Suddenly alone, Sandy struggled desperately to determine what her next move should be. Of course, rescuing her friends was foremost in her mind; no easy task given the fact that she had not the faintest idea where Rosie was being held, or where Roxy would be taken. Yet one thing was for certain, she could trust Giza to keep his word, contacting her within the allotted time period, but that was the only act of honesty she could expect from the black marketeer; by simply handing over the headband she would doubtless be wandering into a trap, she suspected. Finally, a plan formed in her mind.

Returning to the museum through the open fire escape, the flashlight picking out her path, Sandy discovered the Egyptian authorities had not in fact surrounded the building; instead it seemed they had been summoned to attend an incident on the opposite side of the square, some drunken English tourist causing quite a scene outside a restaurant. Soon Sandy had returned to the area outside of the vault where lay Mr Memphis, the curator still bound hand and foot with cable ties, the strip of tape still fastened firmly over his mouth; freeing the barefoot old man from his bonds.

"Lady Crevice, what on earth are you doing here?" he gasped as the tape gag was torn free from his face, "What is happening here, who were those terrible people?"

"I'm sorry, Mr Memphis - but there simply isn't time to explain!" sighed Sandy as she freed the fellow from his bonds, "Let's just say they're a fanatical order of foot fetishists hunting for the headband of Queen Tikeltootsi!"

"I see... So that explains the tickle torture I was forced to endure..." frowned the curator, massaging his wrists to restore the circulation of his blood, "I have to confess, Lady Crevice, I couldn't hold out any longer - I had no option other than to unlock the vault!"

"It really doesn't matter for the moment, for I have the headband - it's quite safe, for the time being at least!" assured the adventurer, careful to omit any mention of the recently resurrected queen for fear that it may cause the old man some sort of a seizure, "And now, I really must be leaving, for these fanatics are holding two of your team captive - I must make plans to rescue them!"

"I don't understand, who is being held captive?" enquired the curator in confusion.

"Doctor Stone, for a start!" explained Sandy, assisting the old man as he struggled to haul himself upright, "And it's also equally likely they're holding your absent assistant curator captive as well!"

"Petra? Yes, I must admit I thought it unlikely she had any involvement in the initial raid on the museum, in spite of the authorities suggesting it was carried out with the assistance of an insider!" pondered the curator.

"Well don't worry, Mr Memphis - if she's innocent in all of this then I shall rescue her from her abductors!" promised Sandy, the adventurer anxious to depart, "And now, I really must be leaving if I am to have any hope of halting these fanatics and recovering the artefacts they have stolen! Of course, when reporting the raid, I would appreciate it if you would not mention my involvement in any of this..."

"Then naturally you shall remain anonymous if you so wish, Lady Crevice!" assured the old man, before thanking the adventurer for freeing him.

Sprinting up the stairwell once more, Sandy soon emerged at ground level; searching the exhibition area with the aid of the flashlight, she fast found what she was looking for, the fallen form of the female fanatic slumped unconscious against a wall. Clenching the flashlight firmly between her teeth, Sandy seized the wilting woman's waist, dragging Delta towards the open fire escape; once outside the museum, she hauled her towards the taxi still awaiting her return within the square.

"I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting for so long, but it's my friend, you see - I'm afraid she's crashed out for the evening!" bluffed Sandy, settling the stricken fanatic upon the backseat before clambering into the vehicle beside her.

"Your friend has been hitting the bottle, yes?" replied the driver, eyeing the pair in amusement through the rear-view mirror.

"Actually it was more like a brick wall!" replied the adventurer, before providing the driver with directions; soon the taxi took off at a sedate speed through the darkened streets towards New Cairo, passing the police busily bundling the intoxicated tourist into the back of a patrol car.

Some time later, the vehicle pulled up outside the apartment complex where Rosie had made her home, Sandy deciding it would make a most suitable safehouse for the time being; paying the patient driver, presenting him with a well-earned tip, she hauled her captive into the complex. Fumbling for the flashlight inside a pocket of her combat shorts, frowning in frustration upon realisation that it may well have fallen out upon the backseat of the taxi, Sandy breathed a sigh of relief as suddenly the power supply flickered back on all across Cairo; dragging Delta unseen into the apartment of her Egyptologist friend.

Soon she had settled the unstirring female facedown upon Rosie's bed, hoping her friend would forgive her as she tore a further few strips from the already ruined sheeting; binding Delta's wrists behind her back. Soon she had tied the fanatic's feet to a brass bedpost before attempting to awaken the woman, several firm slaps to the side of the face causing the captive to stir a little; finally Delta's eyes flickered faintly into life.

"Where am I? What's going on?" wondered the woman, an attempt to haul herself upright ending in failure as finally she realised her wrists and ankles were bound, "Untie me this instant!"

"I'm afraid that won't be happening any time soon!" assured the adventurer, "At least, not until you've answered a few questions! But first, I think a little light tickle torture might be in order, just to loosen your tongue a little - so let's see how you like it when the shoe, or rather the feather, is on the other foot!"

Beside the bed, the raven feather still lay upon the floor where Delta and her subordinate Sa'id had left it in their haste; picking up the plume as she crouched upon the carpet, Sandy began stroking the soles of her captive's bare feet with its teasing touch. Brushing the feather back and forth, all manner of curses issuing from the captured cultist's mouth, a flicker of amusement crept across the adventurer's features; soon abandoning the feather in favour of her fingers.

As the lightly caressing quality of a teasing forefinger crept across the creases of her feet, for the first time the fanatic felt a pang of remorse for what her former victims had been forced to endure at her own hands. Helpless to resist as her feet flailed wildly, finally she breathed a sigh of relief as her abductor relented.

"Now, let's hope that will encourage you to co-operate!" sneered Sandy, ready to quiz the captive cultist.

"A thousand curses be upon you!" spat Delta, red-faced with rage; refusing to respond to any questions.

"That's not very friendly, now is it?" admonished the adventurer, her tone adopting a mocking quality as fingers fell upon the feather once more before assaulting the sensitive soles; its tip teasing every inch of the exposed arches.

"You will pay dearly for this!" warned the fanatic through fits of uncontrollable laughter, feet frantically squirming at the torturous touch of the feather creeping across every inch of her soles.

"I doubt it!" sneered Sandy, stroking her captive's heels, "After all, I'm the one holding the feather, don't forget!"

Perspiring somewhat in panic, Delta finally relented; ready to reveal all if it meant her torment would be at an end.

"Very well, I will tell you what you want to know!" she cried in helpless humiliation.

"I never doubted it for a moment!" acknowledged the adventurer, placing the feather upon the floor, "Now, my friend Doctor Stone - where is she? Is she safe?"

"We took her to the tomb of our queen, where she will remain as a plaything until Tikeltootsi tires of her!" confessed the captive, "She planned to defile the precious headband with scientific studies, and so she must be made to pay!"

"The tomb?" repeated Sandy, somewhat puzzled, "In the Valley of the Kings, you mean? But surely its guarded? The valley is patrolled by a team of security staff!"

"Guarded!" scoffed Delta, "Our order slips unseen past those pathetic fools with the greatest of ease, although on occasion we are forced to rely on the use of a sleeping spell to ensure our actions remain undetected!"

"Yes, I had suspected as much when I examined a security guard inside the museum!" admitted the adventurer, "And the tomb, is that where Tikeltootsi is holding court for the time being? Only I would imagine it to be a little on the small side to accommodate an entire order of you fanatics!"

At once the woman faltered, for her feet would surely be punished to the point of death if she betrayed her queen, there could be little doubt in her mind as to that fact; finally she cracked once more under pressure as the impatient adventurer began stroking her soles once more with the raven feather.

"No! Not that!" she pleaded, soles perspiring all the while, "The tomb! There are concealed chambers beyond the tomb, an entire underground complex including a temple dedicated to Corvus!"

At once, Delta revealed to the adventurer how access to the secret chambers beyond the tomb was obtained, taking care not to omit any details, for her feet could take no more feathering, she feared; her captor listening on in fascination.

"I see, and what about traps?" wondered Sandy, when finally the fanatic had finished detailing the layout of Tikeltootsi's lair, "There are always traps in ancient Egyptian tombs!"

"There are no traps, I assure you - but this information will do you no good!" warned Delta, "For even without her headband, you will never overcome our queen or the acolytes in her thrall!"

"Well as it happens, I'm quite capable of taking care of myself, so don't you worry about me!" smiled Sandy with a wink, "And in the meantime, I won't worry about you the next time you come face to face with your tyrannical ruler!"

"What do you mean?" wondered the woman.

"Come on, you don't think your beloved queen is going to overlook your failure to recover her headband for a second time, do you?" frowned the adventurer, "Or do you honestly believe you'll be welcomed back with open arms upon your return to the tomb, alone and empty-handed?"

"I will take my chances!" snapped Delta defiantly.

"So be it!" shrugged Sandy, slipping off Delta's hood, observing for the first time the fanatic's shaven head adorned with the tattoo of a curled plume picked out in gold ink; tearing another strip of sheeting from the bed, she tied a cleave gag over her captive's mouth.

And now, there was nothing left to do but wait if she was to rescue Roxy from the clutches of Dodgy Giza, she realised, for the black marketeer had assured the adventurer he would make contact by the following evening; leaving the bound and gagged fanatic alone inside the bedroom, she settled herself inside the spacious living area. Slipping off the biege leather boots and heavy hiking socks from her feet, Sandy was soon slumbering softly upon the sofa as the hour approached midnight.

Yet sometime in the early hours of the morning, the adventurer's eyes flickered open; at once alerted to a slight disturbance that had roused her from her slumber. Illuminated by the dim light of a standard lamp, to her horror she discovered the sweating, flabby fanatic Sa'id standing over her, whilst beside him stood Delta adopting a smirk of satisfaction; the subordinate having freed the robed woman from her restraints. In a second, Sa'id seized Sandy, pinning her upon the sofa whilst Delta bound the adventurer's wrists behind her back with rope before tying her ankles in the same fashion.

As Sa'id pressed a palm over the adventurer's mouth, the cultists waited in silence for several seconds; suddenly the svelte figure of Tikeltootsi swaggered into the apartment, a sneering expression etched upon cold, cruel features. In the tyrant's right hand was wielded a raven feather between forefinger and thumb, the plume flicked playfully across the open palm of her left hand; with a wicked smile, she perched herself upon the sofa beside Sandy, soon caressing the captive's soles.

"The headband, where is it? You will tell me, or else you will suffer the Fate of a Thousand Feather Strokes!" she demanded, enjoying the squirming motion of Sandy's soles as she taunted her helpless victim, "Yet have no fear, for you will be begging me for mercy long before such an agonising torture is over, I can assure you!"

In response to Sandy's silence upon the subject, the tyrant continued to tease the scrunched soles with the torturous tip of the feather; enjoying the muffled fits of mirth from her helpless victim. Feverishly flicking away at the exposed arches, Tikeltootsi then turned her attention towards the toes; brushing the comb back and forth between each one with relish.

"Such perfect, pretty soles, I could caress them for all eternity if only time would permit!" purred Tikeltootsi, savouring the moment; a strong sense of satisfaction swelling inside her as the adventurer twitched in torment.

After what felt like an eternity of agonising torture had elapsed, the tickling touch of the quill causing an unbearable degree of discomfort, Sandy discovered her willpower was slowly beginning to ebb; all the while her pitiful pleas for mercy remained unheard as the palm was pressed far more firmly over her mouth than before. Finding her situation futile, the adventurer finally surrendered the information her inquisitor sought; bound wrists waving behind her back, she indicated the backpack strewn carelessly across an armchair.

"Silence her!" sneered Tikeltootsi, a look of triumph etched upon her features as in response to the instruction Sa'id slipped the folded fabric of a gag over the adventurer's mouth, binding it at the back of her head; with an impatient click of her fingers, the tyrant ordered that the headband be handed to her.

Fingers falling upon the backpack, Delta fumbled inside before producing the solid gold artefact from within; presenting the prize to her queen with quivering hands. At once, the piercing pupils of the evil enchantress lit up as light reflected from the glistening, golden headband; suddenly overcome by the same feeling one might experience when finally faced by an old friend after so many years of seperation.

"At last!" she hissed, snatching the headband from the acolyte; at once her slender fingers settled the ancient artefact upon her head.

Soon, a surge of supernatural energy enveloped the tyrant, a sense that nothing now was beyond her capabilities crossing her mind all the while; slowly a sly smile spread across her frosty features. Padding across the cream-coloured carpet of the living area, the breathtaking beauty approached a full-length mirror positioned upon one wall; pausing to admire her appearance now that the precious headband was perched once more atop her head of luscious, liquorice locks. Seemingly satisfied with her own reflection staring back at her, Tikeltootsi wandered towards the window; gazing west towards the twinkling lights of the metropolis.

"I do not like these dwellings, they offend my eyes!" she announced in an arrogant tone after no little time had elapsed, "Once I have reclaimed my empire, this entire area will be levelled by my own hand - in its stead shall stand a settlement of stone dwellings, its streets lined with palms! To the west will be built a befitting temple dedicated to the great goddess Corvus, and at its heart a magnificent palace erected in my honour!"

Finally tearing herself away from the view, its testament to modern achievement filling her heart with loathing, Tikeltootsi settled herself upon an armchair; with a snap of her fingers, Sa'id settled himself upon the floor, the tyrant resting her legs across his back as she reclined. With a second snap of her delicate digits, Delta bowed before the stunning siren, settling herself at Tikeltootsi's feet; slipping off the queen's sandals, she began to gently massage every inch of the exquisite, soft soles.

"And now, I shall ponder awhile what your fate is to be..." she revealed, addressing the bound and gagged adventurer stretched out across the sofa; purring somewhat in pleasure as the acolyte's comforting caress breathed new life into her bare feet.

As Sandy squirmed and struggled in distress upon the sofa, fearing for her own life at the hands of her cruel captor, no little time elapsed; eventually the evil queen had decided. Ordering the acolyte's away, Tikeltootsi rose to her feet, slipping her toes into the thong sandals fashioned from leather; padding majestically across the living area in the direction of the apartment door.

"What of the prisoner, majesty?" wondered Sa'id in puzzlement, "Is she to be taken back to the temple to serve you as a plaything?"

"No, I sense this one poses a threat to my plans!" scowled the tyrant, eyeing the adventurer in disdain, "But do not worry, for her act of defiance will not go unpunished - and I decree that the punishment for defiling my headband with her own, unworthy hands is death!"

All the while, the adventurer could only look on in abject terror as the tyrant summoned a supernatural fireball in the open palms of her hands; cradling the ever-expanding sphere as though it were no more of a threat than a fluffy kitten. Finally, as the fully-formed fireball settled to hover independantly in mid air, Tikeltootsi unleashed the full force of her fury upon the adventurer with a wave of her arms; the searing heat of the supernatural sphere of fire flaying the flesh from Sandy's torso as she was engulfed in flames, the inferno fast leaving only a screaming skeleton in its wake...