SUMMARY: After eighty years, destiny still isn't finished with them yet.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of THE MUMMY/THE MUMMY RETURNS
RATING: T+
PAIRING: Imhotep/Anck-Su-Namun
REVERSAL OF FATE:
THE NEXT MORNING:
"Ben, I swear to the gods, if you pull any kind of crap, I will let Sun shoot you," Lyla warned, pointing her finger in her brother's face. Where she was slender, with an average height, pale skin, and dark chocolate hair and dark eyes, her brother was tall, dark skinned, dark eyes and hair. He also had a penchant for 'gold fever' like their great-grandpa Jonathon. It tended to make him do stupid things.
"What ever could you mean, dear sister?" Benjamin Carnahan was still in the dog house, having been chucked in there by his cousin Sun O'Connell. He couldn't understand why she hadn't let the matter go. She got her life and he got paid while all the gangsters that wanted her dead, died themselves. It was a win/win. Why couldn't she see it from his point of view?
"You know what," Lyla seethed. She moved down the wide stone steps that led to the river slip where Sun had her barge docked. If Lyla didn't have the pesky fear of drowning after seeing the movie TITANIC, then she would have thought living on the river, near the beautiful Notre Dame would be the picture of heaven. Warily, she stepped onto the deck and prayed nothing dramatic happened.
Ben hefted the strap of Sun's bag on his shoulder and tucked the box he had for her under his arm. Then, he was following his sister to the door. It was strange to be on a barge docked near the famed cathedral. He though 'strange' because Sun was the least religious of anyone in their family. Why would she wanted to live near such a symbol?
Lyla knocked on the oval hatch door. Then she knocked again and groaned. "Not this again…" So, she pulled out her phone and fired off a series of texts. "She better not be in bed…"
"Huh?" Ben arched his right eyebrow.
"Nothing…" Lyla muttered as she continued to text. Finally, Sun answered. The message was short: Door open. Lyla calmly put her phone away and turned the handle. Her brother was about to make one of his snide comments, but she cut him off by saying, "Shut up."
Down in the living area, Sun sat at the table with breakfast between her and Tom. They had been trying to share a meal when her phone kept going off with text after text from Lyla. As soon as she heard the door open, she called out, "You couldn't have tried to door first before blowing up my phone!"
"I did knock a couple of times." Lyla made a grand show of dropping her bag and then said, "I thought you might be dead asleep with hotty professor guy." She knew his name, but knowing names only led to attachments. Lyla wanted to wait and see if Tom Hawass was strong enough to stay with her cousin and weather the storm that was Sarah O'Connell's rage.
Under the table, Sun stretched out her right foot, lightly stepping on Tom's, silently telling him not to take Lyla seriously. She glanced at Ben and let him see the displeasure on her face. He didn't look fazed one bit. Slung over one shoulder was her bag. Getting up, she went to take it from him, but he took a step back. "Ben don't screw around," she warned him.
"I'm not, but you need this first. It's from an Estate Lawyer," Ben said, handing the box to her. It was hand delivered by a courier not even an hour after Lyla returned to Carnahan Manor. After handing the box over, he set Sun's bag on coffee table.
Sun accepted the parcel, warily. Her face fell when she saw who it was from. "Grandpa Alex…" she whispered his name reverently. Without hesitation, she ripped open the box and looked inside. It was an odd black octagon with hieroglyphs on it.
Tom stood by Sun's side, peering into the box. "May I?" he asked. She nodded handing over the box. Carefully picking up the relic, he studied the markings on it, noting the images of Anubis and Amun-Ra. His fingers moved before his brain could understand what was happening. With a twist, the top opened to reveal a folded piece of paper inside. Tom didn't touch it. He handed it back to her, so she could make the choice of what to do with it.
With a heavy heart, Sun pulled free the folded paper to read what was written on it. She half expected it to be papyrus, but instead it was normal stationary. Unfolding it, she read her grandfather's words out loud:
"My dearest granddaughter, if this package falls into your hands, then the stories I told to you as a child have failed to remain just that. Stories. It also means that your sister, Sarah, has taken to a dark path in life, choosing to resurrect wounds that should have remained buried. By now she has discovered a map to one of the false tombs belonging to Seti that was designed by Imhotep. It holds secrets that should remain lost to time, but that is not an option anymore. If fate has been kinder to you this time around, then you have happened upon your Imhotep. The two of you have already started a journey that will unite you and give you the peace you've sought not just in this life, but in others. I know the strength you have in you and I know you will do whatever you have to do and with a clear conscience. Know that I love you, my dear Sun."
Tom rested his hand on her right shoulder, his fingers squeezing gently in an effort to comfort her. He couldn't imagine how hard this was for her to read a letter that her grandfather had hoped would never fall into her hands. "Do you need to take a minute?" he asked, placing his lips close to her ear so only she heard him. She shook her head, not trusting her voice just yet.
Sun digested her grandfather's words, choosing to leave the emotions out of it for the moment. Later, when she was lone with Tom, she could feel whatever it was she needed to feel, and she would be safe in his arms to do so. Right now, she needed to focus. "The map you sent," she said to Ben, "did you look at it?"
"Yeah, what I mailed to you was a copy. It was all I found at Sarah's place," Ben replied, making the choice to be helpful rather than combative. He didn't need to be psychic to know reading that note had twisted Sun up into knots. He wasn't going to be a complete asshole in this moment.
"Where is it?" Sun asked. She couldn't remember if they brought it with them.
"I've got it," Tom said softly, leaving her side to go to his briefcase. He puled out the map contained within a hard-plastic cover. After landing in Paris yesterday, he had wanted to take time to examine it, but one thing led to another and they were swept up in sea of memories that caught them off guard, leaving them exhausted and emotionally worn out. At his side he didn't find Sun, it was Ben. Tom actually glared at the man.
Ben was unfazed by the hostility in the other man's gaze. Undoubtedly, Sun had shared with him their adventure in China, and how it had ended up. He shrugged, taking the map from him. For a minute, he thought the other man might punch him. "When I found it, I noticed some familiar handwriting on it," Ben spoke, directing his attention to Sun as he handed the map over to her. "One set belonged to Sarah, another to Uncle Richard, and the third belongs to your grandfather."
Sun took the map but didn't look at it until Tom was standing next to her again. This story wasn't just about her, it concerned him as well. Whatever they did, or decided, they had to do it together. However, Tom was distracted by Ben's presence, so she touched his arm, getting him to look at her, and only her. "Does this seem familiar to you?" When she looked at it, it was just a piece of paper to her, but perhaps to him….
Tom shifted his gaze away from the dangerous cousin and onto the paper. At first, nothing, no reaction, but the longer he looked at it, he felt as if he'd seen it before. It was almost as if he'd drawn it himself. "It does," he answered Sun softly. As he traced the lines and symbols with the tip of his finger, he could recall committing these details to a papyrus scroll. There was something about it that he couldn't quite remember. "This is where she's leading us?" Tom asked, though, he could already guess the answer to that.
"It's a three-day journey by camel. One day to the oasis and another day to the tomb with a day of rest in between," Sun stated. She could remember the journey Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun had taken to inspect the burial chamber. Seti had been tied up with matters of state and told his future wife to go in his stead. Imhotep had been tasked with designing the false tomb to trick would-be thieves into thinking the dead Pharaoh was laid to rest there. Then, abruptly, the recollection stopped. She didn't know what happened after they set off on their trip. The oasis had another piece of their puzzle, Sun knew that for sure.
"Go by jeep, it's only a half day and maybe half a tank of gas," Ben said looking at the map over Sun's shoulder.
"No," Sun shot back with a sharp shake of her head. "The moment we land in Egypt, we have to make it seem like we're playing Sarah's game. It's the only way to gain the upper hand."
"You really want to play her game?" Ben asked skeptically. Sun usually refused to engage with her sister. She would take off to some secluded location and wait it out. This was almost out of character for his cousin.
"I don't want to, no," Sun replied sharply. It wasn't just her life on the line. If it was, then she wouldn't think twice about facing off against her sister, rushing in before she was prepared. She had Tom to think about and they had to find a way to make these memories work for them and not be a hinderance. For that, she needed the time the journey across the desert. There was something she needed to remember, but she couldn't do that until they were retracing steps they had already taken. "I won't ask you to go with me," she whispered, giving him an out should he need it. She wanted him to know he had other options.
"I won't let you go without me," Tom replied strongly. He had to know what was at the end of this journey and if it meant that Sun was going to be his present and potentially his future. There was a truth waiting for them in the desert and he had to see it through to the end. Tom rested his hands on her sides, pulling her close, resting his forehead to hers. Together the breathed in a quivering breath. Lightly, he said, "Okay." Though, he wasn't sure why.
Lyla stood next to her brother waiting for Sun and Tom to finish being all touchy-feely. The only time she had ever seen anyone in their family like that had been pictures of Rick and Evy O'Connell. They had been in love every single day of their lives and it showed in every photo of them. Sun and Tom had the same kind of love. The kind that would endure through the ages. She tried not to feel a sting of envy at what Sun had found. After all, she knew her cousin deserved every ounce of happiness that she could get.
Ben spoke softly to his sister, "I'll make plans for the four of us to fly out tonight. I know of a decommissioned airfield just outside Luxor. From there we can go to the temple and…"
"'We'? What we? We're not going with them," Lyla stated. Taking Ben's phone, she pulled up the picture of the map he'd taken. "We'll come at it from another direction. Sun needs time with him, and we'll give that to her."
"And who will watch their backs if Sarah has something lying in wait for them? Sun doesn't seem like she's totally one hundred percent present in the moment," Benn hissed. Normally, she had every angle of a plan on lock down, everyone knew what they were doing and when they were to be doing it. At this moment, Sun was willing to step onto a game board to play by rules set down by someone else.
"I think she'll do whatever she has to just to protect what she has growing with him," Lyla responded quietly. She leveled her gaze with her brother to make sure he understood the full weight of her woods. If threatened by anyone, Sun would bring her wrath down upon those that tried to tear her away from Tom.
"I'll get one of my guys to make the plane ready for tonight," Ben said, adding volume for the other two who seemed to be ignoring them. He took his phone from his sister and started to make those plans when he felt the icy stare of death on him. Looking around for the source, he saw Sun. "What?"
"Do you honestly think I'll trust one of your people to get us to Egypt?" Sun asked taking a hostile stance to show Ben she didn't trust. Now that Tom was in the mix, she had even less incentive to rely on Ben.
"Seeing as the pilot I plan to use is Gavin, yeah, I would think you might want to show a little faith," Ben snapped his response.
"Old boyfriend I take it?" Tom asked, glad for the distraction. Any longer and he might start to fall into the black pool of memories that had started to awaken when he looked at the map.
"Not exactly," Sun said in a roundabout way. "He wanted to be, but I didn't see him like that." Gavin had taken her out on one date and that one that. She'd had gone so far as to give him a good night kiss, but she never felt the spark with him that she had with Tom.
"Do you trust Gavin?" Tom inquired.
"Oddly enough, yeah, I do. He doesn't want to hurt me," Sun answered. Granted, it had been three years since the last time they were in close proximity to each other. She just hoped that what she said was still true.
"Okay, I have a few arrangements to make," Ben announced, moving towards the hatch.
Sun followed after him. When the door closed, she grabbed the lapels of his jacket, hauling him close to her. "If you betray me this time, Lyla won't be able to save your worthless ass. Know that I will make you suffer in ways you've near dreamed of, in ways only known to the ancients." She wasn't concerned about the harm that could befall her. She was worried about Tom.
Ben would be a fool not to be a little afraid of his cousin. "As hard as it is for you to believe, but I have learned my lesson where it comes to double crossing family and I know you are fully capable of enforcing your threat. "
"Good," Sun snarled, shoving him away. She had to make him fully understand the consequences should he chose to sell her out – again. There would be no quarter given to him this time.
"Everything all right out here?" Tom asked. He saw the cousins share a heated exchange but kept his mouth shut until the tense moment had passed.
"Everything's fine," Sun replied carefully. Ben shrugged and left her barge. She went to Tom and said, "I was making sure he knew…"
"Not to betray you?" Tom asked knowingly.
"Not to betray us," Sun corrected him. She brought her hands up to his face and said, "I won't lose you because of his lust for gold. You mean more to me than that." He was the only man she could say that about. As important as she thought it was to learn about who they were in the past, she wasn't going to let that define how she saw him in the present. Sun could already feel the weight of a timeless love settling in her heart making it beat faster.
"I won't lose you either," Tom replied. There were times when destiny was a hard thing to ignore, and this was one of them. When the time came, he would fight her just as hard as she was going to fight for him. That was what true partners did. Sun said they weren't going to repeat past mistakes. He just hoped she was right. Their past could only guide them for so long, it was up to them to make different choices.
MID-AFTERNOON:
Sun resisted for as long as she could, but she had to clean her weapons. Undoing the straps, she flipped open the bag Ben had brought her – a replica of the one her great-grandpa had. She looked up in time to see the look of surprise cross Tom's face. "It's just a precaution," she said, removing one of the .45's. Like she had many times before, she dismantled the gun and checked each piece.
"Why would your sister be leading us to a false tomb? Everyone knows that Seti was buried in the Valley of the Kings." Tom sat on the couch, watching her movements. The map was a shock by itself, revealing a tomb left untouched by human hands. The only thing he could think of was that a horrible sandstorm must have covered the tomb, protecting it for all time.
"There's something there she wants us to see," Sun answered as she reassembled her first .45. Putting it back in place, she let her hand hover over the second one, but she didn't pick it up. Then she asked, "Where did you put the puzzle box?"
"Uh…" Tom shifted in his seat, shoving his hand into his right jeans pocket. He didn't remember closing it or slipping it into his pocket. He had this sense that one of them should have the box with them at all times. Handing it over, he watched her open it and examine each interlocking piece.
Sun ran the tip of her finger over every tongue and groove, every tooth. This object didn't remind her of a box per se, more like it was a key. But a key to what? She was trying to remember, but there was this giant black spot keeping her from recalling anything specific. It could only mean that her memories, and Tom's, wouldn't be unlocked until they were retracing steps they'd already taken three thousand years ago.
Tom reached out and took her hand. In her eyes, he saw frustration, and it was a feeling he knew all too well. She was struggling to recall something just as he was, and it had something to do with the box in her hand. "We could just run and not give your sister the satisfaction of playing her game," he suggested. One of them had to.
"If it were only that simple," Sun replied sadly. "I would run to the ends of the Earth with you, but Sarah would force the issue and catch us unaware." When they set foot in Egypt tomorrow, they were stepping onto the stage Sarah had set. This confrontation had to happen so that it could be put to rest for once and for all.
"Do you get the feeling that we should have done that in our first life?" Tom asked with a humorless chuckle coloring his words. He felt as if they'd had this conversation before, but it had gone entirely different. Fear made them stay, made them suffer without one another. Even now, when he wasn't standing next to her, he felt starved for her warmth, for her smile, for the sound of her voice. She was the one woman he craved more than anything and he was finally understanding why his life felt half lived. She was his soul mate.
"If only we had been that brave," Sun said softly. There were other cities they could have gone to, other Kingdoms where they could have lost themselves and have been free from Seti's grip. Punt. Nubia. Further East. They should have just fled in the dead of night and never looked back. If Anck-Su-Namun and Imhotep had fled, how different would their lives be now? Would she even have met Tom? Would she even exist at all? Maybe the choices her past self made were the only ones she could make that would lead Sun to this moment, to give her the chance to live the life that Anck-Su-Namun never could.
Tom watched Sun's face morph from slightly sad to completely blank. She kept turning the box over and over in her hand, her fingers tracing the symbols carved into the dark stone. This was how she appeared when she was thinking. She looked as if she were mentally picturing a map, planning her battle strategy, what moves to make, and when to make them. He sat back, taking a few moments to enjoy the sight of her like this. It was so new and comfortably familiar at the same time. He couldn't help the way his heart swelled with love as he looked at her. It was love, he knew this now. There was no if or when. He was in love with her now; deeply and completely.
Sun saw Tom's face change from guarded to happy, the smile full of love and light. It made her heart skip a beat. "What?" she asked. His smiled widened as he shook his head. Her mind took her back to a moment in time where he was happy. He was lounging on his side, his fingers interlocked over his abdomen while he smiled at her. The bright sun was shining above them, enveloping them in its warmth, giving their love the light it needed to grow. She allowed her eyes to track down his body, the bronze of his skin, the black linen wrapped around his hips, and the trappings of his rank; High Priest. Then, she was back in the present and his expression never changed.
"I'd rather not say… yet," Tom answered her, his tone as like a feather caught on the current of a breeze. She needed to focus on outwitting her sister. The last thing she needed was his proclaiming his love her – three thousand years in the making as it may be. "Tell me what you were thinking about."
"You," Sun said without hesitation. Then she picked up the map, pointing out the oasis to him. "I feel that when we get here, we'll be given some revelation that has been lost to time. A secret buried so deep that…"
"It'll shake the very foundation of our past," Tom finished for her. He held out his hand to her, needing to hold her in his arms. She moved the chair, right in against his side with her arms going around his neck. He embraced her tightly, trying to chase away the sudden coldness settling in their bones with the warmth of his body. "Nefertiri may have seen us as the demons in her tale, but Seti was the devil in ours," he said strongly, his voice on the edge of breaking for some yet as unknown reason. There was this unspoken shadow of sorrow looming over them now and he didn't understand why.
"Are we even ready to learn why?" Sun asked, pulling back slightly so she could look into his eyes. She sat Tom's resolve to know the truth mixed with Imhotep's desire to keep the secret forever contained. Because she could think of nothing else in that moment, she kissed him. She needed to chase away ever single shred of confusing, sadness, and doubt he had bubbling up inside him. She wanted him to be confident in knowing that she loved him. That thought made her freeze, made her break the kiss and stare at him again. Love. Yes, it was love. Whether she said those words today or next year, he could see it in her eyes. It would be enough for now.
Tom pulled her back down, his lips taking hers in an achingly sweet kiss that was not only felt in the present, but echoed back across time, mirroring a stolen moment between lovers. He could almost feel Imhotep, feel the powerful love he had for Anck-Su-Namun calling out to him from the past. Tom had to find a way to use Imhotep's memories to their advantage, to aide Sun against her sister. Unfortunately, the memories were fragmented, or they were shrouded in blackness. Sun was right. Once they set foot in the oasis, more would be revealed to them. It made him impatient to continue on.
MIDNIGHT:
Sun stood by the tailgate of the Range Rover making the last checks to her luggage. The number of weapons she had on her would never get her through Charles De Gaulle airport. In her ruck sack, she carried a single change of clothes, a large canteen, granola and power bars, as well as beef jerky. She also had a black head scarf to protect her from the desert sun with a matching robe, as well as sunglasses and fingerless gloves. When they had started to pack that evening, Tom had put the map, the key, and a few of her grandpa's journals in his satchel. She would resist re-reading the worn leather journal while in the company of strangers; Gavin in particular. He didn't need to know what was going on, only that she needed to get into Egypt under the radar.
"Are you sure this guy is reliable?" tom asked, situated the strap of the satchel across his body. He was making it a point not to stare at Gavin, even though the man was unabashedly staring at Sun. At his side, Tom clenched his fist fighting back the urge to show the other man that he had no place at her side. That spot was reserved for Tom. As if sensing his thoughts, Sun's hand resting on his left hip, her fingers curling into the khaki pants he wore. Her touch went a long way towards calming him.
"He may be a smuggler, but he's an honest one," Sun answered. The look on Tom's face conveyed his thoughts better than any words he could have used. So, she said again, "He's a good man in a dishonest profession, but he'll keep his word and get us safely to where we need to go."
"I don't see why we couldn't have taken a normal flight out…" Tom sighed. All this cloak and dagger mystery was starting to wear him down. It was exciting, her could admit, but after three thousand years of memories coming to the surface, he could use a little less excitement.
"Babe," Sun said affectionately, "with all the weapons I'm lugging around, I wouldn't have a prayer in the Underworld of getting through security, let alone making it onto the plane." When Ben had brought her the bag originally, he and Lyla had taken a ferry across the channel. Less security, more tourists. If she had attempted a normal flight. she would be in handcuffs before she could even shout lawyer. It would be embarrassing and delay things between her and her sister.
Tom couldn't help but chuckle. "'Babe'?"
"Yeah," Sun said with a smirk. "I'm trying it on for size. Do you like it?"
"I do," Tom replied and nodded. "Though, if I'm being honest, I prefer…" he trailed off, listing his hands to caress the air above her face. Sun's eyes closed and she moaned softly. He loved the look of bliss that came over her from the gesture.
Sun didn't have to reply. She didn't even have to open her eyes. Lifting her right hand, she moved it over his face, returning all the love they had between them. It might have started as a secret gesture, but now it had become a symbol that neither of them was willing to let be forgotten. His hands slipped around her waist, holding her close as she touched her forehead to his lips.
Tom was certain Gavin had seen the entire exchange between them. It made the sting of jealously lessen inside him. The other man was of little concern to him now. "If you're sure this is the best way…" he said softly, his lips kissing her brown with each word he spoke.
Sun nodded. "Gavin's already logged a false flight plan. Once we're halfway to Egypt, he'll deactivate the transponder and we'll go dark as we fly to Luxor." She wasn't going to tell him that she'd done this before, more than few times. Each time Gavin had gotten her safely where she secretly needed to go.
Tom locked eyes with her as he said, "I trust you."
Across the field, Ben stood with his mate, Gavin. The pilot couldn't take his eyes off Sun, nor Tom. There was a tick working in Gavin's jaw that made Ben take notice. This had the potential to blow up in their faces if one wrong move was made. He knew his friend had a crush – a hardcore one – on Sun, and before it never seemed to bother Ben to know this. More often than not, he used it to his advantage, but he could see it could become a problem. Especially since Sun was here with Tom and they were looking pretty cozy with each other.
"When she meet him?" Gavin asked, trying his best not to sound suspicious.
Ben fiddled with the leather band on his wrist as he answered, "Few days ago, I think. You'll have to ask Lyla. Why do you care? Thought you were seeing that buxom Scottish girl?"
"I was… then her father found out," Gavin replied cringing.
"Tough break," Ben commented, slapping Gavin on the back. "Let's get this show on the road."
At the Range Rover, Lyla got out of the back seat after having gotten an e-mail from Uncle Richard, Sun's father. "Sun, you better call your dad, it's serious," Lyla warned her cousin. The body of text was vague, but she could read the under current of stress in every word. The situation with Sarah must've escalated.
"Okay," Sun said, sighing. She stepped reluctantly away from Tom and pulled out her cell phone. Before she had the chance to hone him, her father's caller ID popped up with a picture of them on the temple island of Philae. Quickly, she answered it, "Dad, what's the matter?"
"Where are you, Sunshine?"
Sun smiled at her dad's endearment. "I'm in Paris, dad, on my barge," she answered semi-honestly. Technically, she was still in Paris. Thankfully, Gavin hadn't started the plane yet, so she had a little wiggle room to fib.
"Paris? I thought you'd still be in New York."
"I had to get away because… I… met someone." Sun looked right at Tom as she said that to her father. "He's from Paris, so it was perfect." She held up her left hand and then his fingers were lacing with hers, his palm hot against her own.
"You met someone, honey? Why didn't you tell me yesterday when I called?"
"You sounded stressed out about Sarah, I didn't want to have you worry that your youngest was possibly taking up with a serial killer." Sun winked at Tom to let him know she was only kidding. Though, knowing her father, the thought probably would have crossed his mind right after his need to find a shot gun.
"When have I ever thought like that?"
"I was seventeen and a boy asked me out on a date," Sun answered without a moment's pause. However, as much as she loved talking with her dad on the phone, she knew her time was limited. "You sent Lyla an e-mail, but she didn't tell me what it said. Is something wrong, dad? Have you found Sarah?"
"Not yet, baby girl. I did, however, find Avery. Apparently, Sarah put him in hospital in Cairo. He has twelve broken bones and is in a coma for the mean time. Your mother and I are flying there in the morning to be with him. I've tasked a few old Special Forces friends of mine to track her down. I want you to stay in Paris. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, dad, I hear you," Sun said, but she made no promises. "Did the doctor's put him in a medically induced coma or was he already in one?" If Avery had twelve broken bones, he was either pushed from a great height, or was in a car accident. Either way, it looked bad for Sarah.
"Medical. Once your mother and I are at the hospital we'll know more. They were reluctant to tell us much over the phone."
"Is there anything I can do?" Sun asked already knowing the answer he was going to give her.
"Stay in Paris."
"Okay. I love you, daddy," Sun said softly and then ended the call. She had just given herself away, she knew it, but she didn't want him to come to Paris and lock her up somewhere with big hulking Marine's following her every move. Richard O'Connell, former Navy Seal, would have done just that too.
FLIGHT PATH OVER EGYPT
FIVE HOURS IN:
Tom had never been in a private jet before. He imagined the only people having access to one were people with very healthy bank accounts or CEO's of multi-national companions. There was so much more to Sun than he had originally thought. Granted, when he first saw her, he thought it a bit odd that she would be sitting in on college lectures. Boy, he was glad he agreed to take over Andrew's class for the day that ended up being a week-long search for his mystery guest. Beside him, his idea of the perfect woman dozed. Lightly, he traced the bridge of her nose and the little furrow at the tip. She moaned lightly and he smiled. At the worst possible time, his cell phone buzzed. Silently snarling, Tom fished it out of his pocket. He had a missed call from an UNKNOWN number. "Lyla, do you have SAT phone I could use?" he asked the only other person – besides the pilot – who was still awake.
Lyla looked up from her magazine when Tom spoke to her. "Sure, give me a sec…" She got up from her seat and went to the bar. Opening the little liquor cabinet, she felt towards the back where the phone was hidden. Pulling it out, she walked over and handed it to him. "Something wrong?" she asked.
"I got a call from an unknown number and I don't want to call it back from my cell phone," Tom explained. He hoped it wasn't too unreasonable thing to ask.
"If it's a sex line, I won't tell," Lyla joked with a wink.
"Very kind," Tom replied carefully. He dialed the number, listening to it ring. Finally, the call connected, and he said, "I missed a call from this number."
"You rat bastard! You leave without a word and then have the nerve to call me from a blocked number! I'm going to punch you in the face the next time I see you!"
"Andrew, calm down. I had to leave, something came up." Tom looked to his left where Sun was still sleeping.
"Something? Something?! Not good enough! I was busting my ass to try and find your mystery woman and you just vanish. Where are you, anyway?"
"With my mystery woman, on a plane, and we're headed to Paris." Tom hadn't meant to lie, but Andrew didn't need to know what was happening. Things were going to get dangerous and if he knew his friend, Andrew would want to be in the thick of it with him. Tom couldn't let that happen.
"You're an asshole… Did you ever think maybe I wanted to go to Paris too? I got a woman to look for as well. The cute friend of your mystery woman. I was interested in seeing if there might be something there for me."
"I think I can help you out on that one," Tom said cryptically. He waved the sat phone at Lyla, getting her attention. "For you."
Lyla came over, taking the phone from him, and held it to her ear where she asked, "Hello?"
"You're her…"
"Dr, Andrew Combs, I presume…" Lyla giggled, going back to her seat.
"That was nice of you."
Tom looked at Sun. "You're awake?" he asked, though he shouldn't be surprised by that.
"Light sleeper," Sun answered. She watched her cousin revert back to a giddy school girl because the cute boy had finally called her. After all of this was over, she hoped Lyla got the chance to see if there was anything between her and the good Doctor. Sun knew what happiness was. She wanted the same for Lyla.
In the cockpit, Gavin pulled out an encrypted cell phone and sent one message. On route to Luxor. ETA three hours.
TO BE CONTINUED….