Beyond The Mummy Returns

Author:  Dreamscape (Shelley)

O'CONNELL MANSION, LONDON, ENGLAND

 

As she walked through the disheveled and bullet riddled mansion of Rick and Evie O'Connell, Dorey O'Connell grew more worried by the moment.  There were no clues to the whereabouts of her brother and his family, only traces of blood in a few rooms.  Whose blood, she did not know.

Her thoughts drifted back to the previous year when she showed up on their doorstep for the first time.  She remembered how she had to argue with herself to knock on the door, too afraid of being rejected.  Finally, after standing on the doorstep for nearly thirty minutes she had raised her hand and rapped a shy knock on the door.

"Konnichi wa," she said when the door opened, momentarily forgetting she was no longer in Japan, "...er...I mean, hello."  She smiled nervously at the woman who opened the door.  "I am looking for Richard O'Connell, if he is available."

Evie watched the young blonde woman anxiously bite at her bottom lip.  She looked as though she was about to jump right out of her skin.  Evie had recognized the Japanese word, although the girl did not look Japanese, she could detect her accent.  She also noticed, in that short sentence, the girl had to think about what she said carefully, as if English was not her main language.  "May I ask who is calling, please?" 

Shaking her head no, she said slowly, "I would like explain to him personally, if I may."

"Very well," Evie hesitantly agreed, "please come in."  She led the visitor to the parlor and asked her to have a seat on the settee.  "I'll just get my husband, it will only take a moment."

A short while later, Evie returned to where Dorey waited.  She had looked up to see a tall, brown haired, handsome man.  She had known it was her brother immediately; he resembled their father so.  She knew he would not know her; she was only four when they were separated. 

"Hello," Rick smiled at her, "what can I do for you?"  He watched her closely and her eyes fell to her hands on her lap, absently folding pleats in her dress.  He was unprepared when she blurted out her next statement.

"I am your sister."  She looked up at him hesitantly, to see his eyes cloud over; perhaps they filled with tears of memories past.

"No, that's impossible.  My sister is dead."  He stated harshly.  This was a cruel joke she played on him, he thought.  His baby sister had been killed after her adoptive missionary parents took her....where did they take her?  He had been so young, and so torn when the administrator of the Cairo orphanage had delivered him the news.  He wasn't sure where they took her.

She shook her head, her eyes filled with tears.  "ayamari," she shook her head, reaching for the words in English, "wrong...not true."  She reached out to him, handing him a book.

When he took it from her, he realized it was a bible.  He opened the flap, his eyes widened.  His parent's names, a small faded picture of them that was used as a bookmark, perhaps, his name and his sister's name.  He looked at the wide-eyed blonde girl sitting in front of him.  He shook his head again, it couldn't be, she was dead.  Then he watched as a smile formed on her lips and saw a familiar glint in her eyes.  "Dorey?"

She nodded and pointed to herself, "Dorey Elizabeth O'Connell."  Did he believe her?  She did not want to fool herself.  "shinjiru?"  She asked, her eyes hopeful. 

"I don't understand your words."  Rick was perplexed.

Dorey nodded.  "Forgive me," she spoke slowly, "I am not used to speaking English.  In Japanese, I asked if you believed." 

He noticed her green eyes, wide and frightened.  She expected him to turn her away.   He felt Evie touch his arm, and he looked down into her beautiful face, "It's possible," he whispered to his wife.  She squeezed his arm to reassure him.  "I want to believe," he told the girl, "but it's been...twenty-two years since I saw my sister, and I had been told she was killed."

"I was not.  I was saved and taken to my sensei, my teacher.  He raised me and became my hotondo sofu, almost grandfather."  She felt strength from talking about him.  She new the old man loved her and was always a comfort to her.

Dorey's memories faded and she returned to her present situation and her missing family.  She did remember it took only a short time for her brother to accept her and she had become close to him and his family.  Something was wrong, and she needed to find out what.  The police must be called.

As she reached for the telephone, she heard a car pull up to the mansion.  Hoping it was her family; she raced to the door, flung it open, ran out and collided with a tall, dark stranger, practically knocking him over. 

He gently grabbed her by the shoulders to steady her, "Are you all right?"   Ardeth asked with concern, but it was as if she hadn't heard him.  In those few seconds, he thought her very beautiful.  He managed to take in her long blonde hair, cascading around her shoulders, piercing green eyes, and luscious full lips in that small fragment of time.

Although she knew it was rude not to answer the stranger, Dorey pulled from his grasp and ran to the waiting arms of Rick O'Connell.  "Oh, Rick, I was so worried!  What happened here?"

Kissing his sister on the forehead, "It's a long story, but Alex has been kidnapped.  We have to hurry and catch up to them.  We'll explain everything later."  Although he was happy to see Dorey, his thoughts were on his son.  He left his sister, and raced toward the house to gather supplies for their journey.

Dorey turned to see Evie, who hugged her sister-in-law hurriedly and followed her husband to the house, "Jonathan, please introduce Dorey to Ardeth!"

Jonathan rolled his eyes, "Of course."  He took Dorey by the elbow and led her back to the man dressed in black robes.  "Ardeth Bay, Medjai warrior, Dorey O'Connell, pain-in-the…"

"Jonathan, really!  You are the most horrid man.  I can not believe you and Evie are from the same parents."  She offered Ardeth her right hand and smiled at the handsome warrior, "Pleased to meet you, and may I apologize for running you down." 

He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips and placed a small kiss on her knuckle,  "The pleasure is mine, I assure you.  I only wish it was under more pleasant circumstances."  Although his friend's situation was grave, Ardeth found he could not resist smiling.

Her breath caught in her throat.  His smile had her mesmerized and she felt she could not move from where she stood.  He had to be the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on.  Beautiful isn't a word you describe a man with, she admonished herself, but he was more than handsome.  He dressed strangely, in long flowing robes adorned with picturesque embroidered images.  His forehead, cheekbones and hands bore tattoos that appeared to be hieroglyphics.  She supposed most people would find that strange and unattractive, but Dorey thought it made him even more appealing. They must be markings of his Medjai heritage.  She thought to her sensei's teachings and recalled his tales of the Medjai warriors; their brave and noble deeds.  And those brown eyes, beautiful and haunting, she was sure he could see into her very soul.

"Ahem."  Jonathan broke the spell.  "Dorey, don't you think we should go find your brother?" 

"Brother?"  Ardeth asked, almost chuckling as Dorey jumped from the sound of Jonathan's voice.

"Rick is my brother," she explained while they made their way to the house, "we were separated when our parents were killed. I was taken by an American missionary family and raised in Japan.  Rick was left in an orphanage in Cairo.  We have only recently found each other."  She was amazed to find he was listening very intently. "I couldn't bare to lose him again.  When I arrived at the mansion….I didn't know what to think…"  Her voice broke in a small sob.

"I am sure it was very frightening for you.  When we are on our way, I'm sure you will be told all that has happened tonight.  Your family is safe for now."  He offered her a smile, "Come, let us help your brother."

"Yes, yes.  Very good," Jonathan chimed in, "I'm still here, you know."  He was a bit jealous.  He had tried to get Dorey to notice him in more than just a brother-in-law way, but it hadn't worked.  "Now I'll stand no chance," he thought to himself, noting the way Dorey gazed at Ardeth and hung on his every word, "with this walking tower of testosterone around."

"Oh, Jonathan."  Evelyn sighed as they entered the house, "Not everything is about you.  Now, go help Rick, we will be leaving soon."

Jonathan sulked as he went to find Rick, wishing it were he that was being left with Dorey instead of Ardeth. 

"I want to come with.  I can't stay here, I'll go insane wondering what is happening."  Dorey declared to no one in particular. 

"It is a dangerous journey we face, Miss O'Connell."  Ardeth said, trying to make her aware of the seriousness of their situation. 

His comment raised a red flag for Dorey.  "I can take care of myself, Mr. Bay.  Please don't fret on my account," Dorey spat.  "And don't judge me too hastily, you know nothing about me."  Her tone of voice was a warning not to push her.

He could tell she was insulted, but the safety of all was at stake.  He reached for her arm and was going to continue to discuss her well being when she grabbed his arm, turned and flipped him over her back then knelt down putting a knife to his throat.

"Don't underestimate me.  My parents made sure I could take care of myself."  She stood, tossed her hair and went in search of her brother.

In spite of her present situation, Evie had to laugh as she helped Ardeth from the floor.  "You'll have to forgive my sister, she has quite a temper.  It's an O'Connell trait, you know."

He shook his head, "I should have known."  He started after Dorey with a huge smile on his face thinking how interesting this trip was going to be with this young woman along.  He then wondered what was the matter with him, because the last thing on his mind at a time like this should be this woman.  The army of Anubis was about to rise unless they stopped it.

After searching a few rooms, he found Dorey sitting on a bench in the upstairs library.  She was staring straight-ahead, looking at nothing in particular, her long blonde curls framing her troubled face.  As Ardeth sat beside her, she turned to face him.  Concern clearly showed in her eyes.  He couldn't help thinking how beautiful she looked.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Bay.  I'm behaving very badly.  I hope I didn't hurt you."  Her sad eyes reflected her feelings of more than what happened between them.  She had been thinking of her parents.  Not only that of hers and Rick's, but the couple who adopted her.  She had lost them not long after they reached Japan and was then raised in seclusion by her sensei, who taught her to take care of herself.

"I'm just fine," he replied. "However, you did take me by surprise.  I suppose you did injure my pride."  He chuckled.  "And please, stop calling me Mr. Bay, Ardeth is fine."

She smiled weakly, "Thank you, Ardeth, you are most kind.  And please, call me Dorey, Miss O'Connell is so stuffy."  He nodded his agreement.  "I have just rang for two cars to take us to the train station, they should be arriving soon.  Would you ride with me and fill me in on what happened?  I thought it best if we rode alone so not to cause Rick and Evie any more duress than they are already under."

"That is very thoughtful of you.  It would be an honor to grant your request."  He stood and offered her his hand.  "Where are your things?  I will take them to the door."

"Thank you, but that's not necessary.  I left them outside when I arrived.  I'm sure we can help Rick and Evie, although it looked as if they were already packed when I arrived.  I practically tripped over their luggage."  He took her elbow and led her down the stairs.

Ardeth had filled her in on the way to the station.  She enjoyed listening to his voice, with his Arabic accent, although the tale was horrifying.  He had been surprised that she took it all in stride, never once saying things couldn't rise from the dead.

"I know your tale is strange, but I was raised on myths and legends, and have seen enough strange happenings in Japan, that I have no doubt they happen all over the world."  She explained, smiling ruefully.

Ardeth nodded, "Your parents taught you much."

"No," she sighed, "they were killed shortly after we reached Japan.  A fanatical religious group decided to rid their culture of Christians and murdered my family.  A villager found me and took me to a secret location where I was kept safe and raised by Yoshi Yamamoto, my sensei."  She smiled fondly, thinking of Yoshi.

He took his hand in hers, holding it gently, and said "I am very sorry for your loss."  Her fingers intertwined with his naturally, as if they had been friends for a lifetime.  He couldn't have been more delighted, although he was concerned with the way he was acting over this young woman.  The mere touch of her hand caused the beginnings of desire to unfold within him, something that no woman had ever done before.

  "Thank you for your concern," she said, noting his sincerity.  Dorey didn't like talking about herself and wanted to change the subject.  "And speaking of concern, we should take care of your wounds as soon as possible.  I should have done so at the house, that was very inconsiderate of me."

"Do not worry, they are not deep," he assured her, squeezing her hand gently.

"Nonetheless, they will get infected if not properly cared for."  She looked down at their adjoined hands and thought how comforting his touch was.  "I'll take care of them as soon as we board the train."