My limbs unfreeze, and breath returns to my body. I realise I'm off-balance just as I topple off my plinth. Getting painfully to my feet, I remember with a pang of sadness that I won't be able to talk to Neil today; he's gone. Neil's in the Smithsonian right now, unable to come to life. The thought terrifies and distresses me.
But as I breathe rhythmically, I realise that another feeling is there in my chest: uneasiness. For some reason, I can't shake the feeling that something bad has happened or will happen or is happening right now.
For a start, it's late. I can feel it in my entire body. And the clock behind the reception desk confirms it: it's fifteen whole minutes past the time we normally wake up. That is extremely worrying. It's never done that before. NEVER, in fifty years. It's always happened exactly at sunset, routinely. But today…it hasn't. Why?
Glancing up, I spot Teddy riding quickly off on Tex, disappearing round the corner. I don't blame him; I bet he can feel this feeling too, and he has probably gone to check on the tablet or the rest of the museum or something like that.
I decide to check on Ahkmenrah. Not only do I want to know if he knows anything about this, but I also want to make sure he's okay. He's the closest to the tablet—both physically and spiritually—and it's likely that he can feel the disturbance more strongly than I can.
But as I run through the museum, spot the mammoths lumbering towards me, worryingly fast. Next to them are the ostriches and several animals from the Hall of African Mammals. I turn to run away, but that's when a stampede of civil war puppets and Huns come running the opposite way, fighting each other.
I'm stuck in the middle of the two groups.
As they're about to collide, I start to rush to the side, but I'm not in time. I duck under a thrusted bayonet and vault over an ostrich that falls in front of me. I try and make my way to safety, but I keep getting pushed to the centre of the conflict.
I'm getting tired, and soon, I'm not going to be able to dodge any more strikes from bayonets or Huns.
Then I hear the clip-clop of a horse's hooves. Spinning round, I see Teddy riding through the fray on Tex. I reach out my hand desperately for him, spotting a Hun rushing towards me. Just as he rides past me, Teddy grabs my hand and pulls me onto Tex with a strong arm. I clutch his shoulders as we ride through the fray and out the other side, back into the foyer.
Breathing heavily, I slide off the horse and clutch my stomach. I think I might be sick.
"Are you alright, Miss Nightingale?" asks Teddy worryingly.
I nod shakily. "That…was terrifying. Why did it happen?"
Teddy shrugs helplessly. "I don't know. I was going to the pharaoh's tomb to see if everything was alright there, but I didn't make it even halfway there before the stampede."
"I hope Ahk is alright," I say worriedly. "I-I should go see him."
Teddy nods slowly. "Good idea. I will see if I can restore even a modicum of order to the museum."
As he rides away, I take off running. This time, I go the emptier route to the Egyptian exhibit.
Just as I'm nearing it, I see a little boy running towards me, clutching the golden tablet. My heart leaping into my throat, I reach out and catch him as he tries to run past.
"Let me go!" he yells, scared.
"Stop, stop!" I put my hands on his shoulders and look into his eyes. "I'm friendly. Who are you?"
"N-Nicky," stammers the boy. "I'm L-Larry Daley's son."
"The nightguard has a son?" I blink. "Well, I'm Florence Nightingale. Now, can you tell me why you're running with the tablet like this?"
"The old nightguards. They…they want the tablet. They're trying to frame my dad for its theft! I-I have to get it away from here!"
"I'll help you," I promise, taking his hand. "Let's go."
We resume running towards Ahk's exhibit, which is in the direction Nicky was heading in anyway. But as we approach, someone slams into us, knocking us through the metal gate and onto the floor. I look up and spot Cecil grabbing the tablet from Nicky's grasp. Then Larry tries to wrestle it out of Cecil's grasp, but the latter pushes him through the gate too, which he then closes and locks.
Grinning, he flips the tablet over in his grasp and leaves.
"Teddy!" yells Larry through the bars, not even bothering to acknowledge me. "Teddy, if you're out there, I need you, pal!"
Yes, Teddy! Good idea. Teddy can help us.
But when he arrives, he refuses. He tells Larry, "You gotta finish the job this time. You can't quit. I'm made of wax, Larry. What are you made of?"
Then he rides away.
"Teddy!" I scream, clutching the bars. "Teddy, don't leave me! I need you!"
But he's gone.
"Uh, Dad…?"
Larry and I turn simultaneously. The two jackal guards are coming towards us, spears raised. Larry begins dragging Nick forward, so I follow. "Duck!" he yells.
The two spears slam into the ground where we were just standing, but as Larry and Nicky make it into the safety of the crypt, I feel my foot catch on a loose stone, and I fall over onto my front, injuring my ribs and my left knee. As I scramble to my feet and begin limping towards the crypt, one of the jackals' spear slams into my stomach, causing me to flip over and land heavily on my front again, further damaging my ribs. My legs follow my torso onto the ground, again causing more damage to my already hurt knee. It doesn't feel broken, but I can't do any further medical diagnosis because I see the two jackals looming over me.
Glancing up, I see Larry and Nicky hiding behind the casket, staring at me, terrified. They can't do anything for me without risking injury or death to themselves as well.
I only have one option for survival.
"AHKMENRAH!" I scream. "IT'S ME: FLORRIE! HELP!"
