A snake." Nigel whispered. Nigel glanced as Sydney, seeing the concern in
her eyes. He remained quiet while he remembered their encounter with
Devereaux and Richarde.
They had found the location of the Cross of Utu with the help of the Witch Doctor, but before they could leave they were confronted by two of Sydney's students, Matt and Kelly, who were under Devereaux's control. Devereaux, the Snake, was the second in command, the lieutenant of the Voodoo sect. Professor Richarde, the Spider, was the leader.
Nigel had been able to use a Voodoo prayer to release Matt and Kelly from Devereaux's influence, but Devereaux had been another matter. Nigel had never purposely killed anyone or anything before in his life, but Devereaux was choking the life out of Sydney and nothing he or she could do would stop him. Without thinking, Nigel did the only thing he could: he plunged the cross into Devereaux's chest. As Devereaux's body crumpled to the floor, Nigel could have sworn he saw the bottom of the cross glowing as the body rapidly decomposed.
After Nigel returned to the hotel with the very confused Matt and Kelly, Professor Richarde had dropped by on the false pretense of checking up on his and Sydney's safety. Matt had been the first to notice the spider tattoo on Richarde's arm. Nigel quickly grabbed the cross and Richarde grabbed him by the neck, but to Richarde's surpise, Nigel was able to stop him.
Richarde and Devereaux's powers were tied to the cross, and as long as it remained in it's chamber they were practically invincible, but when the cross and been removed, Richarde lost his powers.
"Nigel, are you okay?" Sydney asked
"I'm fine, just thinking." Nigel was suddenly reminded of his dream. "You said there was a snake drawn over my picture, I don't know if this means anything, but last night I dreamt I was in my bed, covered with hundreds of snakes."
Nigels revelation only deepened Sydney's concern for him. Richarde had every reason to want revenge. They had stripped him of his power and Nigel had killed his second in command.
Sydney knew they had to return to New Orleans, but part of her wanted to leave Nigel behind for his own protection. She looked at Nigel, then realized if Richarde had possession of the cross and his powers back, it would make no difference where Nigel was. At least if he was with her, she might be able to protect him.
"Pack your bags Nigel. We've got a cross to recover and a spider to squash."
*******
Later that same night, Nigel was sitting alone in his hotel room. He and Syd had taken the first available flight to New Orleans.
From the moment he stepped off the plane, Nigel had the strange feeling he was being watched. He kept telling himself he was just being paranoid, but he still couldn't shake the feeling.
When they checked into the hotel, Detective Johnson was waiting for them in the lobby. Sydney had phoned him when they landed. Johnson briefed them on what had been learned about the case, which wasn't much. The police still had no clue as to Richarde's whereabouts or how he had escaped.
After the detective left, Sydney and Nigel discussed their game plan. They would retrace their original steps, from when they first found the cross. Maybe they would find some clues to Richarde's hiding place. They would leave first thing in the morning. Before turning in for the night, Sydney assured Nigel everything would be okay, even though she had some doubts. She told him not to worry about the previous night's dream or the picture, and to try to get some sleep.
Nigel looked at his bed as if it were going to bite him. He knew he was being silly. Dreams couldn't hurt anyone unless you were in a Freddy Krueger movie. He climbed into bed after he checked it and looked under it for any unwelcome visitors. As he expected, none were found.
He was afraid he would not be able to sleep, but within a few short minutes he was soundly asleep.
Nigel heard the sound of someone knocking on his door. As he opened it, he saw no one there. He looked down the hall and to his surprise he saw Sydney leaning against her door in a very revealing negligee, beckoning him to follow her. He obediently followed, but as soon as he entered the room, Sydney was nowhere in sight.
"Sydney?" he called as he looked around the dimly-lit room. From the corner of his eye he caught movement on the bed. She must be hiding under the covers, waiting for him to join her!
"Here I come," he said as he pulled the covers off the bed. But instead of finding Sydney, in the bed he found thousands of spiders and snakes. Nigel turned to flee, but the door was now gone and the room had been replaced by the same dark, cold chamber in which they had found the cross. The walls and floor were alive with movement. There was no way out.
"SYDNEY!" Nigel screamed her name as he backed up toward the altar. The snakes and spiders seemed to be almost herding him toward it. He felt a light tapping on his left shoulder. "Thank God, Syd. I thought..." Nigel never finished the sentence. because it wasn't Sydney behind him. It was Devereaux.
They had found the location of the Cross of Utu with the help of the Witch Doctor, but before they could leave they were confronted by two of Sydney's students, Matt and Kelly, who were under Devereaux's control. Devereaux, the Snake, was the second in command, the lieutenant of the Voodoo sect. Professor Richarde, the Spider, was the leader.
Nigel had been able to use a Voodoo prayer to release Matt and Kelly from Devereaux's influence, but Devereaux had been another matter. Nigel had never purposely killed anyone or anything before in his life, but Devereaux was choking the life out of Sydney and nothing he or she could do would stop him. Without thinking, Nigel did the only thing he could: he plunged the cross into Devereaux's chest. As Devereaux's body crumpled to the floor, Nigel could have sworn he saw the bottom of the cross glowing as the body rapidly decomposed.
After Nigel returned to the hotel with the very confused Matt and Kelly, Professor Richarde had dropped by on the false pretense of checking up on his and Sydney's safety. Matt had been the first to notice the spider tattoo on Richarde's arm. Nigel quickly grabbed the cross and Richarde grabbed him by the neck, but to Richarde's surpise, Nigel was able to stop him.
Richarde and Devereaux's powers were tied to the cross, and as long as it remained in it's chamber they were practically invincible, but when the cross and been removed, Richarde lost his powers.
"Nigel, are you okay?" Sydney asked
"I'm fine, just thinking." Nigel was suddenly reminded of his dream. "You said there was a snake drawn over my picture, I don't know if this means anything, but last night I dreamt I was in my bed, covered with hundreds of snakes."
Nigels revelation only deepened Sydney's concern for him. Richarde had every reason to want revenge. They had stripped him of his power and Nigel had killed his second in command.
Sydney knew they had to return to New Orleans, but part of her wanted to leave Nigel behind for his own protection. She looked at Nigel, then realized if Richarde had possession of the cross and his powers back, it would make no difference where Nigel was. At least if he was with her, she might be able to protect him.
"Pack your bags Nigel. We've got a cross to recover and a spider to squash."
*******
Later that same night, Nigel was sitting alone in his hotel room. He and Syd had taken the first available flight to New Orleans.
From the moment he stepped off the plane, Nigel had the strange feeling he was being watched. He kept telling himself he was just being paranoid, but he still couldn't shake the feeling.
When they checked into the hotel, Detective Johnson was waiting for them in the lobby. Sydney had phoned him when they landed. Johnson briefed them on what had been learned about the case, which wasn't much. The police still had no clue as to Richarde's whereabouts or how he had escaped.
After the detective left, Sydney and Nigel discussed their game plan. They would retrace their original steps, from when they first found the cross. Maybe they would find some clues to Richarde's hiding place. They would leave first thing in the morning. Before turning in for the night, Sydney assured Nigel everything would be okay, even though she had some doubts. She told him not to worry about the previous night's dream or the picture, and to try to get some sleep.
Nigel looked at his bed as if it were going to bite him. He knew he was being silly. Dreams couldn't hurt anyone unless you were in a Freddy Krueger movie. He climbed into bed after he checked it and looked under it for any unwelcome visitors. As he expected, none were found.
He was afraid he would not be able to sleep, but within a few short minutes he was soundly asleep.
Nigel heard the sound of someone knocking on his door. As he opened it, he saw no one there. He looked down the hall and to his surprise he saw Sydney leaning against her door in a very revealing negligee, beckoning him to follow her. He obediently followed, but as soon as he entered the room, Sydney was nowhere in sight.
"Sydney?" he called as he looked around the dimly-lit room. From the corner of his eye he caught movement on the bed. She must be hiding under the covers, waiting for him to join her!
"Here I come," he said as he pulled the covers off the bed. But instead of finding Sydney, in the bed he found thousands of spiders and snakes. Nigel turned to flee, but the door was now gone and the room had been replaced by the same dark, cold chamber in which they had found the cross. The walls and floor were alive with movement. There was no way out.
"SYDNEY!" Nigel screamed her name as he backed up toward the altar. The snakes and spiders seemed to be almost herding him toward it. He felt a light tapping on his left shoulder. "Thank God, Syd. I thought..." Nigel never finished the sentence. because it wasn't Sydney behind him. It was Devereaux.