Sailor Elf: Heheheh. . .no, but Galen certainly enjoyed doing it. And I know a lot of young ladies who wanted to switch places with Keira Knightley. . .however, Rick is neither a young lady, nor is he in any rush to switch places with her.
Lilylynn: I've updated! And thank you, I had a lot of fun writing the previous chapter. . . and this one.
Author's notes: Originally, the following songs, "Electric Blue" by Icehouse, 'Stray Cat Strut' bythe Stray Cats; 'Thing Called Love' by Bonnie Raitt, and 'You'll Be in My Heart' from Tarzan appeared in this chapter, until I learned of this site's policy regarding lyrics to songs.
Part Eighteen
When all was said and done, Imhotep wasn't especially interested in The Perils of Pauline. . .or, in this case, the angst-ridden love story between Ardeth Bey and Cecelia Ferguson. He could get that by watching your average soap, day or night. On the other hand, it was better that he have this information than Lock-nah. It wasn't that he had any particular fondness for his students. . .all right, he did have a fondness for one of them. . .but that wasn't the point.
The point was, he wouldn't be much of a man, if he allowed an innocent girl to be pulled into this, because Ardeth Bey had feelings for her. Curiously, Imhotep felt no contempt or even superiority toward Ardeth for his feelings toward the girl. He was the Med-jai chieftain, certainly. . .but he was also a young man. And young men fell in love, they became overwhelmingly attracted to young girls. It was the way of things.
And in some ways, Imhotep actually found the possibility that Ardeth was attracted to Imhotep's quiet but steadfast student rather encouraging. If Ardeth was attracted to some of the more flashy girls on campus, he would have truly lost respect for the boy. He should have realized that Suleiman Bey's second son had more depth to him than that. While Beni Gabor initially told him that he didn't know if Ardeth returned Cecelia's feelings, further discourse informed Imhotep that at the very least, she intrigued the young chieftain.
Beni also knew that Ardeth and his step-brother were going to an 'event' at the ancestral home of Cecelia and her brothers this weekend, something along the lines of a murder mystery weekend or some such thing. Ancestral home? Now that sounded even more intriguing. His new little pet knew far more than he ever guessed about the three roommates whom, it seemed, were involved in this particular shitepile all the way up to their pretty eyes.
Imhotep didn't usually use such vulgarities, but 'shitepile' was a favorite expression used by his friend Finn, and it amused the jewel thief to employ the term himself on occasion. Imhotep thought briefly of Finn. Perhaps he should have hired Finn, instead of Lock-nah. Finn was a little on the shady side, but he had his standards. After a moment, Imhotep laughed at himself. Finn, shady? That was rich indeed, coming from a jewel thief!
And in any event, he was more interested in hearing what Beni Gabor had to say. Yes, the step-brothers were outside Chicago, at a Victorian- style home built by Cecelia Ferguson's grandfather back in the nineteen fifties. (That was ancestral? Not hardly!) Cecelia's older brother Galen was a pediatrician, and most of his young patients were either very ill or dying. Imhotep swallowed hard, remembering now why he never wanted to become a doctor. It hurt, thinking about small children dying for any reason. It hurt far too much.
Evidently, it hurt far more than just the children and the parents in question. . .it also hurt their siblings, something Dr Galen Ferguson saw. Each year, for a weekend, the pediatrician would take between fifteen and twenty children whose siblings were very ill or dying, to the house where he and his younger siblings grew up. There would be horseback riding and stories and. . .and a weekend where they were the priority.
Imhotep decided that he liked Galen Ferguson, sight unseen. In any event, Ardeth and his irritating step-brother accompanied the three roommates to this weekend. Beni didn't know why they would volunteer, but Imhotep thought he had an idea. Ardeth had two small sisters, who meant the world to him. He probably missed them very much, and this weekend would give him a chance to be with them, if only in spirit.
Imhotep next wanted to know about the three roommates themselves. He knew about Cecelia Ferguson, of course. . .including the fact that she had Beni's loyalty. At least for the moment. He also knew that there was a history between Gabor and O'Connell. . .word reached Imhotep of the confrontation between the pair at the Student Union Building. As well as the American girl's intervention. . .it was this last bit of information that prompted Imhotep to take the girl seriously. If she was willing to stand up to a man twice her size. . .
And she was Anck-su-namun's best friend. Even as he planned ways to keep the three girls safe from potential fall-out, Imhotep was also plotting to win the support of the girl. If he had Cecelia on his side. . .perhaps she could influence Anck-su-namun. Influence only, because Imhotep didn't believe for a moment that any person, man or woman, could tell Anck-su-namun Cortez what to do. . .or whom to love.
He also learned that Anck was the wild child of the trio. She had a lovely body, she knew it, and she had no qualms whatsoever in showing that body off. During the summer time, she was particularly fond of wearing the cut-off shorts which were known as 'Daisy Dukes,' after the popular young girl in the American TV show, 'The Dukes of Hazzard.' In Imhotep's mind, that didn't make her wild. . . until he heard about what Anck did to people who messed with her roommates or her friends. Imhotep smirked. On second thought, maybe he should leak it to Lock-nah that his archenemy was attracted to a certain young American girl. . .
Or not. Imhotep stopped smiling as he considered the consequences of such an action. Most assuredly, no matter how entertaining those few minutes would be of watching Anck-su-namun opening a can of whup-ass on Lock-nah, to use that very interesting American saying, the consequences simply weren't worth it. If Lock-nah knew Ardeth Bey was interested in any female, that girl's life would be forfeit. . .and the same would be true of whoever told Lock-nah of Ardeth's interest. Ardeth would kill him, and that wasn't taking into account Anck's reaction.
Oh, no. Definitely not worth it. Well, then. He would just have to find another way to get Anck's attention. He closed his eyes briefly, hoping that the image, which just flashed through his brain, was a product of his worried imagination. He didn't want to believe it was a premonition of things to come. Cecelia Ferguson, lying in a crumpled heap, a large bruise decorating the left side of her face, and Anck Cortez at her side, terrified and enraged.
No. No, it was just his imagination. It wouldn't come to pass. . . he wouldn't let it come to pass! Unfortunately for Imhotep, however, the wheels were already in motion, and it was only a matter of time. The die was already cast and the decision made. Destiny could not be changed now. Imhotep's fate was no longer in his hands. . .and by extension, nor were the lives of those whom he sought to protect.
Lock-nah was aware that his employer was going soft on them. As far as he was concerned, Imhotep was always too soft-hearted, too compassionate. He was enraged when he learned that Lock-nah threatened the lives of the two Med-jai brats, and warned Lock-nah that if such a thing happened again, he would kill him. That was something the thug (though he preferred the term 'enforcer') simply did not believe.
He wasn't the only one who noticed. Meela was, in the beginning, delighted by the twist of fate that brought her cousin to Imhotep's notice. However, that delight was quickly turning to rage and frustration. Because, of course, when Imhotep cared for someone, he sought to protect them. As yet, he was only concerned with protecting Anck-su-namun from the Med-jai. Lock-nah barely held back a snort of disgust.
As if the Med-jai would do anything to the little harlot? Would never happen. In some ways, Lock-nah understood Imhotep's fascination, and even respect, for the Med-jai. They were much alike. Neither had learned, yet, that protectors were losers. That those whom they protected would stab them in the back at their first opportunity. What was it that one of his heroes said in 'First Knight,' Prince Malagant? Oh yes. God loves a winner. By Lock-nah's estimation, the gods must love him very, very much.
He looked at Meela, who was reading over the latest reports from their spies on campus. Meela never called them that. . .she called them 'operatives.' But they were still spies. Smiling at her fondly, Lock-nah walked to her side, asking, "Have you learned anything of interest, my love?" She was trying to learn everything she could about her cousin's life here. Trying to find a weakness to exploit, aside from her inexplicable attachment to her colorless little roommate.
"Perhaps. Listen to this. . .my dear cousin and her two roommates were involved in a confrontation inside the Student Union Building, on the same day our bunglers blew their attack on Bey and O'Connell," Meela replied, looking up at him with a thoughtful expression. Lock-nah nodded to indicate he was listening, and Meela continued, "The truly interesting part is that evil little bitch who stole my cousin was confronting O'Connell."
Now Lock-nah frowned, saying, "How is that possible? I thought she was afraid of her own shadow." She was certainly very quiet. . .a mouse who roared, perhaps. She was a plain little thing. . .was probably friends with Anck-su-namun because of the latter's striking beauty. And Meela's cousin was probably friendly with her because she felt sorry for her. Lock-nah certainly didn't see anything special about the girl.
"So did I, but we were wrong, my love. Not only did she confront O'Connell on that morning, but Henderson and Daniels said that she, my cousin, and their English roommate were at the confrontation that afternoon. More to the point, Lock-nah, the three of them defended the Med-jai brothers against our bunglers," Meela replied. His frown deepened. Was there some sort of connection here? And if so, what?
Hafez joined them, and Lock-nah immediately asked, "What sorts of things have you learned from Ardeth Bey?" Their associate just looked at them, as if to say, 'what in the hell are you talking about?' Lock-nah repeated, scowling, "What have you learned from him? He is your teaching assistant, after all!" The older man joined the impromptu conference, taking place around Meela's desk.
"Very little. . .he says almost nothing. His uncle doesn't trust me, so perhaps that is part of it. Why? What has the two of you like this?" Hafez asked. Lock-nah barely held back from rolling his eyes. Hafez was a fool, Imhotep was a sap. . .were he and Meela the only ones capable of carrying out their plan to the end? Lock-nah almost snorted in disgust. So it would seem, at least! On the other hand, while a fool, Hafez did have a point. Ardeth Bey did not give his trust easily. . .and if his uncle distrusted Hafez, the chieftain would think twice about giving his trust where his uncle did not.
His uncle. Lock-nah thought about that for a few moments. Then he looked up at Meela and smiled. She returned the smile, though she looked confused, and asked, "What is it, my love? Why do you smile like that? What has your devious mind conjured up?" Lock-nah merely smiled as he thought through his plan once more. It would require some time and some planning, but it was entirely possible that he could force his enemy 'off-base.' And Lock-nah was very, very, very good at planning.
"I am thinking, my Meela, that our dear Mr Hafez has just given us a way to undermine the Med-jai here on campus. Imhotep forbade us to harm Ardeth Bey. . .but nothing was ever said about Dr Terrence Bey, hmm? Hafez said it. . .that young fool trusts his uncle. We take his uncle out of the picture, we also take an ally out of the picture. O'Connell will be on the next flight back to Egypt. . .he's a coward, remember? And Ardeth Bey will be all alone," Lock-nah replied with a malevolent smile.
"How shall we do it? Arrange for an accident with his car? That would be difficult, and quite possibly foolish. Too personal," Meela suggested. Lock-nah grunted his agreement. That was far too personal and far too risky. No. No, he wanted something more. . .random. Meela continued, thinking out loud as she often did, "And it cannot be soon. We must wait until the Med-jai's guard is down. Perhaps the night of Homecoming?"
Lock-nah smiled at her. Perfect! But then, he expected such things from Meela. Perhaps when this was all over, they would marry. He replied, "Homecoming. . .yes, I believe I have heard references to a fireworks display the night before the Homecoming football game. Perhaps we should make another fireworks display during the dance." Meela canted her head to one side, regarding him with a quizzical look.
"And how shall we ensure that Dr Bey falls into our plans for him? This is University, Lock-nah, not high school. Chaperones aren't as necessary here," she pointed out. Ahhh, but he never said anything about fireworks at the auditorium where the dance would be held! Something she realized a moment later, adding, "You do not mean at the dance itself. You mean something else. . .some where else."
"Accidents can always happen in a lab, my dear Meela. Particularly labs with dangerous, flammable chemicals. We have nearly two months to plan our attack. But know this. . .on Homecoming night, when the foolish children of this university are dancing and making merry, we will be striking a blow against the Med-jai. And if we plan it correctly, Imhotep will never know it was us. Even if he does. . .who cares? He only told us to leave the Med-jai chieftain alone!" Lock-nah proclaimed.
Meela beamed at him, saying, "I am so proud of you!" She threw her arms around his neck, and Lock-nah's arms encircled her small waist. Meela held on tightly, whispering, "And may I still have that irksome little bitch who stole my cousin to play with before I kill her?" Lock-nah smiled, though in truth, he was becoming concerned with his girlfriend's continuing obsession with her cousin's friend. He was concerned that Meela would end up jeopardizing the entire operation if she continued on this path.
Still, he loved Meela, and he told her, "You may play with her as long as you wish, love. And if you like, we can make your traitorous cousin watch." Meela actually squealed in delight, and Lock-nah noticed Hafez looking at Meela as if she was. . .insane. She wasn't, of course. Meela was one of the sanest people Lock-nah ever knew. She was simply amoral. There was such freedom in amorality. To never be troubled by the dictates of one's conscience. To simply do what one wanted, never mind the consequences to others. Who cared?
"For now, we must discuss how we will set this trap. I can tell you this right away. Enemy though he may be, Terrence Bey is no fool. He is far wiser than his nephew Andreas, and he is older. He will not be easily tricked," Hafez replied, warning them both. Lock-nah took heed. However, he was already thinking about how to lead the sheep to the wolf. It would not be so hard a thing. Just threaten what he loves most. Protectors were so predictable!
This past weekend proved to be educational for Ardeth, in more ways than one. He learned, for instance, that adults (or at least, young adults) were as attached to cartoons as small children. He learned this by way of 'Gargoyles' on the first night, and 'Tarzan' this afternoon. He read the original novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs when he was a teenager, and was a little nonplussed to discover that there was a cartoon version. He had little time to watch any tv.
However, he resolved not to compare the two versions, and instead, focused on simply enjoying himself. Much to his surprise, he did. Even in this cartoon form, the story touched his heart. And, he couldn't help noticing the similarities between Miss Jane Porter and Evelyn Carnahan. Ardeth wondered if his brother noticed the same thing. Then Celia put her hand on his thigh when she leaned over to put the popcorn on the floor for the children and it took a good fifteen minutes before Ardeth could pay attention to anything other than his racing heart.
He came to the conclusion that she liked doing things like that. The first time she did it was at the beginning of 'Tarzan,' while Evelyn was into the kitchen to start the popcorn. Celia anchored herself by putting her hand on Ardeth's thigh and reaching out her free hand to Evelyn after opening the plastic bag around the popcorn. By the time Ardeth was capable of thinking once more, the popcorn was being carried into the living room. It was very distressing to realize he could lose his focus so, and he promised himself that he would ask her not to do it again.
By the time Ardeth was capable of paying attention after this second time, he lost several minutes of the movie and Tarzan's elephant friend Tantor was, as Galen put it, shifting into cavalry mode. Ardeth liked Tantor. Especially when he blew the cavalry charge, and behaved like a submarine. This amused the children as well, for they all began giggling at the aquatic noises the elephant was making.
When he wasn't watching the movie, Ardeth watched the others. Celia was like a little child herself, laughing at the funny parts, looking sad when Tarzan was lonely or shunned, and singing along with the songs. The little ones would love her, he knew. He had a sudden, powerful image of his two baby sisters with the young girl who was quickly winning his heart, and that image took his breath away.
Rick was pretending that he was bored, but Ardeth knew his brother, and knew he was enjoying the movie as well. Honestly, he didn't understand why Rick was so determined to pretend. He understood a good bit of it was machismo (which, Ardeth maintained, was something totally different from stoicism). But surely his life as a Med-jai also taught him to take joy and laughter where it could be found, and be damned how it looked!
Ardeth also found the couple of Matt and Cass intriguing. Part of it was seeing such a large man with such a small woman. Cass could easily be described as 'tiny.' But there was no doubt in Ardeth's mind that Matt was wrapped around her pinkie finger. He should know, for Rick often told him that Ardeth was wrapped around the pinkie fingers of their baby sisters. Indeed. . .and Ardeth was not in the least bit ashamed of it!
Matt was very similar in that respect, for he seemed to define the term, 'gentle giant.' The children crawled over and around him, and he drew giggles of delight and squeals of mock-terror as he picked them up and tossed them into the air. Right up until the time Evelyn reminded him that if he made the children sick, he had the task of cleaning up the mess. Ardeth didn't miss the disgruntled look Matt sent in Evelyn's direction. . .but he did contain his smile.
Evelyn and Anck-su-namun were not disguising the delight they found in the movie, either, and because of that, they, too, were a delight to watch. Thinking of Evelyn drew his attention back to his brother. . .and sure enough, Rick ever so casually glanced over at Evelyn now and again. Ardeth stifled a laugh. Only someone who knew Rick well could see that the casualness was false. Then again, Rick wasn't trying to fool him. . .only Evelyn.
Galen was leaning back on the other side of his sister, long legs stretched out in front of him. He was another surprise to Ardeth, perhaps because he expected him to be so much like Andreas. There were similarities between them, yes. . .but they were not the same person. Ardeth frowned at that, for at twenty-two, he still struggled between idolizing his brother and seeing him as he truly was. He spent so many years idolizing Andreas, even after he became chieftain. . .perhaps because of his brother's violent death.
As ever, Ardeth spent little time thinking about what he suffered when his brother was killed. There were others who had troubles during that time. . .his sister, for one. Anatol, who was nine years old and saw his brother killed. Rick turned his head away from the tv screen, and Ardeth barely controlled his desire to flinch. His sandy-haired brother was the only person who ever called him on what happened during that time.
His mother realized years earlier that it was hard enough for Ardeth to acknowledge he allowed his sister's rapist to live (never mind that Ardeth was fighting for his own life at the time. . .that was beside the point). Bringing up what was done after Andreas was murdered was more than he could bear. Ardeth could not forgive himself for failing his sister. . .or allowing such things to be done to him. Rick had no such compunctions. Rick was the one who cut Ardeth down, after Anatol ran for help. Rick was the one who carried him to a horse and took him back to the Med-jai encampment. And Rick remained at his side through the fevers and the nightmares and the long days of recovering his strength.
Earlier, Celia told him that Galen could turn into a berserker when she or their younger brother Jason was threatened. Ardeth had no difficulty seeing this. However, he also saw that Galen had something that Andreas lacked. Self-control, for one thing. Andreas was the chieftain, and it was his decision to ride after Lock-nah and his men without back-up. Ardeth tried to talk his brother out of this action. He failed.
However, Galen Ferguson was more. . .inclined to think and plan, rather than act. Ardeth's instincts as an older brother told him that Galen knew exactly what happened between his baby sister and this Neil Grady over the summer. . .yet, if he did anything about it, Celia either didn't know. . .or he was still planning his own justice. Andreas would have never waited. He would have simply attacked the offender. . .and publicly humiliated him.
There was also the matter of Galen's attitude toward Ardeth. The young man was a little surprised. . .no, a lot surprised. . .that Galen reacted so well to what was happening between Celia and Ardeth. Again, a marked change from Andreas. . .or Rick. Though it took more than a year, Rick eventually came to accept both Acacia and Aleta as sisters, just as Thalia and Yasmina were. And as such, he was viciously protective of them both. In Rick's eyes, no one was good enough for either of their sisters.
Galen Ferguson, however, seemed to think that Ardeth was good enough for his little sister. Nothing was said outright. . .but there was a tacit approval. There was a lot Ardeth didn't know. . .or understand. . .about the relationship between the Ferguson siblings. He didn't know if Galen realized just why they were in the United States. . .nor did Ardeth know how much of the truth Galen guessed.
And curiously, this train of thought came to a head during the climactic confrontation between Clayton and Tarzan. Ardeth always did have strangely appropriate timing. . .at least, according to his older brother. The young chieftain pulled his attention away from thinking about the Ferguson family, and instead, focused once more on the movie. He found himself almost holding his breath (and hoping Rick didn't notice) when Tarzan and Kerchak were finally reconciled, after so many years.
Next came the good-bye between Jane and Tarzan. . .the young English girl was traveling back to England with her absent-minded professor father. Doubtless, she thought she was needed there. Archimedes Porter needed her to take care of him. Porter, however, proved to be more unselfish than that. He urged his daughter to return to Tarzan, reminding her that 'you love him.'
As if to prove her father's point, her glove was caught by the wind. . .and blown straight back to Tarzan, who caught it and held it as if it was something precious. Ardeth, of course, realized that such a thing would have never happened in the nineteenth or early twentieth centuries. But. . .he was young and falling in love, and the relationship blooming between Tarzan and Jane reminded him of his own blossoming feelings for Celia. Such a thing was impossible for Tarzan and Jane in the real nineteenth century. . . might it not be possible for Ardeth and Celia in the twenty-first? Once the danger was passed. . .wasn't it possible?
Jane listened to her father. She catapulted out of the boat (how she did that, without capsizing it, Ardeth had no idea), and made her way back to Tarzan, who was still watching on shore. She leapt into his arms, knocking him to the ground. That drew a laugh from everyone watching the movie. . .between Tarzan landing flat on his posterior and Jane's rather sheepish expression when she realized what she had done, Ardeth was smiling even as Archimedes Porter joined his daughter.
The very next scene took his breath away. . .Tarzan and Jane, together, flying through the air, swinging from vine to vine. It took his breath away and sent chills down his spine. Two worlds, one family, indeed. And as the movie ended, he dared to hope that even someone such as himself, who was duty-bound from the moment he entered the world. . .could have a happy ending. Could love conquer all? Perhaps, after the Book retrieved and Lock-nah neutralized once and for all. . .perhaps, then they would see.
But for now, it was time to return to the real world. There were bags to be packed, and he and Rick had an investigation to continue. As everyone shuffled off to their respective rooms to pack, Ardeth looked at Celia. She knelt in front of the DVD player, and as if feeling his eyes on her, she looked up. A faint smile crossed her face, as if she knew what he was thinking. He smiled back. . .then went upstairs to do what had to be done.
As the college students, children, doctors, and miscellaneous persons packed to return to the university, sound echoed through the house. Indeed, it could be said that the walls shook with the laughter of children and adults alike. Along with singing. Rick O'Connell groaned aloud as he listened to Alex Carnahan and Matt singing 'Two Worlds' for the umpteenth time in the last twenty-five minutes.
"It isn't funny. . .thanks to that damn movie, I'll have that damn song in my damn head for the next few days!" he growled in response to the soft chuckle coming from the other side of the room. Ardeth was packing what little remained, and he straightened up, turning to look at Rick. The American growled, and threw a pillow at him. Ardeth easily dodged it, and Rick added, "This is your fault, you know. . .you suggested watching another movie!"
"I did suggest another movie, aywa. . .but it was the children's choice. Besides, if you will have 'Two Worlds' in your head, I will have the other song in mine," Ardeth replied. Rick just groaned again. That was even worse. During the end credits, the three hellions sang along. Ardeth added, his voice sounding almost dreamy, "The lyrics are very suitable to Celia, do you not think so? 'For someone so small, you seem so strong.' Yes, they are very suitable to Celia."
Rick's jaw dropped. Oh no. No, no, no, this was SOOOOO not happening to him! His little brother, the stoic Med-jai chieftain, did not just say that a song reminded him of a girl. This could NOT be happening! (Never mind that the song reminded him of Evelyn. That wasn't the point.) And he was NOT seeing that little smile on his brother's face. It almost reminded him. . .
Almost reminded him of the smile Andreas used to wear after coming out of a particular building in Cairo. EW! No, no, no! He did NOT want to think that thought, he did not even want to consider that thought! The idea of Ardeth. . .the image of Ardeth. . .doing that had Rick shaking his head to shake the image out. Just to be safe, though, Rick looked again. During that second look, he realized it wasn't QUITE the same smile. There was always a certain amount of smugness in Andreas' face. One reason why Rick never really liked the guy. . .that, and the fact that they were WAY too much alike.
There was no such smugness in Ardeth's expression. Only a quiet pleasure. His little brother was falling in love, and he was happy, Rick realized with a pang. It was so rare that Ardeth looked happy, that Rick was actually surprised to see it. The surprise was followed by jealousy, and jealousy by anger. Only this time, the anger wasn't directed at Celia Ferguson or his brother. Rather, it was directed at himself.
Ardeth was happy when he was around the little roommate. Why did he. . .why did Rick keep screwing that up? Was he that jealous, was he that petty, that he didn't want his own brother to be happy? Rick didn't like that idea. No, he hadn't had a chance to get closer to Evelyn since realizing how adorable she was when she blushed or when she was drunk. But that wasn't Ardeth's doing. . .or the little roommate's.
If anything, it was Anck's doing. . .and she did it after he interfered in a MOMENT between her little roommate and his brother. Damn. Rick actually caught himself pouting. Him. A twenty-three year old Med-jai (admittedly, American by birth) was pouting like he was a five year old. Not even Thalia and Yasmina pouted, and they were hardly more than babies. Okay, they didn't pout much.
Rick asked softly, "Ardeth? What is it about the lit. . .about Celia that you like so much?" There was no sarcasm this time, only an honest desire, an honest, sincere request. He wanted to know, he wanted to understand. He wanted to understand, so he would stop being such a bastard. He knew his brother. Ardeth tolerated only so much, and then he would push back. For very good reasons, Rick didn't want that to happen. His brother didn't go for half-measures, even among his own family.
The girls. . .Acacia, Aleta, Yasmina, and Thalia. . .knew better than to push him too far. Anatol, at fourteen, had no desire to irritate his adored older brother. Andreas was dead. Which left Rick as the main pain in Ardeth's neck. There were times when Rick pushed Ardeth's buttons, just to reassure himself that his step-brother still human, and not a Stepford Med-jai. And there were other times when Ardeth's eyes would take on this hardened glint, warning Rick that he was just about to cross a final line.
He saw that glint sometimes, when Rick's jealousy of Celia Ferguson became more pronounced. Ardeth replied quietly, "I am uncertain where I should begin, Rick. There are so many things. . . little and not so little. I like her smile. . .the way her hair turns red in a certain light. I like watching her with little ones, and imagining how the babies would react to her. I. . . I like hearing her laugh and joke with her roommates, with her sisters. I like hearing her talk about her family, and seeing her eyes light up when she talks about her studies."
Damn. Talk about getting more than he bargained for! Rick wasn't even sure how to start processing that! Then Ardeth looked at him with a slight cant to his head, asking, "And what of you, my brother? What is it about Evelyn Carnahan that draws you like a moth to a flame? What is it that makes her so special, so unlike the women you have known in the past? Both known. . .and known in the Biblical sense?" Rick narrowed his eyes at his brother, then threw a pillow in Ardeth's general direction. Okay, when his brother started using slang like that, it was way too much!
Ardeth dodged the pillow easily, but Rick wasn't so lucky. Damn. Rick hated when he did this. The American brother sighed, "Uhm. . .damn. I'm not sure. She's cute when she's mad. And she's smart. God, she's so smart! Uhm. . .she's cute when she's drunk. Even cuter than when she's mad. I like her loyalty. . .she pretends to be so stiff, but when she forgets how she's supposed to be. . ."
Ardeth was listening, making no comment, and Rick continued in the absence of smart-ass remarks from his brother, "I like to watch her with the kids, too. She acts like she's their mother. I can kinda see why Jonathan calls her 'old mum.' I think she's bossier than her roommate. I. . .I like the way she spars with Anck-su-namun. The wild child. And there's a gal to scare any man. All three of them are."
"Why?" Ardeth asked, speaking for the first time since Rick started answering his question. Rick looked at his brother, and Ardeth continued, "Why would they frighten you, ya ahi? I do not understand." He shook his head with a confused expression. He wasn't the only one confused. How was it possible that Ardeth didn't understand how dangerous those three could be. . .how terrifying, even?
Worse yet, he didn't know how to explain it. In several, very important ways, his little brother was an innocent. And, he looked at the world in a very different way from Rick. He explained after a moment, "Because there are some women who. . .are like forces of nature. This can be a good thing or bad thing. Anck-su-namun is somewhat wild. She's irrepressible, there's nothing she won't try. That's the good way. Then there's Tamar or Sanure. Steamrollers have nothing on those two."
Ardeth nodded and turned to look at Rick. The elder was gratified to see some understanding there, and continued, "Then there's Evelyn. A real smart girl, who isn't afraid of showing how smart she is, and not ashamed of it either. That's scary if you aren't as smart as she is, and know it." He lost Ardeth again, he could tell. They were dealing in things with which Ardeth had no experience. . .no understanding.
So he tried another approach, saying, "It's a matter of pride, Ardeth. There are a lot of men who are. . .undone by a woman who is smarter or stronger than they are. If you're smart," which Ardeth was, and that was when it hit Rick why his brother didn't understand. He continued, "If you're smart, you accept it and move on. If a guy can accept that a woman is smarter or stronger than he is, he's ahead of the game."
"Like a missing part of yourself," Ardeth murmured. Rick hated when his brother went all mystical, but this time, Ardeth was talking about something he could comprehend. Ardeth refocused on Rick once more, explaining, "My apologies, Rick, I know how much you hate when I go all. . .now, what is your word? All 'woowoo,' I believe." Okay, now that was just weird. Hearing that come out of Ardeth's mouth, it was just. . .weird.
His brother paid no attention, continuing, "But. . .it's something that my father once told me, when I was a child. Not long before he died, so I was perhaps the same age as Kate. He. . . told me that everyone has a particular destiny. They can only fulfill that destiny when they embrace a missing part of themselves. It could be. . .it could be their soulmate, it could be their occupation or their duty, it could be their past."
Rick, who never met Suleiman Bey, often thought that Ardeth must have absorbed his father's knowledge as a chieftain by way of osmosis. He was told that Ardeth was much like his father, in looks as well as personality. And Uncle Nassor told him on more than one occasion that he thought Rick would have considered Suleiman to be a 'cool' person. It was all Rick could do, to keep from laughing when he heard Uncle Nassor talk like that, but he understood what the older Med-jai meant.
He wasn't sure Uncle Nassor was right, but he would keep that to himself. For now. Ardeth continued, "My father always told me that once a man. . .or a woman. . . accepted that missing piece of themselves, once they embraced it, they could do anything. I did not believe him at the time. I was no more than twelve or thirteen. But now. . .now I am starting to see." Yeah. So was Rick. And it was scaring the hell out of him!
"You two are starting to scare me," Anck told her two roommates. The trio was in the bedroom shared by Celia and Anck during the last two nights. Evy was done with her packing (did it the night before. . .and they were what, surprised by this?), then helped Olivia with her packing. Once that was finished, she came over to help them. She wasn't really helping. More like, getting in the way, but Anck didn't really care about that part. It gave her a chance to further harass her roommate.
"You don't have to be scared, Anck. . .at least not yet. Not until we start singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,' or 'Someday Out of the Blue,' or even the one from 'Pocahontas,' the one that Vanessa Williams sings," Celia responded. That was the trouble, though. Anck liked all those songs. Especially 'Colors of the Wind.' Celia added thoughtfully, "On second thought, what's scary is if Evy's new boyfriend started singing any of those. That would be enough to traumatize anyone."
Anck burst out laughing, and Evy just glared at their roommate, hissing, "Oooh, that's not even funny!" Anck laughed harder. . .yes, it was! Now Evy's glare was turned on her, but Anck didn't care. She saw a lot scarier things in her life than Evy Carnahan's glare. Including their roommate when she was mad. Evy added, in a 'flouncy' tone, "Besides, it isn't as if Ardeth isn't intimidating."
"Intimidating, yes. . .traumatizing, no," Celia returned with an impish grin. Evy shot her another 'oooooh!' look, and Celia continued, "Relax, Evy, the only reason I'm giving you such a hard time about it is because you get all flustered. Something we're not used to seeing, right, Anck?" The third girl bobbed her head emphatically. This was fun. . .this was more fun than harassing Evy herself. This was unexpected!
"I am NOT flustered!" Evy blurted out. Anck and Celia exchanged another look, saying, 'suuuuuuure you're not.' Evy repeated stubbornly, "I am not. I am merely. . .I am merely. . .merely. . .indignant!" She bobbed her head once, as if in confirmation, and went on, "I am indignant on his behalf. O'Connell, I mean, not Ardeth." Indignant, huh? Anck put the last CD back into her duffel bag, batting Evy's hands away.
"Okay, Evelyn Monifa, that makes absolutely no sense. Why would you be indignant on his behalf?" Celia asked. She was using Evy's middle name. Anck knew that was opening a new can of worms. A wink from her best friend told her that Celia knew exactly what she was doing. Of course she was. She was the only member of the trio who actually thought before she did something half the time.
"Because, Cecelia Anne, you are saying that he is traumatizing," Evy replied with that stiff-upper-lip dignity that made Anck want to slap her clear into next week. Only this time, that was mixed with just a touch of defensiveness. Oh. Now this was interesting! Celia just smiled, though Evy wasn't currently looking at her. Damn. Anck never realized just how much she rubbed off on her roommate until now! Or was Celia always this devious?
"Well, actually, what I said was that the idea of him singing those songs was traumatizing. And even if I did call him traumatizing. . .or rather, traumatic. . .why does it make a difference?" Celia asked innocently. Oooh, hermanita, Anck thought, shaking her head mentally, you are bad. Mal! Que mal! But that didn't mean Anck wasn't enjoying this. She was. Just when she thought she had one of her roommates figured out, they went and surprised her. Celia looked over at Anck, that innocent expression firmly in place, and added, "After all. It isn't like he's anyone important to you, is he? I mean, he's rude, arrogant, ill-mannered, and you don't like him at all."
Evy's mouth opened and closed for several moments as she looked at Celia. Anck found herself very grateful that her mother decided 'Anck-su-namun' was enough of a mouthful. . .and thus, never gave her a middle name. However, before she could mention this, Rick O'Connell asked, "Anybody I know?" The trio turned as one to look at him. He was standing in the doorway, a backpack slung over his shoulder.
Celia smiled sweetly as O'Connell picked up Evy's duffel bag, replying, "I don't know. Do you know anyone who is rude, arrogant, and ill-mannered, and thoroughly unlikeable?" Anck looked from her roommate to O'Connell, who was smiling. In spite of herself, Anck found she rather enjoyed these verbal matches between her best friend and the sandy-haired man. All right, so this was really the first one. . . she still enjoyed it.
"That describes a lot of people I know, actually, including my partner's two buddies," O'Connell returned fire. However, he didn't look angry. If anything, he looked like he was enjoying this as well. A glance back at Celia told Anck that her friend was enjoying this herself. O'Connell added, "And I bet you've found the same thing during the last few months, based on what I saw at the Student Union Building."
Celia shrugged, answering, "There are plenty of jerks on a college campus, Mr O'Connell, and just as many at a high school." Ay, su amiga dice la verdad! Too many times, Anck encountered one of those jerks. They expected her to have no intelligence, because she was attractive. . .and made assumptions they had no business making. There were so many ways for someone to be a jerk. Anck wondered if anyone ever catalogued them all. That would be a life's pursuit, to use Evy's words, by itself.
"I can't argue with that. I hear the work force is chock-block full of jerks," O'Connell observed. Celia froze, and her eyes shifted from Anck and Evy, to the man. Then she looked at Ardeth, who had appeared behind his step-brother, and now looked somewhat confused. O'Connell continued, "I remember my dad telling me about these jerks who messed with my mother, before they met and married. Those are the times when I feel real grateful to be part of the Med-jai."
Med-jai? What the hell was that? Ardeth tensed, his dark eyes darting back and forth between O'Connell and the three roommates. Almost as if he was afraid of. . .afraid they would ask what a Med-jai was. Anck decided to ease the tension in the room, saying, "Yeah, well, not all of us are that lucky." She didn't miss the grateful look she received from Ardeth. Nor did she acknowledge it. Anck had a lot to learn about male-female relationships, but one thing she did know. She didn't want to embarrass Ardeth by bringing attention to him.
"What is it," Celia asked softly, "that makes men think women are easy targets? Because we're smaller? Don't they get that makes us more dangerous, rather than less? We're small, not as physically strong. . .so that means we have to be smarter. More cunning." O'Connell looked at her in surprise, and Celia shrugged, adding, "So I listened to my grandmother a lot when I was growing up. She was right. About a lot of things." Anck, who knew that Annabelle was more like Celia's mother than the woman who gave her life, said nothing.
"That's why some guys make you girls targets," O'Connell answered unexpectedly, "because you are smarter and stronger. It scares them. Like in 'ID4,' and the president said they would take out the alien ship before it took them out. Same idea. I can't explain why some men are afraid of women who aren't clingy and weak. I don't understand it myself. I mean, sure, a guy likes to feel needed. But clinging gals are exhausting. They're high maintenance, and where's the fun in that?"
"You know, Mr O'Connell," Celia replied slowly, "if you aren't careful, I might actually find myself liking you." O'Connell looked at her, almost as if he had never seen her before, but before he could answer, Celia shook herself and added, "We should get going, if we want to get back at a decent hour. C'mon, let's go say g'bye to the kids, and get it over with." With that, she picked up her bag and walked past the brothers. But Anck saw that as she passed, Ardeth took the bag from her hand. So there were gentlemen left in the world!
Jonathan Carnahan was thinking anything but gentlemanly thoughts as he drove back to the campus. Of course, that was due in no small part to the raucous singing coming from the very back seat of his beloved van. Evy and her two roommates, and the step-brothers, piled into the van about twenty minutes earlier, after a prolonged good-bye. Galen Ferguson hugged his sister at least twice. . .that Jonathan knew about. They certainly were an affectionate family.
Each of the children were hugged at least once by each of the adults, and sometimes twice in a few cases. The van was loaded up while the hugs and good-byes were being said, which was why some children were hugged more than once. The adults lost track of whom they hugged. Jonathan promised his son that he would be home just as soon as he dropped off the three aunties at the dorm. Right now, he wasn't sure if he could keep that promise. At least, not the part of the promise that involved him leaving them at the dorm safely.
They turned on the radio, and the evil trio in the very back. . .namely his darling baby sister, Anck, and Celia. . .immediately began singing along. Since Jonathan grew up in the 1980's, he listened primarily to the music of that decade. It was considerably better than the trash they played nowadays. First came 'Stray Cat Strut.' He wasn't surprised that Celia knew the song. . .what surprised him was Anck and Evy.
Next came Survivor's 'Eye of the Tiger.' Jonathan glanced into the very back, and immediately wished he hadn't. He was sure the sight of his sister 'dancing' in the back of the van would probably give him nightmares for weeks. For that matter, the sight of her 'punching' the air in time to the music would do the same. His sister simply didn't DO things like that!
Right now, they were singing along with Bonnie Raitt on 'Thing Called Love.' He kept forgetting that these girls were born around the same time music videos became big. They didn't remember a time before music videos. . .probably because they weren't born yet. They didn't know what it was like, to see those first videos. He remembered when this song came out, because he always had a weakness for red-heads.
And he had to admit, if only to himself that what the girls lacked in harmony and singing talent they made up for with enthusiasm. Anck and Celia were belting out the song lustily. (Now there was a word Jonathan preferred not to use in association with either of his sister's roommates . . .that was yet another thing that would give him nightmares). Besides, there was the added entertainment value of watching Rick O'Connell and his stepbrother.
Jonathan shuddered with disgust, remembering something that happened at the house. Ardeth and Celia snuck a few moments to themselves, while the children were getting ready to leave. Jonathan walked in on them kissing, and walked right back out. He was seriously tempted to tell them to get a room, until he realized that was exactly what they did. . .until he walked into the room, they were alone. So, he kept his mouth shut. . .and kept walking.
He supposed he could have told Galen Ferguson. On the other hand, Galen probably wouldn't have cared. Jonathan winced a little as the girls' voices raised with every repeat of 'thing called love.' Yes, they certainly were lusty singers. . .even if they weren't especially tuneful. Then there was Ardeth's expression. He actually looked enchanted. . .if a bit bemused. It had to be love, if he was enchanted by that.
Fortunately, the song changed. Unfortunately, Celia squealed in delight, "I LOVE this song! Galen always played it when I was a little girl!" Jonathan listened in amazement. She knew that, just from the opening chords? Apparently so, for she sang along, "If a boy had a chance, a chance with someone like you. . .are you gonna break his heart? Let him cry for the moon? Are you hiding, somewhere behind those eyes?"
Now Jonathan recognized the song. Icehouse's 'Electric Blue.' Celia was born in '84. . .which would have made her about four or five when it came out. Maybe even three. She wasn't joking. She was a little girl when Galen played it. . .then again, she wasn't exactly big now, either. However, the next voice to join the impromptu jam session couldn't have been much older at the time. On the other hand, he was considerably larger.
Rick O'Connell joined in during the chorus, his voice lusty if not on key, as such. Okay. Now that was just plain traumatizing. He looked in the rearview mirror, at the two happily singing Americans. Ardeth was grinning broadly, his dark eyes reflecting a mischievous streak that Jonathan could only guess at previously.
And Evy? Evy was staring at the big American with unabashed shock. Anck, on the other hand, slid all the way down in her seat, tears of laughter rolling down her face. Jonathan didn't know exactly what was so funny.
Unless it was the idea of her roommate singing a duet with Rick O'Connell. True enough, they sparred often, but in the last day or so, Rick seemed to have a slight attitude adjustment toward Celia. They were a bit odd in that respect. One moment, they seemed to have found some common ground. . .the next, they were sparring once more. Truly, it gave Jonathan something of a headache, trying to figure those two out.
Then again, maybe it wasn't worth his while. As long as they didn't kill each other in his beloved van, he didn't much care what they did. Well. . .kill each other or do the horizontal mambo. Jonathan shied away from that thought. . .truly the most traumatizing thought which came to mind during the last few minutes! Rick and Celia? That was enough to make him physically ill. . .even if he didn't take his sister's growing feelings toward O'Connell into account. Still, Celia wouldn't do that to Evy.
Not even if she was attracted to O'Connell. Fortunately, they were like oil and water. They didn't mix, but they also weren't flammable. Usually. Not unless another element was added to the mix. . .like a spark. The song ended, and it was Anck's turn to sing, for it was Miami Sound Machine. . .or was it Gloria Estefan? He couldn't keep those two straight. Jonathan actually found it odd, that Celia wasn't singing along, since it was one of the Spanish hits, and he knew she spoke some Spanish. It drove Evy crazy.
Anck, however, would have argued that it was a short trip, and Evy had no room to talk, consider she could speak to Celia in ancient Egyptian. . .a dead language that Evy and Celia understood, but Anck did not. Turnabout is fair play, the girl noted on one more than one occasion. Jonathan shuddered at the images that conjured up, trying to ignore how often he was doing that, and instead, focused on driving. He wanted to return to the campus intact.
Mentally, he was already back at his apartment, figuring out what had to be done before returning to classes the following day. He glanced down at his fuel gauge, and groaned under his breath. Evy called over Anck's singing, "What's wrong, Jonathan? You look like someone spilled something on your carpet in here." Jonathan rolled his eyes in irritation. He was not that obsessed with keeping this clean.
Evy added, "And don't roll your eyes, it's bad when you're driving. I knew men were supposed to be obsessed with their vehicles, but this is taking it a bit far!" All right, maybe he was obsessed. . .that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. His step-mum always used to tell him that neatness did count. Evy asked, her voice carrying as it tended to do when she was confused or annoyed, "Celia, why are you handing me a five dollar bill?"
Anck interrupted her singing in mid-verse to answer succinctly, "Gas money." With that, she pulled out her own wallet from her purse, and added something to the bill in Evy's hand. She added, "Aqui. That's ten dollars. That should cover Jonathan taking us to and from the house. Hombres?" Evy carefully handed the ten dollars up to Rick, who sat in the second seat with Ardeth. The latter male reached for something, but in the rearview mirror, Jonathan saw O'Connell shake his head and swat at his brother's wrist. Instead, he reached into his own back pocket and brought forth his own wallet.
"Nah, I got it, Ardeth. Here's our contribution," the young man said, leaning forward to place the money in the seat beside Jonathan. The driver didn't take his eyes off the road, just nodded his acknowledgment. He was a little concerned about the idiot riding his bumper. To say nothing of the moron in front of him who was riding his brakes. Fortunately, Rick sat down before Jonathan had to slam on the brakes.
Well, that was one less thing he needed to do. However, there was also the matter of picking up Alex, and calling Dr. Bey. The older professor didn't have much use for him, but after Jonathan told him what he knew about Hafez, that might change. Jonathan learned during the course of the weekend that Ardeth was Hafez's teaching assistant. That was how he met Celia, Evy, and Anck.
It was only fair to warn Dr. Bey, who was Ardeth's nephew, that Hafez was trouble, and nothing but trouble. Years passed since the deaths of his father and step-mother, but Jonathan was convinced Hafez was either involved in their death. . .or knew who was responsible. Unlike his sister, Jonathan knew about the clash between his parents and Hafez. He knew that his parents exposed Hafez for what he was. And he also knew Hafez would never forgive them for that. Ardeth was in danger. . .which put Jonathan's sister and her roommates in danger as well.
And they weren't the only ones.
Translations:
Ay, su amiga dice la verdad!. . .Oh, her friend spoke the truth!
Aqui. . .Here.