𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑷𝑬𝑻𝑶𝑴𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑨 - Ardeth Bay

twelve

"Tiye?" Tiye screamed in fright as she ran straight into Ricks broad chest. He wrapped an arm around her to steady her as Jonathan rushed forwards to make sure she was okay.

"Where is Evy?" She asked, worried about her friend.

"We don't know. Come on." Jonathan answered before grabbing her hand and dragging her through the tunnels, following Rick as he led the way. They finally arrived in a large stone-walled room with Evy fearfully against a wall.

"There you are! Will you quit playing hide-and-seek?" Rick ran ahead of the two and over to the brunette. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

"Evy!" Jonathan yelled but gasped as he spotted the walking mummy. Tiye stopped beside him and the two Americans appeared behind them. The mummy roared at Rick but he roared back and shot it in the stomach.

"Move!" Rick commanded, pushing Evelyn away from the mummy.

"Yeah, right. Did you see that?" Jonathan asked, grabbing Tiyes hand and following Rick and Evelyn out the room, the two Americans following. "It was walking. It was walking!"

They all finally made it out the underground city and back above land, all running towards the entrance but stopped in their path as rifles were cocked in their directions.

"I told you to leave or die." Ardeth stepped forwards, removing his mask and letting his eyes trail over Tiye, checking for any sort of injury. "You refused. Now you may have killed us all, for you have unleashed a creature that we have feared for more than 3,000 years."

"Relax, I got him." Rick replied, grabbing Tiyes arm and dragging her behind him, protecting her from the Chieftains eyes.

"No mortal weapon can kill this creature. He's not of this world." Ardeth warned. He stepped aside as two of his men dragged forwards one of the Americans but his eyes and tongue were missing.

"You bastard."

"What did you do to him?" The two Americans clunged to their friend, worried about him. Tiye peaked around at Ardeth, wishing she could hide away in his embrace and pretend that a vengeful mummy was not out and about in the world.

"We saved him- saved him before the creature could finish his work." Ardeth explained. "Now leave, all of you, quickly, before he finishes you all. I must now go on the hunt and try and find a way to kill him."

Ardeth and his men begun to walk to the entry way to the underground city before Rick stopped Ardeth, "I already told you I got him."

"Know this. This creature is the bringer of death. He will never eat, he will never sleep, and he will never stop." Ardeth warned Rick before glancing at Tiye. He reached out and grabbed her hand, moving her away from the others to speak to her privately.

"Hey, get your hands off her." Rick stepped forwards warningly but Tiye placed a hand on his chest to stop him from coming closer.

"Mr. O'Connell, it's okay." Tiye smiled at Rick before following Ardeth.

"Are you okay? Did the creature hurt you?" Ardeth questioned, checking over her body.

"I am fine, it did not touch me." Tiye giggled, shaking her head at his protectiveness.

"You have to leave this place with your friends, it is safer for you." He sighed, glancing at the other as the watched the pair with curious eyes.

"No! I have to stay with you."

"No, you will leave this place. Please." Ardeth raised his voice at her. Tiye winced at his sudden hostility and wiped away a few tears before smiling at him.

"I love you." Tiye did not give him time to answer as she quickly walked away from him and back to her friends. "Let's go."

"Ti?" Evy asked, watching as her friend wandered past her and mounted her camel with tears in her eyes.

"I am okay, Evy. Let us leave now before someone else wakes up a 3,000 year old mummy." Tiye laughed, glancing at her love one last time before riding off into the desert, the others following behind.

•~•

Thunder rumbled above them as they rode into Fort Brydon and back to their hotel. Tiye left the others and ran to her room, collapsing on the plush white bed and letting the tears fall.

"Tiye?" Evelyn  called out as she walked into the room. "Can we-can we go for a walk?"

"Of course, are you okay?" Tiye sat up and wiped away the tears, fixing her dress and following Evy out the room.

"I just had an argument with Rick, he said I was just a contract to him." Evelyn sighed, gripping the book in her hand tighter.

"Men are stupid." The Egyptian laughed, pulling Evelyn in for a side hug as the wandered around the hotel.

"Oh, looks like we are having a storm." A man said to his friend as they passed the two women. Evelyn and Tiye stopped what they were doing and glanced up at the sky before going back to their walk.

"Oh, Evelyn! Tiye!" A familiar voice called out behind them.

"Oh, so you're still here." Evelyn sassed as she and Tiye spun around to face Rick O'Connell as he ran towards them.

"We've got problems." He said as he stopped in front of them. Sudden fire began to fall from the sky and crash into the city below. Rick grabbed Evelyns bicep as she grabbed Tiyes hand and dragged the two women out of the open area.

"Hey!" Rick growled, noticing Beni running down the stairs behind them. He grabbed the smaller man and pushed him against the wall. "Beni, you little stinkers. Where you been?"

The thunder startled the four of them and Beni ran away from the three. Rick grabbed a gun and held Evelyns hand as he ran up the stairs, Tiye following behind. They entered their hotel room and found Burns as a dried up mummy.

"Oh dear God!" Tiye gasped. They noticed by the fireplace the mummy regenerating.

"We are in serious trouble." Rick mumbled, aiming his guns at the mummy.

"No shit!" Tiye practically screamed at the man. Rick shot at the advancing mummy but the bullets left no damage. Jonathan, Henderson and Daniels ran into the room after hearing the gun shots. They got out their guns and aimed at the mummy but it was too late. It grabbed Rick and threw him back into the other three men. Tiye and Evelyn held each other tightly as it walked towards them.

"You saved me from the undead. I thank you." It pushed Tiye away and spoke to Evelyn. It twisted around at the sound of the discordant notes of the piano. Evelyns cat meowed at the mummy, scaring it. It turned into a sandstorm in the middle of the room before disappearing.

"We are in very serious trouble."