"Honestly Ellen, I'm fine." Rick said angrily, as I held onto his arm, continually asking him if he was okay.
"Are you sure because..."
"Ellen..." He warned, his tone dark.
"Okay, okay." I sighed, pulling away. "Sorry. It's just that..." I paused momentarily and looked up at him. "Really thought I was gunna lose you there..."
"Can't lose me kid." He grinned, reaching down and ruffling up my hair as he grinned. He looked like a whole new man. He had gotten his hair cut, a new set of cloths. The only remnants of his stint in jail were the light red rope burns on his neck.
"I sure hope not." I smiled, reaching up and running my fingers through my blonde hair to fix the mess he had made of it as we neared out destination.
"So, mind telling me what happened with..." Rick paused for a moment and looked down at me, a look of confusion on his face.
"Travis." I sighed, rolling my eyes.
"Yeah, him. What happened?"
I sighed softly, trying to think of a good reason to give my big brother. "Well...we just weren't good for one another. He wanted to settle down, have a family and I..."
"Always wanted that since you were five." Rick noted, looking down at me. "What happened?" He asked sternly, stopping for a moment and taking my hands in his. "Did he hurt you?" He asked sternly, looking down at me with worry in his eyes.
"What? No! God no! It was just...he just..." I stopped, sighing heavily. "We were getting ready to leave on a ship from Alexandria to Athens. We were gunna go up through Greece and through Europe till we were in France. But...in Alexandria...Travis disappeared for a night. I couldn't find him anywhere, and we were supposed to leave the next day. So...I made my way to the ship the next morning with all our things hoping to find him and...well I did. But...he wasn't alone." A look of rage passed over Rick's face. "He met some belly dancer girl and decided that he had fallen in love with her and he was going to take her with him and leave me behind. So...he did."
"That son of a..."
"Look," I snapped, pressing my hand up on his chest, stopping him. "It doesn't matter. I made my way back down here to find you cause I didn't have all that much money and now here we are. So that's that." Smiling, I patted his chest and turned, heading towards the boat. "So come on. We've got a boat for you to catch and..."
"Ellen O'Connell you can't lie to me." Rick called, making me stop dead in my tracks. "Are you okay?" He asked, walking up to me, placing a caring hand on my shoulder.
"What do you think?" I sighed, suddenly feeling angry, upset, and worst of all...heartbroken.
"I think you look horrible, your tired and..." Pausing, Rick looked around, a look of thought passing over his face. "You're coming with me."
"Wha...what?"
"Yup! You're coming!" He grinned, reaching over and taking me hand, pulling me along to the boat.
"Oh no, no, no!" I cried out, trying to pull away. "The last time I went on an adventure with you I nearly lost my hands!"
"That was not my fault." Rick pointed out, glancing back at me for a minute. "Come on Ellen! It'll be fun! And I promise you wont lose any limbs this time."
"What about cloths? I don't have anything packed!"
"I'm sure Evelyn can share till we find some for you." as we reached the boat, where Jonathan and Evy were standing.
"Oh god...I'm gunna end up acting like you again! Punching people...and shooting things and...swearing!" I groaned angrily.
"Good. You're more fun like that." Rick grinned, as we reached the boat, where Jonathan and Evy were standing.
"Well, personally, I think he's filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel." We heard Evy say as we got closer, "I don't like him one bit."
"Anyone I know?" Rick asked, coming up to them and catching Evy off guard as she looked up at him, a little shocked at his appearance.
"Ah, here to see your brother of safely are you?" Jonathan asked, coming up to me.
"That was the plan..." I moaned, looking up at a grinning Rick. "But apparently, I'm coming with you."
"Oh...really?" Jonathan asked, looking a little shocked. "Well, the more the merrier I always say!"
"Yeah..." I mumbled, sighing angrily.
"Oh...um...hello." Evy called, putting down her luggage.
"Smashing way to start our adventure, eh, O'Connell?" Jonathan said, smiling happily, patting Rick and then shaking hands with him.
"Yeah...yeah, smashing." Rick said, pulling out his wallet just to check on it quickly, giving Jonathan a look.
"Oh, no, no, I'll never steal from my partner. Partner," Jonathan said, making Rick smile.
"That reminds me; no hard feelings about the..." Rick quickly pulled his hand up and punched at the air, and I simply rolled his eyes.
"You can't just say sorry?" I demanded, earning a shrug from my brother.
"Oh, no, no, happens all the time." Jonathan answered, something I assumed was probably very true.
"Mr. O'Connell," Evy began, cutting in suddenly. "Can you look me in the eye, and guarantee this...isn't all some kind of a...flimflam? Because if it is, I am warning you I will- -"
"Oh joy, a cocky Brit.." I groaned, as Evy's eyes went wide at my comment. "See? It's happening already." I snapped.
"Easy Ellen." Rick called, pushing me aside and stepping up to Evy. "You're warning me? Lady, let me put it this way...my whole damn garrison believed in this 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." The look of shock that crossed Evy's face mad me feel suddenly worried for out safety. "Now, let me get your bags." He stated, before taking hold of my arm and pulling up along as we boarded the ship.
"Yes, yes, you're right." Jonathan called, looking up. "Filthy, rude, complete scoundrel. Nothing to like there at all."
"Bright, good morning to all." An extremely familiar voice spoke up, one that sent shivers of displeasure down my spin.
"Not you." I groaned, looking down and feeling sick all of the sudden.
"What are you doing here?" Evy demanded.
"I'm here to protect my investment, thank you very much," The warden answered, and boarded the ship, glaring at us.
I sighed heavily as I fallowed, simply wanted to get to my room and rest. These last few days, they'd been hell. And now, I was off to spend who knows how long in the desert, looking for this Hamunaptra place.
Something told me that this adventure was going to be more then I bargained for.