Disclaimer: Same as previous chapter but I don't own the Tomb Raider series as well.
Chapter 1
As the plane landed in Egypt Andrew began to get excited as he hadn't been here in ages, he got off and looked around until he saw a young man holding a sign saying "Missouri."
Andrew went up to him and said, "Hello? I'm Missouri."
"Missouri," the man said, "I am Sallah's servant, he wishes you to come to right away as he has many things to explain."
Andrew nodded picking up his bags and followed the man out to a waiting car and got in, the man was silent for the trip as they headed to Sallah's place.
Sallah waited for Andrew to come, he hadn't seen little Missouri in years ever since Indy had to give Andrew up to protect him and his family, he adored Andrew.
As he looked around he saw that his daughters were preparing dinner to welcome Missouri, he hoped Missouri wasn't too spoiled by American food that he wouldn't enjoy a traditional dinner.
"Ah Indiana," he said to himself, "What have you involved your grandson and I into? But a vow is a vow."
When Andrew came up Sallah smiled and said, "Missouri Jones, or do you prefer Andrew Wells? I am unsure of what to call you my young friend."
"Please call me Andrew for now Sallah, until I'm ready to go by Missouri."
"It is what it is," Sallah said, "Come, I have prepared dinner, join me my friend."
As they walked to the dining room Andrew mumbled, "I'm sorry I didn't come to the funeral, I didn't even know he had died."
"Yes," Sallah said softly, "There was no funeral to speak of, Indy only wished to be cremated and his ashes sprinkled by you in the desert around the great pyramids, we shall do this together tomorrow."
Andrew smiled a bit, "Of course Sallah."
As they walked to the dining room Andrew saw Sallah's large brood, Sallah sighed, "If only your grandfather had given you to me."
"Maybe grandpa thought the guys after him would target you too."
"Perhaps," Sallah said softly, "But we will talk of such things later, now is a good time to eat."
As they ate Sallah regarded Andrew, compared to his grandfather at his age Andrew was softer than Indy was, not that this was truly a bad thing.
Andrew answered questions about how his life was in Sunnydale and told Sallah's great granddaughters that he wasn't looking for a wife or a girlfriend.
Sallah smiled softly as they ate dessert and said, "Tomorrow Andrew and I shall travel to Giza and we will be gone for a few days."
They nodded and Sallah said, "Daughters, I have to take Andrew to talk for awhile in private."
Andrew smiled shyly at the girls and followed Sallah out, Andrew smiled and said, "Sorry Sallah, I meant no disrespect to any of them, I."
Sallah held his hand up and said, "Think nothing of it Andrew, they only jest."
"Yes, I know," Andrew said, "It's just a bit odd that they'd come on to me."
As they sat down in the library Sallah smiled, "The years have been good to me and indeed to my family, many archaeologists need diggers and your grandfather's kind words and recommendations have earned my gratitude and my friendship many times over and I am honoured to help his grandchild."
Andrew smiled, "So about this dig, I'm surprised that they didn't ask you to come?"
"Please," Sallah said, "Something about it seemed off, I don't know what they were looking for but it was obviously interesting and the warning that your grandfather translated was the final straw."
Sallah passed the warning into Andrew's hands and Andrew read out, "Beware the false evil gods; they steal the souls and bodies of the people."
"Your Grandfather, shortly before his death, became interested in this one dig. I have his journals with me, come and look."
Andrew pulled out his own journal and said, "Grandpa hid this one his old jacket and resized it to fit me."
Sallah looked at it and said, "Indeed a great mystery, he was interested in a young man's work; a Dr Daniel Jackson, his work was not treated kindly as he was laughed out of many conferences, it hurt your Grandfather to see that, in his day people at least listened respectfully."
Andrew sighed, "It does seem rather bad I guess."
"Indeed, your grandfather tried to approach him a great many times but at the time Dr Jackson was angry and would storm out," Sallah said, "But your grandfather grew concerned when Dr Jackson dropped off the face of the planet and no papers were written by him since then."
As Sallah got up he looked at Andrew and said, "Tomorrow you and I will go to Giza together to fulfill your grandfather's wishes."
That night Andrew slept soundly he felt comfortable, remembering the last times he had been here.
As Andrew dreamed, he was walking through the home he shared with grandpa and Andrew felt sad as he walked through the old musty library, he saw himself as a young boy sitting on his Grandfather's lap being snuggled and read to, he walked past himself being taught how to use the whip like his grandfather. He looked at his Grandpa and whispered, "I'm sorry for not being there."
Andrew woke, his eyes watering and looked outside and realized that he had made a promise to Graham, he could call once but he'd call tomorrow night when he knew he wouldn't wake anyone up. He dressed and walked outside and looked at the sun as it rose over Cairo.
He heard Sallah call out, "Andrew, we are leaving now, we have a long journey."
Andrew rushed out and said, "Alright Sallah."
As they drove to Giza, Andrew listened to Sallah explain more about the dig and said, "Umm, Paul Langford?"
"Ah, Paul Langford and your Grandfather only met once and I believe he called your Grandfather a tomb robber, it went downhill from there. He has a daughter, Catherine Langford; well known in her own right and she is smart, you may want to talk to her as well."
Andrew made a face and said, "Later maybe."
At the site Andrew looked around and saw nothing, Sallah sighed, "This is where I must inform you that you are venturing into dangerous territory Missouri and if you want to continue then you must train physically and mentally; six months here and six months in England with a friend of your Grandfather's, she'll finish your training."
"Now," Sallah said, "The desert and I shall train you, I will not enjoy this Andrew but I promised your grandfather."
Andrew paled but he knew he was in no shape for intrigue or if someone started to shoot at him.
Sallah took him to the Great Pyramids and he spilled his grandfather's ashes and watched the hot desert wind pick them up and take them into the air.
Andrew sighed, "I'll try and make you proud grandfather."
He looked at Sallah and said, "I promised a friend in the states that I'd keep in contact with him at least."
"You shall be allowed Andrew," Sallah said, "And I promise you that this will be for the good."
In Sunnydale Graham opened his Email and saw a message from Andrew and he opened it.
Hey Graham, I promised you that I'd contact keep in contact with you and I will do my best but I'm going to be gone for a while, not really sure how long but at least a year and I'll understand if you don't wanna be my friend for that long.
Graham sat frozen in his seat, 'A year? Andrew was going to be gone for a year? A whole year?' He walked down and saw Buffy sitting watching TV and said, "Well, Andrew sent me an email and he's going to be gone for a year."
Buffy smiled, "Hey, maybe he won't be gone that long and Graham, it's a year not a century. He's the first guy you've got a crush on, right?"
"Yeah," Graham said softly, "But a year? What is he doing for a year in Egypt?"
"Don't worry, maybe you can ask him when he comes back, right?"
Graham looked down and walked off and Buffy frowned, Graham fell hard; first that little snit about Andrew calling him a great friend. She hoped that Andrew at least had some feelings for Graham.
Meanwhile in Egypt Andrew sat at the pool splashing his face with cool water and groaned as everything hurt, his skin was sunburnt, blistering in other places. Sallah's course was hard, beyond hard and he thought high school gym classes was difficult, man he had grown soft, he wasn't hard before but he remembered being tougher with grandpa. That month in the desert was hard and hot, he must've lost twenty pounds of fat and water.
Sallah came behind him and said, "A month in the desert and do you wish to quit Andrew? Do you wish to go home and be your mother's boy and forget about your grandpa?"
"No," Andrew said as Sallah took him back to the obstacle course.
"Good," Sallah said, "Now let's do this course in less time than we did before, yes?"
Andrew nodded and Sallah yelled, "Run boy, run like your life depends on it because one day it very well may depend on it."
As Andrew ran on the burning sands he barely felt the pain now, four months of that had made sure of this as he climbed a rope, he even knew that the words Sallah said weren't done to be mean.
After his ten hour workout Sallah watched Andrew swim in the oasis and smiled proudly, 'Andrew's getting better and better, it had been so hard at first. The shyness is still there but Indy's English contact will handle that,' he thought.
Andrew bathed happily in the cold water and thought about Dr Jackson's theories, if his grandfather thought they had merit then he'd look into it and even visit Dr Jackson himself.
Sallah smiled inwardly, 'Andrew looks a bit more like Indy did at his age now, maybe Andrew will follow in Indy's footsteps.'
"So," Andrew asked Sallah, "whose Grandpa's English contact?"
"She is the daughter of one of Indy's good friends, her name is Lara Croft; a talented explorer herself, she is quite known in some circles and your Grandfather ended up helping out in some cases of hers."
"Cool," Andrew grinned, "Guess I'll meet her in England soon."
"Indeed," Sallah smiled, "I've never been there but the British are well remembered here."
Andrew sighed as he floated in the water and looked at his peeling skin and winced, he was peeling bad as he had such pale skin.
Sallah sighed, "Most of your lessons with me will soon be over but you must come with me to the oldest part of the city, I found someone who might be able to tell us what the mysterious object that was buried is. Tomorrow that is, enjoy the pleasures that Cairo have to offer tonight Andrew."
Andrew shook his head, "I'm tired Uncle Sallah, it's time for bed."
As he walked away Sallah smiled again, 'He called me Uncle Sallah, its good hear that again.'
Andrew snored contentedly in bed while wondering what was going on in Sunnydale, as he slept he dreamt of his friends and thought, 'Damn, I actually miss Sunnydale or at least my friends there,' Graham and Jonathon were foremost in his mind.
When Andrew woke up he got dressed and got up, he stretched out happily getting ready to go with Sallah to this place, he didn't mind going exploring today.
Sallah walked over and said, "Andrew, it's time to go."
They got into Sallah's car and as they drove Sallah sighed, "I truly believe Cairo was at its best before the Second World War, your grandfather and I had many fine adventures here. Did he tell you of the quest for the Ark of the Covenant or perhaps our quest for the Holy Grail?"
"Umm, the Ark I know about," Andrew said, "But he never told me much of the Holy Grail, that was with my Great Grandfather, right?"
"Oh yes," Sallah said, "And I'll mention this in confidence but both your Great Grandfather and Grandfather drank from it, he even let me drink it a sip mind you but it is what left us vital. Your Great Grandfather was nearly ninety when he died but he even got to cradle you in his arms as a mere babe, said that you were the second sweetest baby he ever saw, the first being your Grandfather."
"So what," Andrew muttered, "Grandpa and you were immortal?"
"Oh no," Sallah said, "Our lives were lengthened but we age outwardly," he looked down, "I truly believe that you would've been in your fifties when we go to our final resting place."
Andrew giggled and said, "I always wondered how grandpa could outrun me when I was five, I mean he used to chase me around and played with me, he tuckered me out sometimes."
"Your grandfather treasured you Andrew," Sallah said softly, "Your mother despised it you know, when he changed your name to Missouri Jones."
Andrew smiled, "I know that, mom and dad kept yelling at me that my name is Andrew Wells, I kept it but only grandpa called me Missouri."
The rest of the trip was done in silence; Andrew remembering his grandfather and Sallah remembering the past streets of Cairo.
When they stopped Andrew helped Sallah out and they walked up and saw an old man looking at them, Andrew waited until Sallah introduced him to the old man.
The old man looked at him and said, "I am honoured to meet you Missouri Jones, it is an honour to tell my father's story to one who will listen."
The man sighed, "It was odd, my father said that the item they dragged out of the sands was a circle of stone with odd engravings, he touched it and in his letter he said that the circle didn't feel like stone, it felt like something else."
Andrew nodded, "Something made of stone but is not stone? Interesting."
"A day later," the man said, "My father and the others disappeared, I lost my father that day in what they said was a sandstorm and while sandstorms can be dangerous for even the most experienced man there was no storm that day. If you find them please ask them what happened to my father, if only for some peace for me and my family."
"I promise," Andrew said gravely, "I'll find out your father's fate and tell you or your family."
The man nodded, "Thank you Missouri Jones, I hope you find something to give both of our family's peace of mind."
Andrew nodded and walked out followed by Sallah, who looked at Andrew and said, "You better mean what you say Andrew, a promise is meant to be kept, not broken."
"I know," Andrew said, "But this mystery has claimed that man's life and my grandfather's life."
Sallah smiled, "You looked almost like your grandfather right there, it brought back good memories."
Andrew smiled brightly and said, "Thanks Uncle Sallah, that, umm, means a lot to me."
"Good," Sallah said, "You have but a month with me then you must head to England, we have little time to train you."
During the last month Sallah trained Andrew harder; the obstacle course was harder on Andrew but he was getting used to climbing ropes and rock climbing.
Sallah yelled, "You can do this Andrew, you don't wish to shame your Grandfather's legacy by letting his blood that flows through your veins spill on this hot dry sand, do you?"
"No," Andrew said, sweating as he climbed the last rock and Sallah smiled as he held out a cup of water.
"Do you want water Andrew?" Sallah demanded, "Or do you want finish this course like a man?"
Andrew kept running across the burning sand and Sallah nodded.
That night Andrew, with Sallah's permission, called Sunnydale. First Jonathon, who gave him the lowdown on what was going on in Sunnydale.
Graham was taking the day off when the phone rang bit early in the morning but it was Andrew, only he called this early. He picked the phone up and choked out, "Andrew?"
Andrew smiled as he heard his friend's voice and said, "Graham, how are you?"
"Good," Graham said, "But wishing you were with us right now, safe. You know what I mean?"
"I'm safe," Andrew sighed, "Graham, it's alright. I feel better than I have in years, I promise you."
Graham smiled, "I know, but what's going on?"
"Umm," Andrew said, "I'm leaving Egypt soon."
"Really?" Graham said, "You're coming home, right?"
"No," Andrew said, "I'm spending six months in England then I'm coming home Graham, I promise."
Graham smiled, "Cool, I can't wait to hear your tales about your exotic adventures there."
"Okay," Andrew said as he hung up, he wondered, not for the first time, 'Why Graham is so interested in knowing about me?' Andrew fell asleep, snoring softly.
As Andrew hung up Graham shook his head, 'England? He's going to England?'
The next month as Andrew was getting ready to leave Sallah smiled, "Andrew, your grandfather's journals will be sent with you, if there are any clues to our little mystery they shall be in there."
Andrew put on his leather jacket and fedora on and said to Sallah, "I owe you a lot still; I won't be able to pay you back.
Sallah grabbed Andrew into a bear hug and said, "My little friend it is alright, I owed your Grandfather much."
"My friend," Sallah said to no one in particular, "That boy could be great one day."
TBC
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