Rating: PG13 prolly eventually
Author: Angel - http://www.geocities.com/ninthsaturn
Summary: The ending of the Scorpion King changed and expanded upon. The O'Connells meet up with some strange people that look very familiar. Almost too familiar.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Mummy or it's characters. But I would give a whole heck of a bunch to own Imhotep and Ardeth. ;-)
*
Not for the first or even last time Evy wondered if Imhotep and Alex were okay out there, all alone. Had she done the right thing? She had to believe that she had. Alex would be taken care of if she couldn't make it out of this.
Evelyn couldn't help but feel like they were being too loud each time their feet lightly brushed the floor. They were creeping through the pyramid slowly and everything about this place made her nervous. The walls looked fresh and torches illuminated every inch of the hallway. It didn't even smell like other pyramids, coated with ancient age and dust. It was unnatural. Not that she by any means were not accustomed to the unnatural, but it just didn't help. Neither did the fact that in the five minutes they'd spent walking they hadn't heard a single sound.
Her Rick had to be here. He had to. If he weren't she had no idea where they'd go next. Suddenly Imhotep stopped and pointed. "Ahead is the Hall of the Scorpion King," he whispered, his eyes grave and his stance defensive. Evy thought it looked strange, seeing him with his fingers wrapped around a small hand gun. Strange but somehow fitting. "Let me go ahead."
"Imhotep..." Alannah began, obviously uncomfortable with the idea that her lover would face the possible danger alone. She shook her head with luminous brown eyes. "We can all go. We're all going to have to fight."
His large hand curled around hers and they kissed. That still made Evy feel weird. It reminded her of ten years ago when the priest was still a monster. He pulled back and again shook his head. "I will go and feel things out, Alannah. You and Evelyn will stay here and wait until I return. Promise me."
The young blue haired girl looked to Evy with questioning eyes. Unfortunately for her sake, because Evy knew how she would feel if the situations were reversed, she could see the logic in sending a scout ahead. So she nodded and Alannah sighed. She punched Imhotep's shoulder lightly and conceded, "Fine, you big show off. You'd better come back in one piece."
With a grin Imhotep slipped down the hall and away from the two of them, his footsteps unheard as he walked with graceful stealth. Soon he disappeared from their vision and Alannah leaned against the wall. "Feeling all right?" Evy asked her future counterpart.
Alannah nodded, wiping the back of her hand against her moistened brow. "I'm okay. It's just hot. That's all. How are you holding up?"
"I'm doing all right," the English woman replied in half truth. She supposed that somewhere inside she was doing all right, but this waiting and wondering was beginning to get on her nerves. Where was Rick? Was he still alive? Yes, old girl, she told herself. He's still alive. You have to believe that. And she did, but there wasn't any stopping her worry. Not until he was safe and sound in her arms. She could use that strength right now.
But a voice ringing through the quiet stirred them from their thoughts. In a desperate warning the priest yelled only one word. Run. It didn't take them long to react.
Terrified, both women shared an uncertain glance. Evy honestly didn't know which of them moved first, but suddenly they were sprinting towards the pyramid's entrance. Images of Rick and Alex flashed through her mind. She was leaving Rick to try and save her son from whatever it was Imhotep had seen. Tears formed, unbidden and unacknowledged as she concentrated on the task of escaping. Then it occured to her. "Run!" she screamed, hoping that her voice would echo and give the other priest a head start with her son. All that mattered was getting Alex to safety.
Alannah picked up on that and also began shouting, both voices so loud that Imhotep would have to hear something. But Evy also heard something, aside from their screams. Something from behind. She didn't even turn her head to see what was chasing her, what she suddenly accepted would claim her life.
*
Imhotep jerked his head towards the temple to listen, certain he'd heard something. Again the sound carried through the air, confirming that to him. Someone was screaming...no two. Two women that shared the same voice. They were warning him to run. He looked down at the boy who'd been placed in his care. His blue eyes were wide with fear, but the priest recognised the intent in his stance. Alex would run for his mother.
Wasting no time Imhotep seized the child and began pulling him through the forest that surrounded them. Alex was profuse in his protests, fighting Imhotep every step of the way. "Let me go! My mum's in trouble!"
The mummy's grip was like iron, however, keeping Alex firmly at his side. He couldn't afford to slow for the child's sake, but realized that neither could he continue to drag him through the brush. So, avoiding kicks and punches, Imhotep wrapped arms around the boy and lifted him, running away from the pyramid as fast as his now mortal body would allow. He could hear Alex crying. "She wanted me to protect you at all costs and that is what I must do."
"But she'll die!" Alex yelled angrily, slapping the mummy's shoulder as they escaped. "We have to help her! We have..."
The boy suddenly became silent and Imhotep could surmise why. The Anubis creatures would be exiting the pyramid now in search of them. Even with the head start and the trees hiding their path Imhotep knew that there was little hope he could escape this oasis with the child. These beasts could not be out run. The only other option was to hide.
Imhotep ducked down a path, leaping over a fallen tree branch and nearly falling. Alex remained silent, likely too afraid to say any more. The priest exhaled, wondering why in all Egypt he should care about this boy. If he stopped and accepted his fate perhaps the Scorpion King would give him mercy, allow him to live as a servant until Imhotep saw an opportunity to kill him.
But something in his future counterpart stopped him from making that decision. There had been such peace in that other Imhotep's eyes and he could see a man who loved and was loved in return. Something Imhotep had wanted for himself. His heart panged at the loss of Ancksunamun, his beloved. His lying lover who had betrayed him. Would have betrayed him in any timeline. If someday he could become that other Imhotep he would accept the change. And the other priest would save Alex at his own life's cost.
And that dream of what could be kept him moving, kept his eyes searching for a place to hide. A small stream wandered into his field of vision and without thinking he ran into it's coolness and towards a fallen tree. He pushed Alex beneath a sturdy branch and crouched. "It is wet, but safe. Make no movement, no sound. If can return for you, I will. If not then wait for night and run away." He removed Evy's pack from his shoulder and pushed it into the boy's hands, knowing he'd need those supplies to reach anywhere with life. His dark eyes darted around as the sounds of running filled the air. "Search the Med-Jai battle grounds for extra water."
Alex scooted further beneath the tree to hide himself behind the leaves. "Don't leave me!" he begged, those piercing blue eyes frightened.
Imhotep stood up again and said, "Be brave." Then he left Alex, breaking into a run to lead the army away from the boy. The priest felt for him, so young to have to stand alone in such a deadly place. But Alex had a strong family. He had a real chance to make it, even if it would be rough. Imhotep wished he could return to him, but any hope of that was dashed when he heard the trees breaking behind him.
*
It was getting late and the palace halls where bare, save for an occasional guard or late night worker. They were going to have to act quickly to escape. Ardeth looked down at the freshly loaded gun in his hand and then his companions. They had gathered weapons from where they could and stood firm in their intent to do this, to recover the scroll.
Of course the Med-Jai didn't know of this time, nor how much security would stand in the way. There was likely going to be a great battle in getting there. These things called 'computerized locks' troubled him, for they seemed to be hard to bypass. Getting past that guard had been one thing. They'd gotten him to command the door open and Aaron to command it locked. But now they had no one and Ryan had expressed a little concern in that he didn't know much about computers and security.
At least comtemplating that kept his mind off what Imhotep had told them. Rick had failed. His friend had walked into the pyramid of the Scorpion King, intending to end this problem once and for all. He'd died for it, along with Evy and the others. Only Imhotep had survived and not by choice, either. From the look in the priest's eyes, this priest who had never known Alannah or Michael, Ardeth could tell he likely would have preferred death.
The group, or 'Fellowship' as Jonathan called them, turned down a darkened hallway. They were taking the long path through the massive palace, but certain areas weren't as guarded and would prove better towards remaining secret until the very last moment. This particular area was largely unused guestrooms that were in reserve, guarded by only a few men that made rounds.
The footsteps of one such man echoed through the shadows and Imhotep drew them into a sitting room, warning them to keep quiet. They remained out of sight from the door, but could clearly hear the footfalls that closed in. "How close are we?" Michael whispered to the priest almost imperceptibly.
Imhotep unconsciously shook his head in thought, peering at the door and back. "We are a few halls down from the south main pass. Once there we will encounter light security that will grow as we get further."
Ryan swore and they remained still as the guard passed the doorway and continued on. "We can't just butcher our way to the throneroom and beyond. Once we start getting close to it we'll start seeing Anubis creatures, not to mention the ones that happen to be inside."
As the other men discussed what must happen, Ardeth wandered towards something that had caught his eyes. Something bright, shiney and helpful. They were an expensive and dangerous decoration, but when coming against Anubis creatures were as precious as gold. Two swords were crossed and placed upon the wall. He wondered if they were sharp. "Whatcha doing?" Ryan whispered, seeing that they were missing a member.
The Med-Jai pulled a chair up to the wall and climbed on it, reaching towards the high decorations. Wrapping his fingers around the hilt of one, he took it down and tested it's weight. It was quite real. He yanked the other one down and hopped off the chair. "This will help us against the creatures," he answered, handing it to Michael and giving his gun to Ryan.
He smiled when his counterpart tested the weight and looked nervous. "I know nothing of how to use this."
"For today's purposes I'm sure you'll do fine." Ardeth held his sword up. "Aim well, keep your eyes on your enemy and remember to never completely straighten your arm. You'll want to be ready for your next enemy quickly and a locked arm takes longer to coordinate."
Michael nodded and looked at the doctor. "Are we ready?"
"Yeah," he answered, his blue eyes shining from the scant light they were provided. They all shared a silence, each in his own way mustering the strength and courage to do what was set before them. But the night was getting old and time wasn't on their side.
As they travelled the halls got gradually lighter, indicating they were coming upon higher traffic areas of the great pyramid palace. Yet oddly enough the halls didn't increase in traffic. They were bare in fact. They kept on, closer and closer, but not one guard showed up. Ardeth narrowed his brow and stopped. "This must be a trap."
Ryan and Michael exchanged glances, then the psychologist shrugged. "It's a trap we'll have to walk into. We cannot get back without the spell and to leave this timeline as it is isn't an option."
"We'll never get out of here if we're dead," Jonathan disagreed, scratching his neck and shaking his head.
The doctor shrugged and Ardeth could see something of Rick in his eyes. "The throne isn't far. I'll go, see what's up and if I come back you'll know it wasn't a trap." Just like Rick, willing to go off alone to take care of something to keep his friends out of danger. But just like Rick, would he fail and die for it?
"No," was Ardeth's immediate reply.
Ryan sighed and the Med-Jai could see an arguement coming. "Look, Ardeth, I know how you feel, but if you guys get to the past then it'll never have happened. Let me go. You all are going back to the past and between me and Immy here, he's the one that's gonna have to read that scroll. I'm the only one here that doesn't have to do something other than help along the way. If we all go and it's a trap, then we'll never fix this. If I don't come back in five minutes, you'll be able to hold this room and have a chance to get that spell."
He didn't like it, nor did he agree to sending this man by himself. "If I happen to die before getting back then life will still go on. It isn't imperative I return, therefore I will go with you."
"Uh-uh," Ryan argued, his eyes angry. "No way."
Instead of retorting as he knew would be useless, Ardeth merely turned and walked from the room. He heard Ryan mutter something and follow. "I'm so pleased you could join me," he told the huffy doctor.
"Real cute. I can definitely see Mike in you." He rolled his eyes and lead the way towards the throneroom.
They walked on in silence from then on and it seemed so natural to him. It seemed they were fated to fight beside one another, combating the evils that the earth offered. The sparse halls invoked a feeling of unnaturalness and fear. Surely the Scorpion King wouldn't leave his throneroom so unprotected.
As soon as they turned the corner and headed down a huge and grand hall, it became slowly apparent that an attack wouldn't come from the shadows. They weren't alone, however. "Oh, hello chaps," a voice said carelessly and Ardeth smiled. Aaron was at the throneroom door, all alone and acting for the world as if he weren't in any danger whatsoever. His hands were busy at a console.
"Aaron, what are you doing here?" Ryan asked. "And where the hell are all the guards?"
"Hmm?" the hacker hummed, eyeing his work busily. He waved a hand. "Off chasing geese. I had the remarkable hunger to see the throneroom before I escaped. Something to do with all that gold in there I imagine. Anyway, I waited a bit and unlocked all the cells down below, not to mention powering down some of their key security systems all over." Aaron laughed and looked up. "I'll bet about 75% of their guards ran off to put a stop to the assorted nonsense. I knocked out some of the others on my path to here. My question is what are you doing here?"
Ardeth answered before Ryan could. "There is a scroll in that room we must get. Can you open the door?"
Aaron gazed at the Med-Jai sardonically and sniffed, looking back to his console. "I can open anything. Where are the others?"
The doctor nodded his head and started back down the hall, muttering, "Be right back." He disappeared down the grand hallway and was back in a flash with the others. "How long do you think the guards'll be away?" he asked.
At first the hacker said nothing, merely kept right at what he was doing without a care towards the world. Ardeth suspected his new doctor friend was fully used to that, given the mild annoyance on his face as he watched Aaron work. They all waited as he opened his mouth to answer, then grunted and peered closer at the exposed wires. Finally he looked up. "Ten minutes."
Ryan exhaled deeply and looked around. "I guess we better keep watch, then. Never know when the guards'll come back." His blue eyes flashed in amusement as he regarded Aaron. "You did know there were Anubis monsters in there, right? They would have killed you right away."
"Hmmm," Aaron hummed, trying to turn his head upside down a bit to get a view up inside the console. "That wouldn't have been happy, now would it?"
*
Here's the next part...:O lol. Thank you all lots for the reviews. :) Jaded Evie, I chose the name solely on the basis that I liked them. I'd often thought of naming a child Aaron or Alannah, and Michael just seemed to fit Ardeth as well as Ryan for Rick. Thanks! -Angela