"Damn it, you little brat, what was that for?"

"That's for not being dead!" the stranger spat. Then she launched herself into his arms in a fierce bear hug. "And that is for being alive," she choked

Feeling a bit uncomfortable with the intimacy of the two, Evie cleared her throat to get the couple's attention, "Aren't you going to introduce us to your young friend?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Vic, these are my new friends, Evelyn and Jonathan Carnahan. Evie, Jonathan, this is Victoria O'Connell, my baby sister."

Vic squinted as she studied the two, then looked straight at Jonathan, "Do I know you?"

"Oh, no, I doubt it, been very busy with museum work and all that," he stated. Vic O'Connell's eyes flashed and she slugged him with the same intensity as her brother, but unlike her brother, Jonathan was flattened. Then she turned to Evelyn and offered her hand, "Nice to meet you, Miss Carnahan, I seem to remember you as well, of the Museum of Cairo's Library, correct?"

Evelyn bent and helped her brother to stand before smiling at Vic and answering, "Yes, though I'm afraid I will be moving up, the curator was killed a few days ago."

"I heard that, but the details were a little fuzzy, or maybe it was the person relating the story was a little fuzzy, I was in a casaba." Then she turned back to Rick, "Now, what are you doing out here, I heard two weeks ago that you were to be hanged, but here you stand before me, and you don't have a rope burn."

Rick smiled at Evelyn, which Vic didn't miss, "That is a long story."

"I've got time, lets head back to the apartment, and you can tell be all about it, and you can change, you smell like you've been in a sarcophagus."

"Sure, and while we're at it you can tell me what your doing in town, I thought you were in the Valley of the Queen's working on Nefertari's Tomb."

"That is a long story, too. I'll tell you why I'm in Cairo after you tell me why you're alive, this is probably a much more interesting story. Oh, and Jonathan, wasn't it? Sorry about the," she pointed at the chin he was still rubbing.

Evelyn slapped her brother on the back and laughed, "Don't worry, it happens all the time."

***

I know it is short, but I thought I would post it anyway.

Let me know what you think.

Erica