Rick and Evelyn O'Connell were getting off the small plane with their close friend Ardeth Bay. They had landed in Richmond and were heading to the car rental office. Ardeth and Rick carried their luggage, trailing behind Evelyn, or Evie as she likes to be called.
"Now, why are we here again?" Rick was puzzled about the sudden trip, his wife didn't disclose all the details that were spoken over the phone. Evie sighed knowing Rick is going to keep asking and that Ardeth was listening as well. Ardeth had received an almost panicked phone call from Evie telling him that he was to accompany them to the States. He didn't get time to respond before Evie hung up, so he packed a bag and left for their home.
Evie left her husband and Ardeth outside the rental car office while she rented an SUV capable of going off-road. She has learned from their past few expeditions that it is better to be over-prepared. The three of them ventured to the newer Jeep Wrangler and loaded up, then she answered, "Elijah, the man who called, explained that a young woman mysteriously appeared in front of them and is speaking a language none of the people can understand. He informed me that he, himself, is versed in several languages, but unfortunately, he didn't understand a word the woman was saying."
Rick studied his wife's face from the driver's side, "There's more to it. What are you leaving out?" Knowing she has been caught, Evie says, "Elijah said the woman was panicked and distressed. She didn't recognize where she was, or the people around her until she saw one particular girl. He said she got angry, pointed at the girl, and called her Anck-su-namun." The last part was said quietly but both men heard.
"You gotta be kidding me?! Didn't we just deal with her?" Rick groaned, he was frustrated with Evie throwing this on them. Before he could rant about it some more, Ardeth spoke up, "What's the woman's name?" Evie took a deep breath knowing this situation will get more interesting, "Omorose." "Omorose? Are you sure?" Ardeth questioned. Evie nodded her head, "Yes. Elijah said she pointed to another girl and called her Anck-su-namun after pointing to herself and stating her name as Omorose. Then another man introduced himself as Kol and pointed to the girl and annunciated her name, Elena. Omorose became even more panicked."
Rick slightly turned in his seat, "Why did it seem like you know something too?" Ardeth rubbed his Medjai tattoo on his wrist, "Omorose was the forgotten twin sister of Nefertiti. Only those that were close to the Pharaoh knew of existence. The Medjai were told stories about how the second daughter of the Pharaoh disappeared during Imhotep's ritual to bring back Anck-su-namun. The true ritual." "Well, that's just great. Let's hope this isn't a repeat of what happened in Hamunaptra," Rick turns to face the front, not catching the look Evie and Ardeth shared. They knew better, things may get just as crazy as when Imhotep rose from the dead.
The three out-of-towners drove past the Mystic Falls sign a short two hours later. Elijah had arranged for them to meet at the Mystic Grill before venturing to the Mikaleson home where the young woman was currently under a sleep spell cast by Esther. Omorose had a panic attack and passed out when Klaus' cell phone rang. She was too overwhelmed to stay conscious.
Rick entered the Grill first followed by Evie with Ardeth behind them both. Rick and Ardeth surveyed the establishment and its patrons. Evie looked past Rick, scanning the patrons for Elijah. She was told a brief description, and she found him easily enough. Elijah was sitting in a booth with one other man with similar features. "Come along you two," Evie walked over to the booth with her husband and Medjai following.
Elijah stood and greeted the trio, "Hullo. I'm Elijah." He took Evie's outstretched hand and kissed the back of it like the noble gentleman he is. Evie blushed, "Pleasure, Elijah. I'm Evelyn or Evie O'Connell." Elijah let go of her hand to shake Rick's, "Richard O'Connell, her husband." Then Elijah turned to the third man, "Ardeth Bay." They all took a seat at the booth, Elijah and Kol on one side, Evie and Rick on the other with Ardeth grabbing a chair from a nearby table and sitting at the end.
Rick leaned in to speak quietly, "Did you know you're being watched?" Both Rick and Ardeth noticed the Scooby Gang a few booths over near the pool tables not doing a very good job at being discreet about spying on the Mikaelson brothers'. Kol nodded his head, "Not our biggest fans at the moment." Elijah sighed then cleared his throat, "Well, I suppose we should discuss why you're here."
The next hour was spent eating, asking questions, and learning more about Omorose without disclosing how she traveled through a portal. As they were walking out of the Grill and heading to the Mikaelson home Ardeth whispered a comment to his travel companions, "If what they say is true, this may very well be the lost and forgotten twin of Nefertiti." He, Rick, nor Evie didn't see the vampires stiffen when they heard him. Damon mouthing to the history teacher/vampire hunter, "Nefertiti's twin?" Hoping the history teacher could shed some light on the situation, only to see Alaric look just as confused.
"Okay? But why reappear now?" Rick asked then Evie continued, "Wouldn't she have reappeared in Hamunaptra?" Rick had opened the back of the SUV to get into his bag. Ardeth stood next to him as they looked over the arsenal they brought over. Evie squeezes between them to see what they are doing, "What the…How did you get all this through security?" Rick and Ardeth gave each other a look then Rick said, "We have our ways."
They close everything up and get into the SUV and follow the Mikaelsons, who were just as confused as Evie about the weapons. Even noticed Ardeth had a Scimitar strapped to his hip. The vehicles drove through the small town to the Mikaelson mansion. Rick and Ardeth noticed several people positioned around the property like sentries. "Does this seem odd to you?" Evie noticed as well. "You mean the fact this place has more guards than the Smithsonian? No, not at all," Evie frowned at Rick's sarcasm.
Klaus met the group on the steps to the front door, "She's just starting to wake up." Evie ran up the stairs to walk alongside Klaus, "May I speak with her?" Klaus smirked before answering, "It is why you're here." Evie's cheeks burned red, "Yes, of course. Thank you kindly." Klaus led the three of them up to the room Omorose was staying in. The girl slowly sat up as the door opened. Omorose opened her eyes after rubbing away the sleep. She recognized the first man to walk in as one of the men that lived in the house she showed up in. The second man caused her to give a watery smile, "Medjai." Ardeth bowed as he entered and acknowledged the title.
The third person erased the smile from Omorose's face, "Nefertiti." Her voice was cold and hateful. Evie froze at what she was called. This almost confirms their theory about the missing twin sister of Nefertiti. Evie moved forward slowly while speaking in Ancient Egyptian, "My name is Evelyn. I may look like her but I am not." Omorose shook her head, "You look just like my sister. There's another I believed to be Anck-su-namun." Evie slowly sat down at the foot of the bed and then nodded to Ardeth. He bowed to Omorose and nodded to Evie before quietly leaving the room so the two could talk. Ardeth kept guard at the door while Rick spoke with the Mikaelsons downstairs.
Kol asked Rick, "What did Omorose call Ardeth?" "Medjai. Ardeth comes from a long line of Medjai. They were the Pharaoh's most trusted guards. And considering Omorose recognized him as a Medjai, she probably feels a little better seeing something that was common to her." Their conversation stopped as Ardeth walked out the front door to their SUV. Rick asked, "What's going on?" Ardeth closed the SUV up with one hand while the other had one of Evie's suitcases, "Evie is going to explain how to use the facilities. Omorose had asked if she could bathe so Evie asked me to retrieve some clothes."
Ardeth took the bag up to Evie, and Rick returned to the Mikaelsons. The Mikaelsons had been avoiding their mother and eldest brother since the ball. Kol, Klaus, and Elijah have been more attentive and concerned about Omorose to pay attention to Finn's inner struggle or Esther's plotting.
Evie had shown Omorose how to use the bathroom while trying her best to explain indoor plumbing. Then Omorose was shown how to work a shower. She was in awe of the adjustable spray of water and its various temperatures. Evie had given Omorose a small bottle of body soap scented like Lotus flowers and Shea Butter and she loved it. Evie lays out a simple outfit. A cream-colored button-down, with navy-blue capris, and a pair of navy-blue ballet flats as well as a brand new set of white undergarments.
Omorose had finished showering and turned off the water as Evie had shown her. She was fascinated by how advanced the world has become, but she was also scared. The woman who looks like her twin is not her twin but is very kind and helpful. Omorose spoke with Evie about what happened before she woke in the new world and found out Imhotep had risen from the dead a few years ago to try and resurrect Anck-su-namun again and almost succeeded.
Downstairs inside the large sitting room, Rick had been observing the Mikaelson brothers. He could sense something was not right with these men, almost like they weren't quite human. Then something about the Mikaelsons' explanation bothered Rick, "I know you explained already but I feel there's something you're leaving out. How did Omorose get here? You said she just appeared, how so?" The Mikaelsons shared a look between each other, debating on what to tell this stranger. Finally, Kol broke the silence, "You wouldn't believe us." Rick raised an eyebrow, "Try me."
The Mikaelsons' stayed silent for a moment longer, Klaus was growing impatient so he cleared his throat to speak when the sound of three sets of feet coming down the stairs. The group looked up to see Ardeth enter the room ahead of Evelyn and Omorose. The Medjai could feel the tension in the room, and so can the two women. Evie had Omorose sit next to her on a smaller couch nearest to the door, "What's going on?" Rick stood by his wife next to the couch with the Mikaelsons on the other side of him, acting as a shield to protect his wife and the young woman, "I asked for the rest of the story of what happened when Omorose showed up. They should I wouldn't believe them."
Evie looked around the room, feeling the brothers' eyes on her and Omorose, then turned back to Rick, "Considering what we've been through I highly doubt it would be that unbelievable." Elijah sat on the edge of his seat and leaned forward, "What exactly have you been through?" Evie shared a look with Rick and then Ardeth before nodding, the three of them not wanting to sound insane but they want to get the truth.
Evie cleared her throat, the Mikaelsons could hear her heartbeat become faster from nerves. "A few years ago, while working for the London museum, my brother Jonathan decided to pay me a visit. Turns out he had stolen an artifact from Rick and wanted me to identify if it was worth anything. I, of course, examined what he brought me while scolding him for stealing it. During which we figured out it was some kind of key. Long story short, the key opened to reveal a map to Hamunaptra. I took the map and key to Terrence Bey, the curator I worked with."
Ardeth kept watch over Omorose as well as the rest of the room. He could tell Omo was becoming uncomfortable with the attention she was receiving from the Mikaelson men while Evie spoke about the events that happened a few years ago. Ardeth stepped closer to Omorose's side of the couch, wanting her to feel safe.
"Terrence became tense when I handed him the map. He claimed he didn't believe it was a map to the City of the Dead and clumsily set it on fire. I tried to put the flames out before the map was too badly damaged but it was too late. Terrence told me not to be foolish in chasing after a myth then ushered me out of his office. I had Jonathan take me to the man he stole the key from so I could ask him about it. Rick had gotten himself into a bit of trouble which I helped him out of in exchange for a guide to Hamunaptra."
Rick cut her off, "And that is where things got weird." Elijah sat back and asked, "How so?" "During the trip, we met a group of Americans who had the same idea of finding Hamunaptra. They were being led by someone who was known to scam people, he was originally going to lad them into the middle of the Sahara and then leave them to rot. But the Americans were smart, only paying half up front then the rest once he lead them back to Cairo. On the trip, the ferry was attacked by bandits. They were looking for Evie and the key, trying to stop anyone from finding Hamunaptra. Slowed us down a bit but didn't stop us. Once reaching the City of the Dead, the Americans had started digging for anything worth of value while Evie had our group head further into the city. After some digging of our own, we found a Sarcophagus that had been hidden inside the base of Anubis' statue. Evie figured out the Sarcophagus could be opened with the key. That was our first mistake."
Evelyn took back over, "Opening the Sarcophagus unleashed something. The mummy had no name and we could see that he suffered for quite some time before dying. You see, he was condemned to suffer the Hom-dai. A curse so horrible that it had never before been bestowed. His tongue was ritualistically cut out, and he is bound tight in wrappings, and placed in a sarcophagus which is then filled with flesh-eating scarab beetles. As the scarabs slowly eat him alive, the lid is placed over the sarcophagus and sealed with a key. The Medjai and their descendants vow from that time on to watch over the city's ruins so that none might find either him or the means to bring him back to life, for if he should be revived, all mankind would be doomed."
"My people tried to run them out of the city but was met by resistance from O'Connell. I disarmed him but he had lit a stick of dynamite," Ardeth shook his head at his crazy friend. "Seemed to be a good idea at the time and it did force the Medjai to leave, but not before threatening us to leave the city. Now, the Americans did find some interesting including a book. The Book of the Dead. Evie was actually looking for its companion, the Book of Amun-Ra. She had taken the Book of the Dead from the Americans thinking if she read it she would find something leading her to the other book. Myself and Jonathan warned her not to mess with something that old when she said and I quote, "No harm can come from reading a book." Boy, was she wrong," Rick teased his wife.
"When I opened the book and read the first passage I inadvertently brought the mummy we found back to life," Evie was embarrassed by her actions. She hung her head in shame for a moment before turning to the Mikaelsons, "Do you recall a few years back when parts of Egypt suffered from what could only be described as the plagues of Egypt?" Both Elijah and Klaus nodded their heads. "Well, it was the result of resurrecting that mummy, who turned out to be Imhotep. We were able to defeat him, but not before he tried to resurrect Anck-su-namun. And it brings us to now. Omorose was going to be used as a sacrifice in the original ritual. Her soul was to be cast out of her body and replaced with Anck-su-namun's, however, the Medjai raided the city to rescue Omorose. Imhotep tried to finish the ritual, mispronouncing several keywords which lead to Omo disappearing. I believe you know the rest," Evie finishes their story.
Kol shifted in his seat, "Our family had recently been reunited and were holding a celebratory ball. While our mother was giving a speech the lights flickered, then went out. My siblings and I gathered on the staircase to oversee the crowd, looking for anyone suspicious when a disturbance was felt above our heads and a portal opened, dropping Omorose in my arms. If it wasn't for Niklaus, Omorose and I would have tumbled down the stairs." Kol was interrupted by Ardeth's cell phone ringing. Ardeth excused himself when he saw it was Terrence calling.
The group continued discussing the events in Egypt a few years ago until Ardeth came back into the room. "O'Connell?" Ardeth gestured to speak with Rick out in the hall. "We have a problem. Terrence received news from my brethren. The new curator lead a crew to Hamunaptra and dug Imhotep up," Ardeth stated. Evie had joined the two, leaving Omo with the Mikaelsons for a moment. "There's more, isn't there?" She asked. "Terrence has a theory as to why Omorose has reappeared now. It's the year of the Scorpion." Ardeth quietly proclaimed.