Summary of last chapter:

Tabby told how her cat Sage, cleverly disguised as the Egyptian cat goddess Bast, arrived in time to foil the plans of Akie and Mike Holly. Pretending to suck Tabby's soul out of her body, Sage leaves the room with Tabby out of immediate danger. Mike Holly demands for Akie to go get another Daredevil Girl to take Tabby's place. Akie agrees, but without much enthusiasm.


Tabby's story continues:

I listened to Akie's footsteps depart from the room, dreading that with each echoing step, he was drawing closer to my friends. I didn't like the idea of hiding, but knew dying wasn't going to solve anything, either. At least where I was, I was available to lend aid to anyone new brought in... that is, if the Daredevils hadn't already taken matters into their own capable hands. The appearance of Sage gave me reason to believe at least one person was out there working on my behalf.

The footsteps faded, and a tense silence followed that was broken by a loud crash and scream. I jumped to my feet and ran out, Mike Holly close on my heels. My legs were weak and sore from the ordeal I had been through, but cross-country racing had taught me to persevere through pain.

"You run pretty good for a girl with no soul," Mike said.

"And you run pretty good for an old fat guy."

"Watch your mouth, or I'll make you eat your teeth."

A scathing remark on my part muted as we came upon Akie leaning against the wall with an arrow sticking out of his shoulder. Elizabeth stood on the stairs, another missile drawn back in a simple carnival bow. It was pointed straight at our resident mummy. Behind her crouched Becky and Bruce with pellet guns aimed our way.

I fell to my knees as they both unloaded on Mike, and then rolled to where Akie stood, catching him against my body as he fell. Nancy and Sally, each brandishing baseball bats, ran over to join us. Two gaunt boys, whom I had never seen before, stood at the top of the stairs with ropes in their hands.

Mike pulled a gun from his pocket and lunged for Elizabeth. He grabbed her arm and jerked her toward him, pressing the weapon against her temple. I could smell her fear and hear the beating of her heart. Her bow and arrow fell harmlessly to the floor as we all froze.

"What's wrong with you kids?" Mike looked around at us, his face and neck pocked with pellet wounds. "Can't you appreciate the part you've been offered to play in history and just behave yourselves?"

"We're not the ones with the behavior problem here," Nancy said. "You just kidnapped a whole host of kids to use as sacrifices. You're beyond crazy."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about my mental state, Missy. I know exactly what I'm doing. You see, I have the insight to be able to look beyond mere laws to achieve a goal that will ultimately make me a hero. Akie, get on your feet and tie up these kids."

"He's bleeding," I said.

"It's just a flesh wound from a toy arrow," Mike said. "Akie, get to your feet and do what I asked."

Akie groaned, but stood up and plucked the offending object from his shoulder. He swayed a bit at first, but proved strong enough to be a viable threat to our safety. I thought about rolling over and knocking his feet out from under him, but thought better about it when Mike Holly glared my way.

"That's better," Mike said. "Now get the rope from those boys."

Akie looked over at Mike as though struggling to focus on what he was saying. He hesitated a moment, and then motioned for the boys to toss him the rope. They did so, but not without an ashamed glance at Sally.

"It's okay," she said. "We did our best."

Akie nodded in agreement of our situation and held the rope close to his bleeding shoulder. He looked over at me and gave the smallest hint of a smile.

"I thought you were dead," he said.

I shrugged my shoulders. What could I say? It wasn't the time to explain the whole Sage and Bast situation.

"Talk to her later," Mike said. "It seems she was deceiving us, but as she's been through the first part of the rites, we can still use her. We'll just lock the other kids in the back room until we are ready for them."

"She deceived us." Akie repeated the phrase a few times as though in deep thought. "Yes, yes, indeed she did, but she wasn't the only deceiver, was she?"

Akie looked at me again, this time smiling overtly. Moving quicker than Bast, he lunged at Mike Holly and knocked the gun out of his hand. In the next movement, he pinned him against the wall with his tall muscular body.

"What are you doing?" Mike asked. "Back off, big guy."

"I'm making things right."

"What do you mean, right? What's right is reanimating your family and slaves so you can establish your reign in Texas. We've discussed this at length."

"You really are crazy, aren't you?"

"I prefer focused."

"And to think I believed in you. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing another arrow won't fix," Bruce said.

"Bruce, be quiet," Becky said. "I think he's on our side now."

"How did you kids get down here?" Akie asked, looking over his shoulder.

"I have a key," Sally said. "It's a long story."

"You can tell me all about it later, but for now, I want you to take it and go back upstairs. Your name's Sally, right?"

"Yeah. Remember, I'm the one you carried up the stairs and dropped on the floor like a piece of used up trash."

"I'm deeply sorry for my actions, little phoenix, but you seem to have arisen well from your ashes. If you can find it in your heart to grant me forgiveness, please go upstairs where you'll find a phone locked in a desk behind the film room. Take the two boys on the stairs with you. They can show you where it is."

"Me and Jason?" Kith asked.

"Yes, you and Jason. Please direct Sally to the phone where she can call the police. The rest of you help me tie up this dog."

"Oh, I'm a dog now, am I? I rescued you from the afterlife and gave you a chance for the fame you deserve. Remember, I'm the one with the power to bring back your loved ones. Without me, you'll never see Atenabend reanimated."

"I still remember my older sister's sweet face and gentle touch," Akie said. "I loved her with all my heart, but she died in 1351 BC. There her legacy will remain. She wouldn't approve of what I've been doing, Mike, and she certainly wouldn't approve of you."

"If I go to jail, you go, too."

"So be it, although they might have a bit of a problem figuring out who I am."

"Actually," Nancy said. "I have a friend named Emory Settler. He's a police officer specializing in supernatural crime, and can help you work things out. Sally, call him first. You know his number."

"I have it memorized," Sally said. "Come on guys, show me where the phone is."

For a moment, we all focused on Sally and the boys climbing the stairs. Mike took advantage of the distraction. He bent his knees and dropped through Akie's arms to the floor.

Before we could stop him, he rolled toward the gun. We watched in horror as his hand snaked out and his fingers grasped the handle. He raised the weapon and pointed it at Akie, but before he could squeeze the trigger, Nancy swung her baseball bat. We heard the sounds of crushing bones, and Mike's anguished howl of defeat.

Akie took the rope the boys had thrown him and began trussing up his former boss.

"What do you think your god, Aten, would think of you now?" Mike asked. "With the kingdom we had planned, you could have re-established your father's old religion. Now, Aten's rebirth will fail because of your selfish actions."

"Don't you know who Aten is?" Akie asked. "You should have read your history more thoroughly. He was the One God who ruled all others. Think about it. The Jewish slaves called him Jehovah, but we called him Aten. My father died because he wouldn't renounce his faith...  so did Atenabend and I, which I seemed to have forgotten as I listened to your lies and deceptions. My pride became as big as some of the pharaohs of old. I am ready to take my punishment, and to finally be free of you."

"You can never be free of me, you idiot. I added an herb to your reanimation mix that gives me the ultimate control."

"I knew it," I said.

"The Acacia leaf?" Elizabeth scoffed. "Of course that's what you used. I thought I smelled it burning. Don't worry, Akie, there's an antidote for everything. I'll talk to my grandmother about it."

"I think Aten, and Atenabend, would be proud of you," I said, kneeling beside him on the floor. He leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. A 3,000 year old chill went down my spine.

"I'm glad you're alive," he said. "Now help me fix this mess I've made."