Please imagine that there really were 4 seat planes back then. I don't know
if there were or not. Also, I don't know how long it took to get to Egypt
from London back then, or even how long the trip would take now. Just
warning you ahead of time!
Thank you to my loyal band of reviewers! Nefertirioc, Seraphina2, Zuesfluff, A. Windsor, BellaBrunetteStar, Natters, and especially Nakhti- you've been more helpful than you can know. Nakhti, I'm so glad you will continue to read, I hope you like my fic. Again, I'm very sorry about what I said- I know I can be kind of a bitch too, sometimes. You're right, btw. Here's an edited version of the chapter in which they take a boat. Sorry it's so short, I just thought it was a good place to stop- nice and ominous.
"Ardeth? What are you doing here?" asked Evy in surprise.
The man looked at Evelyn, grim-faced. "I am sorry to disturb you like this" he said.
"Let me guess" Rick broke in. "This has to do with those five guys with guns that just broke into my house, am I right?"
Ardeth looked troubled. "They were already here?"
"Yeah! And they shot up my living room!"
"Then I am too late" Ardeth said, more to himself than to the curious Carnahans and O'Connells.
"Too late for what?"
"These men- were they after a ring, by any chance?"
"Yes. And they got it, too" said Evy.
"Damn" Ardeth muttered to himself. He turned to the group.
"We must get to Egypt."
Rick jumped out of his chair, eyes blazing.
"What do you MEAN; we have to go to Egypt?"
Ardeth sighed. "These men are very dangerous. We have reason to believe their leader, Abdul, is Isis's lover reincarnated. You see, Isis's lover, Ahkmet, was the leader of the Med Jai 3,000 years ago. He was convicted as a traitor and sentenced to death soon after Ihemotep died. Isis was also convicted, and she was buried with Ahkmet at the base of the statue of Apep. If they are reawakened-"
"- they could wake up Ihemotep" Evy finished.
"Exactly."
Rick sighed. "How could a ring help to awaken some long-dead bodyguard and his lover?"
"The ring is believed to be a key. If someone holds it, and reads a certain passage from The Book of the Dead, they have the power to wake up these mummies."
"Dammit" said Rick. "Does Evy really have to go? I mean, she *is* pregnant- "
Evy stood up, eyes blazing with fury. "You are *not* going to keep me here, MISTER O'Connell. I'm *pregnant*, not made of glass!"
Rick sat down on the couch and pulled his wife onto his lap. "Listen, Evy. You and these unborn children are my life, my world. If I were ever to lose you guys-"
Evy's voice softened. You won't lose us, Rick. I promise I won't go exploring too deeply, I'll stay in the tent as much as possible, and I'll try my best to stay out of any fights.
Rick sighed. "Well, I still don't like it, but I know if I left you here you'd just find some other way to get to Egypt, and I'd rather have you with me so I can keep an eye on you."
Ardeth stood up. "Then it is settled. We leave at daybreak."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
At 5am the next day, Jonathan, Evy, Rick, Cleopatra, and Ardeth stumbled out the door of the O'Connell home.
"Why do we have to leave so bloody early?" Jonathan griped.
"Shut up Jonathan" Evy replied, yawning.
The group drove to a port on the Themes, where a boat was waiting for them.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
It took a couple of days, but the group finally made it to Hamunaptra. It seemed as though they had beaten their opponents there, but they looked around thoroughly, just in case. Finding no sign of anyone, Ardeth mentioned the group over to the Med Jai camp, about one hundred yards away from where the city lay beneath the sand.
The camp was made up of tents. Ardeth led the way to one.
"You will stay in here" he said.
The tent was a fairly good size. Beds were made out of soft blankets, and a fire pit was just outside. There was enough room for the O'Connells and Carnahans to sleep comfortably.
Jonathan yawned. "I don't know about you all, but I'm tired. Goodnight."
One by one, the group followed his example and went to bed.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Late that night, the five Arabian horses topped the hill that led to Hamunaptra. Their riders, swathed in black, were barely visible.
"We have arrived" Abdul said calmly.
Thank you to my loyal band of reviewers! Nefertirioc, Seraphina2, Zuesfluff, A. Windsor, BellaBrunetteStar, Natters, and especially Nakhti- you've been more helpful than you can know. Nakhti, I'm so glad you will continue to read, I hope you like my fic. Again, I'm very sorry about what I said- I know I can be kind of a bitch too, sometimes. You're right, btw. Here's an edited version of the chapter in which they take a boat. Sorry it's so short, I just thought it was a good place to stop- nice and ominous.
"Ardeth? What are you doing here?" asked Evy in surprise.
The man looked at Evelyn, grim-faced. "I am sorry to disturb you like this" he said.
"Let me guess" Rick broke in. "This has to do with those five guys with guns that just broke into my house, am I right?"
Ardeth looked troubled. "They were already here?"
"Yeah! And they shot up my living room!"
"Then I am too late" Ardeth said, more to himself than to the curious Carnahans and O'Connells.
"Too late for what?"
"These men- were they after a ring, by any chance?"
"Yes. And they got it, too" said Evy.
"Damn" Ardeth muttered to himself. He turned to the group.
"We must get to Egypt."
Rick jumped out of his chair, eyes blazing.
"What do you MEAN; we have to go to Egypt?"
Ardeth sighed. "These men are very dangerous. We have reason to believe their leader, Abdul, is Isis's lover reincarnated. You see, Isis's lover, Ahkmet, was the leader of the Med Jai 3,000 years ago. He was convicted as a traitor and sentenced to death soon after Ihemotep died. Isis was also convicted, and she was buried with Ahkmet at the base of the statue of Apep. If they are reawakened-"
"- they could wake up Ihemotep" Evy finished.
"Exactly."
Rick sighed. "How could a ring help to awaken some long-dead bodyguard and his lover?"
"The ring is believed to be a key. If someone holds it, and reads a certain passage from The Book of the Dead, they have the power to wake up these mummies."
"Dammit" said Rick. "Does Evy really have to go? I mean, she *is* pregnant- "
Evy stood up, eyes blazing with fury. "You are *not* going to keep me here, MISTER O'Connell. I'm *pregnant*, not made of glass!"
Rick sat down on the couch and pulled his wife onto his lap. "Listen, Evy. You and these unborn children are my life, my world. If I were ever to lose you guys-"
Evy's voice softened. You won't lose us, Rick. I promise I won't go exploring too deeply, I'll stay in the tent as much as possible, and I'll try my best to stay out of any fights.
Rick sighed. "Well, I still don't like it, but I know if I left you here you'd just find some other way to get to Egypt, and I'd rather have you with me so I can keep an eye on you."
Ardeth stood up. "Then it is settled. We leave at daybreak."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
At 5am the next day, Jonathan, Evy, Rick, Cleopatra, and Ardeth stumbled out the door of the O'Connell home.
"Why do we have to leave so bloody early?" Jonathan griped.
"Shut up Jonathan" Evy replied, yawning.
The group drove to a port on the Themes, where a boat was waiting for them.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
It took a couple of days, but the group finally made it to Hamunaptra. It seemed as though they had beaten their opponents there, but they looked around thoroughly, just in case. Finding no sign of anyone, Ardeth mentioned the group over to the Med Jai camp, about one hundred yards away from where the city lay beneath the sand.
The camp was made up of tents. Ardeth led the way to one.
"You will stay in here" he said.
The tent was a fairly good size. Beds were made out of soft blankets, and a fire pit was just outside. There was enough room for the O'Connells and Carnahans to sleep comfortably.
Jonathan yawned. "I don't know about you all, but I'm tired. Goodnight."
One by one, the group followed his example and went to bed.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Late that night, the five Arabian horses topped the hill that led to Hamunaptra. Their riders, swathed in black, were barely visible.
"We have arrived" Abdul said calmly.