Here we go with chapter 2. This one will be a bit longer than the first,and more action-packed. Here we will see the chamber mentioned in chapter 1, as well as the return of a familiar face from the last book. Also Sari will find her life forever changed after an encounter with a strange entity.
Again i make up most stuff as i go, so if some things feel random, that's just how i roll. But I'm sure Stine himself sometimes does that. ALL the best writers do. Anyway, enjoy!!!
Chapter 2
Gabe and Sari walked down the dark, narrow corridor, their flashlights dancing on the floors and walls. The halls seemed so different at night than during the day.
"Where do you think they went?", Sari whispered.
Gabe shrugged. He was surprised that his uncle and the men hadn't set up the floodlights, or at least set down flares to light the way. They must have been in too much of a hurry.
"Gabe, look!!", Sari said, breaking him out of his thoughts. She pointed down with her flashlight. He looked down, and saw several sets of footprints. It also looked like something had been wheeled or pushed through the dirt. He remembered hearing the men dragging equipment from the vans.
They followed the footprints, staying practically shoulder to shoulder, keeping the flashlights aimed at the footprints. Gabe again reached his hand in his pocket and touched the Summoner. Still ice-cold. Was it trying to warn him about something again?
Suddenly Sari reached out her hand to stop him. "Gabe, listen!! You hear that?"
He listened. Sure enough, in the darkness up ahead, he heard voices,and what sounded like the sound of tools.
Gabe and Sari followed the sounds, and soon came to the source. To their surprise, they found that one of the walls had been knocked down, revealing a hidden room. There was light and voices coming from the room. As quietly as they could, they walked up to the room and, stopping right outside, peaked around the corner.
Inside, Reynolds and his men had set up their own floodlights, and they could make out the room. Instead of the usual hieroglyphics, the walls were covered with carvings of many strange symbols and creatures. He could make out things like two linked circles or rings with a dot in the center, what looked like a door within doors, a spiral, or perhaps a wave, and other weird shapes. But the most recurring symbol was an upside down black pyramid.
Besides the symbols there were drawings of strange creatures: shadowlike beings,and a large insectoid creature with a large eye. All very terrifying. "Who in the world drew these? And WHY?", he wondered.
On the ceiling of the room was a small recreation of the black pyramid, and in the corners were strange tools, including what looked like ancient lab equipment, including vials of liquid in strange colors, which Reynolds and his men were examining. Ben and Fielding stood in the corner, whispering to each other and looking around the room. Perhaps it was his imagination, but he thought they both looked nervous.
"Come on, Reynolds. Just grab something or take some pictures of the place, and let's get out of here.", Fielding urged.
Reynolds ignored him, still looking at the strange equipment. He picked up what appeared to be some sort of sextant, examining it carefully. He and his men started chattering excitedly in hushed whispers. One of the men pulled out a device and started moving it over the objects. The device beeped loudly as he moved it over certain items. "I think we've got some. Our bosses will be pleased. ", he said. Reynolds nodded. "Get the crates. Let's load some of it."
Ben took a step towards them. "Ok, enough of this! What are you REALLY here for, Reynolds?!"
Reynolds was fixing to reply, when the radio clipped to Fielding's belt beeped. Seconds later, Reynold's radio beeped, and a man's voice came over the static. "Guys, we've got to get out of here!! The police are coming. I see their cars coming!! Also, just a few minutes ago i saw two kids walk in!!!"
Gabe heard Ben gasp, as Reynold's turned to him and Fielding. "You guys called the police?!!", he shouted.
Fielding tried to keep the peace. "I only called them to make sure the place wasn't destroyed and nothing too badly damaged. This place is still part of Egypt history, and must be protected. Surely you can understand. "
Suddenly, Reynolds and his men drew out guns!! They pointed them at Ben and Fielding.
YOU CALLED THE COPS??!!!", Reynolds repeated angrily, losing his calm, cool demeanor. He walked menacingly towards Ben, keeping the gun raised toward him.
"Reynolds, you snake. Is this REALLY why you came, to steal all our work, and everything else? Just like last time? We lost good people last time, in Baladora, because of your actions. "
Reynolds smiled his cold smile again. "Oh, Ben, Ben. You'll never understand. Nobody truly profits if you don't get your hands dirty. "
Fielding stepped between them, his hands raised in surrender. "Now look, let's just take it easy. There is no need for this."
"Oh, that's where you're wrong. There are people who will pay very handsomely for some of this stuff. Of course, with the cops here, that just makes my job a little harder. No matter, we can use you two as bargaining chips. And those two kids, once we find them. "
Ben growled. "You wouldn't DARE. "
Reynolds smiled. "Actually, i feel a hostage situation should be a FAMILY affair. You, and the two kids, once we find them. I don't feel like we need any EXTRA weight. "
Suddenly Reynolds turned his gun on Fielding, and, faster than Gabe could blink,pulled the trigger. There was a loud bang, like thunder, which echoed through the chamber and pyramid. Fielding staggered and fell to the ground.
Sari screamed. Gabe tried to cover her mouth, but it was too late. Several of Reynold's men rounded the corner and grabbed the two children, dragging them into the chamber. Sari kicked and thrashed,but the man holding her was too strong. As they were brought into the room, Ben took his eyes off Fielding's body and stared at them in shock.
"Sari?! Gabe!! Let them go, NOW!!!!", he ordered, stepping towards Reynolds, but Reynolds and the men turned their guns on him.
"I don't think you're in any position to be giving orders, Ben", Reynolds said. "Just look at your colleague." He pointed with his gun at Fielding's body. Gabe looked, and saw that Fielding had a hole in his head, between the eyes. The hole was oozing blood onto the cold, sandy floor.
"Now, let's all step outside very slowly, and wait for them to get here", Reynolds said, moving his gun from Ben to Gabe and Sari, and back again. Taking out his radio again, he spoke into it. "Stall the cops for a few minutes,we're on our way out."
He waited a few seconds, but there was no response. "Lester? Are you there? Lester?!" Reynolds waited another second, and clipped the radio back on his belt."Goddammit, what the hell is going on here? Ok, move!!"
With a last motion of his gun, Reynolds and the men started to lead them out,but stopped as they heard somebody else approaching the chamber.
Suddenly a figure stepped from the darkness into the light of the chamber. Gabe and Sari gasped, and Ben also cried out in surprise as they recognized the frail, staggering figure. It was Nila. She had returned to her human form and regained her clothes. But the destruction of her amulet had already taken its toll: her once-beautiful face,so young just hours earlier, was now sunken and full of wrinkles, her hair was thin and graying. She walked slowly, and Gabe heard her bones snap with each step. She looked first at Gabe and Sari and Ben, then at the new strangers holding them at gunpoint, then finally at the room.
"So, the rumors i heard as a child were true. They DID make a secret chamber. Me and my brother drove ourselves CRAZY trying to find it. How... wonderful." Her voice was raspy now, as her age rapidly caught up with her. But her cruel smile returned as she looked from the children to the armed men. She took another step, and Reynolds men quickly turned their guns on her. Nila chuckled.
"Fools. You know not what powers are at play here. You are not WORTHY of setting foot here, NONE of you."
Reynolds stepped closer, training the gun on her head. "That so? Well, my gun here says I AM worthy. Now stand aside."
Nila smiled again. "Fools.", she said again. "You really think I'd let you plunder the chambers of my ancestors?! I don't have much longer left, but I'll make DAMN sure to take you ALL with me!!"
Nila lifted her vest,and they saw she had strapped sticks of dynamite to her chest. Enough to take out the entire chamber, and everyone in it.
"You really shouldn't leave your toys lying around", she snarled. "I went outside and grabbed this from your van. I also took care of your buddy you stationed outside. NOW, i will end YOU. All of you. Reynolds. Your men. Ben. And YOU two meddling brats. You took EVERYTHING from me!! My youth. My beauty. My immortality!!! Well, NOW, I will take your LIVES!!! Here i come, brother!!!"
She pulled a small object from her pocket and raised it as she positioned her thumb over it. A detonator!!
On pure instinct, after all that had happened over the past few days, Gabe broke away from the man holding him and rushed at Nila, grabbing her wrist, trying to wrestle the detonator away. Behind him, Ben and Sari also tussled with their captors, while Reynolds shouted. "Whatever you do, don't shoot!! You might hit the dynamite, then we're ALL dead!!!"
As Gabe struggled with Nila, she pulled out a knife with the other hand. Gabe saw the knife was wet with blood. He quickly grabbed her other wrist, trying to keep the knife away from him. Nila was almost the same size as Gabe, she'd always been short,and now she was even thinner and weaker, her bones as fragile as glass, as the years,no, CENTURIES caught up to her. Gabe pulled her wrist aside one last time,and he heard bones snap. Nila screamed and finally dropped the detonator, but still held the bloody knife.
Behind them, Sari and Ben still struggled with the men holding them. Ben's captor looked over as Nila screamed, and, seeing his chance, Ben threw his head back,bashing the man in the face and breaking his nose. The man released him,and Ben followed up with another punch to the chest. The man doubled over, gasping for breath. Ben took out his flashlight and struck the man across the head. The man fell to the ground unconscious. Instantly, Ben ran across the room and charged the man holding Sari.
As Ben collided with her and her captor, Sari was knocked to the ground. She landed near the pile of objects Reynolds team had been examining. Sari looked over at her side as her father fought the man who had held her. The man had pulled a gun, and Ben was trying to wrestle it away. As they rolled on the floor trading blows, Reynolds turned to his remaining men.
"Go outside and hold off the police!! Kill them if you have to,but protect the stuff we found at all costs. Get our vans ready, I'll meet you out there!! GO!!!"
The men ran out of the chamber, carrying the items thay had scanned and chosen. Reynolds watched them exit, then walked over to Ben and the other man, still wrestling on the floor. Reynolds kicked Ben hard, knocking him off his colleague. Ben rolled over next to Fielding's corpse.
"DADDY!!!" Sari screamed. She stood up, watching as Reynolds dragged Ben to his feet. The two men started trading blows. Her father was a big man, but Reynolds was younger, faster. She looked across the room for Gabe. To her relief, she saw Gabe had wrestled the knife from Nila. Nila lay on the floor against the wall, breathing heavily.
Sari ran over to them. "Did you STAB her?"Sari asked. Gabe shook his head."I just took the knife from her and she fell. I think she's just dying. Destroying the pendant caused her to age rapidly.
It was true. Nila looked even worse than she had minutes ago. Her brown skin was worn and sagging, like worn leather, her hair was now completely gray, and her eyes had turned white.
Nila took another shuddering breath. "You... you have no... idea what you are messing with. This ch...chamber will... will be YOUR tombs. You kids, Ben, that man Reynolds... NONE of you understand this place. This place was built for something greater than you ca... can possibly... understand. You are all... all doomed..."
With one final terrifying gasp, Nila fell limp against the wall, her withered hands dropping to her sides. Gabe reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly, but she lay still, her blind, white eyes open.
"She's... she's gone." Gabe shook his head and sighed. He didn't feel sorry, of course. The woman had tried to kill them TWICE this night. But she had lived THOUSANDS of years, only to die here, on the same night, after losing the source of her immortality. Gabe figured he'd be pissed too if he knew he was going to die because somebody had destroyed the thing that kept him young. Almost without realizing it, he reached forward and closed Nila's eyes, blocking the eerie whiteness.
He stood up and, picking up the knife, turned to Sari. They both looked to where Ben and Reynolds still stood fighting. In the distance, they heard gunfire outside. They knew it must be Reynold's men fighting the police.
"Hurry, Gabe, we gotta help daddy!!" Without waiting for Gabe, Sari rushed forward. Just as she reached the fighting men, Ben knocked Reynolds to the ground. While Reynolds lay dazed, Ben reached forward and pulled Reynold's gun from the holster.
"It's over, Reynolds.", Ben said, aiming the gun at his enemy on the ground. "It's over. "Now, get your radio, tell your men outside to stand down, and let me and the children leave."
Reynolds nodded, reaching for the radio on his belt. "As you say, Ben. As you say." Reynolds fumbled with the radio, pretending to pull it from his belt. Nobody noticed that Reynolds was running his other hand along the floor, gathering sand. As he stood up slowly, radio in hand, and pressed the button to activate it, he tossed the sand in Ben's face.
Ben cried out as the sand hit his eyes, blinding him. Reynolds immediately rushed Ben, grabbing the hand with his gun in it, and ramming his elbow into Ben's chest. As Ben fell to the floor, Reynolds turned the gun on HIM.
"You were HALF right, Ben. It IS over. For YOU. You're about to become a permanent exhibit in this pyramid. Fitting end, really. Goodbye, old boy. " With a cruel Reynolds put his finger on the trigger, fixing to fire.
"NOOOO!!!!!!", Sari screamed, launching herself at Reynolds and grabbing his arm. Gabe did the same, and for several seconds the children wrestled with the madman, trying to pull the gun away from him. As Reynolds tried to throw Sari off, he accidentally hit the trigger, and hit an ancient cracked vase in the corner off the room, destroying it. Shards of pottery and sand tumbled to the floor.
Remembering the knife, Gabe pulled it from his pocket, still covered in drying blood. Knowing he probably wasn't strong enough or quick enough, Gabe threw it to Ben, who was rising from the floor, still dazed, trying to rub the sand from his eyes.
"Uncle Ben!! The knife!!!", Gabe shouted. Reynolds looked over, and, seeing Ben eyeing the blade, tried to turn the gun on him again. Using the brief distraction, Sari bit him on the arm. Reynolds cried out in pain and shock. "You little bitch!!!", he shouted. He slammed his elbow full strength into Gabe, who let go, dazed, then struck Sari across the face, sending her staggering backwards on the floor. She landed near the shattered vase, her outstretched hand landing on pieces. She screamed as the jagged shards shoved into her hand.
Seeing what Reynolds had done to his daughter and nephew, Ben finally jumped from the floor, knife in hand. But Reynolds was ready, and the two men charged into each other, trading blows as they tried to wrestle their weapons from each other.
Sari sat up, trying to pull the shards from her bleeding hand, when she saw something flash out of the corner of her eye. She looked, and saw something in the sand that spilled from the broken vase. She moved closer and saw it: an ancient silver medallion, about the size of her fist, with an Egyptian symbol carved into it. An ankh, she remembered from her lessons. As she gazed at it, she saw a pale orange light radiating from it.
Almost without realizing it, Sari reached out and grabbed the medallion. Instantly the room vanished and Sari's head was filled with visions. Glimpses of people in the same chamber and the rituals they had conducted. Glimpses of other worlds, of the people and creatures within. Of wars in other countries and these other worlds. She heard languages and words not of this world. All of these visions were accompanied by the same pale orange light that had beckoned her to touch the medallion.
Then suddenly she heard another voice in her head. Or, not a voice exactly, but THOUGHTS that weren't her own, somebody or SOMETHING thinking for her, TO her. 'I can show you the truth, Sari. The answers to this chamber, to this world. MY world. I can show you things, help you UNDERSTAND things no one else could. I will now accompany you from now on. From this moment, you and i are one. Use my knowledge, my powers, to help you and your companions. Save yourselves. '
Suddenly, the visions disappeared, the thoughts stopped, and Sari found herself back on the sandy floor of the chamber. But she must have been trapped in the vision world for at least several minutes, because Reynolds was now standing over her father, who seemed to be unconscious. Also, a couple of Reynold's men had returned to the chamber. One of them had a gun on Gabe, who was sitting on the floor. He looked scared. Sari couldn't blame him.
"So, we took care of the police.", the other man said. "There were only five. But we lost two men, three if you count Lester, but he was dead before they got here. That crazy bitch must've killed him. His throat was cut."
Reynolds nodded. "Good, so the police are taken care of. That's one less thing to worry about. Our clients won't be too happy about the men we lost, but I'm sure they'll be happy enough with the artifacts we found that they'll pay what they promised. Still..." he looked at Ben and the kids. He smiled. Sari felt her blood practically turn to ice as the fear spread through her. "There's just a FEW more things to take care of."
The man holding Gabe cocked his gun. "What shall we do with them?"
Reynolds, still smiling, walked towards the entrance, near the body of Nila, and picked up the detonator. Gripping it tightly in his hand, he turned to the kids. "I think Ben and these two brats should become a permanent part of this place. Who knows? Maybe in another hundred years, what's left of THEM might be worth something. Help me with the door. I'll detonate the dead bitch once we're outside the pyramid."
"NOOOO!!!!!", Gabe shouted, getting up and running toward the entrance. But he tripped over Fielding's dead body and fell to the floor as Reynolds and the other two men picked up the part of the wall they had knocked off. To Sari's surprise it slid easily back into place, and she thought she heard a CLICK.
Gabe got back up. "Help me Sari!! We've gotta wake up Uncle Ben and try to knock down the wall!!! HURRY!!!" Without waiting for Sari, Gabe knelt down and started shaking Ben. "Uncle Ben!!! UNCLE BEN!!!!! WAKE UP!!! PLEASE!!!!!!"
Sari looked at Gabe trying to rouse her father, then at the wall Reynolds and his men had put back up. She couldn't even SEE where the opening had been, and even if she could have, she knew she and Gabe couldn't knock it down without the tools the men had used to get in.
Sari felt her heart pound with fear. She knew any second Reynolds would be outside the pyramid,and he would detonate the dynamite on Nila's corpse. She looked at the body of her former enemy. Nila was wasting away faster and faster. Her decaying skin was now so sunken over her face Sari could see the skull underneath, and her gray hair was receding into her head.
SARI!!!! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO???!!!!!", Gabe screamed. Sari looked over at him. "Gabe, quiet!!!", she said. I'm trying to think. I don't know what..."
Suddenly Sari saw the pale orange glow in front of her, and heard the thought-like voice in her head. 'I can protect you and your family, Sari. Use me. WISH for you and Ben and Gabe to be SAFE. Wish it. WANT IT. You/I can MAKE it happen.'
Obediently, Sari closed her eyes and hoped, PRAYED, for a miracle. She didn't know who or WHAT was in her head now, talking to her,but she knew they were the only thing that could save them. 'Please, PLEASE help us. Whoever you are, please save us!!'
Even with her eyes closed Sari saw the flash of pale orange light, which grew brighter than before. Sari opened her eyes and saw the light had spread through the whole chamber, surrounding her, Ben and Gabe. Gabe didn't seem to notice though, as he was still shaking her father, who was beginning to stir as he slowly regained consciousness.
Just as Sari looked over at the entrance, Nila's body vanished in a bright flash that filled the entire room. The explosion was brighter than the alien glow that covered the room,and louder than a dozen revving motorcycles. For a second Sari was blinded by the blast, and her ears rang so loud she barely heard Gabe cry out. The entire chamber shook with the explosion. Loose stone shook from the ceiling, raining down, and dust and sand flew through the air. A piece of ceiling fell and crushed the floodlight the men had left behind, and the room was flooded with darkness.
But still, miraculously, Sari was unharmed. The explosion hadn't touched her,and none of the falling ceiling or other debris so much as grazed her. The room was dark, except for the orange glow that still covered the entire place. Sari reached out, and to her surprise, she found that the pale orange light had formed a protective barrier of sorts. It was like touching a window. A very strong, sturdy window made of orange light.
Sari sat up slowly inside the cocoon of light. Her heart was racing, and her ears still rang from the explosion. But she was ALIVE. She looked around. The floodlight was destroyed, and the only light was the pale glow, which was now starting to fade.
Finding her voice, Sari called out. "Gabe? Daddy?! Are you guys ok??! SPEAK TO ME!!!"
In the darkness, she heard Gabe cough. There must have still been a lot of dust in the air. "Sari?! What happened?!! There was an explosion, but... we're alive. How did we..."
Sari shook her head. She wasn't ready to tell him about the strange voice in her head, or the light. Any of it. Not yet. It was all too weird. And kind of frightening. "How's daddy?", she asked instead.
Before Gabe could answer, she heard her father groan loudly and try to sit up. "Owww... Wha...what happened? SARI!!! GABE!!!"
"We're here, daddy!! We're ok.", Sari said. "The bad guys blew the dynamite, but we're all ok. But we need to get out of here. Can you stand, daddy?"
She heard her father groan again, but heard him climb to his feet. "I got you, Uncle Ben. It's ok.", she heard Gabe say.
"It's too dark. Where's my flashlight?", her father said. She heard him fumbling around on the ground, searching for the flashlight he'd dropped during the fight. After a minute, Gabe said. "It's ok,Uncle Ben. I got mine. Sari,do you still have yours?"
Sari felt like kicking herself. In all the commotion, she'd forgotten she still had the flashlight she'd taken from the tent in her pocket. Taking it out, she turned it on, and pointed towards the direction of Gabe's voice. Next second, Gabe turned on his. Their beams met, and they both breathed a sigh of relief. Gabe looked a bit shaken, but was ok. Next she turned the light on her father. Ben's nose was bleeding, and his face had many cuts and bruises from his fight with Reynolds and his men, but he seemed otherwise fine.
Seeing his daughter, Ben walked towards her and threw his arms around her. Sari returned the hug. "I'm so glad you're ok! Are you hurt?!" He pulled her away to check her face and body for any injuries.
Sari shook her head. "I'm fine daddy. I cut my hand when i landed on that broken vase earlier, but otherwise I'm fine. We need to get out of here, but i don't know how. "
Gabe's voice came from behind them. "Uh, guys, check this out. "
Sari and her father turned to Gabe, and saw him pointing his flashlight towards the entrance. Sari turned hers in the same direction, and saw what he was talking about: The explosion had knocked down the wall Reynolds and his men had put back up. Behind it, shrouded by darkness, was the tunnel they had come in through. They were free!!
Aiming their flashlights, the children led Ben out of the chamber, stepping over rubble, emerging into the dark tunnel of the pyramid. Soon, they were outside the pyramid. The vans were gone. Reynolds and his team had escaped. They saw the bodies of the police, riddled with bullets, as well as several of Reynold's men, including the one Nila had killed.
Ben shook his head. "Terrible. This is all just terrible. Go back to the tent, kids,and get your stuff. We can't stay here. I'm going to make a call, tell somebody about this, then we're going to find a hotel. Go. "
Gabe and Sari nodded, both too tired and scared by the sight to speak. They trudged back to the tent and packed their bags. As he packed,Gabe realized now that this must have been what the Summoner had been trying to warn him about. It must have known that Reynolds was dangerous, that Nila would come, that they might be blown up or buried in rubble. It was right, just like last time. But he hadn't listened.
As she packed, Sari thought about what had happened in the chamber. Had she REALLY stopped them from being blown up or crushed by rubble? Had she really done it, just by talking to the mysterious light in her head? Was it still there? She hadn't heard the voice in her head since before the explosion. Who, or WHAT, was it? Why had the medallion been locked away in that chamber? By who? Did she really want to know? Should she tell her father about it? Or at least Gabe? So many questions.
Finally the children finished packing, and went back outside to meet Ben, who had called the police department and told them everything: about Reynolds. About Fielding. About their five dead officers. Ben promised as soon as the new team of officers arrived and Ben answered some questions, he'd take Gabe and Sari to a hotel and leave the police and coroners to clean up.
Gabe and Sari nodded again. They hadn't said anything since leaving the chamber. They were both lost in thought. This was definitely more terrifying than last year's adventure. More dangerous. Little did they know, it was about to get a lot, lot more terrifying and a lot, lot more dangerous...
End of Chapter 2
Sorry it took so long. Like i said, i make up most of my stories as i go. I promise, i will TRY to make Chapter 3 come just a bit faster. Promise!!! For now, let me know what you think. I always like reviews and/or comments. I also welcome personal messages. Always happy to talk to readers. As i said, chapter 3 will come SOONER!!! Till then, take care ya'll!!