Haashid skilfully weaved his large purple and gold magic carpet in-and-out of Cairo's busy morning air traffic, piloting it towards the direction of Professor Croft's and Cara's residence which was located in the newer part of Cairo.

Constantine was sweating bullets. But it was not because of the hot Egyptian sun which hung majestically over Cairo. Something else was causing the young relic hunter to perspire profusely. Don't look down. Don't look down, said Constantine to himself as he swallowed the huge lump which had formed in his throat. Constantine tried to think of something else while keeping his eyes firmly plastered forward, looking at the back of Haashid's head. He knew that a mere glimpse of the ground below from the height they were flying at would send shivers down his spine and cause his legs to instantly become jelly. Although he knew that there was no danger of falling off the magic carpet due to the sticking enchantment that took effect the moment the carpet was in the air, Constantine's fear of heights easily overrode that fact. I regret this. We should have taken a taxi instead. We should have. Even if we are pressed for time. I should have told Haashid I hate flying. Constantine sighed. If only the professor's house was in blinking spell's range. Then we could have blinked in instead of flying there by magic carpet. After a few harrowing minutes of flying through the skies over Cairo, Haashid gently landed his magic carpet next to an apartment complex.

Sweet, sweet ground, said Constantine to himself as soon as his legs touched the ground.

"Are you okay, Constantine?" asked Haashid, patting him on the back gently. "You look a little pale."

"I-I don't like f-flying," said Constantine.

"You don't? Why didn't you say so?" asked Haashid. "We could have taken a cab instead."

"I-It would have taken too much."

"Do you need a minute to catch your breath?" Haashid asked, concern present in his deep voice.

"I'll be fine. L-Let's get going."

#

Haashid knocked on the door to Professor Croft's and Cara's unit and waited for a reply. I hope she's in. She's perhaps the only one who can tell me where the professor is. The door opened, and standing on the other side of it was a figure of an average built young lady with long dark blonde hair that was let down. Her ears were pointed. But not as pointed as those of a full-blooded elf. She had a look of joy etched on her face.

"Uncle Haashid," shouted the young lady gleefully before hugging the hefty middle-aged bear of a man.

"Hello, my dear," said Haashid, smiling as he reciprocated the hug.

She's no longer that little girl who I saw all those years ago, thought Constantine as he laid his eyes upon Cara for the first time in years. She's a young woman now.

"Hello, Cara," greeted Constantine with a smile.

"Constantine? Is that you?"

Constantine nodded, still smiling.

Cara walked up to Constantine and hugged him tightly. "I haven't seen you in years. How are you?" she said with a smile.

"I'm good," answered Constantine. "And yourself?"

"I'm good," replied Cara, still smiling. "So what are you doing here?"

"I need your help, Cara," said Constantine, his face turning serious.

Cara cocked her head slightly to the left, confused. The smile she had etched on her face disappeared."My help? Help with what?"

"I think it would be better if we continued this conversation inside," suggested Haashid, his voice solemn.

"O-Of course. Come right in," said Cara, inviting Constantine and Haashid into her home.

The living room of Professor Croft's and Cara's apartment was fairly large and tastefully decorated with furniture made of rattan and numerous old artefacts and paintings from different time periods. One corner of the living room had a small table which had a few picture frames on them.The picture frames contained pictures of Professor Croft with Cara and his late wife, Marion. Based on how young Cara looked, Constantine guessed that the pictures were taken four, maybe five years ago. Before Marion fell ill. Light from the outside entered the room through three tall moorish windows.

"So what sort of help do you need from me?" asked Cara as she conjured up a pot of tea and cups along with a tray of biscuits with her wand.

"I need to find your father," answered Constantine.

"Why?" asked Cara as she handed Constantine a cup of tea.

"He may be in trouble," said Haashid.

"W-What kind of trouble?" Cara asked with a look of concern etched on her face.

"Some very bad people are looking for him," answered Constantine.

"Oh no...," said Cara before her voice started to trail off.

"What is it, my dear?" asked Haashid.

"Well, two days ago," began Cara. "Someone from the Ministry of Artefact Recovery came by looking for my dad. He said that dad was working with the Ministry for some sort of project and needed his assistance. So I told him where he was and how to find him." Cara paused for a moment. "But now that I think about it, dad never once told me he was working for the Ministry, not even in passing. And he always tells me when he has to work with the Ministry or anyone else. Even if he was supposed to keep it a secret."

This doesn't sound good. Not good at all. I may be too late."Cara, you have to take me to where your father is," said Constantine. "He could already be in grave danger."

"Just who are after my father, Constantine? I deserve to know," pleaded Cara.

I-I have to tell her, thought Constantine. I can't just not tell her. It's her father. She deserves to know.

"The Dark Axis. The Dark Axis are after him," answered Constantine solemnly.

"T-The global terror group," said Haashid. "That Dark Axis?"

Constantine nodded.

"What could they possibly want with my father?" asked Cara.

"They need his help to find the Library of Thoth."

"T-The city of Abydos has been found?" said Haashid in disbelief.

"It has," answered Constantine, nodding. "The Dark Axis had managed to unearth it about a week ago. That's why we need to find your father before they do. We cannot allow them to use your father's knowledge to find the Library of Thoth."

"W-What's so important about this Library of Thoth that they need my dad?" asked Cara

"They want an artefact that's kept inside of it," answered Constantine. "An artefact that the Dark Axis could use to further spread chaos across the world."

"W-We have to act quickly then," stated Haashid.

"A-Agreed," said Cara who nodded her head quickly. "Let me get changed first."

Cara got up her seat and rushed over to her room. After a few brief moments, Cara came out of her room. She was now dressed in a short-sleeved safari shirt and a pair of long khaki pants. She had also tied her long flowing hair up into a tall ponytail.

"Let's get going," said the young lady with a look of sheer determination etched on her face.

#

Cara piloted Haashid's magic carpet through the cloudless Egyptian skies towards her father's dig site which was located several miles outside of Cairo. Like before, Constantine tried not to look down at the ground which they flew over. After a few harrowing minutes of flying, Cara finally landed the magic carpet next to a lone tent out in the middle of the Egyptian desert, not far from the outskirts of Cairo.

"Dad! Dad!" called out Cara as she ran towards the tent.

Constantine and Haashid followed Cara, running through the hot Egyptian sand. As soon as Constantine and Haashid entered the tent, Constantine's worst fears were confirmed. The circular tent was a mess. Papers and items were strewn all over the ground. There were also a few drops of blood on the floor of the tent. It was evident to Constantine that a struggle had taken place. And by the looks of it, it was a violent struggle. W-We're too late, said Constantine to himself. They've already got him.