Momochan77: Ooooh if you liked jealous Billy just you wait for what I've got in store! There's a taste of it in this chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 17
"Larry." Attila called, drawing their attention before he continued in Hun pointing to his helmet.
"Jed and Octavius?" Larry asked.
Attila kept patting to his helmet where they'd been hiding, trying to see if they were still there.
Teddy turned to Larry, "They must have fallen out while we were running."
Larry looked worried as he headed out of the room and back down the hall shouting for their friends. "Jed!"
"Octavius!" Teddy yelled as they left the medieval chamber and reentered the halls.
"Jed!"
Teddy looked around. "Jedediah!"
Nick crouched to look under a display case. "Jed!"
"Octo!" Attila shouted cupping his hands around his mouth.
They turned a corner and saw a small scrap of red fabric blowing where it was stuck in a vent in the floor.
"Oh no."
They rushed forward and Larry bent down and retrieved the red fabric.
"Is that Octavius' cape?" Nicky asked.
"Here." Larry gestured to the vent and Billy and Nick crouched down with him. They pulled it free and looked into the black hole.
"Gigantor!" they faintly heard a shout.
"Jed!" Larry shouted back but there was no response.
"They won't last long in those heating vents Lawrence." Teddy said softly like he was afraid to speak the horror.
"At their size they'll bake like tiny little scarabs in the Sinai." Ahkmenrah added. All eyes turned to him. "Too dark?"
Larry stood up and looked around. When he spotted what he was searching for he rushed over to a panel in the wall. He couldn't get it open without a key so he smashed the glass with his elbow and immediately turned down all the vents.
A mechanic whirring – the kind you didn't pay any attention to until it was suddenly gone, stopped and the hall was silent. They hoped to hear the clanging of tiny feet making their way back through the vent. When no sound appeared Attila crouched down and put his face to the open hole in the floor.
"Jedo! Octo!" he shouted before sitting up and shrugging.
"They could be anywhere between here and the intake vent." Larry said returning and taking Attila's place. Dexter hopped down too looking deeper.
"What do you see Dex?"
"You know he's a monkey Lawrence, he can't talk."
"No but he can fit." Larry said as an idea clearly struck him. "Nicky give me your phone."
"Why?"
"For Dex."
With a dopey grin Lancelot looked to the others, "I don't understand one thing that's going on here."
"I don't either, dad, what's going on?"
Larry got up and grabbed some thin straps of leather from the display case the triceratops had smashed earlier. The rope Billy had would have been too thick for tiny little Dexter's frame.
"I'm sort of, set up to track your phone." Larry admitted.
"You're sort of set up to track my phone? You track my phone?"
"Yeah I'm your dad I'm looking out for you." Larry defended his actions.
"No, no hold up." Nicky protested, "'Spying on' is not the same as just looking out for someone."
"He's got a point, it's sort of stalking." Anna said joining them with her arms crossed.
"Thank you."
"But it's stalking out of love." She said giving him an innocent look.
"What?" Nick asked before realization took over his face, "Oh my God – you do it too!"
She shrugged, "Well, I want to look out for you. It's New York City after all."
"Trust me there are worse situations to be in." Billy piped up from where he was leaning his shoulder on a display case spinning his gun in his hand.
"Exactly!" Anna said gesturing to Billy, "Thank you Billy."
"You'll get it back I promise, but right now, it's going on the monkeys back." Larry said when he'd finished tying his invention. Anna smiled at the idea of Daley Devices marketing a monkey backpack.
"Alright Dex come here. Listen, I need you to go down there and find them all right? Think you can handle it?"
Dexter saluted him and smiled.
"Good man. Stay safe."
Once Dexter was out of sight Larry turned on his phone and opened the tracker app. He led the way through the halls as they followed the signal. All the while Lancelot stayed up front next to Larry.
"I think it's right here."
The knight laughed, "'Right here' classic. Ah the gift of laughter. Thank you Dangly Bells."
Billy chortled, "Is he going to keep calling him that?"
"I hope so."
"William." Teddy said as he approached them and slapped a hand to Billy's shoulder, "Bully on that rope trick back there. You've got a quick wit."
Billy smiled and thanked the president. As they fell into a conversation Anna jogged to catch up to Larry. He had a crease in his forehead that looked like Dexter and the tablet weren't his only worries.
"Nicky will forgive you." she assured him. He smiled a tiny bit but didn't look away from the phone.
"It just seems like were at odds a lot lately." he admitted. He glanced up at her and sighed, "Did he tell you his latest plan?" She shook her head. She'd overheard some of their conversation earlier when they'd gotten food but she didn't have enough information to form an opinion yet. But the look on Larry's face was enough to tell her she was going to dread it. "He wants to DJ in Ibiza."
Her jaw dropped, "He says the music is not inhibited by the language barrier. Then he started talking about not going to college at all. he keeps misconstruing my life as 'well I didn't and I turned out fine'."
She sighed. "When people say kids break your heart, this is what they mean isn't it?"
Now Larry sighed, "I just don't get it. Nicky was always such a great kid, he studied, did his homework on time. Then all those nights at the museum, he seemed to love learning. Now he just wants to stop? It's like a whole different kid. I thought he had a plan. A smart plan. And now he wants to quit and do what else, nothing?"
"It could be influence from his friends too. At Nicky's age the things your friends say make more sense than your parents. And your friends are typically the people you want to impress anyway."
"Thanks Anna." Larry replied looking a little relieved, "I just don't want Nick to start seeing me as the bad parent."
"You're not a bad parent for wanting to stop him from failing. . . or getting mugged. . . in a foreign country. . . where he doesn't even speak the language."
"Will you try talking to him? He might listen to you."
Anna hesitated. "I can try. Our last few conversations about the topic didn't go too well."
In the back of the group Teddy was rejoined by Sacagawea leaving Billy alone. The Kid quickly caught the grim look on Nicky's face and tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey, why the gloomy frown?"
Nicky sighed and looked ahead at Anna and his dad, "They're talking about me."
"Yeah, I'm not one for folks talkin' behind my back either."
"They think I'm some stupid little kid." Billy was silent, silent enough that Nicky turned to him curious. "What do you think? I'm sure Anna's told you everything."
Taking a minute to think Billy reluctantly answered, "I think people nowadays don't know how good they have it."
Before Nicky could respond Anna rejoined them. He saw her face and cut her off quickly. "Oh no."
"What?"
"You have that look again."
"What look?"
"The one you had in the kitchen when I told my dad I wanted a year off."
"Well. . . "
"He told you about my DJ idea and you think it's stupid." Nicky accused her.
She sighed and Billy took her hand, "I don't think it's stupid. I think it's. . . not well planned out."
"Why?"
"Because you don't speak Spanish."
He shook his head, "But music is universal. There is no language in music, the beat speaks to people."
"He's got a point." Billy chimed in, "All the bailes I went to as a kid, you didn't need to understand the lyrics, you moved to the rhythm."
"Thank you Billy." Nick said, "See? He gets it."
Anna shook her head with a smile, "Oh yeah?" She turned to the Kid, "Billy, what would happen to a guy who went to Mexico and didn't know Spanish?"
He laughed and Nicky leaned forward past Anna to look at him. When Billy's laughter calmed down into chuckling he looked at Nicky while trying to hide his smile behind his hand, "Sorry but you'd be an hombre muerto cabron."
Nicky perked up, "Wait a minute! Billy can teach me Spanish!"
"Sure I can." he agreed. "For what?"
"His trip to Ibiza to DJ."
"Ibiza?"
"It's a small island off the coast of Spain." Nicky said enthusiastically like knowing its location proved he'd done his research.
Anna rolled her eyes again. Billy nodded along but his expression wasn't reassuring, "When are you planning to skin out?"
Nicky shrugged, "Ugh well, graduation is in June so probably early July."
"Alone? Or do you have a posse?"
"Well most of friends are going to college so they're saving their money for tuition."
Billy nodded, "So alone, in a new territory." he turned to Anna, "Sounds like when I lived in Arizona."
"Mmm." she hummed. "And how difficult was that? With no job or place to stay?"
"I slept outside most of the time." Billy said nonchalantly.
Anna nodded and looked to her brother, "How's that sound Nicky?"
"Oh come on Anna, I'm not stupid enough to sleep in some alley in Spain."
"So where are you staying?"
"At a hotel?"
"With what money?"
"The money I make DJing."
"Okay but when you first get there you need to stay somewhere while you find a gig. Who's paying for those nights?"
Nicky looked dumbfounded as she found the missing link in his armor. He looked to Billy for help. The outlaw held up his hands passing. "Don't look at me. I just told you, I slept outside."
"With snakes and coyotes." Anna tacked on for effect.
It was at that point Nicky went on the defensive - and whined. "Why can't you just support my dream?"
"I will support your dream when you've planned it out, can afford it and can do it safely." she said catching up with the group.
"She's just looking out for you nino." Billy said patting Nick's shoulder, "Your dad too. Be grateful. After my mom died I went to my stepdad for help and he threw me out on my ass. Your family is trying to help you be successful, be happy they aren't slamming the door in your face."
The next room they entered was the brightest part of the museum they'd seen yet. It was a huge circular multi storied room with a circular column going up the center with a staircase that allowed visitors to go all the way to the top. All around their group statues of various animals had come to life, some made of stone, others metal or wood, many in an array of colors and textures.
The bird sculptures flew about the room while the cats leapt up that rail of the stairway. They passed two elephants made of white porcelain that had their horns painted gold to match a swirling pattern over their faces and ears that continued to their backs. A pair of peacocks waddled by to their right, the metal they were made of flowing like feathers giving them a surreal appearance. Their gold heads cocked inquisitively at the group as they passed and drew the attention of a green hippo that was possibly made of jade.
At the front was Larry who was again joined by Lancelot, "First quest?"
"Uh, not exactly."
"I thought you were going to Egypt."
Anna stopped to watch some butterflies on the stairs as they opened and shut their colorful wings.
"We are but we've go to do this first."
Lancelot shook his head, "That's not how a quest works. A quest is one thing. It's not like 'Holy Grail and a monkey'."
"Yeah, well my guys are missing and Dexter's going to find them."
They passed several gold and silver people who had tall hats and large decorative collars that rose from their shoulders. They were dancing in sync which made Sacagawea smile and Attila stopped momentarily and rose his hands palm up and started copying their movements.
"What is the quest? Gold? Fountain of Youth?"
"Magic tablet. It's that thing Ahk's holding." Larry gestured behind them and Lancelot turned as Ahkmenrah nodded to him.
Lancelot dropped his voice to whisper to Larry, "It shouldn't be too hard to take it from him. He seems well toned and lean – but weak. It would be like taking candy from a feeble Egyptian baby."
"No we're not trying to take it we're trying to fix it. There's something wrong with it. It's kind of complicated."
"It might be less complicated if you stopped following a chimpanzee."
"He's not a chimpanzee he's a capuchin." Larry picked up his pace leaving the group behind as he followed the map on his phone.
"You often leave a man behind Sir Knight?" Billy spoke up with a slight mockery in his tone. Lancelot turned as they stopped walking. "Not a bunch for loyalty are you?"
"How dare you. My loyalty to my king is as deep as any knight."
"Loyal enough to try and steal his girl?" Billy laughed.
Lancelot looked angry but restrained himself, "Consider yourself lucky I have taken a vow of chivalry. No worthy knight attacks another knight until he has properly prepared himself with armor and weapon. Though perhaps that is not how you and your fellow stable boys behave."
"Stable boys?"
"Well judging by your attire." Lancelot said looking Billy up and down. That's when he noticed the gun in Billy's holster. He chuckled "Is that your weapon of choice? Tiny little thing. Cute, one might say."
"How about we step outside like gentlemen and I'll show you how cute the Thunderer is."
Lancelot continued to laugh, "Your threats are just adorable. Tell me where do you get your courage?"
"You wouldn't be the first person to underestimate me." Billy replied, his normally light blue eyes turning into blue fire. Lancelot rested his hand on the hilt of his blade.
Then Teddy stepped in, "As President I must ask that this duel be postponed until our quest is complete." He said cheerfully, keeping his tone light to try and dissolve the tension. Lancelot cleared his throat and removed his hand from his sword.
"It's still unclear to me what powers this 'presidency' grants you but nevertheless you are right. Quest first. Duel later."
With the promise of a fight to come Billy was sated enough to let Anna take his elbow and lead him along. After they'd moved on Lancelot craned his head toward Teddy.
"The fool seems agitated."
"That's often his way. But I assure you, he is no fool."
"Is it true what Dangly Bells says? The tablet you carry is magic?" he asked turning to Ahkmenrah.
"It is indeed. Everything around you has come to life tonight for the very first time all because of this tablet."
They ducked as the flock of birds swooped low, it scared a leopard onto the steps where many of the peacocks opened their tails in defense.
"Amazing. Then they're not real?"
"They're as real as any of us." Teddy replied.
"Yes but we're real people they're just, things. And they don't even know. They must be unbelievably stupid."
"It can be confusing at first." They jumped back as a large metal frog hopped on by taking Lancelot's attention.
"Hello frog. Keep hopping. You're real."
"Guys." Larry called. "I think we're going to have to cut through Asia."
Standing tall Lancelot charged onward overcoming Larry to take the lead. Ahkmenrah and Teddy stayed behind watching the man march. "Not a clue."
"None."