InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Egypt Bound ❯ Poking Around ( Chapter 9 )

A/N: Dear God! It's been a long time since I've updated! This chapter is a bit of a tease & I had meant to make it longer, but I decided that you, the faithful reader should not have to wait any longer. Did I mention that I LOVE reviews? If half of the people that read, reviewed, it would inspire me to continue, as I am in a writer's slump right now because of school. I hate school. But I love reviews, so if you like, or want something explained, or just telling me what you think of this fic….you know what to do---REVIEW! Oh, & btw, Media Miner has been crappy about the reviews, so if you give me one, do it through ff.net, b/c it goes straight to the email. Enjoy!! I will try to update as soon as possible over Thanxgiving & yes, Inuyasha will meet Kagome soon!!!

Poking Around Chp. 9

Sango secured her prized possession in a panel above her berth, which wasn't hard to find in a first-class cabin; the wealthy were always paranoid when it came to hiding their jewels. Kagome was sleeping soundly on the more spacious bunk below, while Sango was above her in the smaller bunk, rummaging about. She didn't have time to waste, as she was expected to take care of her "master"'s meal arrangements, bath, and all of the other luxuries wealthy guests seem to take advantage of; like fresh towels and pressed linens, etc. She climbed down as nimbly as was possible in a long skirt, grabbed the room key and slipped out the sliding door, locking it. As she locked the door, she felt someone brush up against her (it was a narrow hall after all). Her brown eyes widened as they looked up into a pair of ruby-red orbs. She could feel the little hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. This was one meeting she had hoped to avoid.

"Hello…Sango," Naraku's words seemed to ooze out of his mouth, "I never in my wildest dreams believed that I would have the chance to meet you." Sango gulped.

"Uhh-eh-heh-heh [nervous laugh], me either," she replied nervously. Naraku had the tendency to bring out the squirming nervousness in everyone he dealt with, like a mafia don who wanted to have someone fitted for a pair of concrete galoshes. His stony-cold fingers fondled an escaped curl from her bun. Inwardly, she shivered.

"Hmmm….I can't decide whether you look more like your father or your mother…[continues and wraps curl around finger]…I never forget the face of a person who betrays me, " he untangled his finger from the dark brown curl and began to caress her jaw, " or steals what is mine. We both know that your father ---Daniel I think his name was--- had a shady record, and although his skill as a forger was remarkable, he tended to `borrow' things that weren't his," the grip increased on Sango's small jaw as she began to clench her teeth in anger and disgust for the man who was responsible for her family's demise.

"Leave… my father …out of this!" she growled through her teeth.

"Oh, but dear Sango, I believe he has a very important place in this conversation! After all, he died trying to give you the one thing I wanted most---" Naraku's irritation piqued.

"And, what would that be? You stole many things and made him forge the fruits of your "excavations" for the museums! `ow could you not get what you wanted? You own all of the originals!" Sango shot back.

"All except one-the burial mask from that tomb in Saqqara. You know the one: solid gold with inlaid stones, exquisite New Kingdom craftsmanship…need I say more?"

"I don't `ave it." She said plainly.

"Of course, and de-Nile is only a river. I know you have that mask and you're going to give it to me or I will have to extend our bloodfeud to your beautiful friend Miss Kagome." Sango brushed his deathly cold hand away from her jaw.

"I told you I don't `ave it! Da never gave me a mask of any kind. I have no idea of what yer talkin' about. Maybe one of yer `trusted associates' `as it, but I don't. `e gave it to the museum in hope of a reward because you screwed `im over on the forging deal!" Sango pointed her index finger accusingly toward Naraku's chest. Both marble-like hands pushed her shoulders to the wall, allowing Naraku the chance to get closer to her ear.

"You listen, and you listen well you little guttersnipe! You will give me the piece I killed your shifty sonofabitch dad to get. Don't think for one second that because I spared your mother that I will not hesitate to go after you. Be a good little girl, and I won't harm you or your friend---"accidents" can be arranged easily around here. Now, I will be gracious and allow the two of you to enjoy your little train ride until we reach Cairo; but then you must hand it over. I will send word as to when the exchange will take place. Think about it Sango, you have a lot riding on this…" Naraku straightened up and sneered as if he'd won, and walked away. As soon as he was in the next car, Sango slumped down on the wall. How could he have known she had it? Or that her father had entrusted her with the piece in the first place? She had to figure out a way to save both herand Kagome's skins-but what? Cairo was only a day away! The only one who could possibly protect them was Lord Sesshomaru; but would he consent if he knew Sango's family's past connections with that vile bastard Naraku? She would have to try to steer Kagome out of Naraku's clutches---but how? Kagome had mentioned her fondness for the company of Sesshomaru's ward Rin, who had left an open invitation for Kagome to visit anytime. For the remainder of the afternoon, Sango's head was teeming with paranoid possibilities.

As the time for luncheon drew near, Naraku sat patiently waiting for Kagome to join the group in the dining car. Minutes passed, no Kagome. First course, no Kagome. Second course, no Kagome. Naraku grew more irritated as the time went by. He knew something was up; maybe Sango had told her about his checkered past? Maybe Sango told her about Daniel's death or about the artifact that would be the centerpiece of his collection? He had lost money on Daniel's betrayal-the man was an excellent artisan who produced fakes that fooled even the most scrupulous of museum curators-but he lost it all when he told Naraku he couldn't take the deceit, and the grave-robbing, and the thug work he had to do in addition to producing fakes. Daniel wanted to be let out of Naraku's crime and smuggling ring-only he made the mistake of trying to go to the authorities armed with enough information to put Naraku in Old Bailey. Naraku couldn't have that. So he let Daniel try and sell him out. Naraku hired some mercenaries in his employ to do the job; and they did. Naraku had Daniel shot right in front of his wife and kids during their Christmas dinner. Sango must have been eight years old then. He couldn't forgive her mother either-she was his former mistress and managed to help smuggle the real artifacts to his house in London-no one would dare check a woman's baggage! So his revenge was sweet-almost. He had to know where that mask was, as it was the most important thing in the burial cache. Was that the piece that Daniel sold to the Egyptian Museum? Or was it something else?

Still no Kagome. To an casual observer, Naraku would have appeared to be calmly munching on his food, responding to the occasional remark thrown his way by Kikyo or one of the other travelers. His eyes wandered around the dining car and noticed that Sesshomaru and his ward hadn't shown up for lunch either; how peculiar. Naturally, he assumed that he was courting Kagome for some unfathomable reason, and trying to catch Naraku in his element---antiquities. That shoddy proposal he introduced in Parliament was directed toward bringing down Naraku's trade initiatives and his foreign policy measures. Hell, even Cromer agreed to at least half of Naraku's initiatives, so long as they meant more money to pay off the unsightly debt Egypt had accrued during Khedive Ismail's vast building and modernization spree. Naraku decided that he needed to step up measures a bit, so that he would come out a winner-with the treasure and Kagome in tow.