I slept with his sister, not his wife. Completely different thing". Alex groaned, then finally got to his feet. "If I were you," Alex advised "I'd leave home for a while, because they didn't look like they were going to give up."
He moved towards the doorway, but tripped over an upturned chair, and fell against the low table in the middle of the room. He pulled himself up, and two pieces of paper on the table caught his eye. The first was some sort of map, with a number of stains on it, and the second seemed to be covered with his writing. He picked the second piece up, and read aloud:
"Things to take with us
Whisky
Spare underwear
Shovel
Camels, possibly
Bourbon
Scotch"
"Do you have any idea why we wrote this?"
"Not a clue" replied Jonathon. "I hate bourbon. Can't stand the stuff"
Alex sighed. "No, where do you think we were planning on going?"
"Dunno" his uncle muttered over his shoulder as he staggered off in search of something. "Maybe somewhere where they don't sell camels".
Later
As Alex sat at the kitchen table later, Jonathon crashed in, clutching the map. "Is this what you were talking about?" he asked.
Alex nodded, now able to do so without much pain. "Where does the map lead to?" he asked curiously.
"Jentar, in Egypt."
"I thought that place isn't supposed to exist" Alex said, confused.
"Ha. They said that about Am-shere, and Hamunaptra, and do you know what happened there?" his uncle began indignantly. "Yes, actually" Alex replied.
"Oh". Jonathon looked downcast for a moment, then brightened up. "Tell you what, we should go there. There's bound to be lots of, things, archaeological things. Fascinating historical things…"
"Treasure" Alex said flatly. Still, the idea had some appeal.
"Oh come on old chap. It gets you away from your parents, me away from psychotic men trying to kill me for absolutely no reason and might provide me with some more money, because to tell the truth, I'm running a little low, and..."
"Yes?" Alex asked, wondering what other reason there might be.
"At least it shouldn't be raining there".