Flight of Souls
Chapter 32 – End in the Tomb
Sir Randolph snatched up the gun from where it lay a few feet from him, and forced himself upright and after the fleeing woman. He caught her a few feet from the bridge, grasping a handful of the voluminous dress. The fabric tore, but the garment held, and Sir Randolph gave a vicious yank that jerked Evie off her feet. She screamed as she hit the ground hard.
Ardeth and Rick were halfway down the second stairway when they heard the scream. Heedless of the uneven footing and the small rocks littering the passageway, they ran down the rest of the stairs and sprinted toward the sound. One after the other they ran over the bridge, which shifted ominously under their weight.
Sir Randolph heard them coming and hauled Evie to her feet, swinging her around in front of him and holding the gun to her temple. Rick's eyes widened in sudden horror, then narrowed as he stepped to one side of the bridge, his own gun ready. Ardeth stepped to the other side, his sword in guard position.
Sir Randolph smiled evilly. "Lord Ardeth, how pleasant to see you again."
Ardeth nodded curtly. "Varne."
Sir Randolph's gaze shifted to Rick. "And this must be the intrepid Mr. O'Connell. Remiss of you not to introduce me, Medjai."
"I can't think where my manners are," Ardeth replied silkily, coming a few steps closer, his eyes glittering black in the flickering torchlight.
"Stay back," Sir Randolph ordered.
"You don't dare hurt her," Rick said coldly. "If you do, you won't last a minute and you know it."
"Your man at the entrance of the tomb is dead," Ardeth said. "You have no where to go, Varne."
"Are you so anxious to lose your precious wife, O'Connell?" Sir Randolph mocked. "Drop your weapons, gentlemen." When they hesitated he jerked his arm roughly against Evie's throat, causing her to choke. "Do it now!" Reluctantly, Rick dropped his gun onto the stone floor of the tomb. "All of them!" Sir Randolph snapped. Rick gritted his teeth and pulled out his other guns, dropping them as well. Ardeth, following Rick's lead, dropped his sword and at Sir Randolph's raised eyebrow, discarded his dagger as well.
"Very good, gentlemen," Sir Randolph said. "Now very slowly, move away from the bridge." Seething, the two men complied. Sir Randolph had taken a few steps toward the bridge, yanking Evie with him, when they heard the sound of more footsteps and the flicker of another torch.
Robert Varne hadn't been very far into the tomb when he heard the faint scream somewhere ahead. He'd never been in this tomb before, and was afraid to run, but he made his way down the stairs and corridors as fast as he dared. He saw the torchlight ahead in the Chariot room and cautiously made his way over the bridge. "Father, what are you doing?" he called incredulously.
"Robert," Sir Randolph said in astonishment. "What are you doing here?"
"I've come after you," Robert answered, his eyes flicking wildly from the sight of his urbane father holding a woman at gunpoint, and the two men standing tensely to one side. "Father, let her go."
"Don't be ridiculous," Sir Randolph snapped. "Pick up the weapons on the ground. I need to dispose of these two."
Robert ignored that and stepped closer to Sir Randolph. "Father, please. Let the woman go. Nothing good can come of this. I beg of you, let her go. I'll take you back to the yacht and we'll head back to Cairo." His eyes met Ardeth's briefly, beseeching.
"You're a fool, Robert," Sir Randolph snarled. "They'll kill both of us. Now pick up those guns!"
Tia cautiously peered from her spot near the wall on the other side of the bridge, and carefully slid her torch into a bracket on the wall. No one had noticed her presence yet. If she could just get Ardeth's attention…
A flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye caused Ardeth to glance quickly toward the bridge. There was more light than there should be. Another torch? Was that a flash of gold satin? He looked back toward Sir Randolph. He was looking toward Robert, so Ardeth risked taking a longer look toward the bridge. Tia crouched in the shadows with a gun in her hand. She caught his eye and gestured with the gun toward the ceiling. He jerked his head in an almost imperceptive nod and stealthily reached out to touch Rick's sleeve. They exchanged quick glances. Be ready.
Tia pointed the gun toward the ceiling and pulled the trigger.
The gunshot was deafening in the confined space. Sir Randolph's head snapped up. Robert jumped, but his reflexes were quicker than either Ardeth or Rick had given him credit for, and he grabbed his father's hand and forced the gun away from Evie's head. Rick darted forward, grabbed Evie's wrist, and yanked her away from Sir Randolph's hold. She fell onto the ground, gasping for breath, and he dragged her quickly away. Father and son were fighting for possession of the gun. Ardeth snatched up his sword and headed for the two men when another gunshot echoed through the room.
For a moment, no one moved. Then Sir Randolph slumped to the ground and Robert staggered back, the gun in his hand.
Ardeth strode forward, sword raised, but it was unnecessary. Sir Randolph was dead. Robert backed up until his back hit a pillar, and he slumped to the ground, his eyes wide and horrified. Catching sight of the gun he held, he flung it from him and buried his face in his hands.
--
Rick released his hold on Evie and came forward to look at the body. "Tell me,"
he said to Ardeth. "Could that wound have been self-inflicted?"
Ardeth looked at him, puzzled. "Self-inflicted?"
Evie came forward. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Rick grinned and pulled her against him again. "Indeed I am."
Evie laughed shakily and hugged him back. Then her eyes fell on Ardeth and widened appreciatively. "My, my," she murmured, taking in the sleek bronzed skin and muscular arms revealed by the shirtless Medjai. Several tattooed symbols on his chest seemed almost to move in the flickering light.
Rick glanced at his friend and groaned. "Christ, Ardeth. Put a shirt on, will ya?"
Ardeth smiled at Tia, who moved hesitantly over the bridge into the Chariot room. "I lent it out, sorry."
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Thanks mrsblonde1503, Shahrezad1, lilylynn and Lometari! There's a few more chapters to come. Stay tuned!