Reviews:

Medjai Angel: You came back! (glomps Medjai Angel). Seriously, it's good to have you back. Your reviews were greatly missed, and I'm glad you enjoyed that prank of Ardeth's. I had a lot of fun writing that section.

Sailor Elf: Yeah, it's crazy, but it's such fun. And if you can't have fun while you're writing, much less while you're reading. . .what's the point? Hmmm. . .yeah, I think maybe you can comfort him. I think our beautiful Med-jai can use all the comfort he can get, don't you?

Deana: I figured as much. You've been on our mailing list for a while, and by now, you know when I'm being complimentary and when I'm being insulting. And like I said, the whoopee cushion. . .well, it was something I couldn't resist.

Terreis: Yes, I'm a bad girl, but you wouldn't want me any other way. It's funny. .in my other fandoms, I get complaints that I don't hurt my favorite characters enough, and I hurt them as badly as I hurt Ardeth. And here's a new section to cheer you up!

Part Three

"Oh, now that is good news!"

"Our lord seemed to think so as well. He was quite pleased, and actually seemed amused when I told him about the call," came the answer, and Lock-nah merely raised his eyebrows at his companion. Dr Hafez scurried to explain, "He began laughing, and saying that the universe had a sense of humor as warped as his own, for now Ardeth Bey was at his mercy, and he did not even know it."

"That alleviates my mind," Lock-nah said dryly, "I feared he was going soft on us, when he learned about using the children of the Med-jai whore to get the Book of Amun-Ra." Lock-nah was favored with a dirty look, but that was it. Not that he was expecting much, for Hafez was a coward at heart. However, one just never knew about cowards. They could surprise you, and find a streak of bravery when you least expected it.

"He was angry with you because you brought Ardeth Bey on our trail sooner than need be. Had you merely stolen the Book, it would have taken much longer for the Med-jai to mobilize against us," Hafez answered. Lock- nah made no answer to that, though he seriously doubted that. Imhotep seemed to have a weakness, a soft spot, where children were concerned. Even Med-jai children, and that was worrisome to the renegade.

"It was even more foolish to brag to me, my champion. . .though I enjoyed hearing how you made that Med-jai scream," a third voice interposed, and Lock-nah felt a thrill rush through him at that voice. She stepped out of the shadows. . .both separated from and joined to the darkness that surrounded them. Which was a part of them.

She was most beautiful in the shadows, for it was in the shadows that she was the most mysterious. She smiled at Lock-nah, adding, "But eventually, my love, Imhotep will betray us. He will be betrayed by his own compassion, and when he does that, he will betray us. We must be ready, my love. We must be ready for him to turn on us. It will not be immediately. . .not until after he transfers the Book to its new owner."

"You underestimate our lord, Meela. He is as ruthless as you, after all. I have seen him operate, and he was truly amused when he learned that Ardeth Bey would be my teaching assistant. And there, we must have patience. We must not act until it's time. . .if we move against him before all things are settled, then we will have the whole of the Med-jai against us," Hafez warned. He paused, then asked, "What did you learn?"

Meela Nais shifted her dark hair over one bare shoulder, obviously knowing what it did to Lock-nah to see her bare skin. She smiled sweetly, replying, "I learned something most unexpected. My cousin. . .daughter of my mother's sister. . .is attending college here. She is the same age as I. And according to my information, she has two roommates, including a young lady very familiar to you, Mr. Hafez. Evelyn Carnahan."

Hafez actually snarled at the name, amusing Lock-nah. The little man never truly forgave the girl for the crimes of her parents. Up until the intervention of Seth Carnahan and his wife, Hafez was a noted Egyptologist. . .and a criminal. They learned about his habit of pilfering, and turned him in. His career as an Egyptologist was ruined, and he was lucky to even get a teaching post. The Carnahans died before Hafez could avenge his soiled honor. Now, it seemed their daughter would pay for their sins.

"What else can you tell us about your cousin?" Lock-nah asked curiously, a half-smile hovering at his mouth. In terms of facts, he knew quite a lot about Anck-su-namun Cortez. Including the fact that she attended college here. Meela's note about that was for Hafez's benefit, not his own. Lock-nah knew, for example, that once upon a time, Meela and Anck were as close as sisters. He knew that five years earlier, there was a clash between Yolanda Cortez and her sister Paula. It shattered their family, and the friendship between their two daughters.

For while Yolanda Cortez became wealthy enough to send her daughter to school in the United States, Paula Nais died only a few years after her blow-out argument with her sister. Meela grew up alone, penniless, and bitter. Lock-nah met her two years earlier on the streets of Cairo. He fell in love with her, seeing in her a female version of himself. She lost everything that ever meant something to her. . .and Lock-nah's family was also shattered.

Shattered because of Suleiman Bey killed his father. It didn't matter that it was a fair fight. Nor did it matter that Suleiman offered his protection to the widow and children. None of that mattered, because Suleiman Bey killed his father. Lock-nah left his home and his family before he could become a full warrior. His was not the blow that killed his hated enemy. However, Lock-nah had the chance to take that revenge out on Suleiman's own son. Which he did already, but his blood thirst was not yet satisfied. Like his father, Ardeth Bey never did what he was supposed to do. . .he never laid down and died. He always fought back.

So yes, Meela knew something about shattered families, and her desire for revenge matched his own. Meela's hatred for her cousin Anck was deeper even than Lock-nah's hatred for Ardeth Bey. It was stronger, because once, she loved Anck very much. Love turned to hatred was more powerful than hatred alone. Anck had all the advantages growing up, while Meela had nothing. She would make Anck pay for that, by taking away everything Anck loved. That was why they suggested this university to Imhotep. They would all get what they wanted. It was just a matter of time.

Classes would begin the following day, so the three roommates ate their pizza, set out their clothes and agreed upon an early night. Of course, what Anck considered an early night was still much different from her two roommates. But she quietly snuck out of the room once Celia and Evy were asleep. She couldn't sleep, she wasn't sleepy. She was tired, yes, but not sleepy. And if she tried to go to bed, she would be restless and keep Celia and Evy awake.

She made her way to the student lounge. It was ten thirty, and most everyone else followed her roommates' lead. They, too, were asleep. . .or at least in bed. That was fine. It allowed Anck to watch TV in peace. She found an old science fiction movie from the 1980's and settled in. Even if the storyline wasn't that great, she could always laugh at the cheesy special effects. It was made in the 1980's, but it reminded her more of those really old science fiction films, the ones with the really fake looking special effects.

Anck loved movies. She could watch Westerns or science fiction, chick flicks or action. Didn't matter to her. She loved movies. And she loved playing the Kevin Bacon game, because connections fascinated her. When she mentioned that to Celia, her American roommate suggested that she major in sociology or anthropology, since Anck went in undeclared. The American high school counselor with whom her mother corresponded strongly advised against that, but Anck ignored him. She didn't know what she wanted to do with her life, and she wouldn't say otherwise.

Although, if she was totally honest with herself, Anck would admit that had as much to do with the fact that the man gave her the creeps as anything else. She didn't know what it was about him, but he made her skin crawl. He made her feel dirty when he touched her. And that was one thing she couldn't stand. Once at college, she met Celia. Anck took the advice of her roommate and enrolled in sociology courses and found she loved it. By its very definition, sociology studied interactions within a group, and Anck knew she found her life's work. So strange, that an off-the-cuff remark, a casual remark in conversation, could lead to something more, but sometimes, that was the way life worked. And Anck wouldn't want it any other way.

She smiled, making herself more comfortable on the lumpy vinyl- covered sofa in the lounge. After she declared her major, she remembered, she went back and thanked Celia for her advice. Celia blinked twice, frowned ever so faintly, then replied, "You're welcome. Um, just out of curiosity. . . what advice did I give you?" Anck almost laughed, until she saw just how serious Celia was. At that point, she told the other girl her suggestion about sociology. It wasn't meant as advice, of course. . .but it was a good suggestion.

After that incident, Anck called her mother to tell her. Yolanda Cortez was happy for her only child, even happier that she was already finding a friend. Anck stammered she wasn't sure what her mother was talking about. . .Celia was her roommate, not her friend. Yolanda merely laughed and replied, 'Not yet. But she will be. She gave something to you, without even thinking about it. What will you give to her, hija?'

What will you give to her. For weeks, those words haunted Anck-su- namun, as she watched her two roommates focus on their schoolwork. They were so focused on their respective goals. When Anck asked for aid with her own classes, Celia was the first to offer her aid. Not because she thought she was better than Anck somehow. . .Anck encountered such people before, who helped because they thought they were somehow superior. . .but because it never occurred to her not to help.

Anck had her chance to repay her roommate's kindness at Halloween. The ancient festival was one of Anck's favorites, and she eagerly looked for a costume. On an impulse, she suggested Celia accompany her to a costume shop. She was on the verge of saying, 'thanks but no thanks.' Anck saw it in her eyes. She also saw when Celia's dark eyes lit up with mischief, and the slightly younger girl replied, "You know. . .that sounds like fun!"

And it was. They went to a costume shop in the mall. Anck felt certain it was the first time Celia ever played hooky from her studies. She didn't have classes for the rest of the day, the young American girl acknowledged, but she did have papers due. And she didn't regret going with Anck to the mall, for the two girls had a glorious day. Thus was the beginning of Anck's friendship with Celia. Evy. . .they were still working on that.

When Anck went home at Christmas, her mother wanted to hear everything about her first semester at college. But even as Anck was telling Yolanda about her adventures in the US, her mother was holding something very important back. Something she waited until the last possible moment to tell her. There was a very important reason why Yolanda wanted her to cultivate that friendship with Celia Ferguson. It had nothing to do with the fact that her parents were wealthy, or anything of the sort. Rather, Yolanda was just informed that her sister died years earlier. . .and only now, she learned of it.

Anck was numb at this announcement. Her mother. . .well, Anck couldn't remember the last time her mother spoke with Tia Paula. And all of Anck's own letters to her cousin Meela were returned, most likely by Tia Paula. Now she was dead? It didn't seem quite real to the teenager, and Yolanda told her that she wasted years by being angry with her sister. Tia Paula was dead now, and there were no more second chances.

No more second chances. Yolanda smiled sadly when her daughter repeated those words numbly, and said, "Yes, hija. This is why I do not wish for you to throw away the opportunities given to you. Your American roommate, Celia. . .she showed you kindness many times, expecting nothing in return. It was something she could do, something that clicked in her mind, and she offered a suggestion. She could be a very good friend, mi Anck. Do not throw that away. Not when you can succeed where I failed."

Anck sighed, shifting on the sofa once more. She didn't know why she was thinking about that conversation tonight. Why she was thinking of Meela now. Anck made countless attempts through the years to contact her cousin, but. . .nothing. No, that wasn't true. She knew why she was thinking about Meela. When she and her cousin were little, they watched movies like this. . .not in their original English, but dubbed into Spanish. And they loved them.

"Vhat are you doing up this time of night?" a familiar voice asked. Anck looked over her shoulder as Beni shuffled into the student's lounge. It was unusual, for a custodian to have an apartment in the dormitory. Very unusual. Then again, Beni was unusual. She smiled at him as he sat down on the opposite end of the couch, adding, "I could not sleep. Not even after walking up and down the stairs."

"Both Evy and Celia are asleep. I didn't want to keep either of them awake," Anck answered quietly. She paused, then said, "And I can't shake this feeling that this year will be nothing short of extraordinary. For all of us." Beni just nodded his head, and the pair fell silent once more. After a few moments, however, she asked, "Let me ask you this, Beni. Why are you such a soft touch for my youngest roommate?"

Beni snorted, replying, "She is but a few months younger than you, Anck-su-namun. Hardly a child." Anck grinned. Well, that was true, but at nineteen, even a few months could make all the difference in the world. Beni continued, "And to answer your question. I am not a soft touch for her. She is nice to me, and. . .she has the same name as my daughter." Anck sat up straight, staring at him in shock.

"You have a daughter?" she blurted out. Beni nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the tv screen. Anck threw herself back against the sofa, quietly cursing him in Spanish. He could not simply drop a bombshell like that, and give her no more details! Anck punched his shoulder, saying, "How old is she, where does she live, why have you never mentioned her before? I didn't know that 'Celia' was used as a name in Hungary."

"Celia is not, but 'Cecelia' is. My daughter's name is spelled C-e-c- i-l-i-a. Only one letter difference. She is three years old, lives with her mother in town. That is why I live in the dormitory, you see. I cannot afford the apartment in town, not if I wish to support my little Ceci. And perhaps one day, she will once more live with me. In the meantime, I see her on the weekends. She is beautiful, like her mother," Beni replied.

He sat up right, then leaned to one side. He pulled his wallet from his back pocket, and said, "Here she is. My little Ceci. And her mama, Renee, and me."

Beni handed Anck a picture of a little girl with a young woman and Beni. Even in the dim lighting, Anck could see the child's bright smile. It made Anck smile herself. That, and seeing the go8ofy look on Beni's face in the picture. She said softly, "She is beautiful, Beni. . .and I bet she is Daddy's little girl." Anck handed the picture back and that goofy grin of Beni's was back on his face. She never thought of him as having a child, much less of him as a loving parent, but people could surprise you. Even the people you thought you knew best.

"She is. And I would kill for her. Do anything for her. Anything," Beni said, caressed his daughter's face. Anck swallowed hard. Yes, she believed him. Her mother was the same way, as she was now realizing. During her last visit home, she began to see what her mother sacrificed, to give Anck the chance to realize her own dreams. And she wondered. . .how many dreams would Beni sacrifice to give his daughter a real future?

Beni Gabor never thought about taking the custodian job at Navarre Hall as being a sacrifice. In fact, he thought he had it pretty good. He had a nice apartment in the building, which was once a grad assistant's apartment, before she was reassigned to another dormitory. He had a good job, it paid well. . .there were some unpleasant aspects to it. Anyone who ever had to clean a bathroom knew how ugly it could get. . .multiple that by three hundred, and you had Beni's job, but there were worse jobs.

At twenty-three, Beni was still a red-blooded young man, and he could check out the incoming freshman and their older counterparts. Yes, he was still in love with Renee, but he feared they were not right for each other. Besides, even if they were, there was nothing wrong with admiring looks, no? And the girls, the coeds, in the hall were definitely worthy of first, second, and third looks. Sometimes, even fourth looks.

Right now, and for the next few weeks yet, they would be dressed in shorts and accompanying tops. Some girls who had nice legs wore mini- skirts during this time of the year. Yes, there were definite pluses to this job. Some of the kids, both male and female, were really nice. A little on the shallow side, but he didn't have much room to talk. He had to deal with bullies at times, but again, there were those at all jobs.

And he got to see his little girl almost any time he wanted. So yes, Beni Gabor was very happy with his job. It was a huge change from his life eight years earlier, when he was a fifteen-year-old runaway sent to military school. Ten years of living in the United States only softened his Hungarian accent. . .never totally eradicated it. He didn't hate military school, not the way some of his classmates did. Not the way Rick O'Connell did.

Rick O'Connell. It should have been only a matter of time before Beni thought of him again, since his conversation with Celia a few hours earlier. More balls than brains, he described the spineless wimp who scarred his friend's heart, and it also described Rick O'Connell. For the year he went to the military school before his father took him to Egypt and remarried a native woman, he was Beni's best friend and worst enemy.

Still, Beni wasn't expecting to think of Rick O'Connell quite so soon. Especially not after telling Anck about his daughter. He didn't tell the sophomore that there were times when Celia reminded him of Rick, and that was another reason he liked her. Both too stubborn for words, both braver than they should have been. Celia still didn't see that, and likely, she wouldn't. Not until her very soul was tested. But again, that was just a matter of time.

He wondered how the two would get along, if they ever met up. Beni smiled humorlessly to himself. Actually, he thought, what would happen is, I would shoot my big mouth off, O'Connell would try to pound me into the ground, and Celia would come flying to my rescue. It happened before. He watched Celia sometimes stand up to the bullies in this very dormitory, because Beni Gabor shot off his mouth.

He didn't know why it amused him, to think of a confrontation between Rick O'Connell, who was a big kid even at fifteen, and tiny Celia Ferguson. It wasn't like most of the confrontations on the hall. O'Connell had more balls than brains, and he tended to be protective of those smaller than himself. Something from which Beni benefited more than once. Before he betrayed O'Connell in the last months before O'Connell left the school.

He didn't like to think of that betrayal. He knew himself to be a coward. What was it that he sometimes heard Anck call him? A weasel? Yes, that sounded right. O'Connell called him a weasel at times, too. So yes. He knew himself to be a coward and a weasel. But up until those last months, he never betrayed a friend. The memory made him feel dirty. Just as Celia's narrative, about her summer job, did.

He didn't want to think he was anything like that wimp, but he knew the truth. They were more alike than Beni would have wished. This little pissant (which was a misnomer. . .the fool was probably at least as tall as O'Connell) lashed out at Celia because he was developing feelings for her, and could not stomach that fact. And worse yet, poor little Celia probably didn't even realize that the fool fell in love with her. It would surprise him if she did.

Why should she? While her parents were certainly overprotective of her, and perhaps had reason to be, there was no doubt in her mind that they loved her deeply. In Celia's world, bless her sweet, innocent heart, one simply did not hurt the one he or she loved. Not deliberately, and not because that love was feared. No. No, love did not lead a person to harm the beloved like that. Perhaps, then, it would have been better to say that this fool desired Celia. That he was wise enough to recognize the girl's potential as a woman. . .and too much of a fool to cherish it. To cherish her. In addition, Celia tended to undervalue her own worth, something which drove Beni utterly mad. Secretly, he hoped she fell for a man whom all the women drooled over. . .and who only had eyes for her.

Yes. His young friend deserved far more from a man than that pissant of whom she told him. Did he think of her as a daughter, since she carried the same name as his beloved child? Of course not. He was only twenty- three, just four years older than she. More like a little sister, though the idea of someone treating his little Ceci in such a manner was enough to enrage him. Yes, she deserved far better than this idiot, and she deserved better from Beni.

He would betray her in time. Just as he betrayed O'Connell eight years earlier. A memory that would always remain painful to him. The American hated him now, he knew. The last several years would not have changed that. O'Connell was very good at holding grudges, and this grudge, above all, he had reason to hold. Beni knew that. There were other questions that needed to be answered.

The question, then, if he ever encountered O'Connell again, would he be so foolish as to taunt him? Beni winced, remembering the way he taunted O'Connell in the days before the other boy left for Egypt with his father. He was young and stupid eight years earlier. Stupid to taunt his only friend, whom he betrayed. Stupid to taunt, too, someone who was bigger than he was and no longer had any reason to show loyalty to Beni. Loyalty and trust, once destroyed, could never be regained.

And yet, Beni did taunt O'Connell back then, because he was a stupid fifteen year old boy, who wanted to see how much further he could push O'Connell before the other boy broke. Before his former friend would leave him to die, the next time Beni encountered bullies. There had to still be some trust there, yes? Trust that O'Connell had enough self- control not to snap his neck, no matter how much Beni irritated him.

For all his bluster, O'Connell could be amazingly patient. Beni knew how lucky he was that the other boy didn't kill him after he left his former friend to face the seniors alone outside their barracks. For a prank that Beni was equally guilty of, though he told no one of that fact until after Rick was gone. Only the lights off command saved his friend from being beaten to death that night, for it allowed him to slip around the back. Nothing that Beni did, and if he closed his eyes, he could still hear Rick screaming for him to open the damn door.

"Where did you go, Beni?" Anck asked, startling him. However, he managed to hide his surprise and offered her a bland smile. He was not ready to tell anyone of his past. Celia didn't ask. . .since she came from a wealthy family, she wanted to answer as few questions as possible, and so she never asked questions. Something he could respect. Questions were for reporters, and Celia had every reason to hate reporters, whom she considered lower than dirt. It was most fortunate that none of her hallmates were journalism majors, yes? On the other hand, Evelyn simply thought she was above him, and Anck. . .he knew not what to expect of her.

"To the past. Someone of whom Celia reminds me a great deal," Beni acknowledged. He honestly didn't plan on telling her that, but being sleepy often loosened his tongue. He noted the same thing happened to Celia when she was very tired. Anck often joked that it was not necessary to get Celia drunk, in order to see her silly and giddy. . .only keep her up more than twenty-four hours.

He did not point out to Anck that Celia was not of a legal age to drink, because they were, after all, at college. Such restrictions usually meant little to the college students. Indeed, those restrictions made alcohol all the more appealing to them. And in truth, Celia obeyed those rules. Strange, for all the adherence she paid to such rules, Beni liked her. She was quiet, sometimes too serious for her own good. . .but she had a good heart. And she was braver than he was. It would have never occurred to her to leave O'Connell outside.

Anck said now, "I have no such people. There was one person whom I loved, aside from my mother, as much as I love my youngest roommate. But she was nothing like Celia. My cousin, Meela." Beni frowned, trying to place the name. He heard it somewhere recently. He couldn't remember where, and that bothered him. When he remembered a name, but could not remember from where, it usually meant very bad things. Like, he was concentrating on staying alive at the time. Which didn't bode well for anyone's future, least of all his.

Beni replied, not wanting to think about that, "You are most fortunate then. I know myself to be a weasel, as you have said. And I fear there will come a time when I will betray Celia, just as I betrayed this other friend. When that happens. . .if that happens. . ." He didn't finish his sentence. He couldn't. Because Anck-su-namun Cortez turned to him, her dark brown eyes blazing with a fury that would have made Beni wet his pants if his bladder was full.

"If you ever betray my roommate, for any reason, Beni Gabor, I will kill you myself. Do I make myself clear? I will kill you!" Anck hissed. Beni merely looked at her. She was right, of course. But he repaid Rick O'Connell with treachery, after all the times O'Connell helped him. . .if he came to such an impasse again, he would do the same. How could he show Celia more loyalty than what he gave to Rick?

Right now, the last thing Rick O'Connell was thinking about was that traitorous little weasel, Beni Gabor. Instead, he was more concerned with his brother. After they discussed Rick's cover, Ardeth began tiring once more. It bothered Rick. But knew how Ardeth's headaches worked. Even when he slept during the afternoon because of his headaches, the pain inevitably took a great deal out of him.

By nine pm, Rick was helping his younger brother to his room. He helped Ardeth to take off his boots, then eased him back against his pillows. Ardeth was half-asleep, but that didn't stop him from mumbling to Rick things that the elder could barely understand. Rick kneaded his shoulder through his robes and murmured, "In the morning, Ardeth, you can tell me in the morning." There was another murmur, and then silence.

Rick stayed in the room a few moments longer, then when he was reassured that Ardeth wouldn't wake up, he quietly backed out and went into the den where he set up the computer. That was one of the things he requested when he and Ardeth were making an inventory of what they needed here in the States. Rick quietly checked his email. . .not surprisingly in the least, he had an email from his stepmother.

Grinning ruefully, he opened the email and read, 'My dear stepson. Nathaniel wished me to tell you and Ardeth that all is well here. Nassor does his job adequately, though I know Ardeth is greatly missed. Yasmina and Thalia improve daily, and they miss you both terribly. Please take care of him for us, make sure he eats. My son is not a fool. . .he simply forgets sometimes to take care of himself. Your father's email will follow. With love, Altair.'

"I'm doing my best, step-mother, but Ardeth is making it difficult for me," Rick muttered. He shook his head, though he always had to laugh at his stepmother's email address. ByzantineMum. Rick wasn't sure if that was a reference to Altair's Greek heritage or his stepmother's warped sense of humor. She often told him, after Ardeth got a particularly nasty headache from the elders, that Med-jai politics could be Byzantine in their complexity.

He scrolled down, and found his father's email to him. YankeeNate. Short, sweet, and to the point. Classical Nathaniel O'Connell. Rick smiled as he read, 'Sons. Hope you two are staying out of trouble, though with Rick, that's hard to do. Don't let my boy give you a headache, Ardeth. He's too good at that. Rick, listen to your brother. He's a year younger than you, but he's got good instincts. I love you both very much. Love, Dad.'

Rick mumbled, "That's schmaltzy, Dad, what are you trying to do, embarrass me?" He had only to remember all the times he caught his mother and stepfather kissing, then cringed. It was all he could do, to keep quiet when he wanted to tell them to get a room. That probably would have resulted in an ear-boxing, and he thought that wasn't done anymore. Something, he was sure, someone should have told Altair.

Ardeth, being Ardeth, was the exact opposite. Rick found it easier to watch his younger brother during these kissing sessions. His dark eyes would grow both sad and happy at the same time. From what Rick was told, Altair and Suleiman loved each other deeply. Where Ardeth found the strength to be happy for his mother and accept Nathaniel, Rick had no idea. It was a struggle for him in the beginning. Especially since Altair didn't push him for his acceptance. At that time, she had two children under the age of ten. Her eldest son was the chieftain, and her next- oldest child was next in line for the chieftaincy. Something that still upset Rick, when he thought about it. Even after all this time, he still couldn't forgive Andreas for getting himself killed. Even so, in some ways, Rick and Andreas were mirror images of each other.

They were too much alike to get along, but somehow, they found a way to co-exist. Neither wanted to put Ardeth in the middle, and yet, that was exactly what ended up happening when Andreas was killed by the renegade Lock-nah. Come to think of it, he still didn't know the story behind that. Why Lock-nah hated the Med-jai, and specifically Ardeth's family, so much. Why he would attack two innocent little girls and rape another young girl.

Sure, he knew that Lock-nah was working for Imhotep, but. . .when he stopped and thought about it, it wasn't really Imhotep's style, threatening little kids. Sure, Rick hated him because every time he stole something else, all hell broke out among the Med-jai, and sometimes, suspicion would fall on Rick himself. But he didn't mess with little kids. And, for that matter, he didn't hold with raping young girls.

As Rick hit the 'reply' button, a choked-back cry alerted him that something was very wrong in his brother's room. Rick was out of his chair in a heartbeat, knowing by now the signs. Ardeth was having another nightmare, probably about watching Andreas die. And. . .whatever came after. Ardeth would never tell Rick exactly what happened that day, but what Rick saw for himself was bad enough. Cutting down his stepbrother was bad enough.

"La!" was the only thing Rick could make out as Ardeth thrashed about on the bed. Something deeper, something filled with pain, and Rick sat down on the bed beside his brother. Maybe not the smartest thing to do, but ninety percent of the time, Rick didn't think when his brother had a nightmare. He simply reacted. And right now, he was fighting back tears of his own, to see the wetness on his brother's cheeks.

Rick swallowed hard and put a gentle hand on Ardeth's shoulder, carefully shaking him awake. He kept a wary eye on Ardeth's opposite fist. Sometimes, when he first woke up, he would still be disoriented, and even frightened. When Ardeth was frightened and disoriented, he reacted purely by instinct. If he felt threatened, he struck out. Such was the case this night, when his fist came flying toward Rick.

The American brother was prepared for the blow, however, and caught Ardeth's fist before he could be struck. He closed his hand around Ardeth's fist, and his brother awoke with a start. He was gulping in air like it was water, which concerned Rick, and muttering in a language other than Arabic. Rick didn't ask. He didn't think he wanted to know. Instead, he asked softly once Ardeth's dark eyes cleared, "You okay, little brother?"

"Aywa," came the somewhat breathless response. Ardeth slumped back against the pillows, and Rick released his still-clenched fist. After a moment, Ardeth asked softly, hoarsely, "I did not strike you?" Rick shook his head, and Ardeth sighed, "Good. I do not always know where I am when I wake. I. . . dreamed about Andreas. He was angry with me again. I have disappointed him, by not avenging him and Acacia."

Personally, Rick thought that if that was the case, Andreas needed to get his head out of his ass. But he knew better than to say such a thing to Ardeth, who adored his older brother. Instead, he said softly, "I don't think Andreas is angry with you, buddy. He's just angry with Lock-nah, and afraid for you." Rick had a lot of experience with people who used anger to disguise their fear. He was one of them.

Ardeth gave him a weak smile, and answered, "You surprise me, brother, I expected you to tell me that I was projecting my feelings of failure onto my brother." Rick rolled his eyes and slipped his hand around the back of Ardeth's neck.

"Now why would I do that, when I have you to do that for me?" he fired back, and Ardeth grinned impishly. That was a good sign, his brother's mischievous streak was returning. Always a good sign after a bad nightmare. Rick helped as best as he could by teasing Ardeth about things which wouldn't result in a decking for Rick. The American continued, referring to a practice from their teens, "Do you want me to rub your back?"

"La. I am all right, I. . .would you put in some music, Rick? That would help me relax," Ardeth requested. Rick nodded, gently patting his shoulder, then he got up and went over to the small CD player. He knew which CD helped Ardeth to relax, and he knew how to program the CD player so that the CD would start over. He put in the desired CD, and skipped ahead to track thirteen, Ardeth's favorite song. A woman's voice filled the room, and Rick heard Ardeth sigh quietly. The American closed his eyes, allowing the words to wash over him as well.

Listening to the lyrics, Rick had to wonder. . .wasthere such a person for Rick? Someone who could make him feel like that? One thing he learned in his years with the Med-jai. . .all things were possible.

The movie ended around midnight, and Anck made her way back to the room she shared with Evy and Celia. Both girls were still asleep, and Celia moaned quietly as Anck closed the door softly behind her. Concerned, Anck went to her friend's bedside. However, she quickly realized with a smile that her friend was not distressed after all. She leaned over and kissed Celia's forehead, whispering, "Sweet dreams, amiga. I hope you find a man you deserve, a man who will make you feel as you do in your dreams."

She ran her hand over Celia's dark curls, muttering, "And I will feed Beni Gabor to the alligators if he does betray you, hermanita." Her conversation with the maintenance man still rankled. Well, it was settled. They would have to find a man for Celia this semester, because if they did not, Anck feared that her best friend's first time would be with someone who didn't deserve her. Someone like Beni.

Anck stripped off her jeans and t-shirt, then slipped a nightshirt over her head. She was still thinking about what Beni told her. Was he warning her that he could not be trusted, especially if the life of his daughter was at stake? Anck didn't trust him in the first place! Besides, only a fool trusted a man to choose the life of a relative stranger over the life of his child. And Beni was obviously still in love with his daughter's mother.

Why did he tell her there might come a time when he would betray Celia, though? What purpose did that serve, aside from pissing off Anck? If he were like Celia, she would guess that he was trying to warn her of something in particular. . .something that she could not address outright. But he wasn't like Celia, and it almost sounded like he was apologizing in advance. And maybe she was making too much out of this.

After all, he did say that he feared there would be a time when he would betray her friend. He knew himself to be a weasel, and he already betrayed one friend. What was one more? In Anck's experience, it seemed to her that betrayal was like killing. The first one was always the hardest. All others after that would be much easier. She never killed anyone, never betrayed anyone (that she knew of), but she was an observer in some ways. She could figure things out for herself.

So yes. Maybe she was reading too much into this. But she didn't think so. Anck slipped into bed, hearing Evy mumble in her sleep. She thought briefly about asking Evy about her brother, see if Jonathan would escort Celia to a dance or something. No, that wouldn't be such a good idea. He was a professor, after all, and professor/student relations were one of those gray areas that Celia refused to touch. It was too dangerous, she said.

Even so, he would be better than Beni. Celia, in some ways, was such an innocent. She didn't yet realized that a person didn't need a reason for betrayal. She still believed that if she treated people with respect, she would get the same back. That was only true of honest people. Not everyone was honest. And Anck didn't want to shatter her friend's illusions. She deserved to stay innocent just a little longer, didn't she? Wasn't that what her mother was talking about, when she asked Anck what she would do in return for Celia's kindness to her? Maybe she should talk to Evy about that in the morning.

Evy mumbled from her bed, "Putting my brother and our roommate together would be a disaster." Anck sat up in bed and looked at the English girl. Evy sat up in her own bed, adding, "I've been awake the whole time, Anck, because I wasn't sure if you had your keys with you. And while Jonathan likes Celia, he sees her as another little sister. I don't like Beni, either. I don't trust him, and I certainly don't trust him with Celia."

"So, should we try to find someone else? This really worries me, Evy. She honestly thinks Beni is her friend, and that she can trust him. She doesn't trust any other guys, and I'm afraid she'll do something crazy. . .like sleep with him," Anck replied. She knew all too well about desire and the price of giving herself away too cheaply. She didn't want to see that happen to Celia. She didn't want her friend to undervalue herself.

"Celia is entirely too sensible to sleep with the first man to show her kindness, mistaking kindness for love. She's sensible, and she's certainly not desperate," Evy replied. Anck glared at the other girl in the darkness, though she knew that Evy didn't know the insult for what it was. The English girl added, her voice growing more gentle, "I know you love her, Anck. I do, too. But part of love is trust, and we must trust her to make the right choices."

Anck knew that. She did. Even as she wanted to find a way to protect her roommate, she knew she had to trust Celia. Anck said softly, "I do trust her. I just. . .I want someone who is worthy of her, you know? Someone who looks beyond the obvious. Who will think that untamable hair and shy smile are the sexiest things he's ever seen. I want her to find someone who isn't afraid of her intelligence, or her strength."

"Are we talking about Celia now, or you, Anck?" Evy asked quietly. Anck looked up quickly, and Evy continued softly, "I may be a bookworm, but I'm certainly not a fool. You're considered one of the sexiest girls on campus, but it doesn't make you any less lonely. That sexiness is as frightening to the boys on this campus as Celia's intelligence. And they do feel threatened by her intelligence, Anck. I know that."

Evy's words hit too close to home. Anck whispered, "I want that for all three of us. I want someone who looks beyond my body and my face to my soul. I want someone who will look beyond Celia's intelligence and strength to her beauty and her vulnerability. I want someone who won't be bored out of his mind when you talk about Egypt and your work in the library. I want someone who will love us for whom we are, Evelyn. Is that so much to ask?"

A sigh from the other bed, then Evy replied, "Of course it isn't. But we're only nineteen years old, Anck. We have our whole lives ahead of us, and we have plenty of time. It'll take time, too, for Celia's heart and soul to catch up with her mind. She's sensible, yes. Sensible enough to know that a fling will only ease the ache inside of her for a while. It won't fill her up. It will only lead to more hurt, sooner or later."

Anck closed her eyes, trying to shut out her roommate's voice. But she couldn't. God help her, that was the truth. It was true not just for Celia, but Anck as well. How did Evy know about that ache? How could she know about how empty she felt?

A tear slid slowly down her cheek, a knot swelling in her throat, and Evy whispered, "The best thing we can do for her is not introduce her to guys, because that makes her uncomfortable. You know that. I know that, because I'm the same way. The best thing we can do is just love her, and stick by her. And really, isn't that easier than the alternative? Isn't it better than trying to make her into someone she's not?"

She was right. Goddamn her to hell, she was right. Anck didn't answer, though. The emptiness seemed to yawn out in front of her, a huge abyss that would swallow her whole. Was she trying to help Celia. . .or herself? If she was trying to help herself, in Celia's name, then what kind of a phony did that make her? What kind of friend would use another like that? Was Anck betraying Celia worse than Beni ever dreamed?

Celia was awake before either of her roommates the following morning, and slipping out of her bed. It was early. Earlier than she usually got up. But she had an eight am class, and she wanted to make sure she got one of the shower stalls before the bathroom filled up. Her clothes were arranged the night before. They would remain here, while she showered. She would take her underwear and bathrobe with her, along with her soap and shampoo and towels.

As she hoped, the bathroom was empty. She quietly slipped to the shower portion of the girls' bathroom and pulled the curtain shut behind her. It was the principle of the thing, after all. A few seconds to strip and roll up her underwear and gown from the night before, while the shower reached a decent temperature. Taking a deep breath, she stepped in, shuddering at the floor underneath her. It was rocky, for better footing, rather than tile, but it still hurt her feet.

Several months of living with her roommates told her that Evy would be the next up, followed by Anck, even though all three girls had an eight am class, the same eight am class. Celia really wasn't looking forward to it, though it was part of her major. She didn't like Dr Hafez. He made her feel dirty when he looked at her. Evy felt the same way. But she had to have the class to earn her degree. Creepy professor or not.

Celia finished her shower and stepped out of the stall, to find her English roommate's tote beside her own. She smiled faintly. There were times when Evy was very predictable, but that was a stability in and of itself. Nothing wrong with being predictable. There were times when predictability was very welcome indeed. She toweled herself dry, dressed in the clothes she had with her, wrapped her hair, then returned to their room. It was still early. . .she couldn't yet hear the normal noises that accompanied people waking up in the hall. Probably wouldn't for another half hour. That was fine with her, though.

Anck was still asleep on her side, her arm wrapped around a pillow. Her black hair fanned out over her face, but that didn't prevent Celia from seeing the evidence of tears. Anck was crying last night. Why? The young American girl thought for a few minutes about that. Should she ask Anck when she woke up? Or maybe later today? Maybe that would be the better idea. Anck was often defensive when she cried. She didn't like to admit it, and Celia didn't feel like arguing with her roommate. Either one of them.

Instead, she turned her attention to getting dressed. She rubbed her hair dry, then began combing it. If she combed it after washing it, while it was still wet, she had a better chance of keeping it in some semblance of order. Celia smiled faintly. She looked like an idiot with short hair. . .Celia couldn't count the number of times she was mistaken for a boy with short hair. . . and when her hair was long, it was wild. She couldn't seem to win, no matter what she did.

So, she stopped trying. Didn't have the energy to play the game, not when she was trying so damn hard to make sure she met her own goals. She dressed quickly, choosing not to look in the mirror. She already knew what she would find. It was brought to her attention at least once a week that she was thin. . .hell, most of her family was thin. She ate, but that didn't protect her from being accused of being bulimic or anorexic. Something that, quite frankly, made no sense to her. Celia hated being sick, hated being in pain. Why would she do something that would cause her pain?

Attired in blue jeans and a sweatshirt, she pulled her dark hair into a ponytail as Evy entered the room. The two girls exchanged a smile, and Evy murmured, "I do envy you, being able to get dressed so quickly." Celia just grinned impishly, for her roommate knew quite well that Celia set out her clothes the previous night. It saved time. . .and spared her the indignity of having socks that didn't match because she picked them out in the dark.

She probably wouldn't have that problem if she matched socks when they first came out of the dryer, but doing laundry was bad enough. The laundromat in the basement of the dormitory was hot. . . very hot. Celia would take her schoolwork with her when she did the laundry, reading her assignments for the following day while the clothes washed and dried. All she really wanted when they were finished was get back upstairs where it was somewhat comfortable, instead of a sauna.

"I figure Anck will sleep another twenty minutes. You wanna meet me over at the dining hall for breakfast, or just wait until class is over? I can grab a granola bar, if you wanna do that," Celia suggested in a low voice, changing the subject to something a little more practical. She never suggested skipping breakfast altogether. She couldn't eat a lot, this early in the morning, but if she didn't have something, she ran the risk of passing out during class. Which would not be a GOOD thing. Dr Hafez already thought she was an idiot. She wouldn't confirm that opinion for him.

"Let's all go to breakfast together. I don't know about you, but I had nightmares all during summer break of going to class on the first day, and being the only one who didn't have a book," Evy murmured.

Celia snorted with barely suppressed laughter. Yeah, that was a recurring nightmare for her as well. Maybe it was just being a college student, because she knew a lot of people who had that nightmare. This would be her third semester here, and by now, she knew the drill. The first day was more for orientation purposes than anything else. She had a notebook with her, just in case, but she took a notebook everywhere she went. It was a carryover from having a travel journal when she traveled with her grandmother, and later with Margit.

"Okay, we'll do that then. You want me to run down and grab us a few chocolate bars?" the American whispered. Evy shook her head as Anck moaned. Both girls froze as their roommate sat up, and neither girl took offense as she threw back the covers and went to the vanity for her tote, before heading out of the room. Not a word was said to either girl, but they knew better than to expect anything else from Anck. She was always like this in the morning.

Celia knew she wasn't a morning person, which was why she got up two hours before her class started. That gave her time to wake up her mind as well as her body. However, Anck was completely and totally not a morning person. . .to the point that she wasn't human until she at least had a shower, and sometimes not until she had some caffeine in her system. Out of the three of them, only Evy was a morning person in the truest sense.

After Anck left the room, Evy replied, "No, you got the pizza last night. . .I'll get the chocolate bars. What do you say to splitting a Hershey's plain, without the nuts?" Celia grinned, and Evy murmured, "I'll be back in a few minutes. . .probably should get Anck something with nuts, since she likes them." Celia nodded, choosing not to tease her roommate as she usually did about Anck being nuts. It was the first day of classes, after all.

Ten minutes after Evy left (elevator was probably being slow again), Anck returned to the room, looking somewhat more human. Celia said softly, "Evy will be right back, she went to get us chocolate bars." Anck nodded as she quietly dressed. Not a good morning, then. Evy was back only seconds later, and the three girls ate their demi-breakfast in silence. If Anck was quiet, then it was for a good reason, and neither of her roommates wanted to intrude on that.

At seven forty-five, fifteen minutes before they were due in class, the trio left the room for the walk across campus to Adams Hall. Anck was still very quiet, though she was showing signs of life. As they walked across campus, Evy and Celia began bantering. It was too pretty a day to be glum for long, and Celia was excited about the new year. It meant new beginnings, and new possibilities. And she caught Anck smiling a few times.

Their class was on the third floor, and they found little in the way of traffic. Most of the other students wouldn't be arriving until much closer to eight am. Like, oh, say around seven fifty-nine, if not later? That was one reason they agreed to arrive earlier. Less aggravation. Also less chance of any of the girls being run over by frantic students trying desperately to get to class on time. Which was always a possibility, the later it got to eight am. They kept their voices low, since classes would be starting, but that didn't stop any of them from laughing. By the time they reached the third floor, Anck was adding her own smart-ass remarks to the bantering between Evy and Celia.

Which was why the trio entered the classroom, laughing. If you would have asked her later (which her roommates did), Celia couldn't have told you what comment of Anck's made her laugh. One moment, she was laughing at her roommate's dry sense of humor, and the next? The next, she was incapable of laughing, because all the air was driven from her lungs. She was a sensible girl, a practical girl. She didn't believe in love at first sight. Love took time to grow, it took time to mature. She knew this from watching her parents. Love at first sight didn't exist.

Lust on the other hand. . .lust at first sight definitely existed, and the heat from that lust nearly overwhelmed Celia Ferguson for the first time in her life. Because this was the first time in her life that she saw such a man as the one now sitting at their professor's desk. He was in his twenties. . .Celia was no good at telling ages. She was utterly hopeless at it. She could only see his profile, but that was all she needed to see.

He was still the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. His night-black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, just as Celia's was. Even from the side, Celia could see his full lower lip, which he was currently biting in fierce concentration. . .his high cheekbones. . .his golden skin. God. He was beautiful. He was even more beautiful when he turned to face them, because it was then that Celia got the full effect. A pair of dark brown eyes that were in danger of melting her bones. Tattoos adorning his high cheekbones and forehead. And a faint smile which curved that beautiful mouth upward.

"Hello," he said with an accent which really turned Celia's knees to water, "My name is Ardeth Bey. I am Dr Hafez's teaching assistant. Thank you for arriving early this morning." Ardeth Bey. It was a beautiful name for a beautiful man. Celia had no way of knowing it, of course. But that moment would prove to be a turning point for the shy only daughter of rich parents, one which would change her life forever.