Author's note: Here's another chapter up for you guys. I think this might be my shortest time between updates for this story yet! Anyway I hope you enjoy and please review.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Mummy. All rights belong to the creators and writers of the film.
The three stood in silence for a moment before Rick shook himself off and pulled them all back into focus. "Dammit!" he cried. "That's two down. There's only two more to go."
"And then he'll be coming after Evie," Jonathan said glumly.
Ava gasped. "And we've just made it easier for him," she whispered.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Rick asked her confused.
"He's going after Henderson and Daniels and we left them alone with Evie," Ava explained turning on her heels and rushing for the door. "He only has one stop to go."
"Oh my god," Rick exclaimed. "We've got to get back there." The three ran at full speed back to the hotel. They had just reached the stairs when the saw Daniels approaching them with two glasses of bourbon. "Why the hell aren't you on guard?!"
"Never mind about that now!" Ava snapped taking two steps at a time. "We have to get to Henderson and Evie!"
"Why? What's going on?" Daniels asked dropping his drinks in panic. No one bothered to answer him though as they burst into the hotel room to find Henderson's dried up corpse on the floor.
"We're too late," Ava groaned ignoring Daniels shocked cries.
"You don't imagine he's still here do you?" Jonathan questioned nervously.
"We're about to find out," Rick replied storming menacingly towards the doors leading to Evelyn's room.
"Wait!" Ava cried.
"Ava, we don't have time…" Rick began but shut up when she shoved Evie's white cat into his arms.
"He's afraid of cats, right?" she reasoned. "If he sees it maybe he'll flee again."
Rick smiled at her. "Good thing one of us got Mom's brains," he said before turning around and breaking down the bedroom's doors. Ava gasped as she saw the mummy forcefully kissing a freaked out Evelyn. "Hey! Get your ugly face off her!" The mummy immediately turned around to face them, his rotten mouth open and roaring. Rick held up the white cat like it was a sword. "Look what I got, huh?" The cat hissed and Imhotep stepped back before disappearing from the room.
"Well that was a close one," Ava sighed before helping Evie, who'd flung herself off the bed to get away from Imhotep, to her feet. "You okay?"
"Well, I'm not sure," Jonathan replied weakly and Ava shot him a look.
"Jonathan, I was asking your sister," she told him.
"Oh yes, of course," Jonathan said looking embarrassed.
"C'mon, we have to get back to the museum," Rick ordered. "We're gonna need the curator and desert man's help to take this fella down."
"Yes, alright," Ava replied following her brother out of the room, but paused when she saw the stricken look on Daniels face as he stared at his friend. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We're going to fix this. Everything's going to be okay." He turned to her and nodded his head, but she could tell he didn't believe her.
Jonathan quickly drove them back to the museum and they hurried inside. "Your back," the Curator said as they rushed into the room.
"We need your help," Rick said bluntly. "There's only one guy left of the group that opened the chest. We gotta find a way to end this guy. We gotta find a weapon or something."
"I have already told you no mortal weapon can kill the creature," the man in black, who'd been with the Curator, replied stiffly.
"Well, then we need to find an immortal one!" Rick cried repeating Evie's words from earlier. Ava choked back a laugh at the outraged expression on her new friend's face, and forced herself to remain serious.
"There must be something," Ava said stepping towards the man in black. "You said your people have been protecting the world from this creature for centuries. You must have heard of some way to stop him if he was ever revived." The man in black stared at her intrigued, but said nothing. It was the curator who answered her.
"There may be a way, but it will not be an easy task," he said.
"What way?" Ava and Rick asked, pushing for an answer.
The curator hesitated before turning to his friend. "Should we tell them?" he asked.
"We do not have a choice," the desert man replied. "They could be our only hope to stopping the creature."
The curator nodded and turned back to the group. "Alright then, follow me," he ordered and led them up a flight of stairs.
"Where are we going?" Rick asked impatiently.
"To have Miss. Carnahan read some hieroglyphics that might reveal the location of the other book regarding the legend of Imhotep," the Curator replied.
"What?" Rick and Ava asked.
Evie sighed and replied, "According to legend, the Black Book that the Americans found at Hamunaptra is supposed to bring people back from the dead. Until now, it was a notion I was unwilling to believe."
"Well believe it sister," Rick retorted as they reached the hieroglyphics. "That's what brought our buddy back to life."
"Yes," Evie murmured studying the ancient writing. "I'm thinking that if the Black Book can bring dead people to life…"
"Then maybe the Gold book can kill him," Ava exclaimed.
"That's the myth," Evie answered. "Now we just have to find out where the Gold Book is hidden." Ava was about to ask if she had any ideas about that when she heard chanting approaching the building.
"Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep."
"Is that…people?" Ava questioned staring over the rail at the doors to the museum. She squinted through on of the windows above the door and gasped as she saw hundreds of people walking woodenly towards the museum, their skin covered on angry boils and sores.
"Last but not least, my favorite plague… boils and sores," Jonathan explained much too cheerfully.
"They have become his slaves," the desert man said stoically. "So it has begun… the beginning of the end."
"Not quite yet it hasn't," Evie replied still studying the hieroglyphics, ignoring the banging on the museum doors as the enslaved people tried to break in. "According to the Bembridge scholars, the golden book of Amun-Ra is located inside the Statue of Anubis."
"That's where we found the black book!" Daniels supplied.
"Exactly," Evie replied.
"Well, looks like the old boys at Bembridge were mistaken," Jonathan said.
"Yes, they mixed up the books," Evie cried excitedly. "Mixed up where they were buried. So, if the black book is inside the Statue of Anubis, then the golden book must be inside…" Ava's attention was drawn away from Evelyn's rambling when the doors to the museum burst open and Imhotep's slaves came spilling inside.
"Oh god," she groaned glancing over the railing. There were thousands of them!
"C'mon Evie, faster!" Jonathan urged.
"Patience is a virtue," Evie trilled.
"Not right now it isn't," she and Rick snapped glancing away from the people pouring into the museum.
"Uh, I think I'll go start the car," Jonathan murmured before quickly hurrying off.
"I've got it!" Evie cried suddenly. "The golden book of Amun-Ra is at Hamunaptra, inside the Statue of Horus. Take that Bembridge scholars!"
"Yes, yes, you're very clever," Ava said hurriedly. "Now let's go!" She pushed the girl forward towards their exit and the rest of the group followed quickly behind.
"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Daniels cried as they approached Jonathan's car. "Get this thing in gear, boy! Let's get outta here!"
"Hurry up!" Jonathan yelled and helped Ava jump into the back seat of the car. Ava sighed in relief as everyone piled into the car. "Everyone in?"
"Imhotep! Imhotep!" they all heard a frantic voice cry out. Ava gasped as she saw Rick's old friend pointing his finger directly at him, and she followed the gaze of the weaselly man up to the window of the museum. She trembled in fear as she saw the mummy standing in the window glaring down at them.
"You're gonna get yours Beni! You hear me?!" Rick yelled as the car began to pull away from the building. "YOU'RE GONNA GET YOURS!"
"Next time I see your friend Rick, I'm sending a round of bullets through him," Ava declared pulling her gun from its holster.
"You won't see me stopping you," Rick replied from the front seat. She was in the backseat with the man in black, Daniels, and the museum's curator. They all sat on edge as Imhotep's slaves continued to chase after them. The car suddenly screeched to a stop and Ava braced herself as she prepared to slam into the driver's seat. She was surprised when the man in black held his arm out in front of her to hold her back in place.
The man was staring down at her in concern and looked like he was about to say something when Rick suddenly yelled, "Hang on!" They all jerked back in their seats as they car plowed into the enslaved people who'd been blocking their car. Immediately they began trying to climb into the car. Ava swung viciously at them, knocking the people out of the car while trying to keep her balance. A sharp turn made her stumble a little and one of the slaves got a hold of her arm and began pulling her out of the vehicle.
"Rick!" she screamed struggling to shove the person off her, but she was losing the battle. Suddenly, the man in black loomed up over her and punched her captor square in the face, forcing him to let go. She felt the man in black grab a hold of her arm and he pulled her back into the car. She didn't have time to thank him though since others were still trying to stop them. Ava had just shoved another townsperson out of the car when she saw two people grab ahold of Daniels.
"O'Connell! O'Connell!" Daniels cried. Ava desperately tried to reach him but could not stop his attackers in time. She began to slide down the back of the car when it suddenly crashed into a stand nearby.
"Okay, go! Go!" Rick ordered as they all hurried out of the car. Ava headed back in the direction where they'd lost Daniels but the desert man gripped her arm and pulled her along with the rest of the group.
"It is too late to save him," the man in black said firmly.
"But we have to try!" Ava cried struggling against his grasp. "He doesn't deserve to die. Not like that."
The man looked down at her, dark eyes stern. "You cannot help him," he told her urging her on. They continued to run but they did not get far. They were quickly cornered by the enslaved crowd. Ava's fear only grew when Imhotep finally stepped out of the crowd. He was fully regenerated now and he just oozed power.
"It's the creature!" the Curator gasped. "He's fully regenerated."
"Yes, we can see that," Ava snapped clutching onto her brother's arm as the creature came closer.
"Keetah mi pharos, aja nilo, isirian," Imhotep ordered in a deep voice looking directly at Evie. Ava squirmed uncomfortably. Fully regenerated it was hard to remember this guy was the bad guy. She kind of wanted him to order her around some.
"Come with me, my princess," Beni translated. "It is time to make you mine, forever."
"For all eternity, idiot," Evie corrected harshly. Ava smirked. Leave it to Evie to care about correct translations in a time like this!
Imhotep stepped forward, holding his hand out for the British woman to take. "Take my hand, and I will spare your friends," he told her.
"Oh dear," Evie sighed before turning to Rick. "Have you got any bright ideas?"
"I'm thinkin', I'm thinkin'," Rick muttered in reply before glancing over at Ava. "You?"
"Absolutely none," Ava replied grimacing.
Evie sighed again. "Well you better think of something fast because if he turns me into a mummy, you're the first one I'm coming after," Evie said before stepping towards Imhotep.
"No!" Rick cried unholstering his gun.
"Don't!" Evie cried. Ava and the man in black quickly grabbed ahold of Rick. "He still has to take me to Hamunaptra to perform the ritual."
"She's right," the desert man said earnestly. "Live today, fight tomorrow."
"Please Rick," Ava begged when it looked like he was still going to shoot. "I need you, too." Rick glanced at her, his face torn before finally lowering his weapon. Ava felt relief wash over her and she let go of his arm.
"I'll be seeing you again," Rick told the mummy threateningly.
Beni suddenly darted towards Jonathan and snatched the puzzle box out of his pocket. "Hey, that's mine!" Jonathan cried indignantly.
"Thank you," Beni replied barely dodging a kick from Ava. She started to chase after the little piece of swine when she heard the deep rumble of Imhotep's voice again. She froze ad gasped when she saw the townspeople closing in on them again. She stumbled back and turned to see her brother tossing a street grate aside.
"The catacombs?" she cried dismayed, her fear of being underground surfacing.
"You have any better ideas?" Rick shot back shoving Jonathan towards the hole.
"What about my sister?" Jonathan argued.
"We're gonna get her back! Go!" Rick ordered and Ava watched as Jonathan jumped down the hole into the catacombs below. Rick grabbed the desert man and shoved him towards the open grate. "Your next!" Ava breathing grew a little shallow as she thought about going in there.
"Rick," she whispered as he urged her forward. She cleared her throat and spoke a little more loudly. "Rick, I'm not going in there."
"Oh yes you are," Rick said grabbing her by the wrist.
"No I'm not. Riiiick!" she screeched as he dropped her down. Strong arms caught her and she clung to thick, black fabric as she tried to regain her breath.
"Are you alright?" the mysterious desert man asked. She did not get a chance to answer as Rick suddenly dropped down into the catacombs with them.
"Where's the Curator?" Jonathan asked.
"He stayed behind to hoard them off," Rick replied shortly.
Ava shook her head, pulling herself into focus. "Well we have to go back up and help him," she said firmly. "We have too-" She was cut off as the sound of footsteps pounded towards them. They all stared down a dark corridor and saw they were still being pursued.
"Let's go!" Rick cried pushing her forwards. They did not get far though before an attacker grabbed ahold of Rick and slammed him into a wall. The rest swarmed then then and they all struggled to free themselves. Ava smashed her gun into the attackers' faces hoping to knock them out. She didn't want to shoot anyone. It was not these people's fault that they were attacking them. She knew Imhotep just had them under a spell. She had just managed to fend off her own attackers when she saw that the desert man was losing his battle to his remaining two attackers. Without any hesitation she raised her gun and aimed it for the attacker who currently had his arms wrapped around the desert man's throat. She pulled the trigger, wincing as the blood and brain matter splattered the walls around them. But her shot had given the man in black the chance to break free of the remaining attacker.
The man in black spun around and slit the attacker's throat with his long blade. He turned to her suddenly and they stared intently at each other for a few seconds before the sounds of the others' battle forced them back into action. The two quickly helped Jonathan and Rick take down the remaining slaves. They continued to struggle through the catacombs for a while before finally there was no one left to fight.
"Persistent little buggars, aren't they?" Jonathan panted as the last attacker fell.
Ava groaned. "Is everyone alright?" she asked wearily. The others grunted in affirmation. "So what's the plan?"
"Well, let's start by finding a way out of these catacombs," Rick replied. "Jonathan, you come with me. We're gonna find a safe way out."
"Oh yeah. No problem," Jonathan agreed trudging after Rick. Ava closed her eyes and leaned against the wall, slowly regaining her breath. But as her adrenaline faded away her fear from being stuck underground returned and she felt her breathing and heartbeat speed up.
"Are you alright?" a deep voice asked and she flinched when she felt a heavy hand land on her shoulder. Immediately the hand was removed and she heard the man take a few steps back. She forced her eyes open and saw the desert man staring down at her in concern.
"I don't…I don't like being underground," she admitted. "I don't like feeling trapped." She forced herself to take a deep breath. She counted to three before releasing it and looked right at him. "Could you distract me please?"
"How?" the man asked.
"Just talk to me," she ordered taking another deep breath.
"About what?" the man questioned sounding genuinely perplexed.
She let out a shaky laugh. "You could tell me your name," she suggested. "It's getting tiring to keep referring to you as the man in black or the desert man."
She was surprised to hear him chuckle and when she glanced up at him she was surprised to see him smiling. "Ardeth Bay," he said offering her a hand up. She took it and let him pull her to her feet. "I am the leader of my tribe and a leader of the Medjai."
"The people who protect the world from an ancient evil," she said.
"Yes," he replied. "And in ancient times…we protected the pharaoh."
"Right, because a pharaoh needed protection," she said. But there was no mocking tone to her voice. She was simply saying a fact. Clinging to it actually. At this point she'd cling to anything that made her forget where she was or the fact that a regenerated mummy was currently wandering around Egypt dead set on ending the world.
"Keep talking," she ordered.
"You're a very good fighter," he said, following her command. "I didn't expect that."
"Not many people do," she laughed beginning to feel slightly better.
"I've seen you before," he told her and she blinked in surprise. She stared at him, too stunned to turn her gaze away. "On one of the rare times I was in Cairo to gather supplies. I saw you at one of the bars."
"Why didn't you come over then?" she asked.
Ardeth snorted. "I do not use women for their bodies like some men do," he spat. "If you can call those greedy filth men." Ava turned her face away from him then, and stared down at the floor.
"You must not think much of me then," she whispered faintly. "I'm just as bad if not worse for selling myself to those men." Strong fingers gripped her chin then and forced her gaze back to him. His dark eyes were staring kindly at her.
"You are far better than the filth that use you in such ways," he assured her. "I may live in the desert, but I am aware of how the city makes it hard for women to find honest work. I do not think less of you because you were forced into taking such measures to survive." Ava felt her heart warm to hear him say that. For the first time she felt someone truly accepted her. Although she knew Rick did not think badly of her she knew he thought she should have figured out a different way to get by. And even Jonathan and Evie often seemed uncomfortable around her if the topic came up. Hearing this mysterious man tell her he understood that she'd had no other options made her heart soar. Without thinking about what she was doing she reached up on her toes and kissed him…and then froze.
She quickly stepped back. "I'm so sorry! I don't know why I…" He didn't let her finish as he pulled her to him and kissed her back. She let one hand tangle in his hair while the other found rest on his shoulder. She felt his own hands on the small of her back and she tried to press in closer to him.
"Ah-hem!" someone coughed and they sprung apart. Ava whirled around only to see Jonathan staring at them with an entirely too amused look on his face. "We found a way out."
"Um, great," Ava replied heart still racing. "Let's get going then." They started to follow Jonathan when Ava suddenly stopped and began searching the ground around her. "Oh shoot! I dropped something. Jonathan, do you think you could help me find it?" She turned around continuing to look at the ground as if she were looking for something until she heard Jonathan come up behind her.
"And what are we looking for?" he questioned.
Ava glanced over the Brit's shoulder to see Ardeth continuing on down the corridor. She sighed before turning her attention to Jonathan. "Please don't tell Rick," she pleaded.
"About what? That you dropped something?" Jonathan asked teasingly, a bright smile on his face. "Oh! You mean about you kissing a complete stranger."
"Yes, that," Ava snapped. "And he's not a complete stranger!"
"No, he's just the stranger who attacked our camp and is part of some secret society that protects the world from a walking, talking corpse," Jonathan replied snidely.
"Oh Jonathan!" Ava sighed, exasperated. "Just please! Rick will freak out. You don't even want to know what happened to the last guy I kissed."
Jonathan laughed. "No, I probably don't," he admitted. "Don't worry mate. Your secrets safe with me."
"Good," she replied, relieved. "Now let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps."