A Wild West Night at the Smithsonian - outlaw - young gun - Billy the Kid

Chapter 1

"So what are you going to do?" Anna overheard the muffled voice of her step-brother through the front door just before a key began to turn in the lock.

"I gotta go after them." Larry Daley's voice answered, "Figure the rest out from there."

The door opened and the pair immediately saw Anna sitting there at the dining room table on her laptop where she'd been looking at pictures on her university's website. She only had a few weeks left to sign up for a dorm.

"Hey Anna." Larry greeted her though he looked worried and very, very serious. Anna had gotten to know Larry well in the last three years, since her father married Nicky's mom. She'd been the second person he'd let in on the secret of the museum, the first of course being his son. She'd even been going with Nicky on Wednesday nights when his dad would take him to work with him. But that fun loving guy who blasted music for the exhibits to party to was long gone right now which told Anna something was up.

"Listen, something's come up and I can't watch Nicky this weekend. Do you think Erica would mind?"

"Well she's out with some of the other lawyers right now, it's girl's night." She shrugged, "But it shouldn't be a problem. What's up?"

"Umm. . . " Larry trailed off, his mind clearly somewhere else. Seeing his dad's frazzled state Nicky answered for him.

"All the exhibits got shipped to the Smithsonian for some stupid renovation project." He began and Anna's eyes widened. "But Dexter got hold of the tablet and Jed just called dad, shouting about some trouble they're in."

"Alright, I've got my flight booked." Larry chimed in tapping away at his phone, "Then I've got to be back Monday to plan a pitch with Wal Mart."

"You're going to D.C.?" Anna asked skeptically.

"Got to. They're my friends, they're in trouble."

"Good luck explaining that to the staff in Washington." She muttered making both boys freeze and stare at her. She looked back and forth between them and pointed out the obvious, "The Capitol is the most secure place in the country. They're not just going to let you in because you claim your friends – inanimate exhibits- need your help. You're not even working for the Natural History Museum anymore. They're going to be suspicious when the guy who made the Super Big Dog Bone suddenly wants access to their archives."

Larry sighed, his arms dropping to his sides, phone still in hand, "She's right. I need a cover story."

"Or someone who knows more about museum curating then you." Anna suggested lifting her eyebrows suggestively. Since Larry had been taking her to the museum Anna's interest in history had peaked. She was intending to start college in the fall as a history major in hopes of working at a museum one day.

"Noooo....." Larry dragged out the word, "What about your dad?"

"He's in Chicago on a business trip all weekend, he won't even know I'm gone. Besides, I'm eighteen he can't tell me what to do anymore."

Larry pointed at her with his phone, "He's paying your full ride to college, I'm pretty sure that extends his rights to tell you what to do."

"But he's not even here!"

"She's got a point dad, and you can use the help." Nicky chimed in for her defense.

Larry looked between the two knowing some good points were being made. Anna's research on museum archives and storage would be helpful. And she'd gone to the Smithsonian only a year ago with her school, she'd be more familiar with the place then he was. He sighed and started tapping on his phone again. "We'll need a second plane ticket."