A/N:I know the idea for this story has been used, before, but I hope to make it different. Please, please, please! Don't just give up on this because you've seen it, before!
I stared at him with wide eyes as he sauntered forward. I knew all about him: his temper, his history, his ups and downs, everything. I never believed this was going to happen to me. Al Capone grinned at me, pointing his Tommy gun at my chest. I was going to die by the hands of someone who should no longer be alive…
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I suppose I should start at the beginning. My name is Alice Ricardi, and I am twenty years old. I used to live in Chicago, Illinois but moved to New York to go to college. I major in history, but my favorites and specialties are the 1940s and the 1920s.
That's right: those roaring twenties, where you could dance around like a ditz, and feel so cool about it. You couldn't really dance like that anymore, let alone find anyone to dance with. Those must have been the good old days.
I had started working at the Museum of Natural History a little under a year ago. Working on my history major made this the perfect job for me. I figured that since no one was coming into the museum at night, I could wander around, looking at all the exhibits without interruption. I would have the whole museum to myself. Well, me and the other night guard, Larry. He seemed nice enough, though. Sort of reminded me of my father.
My first night on the job was the most surprising night of my life. I had set up base in the lobby's info booth, wearing my new uniform and trying some of those tricks I'd seen Larry do with my flashlight. Needless to say, they didn't look quite as professional as when he did them. His son, who had come to work with him, laughed at me. I smiled back, but I felt my ears turn red.
"So," I began, glancing at him and then the door, as the sun began to set, "What exactly goes on in the wild, wild world of the Museum of Natural History at night? I heard stuff on the news a while ago, about tracks and things, but I wasn't--- What's going on?" I watched as Larry looked at his watch, counting down in a whisper.
"Three, two, one," I smiled, watching the sun dip below the horizon. I guess, when you work here for so long, you get to know the exact time of everything. I opened my mouth to speak, but something stopped me. Did the T-Rex skeleton just move? I squinted my eyes. Naw, it must have been a trick of the- there it was, again! I turned to Larry and his son to say something, but the son was already walking torwards the skeleton.
"Hey, Rexy! Here boy!" My mouth dropped open as the fossil turned to see the boy, then wriggled his tail in the air, like a puppy wanting to play. I could hear other sounds of people and animals all around the museum. What was going on?!
"Lawrence, good evening! Oh, and who's the lady with you?" I turned to see the wax figurine of Teddy Roosevelt ride up on his horse, pointing to me. Larry looked at me and said,
"Oh, that's Alice, she's the new night guard. McPhee figured that I needed some help here, since there were three night guards working together before me." Teddy nodded his head, and nudged his horses towards me, reaching out a hand. I grabbed it, giving him a brisk handshake.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Alice. I'm Theodore Roosevelt, twenty-sixth president of the United States." I nodded, slowly, trying to piece together what all was going on. I saw an Inuit man and cheetah walk by on my left, then a moose and one of those faceless civil war puppets on my right. What was going on?! I snapped out of it, smiling at Teddy.
"Yes sir, I know who you are. I'm currently in college for my history major. I've written quite a few papers on you." The man smiled, probably a little flattered, then turned to Larry again. His son, I think his name was Nicky, had disappeared, probably with 'Rexy'.
"Well, Lawrence, I must go find Sacajawea." Then, he nudged his horse, Texas, into a walk and rode through the gathering crowds of museum exhibits. I looked at Larry, skeptically, and he looked back at me, as if remembering something. He smiled nervously.
"I probably should have told you about the exhibits coming to life at night, Shouldn't I?" I nodded silently, and he tried to smile, but it looked at bit more like a grimace. We both stood up and he led me on a tour of the museum, greeting all the inhabitants as if they were old friends. Well, the probably were. The last place on the tour was Ahkmenrah's tomb.
The jackal-headed statues stared at us, suspiciously, but didn't do anything with their large spears. A gold tablet was set on the wall above a sarcophagus, twinkling in the light. A man dressed as a pharaoh stood, his back facing us, looking at it. He jumped slightly as Larry said his name, then turned to us, smiling.
"Hello, Larry. Who's this?" I smiled at him, finding myself blushing. I couldn't help but think of him as handsome.
"I'm Alice Ricardi, the new night guard. It's my first night here." He smiled back at me, and I felt my insides melt. He pointed to the tablet.
"Well, I suppose you're wondering why everyone here is alive, well it's my tablet. It has magical properties that allow it to…" But my thoughts had already drifted away. I knew everything I needed to know, now, and this job, I now realized, would be better than ever. I couldn't wait to really get started.
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My nights at the museum were some of the best things that I'd ever experienced. I met many amazing people in that museum, from the miniatures Jed and Octavius, to the raging Attila and his men. I loved my job. Plus, my college papers had never before been so detailed or so personal. My professors were thrilled. Larry was a great guy, and his son, Nicky, was a bright boy that I was happy to hang around with.
Unfortunately, things that great can never last. Larry made it big with his glow-in-the-dark flashlight and made enough to quit his job at the museum for a spot in management of his company. We were all sad to see him go. Nicky got to come visit us, once in a while, but not very often. Quietly, Larry drifted away from us. We hadn't seen him in months.
I continued my job as night guard, keeping the nightly soccer matches and parties going, keeping every inhabitant inside at all costs. But something was missing, and we all knew what it was. We just couldn't do anything about it.
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"No way! You can't be serious!" McPhee glared up at me, sour expression enough to pickle eggs. I gave him an angry look, "These exhibits are great! You can't just get rid of them! I won't stand for this!" The man wiped his face, though I hadn't spit on him. With a matter-of-factly tone, he looked away for a moment, then back at me.
"Well, Ms. Ricardi," he said, "That's fine with me, because you are being fired. A human night guard is just as obsolete as the exhibits, and that's why we got an automated system." I stared at him, disbelieving. Did he just-? He couldn't have-! My mouth moved up and down, like a fish, but no words came out. McPhee looked at me for a moment, then turned to walk away. I found my words.
"Wait!" He stopped and turned back around. "I need this job! Really badly! How can you just fire me? I never did anything wrong." I gave him my most pitiful look. The one that makes him feel really bad. It seemed to be working.
"Oh, fine! Maybe I can pull some strings, get you a post somewhere else. Like, the Smithsonian, maybe. You said you wanted to go to Washington, D.C.! You got your wish. Now, stop looking at me like that! Like you're a… a… well, you know!" He stomped off, leaving me alone in my thoughts. I felt my heart sink.
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It was just about closing time, the night before the exhibits, my friends, and I were shipped to the Smithsonian museum, them to the federal archives and me to a new job as a night guard. I promised that we would celebrate among ourselves, and that I would go visit them when they were in the federal archives. I was simply patrolling for any stragglers when I came across McPhee talking to someone among the scattered boxes.
I approached the two, ready to shoo anyone away, when I saw that it was Larry, in one of his new business suits. I had tried not to think of him in one of those, rather remember the good old days when we were the night guards. He finished talking with McPhee, who ended the conversation and left, giving me a wary look on his way out. Larry turned to see me, his expression as shocked as mine when I found out what was going on.
"Alice! Is it really true? Are they really replacing the exhibits?" I nodded sadly, looking away for a moment at the boxes. They'd be awake at any moment… I looked back at Larry, who was looking rather down. I didn't want to make things worse for him, but he'd been gone for so long.
"This is my last night, as well." Larry stared at me in disbelief, and he opened his mouth to talk, but the boxes started to rattle, and the exhibits began to emerge. Many of them frowned at the sight of Larry, but ignored him. Teddy made his way through the crowds of animated statues and figures to meet Larry.
"Good to see you Lawrence! I see you've come back! I-" But a phone rang, and Larry pulled a blackberry out of his pocket, then started typing into it. Teddy looked at me in question.
"A cricket?" I smiled at what he thought the phone was. Larry finished whatever he was typing and looked up at us, slipping the phone in his pocket. I heard the box of miniatures shaking and walked over to open it, but Larry beat me to it. He lifted the lid and Jededaiah immediately hoisted himself onto the edge, dusting packing peanut crumbs off him. He looked up at Larry with anger.
"Well if it ain't Mr. Big-in-the-britches, himself?! Come to see us on our last night?" I walked up next to Larry, and Jed tipped his hat at me. "Hey, Alice."
"Yeah, Jed, I'm sorry! I never knew! I'll call the board in the morning." Octavius hoisted himself onto the edge, next to Jed. He bowed to me, then turned to Larry.
"Sorry, Larry, but I don't think it'll do much. I can tell you're generally somewhat concerned, but without you here, no one would listen. Miss Alice tried to stop it, but she was replaced with some sort of robo-guard." I nodded, looking away. This is was my last night. I was leaving on a plane, tomorrow. Octavius gazed into the distance, trying to seem dramatic.
"Even the glory of Rome had to end." I stifled a giggle. Octavius was such a drama queen. Larry waved a hand in front of the little man's face.
"Uh, hello? I'm right here! Do you have to look dramatically off into the middle distance? It makes me feel even worse." Octavius shook his head, not looking away.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Larry was getting pretty peeved, but Octavius mumbled something about a nice piece of wall. I let myself smile, trying to forget about the circumstances. Texas, Teddy's horse, blew on my ear. I turned to see Teddy there.
"I don't about you all," he said, examining each of us, "But I would like one more stroll around the museum. As a family. I'm not one to wallow in self-pity. My dear?" He reached out a hand to Sacajawea, who had just emerged from her box, and helped her onto Texas. I offered a hand to Jed and Octavius, but while Octavius climbed into my palm, Jed just shook his head.
"No, I'm just gonna wallow in self-pity." I shrugged, and I felt an arm hook into mine. I turned to see Ahkmenrah, giving me a sad smile. I blushed. He gestured at the receding form of Teddy and Sacajawea, and Larry.
"My lady?" I smiled, and we started walking. I was so happy to take one last look at everything before my flight to Washington, D.C. I said goodbye to everyone who was staying, got to touch the tablet one last time, and got some closure. In the back of my mind, I knew my apartment was already packed up and most of my belongings were already shipped to a new one in Washington. My classes were now online, well they already had been, but now I didn't need to go to any classrooms. I could still work on my dissertation. But it wouldn't be the same. It would lack that sense of adventure.
Morning was fast approaching, and all the exhibits were returning to their crates. This would be their last night, alive. I turned to Ahkmenrah, and kissed him on the cheek. He stared at me, incredulous. Even I couldn't believe my forwardness. But, he smiled and gave me one back.
"I shall miss you, Alice." I smiled back, face reddening more than ever. I heard Octavius say something, but ignored it. I was trying to make the moment last.
"I'll miss you, too. I promise to come visit." He smiled one last time, then left to get back to his exhibit. I replaced Octavius to his crate, and he gave me a sly smile, having seen what happened between me and Ahkmenrah. I gave him a swift peck on the head and he blushed.
"Hey!" I looked at Jed, who had crossed his arms, and gave him one, too. He smiled, "Aw, shucks."
"I promise to visit you guys as soon as I can. I'll make sure everyone is in one piece, okay?" All the exhibits nodded, then closed their crates. I turned to Larry, who was speaking with Teddy.
"The key to happiness is-" Another cell phone ring cut him off, though. Larry pulled it out of his pocket and put a finger up, saying something about a Wal-Mart deal. Teddy and I looked at each other, then at Larry. He hung up, then looked back at Teddy.
"The key to happiness is-?" But the first rays of sun had just started to filter in, and the twenty-sixth president was now as still as a wax statue. I looked at Larry, peeved at how he'd dropped us for his business like a hot tamale, but I couldn't stay mad. It could be my last time seeing him. We hugged for a moment.
"Can you tell Nicky I said bye? I know I haven't seen him in a while, but hopefully he'll remember who I am." Larry nodded, and I continued. "I'm helping get everyone packed up, then I boarding the plane. I may never get a chance to come back. If you can, can you tell everyone I miss them?" He nodded again.
"Can do." I smiled, then we walked in opposite directions to go home. I gave myself one last look at the museum, then left it for good. I had to get some sleep before I caught my plane.
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My flight went of without a hitch. The airport was a little crowded, but besides that, it was good. My rental car came in time, and my apartment was nice. My stuff had already arrived, and it was just up to me to unpack. I spent most of the day unpacking, and got my bed and bathroom supplies done before making my way to work. I wore my favorite outfit, the one with the pinstripes. It consisted my pinstriped converse with purple shoelaces, my pinstriped pants, a pinstriped vest, a black button-down shirt with a purple scarf, and my favorite pinstriped fedora. I figured I'd get there early, check on everyone, then change and proceed to do my job.
Everything was going fine. I'd received my identification card, and could get into the federal archives, where everything was. My entrance was through the castle, one of my favorite parts of the museum. I stopped on my way in to admire their Al Capone exhibit. It was him as a young man, rather than the older Al Capone most people knew about.
I was actually writing my dissertation on the man. This was mostly because I was from Chicago, my family was Italian, and I'd not only lived across the lake from a house he'd owned, but I'd worked at his soup kitchen as a teenager. I smiled, thinking about my earlier years in Chicago. My friends and I would joke about skeletons in the lake with cement shoes, or a cellar of illegally brewed alcohol in his house. I suppose that Al Capone was a bigger part of my life than anyone would have thought.
As I looked him over, I couldn't help but laugh. We were almost matching, with our pinstriped clothes. All I needed was the jacket and a slightly different hat and I would've been his twin. I let myself linger for a moment, reading the caption for historical accuracy, being the history geek I was, then reminded myself that I was on a mission.
I managed to locate the giant crate I'd packed earlier that day, and opened it, carefully. All the crates appeared to be in good condition, and I proceeded to start opening them. Sacajawea had a broken finger, but I melted it back together with my lighter. Everyone else seemed to be in good order, despite some bumps and bruises they recieved during the flight.
Dexter was my last exhibit to check. I opened the lid of his crate to see something gold glitter in the receding light. Dexter was not gold, and nothing glittery should have been in the box with him. I gently lifted him out and found he was carrying something. I gasped. The tablet! He shouldn't have had that! And that meant…
I checked my watch. It was 7:45. Sunset. I heard Dexter chatter at me, and I placed him on the crate. His grasp on the tablet tightened, and he chattered at me again, as if asking me what I was doing there. I heard the other occupants of the crate rising and started opening some of the lids. They seemed surprised to be alive; yesterday was supposed to be their last night.
Attila grunted at me, but I had no way of communicating with him. Sacajawea sat on the edge of her crate, removing packing peanuts from her hair. She inspected the finger I'd fixed, then looked at me.
"Alice? We're alive? How?" I sighed, then pointed at Dexter, who sat innocently on the crate, tablet still in his hands.
"He stole the tablet. I don't know how, but he managed it. We're in the Federal Archives, right now. I might have to leave soon…" I heard the miniatures crate rattle and made my over, opening it up. Jed and Octavius looked up at me, shocked.
"We're alive!" the cowboy shouted, amazed. I dug all the miniatures out of their foam prison, and placed them on the crates. They tipped their hats and bowed to me, and I tipped my hat right back. The noise in there, with all the talking and such, was incredible.
"Guys." No one seemed to hear me. "Guys. Guys? GUYS!" I held my arms up and the crate silenced. I let my arms drop, "Okay. Dexter, over here, stole the tablet, which means that we're all alive, right? Now, I have to get up on top of the ground in a little bit, which means that you'll be here, alone. I need you guys to stay in this crate until I get back. That way, I can get the tablet -without anyone thinking of me as a thief- and ship it to New York. I know it's going to be tough, staying in this little space, but we can't cause a commotion. People aren't used to museums coming to life, like I am."
The exhibits nodded, and I felt slightly better about the situation. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, searching my contacts for Larry Daley. I hoped I hadn't deleted it when he left... I smiled when I found it and was about to press send when I heard a noise outside the crate. It sounded like talking in some language and footsteps.
That's when it hit me. We had a tablet that brought exhibits to life in one of the largest museums in the world. Panicked, I placed my cell phone on the crate, next to Jed and Octavius, and opened the door, peeking out. I was greeted with the sharp ends of some spears.
A/N: I hope it's good so far. I'm trying to make it as different as possible from the other Battle of the Smithsonian fics as possible, so hopefully it's headed in that direction. Everyone seems to be related to Larry, and I wanted to cut that out of the equation as soon as possible. Plus, no one's done anything from inside the crate on the first night. Hope you enjoy!