EXT. LATE AFTERNOON - DESERT

William and his group, led by the Arab, are charging across the desert at breakneck speed to Hamunaptra before Maggie can bring her father back to life.

EXT. LATE AFTERNOON - HAMUNAPTRA

O'Connell and the others arrive at the surface without further incident. The diggers are in awe of this powerful man that has been raised from the dead. Maggie has the diggers prepare her father's coffin for the ceremony that will bring him back to life. Several Med-jai are guarding Imhotep. Pemboldt is off by himself making notes in his journal, while keeping an eye on Maggie and Ardeth. Maggie and Ardeth are left standing together. Ardeth is glaring at Maggie.

I should never have untied your hands.

MAGGIE Look, I know you're upset...

ARDETH I told you not to resurrect him.

MAGGIE I have to bring my father back to life!

ARDETH But at what cost? You are now bound to him to death. This did not go as you expected, did it?

MAGGIE No it didn't.

ARDETH What happens now? Can you undo what he has done?

MAGGIE I don't know. All I can do is try.

ARDETH You will have to do more than try. You must succeed.
Ardeth strides off. Maggie sighs and walks over to her father's coffin.

EXT. LATE AFTERNOON - HAMUNAPTRA

Ardeth walks over to O'Connell. O'Connell notices something isn't right with Ardeth.

O'CONNELL Ardeth, everything else aside, are you all right?

ARDETH I am fine.

O'CONNELL Are you sure? You seem a little...tense.

Ardeth looks at O'Connell and decides to confide in him.
ARDETH I am confused.

O'CONNELL About what?

ARDETH Maggie.

O'CONNELL Ah. Well, she's enough to confuse a man.

ARDETH One moment I am angry with her and want to shake her until her teeth rattle. The next moment I want to...

Ardeth, lost for words, looks at O'Connell who is staring at him with a look of speculation in his eyes.

ARDETH ...well, I am not sure what I want.

O'CONNELL Ardeth, are you in love with her?

Ardeth looks guarded.

ARDETH What do you mean?

O'CONNELL I mean just that. I've never seen you so unsure of yourself. Has the mighty desert warrior found his Achilles heel?

ARDETH I do not know...she is...fascinating to me.

O'CONNELL Well, she's definitely a piece of work.

Ardeth looks troubled.

O'CONNELL Don't pay any attention to my negative attitude on women. If you like her, go for it.

ARDETH Go for it?

O'CONNELL Sure, take her to the local casbah, buy her a couple of drinks, show her a good time.

ARDETH She is very strong-willed.

O'CONNELL Don't tell me you're afraid of her!

ARDETH Of course not!

O'CONNELL Well, it's going to be rough taming her, but if anyone could do it, I bet you could. Besides, I think she likes you too.

ARDETH You do?

O'CONNELL Sure. I see a little sparkle in her eyes when she looks at you. Come to think of it, you two are a perfect match.

Maggie comes up to them as Ardeth speaks.

ARDETH I will think about what you have said.

MAGGIE Think about what?

O'Connell and Ardeth look at each other lost for words.

O'CONNELL Ah...think about...how...we're...going to get the book open.

MAGGIE Well, we do need to think about that but not right now. It's time.

O'Connell and Ardeth take Imhotep up to her father's coffin. The coffin lid is open to reveal a horribly burned corpse.

O'CONNELL Whoa...what happened to him?

MAGGIE Someone pushed his car off the road. It exploded.

O'CONNELL Terrible way to die.

Imhotep looks at Maggie, she looks unflinchingly back at him and he places his hands on the body and begins to speak an incantation. Suddenly, the sound of THUNDERING HOOVES makes everyone stop. William and his group ride into Hamunaptra, FIRING on everyone. O'Connell and Ardeth stay with Imhotep, keeping him out of harms way. The Med-jai spring to action and subdue William and his men. The Med-jai bring William to O'Connell and Maggie.

WILLIAM Maggie, what is going on here?

MAGGIE William! What are you doing here?

WILLIAM I've come to take you back home.

MAGGIE No William.

WILLIAM What do you mean, "no"? We're to be married at the end of this month.

Ardeth glares at William.

MAGGIE I'm not coming home yet.

WILLIAM Maggie, your father's will clearly states that...

O'CONNELL I think the lady clearly stated that she doesn't want to go back with you.

WILLIAM Who the bloody hell are you?

MAGGIE He's a friend of Jonathan's...and mine.

WILLIAM Friend or not, just keep out of this. It's none of your affair.

O'Connell draws his gun and aims at William.

O'CONNELL I'm willing to make it my affair.

MAGGIE O'Connell, please let me handle this.

O'Connell uncocks his gun and slowly puts it away.

O'CONNELL Fine. But you just watch your tone around the lady or you're gonna wish you'd never come out here.

WILLIAM I already do.

O'Connell and William glare at each other. Maggie steps in and pushes them apart.

MAGGIE Enough you two!

WILLIAM Please just tell me what's going on.

MAGGIE I'm going to bring my father back to life.

WILLIAM What? Maggie, that's impossible.

MAGGIE No it isn't.

William goes over to Maggie and gently puts both of his hands on her shoulders. Ardeth puts a hand on his scimitar.

WILLIAM Darling, look, I know you're terribly upset by this whole thing...

MAGGIE William, someone killed my father intentionally. It wasn't an accident. So I'm going to bring him back to life. Actually, Imhotep is going to bring him back to life.

For the first time William sees Imhotep and wonders what strange manner of man he is.

WILLIAM Who is this man?

ARDETH His name is Imhotep. He was the high priest of Pharaoh Seti, nearly 3,000 years ago.

WILLIAM Are you telling me that he's been alive for that long of time?

O'CONNELL No. Maggie brought him back to life so that he could resurrect her father.

WILLIAM Can he really do that?

O'CONNELL Yes, he can.

William's eyes glow with anticipation of what he could do if he could control that kind of power. But first he must resolve this situation.

WILLIAM Well, then, let's see this miracle.

MAGGIE (in Ancient Egyptian) Imhotep continue.

IMHOTEP (in Ancient Egyptian) I can not. The sun has set. The spell will only work at the exact point that twilight sets.

Maggie looks at Imhotep trying to decipher if he is stalling for time or speaking true.

O'CONNELL Is he giving you problems?

MAGGIE O'Connell, please don't hit him again. I'm not sure if it's a problem, he just said that we have to wait until tomorrow night's sunset.

They all look at Imhotep. He returns their gazes coolly.

O'CONNELL Well, William, it looks like you won't get to see your miracle tonight.

WILLIAM Then we'll camp out here with you.

MAGGIE No! I mean, that's not a very good idea.

WILLIAM Why not?

MAGGIE Well...because...

ARDETH The Med-jai warriors are very nervous around strangers. I would hate to see you killed because of a misunderstanding.

William looks at Ardeth, then to Maggie. He realizes there's no use fighting them right now.

WILLIAM All right then, we'll just go back a few miles and make camp there. Maggie come on, let's go.

William goes over to Maggie and grabs her arm. Ardeth also grabs Maggie's arm and pulls William's hand away from her. William grimaces with Ardeth's hard grip.

ARDETH She stays here.

William is about to argue, but sees the look in Ardeth's face and realizes it would be best not to upset the strong warrior. He narrows his eyes as he rubs where Ardeth grasped him and walks away. Maggie turns to Ardeth.

MAGGIE Thank you. But I could have taken care of myself.

ARDETH I do not think so. He is a very dangerous man. You can see it in his eyes.

Maggie realizes that Ardeth is still holding on to her arm. Ardeth realizes this at the same time. They look at each other, he reluctantly lets go.

EXT. EVENING - HAMUNAPTRA

William and Pemboldt have moved away from the others in the camp. William's two thugs stand close by.

WILLIAM What can you tell me about this Imhotep?

PEMBOLDT He has powers like I've never seen. He called to the souls from hell and raised them to fight us. He commands the very insects that walk the ground.

WILLIAM Think of what I could do if I could only get him to London! Who needs to marry money when this kind of power is at my fingertips?

PEMBOLDT But he is connected to Maggie. Until we get the book of the dead opened and find the reversal spell, they stay together to the death.

WILLIAM So in order to control him, I have to control her.

PEMBOLDT That's what it boils down to.

WILLIAM That complicates things. But no matter. I'll figure out something. And who is this Ardeth Bay?

PEMBOLDT The leader of these Med-jai warriors. He's the one who kidnapped Maggie from the dig site yesterday.

WILLIAM And you didn't kill him?

PEMBOLDT I tried, but I'm only a digger, not a skilled soldier of battle.

WILLIAM He keeps looking at Maggie. I don't like it.

PEMBOLDT He does more than just look. He takes every opportunity he can to touch her or be near her.

WILLIAM Now he's practically forcing me to leave this site. How convenient for him. I can't tell you what a pleasure it will be to dispose of him.

PEMBOLDT What are you going to do?

WILLIAM Right now I'm going back to Cairo.

PEMBOLDT I thought you were going to camp out a few miles away?

WILLIAM No. I need to find a bigger army to take care of O'Connell. Meanwhile, you stay here and keep an eye on Maggie and the leader of these Med-jai. Especially him.

PEMBOLDT Yes sir.

William starts to walk away and turns back.

WILLIAM And Pemboldt, don't fail me.

William continues to walk towards his group. Pemboldt stares after him nervously.

EXT. EVENING - HAMUNAPTRA

O'Connell, Maggie and Jonathan are sitting by the fire.

O'CONNELL I still don't understand something.

MAGGIE What?
O'CONNELL Why did you have to bring Imhotep back to life? Why couldn't you just use the book of the dead yourself to resurrect your father?

MAGGIE It doesn't work that way. The book says that only the high priest of the dead has the right to resurrection.

O'CONNELL But you resurrected Imhotep.

MAGGIE Yes but I had to give part of my soul away to do it.

O'CONNELL What are you talking about?

MAGGIE Imhotep is sort of on loan to me. And so my soul is collateral until he's returned to the Dark One.

JONATHAN Maggs, you mean not only is your life at stake but your soul is as well?

MAGGIE Yes.

O'CONNELL And when were you going to tell us that little bit of information?

MAGGIE I didn't want you to worry. It's only temporary.

O'CONNELL Oh is it? What happens if you die before the two of you can be separated?

MAGGIE Then I guess I'll see you in hell.

O'CONNELL Is there anything else you're hiding from us? Because if there is, I'd rather know all the bad news now.

MAGGIE There's nothing else.

JONATHAN There's something else I just don't get. The high priest doesn't live forever. What happens when he dies?

MAGGIE According to the book, a male child is chosen from birth to be bonded to the current high priest. Upon the high priests' death, the dark power is transferred to the chosen, thereby passing on all knowledge gained throughout the life of the high priest.

O'CONNELL So each high priest becomes more powerful through the years.

MAGGIE Yes.

O'CONNELL You women sure know how to pick them.

MAGGIE I beg your pardon?

O'CONNELL First Evie, now you. What makes you want to work in this field of study? It's not everyday you see a woman in the field of archaeology.

MAGGIE Jonathan's father and my father were best friends. And when they went on digs together, Evie, Jonathan and I were dragged along. We all grew up on the digs. So I went to school in America and followed in my father's footsteps.

O'CONNELL And then, just like Evie, you played around with something you shouldn't have, something you don't fully understand.

MAGGIE I do understand it.

O'CONNELL Then why can't you fix the problem?

MAGGIE Because I didn't have time to memorize the book. Maybe I should have waited to read it until you got there. I'm sure your superior intellect would have been able to read and remember every word of it!

O'CONNELL No, my superior intellect would have told me to stay the hell away from it.

Maggie stomps off in anger. O'Connell looks at Maggie's retreating form. Jonathan looks at O'Connell and chuckles.

O'CONNELL What are you laughing at?

JONATHAN You certainly have a way with women.

O'CONNELL It's not funny.

EXT. NIGHT - HAMUNAPTRA

Imhotep is in a tent guarded by 2 Med-jai warriors. Pemboldt is with the diggers at their tents. William and his group mount up and start their ride out of Hamunaptra. O'Connell, Ardeth and Jonathan are at the perimeter of the camp, watching them as they ride out.

O'CONNELL I don't like him and I definitely don't trust him.

ARDETH Neither do I.

O'CONNELL I think Jonathan and I are going to take a little midnight ride across the desert. You stay here and guard Maggie.

ARDETH With my life.

O'CONNELL Jonathan, let's go.

JONATHAN Now where are we going?

O'CONNELL We're going to do a little bit of spying.

JONATHAN Oh, well, I was going to go back down in the tunnels and see if I could get to any of the treasure...

O'CONNELL Now!

JONATHAN ...right, we're just going to go spy on the bad guys...

Jonathan reluctantly follows O'Connell off into the night. Ardeth goes back to the fireside.

EXT. NIGHT - HAMUNAPTRA

O'Connell and Jonathan ride off into the night following William and his group from a distance.

EXT. NIGHT - HAMUNAPTRA

Things are quiet in the camp. Ardeth and Maggie are once again in front of a fire. She is furious that he is 'guarding' her. He has taken off his hat and is relaxed, as much as he is able to. He is enjoying the temper-tantrum of his ward.

MAGGIE I don't need to be guarded!

ARDETH It is for your protection.

MAGGIE What is it with you men? You seem to think women can't take care of themselves. I almost had you beat with my staff, if you'll remember.

ARDETH I do. But 'almost' does not count and I conquered you. Remember?

Ardeth's calmness infuriates Maggie even more than the remembrance of who won that fight.

MAGGIE That does it! Where's my staff?

Maggie starts to get up. Ardeth grabs her arm and pulls her back down.

ARDETH You will stay here or I will tie your hands up again.

MAGGIE Imhotep won't try anything. We're bonded together, remember?

ARDETH Constantly. What does it feel like, this bonding?

MAGGIE It's difficult to explain. It's like an invisible rope is tied to my insides and pulling me towards him. No matter which way I move, I know exactly where he is.

ARDETH If you can feel his pain, can you feel anything else? Perhaps what he is thinking?

MAGGIE No, I can't read his mind. But I can feel his emotions, almost 'see' them in my mind. Right now, there is a subtle fury going through him.

ARDETH That is to be expected.

MAGGIE Maybe so, but guarding me isn't!

Maggie stands up. Ardeth is instantly on his feet.

ARDETH Where do you think you are going?

MAGGIE For a walk.

ARDETH I told you to stay put.

Maggie rolls her eyes, turns and stomps off. Ardeth grabs her arm, swings her around to face him and holds her still. Maggie looks into his eyes and sees a passion smoldering within him. She struggles to get free, he pulls her into him and holds her close with one arm while his free hand reaches up and caresses a stray lock of hair away from her face.

ARDETH Such fiery locks to match a fiery spirit. You are the desert and the sun in one...

Ardeth bends his head down to kiss her. She struggles a bit but as his kiss deepens, she gives in and reciprocates.

INT.IMHOTEP'S TENT.

Imhotep is lying on a blanket with his eyes closed. Camera zooms in on his closed eyes and fades to what he is seeing in his dreams. What he sees is Ardeth and Maggie in a tent making love. As their passion mounts, the camera fades back to Imhotep's face - he is breathing hard and suddenly his eyes pop open. He sits up.

IMHOTEP (in Ancient Egyptian) You will be my new love, forever.

He gets up.

INT. MAGGIE'S TENT

Ardeth and Maggie are asleep.

INT. IMHOTEP'S TENT.

Imhotep is standing in the middle of his tent, eyes closed, arms reaching out into the air around him.

IMHOTEP (in Ancient Egyptian) Come, little devils of the night, surround my ancient foe and claim him for your own.

EXT. NIGHT - HAMUNAPTRA

The fire has died down to a subtle glow, throwing shadows over the rocks. We hear a scrabbling noise and suddenly scorpions come crawling towards Maggie's tent. They find the doorway and enter.

INT. MAGGIE'S TENT

Ardeth and Maggie are sleeping. Ardeth is on top of the blanket only wearing his pants. Maggie is under the blanket. Ardeth's eyes open and he sits up. Maggie awakens.

MAGGIE What's wrong?

ARDETH Something is not right.

Maggie sits up.
MAGGIE Well, it's not Imhotep, I can tell you that much.

ARDETH It is something else.

They both happen to look around on the ground and notice they are circled by a ring of yellow-tailed scorpions.

MAGGIE
Oh boy...

ARDETH Stay very still. Their poison can kill a man within minutes.

Ardeth reaches to the other side of the makeshift bed for one of his scimitars and his hand stops short as he sees a couple of scorpions on them.

ARDETH Imhotep may still be guarded, but this is his doing.

MAGGIE But why would he want to kill us?

ARDETH Not us, just me.

MAGGIE So what do we do?

ARDETH You will stay put and not move until I get back.

MAGGIE Are you going somewhere?

Ardeth grabs the large cushion they had been using as a pillow, throws it on top of some of the scorpions and, using the cushion as a stepping stone, leaps from the bed and out of the tent.

EXT. NIGHT - HAMUNAPTRA

Ardeth runs to the rocks by the fire, grabs an unlit torch, runs to the dying embers and lights it. The two guards at Imhotep's tent speak.

GUARD #1 (in Arabic) What is happening?

ARDETH (in Arabic) Nothing. Stay where you are.

INT. IMHOTEP'S TENT

Imhotep is peeking through his tent flap and watches while Ardeth runs back to Maggies' tent with a lit torch. He smiles to himself.

INT. MAGGIE'S TENT

Ardeth enters with a lit torch. He sees the scorpions are on the blankets slowly moving towards Maggie.

MAGGIE Ardeth, do something quick!

Ardeth realizes he can't torch the bed so he torches the scorpions on his scimitars. When they are dead, he drops the torch, grabs his scimitar and hacks the scorpions, carefully avoiding hitting Maggie, until the scorpions are all dead.

ARDETH Are you alright?

MAGGIE Yes.

Ardeth starts to get dressed.

MAGGIE What are you doing?

ARDETH I should never have let my guard down.

MAGGIE He would've tried something whether you were keeping watch or not.

ARDETH There is no excuse for the leader of the Med-jai.

MAGGIE Oh, that's right, I forgot. You're not supposed to be human.

ARDETH You do not understand.

MAGGIE Maybe I don't. But I do understand that we have feelings for each other. Is that so wrong for a Med-jai?

Ardeth looks at her a moment, then continues getting dressed in silence.

EXT. NIGHT - HAMUNAPTRA,IMHOTEP'S TENT

Imhotep peeks out from his tent-door and throws a rock away from the tent. It makes a NOISE as it lands on the ground.

GUARD #1 (in Arabic) What was that?

GUARD #2 (in Arabic) I do not know. I will check.

Guard #2 leaves the tent in the direction of the sound. Imhotep's arm shoots out from the tent-flap, grabs Guard #1, drags him back into the tent and SNAPS his neck. Guard #2 hears a commotion behind him, turns and sees that the first guard is gone. He runs back with his gun aimed towards the tent, slowly starts to go inside, Imhotep grabs the front of the gun, drags him inside and SNAPS his neck. Imhotep cautiously steps out of the tent, sneaks around behind and into the night.

INT. MAGGIE'S TENT

Ardeth is almost completely dressed. Maggie is watching him.

MAGGIE So what happens now?

ARDETH I will go out and keep watch with the others.

MAGGIE Not about that, I mean about us?

ARDETH I can not ask you to be a part of my life. The desert is cruel and unforgiving. It is a harsh life. There is no guarantee of survival.

MAGGIE I'm willing to take my chances.

ARDETH You do not know what you are saying. The life of the Med-jai is not to be taken lightly. It is our honour that we do what we do. When you are done with a dig, you go home to the comforts that your wealth has surrounded you with. There is no leaving the desert for the Med-jai. This is our home.

MAGGIE But Ardeth, I think I...

ARDETH Shh!

The sounds of neighing horses are heard in the silence.

ARDETH We will discuss this later.

Ardeth leaves. Maggie sighs.

MAGGIE Men.

She starts to get up to get dressed.

EXT. NIGHT - HAMUNAPTRA,MAGGIE'S TENT

Imhotep sneaks around the side of Maggie's tent to the front and lifts the doorflap.

INT. MAGGIE'S TENT

Maggie has her back to the tent flap. She is dressed and is just putting a belt around her waist when she hears the tentflap open. She sees a silhouette against the back of the tent. She turns around as she speaks.

MAGGIE Ardeth...

Maggie sees it's Imhotep but before she can cry out a warning, he rushes in, backhands her across the face and knocks her out. He grimaces at the pain he caused himself, shrugs it off, grabs the book of the dead and carries Maggie out of the tent.

EXT. NIGHT - HAMUNAPTRA,MAGGIE'S TENT

Imhotep, carrying Maggie, slips around to the back of her tent, slings her over a horse, stuffs the black book back into a saddle bag, mounts and rides off into the night. Ardeth comes back and looks inside the tent.

INT. MAGGIE'S TENT

ARDETH Maggie?

Ardeth sees she's not in the tent and rushes out.

EXT. NIGHT - HAMUNAPTRA,IMHOTEP'S TENT

Ardeth runs to Imhotep's tent and goes inside.

INT.IMHOTEP'S TENT

Ardeth discovers Imhotep gone and his two guards dead. He knows what has happened. He rushes out of the tent calling an alarm, awakening the warriors to ride.

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