"Mia! Mia!"

"Coming, Uncle Larry!" Mia called, smoothing the layers of her light brown hair.

"Mia! What are you doing?" her uncle appeared at the door.

"Brushing my hair."

Larry raised his hands in exasperation. "Come on, I'm going to be late!"

"Okay, I'm ready." Mia said, slinging her hot pink handbag over her shoulder.

"What do you have in there?" asked Larry.

"Oh, usual stuff. Phone, camera, iPod, makeup…"

"You won't need any of that stuff where we're going." Larry told his niece as they pulled out of the driveway.

"Where are we going? Will there be cute guys there?"

Larry rolled his eyes. "I told you. We're going to my work, and no, because it's closed."

Mia sighed. "Why do you work so late? And why do you have to work if it's closed?"

"You'll see," said Larry.

They pulled up to the museum on Central Park West and Mia got out of the car. "The museum?" she said, obviously disappointed.

"Yep. I'm the night guard. Have you ever been?"

"Yeah. Once, when I was like, 5. It's boring." Mia groaned.

"I don't think you'll find it boring this time." Larry told her as he opened the door to a flurry of moving creatures, animal and human. He smiled. This was the way it should be.

"Whoa," said Mia, stepping inside. "Everything's…alive?"

Larry nodded and grinned. He gave her a tour, showing her exhibit after exhibit. When they started down yet another hallway, a pair of jackal-like animals blocked their way.

"It's okay, guys, she's with me," he told them, but they didn't move. "You'd think they'd trust me by now," he whispered to Mia.

A voice from behind the jackals yelled, "Maak-hah!" and they parted to reveal a tall, thin man with slightly tanned skin and a handsome smile. He was young, probably no older than 18, and he was wearing a tall hat and a brightly colored tunic. "Hello, Larry." he said. "Who is this you have with you?"

"Oh, this is Mia, my niece. She's 15. She's going to be staying with me for a month while her parents are on a cruise. And Mia, this is King Ahkmenrah. Fourth king of Egypt," he added as Ahkmenrah stuck out his hand politely and said, "Nice to meet you." How could this man possibly be related to Kahmunrah? Larry wondered.

"Larry?" said Ahkmenrah. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I was thinking about your brother," he blurted out.

"Ah, yes," Ahkmenrah frowned."Still the same as he used to be, I presume?"

"I suppose so," said Larry, who had not known Kahmunrah before.

"Mean, evil, and goofy with the maturity of a five-year-old?" asked Ahkmenrah.

"Yes, exactly," said Larry.

"Who are you talking about?" Mia cut in.

"Kahmunrah," Larry told her.

"Ka-men-who?"

"Kahmunrah. My brother," said Ahkmenrah.

"You have a brother?" she asked.

"Yeah, he does," said Larry. "I met him."

"You did? When? How? Can I meet him?" Mia asked, sounding slightly more interested.

"I don't think you'd want to," Larry told her. "I met him at the Smithsonian. About a month ago, actually."

"Can you guys tell me about it?" Mia asked.

"I wasn't there." said Ahkmenrah. "But you, Larry, you and the others who were there can tell Mia the story. I wouldn't mind hearing about it myself."

"Okay," said Larry. "Can you go get Jed, Octavius, Attila, and Dexter for me?" Larry asked Ahkmenrah, who nodded.

"Come with me, Mia. You can sit at my desk while we retell the story of the Battle of the Smithsonian."