𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑷𝑬𝑻𝑶𝑴𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑨 - Ardeth Bay

TWENTY TWO

22|BEING KIDNAPPED RUNS IN THE FAMILY

The car sped towards the museum, parking just outside the main doors. Ardeth offered his hand to his wife, helping her out of the car. His other hand protected her head, making sure she didn't hit it when she exited.

"Alex, I've got a big job for you. Stay here and protect the car." Rick told his son, patting the boy's shoulder.

"I can do that." Jonathan cut in, clearly not wanting to enter the museum.

"Protect the car?" Alex complained. "Just because I'm a kid doesn't mean I'm stupid."

"I know." Rick patted his sons head affectionately, knowing he could not lose his son the same night his wife was kidnapped.

"If you see anyone come out screaming, it's just me." Jonathan warned the boy.

"Maybe you should stay here and watch him." Rick turned back and looked at his brother-in-law, knowing how much of a scaredy cat he was.

"Yes, now you're talking." Jonathan cheered to himself.

"Alex reminds me so much of Meira, that sense of adventure and wanting to be part of the action." Tiye hummed happily to herself as she stood by the two men who were grabbing weapons from the boot of the car.

"You want the shotgun?" Rick asked as he revealed his large stash of guns.

"No, I prefer the Thompson." Ardeth stated and picked up the weapon. "If I were to say to you, I'm a stranger travelling from the east, seeking that which is lost."

"Then I would reply that I am a stranger travelling from the west." Rick answered. "It is I whom you seek. How-"

"Then it is true." Ardeth confirmed while Tiye stood back looking at the two men like they had grown a second head. "You have the sacred mark."

"What, that?" Rick questioned, looking down at his tattoo. "No, that got slapped on me in an orphanage in Cairo."

"That mark means you're a protector of man, a warrior for God, a Medjai." The Chieftain informed the man.

"Sorry. You've got the wrong guy." Rick stated, grabbing another, smaller gun and passing it to Tiye who was staring off into the distance.

The three adults snuck into the dark building, following the sound of chanting, weapons raised and ready. Suddenly, a mummy beside them dead in a coffin jumped to life, scaring the three. Then all the dead mummies in the coffins around them began to wake up.

They stopped at a balcony and watched as Imhotep awoke, his skin rotted like the first time he was risen from the dead. A woman stepped forwards and approached the rotting mummy.

"You know, a couple years ago this would've seemed really strange to me." Rick commented as the three watched the cult bow to their master.

"Evy!" Tiye gasped as she watched some men carry her over to a giant fire, ready to throw her in. Just as they began to throw the screaming woman in Rick jumped through the flames and grabbed his wife as Ardeth and Tiye shot anyone who got too close.

"You know, I love going on these kinds of dates with you." Tiye joked as Ardeth pushed her against a wall to keep her out of the wave of bullets.

"As do I." He kissed her lips passionately and went back to firing at the people below.

The two couples finally joined and watched as Imhotep released dust into the air, creating an army of mummies.

"Oh, no. Not these guys again." Rick groaned in annoyance. They ran out the museum and Tiye laughed as Evelyn stopped and began to drag a wooden bench to block the door.

"Honey, what are you doing? These guys dont use doors." Rick stated as he went back and grabbed her wrist, dragging her to the car.

"Where the hells Jonathan?" Just as Rick spoke Jonathan drove towards them in a double decker bus. "What's the matter with my car?"

"I was forced to find an alternative means of transportation." Jonathan explained.

"A double decker bus?" Rick shouted back, in disbelief over where they got a bus and how.

"It was his idea!" Jonathan pointed his finger at his nephew.

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Let's just go!" Tiye shouted, watching the museum doors. Jonathan drove the bus while Evelyn, Tiye and Alex stayed at the front of the bus and the two men stayed at the back, ready to shoot the income of mummies.

"Ardeth!" Tiye helped in fear as a mummy entered the bus and threw her husband harshly against the window. The legless creature continued to attack them and grew its nails sharper, cutting Ardeths arm.

"Turn, turn, turn!" Evelyn shouted to Jonathan which caused everyone to topple over.

"I always did love being on top." Tiye joked as she landed on her husband.

"When we get home." He winked before pushing her off and going back to attacking the mummy. Tiye scampered over to Alex as Evelyn picked up a shotgun. Just as the mummy went to attack Ardeth Evelyn shot it turning it to dust.

"Are you okay?" Tiye began to check over Ardeths wounds, ripping parts of her skirt off to clean up the blood.

"You alright?" Rick asked Ardeth as he joined the others, noticing Tiye cleaning wounds.

"This was my first bus ride." The Chieftain grinned at the man. Rick went over to kiss his wife causing Alex to groan in disgust and walk to the other end of the bus. "Let me go!"

"Alex!" Everyone ran out the bus as Alex was dragged into a car. They ran after the car but Tiye and Evelyn stopped as the bridge began to rise, Rick still running.

"Alex." Evelyn cried. Tiye brought the shocked mother into her arms, comforting her. Once Rick joined the group Tiye passed her sister to him and he held her tightly, both grieving over their son being kidnapped.

"Please, do not fear for your son, my friends." Ardeth approached the couple and his wife, Jonathan trailing behind him. "They cannot harm him, for he wears the bracelet of Anubis."

"Alex is wearing the bracelet?" Evy asked, staring at her husband with shock.

"When he put it on, he said he saw the pyramids at Giza, the temple at Karnak." Rick explained to his wife.

"And when they reach Karnak, the bracket will show him the next step of the journey." Ardeth added.

"Well, if we dont get to Karnak before them, we wont have any idea where to look for him next." Evelyn gasped in panic.

"Seems to me like we need a magic carpet."