Fifteen minutes later — on the bank of the Nile River
The group dragged themselves out of the murky water, coughing and gasping. The current had carried them far downstream, and the burning remains of the riverboat were now a faint orange glow against the night sky.
Daniel flopped down on the sand, soaked from head to toe. Jonathan crawled beside him, hacking up water and muttering curses between breaths.
"Well," Jonathan said between coughs, "that was not the cruise I signed up for."
Daniel brushed mud off his sleeves and sighed. "Welco to adventure, Jonathan. You wanted excitent, right?"
Jonathan rolled onto his back and groaned. "Who were those guys? They didn't look like bandits!"
"They weren't," Daniel said flatly. "There's sothing worse."
Evelyn stumbled out of the water behind them. Her hair clung to her face, dripping wet, and her expression could have burned holes through steel.
"I hate this," Evelyn muttered, wringing water from her hair. "First my books, now my clothes—what's next, a plague of locusts?"
Daniel chuckled. "Give it ti."
Then a faint voice echoed from across the river.
"O'Connell! O'Connell!"
Everyone turned around.
Across the dark waters, waving his arms frantically, stood Beni.
"See! I told you I'd survive! You threw in, but I lived!" he shouted triumphantly.
Rick cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted back, "Hey, Beni! You're on the wrong side of the river!"
Beni froze. He turned around slowly, realizing he was indeed .
***
The Next Morning — A Small Village Beside the Nile
The sun rose hot and golden over the desert horizon, burning away the mist that still clung to the banks of the Nile.
Evelyn stood beside a market stall, arms folded and brow furrowed as she stared at her perfectly dry and intact luggage sitting neatly beside her.
"I still can't understand it," she said, baffled. "You made them disappear into thin air — and now they're back! How is that even possible?
Daniel adjusted his shirt and tried to sound casual. "Aren't you happy it's safe? Why so many questions?"
He wasn't about to start explaining the whole inventory thing — not now, not ever. If he did, it would only lead to more questions, and the last thing he wanted was Evelyn trying to dissect how it worked. Better to leave it vague; she'd forget about it sooner or later.
"That's not an answer," she said, narrowing her eyes.
Daniel gave her a sheepish grin, clearly dodging. "So mysteries are better left unsolved."
Before she could press him further, he excused himself with a quick, "Be right back!" and strode toward a noisy commotion near the well.
A small crowd had gathered, mostly won in traditional dresses and veils—shouting, waving sandals, and raining blows on a man who was cowering in the sand.
Daniel blinked, recognized the flailing figure, and nearly burst out laughing.
"Oh, for the love of—Gad?"
Indeed, it was Gad Hassan, their ever-unlucky warden companion. The man who'd once ruled a prison was now at the rcy of half a dozen furious village won.
One woman was shouting in Arabic, brandishing her shoe like a sword. Another had grabbed his ear.
Apparently, the reason was simple—and stupid.
Gad had tried to peek under their veils.
In their culture, that was a serious offense.
Daniel leaned casually against a post, crossing his arms as he watched the scene unfold. "Well," he muttered with a grin, "that's what you get for curiosity."
Rick O'Connell appeared beside him, "You're not gonna help him?"
"Nah," Daniel replied. "He's learning cultural boundaries the hard way. Free education."
Rick smirked. "You're a cruel man."
"Practical," Daniel corrected. "Cruelty's when you stop enjoying the lesson."
Then, turning toward the noise coming from the marketplace, he raised his voice.
"And Jonathan, stop haggling and buy the damn Cals—or I'll make you carry everything across the Sahara until we find Hamunaptra!"
Jonathan spun around, indignant. "You do realize this man is trying to rob blind, right? 20 pounds for a Cal! Twenty!"
The rchant—a stout man with a sunburned face and a grin that scread experienced con artist—shrugged.
"Good Cal. Strong Cal. Very loyal. Walk all day, no rest. For you, special price"
"Special price my foot!" Jonathan muttered. "At that price, the cal better carry and read hieroglyphs on the way."
Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose. "Jonathan, just pay"
*****
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