I tried to be nice this time and not stretch any characters for this story. I hope it worked!
The kitchen of the O'Connell home was as full as it ever was. Rick and Jonathan sat together reading the daily newspaper, while Alex carefully ate his breakfast and Evelyn kept cooking it. Everything was peaceful and had been for two years since their last encounter with Imhotep.
"What are you giggling about?" Evelyn said, turning from her frying pan of eggs.
Rick and Jonathan looked up. "Oh, nothing, Evie," Jonathan replied. "Just having a look at the classified ads."
Evelyn sighed and continued breakfast. She was just about to sit down when they all heard a crash from the living room. Everyone hurried toward the noise. Standing by the open front door, heaving and out of breath, was Ardeth Bay. Evelyn helped him to a chair that Rick pulled out for him.
Once he caught his breath, Ardeth began to speak. "I apologize for barging in. I need your help."
Jonathan slumped onto the couch. "Not again," he muttered. No one else seemed to hear him, or at least, pay attention.
"What's up?" Rick asked.
Ardeth sighed. "He walks again, but it is more urgent than this."
Alex looked surprised. "What could be worse than that?"
"He has stolen something from us," Ardeth explained. "The Jewel of Fate. With it, he could destroy the entire universe!"
Rick was skeptical. "You're not serious? How could a jewel destroy the universe?"
"The person who controls the jewel, controls fate. With that power, he can decide whether something lives or dies. Obviously a most powerful weapon."
Evelyn shook her head. "Back-track a moment. How did he come back?"
Ardeth rolled his eyes, something they had never seen him do. "There were diggers. The Med-Jai on duty were not thorough in their check and they went unnoticed overnight. In that time, the people managed to find the mummy. They woke him much the same way you did."
"Great," Jonathan piped up, "there are more nuts out there like us."
Again, he was ignored.
"How did he get the jewel?" Alex asked. "And how did it come to be in the possession of the Med-Jai?"
Ardeth asked for a glass of water. He waited until Evelyn had come back to answer Alex's question. "About 1,500 years ago, while our ancestors were watching over the creature, a young Med-Jai-in-training wandered off. He stumbled on the jewel by chance. From then on, it was his job, and the job of his decendants, to watch over it."
"Apparently screw-ups are common in his family?" Jonathan muttered.
Evelyn finally acknowledged him and gave him a dirty look. Jonathan studied the print on the couch.
"Actually, the current protector is now dead," Ardeth informed him. "The creature killed him."
Jonathan looked properly embarrassed.
"So what is he going to do with it now?" Evelyn asked.
Ardeth paused. "We aren't sure. To unlock it's power, it is said that you must first speak the magic incantation. Only a select few are given the incantation to pass down through the generations. It is not written down anywhere."
"Well that should make it a little easier," Rick said, smiling.
Ardeth said nothing. Rick's smile disappeared. "What?"
"The High Priest of Osiris is one of the select few."
Rick groaned. "He would be."
Alex jumped up. "So how do we get it back?"
Evelyn stared at her son. "You are not going! I don't want your life in danger ever again!"
"Good, I'll watch him," Jonathan said.
Alex looked disappointed but Jonathan was smiling.
Evelyn glared at her brother. "No, you have to come too."
"But why, Evie? I'll only get in the way."
"We're going to need all the help we can get."
Alex pouted. "But I can't go? How fair is that? I'll be more help than Uncle Jonathan!"
"Hey!"
"Sorry."
Evelyn put her hands up. "No, Alex, you're staying with your friend, Simon. I'm going to go call them now." She left the room.
When she returned, she asked, "So where are we going?"
"He must have some things with him to make the incantation work. One of them is the sacred alter at Hamunaptra."
Rick sighed. "There again?"
Evelyn clasped her hands together. "Great! Everyone get packed!"