"...does the name Flynn Rider not mean anything to anyone around here?”
Other people, और gullible than he, would pay a fortune for something like that. Rick just needed to obtain it. The gem belonged to a princess named चमेली from Agrabah, a country which fell to ruins centuries पूर्व after the princess died. The gem was sealed in her coffin with her. A coffin which, as of tonight, is part of a new exhibit at the Chicago History Museum.
Rick hid in the shadows and watched the formally dressed VIP guests parade through the entrance of the museum. Tonight there was a private screening of the new exhibit for the wealthy benefactors of the museum. The princess’ coffin was currently held in the basement where it awaited its unveiling later tonight. All Rick had to do was get to the coffin, steal the gem and get out before the unveiling. He had pulled off several successful heists और complicated than this.
Muffled grunts pulled Rick’s attention from the museum. He looked back over his shoulder at the young man on the ground. He was bound to a tree, gagged and blindfolded, but trying vigorously to escape. Rick crouched down in front of him, careful not to get his tux dirty. He reached over and took the invitation out of the man’s जैकेट pocket.
Rick scanned it, then smirked at his captive. “Sorry, John Rolfe.” He got to his feet. “But I need to get into that museum tonight and I can’t get in without an invitation.” He tapped John Rolfe’s head with the invitation and John flinched. “I’ll bring आप back some hors d'oeuvres- if I remember.”
John कहा something, but Rick didn’t understand him. Rick shrugged and headed towards the entrance. Once inside, Rick was immediately greeted द्वारा a white-haired man behind a podium.
“Name?” the old man asked, without looking up.
“Rolfe. John Rolfe.” Rick flashed him the invitation. The man looked over the list, then motioned for Rick to continue on.
Rick had never been to the Chicago History Museum before and had little interest in it now. He scanned the crowd until a flash of गुलाबी caught his eye. Standing against the wall, talking into a hidden earpiece was Aurora; the beautiful curator and daughter of the museum directors. She was the only one with full access to the museum and Rick needed her in order to get into the basement.
Aurora’s perfectly-shaped eyebrows furrowed over her बैंगनी, वायलेट eyes as she continued to talk harshly into her earpiece. She needed a drink. As Rick walked passed a waiter, he snagged two glasses of champagne off his tray.
“You should relax,” Rick told her when he approached her. He held a glass out to her.
“Relax.” Aurora repeated it as if it were the stupidest word ever invented. She took the champagne from Rick and downed all of it in one gulp. A waiter walked द्वारा to take her glass and she gave him her pageant smile; the smile that won her the शीर्षक of Miss Illinois in the Miss America pageant two years ago.
Damn, she’s beautiful, Rick thought. Her golden hair was pinned up on one side with a diamond hair comb. Her गुलाबी गाउन revealed just enough cleavage to tease Rick and every other man in the room, while still remaining classy. A vision in pink, she stood out among the sea of black gowns.
“Everyone keeps telling me to relax,” Aurora stated, taking Rick’s glass out of his hand. She down his drink as well. “I mean, does the name Flynn Rider not mean anything to anyone around here?”
Rick swore under his breath. Aurora didn’t notice as she grabbed another glass of champagne. Rick knew Flynn Rider. Flynn was the most notorious thief in the United States. Rick’s path had crossed with Flynn’s many times; sometimes Rick came out on top, other times it was Flynn. Tonight, though, Rick would not let Flynn win. The princess’ gem was Rick’s.
Aurora arched an eyebrow at Rick. “What did आप say your name was?”
“John Rolfe.”
Aurora glared at him. “You’re not John Rolfe. He is.” She pointed over his shoulder.
Rick turned to see John Rolfe marching angrily towards them. Rick didn’t have time to wonder how Rolfe had managed to get free so quickly. In one तत्पर, तेज, स्विफ्ट movement, Rick snatched Aurora’s key card from where it had been clipped to her dress, then ran in the opposite direction of Rolfe.
“Stop him!” Aurora cried.
A few women let our gasps and screams as Rick pushed his way through the crowd. If he could get to the private elevator, he could get away. None of the guards had keys to that elevator and Rick had just stolen the only key.
No way would the guards shoot off their बंदूकों in the middle of the party, so Rick knew as long as he stayed out of their reach, they wouldn’t be able to stop him.
Piece of cake.
Rick easily dodged the party guests and guards until he was out of the exhibit wing. Two guards stood at the elevator, ready for Rick. He stuck the key in his कोट pocket and readied himself for the fight. The guards rushed him at the same time. Rick swerved out of the way of one and punched the other in the nose. While the सेकंड guard was momentarily distracted द्वारा the blood spurting over his face, Rick slammed his face against the wall, knocking him out. The first guard pulled out his gun and started shooting at Rick. Fortunately for Rick, the guard was a terrible shot. Not that Rick was expecting the glorified mall cop to be well trained.
Rick pulled out one of his बंदूकों from the shoulder पिस्तौलदान hidden under his tux जैकेट and shot back as he ran backwards towards the elevator. The guard ducked behind a pillar for cover. Rick stopped shooting long enough to pull out the key card and scan it. He held the gun in front of him until the elevator doors closed in front of him. He sighed and leaned back against the wall. It was only then that he felt the sharp pain in his side. He looked down at the blood seeping through his white shirt.
“Damn.” Rick stuck the gun back in the पिस्तौलदान and removed his jacket. He ripped open his कमीज, शर्ट and examined the wound. The bullet was no doubt still in the wound and an alarming amount of blood was pouring out of it. He pressed his hand over the hole and applied as much pressure as he could. He’d be able to remove the bullet and stitch himself up later; right now he had to get that gem.
The elevator finally reached the basement and the doors quietly slid open. Flynn Rider already stood over the stone coffin. Rick pulled out his gun and aimed it at Flynn.
Flynn turned around, crowbar in hand. “O’Connell, I was wondering when आप were going to दिखाना up. I was afraid this was going to be too easy.”
Rick didn’t have time for the usual banter. He fired the gun at Flynn. The bullet only grazed his temple, but the force knocked Flynn back and his head hit the coffin. Flynn collapsed limply on the floor. Rick holstered the gun, grabbed the crowbar and tried to pry open the coffin. It didn’t budge. He tried again. Nothing.
“Damn.” He dropped the crowbar on the floor. He braced his body against the coffin and pushed the lid with both hands. The stone dug into his wound, but the lid still didn’t slide off. He stepped back and eyed the bloody smear on the stone. He tried to wipe it off, but his bloody hand only made it worse.
It was then, however, that Rick noticed the engraving on the lid of the coffin. He recognized the ancient language. He ran his hand over the markings and read it out loud. He didn’t know the exact the translation: something about blood and life.
Suddenly the coffin began to crack and the lid flew off द्वारा itself. Rick jumped back and pulled out his gun. The lid to the coffin smashed against the दीवार and crumbled to the floor. Rick advanced towards the coffin. Inside, a young woman in a wedding गाउन lied still. Despite being deathly pale, she looked as if she had just been placed in the coffin that day.
As Rick watched, color slowly appeared in her skin. Her chest began to slowly rise and fall and then her eyes flew open. Rick stumbled back.
The woman sat up and stepped out of the coffin. She looked around, then fixed her eyes on Rick. “Where am I?”
“Chicago,” Rick replied. “Are आप hurt? Did someone put आप in there?”
She ignored his questions. “What साल is it?”
“2015.” Rick lowered his gun. “Do आप need help? What’s your name?”
“Jasmine. Princess of Agrabah.”
Rick chuckled in spite of himself. “I think you’re confused. Princess चमेली of Agrabah died centuries ago.”
She remained serious. “Yes. Which means someone has brought me back and-“ She stopped and her eyes grew wide with fear. She ran across the room to the other coffin that would be part of the new exhibit. “Oh no,” she whispered. “We need to leave. Right now.” She faced Rick. “How do we get out of here?”
Rick seized Flynn द्वारा कॉलर and shook him. “Rider, wake up.”
Flynn groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He immediately shoved Rick away from him and got to his feet. “What the hell, man?”
“We gotta get out of here,” Rick told him.
Flynn reached up and gingerly touched his temple. “You shot at me.”
“We have to leave now,” चमेली demanded. “Please.”
Startled, Flynn looked over at Jasmine. Before he could say anything, the coffin behind her started to crack just as hers had. A few सेकंड्स later, the lid flew off and hit the wall.
“This way!” Flynn ran down a long, dark corridor with चमेली and Rick on his heels.
They stopped at a shattered window just above their heads. Flynn climbed out first, then he and Rick helped चमेली out. It was difficult with his injury, but with Flynn’s help, Rick was able to hoist himself out of the window. Flynn pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and speed dialed a number as they ran towards the street. Flynn कहा something into his phone that sounded like a code. A moment later a sports car came from out of nowhere and sped up to them. The car slid sideways towards them before coming to a dead stop.
“Get in,” Flynn instructed, getting in the front seat.
Rick opened the back door for Jasmine. She hesitated, but climbed in. Rick got in after her and slammed the door shut. A young blonde woman was in the driver seat. She shifted hard into gear, then sped away.
“Flynn, what’s going on?” the driver asked, casting a suspicious glance over her shoulder at Rick.
“Fuck. I don’t know,” Flynn muttered.
Flynn and Rick and looked at Jasmine. “Is there a cemetery near here?” चमेली asked.
“I think Graceland Cemetery is about four and half miles from here,” Rick said.
चमेली bit her lower lip. “We need to get someplace that’s unpopulated and far from any cemetery.”
“Why?” Flynn asked.
चमेली looked out her window. “The dead are rising tonight and आप are all going to die.”
"...someone has brought me back..."
"I don’t want to hurt you.”
