Jonathan and Rick were too caught up in their frantic digging to notice Daniels' dilemma. Jonathan's eyes widened as they finally started to unveil a box beneath the dirt. It was just as his and Rick's nails scraped against its aged wooden surface that holes appeared in the ground around them and several bandaged hands reached up to grasp at them.
Jonathan let out a shriek of horror as a rotted hand wrapped around his right ankle and tugged him back from the box without warning. His chin banged hard off the ground as he struggled to turn and free himself, his right hand fumbling for a gun as he did.
Rick reacted better as he was grabbed, rolling onto his back and unloading both his Colts into the mummy's face. "These guys just don't quit, do they?" he queried sarcastically. He winced when one seemed to explode up from the earth to his left and grabbed him by his necktie before he could react.
Jonathan and Rick both let out a yell of alarm as they found themselves hoisted up and tossed through the air like rubbish. As they landed three mummies rushed together for the box. Jonathan's mouth parted in an O shape of surprise when there was a splashing noise and several hisses of pain as the box was flung open. The mummies turned together to face Rick and Jonathan, now clawing at their own faces which appeared to be melting away revealing aged skulls.
"It was booby trapped," Jonathan remarked in surprise.
"Yeah, we'll thank them later," Rick grunted as he aimed his pistols.
Throughout this all Daniels remained as he was- frozen in shock, his arms hanging useless by his side as he seemed to welcome the three forms shambling towards him. Ardeth was ready to attack them until Rick and Jonathan's problem distracted him. The Medjai warrior's eyes flickered towards the box briefly as he hastened towards a mummy with his scimitar out.
Anu hastened to Daniels' side, ears flat as he growled up at the approaching trio threateningly. Daniels seemed to jolt out his trance at this, looking down to the dog in surprise. "Ain't it Jess?" he queried hoarsely.
"You left me Dave," Burns' voice called out to him accusingly, "twice you left me."
Daniels looked back at the eyeless form shuffling towards him as he felt a cold sweat lash down him.
"You left me too," Henderson's voice called, "for a drink, was it worth it?"
The Texan shook his head in despair at the words but he could think of no argument, he had left them. Sure he had returned for Burns when the mummy had come for him but it had been far too late, if only he hadn't left him in the first place.
"You cheated David," Burns accused him.
"You let someone else take your place, what a dirty trick," Henderson growled out.
Rick found himself pinned beneath a mummy, both of them with their hands at the other's throat whilst Jonathan finally scrambled to his feet and hurried to the now open box. There was a loud, noticeably female scream and everyone froze momentarily in reaction to it.
"Evie!" Rick cried out as he finally kicked the mummy off him. He jumped to his feet and wasted no time in shooting at the thing repeatedly until it went still. He looked up in time to see Daniels actually allowing three mummies to approach him and quickly raised his guns once more. Rick tensed and his cerulean eyes filled with a new kind of horror as he made out the forms in the dying torchlight. "Daniels they ain't what you think!" he called out even as he wondered if it was possible that the mummies were familiar.
Jonathan looked up from his prize at Rick's yelling and he almost dropped the gold tome he had rescued in his shock. "Jess?" He stumbled forward, clutching the heavy book close to his chest with both hands as he did. He turned to Rick in disbelief and shouted, "you can't shoot her man!"
Rick glanced out at Jonathan with his own disbelief and shook his head. "Jonathan," he snapped as he gestured at the three with one gun, "that can't be them. Come on, they're all buried in Cairo, how did they get here?"
Jonathan paled as he thought about it, recalling the eventful night in his own home. "Set's curse," he murmured.
Ardeth turned at Jonathan's words just as he beheaded a mummy. "Set's curse?" he repeated as he turned to Daniels with a frown. "Then someone must have intentions to end it if the god is trying to thwart us here."
"Well you know that," Rick grumbled, "the madman as good as admitted that. Daniels get away from them!" He couldn't get a clear aim at any of them; they were too close to Daniels now, crowding round him, ignorant to the dog that was now barking at them repeatedly.
Jess' rotted right hand reached up to press against Daniels' cheek and he flinched as it touched the same spot Bethany's dead hand had. They all looked drained, rotted flesh tight against their bones, their bodies looking older than they should, healthy bodies made mummies in mere minutes. Daniels wanted to look away but he couldn't, his gaze fell upon her dried out eyes that had long lost their spark.
"Make it right David," she said, almost pleadingly.
Daniels was too horrified to notice the dagger in her left hand as she lifted it towards his gut.
Anu jumped suddenly with a snarl, his jaws clamping down on the offending hand and worrying at it until he ripped it free as Jess' form staggered back in surprise. Daniels looked at the dagger in horror before he finally tugged out his revolvers. Henderson and Burns were armed too with swords that seemed ill-fitted for them, they swung them in Daniels' direction mercilessly but Anu was quicker.
Blood splattered through the air, splashing across Daniels' pallid face as he raised his guns. There was a loud yelp to go with the injury as Anu was sliced by Jess and Henderson's swords.
BANG! A bullet whizzed through Burns' skull. BANG! Another for Henderson, this time through the throat.
Rick moved to help Daniels, his own guns out and firing at the mummified Americans whilst Daniels' eyes locked with Jess' yet again. He knew as she stared back at him viciously, stained with the Pharaoh Hound's blood that it couldn't possibly be her, she would never hurt that dog. BANG! BANG! BANG! He shot and shot at the thing hatefully until both his guns clicked empty.
"Daniels it's done," Rick said firmly as he clamped a hand down on the Texan's right shoulder.
"No it ain't," Daniels grumbled darkly as he finally lowered the guns.
"Look," Jonathan spoke up hoarsely as he nodded to the forms now twitching on the ground.
Ardeth held his torch out to them but it wasn't Henderson, Burns or Jess lying in a heap, instead it was three soldiers who had once belonged to Rick's battalion a few years ago. "Set used their bodies to trick you into seeing something else," Ardeth explained coldly.
Daniels ignored him as he moved to crouch beside the dog dying on the chamber floor. He extended out a hand to rub at the dog's neck and his hand immediately became damp and sticky with blood. "You dumb dog," he grumbled at it, "what did you go and do that for?"
Anu let out a low whine, too sore to even lift his head a final time.
"You leaving me on my own too then?" Daniels queried savagely. "Well I hope it was worth it mutt." He let out a heavy sigh before tugging out a box of bullets and opening up one of his Colts to reload it. "I hope I was worth it, for you and her," he muttered, "but I sure as hell don't think so." The gun, fully loaded, clicked into place. Daniels moved his other hand up to the dog's head and gave it a gentle pat. "Never liked dogs," he admitted, "but I think I could make an exception for you. Well it'll be quick Anu, promise."
BANG!
Jonathan flinched at the sound and turned away from the dog as he paled slightly. Ardeth murmured a quick prayer and Rick just cursed. Their moment of respite was short lived as several roars and hisses informed them of more approaching mummies.
"Go!" Ardeth snapped at them with a fierce stare. "Save the girl, kill the creature!" He moved to the tunnel the mummies were coming through, charging at them with a fearsome bellow.
Rick looked about them quickly before spying a weak spot in the wall. He tugged out a stick of dynamite, extended his hand to Daniels and welcomed the struck match before lighting the stick. He threw it and gestured to Jonathan and Daniels to follow him. They hastened down and into an arch carved into the wall, eyes shut as they waited for the bang.
The explosion filled the chamber with enough force to have the walls and floor vibrating. The room filled with dust, the holes already in the floor widened and everyone's ears filled with a ringing noise. Rick wasted no time in leading them out through the cloud of dust and over the debris, urging them towards the new hole in the wall. He glanced back for Ardeth but the man was lost to the crowd of approaching mummies.
They entered at the top of a giant chamber, unaware as to how perfect their timing was as Imhotep paused to face them, the sacrificial dagger he had above Evelyn temporarily ceased from killing her. The priest towered above the Englishwoman, who was chained down to a stone table with the mummy of Anuck-su-namun writhing and hissing beside her. On a table of bronze the canopic jars sat, lined up beside each other with the Book of the Dead open before them.
"I've found it Evie!" Jonathan cried out triumphantly as he raised the book slightly. "I've found the book!" In his joy at actually finding a sacred treasure himself the Englishman seemed ignorant to the immediate danger.
"Shut up and help me Jonathan!" Evelyn shrieked as she fought against her chains, trying and failing to manoeuvre herself away from the mummy wailing angrily beside her.
BANG! Rick used his last bullet to shoot the dagger out of Imhotep's hand.
The priest flinched and looked at his hand in horror as a streak of dark blood seeped out of it. His brown eyes filled with confusion. Having not seen who had actually stolen from him he could not know that Daniels had. Imhotep had been following the essence of the jars and Beni's guidance, now the jars were all with him and Beni was gone so he could not fathom how he had been injured when he should be invincible. He turned to the mummy priests waiting beside him and shouted orders.
Rick tugged a large, ceremonial sword from a statue beside him as he readied himself for the inevitable.
"Open the book Jonathan; it's the only way to kill him!" Evelyn shouted as the priests moved to attack.
Jonathan looked down at the book and tugged at it, cursing in frustration when his nails were cut along the metallic edges as it refused to budge. "I can't Evie!" he called back anxiously. His hand slipped into a groove at the front, a star shaped indent that looked oddly familiar. "It's locked or something! We need the key Evie!" Jonathan's eyes filled with realisation, it had to be the same key Beni had taken from him.
"It's inside his robes!" Evelyn snapped.
Imhotep was now moving towards them, hand outstretched to Jonathan as if he could wrench the book from him from where he was standing.
Rick was sprinting down the stone steps, all too aware of the priests who had come to pursue them. He turned as he reached the bottom of the steps, ready for them but they were out of sight. He had not noticed them jumping onto the wall to run along it like spiders. They all dropped down behind him as Daniels yelled a warning. Rick turned and jumped back sharply to avoid a spear before swinging out his sword.
"O'Connell!"
At Evelyn's frantic voice Rick found himself filled anew with energy. He hacked and sliced his way through the mummies, fighting his way towards her and her mummy foe. Anuck-su-namun hastened from the woman just before Rick arrived. He swung the sword down twice at the chains, freeing Evelyn from her bonds as new foes arrived to distract him.
"Do something Johnny," Daniels grumbled as Imhotep finally reached them, a bronze sword in hand and ready to swing.
"What?!" Jonathan snapped, almost hysterically as he ran a finger down the hieroglyphs on the cover. He thought he could read them.
BANG! BANG! Daniels didn't waste any time in shooting at the priest.
Imhotep gave a tight smile as the bullet holes bled only briefly before closing over. He made a point of hiding the pain he felt from them as he hurried towards the American. His smile widened at the horror that filled Daniels' face, he remembered seeing that gaze before in the streets of Cairo. Yes, he had almost killed this pathetic man until the real thief had interfered. Real thief? He frowned as he took in the Texan's form, hadn't he been there when he had finished off the blind man? They both had, this man and the woman.
"Johnny at this point just do something other than nothing!" Daniels snarled hotly.
Jonathan stumbled back from Imhotep's imposing form as he started to read the inscription. "Rasheem-..." He struggled with interpreting the symbols. "Rasheem oola- Rasheem oola Kashka!" he finished exultantly just as he tripped and fell hard on his ass.
BANG! Daniels' bullets were spent and Imhotep was just about to run him through with his sword when the sound of marching was heard.
Everyone looked as more mummies came marching into the chamber. Only these weren't priests but guards instead, armed with shields and spears and wearing the tattered robes of the pharaoh's guard.
"This just keeps getting better and better," Rick grumbled as they started jumping with unnatural speed and height, moving pointedly in his direction.
Evelyn screamed as Anuck-su-namun's mummy came at her with the sacrificial dagger in hand and she was forced to start running. "Do something Jonathan!" she called in despair as she narrowly avoided the sword of a priest.
"Me?" Jonathan quipped hoarsely as he struggled to stand with the heavy book.
"You can command them!" Evelyn called.
"You must be joking," Jonathan snapped as he finally made it upright.
"Finish the inscription, idiot!" Evelyn snapped. "Then you can control them!" Her eyes filled with fear as she found herself almost running into a wall. She turned and sucked in a breath as she saw Anuck-su-namun running towards her, waving the dagger up and down rapidly.
Johnathan saw a shadow fall upon the golden book and he found himself turning up slowly to face the cold eyes of Imhotep. He let out a small gulp and swallowed hard as he realised he probably wasn't going to have time to finish the inscription.
Imhotep raised the sword, ready to behead Jonathan in an instant when Daniels suddenly called out to him. "Finish what you started with me first you bastard!"
Imhotep tensed in irritation but did not turn away from Jonathan.
"You might have killed my friends but you ain't immortal yet! Wonder why?" Daniels queried bitingly. He was standing just behind Imhotep, panting hard as blood trickled down his brow and he searched in vain for a weapon that wasn't there.
Imhotep turned then, moving rapidly; he grabbed Daniels by his throat before the Texan had time to react. His brown eyes stared deeply into Daniels' indigo ones as if searching for the truth.
Daniels' heart was hammering hard against his chest and his throat had turned dry but somehow he managed a grin. "You too dumb to figure it out?" he mocked as Jonathan started reading the inscription once more.
"Hurry up Jonathan!" Evelyn yelled.
"I can't figure out this last inscription!" the Englishman replied in a panic.
"What does it look like?" Evelyn demanded as she threw pot after pot at Anuck-su-namun with little success.
"A bird...er..." Jonathan bent one arm against his chest, miming a wing with it as he forgot that Evelyn couldn't see him and knew what birds were anyway. "A stork!"
"Ahmenophus!" Evelyn shouted.
Jonathan grinned in realisation. "Oh, I see," he said happily.
Imhotep's head turned sharply to face Jonathan before Daniels' words drew his attention back once more. "I took from yer damn chest and it was easy!"
Imhotep's eyes filled with rage and realisation as he turned back to Daniels and let out a roar, showering the man with spittle. His jaw then dropped down as he hastened to finish his curse.
"Hootash im Ahmenophus!" Jonathan completed the inscription.
Rick, who had found himself on the ground surrounded by guards, dared to open his eyes as he realised he wasn't being attacked. Six spears were pressed into him but the guards weren't moving to finish him off.
Evelyn let out a screech as the sacrificial dagger was slashed through her left arm and narrowly missed her chest.
Jonathan looked to his sister in horror at the scream before his face filled with determination. "Fa-Kooshka Anuck-su-namun! Anuck-su-namun!" he ordered as he pointed in the direction of his sister and the mummy trying to kill her.
The guards pulled the spears up from Rick and charged in the direction of Evelyn and the mummy. At Jonathan's words Imhotep hesitated in his devouring of Daniels' life force. Jonathan took advantage of the distraction and slammed the gold book hard against the priest's skull. The priest dropped Daniels with the impact, partially drained and sore but somehow still alive, and turned to face Jonathan with a glower.
Imhotep hesitated again when he heard Anuck-su-namun's screams as the guards destroyed her. His eyes filled with horror and pain as he looked to her as he considered going to her. It was too late however; the guards had her mummy turned to dust in seconds. "Anuck-su-namun!" he shouted out his pain before turning to Jonathan in a fury.
Rick, satisfied that Evelyn was safe, started running up the stone steps. He was exhausted now but had no time to think about his fatigue or pain as he moved to save Jonathan. Sword out, he bypassed Daniels and was surprised to see the Texan still alive against the odds though looking noticeably grey.
Rick slashed down his sword as Imhotep raised his own to cut Jonathan. Rick's blade cut through the priest's right arm with ease, sliding through the flesh like it was butter and sending the offending limb and sword to the ground.
Imhotep hissed in pain as blood spurted from the ruined limb but it was not enough to deter him as he reached out to Rick, grabbing him with his left hand and lifting him into the air. Rick let out a yell as he was flung across the chamber to slam into a wall with a wince. In the commotion Jonathan seized his chance to dart forward and seize the box from Imhotep's robes before waving it victoriously. "I've got the key Evie!"
Sensing Imhotep's gaze upon him, Jonathan started to move. As the priest followed, sword back in hand, Daniels did the honours of sticking out his foot and tripping him up. Imhotep slammed hard into the stone steps giving Jonathan the time to sprint down excitedly to his sister with the book and key. "Finish it Evie!" he cried out as he thrust the tome into her.
Evelyn accepted the book and key, doubling over as the weight of it almost pulled her to the ground. She carted it over to the stone slab she had briefly been imprisoned on and sat it there.
"Keep him busy!" Evelyn called out to O'Connell and Daniels.
Daniels was now back on his feet, a sickle in hand, seized from a statue of Anubis. He stood side by side with O'Connell, both men bloody, sweating, tired and almost at their point of limitation. They were at the bottom of the steps now, ready to finish the battle.
"No problem," O'Connell called back sarcastically.
"Hurry Evie! Hurry!" Jonathan shouted as he jumped up and down nervously on the spot as his eyes flickered from his sister to O'Connell and Daniels.
"Plan?" Daniels quipped dryly.
"Nope," O'Connell answered brightly as he swung his sword. He cut a deep wound through Imhotep's chest causing the mummy to hiss in pain before he deflected the sword with his own. His shoulder was no longer bleeding, instead his wounds revealed the rotted innards of an ancient mummy.
Imhotep pointed at Daniels accusingly as his jaw unhinged once more.
"Not this shit again," Daniels grumbled as he paled and swung at the priest's throat with the sickle. The blade cut through flesh like it was ribbon displaying brown bone and bandage tatters.
Evelyn turned heavy gold page after heavy gold page with a grunt of effort before finally finding the one she needed. "I've got it! Kadeesh mal. Kadeesh mal. Pared oos. Pared oos."
There was the crack of reins and the sound of horses neighing as a ghostly chariot suddenly came bursting into the chamber without warning. At its helm was a creature neither man nor beast, it towered over six feet, muscular, translucent flesh showing with only a loin cloth for dignity. Its head looked like that of a jackal and sent very real chills through Daniels and O'Connell. The horses raced towards Imhotep, the rider stretching out one clawed hand towards him. The hand seemed to pass through the priest, pulling out something as it did.
Imhotep howled in pain as he felt something wrenched from inside him and he turned to chase after the chariot but it was already speeding away, a form that looked a lot like Imhotep now in the rider's grasp, staring back at them with a haunting gaze.
"I thought you said it was gonna kill him!" O' Connell snapped at Evelyn as Imhotep turned to him with a grin.
Imhotep charged with a furious yell and met with O'Connell's sword as the blade plunged deep into his chest. Imhotep froze, his mouth parting as a gasp of pain seeped out of him and he looked down at the offending sword in shock.
"He's mortal!" Evelyn cried out as she looked over, victory gleaming in her hazel eyes.
Daniels lashed out at Evelyn's words, cutting through the priest's throat with his sickle once more almost severing the head from its shoulders.
Imhotep staggered back from the men, pulling the sword from his gut and discarding it as he did. In his delirium of pain he unwittingly stepped back into the rectangular pool behind him. It swirled as if alive, neither liquid nor air, it had an odd quality of inky mist to it and seemed to rise up around the mummy as if to devour him.
"Death is only the beginning," Imhotep whispered in his ancient language as his form started to transform back into that of a mummy.
Evelyn offered a translation for the others as she watched him, transfixed by his half-rotted and half-perfect form.
"Time to go!" Rick snapped as the chamber start to quiver as Imhotep was lost beneath the disturbing liquid.
Jonathan shut the Book of Amun Ra before lifting it in his arms. Daniels' eyes darted to the Book of the Dead and he seized the ebony book before anyone could protest.
As the floor cracked and split to reveal what looked like lava and the walls shook, threatening to give way, the group started to run. They headed across a pathway with bubbling, steaming lava on either side of it, wincing at the heat that turned their skin pink. When the floor quivered again, Jonathan stumbled with the impact and let out a wail of despair as the golden book slipped from his grasp and hit the lava with a disheartening splash.
Evelyn turned at the noise, her eyes going wide in horror as she rushed to the edge of the path. "You've lost the book! Jonathan I can't believe-"
"Come on!" Rick snapped as he grabbed the horrified woman and tugged her on.
They hastened through narrow corridors and up a set of steps as the entire building seemed to fall apart around them. Some rooms seemed to fill with sand whilst the walls shifted in others and the ceiling seemed to come down above them. Suddenly they found themselves back in the magnificent treasure chamber.
Both Daniels and Jonathan ceased their running to look about in wonderment and desperation. Jonathan extended out a hand to the glittering objects and queried, "couldn't we just-"
"No Jonathan!" both Evelyn and Rick snapped as Evelyn grabbed Jonathan's arm and Rick seized Daniels.
"You survived this far Daniels, best not dying over some coins," Rick chided as he pulled him up the steps.
It was here that Beni passed them in a blur as he ran into the chamber. Realising his error, he turned to follow after the others. They moved at a crouch as the ceiling started to come down, crushing the pillars as it did. Jonathan flinched as he narrowly avoided getting chunks of the pillar in his eye.
They were all filling with a panic as they moved, claustrophobia almost overcoming them. They were beyond tired now and their muscles cried out in protest as they tried to move low and yet fast as the ceiling pressed against their heads, forcing them lower and lower.
"O'Connell! O'Connell!" Beni shrieked desperately from behind them as he moved on his hands and knees, limbs stretching out in vain to Rick's retreating form.
Daniels was forced to drop the book as he had to go on his belly to keep going.
"Leave it!" Rick snapped.
"Like Hell!" the Texan retorted hotly as he pushed the book on towards the fading light.
Jonathan made it out first and turned to extend a hand back to the book. He grabbed it and pulled it out before reaching to Daniels. Rick slipped out last and turned back to Beni, extending out a hand as he did. "Come on Beni!"
It was too late however and the wall sank down, banishing the Hungarian from sight.
"Bye Beni," Rick murmured dryly. Though he felt the man deserved his fate he felt an odd pang of regret to see him become another victim of Hamunaptra. Rick had truly thought the man too smart for that.
Beni turned in a blind panic, scarpering back the way he had come, crawling left and right to avoid walls crushing him before he slipped back into the treasure chamber as the wall closed behind him. He seized a torch burning there and looked about nervously. Was it over? His eyes rolled up in horror as he heard a loud creak and saw the ceiling coming down again.
The Hungarian rushed down the steps to the centre of the chamber, watching in horror as the ceiling descended. He winced when it crushed a bronze mirror and the chamber was plunged into darkness, save for the feeble light coming from his torch. He shut his eyes, praying to whoever would listen as he prepared for the inevitable. Then it all stopped, the creaking ceased and for a moment there was only silence.
Beni let out a sigh of relief as he opened his eyes. It was then that the scuttling sound came as hundred of scarabs came scurrying into the chamber.
The ragtag group of would be adventurers winced as they emerged to the stinging light of the afternoon sun, choking up dust and dirt as they did. The Book of the Dead was now back in Daniels' grasp, held tight against his chest with one arm.
They had only a moment before realising that they weren't quite safe as the destruction started again.
"Run!" O'Connell snapped.
"Oh bloody hell!" Jonathan cursed as they started sprinting as the ruins started to fall around them.
They hastened across the sand in a blind panic as a large pillar creaked and turned behind them before coming down to hit the sand with enough of an impact to sending them rolling across the sand with curses.
Up once more, they ran and ran until they had no more energy and the city of the dead was a ruination of dust and crumbled debris behind them.
Doubled over and panting, they jumped again when a voice surprised them from behind. Jonathan clutched at his heart pointedly as he looked to the perpetrator at first in anger and then in disbelief. Ardeth Bay sat upon a horse looking down at them with a bemused smile.
"You have earned the respect and gratitude of me and my people," he informed them.
"Yes, well, it was nothing," Jonathan scoffed as he waved him off with one hand.
"May Allah smile upon you always."
"And you," Rick retorted with a small grin. Rick was relieved to see that at least Hamunaptra had not claimed Ardeth as well.
"Stay out of trouble," Ardeth said sternly as he looked at the book in Daniels' hand deliberately.
The Texan just grunted back as he clutched the book closer.
Ardeth turned his horse then, clicking at his tongue as he urged it into a gallop.
Jonathan looked after the man in disbelief. "He's just...leaving us here," he pointed out. "Good way to show your gratitude!" he called after him with an indignant look.
Rick turned to the camels who, after running for their lives, were now standing about calmly as if nothing had happened. He grabbed the reins of a creamy white one before mounting it and then reaching a hand down to Evelyn.
"Well I guess we go home empty handed," Jonathan remarked with a look of despair, "again."
"I wouldn't say that," Rick said softly as his tender stare locked with Evelyn's as she sat in front of him, sideways on the camel.
Evelyn smiled sweetly as she pressed one hand against the man's chest before pulling him down into a kiss.
Jonathan and Daniels both made a face of that. "Oh, please!" Jonathan scoffed as he grasped the reins of another camel. "How about you darling? Would you like a little kissy whissy?"
The camel pulled back slightly with a grunt of protest.
Jonathan frowned and then turned to Daniels. "How about you Mr. Daniels?"
"Fuck off," Daniels spat out with a roll of his eyes before he turned to a camel with a look of mistrust.
"Oh come on," Jonathan jested, "you might like it." He moved towards Daniels then, a teasing gleam in his blue eyes.
"Keep your hands off me!" Daniels snapped as he staggered back, cursing as he tripped over a rock as he did.
"This is going to be a long journey," Rick murmured as he shook his head at Evelyn.
As they moved off on the camels they all seemed oblivious to the heavy bags of treasure weighing down Jonathan's camel, bags hastily stolen by the greedy Beni who had foolishly tried to go back for more.
Daniels held the book as close as he could, ignoring the strain the weight of it put on his arm. As he watched Evelyn and O'Connell snuggling on the camel in front of him he felt a spark of envy jolt through him followed by a heavy guilt. He had let all of them down, he had left Burns in Hamunaptra to fall victim to the mummy, then again in the hotel, then he had left Henderson too, and finally, he had left Jess on the streets of Cairo to sacrifice herself for him. He pondered gloomily if she were here would he be holding her like O'Connell held Evelyn? He doubted it, but perhaps he might have at least kissed her. All that gold down there and Burns and Henderson hadn't been able to see it. His indigo eyes glanced down at the book purposely, unaware as to how Jonathan looked to it as well and then to Daniels as if guessing at his purpose.