Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of "The Mummy" they belong to Stephen Sommers and Universal. I also don't own the characters of "National Treasure" because they belong to Jerry Bruckhemier, Jon Turtletaub and Disney, I think.

Author's Note: I pulled the Egyptian names/meanings off a website I Googled. Akila Bahiti is actually two female first names, which would make her husband and her son both have a female last name. I couldn't think of/find any good last names. Just so you know.

Much thank to the folks that are reviewing!

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Chapter 3: A Safe Place

The fire escape rattled beneath Riley's feet as he followed Natalie out onto it. She turned and pressed a finger to her lips. "Hush, Riley!"

He stopped, looked down, and raised his eyebrows. "Did you just tell me to 'hush"?" he asked her.

She raised her eyes skyward. Then, "Come on, down we go." She started climbing down the rickety grate stairs.

Riley followed her slowly down. "This is insane," he grumbled.

They got to the fifth floor when Riley and Natalie heard yelling from above them. Riley looked up through the grates. The two men were standing in the window of the hallway near Natalie's apartment, looking out. Then down.

And Riley locked eyes with one. And he didn't like what he saw. "Natalie!" he yelled. "Go faster!"

She turned, looked up. "Wonderful!" She started taking the stairs two at a time. Riley clambered down behind her.

Something pinged into the railing dangerously close to Riley's hand. It sparked. "They're shooting at us!" he yelled. He got to the first floor landing and jumped the rail into the alley behind the building.

"Come on!" Natalie led him out into the streets. Cairo's nightlife was just beginning to come alive. She led Riley right into the thick of traffic. Horns blared, and people swore at him in Arabic. And sometimes in English.

"Where are we going?" Riley yelled up to Natalie.

"The subway!" Natalie called back. "Don't stop running!"

Another shot pinged off a car next to Riley's head. Riley ducked and swore under his breath. He dared to look back. "What the-"

The two men from the apartment building were right behind him. But there was no way they could have made it down all nine flights of stairs in time to catch up... Riley ignored the thoughts for now and kept running.

Natalie ducked into a restaurant, Riley close on her heels. They bolted through the dining area. Several patrons yelled at them and shook their fists. Riley slammed into a server with a tray, sending food flying. He pulled a chair from an empty table and stuck it in the aisle, hoping to slow their attackers.

Natalie ran into the kitchen, dodging cooks and servers like a slalom skier. Riley was right behind her. Another shot pinged off a pot hanging from the stove. Riley heard someone cry out in pain and hoped they were all right.

Natalie hadn't looked back to see if Riley was still behind her. She burst into the alley behind the restaurant and ducked behind a trash bin. She waited.

A few moments later, someone else burst out the back door. "Riley!" Natalie yelled from her hiding place. "Riley, here!"

He spotted her and jogged over. "I think..." he said, catching his breath, "that we lost them."

The back door burst open. Riley shook his head. "Guess not!"

Natalie grabbed his hand again and took off. Riley barely had time to take a breath before he was running again. She led them into oncoming traffic again. If those guys don't kill us, the cars will! Riley thought as he ran. He resisted the urge to yell back at the drivers and pedestrians that were chewing him out in Arabic. Mostly because he didn't know a lick of Arabic.

More shots rang out. One slammed into the streetlight right next to Natalie's head. She cried out in surprise, but kept running. What would Grandpa Alex do? Then she saw it. "Riley! Help me!"

She was standing in front of a newspaper stand. "Excuse me, sir, we need to borrow this," Natalie said. Unfortunately for her, he didn't speak English, and thought she was trying to rob him. He started spouting off in Arabic. Natalie took a handful of paper and magazines and gestured to Riley to do the same. "On three!" she yelled. "One! Two! Three!" Natalie threw her handful backwards and up into the air. Riley followed suit. The hail of paper and glossy magazines raining down slowed their attackers a little.

"We can't keep this up much longer!" Natalie panted. "The subway station is still another four blocks, and I can't run in these bloody shoes any more!" To prove her point, she peeled her heels off and threw them into the street. They banged off a cab. The driver rolled the window down and shook his fist.

Which gave Riley an idea. "Natalie!" he yelled, ducking into the street. "Come on!"

He opened the cabbie's door. "Sorry, pal," he said, grabbing the driver by the collar and throwing him out onto the pavement. Natalie followed him, climbing into the passenger's seat. "Drive!" she yelled.

Riley hit the gas pedal and the cab peeled out into the street. After a few moments, he checked the rearview. "I don't see them." He was breathing hard. He looked over at Natalie. In his best British accent, he asked, "Where to, miss?"

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Don't ever do that again," she said. "Take this exit, here."

"Where are we going?" Riley asked in a normal tone.

Natalie pointed. The Great Pyramids loomed in the distance. "Giza," she said. "We're going to Giza."

"What's in Giza?" Riley asked her.

"Turn here," she instructed. "A college friend of mine. Her name is Akila. Maybe we can hide with her for a bit."

They were silent for a few moments. Then Riley said, "So. What happened after your great-grandpa and those guys saved your grandma?"

Natalie smiled. She pulled the book out again. "Let's see. Where was I?" She flipped through the pages. "Ah. Here we are. After Grandpa Alex, Rick, Jonathan and Ardeth burst into the museum, they discovered that Imhotep had already been brought back to life. The men saved my grandmother and took off through the streets of London." She snorted. "Hmph, much like we have been."

Riley chuckled. "Long as no mummies come back to life. Keep going?"

"Uh, no. Next exit," Natalie said. "Anyway, Imhotep released an army of high priest mummies. Tough fiends. But in the end, they were dead and everyone thought they were safe."

"And, of course, they weren't," Riley said.

"Exactly. No sooner had they stopped than the man Lock-Nah took Grandpa Alex and shoved him into a car."

"And he was wearing the bracelet, right?"

"Yes," Natalie said. "How did you-"

"Internet," Riley shrugged. "They thought the Bracelet of Anubis would lead them to where the Scorpion King was buried."

"Precisely," Natalie said, impressed. "Here. Turn here."

Akila Bahiti lived in a small house that almost sat virtually in the shadow of Cheops's Great Pyramid. Riley parked the cab a distance away and they walked back to the house. Natalie knocked on the door and waited. Riley heard someone inside crying, and then footsteps that stopped at the door. "Who is it?" a female voice called.

"Akila, it's Natalie!" Natalie called back.

There was a pause. Then the door opened.

Akila Bahiti was 25, with long black hair and tanned skin. She had large almond-shaped eyes that were ocean blue. Her face lit up when she saw Natalie. "Nat!" she squealed, throwing her arms around her. Natalie returned the hug. "It's so good to see you!" Akila said. She held her at arms' length. "I haven't seen you in forever! What are you doing in Giza? I thought you were working in England?"

Natalie smiled. "I was. Then I moved here. There was an opening at the Egyptian Museum. I'm a docent."

"That's wonderful!" Akila squeezed Natalie hand. Then she looked past Natalie to where Riley was standing. "Who's your friend?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

Natalie turned. "Akila, this is Riley Poole."

Akila's jaw dropped. "Wait, wait. The Riley Poole?"

Riley's face turned red. "Yup, that'd be me."

"I saw you on the cover of Newsweek," Akila gushed. "My husband was very jealous."

"I was not!" a voice called from the other room.

Akila, ushered Natalie and Riley inside. She led them into the kitchen. A man sat there with a little baby boy. "Natalie, this is my husband Hasani," Akila said. "And the handsome little fellow next to him is Sudi."

Natalie looked at the little boy. "Sudi. The name means 'lucky,'" she said. She looked at Akila questioningly.

Akila smiled softly. "He was premature. But he made it. My lucky one," she said, looking at him. Then she turned to Natalie. "Sit, sit," she said, nodding to the couch. Natalie took a seat. Riley opted to stand. "So, Miss Natalie. What brings you to my home at-" she checked her watch- "9:30 at night?"

"Actually, Akila," Natalie began, "we're in a bit of trouble."

Akila and her husband exchanged looks. "What sort of trouble?" Hasani asked.

"Well," Natalie bit her lip and looked at Riley for help.

"I, uh...well, there's these guys that're after Egypt's part of the Freemason treasure," Riley said. "They've pretty much chased us all over Cairo."

Akila spread her hands and looked at them. "Well, you obviously don't have the treasure on you, so why chase you?" she asked.

Riley shrugged. "That's what I can't figure out. These guys...I dunno." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Okay, see, here's the thing. The treasure is coming in on a plane from New York City tomorrow. It's inside a box that requires a passcode. Ben has the code and so do I."

"But then why not wait?" Hasani asked Riley.

"Because it's pointless to try to steal the treasure if they can't get into the box. But if they had Riley, maybe..." Natalie thought about it. Then she snapped her fingers. "All right. They take Riley. Then they...I don't know, they threaten him either for the combination...or they have him do it himself."

Riley winced. "You've put a lot of thought into this, huh?"

Natalie shook her head. "Blame my overactive imagination," she said by way of apology. "Akila, I know we're probably putting you out. But we need a place to hide out for the night."

Hasani whispered something to his wife. Akila nodded. "Hasani has a garage down the street. You can stay there."

"Thank you," Natalie told him. He gave her directions and told her where the hidden key was.

Akila walked them to the door. She gave Natalie a hug. "You stay safe, my friend," she told her.

Natalie hugged her back. "I will. You take care of that little boy," she said. "And I expect to see you more than once every five years."

"I'll keep in better touch," Natalie promised.

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The streets were dark, but Natalie found the garage with ease. Hasani's Auto, the hand-painted sign read. Natalie found the hidden key in the oilcan bottom in the tire next to the door. She opened the door and flicked on the light.

"Here," she said, gesturing to the car that was sitting there. "You want the front seat or the back?"

Riley smiled. He pointed to a pile of rags in a corner. "You take the backseat. I'll sleep there."

"You can't possibly be serious," Natalie said. "Riley-"

"I'm not arguing with you," he said flatly. "I'm too tired to care." He took his bag off to use as a pillow, lay back on the pile and closed his eyes. "Good night, Natalie."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "So stubborn," she whispered, hitting the light switch and climbing into the car.

"I heard that," Riley mumbled from his corner.