Chapter Nine
Ardeth and O'Connell stood back to back; Ardeth armed with his scimitar, Rick with cocked guns in each hand. Jonathan was crouched beside the table, beads of nervous sweat dripping down his forehead, eyes wildly looking for any sign of danger.
They attacked from both entrances to the car. Panicked passengers screamed as they huddled underneath the tables, while Evy clutched Alex's body so tightly to her chest he had to gasp for air.
With a resounding war cry, Ardeth charged his opponent who readied his own scimitar. Rick started shooting, easily taking down one foe, only to be replaced by two more.
Clanging blades were only muffled by the occasional scream and gunshot. Ardeth swung his blade with a skill honed by years of war, while his opponent had to scramble defensively.
Rick shot his guns one hand after the other. Jonathan yelped at Rick, whose attention was fixed on two mummies, swinging on ropes from above the train. Rick immediately knew what they were going to do, and barely had time to yell a warning to anyone within earshot, when the windows burst into a million tiny piercing shards, pelting the occupants painfully. Rick blocked some of the pieces with an upheld arm to his face, wincing when he felt several stabbing pains in his arm.
With mouths opened wide in a feral scream, the mummies attacked both Rick and Ardeth, who had his back turned to the offending dead. Rick did not have time to even aim, as a clawed hand smacked the gun out of his hand, and out of reach. Alex eyed the fallen gun, only feet away from him, but still couldn't move out of his mother's grasp. Rick was seeing stars when the mummy let fly a mean right hand hook, snapping Rick's head back. Rick instinctively felt his bleeding mouth, and set his eyes fiercely on the now grinning mummy, obviously pleased he could make the mortal man bleed.
Ardeth was still attacking his man, when he felt his air roughly being choked. A mummy arm was around his throat, disrupting Ardeth's balance and train of thought. His foe immediately pounced upon this opportunity, swinging his scimitar and howling incoherently. Ardeth swung his blade to meet the attacking one, although just barely in time. The mummy was hauling his body backwards; Ardeth had to fight not only the attacking blade, but to stay on his feet as well.
Two shots rang out as Jonathan easily took down two more attacking men, coming in from the entrance closest to him. Jonathan flashed a dashing daring smile to anyone he thought might be watching. But his victory was short lived as he noticed Rick was getting his ass kicked.
Rick was feeling dazed, tired, and all over punch drunk. He was now stumbling back; falling on the table, feeling squashed meat and potatoes soil his shirt and leather vest.
Alex was wriggling, attempting to free himself from Evy's grasp. Evelyn herself was hypnotized by the action taking place around her. A little "mum!" awoke her from her trance, and she suddenly realized what Alex was straining for. Still clutching Alex with one hand, she stretched her other hand out to reach the fallen gun. Grabbing the gun, she pushed Alex behind her, further underneath the table, and pointed the gun.
"Rick, duck!" Evy yelled. Rick took one quick glance at Evy, and dove for the seat. Evelyn blasted the mummy's head, but being already dead, the mummy only stumbled backwards a bit. Rick took advantage of the mummy's off balance, and body checked him through the empty window, sending the mummy tumbling head over heels in the sand. Rick allowed himself a smile. "Still got it." He mumbled.
Meanwhile, Ardeth was still having his own difficulties, as he could barely keep his blade level to block the ever-increasing attacks. Ardeth could feel himself losing consciousness, but fought it with every limiting breath. Suddenly the pressure was released.
Mi-Aset stood where the mummy once was, blood trailing from both palms now, a pile of dust lay at her feet.
Ardeth attacked with newfound strength, and finally made a deadly slice up the man's middle, who pitched backwards, dead. Ardeth took his first deep breath, and wiped the running sweat from his forehead with his arm sleeve. He turned around and faced Mi-Aset, who let a small wry smile escape. Ardeth nodded his thanks, still breathing deeply.