Visionary Kiss I & II & III

Visionary Kiss II Part 5

CURATOR'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Candle light flickered across the Curator's face while the rest of the room was in the dark. Not that he would have been able to see the redheaded witch who was leaning against an old statue of Anubis anyway. She was here to find out more about the man the seemed so eager to stop them.

She still could remember the feeling she had gotten as he had heard about the map. She smiled. This could be interesting. She was really getting used to doing this
and besides what else was there for her to do. In this time and place, neither late night movies nor the internet was available so why not spy on some men.

"They must die."

She looked away from the curator toward the three people that stood in the shadows, across from his desk. She knew who there were by the blue tinted skin and hideous facial tattoos. It was too easy. The Witch smiled. They even had a captain hook. One of the Mumia's had a rusty metal hook for a hand.

Captain Hook shrugged, "They are like all the others and will die in the desert."

"No! They are not. Evelyn Carnarvon has seen too much. She knows too much. And then there is this Willow Rosenberg. She is weird, her eyes." Willow smirked as
she moved a little so she could see the fear in the Curator's eyes. In moments like this she could understand what made Spike and Angelus so happy about the fact that everybody was afraid of them. It was such a strong emotion.

"Not only do they have a map, but they have the key." Now Willow was biting her lip trying not to laugh too loudly. The shock on their faces was that good. The Face of the Captain Hook had turned an interesting shade of red.

"The key!? She has the lost key!?"

"Yes. No one has ever had so much, been so close. We must stop them or it will be the end of us all."

"Then we will kill them. We will kill the women and all those with them."

"Burn the map and retrieve the key." The curator added.

"It will be done. But what of the American expedition? They leave tomorrow as well."

"Forget the bumbling Americans. They will be like all the others. Without the map to guide them, how can they possibly find Hamunaptra?"

Willow whispered a few words with a smile on her face, as she disappeared. The poor curator would find it hard to leave the toilet for at least a week. And all this because of a bloody American.

EXT. GIZA PORT - DAY

It was a hot and sultry day. Willow wished it was another period of time. She dreamed of shorts and air-conditioning systems, chilled drinks and all the while she watched Beni. The ugly little bug that had saved his own worthless life, instead of helping to save Rick's. It would be so easy to turn him into the ugly little creature he really was. But she knew that he was needed, at least now.

"It is three days down the Nile, then two days by camel, sahibs."

She walked behind him already entirely invisible. Evey and her brother thought she was getting something to drink. Not that she wasn't thirsty, because she was
but on her way she had seen Beni. And now she saw the Americans, the ones the curator thought were bumbling. She already knew their names, Daniels, Henderson and Burns.

"For all the money we're paying you, something better god-damned well be under that sand." Daniels was hit by Henderson on his back, just as he closed his mouth.

"Hamunaptra, Daniels, that's all ya gotta keep sayin', to yourself, Hamunaptra."

Willow had heard enough. She looked over the Giza port and saw all the explorers swarm the docks. Across the Nile, she could see the Pyramids reach up to touch the sky. It was a hot day and she could not wait for the moment the burning sun would finally make place for the moon.

She loved the nights. Although it was still warm just no longer too hot to breathe and all the sounds of the night seem to calm her. But standing in the burning sun, wearing clothes that made her feel like she should be in Alaska not in Egypt, did not help her to master her emotions.

She walked behind a big box and as she walked over to Evelyn and Jonathan, along the boardwalk besieged by hawkers selling everything from toy tombs to King Tut
action figures. She was back to being visible and sweating.

"Do you really think he'll show up?" she heard Evelyn ask and she could not stop sticking out her tongue behind the woman.

"Undoubtedly, I know the breed. He may be a cowboy, but his word is his word." Jonathan could not see what the redhead was doing. His attention was captured by a woman that had more gold hanging on her ears than most of the people would ever get a chance to see in their lifetime.

"Personally, I think he's filthy, rude and a complete scoundrel. I don't like him one bit." Evelyn had now turned towards Willow and so the witch was the only one that saw him.

"Anyone I know?"

They both turned around. Even Jonathan took a quick look at him. O'Connell walked up and looked good enough to eat. At least that's what Evelyn's eyes showed. He was freshly shaven, showered, spit and polished, with a new haircut and clothes.

Willow could only think in terms of dashing and more handsome than ever.

"Oh .... um,...hello." Came it out of Evelyn's mouth. But she was ignored as Jonathan grabbed O'Connell's arm and shook his hand. Showing a fraternity that was
sickening. After he still had a swollen chin from where Rick had punched him.

"Smashing day for the start of an adventure, eh, O'Connell?" There was body contact between the two men that ordinarily wouldn't have been something special,
but O'Connell had learned his lesson. So he quickly checked his pockets. While being watched by both women who, only knew too well why he was doing it.

"Yeah, sure, smashing." He pressed out between his teeth. Then just for show he brought up his wallet. Smiling the whole time. Which made Evelyn snort and
Willow turn away because it was just too funny that they would be traveling together on this trip. Her eyes searched over the surroundings once more.

Again it was Beni that caught her eye. Mainly because he was really ugly and he was directly above them on the barge. Burns wiped his bifocals and turned to
Beni.

"You're sure Hamunaptra is out there?"

"Along with the scorched bones of my entire garrison, sahib." Beni said. Then watching his face, Willow knew that he had spotted O'Connell. He shook his head, as
if seeing a mirage and then he started backing away.

"A thousand pardons, my good sahibs but there is much work to be done."

The witch had already turned back to Evelyn, who was still recovering, then cleared her throat.

"Mister O'Connell, can you look me in the eye, and guarantee me this is not some sort of flimflam? Because if it is, I'm warning you." she trailed of as O'Connell stepped up close to Evelyn, invading her space he looked her straight in the eye. Evelyn the proud woman she was did not back away.

"All I can tell you, miss, is that my Colonel found that map in an ancient fortress, and the whole damn garrison believed in it so much, that without orders, we marched halfway across Libya and into Egypt to find that city. Like I told ya, all I saw was sand. Tuareg warriors wiped everybody else out. I'll take your bags."

"Evey you have really a talent for asking the wrong questions." Willow could not stop herself saying. She had seen the same thing he had and still she felt the loss of the many lives. He must have felt awful about all this. He had known these men. Some of them had been his friends.

Rick had already grabbed the bags and was heading up the gangplank, his back stiff and his movement no longer smooth he walked onto the same passenger barge
that Beni and the Americans were already on.

Evelyn's eyes followed him, a bit wistfully. Jonathan saw it and with his own special charm he opened his mouth..

"Yes, yes, you're right, filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel, nothing to like there at all."

Evey gave him a nasty look, which made her brother grin. He then laughed out loud at Willow's next words.

"Don't forget strong, good looking and tremendously male." The British woman was ready to scream as suddenly the warden brushed past, tipping his ragged
hat.

"A bright good morning to all."

"What are you doing here?"

"I have come to protect my investment, thank you very much."

And up the plank he went. Evelyn and Jonathan shared a look both to stunned to move until Willow shoved them to the plank.

"We will never see Hamunaptra if you two not get onto the barge."


End Visionary Kiss II Part 5