"Shit luck friends." Sven said with a chuckle, "Full house."

The entire table groaned, one slamming his cards to the table.

"Another go?"

"Not tired of winning yet?"

Sven grinned, "Not a chance." He passed his cards off to the dealer, Burns if he recalled correctly. If the trip was going to be like this, nights of playing cards and drinks, it wouldn't be too bad.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spied Kristoff heading over, a small rucksack flung over his back.

"Oi, Bjorgman!" Sven called him, getting the blonde's attention. "Come play a round."

Kristoff looked to Sven, looked over the group and shook his head, "I'll pass."

"No good at cards?"

"No, not one for gambling."

"You sure? We could use another player."

"No," Kristoff said firmly, "I bet my life, but not my money."

"Probably for the best," Burns called, "This one here is cleaning out our wallets."

"Less chatting, more dealing Burns."

"Shut up Dan, I can talk and deal."

Burns shook his head, "Where did you say you were off to again?"

Sven eyed Burns, watching him shuffle the deck, "I didn't."

"Right, well, guess it's not big secret but," The man leaned forward, "We're off to find Hamunaptra."

"BURNS!"

"What? He's not gonna-"

"Just deal the cards idiot."

Sven held in his surprise, eyeing the man sitting at the table with him once more. They were Americans, he knew that much. The story of Hamunaptra was legendary and he had no doubt that it had made it to the young men's ears all the way in the states, but he still found it curious.

"Isn't that city lost?" Sven quizzed.

"Supposed to be," the third man, Isaac, piped up, "But, doesn't seem to be too lost now does it boys?" The other men chuckled.

"And why is that exactly?"

"We got us a man that's been there, gonna lead us to it." Burns said, dealing the cards.

"Is that right?" Sven said surprisingly. He looked back over to see Kristoff still standing near by, his face as confused as Sven felt.

"Yeah, swears he was there with some group of soldiers."

"That's what he says at least," Isaac said, "Better hope he does for the price we're paying him."

"You said he was with some soldiers?" Kristoff asked, standing closer to the group.

"Yeah, said him and some men fought there. Says he was the only one to survive."

Sven eyed Kristoff, trying to read his face, seeing nothing but confusion but for a brief moment, he could have sworn there was a hint of recognition.

"Lot of trust to be putting into someone with that wild a story." Kristoff said, adjusting his sack.

"Yeah well, if he doesn't deliver, we'll get our money back." Dan said with a chuckle. "One way or another."

Sven grinned, spying opportunity, "How bout a wager then boys?"

All three looked up from their cards to Sven, Dan grinned, "I like the sound of that. How much?"

"You call it."

"Alright," Dan said, placing his cards face down on the table, "$500 says we make it there."

"$500 huh?" Sven said, leaning back in his chair, "How bout we make it a bit more interesting."

"How so?"

"$500 says we make it there first."

All three men's eyes went wide, Sven could feel Kristoff's glare burning into his skull.

"How do you expect to find the lost city?" Isaac asked.

Sven shrugged, "I have my resources."

"You found someone to take you."

"That, my friend, is none of your business." Sven said, leaning forward. "Now, is it a deal or not?" He held his hand out across the table.

Burns and Isaac looked to Dan. After a moment, Dan grinned.

"Alright, you got a bet then sir." Dan shook Sven's hand, and Sven couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

Still feeling his glare, Sven turned to look up at Kristoff. For a moment, he felt the slightest tinge of regret with the look Kristoff was giving him. Sven kept his composure, "You seen my sister around?"

At the mention of Anna, Kristoff's face completely changed. He relaxed and Sven swore he saw a faint blush rise to his cheeks. "Yeah, she was heading off to her room."

"Ah," Sven replied, "Probably off to read her books. You off too then?"

"Yeah, evening Sven." Kristoff said in a rush, and walked off to the rear of the boat.

"Evening!" Sven called to him. He turned and picked up his cards, adjusting his hand as he needed. He looked back to where Kristoff had been standing and wondered what exactly the blush was all about.

There was no way, no fucking way that bastard was alive.

Or was there? Kristoff thought, walking towards the back of the boat. He survived himself in the desert didn't he? Made it to the next town fair enough, it was possible…

There was no one else, that Kristoff knew, that had survived. He alone had been the sole survivor. No one else had escaped to the desert...that he had seen anyways. The added fact that no one had reached out to find him, had not heard a peep from anyone from his group, made him believe that he was for sure the only one.

But now…

Kristoff paused, hearing a noise behind him.

Turning around, a shadow caught his eye and almost immediately he recognized the figure.

He came up on him in two quick strides and snagged him by the collar.

"You son of a bitch."

"OH! Bjorgman!" Weasel cried as Kristoff forced him around, "My-my friend! You're alive!" He laughed nervously, "I-I-I was so worried about you!"

"Funny shit right?" Kristoff said, grabbing him by the shirt, "Bet you didn't expect me alive, or anyone from our platoon did you?"

"I-I had been hoping-"

"You're full of shit."

"I-I-I-"

"I should throw you into the river!"

"No, no, no please, think of my children!"

Kristoff rolled his eyes, "You don't have any children.."

"..someday I might."

Kristoff gritted his teeth and slammed Weasel into the wall. "So you're the one leading the American's huh? I knew it. What, are you going to desert them like you deserted us?"

"I...no I...I can't." Weasel said, with a hint of annoyance, "They're smarter than they look. Only paying me half now, half after I get them back to Cairo."

Kristoff couldn't help but grin, "So you'll have to go the whole way then this time huh?"

"Yes...unfortunately." Weasel said, but eyed Kristoff curiously, "But why are you going back Bjorgman? You never believed the stories…"

Just then, the sound of a door opening caught their attention. Kristoff loosened his grip, trying to make the scene look as calm as possible as Anna came into view further down the boat.

She was in her nightgown, hair down from her updo and flowing freely down her back. Book in one hand, the other twirling a piece of her hair, she leaned against the railing in front of her door, completely oblivious to the two men.

Kristoff couldn't fight the smile that came from watching her.

A cough made him look back to Weasel, who was looking between him and Anna.

"The girl?"

Kristoff sighed, shit, "Yeah, she saved my neck. I'd been dead for a week now if not for her."

"And she's paying well?"

"Yes."

Weasel huffed a laugh, "You always did have more balls than brains."

Kristoff whipped around and Weasel immediately went white. Grabbing him by the shirt, Kristoff pulled him to the railing, and lifted him up, "Goodbye Weasel."

With that and a small yelp, Kristoff threw him overboard and into the river.

He turned to walk to his cabin, ignoring the curses coming from the river when he spotted it. Not a mere few feet in front of him sat a large pool of water.

Confused, Kristoff came closer and bent down for a closer look. It hadn't been Weasel, he was still splashing in the river below. Narrowing his eyes, something else caught his eye.

Going away from the puddle were multiple small puddles, leading towards the stairwell. For a moment, Kristoff just stared at the scene. Then it clicked.

They were footprints.

Someone had come aboard.

Soooo, I actually posted this bit a LONG time ago on Tumblr & never actually uploaded on here...my bad. Maybe posting this will give me motivation to post a chapter...maybe