Ah....lovers angst, I love writing it. Thanks for what reviews I have gotten, thus far. Keep 'em coming. Enjoy this short chapter, the battle is coming up.
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When Ameera opened her eyes, she saw low sunlight streaming into the cave. She also saw Omar and Haris milling around. She turned over and thought of the events of the night before…had she really seen the creature's rebirth? Had she really kissed Nick then drive him away?
The last thought made her grown, and she stood up, stretching out her sore muscles. Both Nick and Radhi were still sleeping; Nick's back turned towards her. She sighed and joined the two other warriors by the mouth of the cave.
"How did you sleep, cousin?" Omar said with a tired smile, as she sat down next to him.
"Not very well, I am afraid." She told them about the dream and all that she had seen in it. When she was done, they both stared at her, eyes wide then slowly nodded. They both agreed with her that she had seen the rebirth of the creature, and that they were in for more trouble then they had hoped for.
"Omar, join me," Ameera said as she started to climb down from the cave, "I wish to wash up a little before we start off today."
Omar nodded and followed her down.
"I need your help." She said softly, walking a short distance away from the cave mouth and dropping into the sand next to the river.
"With what?"
"Me and Nick…kissed last night."
"WHAT?!"
"We kissed…"
"Start from the beginning." He said, dropping down next to her.
She sighed and told him the story as she splashed water on her face. When she got done, she looked up at her cousin, who was staring at her, a strange smile on his face.
"I knew it!" He gasped, throwing his hands up in joy. "I knew you liked him! And I knew he liked you! How sweet, my cousin is falling in love."
"I am not!" She hissed bitterly.
"You are to! Otherwise you wouldn't care so much about him being mad at you!"
"Omar, come here." She said as sweetly as she could. He moved closer to her, expecting her to whisper something to him. Instead she smacked him hard upside the head.
"Hey!" He jumped back. "What was that for?"
"For being an ass!" She spat. "Seriously! What am I going to do? If we have to go into battle today, I don't want him being mad at me! it would affect both of us in bad ways! Will you just tell me what to say to him?"
"Yes, I could. For I am the master of what to say when a lover is mad at you." He ducked to miss the slap she aimed at him.
"HA!"
"What?"
"Every time we go in to Cairo, you pick up a different girl! Of course you would know what to say to them, you have to if they catch you with another woman! God only knows how many times I have had to intercept a girl coming after you with rage in her eyes."
"Do you want to know or not?"
"Yes!"
"Then shut up. All you have to do is tell him the truth, that you are attracted to him, but was afraid to admit your feelings. And once you started to kiss, you got all mixed up and said the wrong thing."
"Half of that's not true, though."
"So. People love to hear it, believe me. it will calm him down, and maybe you will get some more kisses out of him." He wasn't able to duck fast enough, her hand came in contact with the side of his head so quickly, and he barely knew what hit him.
"Your very violent for someone who is asking for my help."
"Oh, shut up Omar." She stood up and smoothed out her robes, he did the same.
"Just talk to him Ameera, not as a Queen or a warrior or a Med-jai, just talk to him as the woman you are."
She sighed as she started to climb the side of the wall.
To her surprise and somewhat joy, Nick was still asleep when they got back. And she didn't mind at all. Radhi got up after a half an hour and Nick finally got up a half-hour after that. Shooting Ameera dirty looks and muttering under his breath. Omar nudged her close to him with his elbow, but she had yet to approach him.
"Go, talk to him." Omar whispered in her ear as they ate breakfast. "If you don't, you will regret it."
"Nick, come help me pack some stuff away." She said, forcing herself to sound civil and powerful.
Nick just sat there; he looked at her for a second, and turned back to his food. With a sigh, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him up, dragging him to the back of the cave.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" He hissed, yanking his arm out of her grip.
"We need to talk." She hissed back.
"We have nothing to talk about."
"Yes we do!"
Nick looked at her, anger flashing in his eyes. "No, we don't. It's done, over with, no more. Forget it, ok?"
"No, I will not! Look, I made a mistake; I was feeling…hell I don't know what I was feeling. Look, I said the wrong thing, and I am sorry."
"It's not going to make it any better."
"Nick…!"
"Ameera!" Omar's voice echoed slightly from the mouth of the cave, "I think you should have a look at this."
With a sigh, she crossed to where her cousin was standing, pair of binoculars in his hands.
"Look down there and tell me what you see." He handed her the binoculars and pointed down the river, in the direction on Ahm Shere. She placed them to her eyes and adjusted them for a second, and scanned the river. Then she let out a gasp.
A boat was coming up the river, carrying many men, and heading right towards them.
"Nick, did you family ever tell you what Imhotep looked like?"
"What? Why?" He asked, anger still in his voice.
"Did Evy, Rick, or Alex ever describe to you what Imhotep looks like…regenerated."
"Yeah, tall, about six-two, really tan and muscular, handsome, and bald everywhere. Why?"
"Because he is going to pass us in about five minutes, that's why." She handed him the binoculars and pointed in the direction of the boat. "Do you recognize any of the men on that boat?"
Nick looked at it, moving the binoculars around until he landed on the face of Steven York, standing next to Imhotep and Travis Ripkin. Just behind them, a look of fright and confusion on his face sat Martin Adams.
"Oh my god…" He gasped, lowering the binoculars, "They have brought him back…Steven and Travis brought him back!"
"You damn Englishmen…" Ameera said, under her breath. "Get ready people, we are not going to let them out of this river, we are not going to let the creature get out of this day alive."
Radhi and Haris came up behind them, riffles in hand, while Ameera ran and got her scimitars holstered. Nick rummaged around his pack till he found a gun of his own, while Omar watched as the boat got closer.
"What will the fate of your college's be?" Ameera asked Nick as she loaded one of the riffles.
"What?" He asked back, rather shocked at the question.
"Are they going to live or die?"
"I…I…I don't know…"
"By Med-jai law, they awoke the creature. So they must die for that. But as you know, we don't always follow that rule. So what is it going to be? Are they going to live or die?"
Nick was stunned, he knew they had to kill Imhotep, but kill Steven, Travis, and Martin?
"Let's deal with that when it comes up, eh?" She said, watching as his mind came close to exploding. He nodded and pulled out his gun, making sure it was loaded.
"They are closer, we've got a good shot at the driver. The boat is filled with Imhotep's followers Ameera, those who went with him the first time to Ahm Shere." Omar said, still standing in the cave mouth.
"I thought they fell apart after Ahm Shere…"
"Well, their back."
Ameera stood next to her cousin and aimed her riffle. If she took the shot, she would give away their hiding spot and have the men on the boat coming after them, ready to kill, and it was their nine to her five.
"Do I take it?" She asked Omar.
"Will you have the shot when they pass?"
"Yeah, looks like it."
"Take it then, but for now, get down everyone, or they will see us."
~~
Imhotep knew they were being watched, and his eyes drifted to a cave on the side of one of the rock walls they were going past. He also knew that it was not likely that he would see the sunset on that day.
He kept quiet about the cave; not wanting to spoil whatever those in it had planed. As the boat passed the cave, he looked in and tried to see something, but all he saw was lumps on the floor of the cave. Could be rocks, but most likely humans.
~~
"Tell me when you got the shot." Omar said, watching the boat pass the cave, Imhotep looking right at them.
"He knows." Nick whispered, "He knows we're here."
"Let him know." Ameera whispered back, as she aimed the riffle at the man driving the midsize boat. "I have the shot."
"Take it."
And she did. The sound of the gun going off priced the air, causing everyone on the boat to duck and look up towards the cave. Everyone except the red & black that was at the wheel, for he was slumped down dead.
"Here we go." Ameera whispered as the boat came to a stop, and everyone on it jumped out into the water, making their armed way towards the cave.
~~
"You told me those who could stop me were long dead." Imhotep hissed as he waded through the waist deep water.
"My lord, you should stay behind, we wouldn't want anything to happen to you."
"No, it has been long enough since I have killed a Med-jai, and I will not pass the chance now."
Steven and Travis stopped short. How could the Med-jai be here? How could they have….
"O'Connell." Travis gasped.
"He is now truly a dead man, Travis, lets go." Steven said through clinched teeth.
No one noticed that Martin had stayed behind on the boat.
~~
"What do we do?" Nick whispered as the small army got closer to them.
"Get to the spell, and read it. The rest of us will take them down." Ameera nodded her head towards the opening of the cave.
Nick nodded and looked her right in the eye. "Be careful." He said softly.
"You to." Ameera made her way back to the mouth of the cave as Nick tore his pack apart to find the folded up rubbing of the spell.
"Hand to hand? Or are you going to take them out right now?" Ameera asked Omar.
"Hand to hand…"
"You go after his followers," She told the three other Med-jai. "Imhotep is mine."
"You sure about that?"
"Positive, if I need help, I will let you know, believe me. Now get down to them, before they get up to us."
The three warriors nodded and tore out their scimitars.
"Ameera…" Omar said softly, looking at his cousin.
"I know, I will be. You to."
Omar nodded and stood at the mouth of the cave, showing himself to the men below, and with the battle cry of his people, dropped out of sight, Radhi and Haris right behind him.
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Ever notice how, in TMR, at the end, our heros ride off into the sunset? Then did you realize that it must have only been somewhere around...what....8 in the morning? Remember? The whole, sunrise, pyramid bit. & the scene in the jungle the night before....plus, the last battle secen couldnt have taken more then...what...an hour at the most?!
So it was still morning when our heros ride off into the SUNSET! Where did the day go?
That just popped into my mind. Even in the book, it says they ride into the sunset...and it is still morning! *grumble* Its just like the whole, Rick's tattoo & Alex's age thing.
Hey...next chapter...battle time. YAY! And in a few more, the beautiful Ardeth stops by.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Ameera opened her eyes, she saw low sunlight streaming into the cave. She also saw Omar and Haris milling around. She turned over and thought of the events of the night before…had she really seen the creature's rebirth? Had she really kissed Nick then drive him away?
The last thought made her grown, and she stood up, stretching out her sore muscles. Both Nick and Radhi were still sleeping; Nick's back turned towards her. She sighed and joined the two other warriors by the mouth of the cave.
"How did you sleep, cousin?" Omar said with a tired smile, as she sat down next to him.
"Not very well, I am afraid." She told them about the dream and all that she had seen in it. When she was done, they both stared at her, eyes wide then slowly nodded. They both agreed with her that she had seen the rebirth of the creature, and that they were in for more trouble then they had hoped for.
"Omar, join me," Ameera said as she started to climb down from the cave, "I wish to wash up a little before we start off today."
Omar nodded and followed her down.
"I need your help." She said softly, walking a short distance away from the cave mouth and dropping into the sand next to the river.
"With what?"
"Me and Nick…kissed last night."
"WHAT?!"
"We kissed…"
"Start from the beginning." He said, dropping down next to her.
She sighed and told him the story as she splashed water on her face. When she got done, she looked up at her cousin, who was staring at her, a strange smile on his face.
"I knew it!" He gasped, throwing his hands up in joy. "I knew you liked him! And I knew he liked you! How sweet, my cousin is falling in love."
"I am not!" She hissed bitterly.
"You are to! Otherwise you wouldn't care so much about him being mad at you!"
"Omar, come here." She said as sweetly as she could. He moved closer to her, expecting her to whisper something to him. Instead she smacked him hard upside the head.
"Hey!" He jumped back. "What was that for?"
"For being an ass!" She spat. "Seriously! What am I going to do? If we have to go into battle today, I don't want him being mad at me! it would affect both of us in bad ways! Will you just tell me what to say to him?"
"Yes, I could. For I am the master of what to say when a lover is mad at you." He ducked to miss the slap she aimed at him.
"HA!"
"What?"
"Every time we go in to Cairo, you pick up a different girl! Of course you would know what to say to them, you have to if they catch you with another woman! God only knows how many times I have had to intercept a girl coming after you with rage in her eyes."
"Do you want to know or not?"
"Yes!"
"Then shut up. All you have to do is tell him the truth, that you are attracted to him, but was afraid to admit your feelings. And once you started to kiss, you got all mixed up and said the wrong thing."
"Half of that's not true, though."
"So. People love to hear it, believe me. it will calm him down, and maybe you will get some more kisses out of him." He wasn't able to duck fast enough, her hand came in contact with the side of his head so quickly, and he barely knew what hit him.
"Your very violent for someone who is asking for my help."
"Oh, shut up Omar." She stood up and smoothed out her robes, he did the same.
"Just talk to him Ameera, not as a Queen or a warrior or a Med-jai, just talk to him as the woman you are."
She sighed as she started to climb the side of the wall.
To her surprise and somewhat joy, Nick was still asleep when they got back. And she didn't mind at all. Radhi got up after a half an hour and Nick finally got up a half-hour after that. Shooting Ameera dirty looks and muttering under his breath. Omar nudged her close to him with his elbow, but she had yet to approach him.
"Go, talk to him." Omar whispered in her ear as they ate breakfast. "If you don't, you will regret it."
"Nick, come help me pack some stuff away." She said, forcing herself to sound civil and powerful.
Nick just sat there; he looked at her for a second, and turned back to his food. With a sigh, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him up, dragging him to the back of the cave.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" He hissed, yanking his arm out of her grip.
"We need to talk." She hissed back.
"We have nothing to talk about."
"Yes we do!"
Nick looked at her, anger flashing in his eyes. "No, we don't. It's done, over with, no more. Forget it, ok?"
"No, I will not! Look, I made a mistake; I was feeling…hell I don't know what I was feeling. Look, I said the wrong thing, and I am sorry."
"It's not going to make it any better."
"Nick…!"
"Ameera!" Omar's voice echoed slightly from the mouth of the cave, "I think you should have a look at this."
With a sigh, she crossed to where her cousin was standing, pair of binoculars in his hands.
"Look down there and tell me what you see." He handed her the binoculars and pointed down the river, in the direction on Ahm Shere. She placed them to her eyes and adjusted them for a second, and scanned the river. Then she let out a gasp.
A boat was coming up the river, carrying many men, and heading right towards them.
"Nick, did you family ever tell you what Imhotep looked like?"
"What? Why?" He asked, anger still in his voice.
"Did Evy, Rick, or Alex ever describe to you what Imhotep looks like…regenerated."
"Yeah, tall, about six-two, really tan and muscular, handsome, and bald everywhere. Why?"
"Because he is going to pass us in about five minutes, that's why." She handed him the binoculars and pointed in the direction of the boat. "Do you recognize any of the men on that boat?"
Nick looked at it, moving the binoculars around until he landed on the face of Steven York, standing next to Imhotep and Travis Ripkin. Just behind them, a look of fright and confusion on his face sat Martin Adams.
"Oh my god…" He gasped, lowering the binoculars, "They have brought him back…Steven and Travis brought him back!"
"You damn Englishmen…" Ameera said, under her breath. "Get ready people, we are not going to let them out of this river, we are not going to let the creature get out of this day alive."
Radhi and Haris came up behind them, riffles in hand, while Ameera ran and got her scimitars holstered. Nick rummaged around his pack till he found a gun of his own, while Omar watched as the boat got closer.
"What will the fate of your college's be?" Ameera asked Nick as she loaded one of the riffles.
"What?" He asked back, rather shocked at the question.
"Are they going to live or die?"
"I…I…I don't know…"
"By Med-jai law, they awoke the creature. So they must die for that. But as you know, we don't always follow that rule. So what is it going to be? Are they going to live or die?"
Nick was stunned, he knew they had to kill Imhotep, but kill Steven, Travis, and Martin?
"Let's deal with that when it comes up, eh?" She said, watching as his mind came close to exploding. He nodded and pulled out his gun, making sure it was loaded.
"They are closer, we've got a good shot at the driver. The boat is filled with Imhotep's followers Ameera, those who went with him the first time to Ahm Shere." Omar said, still standing in the cave mouth.
"I thought they fell apart after Ahm Shere…"
"Well, their back."
Ameera stood next to her cousin and aimed her riffle. If she took the shot, she would give away their hiding spot and have the men on the boat coming after them, ready to kill, and it was their nine to her five.
"Do I take it?" She asked Omar.
"Will you have the shot when they pass?"
"Yeah, looks like it."
"Take it then, but for now, get down everyone, or they will see us."
~~
Imhotep knew they were being watched, and his eyes drifted to a cave on the side of one of the rock walls they were going past. He also knew that it was not likely that he would see the sunset on that day.
He kept quiet about the cave; not wanting to spoil whatever those in it had planed. As the boat passed the cave, he looked in and tried to see something, but all he saw was lumps on the floor of the cave. Could be rocks, but most likely humans.
~~
"Tell me when you got the shot." Omar said, watching the boat pass the cave, Imhotep looking right at them.
"He knows." Nick whispered, "He knows we're here."
"Let him know." Ameera whispered back, as she aimed the riffle at the man driving the midsize boat. "I have the shot."
"Take it."
And she did. The sound of the gun going off priced the air, causing everyone on the boat to duck and look up towards the cave. Everyone except the red & black that was at the wheel, for he was slumped down dead.
"Here we go." Ameera whispered as the boat came to a stop, and everyone on it jumped out into the water, making their armed way towards the cave.
~~
"You told me those who could stop me were long dead." Imhotep hissed as he waded through the waist deep water.
"My lord, you should stay behind, we wouldn't want anything to happen to you."
"No, it has been long enough since I have killed a Med-jai, and I will not pass the chance now."
Steven and Travis stopped short. How could the Med-jai be here? How could they have….
"O'Connell." Travis gasped.
"He is now truly a dead man, Travis, lets go." Steven said through clinched teeth.
No one noticed that Martin had stayed behind on the boat.
~~
"What do we do?" Nick whispered as the small army got closer to them.
"Get to the spell, and read it. The rest of us will take them down." Ameera nodded her head towards the opening of the cave.
Nick nodded and looked her right in the eye. "Be careful." He said softly.
"You to." Ameera made her way back to the mouth of the cave as Nick tore his pack apart to find the folded up rubbing of the spell.
"Hand to hand? Or are you going to take them out right now?" Ameera asked Omar.
"Hand to hand…"
"You go after his followers," She told the three other Med-jai. "Imhotep is mine."
"You sure about that?"
"Positive, if I need help, I will let you know, believe me. Now get down to them, before they get up to us."
The three warriors nodded and tore out their scimitars.
"Ameera…" Omar said softly, looking at his cousin.
"I know, I will be. You to."
Omar nodded and stood at the mouth of the cave, showing himself to the men below, and with the battle cry of his people, dropped out of sight, Radhi and Haris right behind him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ever notice how, in TMR, at the end, our heros ride off into the sunset? Then did you realize that it must have only been somewhere around...what....8 in the morning? Remember? The whole, sunrise, pyramid bit. & the scene in the jungle the night before....plus, the last battle secen couldnt have taken more then...what...an hour at the most?!
So it was still morning when our heros ride off into the SUNSET! Where did the day go?
That just popped into my mind. Even in the book, it says they ride into the sunset...and it is still morning! *grumble* Its just like the whole, Rick's tattoo & Alex's age thing.
Hey...next chapter...battle time. YAY! And in a few more, the beautiful Ardeth stops by.