Words:990 Characters: Larry Daley & Steve Grant Summary: It’s Larry’s last night working at the Museum when a patron shows up asking for his help. A/N:I know literally nothing about Moonknight except the Disney+ show, but you can not convince me these two would not be best friends.
Larry Daley walked the familiar halls of the American Natural History Museum in New York City. The museum had seen many changes during his tenure as Chief Night Security Guard. And that night he would be joyfully ushering in another new era. Larry lazily swung his key ring on his finger as he walked, nodding politely to the museum’s few straggling guests he encountered while they hurried from exhibit hall to exhibit hall trying to see as much as possible in what little time they had left. The museum didn’t close for another hour or two, just around sunset, so Larry wasn’t even on duty yet.
He’d arrived earlier than usual to savor the museum in a state he rarely saw it, quiet. While most patrons went along happily from the bird hall to the reptile amphibian hall, never once thinking it odd to not hear a squawk or the flapping of wings, Larry found the Natural History Museum during the day unsettling. It was the calm before the storm. Thousands of exhibits just lying in wait. Of course, few knew about the true storm brewing in the museum. The list was very need-to-know and it was surprising how little anyone else neededto know.
But this was the eve of his retirement. After sixteen years of being the museum’s Chief and only night security guard it was time to pass the torch, or in this case flashlight, to someone else. It hadn’t been an easy decision for Larry to make. Fifty-six years old was young for retirement. As much as it pained him to say it, he just couldn’t keep up with the demands of the job anymore. A glance at his smart watch told Larry it was now an hour to sunset.
“Cutting it close, Nicky.” He shook his head. Twenty-six-year-old Nick Daley was Larry’s son and his night security replacement. Nick had been in on the museum secret since he was ten years old. It seemed only natural that he be the next to care for the exhibits and their nightly activities.
Larry came up on the Egyptian exhibit. It was mostly empty except for one man in a tattered brown jacket. The man’s back was turned to the entrance of the hall. He was looking at the tablet of Ahkmenrah in a way that made Larry feel uneasy. This happened sometimes. There were rumors and peopled talked about Ahkmenrah’s tablet possessing magic powers, what those powers were varied by story, and occasionally Larry or one of the day guards would have to shoo out an eager tourist hoping to stay the night in the museum. Most of the time these lurkers fell into one of two categories, teenagers on a dare or eccentric scientists.
“Ah, ‘scuse me?” Larry called out to the man, his New York accent sounding thicker than he ever remembered it. The man wheeled round, his expression surprised and possibly full of guilt. The man had dark curly hair and soft brown eyes. He was maybe a decade younger than the night guard and far too handsome to be an eccentric scientist. “Just wanted to let you know the museum will be closin’ soon. We usually shut down these back exhibits first.”
“Oh.” The man nodded, trying to gain his composure. “Yes of course.” That was when Larry caught the first hint of an accent. The man was British. “Sorry, I thought there was another hour or so until sunset.”
Larry didn’t think it notable that the man mentioned sunset rather than the time the museum closed. He supposed someone could make the very easy connection that the museum always closed at sunset. The operating hours were even changed in the winter months to accommodate for shorter days.
“Yeah, well, like I said, we like to shut down the back exhibits first.” Larry repeated.
“Dad! There you are!” Nick Daley, wearing his nicely pressed night security uniform, stepped into the Egyptology Hall. “Dr. McPhee said you’ve been here for hours. Am I late? I thought we said we’d meet at seven.”
“No, no.” Larry shook his head. “I just wanted to,” He stole a glance at the British man and chose his next words carefully. “Just wanted to give everyone a good send off.”
“Send off?” The British man repeated. “Sorry,” He apologized quickly. “I didn’t mean to ease drop but are you…going somewhere?”
“Not tonight.” Larry warned him. “But I am retiring. Nicky here is going to be the museum’s new Night Security Guard.” He tossed an arm around his son, pulling him into a sideways hug. Nick winced. Nothing like your old man embarrassing you on your first day.
“No, no, no.” The man shook his head. “That’s not going to do at all.” He sighed audibly. “You’re Larry Daley. The Larry Daley. I know how this is going to sound.” He sighed again “but I need to talk to him.” The man pointed to the sarcophagus of Ahkmenrah, “and I was told you’re the only one who can help me with that.”
Larry dropped his arm from Nick’s shoulder. He glanced sideways at his son, who only shrugged. “Don’t look at me.” Nick’s express said.
“Well, I hate to tell you this, Buddy, but he’s been dead for like three thousand years.” Larry laughed, pointing at Ahkmenrah.
“Over four thousand.” The man corrected. “But I’m not here to split hairs with you, Larry.” Larry tried to ask the man how he knew his name, but he kept talking. “My name is Steven Grant. Or at least I think it is. And I found these tapes…recordings that I made. And I know, I know, that this sounds crazy, but I think I worked here before at this museum, and I think me and this chap were friends.”
“What makes you think we can help you?” Nick asked.
“Because Kahmunrah at the British Museum said that I could trust you.” Steven replied.
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