time night falls, but if we’re not, at least we’ll be near civilization where we’ll have access to lighting,” Javier replied.
“And a bed… I’m pretty sure by the time night falls, we’re going to be dragging,” Jack said.
“How many of these locations did you say we have?” Darrien asked.
“Sixteen,” Javier replied flatly.
“I’ll bet now you wish you hadn’t signed up for this job, huh?” Jack teased.
“Mr. Arista pays me well. I will gladly work for him. I have worked much harder for less,” Darrien said, proudly.
Jack placed his hand on Darrien’s shoulder. Looking over to Javier, he smiled and said, “I’m really beginning to like this guy too.”
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
While Javier set up the electronic equipment, Jack and Darrien dug holes and collected soil data at locations Javier had marked on a topographical map. Alone with his memories, Javier stood for a moment and thought about Serena. He wondered if she was eating or sleeping. Thinking of her in the hands of evil men tore through his heart, his body nearly collapsing with overwhelming grief. Staring down at his ground radar equipment, he stood stoically as his eyes began to water.
Deep in his mind, the magnitude of his undertaking ate away at his psyche. He began to question his competency. Looking from one barren mountain top to the next, he rationalized the absurdity of an ancient pyramid buried somewhere beneath them.
Suddenly, he shook his head in anger. Standing tall, he forced the negativity from his mine.
“It’s here. It has to be here,” he said resolutely.
Javier looked down at the three-wheeled radar device in his hand. With a flick of a switch, he turned on the power and began to push the unit along the ground. Confident now and determined, he focused his concentration on the digital readout. If the pyramid existed, he would find it.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Jack swung the pick into the ground with heavy force, breaking the surface and driving the ax deep into the ground. With a quick flick of his wrist, he pulled a large clump of dirt from the hole and deposited it to one side. Again, he repeated the action, now sweating profusely as he worked. He wiped away the sweat with his shirt sleeve and continued on. Within minutes, he laid the pick on the ground and reached for the shovel.
Digging the loose dirt from the hole, he scooped it out and through the sandy soil on the growing pile. Minutes later, with the hole at the correct depth, he dropped the shovel and grabbed the small trowel.
“Well , Darrien, let’s see if we have a match . Can you hand me the Munsell Color Chart?” Jack asked.
“Absolutely,” Darrien responded , only too happy to help.
Jack reached into the hole and stuck the point of the trowel into the soil. Carefully, he lifted the tool back and pulled the sample out from the hole. Taking the notebook from Darrien, he opened it and began to match the soil to the pictures on the charts.
“Bingo, we have match,” Jack said, pleased with himself.
“Same as the soil on the summit?” Darrien asked.
“I’m not an expert, but it sure looks that way to me,” Jack responded, now showing the chart to Darrien.
“This is exciting, wouldn’t you say, Jack?” Darrien asked, his enthusiasm now showing through.
Jack’s mind immediately drifted off to Serena. Staring into the valley below, his emotions tugged at his heart as he thought about her gentle smile and their warm kiss the day she was taken. He felt a sense of loss and deep sadness as he thought about the love that almost was. Feeling cheated, feeling angry, he hurriedly stood and grabbed the shovel and ax.
“Let 's go,” he said roughly.
“Did I say something wrong?” Darrien replied, in surprise.
“No Darrien, you said something right.”
Jack turned and headed down the hill toward their next location, his focus now sharp and determined.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Many hours later, as the sun touched the distant horizon,
“And a bed… I’m pretty sure by the time night falls, we’re going to be dragging,” Jack said.
“How many of these locations did you say we have?” Darrien asked.
“Sixteen,” Javier replied flatly.
“I’ll bet now you wish you hadn’t signed up for this job, huh?” Jack teased.
“Mr. Arista pays me well. I will gladly work for him. I have worked much harder for less,” Darrien said, proudly.
Jack placed his hand on Darrien’s shoulder. Looking over to Javier, he smiled and said, “I’m really beginning to like this guy too.”
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
While Javier set up the electronic equipment, Jack and Darrien dug holes and collected soil data at locations Javier had marked on a topographical map. Alone with his memories, Javier stood for a moment and thought about Serena. He wondered if she was eating or sleeping. Thinking of her in the hands of evil men tore through his heart, his body nearly collapsing with overwhelming grief. Staring down at his ground radar equipment, he stood stoically as his eyes began to water.
Deep in his mind, the magnitude of his undertaking ate away at his psyche. He began to question his competency. Looking from one barren mountain top to the next, he rationalized the absurdity of an ancient pyramid buried somewhere beneath them.
Suddenly, he shook his head in anger. Standing tall, he forced the negativity from his mine.
“It’s here. It has to be here,” he said resolutely.
Javier looked down at the three-wheeled radar device in his hand. With a flick of a switch, he turned on the power and began to push the unit along the ground. Confident now and determined, he focused his concentration on the digital readout. If the pyramid existed, he would find it.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Jack swung the pick into the ground with heavy force, breaking the surface and driving the ax deep into the ground. With a quick flick of his wrist, he pulled a large clump of dirt from the hole and deposited it to one side. Again, he repeated the action, now sweating profusely as he worked. He wiped away the sweat with his shirt sleeve and continued on. Within minutes, he laid the pick on the ground and reached for the shovel.
Digging the loose dirt from the hole, he scooped it out and through the sandy soil on the growing pile. Minutes later, with the hole at the correct depth, he dropped the shovel and grabbed the small trowel.
“Well , Darrien, let’s see if we have a match . Can you hand me the Munsell Color Chart?” Jack asked.
“Absolutely,” Darrien responded , only too happy to help.
Jack reached into the hole and stuck the point of the trowel into the soil. Carefully, he lifted the tool back and pulled the sample out from the hole. Taking the notebook from Darrien, he opened it and began to match the soil to the pictures on the charts.
“Bingo, we have match,” Jack said, pleased with himself.
“Same as the soil on the summit?” Darrien asked.
“I’m not an expert, but it sure looks that way to me,” Jack responded, now showing the chart to Darrien.
“This is exciting, wouldn’t you say, Jack?” Darrien asked, his enthusiasm now showing through.
Jack’s mind immediately drifted off to Serena. Staring into the valley below, his emotions tugged at his heart as he thought about her gentle smile and their warm kiss the day she was taken. He felt a sense of loss and deep sadness as he thought about the love that almost was. Feeling cheated, feeling angry, he hurriedly stood and grabbed the shovel and ax.
“Let 's go,” he said roughly.
“Did I say something wrong?” Darrien replied, in surprise.
“No Darrien, you said something right.”
Jack turned and headed down the hill toward their next location, his focus now sharp and determined.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Many hours later, as the sun touched the distant horizon,
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