The heat was oppressive, smothering and all encompassing. Grains of sand were present within each gust of air and soft breeze, the rough particles weathering away anything in its path. The cool air that came from the river Nile was soothing, but still littered with mosquitoes, the pests making a meal from all who wandered down the bustling streets of the coastal town.

The young woman hummed an old tune as she meandered down the busy walkways and side streets. The sun beat down upon her back, casting long shadows that strode only feet before her. Her long, auburn hair was pulled back in a simple braid, hanging over her left shoulder. She had wrapped a gray scarf about her head, the rough fabric covering her nose and shielding most of her face from the sands that blew about. She received many strange looks, as most people were unused to a woman wearing men's clothing. Her thin, white button up was faded, more brown than white any longer from the dirt, sand, and sweat. She wore simple trousers that were black in color, with knee high boots made for hiking and walking. And at her waist she carried a knife and a revolver. Her brother had always taught her to be prepared.

Now, if only she could find him.

It had been four years since she had last heard from her brother. He had sent her a letter telling her that he had joined the French Legionaires to fight. She had been worried, of course as he was her only family, but she knew he would be alright. However, when she hadn't received correspondence in almost three years, she had decided that something was wrong. So, she had set out on the streets day after day, hoping to maybe find him or see if anyone else had seen him. And today, she decided to check the prisons.

Upon reaching Cairo Prison, the young woman was surprised to find a couple, she assumed, arguing amongst themselves. They were very obviously British, if their accents were anything to go by, and the woman looked irritated whilst the man looked worried. The woman dressed smartly in a long, flowing skirt with a blouse covered by a shawl. Atop her head was perched a large brimmed hat, shading her face from the harsh sun. Her brown eyes were alight, bespectacled with a pair of glasses that rested on the bridge of her nose. The man next to her wore a white, two piece suit with a blue button up beneath. He also boasted deep brown hair and matching dark eyes.

The young woman watched, ignoring the hustle and bustle of the prison and the voices that surrounded her, as the other woman looked to a short, stout man with a proud nose and lecherous gaze.

"And just what is this man here for?" the woman asked the warden, dragging the other man along beside her.

"I do not know," he replied, accent thick. "But when I heard you were coming, I asked him that myself."

"And what did he say?" the woman asked.

"He said he was just looking for a good time."

Those words rang in the young woman's ears, and she found herself moving forward, one step after another. Her gut screamed, telling her it was him. It had to be, because those were the same words that his letter contained.

'I'm just looking for a good time, sis'

She watched, getting closer, as the guards opened the doors and fought to push a man forward. It was clear that he wasn't a native, his skin not nearly dark enough. His hair was a long, tangled mess, obscuring his face as he pulled and yanked against the guards that held him. Her eyes widened as she saw the man drop to his knees, before her own eyes peered out from beneath the scraggly mess that was his hair.

Unable to stop herself, she rushed forward while shouting, "Rick!"

The man's eyes widened, looking past the British couple. He grabbed the bars in front of him, watching as the young woman in the headscarf ran toward him. Pressing his face between the metal bars as much as he could, he could just make out a flash of fiery hair and blue-green eyes that mirrored his own.

"Eddie?" the man questioned as the young woman approached. As she dropped to her knees before him, she reached up, ripping off the headscarf and greeting him with a beaming smile and glassy eyes. "Christ, Ed," Rick bemoaned. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The young woman let out a watery chuckle, reaching forward to grab his chained hands in her own. "Looking for you, dumbass," she laughed out. "When you stopped writing, I didn't know what happened. The first year, I thought maybe you were somewhere you couldn't get my letters. I've been looking for you ever since!"

Rick shook his head, giving his little sister a soft smile. "You're too good to me, sis," he said, leaning forward to rest his forehead against her own. "But it's good to see ya again."

"I'm very sorry to interrupt," the British woman spoke from behind the redhead. When the siblings pulled back, looking her up and down, she simply gave them a soft and apologetic smile.

"Yes yes, this is very touching," the man next to her said with a wave of his hand. "But we were here first."

"Who're you?" Eden O'Connell asked, cocking a refined brow in question.

"And who's the broad?" Her brother asked, pulling back to take in the couple before him.

The woman looked taken aback, brows furrowed. "Broad?" she repeated, almost incredulously.

The man stepped forward as Eden moved back. She was curious to know what these two complete strangers could want from her brother. He was an American born in Egypt, just like her. They had grown up in an orphanage after their mother died with their father nowhere to be found. Rick was a fighter, for sure, something he had taught his sister and passed along to her. However, these people seemed much too posh to require anything from Rick.

"Just a local, sort of missionary chap," the man replied, causing Eden's brows to shoot to her hairline. "And this here is my sister, Evy."

"How do you do," Evy said politely with a nod of her head.

Rick pushed back away from the bars, taking in the woman before him, before cocking a brow and saying, "Yeah, well, guess she's not a total loss."

"I beg your pardon!" The woman seethed.

"Richard!" Eden scolded, though there was no heat to it as she fought to hold back a grin. Her brother simply shot her a wink, the redhead shaking her head in mock exasperation.

The four turned their heads in the direction of a small commotion. The warden notices it as well, telling them all that he'll be back before waddling away on stout legs. "I tremble with anticipation," Rick muttered under his breath, voice thick with sarcasm. He then rolled his eyes, before his gaze once again met that of the siblings as the woman spoke, catching his attention.

"Yes, well, we found your puzzle box," she started, almost deliberately. Her tone caught the redhead's undivided attention along with her brother's. "And we've come to ask you about it."

Rick looked unimpressed, but there was a glimmer in his eyes that was familiar to Eden. The same one that told her he had just found his next challenge. "No," he said simply with a shake of his head.

The woman looked confused, parroting back the simple word as a question. "No?"

"No," Rick repeated. "You came here to ask me about Hamunaptra."

At this, Eden could feel her body stiffen, her spine ramrod straight. To many others, her posture hadn't changed, and she still looked relaxed. However, Rick knew her better than that. He could see her out of the corner of his eye, just inside his peripheral. He saw her tense up, her eyes widening a fraction and her hands grip the sleeves of her shirt even with her arms crossed. He was confused, but said nothing and kept his gaze on the siblings. The brother shushing him all the while.

"How do you know that the box pertains to Hamunaptra?" the woman asked, playing coy.

Rick was unimpressed, almost condescending in his reply. "Because that's where I was when I found it," he said. "I was there."

The brother looks at Rick, full of suspicion. He pushed past his sister, leaning down close to the imprisoned man. "How do we know that's not a load of pig swallow?" he asked.

Rick took the man in. He reached up, pointing at him before asking, "Don't I know you?" And as the man went on to say something about "one of those faces" with an uneasy chuckle, realization dawned on Rick's face. His eyes widened before he quickly delivered a closed fist to the man's face, effectively knocking him on his ass and almost out cold.

Eden clenched her fists, growling under her breath as one of the guards hit her brother. She made to step forward, but Rick shot her a quick look and shook his head.

The other woman stepped over her brother, causing Eden to grin in amusement as she almost tripped over him in her enthusiasm. "You were actually at Hamunaptra?" she asked in excitement.

Rick looked from his sister to the other woman, grinning at her. He nodded his head, saying, "Yeah, I was there."

"You swear?"

"Every damn day," he assured her. When she went on to clarify what she meant, Rick interrupted her with, "I know what you meant. Seti's place. City of the Dead." He even waved his hands for effect.

Evy looked excited at this, grinning as she stumbled over her words to ask, "Could you tell me how to get there?" Rick's brows shot to his hairline, Eden looking at her with awe. Their attention was drawn to the warden as he yelled at someone, Evy taking off her hat as she lowered her voice, Rick looking at her intently as she said, "The exact location, I mean."

"You wanna know?" Ricked asked, drawing her closer in anticipation. When she replied with the affirmative, Eden watched as Rick baited the woman closer to him before grabbing her chin and kissing her soundly. "Then get me the hell outta here!" The guards yanked Rick to his feet, once again fighting to beat him into submission. He cast a glance to his sister, the redhead watching on with sad eyes, before telling Evy, "Do it, lady!"

The two women watched as the guards dragged Rick away, the warden making his way over at the same time. Eden clenched her fists, frowning as Evy asked, "Where are they taking him?"

The warden looked from the cell to the British woman. "To be hanged," he replied. "Apparently, he had a very good time!"

Eden stormed past the fat man, fighting every instinct she had to hit him. She marched over to Evy, telling the woman, "You have to save my brother. He's the only family I have left."

She watched as Evy looked from her to own brother, who had managed to stand upright once again. He was nursing a bruise, black and blue blossoming across the bridge of his nose. Evie could feel her heart go out to this woman, hoping someone would do the same for her if it were Jonathan in Rick's place. She then looked back at the redhead before her. "Go and wait outside of the prison with my brother. I'll find a way to save yours."

Eden nodded in thanks. She then followed after Jonathan, the two introducing themselves before laughing together as though they were old friends.


"All done," Eden said with a grin. She then grabbed a small brush, dusting off the hair around her brother's neck and shoulders. "Much better."

After Evy had managed to free Rick from the noose, Eden had taken him to her small, but comfortable apartment. She had managed to procure him some clothes from the local market and street vendors, as well as shoes and any other necessities. After forcing him to bathe, Eden had then sat Rick down in her little kitchen, trimming his hair and giving him a shave. Looking at him now, he looked as he had the last time she had seen him.

Rick grinned at his sister, standing to his full height and kissing the top of her head in thanks. "You're the best," he told her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and giving her a gentle squeeze.

Eden simply smiled, before it dropped from her face. She watched as Rick left her side, making his way over to his spare rucksack that he had kept at her place. As he went about cataloging what he had and what he needed, Eden fiddled with the scissors in her hands. "Are you really gonna take them to Hamunaptra?" she asked softly, voice full of trepidation.

Rick stilled, woodenly turning around to look at his little sister. "About that," he started. "What was that back at the prison? Why'd you tense up when it was mentioned? And don't lie to me, Eden Penelope."

Pursing her lips, Eden went about replacing the shaving kit and hair scissors before grabbing a broom. "I went out a year or so ago with a guide," she started, so quietly that Rick had to strain to hear her. "He wanted some protection in the desert and I thought it would be easy money. He said he knew where to find the lost city and that he'd pay me my weight in gold. And you know me, always been one to love history and wanting to see things and learn all I can. I mean, I learned how to read and write hieroglyphics and hieratic, Greek, and Latin! So, I took the job." By now, she was no longer sweeping, just staring at the pile of hair as she got lost in thought. "We really did find it, this guide and the archeological team he led to it. But by nightfall, a group of tribesmen came upon the whole camp. Slaughtered most of them. But I managed to get away, and somehow got back to Cairo."

"Lemme guess," Rick started, understanding in his voice. "They wore all black and fought on horseback?"

Eden's head snapped in his direction, eyes wide. "You saw them," she stated more than asked.

Rick nodded. "Yup," he replied, gaze far away. "After what happened at Hamunaptra, when I managed to get the hell outta there, I saw a group of them on a plateau watching me. I'm assuming they thought the desert would kill me, and that's why they didn't come after me."

The redhead nodded in understanding. "That place is cursed, Rick," she said, sweeping the hair into a dustpan. "You know it as well I do. We can't take them there."

"Whoa," he said, holding up a hand and giving her a questioning look. "Who said anything about us taking them? I'm taking them, and you're staying here. I'm not putting you at risk."

Eden snorted. "You and I both know you can't, and won't, stop me, Richard," she said with a chuckle. "I'm going whether you like it or not. Someone needs to be there to watch your back, and lord knows they can't."

Rick regarded her for a moment before shrugging. "Fair point," he agreed. "But you stay on my ass at all times!"

Eden laughed out loud, moving over to hug her brother. "After the last few years of worrying about you, I'm gonna stick to you like flies on shit, dear brother!"


The sun was high in the sky for early morning, people busying themselves as they meandered through the masses. As Eden and Rick made their way through the bustling port, they could make out the voices of the Carnahan siblings.

"Personally," Evy started. "I think he's filthy, rude, and a complete scoundrel. I don't like him one bit."

Eden giggled at the woman, outright laughing at her expression when Rick piped in with, "Anyone I know?"

The brunette looked a bit flabbergasted, seeing Rick so cleaned up and clean shaven. Eden grinned as a faint blush coated the British woman's cheeks, looking Rick up and down as though she were making sure it was the same man from the prison. "Oh," she mumbled. "Uhm, hello."

Jonathan reached forward, seeming to save his sister from embarrassing herself, grabbing Rick's hand and shaking it with a grin on his face. "Smashing day for the start of an adventure, eh, O'Connell?"

"Yeah," Rick muttered, unimpressed. "Smashing." He then reached into his breast pocket, pulling out his wallet, visibly relaxing at seeing it was still there and still full.

"Oh no," Jonathan started in what, Eden assumed, was a reassuring manner. "I'd never steal from a partner, partner." He pat Rick on the arm, nodding his head with a grin still on his face.

"Speaking of," Rick started. "No hard feelings about the, uh," he then gestured to Jonathan's face as though he was throwing a punch.

Jonathan waved him off. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Happens all the time."

Eden's brows rose to her hairline, grinning at the older Carnahan sibling. For someone who was apparently getting punched in the face often, he seemed to have a pretty sunny disposition. She respected that. And while he was a thief, stealing from her brother, he seemed harmless enough.

"I'm sure you guys remember my sister, Eden," Rick introduced, motioning to the young woman at his side. "She's gonna tag along. No offense to you two, but she's the only one in the world I trust to watch my back."

Evy nodded in understanding, reaching forward to shake Eden's hand. "Pleasure to see you again, Miss O'Connell," she greeted, a soft smile on her face.

"Likewise," the redhead replied, smiling as well. "And please, call me Eden or Eddie."

"Evelyn or Evy," the brunette replied easily, clearly communicating that she wished to be on a first name basis as well. She then turned to Rick, face serious. "Mister O'Connell," she started, catching said man's attention. "Can you look me in the eye and guarantee me that this isn't some sort of, flimflam?" She asked, waving her hand about. "Because if it is, I am warning you-"

"You're warning me?" Rick cut her off, looking at her incredulously. "Lady, when my Colonel found that map in some ancient fortress, my whole damn garrison believed in it so much that, without orders, they marched halfway across Libya and into Egypt to find that city. And when we got there, all we found was sand and blood." He then nodded to the luggage that she had sat down next to her feet. "Let me get your bags."

Eden said nothing, Rick having already told her the extent of his time at Hamunaptra. Her experience had been similar to his own. She simply nodded once again to the siblings as she followed after her brother, sidling up next to him.

When Rick turned to look at his sister, he cocked a brow at her expression. "Why do you look like the cat that ate the canary?" he asked in confusion.

Eden simply shrugged, her rucksack moving along with the motion and brushing the back of her head. "No reason, dear brother," she said, still grinning.


I'm back! So, after finishing my Assassin' Creed: Odyssey fic, I've decided I'm gonna write one about The Mummy! Is the trope itself old? Sure. Do I care? No. Do I hope ya'll enjoy it anyway? Hell yeah! So please, make sure you guys lemme know what you think and if you like it! Much love and stay safe out there!