𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑷𝑬𝑻𝑶𝑴𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑨 - Ardeth Bay

TWENTY THREE

23|MAGIC CARPET

Her vibrant green eyes glowed with excitement as she glanced around at the barren desert, admiring the sun bouncing off the golden sand.

"Home sweet home!" Tiye hummed happily as they drove through the sands of Egypt, tying her hair back with a simple cotton ribbon.

"This is the magic carpet?" Evelyn asked as they parked up beside an old sandstone building.

"He'll be fine. He's a professional." Rick tried to reassure his wife as a one eyed man stepped out the wooden gates. "Izzy!"

"He definitely remembers you." She teased her husband as the man ran back into the courtyard, locking the wooden gate behind him.

"Hes a little shy." Rick stated. "Jonathan, get our bags."

"Oh, my hands are full." Jonathan groaned in annoyance, lifting the golden statue in his hand.

"Now."

"Right. I'll get the bags." He scurried off and grabbed the bags from the car.

Tiye patted down her white dress that clung to her body, a smile gracing her lips after changing out of her blood stained skirt and have her arm bandaged up. She linked her arm through Evelyn's, standing behind Rick as they waited for him to get them into the walled garden.

"I'll deal with the flight details." Rick pulled out his gun and shot the lock open.

"Honey, you're not a subtle man." Evy sighed.

"We dont have time for subtle." He glanced back at his wife while putting his gun away. Rick then proceeded to kick the door in and walk after Izzy. "Izzy, come here."

"No, no, no."

"He doesn't look happy to see you." Tiye laughed, watching the man scurry around trying to hide.

"Never turned me down yet." Rick grinned at the two women.

"Whatever it is, whatever you need, I dont care." Izzy shouted, looking through a bunch of paperwork. "Forget it, O'Connell. Everytime I hook up with you, I get shot! Last time, I got shot in the ass. I'm in mourning for my ass. Remember that bank job in Marrakesh?"

"Bank job?" The two women questioned together, Evelyn raising a brow at her husband.

"It's not like it sounds." Rick tried to defend himself.

"It's exactly how it sounds." Izzy stated, pointing his finger accusingly. "I'm flying high, hiding in the sun. The white boy here flags me down, so I fly in low for the pickup. The next thing you know, I get shot! I'm lying in the middle of the road with my spleen hanging out, and I see him waltzing up with some belly dancer girl."

"Belly dancer girl?" Evelyn sent her husband a sharp look before turning her stare gentle as she shifted her attention to the pilot. "Izzy, I think you and I should talk."

"As long as I dont get shot."

"Quit your whining." Rick groaned. "You're gonna get paid this time."

"O'Connell, have you looked around here any? Huh?" Izzy said. "What do I need money for? What the hell am I going to spend it on?"

"I'm going to keep this short. My little boy is out there. I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get him back." Rick explained their situation.

"O'Connell, if you give me that gold stick there, you can shave my head, wax my legs and use me for a surfboard." Izzy stared admiringly at Jonathan's golden stick.

"Didn't we do that in Tripoli?" Rick asked as he threw the stick at Izzy. "Say, by the way, when did you lose your eye?"

"Oh. I didnt." Izzy moved the eye patch away and showed his two functioning eyes. "I just thought it made me look more dashing."

"Come on, get to work." Rick ordered, ripping the eye patch off the mans head.

At the sound of horses Tiye ran away from the others and out the wooden gates, spotting the Medjai. They all bowed their heads at the Chieftains wife and a little girl ran straight towards her.

"Mummy!" Meira cried, running to her mother and hugging her tightly.

"My beautiful daughter." Tiye kissed her daughters head sniffed away the tears. "I missed you so much! You better have been good for your Grandmother."

"Tiye." Ardeth called her name, smiling at his wife and daughter.

"You were quick." She kissed his lips passionately, not caring that everyone could see.

"Someone wanted to see you." He patted his daughters head before grabbing her hand and walking over to the others.

"Meira, say hello to your Aunty Evy, Uncle Rick and Uncle Jon." Tiye stated, stroking her daughters head affectionately.

"Hello." Meira hesitantly walked forwards and hugged Evelyn's legs.

"You have grown so big." Evy smiled and crouched down to hug her niece.

"These are the commanders of the 12 tribes of Medjai." Ardeth introduced the men on horses. "Horus!"

An eagle flew off one of the commanders arm and flew towards Ardeth, landing on his hand.

"Pet bird." Jonathan chuckled to himself.

"My best and most clever friend." The Chieftain stroked the birds feathers affectionately. "He will let the commanders know of our progress so they may follow."

He turned and spoke in to the commanders, giving them the sign of peace and unity. They all rode off until only an older woman was left, staring fondly at the small group.

"Mother." Tiye greeted the woman, walking towards her with Meira in her arms. "Now you be good for your Grandmother and I promise daddy and I will be home soon, okay?"

"Yes mummy." Tiye kissed her daughter goodbye and let her husband do the same before watching her and Ardeths mother ride away back to camp.

"If the Army of Anubis arises, they will do all they can to stop it." Ardeth announced as he walked back to the group with his teary eyed wife.

"Rick, are you sure Izzys reliable?" Evelyn questioned her husband as they followed him through the buildings.

"Yeah, yeah, he's reliable-ish." Rick shrugged. Tiye gasped as she saw the giant hot air balloon ship, surprised at their mode of transport.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Izzy stated dreamily as he walked over to the group.

"Its a balloon." Rick said in shock. "Where's your airplane?"

"Airplanes are a thing of the past." The man laughed at Rick's statement.

"Izzy, you were right." Rick said darkly.

"I was?"

"Yeah. You're gonna get shot." Rick took out his gun and aimed it at the man.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Shes faster than she looks." Izzy tried to defend himself. "And she's quiet. Real quiet. Perfect for sneaking up on people, which is a very good thing. Unless, of course, we go with your approach barging in face-first, guns blazing, and getting your friends shot in the ass!"

"I do like my ass." Tiye shrugged causing to Ardeth to lean in close and whisper a "same" in her ear.

"Why can't you people ever keep your feet on the ground?" Ardeth stared at the hot air balloon ship with distaste.