There's A Fine Line Between Coincidence & Fate ✓

Chapter 41

Both men turn back from the window. "Glad to see us now?" I hear Ardeth ask Rick.

"Just like old times, huh?" Rick responds before heading up to the upper deck. I hear Rick fire at them and can only panic as I watch them jump into the air before I lose sight of them. I hand Evy one of the knives I brought with me.

"Stay safe." I beg her as I go to help Ardeth, drawing my sword as I do so.

"I thought I told you to stay up with the others." He comments before one of the mummies swings into the bottom of the bus and Ardeth pushes me behind him, firing at the creature as he does so, the lower half of the body falling out of the bus.

I wait with bated breath as Ardeth switches out the magazine in his gun, just in time for the top half of the mummy to swing back inside. It knocks the gun out of his hand and starts throwing him around the bus, where he collides into a seat. I take a stance in front of him, protecting him. It lunges at us and in a split moment the sword is knocked out of my grasp, and I'm flung across the aisle into the other seats. "Peggy!" Ardeth yells and rises up, fighting off the mummy.

It elongates its nails and reaches out, scratching Ardeth across the upper arm, causing him to scream out in pain. I barely here Evy calling out to Jonathan to start turning the bus before I'm knocked into Ardeth, and we both go flying back into the seats across the way. Ardeth regains his footing and punches the thing out of the way.

Pulling me into his chest, we don't have time to readjust before the mummy comes back swinging, swiping its long nails across my back. I howl out in pain and Ardeth pulls me behind him, into the seat. I only have a brief moment to move out of the way as Ardeth falls into the seat, trying to get out of the way so he too isn't sliced and diced. He approaches us and we yell out before his head explodes to bits and I turn and see Evy cocking the shotgun to go again, firing once it's in the chamber.

I'm fading in and out from the pain and I'm only vaguely aware of the sound of ripping metal as the top half of the double decker bus peels off from the rest of it. I start to come back to myself as I hear movement upstairs and I can only hope that it's Rick as we cross the London Bridge and Jon pulls us to a stop.

"Great driving Uncle Jon." Alex says, hugging him from the back.

Rick joins us downstairs and winces, seeing our cuts. "You alright?" He asks us.

Ardeth lets out a little laugh. "This was my first bus ride." I smile and roll my eyes. At least his mood has improved a bit. I get up and shake my head, trying to clear it. Alex moves towards the back of the bus, and I follow him.

"Hey kid, you ok?"

"Yeah, they're just gross." He says, motioning his head back towards his parents, who were off in their own little world.

"Yeah, I can see that." I joke, making a face that causes him to laugh. His laugh is cut short though as we're both grabbed from the bus. I see who's grabbed him and I growl before a gag is placed in my mouth and I'm dragged the rest of the way to a waiting car.

I'm stuffed in the back and only barely catch a glimpse of Ardeth chasing after us with Rick hot on his heels.

*Ardeth's POV*

I approach Rick and Evy, both who look distraught. I'm trying my best to not let my fears, my angers, show. "Please, do not fear for your son, my friends. They cannot hurt him, for he wears the bracelet of Anubis, and Peggy would die before she let anyone touch him." I add, looking down.

Evy looks to Rick, shocked. "Alex is wearing the bracelet?"

Rick nods before answering further. "When he put it on, he said he saw the pyramids at Giza, the temple at Karnak."

"Yes, and when they reach Karnak, the bracelet will show him the next step of the journey." I explain.

"Well, if we don't get to Karnak before them, we won't have any idea where to look for them next." Evy says.

I watch as Rick forms a plan. "Seems to me like we need a magic carpet."

We rush back to their house, and they quickly grab their things before we go to the docks to secure passage back to Cairo. "When we return to Egypt I must head back to my tribe, inform the other chieftains of what has happened... As well as inform my children that their mother has been taken." I add that last part quietly. "I will meet you at this Magic Carpet service."

Evy grabs my arm. "I am truly sorry Ardeth." She whispers. I say nothing, just pat her shoulder before heading to my stateroom.

"I don't know where you are ya amar, but I will find you. I will always find you." I say before laying down, trying to get some sleep before we arrive back home.