Hello all! My apologies for the delay in this part. I had an assignment
last week that almost wiped me out. But I'm back again, and things are
getting very interesting!
Reviewers:
Terreis: I didn't know it at the time, but yes, Justin will be playing a bigger part in the story as it goes along. He wasn't even originally part of the outline, but when I was writing the last section, boom, there he was. And I wasn't about to tell him 'no.' I'm strange, but I'm not crazy enough to tell someone that much bigger than me 'no,' even if he is a fictional character!
Kelekona8: Hehehe, thought that line would get a few laughs. It had Rick written all over it. Sorry to hear about your 'puter, but it's good to see you back.
Evywannabe: Hello, hello, hello! Welcome! Glad you were finally able to leave a review. I actually wrote out the outlines for the chapters while I was on my lunch break at work, and then went from there. I've found that using outlines helps to keep things straight. . .though it doesn't always prevent me from missing a continuity problem. Just usually.
Sailor Elf: Nope, don't wanna cross paths with Justin when he's angry. And the girls weren't even supposed to be in that scene much less Justin, but. . .I've found telling my characters 'no' is a very bad idea. They usually know what they're doing. Don't worry about blabbing on. . .you should hear me when I get going about one of my obsessions.
Deana: I know. . .poor Ardeth. Another headache, and unfortunately, it ain't gonna be the last one.
Brunette: Heya! Yes, much more is coming up. . .there's the event at the ranch, Ardeth teaching Celia how to fight, the Homecoming dance, and much, much more. I stuck in something you might like in this chapter, since you're also a LOTR fan. Hope ya like it!
On with the story!
Part Eight
"We? What we? Could you ladies excuse us? My brother and I need to have a little conversation about his habit of volunteering us!"
With that, Rick dragged his startled brother away from the three young women and into a solitary alcove. The fuming American couldn't believe what he just heard come out of his brother's mouth. Once in the shadows, he slammed Ardeth into the wall, demanding angrily, "What the hell were you thinking, volunteering us for that? Huh? We are not spending this weekend with those three hellions and a bunch of kids!"
Ardeth's dark eyebrows shot up and he inquired sardonically, "We? What we?" Rick rolled his eyes at having his own words thrown back in his face. His brother continued, "I do not believe I was speaking of you when I volunteered to help those children. You may do what you wish." His voice was cold, but the anger and defiance came through clearly. They also had the effect of making Rick feel like a world-class jerk. And as usual, Rick reacted with anger.
He fired back, "Ex-squeeze me, but no! You are not going without me! Somebody's gotta keep you outta trouble. If not with the horses, then with Celia Ferguson. She may not be a lady vamp, but I've seen the way she looks at you. Someone's gotta make sure you two don't do the horizontal mambo." If he was thinking clearly, he would have never stated it in those terms, but Rick O'Connell didn't think clearly when he was afraid for someone he loved.
And unfortunately, that pushed Ardeth too far. He knocked Rick's hands away, then shoved *him* into the wall. Ardeth's dark eyes burned with quiet rage as he snarled, "You think that I have so little self- control? You think that I would. . .would be intimate with a girl I just met? Especially when I told you that I cannot take the risk of leading Lock-nah to her? La!"
Ardeth paused to take a deep breath, then continued, "Nor will I allow you to speak of her with such disrespect. There is no reason for it, and certainly no purpose." Well, he was right about that, at least. It would only make Ardeth angry, and Rick supposed he couldn't fault the girl for standing up for people. . .as she and her roommates did for him and Ardeth only moments earlier. His brother added, his voice laced with bitterness, "And did it never occur to you, brother, that perhaps I wished to speak some time with small ones?"
Understanding dawned then, and Rick said softly, compassionately, "You miss the girls." He could have kicked himself for not even considering that possibility. Of course his brother missed the girls. They were his baby sisters, and they adored him. He adored them, as well. *Get your head out of your ass, O'Connell,* Rick lectured himself, *Just because you're ruled by your libido doesn't mean Ardeth is.*
And all the anger evaporated from his brother with Rick's words. Ardeth released him, looking very tired now, and whispered, "Of course I do. How could I *not* miss our little angels, when they seek only to give love, and seek only to receive love in return? I failed to protect them. I cannot be with them now, but there is something I can do for these children." He looked at Rick, adding almost defiantly, "Something I *will* do for them."
Now Rick really felt like a jerk. God, why did he do these things? When they left Egypt weeks earlier, he promised to take care of his brother. And aside from the previous day, when Ardeth was so sick with that near-migraine, his younger brother took care of him far more frequently than the opposite. Just as he did a few minutes earlier, during the fight. Rick slipped his hand around the back of Ardeth's neck, answering, "Something *we* can do, buddy. I miss the girls, too. . .and if you think I'm gonna let you be the hero alone, you *are* nuts."
Ardeth gave a half smile and dipped his head, replying, "Thank you, ya ahi, but I am no hero." Rick resisted the temptation to shake his brother. He was grateful it was back to 'ya ahi,' rather than 'brother.' The latter was usually a sign that Rick pissed off his younger brother. Altair described it this way to Rick. Ardeth was, of course, most comfortable with his native language, with Arabic. 'Ya ahi' meant much more to Ardeth than simply 'brother.' It carried with it certain connotations that Ardeth considered lacking in the English equivalent.
That was true enough, but Rick found he preferred his father's explanation. Arabic was the language in which Ardeth usually thought. It was the language of his heart, for lack of a better term. It meant more to him to say 'ya ahi' than to say 'brother.' Rick supposed that made him a sentimental fool, and he would have shot anyone who said as much. For now, however, he had a brother to re-educate. It was not an easy thing, speaking your heart to another man, even when that man was your brother.
But Ardeth *was* a hero, and while Rick could never bring himself to tell his brother just how much he loved him, he could set him straight about other things. He placed his free hand on Ardeth's left shoulder, then slid his right hand around the back of Ardeth's neck to rest on his right shoulder. Ardeth looked up at him, and Rick said softly, "Yes, you are. You are a hero to Yasmina and Thalia. To a lot of people. And you'll be a hero to those kids."
He barely managed to stop himself before saying, 'and you're my hero, too.' No sense in getting all maudlin right now. It was just as well, for Ardeth said uncertainly, "Will I frighten them, do you think? With these?" He gestured with his hands at the tattoos decorating his face and hands. Rick almost came back with a smart-ass remark. *Almost.* But just as this was no time to get all maudlin, it also wasn't the time to be a smart-ass.
Instead, he replied, "Not if you dress like everyone else and not if you smile." Okay, his brother *was* dressing like everyone else. More or less. Now, if Rick could just convince him to dress in something other than black for once. . . The older brother paused, then continued, "This may surprise you, little brother, but you actually look like a human being when you smile. Or something close to a human being, at least."
That earned him a smile as Ardeth replied dryly, "Thank you, I think." Rick bit back his own laughter. The crisis was almost finished. His brother continued after a moment, his voice growing uncertain once more, "And what of the girls? Will you be all right around them?" Rick nearly asked which girls, then remembered. The three 'hellions' he so objected to earlier, before he realized what Ardeth was actually doing.
He replied, "Oh, I think I can be civil. They helped us earlier, after all. I suppose it's nothing personal for the little one. . .I mean, for Celia Ferguson." He remembered his argument with Evy Carnahan earlier in the library, and the way she fiercely defended her roommate and friend. He squeezed Ardeth's shoulders gently and said, "C'mon, let's head back to the table, and find out where we need to be and when."
. . .
After a few moments, the two brothers returned to the table. Anck was in the process of telling her two roommates again about her encounter with Dr Emmett Tepper in the bookstore when the men rejoined them. Evy looked up as the two shadows fell across the table, and Rick O'Connell asked, "So, what time should we be there, and where exactly are we going?" Evy stifled a smile and Rick asked, "What's so funny?"
"Ohh, nothing. I was just remembering something from a movie," Evy replied. She felt the eyes of her two roommates on her, and added, "I was just wondering if you were the type of person who would knock a skeleton into a well. . .that was a long way down." It took her roommates all of three seconds to figure it out, then they both burst out laughing. Celia slumped back in her chair, laughing hysterically, and Anck was almost in tears. The two brothers just looked at each other, and Evy could read their expressions easily. They were rethinking their decision to join them. Honestly, Evy couldn't blame them, either.
Anck managed to force out around the giggles, "Creo que no, Evy. He's a little tall to be Peregrin Took, si?" Evy shrugged, grinning impishly, and Anck continued, "But what made you think of Pippin, Evy? I mean, obviously it wasn't a physical resemblance. He is too tall to be a Hobbit, and I seriously doubt if he has hairy feet. Unless, dear roommate, you wish to find out?" Anck waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"Anck! The very idea!" Evy squealed, feeling her face turn bright red with embarrassment. And unfortunately, Celia was no help whatsoever. . .she was laughing herself silly. Literally. Evy huffed and replied, "I was merely thinking of Pippin, during the Council of Elrond at the end, when he asked where they were going. After he and Merry volunteered themselves, without knowing where they were going or what they were doing."
That sent Celia, who was finally starting to calm down, into fresh peals of laughter. And Anck, who was struggling to keep from doing the same, took pity on their two new companions, explaining, "Forgive us, por favor. We're speaking of the first 'Lord of the Rings' movie, 'Fellowship of the Rings.' And trust me, you are nothing like any of the Hobbits. At all." Evy bit almost clean through her lip. Yes, that was *one* way of putting it.
"Oh dear. I'm sorry. I just. . .the visual. . ." Celia began, before her shoulders started to shake with mirth once more. Anck stopped her before she could get going by giving her a sharp brain duster. Celia almost choked on her laughter, glaring at Anck, but after a moment, she returned her attention to the two men. She continued, "Sorry. Uhm, you wanted to know about the details. Okay. Well, we can take care of the where, if you'll meet us here at four. . .no, four thirty on Friday evening. We can all go together."
The brothers looked at each other, Ardeth Bey clearly looking concerned, but Rick O'Connell nodded reassuringly. The raven-haired man bowed slightly from the waist, "So be it. We shall see you at four thirty on Friday evening. And then you may tell us more of this movie, 'The Fellowship of the Rings.' For now, my brother and I have more business to which we must attend." With that, he bowed again, then walked away, his brother right behind him with what remained of their meal.
"We should get going, too," Anck said, now somewhat composed. She paused, then asked, "Meet back at the room tonight?" The other two nodded, finishing their own meals, and Anck continued, "And Celia, I meant what I said. I want to know what happened to you this summer." Celia nodded, her hazel eyes growing haunted, and Anck rose to her feet. Evy and Celia followed suit, and the trio broke up.
Anck's words haunted Evy over the next several hours, as she made her way from one class to another. At last, she was finished for the day and headed back to the room. Celia was asleep on her bed, curled on her side with her arms wrapped around her pillow. Anck was also waiting there for Evy. She looked up from the computer screen as the door closed behind the English roommate, saying softly, "I ordered in for pizza again tonight. I don't think she'll have the energy to go to the dining hall *and* tell us." Evy nodded, still not entirely sure what Anck meant. . .what happened to Celia this summer, over and above what they already knew?
"I hate to say it," came a husky voice, "but I'm afraid you're right." Evy and Anck both turned as Celia sat up, yawning. She looked tired, but managed a faint smile for them both, saying, "I don't know if I should start telling the story now, or wait until dinner gets here. I don't want to have to stop for dinner, but I also don't want to give either of you. . .or myself. . .indigestion." Oh dear, this did not sound promising.
"Tell us now, chiquita, and we'll worry about dinner later," Anck replied, rising from her perch in front of her desk to walk gracefully over to Evy and Celia. She sat down at the foot of Celia's bed, drawing Evy down to join her with a glance. The English girl did so, and Anck leaned forward to put her hand on Celia's knee. She said softly, "Now tell us, querida, tell us everything. Start at the beginning, and leave nothing out."
"Nothing? Uhm. . .I suppose the beginning would have been when my father threatened to disown me if I didn't give up on my dreams of being an archaeologist. He. . .uhm. . .thought he could force me to fall in line, and be the good little girl I've always been. Guess he kinda underestimated me," Celia began with a small shrug. Evy put her hand lightly on her friend's shoulder, sensing somehow that Celia would need all the human contact she could get.
Her friend continued when neither Evy nor Anck interrupted, "By this time, Galen figured out that I wouldn't back down, and instead, offered to help me. He helped me to find a job, since a friend of his worked at a local warehouse. . .they were hurting for warm bodies, capable bodies. It didn't pay a lot, but it would go far in demonstrating that I was willing to fight for what I wanted to do. Those were his exact words, too."
Still, Evy and Anck said nothing, though Evy saw that Anck was shifting sideways to sit on Celia's other side. The American girl continued, "I met him on my first day. Neil Grady, one of the fork truck drivers. He's. . .oh, I guess about the same height as Rick O'Connell and about as. . .how do I explain this? Uhm. . .burly? Bulky? About as wide as O'Connell, but not as slim. Do you understand?"
Both Evy and Anck nodded, and Celia continued, "Like I said, I met him on my first day. I remember, I almost ran out in front of his fork truck." Evy felt her eyebrows raise with that comment. All right, that's certainly not the best beginning to a working relationship! Her friend wasn't finished, however, for she said, "I was crossing a bridge, you see, that led out into one of the truck's passages. I almost stepped out in front, but my guide pulled me back in time."
Now Celia smiled faintly, saying, "It took me a good fifteen minutes before I stopped apologizing. I think it scared me worse than it scared him, and I'm fairly certain I frightened him. Maybe I should have paid attention to that. He. . .at first, we got along great. He was real friendly, someone whom I could always ask for help. Especially with supplies, so he was so much bigger than me."
This was said almost ruefully. Celia was all too aware of her diminutive size. Evy squeezed her shoulder gently, and Celia gave her a half-smile. Evy looked over at Anck, whose eyes weren't leaving Celia's face even for a moment. She was getting bad vibes too, then.
Celia went on, "Well, after I'd been there about two weeks, one of the managers got the bright idea of putting me in the regular cubicle, where the fork truck drivers were headquartered, because I'm so small. I think they were afraid I would hurt myself while packing some of the bigger boxes. That was the beginning of the problems, on more than one level. It threw me together with the fork truck drivers, and I started getting to know them."
"Especially Neil Grady," Anck stated. There was absolutely no question in her voice, no uncertainty whatsoever. Celia nodded with a sigh, and Anck said something in Spanish, before adding, "Tell us more, little one." Celia glared at her, and Anck laughed, giving the first hint of levity into the night, adding, "Well, you are little! Nearly seven inches shorter than I am, of course I'll call you 'little one,' because that's what you are."
Evy bit her lip, trying very hard not to laugh. Celia finally settled for sticking her tongue out at Anck, and continued, "I got to know them all, but like you said, Anck, I got to know Neil Grady especially. And. . .I started to have feelings for him." Now unease stirred in Evy's chest. Feelings? As in the kind that showed up when Celia looked at Ardeth Bey? Celia paused, swallowed hard, then said, "I didn't realize at the time, but he had feelings for me as well."
She took a deep breath, sighing, "We were becoming good friends, and maybe more. That's when disaster struck. I never talked about it. . .never thought it was important. God, I was so stupid." She shook her head with a bitter laugh. That unease now shifted upward into Evy's throat, an un-named fear creating a lump which impaired her ability to breathe and her ability to swallow, much less speak.
Celia looked at them both, saying softly, "He found out that my parents were rich, and he turned against me. I didn't know why, not at the time. I. . .didn't understand why he suddenly hated me, why he was being so ugly. But I was hurt, and I withdrew. This was, of course, the beginning of the end. And it was around the beginning of August, 'cause I kept telling myself that I just had to hold on a little longer. School would be starting back up soon."
She wiped at her tears, then said in a hoarse voice, "Some of the others weren't willing to let it go at that. They saw. . .something. In the way I acted, in the way Neil acted, I'm not really sure. And they started. . .checking into things. What they found out turned them against Neil. And in the last week I was there. . .about two weeks ago, the shit hit the fan, 'scuse my language, Evy. There. . .there was a confrontation. A big one."
Without really thinking about it, Evy drew closer to her roommate. Something bad was about to happen, they were about to hear something bad. Anck sensed the same, and she also drew closer to Celia. It was in the past, Celia survived whatever happened. . .but this something still hurt her roommate. The wounds were still fresh. After only a matter of days, really, of course her wounds were still fresh.
Her roommate continued after a moment, "Neil found out about the investigation, you see. And he blamed me for it. He. . .cornered me. I was back working on the pack deck, by this time. At his insistence. He. . .was afraid I might try something, if I stayed where I was at."
Oh. . .no. Evy definitely did not like the sound of this. Celia rasped out, "He convinced management, you see, that I was. . .not to be trusted. So they reassigned me to the pack deck. I was working there alone. I remember, it was lunch time. There was a rule that there had to be at least three people on the pack deck at all times during lunch. I was one of a very small minority that paid attention to that rule. I was alone. Didn't really pay much attention to the sound of boots on the deck. I was used to it, after all."
Evy squeezed her shoulder, trying to show support for her friend without saying a word. She couldn't speak, not if her life depended on it. Especially not after seeing the tears rolling down her friend's cheeks. The first evidence of tears, though she saw Celia brushing at her eyes, as if to brush away those tears. Anck was close to tears herself, but Celia continued in that raspy voice, "I went to the file cabinet, at the end of the deck. I needed some stuff out of it. And when I turned around, he was there. He. . .blocked my way, there was no where for me to go."
Anck made a sound, deep in her throat, but she didn't interrupt. Evy was grateful. She didn't think Celia would survive trying to tell them this in two parts. And the American girl wasn't really paying attention. She was lost in the retelling of that godawful day. Evy shivered, all too capable of imagining how frightened her friend was on that day. Celia swallowed hard, then went on, her voice hoarse, "He. . .he was looming over me. And verbally attacked me. I won't repeat what he said. It doesn't make a difference."
She was wrong there, but Evy wasn't about to tell her friend that. Celia went on, "At first I was scared. I mean, of course I was. He's a lot bigger than I am! Probably weighs twice what I do. And I was hurt. And then. . .I can't even remember when or why I became so angry. It was just there. . .and I fought back. I fought back, I started yelling at him." There was honest shock in her voice, that she actually had the guts to stand up to a man twice her size.
But Evy remembered oh so clearly the events of the day. She remembered Celia standing up to first Rick O'Connell, then the twin twits from Texas, as Anck liked to call them. She had no trouble whatsoever imagining Celia standing up to this bully and coward. Her friend continued after a moment, her eyes closed as she remembered what came next, "The argument attracted the attention of everyone else. But of course, because no managers witnessed the whole 'incident,' it never officially happened."
WHAT??????? Celia opened her eyes and smiled bitterly, saying, "Oh yes. According to management, it never really happened. Never mind that several witnesses who heard the argument saw him pinning me to the cabinet, blocking off my escape routes. Never mind the fact that he was so much bigger than me. It didn't happen. The people who started the investigation were enraged. . .but I told them to drop it. Nothing would change."
That couldn't be right. There were supposed to be laws to ensure the safety of employees inside the work place! Celia sighed, "As far as management was concerned, I was just a lowly temp. Neil was the important one. Of course, because I was a woman, and because I was a temp, it had to be my fault. I brought it on myself. Which is true enough. I was stupid enough to think that Neil Grady was as honorable and dependable as he seemed to be."
"You were nineteen years old, querida. You made an error in judgment. . .your mistakes were born of ignorance, of knowing no better. What happened next? Did the people who were suspicious of Grady even before that day. . .did they let it drop?" Anck asked. Celia shook her head, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. Well, that was a relief! Evy was starting to fear there were no decent people at this warehouse where her friend worked.
"No. No, they didn't drop it. Oh, they dropped it in official channels, of course. But they won't forget. And they won't let him forget, either. That's what scares me, really. They won't let him forget, and he'll blame me for that as well. I know Neil Grady by now. The real Neil Grady. He will blame me for this, and he'll try to get back at me somehow. That's what scares me. What if he goes after you two?" Celia asked, her voice cracking all over again.
Only a few minutes earlier, Evy thought about the confrontation that morning, between her roommate and Rick O'Connell. She realized now the reason Celia refused to back down, to even accept the other American's apology. Celia was probably not even seeing Rick O'Connell during that confrontation. Instead, she was probably seeing Neil Grady during that confrontation at the warehouse, only a few weeks earlier. Anck said softly, "Then we shall deal with him, and Neil Grady will learn that there are some who will not stand for bullies." She hugged Celia fiercely, whispering, "Go wash your face, querida. Dinner will be here soon."
Celia nodded and rose to her feet, accepting another hug from Evy before leaving the room. Once the door closed behind her, Evy said softly, "She must have been having some terrible flashbacks this morning, during her confrontation with Mr O'Connell about Beni. It isn't entirely fair to Mr O'Connell, to cast him as the Neil Grady, but I can hardly blame her. What will we do, Anck?"
The look her remaining roommate chilled Evy's blood as Anck replied, "If he comes near any of us, I will kill him myself. Perhaps the managers at that warehouse are fools, but I am not. I will stand beside my friend, in front of her, behind her, whatever it takes. He will not be allowed to harm any more women." Evy swallowed hard. Right. Perhaps it would be a good idea to talk to Jonathan. He knew about the darker side of people.
Celia returned to the room, her face blotchy and swollen from crying, but she was composed. Anck smiled as she sat back down on the bed, and said, "Now then. I think we have another few minutes before dinner, and we could use a change in subject. Let's start talking about ideas for this weekend. Now, that lovely Ardeth Bey has offered to help with the horses and the children, but we still don't have something for his annoying brother to do."
Annoying, hmf! Anck didn't know how right she was about that! Evy was on the point of telling her roommates about the encounter with O'Connell in the library that morning (well, telling Anck, at least, since Celia already knew about it), when suddenly, Celia started giggling. Evy and Anck exchanged a look. Ooookay. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? It didn't seem to be laughter of the hysterical kind, but you simply never knew. Celia tried valiantly to stop laughing, but every time it seemed she had her laughter under control, a new giggle would escape, and Anck finally asked, "Cecelia, what is so funny?"
"I'm sorry. . .really, I am. I just had this sudden image of O'Connell as a clown," Celia chortled, her slim shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth. Evy felt her jaw drop. What?????? Celia explained, "You know, a rodeo clown, the ones that distract the bulls at the rodeo. I was thinking about Ardeth and the horses, and for some reason, the image of his brother as a clown popped into my head." Anck stared at her for a moment, then threw her head back and laughed. Evy just shook her head. . .ohh, for goodness sake!
. . .
As Anck, Celia, and Evy discussed their plans for that weekend, Meela Nais was receiving instructions of her own. She was to observe Imhotep's class the following morning, since she would likely be his own teaching assistant. He didn't know that. . .it was a surprise, at least for the moment. And the following morning, she received an unexpected bonus when she watched the students make their way into the classroom.
Meela watched as a familiar figure sauntered into the room. Her cousin. And Anck wasn't alone. Anck was never alone. Meela struggled against the bile that rose in her throat. Love and hatred were never far apart. It wasn't *fair.* Meela lost her mother. . .lost everything and everyone that ever mattered to her. Lock-nah was all she had left, and Anck. . .Anck had friends. Two friends, who laughed at Anck's jokes and who made her laugh in turn.
There was a time when Meela could make Anck laugh. . .and when Anck could make Meela laugh. She closed her eyes, remembering. Their mothers often dressed them alike, just for the joy of confusing the neighbors. All except for old Esmeralda. They could never fool her. Somehow, she could always tell them apart. Meela always wondered about that, always wondered how it was possible. What did Esmeralda know that others didn't?
Esmeralda. That was a name she hadn't thought of in years. The bruja. . .the strega. . .of the small village where the girls grew up. Bruja. . .strega. She heard Esmeralda called both, because she was Italian by birth. She called herself 'strega,' while many of the others called her 'bruja.' She was the wise woman, the witch. Anck loved her. . .Meela feared her. Esmeralda seemed to see things, things which Meela wanted no one to see, things she didn't want to see herself. And if they met again, she would probably kill the old witch.
Thoughts of Esmeralda, of the village where she and Anck spent their formative years, brought back memories of Meela's early childhood. It made her remember a time when everything seemed possible, and the Cortez twin cousins were a pair of mischievous little girls who provoked both exasperation and affection among their villagers. Two beautiful little girls who could make people laugh and sigh at the same time.
It made her remember a time before her tia betrayed her mother, a time before Anck betrayed Meela. When they did that, they ruined her life. Her mother never forgave her sister for her betrayal, and took out her rage on her young daughter. . .the daughter who looked just like her traitorous niece. Meela understood, of course. . .she understood and forgave her mother. It wasn't her fault that her mother hurt her like that. It was the fault of her aunt and cousin.
Nor did it seem strange to Meela, this mixture of love and hatred she felt for her cousin. The two emotions vied for control within her heart and soul for so many years, it was simply the way things were. Whenever Meela closed her eyes, she could see herself and her cousin, ten and fifteen years earlier. She could see Anck comforting her after Meela fell, and they were the only people in the area. . .all the adults were at work, or somewhere else.
But at the same time, Anck *betrayed* her. She allowed her mother to betray Meela's mother, her own sister. She allowed her mother to drive them away, breaking Meela's heart and shattering her soul with the abuse her mother then heaped on her. It was their fault. Meela only wished she could truly hate her cousin, instead of the old love tighten her throat when she looked at her cousin. Anck didn't deserve her love. Only her hatred. Only her contempt.
So she told herself, over and over, until she believed it. Until she made herself believe that she no longer loved her cousin, that the love turned to hate years earlier. Once that was done, Meela once more looked at her cousin, the door now closing behind the other girl. *So pretty, so smart,* Meela thought, *so smart, so pretty. Do they know your secrets as I do, prima? Do they know what breaks your heart? They will know. I will break your heart. I will take them both away from you. . .I will turn them against you.*
And then, she noticed something else. The class was beginning. Anck sat with her two companions in the two front rows, something which raised Meela's eyebrows. And forced her to take a closer look at the two young women sitting with her cousin. She dismissed them both when she first saw them, for they were of no importance. But if either of these females were the reason her cousin, who hated classes when they were children, was sitting in the front of the class. . .perhaps Meela could use them to hurt Anck.
She ignored the brunette sitting in the first seat of the first row at first, choosing instead to concentrate on the girl sitting directly behind her. Meela shifted her position, giving herself a better view of the room. This, she knew from Dr Hafez, was Evelyn Carnahan, the daughter of the two Egyptologists responsible for her new employer's disgrace. Meela knew, of course, that the girl was attending college here. . .just as she knew that her own cousin was attending college here. But she didn't know there was a connection between them.
Meela couldn't name the sudden, immediate dislike she conceived for Evelyn Carnahan. Perhaps it was because of her parents' betrayal of a colleague, perhaps it was because she seemed so prim and proper, so totally unlike anyone with whom Meela's cousin would have been friends. She set Meela's teeth on edge, and privately, the girl swore to pay her back later. She didn't care anything about Hafez, not as a person, but she did understand about being betrayed. The Carnahans were dead. . .their daughter wasn't.
Anck leaned over and said something to the girl in front of Evy Carnahan, drawing Meela's attention back to this girl. She was no one important, Meela thought at first. Until that moment. But as Anck said something to her, and the girl nodded, Meela saw her cousin's expression. . .sealing the girl's fate. There was a time when Meela saw that smile, directed at her. This mousy little nothing was her replacement in Anck's affections?
It couldn't be tolerated. It was bad enough that Anck betrayed her. . .it was bad enough that she found a replacement, someone whom she loved as a sister. . .as a cousin. But that she found this replacement in someone like that? Meela felt her temper rise as she stared at the girl. She didn't even know her name, but that didn't matter. She replaced Meela in Anck's affections. *And maybe,* a little voice inside her head whispered, *if you get rid of her, Anck will love you again.*
Meela resolutely ignored that little voice. She didn't care about Anck loving her again. This girl had to be out of the way. Anck loved her, and if something happened to her, it would hurt Anck. Meela refused to see the girl as a threat, because Meela no longer loved Anck. She hated her. She hated all three of these girls. She sensed Lock-nah slip up behind her, could smell his cologne, could feel his presence.
Meela whispered, "Look at those three, Lock-nah. The little one, the one closest to the door. . .I want her out of the way. She took my cousin away from me. She took my place." She looked away from the girl, to look into her lover's eyes. He cupped her face in his hands, gently sliding her dark hair through his fingers. Meela shuddered at the sensations caused by the action, and whispered, "She has to die."
Lock-nah looked at the small young woman, then smiled lazily. He replied, "I could do that for you. A gift. It would take very little, I am sure. She is. . .no threat at all. Shall I make it quick, or should I draw it out? Make it painful, make her suffer for replacing you in your cousin's affections?" Meela turned back to the window, drawing Lock-nah's arms around her waist from behind.
It was a tempting offer, but she wasn't sure she wanted him to kill the girl. Yes, the girl's death would cause Anck pain, but Meela wasn't sure if it would hurt enough. And that was the whole point, was it not? Hurting Anck, making her pay for the pain suffered by Meela and her mother? She murmured, "It might not be enough. It would hurt Anck more if I did it, I think." Meela turned back to face Lock-nah, adding, "And I could draw it out more easily than you could. I'm somewhat closer to her size."
Lock-nah smiled approvingly, answering, "As you wish, my love. Perhaps we could kill her and Ardeth Bey at the same time." Meela smiled. She liked that idea. It would be a gift to themselves, killing the two people whom they hated most in the world, even indirectly. This girl's death would be one of two killing blows against Anck. And through Anck, her aunt. She turned back to glower at her cousin. Lock-nah kissed the back of her head, saying, "I must speak with Hafez about recruiting more men. That damn Med-jai and his pet American did it again. They have this annoying habit of outwitting whatever men we send to deal with them."
Now Meela did frown. From what Lock-nah told her, in addition to the four men they brought with them as a security force from Egypt, they also tapped two Americans who didn't like the American Med-jai. That was six against two. What happened? Never mind. She probably didn't want to know. With the Med-jai, it was always best not to ask. Meela still didn't know why Imhotep wouldn't allow the chieftain to be killed. Their lives would be so much easier with him out of the way.
Lock-nah slipped away, and Meela turned her attention back to the class. Oh. . . this was interesting. She looked from her cousin to Imhotep and back again. Was it her imagination, or was Imhotep looking at her traitor cousin with some semblance of interest? Meela again shifted her position, trying to see her cousin's face more clearly. She smiled to herself, seeing the way her cousin looked at Imhotep.
"Ohhh, this is perfect," she said to herself, "first I'll take Imhotep away from you. . .and then I'll take away your little friend. My dear, dear cousin. . .it's just a matter of time now." Her smile grew cold. Yes. . .killing her friend would be the second to last strike against Anck. But first. . .first, she would seduce Imhotep. That would be the beginning of her revenge against her cousin. It would be only the beginning.
So intent on her revenge, and her hatred, was Meela, that she didn't even realize she was being observed. Not even the opening and closing of a door behind her got her attention. Therefore, she didn't see the tall, dark-haired young man clad in black jeans and a black t-shirt. She didn't see his dark eyes burning with rage and purpose. . .she didn't see his lines compressed into a thin white line. She didn't see a lot of things.
. . .
His intent was only to observe Imhotep, but when Ardeth Bey saw the woman who so closely resembled Anck-su-namun Cortez appear at the classroom door, he did what any sensible young man working undercover did. He hid. There was a classroom opposite the room where Imhotep was teaching his first class, and Ardeth hid behind that door, making sure it was open. He was even more glad that he hid when he saw Lock-nah appear.
Out of habit, and without really thinking about it, Ardeth's hand went to his scimitar. . .or at least, where his scimitar *would* be. He swore under his breath. This just kept getting more and more tangled up by the moment. The trio of hellions, as Rick liked to call the three roommates, were in this class. . .making Ardeth's job more difficult. He wanted to keep all three of them out of trouble, away from Imhotep. That just became impossible. Since he was now their professor, the likelihood that they would be caught in the crossfire just went up.
As if that wasn't bad enough, here was this girl who looked just like one of the girls under Ardeth's protection. Something about her set off warning bells in Ardeth's head. Perhaps it was because he saw how cold her eyes were. Anck's brown eyes were warm and full of life. This woman. . .her eyes were dead. Ardeth's gut instinct told him that she meant to make trouble for Anck. . .which in turn meant her two roommates would be in trouble as well.
He kept telling Rick that he didn't want to get involved with Celia Ferguson, because he didn't want to involve her in this mess. One of many reasons, and the one which Rick would understand the best. Unfortunately, she and her roommates were already up to their eyes in trouble, and they didn't even know it. It was always so much harder to guard against trouble when you weren't aware of it.
And then Lock-nah showed up. In a way, though, he was pleased. If he could see Lock-nah, it was much easier for him to keep an eye on Imhotep's enforcer. Further, he noticed that Lock-nah had his own weakness. . .the woman who looked just like Anck-su-namun. Ardeth, though highly inexperienced with romance and. . .other things, could tell that Lock-nah was smitten with the woman, and it was quite mutual. He told himself to remember that, as it would be important eventually. Somehow.
Ardeth's quiet vow was strengthened when he heard the woman say quietly, though not too quietly for him to hear, "Look at those three, Lock- nah. The little one, the one closest to the door. . .I want her out of the way. She took my cousin away from me. She took my place." The little one. . .this woman was Anck's cousin. The little one could only be Celia. She was talking about Celia. Ardeth's blood froze when she added, "She has to die."
Around the roaring in his ears, Ardeth still heard Lock-nah answer, "I could do that for you. A gift. It would take very little, I am sure. She is. . .no threat at all. Shall I make it quick, or should I draw it out? Make it painful, make her suffer for replacing you in your cousin's affections?" Ardeth closed his eyes, corralling all the self-control he could, every bit in his body. *Think not of revenge,* he told himself, *think of protecting Celia.* It didn't occur to him that he was thinking of her by her first name, rather than 'Miss Ferguson.
The woman murmured after a moment, her tone making it obvious that she was giving Lock-nah's offer serious thought, "It might not be enough. It would hurt Anck more if I did it, I think. And I could draw it out more easily than you could. I'm somewhat closer to her size." Ardeth tightened his hands into fists at his side. *You'll not have the chance to lay a finger on her,* he silently swore. *I will find some way to protect her.*
He saw Lock-nah smile at the girl, heard him say, "As you wish, my love. Perhaps we could kill her and Ardeth Bey at the same time." Ardeth allowed a cold smile to cross his face. Lock-nah often boasted that he could kill Ardeth whenever he wished, but as yet, he was unable. Ardeth knew the other man would keep trying. And he was determined to deny Lock- nah what he wanted most. Ardeth's hated enemy kissed the back of his woman's head, saying, "I must speak with Hafez about recruiting more men. That damn Med-jai and his pet American did it again. They have this annoying habit of outwitting whatever men we send to deal with them."
"Be safe, my love. Do not underestimate him. Imhotep is right about that, at least, though I still do not understand why he will not allow us to kill the Med-jai chieftain and all whom he loves," the woman said. Ardeth frowned at that. Imhotep wouldn't *allow* them to kill him? Why? Ardeth shook his head. He would get the answers to those questions later. Right now, he had other questions in mind.
"I am always careful, my Meela. Be safe. The class will be ending in just a few moments. Do not get caught," Lock-nah warned. Ardeth made a mental note of what Lock-nah just called the woman. Meela. She was Anck- su-namun's cousin. And she was trouble. The woman named 'Meela' nodded, and Lock-nah kissed her, then slipped away. She turned her attention once more to the class room, and Ardeth decided that it was a good time to leave.
While he and Rick were waiting for the information they needed to start their watch, they often explored the campus. . .which was how Ardeth knew his way around so well. But during that time, he also checked into what rooms he could use for surveillance, and even found out which classrooms had windows that might reflect. He and Rick worked on getting around those problems, finding what angles afforded them the greatest amount of protection.
He was lucky this time, as he slipped out of the room. Meela was looking through the window, her attention focused solely on the three roommates. Still, Ardeth took no chances as he left his hiding place, being just as careful not to make any noise that might draw her attention. He would wait in the unoccupied room *next* to the classroom for the remaining time left until Imhotep dismissed his students.
He spared one last glance at Meela, then slipped down the hall and into his intended target. Here, he listened intently to the lecture. Strange. After all the times he faced off with Imhotep, this was the first time Ardeth could remember hearing his voice. Like Ardeth, he spoke English with a slight accent, though Ardeth was certain he could name the accent as anything he chose. It was a big world, after all.
As he waited for class to end, Ardeth debated about what to do next. Should he track down Rick and tell him what he found out? Ardeth was shaking his head almost immediately. No. That would *not* be a good idea. His brother was being a little on the unpredictable side, and right now, unpredictable was the last thing Ardeth needed. He needed help. . .he couldn't protect the three roommates twenty-four/seven.
They could watch out for each other. Of that, Ardeth had no doubt, but while he realized Meela hated her cousin, he wasn't sure how Anck felt about Meela in return. Would she even think that her roommates needed protection from Meela? He shook his head, realizing there were too many unknown variables where Anck Cortez was concerned. He needed answers, along with help. He needed to know why Meela hated her cousin.
The sounds from the next room told him that class was over. Ardeth moved quietly to the door, watching the direction of the crowd. He would be more likely to stand out if he was the only one leaving, unless. . . He watched *for* Imhotep, then glanced behind him.
Yes. It was possible. Not the solution he would have chosen, but it could work. It was late summer, and still very hot. The windows were open. Making as little noise as possible, Ardeth went to the windows. They were on the second floor. Not impossible. Ardeth's main problem would be getting out the windows. He was slender, but he was also tall. There was only one way to find out.
He moved swiftly to the window and sat down on the sill. The seat was warm, but Ardeth was mentally calculating the likelihood of being seriously injured and/or drawing unwanted attention to himself. And that was what decided him. He would attract more attention to himself by slipping out the window and possibly breaking his ankle than if he departed from the room by more conventional means. Besides, there were no trees to disguise his jump.
He left the window and returned to the door, now seeing Imhotep's back. Excellent. Ardeth slipped out of the room, and made his way down the hall. He was halfway to the elevators, when he noticed a familiar figure. Justin. Ardeth picked up his pace, calling out to Justin. The bigger man turned and Ardeth inclined his head, saying, "I wish to speak with you. It's about Celia. I require your aid to protect her and her roommates."
Seeing that he had the other man's attention, Ardeth explained the situation. Once he was finished, Justin asked slowly, "Well. . .sure. But why do you need me? Why can't you just tell Celia what's going on, so she can watch her own back?" Ardeth had an answer ready, courtesy of his sister Acacia, who would have asked the very same question in Justin's place. Would have, and often did.
"She may not believe me when I tell her that she is in danger. She barely knows me. The same is true of you. . .you may not believe me. After all, she is in danger not because of anything she has done, but simply because she exists. For some people, that is all the reason they need to destroy another. But I do not think you wish to take that chance, the chance Celia would take with her own life. Please understand. I care for Celia. More than I would like to. And that could lead to her destruction. The man I mentioned earlier, Lock-nah. . .he would kill her for that reason alone. Just because I care for her," Ardeth replied.
Justin hesitated, then replied, "You're right. I'm not willing to take that kind of a risk with Celia's life. And I will watch over her, her and the other two. They are my friends, all of them. But you be careful too. . .Celia likes you. I can tell. And it would hurt her, if you were hurt." Ardeth inclined his head. He would worry about himself later. For now, he had a report to make to his uncle. As he headed for Uncle Terrence's office, he vowed quietly, *You tried to kill my sisters, Lock- nah. . .harm any of these girls, and I'll show you no mercy when I kill you!*
. . .
Blissfully ignorant of the dangers now facing three of his new students, Imhotep listened with a half smile to the conversation between those three students. He found himself swept away in the sea of humanity as they all left his classroom. He didn't have another class for two hours, and he learned that it was a tradition among the three roommates to get breakfast after a class. All right, so it was a brand-new tradition. That wasn't the point.
The point was, he came to this campus to hide out for a while, to wait until his buyer was ready to make the trade. He didn't come to actually teach, and he certainly didn't come here to become attracted to one of his students. Imhotep remembered his shock and consternation when he saw Anck-su-namun Cortez, the lovely student from the bookstore, enter his class with two other girls, obviously her friends.
It was somewhat helpful, to see the same shock and consternation in her eyes, but he forced himself to pay attention to other things. Like, his class. They numbered twenty-five, a nice balance of boys and girls. And as Ardeth Bey did the day before, Imhotep was quite stunned to be the recipient of several hot glances. He was several years older than the chieftain, but no more equipped to deal with sex-driven nineteen year old girls.
But he pushed his way through class, first asking his students to introduce themselves. He might as well. . .he didn't know how long he would be here, and he might as well make the most of it while he *was* here. They were to give their names, their majors, and their hometowns. He learned once more than Anck Cortez was a sociology major from Guatemala. He learned that there were several majors, several cultures, and even several classes represented among his students.
He learned that the two girls with Anck Cortez were her two roommates. Evelyn Carnahan, a sophomore majoring in archaeology from London, England. She was a very pretty brunette with pale skin and brown eyes. She had nice curves, but she still was not the kind of girl to stir his emotions (and other things) as her radiant cousin did. Not that Imhotep could afford to purse Anck. . .she was a student, he was a professor.
Their other roommate was the sort of girl who invited you to underestimate her. . . at your own peril. She was quiet. . .someone with no appreciation for subtlety might have described her as mousy, and as different from both Anck and Evelyn as night and day. Anck was night, he decided, and Evelyn was noon. But Cecelia Anne Ferguson, the nineteen year old archaeology major from Chicago, was morning. Quiet and cool, with the capacity for light or dark. The most subtle, and quite possibly the most dangerous. Usually, fog was at its worst during the morning hours.
There was one other thing about Cecelia Ferguson that was noteworthy to a man who spent his life watching people, evaluating them, and seeing what made them tick. She was rich. It wasn't her clothes which told him that. She dressed like everyone else. It wasn't her words. She said very little about her personal life. It was the way she reacted to talk of treasure. While other students were oohing and ahhing over things he saw, she was quietly nodding.
But there were others in his class, and others who would make teaching this class such a joy for him. There were many in this class who loved beautiful things, who loved learning, who were here because they wanted to be. And that was what made teaching *anything* such a joy for Imhotep. Someone with a passion to learn, to know, to understand. Someone who wasn't there because they had to be, but because they wanted to be.
After going through the list and getting to know a little about each of his students, Imhotep started the class off with a discussion about lines and boundaries. He couldn't help himself. . .his eyes shifted to Anck. She blushed and looked down at her hands, and Imhotep continued, "So, let's split the difference, shall we? Talk about lines and boundaries, tell me what lines and boundaries mean to you."
Dead silence. Each student looked at each other, somewhat panic- stricken. Then a small hand raised and Imhotep nodded in that direction. To his surprise, a soft, American-accented voice said, "There's the obvious. . .the lines between right and wrong, good and evil. Everybody knows about that. But there are other lines, and the lines which get blurry because of the difference in perspectives. People have different perspectives because they have different backgrounds and different experiences."
Imhotep blinked. Now that was an interesting observation from a girl of nineteen. . .and especially from a rich girl of nineteen. One of the other students jeered, "Oh, what do you know?" The professor raised his eyebrows, but before he could speak, he noted Anck's reaction. Her entire demeanor changed. . .her face, once relaxed, now looked like a mask of rage, and she was leaning forward in her seat. Evelyn put her hand on Anck's shoulder, shaking her head.
And Celia Ferguson wasn't backing down. Instead, she defended her position, saying, "I know what I know because of my own experience. The way I see things, that's defined by the way I grew up, the people in my life, and half a dozen other things. There is black and there is white. And then there's gray. That's the area which usually causes trouble. I don't have a problem with black and white, it's the shades of gray that cause problems. And the black and white is even subjective, depending on a person's experience and the time in which they live."
Before someone could jeer her again, Imhotep held up his hand for quiet, and asked the girl, "That's a very interesting statement. And a very plausible one, but can you give us an example of what you mean by 'right or wrong is determined by the times in which someone lives,' Miss Ferguson?" He saw her gulp, then steel herself. Someone shy but determined. This was good. She reminded him of someone in that moment, but he couldn't remember who.
The girl replied, "Okay. Back when I was in high school, I was sick for several days, and spent that time reading ahead in my history book. We were getting ready to discuss the Aztecs and the Mayans, and other early civilizations in the Americas. I read about human sacrifices, and it made me feel. . .I don't know. . .dirty. I told my grandmother about it, and she told me that she understood, but I shouldn't judge those people by my standards. She said that to them, they were doing what they had to protect their people. See, she was raised by Indians in British Columbia. . .so she knew all about that kind of stuff. "
"And because it was expected. . .somehow, the gods were angered, and it was necessary to appease the gods in some way. Further, it should be noted that human sacrifice wasn't limited to this part of the world. Excellent example, Miss Ferguson. My compliments to your grandmother," Imhotep replied. He noticed that she looked away at that, and wondered at it, but continued, "You may be questioning why we are discussing lines and boundaries. The answer to that is simple. Art, like right and wrong, is subjective in some cases. In order to understand the art of a culture, you must have some knowledge of that culture."
With those words, he saw the students start to relax. He gave a gentle smile to the trio in the corner, still trying to figure them out. The next twenty minutes passed quickly. But it wasn't until class was dismissed, and he was being swept along by the force of nature known as 'Anck' that he realized who it was that Celia Ferguson reminded him of. It was none other than Ardeth Bey. Two people whom you underestimated at your own peril. . .one way or another. He had no doubt that she would understand how the game was played, just as Ardeth did. But even as he thought that, his attention was drawn once more back to Anck Cortez.
She was dangerous. He knew that. But she was beautiful. And smart. And she could stand up to him. She was intoxicating, and when it was safe to do so, he would find a way to have her. But not now. Now, she was dangerous, and he was dangerous to her. He couldn't risk her getting caught in the crossfire. Ardeth Bey was an honorable man, but even honorable men made mistakes. He would make sure that Anck wasn't harmed by one of those mistakes.
It never even occurred to him that someone else might pose a danger to her.
Reviewers:
Terreis: I didn't know it at the time, but yes, Justin will be playing a bigger part in the story as it goes along. He wasn't even originally part of the outline, but when I was writing the last section, boom, there he was. And I wasn't about to tell him 'no.' I'm strange, but I'm not crazy enough to tell someone that much bigger than me 'no,' even if he is a fictional character!
Kelekona8: Hehehe, thought that line would get a few laughs. It had Rick written all over it. Sorry to hear about your 'puter, but it's good to see you back.
Evywannabe: Hello, hello, hello! Welcome! Glad you were finally able to leave a review. I actually wrote out the outlines for the chapters while I was on my lunch break at work, and then went from there. I've found that using outlines helps to keep things straight. . .though it doesn't always prevent me from missing a continuity problem. Just usually.
Sailor Elf: Nope, don't wanna cross paths with Justin when he's angry. And the girls weren't even supposed to be in that scene much less Justin, but. . .I've found telling my characters 'no' is a very bad idea. They usually know what they're doing. Don't worry about blabbing on. . .you should hear me when I get going about one of my obsessions.
Deana: I know. . .poor Ardeth. Another headache, and unfortunately, it ain't gonna be the last one.
Brunette: Heya! Yes, much more is coming up. . .there's the event at the ranch, Ardeth teaching Celia how to fight, the Homecoming dance, and much, much more. I stuck in something you might like in this chapter, since you're also a LOTR fan. Hope ya like it!
On with the story!
Part Eight
"We? What we? Could you ladies excuse us? My brother and I need to have a little conversation about his habit of volunteering us!"
With that, Rick dragged his startled brother away from the three young women and into a solitary alcove. The fuming American couldn't believe what he just heard come out of his brother's mouth. Once in the shadows, he slammed Ardeth into the wall, demanding angrily, "What the hell were you thinking, volunteering us for that? Huh? We are not spending this weekend with those three hellions and a bunch of kids!"
Ardeth's dark eyebrows shot up and he inquired sardonically, "We? What we?" Rick rolled his eyes at having his own words thrown back in his face. His brother continued, "I do not believe I was speaking of you when I volunteered to help those children. You may do what you wish." His voice was cold, but the anger and defiance came through clearly. They also had the effect of making Rick feel like a world-class jerk. And as usual, Rick reacted with anger.
He fired back, "Ex-squeeze me, but no! You are not going without me! Somebody's gotta keep you outta trouble. If not with the horses, then with Celia Ferguson. She may not be a lady vamp, but I've seen the way she looks at you. Someone's gotta make sure you two don't do the horizontal mambo." If he was thinking clearly, he would have never stated it in those terms, but Rick O'Connell didn't think clearly when he was afraid for someone he loved.
And unfortunately, that pushed Ardeth too far. He knocked Rick's hands away, then shoved *him* into the wall. Ardeth's dark eyes burned with quiet rage as he snarled, "You think that I have so little self- control? You think that I would. . .would be intimate with a girl I just met? Especially when I told you that I cannot take the risk of leading Lock-nah to her? La!"
Ardeth paused to take a deep breath, then continued, "Nor will I allow you to speak of her with such disrespect. There is no reason for it, and certainly no purpose." Well, he was right about that, at least. It would only make Ardeth angry, and Rick supposed he couldn't fault the girl for standing up for people. . .as she and her roommates did for him and Ardeth only moments earlier. His brother added, his voice laced with bitterness, "And did it never occur to you, brother, that perhaps I wished to speak some time with small ones?"
Understanding dawned then, and Rick said softly, compassionately, "You miss the girls." He could have kicked himself for not even considering that possibility. Of course his brother missed the girls. They were his baby sisters, and they adored him. He adored them, as well. *Get your head out of your ass, O'Connell,* Rick lectured himself, *Just because you're ruled by your libido doesn't mean Ardeth is.*
And all the anger evaporated from his brother with Rick's words. Ardeth released him, looking very tired now, and whispered, "Of course I do. How could I *not* miss our little angels, when they seek only to give love, and seek only to receive love in return? I failed to protect them. I cannot be with them now, but there is something I can do for these children." He looked at Rick, adding almost defiantly, "Something I *will* do for them."
Now Rick really felt like a jerk. God, why did he do these things? When they left Egypt weeks earlier, he promised to take care of his brother. And aside from the previous day, when Ardeth was so sick with that near-migraine, his younger brother took care of him far more frequently than the opposite. Just as he did a few minutes earlier, during the fight. Rick slipped his hand around the back of Ardeth's neck, answering, "Something *we* can do, buddy. I miss the girls, too. . .and if you think I'm gonna let you be the hero alone, you *are* nuts."
Ardeth gave a half smile and dipped his head, replying, "Thank you, ya ahi, but I am no hero." Rick resisted the temptation to shake his brother. He was grateful it was back to 'ya ahi,' rather than 'brother.' The latter was usually a sign that Rick pissed off his younger brother. Altair described it this way to Rick. Ardeth was, of course, most comfortable with his native language, with Arabic. 'Ya ahi' meant much more to Ardeth than simply 'brother.' It carried with it certain connotations that Ardeth considered lacking in the English equivalent.
That was true enough, but Rick found he preferred his father's explanation. Arabic was the language in which Ardeth usually thought. It was the language of his heart, for lack of a better term. It meant more to him to say 'ya ahi' than to say 'brother.' Rick supposed that made him a sentimental fool, and he would have shot anyone who said as much. For now, however, he had a brother to re-educate. It was not an easy thing, speaking your heart to another man, even when that man was your brother.
But Ardeth *was* a hero, and while Rick could never bring himself to tell his brother just how much he loved him, he could set him straight about other things. He placed his free hand on Ardeth's left shoulder, then slid his right hand around the back of Ardeth's neck to rest on his right shoulder. Ardeth looked up at him, and Rick said softly, "Yes, you are. You are a hero to Yasmina and Thalia. To a lot of people. And you'll be a hero to those kids."
He barely managed to stop himself before saying, 'and you're my hero, too.' No sense in getting all maudlin right now. It was just as well, for Ardeth said uncertainly, "Will I frighten them, do you think? With these?" He gestured with his hands at the tattoos decorating his face and hands. Rick almost came back with a smart-ass remark. *Almost.* But just as this was no time to get all maudlin, it also wasn't the time to be a smart-ass.
Instead, he replied, "Not if you dress like everyone else and not if you smile." Okay, his brother *was* dressing like everyone else. More or less. Now, if Rick could just convince him to dress in something other than black for once. . . The older brother paused, then continued, "This may surprise you, little brother, but you actually look like a human being when you smile. Or something close to a human being, at least."
That earned him a smile as Ardeth replied dryly, "Thank you, I think." Rick bit back his own laughter. The crisis was almost finished. His brother continued after a moment, his voice growing uncertain once more, "And what of the girls? Will you be all right around them?" Rick nearly asked which girls, then remembered. The three 'hellions' he so objected to earlier, before he realized what Ardeth was actually doing.
He replied, "Oh, I think I can be civil. They helped us earlier, after all. I suppose it's nothing personal for the little one. . .I mean, for Celia Ferguson." He remembered his argument with Evy Carnahan earlier in the library, and the way she fiercely defended her roommate and friend. He squeezed Ardeth's shoulders gently and said, "C'mon, let's head back to the table, and find out where we need to be and when."
. . .
After a few moments, the two brothers returned to the table. Anck was in the process of telling her two roommates again about her encounter with Dr Emmett Tepper in the bookstore when the men rejoined them. Evy looked up as the two shadows fell across the table, and Rick O'Connell asked, "So, what time should we be there, and where exactly are we going?" Evy stifled a smile and Rick asked, "What's so funny?"
"Ohh, nothing. I was just remembering something from a movie," Evy replied. She felt the eyes of her two roommates on her, and added, "I was just wondering if you were the type of person who would knock a skeleton into a well. . .that was a long way down." It took her roommates all of three seconds to figure it out, then they both burst out laughing. Celia slumped back in her chair, laughing hysterically, and Anck was almost in tears. The two brothers just looked at each other, and Evy could read their expressions easily. They were rethinking their decision to join them. Honestly, Evy couldn't blame them, either.
Anck managed to force out around the giggles, "Creo que no, Evy. He's a little tall to be Peregrin Took, si?" Evy shrugged, grinning impishly, and Anck continued, "But what made you think of Pippin, Evy? I mean, obviously it wasn't a physical resemblance. He is too tall to be a Hobbit, and I seriously doubt if he has hairy feet. Unless, dear roommate, you wish to find out?" Anck waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"Anck! The very idea!" Evy squealed, feeling her face turn bright red with embarrassment. And unfortunately, Celia was no help whatsoever. . .she was laughing herself silly. Literally. Evy huffed and replied, "I was merely thinking of Pippin, during the Council of Elrond at the end, when he asked where they were going. After he and Merry volunteered themselves, without knowing where they were going or what they were doing."
That sent Celia, who was finally starting to calm down, into fresh peals of laughter. And Anck, who was struggling to keep from doing the same, took pity on their two new companions, explaining, "Forgive us, por favor. We're speaking of the first 'Lord of the Rings' movie, 'Fellowship of the Rings.' And trust me, you are nothing like any of the Hobbits. At all." Evy bit almost clean through her lip. Yes, that was *one* way of putting it.
"Oh dear. I'm sorry. I just. . .the visual. . ." Celia began, before her shoulders started to shake with mirth once more. Anck stopped her before she could get going by giving her a sharp brain duster. Celia almost choked on her laughter, glaring at Anck, but after a moment, she returned her attention to the two men. She continued, "Sorry. Uhm, you wanted to know about the details. Okay. Well, we can take care of the where, if you'll meet us here at four. . .no, four thirty on Friday evening. We can all go together."
The brothers looked at each other, Ardeth Bey clearly looking concerned, but Rick O'Connell nodded reassuringly. The raven-haired man bowed slightly from the waist, "So be it. We shall see you at four thirty on Friday evening. And then you may tell us more of this movie, 'The Fellowship of the Rings.' For now, my brother and I have more business to which we must attend." With that, he bowed again, then walked away, his brother right behind him with what remained of their meal.
"We should get going, too," Anck said, now somewhat composed. She paused, then asked, "Meet back at the room tonight?" The other two nodded, finishing their own meals, and Anck continued, "And Celia, I meant what I said. I want to know what happened to you this summer." Celia nodded, her hazel eyes growing haunted, and Anck rose to her feet. Evy and Celia followed suit, and the trio broke up.
Anck's words haunted Evy over the next several hours, as she made her way from one class to another. At last, she was finished for the day and headed back to the room. Celia was asleep on her bed, curled on her side with her arms wrapped around her pillow. Anck was also waiting there for Evy. She looked up from the computer screen as the door closed behind the English roommate, saying softly, "I ordered in for pizza again tonight. I don't think she'll have the energy to go to the dining hall *and* tell us." Evy nodded, still not entirely sure what Anck meant. . .what happened to Celia this summer, over and above what they already knew?
"I hate to say it," came a husky voice, "but I'm afraid you're right." Evy and Anck both turned as Celia sat up, yawning. She looked tired, but managed a faint smile for them both, saying, "I don't know if I should start telling the story now, or wait until dinner gets here. I don't want to have to stop for dinner, but I also don't want to give either of you. . .or myself. . .indigestion." Oh dear, this did not sound promising.
"Tell us now, chiquita, and we'll worry about dinner later," Anck replied, rising from her perch in front of her desk to walk gracefully over to Evy and Celia. She sat down at the foot of Celia's bed, drawing Evy down to join her with a glance. The English girl did so, and Anck leaned forward to put her hand on Celia's knee. She said softly, "Now tell us, querida, tell us everything. Start at the beginning, and leave nothing out."
"Nothing? Uhm. . .I suppose the beginning would have been when my father threatened to disown me if I didn't give up on my dreams of being an archaeologist. He. . .uhm. . .thought he could force me to fall in line, and be the good little girl I've always been. Guess he kinda underestimated me," Celia began with a small shrug. Evy put her hand lightly on her friend's shoulder, sensing somehow that Celia would need all the human contact she could get.
Her friend continued when neither Evy nor Anck interrupted, "By this time, Galen figured out that I wouldn't back down, and instead, offered to help me. He helped me to find a job, since a friend of his worked at a local warehouse. . .they were hurting for warm bodies, capable bodies. It didn't pay a lot, but it would go far in demonstrating that I was willing to fight for what I wanted to do. Those were his exact words, too."
Still, Evy and Anck said nothing, though Evy saw that Anck was shifting sideways to sit on Celia's other side. The American girl continued, "I met him on my first day. Neil Grady, one of the fork truck drivers. He's. . .oh, I guess about the same height as Rick O'Connell and about as. . .how do I explain this? Uhm. . .burly? Bulky? About as wide as O'Connell, but not as slim. Do you understand?"
Both Evy and Anck nodded, and Celia continued, "Like I said, I met him on my first day. I remember, I almost ran out in front of his fork truck." Evy felt her eyebrows raise with that comment. All right, that's certainly not the best beginning to a working relationship! Her friend wasn't finished, however, for she said, "I was crossing a bridge, you see, that led out into one of the truck's passages. I almost stepped out in front, but my guide pulled me back in time."
Now Celia smiled faintly, saying, "It took me a good fifteen minutes before I stopped apologizing. I think it scared me worse than it scared him, and I'm fairly certain I frightened him. Maybe I should have paid attention to that. He. . .at first, we got along great. He was real friendly, someone whom I could always ask for help. Especially with supplies, so he was so much bigger than me."
This was said almost ruefully. Celia was all too aware of her diminutive size. Evy squeezed her shoulder gently, and Celia gave her a half-smile. Evy looked over at Anck, whose eyes weren't leaving Celia's face even for a moment. She was getting bad vibes too, then.
Celia went on, "Well, after I'd been there about two weeks, one of the managers got the bright idea of putting me in the regular cubicle, where the fork truck drivers were headquartered, because I'm so small. I think they were afraid I would hurt myself while packing some of the bigger boxes. That was the beginning of the problems, on more than one level. It threw me together with the fork truck drivers, and I started getting to know them."
"Especially Neil Grady," Anck stated. There was absolutely no question in her voice, no uncertainty whatsoever. Celia nodded with a sigh, and Anck said something in Spanish, before adding, "Tell us more, little one." Celia glared at her, and Anck laughed, giving the first hint of levity into the night, adding, "Well, you are little! Nearly seven inches shorter than I am, of course I'll call you 'little one,' because that's what you are."
Evy bit her lip, trying very hard not to laugh. Celia finally settled for sticking her tongue out at Anck, and continued, "I got to know them all, but like you said, Anck, I got to know Neil Grady especially. And. . .I started to have feelings for him." Now unease stirred in Evy's chest. Feelings? As in the kind that showed up when Celia looked at Ardeth Bey? Celia paused, swallowed hard, then said, "I didn't realize at the time, but he had feelings for me as well."
She took a deep breath, sighing, "We were becoming good friends, and maybe more. That's when disaster struck. I never talked about it. . .never thought it was important. God, I was so stupid." She shook her head with a bitter laugh. That unease now shifted upward into Evy's throat, an un-named fear creating a lump which impaired her ability to breathe and her ability to swallow, much less speak.
Celia looked at them both, saying softly, "He found out that my parents were rich, and he turned against me. I didn't know why, not at the time. I. . .didn't understand why he suddenly hated me, why he was being so ugly. But I was hurt, and I withdrew. This was, of course, the beginning of the end. And it was around the beginning of August, 'cause I kept telling myself that I just had to hold on a little longer. School would be starting back up soon."
She wiped at her tears, then said in a hoarse voice, "Some of the others weren't willing to let it go at that. They saw. . .something. In the way I acted, in the way Neil acted, I'm not really sure. And they started. . .checking into things. What they found out turned them against Neil. And in the last week I was there. . .about two weeks ago, the shit hit the fan, 'scuse my language, Evy. There. . .there was a confrontation. A big one."
Without really thinking about it, Evy drew closer to her roommate. Something bad was about to happen, they were about to hear something bad. Anck sensed the same, and she also drew closer to Celia. It was in the past, Celia survived whatever happened. . .but this something still hurt her roommate. The wounds were still fresh. After only a matter of days, really, of course her wounds were still fresh.
Her roommate continued after a moment, "Neil found out about the investigation, you see. And he blamed me for it. He. . .cornered me. I was back working on the pack deck, by this time. At his insistence. He. . .was afraid I might try something, if I stayed where I was at."
Oh. . .no. Evy definitely did not like the sound of this. Celia rasped out, "He convinced management, you see, that I was. . .not to be trusted. So they reassigned me to the pack deck. I was working there alone. I remember, it was lunch time. There was a rule that there had to be at least three people on the pack deck at all times during lunch. I was one of a very small minority that paid attention to that rule. I was alone. Didn't really pay much attention to the sound of boots on the deck. I was used to it, after all."
Evy squeezed her shoulder, trying to show support for her friend without saying a word. She couldn't speak, not if her life depended on it. Especially not after seeing the tears rolling down her friend's cheeks. The first evidence of tears, though she saw Celia brushing at her eyes, as if to brush away those tears. Anck was close to tears herself, but Celia continued in that raspy voice, "I went to the file cabinet, at the end of the deck. I needed some stuff out of it. And when I turned around, he was there. He. . .blocked my way, there was no where for me to go."
Anck made a sound, deep in her throat, but she didn't interrupt. Evy was grateful. She didn't think Celia would survive trying to tell them this in two parts. And the American girl wasn't really paying attention. She was lost in the retelling of that godawful day. Evy shivered, all too capable of imagining how frightened her friend was on that day. Celia swallowed hard, then went on, her voice hoarse, "He. . .he was looming over me. And verbally attacked me. I won't repeat what he said. It doesn't make a difference."
She was wrong there, but Evy wasn't about to tell her friend that. Celia went on, "At first I was scared. I mean, of course I was. He's a lot bigger than I am! Probably weighs twice what I do. And I was hurt. And then. . .I can't even remember when or why I became so angry. It was just there. . .and I fought back. I fought back, I started yelling at him." There was honest shock in her voice, that she actually had the guts to stand up to a man twice her size.
But Evy remembered oh so clearly the events of the day. She remembered Celia standing up to first Rick O'Connell, then the twin twits from Texas, as Anck liked to call them. She had no trouble whatsoever imagining Celia standing up to this bully and coward. Her friend continued after a moment, her eyes closed as she remembered what came next, "The argument attracted the attention of everyone else. But of course, because no managers witnessed the whole 'incident,' it never officially happened."
WHAT??????? Celia opened her eyes and smiled bitterly, saying, "Oh yes. According to management, it never really happened. Never mind that several witnesses who heard the argument saw him pinning me to the cabinet, blocking off my escape routes. Never mind the fact that he was so much bigger than me. It didn't happen. The people who started the investigation were enraged. . .but I told them to drop it. Nothing would change."
That couldn't be right. There were supposed to be laws to ensure the safety of employees inside the work place! Celia sighed, "As far as management was concerned, I was just a lowly temp. Neil was the important one. Of course, because I was a woman, and because I was a temp, it had to be my fault. I brought it on myself. Which is true enough. I was stupid enough to think that Neil Grady was as honorable and dependable as he seemed to be."
"You were nineteen years old, querida. You made an error in judgment. . .your mistakes were born of ignorance, of knowing no better. What happened next? Did the people who were suspicious of Grady even before that day. . .did they let it drop?" Anck asked. Celia shook her head, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. Well, that was a relief! Evy was starting to fear there were no decent people at this warehouse where her friend worked.
"No. No, they didn't drop it. Oh, they dropped it in official channels, of course. But they won't forget. And they won't let him forget, either. That's what scares me, really. They won't let him forget, and he'll blame me for that as well. I know Neil Grady by now. The real Neil Grady. He will blame me for this, and he'll try to get back at me somehow. That's what scares me. What if he goes after you two?" Celia asked, her voice cracking all over again.
Only a few minutes earlier, Evy thought about the confrontation that morning, between her roommate and Rick O'Connell. She realized now the reason Celia refused to back down, to even accept the other American's apology. Celia was probably not even seeing Rick O'Connell during that confrontation. Instead, she was probably seeing Neil Grady during that confrontation at the warehouse, only a few weeks earlier. Anck said softly, "Then we shall deal with him, and Neil Grady will learn that there are some who will not stand for bullies." She hugged Celia fiercely, whispering, "Go wash your face, querida. Dinner will be here soon."
Celia nodded and rose to her feet, accepting another hug from Evy before leaving the room. Once the door closed behind her, Evy said softly, "She must have been having some terrible flashbacks this morning, during her confrontation with Mr O'Connell about Beni. It isn't entirely fair to Mr O'Connell, to cast him as the Neil Grady, but I can hardly blame her. What will we do, Anck?"
The look her remaining roommate chilled Evy's blood as Anck replied, "If he comes near any of us, I will kill him myself. Perhaps the managers at that warehouse are fools, but I am not. I will stand beside my friend, in front of her, behind her, whatever it takes. He will not be allowed to harm any more women." Evy swallowed hard. Right. Perhaps it would be a good idea to talk to Jonathan. He knew about the darker side of people.
Celia returned to the room, her face blotchy and swollen from crying, but she was composed. Anck smiled as she sat back down on the bed, and said, "Now then. I think we have another few minutes before dinner, and we could use a change in subject. Let's start talking about ideas for this weekend. Now, that lovely Ardeth Bey has offered to help with the horses and the children, but we still don't have something for his annoying brother to do."
Annoying, hmf! Anck didn't know how right she was about that! Evy was on the point of telling her roommates about the encounter with O'Connell in the library that morning (well, telling Anck, at least, since Celia already knew about it), when suddenly, Celia started giggling. Evy and Anck exchanged a look. Ooookay. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? It didn't seem to be laughter of the hysterical kind, but you simply never knew. Celia tried valiantly to stop laughing, but every time it seemed she had her laughter under control, a new giggle would escape, and Anck finally asked, "Cecelia, what is so funny?"
"I'm sorry. . .really, I am. I just had this sudden image of O'Connell as a clown," Celia chortled, her slim shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth. Evy felt her jaw drop. What?????? Celia explained, "You know, a rodeo clown, the ones that distract the bulls at the rodeo. I was thinking about Ardeth and the horses, and for some reason, the image of his brother as a clown popped into my head." Anck stared at her for a moment, then threw her head back and laughed. Evy just shook her head. . .ohh, for goodness sake!
. . .
As Anck, Celia, and Evy discussed their plans for that weekend, Meela Nais was receiving instructions of her own. She was to observe Imhotep's class the following morning, since she would likely be his own teaching assistant. He didn't know that. . .it was a surprise, at least for the moment. And the following morning, she received an unexpected bonus when she watched the students make their way into the classroom.
Meela watched as a familiar figure sauntered into the room. Her cousin. And Anck wasn't alone. Anck was never alone. Meela struggled against the bile that rose in her throat. Love and hatred were never far apart. It wasn't *fair.* Meela lost her mother. . .lost everything and everyone that ever mattered to her. Lock-nah was all she had left, and Anck. . .Anck had friends. Two friends, who laughed at Anck's jokes and who made her laugh in turn.
There was a time when Meela could make Anck laugh. . .and when Anck could make Meela laugh. She closed her eyes, remembering. Their mothers often dressed them alike, just for the joy of confusing the neighbors. All except for old Esmeralda. They could never fool her. Somehow, she could always tell them apart. Meela always wondered about that, always wondered how it was possible. What did Esmeralda know that others didn't?
Esmeralda. That was a name she hadn't thought of in years. The bruja. . .the strega. . .of the small village where the girls grew up. Bruja. . .strega. She heard Esmeralda called both, because she was Italian by birth. She called herself 'strega,' while many of the others called her 'bruja.' She was the wise woman, the witch. Anck loved her. . .Meela feared her. Esmeralda seemed to see things, things which Meela wanted no one to see, things she didn't want to see herself. And if they met again, she would probably kill the old witch.
Thoughts of Esmeralda, of the village where she and Anck spent their formative years, brought back memories of Meela's early childhood. It made her remember a time when everything seemed possible, and the Cortez twin cousins were a pair of mischievous little girls who provoked both exasperation and affection among their villagers. Two beautiful little girls who could make people laugh and sigh at the same time.
It made her remember a time before her tia betrayed her mother, a time before Anck betrayed Meela. When they did that, they ruined her life. Her mother never forgave her sister for her betrayal, and took out her rage on her young daughter. . .the daughter who looked just like her traitorous niece. Meela understood, of course. . .she understood and forgave her mother. It wasn't her fault that her mother hurt her like that. It was the fault of her aunt and cousin.
Nor did it seem strange to Meela, this mixture of love and hatred she felt for her cousin. The two emotions vied for control within her heart and soul for so many years, it was simply the way things were. Whenever Meela closed her eyes, she could see herself and her cousin, ten and fifteen years earlier. She could see Anck comforting her after Meela fell, and they were the only people in the area. . .all the adults were at work, or somewhere else.
But at the same time, Anck *betrayed* her. She allowed her mother to betray Meela's mother, her own sister. She allowed her mother to drive them away, breaking Meela's heart and shattering her soul with the abuse her mother then heaped on her. It was their fault. Meela only wished she could truly hate her cousin, instead of the old love tighten her throat when she looked at her cousin. Anck didn't deserve her love. Only her hatred. Only her contempt.
So she told herself, over and over, until she believed it. Until she made herself believe that she no longer loved her cousin, that the love turned to hate years earlier. Once that was done, Meela once more looked at her cousin, the door now closing behind the other girl. *So pretty, so smart,* Meela thought, *so smart, so pretty. Do they know your secrets as I do, prima? Do they know what breaks your heart? They will know. I will break your heart. I will take them both away from you. . .I will turn them against you.*
And then, she noticed something else. The class was beginning. Anck sat with her two companions in the two front rows, something which raised Meela's eyebrows. And forced her to take a closer look at the two young women sitting with her cousin. She dismissed them both when she first saw them, for they were of no importance. But if either of these females were the reason her cousin, who hated classes when they were children, was sitting in the front of the class. . .perhaps Meela could use them to hurt Anck.
She ignored the brunette sitting in the first seat of the first row at first, choosing instead to concentrate on the girl sitting directly behind her. Meela shifted her position, giving herself a better view of the room. This, she knew from Dr Hafez, was Evelyn Carnahan, the daughter of the two Egyptologists responsible for her new employer's disgrace. Meela knew, of course, that the girl was attending college here. . .just as she knew that her own cousin was attending college here. But she didn't know there was a connection between them.
Meela couldn't name the sudden, immediate dislike she conceived for Evelyn Carnahan. Perhaps it was because of her parents' betrayal of a colleague, perhaps it was because she seemed so prim and proper, so totally unlike anyone with whom Meela's cousin would have been friends. She set Meela's teeth on edge, and privately, the girl swore to pay her back later. She didn't care anything about Hafez, not as a person, but she did understand about being betrayed. The Carnahans were dead. . .their daughter wasn't.
Anck leaned over and said something to the girl in front of Evy Carnahan, drawing Meela's attention back to this girl. She was no one important, Meela thought at first. Until that moment. But as Anck said something to her, and the girl nodded, Meela saw her cousin's expression. . .sealing the girl's fate. There was a time when Meela saw that smile, directed at her. This mousy little nothing was her replacement in Anck's affections?
It couldn't be tolerated. It was bad enough that Anck betrayed her. . .it was bad enough that she found a replacement, someone whom she loved as a sister. . .as a cousin. But that she found this replacement in someone like that? Meela felt her temper rise as she stared at the girl. She didn't even know her name, but that didn't matter. She replaced Meela in Anck's affections. *And maybe,* a little voice inside her head whispered, *if you get rid of her, Anck will love you again.*
Meela resolutely ignored that little voice. She didn't care about Anck loving her again. This girl had to be out of the way. Anck loved her, and if something happened to her, it would hurt Anck. Meela refused to see the girl as a threat, because Meela no longer loved Anck. She hated her. She hated all three of these girls. She sensed Lock-nah slip up behind her, could smell his cologne, could feel his presence.
Meela whispered, "Look at those three, Lock-nah. The little one, the one closest to the door. . .I want her out of the way. She took my cousin away from me. She took my place." She looked away from the girl, to look into her lover's eyes. He cupped her face in his hands, gently sliding her dark hair through his fingers. Meela shuddered at the sensations caused by the action, and whispered, "She has to die."
Lock-nah looked at the small young woman, then smiled lazily. He replied, "I could do that for you. A gift. It would take very little, I am sure. She is. . .no threat at all. Shall I make it quick, or should I draw it out? Make it painful, make her suffer for replacing you in your cousin's affections?" Meela turned back to the window, drawing Lock-nah's arms around her waist from behind.
It was a tempting offer, but she wasn't sure she wanted him to kill the girl. Yes, the girl's death would cause Anck pain, but Meela wasn't sure if it would hurt enough. And that was the whole point, was it not? Hurting Anck, making her pay for the pain suffered by Meela and her mother? She murmured, "It might not be enough. It would hurt Anck more if I did it, I think." Meela turned back to face Lock-nah, adding, "And I could draw it out more easily than you could. I'm somewhat closer to her size."
Lock-nah smiled approvingly, answering, "As you wish, my love. Perhaps we could kill her and Ardeth Bey at the same time." Meela smiled. She liked that idea. It would be a gift to themselves, killing the two people whom they hated most in the world, even indirectly. This girl's death would be one of two killing blows against Anck. And through Anck, her aunt. She turned back to glower at her cousin. Lock-nah kissed the back of her head, saying, "I must speak with Hafez about recruiting more men. That damn Med-jai and his pet American did it again. They have this annoying habit of outwitting whatever men we send to deal with them."
Now Meela did frown. From what Lock-nah told her, in addition to the four men they brought with them as a security force from Egypt, they also tapped two Americans who didn't like the American Med-jai. That was six against two. What happened? Never mind. She probably didn't want to know. With the Med-jai, it was always best not to ask. Meela still didn't know why Imhotep wouldn't allow the chieftain to be killed. Their lives would be so much easier with him out of the way.
Lock-nah slipped away, and Meela turned her attention back to the class. Oh. . . this was interesting. She looked from her cousin to Imhotep and back again. Was it her imagination, or was Imhotep looking at her traitor cousin with some semblance of interest? Meela again shifted her position, trying to see her cousin's face more clearly. She smiled to herself, seeing the way her cousin looked at Imhotep.
"Ohhh, this is perfect," she said to herself, "first I'll take Imhotep away from you. . .and then I'll take away your little friend. My dear, dear cousin. . .it's just a matter of time now." Her smile grew cold. Yes. . .killing her friend would be the second to last strike against Anck. But first. . .first, she would seduce Imhotep. That would be the beginning of her revenge against her cousin. It would be only the beginning.
So intent on her revenge, and her hatred, was Meela, that she didn't even realize she was being observed. Not even the opening and closing of a door behind her got her attention. Therefore, she didn't see the tall, dark-haired young man clad in black jeans and a black t-shirt. She didn't see his dark eyes burning with rage and purpose. . .she didn't see his lines compressed into a thin white line. She didn't see a lot of things.
. . .
His intent was only to observe Imhotep, but when Ardeth Bey saw the woman who so closely resembled Anck-su-namun Cortez appear at the classroom door, he did what any sensible young man working undercover did. He hid. There was a classroom opposite the room where Imhotep was teaching his first class, and Ardeth hid behind that door, making sure it was open. He was even more glad that he hid when he saw Lock-nah appear.
Out of habit, and without really thinking about it, Ardeth's hand went to his scimitar. . .or at least, where his scimitar *would* be. He swore under his breath. This just kept getting more and more tangled up by the moment. The trio of hellions, as Rick liked to call the three roommates, were in this class. . .making Ardeth's job more difficult. He wanted to keep all three of them out of trouble, away from Imhotep. That just became impossible. Since he was now their professor, the likelihood that they would be caught in the crossfire just went up.
As if that wasn't bad enough, here was this girl who looked just like one of the girls under Ardeth's protection. Something about her set off warning bells in Ardeth's head. Perhaps it was because he saw how cold her eyes were. Anck's brown eyes were warm and full of life. This woman. . .her eyes were dead. Ardeth's gut instinct told him that she meant to make trouble for Anck. . .which in turn meant her two roommates would be in trouble as well.
He kept telling Rick that he didn't want to get involved with Celia Ferguson, because he didn't want to involve her in this mess. One of many reasons, and the one which Rick would understand the best. Unfortunately, she and her roommates were already up to their eyes in trouble, and they didn't even know it. It was always so much harder to guard against trouble when you weren't aware of it.
And then Lock-nah showed up. In a way, though, he was pleased. If he could see Lock-nah, it was much easier for him to keep an eye on Imhotep's enforcer. Further, he noticed that Lock-nah had his own weakness. . .the woman who looked just like Anck-su-namun. Ardeth, though highly inexperienced with romance and. . .other things, could tell that Lock-nah was smitten with the woman, and it was quite mutual. He told himself to remember that, as it would be important eventually. Somehow.
Ardeth's quiet vow was strengthened when he heard the woman say quietly, though not too quietly for him to hear, "Look at those three, Lock- nah. The little one, the one closest to the door. . .I want her out of the way. She took my cousin away from me. She took my place." The little one. . .this woman was Anck's cousin. The little one could only be Celia. She was talking about Celia. Ardeth's blood froze when she added, "She has to die."
Around the roaring in his ears, Ardeth still heard Lock-nah answer, "I could do that for you. A gift. It would take very little, I am sure. She is. . .no threat at all. Shall I make it quick, or should I draw it out? Make it painful, make her suffer for replacing you in your cousin's affections?" Ardeth closed his eyes, corralling all the self-control he could, every bit in his body. *Think not of revenge,* he told himself, *think of protecting Celia.* It didn't occur to him that he was thinking of her by her first name, rather than 'Miss Ferguson.
The woman murmured after a moment, her tone making it obvious that she was giving Lock-nah's offer serious thought, "It might not be enough. It would hurt Anck more if I did it, I think. And I could draw it out more easily than you could. I'm somewhat closer to her size." Ardeth tightened his hands into fists at his side. *You'll not have the chance to lay a finger on her,* he silently swore. *I will find some way to protect her.*
He saw Lock-nah smile at the girl, heard him say, "As you wish, my love. Perhaps we could kill her and Ardeth Bey at the same time." Ardeth allowed a cold smile to cross his face. Lock-nah often boasted that he could kill Ardeth whenever he wished, but as yet, he was unable. Ardeth knew the other man would keep trying. And he was determined to deny Lock- nah what he wanted most. Ardeth's hated enemy kissed the back of his woman's head, saying, "I must speak with Hafez about recruiting more men. That damn Med-jai and his pet American did it again. They have this annoying habit of outwitting whatever men we send to deal with them."
"Be safe, my love. Do not underestimate him. Imhotep is right about that, at least, though I still do not understand why he will not allow us to kill the Med-jai chieftain and all whom he loves," the woman said. Ardeth frowned at that. Imhotep wouldn't *allow* them to kill him? Why? Ardeth shook his head. He would get the answers to those questions later. Right now, he had other questions in mind.
"I am always careful, my Meela. Be safe. The class will be ending in just a few moments. Do not get caught," Lock-nah warned. Ardeth made a mental note of what Lock-nah just called the woman. Meela. She was Anck- su-namun's cousin. And she was trouble. The woman named 'Meela' nodded, and Lock-nah kissed her, then slipped away. She turned her attention once more to the class room, and Ardeth decided that it was a good time to leave.
While he and Rick were waiting for the information they needed to start their watch, they often explored the campus. . .which was how Ardeth knew his way around so well. But during that time, he also checked into what rooms he could use for surveillance, and even found out which classrooms had windows that might reflect. He and Rick worked on getting around those problems, finding what angles afforded them the greatest amount of protection.
He was lucky this time, as he slipped out of the room. Meela was looking through the window, her attention focused solely on the three roommates. Still, Ardeth took no chances as he left his hiding place, being just as careful not to make any noise that might draw her attention. He would wait in the unoccupied room *next* to the classroom for the remaining time left until Imhotep dismissed his students.
He spared one last glance at Meela, then slipped down the hall and into his intended target. Here, he listened intently to the lecture. Strange. After all the times he faced off with Imhotep, this was the first time Ardeth could remember hearing his voice. Like Ardeth, he spoke English with a slight accent, though Ardeth was certain he could name the accent as anything he chose. It was a big world, after all.
As he waited for class to end, Ardeth debated about what to do next. Should he track down Rick and tell him what he found out? Ardeth was shaking his head almost immediately. No. That would *not* be a good idea. His brother was being a little on the unpredictable side, and right now, unpredictable was the last thing Ardeth needed. He needed help. . .he couldn't protect the three roommates twenty-four/seven.
They could watch out for each other. Of that, Ardeth had no doubt, but while he realized Meela hated her cousin, he wasn't sure how Anck felt about Meela in return. Would she even think that her roommates needed protection from Meela? He shook his head, realizing there were too many unknown variables where Anck Cortez was concerned. He needed answers, along with help. He needed to know why Meela hated her cousin.
The sounds from the next room told him that class was over. Ardeth moved quietly to the door, watching the direction of the crowd. He would be more likely to stand out if he was the only one leaving, unless. . . He watched *for* Imhotep, then glanced behind him.
Yes. It was possible. Not the solution he would have chosen, but it could work. It was late summer, and still very hot. The windows were open. Making as little noise as possible, Ardeth went to the windows. They were on the second floor. Not impossible. Ardeth's main problem would be getting out the windows. He was slender, but he was also tall. There was only one way to find out.
He moved swiftly to the window and sat down on the sill. The seat was warm, but Ardeth was mentally calculating the likelihood of being seriously injured and/or drawing unwanted attention to himself. And that was what decided him. He would attract more attention to himself by slipping out the window and possibly breaking his ankle than if he departed from the room by more conventional means. Besides, there were no trees to disguise his jump.
He left the window and returned to the door, now seeing Imhotep's back. Excellent. Ardeth slipped out of the room, and made his way down the hall. He was halfway to the elevators, when he noticed a familiar figure. Justin. Ardeth picked up his pace, calling out to Justin. The bigger man turned and Ardeth inclined his head, saying, "I wish to speak with you. It's about Celia. I require your aid to protect her and her roommates."
Seeing that he had the other man's attention, Ardeth explained the situation. Once he was finished, Justin asked slowly, "Well. . .sure. But why do you need me? Why can't you just tell Celia what's going on, so she can watch her own back?" Ardeth had an answer ready, courtesy of his sister Acacia, who would have asked the very same question in Justin's place. Would have, and often did.
"She may not believe me when I tell her that she is in danger. She barely knows me. The same is true of you. . .you may not believe me. After all, she is in danger not because of anything she has done, but simply because she exists. For some people, that is all the reason they need to destroy another. But I do not think you wish to take that chance, the chance Celia would take with her own life. Please understand. I care for Celia. More than I would like to. And that could lead to her destruction. The man I mentioned earlier, Lock-nah. . .he would kill her for that reason alone. Just because I care for her," Ardeth replied.
Justin hesitated, then replied, "You're right. I'm not willing to take that kind of a risk with Celia's life. And I will watch over her, her and the other two. They are my friends, all of them. But you be careful too. . .Celia likes you. I can tell. And it would hurt her, if you were hurt." Ardeth inclined his head. He would worry about himself later. For now, he had a report to make to his uncle. As he headed for Uncle Terrence's office, he vowed quietly, *You tried to kill my sisters, Lock- nah. . .harm any of these girls, and I'll show you no mercy when I kill you!*
. . .
Blissfully ignorant of the dangers now facing three of his new students, Imhotep listened with a half smile to the conversation between those three students. He found himself swept away in the sea of humanity as they all left his classroom. He didn't have another class for two hours, and he learned that it was a tradition among the three roommates to get breakfast after a class. All right, so it was a brand-new tradition. That wasn't the point.
The point was, he came to this campus to hide out for a while, to wait until his buyer was ready to make the trade. He didn't come to actually teach, and he certainly didn't come here to become attracted to one of his students. Imhotep remembered his shock and consternation when he saw Anck-su-namun Cortez, the lovely student from the bookstore, enter his class with two other girls, obviously her friends.
It was somewhat helpful, to see the same shock and consternation in her eyes, but he forced himself to pay attention to other things. Like, his class. They numbered twenty-five, a nice balance of boys and girls. And as Ardeth Bey did the day before, Imhotep was quite stunned to be the recipient of several hot glances. He was several years older than the chieftain, but no more equipped to deal with sex-driven nineteen year old girls.
But he pushed his way through class, first asking his students to introduce themselves. He might as well. . .he didn't know how long he would be here, and he might as well make the most of it while he *was* here. They were to give their names, their majors, and their hometowns. He learned once more than Anck Cortez was a sociology major from Guatemala. He learned that there were several majors, several cultures, and even several classes represented among his students.
He learned that the two girls with Anck Cortez were her two roommates. Evelyn Carnahan, a sophomore majoring in archaeology from London, England. She was a very pretty brunette with pale skin and brown eyes. She had nice curves, but she still was not the kind of girl to stir his emotions (and other things) as her radiant cousin did. Not that Imhotep could afford to purse Anck. . .she was a student, he was a professor.
Their other roommate was the sort of girl who invited you to underestimate her. . . at your own peril. She was quiet. . .someone with no appreciation for subtlety might have described her as mousy, and as different from both Anck and Evelyn as night and day. Anck was night, he decided, and Evelyn was noon. But Cecelia Anne Ferguson, the nineteen year old archaeology major from Chicago, was morning. Quiet and cool, with the capacity for light or dark. The most subtle, and quite possibly the most dangerous. Usually, fog was at its worst during the morning hours.
There was one other thing about Cecelia Ferguson that was noteworthy to a man who spent his life watching people, evaluating them, and seeing what made them tick. She was rich. It wasn't her clothes which told him that. She dressed like everyone else. It wasn't her words. She said very little about her personal life. It was the way she reacted to talk of treasure. While other students were oohing and ahhing over things he saw, she was quietly nodding.
But there were others in his class, and others who would make teaching this class such a joy for him. There were many in this class who loved beautiful things, who loved learning, who were here because they wanted to be. And that was what made teaching *anything* such a joy for Imhotep. Someone with a passion to learn, to know, to understand. Someone who wasn't there because they had to be, but because they wanted to be.
After going through the list and getting to know a little about each of his students, Imhotep started the class off with a discussion about lines and boundaries. He couldn't help himself. . .his eyes shifted to Anck. She blushed and looked down at her hands, and Imhotep continued, "So, let's split the difference, shall we? Talk about lines and boundaries, tell me what lines and boundaries mean to you."
Dead silence. Each student looked at each other, somewhat panic- stricken. Then a small hand raised and Imhotep nodded in that direction. To his surprise, a soft, American-accented voice said, "There's the obvious. . .the lines between right and wrong, good and evil. Everybody knows about that. But there are other lines, and the lines which get blurry because of the difference in perspectives. People have different perspectives because they have different backgrounds and different experiences."
Imhotep blinked. Now that was an interesting observation from a girl of nineteen. . .and especially from a rich girl of nineteen. One of the other students jeered, "Oh, what do you know?" The professor raised his eyebrows, but before he could speak, he noted Anck's reaction. Her entire demeanor changed. . .her face, once relaxed, now looked like a mask of rage, and she was leaning forward in her seat. Evelyn put her hand on Anck's shoulder, shaking her head.
And Celia Ferguson wasn't backing down. Instead, she defended her position, saying, "I know what I know because of my own experience. The way I see things, that's defined by the way I grew up, the people in my life, and half a dozen other things. There is black and there is white. And then there's gray. That's the area which usually causes trouble. I don't have a problem with black and white, it's the shades of gray that cause problems. And the black and white is even subjective, depending on a person's experience and the time in which they live."
Before someone could jeer her again, Imhotep held up his hand for quiet, and asked the girl, "That's a very interesting statement. And a very plausible one, but can you give us an example of what you mean by 'right or wrong is determined by the times in which someone lives,' Miss Ferguson?" He saw her gulp, then steel herself. Someone shy but determined. This was good. She reminded him of someone in that moment, but he couldn't remember who.
The girl replied, "Okay. Back when I was in high school, I was sick for several days, and spent that time reading ahead in my history book. We were getting ready to discuss the Aztecs and the Mayans, and other early civilizations in the Americas. I read about human sacrifices, and it made me feel. . .I don't know. . .dirty. I told my grandmother about it, and she told me that she understood, but I shouldn't judge those people by my standards. She said that to them, they were doing what they had to protect their people. See, she was raised by Indians in British Columbia. . .so she knew all about that kind of stuff. "
"And because it was expected. . .somehow, the gods were angered, and it was necessary to appease the gods in some way. Further, it should be noted that human sacrifice wasn't limited to this part of the world. Excellent example, Miss Ferguson. My compliments to your grandmother," Imhotep replied. He noticed that she looked away at that, and wondered at it, but continued, "You may be questioning why we are discussing lines and boundaries. The answer to that is simple. Art, like right and wrong, is subjective in some cases. In order to understand the art of a culture, you must have some knowledge of that culture."
With those words, he saw the students start to relax. He gave a gentle smile to the trio in the corner, still trying to figure them out. The next twenty minutes passed quickly. But it wasn't until class was dismissed, and he was being swept along by the force of nature known as 'Anck' that he realized who it was that Celia Ferguson reminded him of. It was none other than Ardeth Bey. Two people whom you underestimated at your own peril. . .one way or another. He had no doubt that she would understand how the game was played, just as Ardeth did. But even as he thought that, his attention was drawn once more back to Anck Cortez.
She was dangerous. He knew that. But she was beautiful. And smart. And she could stand up to him. She was intoxicating, and when it was safe to do so, he would find a way to have her. But not now. Now, she was dangerous, and he was dangerous to her. He couldn't risk her getting caught in the crossfire. Ardeth Bey was an honorable man, but even honorable men made mistakes. He would make sure that Anck wasn't harmed by one of those mistakes.
It never even occurred to him that someone else might pose a danger to her.