Chapter 6

The trio rushed up the steps and back to the main floor. Amelia, who had clearly become more familiar with everything as she'd been running about, led the way back to the main hall. When they got there though someone else was already there with their back to the trio and a golden tablet in their hand.

"Larry!" Anna shouted when she spotted him across the gallery.

"There you are! Are you all right?" Amelia asked reaching him first, "I've been worried sick! Sick I tell you."

"No, I'm fine."

"What happened?" Anna questioned. Larry still had the tablet and he looked unscathed. There was no way Kahmunrah let him walk out of there without a scratch. Something was up.

"Kahmunrah couldn't get the gate open. He needs the combination. If we don't get it in an hour Jed dies."

Anna leaned in and whispered, "Can they die?"

"I don't know, but I don't want to find out."

"So what's our next move, partner?" Amelia asked getting back in on the conversation.

"I don't know I just need to get this tablet translated." Larry looked at the carvings, "Billy can you read this?"

Both Anna and Billy stopped walking and gave Larry identical looks of 'Really?' Billy was the first one to compose himself enough to speak.

"It's not in Spanish is it?" Billy asked.

"Nope."

"Then sorry I can't help you there." Larry turned and continued on, Amelia followed and Billy looked to Anna and pointed his thumb at Larry's back giving her another 'Seriously' sort of look.

"He has his moments." She shrugged it off. After all Larry did get slapped by a monkey a lot, maybe Dexter had finally taken one too many swings at him.

Suddenly a huge tentacle blocked their path. "Oh great. This guy again. Look buddy, we don't want any trouble all right?"

But the octopus just sat there taking deep breaths. It looked on the verge of death itself. Larry noticed too and passed the tablet to Amelia before grabbing a painting of the sea. Doing the same move Anna had with the crying lady he chucked the water from the canvas onto the octopus.

The creature made happy little squealing noises as he rubbed his tentacles all over himself.

"Hmm, look at that! I guess our sassy cephalopod was just a fish who didn't like being out of water. He's not such a ballywagger after all."

"Hello!" A familiar voice caught their attention, "Little assistance!"

Larry led the way down the hall until he exclaimed, "Teddy!"

Anna rushed forward eager to see a familiar face. Though when she caught up Teddy wasn't as familiar as she'd thought. He was a bust, no body, just a head and shoulders. And he was completely made of bronze.

"Maybe you can help us."

"I'd love to help you, but first things first. My nose is so itchy it's driving me insane. I hate to ask, but, as you see, I'm missing a few body parts. Could you please give us a scratch?"

"Yeah sure." Larry complied, after everything Teddy back in New York had helped him with, nose scratching was an easy one.

"Sweet rutabaga pie, that was divine. Theodore Roosevelt, at your service."

"Twenty-sixth President of the United States, Rough Rider, founder of the National Parks and a whole bunch of other stuff." Larry rattled off like a tour guide.

"Have we met?" Teddy asked confused.

"Oh no, there's another Teddy. We have one of you in New York." Larry explained.

"Really?" the bust asked intrigued, "What's he like this, other me?"

"Well he's pretty much the same, except with uhhh. . ."

"Except what? Say it." The bust demanded, "Except with a body?"

"Yes he has a body."

"Oh dash it the pain!"

"And a horse –"

"Excuse me!" Amelia took the lead as Anna smacked Larry's arm. "We really need someone to translate what's written on this tablet. Do you read hieroglyphics?"

"Yes I do missy." She held up the tablet. "Well that's a simple one: bird. Man with spear. Sideways fish. Beetle. Vase."

"Okay, and what does that mean?"

"It means, and this is just a rough translation: A man with a spear trapped a bird and a sideways fish in a vase. . . and there was also a beetle."

"I don't think that's it."

"Well that's just one possible translation, another possible translation is: you will find the combination you seek if you figure out the secret at the heart of Pharaoh's tomb."

"Okay and what does that mean?" Larry asked.

"I don't know! What am I the Sphinx!? What's this, what's that? Why don't you ask New York Teddy, sure he'd love to get his grabby little fingers all over thing. Probably let his horse lick it too."

Larry looked dumbfounded, he'd never been yelled at by Teddy before.

"Mr. Daley we should be going to the sculpture gallery." Amelia suggested, "I think there's someone there who might have a better thought on this."

"Thank you Teddy." Anna acknowledged as their group turned and followed Amelia.

"Hey." Billy tapped her shoulder, "You think that president fella you know could write me a pardon?"

Anna gave him a small smile, loving his thinking but wanting to let him down easy. "I don't know Billy."

"Well that guy sure can't do it." He said smiling them mouthed 'no arms' and chuckled. Anna laughed too.

"Let's try to survive tonight first." She suggested and saw the light in Billy's blue eyes dim some as he caught the hint. Anna had to look away, positivity ran through Billy the way salt ran through ocean water. Something so connected it was basically one entity. Seeing his mood turn sour, even just a little bit, felt so wrong her eyes looked away by instinct.

Billy's eyes had looked to the floor as he muttered, "I was promised a pardon."

He had been. Billy had made a deal with the Governor and upheld everything he said he'd do. He testified against the people who took part in the Lincoln County War and 150 indictments had gone out as a result. And what did the Governor do? He got word his newest book had become a bestseller and took off for New York to plan book signings and celebrations for his own success. Anna wasn't even sure he'd done anything more with his position as governor, odds were he stayed in New York. She rolled her eyes, it must be nice to have a job that pays so much and you don't even have to be there doing the job.

She glanced at Billy who still had this longing look on his face. If the Governor had kept his word Billy would have been free and the rest of his life would have been much different, more peaceful. Instead, he'd had to continue running for his life, especially after his testimony, and when the judge who was buddies with the other side of the war let all the men indicted go free. Then things got worse for Billy instead of better, now his enemies had one more reason to want him dead.

Anna lifted her hand and rested it on Billy's shoulder. He turned to her and she mustered up a smile. A bright grin took over Billy's face before they both realized that they'd fallen behind and jogged to catch up to Larry and Amelia.

"The fellow we're looking for is just down here –"

"Bonsoir." A little girl made of what looked like copper or brass greeted them as they entered the large foyer. She bowed to them in a deep curtsey, Billy removed his hat and bowed his head, before she resumed her dance.

"Oh, hello young lady." Amelia replied. Delighted by her charm the pilot began to follow her steps. Larry, who had past right by the girl backtracked to the three of them standing by the dancer.

"Hey, excuse me, can we keep moving please?"

"We certainly could but then we might miss a rare opportunity. I mean, she is a Degas, Mr. Daley." Amelia reasoned mimicking another bow.

"Okay it's just I got a little buddy stuck in an hourglass, I got a pitch meeting at Wal Mart in the morning. It would be great if we could –"

Amelia rolled her eyes, "He's right here."

She continued to the largest statue, sat in the center of the room. 'The Thinker' and even alive he seemed to be doing nothing else but thinking.

"I think he'll have a thought on this. Mr. Thinker." Amelia called his attention moving to stand in front of him. "We're sorry to interrupt your contemplation, but we really need to figure out the secret at the heart of Pharaoh's tomb."

She gestured to the tablet that Larry now held up like they were giving a presentation in a high school history class.

"I'm thinking. I'm thinking. I'm thinking. I'm thinking. . . "

"It's not happening with him." Larry muttered.

Then the Thinker straightened his posture, "Oh wow. You've gotta be kidding me. Check that out! Oh yeah."

They followed his gaze and saw another statue, a woman, looking over her shoulder at them and giggling behind her hand.

Larry turned back to the Thinker and began scolding him, "Hey! Buddy over here. This is serious."

"Apparently it's a matter of life and death." Amelia chimed in.

"I'll tell you what's a matter of life and death, that beautiful lady over there. Hey baby! Check out the gun show going on over here! Boom! Bang! Fire power!" he shouted as he flexed his arms.

Amelia shook her head, "He's certainly no Einstein." She said softly. Beside her Larry looked like a light bulb had just gone off.

"Wait a minute. I saw a bunch of those."

"A bunch of what's?" Amelia asked as he turned and rushed to the nearest window.

"Little Einstein's." he clarified.

"Where?" Anna questioned following the pair.

"Over there, in Air and Space." Larry pointed at the museum through the window.

As Larry led Amelia away Anna turned and noticed Billy wasn't beside her. Looking around the room for him she retraced their steps and headed back toward the entrance. She rounded the corner passing the Thinker who was still trying to impress the other statue.

"Biceps, bam! Deltoids, bam!"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Men."

Then she rounded the Thinker and found Billy. What he was doing stopped her dead in her tracks. He was dancing with the Degas girl. He had her held softly in his arms and moved so effortlessly it looked like they floated across the marble floor. He matched all her steps like he'd been trained, he spun her delicately and when she faced him again he took her free hand gently and continued the steps. He was graceful and light on his feet.

Hmm, who knew dancing would help a man dodge bullets as well as he did.

He looked like he was in another world. The smile on his face was far from a smirk, it was pure innocence and joy, the light in his eyes was innocent pleasure as he moved about the polished floor with the dainty girl. She smiled up at him, looking grateful to have a partner after dancing alone for so long. Anna felt herself smiling as she leaned against the tall base the Thinker sat on. Then Billy caught her looking, he spun the Degas away from him and bowed to her, tipping his hat like a gentleman when he stood tall again. She curtseyed and continued on her own. Billy stood still staring and smiling at Anna. Then he held out one hand to her in a silent question. She took a step back and rested her head against the marble cube beside her. She shook her head and blushed. Billy's smile didn't falter, instead he walked over to her.

"Just one."

She shook her head again. "I don't dance. I don't know how."

He kept smiling, "You don't have to. You just follow my lead."

She blushed harder and broke eye contact, "I'll look stupid."

"I won't let you."

She looked back up and met his blue eyes, "There's no music."

Almost on cue the cupids at the other end of the corridor began to play the theme from Titanic. Not only was it well timed, but it was her favorite movie. Even though the cupids were playing for Larry and Amelia the music carried through the echo-y room and reached them loud and clear. Billy raised his hand again. After staring at it for a second Anna took it but at the same time denied the request. "We only have an hour to save Jed."

"After then?" He asked hopefully.

She smirked, "Maybe."

A wide grin took up Billy's face as if she'd said yes but he allowed her to pull him away and after Larry and Amelia, the former of the two scolding the cupids.

"And by the way you're a little pitchy." He snapped pushing through the door.

Amelia was all smiles, "Well I thought you were amazing and you look wonderful."

All three kissed toward Amelia at her compliment and the four of them exited the museum.

.


.

Kahmunrah made a few more punches in the air as he danced around in his new robe, "You know I do sort of feel like a floating butterfly."

"You are crazier than a road lizard." Jed said shaking his head as he looked at Kahmunrah like a freak show exhibit of PT Barnum's.

Marching echoed from the hall and a moment later Ivan and some of his men arrived. One of them held a trashcan while a man in all black followed them in. "Mr. Egypt, these two here heard that we're taking over the world and they want in. I don't know who they are, but they're on exhibit here too apparently."

"I don't even know what they are." Kahmunrah said looking confused as he descended his pile of riches and met the men face to. . . mask. "I'm sorry but we're all full up in our axis of evil today. Sorry."

Then the trashcan opened and something green with brown eyes pulled itself out. "Aw come on! But I'm bad! I'm bad! Hey, I could show you how bad I am!" Oscar the grouch roared weakly, "Fear me! Ahhh. Ah?"

Kahmunrah cringed at the display, "I'm sorry. I'm just not buying it. You don't seem very bad. You just seem sort of vaguely grouchy to me."

"Oh boy." Oscar bowed his head rubbing his forehead with his hand.

Meanwhile Vader, in his own display of evil, raised his hand and closed his fingers slightly. Instead of having the desired effect Kahmunrah looked even more befuddled.

"What are you doing? What is that? What is this? What does it mean? You've lost me. Is that you breathing? Because I can't hear myself think. Can I make one suggestion to you, my friend? Just simplify. There's just too much going on here. You're evil, you're asthmatic, you're a robot, and what is the cape for? Are we going to the opera? I don't think so. Sorry. Goodbye."

Enraged Vader slammed the lid of Oscar's trashcan down, closing it on his head.

"Attention!" Napoleon shouted from the window, "He's leaving with the tablet!"

"Where?" Kahmunrah demanded turning serious, and angry, as he joined Napoleon by the window.

"Give me that." He snatched the telescope from the Frenchman. Even cloaked in the dark of night Larry Daley and a woman were very clearly seen headed down the sidewalk with the tablet barely glistening in the dull moonlight. At first Kahmunrah thought the woman could be Anna, until she appeared behind the duo. "He's not trying to figure out the. . . he's trying to escape."

Then another shadowy figure joined the group and took Anna by the hand, "And who is. ."

As the group passed a streetlamp their faces were better illuminated. Kahmunrah filled with rage and grit his teeth together so hard he heard a crack in his jaw, "Oh that double crossing little – Go! Go! All of you! Kill them all! And bring me that tablet. Come on people let's go! Without that tablet we have nothing!"

"Streltsy! Go!"

"Thought you could get away didn't you, Larry Daley?" Kahmunrah sneered. Centuries of torture methods ran through his mind and it was hard to pick which one he desired the most. He did still have Daley's friends he could make suffer before the night guard, but then there was what to do with the others, the two women and that backstabbing outlaw.

Oscar peeked out of his trash can, "If that Bonney Kid is out does that mean there's an opening in the axis of evil?"

.

10 comments til next update