The Imagination Latibule: Moon Knight - The Rise of the Moon

Chapter 11

"Y/n, come in," Mogart offered as he slid off his horse and wrapped a robe around his otherwise scarcely clothed body. You and Marc walked through the arena to meet him. "Such a delight to meet you."

"You, too," you said, trying not to pull away as he kissed the back of your hand. "Thank you for having us over on such short notice."

"Oh, please. I hope you realize you need no excuse to drop by. Any friend of Layla's is a friend of mine."

You nodded, and stood slightly to the side to introduce Marc. "This is my husband, Rufino."

"Nice to meet you," Marc said unconvincingly. 

"Pleasure," Mogart said, although his face said otherwise as he encouraged the two of you to walk beside him. "I hope you understand this is more than a collection to me. Preserving history is a responsibility I take very seriously."

"A self-appointed responsibility that you alone were able to enjoy, no?" Marc accused as the three of you walked towards a glass pyramid that housed his artefacts.

"Well, I prefer to see it as a philanthropic effort at preservation," Mogart responded coldly, and you sighed. Marc was on the offensive, and there was no stopping that. "Now, if I may ask, why such interest in Senfu in particular?"

"Oh, actually, our purchases are--"

"--I'm sorry. I'd like to hear from your husband, if you don't mind."

Marc wasn't as well prepared as you'd hoped. "Oh. I think that... I think I just would love to take a look."

"Feel free," Mogart said suspiciously, waving his hands towards his collection.

You grabbed Marc's hand before he could walk inside. "I don't doubt you, but please, just let Steven out before you blow this."

Marc pulled his hand away. "Not a chance." It was your turn to scowl at him. Steven was so much more knowledgeable than you or him would ever be, but Marc was even more stubborn.

"All right, what do you see?" he asked.

"Well," you said, running your fingers lightly across the sarcophagus. "The burial practices are in line with the Studenwachen texts."

"The what?"

"It's legit," you simplified. "But all I'm seeing is literature to guide the dead. There's no location indicated."

"Because the information has to be unlocked," Steven said suddenly. He'd been quiet a long while and you'd begun to worry. You smiled at his reflection. "It's coded."

"Okay, um... Will you give me a minute?" Marc asked you. "I gotta talk to Steven... Just keep him occupied."

You sighed and wandered out of the pyramid shaped museum. Mogart raised his eyebrows at you.

"He just needs a couple minutes in there alone..." you trailed off as you looked back to see him talking furiously to Steven. "Yeah. He is... He's praying."

You wandered to the other side of Mogart, so his attention would be drawn to you as the two of you watched the party continue, but you didn't bet on his security guard coming back.

"What are you doing?" Bek asked Marc as he saw him fiddling with something in the sarcophagus.

"Marc! Don't!" You cried, knowing what he would do. He spun around, yanking the gun out of Bek's hand, and immediately, one of Mogart's men had a gun pressed to your temple as Marc trained his on Bek. You gulped. It was a position you'd never been in.

"Shit," Marc said, angry that the two of you had been caught out, but seeing your panic, and he passed back the gun to Bek.

"Do you really think I'm an idiot?" Mogart scoffed, walking slowly towards him. "Get on your knees."