Carolyn and Amanda made him walk first all the way back to the camp, Carolyn's survival knife gently brushing along his robes to remind him that she was back there armed if he made any sudden moves.

            "EVIE!  RICK!" Amanda shouted.

            "What?!" Rick leapt from the tent ready to fight.

            "This man says he knows you," Carolyn gave him a little push in Rick's direction, "and he wants to talk to you."

            "Ardeth," Evie said, just poking her head from the tent, "What are you doing here?"

            "Wait, let me guess," Rick said, "They woke my old pal, Imhotep, up and you want our help stopping him."

            "You can not be fooled, my friend," Ardeth smiled.

            "There's no way in hell," Rick said, "Come on Evie, we're going home."

            "But Rick," Evie protested.

            "But-Rick-nothing.  I'm not here searching fro a glorious way to die.  You said a library Evie.  Books, dust, and sand…not mummies or-" Rick paused then turned to Ardeth, "why did he get brought back this time, and who did it?"

            Amanda broke into the conversation, "Forgive my intrusion but did you say Imhotep?"

            Ardeth gave her a look of curiosity and said, "Yes, Imhotep."

            "Oh, okay," she turned to Carolyn and quietly said, "I'm not sure, but I think we might be in trouble."

            Carolyn nodded not really hearing her, and then in the realization of what she had said opened her mouth to protest; but Ardeth held up a finger.

            "My friend, I'm not sure.  It was someone who knows something.  He knew how to get to Ahm Shere."

            "There's that word again," Carolyn said.

            Ardeth looked over to Carolyn but continued on, "It will have been 4,000 years exactly that Aken-en-ten ruled this coming day.  We believe his infantry, who prayed to Ra, shall bring siege upon the Earth."

            "And Imhotep is the only one tough enough to take them," Rick said, "we've done this song and dance before."

            "Oh but Rick-"

            "No Evie, last time you died.  I couldn't bare that again."

            "We think the answers lie in the library," Ardeth said.

            "See I told you," Amanda protested, "and I think we found the library."

            Ardeth nodded, "I believe the woman is right."

            Carolyn hopefully suggested, "So as previously planned we find the library, Evie reads some books, Mandy studies some architecture, reads some books, discovers that we are all one culture who many years ago were sent to our geographically different rooms as a result of our failure to be decent human being, Ardeth reads some books too and discovers Ra was killed in the Pompi disaster quite some time ago and no longer is able to raise great armies, and then we all leave richer in knowledge and, as Jonathan hopes, objects."  Carolyn, perfectly content that this should be the way it worked, turned to walk back to her tent.  "See you all in the morning."

            They all stared silently at Carolyn's back for several moments.

            Ardeth broke the silence by turning to Amanda and questioning, "Is your last name Piechocki?"

            Amanda looked after Carolyn, wanting to call her back, responded, "Um…yes.  Might I ask how you know that?"

            Ardeth gave her a curious grin, "The two of you are a bit of a legend."

            Amanda stared back at him, an extremely confused look upon her face, "What?"

            "I know several Templars and keep in touch with them often."

            Amanda blinked at him and smiled uncomfortably, "Yes, well I'll be off to bed too…since we're going to need a head start early in the morning.  Carolyn," she called, "about that bet…" Amanda sunk into the tent, "I think we should call it off, go home now.  I'll forget the expedition and we can go backpacking in Colorado."

            "Wait," Ardeth called, "I think you should make great additions."

            Rick pulled the nylon door back and said, "Uh-huh, you started this; get back out here and show us where this library is."

            Amanda shook her head, "No, this is-"

            "MANDY!" Rick demanded.

            Amanda and Carolyn climbed out of the tent and stood among the others.

"First you are telling me what Ahm Shere is and who Imhotep is, and what he has to do with anything," Carolyn barked.

            "Ahm Shere is where the Scorpion King's army fell 3,000 years ago.  Anubis's army still lives there.  Imhotep was the pharaoh priest, and in love with the king's mistress…got himself mummified alive for it and swore to seek revenge…and get his girl back."  Amanda smiled at Carolyn weakly.

            Rick bobbed his head back and forth with an expression of agreement, "Sounds about right."

            "Oh is that all?" Carolyn said mockingly, "Sounds like fun.  I'm just wondering why this matters now and exactly what Ra raising his army means."

            Amanda swallowed hard, "Yes, that has me a bit perplexed as well."

            Rick and Ardeth both looked to Evie to answer their questions.

            "Well, let's see…Amanda have you heard of the book of the dead?"

            Amanda felt chills run down her spine, "Yes."

            "Well, several years ago we found it.  And it works."

            Amanda shook her head, "That's not possible."

            "I'm afraid it very much is possible.  It seems that, yet again, it has fallen into the wrong hands and Imhotep has yet again been brought back."  Evie frowned.