Phoenix Tears...

I never expected to fall in love, hell I never expected to feel anything of a positive nature to someone who wasn't my family before. Especially to someone who was meant to have died years ago according to the history books, but then again what do I know? I'm only nineteen.

I live in Brooklyn close to my uncle Larry Daley of the old Daley devices company before he sold it, a few streets away actually. I have a cousin called Nick and he's about ten years old, heh he takes after Larry a lot much to my aunt's displeasure. I really don't understand why my Aunt has such a grudge against my Uncle, before you ask they're divorced and it was a nasty one.

My Uncle had big dreams of being an inventor but because of that he could hold down a proper job, guess that WAS a major reason to divorce him I guess but who knows. He's got a job, he works as a night guard at the museum of Natural History but he's the only one. He replaced the three older ones who retired a while ago; apparently there was some sort of scandal with those three though.

Myself? personally? I did odd jobs here and there. I mostly worked as a mechanic in one of the garages but I was hired as a bouncer for a nightclub as well for a few days a week, probably because I was so… what was the word my boss called me once? Ah, emotionless that was it but, I didn't think I was just… blank really.

My name? Well… I guess I can tell you. Names Mirai, most people just call me Rai since they ATUALLY think that I'm a guy. Imagine the shock on their faces once they realise that I'm a girl. My appearance is pretty bland, well I think so. I have a pointed face which sharp features, straight nose, slightly narrow but full lips that were a deep rouge and skin so pale that it would have made a vampire jealous. My eyes are what uh enthral people you could say, they're a deep violet that seems to shimmer in certain light and because my eyes are shaped as though an artist got a hold of me they really seem to draw people in… much to my annoyance.

My clothes? Well I just wear black pants with sneakers, a loose t-shirt that makes me seem as though I have a flat chest even though I DID have small breasts though I doubt you wanted to know that. On top of that though I wear a long sleeved black shirt, not my fault if people think I'm a guy. My hair probably had something to do with that as well since it's kind of gravity defying. It spikes up in the back like a porcupine since it was short and I had a side fringe that covered most of my face when I looked down, it was black and had purple running through it like the rest of my hair.

I already knew about the magic of the museum and what happens at night since I got locked in there once by some boys from my school when I was younger, I was even on good terms with Attila the Hun, the Jackals that guard Ahkmanrah, Ahkmanrah himself, Jed though he thinks I'm a guy, Octavious he thinks I'm a guy as well, and all of the others. The only one that knows I'm a girl is Teddy; he's been a father figure to me since my parents died a few months ago so the wound was still rather raw so to speak.

Walking down the street with a small carrier of Chinese food I jogged up to the back entrance of the museum and slipped inside the only way I knew how. By climbing up the pipe and slipping in the window.

Carefully, I dropped to the ground and bent my knees as I landed. One arm rose to stop the food from smashing against the ground and making a noise. Sighing inaudibly I slowly sneaked around towards the lobby, sending a curious glance to the new crates that were sitting in the loading bay, where my uncle was leaning backwards in his seat asleep by the looks of it. Ever since my Aunt yelled at him that he was a terrible role model for Nick he'd been down in the dumps and that was a few years ago.

I walked up to the concrete banister that ran along the top floor and sent him a soft frown from beneath my hair before I heard a noise to the side of my to see Rexy's head leaning over the railing "Hey boy." I whispered, running my hand over his nose and giving it a scratch "How have you been?" His tail wagged happily as he nudged me gently before silently walking off to do something else. I watched him go before walking towards the stairs and sliding down the railing, staying crouched as I walked towards my uncle and placed the food on the desk in front of him "Rise and shine sleeping beauty!" I yelled, smirking as he yelped and fell out of his seat.

Tilting my head at him I crouched and tapped his cheek "hey uncle." He took one look at me and groaned as he rose to his feet "hello Rai, how do you keep getting in here?" I shrugged at him then pointed to the food "eat; I know you've been tired lately" he grinned and sat down again while opening the bag as I sat on the edge of the desk "thanks Rai, how have you been?"

"I've been fine. Work has kept me busy… how have you been since what happened at the Smithsonian?"

He cringed and I raised an eyebrow at him, he had told me the whole story about Kahmunrah, Napoleon, Ivan the terrible and Al Capone and how they were trying to open a gate to the underworld, well Kahmunrah was the others were just his lackeys. By the sound of it he had a heck of a time trying to deal with them.

Back to the current topic I clasped his shoulder "what is wrong uncle?" I asked quietly, sending him a look that made him sigh "Dr Mcphee has agreed to have Ivan, Napoleon, Capone and a model of Kahmunrah sent over here from the Smithsonian so we're going to have a hell of a time" he remarked sarcastically before eating a piece of his food.

That REALLY didn't sound good "well they're gonna be pissed once they see you"

"They're already here; didn't you see the new boxes out the back?"

"I did but it wasn't sunset yet so they weren't moving."

He nodded then turned to look at the stairs "Hey Ahk" he said casually though his voice had a note of seriousness to it "did you hear the news?"

"Indeed I did Larry, hello Rai" he greeted with a polite nod of the head which I returned as I stood up "everyone will be converging in the lobby to talk about what we should do as this is the only place they would end up when they leave the back area."

Uncle nodded and threw his trash into the trash can "that's good. Rai, Feel up to a little espionage work?"

"Gladly."

He grinned as Attila and Teddy can into the room with the others right behind them "Right, I need you to spy on them and tell us hen they get out of their crates and head in this direction, got it?"

"Understood."

Sending Teddy a quick glance I nodded at him and he returned the favour as he spoke in Japanese "be careful Mirai, from what we have learned these men are extremely dangerous, tread carefully"

"I will Teddy, may you and the others do so as well."

Jogging from the room I carefully walked towards the loading dock, shifting round the crates that were now violently moving and jumping into a shadowed alcove in the wall an flicking down the ear piece that I had hooked into my ear "they are still in their crates, they sound rather agitated"

I spent the next hour listening to them bickering till I heard an accent that I knew came from Al Capone "that's it, time to bust out of this joint!" I slammed my back against the wall when gunshots erupted from the crate and ripped it open, leaving a monochrome figure with a Tommy gun standing there "what the hell is this place?" he questioned before the shouting erupted again "shut up!" he barked before grabbing a crow bar that was left on one of the storage crates and letting the others out.

Kahmunrah was easily identifiable as was the others since they matched their appearances in the history books I've read except Al Capone. He was black and white and looked like a younger version of himself "well now, looks like the gang is all here doesn't it gentlemen" Kahmunrah said to himself as he looked round the room "Really it is a pleasure to see you all again"

"Can it dress boy!" Capone snapped as he held the gun tightly in his hands "there's something not right in here."

Gulping I put my hand on the headset "they're out and I think Capone knows someone's here"

"Get out of there Rai"

Nodding to myself I shifted, and dropped onto the box directly underneath me and used the shadows to move around towards the door "shh, shh do you hear that?" Napoleon commented as he raised his head "there was a shuffling noise"

"You are going deaf you fool! You heard nothing!"

"Nah I heard it too" Capone commented as he narrowed his eyes and knowing that there was nothing I could do to prevent them seeing me I bolted through the door "hey!" Capone shouted as thy all ran after me "don't let him get away!"

'Honestly they think I'm a man as well?' I thought to myself and I ran down different hallways before hiding in a corner on the top floor of the lobby while sending a signal to the others "I think he went this way!"

Smirking I watched as they shuffled into view looking tired, Capone still holding his gun 'and they are supposed to be men' I grinned evilly as they crept down the stairs and gather round Rexy's podium "now I wonder what could have been here" Kahmunrah whispered, clasping his hands together "it must have been a very powerful object!"

"Rexy…"

I had snuck out of my hiding placed and stood on the railing as the others gathered round behind the four of them and when I said that they turned and gaped at the dinosaur skeleton that was towering behind them "say hello."

In response Rexy roared at them.

They yelped and threw themselves over his podium, their backs up against the doors to the exit. "Let me out!" Kahmunrah shouted while banging on the glass till Rexy picked them all up, the back of their clothes straining, and dumped them on the ground in front of the others. Rexy standing like a sentry to make sure they didn't run. They stared at him in fear, but when Capone raised his gun I threw one of my hidden daggers at his hand, knocking it to the floor where Rexy stood on it. "Thank you Rai." Ahkmunrah said quietly, sending a polite nod in my direction as I jumped down to them and stood beside him with my arms crossed. "It seems fate has drawn us to the same place big brother." He commented dryly, "Though they seem to favour us then they do you."

Kahmunrah huffed and crossed his arms, sending me a cautious look from where I stood beside his brother before settling his gaze on my uncle as he appeared. "Mr Daley. So nice to see you again, it's been a while hasn't it."

"Yeah right Kahmunrah."

I smirked, revealing my sharp canines as I moved towards them, openly grinning when they all froze as I bent to grab my knife and the Tommy gun from Rexy. "Good boy." I whispered, patting his side as while I threw my knife up and down in the air and caught it. Uncle chuckled and put his hand on my shoulder. "Kahmunrah, Ivan, Napoleon. Capone. I would like to introduce to you Rai."

I smirked at them, nodding politely before whispering in uncles ear. "they all think I'm a guy." Uncle choked on a laugh while pushing me away. "go do whatever young people do these days, we'll deal with these guys." nodding I sent a cautious look towards the newcomers before stalking out the door, thumping Kahmunrah on the head as I did. "Ouch, what the devil was that for?" he shouted but I just ignored him and left the building.