Desert Warrior

Rebirth

When they pulled up to the museum there was no indication to show that anyone was inside, yet they knew they were in the right place.

"All right Alex" Rick turned to his son "I have a big job for you. I want you to stay here and protect the car."

"I can do that" Jonathan chimed in.

"Protect the car" Alex seemed slightly insulted "Come on dad, just because I'm a kid doesn't mean I'm stupid."

"I know" Rick said fondly, ruffling Alex's hair.

"Dad" Alex complained, jerking his head away from the fatherly hand.

At that point Jonathan chose to make one of his usual, fear driven, inane remarks that had Rick suggesting he stay in the car as well. Naturally Jonathan took him up on the offer and Kedar couldn't help but roll his eyes as he climbed out over Alex to get out of the car. Alex began to protest that Kada was allowed to go into the museum, but his father and Ardeth were already out of the car and heading towards the boot where the weapons were. In the boot of the car Rick flipped open the latches of his weapons case and lifted the lid with the smooth ease of long practice. Inside was a small arsenal of firearms that would be perfect in the upcoming situation where they were going to be clearly outnumbered.

"You want the shotgun" Rick asked Ardeth.

"No" Ardeth replied "I prefer the Thompson."

Shrugging Rick handed over the Thompson and chose the shot gun for himself as well as a few pistols. Kada picked up the remaining pair of guns and decided that the set of throwing knives stuck in the lid of the case wouldn't be amiss either. So far the two men had neither encouraged nor discouraged her coming along with them and she realized that Ardeth was giving her the choice. Rick didn't look to sure about her inclusion, but couldn't very well make her stay behind. The three spent the next brief moment loading their weapons and testing their grips when Ardeth grew still and took an unnatural interesting in his gun.

"If I were to say to you I'm a stranger traveling from the east, seeking that which is lost-" Ardeth spoke questioningly, attention still seemingly upon the gun in his hands.

"Then I would reply that I am a stranger traveling from the west, it is I whom you seek. How..." Rick was puzzled.

"Then it is true" Ardeth was sounding slightly excited, motioning to a tattoo upon Rick's wrist "you have the sacred mark."

Kada's eyes were drawn to the tattoo and realized it was quite similar to the one hidden upon her own person. She hadn't thought of her own tattoo in a long time. When she was about four her uncle had noticed it seemingly for the first time, ranting about how much of a freak she was for having such a thing upon his body and beat her, so hse had wished it hidden. She had forgotten about it, had never thought to tell Ardeth about it. She would have to mention something about it later when there was more time and they weren't about to go into battle.

"What that?" Rick was dismissing the tattoo. "That got slapped on me when I was in an orphanage in Cairo."

"That mark" Ardeth insisted "means you are a protector of man. A warrior of God, a Medjai."

"Sorry" Rick said, snapping the shotgun closed, though he did not sound all that remorseful "you got the wrong guy."

With that Rick turned and strode purposefully to one of the museum entrances, leaving Ardeth and Kada to follow as they will. Kada was suddenly beginning to wonder if there was more to her having been abandoned by her relatives in the desert than met the eye, could there have been some sort of divine intervention behind the whole thing? She would have to speak of the matter with one of the mage-priests of the tribe later, right now she had a task to do.