The Mummy: Love beyond Death

by WolveHulk

Anck-Su-Namun's twin-sister, Zahra, who's nothing like her other twin, loves Imhotep. But when Imhotep is cursed by Hom-Dai, Zahra wants to be buried along with him to keep him buried to protect the world. But 3000 years later, when Evy accidentally resurrects Imhotep from the dead, Zahra is resurrected as well. Joining forces with Evy, Rick and Jonathan, they must save the world.

4. Chapter 4

Sometime later at Fort Brydon - Cairo

Rick, Evy, Jonathan and the others made it to the fort, where they thought they would be safe until they all packed up to leave for another country, wanting to get as far away from Egypt and Imhotep as soon as possible, while very dark clouds were forming in the skies.

However, somewhere in between the large crowd of citizens, Zahra, now wearing a whole new outfit, covered with a long cloak and hood, looked around, feeling very surprised at how far humanity has gotten with their buildings, technology and culture, feeling so much different then from her time period. 'So, this is how far mankind has come over the past 3,000 years. It is…very impressive and surprising…but it is not of my own time and era.' And when she entered a building, which was a museum, she felt sad and disgusted by how they were displaying the long dead and decayed bodies from her era. 'These insolent fools! How can the people of this time have... no respect for the dead? The dead of my land and my heritage?! Why could they not have left them alone in their final resting place?!" She thought with anger before she calmed down and closed her eyes, sending a prayer to the god of the dead, Anubis. "Lord Anubis, I beg you to hear my prayer. Watch over the souls of those whose eternal rest have been disturbed by these people."

Then, feeling Imhotep was near, she quickly changed into a sand vortex, blowing out of the building fast, shocking some of the people. 1 guard, who was secretly drinking some alcohol, was even more surprised before he glanced at his bottle and quickly threw it away, thinking it was the drink that made him see things.

Meanwhile

Evy, who Rick was trying to pack up for, was dead set against leaving, wanting them to stay and stop Imhotep's curse from spreading across the entire world, even arguing with him about it.

"I thought you said you didn't believe in that fairy tales and hokum stuff?" Rick asked before he told Evy's pet cat, which was standing on the suitcase. "Shoo!"

Evy moved her cat, who ran off, as she said to him while taking out everything that Rick tried to put into the suitcase, clothing, books and other things. "Having an encounter with a 3,000-year-old walking, talking corpse does tend to convert a person."

"Forget it. We're out the door, we're down the hall and we're gone."

"Oh, no, we are not."

"Oh, yes, we are."

"Oh, no, we are not. We woke him up, and we are going to stop him."

"We? What we? We didn't read that book. I told you not to play around with that thing. Didn't I tell you not to play around with that thing?" Rick countered, knowing that it was really her fault for reading the Book of the Dead in the 1st place.

"Yes, then me, me, me, me, I, I, I woke him up and I intend to stop him."

"Oh yeah? How? You heard the man: no mortal weapons can kill this guy."

"Well, then, we are just going to have to find some immortal ones."

"There goes that "we" again." Rick said as he laid his hands on the suitcase.

"Will you just listen to me? We have to do something." Evy said as she closed the suitcase, smashing Rick's fingers and making him yell in pain in the process. "Once this creature has been reborn, his curse is going to spread until the whole of the Earth is destroyed."

"Yeah? Is that my problem?" Rick asked as they moved around in circles.

"It is everybody's problem."

"Evelyn, I appreciate you saving my life and all, but when I signed on, I agreed to take you out there and to bring you back. And I have done that. End of job. End of story. Contract terminated." Rick told her, thinking that his job was done.

"That's all I am to you? A contract?" Evy asked, slightly offended.

Rick then tried 1 last time to get her to leave. "Look. You can either tag along with me or you can stay here…and try and save the world. What's it gonna be?"

"I'm staying." Evy said with no hesitation.

"Fine." Rick said before he began to walk out of the room.

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Fine." Rick said 1 more time before closing the door, leaving Evy to cross her arms in annoyance.

Later at a local bar

Winston Havelock, an aging British aeroplane pilot that rued not having died in battle at the end of the Great War, was telling a local woman about himself. "I'm the last of the Royal Air Force still stationed out here, you know." He said before stepping in water from the nearby fountain. "Some bloody idiot spilled his drink." Before moving forward. "All the other laddies died in the sky and were buried in the sand. Good chaps, every 1 of them too."

That was when Rick, who'd served with Winston in the War, bumped into him. "Oh, hey, Winston." He greeted before walking to the bar.

Winston, seeing the woman walk away, followed his old friend as he told him. "You know, O'Connell. Ever since the end of the Great War, there hasn't been a single challenge worthy of a man like me."

Rick signaled Jonathan about Winston, making the British treasure seeker put the key into his coat pocket. "Well, we all got our little problems today, don't we, Winston?"

"I just wish I could have chucked it in with the others and gone down in flame and glory instead of sitting around here rotting of boredom and booze." Winston said, with Rick saying the last part with him, as he'd heard it many times before. "Cheers." Winston said before drinking Jonathan's glass and saying before walking away while patting both of them on the back. "Oh, well, back to the airfield. Hahaha."

Rick then asked Jonathan as he poured another drink. "Tell me, has your sister always been–"

"Oh, yes, always." Jonathan answered.

That was when Henderson and Daniels walked up to them. "Well, we're all packed up, but the damn boat doesn't leave till tomorrow morning."

"Tail set firmly between your legs, I see." Jonathan told him.

"Yeah. You can talk. You don't have some sacred walkin' corpse after ya." Henderson complained.

"So, uh, how's your friend?" Rick asked Daniels, referring to Burns.

"He had his eyes and his tongue ripped out. How would you be?" Daniels answered sarcastically.

Meanwhile, in Burns' quarters

Burns, now with a blindfold to cover up the loss of his eyes, was meeting with, who he was informed was a prince seeking to buy Burns' canopic jar by Beni, but because of his eyes being gone, as well as his own greed, he didn't know that it was really Mummy-Imhotep himself, wearing a mask and long dark robes to conceal his identity, with Beni as a mediator. He then said in a muffled voice because of his tongue loss as he tried to shake his hand. "I'm so pleased…to meet you."

But Beni stopped him and told him. "Prince Imhotep does not like to be touched. A silly Eastern superstition, I'm afraid."

"Please forgive me." Burns said apologetic as he reached for the cup beside him but spilled it instead.

"Awww. Whoops." Beni said before leaning close to Burns and telling him as Imhotep watched, eager to finish what he began back at Hamunaptra. "Mr. Burns, prince Imhotep thanks you for your hospitality."

"No." Burns said with a chuckle.

But then Beni added. "And for your eyes…and for your tongue."

And by hearing that, Burns began to become horrified. "Wha–"

"But I'm afraid more is needed."

"Wha–"

Beni got up and backed away as he finished while his master raised his hand to take off his mask. "The prince must finish the job and consummate the curse…which you and your friends have brought down upon yourselves."

Burns, completely fearful at this point, held his hands out and begged for mercy, even though it was pointless, as he had brought this onto himself by opening the cursed chest. "No! No! Wait! No!" Before he screamed in terror as Mummy-Imhotep took off his mask, licking his lipless face as some scarabs crawled into the holes on his body before he proceeded to drain the life out of a still screaming Burns!

Meanwhile, back at the bar

Rick, Jonathan and the others were toasting their futures with a drink. "Good luck, boys."

But as they drank, they, along with all the other patrons, quickly spat out the alcohol, as it tasted like something very disgusting. "Sweet Jesus." Henderson said with shock. "Tasted just like…"

Rick dropped his glass and finished for him while he watched as the water in the fountain turned red. And not just any red. Blood. "Blood."

"And the rivers and waters of Egypt ran red…and were as blood." Jonathan spoke, saying a verse from Exodus 7:14-25.

Rick knew that only meant 1 thing. "He's here."

A bit later

Evelyn walked into the courtyard with several books, hoping to find something that would destroy the mummy.

Some soldiers, who were also at the courtyard, looked surprised at the sky, seeing these strange thunderclouds gathering and thunder struck. "Oh, looks like it's gonna storm." One soldier said. The other nodded, but found it very strange, as storms as these never happened in Egypt.

While Evy looked into one of the books, Rick ran into the courtyard to her. "Oh, Evelyn!"

Evy looked, still being a bit mad at him but also relieved that he'd changed his mind. "Oh, so you're still here."

Rick pretended to chuckle before turning serious. "We've got problems."

Suddenly, the clouds only got darker and from there, as fire began raining down from the sky, making Rick take Evy in his arms before he ran with her to a more safe part of the courtyard to avoid the fire.

But, in the middle of the city, Zahra, who knew what this was, let out a mighty roar and quickly used her power to make the waters of Egypt go above her and spread throughout the city, blocking most of the fireballs and she even made at least some of them only hit where no one would be harmed, protecting the citizens and most of the city while all the citizens who'd seen what she could do were looking at her in shock and disbelief before they all began running for safety. And when it was close to being over, Zahra heard Imhotep's roar and put the waters back before she disappeared in a sand vortex.

But Rick, despite being greatly surprised by what he saw, spotted Beni, who was running to get away from what he was seeing but was stumbling due to having a weak stomach. But as tried to run back up the stairs, Rick grabbed him. "Hey! Beni, you little stinkweed. Where you been?"

But as Mummy-Imhotep roared, Beni used Rick's distraction to flee before he drew his pistol and ran with Evy up the stairs to Burns' quarters. And when they got there, they were horrified to be Burns' dead and dried up skin and bones body before seeing Mummy-Imhotep himself, who was regenerating into his 2nd undead, but more regenerative form before letting out a less monstrous roar!

"We are in serious trouble." Rick said as he got out his other gun. And as Mummy-Imhotep moved towards them, the American pointlessly shot at him as Jonathan and the others burst in before Mummy-Imhotep pushed Rick right into them, making them all fall to the floor.

Mummy-Imhotep then looked at Evy, who backed up in fear as he told her in his ancient Egyptian language. "You saved me from the undead. I thank you." Before moving in to try to kiss her. But then, he heard something that caught his attention and saw a cat on a nearby piano, making him fearful before he quickly turned into a sand vortex and fled out of the window.

Rick sat up and said. "We are in very serious trouble."

Meanwhile, at the museum of Antiquities

Terence Bey, who'd seen what happened, was mad, as he knew that all his secret efforts were in vain before he turned and saw Ardith Bey. "Ardeth."

"Terence." Ardith greeted back before he turned serious. "I have failed."

"No, my friend, we all have failed in our sworn duty." Terence said sadly before he asked. "But did you see what happened when the fire rained down on the city?"

"Yes. But how? Why?" Ardeth wondered. "The Creature wouldn't be concerned for innocent people, not after what he went through for the past 3,000 years."

But that was when they heard a female voice that spoke in the ancient Egyptian language. "Not Imhotep, Ardeth Bay, me."

Both Medjai turned while drawing their swords, seeing the hooded and cloaked female. "Who are you?!" Terence demanded.

"She talks in the ancient tongue, Terence." Ardeth informed him.

Zahra knew that even though they were descendents of Seti's sacred bodyguards, they could not understand the ancient language, nor could she understand theirs, so she performed a spell that could let her, and those she interacted with understand her and spread it around the area to make anyone else understand her ancient Egyptian language also. "I trust you both can understand me now, correct?"

"Yes, but who are you?" Ardeth asked while still being on guard.

Zahra only answered this. "That will be revealed soon, Ardeth Bay, but what you both must know now, is that I have the same powers as Imhotep but am here to help you in your quest to put him back into the sands of our land and heritage…and to assist me in completing my destiny."

"Your destiny?" Terence asked…before he wondered. "Wait. Could it be…?"

Ardeth began realizing it as well, as he remembered the story his grandfather told him when he was a boy. The tale of Zahra, Anuk-Su-Namun's twin sister and best friend of Pharaoh Nefertiri, who sacrificed herself to protect the world from Imhotep. "Zahra? Are you…truly…Zahra?"

But Zahra, sensing that others were coming, only said this. "That can wait until the others join us. We are about to have company."

Evy was leading Rick, her brother and the others to Terence Bey's office, believing he could give them answers about what the Mummy was after. "He does seem to like Evy." Jonathan said, noticing that Imhotep took a liking to his sister.

"Yeah, what's that about?" Rick asked.

"What's this guy want anyway?" Daniels asked.

"There's only 1 person I know that can possibly give us any answers." Evy answered before they turned a corner and saw her boss…with Ardith Bey. "You!"

As the men pulled out their guns upon seeing Ardith, Terence greeted them. "Ms. Carnahan. Gentlemen."

"What is he doing here?" Evy asked.

Terence looked at Ardith before asking her. "Do you really want to know, or would you prefer to just shoot us?"

Rick said as he and the others put away their guns. "After what I just saw, I'm willing to go on a little faith here."

But then they saw a still hooded and cloaked Zahra, making Evy ask. "Who is this?"

But when Zahra saw her, as well as the other treasure seekers, she became angry as she removed her hood to reveal her face. "Someone…who's warnings you ignored and potentially doomed the entire world in the process, Evelyn Carnahan."

Upon seeing her face and recognizing her voice, Evy became shocked. "Zahra? Is that…you?"

"Uh, question: how did I understand what she just said if she just spoke that ancient Egyptian language?" Rick asked with surprise.

"Yeah, me too. I can understand and speak it too, but unlike Evy, I'm a tad rusty." Jonathan said with equal surprise.

But Zahra, angry with Evy, used her power to lift her up into the air and bring her to look her in the eye. "This…is ALL…YOUR…FAULT! How could you be so foolish enough to read from the Book of the Dead without even thinking of any consequences?! Why did not you listen to my warning? WHY?!"

"I…I thought that it was just a dream and that the curse of a mummy wasn't real. I believe that…if I can see and touch it, then it's real, not fairy tales and hokum." Evy answered as an excuse.

"That is no excuse to recklessly use a magical object that was absolutely forbidden in my own time!" Zahra countered before looking at her closely, making her think to herself. 'She looks like…Nefertiri. Could this be…her reincarnated form? Yes, that has to be it. Nefertiri was reincarnated, but it seems it was only in body.' But then, she put it out of her mind and looked at Rick. "And you, Rick O'Connell, you are equally to blame! You should have just taken the others and left the City of the Dead when Ardeth Bey warned you to!"

"Hey, um, Ms. Zahra, in my defense, I tried to tell her not to play around with that book and I thought he was just bluffing." Rick answered defensively.

"I do not bluff! Especially when it comes to protecting the world." Ardeth told him.

Henderson then eyed Zahra and asked flirtingly. "Ohhh…who's the babe?"

Zahra eyed both him and Daniels and her eyes became angry and she released Evy before grabbing them both by the throats. "You blind, ignorant, greedy fools! Your blindness for treasure has now cursed you and doomed the world!" She said before reluctantly releasing them by throwing them to the floor. "I should kill you both where you stand, but fortunately for you, I am not that kind of person. Consider yourselves blessed by the gods." But she was secretly thinking to herself. 'Besides, Imhotep will find them soon enough, and he will not be as merciful.'

After everyone was calm and settled, Terence explained everything. "We are part of an ancient secret society. For over 3,000 years, we have guarded the City of the Dead. We are sworn at manhood to do any and all in our power to stop the high priest Imhotep from being reborn into his world."

Ardeth looked at Evy and said with disappointment. "And now, because of you, we have failed."

"And you think this justifies the killing of innocent people?" Evy questioned.

"Silence! The Medjai have done whatever necessary to keep Imhotep buried for the past 3,000 years, Evelyn! And so have I!" Zahra told her, standing with the Medjai.

Rick then thought of something. "Wait. That sand hand that carried me outta that City. Those constant winds. That was all you, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Rick O'Connell, it was me. Like the Medjai, I have kept Imhotep's power at bay for 3,000 years, by whatever was necessary. Even though my body was dead, my spirit lived on and whatever powers it had, have stopped Imhotep's curse from ever being free…" Zahra explained before looking at Evy. "Until she brought him and me back to life, making everything I've sacrificed be in vain."

"Okay, I get that you're angry, and you have every right. But I got another question: how'd you come back to life with him?"

"Because Zahra's soul is linked to that of the Creature's. It was the ultimate sacrifice she made 3,000 years ago when he was mummified. She knew that if he was to ever be brought back to life, the world would be doomed. When she died, she requested her best friend Pharaoh Nefertiri to bury her with him and link them together, so humanity would at least have a chance." Ardeth explained to them.

"If she's linked to that other Mummy, why doesn't she just kill herself, that way he'd die too?" Daniels asked curiously.

Terence looked at him with annoyance for asking such a stupid question. "They are both immortal, you idiot!"

"Oh." Daniels said.

"1 more question: why doesn't he like cats?" Rick asked, remembering what Imhotep did when he saw the cat.

"Cats are the guardians of the Underworld. He will fear them until he is fully regenerated." Terence answered.

"And then he will fear nothing." Ardeth added.

"And what about Ms. Zahra here?" Jonathan asked. Obviously she's fully regenerated, but does she have the same weakness?"

"Yes, Jonathan Carnahan, I do. Despite the fact that I love any type of animal, the sacred laws of the Underworld apply to myself as well." Zahra answered honestly. "It was lucky for me that I regenerated before I followed you all and Imhotep here."

Zahra! You killed innocent people?" Evy asked with shock.

"I killed tomb robbers, greedy treasure seekers and family murderers, killers of men women and children, Evelyn! They were not exactly innocent, none of them were, not my past or present victims!" Zahra told her. "I killed the tomb robbers so I could quickly regenerate."

"I don't believe it." Evy said to Zahra and the Medjai. "You really this justifies killing people."

"To keep this creature buried or to stop him if he was brought back to life?" Terence asked. "Let me think."

"YES/YES!" The 2 Medjai and Zahra said together.

"Yeah. And you know how he and she get themselves fully regenerated?" Daniels asked.

"Him by killin' everyone who opened that chest." Henderson answered. "And her by killin' whoever she feels like."

"And suckin' 'em dry! That's how!"

Evy then stopped her brother, who was playing with a bow next to a wax statue of Seti himself, much to Zahra's disgust at it and the statue itself. "Jonathan, will you stop playing with that?" Before telling the Medjai and Zahra. "When I saw him alive at Hamunaptra, he called me…Anck-Su-Namun."

Zahra was not surprised to hear that. "I am not surprised about that. She had made sure that he was completely obsessed with her."

"Do you know her, Zahra?" Evy asked.

"Yes. She is…my oldest twin sister."

"And it was because of his love for Anck-Su-Namun that he was cursed." Terence added.

"His blind love for her, Terence Bey. The reason everything bad that has happened was all because of her! The reason that Imhotep had fallen for her charms, was that she was only seducing and manipulating him!" Zahra told him. "The reason why she did it…was because wanted to use Seti and Imhotep both so she could rule over Egypt and gain immortality. And to do that, she needed to seduce Seti 1st to get him to fall for her so he would make her his future queen, which worked. But once she knew that Imhotep had power over life and death, she began to manipulate and seduce him to eventually gain immortality, so she could rule over the kingdom for all eternity. She manipulated both of them and caused everything that set these events in motion." She said with sadness for Imhotep's fate, and that of Seti's and herself.

Hearing the sadness in Zahra's voice got Evy thinking. 'Is Zahra…in love with this Imhotep?'

"If that is true, then you know what Imhotep is planning, Zahra." Ardeth said.

"Yes. He is planning to once again raise Anck-Su-Namun from the dead. And, since her organs have long rotted away to nothing but hardened dust, he'll need fresher ones." Zahra confirmed.

"And it appears he's already chosen his human sacrifice." Terence concluded before they all looked at Evy, who was shocked.

"Bad luck, old mum." Jonathan said.

But Terence thought otherwise. "On the contrary, it may just give us the time we need to kill the Creature."

Ardeth then said as he looked at the skylight. "We should thank the gods that Zahra is here with us now. But even with her powers being the same as Imhotep's, we will need all the help we can get. His powers are growing."

Everyone else looked up and saw that an eclipse was happening, more than likely because of Imhotep. "'And He stretched forth his hand towards the heavens, and there was darkness throughout the land of Egypt."' Jonathan said, saying the verse from Exodus 10:22.

So Zahra, wanting to prove Ardeth's point, stretched out her own hand and, with her powers fully grown and Imhotep's not, she was stronger for now and destroyed the darkness, bringing the light back to Egypt. "As I vowed 3 millennia ago, I will stop Imhotep, no matter the cost to my own life. And I intend to keep that sacred vow."

"And we will help you do it, Zahra, for we took the same vow as our forefathers." Terence said gently to her, getting a nod from the female Mummy.

Later, at the fort

"We must stop him from regenerating. Who opened that chest?" Evy asked.

"Well, obviously, me and Daniels, here. Oh and Burns, of course." Henderson answered.

"And that Egyptologist fellow." Daniels added.

"What about my buddy Beni?" Rick asked.

"Nah, he scrammed outta there before we opened the damn thing."

"Yeah, he was the smart 1." Henderson said with a laugh.

"That sounds like Beni." Rick said knowingly.

Zahra, who was with them, saw the treasure seekers holding the jars that she knew contained her sister's long dead organs and mentally smirked at their misfortune. 'If only those greedy treasure seeking fools knew what was in those jars. Too bad for them that I will let them take that secret to their afterlives, which I know will be much sooner than they believe. But I am sure that Lord Anubis will gladly tell them, when they see him.'

"We must find the Egyptologist and bring him back to the safety of the fort before Imhotep can get to him." Evy said to everyone.

"That may be wise. If we find him 1st, we can get the Book of the Dead before Imhotep does. And as such, he will have to come to me to get it." Zahra told them. "Evelyn will stay here, but I need you 4 to accompany me to find this 'Egyptologist', as you call him."

"Good idea, Ms. Zahra." Rick said in agreement. "You guys heard the female Mummy, she stays here, me and you 3 go with her."

But that got all of them protesting, but all Zahra heard was cowardly whispering and Evy talking like she was in charge, which reminded her of that night she couldn't stop Nefertiri from sentencing Imhotep to endure the Hom-Dai and setting these events in motion. "Just a minute! You can't just leave behind here like some old carpetbag. Who put you or her in charge?"

But since Zahra knew that this wasn't Nefertiri and that she now could do something about people who objected, she turned around and used her power to lift Evy off the floor.

"Whoa, Zahra, what do you think you are doing?! Jonathan!"

"No way I'm interfering with her, baby sister, not when she's a really powerful and immortal 3,000 year old Mummy." Jonathan said with common sense.

Rick, seeing what Zahra had in mind, kicked open the door to Evy's room before the female Mummy gently but firmly threw her on her bed. "I'm really starting to like you, Zahra!" He said with a grin.

"Coward that you are, Jonathan. Zahra! O'Connell, you are not leaving me in here!" Evy protested as Zahra used her power to close the door before Rick locked it. "Jonathan, if you don't open this door in 1 minute flat…"

Zahra then grabbed both Henderson and Daniels by the throat and looked them both in the eyes. "If this door opens and if either she comes out or 1 of you go in, Imhotep will be the least of your worries… UNDERSTAND?!"

"Y-es M-ma'am." Henderson and Daniels whimpered like scared little boys.

As Rick gave Daniels the key and walked out with Zahra, who released the frightened treasure seekers, he told Jonathan. "Let's go, Jonathan."

But Jonathan protested again. "Oh, I thought I could just stay at the fort and, uh, reconnoiter."

"GGRR…NOOOOOOW!" Zahra roared out.

"Okay, don't need to tell me twice!" Jonathan said in fear before getting up and following them, leaving a fearful Henderson and Daniels, as well as a still protesting and locked up Evy behind.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the streets

Chamberlain, still processing the Book of the Dead and his jar, was going through the alleys, as if he were trying to get away from something before he stopped and heard a nearby bang, making him completely terrified. And he couldn't be more right, as a fully hooded and cloaked Imhotep was very close to him, greatly eager to kill his next victim and increase his growing powers even further.

Meanwhile, in Chamberlain's office

Beni was ransacking the drewers, looking for something before Zahra, Rick and Jonathan appeared. "Well, well, well. Let me guess: spring cleaning." And when Beni tried to run, Rick grabbed the nearby chair and threw it, directly hitting the cowardly, greedy treasure hunter.

"Nice shot/Nice shot." Jonathan and Zahra said at the same time, impressed with Rick's great aim.

Rick then grabbed Beni. "Oh, Beni, did you fall down? Here, let me help you up." He said as Beni whimpered like the coward he was as Rick slammed him into the wall. "You came back from the desert with a new friend, didn't you, Beni?"

"What friend? You are my only friend." Beni told Rick before he then got slammed into the desk.

"What the hell are you doing with this creep, huh, Beni? What's in it for you?" Rick asked sarcastically.

"It is better to be the right hand of the devil than in his path. As long as I serve him, I am immune." Beni answered, justifying serving Imhotep.

That only made Rick slam him against another wall. "Immune from what?" He asked, only for Beni to curse at him in his native language. "What did you say?"

"I don't wanna tell you, you'll just hurt me some more." Beni answered.

Rick then pulled him under the ceiling fan and warned him. "What are you looking for? And try not to lie to me." Before he held him close to the fast spinning blades.

"Aaahh! The book! The black book they found at Hamunaptra. He wants it back. He said to me it would be worth its weight in gold." Beni answered with fear.

"What does he want the book for?" Jonathan asked.

"You both should know that answer: Imhotep wants it because it is the only thing that can bring my sister back to life." Zahra answered for him. "But since it is obviously not here, because he is looking for it, that other greedy treasure seeking fool must still have it." She then looked at Beni. "WHERE IS HE?!"

"Oh come on, I don't know." Beni answered with fear before a very loud scream was heard nearby, getting Rick's attention before he used the distraction to kick his 'friend' and get free before jumping out of the window before he saw Imhotep and fled to a hiding place.

But Rick and Jonathan looked out the window and saw an entire crowd of people backing up in fear as a still hooded and cloaked, and halfway whole again Imhotep, who already had the Book of the Dead, picked up the jar from a now dead, skin and bones Chamberlain.

Imhotep then looked and saw them both in the window, showing his partly whole face. before he growled and let out a roar that sent an entire swarm of flies from his mouth, making them quickly close the window while the swarm was engulfing the people of the city as Imhotep calmly walked through them.

"Well, that's 2 down, 2 to go." Rick told Jonathan.

"Then he'll be coming after Evy." Jonathan concluded.

"Then let us get back there. Now!" Zahra told them both.

Meanwhile, back at the fort

Daniels, bored with waiting and guarding the door, said with frustration. "To hell with this. I'm going downstairs and get me a drink. You want something?"

"Yeah. Yeah, get me a glass of bourbon." Henderson, who had his jar in his hands answered before putting it on the chair as he got up and said. "And a shot of bourbon."

"Yeah, okay, okay."

"And a bourbon chaser."

"Yeah, yeah, I get your damn bourbon." Daniels said from the hallway.

"Don't worry about the door." Henderson said as he closed the door and looked at his jar before playfully pointing his gun at it for a few seconds before putting it away. But then, a howling wind was heard, making him gasp as he quickly drew his gun again and pointed it at the open window. He slowly went to it and looked out of it, seeing nothing for a few seconds before he calmed and lowered his gun, thinking it was nothing. But then, a strong sand vortex engulfed Henderson and lifted him into the air as he fearfully screamed for a few seconds before he was drained down to nothing but skin and bones and thrown across the room.

The sand vortex then took form, revealing it to be an almost fully regenerated Imhotep, who was close to being in human form again before he looked at the door as a scarab crawled from his still undead skinned neck and into his mouth and he chewed on it, killing it before he swallowed it and walked up to the door, leaving a dead and dried up Henderson behind.

In Evy's room

Evy was sleeping in her bed, wearing a comfortable black dress/negliee. But because of that, she didn't see that Imhotep was entering the room through the keyhole of the door by transforming into sand that piled up on the floor before taking form again.

Imhotep walked up to her before saying the name of the woman that had been on his mind for 3,000 years. "Anck-Su-Namun." Before he leaned in and kissed her as his human mouth strangely changed back into its undead form, awaking Evy in the process, who muffled in fear.

But then, Rick and Jonathan kicked the door open and told him. "Hey! Get your ugly face off of her!"

Imhotep looked at them before growing while Evy crawled to the side of her bed. "You dare interfere with me again?!"

"Look what I got." Rick said with humor before he held up Evy's cat, making Imhotep afraid as it hissed at him before he reluctantly did the same thing he did back in Burns' quarters.

Evy looked at them before Rick asked her. "You all right?"

"Well, I'm not sure." Jonathan said, making Rick look at him before Zahra, who had gone to search for Daniels, quickly appeared, dragging Daniels with her.

A bit later

Jonathan drove everyone to the museum, where they met up with Terence and Ardeth. They intended to find out where the golden Book of Amun-Ra was hidden at Hamunaptra, as Zahra knew that as the Book of the Dead was still buried there, then the Book of Amun-Ra would be as well, but where, even she did not know.

"Well, according to legend, the black book that the Americans found at Hamunaptra is supposed to bring people back from the dead." Evy said. "Until now it was something I was unwilling to believe."

"Believe it, sister. That's what brought our male buddy and Ms. Zahra back to life." Rick told her.

"Yes, and I'm thinking that if the black book can bring dead people to life–"

"Maybe the gold book can kill him." Rick finished for her.

"That's the myth. Now we just have to find out where the gold book is hidden." Evy said. "I don't suppose you know where it is, do you, Zahra?"

"No. I do not." Zahra answered. "After Imhotep was captured, Seti's sacred bodyguards hid the Book of Amun-Ra and did not tell anyone else but Nefertiri where. And that was a secret that I never found out, both in my last few days of life or my 3,000 years as a spirit."

"Why didn't you ever look for it?" Rick wondered. "You had 3,000 years, and you didn't think about looking for that gold book?"

"No, O'Connell. Because, as I have told you, I was too busy trying to keep intruders away from the City of the Dead and keeping Imhotep's spiritual powers at bay, that's why!" Zahra answered with a bit of anger.

But before anything else could be done or said, they all heard something outside, making them all look out the window before they saw an entire mob of zombified citizens, all with boils and sores, as well as torches and weapons, chanting. "Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep."

"Last but not least, my favorite plague–boils and sores." Jonathan said.

"They have become his slaves." Ardeth said.

"Can't you free them, Zahra?" Terence asked his Mummy ally.

"I am afraid that even I do not have that power, Terence. This plague will only be stopped when Imhotep is dead." Zahra answered with regret. "And at this point, there is only 1 way to do that now. We find the Book of Amun-Ra. Quickly."

Meanwhile outside

Imhotep was leading his zombified slaves and Beni to the entrance of the museum, shouting out to all of them. "LET US GO TO VICTORY!" Before they began to bang on the entrance to get it open.

Back inside

"According to Bembridge scholars, the golden Book of Amun-Ra is located inside the statue of Anubis." Evy read from the stone hieroglyphs.

"That's where we found the black book." Daniels said.

"Exactly."

"Well, it looks like the old boys at Bembridge were mistaken." Jonathan said.

"Yes, they mixed the books up. Mixed up where they were buried…so if the black book is inside the statue of Anubis, then the golden Book must be inside–"

That was when the zombified citizens burst in and began charging, which everyone else saw. "Come on, Evy. Faster." Jonathan said to his sister.

"Patience is a virtue." Evy countered.

"Not right now it isn't." Rick countered.

"Uh, I think I'll go get the car started." Jonathan said before quickly running out.

"I've got it. The golden Book of Amun-Ra is at Hamunaptra inside the statue of Horus." Evy informed everyone. "Take that, Bembridge scholars." She said in a prideful tone.

Outside

Jonathan was running to the car before he saw the zombified citizens running towards him. And so, thinking quickly, he acted like 1 of them, chanting Imhotep's name, which seemed to work as they began chanting with him. "Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep." Before Jonathan slowly backed away and when they were gone, he quickly jumped into the car and started it.

The others quickly ran out, with Daniels 1st. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" He yelled out as Jonathan drove up to them. "Get this thing in gear, boy, let's get outta here!"

"Evy! Come on, Evy, hurry up!" Jonathan said to his sister as she and everyone else got into the vehicle.

But then, Beni ran out and called out for his master. "IMHOTEP! IMHOTEP!"

Imhotep, who was where they previously were in the museum, roared out in anger while his zombified slaves ran out. "RRRRRRERREHHHHHHH!"

Rick looked at Beni and told him as Jonathan began driving the car as the zombified citizens chased after them. "You're gonna get yours, Beni! You hear me?! You're gonna get yours!"

"Oh, like I've never heard that before." Beni countered smugly.

As Jonathan drove the car through the streets, Rick sat down while Zahra began to think of a way that pathetic coward could get his. But then, Jonathan stopped when he saw more of Imhotep's zombified slaves right in front of them. After a few seconds, with Rick seeing the fear on Jonathan's face, he made the choice for him and stepped on his foot to hit the gas.

As the zombified citizens moved towards them, Rick shouted. "Hang on!"

As the car ran over some of them, the hive minded zombies got onto the car, with Zahra, using her powers to throw them off while Rick, Ardeth and Terence fought some of them off the car, all the while looking for an opening to escape. 'This contraption may be faster than the chariots and horses of my time, but not fast enough!' Zahra thought as she flicked a zombified man from the car and used her telekinesis to throw a few more off.

But Daniels, who was in the back, was suddenly grabbed by 2 of the zombified slaves, making him struggle to stay in the car. "Hey! O'Connell! O'Connell!" He called to Rick before he was yanked out of the car, his coat hanging from his right arm and his jarcin 1 of its pockets. He got to his feet and took out his guns before firing at the crowd, gunning down a few of them until ran out of bullets and hundreds more zombies were surrounding him…before they began clearing a path for an advancing Imhotep, horrifying him as he dropped his guns and reached for the jar as the Mummy stopped and growled with anticipation. And when he saw the jar that Daniels held up to him, hoping he would take it and spare his life, Imhotep became enraged and began draining the treasure seeker's life force the way he did the other as he screamed in terror while Beni, who was watching, looked away due to it being too much for his weak stomach to handle.

Meanwhile

The car crashed, throwing the rest of the zombified citizens off before Zahra and the others quickly got out of the car, with Rick grabbing a torch and using it to keep the zombified mob away as they were now all cornered with seemingly nowhere else to run.

"Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep. Imhotep." The zombified mob chanted before their master appeared, now fully regenerated, along with his little pet Beni as they cleared the way for him.

"It's the Creature." Terence said. "He's fully regenerated."

"Come with me, my princess. It is time to make you mine for all eternity." Imhotep said in his now human voice that they all could understand due to Zahra's spell.

Beni, not knowing that, translated for him. "Come with me, my princess. It is time to make you mine forever." He said, getting the last part wrong.

"For all eternity, idiot." Evy said, unable to let that slide.

"Don't bother speaking for him, you worthless little worm! They can all understand him perfectly." Zahra spoke for everyone.

This got Imhotep's attention, as he'd been wondering who had been interfering with him for the past 3,000 years and the 1 who'd been stopping his plagues. He looked at the hooded and cloaked female. "Who are you? Reveal yourself!"

Zahra, now seeing that the time was right, stepped forth and removed her hood, revealing her face to him. "Hello, Imhotep. I see you are regenerated at last."

Imhotep was very shocked to see her, as he thought he was seeing the woman who'd been on his mind for 3,000 years. "Anck-Su-Namun? Is…that…you?"

"No, Imhotep, despite what you see, I am not…my sister."

Imhotep was really surprised to hear that. "Z-zahra? Zahra, it is you." He breathed out before putting the pieces together. "So, it was you! You are the 1 who has been interfering with my plan for the past 3,000 years." He concluded before demanding. "Why?"

"Because, Imhotep, the love you think Anck-Su-Namun had for you…was nothing but a lie. A lie that ruined both of our lives. A lie that has cursed us both to be unholy undead creatures!"

"A lie? What are you talking about, Zahra?"

"Anck-Su-Namun never loved you. Every single scrap of affection and love she gave you was manipulation to use the power you had over life and death to gain immortality. She has used you, just like she used Seti. And even though she is long since dead, she is still using you to get what she has wanted her entire life: ultimate power over our land and immortality." Zahra explained to him.

But Imhotep, not seeing the truth, didn't believe her. "No! She did love me! You are the 1 who was blind, Zahra." He said before wanting to know 1 thing. "But why? Why would you condemn yourself to share my curse? You were a friend of Nefertiri, who was next in line to rule over the kingdom. Why would you throw that life away to share the most horrible of all our land's curses?"

Zahra sighed with sadness before she answered. "To protect the world from the horror the Hom-Dai would bring upon it…and its people."

Imhotep looked at the Medjai and the others before scoffing. "These people…have committed the most disgusting of atrocities against our land and her people. They trespass on sacred burial grounds, disturb and take the bodies of our people from their final resting places. They even dare to steal our most sacred objects created by the gods themselves and play with them as if they were children's play toys. And for what? Greed? Power?"

"The Medjai are just as noble as their forefathers, Imhotep! But these other people are not the people we knew. Our land and era is nearly forgotten and buried below the desert sands. Time and fate swallow nearly everything, and none can fight it or escape it. This world is not our world, and we have no place in it." Zahra said with sadness at hers and Imhotep's land and era.

This seemed to calm him down and he offered her. "Then…join with me, Zahra, and once we resurrect Anck-Su-Namun, we 3 can restore this land and bring about a new world. A world under our rule. And with our immortality, we will be the masters of a far greater empire than that of Seti's. An empire with no more wars, no more violence, and no more pain for anyone else. We can build a new age that will be everlasting. And the world will have peace that even time itself will never touch. Think about it, Zahra. Does not some part of you long for the return of what we have lost?"

Zahra thought about what Imhotep was offering, and while some part of her did want to restore Egypt to what it once was, she didn't want a world that was ruled by anyone, especially not unholy undead creatures, only an everlasting peace where all mankind was equal under the gods. But knowing that Imhotep would not listen to her, thought of a plan for her new friends to stop Imhotep. But it required her and Evelyn both to cooperate for now. So, with reluctance, she answered. "I will go with you, Imhotep, but I only do it if you give me your word that you will spare my new friends."

Imhotep smiled and touched her cheek. "Of course, Zahra, you have my word. But I shall only spare them…if the woman comes with us."

Zahra turned to the others before speaking into their minds. 'Can you all hear me?' Getting a nod from them after a minute. 'Good. I have a plan to stop him, but you all must trust me. I will go with him, but Evelyn must come as well. But while he spares you, use whatever fast way you can think of to get to Hamunaptra. The ritual must take place there in order for it to work. Do you all understand?'

'Yes, Zahra, we do.' Ardeth answered before he looked at Rick, who reluctantly nodded.

Evy nodded as well before reluctantly walking up to Zahra. 'This had better work.'

Rick looked at Evy, then at Imhotep before he told Zahra. 'You better protect her, Zahra. I'm trusting you on this.'

'And I you, Rick O'Connell.' Zahra told him before she and her new friend and Imhotep began walking away.

"Hey, that's mine!" Jonathan told Beni, who was looking for the key and found it.

"Thank you." Beni said before looking at his 'friend.' "Goodbye, my friend."

"Come here, you little–" Rick said angrily as Beni ran to join up with his master.

Zahra, not trusting Imhotep, used her power to open a manhole cover that led to the sewer. 'Go! NOW!'

Rick nodded before grabbing Jonathan. "Come on!"

"What about my sister?" Jonathan asked with concern for the only family he had left.

"We're gonna have to trust Zahra to protect her. I promise we're gonna get her back." Rick promised before he pulled him into the sewer, then Ardeth. "You're next." Then Terence. "Now you." And when they were all in, Rick jumped in as well while Imhotep and Zahra both transformed into a sand vortex and headed off to Hamunaptra, where the fight between good and evil would be decided.

There you go, my dear friends, chapter 4 is complete. Next will be the final part of the Mummy, which Zahra will have another huge role to play in. Rate and review and I'll see you all then, my dear friends.