InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Egypt Bound ❯ The Pyramids, Camels...and a Shootout at Saqqara? ( Chapter 16 )

Chp. 16 The Pyramids, Camels, and …a Shootout at Saqqara?

 

 

 

Miroku twiddled his thumbs as he waited for the onslaught of pedestrians and carts to cease. If anyone was familiar with the morning traffic in Cairo, it was him, seeing as Inuyasha never expressed an interest to drive---until this morning. He had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that it was going to be one of those days when he and all of Shepheard's witnessed Inuyasha's attempt at a wake-up call. Now, he wished more than anything that maybe God would grant Inuyasha more patience…and quickly.

“Miroku, we'll be here all day if you wait for every damn fellah to cross the street! “ Inuyasha complained. Miroku stuck his nose in the air.

“Hmph! I don't want to run the poor buggers over Inu! At least have some respect for your fellow man!” Miroku replied snottily.

“Just let me drive for once! Then we can get this sight-seeing bullshit over with and check out the site!” Inuyasha insisted.

“Ah, let me think…um, no.”

“Oh c'mon, it is my motorcar, “ Inuyasha whined.

“You'll kill us all! No! Absolutely not!” Miroku stood his ground.

“Have I ever told you how much of a great assistant you are?”

“Flattery doesn't become you, Inuyasha,” Miroku said sarcastically. Inuyasha began to pout.

“Are we gonna sit here all day and roast? `Cause the two of us back here are about to die!” Sango fanned herself with her hat vigorously as she shouted from the back seat.

“Just a moment my lady!” Miroku called back. He squeezed the horn and started moving slowly, causing the masses to part way. Inuyasha was appalled.

“How come you can move the car when she whines, but not me?”

“Because, “ Miroku's lips curled into a grin, “she whines much sweeter than you do, Inuyasha.”

“Bull!” Inuyasha spat out.

“You of all people know I can't resist a damsel in distress, “ Miroku's grin widened when he saw Inuyasha's initial reaction.

“Keh! You and women!” Inuyasha turned his back to Miroku and rested his arm on the door. Maybe the scenery would calm him down a bit.

 

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Outside of the Cairo area, one begins to realize that there are three features that stick out in the landscape: sand, rocks, and the Nile. There aren't any palms scattered about, unless there is irrigation; but when you pass the villas of the wealthy and the fields of the fellahin, a strange feeling may pass over you---that this place is unearthly, that no one in their right mind would want to live out here, let alone toil on monuments in this barren desert, where the traces of life have eroded away over the years. As the foursome reached the point where Cairo suddenly blended into Giza, they saw the unmistakable outlines of The Pyramids on the horizon. Kagome gasped as she saw them; but of course, who wouldn't? The structures are so imposing—it's no small wonder that some people refused to believe they were built by living, breathing men. As the carload rounded the bend to the Mena House, Kagome had managed to fix herself on her knees get a better look at the Sphinx. When Miroku put on the brake to stop in front of the last modern convienence before the Pyramids, Kagome lost her balance and plunged forward into the back of Inuyasha's head.

“What in the Hell?” Inuyasha yelled as he felt Kagome slam against him.

“Ouch!” Kagome shrieked before the world turned black.

“Goddammit Miroku! Who taught you how to drive?” Inuyasha screamed furiously. Miroku immediately noticed the jumble that was Inuyasha and Kagome. Inuyasha moved his hand back to assess the damage and felt something soft behind him—really soft. He turned his head just enough to see that his hand was currently resting on Kagome's left cheek. Little electric shocks ran through his fingers. He immediately pulled it back; and as he retracted his arm, he noticed something weighing down his neck---Kagome's arms. He tried to peel them off before Miroku and Sango noticed…but…

“Kagome! Are you okay? Kagome wake up!” Sango coaxed her semiconscious friend.

“Huh?” Kagome said weakly as Sango shook her into conciousness. She slumped even more forward onto Inuyasha.

“Can't you shake her awake or something?” Inuyasha asked rudely.

“I'm trying to! It wasn't like she fell into a pillow or anything!” Sango shot back angrily. Then Sango had an idea. She said something softly into Kagome's ear and Kagome shot up immediately.

“Oh my God!” she exclaimed. Inuyasha looked at her and pulled out a handkerchief.

“What's that for?” She inquired innocently as she took the pro-offered hanky.

“Your lip is bleeding, “ Inuyasha said in an uncharacteristically caring tone.

“How did it—“

“You slammed into his hard head when Miroku put on the brake,”Sango explained as she narrowed her eyes at a certain driver who was looking quite sheepish at the moment.

“Ahh…Sorry?” Miroku meekily apologized.

“Sorry's not gonna repair her lip dumbass! Let's get her into Mena House before she faints again!” Inuyasha shouted as he moved to help her out of the car. Before he got so much as a leg on the ground, Sango had beaten him to it. She gave him a look that said `I was here first asshole!' and as the two women headed toward the hotel entrance, he decided that Sango wasn't a woman he could boss around so easily. Instead, he directed his attention to Miroku.

“Oy! Go see if we can't get any canteens!”

“Aww, but don't you want to hang on to Kagome a little longer? You didn't want to let her go, did you? That was some moment back there!” Miroku teased.

“What `moment'? Nothing happened! If your dumb ass hadn't decided to brake so hard she wouldn't have busted her lip!” Inuyasha exclaimed.

“Admit it! You liked it! Otherwise you wouldn't be defending yourself, would you?” Miroku had him there. Although he wouldn't admit it, having her that close to him sent sparks through his system like he never felt before.

“Keh! You're so full of it! Let's just get the damn water and be done with it!”

“If you say so, Casanova, “ Inuyasha resisted the overwhelming urge to strangle his best friend as they walked towards the hotel.

 

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After about a half an hour or so of Kagome being fussed over by the nurses in the small infirmary (A/N: I'm just assuming that since the Mena House was also a type of officer's club where outdoor games were played, that there were nurses on staff for that as well as tourists who suffered from heat exhaustion or dehydration, etc.), and arguing with the waterboys over the cost of the canteens and whether or not their services would be needed, Inuyasha was quite fed up. Thankfully, the bleeding had stopped and swelling had gone down on Kagome's lip, which meant that they would not be forced to endure the solicitations of the Anglos and the army at teatime. Once again, they were on the road.

 

The pyramids grew larger as the Daimler chugged up the gravelly path and Miroku pulled the brake as soon as he found a safe spot to park.

“Okay, it's all uphill from here!” Miroku chimed cheerily.

“Does this mean we're walking the rest of the way?” Kagome asked.

“Of course we're walkin'! Why do you think I told you to bring yer walkin' boots or whatever it is you women wear?” Inuyasha sarcastically remarked.

“You did? When was this?” Kagome seemed thrown aback by this new development.

“Let me guess, you aren't wearing them are you?” Inuyasha turned around and gave Kagome the same type of look a mother gives when she's caught her child red-handed. Kagome's face started to heat up at his accusation.

“I..uh..no. I'm not wearing them.” She half expected him to blow up at her again, but the imagined explosion never came. He just sighed and said, “ Well, don't complain to me about any aching feet or nothin', `cuz it ain't my fault you didn't listen!” He got out of the car and opened Kagome's door. She took in the picturesque scene before her:

Men in khafiyyas leading a few camels and donkeys laden with tourists across the landscape, more men and children hawking their wares, a small group of tourists huddled around a guide at the base of Khufu's pyramid…and off in the distance, a moron attempting to climb to the top of Khafre's pyramid.

Kagome clasped her hands together at her breast and gave Inuyasha her best pair of doe-eyes. “Inuyasha, could we…”

“No!”

“Oh why not?” She fixed her mouth into a cute little pout. `Dammit! Why does she have to look so…' he thought. He couldn't quite figure out why that little gesture ruffled his feathers so, but he had to stand his ground. He'd be damned if she'd pull one over on him this time.

“Because I said no! What part of that don't you get? How the hell am I supposed to give you the grande tour on camelback, hmm? You don't want to leave Egypt as ignorant as you came do you?”

“No, but I can't leave without having rode a camel either,” she replied, her lips still in a pout. Inuyasha rubbed the back of his neck, which Miroku took to be a sign of uneasiness, and decided to act as the peacemaker once more.

“Look Inuyasha, you said yourself that we haven't got all day,so why don't we just take a vote as to who wants to do what? Besides, we have to make it to the site today too, and we don't want these ladies getting heat stroke,” Miroku reasoned. He looked straight at Sango as the words left his mouth. She nodded her head in agreement.

“Fine! We'll vote on it!” Inuyasha conceded. The camel-riding proposition won 3 to 1, and against his better judgment, Inuyasha went off to find someone who would rent them the beasts.

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While Inuyasha could be seen on the Giza Plateau arguing a price with a camel owner, Kagome asked Miroku, “ Is he always this volatile?” Miroku chuckled and replied, “Not always, Miss Kagome. He does have a gentle side, believe it or not. Maybe it's because he's not used to dealing with women.”

“ That's one thing for sure,” Kagome remarked.

“Well, you two didn't get off on the right feet either, “Miroku added. “ Perhaps if you had, it might have been different.”

“Perhaps,” Kagome stared at the pyramids.

“I agree with Mr. Hendsler, Kagome; maybe he is a nice guy underneath that gruff exterior, but you'll never know if you don't stop provoking him,” Sango said.

“ME? Provoking him? Hah! That's quite funny!” Kagome laughter died as soon as she saw Inuyasha approaching with two camel men.

“Ahem! Hate to ruin your party but, are we getting on these bloody things or not?” Inuyasha interrupted.

“Oh, absolutely! But why are there only two, Inuyasha?” Miroku inquired.

“Don't ask.”

“So… who's riding with whom?” the assistant inquired once more.

“You take Sango, I'll take Kagome---wouldn't want them to fall off on their first try, now would we? You know how camels are, now come on,” Inuyasha motioned for the three to follow him and the camel men (more like boys really) to the grounded camels. Both of the large beasts were decorated to the teeth with bells, colorful tassles, and woven blankets. Camels are aptly named, `the ships of the desert' because they adapted so well to the harsh desert climate and the lack of water or green pastures; and to Kagome, they looked like the prows of the mighty Viking ships in the Nordic myths she read about when she was a child. Apparently, Inuyasha was comfortable with this camel-riding business, as he spoke lively with the camel boys as if they were old friends. When it came time to mount, Kagome's nerves jumped as he drew her close to him.

“Uhh, Inuyasha, what're you…” she stuttered.

“So you don't fall off. Camels stand up hind legs first and most people get jarred about and fall off or grab the camel's tassels—which makes for a very pissed camel. They're very temperamental animals—they spit when they're mad,” he explained suavely. Kagome looked over to see how Sango and Miroku fared, which wasn't too good considering his cheek had a red handprint on it, but at least they hadn't fallen off their camel.

“I suppose Miroku didn't give Sango that speech, “ she giggled. Inuyasha glanced over and started laughing.

“I suppose he didn't, did he? Oh well, that horse's ass has gotta learn sometime! Oh here we go!” The camel bowed to the front, which startled Kagome. Inuyasha held onto her tightly as the camel's front end came up, sliding the two around in the saddle. The camel boy communicated to the beast in a series of oral clicks and whistles that it was time to carry another load around the pyramids.

 

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The pyramids are at their most amazing up close, when one realizes that the Ancients lugged blocks around that were much larger than they were. Kagome's breath caught at the sight of their sheer magnitude. She found Inuyasha to be an informative guide, for here, he was in his element. He explained how the pyramids all had massive valley and mortuary temples connected to them where ceremonial activities took place; how there were rooms inside of the pyramid, and how awfully claustrophobic the Grand Gallery of Khufu's pyramid made him feel. He informed her that a colleague of his suggested that these pyramids and the necropolis that surrounded them were situated just so that they would line up with the North Star or some other constellation. He also told her that the smaller pyramids belonged to the queens or mothers of the pharaohs, and that those lesser pyramids were in the same style as Djoser's (pronounced Joe-zer) pyramid in Saqqara. As the hour passed, she noticed that his hand hadn't moved from her waist (very much), and that sometimes as he talked, he inhaled deeply, as if smelling a flower. It was almost as if she had met a different person than the loud, uncouth barbarian she had encountered earlier. At least she thought so until she heard a cry for help coming from a quarter of the way up Khafre's pyramid.

“Somebody help me! I'm stuck! Help!” The voice was male, that was for sure.

“Inuyasha? Did you hear that? Someone's stuck on the pyramid!” Kagome exclaimed.

“Oh Christ! Not again! Don't those stupid bastards know they have to come down sometime?” Inuyasha commented.

“Can't we help him get down?”

“He has a guide, don't worry.”

“But what if he's hurt?” Kagome asked sympathetically

“That's his tough luck! He was stupid enough to climb the damn things, serves him right!” Inuyasha countered. Kagome turned her head slightly and gave him her trademark doe-eyes.

“Please Inuyasha? Let's help him out; he's not that far up!”

“ He's far up enough to get his ass killed! Why should I risk my neck for an idiot?” He huffed.

“You're risking your neck for me and Sango, aren't you? If you rescue him, I could offer you… something for your valiant efforts…” she smiled seductively. He gulped loudly. It was enough to be as close as he was to her, but for some reason his imagination ran scenes of their garden kisses through his head. He reasoned that the likeliness of that happening again was probably nil. Hell, he'd even settle for her to not argue with him for the rest of the week.

`But then again, what if her offer is really something worthwhile? Maybe I shouldn't help that idiot up there—maybe she's just playing mind-games with me, that's all. Besides, her reward would probably be something stupid anyway and I'd end up looking like some romantic fool! No, I can't do it. I won't do it! I won't let her win!' he thought.

“Pleeease Inuyasha? Won't you be a good Samaritan and help that poor man? I promise I won't provoke you anymore this week…please?” Kagome pleaded.

 

`Holy shit! This might be a better deal than I thought! A whole week without her being a nuisance, hmm? Interesting…' Inuyasha played with the idea in his head. It didn't sound bad at all, but he had to be sure of the terms if he was going to such lengths for a person he didn't know.

“You won't provoke me for a week, hmm…So I suppose that if I save this buffoon you will not argue with me, question my judgment on matters, ask stupid questions, or try to boss me around…am I correct?”

“Uh… I guess so, “ Kagome replied hesitantly.

“Good. But remember, if I risk my neck to go and do this `good Samaritan' deed, or whatever the hell you call it, you will do everything that we agreed on, no questions asked?” Inuyasha stared straight at her, his face as serious as the grave.

“No questions? At all? About anything? Surely you can't be serious, Inuyasha,” Kagome was a bit confused. How on earth was she supposed to know what was going on if she couldn't ask questions? `It's not like he's a mind-reader or anything…I wonder why he would insist on something so impossible?' she thought.

“That guy up there is inches away from possible death and you want to know if I'm serious? Jesus, woman what is wrong with you? Am I saving him or not, `cuz I haven't got all day…” Inuyasha said impatiently as he sat back in the “saddle” with his hands on his hips, awaiting Kagome's reply.

“Yes! I agree---just save the poor fellow and I'll do what you said!” Kagome exclaimed. Inuyasha grinned and shouted down at the camel boy, who lead them closer to Khafre's pyramid. As soon as they reached the base, Inuyasha jumped down from the “saddle” onto the sand. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled “ Hey you! Yeah you up there! Don't move! I'm coming to get you!” The young man's face was shadowed by the pith helmet he wore. He waved back at Inuyasha to acknowledge that he heard him—of course, who didn't hear Inuyasha when he bellowed?

The young man had climbed up quite a ways, as Inuyasha soon found out; how he had managed to scale blocks that huge in such a short time baffled Inuyasha. It was at least another twenty minutes or so before Inuyasha reached him.

“What [wheeze] the hell [wheeze] possessed you [wheeze] to climb this fucking pyramid [cough]? Huh?” Inuyasha was quite out of breath and notably irritated. The young man took off his pith helmet and looked down at the sweaty, out-of-breath man on the block below him.

“I—I just wanted to see what it was like, if it was as grand as they say it is, that's all.” He explained.

“Did `they' ever tell you that once you go up, you have to come down sometime? Well, is it as grand as those others told you?” Inuyasha's voice dripped with sarcasm. The young man looked dreamily out on the landscape before him, the morning wind caught his brown hair and blew wisps across his face; he said softly, “ Yes, it is.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.' Damn romantic tourists!' he said to himself.

“Well, now that you've made your little discovery, it's time to get off of this damn thing. Come on, I haven't got all day so listen up: when I tell you, scoot to the edge of the block and ease your way down, okay? Make sure you can feel something stable underneath your foot so you don't fall and create a mess down there in front of Kagome—got it?” Inuyasha explained carefully.

“Is she your wife? Fiancè?” the young man asked. Inuyasha blinked twice at the suggestion.

“Hell no! She's my…um…she's a…someone I'm helping out. Like a friend…or something,” Inuyasha felt a blush coming on underneath his already flushed cheeks.

“Is she pretty? `Cause she looks lovely from up here,” the young man said innocently.

“ Hey kid, do ya wanna get down or what? You can thank her when we reach the bottom, she's the reason your ass is getting saved in the first place.” Inuyasha said gruffly.

“Oh,” the young traveler said sheepishly, “I suppose we must hurry then---keeping a lady waiting in this heat is awfully rude, don't you think, Mister—“

“Tomuri. Inuyasha Tomuri. And you are…”

“Akitoki Hojo at your service!” He gave a mock bow. “Most people just call me Hojo!”

“Nice, but the formalities can wait until we hit the sand, okay?” Inuyasha felt that he was talking to a child, given the playful demanor of the victim. Hojo nodded his head and the two started climbing down the pyramid block by block.

 

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Kagome sat upon her camel watching this whole debacle and found it quite amusing. She sincerely believed that this was the most selfless deed Inuyasha had ever done in his life, and was happy that she had a `one-up' on him. She remembered the flustered look on his face when she'd mentioned giving him a reward—could it be that he really wasn't so annoyed with her as he claimed? Maybe he was warming up to her since their cataclysmic meeting…or not, since he expressed a desire for her to keep her mouth shut. She was confused; his words were the polar opposite of his actions, which made her wonder if Inuyasha was trying to be distant and make her dislike him on purpose…

Kagome was shaken from her thoughts by her gurgling camel, who decided that he was tired of standing up, which threw Kagome off balance and nearly out of the saddle!

“Aahh! Omigod someone help me!” Kagome exclaimed as she felt the legs of the camel go out from beneath her. The camel boy scolded the beast, who spat to show his master how much he really cared. The camel boy (who was probably close to sixteen years old) started to apologize profusely to Kagome.

“Ana asif ya Anissa! El Kamel ghabi! Ana asif `awi! Enti alhamdulillah? (I'm sorry Miss! The camel is stupid! I'm very sorry! Are you alright (thanks be to God))”

Kagome understood that the boy was trying to be apologetic, but she had no idea what he had said. So, she answered him back the best way she knew how—in English.

“I'm fine, really. Just a bit of a shock. May I have some water? (makes drinking gesture)” she replied. The boy handed her the canteen and she let the now warm water spill over her lips into her open mouth.

“ I see you're enjoying yourself there---mind saving some of that water for a Good Samaritan?” Kagome almost choked on her water. A very dusty and sweaty Inuyasha stood before her, with Hojo in tow. Kagome dismounted the grounded camel and tripped on the hem of her skirt. A pair of arms rushed to steady her—and they weren't Inuyasha's. She raised her eyes to meet her savior's and blushed.

“It's true, you really are as beautiful up close as he says!” Hojo gasped.

“W-why, th-thank you, uh Mister—“ Kagome stammered.

“Hojo, Akitoki Hojo, ma'am.”

“Surely you don't mean it Mr. Hojo, “ Kagome snuck a glance at Inuyasha who looked as if he were about to explode. “And— as he says? Who would say such a thing about me?” Kagome looked straight at Inuyasha as Hojo helped her to her feet.

“Oh, Inuyasha told me, “ Hojo was definitely stirring the pot now.

“I didn't say a damn thing!” Inuyasha defended himself.

“You see Mr. Hojo, Inuyasha isn't terribly fond of me, so he could have never said such a nice thing—it just isn't his nature!” Kagome ventured. She swore she could see steam coming from Inuyasha's ears.

“Well, even if he won't say it, I'll say it then—you are absolutely lovely Miss Kagome, and I can't tell you how thankful I am that such a beautiful woman would ever think of saving me—“

“From what? Your sheer stupidity?” Inuyasha interjected.

“Inuyasha! How rude of you! Here this poor gentleman is trying to—to—“

“To what? Flatter you with a flowery speech? We haven't got time for this crap!” Inuyasha couldn't figure out why, but for some reason, Hojo's romantic entreats made his skin crawl.

“Well, it isn't every day that a person compliments me, so stop your nonsense!” Kagome shot a dirty look at Inuyasha, who was still sulking.

“Inuyasha! How can you speak that way to a lady! If she were my companion, I would be the happiest man alive! Any man would die to be seen with such a beauty and yet you take her presence for granted! For shame!” Hojo scolded. He turned Kagome's way and smiled. “You see Miss Kagome, not all of us men are savage brutes, “ he consoled. Inuyasha had reached his limit. `Hmph! If I'da known the little shit was going be so goddamn annoying, I would've left his ass up there!' He grabbed Kagome by the arm and started stomping off.

“Wait! Inuyasha! What are you—“

“Just shut up! This is fucking ridiculous!” he shouted to the pyramids.

“But I didn't—“ Kagome started.

“Oh yes you did! Turned a simple rescue mission into a goddamn circus! If you'da kept your part of the bargain, but oh nooo! You just had to flirt with that stupid sonofa—“ Kagome stopped in her tracks.

“You're jealous, aren't you?” she accused as he whipped around to face her, his eyes burning.

“Me? Jealous? Wench, believe me, if I was the jealous type, you'da known it! I'm not jealous! If it was up to me, I'd have been working on my site, minding my own damn business instead of playing a fucking babysitter for Sesshomaru! I've got too much shit to worry about to be jealous over some lovesick sap's poetry!” Inuyasha exclaimed vehemently. Kagome felt the bitterness of his words and fought back a tear.

“I see, “ she muttered, her eyes downcast. “I guess I'll just stay out of your way then if you think I'm just going to make a circus of everything.” She sniffed and shuffled back to where the camel was. Inuyasha sighed heavily; for the first time in his life he wished he could take his words back. He watched as Hojo helped Kagome onto the camel. He walked alongside with the camel boy as they headed back towards the Daimler.

 

 

Sango had never felt so relieved in her as life as when Miroku finally let her off of their camel. It was bad enough that the little pervert had used a myriad of excuses to touch her on her bum, hips, and waist over the course of the pyramid tour. Most men would understand the words “no” and “stop”after the first time, but not Miroku—he had to have it beaten into him. It was a brand of attention Sango wasn't used to. Sure, men had flirted with her on the ship—but only verbally; being violated by touch was another animal entirely. `I can't let my guard down for one second with this guy!' she exclaimed to herself. Other than that, he wasn't too bad of a companion. He spoke about the history of the main pyramids, the Sphinx, and the other subsidiary pyramids, which she found very interesting. She discovered that he and Inuyasha had went to university together and when Inuyasha was commissioned to dig for Sesshomaru, he turned down all offers of assistance offered by Sesshomaru, and specifically requested Miroku as his research assistant. Sango decided to ask about their current project, which concerned her the most.

“So, Mr. Hendsler, why is my scarab so important to your project? I'm sure you've told Kagome, but I was not at liberty to join in the conversation.”

“Well Sango, your scarab concerns us because it provides some possible information on why the occupant of our tomb may have been put there. It gives us a time and place, which is important, since we now know that the man in the burial chamber isn't the one who had the tomb built; the tomb itself is none like we've ever excavated before! You see, we've never worked in Saqqara before, only around Thebes, which is a completely different area---you'll understand what I mean when we get there.” He smiled warmly at her.

“But I want to know why it's so important to Naraku! Inuyasha said that it might have belonged as part of a necklace—that some pharaoh had it made for a young girl…” she trailed off as she saw Inuyasha and Kagome approaching---and they didn't look too happy. “I wonder what happened?” Sango asked her companion.

“I don't know, but it doesn't look too good, “ Miroku observed as the camel boy helped Kagome off of the beast. Inuyasha paid him, sauntered over to the Daimler, and plopped himself into the front passenger seat. Kagome sat down quietly in the back seat. Miroku and Sango looked at each other quizzically and then followed suit.

“To Saqqara,” Inuyasha grumbled as Miroku cranked the vehicle.

 

 

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The ride to Saqqara was a very quiet one, with each member of the car lost in their own thoughts. The sun had reached its zenith, and the desert sands were growing hotter by the second—the only evidence of water or shade was in the scattered thickets of date palms that lined the road . It wasn't long before they reached the mammoth step pyramid complex of Djoser and the outlying necropolis of Saqqara. Miroku pulled to a halt 100 feet outside of the main entrance portico. Outside of the entrance porico sat two gaffirs sitting on squares of carpet. Miroku had never seen these men before in all of their time at Saqqara—and by the look on Inuyasha's face, he hadn't either. Inuyasha jiggled the handle to the glove compartment and took out a pair of pistols that they had stored there in the past, just in case they encountered thieves. He passed Miroku the pistol silently, the two in silent agreement as they concealed the firearms in their pant legs. They had done this on several occasions, each one in tune to the other's suspicion. If Naraku was going to strike, it may be here, Inuyasha reasoned to himself. He had a sinking feeling about the presence of the two gaffirs—if they were locals, he might've recognized them or even been recognized by them, but they remained quiet and did not move. The group got out of the car and approached the entrance. Inuyasha greeted the guards. They nodded their heads, but said nothing as the group passed into the columned room. Miroku took it upon himself to explain that this site was still being excavated for the time being. He explained to the girls that some of the buildings were probably meant to mimic palace structures that Djoser may have used in his lifetime, and the others were for mortuary worship or had ritual significance. Kagome stared up at the centerpiece of the whole complex, the step pyramid, and waited for Inuyasha to say something. He didn't have to, his empty stare said more than enough for Kagome.

`I bet he's not even sorry for what he said—he didn't have to be so mean! It's not like I accused him of a crime or anything!I just wanted to know if he felt anything…oh who am I kidding, the only thing he cares about is his damn site! He is what he is—a rude, uncouth, barbarian that I shouldn't waste my time on! That Hojo chap was rather nice—at least for a change…” Kagome was lost in her thoughts as she followed Miroku around the pyramid.

“…And here is the serdab chamber, where we can expect to find a statue of Djoser when you peek through these little holes. This serdab was important for the pharaoh's soul to be able to recognize his body, because the ancient Egyptians believed that statues could be homes for the souls of the dead…” Miroku lectured as they rounded the pyramid. Sango listened intently, while Kagome let her mind sort out the details of her blow-up with Inuyasha. The group was nearing the wall around the enclosure when Inuyasha heard a bullet whiz by his ear.

“Shit! Get down! Everybody down!” he yelled as he dodged a second one. Miroku grabbed Sango and fell to the ground. A shot rang out and would've hit Kagome had Inuyasha not lunged for her, pinning them both to the sand. “Miroku! Crawl over to the pyramid! We've gotta get them out of this! Hurry dammit!” Inuyasha ordered as he drew his pistol from his pant leg and began returning the shots. Kagome lay still in the sand, her arms shielding her. Inuyasha pulled her against him and started crawling toward the pyramid.

“What's going on? Why are they shooting at us?” Kagome asked, her voice shaky.

“Naraku must know we're here. Don't know how the bastard found out, but no one else would've sent mercenaries unless he was sure!” Inuyasha stated as he scoped out the courtyard.

“I don't wanna die! “ Kagome cried.

“You won't, not as long as I'm here,” his eyes found hers. His voice softened“ I didn't mean it—back there—so don't think I hate you --`cause I don't. It's just---oh shit!” He rolled them to the side to dodge another few bullets. If there was a time for romance, it sure as hell wasn't now—but what would you think if an ruggedly handsome man was straddling you and apologizing (albeit in his own awkward way) for his mistakes? If this were happening in another time and another place, Kagome would have swooned—but at this moment their lives were on the line, and swooning wasn't an option. The volley of gunfire stopped, and left a pregnant pause in the air. “Kagome!”

“Yes?”

“You see that corner of the pyramid? Where Sango and Miroku are?”

“Yeah.”

“Crawl over there as fast as you can and don't stop for nothin', you hear me?”

“But what if they start shooting again? Won't I be safer with you?”

“Hell no! The safest place for you is over there with your friend and Miroku, now go before they finish reloading!” Not knowing if she was going to make it or not, she gave Inuyasha a squeeze for good luck. She wriggled out from under him and began her crawl to safety.

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Inuyasha scoped the large ceremonial court that separated him from the assassins. Judging from the path of the bullets, he reasoned that they were either fired from the Heb-Sed court directly across the courtyard, or from the enclosing wall near the South Tomb. It seemed odd to him that whoever these marksmen were, that they would choose to engage him right before the group reached the private necropolis of Saqqara.

` I hope to God that Sesshomaru has that tomb under full guard like he promised—`cuz if we don't get outta here safe…' He continued to scan the area and saw very little in the way of movement. He checked to see if Kagome had made it to Miroku---she was crawling like a baby, cautious and slow; it was still another 20 or so feet to the base of the pyramid, which gave the marksmen that much more time to load another round. He could see Miroku and Sango trying to encourage Kagome from the corner of his eye, a slight comfort in this unsightly situation. He checked his pistol's chamber---`I got at least six shots left—hope those bastards don't get too trigger happy,' he said to himself. Something stirred in the distance across the courtyard, and Inuyasha readied himself for whatever was coming next. He saw the turban of one of the gaffirs rise above a stone ruin. The assassin's rifle caught the light of the sun and Inuyasha saw that it was pointed---at Kagome. Inuyasha rose from his position in the sand and ran quickly towards Kagome, as the shot rang out. He grabbed her by the waist and ran faster than he ever had in his life. He felt the bullet graze his left arm, but he ignored it as his main objective was to get Kagome to safety. He dodged another as he dove into the sand (with Kagome in tow) behind the pyramid.

“You okay Inuyasha? Kagome? You two almost got killed out there!” Miroku exclaimed as Sango began to tend to Kagome.

“Miroku, we're gonna just start shooting at the fuckers—they're on the wall & in the Heb-Sed court hidin' behind the ruins. Hit'em with all you got—we gotta make it outta here before Naraku decides to make this a full-out war!” Inuyasha gasped for breath.

“ I get it—Sango! You two stay behind and don't move until we say the coast is clear, got that? “ Miroku ordered. Sango nodded in compliance as she unscrewed the top to the water canteen. Miroku readied himself. “Okay Inu, on three---one, two…three!”

The duo lunged from their safe position and started shooting out in the open. One of the riflemen dropped from the wall, and hit the sand; the other attempted to run for the main entrance, unsuccessfully, as he was hit in the leg twice. Inuyasha caught him in range and fired the deathblow. The gaffir stirred for a moment and then went still.

“Shit. That's it? That's all he brought?” Miroku exclaimed.

“Looks like they were just a distraction. Wasn't it funny that as soon as we got near the exit, they started to shoot? Like they were tryin' to keep us from the necropolis?” Inuyasha ventured.

“Huh, I guess I wasn't the only one thinkin' that way…let's get to the site before they any of their buddies get wind of this,” Miroku suggested, scanning the courtyard. Inuyasha walked over toward Kagome and Sango, who were sitting backs against the pyramid.

“You girls okay?”

“I suppose we should ask the same about you, Inuyasha, you're the one who's bleeding, “ Sango pointed out. Inuyasha looked at the hole in his jacket and poked his finger around it. He then took off his jacket and noticed the blood stains from where the bullet grazed his upper arm.

“Shit! Another shirt ruined!” he exclaimed in annoyance.

“Let me bandage that for you, it could get infected—wouldn't want you bleeding all over the place would we?” Sango offered.

“Nah, it's okay, just a scratch that's all. But we need to get to the site and see if any damage has been done and alert the authorities…Tell me you still have that scarab Sango,” Inuyasha ventured.

“I do. It's in my—“

“Okay, as long as you have it on you. No telling what kind of scheme Naraku's got cooked up next,” Inuyasha said. Miroku spoke up.

“But Inuyasha, shouldn't we check and see if she really has it on her? I mean, anything can get lost in a woman's---[gets smacked by Sango] Ow! What was that for?”

“My hand was itching,” She smirked.

“ If we sit here long enough we'll all be itching from sand fleas, so let's go, “ Inuyasha hinted. Sango helped Kagome stand up and the four continued on their previously interrupted path to the private necropolis outside of Djoser's complex.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The site was not too far away from Djoser's pyramid, as the group could see the bustling activity from the path leading from the complex. Sesshomaru had held up his part of the bargain, as Inuyasha could see a portion of the army and police force on the perimeters of the site.

“Looks like the old boy held up his end, eh? Wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't poking around here himself,” Inuyasha commented.

“Too bad they weren't around earlier, we could've used some help. It's not like Cairo—a gun going off here would be heard for a mile or two, at least,” Miroku sneered as he saw Sesshomaru's snowy head pop out from underneath the tarpaulin that served as a sunshade. The four continued down the small slope until they were stopped by the police.

“What's your business here?” one of the uniformed men asked gruffly. Inuyasha looked the man straight in the eye and said, “ This is my site. That's my business.”

“Identification?” the man asked again. Inuyasha was getting irritated.

“See that guy with the silver-lookin' hair over there---he's my brother, Sesshomaru,” he gestured. “ He's the one who's paying for you and all the other little tin soldiers over here to guard my site, understand? That means I'm head archaeologist and my name's on the firman so I come and go as I please—got it?” Sesshomaru walked over and greeted them cheerfully.

“Hello, Kagome, Miss Forth, Miroku---and Inuyasha. What seems to be the problem here?”

“This mercenary you've got here is refusing me access to my own damn site!” Inuyasha growled.

“Oh well, this won't do! Cummings, remember these people—they have special clearance here. They don't have to give papers, understand?” Sesshomaru informed the guard. The guard nodded in compliance as the motley crew filed in. Kagome noticed a surprised look on Sesshomaru's face when he saw the miserable state they were in. “Good God! What happened? Why are you all dirty and bleeding?” he exclaimed.

“I'm surprised you couldn't hear the racket from all that gunfire up there,” Inuyasha gestured towards Djoser's complex.

“No! I thought that the men were shooting at jackals or something of the sort! So Naraku figured out you weren't shopping in the Khan today, hmm?” Sesshomaru defended.

“Jackals? That's the most ludicrous excuse for not helping someone in danger! How the fuck did Naraku know? Did you let something slip when you were bullshitting with your old friends at the Club? Huh?” Inuyasha accused.

“Now see here Inuyasha, is that any way to talk to the man who saved your site from vandals this morning? No, I suppose you haven't heard about that, have you? I doubled the guard when your reis sent word about having to chase a couple of blackguards (blaggards) off last night with the help of some of your men. Now who's doing the bullshitting?” Inuyasha's jaw dropped at the news.

“You're not serious,” he said astonished.

“Oh, but I am—completely. Now what happened at the pyramids?” Miroku took the opportunity to tell Sesshomaru about the assassins who tried to masquerade as guards.

“Interesting…I suppose there's only one thing to be done now,” Sesshomaru rubbed his chin in interest.

“And what's that, Lord Sesshomaru?” Kagome inquired. Sesshomaru looked at all four of them and sighed.

“ I suppose you'll have to depart for Luxor as soon as possible.”

“How soon? “ Inuyasha asked.

“You'll have to have your belongings on the dock by eight o'clock tonight, before Naraku gets wind of your activities,” Sesshomaru stated matter-of-factly.

“Tonight?” The group exclaimed.

“When are we sailing?” Kagome asked.

“At sun rise tomorrow. You almost met your deaths today, we can't tarry any longer! Naraku must've had an informant track you—now you understand that he's not the type who's open to negotiation,” Sesshomaru said gravely.

“But what about the site?” Miroku asked.

“What about it? I have everything under control here, don't worry. All of the regular workers have been given identification, and as you can see, the perimeter is secured. Now I suggest you figure out what arrangements will be suitable for you all on the dahabeeyah, as there are only three rooms and one bath,” Sesshomaru stated.

“One bath?” The group groaned.

“Yes, one bath, and I suggest you use it wisely.”

“Oh dear God!” Sango rolled her eyes in dread. The next few weeks were going to be very interesting indeed…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: It's been a long time, hasn't it? February has been very hectic for me, and I have been battling a yucky case of writer's block, which has delayed this chapter's debut. Plus, writing an action scene is HARD—so if mine sucks, it's because I'm still cutting my teeth on this web-publishing /writing thing. Anyway, I want to give a shout-out to everyone who has reviewed—because there is nothing better than checking your email and finding out that your readers are showin' you some love! So thanx for being so patient and keep reviewing—because how good the plot gets, depends on YOU!

 

Here's the forecast for the next chapter: Fluff and sexual tension---and some pretty heated arguments…sounds pretty good to me!

 

Lady Orion: I'm actually going to a site in Thoreau, NM called Blue J with Dr. Kantner on behalf of GA State University. His website is sipapu.edu or sipapu.gsu.edu or something like that. That is sooo cool that another Anth./Arch. student is reading this! We're supposed to be working on a Chaco Anasazi site, and I'm not really familiar with Southwestern Archaeology. Maybe you could help me with my archaeological theory class??? Please? Postprocessual theory is killing me!!!