Disclaimer: Oh how I wish I owned Ardeth or even Rick. **Sigh** it's not easy to be single in today's world. Oh well. As usual I don't make any money off this fanfic but if you're willing to give me some to speed the chapters along I won't say no!
Bad Author Notes: Blame Deana for this chapter being so late. When her Internet connect went down she took my Muse with her.
Of Dreams, Prophecies and Grandmothers
By Lady FoxFire
April 28, 2002
Rick sighed, as he looked up at the night. Desert skies were beautiful; every star that was discernable to the human eye seemed to be visible. It would have been a perfect night to sleep under the stars if it weren't for Nasir's bone-rattling snoozes that filled the air.
With a weary sigh, Rick pulled his blankets around him and climbed out of his spot. Stumbling, Rick made his way over to the fire and collapsed into a heap.
"Can not sleep?" Tarig asked staring into the flames as he used a stick to stoke the fire.
Rick nodded his head as he hid a yawn behind his hand. "I was able to doze off for a little bit but..." his voice trailed off as he wrapped the blanket tighter around him.
"More dreams or Nasir's snoring?" Tarig asked with a chuckle as he looked over at his sleeping companions.
"Both," Rick replied as he gazed into the burning coals of the fire. "Nasir's snoozing reminds me of the braying of a camel in heat, only the camels sound better." Tarig chuckled at Rick's comment. "And when I finally get to sleep..." Rick ran a shaking hand over his face.
Tarig sat silently, giving Rick time to calm his nerves. "How far away do you think we are?" Tarig asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Three maybe four days." Rick said quietly. "They have a good head start on us."
Tarig nodded his head in understanding. The crackling of the fire, the soft noise of the sleeping camels, the peaceful sounds of the desert and Nasir's camel-mating calls were the only sounds to be heard.
"You need to get some sleep," Tarig stated as he watched Rick yawn again. "You're of no use to us or Ardeth half dead from exhaustion."
"I know." Rick nodded sleepily. "I'll try to sleep again. I just... I need to think a few things through first," he explained with a shrug.
"I understand. But try to get some sleep." Tarig said as before disappearing into the night to make his rounds.
~*~
"Rick! Rick!" Evy called in a panicked voice as her husband moaned and thrashed in his sleep, caught in a dream he couldn't awake from. "Please Rick. Wake up!" she pleaded as she shook her husband
Suddenly he sat up in bed his eyes filled with horror. "ARDETH!" Rick screamed.
"Rick?" Evy whispered in a shaky voice as she reached out for her beloved. Never before had Rick had a nightmare like this. The anguish in his screams sent goosebumps across her body.
Rick spun in the bed his hands clenched into fists; ready to defend himself against any foe. Evy shrank back from the crazed look on Rick's face and in his eyes. "Rick?" Her voice cracked as she edged away from him, never taking her eyes off him.
"Evy?" Rick whispered her name as last of the nightmare slipped away. The crazed look in his eyes slowly was replaced by one of shock as he gazed upon the love of his life. With a trembling hand he gentle caressed his wife's check. "Evy," he said as his voice broke, and his eyes began to well with tears. His body trembled as quiet sobs racked his body.
"Shhhhhh," she whispered as she pulled his trembling body to her. "Everything is all right now. It was just a nightmare," she told him as she gently stoked his hair, holding him close to her as she whispered soothing nonsense the whole time as she worked to dispel the last of the dream. "Everything's all right now."
Pulling away from her, Rick shook his head. "I don't think so Evy." He's voice was laced with anguish. "Something is wrong with Ardeth." He explained to her as he held her by the shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. "I can feel it Evy. He's in danger."
Evy leans back against the headboard and stared in silence at her husband. With a quick nod of her head, she made her decision. "Alright then, we'll go to Egypt. We'll go and find Ardeth. If he's in danger then we'll rescue him or we'll avenge him." Her voice deepened into a dangerous tone. Still unnerved by his nightmare, Rick shivered again at the thought of what his lovely bride would do to anyone who harmed their family
"Evy, no." He sighed as he shook his head, his hair falling across his eyes. "It would take too long. Getting Alex from the boarding school, dealing with Jonathan so he doesn't get into trouble, packing..." he explained as he climbed out of their bed. "I have to go now. I have to."
Rick turned his back on his wife and began to get dressed. As he pulled his shirt on Evelyn spoke up. "Alright. Take the first flight out. If everything is alright we'll meet at that little hotel we stayed at last time."
Rick turned and stared adoringly at the woman he loved. "Have I told you that I love you recently?"
A smirk appeared on Evy's face as she seductively waved her finger in the 'come here' gesture. "Not today you haven't," she said in a husky voice
Rick crawled up on their bed and gave her a burning kiss that took her breath away. Leaning their foreheads together they stared into each other's eyes "Evy, if...if this feeling is right and something is wrong I'll try to have you met by one of the Med-Jai," he said as he gently caressed her face.
With one last lingering kiss, Rick slipped off the bed, turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door silently behind him.
~*~
Rick drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair as he patiently waited outside the office of the new curator of Museum of Antiquities. For a moment O'Connell reflected on the fate of the previous curator, Dr. Bey, how through his sacrifice Rick was able to save the love of his life.
"If you can get a word to the big guy up there, Doc, I would appreciate it cause I'm going to need the help on this one," Rick mumbled to himself as he stood to pace the room in a fit of nervous energy.
Just then the knob on the office door turned, as the door swung open and Rick came face to face with a thin man about the same height as Evy. Rick quickly looked the man over as he tried to determine how much of a threat the man could be. He quickly took in the trim body just starting to go soft, the deep tan and wrinkled face of the man that only years under the cruel Egyptian sun could created on those from a northern climate.
"Ahh Mr. O'Connell, a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Dr. Hamilton, the curator of this fine establishment," the older man said in a clipped British accent as he held out his hand to Rick. "How may I be a service to you?"
Take the man's hand, Rick nodded to the man. "Dr. Hamilton. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice."
"Thank nothing of it my boy," Hamilton replied as he bowed O'Connell into his office. "The work you and your esteemed wife has done for the fathering of the study of Ancient Egypt is well known. To be truthful it's quiet an honor to meet you. Will you lovely wife be joining you?" he asked as he shut the door behind him.
Rick turned toward the doctor as he heard the click of the door being shut behind him. "Lets drop the chit chat shall we doc. Right now I need your help in contacting the Med-Jai," he said as his eyes blazed; his polite act dropping to reveal a man on the edge.
"The Med-Jai?" Hamilton said in shock, as he eyes grew wide at the dangerous man in his office. "But... but they're just legends. Tales the Arabs told to drunken men just like the stories of Hamanuptra."
"Bullshit!" Rick spat. "We both know that without the Med-Jai's permission this whole place won't exist," he said with a wave of his hands to indicate he was talking about the museum.
"Mr. O'Connell, I can assure you that..." Hamilton said in a firm voice, trying to calm Rick down as he made his way slowly towards his desk.
"No, you listen to me," Rick said as he stalked the doctor. "You will contact them and have them meet me at my hotel tonight, or else."
"Or else what?" Dr. Hamilton said nervously as he stared at the enraged man.
Rick's eyes became cold and hard, the look of a cold blooded killer. "You don't want to know. Trust me, you don't want to know."
With that O'Connell turned and marched out of the office, closely the door softly as he left. Hamilton collapsed into his chair as his body shook in terror. After calming himself enough that his hand didn't shake, he reached out and picked up the phone.
~*~
Moonlight streamed into Rick's hotel room as he paced the room's confines in a futile attempt to burn off some of his extra energy
"Damn it! Where are they?" he hissed through clutched teeth, unconsciously rubbing his breastbone with the palm of his hand. This need, this compulsion to find Ardeth was driving him insane. "He has to be their museum contact, he just had to be."
A soft creak on the other side of the door alerted Rick that someone was in the hallway. He dropped down into a defensive crouch, his guns already out and pointed at the door, when a knock echoed through the room. "About time," he muttered under his breath as he slipped the guns into his holsters and went to open the door.
Opening the door he comes face to face with three Med-Jai.
Rick grabbed the robes of the closest warrior and spun the white-haired man around. The warrior's back slammed against the wall as his companions stood in the hall, too surprised by the angry American's swiftness to react.
"Where is he? Where is Ardeth?" Rick hissed in the Med-Jai's face as he slammed him up against the wall again. "Where is he?"
The Med-Jai's face hardened as he stared at the American with contempt. "It is not your concern where he is." His companions slipped inside the room and shut the door without making a sound as they watched the American carefully, waiting for him to harm their brother-in-arms.
Rick glared angrily at the man as he let him go. With a quick tug, Rick pulled the bracer off his right arm and threw it to the ground. Thrusting the Med-Jai marks on his wrist into the warrior's face, Rick hissed, "This makes it my business."
The warrior looked at the tattoo then at Rick's face and back again. "You?" he said in disbelief. "You are the Wahid? The lost Med-Jai?"
"Yeah," Rick said simply, lost in thought as he traced the tattoo on his wrist. "Now tell me where Ardeth is at," he said as he snapped back into the here and now.
"Or what?" The biggest of the three Med-Jai warriors snarled as he crossed his arms in front of his massive chest. His black eyes shot daggers at Rick from his place next to the door.
"Or else I'll track down the ones who have Ardeth myself," Rick snapped at the man. "With or without the Med-Jai help.
The faces of the Med-Jai hardened at Rick's words. "What you mean the ones who have Ardeth?" asked the white-haired warrior Rick had backed up against the wall.
Rick turned away from the Med-jai and made his way over to the window. He gazed out at the full moon as it hovered above the city in silence before finally speaking. "He's in danger. I don't know how to explain it but I know that Ardeth's life is endangered. He's calling me. He needs me to find him and rescue him," he explained as he rested his head against the cool glass of the window.
"How do you know this?" The big Med-jai asked in a gruff voice as he moved farther into the room.
Rick turned from the view of the city and rested his back against the wall. Sliding down the wall in exhaustion he pulled his knees in as if he were a small child caught up in a nightmare.
"This will sound insane but I feel him. I feel what's happening to him. The kicks, the fists, the whip." Rick closed his eyes as if to drive out all that he feels and sees through Ardeth's eyes. "I feel the heat of the day and the freezing cold of the night. His hunger. His thirst. I feel him calling me"
"You lie," the massive warrior snapped as he marched threateningly over to where Rick sat helpless on the floor.
"Nasir, please be silent," the smallest Med-Jai said as he pulled the scarred warrior away from Rick. "I have heard of such a thing before. The Wise Ones have many tales of this type of connection between brothers."
Nasir snorted with disgust at this idea.
"Tarig, I think you'd better explain. You've had more experience with the Wise Ones then either I or Nasir," the eldest Med-Jai said as he watched Rick start to rock himself slowly.
Tarig chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, in thought before speaking. "A long time ago there were two brothers, both furious Med-jai warriors. On a patrol the eldest brother was attacked and captured by desert raiders. The Elders believed that he was dead and the families grieved for his loss.
But his brother, the youngest of his family, dreamed that he was still alive, and that he was being tortured and beaten by a raider. He told the Elders and the Wise Ones about his dreams and the feeling that drove him but no one would listen. They all thought he was crazed with grief; for the two brothers had been close.
One night he left the camp alone, in search for his brother with only his weapons, a camel and supplies. A fortnight later the eldest son returned battered and bruised with his brother's body.
He told how his brother had entered the camp and fighting like a man demon against any that raised a hand towards him. Of the escape from the camp and how the young brother died, how there were no wounds on his body and of how his heart stopped.
The story goes on to tell how the healers cleaned and healed the eldest brothers wounds, and of him grieving for his brother. A fortnight after his return in the middle of the camp he called out the name of his brother and collapse to the ground dead."
~*~
"He is not a Med-jai," an Elder with a bushy dirty-white beard snarled as he waved a crippled hand over to the place where Rick sat in silence. "He is an outsider. He and his family have cause more trouble for us than all of the past 3000 years combined."
"Then how to you explain his tattoo, Harb? If he's not a Med-Jai then how did he get the markings?" A younger Elder with salt and pepper beard and a twinkle in his eyes argued with the older man. "It was those who followed the creature that raised it the second time. And was not he the one who destroyed the Scorpion King and his army?"
"Ha! If it wasn't for his son, the Scorpion King would not have arisen and our warriors wouldn't have died against its army!" Harb spat, in anger. "Tell me Amin, how many died due to this man?" He exclaimed, pacing the confines of the tent. "And as for his story about Ardeth being captured, how do we know what he says is true? For all we know he could be leading us into another trap."
"I have to agree with Harb." A man with a mustache and goatee added as he watched Harb pace. "This man has caused us nothing but trouble. And now he claims our leader is in danger and that a dream told him. The rest of you may think he is the Wahid, the great lost Med-Jai warrior, but all I see is a useless American who has caused us more pain and suffering than has even been recorded in our history."
"And what of the prophecies, Ghanim?" An Elder with the white eyes of the blind asked as he 'looked' at the man. "They foretold of the arrival of the Wahid during our darkest hours, that he would come. He is a Med-Jai. The tattoo and Ardeth's belief in the man proves it. That he was not born among us is of no importance."
"Of no importance!!" Harb roared at the blind Elder. "Of no importance! He is the source of our dark time! Imhotep, the Scorpion King and now this fable of Ardeth being in danger!"
Rick sat quietly with the Med-Jai from the hotel as the argument between the Elders raged around him. He had stopped paying attention to the Elders long ago as they fought over and over again about his past and whether or not he was a Med-Jai.
"He probably had see the tattoo on a true Med-Jai and had it copied in a drunken fit." Ghanim stated as he eyed the American with contempt.
With a weary sigh Rick rose from his seat and faced the Elders. "I have wasted enough of my time listening to you argue over pointless details as Ardeth waits in danger!" he snarled at the Elders. "If the Med-Jai are unwilling to help me rescue Ardeth, then I'll do it on my own."
"Arrogant American." Harb mumbled loud enough so that it could be heard by all as Rick walked out of the tent the Elders were using.
Rick marched past the Med-Jai and their tents, walking until the camp was behind him and all that laid in front of him was the shifting sands of the desert. With a weary sigh, he glanced westward towards the setting sun. "A whole day wasted while they bickered like children. Why won't they just listen to me!?!"
"Because they fear you," a voice said from behind him.
Rick spun around, to come face to face with an old Med-Jai woman. Her hair long ago having turned snow white, her face deeply wrinkled, but her eyes still had her furious strength and determination of youth. "Ma'am?" Rick asked in a questioning tone as he looked down at the older lady before him.
Without saying a word the woman grasped his right arm and raised it so that he could see it in the fading light. "They fear you because of who you are and what your represent." She explained as she traced the tattoo with her fingers.
"I don't understand," Rick said sadly as he pulled his sleeve down over the tattoo. "Look, all I want to do is get Ardeth out of the hands of those bastards."
"I know, child," the woman said gently as she patted Rick's arm in a grandmotherly way. "Come with me and I'll get you the help you need," she said as she threaded her arm in his and steered him back to the Elders' tent.
"Why are you helping me?" he asked as she drew him closer to the tent.
The old Med-jai woman smiled up at him as she patted his hand. "I have my reasons young one. Trust me." With that the woman slipped inside the tent.
"Aziza!" A joyous cheer could be heard from inside the tent before Rick went in. "What are you doing here Aziza?" Amin exclaimed as he threw his arms around her and swung her around.
"Put me down you silly boy." Aziza laughed as she grinned like a girl a fraction of her age.
"Aziza," the blind Elder said as he claimed her from Amin. "And for what reasons do one of the Wise Ones visit this humblest of outposts?"
"Dreams, my dear Khalid," She replied sadly as she gave him a quick kiss on the check.
"What do you mean Aziza?" Ghanim asked as he eyed the American evilly. "Has this man be telling you things?" he said with a disgusted look on his face.
"How could he?" Tarig, the young warrior who escorted Rick to the camp said, in anger. "He's been here all day. How could he have contacted the Wise One in our city? How could he have presaged Aziza of all people to come here?"
Aziza's playful loving demeanor dropped from her face, her eyes narrowed as she scolded the men. "No one but Allah control the actions of the Wise Ones. I came here become I dreamed that my grandson was in danger. And that this man," she said, pointing to Rick. "This man would be able to save him."
"Are you saying that Ardeth is in trouble and that this worthless spawn of a mongrel dog and a white bitch is his savior?" Hharb spat in disgust at Rick
Aziza's eyes widened at Harb's words, her nostrils flared in anger. With a few quick steps she was in front of him, her hand raised.
SLAP!!
"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK OF ARDETH'S BROTHER IN THAT WAY!!"
"But…but…but…" Harb sputtered as he held his hand to his bruised cheek.
Aziza looked around angrily at the men in the tent waiting for one to disagree with her. "I declare that Rick O'Connell is Ardeth Bay's lost brother and my grandchild." She said in a stately voice that left no room for argument. "The Med-Jai will provide all the help they can to insure that he is able to bring his brother home."
"But Aziza," Ghanim started to say as she turned her cold eyes towards him. He swallowed nervously as he took a small step backwards away from the small, fragile woman. "He's not a Med-Jai." He voice cracked under her gaze.
"He is my grandson!" she stated. "Lost to us years ago. And now he has returned." She walked over to Rick, grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him down so she could look him in the eyes. "Welcome home, my child," she said as she gently kissed his forehead.
As her lips touched him, Rick's knees buckled and he collapsed in front of her, tears running down his face.
~*~
The light from the setting sun bathed the dull brown building of the city blood red as four riders rode towards the city.
"City of Jackals." Muammar mumbled to himself when he caught sight of the city as he brought his camel to a stop.
Rick turned to him, uneasy, as his camel stopped next to Muammar. "What?"
"You've lead us to a city of slave traders," snarled Nasir as he looked with contempt at the American. "I told you he couldn't be trusted. Aziza's mad with grief over Ardeth."
Ignoring Nasir's outburst Muammar turned to Rick and asked, "Can you still sense your brother? Is he close by?"
Rick closed his eyes, and cocked his head to the side as if listening for something. Rick nodded his head as he watched the city fade to black. "Yes but…" he said as he rubbed his breastbone with the palm of his hand.
"But what, Oh Great Wahid?" Nasir snarled at Rick. "Have you lost you magical powers oh great one?"
Rick opened his eyes with a shake of his head. "I can feel him but I just can't get a direction." He growled in frustration.
Muammar sighed wearily as he stared at the city before him. "Then we will have to start with the pig," he said, kicking his camel into motion.
"The Pig?" Rick repeated, as he turned to Tarig, confusion written on his face.
Tarig chuckled softly at Rick's' confusion. "It's Muammar's name for Kamal Rashid, the local slave auctioneer."
"Camel shit?!?" Rick said innocently as he kick his camel into motion.
Tarig blinked in surprise befoer letting out a howl of laughter. "Yes! That's what he is!!! We're off to save Ardeth from Camel Shit!"
~*~
Rick leaned against the warm wall of the building, his eyes closed as he listened for Ardeth.
"It's quiet now?" Tarig said as he guarded Rick. "I hope they return soon. This place makes me nervous," he said as he looked out of the alley.
Rick didn't say a word but he cocked his head to the side, his brow furrowed in concentration. "He doesn't know anything," he whispered.
"They're coming," Tarig stated and waved his hand for Rick to come forward.
As they stepped out of the alley Nasir bumped into Rick. "We head south."
"No," Rick said, in a flat, entranced voice; his eyes had a glazed look in them. "Northwest. They are traveling North and West."
The Med-Jai looked at each other, a trace of unease in their eyes at the new way O'Connell was behaving. Nasir licked his lips nervously, "Rashid said they went south."
Rick took a couple of stumbling steps in the direction he indicated they must go before he suddenly collapsed to his hand and knees, his left hand still pressed to his chest.
"O'Connell?" Tarig called out as he knelt next to the man, concern etched on his face.
"I can't..." Rick gasped, his eyes wide with terror. Suddenly he threw his head back. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"