Those that could walk by themselves busily went about gathering up the boxes and the contents around the sarcophagus while Max stood by the door, the dynamite stick held threateningly in his hand.

"That's it folks, load up. Professor, you and the others can take that stuff outside. The girl stays with me until you get back. We wouldn't want to miss out on a second trip, would we?" Max pushed Melanie roughly to the floor and stood back as the men filed past, too laden with the spoils to effectively attempt anything. "Don't keep me waiting. I might just get bored and take an interest in other things," He leered toward Melanie.

"If you—"

"If I what! Just get goin' and don't gimme any lip."

Harry and Rafiman picked up the limp form of Surri and began struggling up the tunnel behind Stone and the professor.

"Hey! Who said you could take him?" Max stepped forward quickly.

"He goes with us now or you can light your damn dynamite and we'll all stay here forever."

Max gave the Sergeant a slit-eyed stare, then shrugged and waved them off, "Whatever. Take 'im. I'll be waiting at the tunnel junction so don't try anything and don't take too long, or else."

*****

Massam and Oura jumped up from tending Amin as the labouring group appeared in the outside entrance. "What happened?" Oura rushed over, seeing the bandage on Stone's leg and the bloodied condition of Melanie's arms and clothes. She stopped short as Harry and Rafiman stumbled out next, carrying the pale looking, limp form of another young man, his green cloth covered head hanging down like the blossom on a broken stem.

"That bastard outsmarted us down there. He had a stick of dynamite he was ready to use and so here we are, plundering the damn tomb for him." Stone flopped down on the ground, massaging his leg. "Get the first aid Oura. The young Corporal needs some quick attention."

Massam stood bewildered as the men placed a dazzling array of precious gems and jewellery onto the floor of the entrance. "Where is Mela- your daughter, professor?" Karl looked twice his age. His wispy hair stuck out wildly from under his hat, his face a sickly shade of grey.

"He's holding her hostage until we get back. If he so much as harms-"

"He won't," Stone interrupted, "not yet anyway. Aside from the coffin itself, one more trip should clean the place out. That's when he'll make his move."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. He's not letting us go you know. He as much as said he's planning on sealing us inside when we're done."

"Well we have to do something."

"No kidding?"

"But I mean, we have to DO something!"

"Be happy to hear your suggestions professor." At the dejected slump of Karl's shoulders, Stone assumed an apologetic posture and waved helplessly.

"We better do something fast," Harry reminded them, "he's waiting."

"That's it!" Stone sat up, wincing with the abrupt action, "He said he'd be at the junction. If Massam can get into the other tunnel through Harry's secret entrance, we'll have him trapped again, 'cause he'll make us all go in ahead of him from there."

"But he'll still have the dynamite."

"Look, I know it's iffy but what else have we got. This at least gives us an element of surprise."

Massam didn't even wait for a consensus, he took off down the wadi and disappeared up into the rocks before they could react. Oura came over with the first aid kit and bent to look a Stone's leg.

"No time now, but thanks for the thought. How's Surri and Amin?"

"Who?"

"Surri. The young Corporal you just worked on."

"Oh." She glanced back with, what Stone thought, was more than a little interest. "He's weak but the wound is clean and the bleeding has subsided. His head is just a crease. That bandana soaked up a lot of blood and made it look worse than it is. Amin is fine. They both just need a lot of rest and proper medical attention."

"We better get a move on," Harry cautioned.

"Right. Keep your fingers crossed Oura," Stone said, leaning heavily on her slender frame and pulling himself up.

*****

Max stood anxiously at the junction, a weak torchlight speckling him with shadows. He held the dynamite stick near its flame as the men chugged down the narrow passage. "Took your time gang. Not a good habit to get into, c'mon, move it."

Just as Harry, who was in the lead, reached the edge of the junction, a shadow loomed up behind Max and in an instant, Massam had wrestled him to the ground, knocking the dynamite stick out of his hand. The two combatants grappled on the floor, cursing and grunting, the space too confined to allow an advantage for either. Harry tried to assist but there just wasn't enough room.

The others crowded down behind him trying to see what was happening in the semi darkness, and the tunnel filled with the din of their shouts. Stone screamed down the passage to Melanie to get out of the chamber and join them. Her only chance was to get past while they were here at the widest point. Massam and Max struggled to their feet, hands locked on one another's wrists. The thrashing arms and legs banged and scraped painfully against the tunnel walls as Massam strained to get his knife closer to his foe's body.

Suddenly the two men tumbled back into the junction as Melanie slammed into them from behind, and wasting no time, she stepped lithely onto Max's back and leaped over the fallen pair. The surprise of the extra weight knocked the wind out of Massam and he grunted noisily, dropping his knife beside his trapped body. Max pushed off quickly, delivering a blow to his chin and turned, fleeing down the tunnel to the outer chamber.

The torch sputtered out on the floor, leaving the group blind as they poked and prodded one another, all shouting at the same time. Massam groped frantically about until his hand closed over the fallen knife and he pulled himself up, pausing to settle his vision before charging down the tunnel after his enemy.

"Okay quiet! Everybody stand still and shut up," Rafiman's voice boomed up and down the passageways, echoing several times before fading away. "Answer when I say your name, and nothing more." He spoke each name, receiving anxious replies, then ordered them to turn and calmly proceed back out the way they came, holding on to the person in front of them. Stone reached out tentatively in the blackness, surprised and pleased to feel a nervous start as his hands found Melanie's slim waist.

"Are you okay?" He muttered close to where he thought her ear might be.

"I- I'm fine thank you," she stuttered, thankful for the darkness hiding her reaction to his touch.

"That was quite an acrobatic exit you made back there. You're just full of these action moves aren't you?" Melanie remained silent, afraid her voice would reveal the clutter of her emotions.

*****

Max tripped and fell headlong into the room. Only by the light from the remaining torches in the inner chamber could he recover his bearings. He pushed up and staggered through the opening, his eyes searching frantically for one of the guns that had been left behind. He spotted Rafiman's police issue revolver near the outstretched arm of Snake Eye's lifeless body just as he heard Massam burst into the outer room. Grabbing the gun he scrambled to the wall opposite the door and crouched down, aiming steadily at the opening.

"You have no surprises to save you now my friend," Massam's voice floated eerily around the chamber.

"Think not, eh? Try comin' through that door."

Massam listened intently, trying to pinpoint Max's exact location. "When I'm ready, I will come and you will wish you'd never invited me."

"Big talk desert monkey. Come ahead. I'll send you off to your Allah before you take two steps." Max waited, breathing heavily, "Thinkin' that one over are ya? Think about this too. When I get out of here, I'm gonna take that little Arab bitch out there and teach her some new-" Massam dove across the opening to the other side catching Max by surprise, and he fired off two wild rounds through the doorway. Cursing himself for his wasted reaction, he tensed, listening for any sound that would give Massam away. "That it? That your big move you Bedouin pig?"

Massam removed his head piece and hung it on the end of his knife, inching it slowly into the door opening. Three quick shots blasted the kaffiyeh and the knife from his hand and he swung back flat against the wall, crying out as his spine struck a blunt knob on its surface. Max rose slowly, an eager smile beginning on his face,

"Take a hit did ya pal?"

Massam felt behind him for the protrusion, surprised as it gave way under his touch. Suddenly a low grating sound filled the chamber. The sand on the floor beside his feet began to shift and he watched in amazement as the panel rose rapidly out of the chamber floor. Max lost his grin as he cocked his ear listening; a fine choking dust began showering down from the rough walls and ceiling. When he finally located the source of the grating sound, his mind froze. The panel was about three feet from the top of the opening and closing fast.

In a panic, he dropped the gun and flung himself at the rising slab, arms over the top, feet scrabbling against the surface. His weight seemed to slow the panel's assent and he wriggled his torso desperately onto the top, yelling and cursing non stop. Massam moved into the middle of the room, watching the drama unfold by the gradually dimming light from the inner chamber. The panel continued grinding upward in spite of Max's chest and arms hanging over the top.

He screamed down at the awe struck Bedouin, his face twisted in fury, his eyes bulging with terror as he felt his back press against the top of the jamb. Massam took an instinctive step forward, then recoiled sharply as the panel seated itself tight, squashing the screaming Max in the process. Blood spurted into the darkened room, hitting the Bedouin on the side of the face and body, then everything was still. He stood transfixed, holding his breath, until the soft gurgling sound stopped, leaving him alone and blind in the dark chamber.

"Massam!" Oura broke from Rafiman's group interrogation and ran toward her brother as he stumbled from the tomb entrance and sank to the ground, his head in his hands. "Massam, we didn't know where you were! You're hurt!" She clutched his blood spattered head to her breast and rocked him gently.

"What happened in there? Where's Baeder?" Sergeant Rafiman strode over to the couple, his notebook flapping in his hand.

"Leave him be, can't you see he's hurt?"

"I apologize madam but I must know about Baeder. Now where is he?"

Massam released himself from Oura's grip and sat forward looking at the Sergeant with hollow eyes, " I'm not hurt sister. He's dead. Inside the chamber. The curse..."

"Dead! What do you mean dead? Did you kill him, I must warn you that if yo—"

Massamraised himself to his feet and leaned heavily against the wall of the gully."It was not I, it was the curse of this tomb."