*

Abdu was a very adventurous young man who strived to be everything that a well respected Med-Jai was expected to be.  His fighting skills were marveled at and his kindness was a gift from God.  He liked to think he would someday be like Ardeth Bay.

Ardeth.  His friend who was lost in the desert.  Abdu himself had been part of the scouting party that went to go find him, but by the time they had reached the Temple of Horus, it had been abandoned.  Ardeth's last order had been to Evy to raise the creature and since then there had been no trace of him that the Med-Jai were aware of.  A day ago a party had been seen heading to Cairo, a party made up of O'Connell, Carnahan, Carnahan's sister and the creature.  Ardeth hadn't been with them.  Abdu worried for his friend.

In the midday sun he made his way to the well that the Med-Jai made their encampment around.  Despite being a tough warrior, Med-Jai had a binding duty to obey their mothers.  Of course Abdu would rather be sparring.  He could see a few of the other young men in the distance, at practice with their scimitars.  He sighed and trudged on, knowing his mother was waiting.

Suddenly a shadow crossed his path and Abdu raised his head.  His eyes widened and he dropped the buckets he'd been carting.  "Ardeth?" he gasped, throwing his arms around the older man.  Ardeth groaned in pain and backed away from the boy.  It was then the wounds became apparent.  "What happened?"

"I was attacked," Ardeth replied simply, holding out a hand to keep the boy from fussing over him.  "I'm fine.  I must speak with the elders.  It's urgent."  He looked down at himself speculatively.  "First I should change."

Abdu swallowed and tried to get a better look at those cuts and bruises, but finally gave up.  "I'll go tell them you're here while you go to your tent, but for the love of Allah, Ardeth, see a healer!"

The older Med-Jai smiled gently at the boy's concern, but shook his head.  "There is no time for that now.  I'll be fine."

*

Rick made a face at the skinny man called Kareem.  He was tall, lanky and had a very distinctive odor to him.  He was also eyeing Evy like he'd never seen a woman.  The dirty thief pointed at her thoughtfully.  "You know I could get you a real high paying job at..."

"Shut it," Rick said before his sentence could go any further.  He crossed his arms at Kareem and raised his eyebrows.  Evy decided to herself that Rick seemed to be getting less patient as time went by.

They waited in a small sitting room, Rick, Evy, Jonathan and Imhotep.  Drake was 'out on business' and couldn't be disturbed right now.  Evy sighed and leaned against the wall, looking over her companions.

Rick was pacing ever so slowly across the room and back again, his face pensive.  He didn't like anything about this little situation they seemed to be in, having to again save everyone from certain doom, having to deal with Imhotep and more directly Ardeth's betrayal Evy guessed.  Jonathan was standing at a small drink counter, pouring two glasses of some mixed drink he'd concocted of the liquors available.  Her brother grinned to himself and headed to where Imhotep sat.

Of all the weird things on earth, the small friendship Jonathan seemed to feel for the mummy seemed to rank right up there at the top.  Not that Evy minded Imhotep.  He wasn't such a bad sort when he wasn't plotting to kill anyone.  Jonathan handed Imhotep a drink and nodded.  "That's the good stuff.  Knock you right off your feet," he said in Egyptian.  He seemed to be getting a little better with her tutoring.

The priest took the glass and swirled the liquor around, peering at it suspiciously.  The glance he gave Jonathan was both frighteningly warning and humorous.  Evy giggled, watching Imhotep sniff the drink and take a sip.  To Jonathan's credit he seemed pleased and drank the rest right down.

Jonathan's eyes were wide as he took the glass back.  "Good God," he breathed, taking a sip from his brew and wincing.  "You and I have got some pubs to smack...hit, I mean hit."

The priest exhaled and looked to Evy.  "I could simply tear this place apart to find the seal," he suggested with a mild little smile.  He seemed to be in a good mood and that made Evelyn wonder.  "It would be faster."

Evy shook her head firmly.  The last thing they needed was two dozen thugs rushing in to kill them, not to mention what would happen if the fight took to the streets.  "Let's try Rick's way first."

Imhotep shrugged and held his black robe around him, his dark eyes taking in everything in the waiting room.  He had asked a lot of questions during the ride through the city and generally thought the changes were satisfactory, if not as lovely as his old Thebes.

The door to the sitting room opened suddenly and Drake came in.  He had an annoyed look on his face and Evy's stomach knotted in worry.  Perhaps Imhotep's way would have to be the route they took.  He poured himself a drink and looked the party over, eyeing Imhotep.  "I was under the impression you were looking for two ladies.  He doesn't look like a Med-Jai and for your sake, Rick, he'd better not be.  I'd hate to think you were spying on me."

Rick exhaled and looked at his old friend.  "He's not.  Just a...friend.  The other girl turned out not to be a friend.  You have a run in with an angry scarab?"

Drake sighed and sipped his drink.  He shook his head.  "No, an angry Med-Jai.  We caught him trying to break in last night.  He's in a cell downstairs."

Evy swallowed at this, wondering if it were Ardeth.  It couldn't possibly be, could it?  "Did he say his name?" she asked.

The large, dark thief looked her over appraisingly.  He pointed.  "I could get you a job in our..." he started.

"Just answer the question," Rick interjected in irritation.  "Did this Med-Jai have a name?  Long, dark hair...around my age?"  There was an edge to his voice.

Drake shook his head and took a seat.  "Ricky, all Med-Jai have long, dark hair, but this man was definitely older than you.  You saw him.  He's the one that came in with a message for you before you left.  He won't give us his name."  The man took another drink.  "What's this all about?"

Taking a breath, Rick looked to Evy and she gave him a hopeful look.  She could only pray that this Drake person was willing to help.  He seemed to have a rough demeanor.  O'Connell again met his old friend's gaze.  "I'm gonna be straight with you, Drake.  They were after something in your office.  A painted gold box that Jonathan and I saw when we were in there last.  That's what I'm here for."

Drake's eyes narrowed and he set his cup down, crossing his arms.  "So you can give it to the Med-Jai?"

"No," Rick replied, his tone suggesting he was wearing of having to defend himself against Drake's paranoia concerning the warriors.  "There's a Med-Jai I know that'll be after it.  I need to get it out of here before he comes.  This is important, Drake.  You know I wouldn't ask you for something unless it was necessary.  Please trust me."

The thief didn't look particularly convinced, but old friends were old friends.  "Will you trust me to know the whole story of all this business?" he asked slyly, cocking his head.  That didn't seem to please the ex-Legionarre.

"Rick," Evy spoke up, laying a hand on his arm softly.  She gave it a squeeze.  "Perhaps we should tell him."

O'Connell looked back to Drake, then shrugged.  "Yeah.  Fair is fair I guess."

Drake listened intently as Rick told the story, leaving out certain parts about Imhotep being raised from the dead.  Evy filled in what had happened before her brother and the ex-Legionarre had found her.  All in all Drake seemed to get out of his previous mood of distrust.  When O'Connell concluded the story, he laughed.  "Ricky, if you were that desperate you could have said so.  You didn't have to make up that ridiculous story."

Rick rolled his eyes and rubbed at his cheek almost nervously.  Dealing with Drake seemed to take a lot out of him.  "Riiight," he said dryly.  "Can we have the box?"

"The box means nothing to me other than a decoration in my office," the thief explained with a shrug.  "If it means that much, you can have it."

Evy heaved a sigh of relief, grateful that this had gone smoothly.  Imhotep's expression had been thoughtful during the discussion, but even though he couldn't understand the words, he could glean how things were going by their stance.  A few times Imhotep had looked a bit impatient and ready to end the discussion by doing this his own way, but he'd kept his cool and waited it out.  Evy smiled when he looked up at her, wondering why she was staring.  He gave her an odd expression, but smiled back.

"I think we'd better have a word with this Med-Jai," Rick was saying as he and Drake began to exit the sitting room.  The others followed.

*

Ardeth felt good to be in clean, untorn clothing.  His body still ached from the torments Meela had put him through, but he was definitely better to be out and about instead of in that dark little temple.  It took his mind off the painful reality that had been last night.  It almost felt like it had never happened.

He looked at the tribal elders that had gathered to meet with him.  They would take his word and nothing more and would let him know what he needed to know.  He straightened the cuffs of his desert robe and inhaled when one asked what this was about.  "I don't have time to explain everything.  The woman Meela is really Anck-su-namun reincarnated.  She is after the seals.  I need to know where the other two are so that I can get them before she does," he told them.   They wouldn't require an explanation from him.

They seemed to share expressions between them as they quickly considered his words.  Jaalam, one of the elder Med-Jai before him, nodded to Ardeth, his face ever trusting.  "We have men in Cairo trying to retrieve one that is hidden in the hideout of Drake the Thief.  The other is hidden within the British Museum in London.  What will you do, Ardeth?  We saw your friends heading towards Cairo.  Will you join them there?"

Ardeth nodded his head once, his face conveying the gravity of the situation.  "Anck-su-namun will stop at nothing to regain the seals.  She already has one of them and is heading towards Cairo to find O'Connell and the others."  He pushed away thoughts of Evy's absence from that group.

Jaalam looked over the younger man, concern in his eyes for someone he considered a friend.  "Ardeth, Abdu said you needed medical attention."

Holding up a hand, Ardeth shook his head.  He didn't have time for this.  Meela's spell pulled at him.  "I'll be fine for now.  It is important that I leave at once before Anck-su-namun gains too much ahead of me.  I thank you for the trust you have in me."  He made a motion of respect with his hand.  "I must leave."

"God be with you," Jaalam replied and Ardeth quickly left.

Ardeth drew his robes around him, chilled not but the air but by his own actions.  He had readied his horse and left it waiting for him at the outskirts of camp with Abdu.  The warrior broke into a run, knowing he had to get out of here and to the desert.  What he saw when he approached his horse was not amusing.  Abdu had saddled his own horse, waiting for him to come back.  "I will join you," the boy offered.

The older Med-Jai took the reigns from Abdu's hand and mounted his black horse.  He shook his head.  "No, I must handle this alone."

Abdu frowned and cocked his head.  "I am old enough now to do a man's work, Ardeth.  Please let me come with you."

Ardeth walked his horse around beside the brown one that Abdu rode.  His face was serious and just irritated enough to convey that he did not want the boy with him.  Inside Ardeth felt bad for Abdu, but he simply had to do this alone.  He could only pray that the young warrior stayed behind and didn't follow him, lest he be harmed.  "Abdu," he said firmly, pointing a finger.  Perhaps if he angered the boy enough it would keep him away.  "I must do this alone.  You are to stay behind and not follow.  Swear to me that you will not follow."

Abdu seemed taken aback by the strange attitude that Ardeth displayed.  His youthful eyes hardened and he sat up straighter in his saddle.  "I swear not to follow you by your orders, but if our leaders send me elsewhere I will defer to their wisdom."  Before Ardeth could answer the boy he turned his horse back towards the encampment and took off.

Ardeth sighed and spurred his horse on.  He hated having to do that to the youth, but Abdu just couldn't come where he was bound.  Anck-su-namun waited for him just outside the dwelling place of the Med-Jai, hidden from them by her spells.  He could see her out there, sitting atop a stolen horse, waiting in plain sight.  "What did you learn?" she asked as he approached.

He would have to speak carefully to her.  Unlike her, he could be seen.  Ardeth lowered his head and draped a protective cloth over his mouth even though there was no storm building.  "One seal is in Cairo, held by a thief called Drake.  The other is in London, in the British Museum.  O'Connell and the others are in Cairo.  Shall we follow?"

Meela's expression was thoughtful.  She touched his hand softly as if they weren't enemies.  He would have knocked her off her saddle if he could have, but the spell wouldn't allow him that pleasure.  "No, my Ardeth, we go to London.  They already know where the seal in Cairo is, I'm sure.  They may already have it.  We must get to London before they do.  You've served me well."

*

Rick frowned and held the bars in his hands.  This was becoming more and more of a headache.  He sighed and stared inside the cell, putting on a sarcastic smile.  "Please, tell me where the other seal is?" he asked, wishing that at least part of this situation would get easier.

The Med-Jai inside crossed his arms and shook his head.  "No."  He glared at Imhotep, knowing him for what he truly was.  Imhotep didn't seem to mind however, given that the Med-Jai was the one in the cell and he was not.  He only smiled triumphantly at the caged warrior.

O'Connell frowned and looked at the others.  He really wasn't in the mood to argue.  "This is useless.  Ardeth and Anck-su-namun are out there looking for it and we don't have a clue where to begin."

"What?" The Med-Jai exclaimed, coming from his seat.  Ali was his name and he was a fierce man, distrustful of anyone that was outside of his own people.  "What did you say of Ardeth Bay?"

Rick thought that might get the Med-Jai's attention.  He turned back and shrugged.  "Nothing I'd care to share with you."

Ali pointed a finger at Rick.  "If you know something, say it plainly.  I do not find the western preoccupation with clever games amusing.  Do not waste my time."  Being stuck in a cell beneath a thieves den didn't exactly agree with him, Rick noticed.

He sighed, deciding not to push the man's anger.  He could use Ardeth right now, that was certain.  But that brought back to mind the unpleasant knowledge that Ardeth would never again fight at his side.  It made him angry.  "All right, I'll be frank with you.  Ardeth betrayed us.  He works for Anck-su-namun now and together they are looking for the other seals.  They already have one."

Ali considered it quietly.  He shook his head, his dark eyes unconvinced.  "I do not believe you.  Ardeth would never betray his people to the whore of that creature."  His eyes flashed dangerously to Imhotep.  "It is you who have betrayed humanity by raising that fiend!"

The priest knit his eyebrows and spoke to Evy something Rick didn't understand.  He crossed his arms when she translated.  His eyes spoke volumes.

Rick shook his head, feeling not too much different.  He was fed up with having to fight everyone and everything.  "Ardeth commanded Evy to raise him.  Maybe it was the wrong thing, but it was Ardeth's mistake, not ours.  She only did what a trusted friend told her to do.  Then the other night he took the gold book away and left her dying in the sand!"  Rick's tone grew more harsh with each word.  He was surprised at the feelings that had built up against his former friend.  "Now he's out there trying his hardest to do whatever the hell that witch commands and that includes finding those seals and giving them to her!  How's that for Med-Jai loyalty?"  He turned away, fuming at the pressure of everything on his shoulders.  "Let's leave.  Let the world die.  I don't care.  I'm sick of being the hero."

The others looked stunned as Rick stormed by, but he didn't care.  He was too angry with having to pull the teeth of so-called friends and even more angry about Ardeth.  It hurt like nothing Rick had ever experienced.  "Rick?" Evy ventured, touching his arm.

He pulled his arm away from her and muttered, "Not now."  He didn't want to be comforted and didn't want Evy's worried gaze on him.  So he turned away and studied a picture on the wall.  It had blue in it.  He liked blue.  It was a pretty color.  He sighed.

"Ali," said Evelyn, taking up where Rick left off.  Her voice was soft and sad and pleading.  "I know it's hard to believe.  I couldn't believe it myself, but I can't deny what happened.  Ardeth had the book in his hands and I reached for it.  The next thing I knew..." she didn't want to go on, Rick knew.  He didn't want to hear it particularly either.  "The next thing I knew Ardeth's scimitar was in my stomach and he was running away."

"A wound there would have more than likely killed you, or at least put you to bed for a long time," the Med-Jai said suspiciously.  Rick grunted at that.

Evy exhaled.  Rick felt bad for her, was upset that she had to be the one Ardeth had betrayed so personally.  "The creature healed me and right now he and this thief are the only ones trying to help us defeat Anck-su-namun!  We're trying to make this right again.  Please don't abandon us to do this by ourselves."  Her voice conveyed a certain needing that Rick found hard to resist.  She'd used that tone on him a few times as he could recall.  Hopefully it would have the same effect on the proud warrior.

Rick heard the Med-Jai sigh.  He grinned, thinking, Gotcha.  Good old Evy.  "You work in the British Museum, do you not?" Ali asked her grudgingly.

"Yes," Evelyn replied.

Rick turned around now, looking at Ali through neutral blue eyes.  The Med-Jai were noble warriors but Rick had had it with their self reliant exclusion from other people involved.  Or perhaps he'd just had it, period.  Ali nodded to himself thoughtfully.  "Then I will tell you where the other seal is if you promise me one thing."

Evy stood confident to the Med-Jai in the cell.  "What is it you ask?"

"I want you to bring Ardeth Bay to the Med-Jai if you find him.  He is one of ours and should be subject to our punishments if he is indeed a traitor." he answered plainly enough.  Rick snorted.  Imhotep seemed to have very specific plans regarding Ardeth.

But that wasn't important for Ali to know, obviously.  Evy nodded her head once and said, "If we can apprehend him, we'll bring him to you."

Ali's face still held that unbelief and Rick couldn't blame him.  He knew Ardeth better than they, certainly.  He didn't want to believe his friend was guilty of any wrong.  But something had convinced him they could be trusted.  "I see the truth in your eyes, a truth I do not wish to see," he told her quietly. "I cannot believe Ardeth would betray his own people.  There must be another explanation for this.  A trick of the creature's perhaps.  Please use wisdom, Miss Carnahan.  Do not take this beast with you.  Do not let him get the seals and surrender them to the woman.  He may seem tamed now, but he is a monster.  Never trust him.  The British Museum is where you will find what you seek."

Rick stepped up to them before anyone could reply.  "We go to London then."  Evy glared at him and nodded, then moved away.  "Guess you aren't too thrilled with me," he sighed, then ran his fingers through his hair.  Despite Evy's apparent irritation with him, he felt better knowing where the other seal was.  It was in a place she knew like the back of her hand.  Rick felt relief wash over him, yet a sense of unease still remained.  He turned to Drake.  "Let him go."

Drake seemed a little put off by that.  "He tried to break into my place, Ricky.  I've had enough of these robed terrors."

Rick grinned and clapped the thief on the shoulder.  "He's got to warn his people about Ardeth and about Meela.  I'll let you shoot Izzy."

The thief's face grew stern and he exhaled.  "I don't like this," he confessed.  "I've given you a lot, Rick."

"And I'm giving you Izzy..."

Drake smiled and shook his head.  "I'll think about it, but you've got a big bill coming up."

"Yeah," Rick said, nodding and shaking Drake's hand in a good-bye.  "And I'm repaying it more than you know, my friend.  I'll be seeing you."

"Good luck," Drake replied with a nod.

They left the thieves' hideout, their next stop most likely to see about getting to England as soon as possible.  Rick felt a little of his previous mood slip away, but he still couldn't shake the weight of responsibility off his shoulders.  And now he had Evy's temper to contend with.  God knew he prayed that wouldn't last very long.  "Ah...Evy?" he ventured.

She looked at him curtly.  "I'm very vexed with your behavior in there, you know," she informed him straight away.

Jonathan took that moment to try and ease the tension.  Rick had to give the guy credit, he knew what would make his sister smile again.  "Listen, I've got a concern about this."  He pointed to Imhotep.  "If we're going to London he might blend in a little better if we got him something else to wear?  Not to mention what people would say about us for consorting with a half naked man."

Evy rolled her eyes and grinned.

*

Hehehe...that last chapter was too dark I think...so this one is a little lighter.  heheheheeee.  Enjoy and thanks for reviewing.

And Montana, PLEASE for the love of GOD sic Imhotep on me.  Hehehe.  ;)  Thanks for the review.  -Angel