"Syd," Nigel said, leaning against the wall, "I don't feel well." He placed his hand to the right side of his stomach. "Stomach hurts."
"Did you eat something from the bar?" Sydney asked, running her hands over the wall opposite Nigel, looking for some kind of switch or lever to get them out of the chamber.
"No."
Sydney looked over at him in surprise, startled by the lack of appetite more than anything else. Nigel could be full of complaints on hunts and they didn't usually amount to much, although they had lessened in the years they'd worked together. Usually she would've chalked the stomach pain up to food poisoning or hunger. The bar had been clean, less of a relic hunter bar and more of a normal bar that afforded space for a quiet conversation, which meant that she fully expected Nigel to take advantage of the kitchen. That he hadn't concerned her more than ever. In the light of the torch she could see that Nigel was paler than usual, and sheen of sweat coated his forehead. She frowned, thinking back. He had been quieter than usual, pressing his hand to his stomach at intervals. She hadn't paid much attention earlier, focused on finding the relic ahead of the competition.
"When's the last time you ate?"
"Breakfast at the hotel, I think." He groaned and slid down the wall to sit on the floor.
Sydney abandoned the wall to kneel beside Nigel and reached out to press lightly against his stomach. He pushed her hand away.
"Hurts," he mumbled.
She pressed the inside of her wrist to his forehead as her grandmother used to do when she was sick. He was warm to the touch. "I think you're coming down with a fever, too." She considered him. "It might be food poisoning from breakfast." She thought of the more serious things it could be and dismissed the idea. The main thing was for them to get out of there. She pulled her cellphone out of her satchel and checked again for a signal. Still nothing.
Sydney stood and looked around the room with more urgency than she had before. As much as she wanted him to have just a more uncomfortable food poisoning, it looked to be something that required medical attention sooner rather than later.
"Talk to me Nige," Sydney demanded. If he was talking, he was conscious. If he was coherent then his fever hadn't gone into unthinkable territory. That's what she figured anyway. More honestly, his placidness really unsettled her. She missed his inane chatter and panic at being trapped in a burial chamber. She was going to kill Glenn for trapping them when they got out of there and after she made sure Nigel was okay. The only upside was that she had managed to pass off a rock as the relic after she had wrapped it in the cloth they had found the relic in.
"I just want to get out of here, Syd." Nigel closed his eyes. "It's so hot in here."
"I know." She stepped towards the back of the room. When this chamber had been built they would've only needed the one entrance – no one would've had need to come back in here after it was built until the actual burial, and then never again.
Sydney struggled to find a way out for the next 20 minutes, her worry increasing with every passing second. Nigel was still holding his stomach, and was sweating more profusely. She was beginning to think they were well and truly stuck when the door began to open, the heavy stone moving slowly up. Sydney quickly moved to the side of the door, placing herself between the opening and Nigel and in an ideal position to attack as they stepped through. The only person who knew they were there was Glenn and she could think of only one reason why he'd be back – he had discovered the her deceit.
Glenn stepped into the room, gun drawn, and not in a way that would be effective against anyone in the position Sydney was in. She easily kicked away the gun and landed a punch to his stomach. He doubled over in pain and she brought up her knee – he dropped to the floor and groaned. Not being her concern, she left him where he lay and went to Nigel. She pulled him to his feet, ignoring the moan he let out and pulled him from the room. To prevent Glenn from causing them any additional delays, she shut the door on him as he had on them, and made a mental note to call the police to collect him later. He would be fine there for a bit. She manhandled Nigel into the car and drove to the hospital where he was just in time for an appendectomy.
Sydney sighed in relief as Nigel woke up after his surgery. The doctor had said he was moments away from a burst appendix with dire results.
"Sydney?"
"Yeah Nige, I'm here." She smiled softly at him as she took his proffered hand. "You're just fine."
