A/N: As you have probably noticed by the Chapter title, this will be fondly reminiscent, and before I forget again, only the plot is mine in this fanfic. And also I realise the Med-Jai should be Med-jai, but I have a fixation with cool names having more capital letters than necessary, so just keep reading and reviewing please…
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THE MUMMY
The Hand of the Dead
Chapter Two: Not Again
Sighing to herself Evelyn O'Connell pulled out her rag as she found another scratchy display on the case of the sarcophagus in front of her. So busy was she wiping at the slogan of 'Tuttenkamen woz 'ere' that the desiccated hand that slumped on her shoulder took her completely by surprise and caused a very loud shriek to echo through the halls of the British Museum. Turning round she saw a grinning Jonathan, her silently shaking son and husband, the scornful looks of museum patrons, and the puzzled look on the face of the Med-Jai warrior nearby. 'You know Evy,' Jonathan said as Rick and Alex began quaking with laughter, 'I really do think you should stop selling these in the gift shop.' He held in his left hand a rubber mummy arm that had, until recently, been residing in the window of the museum gift shop, chuckling silently he handed the arm back to Alex and turned back to be hit in the face with the dirty cloth.
'Serves you right,' Evelyn muttered primly to Jonathan, 'and if that slogan hasn't disappeared soon, I'll put you in the sarcophagus.' For Jonathan, face covered in soapy water, it was a chore, but for Rick and Alex it was too much and in seconds the two were hooting with laughter. Marching purposefully over to them she clipped the both of them round the head that sent them into further fits as they rubbed their hair where her hands had landed. Turning finally to Ardeth, who while looking fierce had a worried look in his eyes as she approached, but all he got was a warm embrace and kiss from her. 'I have just one question for you Ardeth,' she said as she finished her welcoming hug with a warm smile, 'just what's gone wrong this time?'
* * *
Halfway down the corridor from which the greeting was taking place another caped figure watched as Evelyn disengaged from Ardeth and turned back to her husband while Alex was now looking over the sarcophagus Jonathan was frantically cleaning. Unlike Ardeth however, this caped figure appeared to be invisible to the other people around the museum, while many gave the Med-Jai odd looks, this figure had attracted none. Too far away to hear the conversation now ongoing between the O'Connells and Bay, the figure was content enough to rest silently against the wall, seemingly at home among the mummies that lay entombed forever alongside it. Soon, soon.
* * *
'So then, what's happening then Ardeth?' Rick asked as he wife moved alongside him, 'you told Jonathan things were bad right, how bad?'
'Bad enough that I will not speak of it here,' the Med-Jai replied, 'can we return to your home, I think it will be safer for all there.'
'Depends,' Rick said, 'didn't happen to bring any reincarnated spirits or mad fanatics with you again I hope?' getting a smile from his wife who remembered the last time the Med-Jai had been at their manor house.
'I wouldn't be surprised,' he replied with a hint of humour, 'but for now, we go please?'
'Why not?' Evelyn replied for Rick, 'I could use the rest of the day off, now that Jonathan's cleaned my last sarcophagus.' Turning round with a mischievous glint in her eye she saw her brother's hand move over a little scrawl, then with a panicked look he opened the sarcophagus and climbed inside getting a whoop from Alex. 'Suits him,' she said with a wink to her husband, then they began to walk for the stairs, Alex beside his mother and Ardeth stalking along behind.
A few seconds after they had passed a row of sarcophagi, a shadow detached itself from the wall and began to follow the group as the made for the exit, none of the patrons seemed to notice. But, Jonathan, who had just exited his hiding hole saw as it slipped behind the group and with a stealth previously unknown, he too began to track the figure. Down the steps they went out to the front of the museum where the sun turned the front of the building a deep crimson as it slowly began to settle down in the sky.
'Rick,' Evelyn said as they finished descending the marble stairs, 'where's the car?'
'Funny you should mention that,' he replied after placing Alex in front of her and walking over to the nearby taxi rink.
'Erm…where to begin?' Alex said, standing very still in front of his mother.
* * *
The shadowy figure had not followed the O'Connells and Bay down the stairs, but had instead moved alongside the museum walkway to the car park at the rear of the building. Creeping silently Jonathan felt his sleeve for the reassurance of his gambler's pistol, then turned the corner as the figure descended to the car park, what he saw was bad.
* * *
'And that's why we need a taxi…' Alex trailed off as Evelyn stared into his vaguely innocent eyes, judging the story that had been told in an unsettling pause for her son.
'You know Alex,' she said finally, 'you're too much like your father,' then with a laugh she held her son close, 'as long as you're not hurt, I'm sure you father will buy another car soon.'
A piercing whistle interrupted the hug as Rick hailed a fleet of taxis that was coming down the road, 'Just like buses,' he muttered to himself, 'ten minutes and then three at once. TAXI!' he shouted again as the cars began to indicate for the rink outside the museum. Turning to his family Rick moved to the door of the first taxi and pulled it open, 'hey guys! The rides here, and where's Jonathan got to? Can you wait a few minutes?' he directed the question to the driver and instead found himself looking into the scarred, leathery face of an Arab. 'You're not from London are you?' he said with a smile.
With a wild cry the three taxis discarded a motley group of Arab raiders, all armed with cutlasses and knives, a few with small pistols. 'Ardeth!' Rick yelled as he swiftly punched the nearest in the face, 'you promised no mad fanatics!' then running away from the taxis he ducked when the all too familiar sound of a throwing knife whistled through the air behind him. Throwing up his hand and rolling Rick rose grasping the knife between two fingers, 'and this is what happened to the last guy that did that as well!' he shouted, and with a swift throw the dagger buried itself to the hilt in the chest of the raider who had sent it flying at his back.
At the foot of the steps Ardeth now drew his scimitar and yelled an Egyptian warcry before charging into the mob; there were easily six times as many raiders as there were of Rick and Ardeth, but the difference in skill between the two sides was showing. Jumping high over their heads Ardeth landed amidst a group of four, scimitar whirling a deadly pattern as he parried blows and returned with his own deadly force. Rick had now disarmed another of the raiders with a punch to the jaw that had sent the stunned man over the roof of the nearest cab, and with a swift roll and grab he came up in the fray armed with his own sword and a small pistol that he discharged into the nearest assailant.
With a mad cry one raider charged from the fray, bearing down on Evelyn and Alex armed with two swords, 'Kick his butt mum!' the boy shouted but was surprised when his mother quickly picked him up and ran.
'Some advice Alex,' she said as they fled the man, 'when mum has a weapon it isn't a problem, when the evil bad guy has all the weapons it is a problem.'
'Oh, what if he just has one weapon?'
'I kick him somewhere that really hurts like your father taught me about.' Running up the stairs they began to move along the side of the museum when two more Arabs appeared along the side, braving the height Evelyn grabbed Alex and jumped from the side to land athletically on the pavement. Thank you Neferti she thought as she steadied herself, and then the three Arabs landed on the pavement behind her. 'Run Alex!' she shouted, not because of them, but because of the bright lights that now blinded the three as they stood ready to fight.
With a mad laugh Jonathan ploughed the double-decker straight into the three raiders and sent them flying in every direction as he drove merrily along the pavement. Almost flattening them against the wall he opened the door beside Evelyn and Alex who jumped on board as he began to head for the fighting mob in front of the museum. Looking up from their fights Rick and Ardeth dove to the sides as Jonathan sent his bus flying into the rest of the raiders who were still standing, 'hop aboard lads!' he cried as the stunned Arabs began to recover.
'Oh no,' Rick said, 'not again, I remember your last tourist trip Jon.'
'Too late,' he replied, almost too gleefully, 'hang onto your hats!' he said as he gunned the engine, 'or turbans,' he added for Ardeth. 'First stop, O'Connell manor.'
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A/N: Okay, so right now it's more of an Action/Adventure then a horror bit, but the comedy is still there in places and you know that 'something is rotten in the state of Egypt…'