Greek Runaway

Πενήντα πέντε(Fifty Five)

"I need you to listen to me," Larry said

"Our esteemed chairwoman asked for my resignation. She said, 'since the Night Program was my brainchild... that the buck starts and stops with me.'" Dr. McPhee said holding a box ready to pack his stuff.

"I can fix it," Larry said trying to explain.

"How?"

"I need you to let me take the tablet and Ahkmenrah to London."

"Sorry. I'm just processing that." Dr. McPhee said. Then he made his voice high-pitched. "Input data analysis. I've just told you I'm being fired, and the first thing you ask... is if I'd allow you to take some priceless artifacts... away with you on holiday."

"Yes. Please." Larry said.

"No way, José."

"I'm asking you to please go with me on this."

"Nah."

"Please."

"Can't do it, dude. Bye." Dr. McPhee said as he thought Larry was leaving. He watched as he closed the door and came back to Dr. McPhee. "Are you gonna mug me?"

"What?"

"I don't know. Just be prepared."

"I need you to listen to me."

"Oh."

"Okay?" Larry asked.

"Yep."

"You want to know the truth?"

"Go on."

"Truth is, the tablet... The tablet is actually magic. Things really do come to life at night." Larry said.

"It's special effects."

"It's not special effects. How could it be special effects?"

"How could it not be special effects?" Dr. McPhee asked not believing Larry.

"Because it isn't!"

"Of course it is!"

"I'm telling you, this is what happens."

"What?"

"Sun goes down... the tablet starts to glow... everything comes to life."

"Sure." Dr. McPhee said in disbelief.

"It's real."

"'Tablet starts to glow.' Now I know you're mental."

"Look, Leslie... Listen to me." Larry said coming closer to Dr. McPhee. As he got closer, Dr. McPhee backed away quickly. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

"I know. Just... What?" Dr. McPhee asked leaning back acting 'cool'.

"Listen, nobody cares about this place as much as we do, right?"

"Yeah."

"If you don't help me... everything that's special about it might stop... and it may never come back. I'm not asking you to understand, I'm just asking you to trust me." Larry explained.

"I'd like to help you... but I don't even work here anymore."

"British Museum doesn't know that," Larry said convincing Dr. McPhee to do it. Dr. McPhee sat at what used to be his desk and used the phone that used to be his and called the British Museum.

"The mummy and the tablet, both. Classic conservation job... under authority of me, of course... the director of this museum, which I still am. Yep, okay." Dr. McPhee hung up the phone. "You're in."

Later that night Larry bought two airline tickets to fly him and Nicky to London. When they landed they had some time to explore London before the tablet would glow and bring the guys to life. They currently are standing and looking at Tower Bridge.

"I really could have just stayed by myself in New York," Nicky said to his dad trying to convince him.

"Yeah. No, that wasn't gonna happen. Beautiful?" Larry asked looking at the bridge.

"Yeah."

"The River Thames. Isn't this cool, man, you and me in London?"

"Huh? Yeah."

"Hey, I've been thinking about that, year off."

"Yeah?"

"I think it could be cool," Larry said agreeing.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. What are you thinking?" Larry asked wanting to know what Nicky was thinking.

"Yeah. Wow. I think I want to DJ in Ibiza."

"In Ibiza?"

"Ibiza, it's a small island off the coast of Spain."

"Do you speak Spanish?"

"No. But that's the beautiful thing. It's about the music. It's not inhibited by the language barrier."

"No, but you are. Do you speak in beats?"

"Why are you freaking out? You just said this was a really cool idea." Nicky asked slightly freaking out.

"I'm not freaking out. I just want to understand what the plan is." Larry said explaining.

"You didn't go to college."

"Wait, now we're talking about not going to college at all?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"Nicky. Nicky. That's not..."

"Dad, you didn't go to college. You turned out fine."

"I turned out okay after about 20 years and a lot of dead ends."

"Whatever, man. Don't worry about me. It's fine."

"Hey, I'm always gonna worry about you. I'm your dad."

"Thanks. Sun is going down. We should get going."

"All right." They left and got a car for the crate for Ahkmenrah and his tablet. Larry drove them to the British Museum.

"Dad, what's the plan here, anyway?"

"When the tablet brings Ahkmenrah to life, he's gonna sneak us in. Now, get down." Larry told him to get down.

"What?"

"Just get down! Come on, man. Part of the adventure." Larry repeated and Nicky finally got down and hid from view.