Chapter 3



(The Intercontinental, Cairo)

"I'm sorry, Sir, but there are still no messages for you."

"Thanks."

"Would that be all, Sir?" The dark-haired woman asked as she passed the US passport and a set of keys over to the man on the other side of the reception desk.

The tall, blond American nodded and graced her with a bright smile. "All I want now is a hot bath, a soft bed and some brandy. Not necessarily in that order."

The woman smiled as she handed him the keys to his hotel room. "You have a nice day, Mr. O'Connell. If your wife calls in, I will make sure you get the message as soon as possible. Please do not hesitate to call if you need anything and enjoy your stay at the Cairo Intercontinental."

"Thanks, and I will." Rick said, grabbed his keys and swung his travel bag over his shoulder.

There was a group of people standing in front of the elevators, so he opted for the stairs. Taking them two at a time, he reached his room and once inside, he dropped his bag on the floor and fell onto the bed. The ceiling fan was blowing gentle, cool air into his face and he closed his eyes as he enjoyed the relief from the Cairo heat. After a few breaths, he lifted himself up and looked around the room and at the various pieces of female clothing and toiletries spread across the chairs and tables.

"Okay, you didn't pick me up at the airport, you're not at the Museum and not at the bar with Jonathan." Rick O'Connell sighed heavily.

"Evie, where have you run off to now?" he whispered.



*

(Somewhere in downtown Cairo)

The dungeon was dark and Ardeth was roughly pushed down the flight of stone stairs. With a painful grunt, his fall ended at the bottom of the stairs and he drew in a sharp breath as he fell onto his injured side.

"Ardeth?" A hesitant voice echoed through the darkness.

"Evelyn." Ardeth said and tried an encouraging smile as the young British woman sank to the floor next to him. "I am sorry they captured you, too."

Evie tried a hesitant smile. "Well, whoever said being a librarian was just a save desk job?" Then she sighed. "Oh God, I was only meant to help the Museum with its latest exhibition and accompany some artifacts from the British Museum. And now this!" She shook her head. "I'm just like Rick! I've become a trouble magnet."

Ardeth hissed at the pain in his side as he struggled to sit up. Evie's eyebrows creased in concern as she noticed his discomfort.

"Are you okay?" With a gentle hand, she pushed his robe apart and gasped as she saw the nasty gash along his side, still oozing blood. "Oh my god." she said and tried to take a closer look at the extent of the damage done to her friend. "It's bleeding worse now. I've got to bind this."

"I am fine, Evelyn." Ardeth said and tried an encouraging smile as he pushed her hand away. "It is you I am worried about. I hoped that they would not be interested in you after you told them you knew nothing of the bracelet."

Evie was now ripping the bottom lining from of her skirt and begun to make it into a makeshift bandage. "I think they think I know more than I admit. I guess I'm just not that good of an actress." She looked up at Ardeth as he hissed when she applied the bandage to his wound. "He must have realised that I had recognised the golden bracelet of the Scorpion King." she said seriously. "Of course I refused to tell Schwanter anything. But I also told him to give the bracelet to me and not to go back to the site or you and your men will kill him." She gasped as for the first time, she understood. "I guess I made it sound like it was something worth bothering about. And of course then he came back with those soldiers!"

Ardeth sighed and closed his eyes, both against the pain and the situation. "It was not your fault, Evelyn." he whispered.

The young woman shook her head. "Oh, but it was. I shouldn't have told him anything or even made it look like I knew about Am Shere and the bracelet. But then I couldn't just let them walk away with it, right? Gosh, I should know better by now, one would think." She was now finished binding Ardeth's wound and sat back on her heels, looking at him. "We have to get out of here."

"Evelyn ."

"You know, Rick arrived in Cairo today. And as I wasn't at the airport to pick him up, I'm sure he's already looking for me. So we should go and find him."

"Evelyn ."

"Or we just sit tight and wait for Rick to find us. He will come looking. And . and ."

"Evelyn ."

"The Army of Anubis should never rise again! Oh, god how many men you've lost fighting them the last time. And . and . we have to stop them!"

"Evie!" Ardeth said more forcefully and shook her. Then he hissed at the pain the movement had caused him.

The British librarian fell silent and met the Medjai's insistent glance. "You have to get out of here now." he said. "The soldiers know now that I know how to raise the Army of Anubis and they will use you against me to reveal it to them. And I can not allow that happen."

Evie looked at him and suddenly she understood. "You mean they will torture me to get you to tell them what they want to know? They can't do that! They have no right!"

Ardeth laughed dryly. "I doubt that these men care much about what is right and what is not. The end justifies the means." He shook his head and whispered almost inauditably. "They should not have been allowed to take me alive."

Evie studied his face in confusion and suddenly she understood. "Oh my god, that man from your group. The one that was shot by the Germans . he was about to kill you, wasn't he?"

Ardeth nodded. "Hamid was my most trusted and oldest friend. But he hesitated in his duty and he failed me. I should not have been taken alive. And with you here with me..." he trailed off. "I can not let them hurt you."

Eveline's expression froze. "You are right, we have to get out of here! Rick should have already arrived in Cairo and once he realises that I'm not at the Museum or with Jonathan, he'll come looking for me!"

The tall Arab has risen and his hands pulled forcefully at the bars in front of the small window to their cell. Mortar fell off the sides as the worn-out bars gave under the brutal force. "By that time, it will be too late. You must escape now." Ardeth said as he continued to pull on the bars. Just then the withered frame gave and in a cloud of dust and old brick, cluttered to the ground. Ardeth turned around and reached for Evie's hand. "Come quickly, we don not have much time! You must leave now."

Evie shook her head and took a step back. "No Ardeth! Either we're getting out of here together or we're staying here - together! I will not leave you alone in here with those soldiers!"

Ardeth had reached out for her hand and grabbing it, he pulled her close. "Do not worry, we will both get out of here! Now you must hurry!"

Evie sighed and nodded. Then she grabbed hold of the seal of the window and with Ardeth's help, she lifted herself up and crawled through the window. It was a tight fit and once she managed to squeeze herself through, a small, tanned hand grabbed for hers and pulled her up. Surpised she looked into the face of a Medjai warrior. He was about her height and even though he was veiled, she could tell that he was very young. "Thank you." she said and he nodded graciously. Then the warrior kneeled in front of the window and spoke softly to Ardeth. Evie could only make out parts of their conversation, but she frowned. If she hardly managed to fit through the window, then Ardeth had no chance. She fell to her knees in front of the window next to the young warrior and saw Ardeth shaking his head and slowly stepping backwards into the darkness of the cell, his hand protectively holding his injured side. He had known and Evie shook her head at the betrayal.

"No Ardeth! Don't do this. C'mon, We'll get you out. You can make it!"

Ardeth Bay shook his head. "No Evie, it is too small for me fit through. But you must go now. There is no time to waste." Then he looked proudly into the eyes of his young warrior. "Haarif here followed us against my orders. He is very young and stubborn, but today he has more than once shown wisdom and instinct beyond his years. He will safely escort you back to your hotel, then he will go and warn the Medjai. The Nazis will return to Am Shere and try to raise the Army of Anubis, whether with my help or without it. They can not be allowed to reach the oasis."

Evie reached through the window for the Medjai's hand and as he clasped it, she squeezed it firmly and smiled. The knowledge that one of his own men had been poised to kill him to honour their sacred vow and to prevent him from falling into enemy hands made her realise what Ardeth was willing to do. And now that she had escaped .

"Promise me that you will not do anything foolish." she insisted and looked deep into the warrior's dark eyes. "You have saved our lives many times and we *will* come for you. Please don't let us have come for nothing."

Noises came from behind the prison door and Ardeth's head flew around. Then he looked back at Evie and smiled warmly at her passion. He then raised his hand in the traditional Medjai greeting to Haarif and looked at both of them. "May Allah go with you. I promise that I will do what I have to do. Now go!"

Evie nodded, stood up and together with Haarif, they run down the street.



*