DISCLAIMER: If I owned Relic Hunter I wouldn't be writing a fan fic, would I? … Yeah, that's what I thought.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm very sorry to have kept you all waiting for this. I had started rewriting this and got bored. Now I made a rule for myself to not work on anything else until I'm done with this. (Not working, but hey…) Anyway, I bet you want to get to the story. ENJOY!!

Thanks to:

ManiacJackal – Here's the chapter. Sorry to keep you waiting!

alma - thanks for the comment.

Kas – I wouldn't call them amazing…

Maria – I'm glad you liked it.

airefree051 – Yeah, I left you hanging for a looooong time, ,didn't I?

Rat – Maybe he will in this one too…

cl-roxy – Thanks.

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"Nigel!" Sydney dashed over to the other side of the room to his limp form.

Blood soaked his shirt collar, covered his mouth and jaw. He was leaned over as far as his bounds wrists would allow his to go.

She shook him slightly and his head lolled onto his other shoulder, revealing a medium-sized, still healing cut on his cheek. Nigel was falling in and out of consciousness as he fought to stay awake.

"Syd?" the Brit forced his eyes open to look at his friend.

"Yeah, it's me."

Sydney went around behind him, pulled the dagger from her boot and cut the ropes. She nearly gagged at the sight of his wrists. The bindings had scraped the skin away, leaving bloody welts behind. Most of the skin on his hands was scraped raw thanks to his fall from his bike.

"Syd," started Nigel, "He's here."

The silhouette at the door made her blood boil with rage. She let go of Nigel's shoulder when she was sure he could hold himself up for the time being. She stood to face the man.

"Alex, this is low even for your standards. You kidnapped a friend to get what you wanted. Whatever happened to your nice blackmailing schemes? They were so much more preferable."

"Doesn't really matter how I do it. I still got what I wanted," he replied smugly.

A low growl escaped from her and she snapped. His smugness was always present even as he slept, the bastard.

Sydney launched herself at him in a high flying kick aimed for his chest, but he stepped to the side. Just out of harm's way.

"You're going to listen to me."

There was a sound of a short struggle behind her. She turned around to see Alex using Nigel as a bargaining chip. Again. His hand was tangled in his hair, holding his head back, exposing his throat, which had a knife pressed firmly against it.

His face, already looking pale against his own blood, went whiter. A thin sheen of sweat broke out on his skin.

Sydney looked into Nigel's eyes and was surprised beyond all reason to see the apologetic expression he wore.

The blonde pushed against his captor with all his strength, only to be pulled back and have his head slammed harshly against the back of the thick wood that made up the back of the chair. He made a face at the pain, as it was where Alex had caught him with the baseball bat, but said nothing.

"You're going to listen to me," Alex repeated, "Or your little friend dies."

He said it so calmly, like he was discussing the weather on a warm spring day, it made her flesh crawl.

Taking her silence as a yes, he continued:

"A very long time ago, my great grandfather found a map. But it was in a language no one understood. He managed to decipher enough of it to know that the sword was somewhere in this country. Then, quite unexpectedly, he passed away, leaving no notes or records of showing how he translated it. He left us to start from scratch. Luckily for me you don't know the meaning of 'low profile'. If I hadn't seen your picture in last week's newspaper, I would still be wandering the jungle aimlessly without a clue as to where I was going."

"So, if your great grandfather found this map, then it wouldn't really be yours, would it?" Sydney questioned.

Alex waved the knife a bit with an air of carelessness.

"A mere technicality," was all he said.

"Hmm. Nice story, but do you think you could let Nigel go now?"

"You don't understand, do you?" Alex shook his head, ignoring the woman's request. "Do you know how much damage this thing could cause? It's named the Inferno Blade. It's named as it because whoever possesses it can control any flame. The wielder of the Inferno Blade will harness that power and bend it to perform any task it can."

"So, you'll take this sword out of a safe place just in case someone else finds it?" Sydney demanded. "I suggest you let Nigel go before things get really bad."

"Yeah, like you're in a position to bargain," he replied, his voice dripped with sarcasm. "I'll let him go if you help me. How's that sound?"

Without really pausing to let Sydney think of an answer, Alex pressed the knife harder against his hostage's throat. Nigel closed his eyes, hoping that the whole thing was a bad dream.

"All right! Fine! Let him go and I'll help!" Sydney sighed, with more than a hint of anger in her voice.

"I knew you'd see things my way," the older man smirked as he forced Nigel to his feet.

"Kind of hard not to when you're threatening someone else's life," the Brit muttered, swaying dangerously.

Alex chuckled and shoved the teacher's aid forward. Nigel, caught off balance and off guard, managed to stagger about two steps before he tripped and fell to the floor with a heavy thud. Sydney was at his side in an instant.

"Nige, you okay?"

He nodded, muttering what sounded like, "I've been better, thanks," as he shoved himself to his feet. When he was able to stand on his own, Sydney let go of his shoulder.

"Let me see this map of yours," she demanded.

Alex walked over to the cabinet that held the cause of Nigel's reeling mind and pulled out a blue folder.

He went back and handed it to the woman, watching while Nigel ran a sleeve over the lower half of his face to wipe away the blood.

This was definitely going to be one of the more memorable relic hunts.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Whoo! Eleven pages, 1,092 words, fifty-two paragraphs, and one-hundred and forty-two lines!! WOW!!

Anyway, Sorry about the LOOOOONG delay. Feel free to review (hint hint!!) I want to hear what EVERYONE has to say!!

Until next time, fellow freaks and morons!
JILLIAN