Hello! Here's the next chapter for you! Hope you enjoy fellow NATM fans! :)

Eight

The Biggest Museum in the World Coming to Life

"Okay," Larry said, flicking on his flashlight. "Where are you guys?"

Nick had been right, it was kind of a maze down there, especially in the dark. They came across a large, lone crate. Larry opened it and both jumped back when long tentacles popped out. Nope, not the one they were looking for.

They passed wax statues of General Custer, and Amelia Earhart, all covered up, stored away, archived.

"Larry," Natasha suddenly cried. Going through a closed off area, a shocking sight met their eyes. About a dozen armed Ancient Egyptian guards stood holding spears facing a large metal crate, in which were their friends. A man in elegant costume stood at the centre of the guards, appearing to be the leader. It appeared that last night they had been in the process of locking the guys up, but then the sun had risen and frozen them all like that.

"Oh my God," mumbled Larry.

Carefully, they wove through the Egyptians and over to the crate, who's door was open just a crack. Peering inside they saw their friends, attempting to defend themselves. Towards the back of the crate they saw Dexter standing with the tablet.

"You little troublemaker," Larry hissed, pointing a finger accusingly at the monkey. "I'm going to deal with you later."

They only had a few minutes left until sundown. Larry flicked on the lights and, taking one of the guard's spears reached into the crate and plucked the tablet from Dexter's grasp. Just as he got it though, it began to glow, signalling that sundown had come.

All at once everything came to life again. The leader shouted orders to his guards in Ancient Egyptian and they closed and locked the crate. Then his eyes fell upon Larry and Natasha, looking confused as to how these people had gotten there, and now had the tablet.

He began questioning them in his ancient language, and when that didn't work he tried French. Finally he tried English.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" demanded Larry.

But Nat knew the answer. "Kahmunrah!" The man, Kahmunrah, had just been opening his mouth to answer. Now all eyes turned to her in surprise. "Sorry," she said. "I've read a lot about you."

"Have you?" A smiled formed on his lips. He reached for her hand and aimed to kiss it, but she drew it back sharply. His face fell. "I am Kahmunrah, great king of the great kings. And from the deepest, darkest depths of ancient history, I have come back to life!" he announced, emphasizing the last few words and shouting them although their faces were only inches apart.

Larry and Nat only nodded.

"Perhaps you did not hear what I just said. I, a centuries-old Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, was dead, but now I have come back to life!"

Again, they nodded. "Yeah, no, we heard," Larry said. "We got that. Welcome back."

Kahmunrah was still baffled by their reaction, rather lack thereof. "W-what, who are you?"

"Larry Daley," Larry said extending his hand, only to draw it back when this was met by spears. "Of Daley Devices, it's up in New York. This is my friend, Natasha Bentley. It's funny, we actually know your brother."

"Oh, do you, you know baby brother. The favourite son."

"Yeah, he's a good kid."

"Oh isn't he just? Mother and Father always gave him the best of everything, and I do mean everything. Including the throne, the throne which was rightfully mine!" He was obviously agitated by this. "But, now begins the Age of Kahmunrah, because I have come back to - never mind just give me the tablet," he demanded, cutting himself off.

"Don't do it Gigantor!" came Jed's voice from within the closed crate. The others began shouting in agreement.

"Silence!" ordered Kahmunrah. "Don't make me come in there." He turned back to Larry and Nat. "Look, that tablet is more powerful than you, Larry Daley of Daley Devices and you Natasha Bentley can possibly imagine. Bringing things to life is just a mere glimpse of its power. With it, I shall unlock the gate to the underworld and bring forth my army from the Land of the Dead." As he spoke he approached them, making them back up into the spears of the guards. "So, if it's not too much trouble-" He said something in Ancient Egyptian and the guards rose their spears. "Hand it over."

There was a moment of tense silence before Larry placed the tablet in his hands. "There you go."

"Wise decision," Kahumunrah said with a smug smile, then ordering the guards the lower their weapons.

Natasha was about to protest Larry's decision to hand it over, but thought that there must be good reason for it. He must have had a plan.

"Yeah I'm sorry, I just thought you wanted the cube but," Larry began, his words trailing off.

Kahmunrah stopped and turned around. "The Cube?" he repeated, looking utterly confused. Nat was just as confused.

"You know, the Cube, the Cube of Rubik," Larry explained. "The one that turns all who oppose you to dust? No. Oh okay, sorry, my bad. You know, your brother, he didn't want to mess with it either, he wanted to play it safe too." He continued rambling on until Kahmunrah ordered his guards to threaten them with their spears again.

"I am not my brother, Larry. I will kill you and your friends in the blink of an eye. Take me to this Cube of Rubik."

Larry led the way back through the Archives and to the large crate they had found earlier holding the squid. Natasha now knew exactly what he was going to do. She could hear the creature moving around inside the crate, most likely very crammed.

"Here we are," Larry announced.

"Open it," ordered Kahmunrah.

Larry stepped forward. "You might want to stand back," he said. Natasha obeyed and stepped back, figuring what was about to happen.

Larry flicked open the latches on the crate, first one, then the other.

Seconds later the crate burst open as a no-so-happy squid burst out of its trap. Larry dove out of the way of thrashing tentacles which were knocking the Egyptians this way and that. When Kahmunrah was knocked from his feet, the tablet flying through the air, Larry seized his chance, diving in order to catch it, then breaking into a run, Nat at his heels. They could hear Kahmunrah yelling after them.

All around them animals were emerging from their crates. They sprinted down the aisles and around corners, weaving all through the vast space that was the Archives.

"Yee hah!" Suddenly they heard a cheer and a man dressed in old-fashioned military uniform holding a flag sped by on a motorcycle and sidecar. It screeched to a halt and they saw that it was General Custer.

"Take the wheel!" he called to them, beaming.

"What?" cried Larry.

"I said take the wheel! Oh we're in it now, I love it!" the General cried excitedly, getting into the sidecar.

"O-okay..." Larry climbed onto the motorcycle, Natasha having no other option but to sit behind him.

"Just keep her straight I'll handle the rest," instructed the General. "Now, charge!"

Larry started up the motorcycle and they sped off. Nat shrieked as they lurched forward, and her arms flew around his waist.

"Okay so what's the plan here?" he asked.

"We're Americans, we don't plan, we do!" exclaimed Custer. "Now, hold on!"

They rode straight into a cluster of the armed guards, who dove out of the way to avoid being hit, though stumbled all over each other.

Custer howled with laughter. "See that! Act first, think later, works every time. And don't worry, you're in good hands: General George A. Custer of the Fighting U.S. 7th Cavalry, at your service." He gave another great whoop and jumped up, only to hit his head and be thrown right off the sidecar as they passed under a lower shelf.

"I'm good! I'm good!" he called, and assured them to keep going.

Larry, who had turned around to see if Custer was alright, wasn't looking where he was going, and didn't see the woman step right into their path.

"Larry, watch out!" shrieked Nat.

He turned and saw, screeching to a halt just in time. "Hey, lady, could you get out of the way?"

"Lady, who are you calling 'lady' the name's Amelia," she stated. It was the Amelia Earhart statue they had seen earlier, come to life.

Just then, one of the guards threw their spear and it hit the front tire of the motorcycle, puncturing it. There went their ride.

Both scrambled off the bike and, tablet in hand, hurried off, Amelia right at their heels. "Amelia Earhart, perhaps you've heard of me."

"Yes, it's an honour to meet you!" Nat cried, shaking her hand. "I'm Natasha Bentley."

"Oh right," said Larry, much less enthusiastically. "You're like a famous pilot."

"Pilot? I was the first woman to fly the Atlantic," Amelia said proudly. "First woman to receive the Flying Cross, first woman to fly across the forty-eight states in a gyroprop. And now if you'd wipe that perhaps permanent look of alarm off your kisser would you be so kind to tell me exactly where I am?" She spoke quickly.

"You're in a museum, well under it," Larry told her, all while keeping on the lookout for more armed guards. "And we're in kind of a dangerous situation right now so you probably don't want to be anywhere near us."

She scooted over to him with a grin on her face. "What's your name flyboy?"

"Larry Daley."

"Well Larry Daley, in case you weren't listening I'm not one to shy away from danger. And might I say that you two make a very cute couple!"

"Oh no, it's not like that. No, we're not, no..."

She only grinned, giving them a look that said, 'sure.'

Hmm, I see a pattern developing here with people saying they're a couple ;) Haha! As always, thanks so much for reading, I sincerely appreciate it!