"Where are we going?" asked Jamila.
"We are going to talk to a man about the box," said Evelyn. "You are going home."
"Yeah right," she said climbing into the car with her cousins. "You can't get rid of me that easily."
Evelyn sighed as they took off down the street.
Cairo Prison
"Come, come! Step over the threshold," said the Warden. "Welcome to Cairo Prison, my humble home.
"You told me that you got it on a dig down in Thebes," said Evelyn.
"Yeah. Well, I was mistaken," said Jonathan.
"You lied to me," said Evelyn.
"I lie to everybody. What makes you so special," said Jonathan.
"Not that it helps matters, but I saw that one coming," said Jamila as she stayed close to her cousins.
"I am your sister," said Evelyn.
"Yes, that just makes you more gullible," said Jonathan.
"Jonathan you stole it from a drunk at the local casbah!" said Evelyn.
"Picked his pocket, actually," said Jonathan trying to steer them in another direction. "So I don't think it's a very good…"
"Stop being ridiculous," said Evelyn.
Jamila rolled her eyes as they continued forward.
"Now, what exactly is this man in prison for?" asked Evelyn.
"This I do not know," said the warden. "But when I heard that you were coming, I asked him that myself."
"And what did he say?" asked Jamila.
"He said he was just looking for a good time," chuckled the warden.
The cell door opened and two guards brought a raggedy man through. One of the guards smacked his back with the baton and he sank to his knees.
"This is the man that you stole it from?" asked Evelyn.
"Yes, exactly," said Jonathan uneasily. "So why don't we just go sniff out a spot of tiffin…"
"Who are you? And who is the broad?" asked the man.
"Broad?" said Evelyn.
"I-I'm just a local sort of missionary chap, spreading the good word," said Jonathan. "But this is my sister Evy."
"How do you do?" said Evelyn.
"Oh, well. Guess she's not a total loss," said the man.
"He's a keeper," said Jamila.
"I beg your pardon," said Evelyn disgusted.
"And you are?" asked the man.
"Jamila," she said. "Their cousin."
The guard shouted before he walked away.
"Ask him about the box," said Jonathan.
"Um, we have found – Uh, hello. Excuse me," said Evelyn. "We both found your puzzle box, and we've come to ask you about it.
"No," he said,
"No?" questioned Evelyn.
"No. You came to ask me about Hamunaptra," said the man.
"H-How do you know the box pertains to Hamunaptra?" asked Evelyn.
"Because that's where I was when I found it. I was there," he said.
"How do we know that's not a load of pig's wallow?" asked Jonathan getting next to the bars.
"You know, do I know you?" asked the man.
"No, no. I just have one of those faces," said Jonathan.
The man reached through the bars and punched Jonathan. Jamila laughed as Evelyn stepped over the body.
"You were actually at Hamunaptra?" asked Evelyn.
"You can tell she's excited about this," said Jamila coming to stand next to her cousin.
"Yeah, I was there," he said.
"You swear?" asked Evelyn.
"Every damn day," he replied.
"No, I didn't mean that…"
"I know what you meant. I was there," said the man. "Seti's place. City of the Dead."
"Could you tell me how to get there?" asked Evelyn. "I mean the exact location."
"You want to know?" he asked.
"W-well, yes," said Evelyn.
"Do you really want to know?" he asked.
"Yes," said Evelyn.
He lifted his finger in a "come here" motion. When she was close enough he grabbed her chin and kissed her.
'"Then get me the hell out of here!" he said.
The guards started hitting him with the clubs and he started fighting back.
"Do it lady!" he said as they drug him back inside the building.
"Where are they taking him?" asked Jamila.
"To be hanged," said the warden. "Apparently he had a very good time."
Jamila and Evelyn followed the warden up to the balcony. The warden took his seat and Evelyn sat down beside him. It was then that they brought the man up to the gallows.
"I will give you 100 pounds to save this man's life," said Evelyn.
"Madame, I would pay 100 pounds just to see him hang," said the warden.
"Two! Two hundred pounds!" said Evelyn.
"Proceed!" shouted the warden.
"Three hundred pounds!" continued Evelyn.
The hangman and the prisoner exchanged a few words before the hangman turned to say something to the warden.
"Yahemar! Of course we don't let him go!" shouted the warden.
"Five hundred pounds!" shouted Evy.
The warden said something in Arabic and then turned to Evelyn. "And what else? I am a very lonely man."
Evelyn swatted his and away from her thigh.
"What about the girl?" asked the warden as the prisoners started laugh and jeer.
"Ew. God no," said Jamila stepping back a few feet.
"Yalla tlak!" shouted the warden.
The hangman pulled the level and the raggedy man dropped through the hole.
'NO!" Shouted Evelyn standing up.
"Ha ha! His neck did not break!" laughed the warden. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Now we must watch him strangle to death."
"He knows the location to Hamunaptra," said Evelyn.
"You lie!" said the warden.
"I would never!" said Evelyn disgusted by the remark.
"Are you telling me this filthy, godless son of a pig knows where to find the City of the Dead?" asked the warden.
"Yes!"
"Truly?"
"Yes! And if you cut him down, we will give you…ten percent.
"Fifty percent.
"Twenty."
"Forty."
"Thirty!"
"Twenty-five," said the warden.
"Ah! Deal!" smiled Evelyn.
"Ahh! Cut him down!" shouted the warden realizing his mistake.
Jamila leaned over and whispered in her cousin's ear, "Not a very bright man, is he?"
Evelyn smiled as she stood up.
"You are not going with us!" said Evelyn as they packed the car to head to the port.
"And why not?" asked Jamila as she dropped her bag by the car. "It is as much my history as yours! And I know as much as you do about it! I'm an adult, I can go if I want to!"
"And what would your father say if I came back without you? Or you were hurt? Hmm? He would be devastated!"
Jamila stayed quiet for a moment. The truth was her father didn't know she was back in Egypt to begin with. He was still in England.
"He won't know," she said finally.
"He's in London, isn't he?" asked Evelyn.
When Jamila didn't answer Evelyn knew for sure. She sighed and told Jonathan to toss the bag in the car.
"I'm warning you now. Stay out of trouble," said Evelyn.
"Only if Jonathan does," said Jamila.
Evelyn rolled her eyes. There was no way both of them would behave.
Giza Port – Cairo
"Do you really think he's going to show up?" asked Evelyn.
"Yes, undoubtedly, knowing my luck," said Jonathan. "He may be a cowboy, but I know the breed. His word is his word."
"Well, personally I think he's filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel," said Evelyn. "I don't like him one bit."
"Anyone I know?" asked the man walking up behind them.
Evelyn turned around surprised. It was then that she got a good look at him. He had shaved and cut his hair. He'd even taken a bath.
"Oh," she said taking him all in. "Um, hello."
"Smashing day for the start of an adventure, eh, O'Connell?" said Jonathan.
"Yeah. Yeah, smashing," he said checking on his wallet.
"Oh, no, no, I'd never steal from a partner…partner," said Jonathan.
"That reminds me. No hard feelings about the…" said O'Connell making a punching motion.
"Oh, no, no. Happens all the Time.
"Mr. O'Connell," said Evelyn getting his attention. "Can you look me in the eye and guarantee me this isn't some kind of flimflam? Because if it is, I am warning you…"
"You're warning me?" said O'Connell surprised. "Lady, let me put it this way:" MY whole damn garrison believed in this so much that without orders they walked hallway across Libya and into Egypt to find that city. And when we got there all we found was sand and blood. Let me get your bags.
O'Connell leaned over and grabbed the bags and headed towards the ship.
"Yes, yes. You're right. Filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel. Nothing to like there at all," said Jonathan.
"Bright good morning to all," said the warden walking up to them.
"Oh, no. What are you doing here?" asked Evelyn.
"I'm here to protect my investment, thank you very much," he said as he boarded the boat.
Evelyn huffed and boarded the ship. Jamlia laughed.
"Well, this is going to be an interesting trip," said Jamila.
"Yes, yes it is," said Jonathan linking arms with her. "Shall we?"
"We shall," laughed Jamila as they boarded the ship.