Control | Moon Knight

31

Steven beams as he eyes the ushabti, but his smile only grows once his head turns and his eyes lock on Cleo. He instantly runs down to her, bringing her into his embrace, his chest flushing against her newly acquired armor, something that makes him pull back and his eyes furrow.

" Where'd this come from?" He asks.

" Would you believe me if I told you that it came from a magic amulet?" Cleo asks.

And Steven considers it for a moment, but ultimately shrugs in agreement. He's heard crazier.

" Look," He says as he holds up the ushabti and shows it off proudly, " We won," he lets out a happy giggle, " And the ushabti goes to, us. I mean, I did have to go digging down Alexander the Great's gullet, but I found it."

Cleo smiles back at him, watching his pupils dilate in excitement and thrill. She reaches forward and grabs his hand, sending sparks up his spine and a blush to his cheeks as they lock eyes. Cleo's newfound confidence sends her stepping forward, closer to Steven, leaning in to connect their lips, but failing to do so just as their lips barely touch.

" Can he hear me?"

Their eyes move towards the voice, finding Layla with a clenched jaw and glossy eyes as she stalks into the grand tomb.

" What? Alexander?" Steven asks as he looks back at the sarcophagus, " I don't think so. God, I hope not."

" What happened to my father?" Layla urges as she approaches them both, " I'm talking to you. I'm talking to you, Marc!"

Layla lands a fist to Steven's chest, and his eyes instantly roll back into his head in order to make the switch, and in the blink of an eye, Marc takes control of the body.

" Come on, let's go," He hushes, " Cleo, come on."

He reaches out to take the hand of the archaeologist, but gets stopped by his ex-wife.

" No," Layla states.

" We have to go right now."

" Marc--"

" Layla, we have to go right now."

" Marc, no! What happened to my father?"

" Listen to me," Marc starts as he stands with her face to face, "We need to leave right now, I will explain everything I swear, but we have to go."

" Did you kill him?" Layla questions, her voice gruff and full of pain, " Did you kill Abdullah El Faouly?"

" Of course not!" He exclaims, " Of course, I didn't!"

And while his words may be true, more truth lingers behind them.

" But you were there," She adds as her voice trembles, " You were there."

" I was there," Marc sighs as he speaks honestly, " Yeah, I was there."

" And how did he die?" Layla questions.

Marc takes his time to regain his composure, and Cleo steps forward to place a hand on her friend's shoulder.

" Layla..." She says softly, " You don't need to--"

" I need to know," Layla rebuts as she brushes off her hand, " I need to know."

" My partner got greedy," Marc sighs, " He executed everyone at the dig site," and as Layla turns, Cleo's eyes are locked on him as the story grows increasingly familiar to her mind, " I tried to save your father, but I couldn't save him..."

" No... but you brought a killer right to him!" Layla shouts as she shoves his chest.

And Marc takes the anger from his ex-wife as Cleo begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together.