Death is Only the Beginning

The next day, we arrived in Karnak. Rick and I were anxious to get off the ship. Izzy tied the ship down as Rick and I ran to the train that Imhotep and his followers had been on. As Ardeth ran to the temple, I cleared half of the train cars while Rick cleared the other half.

"They're gone. We've lost them." I yelled to Rick as I hopped out of the locomotive car, I joined Rick on the outside of the train just as I heard Evy yell.

"ARDETH!!!" She screamed bloody murder. Jesus fuck Evy. We sprinted to meet her in the temple. I slowed down as I entered, admiring the once gorgeously embezzled walls. I brushed my fingers across the pillars wishing I could read what all of them had to say. That would take forever and we didn't have that kind of time.

"Alex left us his tie... And he made us a little sand castle. It's the Temple Island of Philae. They've gone to Philae." Evy exclaimed. I smiled, my nephew was one smart cookie, just like his mother.

"Attaboy, Alex. Come on!" Rick said running back towards the ship. We hopped aboard. The ride to Philae was pretty short, I didn't get off this time, instead I stayed aboard and admired the view from where we were. I knew if Alex was leaving these breadcrumbs it wouldn't be long until we caught up. Philae was beautiful, maybe a spot for a future vacation. I smiled to myself as the thoughts consumed my mind. We were traversing south all the way from Cairo. Who knows where we'd end up but my hunch told me we would continue south to the border of Egypt and Sudan. Once Rick, Evy, and Ardeth got back on board they told us we'd be going to the temple of Abu Simbel, confirming my thoughts of southern travel. Ardeth wrote a note and sent Horus on his way to the 12 tribe leaders. Soon we were surrounded by rock, happily cruising through the beautiful landscape.

"That's the Blue Nile down there." Rick pointed out the obvious as he looked over the side of the ship. "We must be out of Egypt by now." We were getting closer to Alex and Abu Simbel. Just as I thought, southern side of Egypt on the border of Sudan, he was incorrect saying we would be out by now.

"Built by Ramesses II, son of Seti I, dedicated to Ptah and other ancient Gods." I pipped up from my seat. Remembering Seti was supposedly my father and Ptah my husband.

"In ancient times, all this still belonged to the upper kingdom. The oasis must be around here somewhere." Evy said feeling the same way I was. I was getting very impatient as we drew closer, I longed for the ground, and to be in action again. I hated being in the sky for so long, although I knew this was the quicker way to travel nowadays and we would find Alex sooner. But by god if I wasn't on the ground soon so help me I was going to attack someone or throw myself off the ship, this time on purpose.

"Don't worry. We'll find him. He's a smart kid. He'll leave us a sign." Rick said once again trying to soothe my sister in this stressful process. I smiled, he really was the most helpful man I knew. Suddenly, I had this horrible feeling come over me. It seemed like paranoia so I brushed it off, then I saw Izzy's face portraying the same thing. Oh no... I started to hear something coming for us. Whatever it was I had no idea but immediately I saw it from the back of the ship. My family had been at the front. I was paralyzed, I couldn't move as I saw the giant wave of water with Imhotep's face in it.

"We're in trouble!" Izzy screamed alerting us to the danger.

"Wow." I heard Jonathan breathe out amazed to see this giant wave of water coming towards us. It took us a while to actually register what was happening.

"Horus, fly!" Ardeth said immediately throwing the bird to the sky, it took off flapping its wings rapidly.

"Izzy, come hard right! Starboard! Starboard!" Rick yelled eager to get us away from the threatening water wave. Just as the face attempted to swallow us Rick ran to me and grabbed my waist so I wouldn't fall down as the ship propelled forwards and Izzy guided us to safety. Even with Izzys best efforts the water splashed over us, promptly soaking Rick and I. I fucking hate being wet. I shivered as we recovered, Rick kept his arms around me trying to warm me up with his body heat.

"Was there a little something you forgot to mention? Hmm...?" Izzy said glaring at Rick and I.

"People?" Jon asked drawing our attention to the beautiful scenery before us. Rick guided me towards the front of the ship. The lost oasis. Oh my god. I couldn't believe the sight before me. It was stunning. Jungle with cascading waterfalls that were flowing down the rock with no end, all of this surrounded the lone pyramid out in the middle of nowhere.

"Ahm Shere." Ardeth breathed out happily.

Rick got a spyglass and looked at the pyramid. "Right." He said putting the glass down.

"He's back!" Izzy yelled drawing our attention to the back of the ship once again. "Hang on!" He yelled as he was about to propel us forwards again, Rick grabbed my waist in preparation. The face roared at us ready to take us down. Izzy's little trick did propel us forwards for a good 3 seconds, then nothing, everything stopped.

"Izzy!!!" I yelled concerned about what the fuck was happening. The face drew closer.

"Well, that's not good." Izzy said matter a factly as he ducked below the controls.

"Hang on!" Rick yelled as we spiraled downwards out of the sky.

"Trust me I'm hanging on!!" I yelled at my husband getting annoyed that he kept saying it.

"It just keeps coming up." He replied. We hit the ground with good impact but the ship made the slide a lot better. The damage to the dirigible was almost too much to comprehend. I knew Izzy would need to do so much to get the flying boat airworthy again. I grabbed my pack from the wreckage and walked over to a secluded corner of the jungle so I could change out of my wet clothes. Happy I was finally dry I walked back over to the gang and threw the gun Rick gave me on our last adventure into the waistband of my pants.

"We're gonna go get their son. Then we're gonna want to get out of here fast, so make this work, Izzy." Rick said as he handed supplies to Ardeth, then Evy, and then to Jon like an assembly line. Jon was complaining but I was just happy to be back on the ground.

"You don't understand. This thing was filled with gas. Not hot air, gas. I need gas to get this thing in the air. Where am I gonna get gas around here? Bananas? Mangoes? Tarzans ass? Maybe I could finagle it to take hot air...." Izzy rambled on trying to get Rick to see the problem but eventually realizing something HAD to work. "But do you know how many cubic meters I'd need? Its too big!" He went on.

"If anybody can fill this thing up with hot air, Izzy, its you." Rick replied to him coming over to stand next to me slipping his hand into my own.

"Come to daddy." I heard Jon say from beside me as he stole back his golden stick. I rolled my eyes at him. He was determined to take this thing back with him. We all grabbed a portion of our supplies and headed off into the jungle.

"Horus." Ardeth called and once again he landed on his arm moving his head curiously at Ardeth. Ardeth rolled a message into the birds messenger bag and sent the bird off on his way to tell the tribe leaders where to go.

"So, Rick, what's the plan?" Jon said getting to the point.

"Let's find some higher ground." He answered from behind him. Rick had a good plan in place it seemed. A shot rang through the air. My brain wracked itself as to what was happening. I checked my person, no, no I was fine. Before I went to check everyone else I heard Ardeth scream,

"Horus!" When the bird didn't reply or come back he turned to us. "I must go." Evy went forwards to try and reason with him.

"Wait, no you can't go." Evy pleaded with him.

"To tell the commanders where we are. If the Army of Anubis arises—" Ardeth said struggling between his son and his job.

"Ardeth, this is our son. I think they'll understand." Evy tried to reason. He gave her a look of longing.

"You're right, this is our first priority." Ardeth said. He kissed Evy on the cheek to make her feel better.

"Thank you." She whispered to him. He ran forwards to lead our group further into the jungle. Day turned to night almost too fast for my liking. I wasn't too prime on the jungle with all the bugs that were trying to bite me, but I was just happy to be on my feet with my weapons once again. We soon found a place to settle and camp out for the night.

"You hear that?" Rick asked Ardeth as he started loading his weapons.

"What?" Ardeth asked him.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." He replied putting his pistol away and loading a shotgun next. I was loading my own guns and sharpening my knifes. I reminisced about the first time I saw the current knife in my hand, which the Egyptian woman in the tent from our first journey gave to me. My Sakmet blade, it was curved and had a full serrated edge on it with hieroglyphics on the handle and the blade itself. I ran the blade across the hair on my arm, when it cut the hair like butter I knew it was ready. That's how I chose to fight. If I cut myself, that was a good thing. I placed the knives in various places for quick access if need be. Rick walked over to me handing me two more handguns, a rifle and a shotgun. I smiled loading the familiar weaponry and placing them comfortably on my person.

"My word! I say, chaps, look at this. Shrunken heads. I'd love to know how they do that.... Just curious." Jon said to us as he showed us a shrine of shrunken heads. As he staked his torch to light up the ground before us. We all looked at him like he was insane.

"You any good with that?" Ardeth walked up to Jon asking about his rifle.

"Three times Fox and Hound's grand champion I'll have you know. You any good with that?" He countered the question back on Ardeth. I laughed knowing he had an awakening coming from Ardeth.

"You'll know soon enough... Because the only way to kill an Anubis warrior is by taking off its head." He replied twirling his sword at Jon and resting it at his neck. Jon gulped at his quick pace.

"I'll remember that." He said to Ardeth backing down from his original counter argument. Ardeth nodded at him. I walked up to Evy throwing her my shotgun, she caught it with little trouble.

"Try to remember to... Just keep it tight in the shoulder and... Lead the target a little bit, and then squeeze the trigger-- Don't pull it." I told her promptly. She looked at me.

"I wont miss." She told me seriously. I nodded, smiling at her. Rick walked over to me, staring down at me, he grabbed my hand pulling me over to the side so we had at least a little privacy.

"I love you." He said, a strain in his voice.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"I love-" I started, trying to tell him I loved him too. He cut me off mid sentence kissing me. I wrapped my arms around his neck unsure if this was a goodbye. It'd been so long since we had this kind of tenderness. Always being on the move kind of hindered us from being so close with each other. It was a different kind of closeness we shared. Just as Rick started to deepen the kiss he pulled away and left me standing there. He ventured off with Ardeth into the forest, I looked down at the ground and sighed. I knew he would be back. He needed to come back, I couldn't live without him. Evy came over to me after Ardeth had given her a quick kiss, Jon came up next to us. Our little family back together. Jon hugged both of us.

"It's gonna be fine loves." He said to both of us.

"Jonathan.." I groaned.

"That's my husband and my son down there. Make me proud." Evy said loading her weapon ready for a fight.

"Todays that day, Evy." He said nodding at me as we watched Rick and Ardeth travel into the jungle to find Alex. Evy took a knee while Jon and I remained standing. All the red clothed men were moving sluggishly, I had lost track of Alex with the grass being so tall it covered his movements. Rick and Ardeth were stealthily moving towards them. Gradually, red men started disappearing beneath the grass being pulled down by some unknown source. Shooting broke out among them but no one from our side was shooting, so what were they shooting at? This may actually work to our advantage. Panic broke out and everyone started running different directions. Rick and Ardeth finally broke into a clearing. Shooting at everything that moved, the fight was very sloppy. I started shooting the people who would end up getting in their way to Alex. Suddenly, two people popped up behind Rick, I quickly took them out as he was taking out his two hand guns. Evy was covering Alex's path, trying to find him in this muddled jungle was going to be hard for her untrained eye, but she picked up on her son quickly. Alex was cornered and suddenly Rick came to his rescue sprinting away from Lock Nah with Alex on his shoulder. Ardeth took over the fight with Lock Nah. Lock Nah kept attacking as Ardeth was defending himself. Evy, Jon and I were debating whether to move down with them or not, I decided to take little steps towards everyone.

"OFFENSE ARDETH OFFENSE!" I yelled to him my position hidden by the trees. He picked up his pace and finally had the advantage in his fight with Lock Nah. Ardeth didn't waste much time, he quickly cut Lock Nah's hand off and then his neck, his head slowly falling off as his body hit the floor. I smiled he was safe. Now to find out where Rick got to with Alex. A shot rang out as I was making my way down the hill. I saw Evy smiling proudly at Jonathan who had just saved Ardeth from another guy in red who held a gun to his arm. I looked up at my siblings they nodded that everything was fine.

"Let's go" Evy said acknowledging the fight was over.

"Thank god for that." I heard Jon say as my siblings joined me and we all started running off to see where everyone had gone. We finally met up with Rick and Alex with no idea where Ardeth had gotten to. I slung my rifle over my shoulder and yelled to my husband,

"Rick!" I threw myself into his arms after he set Alex down, I kissed him fully. He was surprised by my reaction, stunned but quickly kissed me back dipping me down near the ground. After a moment he pulled away setting me upright back onto my feet.

"Mum!" Alex exclaimed running up to Evy.

"Alex!!" She said happy to have him back.

"Nice shootin', Tex." Rick said to Jonathan for once proud of his brother-in-law.

"What were those creepy pygmy things?" Jon asked him we had noticed a few when we were running but didn't think much of them.

"Just the local natives." Rick said waving his hand at the matter.

"Are you sure?" Jon asked unsure of both himself and Rick at that moment.

"I'm sure. It was nothing." Rick told him. However, I knew his tone, and that said 'don't worry unless they get a hold of you'.

"Come on, Mum. Come on, Uncle Rick." Alex started yelling. "We have to get to the pyramid. I have to get the bracelet off now!" He said almost belligerent.

"Leave it on Alex. Looks good on you." Jon said to him resting his weight on his gun.

"No, you guys, you don't understand. It'll kill me if I don't get inside the pyramid before the sun hits it... Today!" he said worried. Oh my god.

"Oh, my God." Evy said exasperated, I let out a sigh, I couldn't believe this was happening to us.

"Time to go!" Rick yelled to us as there was movement in the bushes behind us.

"I thought you said it was nothing!" Jon yelled at Rick as we all started running back on a trail that would get us to the pyramid I hoped.

"Where's Jonathan?" Evy yelled looking back at me.

"He's--" I looked behind me, ah shit he was right behind me. Where the fuck was Jonathan? Now was not the time to go gallivanting off on your own.

"Wait for me!" I heard Jon yell once again behind me, we had just crossed a huge crevasse with a river at the bottom and a fallen tree that lead us across it.

"Hurry up, Jonathan!" Evy yelled as he made his way across the bridge.

"What's that for?" Jon asked as Rick lit some dynamite and threw it to our pygmy friends.

"Oh nothing, just a little something in case of an emergency." He said as they caught it, we caught our breath. The bridge blew up and the pygmys fell to their death. OH, my god was I out of breath, I was not in shape for this. Too. Much. Running.

"Rick." Evy breathed out his name as she saw the sun rising into the night sky.

"Let's go, Alex." Rick said taking his arm and running ahead of us. I took up the rear ready to fight off whatever came at us, if needed. Finally, we got to where Rick and Alex were. Happy with how things turned out Evy ran up to them smiling her head off I stayed where I was letting them have their moment.

"They made it." I smiled happily to Jon.

"Yes. Great. Fabulous." Jon said taking off his backpack staring in awe at the pyramid. I took in all it's beauty. Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in my stomach. Before I could take in what was happening I looked into the eyes of Anck-Su-Namun. The motherfucking bitch that she was. She twisted the knife inside of me, I yelled out in more pain. Then she pulled it out. I was going to reach for my gun and shoot her ass but I couldn't, I was in too much pain. I fell to my knees in absolute agony looking down at my hands that were covering my wound, blood was pooling out and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was too deep for me to stop the bleeding.

"NO!!" Rick yelled and ran up to me catching me before I fell to my back. "JOE." He said to me looking in my eyes, his voice was starting to fade and everything around him starting to turn white. "Joe, no. You're real strong. You're gonna make it. You're fine." My husband tried to reassure himself. A tear started to fall from my eyes I briefly took a look over to Alex, Evy and Jon, they were terrified. I loved them, Evy looked at me tears falling from her eyes hugging Alex's head to shield his innocent soul from death. Jon had gotten up from where he was thrown by Imhotep and rushed back over to Evy and Alex hugging them both as they all watched the life slowly slip from me.

"What do I do?" Rick asked me.

"I'm so sorry Rick." I apologized, my words delayed, they hurt to say to him. My eyelids were getting heavy, begging to take me towards the appealing white light that awaited me if I finally closed them.

"Sweetheart, no." He begged with me.

"I love you." I told him smiling sadly, I knew this was it, tears escaped my eyes as I started to lose the battle of consciousness.

"Joe? Joe... No. Come back, Joe. Come back." That's all I heard as I shut my eyes, I didn't have the strength to utter another word to Rick to make him understand all was going to be fine. There were so many things I needed to say to him, to my siblings, to teach Alex... But no, this was it. No more Imhotep, no more Anck-Su-Namun, no more Rick, Evelyn or Jon, no more Josephine Rose O'Connell. I was dead and I was alone.