Title: Imhotep's Obsession (Chapters 13,14,and 15)
Author: Darlene Evelyn
Feedback: Please let me know what you think but please don't be rude.
Copyright: All Characters from both TM and TMR except for the new ones of course, which are mine are sole property of Universal Pictures. No profit is being made with this story.
Chapter 13....
*~~~Fort Brydon~~~*
"No word yet on the O'Connells and the Carnarvons?" David asked insistently.
"No sir, please I don't have time to tend to this matter... I must be going or the regime will leave without me!" the young cadet said, trying to evade him.
"Oh fine! You can go!! I'll figure out a way to find out where they've gone to"
"Sir, didn't you just tell me a moment ago that you were going back to your hotel? I told you that I'd notify you as soon as I got news of their arrival"
"Yes, you did tell me, but I can't wait!!!, Oh....ok I'm leaving...I'm truly sorry for taking up your time, anyway thanks for your help and again just call me if anything comes up"
"I'll that message with the guards, sir"
"Thank you" David murmured before finally walking out of the fort and to his car. Looking up at the sky in frustration he suddenly shouted "Angela! Where are you?!" catching the attention of everyone around him. "I'm going to find you even if it's the last thing I do!"
He got into his car, slammed the door and drove off. "It can't take her long to return...I'm sure she'll be back in a few hours, in the meantime I'll go hang out in my room, for what little good that'll do me"
*~~~Ship, The Tigris~~~*
Angela sat against the railings of the boat, hands wrapped around the rail for security. She stared glumly out into the murky water, almost mesmerized by the sound and the movement of it. The shouts and laughter that passed by her seemed to always annoy her, but she paid them no attention. Rick and Evelyn were around the ship somewhere, they came back and forth every so often, checking on her to see how she was doing. She never moved a bit. Evelyn was getting tired of trying to get Angela to eat lunch, then dinner. Rick became as frustrated as she was, but he knew anger and shouting would only make the situation worse, that left him out of the situation. The doors of the corridor leading down to the dining room once more opened and Angela once more paid no attention to it....it was Evelyn.
"It's getting late and quite cold now isn't it, Angela? How are you feeling? Do you want anything? Please tell me" Evelyn tried to make some kind of eye contact with her, but it was as if she were in another land far from there, unable to hear a word Evelyn was saying.
Out of the corner of her eye, Angela stared at her. Evelyn was remarkably beautiful considering she spent more time in the library and museum than in front of the mirror. Rick was lucky to have a girl like her.
"Oh Angela, I see you, come on now...talk to me" Evelyn said as she smiled at her.
"Hey there! can I join you two extremely beautiful ladies?" a voice said suddenly
Evelyn looked up, startled. Rick stood before the table with a grin and a handful of almonds. Evelyn smiled and shifted over to the chair closer to the rails.
"Of course" Evie responded
Rick complied with a nod and sat down. He displayed his hand to Evelyn whom took a small handful.
"Has she moved at all?" he asked softly
"No, not an inch." Evelyn replied. "She hasn't even blinked."
Rick sighed and stared at Angela for a moment "So where is Jonathan? I haven't seen him all afternoon? What is he up to?"
"I don't know, I haven't seen him...I think he's in the parlor, either that or in the bar, I'm going to go check on him" she replied, before getting up and walking away.
"See you later" Rick called out.
Turning back towards Angela, he saw that she was still staring blankly at the water. Rick couldn't take it anymore and he took out a small handgun, pointed it up into the air and fired two shots. Cracking the tenseness of the moment, showering the table with wood chips; Angela gasped and nearly fell out of her chair in shock.
"Sorry sis, didn't mean to disturb you're endless meditation" Rick said as he put his gun back into it's holster, with a slight smile.
Sitting up straight, she said coldly "The only thing that disturbs me, Rick...is your lack of respect for other people's tranquility"
He glared at her. "I'm sorry that I'm trying to be a good brother, that's what I'm sorry about...what the hell is wrong with you, Angela? Why the sudden change of mood?".
She returned her attention to the river and Rick was now infuriatingly annoyed at her rude action.
"Angela! I'm talking to you!!"
"What?" she drearily answered
"Please Angela, you haven't eaten anything please have some almonds" he held his open hand closely to Angela.
Rick was pleading in his mind, she hadn't eaten anything all day. And his hopes suddenly collapsed of making contact when she shook her head and turned away. Rick shrugged in frustration and leaned on the rail beside her.
"We'll have reached Luxor by tomorrow morning" Rick then announced.
"Oh good!!" Angela smiled excitedly "We'll check out the site first thing and get down to checking out every square inch of the ruins! I want to see the city and the artifacts they've gathered!"
"Oh great" Rick rolled his eyes and threw the rest of the almonds into his mouth. "So what do you think Luxor is like?"
"I think it'll be quite beautiful" a voice said from behind.
They both looked up in unison to find Jonathan and Evelyn.
"So where were you?" Angela asked curiously.
"Well, I was wasting time in the dining room that's all...oh by the way I brought you this" Jonathan replied as he handed her a bowl of clear spicy soup, rice and a small plate of roast lamb with mint sauce.
"Thank you" she said softly.
"Oh don't mention it, I was starting to worry about you so I decided to bring you this, I hope it's ok"
Evelyn was quiet for a moment, as if in thought. She burst out laughing. "Well, now I see it! the little girl; thinks she needs to act a bit childish in order to get attention!"
Rick laughed with suddenly. They both looked into the darkened skies, taking in air. Rick felt very strange about Egypt, as if something just as bad was going happen all over again. The mystery of Egypt was indeed captivating, but if you get too deeply involved, you're in for very serious trouble. While amidst in thought, Rick's eyes shifted over to Angela, he wasn't sure she was starting to become a bit moody, terrifyingly silent, little brat a little too often,but she still was his one and only little sister...and to tell you truth that was good reason to act childish. Then he feared for Evelyn...she had almost died last year!! He couldn't help but feel the suspense of something happening again...because after the a year...Imhotep wasn't dead!!!!
"Do you think Imhotep knows we're here?" Rick wondered out loud directing it to Evelyn.
"No, I don't think he does...I think he would have made it known, other than the plagues" she responded.
In the meantime Angela was digging in to her dinner, the food was excellent!! She wolfed it down greedily and at one point Jonathan laughed.
"Good god, Angela! You were hungry!"
Angela paused and blushed bright red from embarrassment and then returned to her bowl of soup.
"Well, enjoy the rest of you're dinner and if you'll excuse me I'm going to bed" Jonathan said calmly as he stood up and walked away. "Good night"
"Good night" everyone called in unison.
"So Evelyn, um, what are we going to do about Imhotep? you told me that you had a plan and I'd like to know as soon as possible what it is" Rick said insistently.
Angela suddenly stood up and stared at them both for a moment before turning and leaving, slamming her chair in as she did. "Good night to you both, may your conscience be peaceful.... sweet dreams". Angela said coldly. "You'll need them".
Both Rick and Evelyn felt a cold chill down their backs, then a gust of wind swept through, sounding like a ghostly groan, blowing sand, stirring the river, ripping at their clothing, damn near knocking the boat to one side. Rick swallowed and as the boat rocked and slowly balanced itself again, he exchanged wary looks with Evelyn. She waved him off, giggling nervously
"Don't worry Rick...I'm sure it was nothing to worry about, you know how crazy the weather is here in Egypt, this is practically a normal thing" she said.
Rick, his expression gloomy all of a sudden, said "Well Evelyn, I don't know about you, but that wind didn't sound...how should I say it? 'normal' and frankly I'm not staying out here for another second... I'm going to bed"
"But it's only seven fifteen!"
"I don't care...I'm going, you can stay here or tag along with me...it's your choice"
"Oh all right, I'll go with you...I need a good night sleep anyway"
He smiled slightly and they walked downstairs to their separate cabins, small ones but very comfortable, at that...not mention they had been lucky enough to have all four cabins next to each others. Two connected to each other in case of a problem.
As they walked downstairs towards the cabins they could see that both Jonathan and Angela's cabins were dark...both had indeed gone to bed. After bidding good night to Evelyn. Rick walked into his cabin and shut the door behind him. Why did Angela respond so coldly when he had asked Evelyn about Imhotep? Why did she seem to become possessed? he thought as he lay down in his bed.
Before he could answer those two questions he drifted off to sleep. Angela's words echoing in his head..... "sweet dreams....you'll need them".
Evelyn now in her room, in the glow of the kerosene lamp on her nightstand was studying her reflection in the mirror of the dressing table, where she was seated...she sighed and stood up, crawled into bed and fell asleep..."sweet dreams"
Jonathan aroused from a deep sleep, a murmuring voice in the next room pulling him out of it. He didn't bother opening his eyes and he rolled over on his side trying to ignore it. He was tired, stressed out, he didn't want to have anything to do with the real world for this night. The murmuring kept on going and of course it was preventing him from falling back to sleep again. Jonathan sighed unknowingly and opened his sleepy eyes. It didn't hit him that Angela was still talking on until he slowly opened the door connected to her room and saw her placid body lying in the bed asleep. He stared at her for a moment, confused...had he been hearing things?
"Angela?" he called out softly, then he cleared his throat, noticing it's hoarse sound.
Angela's still body remained still and the chanting continued. Jonathan rubbed his chin in thought and tried to focus on what she was saying. The words sounded so familiar, but they didn't appear to be spoken in English. He continued to listen, and when it became too difficult he walked closer to her. Without any sound, he came forward, and stood there. Now the words came into focus. And when they did, Jonathan's heart stopped dead cold.
"O thou who art motionless, O thou who art still, O thou whose life was cursed..."
Jonathan's mind translated the ancient language as fast as he could, his heart racing in his chest wildly.
"like those of Osiris, thy shall arise"
Jonathan flipped out. He didn't know what to say, his mouth merely hung open. His body was shaking wildly as he backed into the door. He turned abruptly grabbing the door knob, throwing open the door into the hallway and he pressed himself against the door next to Angela's room, knocking on it violently as if some madman were after him.
"Rick!" he said loudly enough for him to hear.
The door finally flew open, as a disheveled Rick, his hair all tousled and his eyes groggy from sleep suddenly opened as his eyesight cleared and he saw the uneasy look on Jonathan's face, he snapped out of dreamland central.
"What's wrong, Jonathan?". Rick asked gravely." What's the matter?"
Jonathan swallowed a lump in his throat and shot a look towards the room. "I don't know how, I'm going to be able to tell you this and I don't know where to begin"
"What?! tell me Jonathan!...what is it?!"
Jonathan grabbed him by the arm and led him to the room. Rick knew had something to do with Angela...something very bad.
"Rick, Angela is chanting in Ancient Egyptian and she's saying some kind of spell about arising on who is motionless or something...it's about Imhotep" Jonathan sputtered in a shaky voice as they slowly walked in. "It's something from the Book of the Dead"
They stood before the bed, staring down at Angela. She lay still, eyes closed yet still chanting.
"How do you--" Rick tried to say.
"Rick, for Christ's sake, the words she's saying don't just come off the top of your head!"
"What is she saying now?" Rick insisted. "Tell me!"
"Um" Jonathan tried to gain control of his mind so he could understand the words once more. "Uh, they shall arise, you shall not be wretched as your were, you shall not fall into the putrid underworld...thy parts shall be made forever....for me...as if you were Osiris and I, Isis"..
Jonathan shot a look of uneasiness at Rick whose eyes narrowed, mouth twisted in dread.
"Wake her up, Jonathan" He commanded, voice edgy "Wake her, now, for the love of god wake her up"
Obediently Jonathan quickly began shaking her, almost fearful. Suddenly Angela shot up out of bed in a loud, deep gasp taking in air. She held her breath and stared at Rick and Jonathan with shocked eyes. Seizing her blankets, she slid down into her bed, confused of what had just happened to her just then.
"Why are you two staring at me like that?" she asked them in an uneasy, unstable voice. "What happened?"
"Well, sis, maybe you can answer that for us" Rick replied, wiping his forehead and then his neck. He drew back his hand in surprise, feeling beads of sweat that had built up during the ordeal.
Angela stared at them for another moment, her chest heaving up and down rapidly. "I...just...uh had.. a dream, that's it really".
"What was in it?" Jonathan said as he drew closer to her.
"What do you mean by that?" Angela replied, as she looked at him puzzled, unsure of why they were starting to get so interested in her dream.
"Was there somebody in your dream?" Rick asked this time.
"Yes" she replied.
"Who?" asked Jonathan
There was then a long period of enigmatic silence.
"Angela, tell us who was in your dream! was it Imhotep?" Rick asked demandingly
"No, it was....a man, another man" Angela said uneasily.
"But it wasn't Imhotep?" Jonathan asked.
"I...I don't remember"
Rick now paced back and forth behind Jonathan, hands rubbing his head in concentration while his eyes were lock on Angela. "She's hiding something...and I know it, why won't she tell us? What is she hiding from us?" he wondered.
"Was there anyone else in it? Anyone or anything unusual?" he said. "Please tell us the truth...we need to know!! "
"No" Angela replied "There wasn't anyone or anything else"
"Where were you in your dream?"
"Um, I was in a palace of some sort either that or it was some kind of temple...to tell you the truth I'm not to sure where or what this place was"
"What did it look like?"
"I don't remember, Rick. It was all...kind of dim"
Jonathan then took Angela's trembling hand into his and kneeled down beside her "What was the man telling you? he asked softly "Please, tell us".
"Um, things....like I said I don't remember really clearly, um something about a matter of state, oh god, I don't know!". she whimpered. "I really don't know!"
"Try" Rick insisted "We need to know what is it that happened!"
"Please Angela, tell us" Jonathan added "It's important"
"Why?! why do you want to know! god! it was just a dream for crying out loud!....dreams are just a part of life! not because of one dream that I had does that mean that they mean anything! so don't take them as something out of the ordinary!" Angela suddenly erupted angrily.
Rick and Jonathan backed up, startled by her sudden change of mood. As they stared at her in shock, she stared back at them, anger and worry spread across her face.
"Is that what you think? that it's ordinary! for Christ's sake, Angela! you were chanting in Ancient Egyptian! that isn't ordinary" Rick said suddenly, raising his tone of voice as he did. "What are you going to tell me next, huh? that having a three thousand year old mummy coming after you because you remind him of his girlfriend is normal!"
"Get-out" Angela hissed angrily.
"But I'm not--"
"I said...get out!!!"
Rick and Jonathan got out, shutting the door as they did. Outside they stood stock still not knowing what to make of it all, it was all to weird.
"You know, you shouldn't treat your sister like that, O'Connell...you're pressurizing her too much to tell you about a subject she doesn't like to talk about"
"Jonathan, please, stay out of this"
"No O'Connell, I'm not going to and for your information you're acting too rude with her...just continue doing so I won't stop you, but don't come whining to Evie and I that she stopped talking to you"
"What!! I'm not acting rude!"
"Ha! you're not acting rude? you're practically trying to force Angela to tell you things that she doesn't want to talk about, like the dream...wait until she's calm and then maybe she'll tell you"
"We need to get as much information as possible...we need to stop Imhotep before the world ends!"
"I won't argue with you on that one, but first start acting more like an understanding brother than a strict, demanding father...you've said it yourself...you're father was the reason you left home and the reason Angela was sent to a boarding school...don't you think acting like your father will remind Angela of the past? you're giving her more reason to hate you and to leave you"
Rick walked up to the railings and looked up at the moon, it's reflection shimmering on the river, casting eerie waves of silver and black on it's surface. The breeze had clamed and was now only a gentle sigh in the air.
"You're right Jonathan, I'm starting to act like my dad and I've never wanted to act like him, I can't lose my sister now after not seeing her for fourteen years, especially not because of this"
"Well, what are you planning on doing then?" Jonathan asked.
"I plan on being a better brother, I need to stop acting like she's a child, I mean I've always seen her as my baby sister and somehow I need to see her as a mature woman who can make her own decisions"
Jonathan nodded and patted Rick on the shoulder.
"Well that's your first step all you have to do now is act it out"
"But I'm still not letting you get near her"
"But Rick!!"
"No Jonathan, you haven't changed and I'm sure of that...so I won't let you hurt her, do you understand that? she may be a mature girl, but you aren't getting near her as long as I'm around"
"Pretty understandable, I guess, good night" Jonathan said drearily before walking to his room.
"Good night" Rick said, as he walked back into Angela's cabin...this was going to be a long night, only nine hours to go, nine hours....are eternity.
The warm sun of Egypt poured through the window of Angela's cabin as Rick pulled back the shutters. He stood motionless for a few moments, looking into the dark waters of the Nile River. In the distance, the peaks of mountains poked out of the horizon. He gazed at them in awe, goosebumps crawling over his skin as if they had been created to make all man and beast tremble in fear at the sight of them. He didn't want to be in Egypt anymore. Rick wanted to be back in London, a place far away from the insanity that Egypt contained. He just knew sooner or later something was going to happen...it was just a matter of time itself.
Unfortunately, time that time came way too fast. He wasn't sure what to do next. He hadn't slept at all for the rest of the night. Angela had persistently refused to sleep at all, but she didn't appear to think anything more of it than a bad dream. After what had happened last year Rick wasn't sure if he could go along with that again. A year ago all of this was an adventure, all in the name of good fun. When he had first came to the beautiful country of Egypt, everything had fascinated him, especially the treasure and adventures within it's land. Now. Rick wasn't here for entertainment this time though, he was here for something personal, not treasure either. He was here simply to save the world again, get his sister safely away from Lewis and Imhotep and live happily ever after. They had come looking for adventure, thrills and chills and now it seemed to be coming after them, with a vengeance.
There was a knock on the door and Rick and opened it, to find Evelyn standing there with a sleepy look on her face.
"Rick?" Evelyn yawned, stumbling into the room. "It's awfully early, what are you doing in here?"
"Waiting for another surprise" he responded. At that moment Angela sat up and looked at them both for a moment childishly.
"You still in a bad mood?" Rick suddenly asked, noticing the bright, cheery smile on her face. "When you smile you look exactly like mom, you're as beautiful as she was"
Angela blushed and shook her head. "Nah, I'm a mess".
"So how do you feel?" Evelyn asked
"Better, I'm sorry about yesterday, everything came together and I really couldn't handle all of the pressure...I'll try not to take it out on you guys next time, it's not your fault that the plagues pop out at unexpected times...that's all"
"It's OK, don't worry about it" Evelyn replied assuringly.
"Well, I think we'll leave you alone now, so you can get ready...we only have two hours and a half to go until we get to Luxor" Rick said matter-of- factly.
Taking Evelyn's hand into his they walked out, closing the door. A sudden silence fell upon the room and suddenly Angela felt alone. She slowly got out of bed and walked to her dressing table.
Angela's restless night of sleep had shown on her face. She could hardly hold her eyes open and there were dark circles under them. Before leaving her cabin, she made sure she covered them up with a bit a make up. Almost every morning of her life she had, had this happen to her. She was sick and tired of her dream. Angela had never told anybody about it and she wasn't even about to start. Fourteen years of the exact, same dream was enough to make anyone go mad. She could remember everything and she could repeat what was said and what was done, not only in English, but in Egyptian as well. In the past, she had tried to find some kind of meaning, some kind of message from it, but she couldn't. All she could do was shove it away in the back of her mind, saving it for a time that she never expected to come.
Suddenly she heard the others in Rick's room. Rick and Jonathan were arguing and she could hear them so clearly through the walls separating them.
"Oh bloody hell! that was my foot O'Connell!" Jonathan yelped in pain. "Watch where you put your bags!"
"Well Jonathan, your foot shouldn't have been in the way of my bag" Rick said back to him "Now move I need to put these down!"
"My foot was there long before. Anyway what are in those things? Iron? Bricks?"
"What's in my bag could easily..."
"Oh would you to be quiet?! you two act like such children! Now if you could just grow up we could get everything straight without fighting" Evelyn broke in. "God! there is never one moment where you two don't argue!"
Angela laughed to herself. Rick and Jonathan had always fought like siblings often did. She didn't know how they had been like in the past but this was just way too silly. A crossed her mind possibly Jonathan was getting envious of Rick. After all, Jonathan had been the man in Evelyn's life always and now Rick had came in and changed all that. She didn't know what to think, Jonathan never showed any of his inner feelings and thoughts but she could guess that, that's what he was thinking, honestly he was a completely an enigma to her.
Angela finished getting dressed. This time she put something a little looser so she would be much more comfortable, It still hugged her curves though as they were boots and chinos begging for her to break them in, plus her white V-neck blouse. Overall she was traversing some very nice curves. She put on her last touches of make-up and sighed at herself in the mirror. Truly she wanted this dream to end but somehow she knew it wouldn't no matter how much she wished it to happen, Why was this happening? Why didn't it change? Why me? She kept on asking herself those questions that didn't have any answers for her. Looking down at the dresser she these questions put on her jewelry: necklace, bracelet and ring.
As she walked away from the dresser and over to her bed she could still hear Jonathan and Rick arguing in the room. Checking all her bags once more she grabbed her pack and a small pouch, if you want to call it that, that she carried with her everywhere and opened it. Angela had put the key in this bag a few days earlier and something told her to make sure that it was still there, just for security reasons. Looking inside, searching for it after a few seconds...she couldn't find it! A sudden feeling of worry went through her and she jumped on her bed and dumped her pack out, pushing everything aside in a frantic search and looked over it, but it wasn't there! She looked back inside her pouch and to her horror it wasn't there either!
"Oh my god! where the hell is the key!" she thought anxiously
Suddenly a light clicked on in her head. Imhotep must have gotten it as well when he had gotten the book! Somehow she didn't care about that, all she really cared about was what Rick would think if he found out. Putting all of her stuff back into her pouch and closing it she sighed and thought everything over...what was Imhotep planning on doing with the book? What the hell was all of this? Why hadn't she just left Cairo like Anton had told her? Why?
With keys in hand, she grabbed her other bags and brought them outside and locked the door behind her, this after checking the room again to make sure she hadn't left anything. After assuring herself, she walked to the upper deck, stumbling occasionally as she dragged her bags behind her.
"What now god?" she asked out loud......"What now?"
Chapter 14
*~~~Hotel Stack~~~*
"God! why haven't they called?! Goddamnit! it doesn't take that long to see Cairo!" David yelled angrily as he threw a whisky bottle at the wall, shattering it into a thousand pieces.
"Bravo David, you have single handedly manage to do everything I did...which is absolutely nothing" Lewis replied sarcastically.
"Oh shut the hell up!"
"David, I recommend you calm down, after all its only been what? a day now? you're too impatient my friend, so just wait it out and relax...for the better of all of us"
"I will wait it out! just not here!!" David glared "I'm taking some of your men with me, we're going to wait for them at the fort and when they arrive, well let's just say...that Angela is mine! all mine!"
Lewis pulled out his gun and aimed it at David's head in a movement swift enough that even his own henchmen should've taken notes, if they hadn't all been taken by surprise. "You mean, she's mine"
"Uh, yes, uh that is exactly what I meant...uh she's all yours as soon as I get her".
Lewis smiled innocently, lowering his gun. "Just to be sure you don't try and pull something on me, I'll send Victor with you".
"Victor? who's Victor?"
The answer to his question suddenly appeared, a young man of 28 dressed in a black suit holding two shotguns. "Hello David, that name is Victor....I'll be accompanying you, security reasons, you understand...don't you?"
"Of course I do, uh, well lets get going"
"Boys, make sure Mr. Richardson follows the plan, if he doesn't....shoot him" Lewis said coldly and as calmly as an ocean with no breeze.
"As you say so" some of them answered.
"Well now, now that is settled...you can go"
David swallowed and walked out of the door with fifteen guys following behind "Damn you, Lewis" he murmured "Damn you" .
"So should I go with him?" Vinnie asked
"No, you and I have to stay here and prepare for our trip back to London, the accommodations for Angela must be perfect, after all...she is my fiancée and we will be married soon enough".
*~~~The Ship, Tigris~~~*
"Hey Angela!!!" Jonathan called out as he walked towards her nonchalantly.
"Hi Jonathan, I'm sorry about last night"
"Oh don't worry about it, I couldn't even sleep anyway, so anyway what happened to you? you were all distant and moody with us...why?"
"Everything came together...that's all I can say"
"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better...Luxor is only an hour away, ah this will be a trip to remember... can you imagine! The Temple of Karnak and the Collossi of Memnon..I can't wait to see them!"
"Yeah, they must be beautiful, well, the ones that are visible to us tourist folk at least, they say that Luxor is one of the most unique cities in the ancient world, we'll just have to see for ourselves"
"So what did you dream about last night?" Jonathan suddenly asked, taking Angela by surprise.
"Um, well, I uh, don't really remember...to tell you the truth it was just a nightmare...that's all"
"Oh, ok"
"Good morning you two!" a voice said happily.
Angela looked back to see Evelyn walking towards them, her dark maroon dress gently fluttering in the breeze. Rick appeared behind her carrying a couple of small bags and a huge backpack as well.
"Oh blast, I'll be right back" Evelyn said as she hurried down the hall.
"So is that what you dropped on Jonathan's foot?" Angela asked curiously as Rick set the luggage down.
"Yeah, it is, but how did you kn-?" Rick tried to ask.
"I was listening, I mean, I could hear you guys arguing in the other room about that....so what's in it? bricks? cannonballs? come one bro you can tell us"
Rick shrugged, kneeling at the gunnysack from which he began to withdraw various items, mostly weapons: three pairs of revolvers, several; hunting knives, an elephant gun, about 12 boxes of bullets and two dozen carefully wrapped sticks of dynamite.
Arching an eyebrow, peering over the table, Angela said "Um Rick, did I miss something? are we going to hijack something or are we going to be involved in a massacre?"
Rick sat in the chair on the other side of her table, with the weapons spread out at his feet. From the gunnysack he withdrew a box of oversized shells and began to load the elephant gun.
"I suppose certain precautions are necessary for ones safety" she granted him with a slight smile.
He looked up at her from his work and smiled back. "Well sis, it's better to be prepared as the Boy Scouts say it"
"Yes, I guess so" she said anxiously as she looked out at the desert gliding by, pausing for a moment she asked "So what was Hamunaptra like before it was destroyed?"
Rick jumped and stared at her "What makes you think I went?"
"Well a lot of things, such as your fear of Imhotep, how Ardeth Bay knew you and just happened to mention you the day of the ambush at the dig"
"Oh, well it was very old and it was full of columns and statues of Egyptian gods, it was a very nice place except that...."
"Except for what?"
"Something very odd, something older than civilization itself....evil possesses that area of the desert"
"Evil?"
"Yes, well you already know who I mean, as well as the rest of the place...it's all cursed...the Bedouin people have always said in their language that it is the doorway to hell".
Angela smiled "Ahmar isos Ossirion, actually...the passageway to hell"
Rick began cleaning and oiling the revolvers, nervously "Yeah, something like that"
"Here let me help you out with those" Angela said as she helped him oil, load and clean the guns.
"I must say, for you to know how to oil and load guns as well as clean them, you have a better grasp of arsenal than one might suspect".
She grinned at him "Maybe I have a better grasp of Egyptian than one might suspect"
Rick felt a chill and he smiled uneasily and laughed nervously "Uh, I guess so, ya"
The gunnysack was nearly repacked and Angela was just examining one last weapon, a gun-like crossbow, when she suddenly saw a shadow standing over her and sensed a presence, looking up she found that no one was there! She rose slowly, weapon in hand and stepped over the left over scattered weapons, then suddenly spun around to find Evelyn behind her.
"I should've known it was you" Angela said with a sigh of relief.
"I went back to the cabin, I thought you had heard me say so, um ok, can you take that thing out of my face, Angela, please"
"Oh! sorry I uh, oh I'm sorry" Angela replied as she put the gun down in the table next to a very shocked Rick.
"How much longer til we get to Luxor?" Jonathan asked, mildly amused at what had happened.
"About fifteen minutes, don't worry" Rick answered.
"You know I'm amazed, in this entire boat trip not once did we get ambushed by the Med-Jai they must have been really busy with some other supernatural things or who know knows? maybe they all quit and decided to get normal jobs for a change" Jonathan said, brightening up as he drummed his fingers impatiently on the wicker table.
"Yeah, maybe they finally realized that their ways aren't the best when it comes to handling problems" Angela replied with a simper.
"At the very least, I would say" Evelyn was pulling a book out of her small luggage "From the evidence at hand that the Med-Jai are either slow or they just do not want to have anything to do with us any longer"
"Or they're waiting for us in Luxor" Rick suddenly cut in with a grave look on his face.
No one said anything, then some nervous giggles followed, but somehow Angela could sense the real trepidation among the group. All of them shared uneasy looks, then suddenly Angela laughed, though it wasn't terribly convincing. Jonathan moved close, putting a protective arm around her shoulder, though somehow Angela felt that he was seeking the comfort of her closeness as much as offering the security of his.
"So, uh what now?" Angela asked as she rested her head on Jonathan's shoulder, much to Rick's shock.
"Jonathan, could you get us something to drink?" Rick asked abruptly.
"Why? we're almost there, O'Connell" Jonathan replied.
"Just go" Rick said sternly "Now"
"Uh...ok...what do you want then?"
"Just get some water"
"Why can't you get it yourself?"
"Jonathan...go!" Rick demanded
"Ok, right, I'm going" Jonathan said as he stood up causing Angela to sit upstraight.
"So if the Med-Jai are really at Luxor, which I doubt...what do you think we should do? we're only four against what? thirty or so of them. We could stay on the boat but then they'd burn it down....or better yet we could get off and get shot...what's the choice bro?" Angela asked carelessly.
"Angela, if the Med-Jai are there, then we'll just step off peacefully and if things get out of hand well then we'll have a shoot rampage...how about that?" Rick replied just as calmly.
"Oh you two! we are not doing anything of the sort! we're just going to get off the boat, rent some camels and have a peaceful day in Luxor....ok?" Evelyn said in her best "this is how it will be" tone of voice.
"Oh ok" Both Rick and Angela sighed in unison...as they gave Evelyn dreary looks.
"But don't look at me like that! you cannot solve problems by shoot people! You two are absolutely without a doubt the same in almost every way" Evelyn said exasperatedly.
"Evelyn calm down, it's not a big deal...we were just joking weren't we sis?" Rick said with grin on his face.
"Right Rick, we were just joking...that's all" Angela replied with sly tone of voice.
"See Evelyn!"
Evelyn just rolled her eyes and sighed. There was a moment of silence. "So how are you feeling?" Evelyn asked Angela, as she noticed her staring out into the river.
"I'm a little tired but other than that I'm ok" Angela replied, then she glance back at the river.
"Breathing normal?" Rick asked jokingly
"Yes" Angela answered with a confused look in her eyes.
Suddenly Jonathan came running up to the three of them and asked out of breath "Can anyone handle gnats?".
"No, not really, why?" Rick answered curiously.
"Because those bloody things are all over the place!"
"Shoot, why now?" Rick said to the girls as he went to Jonathan. "Goddamnit!"
"That's plague number five....oh dear god" Evelyn exclaimed "It can't be"
"Oh great, what are we gonna do now? we can't just tell the captain to turn the ship around and head back to Cairo"
"All we can do now is wait and when we go back to Cairo we're going to the Museum and start doing some extensive research. I don't know what else we can do.. Do you by any chance have the key and the Book of the Dead...Angela?" Evelyn said sternly then directing the question towards a quiet Angela who was suddenly phased out.
"No I, uh don't" Angela replied.
"Oh no, I don't know what we will find or how it could help us. I mean the Book of Amun-Ra is what killed Imhotep last time...but how can we get it? it's at the bottom of the Black bog...unless we go to Hamunaptra we won't be able to get it"
Angela just nodded and suddenly shook her head as she stared out at the incoming port of Luxor. "No we can't kill him, we can't" she thought.
Rick ran to the bow with Jonathan trailing behind. "Oh my god" were his first words.
"You see O'Connell, they're all over the place" Jonathan said frantically.
"Damn it...how the hell did this happen? what the hell were you doing?"
"Well O'Connell as you demanded I went to go get you guys the glasses of water and as I was coming back I happened to watch as the boat sailed into port...that's when I saw that"
"Well congratulations you got the news of the fifth plague...be proud of yourself Jon"
"Now what? we can't just stroll off of the boat onto port like that...unless you consider being insect food and all"
"I know, but I'm not so much worried about those goddamn bugs as I am about Imhotep, he'll be waiting for Angela...we can't just show ourselves...goddamnit why are you doing this?"
"We're getting closer, oh god gnats....I hate gnats"
"They won't kill you, Jonathan"
"But they do bite"
"Yeah you're right" Rick said anxiously as he glanced at Evelyn and Angela who were talking and in a way arguing about something, but then again he glanced back at the port. "Ok,um so did you see anything else?"
"No...O'Connell, please, just shut up! and let's get inside somewhere!' Jonathan shouted frustratingly "We can't stay out here!".
They both ran back to the table and suddenly Rick grabbed Angela and Evelyn by the arm, yanking them out of their chairs. Jonathan quickly grabbed the luggage, struggling to pick them up but finally getting the strength to carry them.
Making his way to the cargo room Rick threw Angela and Evelyn inside.
"Happy Birthday" he said.
"Oh thanks a bunch" Angela said with a slight hint of sarcasm and surprise in her voice. "Remind me to give you something on your birthday".
Rick got to the door and shut it just as Jonathan walked, suddenly tripping and falling with all the bags, landing with a loud crash.
Angela stood up and rushed over to him, helping him, stumbling a bit as they tripped over the bags.
"Aren't you going to tell the captain about this?" Evelyn asked curiously "After all this isn't normal".
"Nah, he could find out for himself" Rick said heedlessly.
Jonathan dusted himself off and rushed to the door, locking it in a hurry.
"I think a little bit of me is starting to rub off on you, Jonathan" Rick said jokingly
"I doubt it" Jonathan replied without turning around "That will never happen"
Rick laughed and walked over to a crate and sat down to join Angela and Evelyn. The girls got to their feet and Rick then said jokingly "Your brother here has a weakness for bugs, Evelyn"
"How many were there?" Evelyn asked.
"A whole bloody swarm, sis! you should have seen it! It was huge!"
"You're scared" Rick said mockingly.
"Oh shut up, O'Connell! Why don't you go out there...if you you're so brave then?"
Evelyn laughed. Jonathan has always been the preppy kind that didn't like to get his hands dirty unless there was treasure, money and/or booze involved. Yep, typical schoolboy lad.
"We can't stay here" Angela said anxiously "We can't hide"
"Oh yes we can, we're just gonna wait til the commotion ends, then we'll get off" Rick said "Oh and here, take this".
He tossed a shotgun to Angela who easily caught it. Then handed one over to Jonathan. "Take it" he said "We're going to need them"
Evelyn sat on the crate and stared at him, arms crossed and stern look on her face. "Now honestly you three, we can't just walk out there with guns in our hands and expect to be fine"
"Wanna bet" Rick and Angela said in unison.
They sat in the cargo room and quietly waited out the rest of the way, eager to get out to solid ground. Finally the boat docked at the port and the four of them stared at one another as if asking silently to themselves "Where is all the noise?...what is going on here?". Strangely enough there was no sound whatsoever, there was only a looming silence. One by one they stepped out of the cargo room and onto the deck. The rest of the passengers were now unloading their things and walking off the steamer much to their great surprise.
"So where are all the gnats?" Angela asked softly.
Everyone looked around dazed and confused and gently sighed amazed at the whole ordeal...where had they gone to? O'Connell slung on the gunnysack around his shoulders, bent down and picked up two bag and headed down the gang plank with the rest of group following behind slowly.
"You girls wait down by the river near the dune over there and Jonathan and I will meet you down there. We just have to check something out and talk a bit more"
"No O'Connell....not again" Jonathan said drearily "I'm getting sick of all these talks"
"Stop complaining and come on" Rick said as he pulled Jonathan back into a small trading post.
As she saw them disappear into the crowd. Angela looked back up at the boat, watching for Imhotep to step off or something, but he didn't. Where was he? something inside of her needed him. He had such a knack for disappearing and something else inside of her hated it. Turning back to face the hills and dunes, a sudden wind blew through echoing a word that instantly flared
something inside of her. It seemed to say...."Isiria".
She turned and looked around frantically trying to find where the voice had came from.
Rick stopped walking and froze. "Did you hear that Jonathan?" he asked uneasily.
"It was the wind, O'Connell...that's all" Jonathan replied.
"But it clearly said Isiria...I heard it"
"O'Connell, seriously you should stop thinking about that poor girl...this is all too much for you I see"
Still waiting, Evelyn suddenly noticed Angela looking around, frantically as if she'd lost something dear to her.
"Um, Angela, what or who are you looking for?" she asked curiously.
Whirling around Angela looked at her with wide eyes "Nothing, I was just looking at the surroundings".
"I have something to ask you, but I think I'll wait until we get back to Cairo...Do you promise me that you will answer all my questions?"
"Yeah, sure"
"Ok...Oh look Rick and Jonathan already got the camels...come on we mustn't keep them waiting"
"I agree, let's go".
In no time, the late morning sun was beating down on them. Without a single cloud in the sky, there was absolutely no chances of shade anywhere. Angela looked around at her friends, next to her Evelyn quietly hummed to herself, her dark maroon dress was bold against the desert sands, but somehow she felt cool, she rode side saddle on her camel, but unlike her. Angela rode like a cowgirl with one leg on each side of the camel. She could never quite imagine herself riding like Evelyn because of her fear of falling off and making a fool of herself.
Her chinos blended in with the colors of the landscape as she rode the bumpy animal. Her long, dark brown hair tied up in a braid managed to keep her cool from the scorching heat. Now behind them, Jonathan was tugging along, he amazingly managed to keep a good, steady control of his camel while he sipped from his water canteen. Perfect disguise, his tan clothes and pith helmet also blended in well with the sand. If it wasn't for the dark blankets and bags on the camel, no one would have been able to tell if someone was riding on it. Leading the pack was Rick, who's guns could be heard clacking and clicking as he rode. His outfit looked a lot like Jonathan's with the exception that he wore no pith helmet.
The endless sun-baked Sahara stretched out across the Nile River. Angela found the great desert with it's sweeping vistas shimmering in the sunlight, an awe-inspiring, intimidating landscape never to be taken as a game. Right then they were moving over a hard, sandy terrain littered with stones and dotted with Papyrus as well as Lotus and Hyacinth flowers that floated gracefully on the river, they all gently breathed the sweet, soft perfume of the clovers and plants and enjoyed the scenic ride.
Angela jogged up, bobbing along side her brother and said with a sigh "Isn't it beautiful, the serenity of Egypt astounds me...it's quiet beauty and enigmatic landscape can't compare to any other place that I've seen before...it's magical, enchanting even haunting at times"
"Well, I was just going to say that, sis" Rick said. "Only in fewer words, but yeah it's really enchanting"
Angela smiled, her innocent smile that smile that anyone would love to see "You're making fun of me, Rick"
"Yep, that's what I'm here for" he replied "Making fun of you is my job".
As they made their way into the ruined city of Luxor, everyone's eyes went wide...it was spectacular! Angela stopped her camel, jumped off and ran up ahead as everyone else got off of theirs.
"Oh my god, this is beautiful! have you ever seen anything like it!" Angela called out amazed at the sight.
Jonathan smiled to himself and paused to touch his heart, whispering..."Never"
It was burning hot at midday in Luxor. They had waited a bit until late afternoon before going to check out things, taking a long stroll through the temple complex, much to Angela's disappointment. They had started out as one big group but Angela had wandered off into the temples to do a bit of exploring of her own. She walked among the pillars, now and then looking up at the beautiful inscriptions, but for the most part she was part deep in her own thoughts.
Jonathan had followed her after he noticed that Rick and Evelyn were too busy talking amongst themselves. He was always a few steps behind Angela as if he were her guardian angel. It seemed that she fit in perfectly in these surroundings, all she needed was a skin tight fabric dress and she would be the princess of this realm, his realm. He felt like calling out to her but when he opened his mouth to speak out not a word came out.
"Someday I'm going to tell you all of what I feel" he said softly to himself "I'll tell you so much that you'll get tired of listening to me. I shall tell you how much I love you and how I will never let a thing happen to you and how I have never loved anyone as much as I love you, but now there's time for me to wait...I want to tell you so much, but I can't, I just can't"
Angela reached the immense temple with it's court of pillars within and she fell strangely silent. She looked up at the great relief of a statue of a warrior king, Seti I.
Jonathan stopped, it was clear to his heart that he didn't want to go on, the pain he felt at the sound of her words back in Cairo when she had spoken to him about Imhotep had returned, the light had suddenly disappeared out of his eyes and his soul. Closing his eyes, he sighed and started to walk back to the camels when a voice suddenly caught his attention.
"Jonathan wait!" the voice called out.
He turned around to see Angela standing a few feet away from him.
"So what were you doing, Jonathan?" she asked curiously.
"Um well, I uh was just taking a look at the temple that's all, these pillars are thousand of years old and yet they're still standing tall, it's beautiful, isn't it?" he said giddily.
"Yeah, it's beautiful" Angela replied as she walked towards him "I love it, the hieroglyphics are spectacular...everything here is exceedingly beautiful...I could stay here forever"
"Yes, well I wish we could do that too...now why don't we go check out the rest of the temples, shall we?"
"Yes, let's go and check out the rest of these testaments to a desire for immortality, built for all eternity in sandstone and granite...god could you believe these tombs and temples are still up and surrounded by souks. On the east bank of the Nile here, the Karnak temples and on the west bank, the Valley of the Kings and Queen Hatshepsut's temple...ahh ok let's go"
They walked into the temple, disappearing inside.
"I can't believe this!!, one minute Jonathan and Angela are behind us, the next they're gone!. ...where the hell could they be?" Rick said frustratingly
"Um, well I'm not sure, but I am sure about is that they will be quite all right...maybe they just got caught up in something back there" Evelyn said assuringly as she glanced back towards the temples behind them.
"Come on we're going to go look for them, after the plagues and truth about Jonathan's feelings. I'm prepared to take out a few people, come on"
"But Rick!--"
Before she could finish her sentence, Rick grabbed he by the hand and walked towards the temples.
"Rick, we're never going to find them! just have fun! come on that's what we're here for" Evelyn said, stopping suddenly which caused him to bounce back.
Rick turned to face her and glare, something he had never done. In that instant Evelyn suddenly wondered if it was him and not Angela who was possessed...what was up with him?
"We need to find them. I don't want anything to happen to them" he suddenly said urgently.
"You mean you don't want anything to happen ''between'' them" Evelyn mumbled frustratingly. "How comforting to hear you say something like that".
"Yeah, well I care about my sister"
"Oh! I thought you said ''them'' not ''her'' , but ok Rick if you insist let's waste our day in the ruins searching...after all we're not here to see anything we're just here to baby-sit your sister".
"You have standards, Evelyn, I'm glad...it helps me out so much"
Evelyn rolled her eyes and sighed...no use in arguing.
*~~~Fort Brydon~~~*
The heat was unbearable and the silence showed. The soldiers were up on their parapets, some dozing, some just about to. All in all no one felt like doing anything...well almost no one.
"Ok, all of you take a room each, don't make anything look suspicious, if there aren't any rooms then I suggest you find a place near here, no is leaving this fort...got it?" Victor ordered like general sending in his troops to destroy an enemy building.
None of the men answered, but their faces showed that they agreed.
"Um ok Victor, and I'm guessing you'll be keeping watch at the gate, right?" David said weakly.
"Very good David...you're really smart, frankly I'm amazed"
David only smiled sarcastically and walked over to the registration window.
"Excuse me by any chance do you know the whereabouts of Angela O'Connell?" he asked the cadet.
"No sir I don't, she has not arrived since she left sir, all I know is that she hasn't signed out yet and neither have the Carnarvons...did my friend not call you yesterday?"
"No, he didn't, but it's ok I'll just wait here I'm sure she'll be back in no time"
He walked out into the garden and sat down on a bench, the rest had
disappeared, including Victor, much to his amazement.
"Well as long as they aren't aiming guns at me, I'm fine...Angela come soon...I'll get you out and I'll make you love, just as soon as I get that blasted Book of the Dead!" he thought as he looked around anxiously.
How close David was to the truth...indeed someone was up on one of the parapets, but they weren't aiming a gun at him, they were preparing to have the entire fort over for ''lunch''.
"Master Imhotep, are you sure you would like to wait for Isiria here? why not in her room?" Beni asked in Hebrew.
"I would like to surprise her, my loyal servant, she loves surprises and I am sure she will be very happy to see me once more, where is my love by the way?...did she not say that she would be here?" Imhotep replied.
"Yes master, she promised to be here, I think she may be expecting you in her quarters"
"Let's pay her a visit"
Dissolving into sand, they seeped down the side of building and into Angela's room, her perfume giving a soft, delicate feminine smell to the room. Apparently though, another man had been here as well.
Instantly Imhotep morphed back and he started to look around, without a sign of his love. She was gone! Not a sound in the room where had she gone to? Imhotep stared fixedly around the room, the clock chimed twice in the living room.
Suddenly he walked towards the drawers. He could hear the creak of the floor beneath his feet as he made his way to them. There, on the drawer was a paper with his name written in Hieratic. Lift it and you will know. Pick it up. Imagine...what could it say? He reached out for the paper, his hands poised, trembling. Picking it up, he turned it over to find a small note from Isiria: "I shall see you again soon my love, all in time. I shall come back to be reunited with you because...I love you".
His eyes moved tentatively over the note and suddenly he was staring fixedly at it, a smile spread on his handsome face. The words so politely spoken, so beautiful, he could almost hear her voice telling him this.
While this was going on, Beni caught sight of some photos...curious he picked them up and started looking through them. One in part got his attention.. it was one of a boy of about fourteen years with a younger girl posing by him...he flipped it over and saw a small message:
"To our beloved mom, we miss you and hope you will be here in Chicago soon....Love Rick and Angela O'Connell".
He looked at the second photo and saw...Isiria! no this wasn't Isiria, as Imhotep thought..no this was Angela! Rick's little sister! A million memories flashed before his eyes in special, a conversation between Rick and him they had, had back in Hamunaptra while they had been in the French Foreign Legions,
// "So tell me my friend, do you have any family back in Chicago?" Beni had asked.
"Yeah I do actually, a sister...her name is Angela" Rick replied "She is so adorable, I'll have to introduce her to you one of these days...when I find her" //
Reality struck him hard, like a ton of bricks. He suddenly felt an instant hate fill him and he smiled evilly, ah you sly devil you. Revenge was a very good thing indeed.
"I'll hit O'Connell where it hurts him the most...his darling little sister. She will pay for his stupidity, oh poor baby" he thought maniacally "Oh well, can't feel sorry for everyone"
"We shall wait her" Imhotep said sternly in Hebrew.
"Yes, as you wish...but I do not recommend we stay here at plain sight"
"You are right, servant,...we shall be gone from view and when my princess arrives...we shall show ourselves...after all I need to give her one last gift"
"and what is that, master?....another ring?"
"No.....her past"
Chapter 15
*~~~Luxor, Temple of Deir-El-Bahari~~~*
"Where are they?" Rick said frustratingly. "They couldn't have gone far" .
"Rick, for the love of god, leave them be!" Evelyn said as Rick dragged her through out the temple, the eyes of the tourists watching them in surprise.
"Angela! Where are you!" Rick shouted.
Evelyn couldn't take it anymore, she let go of Rick's grasp and stopped in her steps.
"I am not going with you, Rick, if you want to go and waste your day that is just fine with me! as for myself I am going to take a look at the temples by myself! Good day!"
Rick froze and whirled around to see her storming off in the direction they had came.
"Wait! Evelyn!...oh god...I'm sorry! Wait!" he said suddenly as he ran behind her. "Let's talk! or better yet, let's look at the temples together!".
"No Rick! it seems like your sister is the only person in this world! I don't exist for you anymore! and not until you treat both of us fairly don't expect me to be lovy-dovy with you!" Evelyn shouted angrily.
O'Connell, the hero, suddenly swept her into his arms and kissed her, deeply, passionately. She was in shock but she kissed him back the same way, wrapping her arms around him. The kiss lasted forever and then another of the same duration followed it.
Rick slung himself onto a camel, pulling Evelyn up behind him, where she clung to his waist, cuddling, kissing, giggling, making everyone around them smile and sigh at the sight of the two.
"I love you" Rick said softly "and I'm sorry for acting like such a jerk".
"Oh, you're not acting like a jerk Rick, you're just being too overprotective that's all"
"What do you suggest I do?"
"For now don't worry, you can't shut Angela out of the world, she needs to experience things for herself and with you always behind her she cannot really decide what she wants to do... let her make her own decisions...OK?"
"OK, I guess you're right...everyone is always right...well let's just leave
it at that and lets go see the rest of Luxor".
"I thought you'd never say that"
Suddenly he swatted the camel and they raced towards the looming temple in the distance. Evelyn's hair streaming in the wind. Her laughter made Rick smile and he laughed along with her...yes, this felt so much better than worrying, but then again what didn't?
"It's time that my sister act on her, even if it means putting aside the world for her happiness I just hope she makes the right choice" Rick thought as they rode.
As the day went on, the two tiny groups had gotten drawn a tad bit close together, it was serene, relaxing a time to push the problems away and leave them for another time, possibly forever if it was possible.
The Temples of Karnak and Luxor loomed over the ruins like to pharaohs who had never let go of their place, no matter how long a time had passed nor how destroyed their city was. Following a row of hieroglyphics, the symbols for life and death showed up.. roughly translated "After peace...there is chaos...beware for it shall strike when mortals least expect it.. beware the chaos...beware the change".
Angela and Jonathan had come to the greatest and most beautiful of the temples of Luxor. The shore excursion had been cut short on account of the sweltering heat, but it had been fun nonetheless, but now that night was setting in...the wind blew over the desert sand dunes. Stealthily they walked down the staircase of the temple. It was magnificent and utterly breath taking as it shown a beautiful tannish yellow on its walls just as the sun set down over the horizon, slowly disappearing. The temple had suddenly turned azure as the night sky melted and slithered into the surroundings of the ruins. Some Bedouin men were slowly setting on the pyres causing the insides of the temples to glow...it was awe inspiring.
Angela wrapped her coat tightly around herself, looking up at the moon that hung perilously low over the shimmering waters of the Nile.
With help of a lone, native Bedouin man, they mounted the camels awaiting them and rode towards the camp. It was thrilling to ride this beast. Angela laughed into the wind, but didn't dare look down at the ground moving unevenly beneath her. She was glad when the animals came to a halt and Jonathan jumped down from his camel, where he then reached up to catch her. As she jumped down, she stumbled suddenly but Jonathan managed to hold on to her tightly. In a small instant their eyes locked on each others, gazing curiously.
Alone they stood, under the star filled sky, the desert wind faintly howling. Not a cloud was in the sky, on this night. Far off, Angela saw the lightened tents of their little camp waiting for them to return and she sighed.
"Come on, let's go see one last place before we go back" Jonathan said softly, as they parted.
Into another temple they walked, passing a giant statue of Osiris.
"This was all a dream", Jonathan thought "It will be over soon and it will be as if it never happened she will forget we ever walked here and talked...god, what did I do to deserve this? When pray do you ever listen? why can't I be truly happy for once in my life"
If there were tears in his sad eyes, the wind must have carried them far away, but his sad, depressed sigh...Angela had suddenly heard clearly. The tremor in his warm hand she could feel gently as she held onto it. They walked together, hand in hand, his eyes drifting over the great statues and pillars.
Suddenly he stopped and put his arm around her, closing her against him gently, as they turned to face the entrance of the temple. The wind had died down, but he kept her warm nonetheless.
"What's wrong, Jonathan?" Angela asked softly as she looked at his saddened eyes.
He hesitated. It was as if he didn't want to answer her question. Then Jonathan said "I feel so odd...I don't and can't understand this".
"What is it? Please tell me" she replied "What don't you understand?".
He looked away, unable to look her in the eyes. Would she understand? She didn't realize what such a thing meant to him and he thought that over and over in his mind.
"Jonathan, for the love of god, please tell me, what's wrong? What's the matter?"
Jonathan stopped thinking suddenly and moved away from her. He looked back at the of temple and sighed. When he turned back he saw the curiosity and worry in her eyes, those beautiful, hazel eyes, that he could never stop looking into. "What do I do?" he thought. "It's worth a shot I guess...what's the worse that could happen?"
He looked at her "Angela I, I, uh, I love you" he said in a whisper, hoping deep inside that she hadn't heard a word.
Her eyes grew wide "What!" she said as she gasped in shock.
"I love you, Angela, I love you with all my heart"
A sudden look of "oh my god" was suddenly spreading across her face and Jonathan now felt like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Much to his surprise she didn't laugh, she didn't get mad, she just stared at him, her amber eyes glittering with the flames of a pyre.
"Oh my god, Jonathan, I, I don't know what to say, this is so unreal...Why, why didn't, why didn't you tell me thisearlier?" she asked, she couldn't stop herself, it was all so surprising.
"Uh, I didn't tell you because of cowardice, Angela, pure cowardice and I regret not telling you sooner. I didn't know what to say or what to do because I'm so ignorant, when it comes to this stuff". He sighed and laughed nervously, suddenly his conversation started to change. "The solid thought that I wouldn't be able to save your life terrifies me more than anything or anyone. You, O'Connell, Evie and I are going to be scared probably for the rest of our lives because of all of this, but I think that as time goes on, that the fear will lessen. We're here together and the four of us, hell, you and me, make one hell of a team".
"Jonathan, I--"
"Angela, I would never, ever let anything happen to you and I know you would never let anything happen to me"
"Jonathan, please--"
"I always dreamt that I would meet a girl like you and that my world would be completely different, that I would no longer feel empty or be a coward like am now"
"Jonathan!!!" Angela suddenly shouted.
"What?"
"You're babbling" Angela said softly with a smile, her eyes full of tears.
His voice broke and he laughed softly "This exactly what I dreamt would happen...I love you so much"
He looked at the distance as if his own words had just taken him by surprise. Then he looked at her for a moment and suddenly she walked to him and threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly. Jonathan didn't look at her, he was instead staring out into the vast desert in shock, the tears in his eyes were suddenly coming. He looked at her once more and her close, trying to soothe his own fears. Slowly they both looked at one another and without saying a word he closed his arms tightly around her waist and kissed her.
Their lips touched for a moment but there was no movement. Angela moved her hands towards his face and wrapped them around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her. They kissed each other lightly on the lips in small pecks. Jonathan hugged her tighter and their kiss became much more passionate and they immediately became wrapped up in each other.
Slowly they parted, Jonathan stared at her in a bit of guilty shock, but once again she smiled and caressed his face lightly.
"I can't believe I was such a fool....all this time I never realized how much you loved me...and now I realize how all this time...I wasn't in love with Imhotep...I was in love with you. You're the one I've been looking for all this time and all this time you were right in front of me...how could I have been so blind?....I love you so much as well, but I was so spellbound by Imhotep that I had no idea what I felt, but now I do".
"You're in love with me? you're not joking?...you're really in love with me?"
"Yes, and I'm going to kiss you now" she said happily "because I love you and no matter what, I'm never letting you go"
"Angela, I--" the sentence was cut short as she kissed him fervently, letting herself be engulfed in a dream come true...a dream that was suddenly ripped in half.
"Angela!!" a voice suddenly shouted, echoing throughout the entire temple in a loud chorus of anger and reproach.
Both Jonathan and Angela whirled around to find Rick, an angry look on his face, followed by a shocked Evelyn and the Bedouin man who had lent them the camels.
"Oh...no" Jonathan softly said in shock.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Rick stormed up to them and yanked Jonathan by the collar.
Jonathan swallowed. Suddenly he need a drink, but no, Angela, he couldn't drink...for her. It occurred to him suddenly that he ought to try and make a run for it but his mind once again reminded him, Angela. He knew know that she loved him and no he wouldn't back away....or pass out for that matter.
"Tell me Jonathan! and try not to lie to me" Rick said as he pulled out a revolver and held it to Jonathan's neck.
Jonathan suddenly remembered the crazed look in O'Connell's eyes when he had put Beni's face about an inch or so from the fan in the Egyptologist's apartment...thank god, no fan...but the gun...oh dear god...the gun.
"Please Rick, I can explain everything just let me--"
"You know what? now that I think of it...I told you to stay away from my sister"
That's when the bomb exploded, Angela rushed up to Rick and abruptly pulled him off of Jonathan who only scuttled back into a pillar.
"What gives you the right to try and run my life!! you have absolutely no authority over me! I'm not a little girl anymore! you can't just threaten people to stay away from me! you just can't I won't let you! " Angela screamed in his face angrily.
"Angela, you aren't going to be with him! I mean, he drinks, he gambles, he doesn't even have a job!"
"I don't care if you don't like him!" Angela screamed "You have no right interfering in my life! I'll show you Rick! I'll prove to you that he is the best!"
Evelyn rushed over to Jonathan and guided him to a more safer area of the temple.
"Oh my god, I never thought I would see this happen" Evelyn said softly, cautiously.
Rick grabbed Angela by the wrists and they stormed into the inner part of the temple, shouting at one another as they did.
"We have to help, we can't just stay out here and wait to see what happens. I'm going in, Evie....how long do you think this argument will last?" Jonathan said frantically.
"Um, well, it's hard to say....perhaps an hour" Evelyn sighed. "Perhaps I better step in before someone gets killed...you wait here, just to be safe, OK?".
"OK, but Evie I don't think Rick would hurt his own sister"
"Oh, I wasn't worried about Angela getting hurt" Evelyn replied as she rushed inside.
After a moment of arguing as they reached the chamber a cry and a sound of a shuddering crash made the need for caution unnecessary and to anxious hearts impossible. The smashing sound was followed by Rick cursing and suddenly an eerie moment of silence. The sound of footsteps could be heard, stomping out....it was Angela, she was sobbing loudly and now running back to the camp.
"Oh god in heaven! Rick!" Evelyn screamed frantically, as she ran towards the are where the two siblings had been. There lying on the ground was Rick, he was unconscious and he had a rather big bump on the forehead. "Rick, dear god, Rick answer me! Oh my god...Jonathan!! Help me!" she called out....waiting, with no answer.
Standing up she ran to the archway of the temple and looked out, Jonathan was already halfway to camp, running as fast as he could shouting "Angela! Come back! please come back!"
As she turned back around she found herself looking at Rick who was wincing and somewhat cursing as he rubbed the bruise on his head.
"What happened?" Evelyn asked anxiously "Oh my goodness, are you OK?"
"Angela gave me a right hook in the jaw and then decided to play crack the coconut with my head using a stone, a rather large stone from what I remember.. she was walking out when when she threw it, so I was completely taken off guard, but other than that...I'm OK...Jonathan better goddamn say his prayers because I'm personally sending him to kingdom come" Rick said gravely, yet somewhat surprised at the whole ordeal.
"Rick, all this childish behavior and arguing is driving me insane and it cannot be good for you or Angela"
Rick laughed a little uneasily "It certainly wasn't good for me, she totally pummeled me and knocked me out"
"That probably wasn't necessary" Evelyn said as she touched his injury. She groaned. "I'd better go talk to her...for all of our sakes...and don't even think of putting a hand on Jonathan, we'll straighten this out in a civilized manner, all right?"
"Oh OK, I promise I won't do anything"
"Good...now go and apologize"
"What!!! She practically killed me!"
"and you gave her reasons! Hello Rick O'Connell! you cannot just do something like this and expect people to be bright and cheery! for the love of god, act like the adult that you are! She will not talk to you until you do apologize...promise me you will do it".
"Fine I will, just not now, I'll let the storm go by then I'll talk to her"
"Well anyway, you'll have time to do so, we leave to Cairo tomorrow morning....come one now, let's go...it's already getting awfully chilly out here"
"OK, let's go"
Back at the camp, Jonathan was just stumbling into Angela's tent, trying hard not to pass out from exhaustion.
"What are you doing?" he asked as he gasped for air.
"I'm going to set my bed elsewhere!" Angela said, as she grabbed her sheets and stuffed them into her backpack.
"No, wait, we need to talk" Jonathan said.
"I know we do, just not here" Angela replied anxiously. "Please help me out and then we'll talk"
"Oh OK, where do you plan on going?".
"It's a small hollowed out cave I saw while we rode towards her, it's up on that small hill over by the temple of Deir-El-Bahari...I have to get out. I don't fell like speaking to my brother, I just can't believe he did this! to interfere in my life! what gives him the right! He's acting like my father and to tell you the truth...I hate it!! I can't stand it!" Angela said infuriatingly a she picked up some clothes, stuffing it into her backpack as well.
"Well, don't worry about O'Connell, I should be the one worrying right now...he's going to kill me!" Jonathan said nervously.
"Come with me" Angela suddenly said "Come with me! and he won't be able to hurt you!"
"Do you really think it's proper for me to go with you?" he asked a bit startled.
"Well it's either that or stay here and get pummeled senseless by my brother....you decide, I don't want you to get hurt"
Sitting on the floor, Jonathan looked up to see Angela with her handreaching for his, the sudden flashback of seeing her in that same pose backat the fort during the plague of hail came back to him and it caused him tosmile slightly. He reached up and she pulled him to his feet and out of thetent. Everyone else was either asleep or by a campfire talking, not noticing the couple mounting two camels and riding off into the dark hill thatoverlooked dunes of sand, rippling sand that was ever-changing with the winds of time.
"Looks like Angela and Jonathan decided to go to sleep early...their tents are darkened" Rick said as they walked into the camp.
"Yes, I think we shouldn't bother either of them, they're both extremely stressed out after all of this, it's best that we let them enjoy a good nights sleep" Evelyn replied softly, as she climbed into her tent.
"OK then, well, good night" Rick said as he too got into his tent.
"Good night, Rick" Evelyn said softly, as a low and heavy silence sank in, only the distant crackling of fire could be heard...other than that nothing else...peace, lulling peace.
It was almost dawn, Jonathan and Angela had left the warmth of the camp hours ago and had come here into the deserted hollowed out cave, with only the loose cotton sheets around them. They had made love in the sand over and over neither one willing to let go of the other. Then they had laid in the dark,looking out at the azure colored desert, joking around and speaking of love and devotion, as he cradled her with his left arm. Only the smooth sheet wound tightly around her.
With the dawn of the new day, Rick awoke but only dozed off again in his tent. Suddenly he thought he had heard camels come trotting into the camp,their feet grinding the sand as the two young lovers came back from their escapade. He also managed to hear furtive quick steps on the sand...then nothing. When he opened his eyes, Evelyn was looking into the tent.
Disheveled and sleepy, Rick smiled and for a moment neither said a word and then she smiled, the familiar smile that always brightened his day.
"Well good morning Rick" she said softly "It will be good to get back to Cairo and a little civilization"
"Did you just hear those camels?" Rick asked sleepily.
"Which ones? I haven't heard anything....why do you ask?"
"Oh nothing....don't listen to me, it was nothing"
"Um...OK, the boat is almost going to be here and we need to pack up our belongings".
"Well what are we waiting for? I'm pretty much ready....please go get Angela and Jonathan and tell them to get ready, we need to be back in Cairo as soon as possible, just tell them that"
"OK, I'll be right back"
She rushed back to the tents and checked Angela's tent only to find it empty,much to her surprise, but a noise got her attention. Giggling and moaning,she slowly walked towards Jonathan's tent and opened the flap to find Angela and Jonathan playing Blackjack while they were eating figs and pomegranates.
"Good god! You've beaten me...what? five games!" Jonathan said as he softly threw his cards down on the sand.
"Well, I'll try and let you win next time" she said followed by a series of giggles.
Evelyn stepped inside, causing them both to jump a bit.
"Oh, you two are finally awake I see, Rick says that you two should hurry up and get packed...we have to leave soon so we don't miss the boat, now hurry, the sooner the better" she said.
"Well, we've been packed since yesterday, so anytime you're set we can leave"Angela said confidently. "Is Rick still mad with me by any chance?"
"I don't know, he didn't seem like it, but then again I didn't ask and he didn't say a word...well I better be going, we'll see you two later"
"OK, bye Evie" Jonathan called out.
She walked back and disappeared into her tent, Angela turned towards Jonathan and smiled "She doesn't know" she said.
"I know, I'm glad" Jonathan said "We'll stick to your plan and not tell them anything until we finally make it to Cairo"
"Yes, but until then I want to be with you and you alone" Angela said as she leaned forward and kissed him. "I will never let anything come between us because I love you and I always will...forever"
"Well, you took the words right out of my mouth" Jonathan said with a smile. "I love you more than I love life itself"
"Angela! Jonathan! Come on the boat is here! We need to get going!" Evelyn shouted.
They both grabbed their belongings and rushed out of the tent, both mounting their camels with an agileness of professional equestrians. Rick and Evelyn were already a bit ahead.
Angela glanced over at Jonathan; and Jonathan glanced over at her, they shared a moment, exchanged loving smiles and then simultaneously swatted their respective camels. As they raced swiftly towards the looming landmark of the Nile, Rick and Evelyn blinked a few times, as they passed by them. They looked at one another with a questioning look and took off after them. Angela glanced beside her and saw that Jonathan was right alongside keeping a steady pace his eyes filled with life, his smile endless, his joy tangible.
Angela's laughter and her look of triumph made Jonathan smile and he thanked god for granting him the joy of having her as his true love...she was his life, his reason for living, and she loved him too. He kept telling himself how much he loved her and suddenly she bolted ahead him, charging towards the ramp of the boat where people literally jumped out of the way so they wouldn't get trampled.
She jumped off and gently pulled the camels reins, guiding it into the stables without any problems. By the time she had gotten her belongings off of it, Jonathan, Evelyn and Rick had already arrived and were now doing the same thing as well.
"Well, I'll see you guys later...I'm off to leave my stuff in my cabin...see ya!" she said energetically as she dashed off into the corridor down towards the cabins.
"OK Angela, but remember to come and have dinner with us later!" Rick called back.
Jonathan smiled and turned to Evelyn.
"I'm going to my cabin as well, I'll see you later" he said. "Meet you at dinner"
"OK Jonathan" Evelyn answered "See you then"
He then took off like a bullet. Leaving Rick to wonder why he had left in such a hurry. Hardly giving him time to think.
Jonathan was now just arriving to the cabin he had been looking for and knocked softly.
"Angela, are you there?" he said exhaustedly.
The door flew open and Angela appeared, she smiled and pulled him in gently, shutting it after both were in.
"Evelyn and O'Connell will meet us later on at the deck for dinner" he said, but suddenly stopped before he could say anything as he noticed Angela staring at him affectionately.
He smiled nervously and she continued to gaze at him anticipating his first move. Obviously she wanted him to make the first move, but he froze and went numb all over. Angela was a goddess to him and she was certain to be dissatisfied with him sooner or later. Though he remembered the night before and somehow he didn't feel so tense anymore.
Jonathan put his arms around her and pulled her close to him. In his nervousness he kissed her rather awkwardly, but Angela didn't seem to mind, she actually giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss twice as passionate. They sat on the sofa holding each other and kissing for what Jonathan could have sworn had been a very short amount of time, but as he looked over at the clock that stood on the mantle, he discovered that four hours had passed by.
Without another word he took Angela by the hand and led her to a window over looking the river that flowed by gracefully.
"So when exactly should we tell Rick and Evie about us?" he asked as he held her close to him, kissing and nibbling her softly on the neck. "I know when we're in Cairo, but when?"
"For now I don't think we should tell them, it's better that my brother finds out about this after a good amount of time has passed, probably when we get to London" she said in low voice, "I will always love you, Jonathan...so don't worry".
They kissed and just stood there, holding on to each other. Angela rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, sighing softly. As Jonathan held her, he happened to glance over at the window behind her and he could have sworn he had seen a shadow glide by, a large shadow, but no, it couldn't be, his imagination was just playing games with him. He had been worrying so much about Angela after seeing her with Imhotep that it literally seemed as if Imhotep's shadow were an obstacle between them or at least was going to be, but no it couldn't be. The imagination, the formation of a mental image of
something that is neither perceived as real nor present to the senses, it can be quite shocking or quite deadly...the images that ones mind plays from our heads are our own imagination...what if the imagination became reality, a reality so real that it would cause one's fears to turn against them?
In reassurance he hugged her tighter and caressed her back. Repeating to her over and over "I love you". She lifted her head and kissed his jaw, then his lips, gently whispering back "I love you too".
Suddenly their moment of peacefulness was broken, when a loud knock was suddenly heard, abruptly banging. They both looked at one another in quiet terror.
"It's Rick!" Jonathan hissed fearfully.
"You must go! Please, for the love of god, go!" Angela said frantically. "I don't want to hurt Rick again, please get out!....no wait!! Um, hide in the closet!" she said as she grabbed him and pushed him in, locking the door as she did.
"Angela? Angela are you all right? Is there anyone else in there?" Rick asked as he knocked again.
"Uh, um, Rick I'm fine, no one is, uh, in here...hold on sec, I'll be right there" she replied
She ran to the door and opened it just enough to stick her head out. Doing so she saw Evelyn as well, who was quite oddly looking at her in complete surprise. Angela looked out of breath, flushed and somewhat disorganized in appearance and Rick suddenly turned red as well, not from embarrassment or exhaustion...no, it was from pure, unimaginable anger.
"Is there something you should tell us, Angela?" Rick asked "What's going on? you've been in here for more than four hours!"
"Uh no, I just woke up from a nap that's all. I was in the middle of a dream" Angela replied.
"Do you think we can come in?"
"Well Rick, it's kind of a mess and I don't think you should co--"
"Well sis, we'll just have to deal with it because we're coming in anyway" Rick said as he shoved the door open. "Thanks for the welcome"
Angela turned around and gave the closet a worried look. Thank god Jonathan hadn't made a single sound.
Rick looked over at her as he sat down and laughed "Hey Angela, it looks like you've been getting pretty hot and heavy with someone...so where are you hiding him? Is he in the closet?"
Angela jumped at the comment and glared furiously. "I just woke up...what do you want anyway?"
"We just came to see how you were doing" he said "Oh by the way, have you seen Jonathan?".
"Me! see Jonathan! no, uh, no I haven't seen him, uh, why should I have seen him? Wasn't he with you?" Angela asked uneasily.
"No, last time we saw him was a few moments after you left to your cabin"
"Well, maybe he's playing poker, you know he likes to gamble and what about the bar? haven't you checked there? for all we know he could be taking a walk on the deck and you guys have been going in circles! or worse yet, the poor guy could have fallen off the boat!" Angela started to freak out as she said that and she grabbed a glass of water and drank from it, almost choking as she drank it in huge gulps.
"OK Angela, calm down, there is no need to become frantic" Evelyn said reassuringly.
"Unless you're hiding him" Rick suddenly said suspiciously.
"Oh Rick please, do you honestly believe that, come one now, let's go" Evelyn said, pulling at his arm softly.
"No Evelyn, Angela why are you so uneasy huh? answer me that one question" Rick asked inquisitively.
"I'm not uneasy! I'm just shocked that you think that I would hide him here! why don't you go look for him! why haven't you checked the restaurant or the lower deck or his cabin?" Angela asked "Or are you just assuming he's here so you can get mad at me for what happened yesterday?"
"Oh Rick! we haven't even checked in those places! You see, you never even thought about that and one of those places is where he could be at! and for goodness sake Rick if it is about Angela's injuring you then all I can say is that it was an accident and you provoked it" Evelyn said.
"I provoked it! oh well OK fine put all the blame on me! when it was your good for nothing brother who was kissing my sister!" Rick shouted.
There was a long moment of silence in the room and Angela sighed "Jonathan and I are just friends... we came to the conclusion that it was just an accidental move and that we don't know what to make of it, so don't worry, Jonathan and I are just friends...no feelings, no nothing, OK? and please apologize if it's possible, Rick...please".
Rick smiled suddenly and said "OK I'll to apologize, now that you told me the story...I feel so much better"
"But why? what is it that you have against him? if it would've turned out that I did love him with all my heart and soul...what would you have done?" Angela said abruptly.
Rick stared at her in surprise as did Evelyn, but Evelyn wasn't looking at Angela, she was looking at Rick. "Please not another argument" she thought. "Please"
"Um well I uh-" Rick could never bring himself to mention the whole disastrous chaos going on in his head. But he would have liked to needle Jonathan right at that moment, to slip up behind him and throw him off the boat. It was all too sad really...what could he tell her? She was his sister, his only sister. Once they had loved each other as only as sister and brother could. He would always remind her and she wouldn't give him any trouble, then he could relax. The worse part this is that it was the present and he couldn't calm or quiet his sister now without the risk of a fist in his face.
"Well? answer me?!" Angela said imperatively. "What would you do?"
"We're going to look for him, I'll talk to you at dinner, OK? Sorry for the interruption, let's go, Evelyn" Rick said as he took Evelyn by the hand and walked swiftly out of the cabin.
Angela sighed in relief and shut the door resting her back against it. As he looked at the closet, she smiled and laughed softly. She then walked over and unlocked the door. The door opened and Jonathan peeked out as only a child hiding from his father would do.
"It's okay Jonathan, they left...you can come out" Angela said reassuringly.
"I thought I was done for" he said nervously "You're brother is going to kill me for sure if he finds out that I was here an--"
He stopped as she kissed his cheek, then his lips. It was her way of saying that she loved him with all her heart, that she trusted him, wanted him more than anything else and would always be his. For eternity. Jonathan raised his hands to her face and moved her closer to him. Slowly, tenderly he moved against her body, his lips yearning for hers and he saw how she slowly closed her eyes, accepting his advances with as much love and trust as he had for her. After having been with one another for one night, both of them knew each other intuitively, they knew every inch of each others bodies and crave to know even more.
Angela parted her lips more for him and whimpered, Jonathan deepened his kissand much to his surprise he felt her tongue make contact with his. He could feel her and himself relax by the contact while his heart beat faster. Suddenly she pushed him away much to his sudden shock.
"What is it?" he asked uneasily.
"You have go find Rick, he's looking for you and if he doesn't find you anywhere he'll know I was hiding you" she replied a bit flushed.
"Will we meet here?" he asked.
"Of course, after dinner we'll meet here, but for now we will have to keep our distance, so Rick and your sister don't suspect anything".
"OK then Angela, I'll meet you later on, and don't forget that...I love you"
Angela smiled and walked him to the door. "I won't forget because I love you as well".
With that he walked out and disappeared down the hallway.
The day went by pretty quickly and come dinner Rick and the gang all sat in a table that was at a perfect angle to watch the river go by. It had been a quiet dinner, only a few comments about Luxor were made here and there but nothing much. It was already 8:30pm when Angela excused herself from the table after discussing politics with Evelyn (funny how Jonathan and Rick just looked at them in shock and would silently cheer when one of them would cause the other to hush).
Jonathan had remained a bit longer but excused himself as well, running off quickly as if it were a dire situation he had to arrive to.
"Where do you think he'd running off to?" Evelyn asked.
"Oh I don't know, maybe to play a few last rounds of poker before he goes to bed" Rick answered.
"Well Jonathan better not fool around too much or he might lose again, and who knows what the consequences will be after this" Evelyn replied sternly.
"I'm sure he'll lose some and he'll win some, something tells me that today he's going to win big time and maybe this will be the beginning of a winning streak for him" Rick said with a grin.
In the midst of words and moans of ecstatic pleasure filled kisses, Angela and Jonathan made passionate love, finding shelter and comfort in each other, forgetting all their worries and problems in an instant of ecstasy.
Rick must have known, Angela realized suddenly. She lay beside Jonathan beneath the warm blankets of her bed, the little steamer moving north towards Cairo. They were trying to be discreet. Jonathan had only came and went when no one had been about. There had been no displays of affection at all. Yet now they had celebrated in the freedom that had been taken from them, until dawn they had spent time with each other, playing around like children, conversing, laughing at each other's jokes and making love, tumbling and struggling in the darkness of cabin as the engines of the ship carried them onward to their destiny.
This was too much to wish for anything more. Yet Angela still did. She wanted to get rid of those she loved except for Jonathan....she wished to be his bride or to be among the people who would never question anything anyone else did. She knew that when they reached Cairo, she would have to make her final decision...and she would never see Imhotep for the rest of her life...it was her final answer.
It was 1 PM when Jonathan came out on deck. Angela was in her favorite chair, reading one of Evelyn's books about Arabia. She looked do adorable, it made him laugh. She was busy scribbling a question in the margin, which of course she would put
him to answer and he'd give it his best try.
"You're awake at last, you lazy bum" she said giggling, seeing the expression on his face she then asked "What is it my love?"
"I'm done with Egypt, I want to go back to London, to my house, to my homeland...we'll get to Cairo and pack up, I want to be gone from this bloody country". he said.
"Yes Jonathan, I understand" she motioned him to take the chair beside her "I want to leave too" she said softly and then gave him a quick, delicate kiss on the lips.
"Do that again" he said tranquilly "It relaxes me"
Angela kissed him twice, slipping her fingers around the back of his neck and said in soft voice."We won't be in Cairo for more than a couple of days...I promise".
Jonathan sat up. "A couple of days! Can't we just get on train to Turkey, go to France, and from there take a boat to England? Doesn't that seem so much more easy? so we can be done with all of this!"
Angela looked down and sighed "Jonathan" she said "Please forgive me. But I need to solve my minor problem with Imhotep. I more or less promised myself that I would do that".
Jonathan groaned and started to tremble slightly.
"and you see I want to him farewell and that I am leaving and well...I need the time" she studied his face. "Please?"
Jonathan shook his head and couldn't help but notice her pleading eyes, looking into his.
"Oh all right, of course darling" he said resignedly "Just please do be careful, OK?".
"Yes, I will" she replied "I promise"
"All right, Angela...if it makes you happy then I give in" he leaned forward, kissing her cheek and then her throat. "and then you'll be mine, my beautiful Angela...we will be married and you'll be mine alone"
"Yes...on my very soul" she whispered.
That night when Jonathan had declined to eat anything Rick asked him if his trip to Luxor had been at all a success and if he had found what he wanted.
"I think I did, O'Connell" Jonathan said, scarcely looking up from the rail to stare at the star-filled sky "I think I found...my future".
There was a moment of silence and Rick put his hand on Jonathan's shoulder and said "Well, glad it helped...now come on. The boat is about to dock and we'll need to start unloading".
They walked to the bow and looked as the boat slowly docked and came to a stop. Angela and Evelyn already had all the bags laying beside their legs. Each of the four too a couple and sighed. As they waited, Angela sat on a crate and looked down at the floor. Evelyn couldn't help but stare at her and her mind kept on focusing on Isiria's story and the supposed twin that sat in front of her. Once again, she didn't know the half of it, and she wouldn't...ever.
Author: Darlene Evelyn
Feedback: Please let me know what you think but please don't be rude.
Copyright: All Characters from both TM and TMR except for the new ones of course, which are mine are sole property of Universal Pictures. No profit is being made with this story.
Chapter 13....
*~~~Fort Brydon~~~*
"No word yet on the O'Connells and the Carnarvons?" David asked insistently.
"No sir, please I don't have time to tend to this matter... I must be going or the regime will leave without me!" the young cadet said, trying to evade him.
"Oh fine! You can go!! I'll figure out a way to find out where they've gone to"
"Sir, didn't you just tell me a moment ago that you were going back to your hotel? I told you that I'd notify you as soon as I got news of their arrival"
"Yes, you did tell me, but I can't wait!!!, Oh....ok I'm leaving...I'm truly sorry for taking up your time, anyway thanks for your help and again just call me if anything comes up"
"I'll that message with the guards, sir"
"Thank you" David murmured before finally walking out of the fort and to his car. Looking up at the sky in frustration he suddenly shouted "Angela! Where are you?!" catching the attention of everyone around him. "I'm going to find you even if it's the last thing I do!"
He got into his car, slammed the door and drove off. "It can't take her long to return...I'm sure she'll be back in a few hours, in the meantime I'll go hang out in my room, for what little good that'll do me"
*~~~Ship, The Tigris~~~*
Angela sat against the railings of the boat, hands wrapped around the rail for security. She stared glumly out into the murky water, almost mesmerized by the sound and the movement of it. The shouts and laughter that passed by her seemed to always annoy her, but she paid them no attention. Rick and Evelyn were around the ship somewhere, they came back and forth every so often, checking on her to see how she was doing. She never moved a bit. Evelyn was getting tired of trying to get Angela to eat lunch, then dinner. Rick became as frustrated as she was, but he knew anger and shouting would only make the situation worse, that left him out of the situation. The doors of the corridor leading down to the dining room once more opened and Angela once more paid no attention to it....it was Evelyn.
"It's getting late and quite cold now isn't it, Angela? How are you feeling? Do you want anything? Please tell me" Evelyn tried to make some kind of eye contact with her, but it was as if she were in another land far from there, unable to hear a word Evelyn was saying.
Out of the corner of her eye, Angela stared at her. Evelyn was remarkably beautiful considering she spent more time in the library and museum than in front of the mirror. Rick was lucky to have a girl like her.
"Oh Angela, I see you, come on now...talk to me" Evelyn said as she smiled at her.
"Hey there! can I join you two extremely beautiful ladies?" a voice said suddenly
Evelyn looked up, startled. Rick stood before the table with a grin and a handful of almonds. Evelyn smiled and shifted over to the chair closer to the rails.
"Of course" Evie responded
Rick complied with a nod and sat down. He displayed his hand to Evelyn whom took a small handful.
"Has she moved at all?" he asked softly
"No, not an inch." Evelyn replied. "She hasn't even blinked."
Rick sighed and stared at Angela for a moment "So where is Jonathan? I haven't seen him all afternoon? What is he up to?"
"I don't know, I haven't seen him...I think he's in the parlor, either that or in the bar, I'm going to go check on him" she replied, before getting up and walking away.
"See you later" Rick called out.
Turning back towards Angela, he saw that she was still staring blankly at the water. Rick couldn't take it anymore and he took out a small handgun, pointed it up into the air and fired two shots. Cracking the tenseness of the moment, showering the table with wood chips; Angela gasped and nearly fell out of her chair in shock.
"Sorry sis, didn't mean to disturb you're endless meditation" Rick said as he put his gun back into it's holster, with a slight smile.
Sitting up straight, she said coldly "The only thing that disturbs me, Rick...is your lack of respect for other people's tranquility"
He glared at her. "I'm sorry that I'm trying to be a good brother, that's what I'm sorry about...what the hell is wrong with you, Angela? Why the sudden change of mood?".
She returned her attention to the river and Rick was now infuriatingly annoyed at her rude action.
"Angela! I'm talking to you!!"
"What?" she drearily answered
"Please Angela, you haven't eaten anything please have some almonds" he held his open hand closely to Angela.
Rick was pleading in his mind, she hadn't eaten anything all day. And his hopes suddenly collapsed of making contact when she shook her head and turned away. Rick shrugged in frustration and leaned on the rail beside her.
"We'll have reached Luxor by tomorrow morning" Rick then announced.
"Oh good!!" Angela smiled excitedly "We'll check out the site first thing and get down to checking out every square inch of the ruins! I want to see the city and the artifacts they've gathered!"
"Oh great" Rick rolled his eyes and threw the rest of the almonds into his mouth. "So what do you think Luxor is like?"
"I think it'll be quite beautiful" a voice said from behind.
They both looked up in unison to find Jonathan and Evelyn.
"So where were you?" Angela asked curiously.
"Well, I was wasting time in the dining room that's all...oh by the way I brought you this" Jonathan replied as he handed her a bowl of clear spicy soup, rice and a small plate of roast lamb with mint sauce.
"Thank you" she said softly.
"Oh don't mention it, I was starting to worry about you so I decided to bring you this, I hope it's ok"
Evelyn was quiet for a moment, as if in thought. She burst out laughing. "Well, now I see it! the little girl; thinks she needs to act a bit childish in order to get attention!"
Rick laughed with suddenly. They both looked into the darkened skies, taking in air. Rick felt very strange about Egypt, as if something just as bad was going happen all over again. The mystery of Egypt was indeed captivating, but if you get too deeply involved, you're in for very serious trouble. While amidst in thought, Rick's eyes shifted over to Angela, he wasn't sure she was starting to become a bit moody, terrifyingly silent, little brat a little too often,but she still was his one and only little sister...and to tell you truth that was good reason to act childish. Then he feared for Evelyn...she had almost died last year!! He couldn't help but feel the suspense of something happening again...because after the a year...Imhotep wasn't dead!!!!
"Do you think Imhotep knows we're here?" Rick wondered out loud directing it to Evelyn.
"No, I don't think he does...I think he would have made it known, other than the plagues" she responded.
In the meantime Angela was digging in to her dinner, the food was excellent!! She wolfed it down greedily and at one point Jonathan laughed.
"Good god, Angela! You were hungry!"
Angela paused and blushed bright red from embarrassment and then returned to her bowl of soup.
"Well, enjoy the rest of you're dinner and if you'll excuse me I'm going to bed" Jonathan said calmly as he stood up and walked away. "Good night"
"Good night" everyone called in unison.
"So Evelyn, um, what are we going to do about Imhotep? you told me that you had a plan and I'd like to know as soon as possible what it is" Rick said insistently.
Angela suddenly stood up and stared at them both for a moment before turning and leaving, slamming her chair in as she did. "Good night to you both, may your conscience be peaceful.... sweet dreams". Angela said coldly. "You'll need them".
Both Rick and Evelyn felt a cold chill down their backs, then a gust of wind swept through, sounding like a ghostly groan, blowing sand, stirring the river, ripping at their clothing, damn near knocking the boat to one side. Rick swallowed and as the boat rocked and slowly balanced itself again, he exchanged wary looks with Evelyn. She waved him off, giggling nervously
"Don't worry Rick...I'm sure it was nothing to worry about, you know how crazy the weather is here in Egypt, this is practically a normal thing" she said.
Rick, his expression gloomy all of a sudden, said "Well Evelyn, I don't know about you, but that wind didn't sound...how should I say it? 'normal' and frankly I'm not staying out here for another second... I'm going to bed"
"But it's only seven fifteen!"
"I don't care...I'm going, you can stay here or tag along with me...it's your choice"
"Oh all right, I'll go with you...I need a good night sleep anyway"
He smiled slightly and they walked downstairs to their separate cabins, small ones but very comfortable, at that...not mention they had been lucky enough to have all four cabins next to each others. Two connected to each other in case of a problem.
As they walked downstairs towards the cabins they could see that both Jonathan and Angela's cabins were dark...both had indeed gone to bed. After bidding good night to Evelyn. Rick walked into his cabin and shut the door behind him. Why did Angela respond so coldly when he had asked Evelyn about Imhotep? Why did she seem to become possessed? he thought as he lay down in his bed.
Before he could answer those two questions he drifted off to sleep. Angela's words echoing in his head..... "sweet dreams....you'll need them".
Evelyn now in her room, in the glow of the kerosene lamp on her nightstand was studying her reflection in the mirror of the dressing table, where she was seated...she sighed and stood up, crawled into bed and fell asleep..."sweet dreams"
Jonathan aroused from a deep sleep, a murmuring voice in the next room pulling him out of it. He didn't bother opening his eyes and he rolled over on his side trying to ignore it. He was tired, stressed out, he didn't want to have anything to do with the real world for this night. The murmuring kept on going and of course it was preventing him from falling back to sleep again. Jonathan sighed unknowingly and opened his sleepy eyes. It didn't hit him that Angela was still talking on until he slowly opened the door connected to her room and saw her placid body lying in the bed asleep. He stared at her for a moment, confused...had he been hearing things?
"Angela?" he called out softly, then he cleared his throat, noticing it's hoarse sound.
Angela's still body remained still and the chanting continued. Jonathan rubbed his chin in thought and tried to focus on what she was saying. The words sounded so familiar, but they didn't appear to be spoken in English. He continued to listen, and when it became too difficult he walked closer to her. Without any sound, he came forward, and stood there. Now the words came into focus. And when they did, Jonathan's heart stopped dead cold.
"O thou who art motionless, O thou who art still, O thou whose life was cursed..."
Jonathan's mind translated the ancient language as fast as he could, his heart racing in his chest wildly.
"like those of Osiris, thy shall arise"
Jonathan flipped out. He didn't know what to say, his mouth merely hung open. His body was shaking wildly as he backed into the door. He turned abruptly grabbing the door knob, throwing open the door into the hallway and he pressed himself against the door next to Angela's room, knocking on it violently as if some madman were after him.
"Rick!" he said loudly enough for him to hear.
The door finally flew open, as a disheveled Rick, his hair all tousled and his eyes groggy from sleep suddenly opened as his eyesight cleared and he saw the uneasy look on Jonathan's face, he snapped out of dreamland central.
"What's wrong, Jonathan?". Rick asked gravely." What's the matter?"
Jonathan swallowed a lump in his throat and shot a look towards the room. "I don't know how, I'm going to be able to tell you this and I don't know where to begin"
"What?! tell me Jonathan!...what is it?!"
Jonathan grabbed him by the arm and led him to the room. Rick knew had something to do with Angela...something very bad.
"Rick, Angela is chanting in Ancient Egyptian and she's saying some kind of spell about arising on who is motionless or something...it's about Imhotep" Jonathan sputtered in a shaky voice as they slowly walked in. "It's something from the Book of the Dead"
They stood before the bed, staring down at Angela. She lay still, eyes closed yet still chanting.
"How do you--" Rick tried to say.
"Rick, for Christ's sake, the words she's saying don't just come off the top of your head!"
"What is she saying now?" Rick insisted. "Tell me!"
"Um" Jonathan tried to gain control of his mind so he could understand the words once more. "Uh, they shall arise, you shall not be wretched as your were, you shall not fall into the putrid underworld...thy parts shall be made forever....for me...as if you were Osiris and I, Isis"..
Jonathan shot a look of uneasiness at Rick whose eyes narrowed, mouth twisted in dread.
"Wake her up, Jonathan" He commanded, voice edgy "Wake her, now, for the love of god wake her up"
Obediently Jonathan quickly began shaking her, almost fearful. Suddenly Angela shot up out of bed in a loud, deep gasp taking in air. She held her breath and stared at Rick and Jonathan with shocked eyes. Seizing her blankets, she slid down into her bed, confused of what had just happened to her just then.
"Why are you two staring at me like that?" she asked them in an uneasy, unstable voice. "What happened?"
"Well, sis, maybe you can answer that for us" Rick replied, wiping his forehead and then his neck. He drew back his hand in surprise, feeling beads of sweat that had built up during the ordeal.
Angela stared at them for another moment, her chest heaving up and down rapidly. "I...just...uh had.. a dream, that's it really".
"What was in it?" Jonathan said as he drew closer to her.
"What do you mean by that?" Angela replied, as she looked at him puzzled, unsure of why they were starting to get so interested in her dream.
"Was there somebody in your dream?" Rick asked this time.
"Yes" she replied.
"Who?" asked Jonathan
There was then a long period of enigmatic silence.
"Angela, tell us who was in your dream! was it Imhotep?" Rick asked demandingly
"No, it was....a man, another man" Angela said uneasily.
"But it wasn't Imhotep?" Jonathan asked.
"I...I don't remember"
Rick now paced back and forth behind Jonathan, hands rubbing his head in concentration while his eyes were lock on Angela. "She's hiding something...and I know it, why won't she tell us? What is she hiding from us?" he wondered.
"Was there anyone else in it? Anyone or anything unusual?" he said. "Please tell us the truth...we need to know!! "
"No" Angela replied "There wasn't anyone or anything else"
"Where were you in your dream?"
"Um, I was in a palace of some sort either that or it was some kind of temple...to tell you the truth I'm not to sure where or what this place was"
"What did it look like?"
"I don't remember, Rick. It was all...kind of dim"
Jonathan then took Angela's trembling hand into his and kneeled down beside her "What was the man telling you? he asked softly "Please, tell us".
"Um, things....like I said I don't remember really clearly, um something about a matter of state, oh god, I don't know!". she whimpered. "I really don't know!"
"Try" Rick insisted "We need to know what is it that happened!"
"Please Angela, tell us" Jonathan added "It's important"
"Why?! why do you want to know! god! it was just a dream for crying out loud!....dreams are just a part of life! not because of one dream that I had does that mean that they mean anything! so don't take them as something out of the ordinary!" Angela suddenly erupted angrily.
Rick and Jonathan backed up, startled by her sudden change of mood. As they stared at her in shock, she stared back at them, anger and worry spread across her face.
"Is that what you think? that it's ordinary! for Christ's sake, Angela! you were chanting in Ancient Egyptian! that isn't ordinary" Rick said suddenly, raising his tone of voice as he did. "What are you going to tell me next, huh? that having a three thousand year old mummy coming after you because you remind him of his girlfriend is normal!"
"Get-out" Angela hissed angrily.
"But I'm not--"
"I said...get out!!!"
Rick and Jonathan got out, shutting the door as they did. Outside they stood stock still not knowing what to make of it all, it was all to weird.
"You know, you shouldn't treat your sister like that, O'Connell...you're pressurizing her too much to tell you about a subject she doesn't like to talk about"
"Jonathan, please, stay out of this"
"No O'Connell, I'm not going to and for your information you're acting too rude with her...just continue doing so I won't stop you, but don't come whining to Evie and I that she stopped talking to you"
"What!! I'm not acting rude!"
"Ha! you're not acting rude? you're practically trying to force Angela to tell you things that she doesn't want to talk about, like the dream...wait until she's calm and then maybe she'll tell you"
"We need to get as much information as possible...we need to stop Imhotep before the world ends!"
"I won't argue with you on that one, but first start acting more like an understanding brother than a strict, demanding father...you've said it yourself...you're father was the reason you left home and the reason Angela was sent to a boarding school...don't you think acting like your father will remind Angela of the past? you're giving her more reason to hate you and to leave you"
Rick walked up to the railings and looked up at the moon, it's reflection shimmering on the river, casting eerie waves of silver and black on it's surface. The breeze had clamed and was now only a gentle sigh in the air.
"You're right Jonathan, I'm starting to act like my dad and I've never wanted to act like him, I can't lose my sister now after not seeing her for fourteen years, especially not because of this"
"Well, what are you planning on doing then?" Jonathan asked.
"I plan on being a better brother, I need to stop acting like she's a child, I mean I've always seen her as my baby sister and somehow I need to see her as a mature woman who can make her own decisions"
Jonathan nodded and patted Rick on the shoulder.
"Well that's your first step all you have to do now is act it out"
"But I'm still not letting you get near her"
"But Rick!!"
"No Jonathan, you haven't changed and I'm sure of that...so I won't let you hurt her, do you understand that? she may be a mature girl, but you aren't getting near her as long as I'm around"
"Pretty understandable, I guess, good night" Jonathan said drearily before walking to his room.
"Good night" Rick said, as he walked back into Angela's cabin...this was going to be a long night, only nine hours to go, nine hours....are eternity.
The warm sun of Egypt poured through the window of Angela's cabin as Rick pulled back the shutters. He stood motionless for a few moments, looking into the dark waters of the Nile River. In the distance, the peaks of mountains poked out of the horizon. He gazed at them in awe, goosebumps crawling over his skin as if they had been created to make all man and beast tremble in fear at the sight of them. He didn't want to be in Egypt anymore. Rick wanted to be back in London, a place far away from the insanity that Egypt contained. He just knew sooner or later something was going to happen...it was just a matter of time itself.
Unfortunately, time that time came way too fast. He wasn't sure what to do next. He hadn't slept at all for the rest of the night. Angela had persistently refused to sleep at all, but she didn't appear to think anything more of it than a bad dream. After what had happened last year Rick wasn't sure if he could go along with that again. A year ago all of this was an adventure, all in the name of good fun. When he had first came to the beautiful country of Egypt, everything had fascinated him, especially the treasure and adventures within it's land. Now. Rick wasn't here for entertainment this time though, he was here for something personal, not treasure either. He was here simply to save the world again, get his sister safely away from Lewis and Imhotep and live happily ever after. They had come looking for adventure, thrills and chills and now it seemed to be coming after them, with a vengeance.
There was a knock on the door and Rick and opened it, to find Evelyn standing there with a sleepy look on her face.
"Rick?" Evelyn yawned, stumbling into the room. "It's awfully early, what are you doing in here?"
"Waiting for another surprise" he responded. At that moment Angela sat up and looked at them both for a moment childishly.
"You still in a bad mood?" Rick suddenly asked, noticing the bright, cheery smile on her face. "When you smile you look exactly like mom, you're as beautiful as she was"
Angela blushed and shook her head. "Nah, I'm a mess".
"So how do you feel?" Evelyn asked
"Better, I'm sorry about yesterday, everything came together and I really couldn't handle all of the pressure...I'll try not to take it out on you guys next time, it's not your fault that the plagues pop out at unexpected times...that's all"
"It's OK, don't worry about it" Evelyn replied assuringly.
"Well, I think we'll leave you alone now, so you can get ready...we only have two hours and a half to go until we get to Luxor" Rick said matter-of- factly.
Taking Evelyn's hand into his they walked out, closing the door. A sudden silence fell upon the room and suddenly Angela felt alone. She slowly got out of bed and walked to her dressing table.
Angela's restless night of sleep had shown on her face. She could hardly hold her eyes open and there were dark circles under them. Before leaving her cabin, she made sure she covered them up with a bit a make up. Almost every morning of her life she had, had this happen to her. She was sick and tired of her dream. Angela had never told anybody about it and she wasn't even about to start. Fourteen years of the exact, same dream was enough to make anyone go mad. She could remember everything and she could repeat what was said and what was done, not only in English, but in Egyptian as well. In the past, she had tried to find some kind of meaning, some kind of message from it, but she couldn't. All she could do was shove it away in the back of her mind, saving it for a time that she never expected to come.
Suddenly she heard the others in Rick's room. Rick and Jonathan were arguing and she could hear them so clearly through the walls separating them.
"Oh bloody hell! that was my foot O'Connell!" Jonathan yelped in pain. "Watch where you put your bags!"
"Well Jonathan, your foot shouldn't have been in the way of my bag" Rick said back to him "Now move I need to put these down!"
"My foot was there long before. Anyway what are in those things? Iron? Bricks?"
"What's in my bag could easily..."
"Oh would you to be quiet?! you two act like such children! Now if you could just grow up we could get everything straight without fighting" Evelyn broke in. "God! there is never one moment where you two don't argue!"
Angela laughed to herself. Rick and Jonathan had always fought like siblings often did. She didn't know how they had been like in the past but this was just way too silly. A crossed her mind possibly Jonathan was getting envious of Rick. After all, Jonathan had been the man in Evelyn's life always and now Rick had came in and changed all that. She didn't know what to think, Jonathan never showed any of his inner feelings and thoughts but she could guess that, that's what he was thinking, honestly he was a completely an enigma to her.
Angela finished getting dressed. This time she put something a little looser so she would be much more comfortable, It still hugged her curves though as they were boots and chinos begging for her to break them in, plus her white V-neck blouse. Overall she was traversing some very nice curves. She put on her last touches of make-up and sighed at herself in the mirror. Truly she wanted this dream to end but somehow she knew it wouldn't no matter how much she wished it to happen, Why was this happening? Why didn't it change? Why me? She kept on asking herself those questions that didn't have any answers for her. Looking down at the dresser she these questions put on her jewelry: necklace, bracelet and ring.
As she walked away from the dresser and over to her bed she could still hear Jonathan and Rick arguing in the room. Checking all her bags once more she grabbed her pack and a small pouch, if you want to call it that, that she carried with her everywhere and opened it. Angela had put the key in this bag a few days earlier and something told her to make sure that it was still there, just for security reasons. Looking inside, searching for it after a few seconds...she couldn't find it! A sudden feeling of worry went through her and she jumped on her bed and dumped her pack out, pushing everything aside in a frantic search and looked over it, but it wasn't there! She looked back inside her pouch and to her horror it wasn't there either!
"Oh my god! where the hell is the key!" she thought anxiously
Suddenly a light clicked on in her head. Imhotep must have gotten it as well when he had gotten the book! Somehow she didn't care about that, all she really cared about was what Rick would think if he found out. Putting all of her stuff back into her pouch and closing it she sighed and thought everything over...what was Imhotep planning on doing with the book? What the hell was all of this? Why hadn't she just left Cairo like Anton had told her? Why?
With keys in hand, she grabbed her other bags and brought them outside and locked the door behind her, this after checking the room again to make sure she hadn't left anything. After assuring herself, she walked to the upper deck, stumbling occasionally as she dragged her bags behind her.
"What now god?" she asked out loud......"What now?"
Chapter 14
*~~~Hotel Stack~~~*
"God! why haven't they called?! Goddamnit! it doesn't take that long to see Cairo!" David yelled angrily as he threw a whisky bottle at the wall, shattering it into a thousand pieces.
"Bravo David, you have single handedly manage to do everything I did...which is absolutely nothing" Lewis replied sarcastically.
"Oh shut the hell up!"
"David, I recommend you calm down, after all its only been what? a day now? you're too impatient my friend, so just wait it out and relax...for the better of all of us"
"I will wait it out! just not here!!" David glared "I'm taking some of your men with me, we're going to wait for them at the fort and when they arrive, well let's just say...that Angela is mine! all mine!"
Lewis pulled out his gun and aimed it at David's head in a movement swift enough that even his own henchmen should've taken notes, if they hadn't all been taken by surprise. "You mean, she's mine"
"Uh, yes, uh that is exactly what I meant...uh she's all yours as soon as I get her".
Lewis smiled innocently, lowering his gun. "Just to be sure you don't try and pull something on me, I'll send Victor with you".
"Victor? who's Victor?"
The answer to his question suddenly appeared, a young man of 28 dressed in a black suit holding two shotguns. "Hello David, that name is Victor....I'll be accompanying you, security reasons, you understand...don't you?"
"Of course I do, uh, well lets get going"
"Boys, make sure Mr. Richardson follows the plan, if he doesn't....shoot him" Lewis said coldly and as calmly as an ocean with no breeze.
"As you say so" some of them answered.
"Well now, now that is settled...you can go"
David swallowed and walked out of the door with fifteen guys following behind "Damn you, Lewis" he murmured "Damn you" .
"So should I go with him?" Vinnie asked
"No, you and I have to stay here and prepare for our trip back to London, the accommodations for Angela must be perfect, after all...she is my fiancée and we will be married soon enough".
*~~~The Ship, Tigris~~~*
"Hey Angela!!!" Jonathan called out as he walked towards her nonchalantly.
"Hi Jonathan, I'm sorry about last night"
"Oh don't worry about it, I couldn't even sleep anyway, so anyway what happened to you? you were all distant and moody with us...why?"
"Everything came together...that's all I can say"
"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better...Luxor is only an hour away, ah this will be a trip to remember... can you imagine! The Temple of Karnak and the Collossi of Memnon..I can't wait to see them!"
"Yeah, they must be beautiful, well, the ones that are visible to us tourist folk at least, they say that Luxor is one of the most unique cities in the ancient world, we'll just have to see for ourselves"
"So what did you dream about last night?" Jonathan suddenly asked, taking Angela by surprise.
"Um, well, I uh, don't really remember...to tell you the truth it was just a nightmare...that's all"
"Oh, ok"
"Good morning you two!" a voice said happily.
Angela looked back to see Evelyn walking towards them, her dark maroon dress gently fluttering in the breeze. Rick appeared behind her carrying a couple of small bags and a huge backpack as well.
"Oh blast, I'll be right back" Evelyn said as she hurried down the hall.
"So is that what you dropped on Jonathan's foot?" Angela asked curiously as Rick set the luggage down.
"Yeah, it is, but how did you kn-?" Rick tried to ask.
"I was listening, I mean, I could hear you guys arguing in the other room about that....so what's in it? bricks? cannonballs? come one bro you can tell us"
Rick shrugged, kneeling at the gunnysack from which he began to withdraw various items, mostly weapons: three pairs of revolvers, several; hunting knives, an elephant gun, about 12 boxes of bullets and two dozen carefully wrapped sticks of dynamite.
Arching an eyebrow, peering over the table, Angela said "Um Rick, did I miss something? are we going to hijack something or are we going to be involved in a massacre?"
Rick sat in the chair on the other side of her table, with the weapons spread out at his feet. From the gunnysack he withdrew a box of oversized shells and began to load the elephant gun.
"I suppose certain precautions are necessary for ones safety" she granted him with a slight smile.
He looked up at her from his work and smiled back. "Well sis, it's better to be prepared as the Boy Scouts say it"
"Yes, I guess so" she said anxiously as she looked out at the desert gliding by, pausing for a moment she asked "So what was Hamunaptra like before it was destroyed?"
Rick jumped and stared at her "What makes you think I went?"
"Well a lot of things, such as your fear of Imhotep, how Ardeth Bay knew you and just happened to mention you the day of the ambush at the dig"
"Oh, well it was very old and it was full of columns and statues of Egyptian gods, it was a very nice place except that...."
"Except for what?"
"Something very odd, something older than civilization itself....evil possesses that area of the desert"
"Evil?"
"Yes, well you already know who I mean, as well as the rest of the place...it's all cursed...the Bedouin people have always said in their language that it is the doorway to hell".
Angela smiled "Ahmar isos Ossirion, actually...the passageway to hell"
Rick began cleaning and oiling the revolvers, nervously "Yeah, something like that"
"Here let me help you out with those" Angela said as she helped him oil, load and clean the guns.
"I must say, for you to know how to oil and load guns as well as clean them, you have a better grasp of arsenal than one might suspect".
She grinned at him "Maybe I have a better grasp of Egyptian than one might suspect"
Rick felt a chill and he smiled uneasily and laughed nervously "Uh, I guess so, ya"
The gunnysack was nearly repacked and Angela was just examining one last weapon, a gun-like crossbow, when she suddenly saw a shadow standing over her and sensed a presence, looking up she found that no one was there! She rose slowly, weapon in hand and stepped over the left over scattered weapons, then suddenly spun around to find Evelyn behind her.
"I should've known it was you" Angela said with a sigh of relief.
"I went back to the cabin, I thought you had heard me say so, um ok, can you take that thing out of my face, Angela, please"
"Oh! sorry I uh, oh I'm sorry" Angela replied as she put the gun down in the table next to a very shocked Rick.
"How much longer til we get to Luxor?" Jonathan asked, mildly amused at what had happened.
"About fifteen minutes, don't worry" Rick answered.
"You know I'm amazed, in this entire boat trip not once did we get ambushed by the Med-Jai they must have been really busy with some other supernatural things or who know knows? maybe they all quit and decided to get normal jobs for a change" Jonathan said, brightening up as he drummed his fingers impatiently on the wicker table.
"Yeah, maybe they finally realized that their ways aren't the best when it comes to handling problems" Angela replied with a simper.
"At the very least, I would say" Evelyn was pulling a book out of her small luggage "From the evidence at hand that the Med-Jai are either slow or they just do not want to have anything to do with us any longer"
"Or they're waiting for us in Luxor" Rick suddenly cut in with a grave look on his face.
No one said anything, then some nervous giggles followed, but somehow Angela could sense the real trepidation among the group. All of them shared uneasy looks, then suddenly Angela laughed, though it wasn't terribly convincing. Jonathan moved close, putting a protective arm around her shoulder, though somehow Angela felt that he was seeking the comfort of her closeness as much as offering the security of his.
"So, uh what now?" Angela asked as she rested her head on Jonathan's shoulder, much to Rick's shock.
"Jonathan, could you get us something to drink?" Rick asked abruptly.
"Why? we're almost there, O'Connell" Jonathan replied.
"Just go" Rick said sternly "Now"
"Uh...ok...what do you want then?"
"Just get some water"
"Why can't you get it yourself?"
"Jonathan...go!" Rick demanded
"Ok, right, I'm going" Jonathan said as he stood up causing Angela to sit upstraight.
"So if the Med-Jai are really at Luxor, which I doubt...what do you think we should do? we're only four against what? thirty or so of them. We could stay on the boat but then they'd burn it down....or better yet we could get off and get shot...what's the choice bro?" Angela asked carelessly.
"Angela, if the Med-Jai are there, then we'll just step off peacefully and if things get out of hand well then we'll have a shoot rampage...how about that?" Rick replied just as calmly.
"Oh you two! we are not doing anything of the sort! we're just going to get off the boat, rent some camels and have a peaceful day in Luxor....ok?" Evelyn said in her best "this is how it will be" tone of voice.
"Oh ok" Both Rick and Angela sighed in unison...as they gave Evelyn dreary looks.
"But don't look at me like that! you cannot solve problems by shoot people! You two are absolutely without a doubt the same in almost every way" Evelyn said exasperatedly.
"Evelyn calm down, it's not a big deal...we were just joking weren't we sis?" Rick said with grin on his face.
"Right Rick, we were just joking...that's all" Angela replied with sly tone of voice.
"See Evelyn!"
Evelyn just rolled her eyes and sighed. There was a moment of silence. "So how are you feeling?" Evelyn asked Angela, as she noticed her staring out into the river.
"I'm a little tired but other than that I'm ok" Angela replied, then she glance back at the river.
"Breathing normal?" Rick asked jokingly
"Yes" Angela answered with a confused look in her eyes.
Suddenly Jonathan came running up to the three of them and asked out of breath "Can anyone handle gnats?".
"No, not really, why?" Rick answered curiously.
"Because those bloody things are all over the place!"
"Shoot, why now?" Rick said to the girls as he went to Jonathan. "Goddamnit!"
"That's plague number five....oh dear god" Evelyn exclaimed "It can't be"
"Oh great, what are we gonna do now? we can't just tell the captain to turn the ship around and head back to Cairo"
"All we can do now is wait and when we go back to Cairo we're going to the Museum and start doing some extensive research. I don't know what else we can do.. Do you by any chance have the key and the Book of the Dead...Angela?" Evelyn said sternly then directing the question towards a quiet Angela who was suddenly phased out.
"No I, uh don't" Angela replied.
"Oh no, I don't know what we will find or how it could help us. I mean the Book of Amun-Ra is what killed Imhotep last time...but how can we get it? it's at the bottom of the Black bog...unless we go to Hamunaptra we won't be able to get it"
Angela just nodded and suddenly shook her head as she stared out at the incoming port of Luxor. "No we can't kill him, we can't" she thought.
Rick ran to the bow with Jonathan trailing behind. "Oh my god" were his first words.
"You see O'Connell, they're all over the place" Jonathan said frantically.
"Damn it...how the hell did this happen? what the hell were you doing?"
"Well O'Connell as you demanded I went to go get you guys the glasses of water and as I was coming back I happened to watch as the boat sailed into port...that's when I saw that"
"Well congratulations you got the news of the fifth plague...be proud of yourself Jon"
"Now what? we can't just stroll off of the boat onto port like that...unless you consider being insect food and all"
"I know, but I'm not so much worried about those goddamn bugs as I am about Imhotep, he'll be waiting for Angela...we can't just show ourselves...goddamnit why are you doing this?"
"We're getting closer, oh god gnats....I hate gnats"
"They won't kill you, Jonathan"
"But they do bite"
"Yeah you're right" Rick said anxiously as he glanced at Evelyn and Angela who were talking and in a way arguing about something, but then again he glanced back at the port. "Ok,um so did you see anything else?"
"No...O'Connell, please, just shut up! and let's get inside somewhere!' Jonathan shouted frustratingly "We can't stay out here!".
They both ran back to the table and suddenly Rick grabbed Angela and Evelyn by the arm, yanking them out of their chairs. Jonathan quickly grabbed the luggage, struggling to pick them up but finally getting the strength to carry them.
Making his way to the cargo room Rick threw Angela and Evelyn inside.
"Happy Birthday" he said.
"Oh thanks a bunch" Angela said with a slight hint of sarcasm and surprise in her voice. "Remind me to give you something on your birthday".
Rick got to the door and shut it just as Jonathan walked, suddenly tripping and falling with all the bags, landing with a loud crash.
Angela stood up and rushed over to him, helping him, stumbling a bit as they tripped over the bags.
"Aren't you going to tell the captain about this?" Evelyn asked curiously "After all this isn't normal".
"Nah, he could find out for himself" Rick said heedlessly.
Jonathan dusted himself off and rushed to the door, locking it in a hurry.
"I think a little bit of me is starting to rub off on you, Jonathan" Rick said jokingly
"I doubt it" Jonathan replied without turning around "That will never happen"
Rick laughed and walked over to a crate and sat down to join Angela and Evelyn. The girls got to their feet and Rick then said jokingly "Your brother here has a weakness for bugs, Evelyn"
"How many were there?" Evelyn asked.
"A whole bloody swarm, sis! you should have seen it! It was huge!"
"You're scared" Rick said mockingly.
"Oh shut up, O'Connell! Why don't you go out there...if you you're so brave then?"
Evelyn laughed. Jonathan has always been the preppy kind that didn't like to get his hands dirty unless there was treasure, money and/or booze involved. Yep, typical schoolboy lad.
"We can't stay here" Angela said anxiously "We can't hide"
"Oh yes we can, we're just gonna wait til the commotion ends, then we'll get off" Rick said "Oh and here, take this".
He tossed a shotgun to Angela who easily caught it. Then handed one over to Jonathan. "Take it" he said "We're going to need them"
Evelyn sat on the crate and stared at him, arms crossed and stern look on her face. "Now honestly you three, we can't just walk out there with guns in our hands and expect to be fine"
"Wanna bet" Rick and Angela said in unison.
They sat in the cargo room and quietly waited out the rest of the way, eager to get out to solid ground. Finally the boat docked at the port and the four of them stared at one another as if asking silently to themselves "Where is all the noise?...what is going on here?". Strangely enough there was no sound whatsoever, there was only a looming silence. One by one they stepped out of the cargo room and onto the deck. The rest of the passengers were now unloading their things and walking off the steamer much to their great surprise.
"So where are all the gnats?" Angela asked softly.
Everyone looked around dazed and confused and gently sighed amazed at the whole ordeal...where had they gone to? O'Connell slung on the gunnysack around his shoulders, bent down and picked up two bag and headed down the gang plank with the rest of group following behind slowly.
"You girls wait down by the river near the dune over there and Jonathan and I will meet you down there. We just have to check something out and talk a bit more"
"No O'Connell....not again" Jonathan said drearily "I'm getting sick of all these talks"
"Stop complaining and come on" Rick said as he pulled Jonathan back into a small trading post.
As she saw them disappear into the crowd. Angela looked back up at the boat, watching for Imhotep to step off or something, but he didn't. Where was he? something inside of her needed him. He had such a knack for disappearing and something else inside of her hated it. Turning back to face the hills and dunes, a sudden wind blew through echoing a word that instantly flared
something inside of her. It seemed to say...."Isiria".
She turned and looked around frantically trying to find where the voice had came from.
Rick stopped walking and froze. "Did you hear that Jonathan?" he asked uneasily.
"It was the wind, O'Connell...that's all" Jonathan replied.
"But it clearly said Isiria...I heard it"
"O'Connell, seriously you should stop thinking about that poor girl...this is all too much for you I see"
Still waiting, Evelyn suddenly noticed Angela looking around, frantically as if she'd lost something dear to her.
"Um, Angela, what or who are you looking for?" she asked curiously.
Whirling around Angela looked at her with wide eyes "Nothing, I was just looking at the surroundings".
"I have something to ask you, but I think I'll wait until we get back to Cairo...Do you promise me that you will answer all my questions?"
"Yeah, sure"
"Ok...Oh look Rick and Jonathan already got the camels...come on we mustn't keep them waiting"
"I agree, let's go".
In no time, the late morning sun was beating down on them. Without a single cloud in the sky, there was absolutely no chances of shade anywhere. Angela looked around at her friends, next to her Evelyn quietly hummed to herself, her dark maroon dress was bold against the desert sands, but somehow she felt cool, she rode side saddle on her camel, but unlike her. Angela rode like a cowgirl with one leg on each side of the camel. She could never quite imagine herself riding like Evelyn because of her fear of falling off and making a fool of herself.
Her chinos blended in with the colors of the landscape as she rode the bumpy animal. Her long, dark brown hair tied up in a braid managed to keep her cool from the scorching heat. Now behind them, Jonathan was tugging along, he amazingly managed to keep a good, steady control of his camel while he sipped from his water canteen. Perfect disguise, his tan clothes and pith helmet also blended in well with the sand. If it wasn't for the dark blankets and bags on the camel, no one would have been able to tell if someone was riding on it. Leading the pack was Rick, who's guns could be heard clacking and clicking as he rode. His outfit looked a lot like Jonathan's with the exception that he wore no pith helmet.
The endless sun-baked Sahara stretched out across the Nile River. Angela found the great desert with it's sweeping vistas shimmering in the sunlight, an awe-inspiring, intimidating landscape never to be taken as a game. Right then they were moving over a hard, sandy terrain littered with stones and dotted with Papyrus as well as Lotus and Hyacinth flowers that floated gracefully on the river, they all gently breathed the sweet, soft perfume of the clovers and plants and enjoyed the scenic ride.
Angela jogged up, bobbing along side her brother and said with a sigh "Isn't it beautiful, the serenity of Egypt astounds me...it's quiet beauty and enigmatic landscape can't compare to any other place that I've seen before...it's magical, enchanting even haunting at times"
"Well, I was just going to say that, sis" Rick said. "Only in fewer words, but yeah it's really enchanting"
Angela smiled, her innocent smile that smile that anyone would love to see "You're making fun of me, Rick"
"Yep, that's what I'm here for" he replied "Making fun of you is my job".
As they made their way into the ruined city of Luxor, everyone's eyes went wide...it was spectacular! Angela stopped her camel, jumped off and ran up ahead as everyone else got off of theirs.
"Oh my god, this is beautiful! have you ever seen anything like it!" Angela called out amazed at the sight.
Jonathan smiled to himself and paused to touch his heart, whispering..."Never"
It was burning hot at midday in Luxor. They had waited a bit until late afternoon before going to check out things, taking a long stroll through the temple complex, much to Angela's disappointment. They had started out as one big group but Angela had wandered off into the temples to do a bit of exploring of her own. She walked among the pillars, now and then looking up at the beautiful inscriptions, but for the most part she was part deep in her own thoughts.
Jonathan had followed her after he noticed that Rick and Evelyn were too busy talking amongst themselves. He was always a few steps behind Angela as if he were her guardian angel. It seemed that she fit in perfectly in these surroundings, all she needed was a skin tight fabric dress and she would be the princess of this realm, his realm. He felt like calling out to her but when he opened his mouth to speak out not a word came out.
"Someday I'm going to tell you all of what I feel" he said softly to himself "I'll tell you so much that you'll get tired of listening to me. I shall tell you how much I love you and how I will never let a thing happen to you and how I have never loved anyone as much as I love you, but now there's time for me to wait...I want to tell you so much, but I can't, I just can't"
Angela reached the immense temple with it's court of pillars within and she fell strangely silent. She looked up at the great relief of a statue of a warrior king, Seti I.
Jonathan stopped, it was clear to his heart that he didn't want to go on, the pain he felt at the sound of her words back in Cairo when she had spoken to him about Imhotep had returned, the light had suddenly disappeared out of his eyes and his soul. Closing his eyes, he sighed and started to walk back to the camels when a voice suddenly caught his attention.
"Jonathan wait!" the voice called out.
He turned around to see Angela standing a few feet away from him.
"So what were you doing, Jonathan?" she asked curiously.
"Um well, I uh was just taking a look at the temple that's all, these pillars are thousand of years old and yet they're still standing tall, it's beautiful, isn't it?" he said giddily.
"Yeah, it's beautiful" Angela replied as she walked towards him "I love it, the hieroglyphics are spectacular...everything here is exceedingly beautiful...I could stay here forever"
"Yes, well I wish we could do that too...now why don't we go check out the rest of the temples, shall we?"
"Yes, let's go and check out the rest of these testaments to a desire for immortality, built for all eternity in sandstone and granite...god could you believe these tombs and temples are still up and surrounded by souks. On the east bank of the Nile here, the Karnak temples and on the west bank, the Valley of the Kings and Queen Hatshepsut's temple...ahh ok let's go"
They walked into the temple, disappearing inside.
"I can't believe this!!, one minute Jonathan and Angela are behind us, the next they're gone!. ...where the hell could they be?" Rick said frustratingly
"Um, well I'm not sure, but I am sure about is that they will be quite all right...maybe they just got caught up in something back there" Evelyn said assuringly as she glanced back towards the temples behind them.
"Come on we're going to go look for them, after the plagues and truth about Jonathan's feelings. I'm prepared to take out a few people, come on"
"But Rick!--"
Before she could finish her sentence, Rick grabbed he by the hand and walked towards the temples.
"Rick, we're never going to find them! just have fun! come on that's what we're here for" Evelyn said, stopping suddenly which caused him to bounce back.
Rick turned to face her and glare, something he had never done. In that instant Evelyn suddenly wondered if it was him and not Angela who was possessed...what was up with him?
"We need to find them. I don't want anything to happen to them" he suddenly said urgently.
"You mean you don't want anything to happen ''between'' them" Evelyn mumbled frustratingly. "How comforting to hear you say something like that".
"Yeah, well I care about my sister"
"Oh! I thought you said ''them'' not ''her'' , but ok Rick if you insist let's waste our day in the ruins searching...after all we're not here to see anything we're just here to baby-sit your sister".
"You have standards, Evelyn, I'm glad...it helps me out so much"
Evelyn rolled her eyes and sighed...no use in arguing.
*~~~Fort Brydon~~~*
The heat was unbearable and the silence showed. The soldiers were up on their parapets, some dozing, some just about to. All in all no one felt like doing anything...well almost no one.
"Ok, all of you take a room each, don't make anything look suspicious, if there aren't any rooms then I suggest you find a place near here, no is leaving this fort...got it?" Victor ordered like general sending in his troops to destroy an enemy building.
None of the men answered, but their faces showed that they agreed.
"Um ok Victor, and I'm guessing you'll be keeping watch at the gate, right?" David said weakly.
"Very good David...you're really smart, frankly I'm amazed"
David only smiled sarcastically and walked over to the registration window.
"Excuse me by any chance do you know the whereabouts of Angela O'Connell?" he asked the cadet.
"No sir I don't, she has not arrived since she left sir, all I know is that she hasn't signed out yet and neither have the Carnarvons...did my friend not call you yesterday?"
"No, he didn't, but it's ok I'll just wait here I'm sure she'll be back in no time"
He walked out into the garden and sat down on a bench, the rest had
disappeared, including Victor, much to his amazement.
"Well as long as they aren't aiming guns at me, I'm fine...Angela come soon...I'll get you out and I'll make you love, just as soon as I get that blasted Book of the Dead!" he thought as he looked around anxiously.
How close David was to the truth...indeed someone was up on one of the parapets, but they weren't aiming a gun at him, they were preparing to have the entire fort over for ''lunch''.
"Master Imhotep, are you sure you would like to wait for Isiria here? why not in her room?" Beni asked in Hebrew.
"I would like to surprise her, my loyal servant, she loves surprises and I am sure she will be very happy to see me once more, where is my love by the way?...did she not say that she would be here?" Imhotep replied.
"Yes master, she promised to be here, I think she may be expecting you in her quarters"
"Let's pay her a visit"
Dissolving into sand, they seeped down the side of building and into Angela's room, her perfume giving a soft, delicate feminine smell to the room. Apparently though, another man had been here as well.
Instantly Imhotep morphed back and he started to look around, without a sign of his love. She was gone! Not a sound in the room where had she gone to? Imhotep stared fixedly around the room, the clock chimed twice in the living room.
Suddenly he walked towards the drawers. He could hear the creak of the floor beneath his feet as he made his way to them. There, on the drawer was a paper with his name written in Hieratic. Lift it and you will know. Pick it up. Imagine...what could it say? He reached out for the paper, his hands poised, trembling. Picking it up, he turned it over to find a small note from Isiria: "I shall see you again soon my love, all in time. I shall come back to be reunited with you because...I love you".
His eyes moved tentatively over the note and suddenly he was staring fixedly at it, a smile spread on his handsome face. The words so politely spoken, so beautiful, he could almost hear her voice telling him this.
While this was going on, Beni caught sight of some photos...curious he picked them up and started looking through them. One in part got his attention.. it was one of a boy of about fourteen years with a younger girl posing by him...he flipped it over and saw a small message:
"To our beloved mom, we miss you and hope you will be here in Chicago soon....Love Rick and Angela O'Connell".
He looked at the second photo and saw...Isiria! no this wasn't Isiria, as Imhotep thought..no this was Angela! Rick's little sister! A million memories flashed before his eyes in special, a conversation between Rick and him they had, had back in Hamunaptra while they had been in the French Foreign Legions,
// "So tell me my friend, do you have any family back in Chicago?" Beni had asked.
"Yeah I do actually, a sister...her name is Angela" Rick replied "She is so adorable, I'll have to introduce her to you one of these days...when I find her" //
Reality struck him hard, like a ton of bricks. He suddenly felt an instant hate fill him and he smiled evilly, ah you sly devil you. Revenge was a very good thing indeed.
"I'll hit O'Connell where it hurts him the most...his darling little sister. She will pay for his stupidity, oh poor baby" he thought maniacally "Oh well, can't feel sorry for everyone"
"We shall wait her" Imhotep said sternly in Hebrew.
"Yes, as you wish...but I do not recommend we stay here at plain sight"
"You are right, servant,...we shall be gone from view and when my princess arrives...we shall show ourselves...after all I need to give her one last gift"
"and what is that, master?....another ring?"
"No.....her past"
Chapter 15
*~~~Luxor, Temple of Deir-El-Bahari~~~*
"Where are they?" Rick said frustratingly. "They couldn't have gone far" .
"Rick, for the love of god, leave them be!" Evelyn said as Rick dragged her through out the temple, the eyes of the tourists watching them in surprise.
"Angela! Where are you!" Rick shouted.
Evelyn couldn't take it anymore, she let go of Rick's grasp and stopped in her steps.
"I am not going with you, Rick, if you want to go and waste your day that is just fine with me! as for myself I am going to take a look at the temples by myself! Good day!"
Rick froze and whirled around to see her storming off in the direction they had came.
"Wait! Evelyn!...oh god...I'm sorry! Wait!" he said suddenly as he ran behind her. "Let's talk! or better yet, let's look at the temples together!".
"No Rick! it seems like your sister is the only person in this world! I don't exist for you anymore! and not until you treat both of us fairly don't expect me to be lovy-dovy with you!" Evelyn shouted angrily.
O'Connell, the hero, suddenly swept her into his arms and kissed her, deeply, passionately. She was in shock but she kissed him back the same way, wrapping her arms around him. The kiss lasted forever and then another of the same duration followed it.
Rick slung himself onto a camel, pulling Evelyn up behind him, where she clung to his waist, cuddling, kissing, giggling, making everyone around them smile and sigh at the sight of the two.
"I love you" Rick said softly "and I'm sorry for acting like such a jerk".
"Oh, you're not acting like a jerk Rick, you're just being too overprotective that's all"
"What do you suggest I do?"
"For now don't worry, you can't shut Angela out of the world, she needs to experience things for herself and with you always behind her she cannot really decide what she wants to do... let her make her own decisions...OK?"
"OK, I guess you're right...everyone is always right...well let's just leave
it at that and lets go see the rest of Luxor".
"I thought you'd never say that"
Suddenly he swatted the camel and they raced towards the looming temple in the distance. Evelyn's hair streaming in the wind. Her laughter made Rick smile and he laughed along with her...yes, this felt so much better than worrying, but then again what didn't?
"It's time that my sister act on her, even if it means putting aside the world for her happiness I just hope she makes the right choice" Rick thought as they rode.
As the day went on, the two tiny groups had gotten drawn a tad bit close together, it was serene, relaxing a time to push the problems away and leave them for another time, possibly forever if it was possible.
The Temples of Karnak and Luxor loomed over the ruins like to pharaohs who had never let go of their place, no matter how long a time had passed nor how destroyed their city was. Following a row of hieroglyphics, the symbols for life and death showed up.. roughly translated "After peace...there is chaos...beware for it shall strike when mortals least expect it.. beware the chaos...beware the change".
Angela and Jonathan had come to the greatest and most beautiful of the temples of Luxor. The shore excursion had been cut short on account of the sweltering heat, but it had been fun nonetheless, but now that night was setting in...the wind blew over the desert sand dunes. Stealthily they walked down the staircase of the temple. It was magnificent and utterly breath taking as it shown a beautiful tannish yellow on its walls just as the sun set down over the horizon, slowly disappearing. The temple had suddenly turned azure as the night sky melted and slithered into the surroundings of the ruins. Some Bedouin men were slowly setting on the pyres causing the insides of the temples to glow...it was awe inspiring.
Angela wrapped her coat tightly around herself, looking up at the moon that hung perilously low over the shimmering waters of the Nile.
With help of a lone, native Bedouin man, they mounted the camels awaiting them and rode towards the camp. It was thrilling to ride this beast. Angela laughed into the wind, but didn't dare look down at the ground moving unevenly beneath her. She was glad when the animals came to a halt and Jonathan jumped down from his camel, where he then reached up to catch her. As she jumped down, she stumbled suddenly but Jonathan managed to hold on to her tightly. In a small instant their eyes locked on each others, gazing curiously.
Alone they stood, under the star filled sky, the desert wind faintly howling. Not a cloud was in the sky, on this night. Far off, Angela saw the lightened tents of their little camp waiting for them to return and she sighed.
"Come on, let's go see one last place before we go back" Jonathan said softly, as they parted.
Into another temple they walked, passing a giant statue of Osiris.
"This was all a dream", Jonathan thought "It will be over soon and it will be as if it never happened she will forget we ever walked here and talked...god, what did I do to deserve this? When pray do you ever listen? why can't I be truly happy for once in my life"
If there were tears in his sad eyes, the wind must have carried them far away, but his sad, depressed sigh...Angela had suddenly heard clearly. The tremor in his warm hand she could feel gently as she held onto it. They walked together, hand in hand, his eyes drifting over the great statues and pillars.
Suddenly he stopped and put his arm around her, closing her against him gently, as they turned to face the entrance of the temple. The wind had died down, but he kept her warm nonetheless.
"What's wrong, Jonathan?" Angela asked softly as she looked at his saddened eyes.
He hesitated. It was as if he didn't want to answer her question. Then Jonathan said "I feel so odd...I don't and can't understand this".
"What is it? Please tell me" she replied "What don't you understand?".
He looked away, unable to look her in the eyes. Would she understand? She didn't realize what such a thing meant to him and he thought that over and over in his mind.
"Jonathan, for the love of god, please tell me, what's wrong? What's the matter?"
Jonathan stopped thinking suddenly and moved away from her. He looked back at the of temple and sighed. When he turned back he saw the curiosity and worry in her eyes, those beautiful, hazel eyes, that he could never stop looking into. "What do I do?" he thought. "It's worth a shot I guess...what's the worse that could happen?"
He looked at her "Angela I, I, uh, I love you" he said in a whisper, hoping deep inside that she hadn't heard a word.
Her eyes grew wide "What!" she said as she gasped in shock.
"I love you, Angela, I love you with all my heart"
A sudden look of "oh my god" was suddenly spreading across her face and Jonathan now felt like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Much to his surprise she didn't laugh, she didn't get mad, she just stared at him, her amber eyes glittering with the flames of a pyre.
"Oh my god, Jonathan, I, I don't know what to say, this is so unreal...Why, why didn't, why didn't you tell me thisearlier?" she asked, she couldn't stop herself, it was all so surprising.
"Uh, I didn't tell you because of cowardice, Angela, pure cowardice and I regret not telling you sooner. I didn't know what to say or what to do because I'm so ignorant, when it comes to this stuff". He sighed and laughed nervously, suddenly his conversation started to change. "The solid thought that I wouldn't be able to save your life terrifies me more than anything or anyone. You, O'Connell, Evie and I are going to be scared probably for the rest of our lives because of all of this, but I think that as time goes on, that the fear will lessen. We're here together and the four of us, hell, you and me, make one hell of a team".
"Jonathan, I--"
"Angela, I would never, ever let anything happen to you and I know you would never let anything happen to me"
"Jonathan, please--"
"I always dreamt that I would meet a girl like you and that my world would be completely different, that I would no longer feel empty or be a coward like am now"
"Jonathan!!!" Angela suddenly shouted.
"What?"
"You're babbling" Angela said softly with a smile, her eyes full of tears.
His voice broke and he laughed softly "This exactly what I dreamt would happen...I love you so much"
He looked at the distance as if his own words had just taken him by surprise. Then he looked at her for a moment and suddenly she walked to him and threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly. Jonathan didn't look at her, he was instead staring out into the vast desert in shock, the tears in his eyes were suddenly coming. He looked at her once more and her close, trying to soothe his own fears. Slowly they both looked at one another and without saying a word he closed his arms tightly around her waist and kissed her.
Their lips touched for a moment but there was no movement. Angela moved her hands towards his face and wrapped them around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her. They kissed each other lightly on the lips in small pecks. Jonathan hugged her tighter and their kiss became much more passionate and they immediately became wrapped up in each other.
Slowly they parted, Jonathan stared at her in a bit of guilty shock, but once again she smiled and caressed his face lightly.
"I can't believe I was such a fool....all this time I never realized how much you loved me...and now I realize how all this time...I wasn't in love with Imhotep...I was in love with you. You're the one I've been looking for all this time and all this time you were right in front of me...how could I have been so blind?....I love you so much as well, but I was so spellbound by Imhotep that I had no idea what I felt, but now I do".
"You're in love with me? you're not joking?...you're really in love with me?"
"Yes, and I'm going to kiss you now" she said happily "because I love you and no matter what, I'm never letting you go"
"Angela, I--" the sentence was cut short as she kissed him fervently, letting herself be engulfed in a dream come true...a dream that was suddenly ripped in half.
"Angela!!" a voice suddenly shouted, echoing throughout the entire temple in a loud chorus of anger and reproach.
Both Jonathan and Angela whirled around to find Rick, an angry look on his face, followed by a shocked Evelyn and the Bedouin man who had lent them the camels.
"Oh...no" Jonathan softly said in shock.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Rick stormed up to them and yanked Jonathan by the collar.
Jonathan swallowed. Suddenly he need a drink, but no, Angela, he couldn't drink...for her. It occurred to him suddenly that he ought to try and make a run for it but his mind once again reminded him, Angela. He knew know that she loved him and no he wouldn't back away....or pass out for that matter.
"Tell me Jonathan! and try not to lie to me" Rick said as he pulled out a revolver and held it to Jonathan's neck.
Jonathan suddenly remembered the crazed look in O'Connell's eyes when he had put Beni's face about an inch or so from the fan in the Egyptologist's apartment...thank god, no fan...but the gun...oh dear god...the gun.
"Please Rick, I can explain everything just let me--"
"You know what? now that I think of it...I told you to stay away from my sister"
That's when the bomb exploded, Angela rushed up to Rick and abruptly pulled him off of Jonathan who only scuttled back into a pillar.
"What gives you the right to try and run my life!! you have absolutely no authority over me! I'm not a little girl anymore! you can't just threaten people to stay away from me! you just can't I won't let you! " Angela screamed in his face angrily.
"Angela, you aren't going to be with him! I mean, he drinks, he gambles, he doesn't even have a job!"
"I don't care if you don't like him!" Angela screamed "You have no right interfering in my life! I'll show you Rick! I'll prove to you that he is the best!"
Evelyn rushed over to Jonathan and guided him to a more safer area of the temple.
"Oh my god, I never thought I would see this happen" Evelyn said softly, cautiously.
Rick grabbed Angela by the wrists and they stormed into the inner part of the temple, shouting at one another as they did.
"We have to help, we can't just stay out here and wait to see what happens. I'm going in, Evie....how long do you think this argument will last?" Jonathan said frantically.
"Um, well, it's hard to say....perhaps an hour" Evelyn sighed. "Perhaps I better step in before someone gets killed...you wait here, just to be safe, OK?".
"OK, but Evie I don't think Rick would hurt his own sister"
"Oh, I wasn't worried about Angela getting hurt" Evelyn replied as she rushed inside.
After a moment of arguing as they reached the chamber a cry and a sound of a shuddering crash made the need for caution unnecessary and to anxious hearts impossible. The smashing sound was followed by Rick cursing and suddenly an eerie moment of silence. The sound of footsteps could be heard, stomping out....it was Angela, she was sobbing loudly and now running back to the camp.
"Oh god in heaven! Rick!" Evelyn screamed frantically, as she ran towards the are where the two siblings had been. There lying on the ground was Rick, he was unconscious and he had a rather big bump on the forehead. "Rick, dear god, Rick answer me! Oh my god...Jonathan!! Help me!" she called out....waiting, with no answer.
Standing up she ran to the archway of the temple and looked out, Jonathan was already halfway to camp, running as fast as he could shouting "Angela! Come back! please come back!"
As she turned back around she found herself looking at Rick who was wincing and somewhat cursing as he rubbed the bruise on his head.
"What happened?" Evelyn asked anxiously "Oh my goodness, are you OK?"
"Angela gave me a right hook in the jaw and then decided to play crack the coconut with my head using a stone, a rather large stone from what I remember.. she was walking out when when she threw it, so I was completely taken off guard, but other than that...I'm OK...Jonathan better goddamn say his prayers because I'm personally sending him to kingdom come" Rick said gravely, yet somewhat surprised at the whole ordeal.
"Rick, all this childish behavior and arguing is driving me insane and it cannot be good for you or Angela"
Rick laughed a little uneasily "It certainly wasn't good for me, she totally pummeled me and knocked me out"
"That probably wasn't necessary" Evelyn said as she touched his injury. She groaned. "I'd better go talk to her...for all of our sakes...and don't even think of putting a hand on Jonathan, we'll straighten this out in a civilized manner, all right?"
"Oh OK, I promise I won't do anything"
"Good...now go and apologize"
"What!!! She practically killed me!"
"and you gave her reasons! Hello Rick O'Connell! you cannot just do something like this and expect people to be bright and cheery! for the love of god, act like the adult that you are! She will not talk to you until you do apologize...promise me you will do it".
"Fine I will, just not now, I'll let the storm go by then I'll talk to her"
"Well anyway, you'll have time to do so, we leave to Cairo tomorrow morning....come one now, let's go...it's already getting awfully chilly out here"
"OK, let's go"
Back at the camp, Jonathan was just stumbling into Angela's tent, trying hard not to pass out from exhaustion.
"What are you doing?" he asked as he gasped for air.
"I'm going to set my bed elsewhere!" Angela said, as she grabbed her sheets and stuffed them into her backpack.
"No, wait, we need to talk" Jonathan said.
"I know we do, just not here" Angela replied anxiously. "Please help me out and then we'll talk"
"Oh OK, where do you plan on going?".
"It's a small hollowed out cave I saw while we rode towards her, it's up on that small hill over by the temple of Deir-El-Bahari...I have to get out. I don't fell like speaking to my brother, I just can't believe he did this! to interfere in my life! what gives him the right! He's acting like my father and to tell you the truth...I hate it!! I can't stand it!" Angela said infuriatingly a she picked up some clothes, stuffing it into her backpack as well.
"Well, don't worry about O'Connell, I should be the one worrying right now...he's going to kill me!" Jonathan said nervously.
"Come with me" Angela suddenly said "Come with me! and he won't be able to hurt you!"
"Do you really think it's proper for me to go with you?" he asked a bit startled.
"Well it's either that or stay here and get pummeled senseless by my brother....you decide, I don't want you to get hurt"
Sitting on the floor, Jonathan looked up to see Angela with her handreaching for his, the sudden flashback of seeing her in that same pose backat the fort during the plague of hail came back to him and it caused him tosmile slightly. He reached up and she pulled him to his feet and out of thetent. Everyone else was either asleep or by a campfire talking, not noticing the couple mounting two camels and riding off into the dark hill thatoverlooked dunes of sand, rippling sand that was ever-changing with the winds of time.
"Looks like Angela and Jonathan decided to go to sleep early...their tents are darkened" Rick said as they walked into the camp.
"Yes, I think we shouldn't bother either of them, they're both extremely stressed out after all of this, it's best that we let them enjoy a good nights sleep" Evelyn replied softly, as she climbed into her tent.
"OK then, well, good night" Rick said as he too got into his tent.
"Good night, Rick" Evelyn said softly, as a low and heavy silence sank in, only the distant crackling of fire could be heard...other than that nothing else...peace, lulling peace.
It was almost dawn, Jonathan and Angela had left the warmth of the camp hours ago and had come here into the deserted hollowed out cave, with only the loose cotton sheets around them. They had made love in the sand over and over neither one willing to let go of the other. Then they had laid in the dark,looking out at the azure colored desert, joking around and speaking of love and devotion, as he cradled her with his left arm. Only the smooth sheet wound tightly around her.
With the dawn of the new day, Rick awoke but only dozed off again in his tent. Suddenly he thought he had heard camels come trotting into the camp,their feet grinding the sand as the two young lovers came back from their escapade. He also managed to hear furtive quick steps on the sand...then nothing. When he opened his eyes, Evelyn was looking into the tent.
Disheveled and sleepy, Rick smiled and for a moment neither said a word and then she smiled, the familiar smile that always brightened his day.
"Well good morning Rick" she said softly "It will be good to get back to Cairo and a little civilization"
"Did you just hear those camels?" Rick asked sleepily.
"Which ones? I haven't heard anything....why do you ask?"
"Oh nothing....don't listen to me, it was nothing"
"Um...OK, the boat is almost going to be here and we need to pack up our belongings".
"Well what are we waiting for? I'm pretty much ready....please go get Angela and Jonathan and tell them to get ready, we need to be back in Cairo as soon as possible, just tell them that"
"OK, I'll be right back"
She rushed back to the tents and checked Angela's tent only to find it empty,much to her surprise, but a noise got her attention. Giggling and moaning,she slowly walked towards Jonathan's tent and opened the flap to find Angela and Jonathan playing Blackjack while they were eating figs and pomegranates.
"Good god! You've beaten me...what? five games!" Jonathan said as he softly threw his cards down on the sand.
"Well, I'll try and let you win next time" she said followed by a series of giggles.
Evelyn stepped inside, causing them both to jump a bit.
"Oh, you two are finally awake I see, Rick says that you two should hurry up and get packed...we have to leave soon so we don't miss the boat, now hurry, the sooner the better" she said.
"Well, we've been packed since yesterday, so anytime you're set we can leave"Angela said confidently. "Is Rick still mad with me by any chance?"
"I don't know, he didn't seem like it, but then again I didn't ask and he didn't say a word...well I better be going, we'll see you two later"
"OK, bye Evie" Jonathan called out.
She walked back and disappeared into her tent, Angela turned towards Jonathan and smiled "She doesn't know" she said.
"I know, I'm glad" Jonathan said "We'll stick to your plan and not tell them anything until we finally make it to Cairo"
"Yes, but until then I want to be with you and you alone" Angela said as she leaned forward and kissed him. "I will never let anything come between us because I love you and I always will...forever"
"Well, you took the words right out of my mouth" Jonathan said with a smile. "I love you more than I love life itself"
"Angela! Jonathan! Come on the boat is here! We need to get going!" Evelyn shouted.
They both grabbed their belongings and rushed out of the tent, both mounting their camels with an agileness of professional equestrians. Rick and Evelyn were already a bit ahead.
Angela glanced over at Jonathan; and Jonathan glanced over at her, they shared a moment, exchanged loving smiles and then simultaneously swatted their respective camels. As they raced swiftly towards the looming landmark of the Nile, Rick and Evelyn blinked a few times, as they passed by them. They looked at one another with a questioning look and took off after them. Angela glanced beside her and saw that Jonathan was right alongside keeping a steady pace his eyes filled with life, his smile endless, his joy tangible.
Angela's laughter and her look of triumph made Jonathan smile and he thanked god for granting him the joy of having her as his true love...she was his life, his reason for living, and she loved him too. He kept telling himself how much he loved her and suddenly she bolted ahead him, charging towards the ramp of the boat where people literally jumped out of the way so they wouldn't get trampled.
She jumped off and gently pulled the camels reins, guiding it into the stables without any problems. By the time she had gotten her belongings off of it, Jonathan, Evelyn and Rick had already arrived and were now doing the same thing as well.
"Well, I'll see you guys later...I'm off to leave my stuff in my cabin...see ya!" she said energetically as she dashed off into the corridor down towards the cabins.
"OK Angela, but remember to come and have dinner with us later!" Rick called back.
Jonathan smiled and turned to Evelyn.
"I'm going to my cabin as well, I'll see you later" he said. "Meet you at dinner"
"OK Jonathan" Evelyn answered "See you then"
He then took off like a bullet. Leaving Rick to wonder why he had left in such a hurry. Hardly giving him time to think.
Jonathan was now just arriving to the cabin he had been looking for and knocked softly.
"Angela, are you there?" he said exhaustedly.
The door flew open and Angela appeared, she smiled and pulled him in gently, shutting it after both were in.
"Evelyn and O'Connell will meet us later on at the deck for dinner" he said, but suddenly stopped before he could say anything as he noticed Angela staring at him affectionately.
He smiled nervously and she continued to gaze at him anticipating his first move. Obviously she wanted him to make the first move, but he froze and went numb all over. Angela was a goddess to him and she was certain to be dissatisfied with him sooner or later. Though he remembered the night before and somehow he didn't feel so tense anymore.
Jonathan put his arms around her and pulled her close to him. In his nervousness he kissed her rather awkwardly, but Angela didn't seem to mind, she actually giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss twice as passionate. They sat on the sofa holding each other and kissing for what Jonathan could have sworn had been a very short amount of time, but as he looked over at the clock that stood on the mantle, he discovered that four hours had passed by.
Without another word he took Angela by the hand and led her to a window over looking the river that flowed by gracefully.
"So when exactly should we tell Rick and Evie about us?" he asked as he held her close to him, kissing and nibbling her softly on the neck. "I know when we're in Cairo, but when?"
"For now I don't think we should tell them, it's better that my brother finds out about this after a good amount of time has passed, probably when we get to London" she said in low voice, "I will always love you, Jonathan...so don't worry".
They kissed and just stood there, holding on to each other. Angela rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, sighing softly. As Jonathan held her, he happened to glance over at the window behind her and he could have sworn he had seen a shadow glide by, a large shadow, but no, it couldn't be, his imagination was just playing games with him. He had been worrying so much about Angela after seeing her with Imhotep that it literally seemed as if Imhotep's shadow were an obstacle between them or at least was going to be, but no it couldn't be. The imagination, the formation of a mental image of
something that is neither perceived as real nor present to the senses, it can be quite shocking or quite deadly...the images that ones mind plays from our heads are our own imagination...what if the imagination became reality, a reality so real that it would cause one's fears to turn against them?
In reassurance he hugged her tighter and caressed her back. Repeating to her over and over "I love you". She lifted her head and kissed his jaw, then his lips, gently whispering back "I love you too".
Suddenly their moment of peacefulness was broken, when a loud knock was suddenly heard, abruptly banging. They both looked at one another in quiet terror.
"It's Rick!" Jonathan hissed fearfully.
"You must go! Please, for the love of god, go!" Angela said frantically. "I don't want to hurt Rick again, please get out!....no wait!! Um, hide in the closet!" she said as she grabbed him and pushed him in, locking the door as she did.
"Angela? Angela are you all right? Is there anyone else in there?" Rick asked as he knocked again.
"Uh, um, Rick I'm fine, no one is, uh, in here...hold on sec, I'll be right there" she replied
She ran to the door and opened it just enough to stick her head out. Doing so she saw Evelyn as well, who was quite oddly looking at her in complete surprise. Angela looked out of breath, flushed and somewhat disorganized in appearance and Rick suddenly turned red as well, not from embarrassment or exhaustion...no, it was from pure, unimaginable anger.
"Is there something you should tell us, Angela?" Rick asked "What's going on? you've been in here for more than four hours!"
"Uh no, I just woke up from a nap that's all. I was in the middle of a dream" Angela replied.
"Do you think we can come in?"
"Well Rick, it's kind of a mess and I don't think you should co--"
"Well sis, we'll just have to deal with it because we're coming in anyway" Rick said as he shoved the door open. "Thanks for the welcome"
Angela turned around and gave the closet a worried look. Thank god Jonathan hadn't made a single sound.
Rick looked over at her as he sat down and laughed "Hey Angela, it looks like you've been getting pretty hot and heavy with someone...so where are you hiding him? Is he in the closet?"
Angela jumped at the comment and glared furiously. "I just woke up...what do you want anyway?"
"We just came to see how you were doing" he said "Oh by the way, have you seen Jonathan?".
"Me! see Jonathan! no, uh, no I haven't seen him, uh, why should I have seen him? Wasn't he with you?" Angela asked uneasily.
"No, last time we saw him was a few moments after you left to your cabin"
"Well, maybe he's playing poker, you know he likes to gamble and what about the bar? haven't you checked there? for all we know he could be taking a walk on the deck and you guys have been going in circles! or worse yet, the poor guy could have fallen off the boat!" Angela started to freak out as she said that and she grabbed a glass of water and drank from it, almost choking as she drank it in huge gulps.
"OK Angela, calm down, there is no need to become frantic" Evelyn said reassuringly.
"Unless you're hiding him" Rick suddenly said suspiciously.
"Oh Rick please, do you honestly believe that, come one now, let's go" Evelyn said, pulling at his arm softly.
"No Evelyn, Angela why are you so uneasy huh? answer me that one question" Rick asked inquisitively.
"I'm not uneasy! I'm just shocked that you think that I would hide him here! why don't you go look for him! why haven't you checked the restaurant or the lower deck or his cabin?" Angela asked "Or are you just assuming he's here so you can get mad at me for what happened yesterday?"
"Oh Rick! we haven't even checked in those places! You see, you never even thought about that and one of those places is where he could be at! and for goodness sake Rick if it is about Angela's injuring you then all I can say is that it was an accident and you provoked it" Evelyn said.
"I provoked it! oh well OK fine put all the blame on me! when it was your good for nothing brother who was kissing my sister!" Rick shouted.
There was a long moment of silence in the room and Angela sighed "Jonathan and I are just friends... we came to the conclusion that it was just an accidental move and that we don't know what to make of it, so don't worry, Jonathan and I are just friends...no feelings, no nothing, OK? and please apologize if it's possible, Rick...please".
Rick smiled suddenly and said "OK I'll to apologize, now that you told me the story...I feel so much better"
"But why? what is it that you have against him? if it would've turned out that I did love him with all my heart and soul...what would you have done?" Angela said abruptly.
Rick stared at her in surprise as did Evelyn, but Evelyn wasn't looking at Angela, she was looking at Rick. "Please not another argument" she thought. "Please"
"Um well I uh-" Rick could never bring himself to mention the whole disastrous chaos going on in his head. But he would have liked to needle Jonathan right at that moment, to slip up behind him and throw him off the boat. It was all too sad really...what could he tell her? She was his sister, his only sister. Once they had loved each other as only as sister and brother could. He would always remind her and she wouldn't give him any trouble, then he could relax. The worse part this is that it was the present and he couldn't calm or quiet his sister now without the risk of a fist in his face.
"Well? answer me?!" Angela said imperatively. "What would you do?"
"We're going to look for him, I'll talk to you at dinner, OK? Sorry for the interruption, let's go, Evelyn" Rick said as he took Evelyn by the hand and walked swiftly out of the cabin.
Angela sighed in relief and shut the door resting her back against it. As he looked at the closet, she smiled and laughed softly. She then walked over and unlocked the door. The door opened and Jonathan peeked out as only a child hiding from his father would do.
"It's okay Jonathan, they left...you can come out" Angela said reassuringly.
"I thought I was done for" he said nervously "You're brother is going to kill me for sure if he finds out that I was here an--"
He stopped as she kissed his cheek, then his lips. It was her way of saying that she loved him with all her heart, that she trusted him, wanted him more than anything else and would always be his. For eternity. Jonathan raised his hands to her face and moved her closer to him. Slowly, tenderly he moved against her body, his lips yearning for hers and he saw how she slowly closed her eyes, accepting his advances with as much love and trust as he had for her. After having been with one another for one night, both of them knew each other intuitively, they knew every inch of each others bodies and crave to know even more.
Angela parted her lips more for him and whimpered, Jonathan deepened his kissand much to his surprise he felt her tongue make contact with his. He could feel her and himself relax by the contact while his heart beat faster. Suddenly she pushed him away much to his sudden shock.
"What is it?" he asked uneasily.
"You have go find Rick, he's looking for you and if he doesn't find you anywhere he'll know I was hiding you" she replied a bit flushed.
"Will we meet here?" he asked.
"Of course, after dinner we'll meet here, but for now we will have to keep our distance, so Rick and your sister don't suspect anything".
"OK then Angela, I'll meet you later on, and don't forget that...I love you"
Angela smiled and walked him to the door. "I won't forget because I love you as well".
With that he walked out and disappeared down the hallway.
The day went by pretty quickly and come dinner Rick and the gang all sat in a table that was at a perfect angle to watch the river go by. It had been a quiet dinner, only a few comments about Luxor were made here and there but nothing much. It was already 8:30pm when Angela excused herself from the table after discussing politics with Evelyn (funny how Jonathan and Rick just looked at them in shock and would silently cheer when one of them would cause the other to hush).
Jonathan had remained a bit longer but excused himself as well, running off quickly as if it were a dire situation he had to arrive to.
"Where do you think he'd running off to?" Evelyn asked.
"Oh I don't know, maybe to play a few last rounds of poker before he goes to bed" Rick answered.
"Well Jonathan better not fool around too much or he might lose again, and who knows what the consequences will be after this" Evelyn replied sternly.
"I'm sure he'll lose some and he'll win some, something tells me that today he's going to win big time and maybe this will be the beginning of a winning streak for him" Rick said with a grin.
In the midst of words and moans of ecstatic pleasure filled kisses, Angela and Jonathan made passionate love, finding shelter and comfort in each other, forgetting all their worries and problems in an instant of ecstasy.
Rick must have known, Angela realized suddenly. She lay beside Jonathan beneath the warm blankets of her bed, the little steamer moving north towards Cairo. They were trying to be discreet. Jonathan had only came and went when no one had been about. There had been no displays of affection at all. Yet now they had celebrated in the freedom that had been taken from them, until dawn they had spent time with each other, playing around like children, conversing, laughing at each other's jokes and making love, tumbling and struggling in the darkness of cabin as the engines of the ship carried them onward to their destiny.
This was too much to wish for anything more. Yet Angela still did. She wanted to get rid of those she loved except for Jonathan....she wished to be his bride or to be among the people who would never question anything anyone else did. She knew that when they reached Cairo, she would have to make her final decision...and she would never see Imhotep for the rest of her life...it was her final answer.
It was 1 PM when Jonathan came out on deck. Angela was in her favorite chair, reading one of Evelyn's books about Arabia. She looked do adorable, it made him laugh. She was busy scribbling a question in the margin, which of course she would put
him to answer and he'd give it his best try.
"You're awake at last, you lazy bum" she said giggling, seeing the expression on his face she then asked "What is it my love?"
"I'm done with Egypt, I want to go back to London, to my house, to my homeland...we'll get to Cairo and pack up, I want to be gone from this bloody country". he said.
"Yes Jonathan, I understand" she motioned him to take the chair beside her "I want to leave too" she said softly and then gave him a quick, delicate kiss on the lips.
"Do that again" he said tranquilly "It relaxes me"
Angela kissed him twice, slipping her fingers around the back of his neck and said in soft voice."We won't be in Cairo for more than a couple of days...I promise".
Jonathan sat up. "A couple of days! Can't we just get on train to Turkey, go to France, and from there take a boat to England? Doesn't that seem so much more easy? so we can be done with all of this!"
Angela looked down and sighed "Jonathan" she said "Please forgive me. But I need to solve my minor problem with Imhotep. I more or less promised myself that I would do that".
Jonathan groaned and started to tremble slightly.
"and you see I want to him farewell and that I am leaving and well...I need the time" she studied his face. "Please?"
Jonathan shook his head and couldn't help but notice her pleading eyes, looking into his.
"Oh all right, of course darling" he said resignedly "Just please do be careful, OK?".
"Yes, I will" she replied "I promise"
"All right, Angela...if it makes you happy then I give in" he leaned forward, kissing her cheek and then her throat. "and then you'll be mine, my beautiful Angela...we will be married and you'll be mine alone"
"Yes...on my very soul" she whispered.
That night when Jonathan had declined to eat anything Rick asked him if his trip to Luxor had been at all a success and if he had found what he wanted.
"I think I did, O'Connell" Jonathan said, scarcely looking up from the rail to stare at the star-filled sky "I think I found...my future".
There was a moment of silence and Rick put his hand on Jonathan's shoulder and said "Well, glad it helped...now come on. The boat is about to dock and we'll need to start unloading".
They walked to the bow and looked as the boat slowly docked and came to a stop. Angela and Evelyn already had all the bags laying beside their legs. Each of the four too a couple and sighed. As they waited, Angela sat on a crate and looked down at the floor. Evelyn couldn't help but stare at her and her mind kept on focusing on Isiria's story and the supposed twin that sat in front of her. Once again, she didn't know the half of it, and she wouldn't...ever.
