Desert Rose (Book One of The Medjai Saga)

Chapter Nine: A Race Against Time

Language Key: Arabic, English, Ancient Egyptian

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Walking back from the Museum, Molly came across Rick and Jonathan. They raced towards her. They seemed to be running from something...or towards something. She just had to figure out which, if she had to be running too.

"M!" Rick exclaimed

She was met by the buzz of energy from them both, their jitteriness infecting her. It set her nerves on edge.

"Rick, where's Evy?" she questioned.

"She's safe," he assured her, "Come with us. We have to find the Egyptologist."

"The Egyptologist? Dr. Chamberlain?" she questioned as he dragged her along.

They made their way to the Egyptologist's quarters to find the door wide open and a ruckus coming from inside. Papers flew about as they stepped into the room. Beni was amongst the mess. She knew the book must have been in the room somewhere, and if she could get her hands on it, it would give them the lead.

The banter began almost immediately, slipping from Rick's mouth, something about spring cleaning. Molly wanted to chuckle but almost immediately, Rick picked up a chair and hurled it at Beni, hitting him square, knocking him down.

"Nice shot," Jonathan said.

Rick marched over to Beni, taking hold of him, pulling him up, "Oh, Beni, did you fall down? Let me help you up," he looked briefly at Molly, "See if you can find the book."

Rick went about questioning Beni as Molly searched the room at break-neck pace, clawing through the junk stuffed into every crack and crevice, drawer, and shelf.

A slam caught her attention and she turned to see Rick holding Beni against the top of the desk, his hands tight around the front of Beni's shirt. He loomed over him, "What the hell are you doing with this creep? What's in it for you?"

"It is better to be the right hand of the devil than in his path," Beni stated as Molly got back to her searching with Jonathan, "As long as I serve him, I am immune."

Rick threw him up against another wall, papers and books falling around them, questioning again. Beni swore in what Molly recognised as Hungarian, yet it was something none of them could make out. There was more of a commotion, but Molly kept her focus until Rick dragged Beni to the centre of the room and held him up to the ceiling fan, "What are you looking for? And try not to lie to me."

Beni gasped in fear, "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."

"What does he want the book for?" Jonathan asked, stepping towards them.

"I don't know," Beni said.

Molly looked up from where she was digging around for the book, to see Rick hoist Beni closer to the fan again.

He screamed, "Something about bringing his dead girlfriend back to life. But that's all. He just wants the book, I swear. Just the book, I swear," Rick lowered him, and Beni looked to Jonathan, "And your sister."

Rick shook him aggressively, and he continued, "But other than that-"

There was a blood-curdling scream and Beni broke free, kicking Rick, and then hurled himself out the window, screaming. Molly was startled by the boldness of the usually cowardly Beni and shot up, racing over to the other two, heading to the window. There was another scream and they looked down on the scene.