AN: Hi all, I decided to just take a day and relax, I had been writing a lot and posting like crazy, as many of you probably well knew. There's nothing like a relaxing day to just let things stew in your mind :) It's given me some time to think about some things and other fanfictions I am planning on pursuing once this one is done. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Fallon and Ardeth were left alone again. Fallon swore she could cut the tension in the room with a knife as she and him stared each other down. Fallon didn't know if she could take another confession. She almost felt like she didn't even want to know anymore about the dreams. But then she remembered her reflection in the mirror that morning and how the dark circles under her eyes were more prominent than ever.
"Well," Fallon began. "It looks as though we are not finished here, Mr. Bay. And we are revisiting a conversation that got us nowhere last time."
"It would appear so," Ardeth replied.
Peering at the grandfather clock behind Ardeth at the far wall. It was already getting to be the time that she needed to leave and visit Burns again.
"Unfortunately, I have somewhere I need to be," Fallon told him, grabbing for the diary and her journal at the desk. She began to shake, almost uncontrollably. Ardeth rushed over to her.
"You would leave now?" He remarked.
"I've had enough information bombarded onto me for one day. As much as I would like to get to the bottom of these dreams that I have been having, and you seem to be having as well," Fallon could hear her own voice quiver noticeably. She tried breathing deeply but it didn't help. "I do not think I can take anymore grand discoveries. Now please if you will excuse me, Mr. Bay. I have a dear friend that I need to visit."
As she spun to leave, she accidentally bumped her arm holding her books on the chair, causing her to call out in pain and drop the journal and diary. When she dropped to the floor to gather them again, Ardeth was already there, kneeling on the ground to help grab the diary that had skidded under the table.
"I understand if you wish to wait a little bit longer, but we may not have that time. The Creature will eventually make his way here. I would be surprised if he is not here in Cairo now. These dreams mean something and the closer we are to discovering why we are having them and are relation to each other, it could in fact help us to find a way to destroy the Creature." He handed her the diary, and took her arm to help her up. At his touch, her shaking began to subside and when she looked at him she realized that he was very close. He stood a foot taller than her and it was then that she realized Kelly was right. He was a looker. She had seen his face before several times of course, but this was the one time when she really looked at it. She could feel her cheeks start to flush and she silently damned Kelly for ever pointing it out to her that this man was attractive. She couldn't be thinking about that in a time like this.
"You need to be careful," Ardeth told her. "I know you did not open that chest, but you were there at Hamunaptra and he knows that too. He will kill all who stands in his way."
Fallon shrugged his hand off her shoulder. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Bay. But I assure you I will be fine. Now I believe that your uncle is waiting to speak with you." She walked out of the library.
When Ardeth turned back to the table he saw a blue silk scarf hanging off of it like a waterfall. He took it in his hands and felt the smooth fabric. She must have forgotten it. He knew he would see her again, but he did not know if she would remember to come back for it, so he wrapped it gently around his hand and walked off in search of his uncle.
At the apartments
Fallon first wanted to stop by the bar to see if she could find Kelly. While she knew she was going to be visiting Burns later than usual, she felt the need to find Kelly and at least tell her what had just happened. And find Adam as well. She felt ready to explain some things to him now that she had answers. Or at least some of them.
When she walked in, she found Henderson, Daniels, Jonathon, Rick, Adam, and Kelly all gathered there taking shots at the main bar. Fallon rushed to Kelly and put a hand on her shoulder to let her know that she was there.
"Well, look who it is?" Kelly said, turning in her seat happily. "You look awful."
"Thank you, dear friend, for that most endearing compliment," Fallon said with a sardonic smile.
"What's wrong? You look a little flushed and shaky, and I don't think its from rushing all the way over here just to see dear old moi," Kelly asked.
"I have some things, discoveries, that I need to tell you and Adam," Fallon replied quietly, turning her friend away from the rest of their party.
"What about Rick? He's your friend too. He's just as involved as I am and Adam. He's worried sick about you too, you know, when he's not fretting over Evy," Kelly informed her.
Fallon closed her eyes at her own disappointment in herself. Rick had been kept in the dark just as much as Adam had, wondering what the hell was wrong with Fallon. Kelly was right, he deserved to know too.
"You're right, Rick too. But I need to tell you. You're the only one right now who can help me explain it to them because-," Fallon agreed.
"Fallon, you can do anything, and I assure you that if you tell us all at the same time, we won't hate you by the end of it. Get some guts, and stand up for yourself and your own confidence," Kelly said.
Fallon looked at Kelly. She had just realized that she did have confidence. She had had it in the library just an hour ago, confronting Ardeth Bay. Yes, she let her emotions get the best of her at some moments, but she had some all the same. She had confidence with this complete stranger and yet she lacked it with her friends and family that she trusted more deeply than anyone else.
At seeing the look on Fallon's face as she thought, Kelly put a hand on her arm and said, "But if it means that much to you, I will be there to listen, and help put them in their place if things get out of hand, which I'm sure it won't, but you know Rick and Adam, always acting and then thinking." Fallon and Kelly chuckled.
"Let me just go up and visit Burns for a little bit, and then I'll meet you somewhere. Library or apartment?" Fallon said.
"Honey, I'll still be down here," Kelly admitted, downing her tequila shot.
"Fair enough," Fallon replied. She walked to Henderson and Daniels who were both downing shots, still looking very tired and distraught.
"Henderson," Fallon touched his shoulder. "How is he doing?"
"The same," he replied. "You here to visit him again?"
Fallon nodded.
"I guess you can go on ahead up. He's got some visitor though," he told her.
She furrowed her brow. "Visitor? Who?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno. I didn't see his face, wore some weird robes though. Beni was with him, so it couldn't have been that important."
Fallon didn't think her brows could be furrowed any tighter than they were. "Beni? When did he return from Hamunaptra?"
Henderson shrugged again.
"What was that, Fallon?" Rick asked, leaning over the bar to see her.
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Beni since the night we raised that mummy. Did he even return with us?" Fallon remembered. Her memories were so clouded from the night and several days following. She wasn't sure of anything anymore concerning that night.
"I don't even remember, honestly," Daniels said, swaying in his seat with the dizziness of drink.
Fallon looked at Rick who stared back at her, concerned. But not for her, he looked like he was trying to remember something as well. The following look on his face was one of suspicion. The bartender served them another round of shots and everyone took them. But a soon as they tilted their heads back to taste the alcoholic drink, they immediately spat it back out. In fact, everyone in the bar, sitting at tables, spat out their drinks in disgust. Fallon was appalled when it all happened so suddenly.
"What the hell?!" Kelly spat.
"It-it tastes just like..." Daniels sputtered.
"Blood," Rick finished the sentence, dropping his shot glass to the ground. He had turned to look at the fountain in the middle of the bar. When Fallon noticed it, she saw that the water that had once been fresh and clear, was now a deep ruby red.
" 'And the rivers and waters of Egpyt went red...and were as blood'," Jonathon quoted, staring at the fountain.
"He's here," Rick growled.
Fallon grabbed his sleeve, her eyes wider than they had ever been. "Burns," was all she said.
Everyone rushed out of the bar and towards the apartments. When they reached the courtyard they spotted Evy walking towards them while reading a book.
"Oh, Evelyn!" Rick called to her.
"Oh, so you're still here," she replied sheepishly.
"We've got problems," he told her.
Just then, the sky opened up. It had been creating a strange brownish orange light all day, creating a dim but dour feeling all day. But the sky did not open up to an unusual rain. Instead, it opened to balls of fire hailing down onto the fort and the apartments. Thankfully they were underneath a shingled canopy, but the palm trees caught fire, and even the soldiers that were stationed there and walking about, were rained on by the most destructive element. Everyone was in shock and horror from what they were seeing until they heard an inhuman monstrous roar from the story above them. Fallon and Kelly were frozen where they stood as they heard it, clutching each others wrists for comfort.
Beni came running down the staircase next to them, but as soon as he saw Rick, spun around and started to back up. Rick quickly got to him, clutched him by the scruff of the neck and pressed him against the wall.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing here?!" Rick screamed at him. Another blood curdling roar filled the air, and Beni pushed Rick away and ran off.
Deciding not to pursue him, Rick grabbed out two handguns and everyone proceeded to run up the stairs towards Burns's apartment.
Fallon prayed that they weren't too late. When they burst through the doors, Fallon let out an ear-ripping scream.
Burns was sat in his chair, but he his skin was bloodless and gray and stretched over the bones of his body. His corpse slumped in the chair, the bandage over his eyes slipping off.
When everyone turned towards the hearth they saw the Creature, stretching out his arms as more sustenance began to wrap over his bones and rotten flesh. Then he turned and spotted them.
AN: Thank you all for being patient as I wrote this one. I feel better having taken a couple of days to think things through and figure out how I wanted to write it, since there were one or two directions I could have gone. Please let me know what your thoughts are so far. I really appreciate constructive feedback :) Please Favorite, Follow, and Comment!