CHAPTER 9

When they arrived at the Valley of the Kings, it was nearing dusk. Layla looked around to find Ardeth. She spotted him over by a tent, talking to someone she assumed to be the archeologist. Ardeth heard the car pull up and excused himself to go over to them.

"What a wonderful surprise! Grandfather, you certainly are a surprise. I thought you despised Rick's car. You thought it to be evil," Ardeth wondered.

"If Layla thought it to be safe, who am I to think otherwise," Mahir stated. He was becoming very fond of his future granddaughter; for one fact, she did not treat him as some rickety old man.

"Mahir, where do you want to start looking around?" Alex asked.

"Far away from the diggers. I don't believe in what they do here," Mahir said as they started to walk.

"Be careful, Grandfather,' Ardeth said.

"I feel the same as Mahir. I believe in other parts of the world they consider it grave robbing. Why is it any different here?" Layla wondered.

"Archeology is used to study history," Evie said.

"I do understand wanting to find out historical facts but to take things, even bodies, from their resting place is wrong!" Layla argued.

"Layla, I disagree. The artifacts that are found can tell us as much about the people as a written document can," Evie stated.

"Then take pictures and document it. Don't take it from the tombs," Layla said. "I doubt that you would like it if someone were to dig up your ancestors and removed their wedding rings or other jewelry, would you?" she asked, looking at Evie.

"I see your point. I guess I never really though of it in that context," Evie said.

******

"Should we separate them?" Rick asked Ardeth, quietly.

"Layla is just speaking for her heart. I see nothing wrong with them talking," Ardeth replied as he watched the two women talk.

"I don't call what they are doing talking, I call it a heated discussion," Rick said.

"They'll be fine. My future wife, I am finding, is very strong willed and has very strong convictions in many areas," Ardeth said with a chuckle.

"Evie is the same way. I guess it won't hurt them to talk and long as they don't come to blows." Rick laughed.

"If they do Evie will have a good fight. I have taught Layla many moves to defend herself," Ardeth told him as the ladies started laughing and walked over to the men.

"Are you two through?" Rick asked.

"With our discussion? Yes, darling. We are now going to go exploring. Are either of you coming along?" Evie asked.

"We would be happy to join you lovely ladies," Ardeth said.

"We should not go far, it is getting dark. I do not want to get lost," Layla said.

"You will never be lost with me around. I know the desert very well." Ardeth said as he stumbled over a few rocks, losing his balance.

"Well, buddy. I don't know about the girls but I feel really confident now," Rick said, helping Ardeth to his feet.

"I was blinded by Layla's beauty and stumbled," he said with a hearty laugh.

"He even flatters me to save his dignity," Layla whispered to Evie.

"Men will do anything to save their ego or their dignity." Evie laughed.

"What's so funny?" Rick asked.

"Nothing. Shall we get on with our exploring?" Evie asked as she took hold of Rick's arm.

"I thought I was going to help Mahir. Seems I should help you more." Layla giggled.

"You think it funny that I fell? I shall show you what is funny," Ardeth said as he started to tickle her.

"You are going to pay for that Ardeth Bay!" Layla said, after breaking free. She knocked Ardeth to the ground and started tickling him. Ardeth fought her playfully then reached up to pull her to him for a very long and passionate kiss.

Rick and Evie stopped when they heard the commotion. "Hey, you two. There is a little kid around here, somewhere. Alex!" Rick said, looking for his son. "Hey, Jonathon!' he yelled, seeing his brother in law. "Where are Alex and Mahir?"

"I thought they were with you!" Jonathon yelled back.

"Great, I wonder where they disappeared to," Rick said, trying to look around as darkness was setting in.

"Ardeth, buddy I think we have a problem," Rick said, going over to him. "I don't see Alex anywhere."

"I am sure he is safe with Mahir. He would not let anything happen to Alex," Layla told him.

"I will have my warriors look for them. Layla, you stay with the O'Connells. I do not want you disappearing, too." Ardeth walked away to gather the warriors to start a search.

*****

"Mahir. I think we should go back. We shouldn't have come down here without telling someone," Alex told him.

"Don't worry, boy. I can find our way back out. I thought you wanted to explore?" Mahir asked him.

"I did but that was before I started to see dirt falling from the ceiling," Alex said to him as another trickle of dirt fell nearby.

"There is nothing to worry about. The diggers have been in here and nothing has happened to them," Mahir said, walking further into the dug out tunnel.

"There's always a first time," Alex said, following him.

"Come on now. Do not fall behind and get lost. We are going to see what those diggers have done in here. I bet they took everything of value from the tombs here," Mahir said in a disgusted tone.

"I really think we should go back out, Mahir," Alex said, pulling at the elderly Medjai's hand. "It's too dangerous to be here."

"Nonsense. We'll be fine." Mahir turned down another tunnel.

Suddenly Alex found himself on the ground and Mahir in a deep hole. "Mahir, Mahir, can you hear me?" he yelled. Alex heard moans from the bottom of the pit. "Mahir, please answer me. Are you ok?"

"I need help, boy. I've hurt my leg. I cannot move it," Mahir said in a very distressed voice.

"I don't know if I can find my way back," Alex said, very worried. He had noticed also that his yelling was causing more dirt to fall each time.

"Boy, you have to. There is nothing you can do to help me other than get Ardeth and the others to get me out. Now follow our tracks out, be very careful but hurry," Mahir instructed him.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Alex said as he took off, carefully looking for their footprints.

*******

Layla and Evie were in one of the archeologists' tents. Evie was pacing back and forth watching the torches moving in the distance. "I can't wait any longer," Evie said grabbing a torch.

"Where are you going? Ardeth told us to stay here. He has plenty of warriors to help look for Mahir and Alex," Layla told her.

"I'm going to look for my son. You can stay here if you wish but another set of eyes could find them faster," Evie stated walking out of the tent.

"I shall go with you." Layla picked up another torch. She knew Evie shouldn't go by herself. Something was telling her danger was very near and they should keep track of one another.

"I haven't seen them in this area yet," Evie said, pointing to a tunnel inside the hill.

"Then we will look there first," Layla agreed. As they walked up to the tunnel entrance, Layla tripped over something. She shined her torch down to see what had caused it. She picked up a small sign. "Evie, wait!"

"What is it?"

"I found this or I should say it found me. It says 'Dangerous: Do not enter'."

"If Alex and Mahir are in there they are in grave danger. We have to be very careful when we go in," Evie told her, heading into the tunnel.

"Please stop!" Layla grabbed her. "We have to tell the others what we found, we will need their help to look for them."

"We can't take them away from searching elsewhere in case we're wrong. We can do it ourselves," Evie told her confidently.

"No! I am going to get Ardeth and tell him our suspicions. Please wait here," Layla said as she went in the direction of a group of torches.

When she caught up to them she found it was not Ardeth but Fahim and his group. She relayed what they had found and how Evie wanted to search the tunnel. Fahim went with her as he sent word to Ardeth's group. When they reached the entrance Evie was gone.

"She has gone in alone," Fahim said. "Please wait for Ardeth. I do not want you getting hurt," he told Layla.

"I will wait." She watched as he and the warriors entered the tunnel. She watched until she couldn't she the torches any longer.

"Layla! Where's Evie?" Rick asked as he and Ardeth arrived.

"She went in before I got back with help. She believes they went in here without seeing the danger sign." Layla pointed out the sign she found.

"You wait out here, we will find everyone," Ardeth told her.

"If you are going in, so will I. I want to be with you should something happen."

"Nothing is going to happen to me. It is too dangerous for you to be in there," Ardeth argued.

"If it is dangerous for me, it will be the same for you. I am going with you. If we die, we die together," Layla said.

"I am not going to die. I have a uniting ceremony to attend soon," Ardeth said to her with a smile.

"So do I. So we will go in together and come out together," Layla said, starting into the tunnel.

"I guess she told you, Buddy," Rick said with a chuckle as he and Ardeth followed her in.

Ardeth caught up to her and took her by the hand. "You said together."

******

"Alex!" Evie called out. Dirt from the ceiling fell on top of her. She wished she had waited on Layla to get help. She turned a corner and ran into Alex. "Alex, Are you ok?"

"Yes ma'am but Mahir is hurt. He fell in a deep hole and hurt his leg," he explained.

They heard voices behind them and saw Fahim coming toward them. "Evie, you found them?"

"No, just Alex. He said Mahir is injured."

"Where is he?" Fahim asked.

"I'll have to show you. I can't explain it," Alex said.

"I cannot allow you to go with us. Just point us in the general direction and we will follow the prints," Fahim told him as Ardeth and the others joined them.

"But the ceiling is caving in, it might have wiped out the tracks," Alex argued.

"Alex, we can find it on our own. I want you to go with your mother and Layla back to the entrance and wait on us there," Rick told him.

"I am not leaving without Ardeth. Where he goes, I go," Layla said in defiance.

"Layla, Rick is right you and Evelyn should go back to the entrance and wait. I will be fine," Ardeth tried to assure her just as more dirt fell on them.

"We go together or not at all." Layla stood there waiting for Ardeth to decide.

He sighed heavily. "We are wasting time debating we all shall go find Mahir. Alex, you walk with Fahim and show him the way. "You will stay with me," Ardeth told Layla, taking her by the hand again.

*******

They slowly made their way to where Mahir had fallen. He was dozing off when they reached him. Fahim and Ardeth went down into the pit to help their grandfather. Fahim and Ardeth lifted the elderly man gently to Rick and the other warriors. Layla and Evie went to him immediately when he was put on safe ground. Rick then helped Ardeth and Fahim up.

"Stop, worrying about me and let's get out of here while we still can," Mahir said seeing dirt falling.

"I believe Grandfather is right. We can tend to his injuries outside where it is safer," Ardeth told them.

As three of the warriors picked up Mahir to carry him, Layla took Ardeth by the hand and started to walk out with him. Alex and Evie walked in back of Fahim and Rick walked with Layla and Ardeth. They were making their way back to the entrance when they started to hear a low rumble.

"Cave in! MOVE!" Rick shouted to them. They all started running seeing the entrance within their reach. The ground beneath them started to shake from the tunnel caving in. Ardeth and Layla where knocked off their feet. Rick tried to help them up but the dirt fell on the three of them, cutting them off from the entrance.

It became very dark and silent in the tunnel. Rick was the first to stir after the dirt stopped falling. "Layla, Ardeth! Are you all right?" He waited for an answer but received none. He called out to them again this time he heard moaning. He carefully moved toward it and when he felt what he thought was a body he stopped. He could tell it was Layla by her size. "Layla? Can you hear me?"

"Yes. Where is Ardeth?" she said, coughing from the dirt in the air. "Ardeth!"

They both heard moaning, and Rick figured out Ardeth was beside Layla under some rocks and dirt. They work their way through the debris, when Layla touched him, Ardeth gasped in pain. "I'm sorry, my love. I do not have to ask if you are ok, you are obviously hurt."

"You are right. I believe a rib or two maybe broken," Ardeth said, coughing, which caused the pain to become more severe.