Chapter Two
"IM-HO-TEP! IM-HO-TEP!" the citizens of Cairo were the creature's slaves once again.
"Aw, not again," said Rick as he and the men attempted to form a barricade against the doors. Remy and Jonathan, who were both cowards, stood back as Remy, Rick, Ardeth, and Raia used their strength to hold back the mob.
"Jonathan, you take Evelyn, Alex, Adrienne, Alexandria, and James out the back entrance," said Ameera, giving out instructions. "Take them out of the city... anywhere but Cairo."
"What will you do?" asked Jonathan.
"I will stay here with my brothers," answered Ameera.
"No, please Ameera, I want to stay," pleaded Adrienne as Remy took her by the hand.
"Come cousin, you will be safe," said Remy, his voice full of sympathy.
As they raced out the back door, a Med-Jai woman sat on a saddled horse, waiting for them with six horses. She lowered her veil and her green eyes motioned for them to saddle up.
"What? Who?" Evelyn protested.
"No time for that old mum. Climb on, hurry!" Jonathan replied hurriedly, shoving Evelyn onto her horse.
Remy laughed and was stopped short when the Med-Jai woman glared at him harshly.
"I'm Zharah, Ameera's third in command. I was sent to escort you. We must leave now!" she barked, rearing her horse up.
The rest of the gang saddled up without a protest and galloped through the alleyways of Cairo. The chanting seemed to fade away when they reached the gates to the city. They continued until a dark figure blocked their exit out of the city.
"Move out of the way!" Zharah yelled, not noticing the chanting gaining volume.
The figure raised its arms and spoke out in a commanding voice, sending a shiver through Evelyn and Alexandria's spine.
"Ameesh-too Ra, Ana-bados. Un-heeby un-setna!" The figure roared, causing the horses to buck in fear.
"Imhotep!" yelled Zharah, trying to back her horse away.
Imhotep cruelly smiled and walked towards Alexandria, who was trying to get her horse away from Jonathan's; he had no control over his own.
Back in the museum, Ameera was helping the men build a barricade. The mass of zombies on the other side were too strong.
"WE CAN'T KEEP THEM BACK!" yelled O'Connell as the mob of Imhotep's slaves pounded wildly on the door.
Just as the last of Jonathan's group escaped through the back, the horde burst through the doors. Ardeth, Remy, Raia, and Rick (with his beloved gunnysack) instantaneously ran for the back as Ameera stood petrified in shock. Ardeth grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her along. Then she noticed the Book of Amun-Ra casually lying on the floor. She snatched it as the mass of boil-covered slaves overwhelmed the area.
"GET IN!" yelled O'Connell, opening the driver's door to his car, once they were outside.
"I thought you parked in the front!" yelled Raia.
"Never mind! Just get in!" he shouted. The five of them piled into the car and zoomed off with the zombies in pursuit.
"How do we know where the others went?" asked Raia, his eyes focused on the zombies they had left behind.
They continued speeding through the streets, frantically searching for a way out of the city. Unexpectedly, flies and locusts attacked them out of nowhere; Imhotep was near. They recklessly winded through the streets for they were distracted by the small, pestering beasts. Plagued by the flies and locusts, Ameera was thrown from the car.
"Ameera!" shouted Ardeth.
It was one of the few times in her life where Ameera didn't know what to do. Zombies began to close in on her from all directions and she had to act quickly; she was NOT going to die here, not now. Ameera looked over to a nearby market stand and found a long, tall pole. She grabbed it and backed up just enough to keep her from the grasp of the zombies. Ameera ran as fast as she could and launched herself to a rooftop; she was safe for now.
From up on the rooftop, Ameera could hear the deep, manly voice of the creature, Imhotep. She looked down, over the rim of the rooftop to see the zombies yelling and screaming at her. Once again, Ameera backed up. She ran and leaped across a gap, reaching another rooftop. The female warrior repeated this several times until she came to the town square. Ameera hid behind a rim and peered down at another mob and the tall figure of Imhotep. She recognized Zharah, her third in command with Jonathan's group. But where were O'Connell, Ardeth, and the rest of them? Ameera listened and watched everything going on below.
The creature abruptly and furiously screamed when he saw something up above. Ameera peered at the sky to see a huge, floating contraption. O'Connell, Raia, Ardeth, and Remy looked down at the mass of zombies and their friends.
"It's about bloody time!" shouted Jonathan.
"You owe me a diamond!" yelled a strange man from the hovering dirigible.
"Izzy! Throw down the bloody rope! Don't you see we're in a bit of a rush?!" bellowed Jonathan, trying to maintain the horse.
Izzy rolled his eyes and threw down the rope, Zharah ushering Alexandria up first. Evelyn then climbed up, followed by Adrienne. Imhotep roared with rage and charged forward, determined to get what he came for.
"No!" Zharah cried, whipping out her scimitar, swinging it around to protect her comrades.
Imhotep smiled at her effort. Remy and Jonathan finally crawled up onto the trawler and began floating away, the rope swinging away from Zharah. She lept and grabbed onto it, just as the zombies reached for her. She caught a glimpse of her leader, Ameera, and swung herself over to where she was on the rooftop.
"My Leader." Zharah called out, while bowing her head.
Ameera held up her hand in greeting. Zharah held out her hand, Ameera grasping it for a moment, then hoisted herself above Zharah and began climbing towards the flying trawler. Zharah followed suit, but stopped when she heard the angry words of Imhotep below her.
I will hunt you down! I swear by the God Anubis I will have my vengeance! *translated from Egyptian* and after he said those words, bugs issued forth from his mouth towards Zharah, who was desperately trying to crawl up the rope.
Ardeth, Rick and James heaved up on the rope, sending Zharah into their arms. The female warrior glared at Ardeth.
"Never, EVER, do that again..." she gasped, and then fell down to the deck when they all released her.
Ardeth grinned and helped Zharah up. Adrienne ran into Ardeth's arms and embraced him tightly. Ardeth returned the gesture, picking her up and swirling her around gently.
Zharah grinned and rolled her eyes, lifting the veil up and covering half her face.
"Oh please..." Jonathan mumbled and yelped when Evelyn slapped his arm, glowering at him.
They all sat down, resting from all the activity that had wore each one of them out.
"So where are we going now?" piped Alex.
Everyone looked at him, and he shifted his gaze to the moving land below him.
"Talk about grumpy..." Alex mumbled under his breath.
"We cannot fight the Creature...for he has powers that are beyond our control. We must ambush him if we are to get results," said Zharah sitting down and rubbing her ankle which was bruised from a zombie
Without warning, Izzy flipped the throttle, sending the dirigible blasting into the sky. Everybody tumbled back and landed at the stern of the flying balloon.
"Sorry!" said Izzy.
"Can't you people keep your feet on the ground?!" exclaimed Ardeth, helping his wife up.
"Where in the world is Ameera?" asked Evelyn, noticing the female warrior wasn't among them.
"Down here!" yelled the familiar voice.
The group looked over the starboard side to see Ameera dangling from a rope.
"A little help, IF IT IS NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR!" yelled Ameera.
Zharah ran over to the side and helped her leader up over the side of the dirigible.
"A thousand pardons, my lady." Zharah bowed her head, helping Ameera on board.
"Thank you, Zharah," replied Ameera.
"What brings you to me? Hamanaptra is safe, is it not?" asked Ameera, knowing her second in command wasn't always reliable. "Nadia has not failed me again, has she?"
Zharah shook her head, sadly.
"She went off with a scouting party the day the Creature was raised. She has not been back since," replied Zharah with sorrow in her voice.
"She disobeyed me. Nadia was told to stay at Hamanaptra," said Ameera, then lowering her voice to a whisper. "Foolish woman."
Zharah shook her head once again and fidgeted with the hem of her robe.
"What shall we do?" Zharah asked quietly, hoping for a comforting answer.
Ameera leaned against the side of the dirigible with her arms crossed. Anger boiled up inside of her; Nadia was imprudent and wasn't capable of taking simple orders. She didn't know why she made her second in command.
"You are my second in command now, Zharah," said Ameera, knowing that she would not fail her. Zharah had much potential; Ameera just never gave her the chance. "Brother, what shall we do?"
Ameera was out of ideas; she now looked to her brother, Ardeth for a plan.
"We go to Ahm-Shere," he answered.
Zharah looked up, blinking in surprise. Both at Ameera's declaration and at Ardeth's statement.
"Ahm Shere… pardon my intrusion but...WHY?" asked Zharah with her eyes wide open.
"The creature will try to raise the Scorpion King once more..." said Ardeth.
"We just dealt with the bastard three weeks ago; you're telling me we have to deal with him again?" asked O'Connell.
Ardeth nodded.
"AMELIA!" cried Adrienne. "Izzy, turn around! We must return to Cairo for my sister!"
"But we just left!" yelled Izzy.
"Just do it, Izzy," said O'Connell.
Izzy mumbled something and steadily turned the flying barge around. Zharah sighed and sat down on what it seemed to be chair of some sort. When she sat down on it, it moved.
"Ge' off!" Zharah heard Jonathan's muffled voice under the heavy coat. Zharah jumped up in alarm and stared at the coat while Ardeth and Adrienne stifled their laughs.
Zharah lifted up the coat and threw it off, revealing Jonathan hugging himself on the floor.
"Jonathan!" exclaimed Evelyn. "What are you doing?!"
Zharah cocked an eyebrow at Jonathan's flustered face.
"Gimme that back, you...you...woman!" Jonathan yelled, grabbing the coat from the floor and throwing it over himself.
"Foreigners..." Zharah mumbled as she walked back towards Ameera and Ardeth, who were in the middle of a conversation.
"I must go to Ahm-Shere before the creature gets there first," said Ameera. "When we find Amelia, I will be on my way."
Zharah looked to her leader.
"What shall I do?" Zharah asked, she wasn't sure if she should go or stay and protect the others.
"You will come with me, Zharah," answered Ameera.
"We're almost there," said Alexandria, looking down at the rooftops.
"We must be careful not to be seen," said Ameera.
"That's kinda hard," said O'Connell holding his arms up.
Zharah gazed down at the desolate streets below.
"What city are we in?" Zharah asks, looking over at Ameera.
"Cairo," said Ameera, noticing there wasn't a soul in sight as well; Zharah nodded and watched as the dirigible neared the ground.
"With your permission, my lady, I will retrieve the girl," said Ameera.
"You have my permission," answered Ameera, then turning to face Raia. "Raia, you will go with her."
Raia nodded and followed Zharah off the dirigible. They stealthily moved down the street. Raia knew the way to Alexandria's house; he had been there a few times.
Zharah and Raia ran quietly down the street, not daring to even whisper to each other.
They reached Alexandria's house and slowly slid in through the open window.
"That's strange...this window is never open..." Raia whispered, walking quietly throughout the house, Zharah at his heels.
"Where is she?" Zharah asked quietly, wanting to get out of the house as soon as possible.
"What's taking so bloody long?" asked Jonathan, with an impatient tone.
"SHUT UP!" yelled the others in unison.
***
Zharah walked into a dark room and felt someone's presence. She motioned for Raia to come in when she felt something pressed to her neck.
"Don't move one bloody inch, or I'll cut your neck off!" a female voice called out next to her ear.
"Amelia! Release her at once!" exclaimed Raia when he turned on the lights.
Amelia pulled away the blade and Zharah turned to look at her; the warrioress rubbed her neck.
"My name is Zharah. We were sent by your sister to check on you."
Zharah suddenly pulled a figure out of the shadows and threw it down on the floor.
"What are you doing here?!?" Zharah snarled, pointing her scimitar at his neck.
"Ah! Don't hurt me...think of my wife and children..." he begged.
Zharah and Raia looked at each other, and then busted out laughing. He relaxed, and tried to get up, but was stopped short when he found two scimitars at his neck.
"Where do you think you're going?" Raia growled.
He looked at Raia then took a close look at Zharah.
"You're a girl… hahaha, you're just a girl!"
Zharah's eyes narrowed and the tip of her scimitar pressed against the stranger's neck, forcing a drop of blood to appear.
Just then, O'Connell came in through the open doorway.
"What are..." O'Connell stopped in utter surprise. "BENI! YOU LITTLE SNAKE! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ALIVE?!"
Zharah stepped back, letting O'Connell pick Beni up with ease and slam him against the wall.
"WHAT ARE DOING HERE?!? OH, LET ME GUESS, OUR SPECIAL FRIEND IS WITH YOU, RIGHT?!" O'Connell roared and slammed Beni into the wall some more.
"No...I mean..." stuttered the weasel-like man.
"O'Connell!" Jonathan's distant voice could be heard. "We have company!"
"IM-HO-TEP! IM-HO-TEP!" the citizens of Cairo were the creature's slaves once again.
"Aw, not again," said Rick as he and the men attempted to form a barricade against the doors. Remy and Jonathan, who were both cowards, stood back as Remy, Rick, Ardeth, and Raia used their strength to hold back the mob.
"Jonathan, you take Evelyn, Alex, Adrienne, Alexandria, and James out the back entrance," said Ameera, giving out instructions. "Take them out of the city... anywhere but Cairo."
"What will you do?" asked Jonathan.
"I will stay here with my brothers," answered Ameera.
"No, please Ameera, I want to stay," pleaded Adrienne as Remy took her by the hand.
"Come cousin, you will be safe," said Remy, his voice full of sympathy.
As they raced out the back door, a Med-Jai woman sat on a saddled horse, waiting for them with six horses. She lowered her veil and her green eyes motioned for them to saddle up.
"What? Who?" Evelyn protested.
"No time for that old mum. Climb on, hurry!" Jonathan replied hurriedly, shoving Evelyn onto her horse.
Remy laughed and was stopped short when the Med-Jai woman glared at him harshly.
"I'm Zharah, Ameera's third in command. I was sent to escort you. We must leave now!" she barked, rearing her horse up.
The rest of the gang saddled up without a protest and galloped through the alleyways of Cairo. The chanting seemed to fade away when they reached the gates to the city. They continued until a dark figure blocked their exit out of the city.
"Move out of the way!" Zharah yelled, not noticing the chanting gaining volume.
The figure raised its arms and spoke out in a commanding voice, sending a shiver through Evelyn and Alexandria's spine.
"Ameesh-too Ra, Ana-bados. Un-heeby un-setna!" The figure roared, causing the horses to buck in fear.
"Imhotep!" yelled Zharah, trying to back her horse away.
Imhotep cruelly smiled and walked towards Alexandria, who was trying to get her horse away from Jonathan's; he had no control over his own.
Back in the museum, Ameera was helping the men build a barricade. The mass of zombies on the other side were too strong.
"WE CAN'T KEEP THEM BACK!" yelled O'Connell as the mob of Imhotep's slaves pounded wildly on the door.
Just as the last of Jonathan's group escaped through the back, the horde burst through the doors. Ardeth, Remy, Raia, and Rick (with his beloved gunnysack) instantaneously ran for the back as Ameera stood petrified in shock. Ardeth grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her along. Then she noticed the Book of Amun-Ra casually lying on the floor. She snatched it as the mass of boil-covered slaves overwhelmed the area.
"GET IN!" yelled O'Connell, opening the driver's door to his car, once they were outside.
"I thought you parked in the front!" yelled Raia.
"Never mind! Just get in!" he shouted. The five of them piled into the car and zoomed off with the zombies in pursuit.
"How do we know where the others went?" asked Raia, his eyes focused on the zombies they had left behind.
They continued speeding through the streets, frantically searching for a way out of the city. Unexpectedly, flies and locusts attacked them out of nowhere; Imhotep was near. They recklessly winded through the streets for they were distracted by the small, pestering beasts. Plagued by the flies and locusts, Ameera was thrown from the car.
"Ameera!" shouted Ardeth.
It was one of the few times in her life where Ameera didn't know what to do. Zombies began to close in on her from all directions and she had to act quickly; she was NOT going to die here, not now. Ameera looked over to a nearby market stand and found a long, tall pole. She grabbed it and backed up just enough to keep her from the grasp of the zombies. Ameera ran as fast as she could and launched herself to a rooftop; she was safe for now.
From up on the rooftop, Ameera could hear the deep, manly voice of the creature, Imhotep. She looked down, over the rim of the rooftop to see the zombies yelling and screaming at her. Once again, Ameera backed up. She ran and leaped across a gap, reaching another rooftop. The female warrior repeated this several times until she came to the town square. Ameera hid behind a rim and peered down at another mob and the tall figure of Imhotep. She recognized Zharah, her third in command with Jonathan's group. But where were O'Connell, Ardeth, and the rest of them? Ameera listened and watched everything going on below.
The creature abruptly and furiously screamed when he saw something up above. Ameera peered at the sky to see a huge, floating contraption. O'Connell, Raia, Ardeth, and Remy looked down at the mass of zombies and their friends.
"It's about bloody time!" shouted Jonathan.
"You owe me a diamond!" yelled a strange man from the hovering dirigible.
"Izzy! Throw down the bloody rope! Don't you see we're in a bit of a rush?!" bellowed Jonathan, trying to maintain the horse.
Izzy rolled his eyes and threw down the rope, Zharah ushering Alexandria up first. Evelyn then climbed up, followed by Adrienne. Imhotep roared with rage and charged forward, determined to get what he came for.
"No!" Zharah cried, whipping out her scimitar, swinging it around to protect her comrades.
Imhotep smiled at her effort. Remy and Jonathan finally crawled up onto the trawler and began floating away, the rope swinging away from Zharah. She lept and grabbed onto it, just as the zombies reached for her. She caught a glimpse of her leader, Ameera, and swung herself over to where she was on the rooftop.
"My Leader." Zharah called out, while bowing her head.
Ameera held up her hand in greeting. Zharah held out her hand, Ameera grasping it for a moment, then hoisted herself above Zharah and began climbing towards the flying trawler. Zharah followed suit, but stopped when she heard the angry words of Imhotep below her.
I will hunt you down! I swear by the God Anubis I will have my vengeance! *translated from Egyptian* and after he said those words, bugs issued forth from his mouth towards Zharah, who was desperately trying to crawl up the rope.
Ardeth, Rick and James heaved up on the rope, sending Zharah into their arms. The female warrior glared at Ardeth.
"Never, EVER, do that again..." she gasped, and then fell down to the deck when they all released her.
Ardeth grinned and helped Zharah up. Adrienne ran into Ardeth's arms and embraced him tightly. Ardeth returned the gesture, picking her up and swirling her around gently.
Zharah grinned and rolled her eyes, lifting the veil up and covering half her face.
"Oh please..." Jonathan mumbled and yelped when Evelyn slapped his arm, glowering at him.
They all sat down, resting from all the activity that had wore each one of them out.
"So where are we going now?" piped Alex.
Everyone looked at him, and he shifted his gaze to the moving land below him.
"Talk about grumpy..." Alex mumbled under his breath.
"We cannot fight the Creature...for he has powers that are beyond our control. We must ambush him if we are to get results," said Zharah sitting down and rubbing her ankle which was bruised from a zombie
Without warning, Izzy flipped the throttle, sending the dirigible blasting into the sky. Everybody tumbled back and landed at the stern of the flying balloon.
"Sorry!" said Izzy.
"Can't you people keep your feet on the ground?!" exclaimed Ardeth, helping his wife up.
"Where in the world is Ameera?" asked Evelyn, noticing the female warrior wasn't among them.
"Down here!" yelled the familiar voice.
The group looked over the starboard side to see Ameera dangling from a rope.
"A little help, IF IT IS NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR!" yelled Ameera.
Zharah ran over to the side and helped her leader up over the side of the dirigible.
"A thousand pardons, my lady." Zharah bowed her head, helping Ameera on board.
"Thank you, Zharah," replied Ameera.
"What brings you to me? Hamanaptra is safe, is it not?" asked Ameera, knowing her second in command wasn't always reliable. "Nadia has not failed me again, has she?"
Zharah shook her head, sadly.
"She went off with a scouting party the day the Creature was raised. She has not been back since," replied Zharah with sorrow in her voice.
"She disobeyed me. Nadia was told to stay at Hamanaptra," said Ameera, then lowering her voice to a whisper. "Foolish woman."
Zharah shook her head once again and fidgeted with the hem of her robe.
"What shall we do?" Zharah asked quietly, hoping for a comforting answer.
Ameera leaned against the side of the dirigible with her arms crossed. Anger boiled up inside of her; Nadia was imprudent and wasn't capable of taking simple orders. She didn't know why she made her second in command.
"You are my second in command now, Zharah," said Ameera, knowing that she would not fail her. Zharah had much potential; Ameera just never gave her the chance. "Brother, what shall we do?"
Ameera was out of ideas; she now looked to her brother, Ardeth for a plan.
"We go to Ahm-Shere," he answered.
Zharah looked up, blinking in surprise. Both at Ameera's declaration and at Ardeth's statement.
"Ahm Shere… pardon my intrusion but...WHY?" asked Zharah with her eyes wide open.
"The creature will try to raise the Scorpion King once more..." said Ardeth.
"We just dealt with the bastard three weeks ago; you're telling me we have to deal with him again?" asked O'Connell.
Ardeth nodded.
"AMELIA!" cried Adrienne. "Izzy, turn around! We must return to Cairo for my sister!"
"But we just left!" yelled Izzy.
"Just do it, Izzy," said O'Connell.
Izzy mumbled something and steadily turned the flying barge around. Zharah sighed and sat down on what it seemed to be chair of some sort. When she sat down on it, it moved.
"Ge' off!" Zharah heard Jonathan's muffled voice under the heavy coat. Zharah jumped up in alarm and stared at the coat while Ardeth and Adrienne stifled their laughs.
Zharah lifted up the coat and threw it off, revealing Jonathan hugging himself on the floor.
"Jonathan!" exclaimed Evelyn. "What are you doing?!"
Zharah cocked an eyebrow at Jonathan's flustered face.
"Gimme that back, you...you...woman!" Jonathan yelled, grabbing the coat from the floor and throwing it over himself.
"Foreigners..." Zharah mumbled as she walked back towards Ameera and Ardeth, who were in the middle of a conversation.
"I must go to Ahm-Shere before the creature gets there first," said Ameera. "When we find Amelia, I will be on my way."
Zharah looked to her leader.
"What shall I do?" Zharah asked, she wasn't sure if she should go or stay and protect the others.
"You will come with me, Zharah," answered Ameera.
"We're almost there," said Alexandria, looking down at the rooftops.
"We must be careful not to be seen," said Ameera.
"That's kinda hard," said O'Connell holding his arms up.
Zharah gazed down at the desolate streets below.
"What city are we in?" Zharah asks, looking over at Ameera.
"Cairo," said Ameera, noticing there wasn't a soul in sight as well; Zharah nodded and watched as the dirigible neared the ground.
"With your permission, my lady, I will retrieve the girl," said Ameera.
"You have my permission," answered Ameera, then turning to face Raia. "Raia, you will go with her."
Raia nodded and followed Zharah off the dirigible. They stealthily moved down the street. Raia knew the way to Alexandria's house; he had been there a few times.
Zharah and Raia ran quietly down the street, not daring to even whisper to each other.
They reached Alexandria's house and slowly slid in through the open window.
"That's strange...this window is never open..." Raia whispered, walking quietly throughout the house, Zharah at his heels.
"Where is she?" Zharah asked quietly, wanting to get out of the house as soon as possible.
"What's taking so bloody long?" asked Jonathan, with an impatient tone.
"SHUT UP!" yelled the others in unison.
***
Zharah walked into a dark room and felt someone's presence. She motioned for Raia to come in when she felt something pressed to her neck.
"Don't move one bloody inch, or I'll cut your neck off!" a female voice called out next to her ear.
"Amelia! Release her at once!" exclaimed Raia when he turned on the lights.
Amelia pulled away the blade and Zharah turned to look at her; the warrioress rubbed her neck.
"My name is Zharah. We were sent by your sister to check on you."
Zharah suddenly pulled a figure out of the shadows and threw it down on the floor.
"What are you doing here?!?" Zharah snarled, pointing her scimitar at his neck.
"Ah! Don't hurt me...think of my wife and children..." he begged.
Zharah and Raia looked at each other, and then busted out laughing. He relaxed, and tried to get up, but was stopped short when he found two scimitars at his neck.
"Where do you think you're going?" Raia growled.
He looked at Raia then took a close look at Zharah.
"You're a girl… hahaha, you're just a girl!"
Zharah's eyes narrowed and the tip of her scimitar pressed against the stranger's neck, forcing a drop of blood to appear.
Just then, O'Connell came in through the open doorway.
"What are..." O'Connell stopped in utter surprise. "BENI! YOU LITTLE SNAKE! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ALIVE?!"
Zharah stepped back, letting O'Connell pick Beni up with ease and slam him against the wall.
"WHAT ARE DOING HERE?!? OH, LET ME GUESS, OUR SPECIAL FRIEND IS WITH YOU, RIGHT?!" O'Connell roared and slammed Beni into the wall some more.
"No...I mean..." stuttered the weasel-like man.
"O'Connell!" Jonathan's distant voice could be heard. "We have company!"