CHAPTER TEN

The museum was not overly crowded. Ryan was grateful for that. He was also glad Dean had sent him with Mark instead of making him follow him around. The last person Ryan wanted to take orders from was Dean.

     Mark walked to the back of the Temple of Dendur. He reached toward the abyss inside, which was actually an entrance to the Duat. He closed his eyes and Ryan watched him closely. When he pulled his hand away he looked defeated. Mark never looked defeated. He could be in the middle of the worst possible situation and he always had a quick back-up plan at the ready to get him out of it.

     "Mark..." Ryan began.

     "Don't." Mark replied. "This isn't about me."

     "You're not okay."

     "No kidding."

     "Did you see anything?"

     "No. I can't feel her. At all. I always feel her."

     "We'll find her."

     "How?"

     "I'm not sure yet. But we will. Alyxx is strong, Mark. She'll get through this."

     "She will, too, you know," Mark replied.

     "Huh?"

     "Panya. She's a lot stronger than you think."

     "I know how strong she is."

     "You're still too overprotective of her. She's a tough kid. At the end of the day, she's still Ra's daughter. If anyone can survive Hell, she can."

     "I think I needed to hear that."

     "That's okay. I needed to hear it about Alyxx, too."

     Both men relaxed a bit. "Do we have any ideas?" Zane asked Mark.

     "Not yet... But we will."

     Marie walked over to them. "I need to use the restroom. I'll be back," she said.

     "You shouldn't be alone," Ryan replied automatically.

     "Relax, Ryan. I'm a big girl. I can go potty all by myself."

     "Marie, wait... I'm worried about you."

     She rolled her eyes. "You barely know me."

     "You're a kid."

     "You're hardly older than I am."

     "You're my consort."

     "And I hate you."

     "And you hate me. But I still care about you. Please... Just be careful."

     Marie softened slightly. "I always am. Don't worry so much. I'll be back before you know it."

     Ryan had a terrible feeling that this wasn't the case but he tried to ignore it. He was on edge. He was worried about Panya and Alyxx and Jonathan. He was being paranoid.

     She'll be fine, he told himself. It's just the bathroom. It's not far from here. She's Nephthys. She can take care of herself.

     Another voice nagged at him. She's in danger.

     At first, Ryan assumed it was the same voice that had been telling him that Panya was in danger. It took him a while to realize it was Marie the voice was talking about this time.

     "Damnit," he mumbled.

     "What's up?" Mark asked.

     "I have to go. She's in trouble." He ran off without further explanation.

     He had no idea where he was going. Marie was in danger and he had to find her, but she definitely wasn't in the bathroom. Where was he supposed to look?

     Closing his eyes, Ryan did something he rarely dared to do. He prayed to anyone who would listen for the strength to channel Set without giving in to the chaos. He took a deep breath.

     Nephthys, he thought. Where are you? He was greeted by silence.

     I know you don't trust me, but trust me now. You are still my consort. I still care about you. Tell me where you are.

     At first, he didn't think he would get any response. Marie's soul had not unlocked. She probably couldn't hear him. Apparently Nephthys could, however. He suddenly caught a flash of a fairly empty part of the park.

     He was running before he even registered where he was going. He knew he should call the other team and tell them she was in the park but they wouldn't be able to track her. He might.

     His phone rang. He was going to ignore it but something made him pick up. "What?" He asked.

     "We have your consort." The voice was unfamiliar and hollow. Ryan shuddered.

     "Who are you?"

     "Come find out, if you actually want her to live. You know where to go." The person hung up.

     Shit. Ryan had no choice now. He began running again. He had to find her. He was absolutely positive they were going to kill her if he didn't.

     He followed the sense of flowing water until he found Marie. A cult member was holding her at an odd angle. She struggled to free herself to no avail. There were others present. They laughed.

     "He actually came!" One of them declared. "I didn't think he would."

     "That's right. I'm here, so let her go," Ryan replied.

     "Not yet. Join us, Set. The Master still wants you on his side. Think of the power. You can have anything you want. You can have anyone you want."

     Chaos knew his weakness. He knew how much his soul loved Ta-Bitjet. The offer would have almost been tempting if he had believed a single word of it.

     "No. And if he wants me, he can damn well come tell me himself. Now let her go. She has nothing to do with this."

     "We could keep her," one of them suggested.

     "She'd make a fun pet. She's feisty," another added.

     "You took her to get my attention. I'm here," Ryan pointed out. "You don't need her anymore. Let her go."

     "He's right," the first one said. "We don't need her anymore."

     What happened next happened so quickly it didn't register as real for a moment. One second, the man holding Marie was reaching for something. The next, a sword came through her back. She fell against him. He laughed and tossed her to the ground.  

     "Keep this in mind, Set," he said. "We'll be back soon."

     The cult left. Ryan didn't care. He ran to Marie's side. "No," he whispered. "Come on... Don't do this. Don't die."

     Marie was crying. Ryan desperately wanted to help her but he was no healer. "I can only destroy," he said sadly. "I can't heal you..."

     "Please... I don't want to die," Marie begged.

     "I know."

     "I'm barely eighteen... I haven't lived. How can I... be... dying?" She was struggling to breathe now. Ryan knew her heart had been punctured and he suspected they'd cut at least one of her lungs, too.

     He cradled her in his arms lovingly. "Stay with me," he begged. "Come on, Marie... Nephthys... Be strong."

     "I can't... I'm not Nephthys. I'm just me. She never... unlocked... I'm just... a college kid..."

     Ryan was not going to just sit back and watch her die. He pulled his phone out and dialed Janna's number. Next to Marie, she was one of their strongest healers.

     There was no answer. Damnit, Janna, answer me! He thought. I know you can hear me.

     Still, nothing. Isis, Goddamn you! Answer me! I need help!

     Instead of an answer, Ryan felt Janna deliberately blocking him. He'd known she didn't like him, but he'd never thought she would take it this far.

     "Hang on, Marie," he said again. He tried harder. She still didn't answer and he knew her blocks had worked.

     He had to keep trying. If he couldn't get Janna, there had to be someone else who would answer him. The people in the park were closer. He tried to reach out for help.

     "I'm cold," Marie mumbled.

     Ryan immediately wrapped her in his jacket. "Don't let go," he pled. "Help is coming."

     "No one's coming, are they?" Marie asked.

     "Someone will. They have to."

     "Ryan..."

     "Yeah?"

     "I'm sorry. I've been a real bitch to you. You didn't deserve that." She started coughing up blood. "You didn't deserve that or what my soul did to you... I'm... sorry..."

     "Shhh," he whispered. "None of that matters now, okay? Just hold on. Don't say goodbye."

     "I'm dying."

     "No."

     "I'm a healer and an expert in medicine... I... know... what death is..."

     "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Marie!" He was crying now, too. "I should have gone with you... This is my fault. They were after me."

     "Not... your... fault... Should have... listened... to you..." Her eyes began rolling around in her head.

     "No! Please Marie... Please hold on."

     "Can't..."

     "Yes you can. You're a Goddess. You can do anything."

     "I'm a kid."

     His face fell. "You're a kid," he agreed. "I should have protected you better."

     "Quit... blaming... yourself."

     "I can't."

     "Yes you can." She attempted a sad smile. He could see the fear in her eyes as she struggled to hold on. "Ryan..."

     "Yeah?"

     "I don't... really... hate you."

     He almost smiled. "I love you, too." He sighed. "Not the way you deserve, but I do."

     "I know..."

     Suddenly, Dean came running toward them. "What the hell happened?" He demanded. "Why didn't you call for help?"

     "I tried. Your mother didn't see fit to answer me," Ryan replied. He wanted the words to be angry, but he had no anger left to spare.

     "That's ridiculous. She'd never be that petty." Dean shook his head. "Janna!" He shouted.

     Janna appeared seconds later. "What's wrong?" She asked. Then she spotted Marie and Ryan. "Oh Gods..." She knelt beside them.

"Tell... my parents... I'm sorry," Marie whispered. She went limp in Ryan's arms as she exhaled a final time.