Climbing from his sarcophagus Rath stretched, heading towards Jade's sarcophagus with a smile on his lips once he noticed it was closed. "Good morning, Jade." He said as he carefully pulled it open expecting to find Jade still asleep but when he found it empty he froze. Confused he continued to stare at it until Ja-Kal emerged from his own sarcophagus, watching Rath as the scribe ran a hand over his face.
"Jade still hasn't returned?" Ja-Kal asked and Rath turned fully around rubbing the bridge of his nose. "She has been gone since yesterday."
"I should never have fought with her. If she has run away this is all my fault." Rath sighed as he headed towards his scrolls trying to think of a way to find Jade as he did.
"Rath, this isn't your fault." Ja-Kal said but Rath shook his head knowing full well the truth; that Jade had left the sphinx because of his unwillingness to admit just how much he cared for her.
"It is my fault, Ja-Kal. I promised to find a way to send Jade home and I have not done so. Now Jade has run away and all because I won't be honest with her." Rath argued once he reached the table. "There must be a way to find her and...of course. The last time she went missing I used her amulet to find her. Hopefully it will work a second time."
As Rath searched for the spell I watched as four people stepped into my viewpoint and I narrowed my eyes, wishing again that I'd brought the daggers Rath made me along. "Stay back! I'm warning you! I know Egypt-Su!" I shouted at them and one of them held up his gloved hands offering me a small smile.
"Hey easy there. We're not going to hurt you." He answered and I just raised an eyebrow at him still not convinced until he fixed me with a grin. "You look kind of like Rath." He added and I blinked at him suddenly curious as he approached me. "You're a mummy right?"
"How do you know Rath? Who are you?" I asked him taking a step towards the man until I stumbled falling to my knees and he hurried over. Without any effort he helped me stand and when I wobbled he put a hand on my shoulder to steady me. "Sorry I'm not myself today."
"I'm Theo and this is Max, Rosie and Wilcox." Theo told me and I gave them a tiny wave still unsure that they knew Rath. "That necklace looks like Rath's 'cept his is green and gold. Looks like a snake too."
"So you're friends of Rath? I'm Jade and I was chased here by these stone-looking guys. Now I'm completely lost and I need help getting home." I explained making another attempt to walk until Theo stopped me, holding onto my arm. "What are you doing?"
"No offense, Jade but you can barely walk." Max pointed out and I snorted at him trying to shake off Theo's arm. Once I realized I couldn't even do that I sighed finally nodding in agreement.
"Maybe we should bring you back to the homeless shelter with us. You could rest there while we try and find Rath." Rosie offered and I nodded again following my new friends out of the alley. Once we arrived at the homeless shelter I noticed that no one even picked up on my gray skin and I let out a breath grateful that I would have a chance to rest and figure out my next move.
Once I was sitting on a bed I rubbed at my eyes exhaustion finally catching up to me. "Thanks for the help everyone. I know it's a little weird having a mummy for a friend but..." I trailed off when everyone laughed and I broke into a tired smile. "Okay so not the weirdest thing that's happen apparently. How did you meet Rath?"
"We found him in a trashcan and after I pulled him out he couldn't remember his own name." Theo explained and I tried not to laugh until he gave me a grin.
"It's all true, Jade. When a couple of guys kidnapped us he and Max followed us." Rosie added as I stared at them.
"Yeah and then some of Rath's friends showed up and we escaped." Max finished and I nodded wondering how Rath managed to forget who he was until I remembered that I'd watched the entire series and I frowned not sure why I'd forget something so important. Noting the frown on my face Theo cleared his throat and I lifted my head.
"Maybe you should get some sleep. We'll wake you up once we find Rath." Theo offered and I nodded before I laid my head down on the pillow not knowing just how tired I really was until I heard voices much later and I cracked open an eye to find Rosie sitting on the bed beside me. Once she noticed I was watching her she smiled.
"Didn't mean to wake up but I was kind of curious about that necklace you're wearing." Rosie said and I pushed myself fiddling with it. "Rath has one just like it. Did he give you that?"
"Actually someone else gave me the pendant and after I put it on it won't come off. Even Rath nearly had his fingers burned off trying to remove it." I explained chewing my lower lip when I remembered I was supposed to still be angry with him. "Sometimes he can be so kind and other times..."
"You like Rath don't you?" Rosie asked and I nodded, fiddling with the pendant only to blink at her when she smiled at me. "Not like a friend, Jade."
"He knows I like him that way but will he admit it? Of course not though I suppose I should cut him some slack. He did like a woman in the past and she was just using him." I told her and Rosie nodded noting the tiny smile on my lips. "I'd never do that to anyone."
"When Theo, Max and Wilcox find him you should tell him that." Rosie suggested and I let out a yawn in place of a response. "Maybe I should let you sleep."
"Good idea. Never been so tired." I mumbled as I lay back, closing my eyes with my fingers still curled around my amulet.
"It's no good. I've tried this spell countless times and I can't find Jade. Scarab must have used a spell on the amulet to prevent me from scrying Jade's location. There's only one thing I can do." Rath sighed as he headed for the garage and Ja-Kal followed.
"What are you going to do, Rath?" Ja-Kal asked as the scribe reached the Hot-Ra climbing into it before Rath looked back at Ja-Kal.
"I'm going to drive around the city and see if I can spot Jade. It shouldn't be that hard to find one mummy in the city." Rath explained and Ja-Kal shook his head climbing in beside Rath.
"You won't be looking for her on your own, Rath. I'm going with you." Ja-Kal offered and Rath nodded blinking when Nefer-Tina and Armon raced in followed by Presley.
"Hey count us in too. Jade's our friend." Nefer-Tina agreed and Rath tried not to laugh as the mummies and their prince climbed into the Hot-Ra. "Besides if you want to find her fast you should let me drive." She added and Rath moved sitting behind her without an argument.
"Wow you must be really worried about Jade if you're not going to argue." Presley commented and Rath just shrugged impatient as Nefer-Tina started the vehicle. As they shot out of the sphinx he stared out the window hoping that wherever Jade was she was safe from Scarab.
Jade, I know exactly what it's like to be lost in San Fransisco. I never should have let you go off on your own.
My dreams were filled with images of being captured by Scarab, his magic forcing me to fight my friends and as I raised my daggers above Rath he refused to fight me. Just as I brought the daggers down I let out a gasp, yanked out of my nightmare by a hand on my shoulder.
"Whoa easy. You were tossing and turning, Jade." Rosie explained as I ran a hand over my head, shaking my head to clear the dream from my mind.
"Thanks, Rosie. That was some nightmare I was having." I replied and she just grinned as I looked over at the doorway with a slight frown. "I thought Rath would have found me by now. The last time I went missing he found me pretty fast."
"He rescued you from that guy with the purple armor right? Yeah he did that for us too." Rosie explained as I stared at my amulet. "You should have seen how brave he was even without knowing who he was."
"He's come to my rescue more than once and how do I repay him? I run away just because we had a fight and not even a big one. Wonder if he'll still want to talk to me." I muttered and Rosie just nodded at me, patting me on my shoulder. "Thanks for listening, Rosie. Nice to have someone to talk to."
"Hey Rath's kind and patient. I know he'll be happy to see you." Rosie offered and I fixed a smile to my face still not totally convinced that Rath would welcome me back.
As they sped through the streets Rath stared out of the window hoping that he would see Jade somewhere but as they raced past street after street he sighed. "It's no use. I can't see Jade anywhere." Rath muttered and Armon set his hand on his shoulder.
"Jade has to be in the city, Rath. We'll just keep searching until we find her." Armon suggested but Rath just shook his head, opening the glass covering once Nefer-Tina stopped at a red light.
"Rath, where you going?" Ja-Kal asked and Rath just gave him a small smile.
"I'm going to search on foot but you can keeping driving around in the Hot-Ra. I know a few people who might have seen Jade." Rath explained, climbing from the vehicle before he jogged over to the sidewalk. As soon as he disappeared around the next corner Nefer-Tina sighed driving away with a slight head shake.
"What did he mean?" Presley asked, very confused until Ja-Kal smiled at him.
"When Rath lost his memory a group of homeless people helped him. He must mean Max and his friends. Maybe they've found Jade." Ja-Kal explained as the Hot-Ra shot forward and Presley nodded, still not quite understanding who Ja-Kal meant as they searched the city.
"Jade woke in a strange time and place just like I did when Presley found us. I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to her." Rath muttered ignoring some odd stares as he headed deeper into the city.
As he searched I rolled onto my back my eyes squeezed shut but sleep didn't come easily to me as another nightmare gripped me though this time I could see Scarab as he leaned over a cauldron, a cold smile on his lips as he whispered something I couldn't make out. As I tossed and turned Rosie stared at me her eyes widening as my amulet glowed. Shaking her head she started to reach for my shoulder until my eyes shot open and she froze when they glowed.
"Jade, what's wrong?" Rosie asked but I ignored her, climbing from the bed before I slowly made my way towards the doorway ignoring Rosie's attempts at getting my attention. As soon as she caught up to me outside Rosie walked beside me even waving a hand in front of my face which did nothing. "Maybe I should keep following you just in case." She muttered watching with a frown as I started to cross the street barely even looking when a car started to speed towards me.
"Jade!" Rosie shouted as the car neared me but at the very last second someone rushed onto the road, grabbing me by the arm before he pulled me out of the way. A car horn blared as the car raced past narrowly missing me though I didn't even react too busy following the voice that whispered instructions into my head. "Rath, where did you come from?" She asked, letting out a breath as Rath held onto me tightly.
"Jade, whatever were you thinking?" Rath scolded, staring as I tried to pull free from his grip. Concerned he stared directly at my face as I shifted around in his arms and once he finally saw my blank eyes he frowned, snapping his fingers inches from my eyes though when I didn't flinch he shook his head. "Scarab." He muttered, relaxing his hold on me which allowed me to free myself.
"Rath, what are you doing?" Rosie asked as Rath watched me heading further into the city though once she reached the mummy he chewed his lip.
"Jade's not acting herself and I need to know why. Rosie, if you find my friends let them know I found Jade." Rath told her not even pausing as he raced after me determined not to let me walk away from him this time. Shaking her head Rosie started to head back to the shelter until she spotted Theo, Wilcox and Max and she raced towards them.
"Was that Rath?" Theo asked and Rosie nodded, quickly filling them in what happened earlier. "Wonder why Jade's acting so strange. I thought she'd be happy to see him again."
"Maybe she's been brainwashed." Max suggested and Theo sighed about to shoot down that theory until Rosie blinked a faint smile crossing her lips.
"That's it. It's that guy in the purple robe. He did this to Jade." Rosie agreed and Max actually blinked until he realized she was agreeing with him and he grinned as Max raised an eyebrow at Rosie. "It's true, Theo. Jade left the shelter and I followed her where she nearly got run over. If Rath hadn't shown up when he did..." She trailed off with a grimace.
"Rath's here? Did he tell you where he was going?" Theo asked but Rosie shook her head looking back at the footpath across the road. "Perfect. Maybe we should find his other friends."
"Did you mention Rath?" Ja-Kal asked and everyone turned around to find the Hot-Ra parked beside the footpath. "We've been looking all over for him and Jade."
"I saw him followin' Jade but I got distracted and now I don't know where they are. Jade was acting really weird." Rosie explained as Ja-Kal climbed from the vehicle looking on as Rosie pointed to the street corner.
"What do you mean?" Ja-Kal asked and as Rosie filled everyone in Rath followed me as I wandered the streets my eyes fixed solely on the footpath in front of me. Even though Rath was fairly sure I wouldn't even notice him he still kept out of sight peering around street corners until he followed me back to a familiar looking abandoned factory. At least it was until recently he thought as he watched me slip inside the building through an unlocked door.
"I know this is a trap but I can't let Jade run away again. Otherwise I may never find her again." He muttered, touching the amulet around his neck. "With the strength of Ra!" He called out, his armor appearing and after a quick glance around he slipped into the building keeping as close to the walls as he could as he followed my footprints.
He soon emerged into a long hallway and after carefully considering his options Rath decided to make his way as quietly as he could, his sword appearing in his hand before he headed further inside.
"I hope Rath knows what he's doing." Nefer-Tina commented as she drove the mummies along with Theo, Max, Wilcox and Rosie through the streets of the city. It was a tight squeeze but they managed to fit everyone making Ja-Kal glad that he'd convinced Presley to stay behind at the sphinx. "It's got to be a trap."
"Rath knows that but he won't rest until Jade's free. He wants to make up for the way he treated her but rushing into the lion's den?" Ja-Kal commented with a head shake. "We have to find Rath before he gets himself captured by Scarab."