Yes, well, NOW I have some reviews! Yippee! Yahoo! Alright! Happy day, happy day! Ahem. Sry. OK. So. First:
Thanx to Imhoteps Lover (my very first REVIEWER!!!!!!!!!!! You're award is:.............uh...........the second chapter! Yes! The second chapter is dedicated to my dear friend, Imhoteps Lover! *applause*) OK. Now....
The third chapter (once I get it up) will be dedicated to Deana, cuz your kewl. I already wrote the third chapter, and I took you and Imhoteps Lover's advice: I INDENTED paragraphs! Thanx. I was wondering what was wrong with that whole picture...didn't know if they needed double spaces between them or not, so...
Now, if more people review, I'll dedicate chapters to them (if they're nice and honest and have good suggestions and/or comments). So....Read and Review, though that has become so cliché now.... ;)
Chapter 2
Evelyn O'Connell had owned a large manor in Egypt ever since her parents had passed on. Though the family only used it when they were traveling in Egypt, it was still very convenient to have. Especially at the moment. Because at the moment, Rick was kneeling on the floor, a water bottle in his hand and his gun attached to his hip, staring blankly at Alex, who was lying on his bed, motionless. Evy was sitting on a chair nearby, wringing her hands in her lap as she stared at Alex's sleeping form, sprawled out in what looked to be a very uncomfortable position.
"Is he alright, Rick?"
"Yes, Evy."
"What happened? Are you sure it was her? Did she hurt him? Was Im-"
"Evy! Please!"
Evelyn snapped her mouth shut and bit her lip. Rick kneeled next to Alex, and slapped him on the cheek.
"Alex," Rick said, shaking him, "Alex, wake up!"
Alex wearily opened his eyes and looked around. He recognized his room, but it still confused him. Hadn't he just been in a tomb a moment ago?
"Where am I?' he asked groggily.
"In your room," Rick stated simply, standing up. "We're home," he explained, handing the bottle to Alex. Alex took the bottle but didn't drink any water.
"Home? But Dad! What about…?"
"Your mother and I are both going back to the tomb as soon as Jonathan gets here."
"Aw, Dad! C'mon!" exclaimed Alex, "Can't I come?"
"No!" Evelyn cried, her voice breaking, "You were so close to dying it makes me sick to think about it!"
"Mum! I came even closer to dying five years ago! Remember?"
"Yes! Of course I do! You are in danger around tombs, and I don't want to lose you!"
"Mum-"
"No, Alex!"
Then Rick started too, "You shouldn't have gone in that tomb in the first place! You deliberately disobeyed us! You're lucky I'm not just sending you back to London, Young Man!"
Alex opened his mouth, but Evelyn shook her head angrily, "That's it, Alex! End of story. Understood?"
Alex hung his head sadly and muttered, "Yes ma'am."
Evelyn exhaled furiously and stood up, her arms crossed. Rick was leaning against the wall, staring at Alex with a look of mixed anger and disappointment. Alex sat on his bed, staring sadly at his hands.
"We're very disappointed in you, Alex," Rick stated.
"I know." Alex blinked back tears and felt foolish. He hated crying. He hadn't cried once since he was eight years old, and that had been because his mother had died. But still, every time his father was disappointed in him, he felt terrible. It was just about the worse thing that could happen.
"I was...only trying to...be like you, Dad," Alex whispered, still looking at his hands. Rick glanced at Alex and sighed,
"I know, Son. But sometimes you just have to wait to be like me, Kiddo."
"I know..." Alex glanced up at his father, and Rick saw he was about ready to cry.
"Great," he thought, "I hate it when this happens. I hate making my kid cry. Perfect."
Alex blinked several times to disperse the tears and stated clearly, "I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry, Mum."
"I know you are, Kiddo." Rick ruffled Alex's hair, and for once, he didn't protest. Evelyn uncrossed her arms and smiled softly at her son,
"I forgive you, Alex." Alex's face broke into his normal mischievous grin, and Rick and Evelyn couldn't help but to smile with him.
******************************************************
Several hours later, Alex was in the living room, a frown on his face, "I'm going to miss you guys!" he mumbled.
Evelyn hugged him tightly and said, "Cheer up, Alex! We'll be back soon! I mean, it usually takes us about…"
"Two weeks," Alex finished for her, feeling even more depressed, "It takes us about two weeks to save the world."
"Hey," Rick declared, "That ain't too bad!"
Evelyn sighed and rested her hands on her son's shoulders, "Alex, your father and I will be very careful out there, ok? And we'll hurry up and get back home."
"How soon will you be home?" asked Alex.
"We'll try to be back in...five days, alright?"
Alex grinned and questioned, "Will you at least get me a souvenir?"
"Of course!"
Suddenly, a voice called through the door. "Hello? Anyone home? It's me. Jonathan!"
"We'd better go, Evy!" Rick exclaimed.
Evelyn nodded and hugged Alex once more, "Bye, Alex! Be good for Jonathan."
"Bye mom," Alex sighed.
"You gonna be alright, Alex? You're the man of the house, considering Jonathan can't even boil water without burning it," Rick stated, ruffling Alex's hair.
"No problem, Dad!" exclaimed Alex.
With that, Evelyn and Rick walked out of the room and greeted Jonathan before getting into the car and driving off. That was when a tall, lanky man appeared in the doorway.
"Alex!" he called, "Why didn't I get a 'hello' from you?"
Alex looked up and grinned, "Hi, Uncle John!"
Jonathan was a tall, handsome man of around forty years old with dark brown hair and eyes, light skin, and a very attracting smile. He was wearing a very nice, white suit, which, Alex suspected, he had bought to impress one of his many girlfriends. Though he didn't look it, he was completely the opposite of Evelyn, his 'baby sister' as he called her. Sure, he may have told everyone who would listen that he was constantly meeting up with mummies and beating them up, saving the world, and becoming rich, but, the truth was, the only reason he was rich was because Alex's parents had loaned him so much money. Still, even though Jonathan was, well, a coward, Alex still loved him very much and enjoyed spending time with him.
"So, what's new, Alex?"
"Nothing much...except I just read about a really big temple, made out of solid gold!"
Jonathan's face went slack and a dreamy expression came into his eyes,
"A whole temple? Made out of solid gold?"
Alex glanced at his uncle, remembering his unfortunate longing for gold and riches,
"I'll tell you about it in the kitchen!" he sighed, pulling his uncle into the next room.
*****************************************************
Evelyn pushed her hair out of her face,
"Rick?" she asked, "Are you sure it was her?"
Rick's eyes darkened, "Yes. She looked just like her, and talked just like her…it was her alright."
Evelyn sighed and rested her head against Rick's shoulder, "I was worried about that."
Rick glanced at his wife, "Evy, Alex is safe with Jonathan."
"I know...I just hate the fact that this is happening again!"
"You do?" Rick scoffed, "I'm beginning to wonder if we should just let her get Imhotep and give up!"
"We can't do that, Rick."
"I know, I know. Just wishing, that's all."
Evelyn sighed heavily and looked back at the disappearing house. Rick took one hand form the steering wheel and wrapped his arm around her, "He'll be alright, Evy."
"I know. I just…wish I could be with him, that's all…"
"I know, so do I…"
******************************************************
"I just…wish I could be with them, that's all."
Alex glanced up at his uncle when he didn't answer. Jonathan had his chin in his hands and he was staring at the ceiling.
"Uncle John? Hello!"
Jonathan jumped, "What? Who? Ummm...what were you saying?"
Alex frowned irritably, "I said I just wish I could be with my parents, that's all."
"Well…maybe they'll come home sooner then you think? Now please, I'm begging you! Tell me more about that temple!"
Alex rolled his eyes; leave it to Uncle John to spend hours sitting there while Alex blabbed on about his life, only to find out his uncle hadn't even been listening.
Finally, he said, "It's one of the largest tombs ever. The inside and outside are made of solid gold. There are even some jewels that are embedded into the walls!"
"Wow," sighed Jonathan.
Alex moaned and rested his head against the table. "I wish I could've gone…"
Suddenly the phone rang, causing both he and Jonathan to snap out of their daydreams. Alex frowned; no one knew their home phone number. The phone was mostly there for show. He shrugged it off and exclaimed, "I'll get it!"
"Hello?" he asked.
"I need to speak to Rick O'Connell."
"He's not here now, but my uncle is, do you want to speak with him?"
"Yes."
Alex handed the phone to Jonathan and plopped down onto a chair, his chin in his hands.
"Hello? Yes it is." Jonathan frowned as he listened to the other line, "What do you mean you need someone to go down to the museum?"
He sighed exasperatedly, and then mumbled, "I suppose. But, I can't stay long, I'm watching my nephew."
With that, he hung up. "Who was it?" Alex asked.
"Someone at the museum. They need me down there. Somehow found out I was an Egyptologist."
Alex snorted, but Jonathan didn't notice, "I shouldn't be long; don't answer the door or...anything."
"Ok."
Alex watched as Jonathan walked through the front door. Sighing, he plodded into the library and picked out a book about Ancient Egyptians.
"That was kinda strange!" he muttered, sitting down and opening the book.
******************************************************
Crunch! Evelyn nearly screamed as a scorpion was crushed under her boot. Rick quickly clamped his hand over her mouth and put a finger to his lips as he pointed into the hall. Evelyn nodded and followed him into it, watching the floor carefully as she did so.
"What do you mean you're better at this than me?"
"I don't get scared just because a dead body lands on my lap!"
"I told you! It didn't scare me! It just shocked me!"
"Will you two shut up? I can't believe I'm letting you live! Maybe I should just let Imhotep regenerate using your bodies…"
"No!"
"We're sorry, Mistress!"
Evelyn looked over at Rick, who nodded and pointed into the room before slowly and quietly walking in. Evelyn followed, holding her torch in front of her and walking very carefully over all of the mummies' bodies. The two men were pushing on the door with all their strength; their faces dripping with sweat and pale with exhaustion. Anck-su-namun was holding a torch, impatience etched all over her face. Suddenly, the door swung open, making the men fall flat on their faces. Anck-su-namun carelessly stepped over the men into the next room. Evelyn and Rick followed her slowly, waiting for the men to get up and walk in. When they finally did, they stepped into the room, and what they saw made Evelyn gasp in shock, causing Rick to clamp his hand over her mouth and pull her to his chest. The room was so large Anck-su-namun's torch didn't even reach the back walls. The walls were made of solid gold, engraved with rubies, causing the hieroglyphics to seem to have red, gleaming eyes. Amid the clutter of beds, chests and books, there was a small sarcophagus resting upon a table, surrounded by dead flowers that had long ago lost their scent. Evelyn watched as Anck-su-namun walked up to the coffin and traced a finger over the name. After looking at both of the soldiers, who were hovering behind her, eyeing the coffin with great worry, she opened the coffin. A sudden shriek echoed through the tomb, making the two soldiers shout and run to the other side of the room. Suddenly, a young girl's whispering voice reverberated around the room, sending chills through Evelyn's body.
"Yoterirea sinumi diklimus dyie? Thalikmotous kistimous. Dea-"
A loud, terrified scream erupted again, cutting off the voice. Dust was suddenly whipped through the room, making everyone nothing but an outline among the choking sand. Someone sat up in the coffin, only to be grabbed by somebody and taken away. Evelyn heard a muffled scream, except this time it sounded like it had come from nearby, instead of all around them and distant. Evy craned her neck and squinted to see who had been in the sarcophagus, but Rick suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her out.
"Rick!" Evelyn protested, "I wanted to see who that is!"
"Do we need to know?" demanded Rick.
"Yes!" snapped Evelyn, pulling her hand free of Rick's grip and trying to run back to the room.
"Evy!" shouted Rick, "Wait!"
Evelyn normally wouldn't have stopped, but that was before she heard the guard's voices a mere few feet away. Evelyn stopped dead in her tracks as Anck-su-namun's voice came closer and closer...
"Now that we have her, we can go back to Ahm Shere and resurrect Imhotep."
"Your Highness, what about the O'Connell's? If they find out that you are trying to resurrect Imhotep, they will not stay anywhere where we can find them! They may even come here to fight us!"
"I already have sent some guards there; they should stall the O'Connell's until I get there with Imhotep."
"So we're going to Ahm Shere?" questioned one man; his voice sounded strained, like he was carrying something heavy.
"Yes, but you will not leave until tomorrow. You will go to the O'Connell mansion tonight and wait there until I give word that you should attack."
"Your Highness, what about...her?"
There was a slight pause.
"She's coming with me," Anck-su-namun finally replied.
Then, the voice that Evelyn had heard in the room before cried out, terrified, "No! I don't want to! Let me go!"
The voice sounded so familiar, like Evelyn had heard it somewhere before. And it sounded as though it belonged to someone young, maybe around Alex's age...
Evelyn gasped as Anck-su-namun came around the corner. The two guards followed behind her, both pulling something, or someone, behind them.
"Your Highness! She...will...not...cooperate!"
"Let go! I'm not going! Let me go!"
Rick grabbed Evelyn's arm and raced out of the tomb, just as Anck-su-namun entered the room. Her voice died away as Rick and Evelyn emerged from the tomb, breathing heavily.
"Evy," Rick finally stated, "We need to get to Ahm Shere before Anck-su-namun!"
Evelyn nodded; worry making her heart beat painfully fast,
"What if we don't make it…?"
Rick looked over at Evelyn, and she was surprised to see that he looked almost as worried as she did. He took a deep, steadying breath, and said, in a very resolute and confident way,
"We'll make it."
******************************************************
Had Rick and Evy stayed in the tomb a moment longer, Rick wouldn't have been so sure of himself. Abitula and Mugentai were straining to pull something through the tomb, their breath coming in short, ragged gasps. It wasn't that she was heavy, in fact she was very light, but she was fighting with her whole being: kicking screaming, punching and straining her feet on the heavy, thick sand that covered the floor. Anck-su-namun had been completely oblivious to this, as she had been thinking of what she would do when she found Imhotep and begged his forgiveness for deserting him five years ago... Still, Mugentai and Abitula were both ready to just drop the girl and leave her to rot in her tomb. They had both tried to explain the child's behavior to Anck-su-namun, but she was ignoring them.
Mugentai tried again, "Your Highness..."
Surprisingly, Anck-su-namun whipped around, her eyes blazing. However this was not because she had heard Mugentai. The girl had just somehow twisted free from both men and she was racing down the tunnel. Anck-su-namun smiled softly at the valiant, though fruitless, attempts of escape. Then, she walked slowly the way the girl had ran, beckoning the soldiers to follow. Both men glanced at each other, shrugged, and then followed the woman down the tunnel.
******************************************************
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Alex awoke with a start, causing the book he had been reading to fall out of his lap. Squinting slightly, he looked at the clock; it read 10:06. "Who could be calling this late?" he muttered, standing up and walking towards the door.
The thumping grew louder as he arrived at the landing, yawning sleepily as he did so. Forgetting his promise to his uncle, Alex opened the door, and his mouth dropped open. There were at least twenty tall, muscular men, all wearing armor and all carrying swords, standing on his porch.
Alex shut his mouth and stammered, "C-can I help you?"
"We are looking for Rick and Evelyn O'Connell," stated the largest of the men.
"They're not available right now. I'll tell them you came."
Alex started to shut the door, but the soldier pushed the door open again. "Where are they?"
Alex was getting annoyed, "That's none of your business! Who are you, anyway?"
"We are...old friends," he stated, grinning devilishly.
"Oh. Ok. I'm sure they'll be very happy to hear that 'old friends' came by. They'll be back next week. Goodbye."
Alex slammed the door shut and locked it.
"That should take care of those creeps," he decided, beginning to stroll back into the study.
Then, he heard bashing on the door. He normally wouldn't have cared, but it was so strong, he was afraid it would knock the door down. This, though he didn't know it at the time, was precisely what Anck-su-namun's soldiers were trying to do.
******************************************************
Egypt is usually a very hot and dry country. However sometimes it's worse. Sometimes lighting shoots through the sky in great arcs and thunder rumbles in the distance like an angry beast. That was how it was on this particular night as Jonathan pulled to a stop in front of the empty Cairo Museum.
"Stupid umbrella!" Jonathan glowered as he struggled to open his umbrella. It was pouring rain and he didn't want to get his new suit wet. Finally, the umbrella sprang open, hitting him in the face as it did do. "Remind me never to go out in the rain again!" he muttered, opening his car door and walking out.
Lightning flashed nearby, causing him to speed up nervously, slipping and sliding through puddles as he ran. When he reached the doors, he opened them and ran inside.
"Hello? Anyone?" he called, closing his umbrella. There was no answer.
"I'm the Egyptologist you called!" he shouted, shaking rain from his coat. There was still no reply.
"It was probably just some prank call!" he grumbled, preparing to walk back out.
"In here!" someone called suddenly.
Jonathan turned around and looked for the person, "Where?"
"The mummies exhibit!"
Jonathan shrugged and slowly walked into the room, his footsteps echoing off of the walls and reverberating around the empty room. Mummies glowered down at him from every wall. He shivered slightly, trying not to look into their dark, pit-like eyes. He reached the end of the room, where there was a light switch. Shrugging, he flipped it on, and light flooded into the room, eliminating the many statues and coffins. Jonathan frowned; there was no one in the room. Not even a janitor.
"Hello? Do you want me to help or not?" he called irritably. Lightning suddenly stuck again, soon followed by a monstrous roll of thunder. The lights flickered for a minute, and then went out.
"Ugh! I hate storms!" Jonathan mumbled, backing slowly away from the coffin-lined walls around him
.
"I enjoy storms," stated a dark, low voice.
Jonathan whirled around. The silhouette of a person stood in the doorway.
"Oh, are you the person who called?" Jonathan asked, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning casually against a bare wall.
"Yes."
"Oh…what do you need help with?"
"I need no help from you, you fool!"
Jonathan was confused and angry. "You mean I came all the way up here for nothing? Thanks a lot, you old codger!"
Lightning suddenly illuminated the person, and Jonathan stepped back in surprise; it was a tall, muscular Arab dressed in a low, flowing cloak and a red turban. His clothes were mostly white, but there was some red, and Jonathan immediately noticed that he carried a sword. Jonathan recognized him; he had kidnapped Alex five years ago and had nearly killed Ardeth Bay, the Medjai chieftain. It was Anck-su-namun's loyal servant, Lock-Na
"I-it's you," Jonathan stammered, backing away, "I thought you were dead!"
He suddenly smashed into something hard and glanced behind him. There were at least a dozen Arabian men behind him, grinning wickedly.
"I was dead. Amazing, what the Book of the Dead can do isn't it?" Lock-Na jeered, walking briskly toward Jonathan, sword drawn.
******************************************************
Alex ran over to the door, skidding on the marble tile, regaining his balance, rushing to the landing, leaning his full weight against the door.
"What do you want?" he shouted.
"Let us in!"
"No! Go away or I'll..."
Alex swallowed; normally in this situation, he would have said "I'm getting my dad!" But he was long gone, probably crouched under a rock in a tomb, his gun poised to shoot some mummies guts out...
"I'll shoot you!"
There was a slight pause in the banging.
Then, the voice sounded again, this time with laughter, "You? Shoot me? You're just a kid!"
"I'll get my older brother! He's...seventeen!"
"You don't have an older brother, Alex. You're an only child."
Alex continued pressing against the door, nervous sweat sliding down his face. "Oh boy, now I'm in trouble..."
******************************************************
The Cairo Museum was pitch-black through most of it, except one room, where a bright light shone form the ceiling onto a man tied to a chair. He sat tense, his eyes flitting from one armed man to the other, but mostly to the knife pointed at him.
"Ok! Ok! Alex is in the house, Evy's with Rick inside a tomb in Egypt, just like she is every other day of her life!"
"Which tomb?"
Jonathan frowned slightly and said exasperatedly, "Oh come on, how should I know?"
Lock-Na nodded to one of his men, who jabbed the knife closer to Jonathan's throat.
"Oh! You mean what temple is she in? She's in Seti's!"
"Seti's? How long has she been there?"
"Since this afternoon…I think."
Lock-Na stared at Jonathan for one more second, then stated, "Let's go."
Jonathan heaved a sigh of relief, "Well, nice to see you all! Goodbye!"
Lock-Na held his arm out to stop Jonathan from standing up, "What makes you think you're coming?"
"You said! You said if I told you everything, you'd let me go!"
Lock-Na smiled wickedly and whispered, "I lied."
****************************************************
The closest thing to an airport in Egypt was an old, rundown
building with a wobbly gate surrounding it. Inside, there was nothing to suggest that any aircraft could possibly be stationed there, except perhaps a few pigeons. Still, Rick and Evelyn had been to this 'airport' before and they knew there was a flying machine behind the rickety walls. And that is why, at noon, during the hottest part of the day they were standing in front of the gate, Rick shouting at the top of his lungs and Evy leaning casually against the car, bored with the whole argument.
"Izzy! C'mon! It wasn't all that bad!"
"Yes it was! Yes it was! No, O'Connell! I told you last time that I'd never help you again!"
Evelyn couldn't help smiling as Rick impatiently took his gun out, "Look, Izzy, I'll say this one time. There are two people that we know who are going to wipe out the entire world if we don't stop them! You're either on their side, or ours. If you're on our side, you'll give us a ride to Ahm Shere and get paid to do so. If you're on their side…" Rick cocked his gun.
Izzy glanced at the gun and asked, "So…what you're telling me is… if I don't help you I'm gonna get shot?"
"Basically."
Evelyn shook her head and sighed,
"Rick, must you be so aggressive?"
"Evy, I think that right now is a time to be aggressive, don't you?"
"It's not going to help if you threaten him!"
"Like heck it won't!"
"Let me try!"
Evelyn stated, walking over to Izzy, who had turned his back on Rick angrily. This was normal behavior for the tall, dark-skinned Arab, who Rick often referred to as, "A load of hot air and crap." Izzy was wearing an outfit that might suggest he was a homeless drunk, which, he basically was. His white shirt was untucked and hastily buttoned, his pants were very dirty and in need of a good washing, and he wore a leather pilot's hat on his head, which hung limply over his smudged, unshaven face. He was much like Jonathan in the way he adored treasure and riches, but was pickier. Last time they had met, Rick had handed him a large wad of cash in exchange for a ride to Ahm Shere, but Izzy, though he took the money, bluntly refused them a ride. Rick had finally given him the solid gold Scepter of Osiris that he was happy to do anything for.
"Izzy, last time didn't we pay you well?"
"Yes, but I got chased by a water monster, crashed into an oasis filled with devilish little…things, and almost got sucked into an oblivion! That is something I do not want to try again soon!"
"Oh, but Izzy! You did so well!" Evelyn complimented, smiling at him in her flirtatious way. Rick rolled his eyes and leaned against his car.
"I-I did?" Izzy asked, facing Evelyn.
"Yes. I'll bet no one could have controlled any aircraft as well as you could!" she stated, pulling her best flattery tone and fluttering her eyelashes.
Izzy grinned a toothy smile, "Well…I guess I did do a pretty good job fixing the blimp…"
"Yes, and I'm certain you'll do as well, if not better, this time!"
Izzy thought for a moment and asked, "What'll you pay me with?"
"We'll give you whatever treasure we find in Ahm Sheer," bargained Rick. Izzy's eyes widened, "O'Connell, you've got yourself a ride!"
