Rick could feel his heart pumping in his chest. He swallowed, looking around for a weapon and deciding on a sword in a rack of artifacts and weapons. In fact, it was the very sword Evie had grabbed the night Lock-Nah had come to steal the Bracelet of Anubis. He moved toward the stairs.

Getting the same idea, Evie approached the rack too, intending to pull out another sword but Lock-Nah appeared on the balcony at the top of the stairs. He had a Thompson gun and aimed it between the O'Connells. Firing at Evelyn, he forced her to dodge into the study. Rick moved toward her, but Lock-Nah turned his fire on him, forcing he and Jonathan to rush for cover in the opposite direction.

Evie backed further into the study, listening for the gunfire to stop. One more step back and she ran square into the chest of a tall muscular man. A massive arm wrapped around her neck, holding her tightly to his chest.

Before she even had the chance to call out for help, a deep voice said to her in Ancient Egyptian, "Silence."

Evie saw his other hand reach toward her face, he held a rag with a pungent smell. It was now or never, "Rick!" She was able to call out before the suffocating hand drown out her voice.

Crouched into a defensive stance, Rick and Jonathan were shielded in another room as the automatic gunfire trapped them there. Rick had a gun in his bedroom but that was far too far away. Simultaneously, the gunfire ceased and Evie's cry for help split the air, reaching right into Rick's heart.

"No!" Rick rushed out of the room to see Evelyn draped over the form of a huge man with a black ponytail, "Evie!" he roughly grabbed the man by the arm, spinning him around and raising the sword. Who he was faced with, Rick did not expect. The Scorpion King sneered at him and Rick was stunned for a moment. It was a moment too long. The butt of Lock-Nah's rifle came down on the base of Rick's skull and he crumbled to the ground. Lock-Nah kicked the fallen Rick

Despite most feeling that Jonathan didn't exactly possess the bravery of his sister or brother-in-law, he tended to come through in the end. Jonathan grabbed at the sword Rick had just dropped and attacked, swinging the blade at the huge man. The Scorpion King caught the blade of the sword in his hands and squeezed, his palm started to bleed.

Lock-Nah took Jonathan's collar and hurled him at the wall. Jonathan grunted as he hit, but was knocked unconscious as well.


It was several minutes later that Rick awoke, his head pounding. He groaned, pulling his torso off the floor before seeing Jonathan next to him, unconscious. The memories flooded back and Rick's heart pounded, "Evie?" he called struggling to his feet. He knew he'd seen the Scorpion King, but this time, in a human body.

"She is gone." Said a heavily accented voice behind him. Rick whirled around, seeing a calmly seated man in desert robes sitting on his favorite chair.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

"I am Nassir, I was sent by my master."

"The Scorpion King." Rick growled, approaching Nassir threateningly.

Nassir put a hand up, "If harm comes to me, your family will suffer at the hands of my master."

Rick stopped short, lowering his balled fists, "What does he want?"

"I know nothing of that, I am simply to guide you to him." Nassir answered.

Jonathan groaned behind Rick, waking up. Never taking his eyes off Nassir, Rick helped his brother-in-law to his feet.

Rick exhaled, annoyed, "Alright then, guide me. Let's go."

Nassir did not move, "I am sorry, we must wait three day."

Rick's blue eyes narrowed, "Excuse me?"