Tally chose to eat lunch in the diorama room. As usual, Jed and Octavius were off doing whatever they did, and she had chosen, as usual, not to ask. She hadn't seen Jesse anywhere, and she hadn't heard anything from the Western Wing, so she could only assume he had accepted his fate.
After about thirty minutes, she tossed her plastic fork in the trash, along with the plastic container she'd no longer had a use or a space for. Ahkmenrah was in one of the empty corridors, staring up through the skylight at the velvet colored sky section.
"Found a good view?" she asked.
"Yes, I have, just now," he replied.
"You're too sweet."
He nuzzled her nose and kissed her gently. "Are you sure you feel well?"
"Positive, or as positive as I can be for my first pregnancy."
"Good. I'm glad. I can't have my future wife ill, now can I?"
"Guess not. Now, we've gotta figure out how we're gonna do this whole wedding thing. It's a little bit different nowadays, just so you know."
"Thanks for the note."
"Sure, no problem."
"How do you feel about marriage?"
"I guess it's a necessary step in the relationship."
"Do you not want to go through with this?"
"I do, but I just wonder. You know you're immortal and I'm not, and eventually, I'm going to get old and die."
"Are you going to still work at the museum when you're older?"
"I can't see me doing anything else."
"Well, then."
"Why did you ask?"
"I have a hope that we may never be apart."
"If we are, it's not my fault."
"I'll remember that."
Jed sighed and pressed Octavius into him. "Is everythng alright?" Octavius asked.
"Yeah, 's fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Hundred percent."
"I want nothing more for you, my love."
"I ain't askin' for nothin'. I got you, 'n that's all I need."
"I have you, in a very similar manner."
Jed smiled and ran his fingers through Octavius' short hair.
An hour or so before dawn, Ahkmenrah returned to the Egyptian wing, where he found Kahmunrah waiting for him. "How are things?" he asked.
"Well, presently," Ahkmenrah replied, "things are going well."
"Good, good. Is there anything I should know?"
"Actually, I'd rather it be a surprise."
"Oo, surprises." When Ahkmenrah had redirected his attention, Kahmunrah muttered, "Surprises, always surprises."
Tally sighed, watching the movers prepare to ship out the Jesse James exhibit. "Been nice knowin' ya," she whispered, clocking out and heading out the front door, where she caught up with McPhee.
"All is well, I trust?" he asked.
"About as fine as you can expect," she replied. "No chaos, no madness. I'd actually say this was a good night, compared to a few others."
"Oh, I imagine." McPhee chuckled. "On a more serious note, they're asking questions."
"Who? Who's asking questions?"
"Police, the public, journalists, you name it. Apparently we're part of some government conspiracy."
"Yeah, the only government conspiracy we're involved in is an ancient Egyptian one," Tally said wryly. "Of course, to each his own."
"We'll be under fire within a matter of days."
"In which case, if they want a good story, we'll tell them everything. The police won't believe us, but a lot of others will."
"Let's hope so." He clapped her on the back once, adding, "Get a lot of rest."
"I'll try." Tally walked down the stairs and called for a cab, wondering if she should get a bus pass.
Cecil, Gus and Reginald jumped the snake as it barged into the courtroom, and soon, they were joined by an immortal guard force, some of the more powerful gods surrounding the scales which contained the feather. One of the gods drove a spear through the snake's skull, and after it writhed free, it disappeared, leaving the group fully prepared to fight it stunned, mostly unable to move.