Curse of Atlantis Read online

  As they rounded the top of the hill, the ocean now appeared before them. Far off in the distance, Jack could see several lessor peaks that dotted the landscape.

  “Javi, is one of those our target for today?” Jack pointed, now feeling a bit overwhelmed by the daunting task.

  “Yup… see that one to the right sitting below that high peak?” Javier pointed.

  “Just below the one with the old fortress on it?”

  “That’s the one. We should be able to get about a mile away from it by jeep trail. The hike to the top didn’t look too strenuous from the details on the maps either,” Javier said with relief.

  “So, what’s the plan once we reach the summit?”

  “We’ll do a quick survey of the land… see if there’s anything that’s stands out. Who knows, maybe we’ll get lucky and hit it on the first day.”

  “And if we don’t get lucky?”

  “It’s going to be long day in the sun,” Javier replied.

  Several minutes passed until Darrien slowed the beat-up old car to nearly a stop. Making a hard left turn, he steered into a bumpy dirt road, laden with rocks and gravel. Steering wildly to avoid dips and obstacles in the road, Darrien expertly negotiated the difficult driving while his occupants were tossed about the cab. As the road finally ended, Jack and Javier breathed a sigh of relief as the sight of the elevated terrain sat in front of them.

  “End of the road, sirs,” Darrien said, a smile stretched across his face from the excitement of the previous ride.

  “I think I lost a filling back there somewhere,” Jack blurted out, sarcastically.

  “Sorry, sir, I tried my best to avoid the rough sections.”

  “I’m glad you found the smooth sections. I don’t think my kidneys could take the rough stuff,” Jack joked further.

  The three men climbed out of the car and prepared to make the trek to the summit of the hill, five hundred feet above them. With their gear secured to their backs, they started off up the side of the hill. Weaving his way around the heavy brush and boulders, Jack forged a path up the steep mountain side with Darrien close behind. Stopping every few minutes, they waited patiently for Javier to catch up. Nearly two hours later, the three stood and rested on the mountain top.

  The view was magnificent. To their south, the ocean went on forever. To their north, they could see the distant shores of Greece. Mountainous and gray, they reminded Jack of the Rocky Mountains he’d climbed so many times before.

  As Jack breathed in the fresh, clean air, Javier sat and rested.

  “I’m getting too old for this,” Javier said, breathing heavily and dripping with sweat.

  “I’m guessing you’ll sleep tonight,” Jack responded.

  “I’m ready to sleep now,” he shot back.

  “I think you did a great job, Mr. Arista,” Darrien said, respectfully.

  “Darrien, call me Javi. I hear 'mister' and I think I’m in trouble,” Javier replied, still out of wind.

  “Ok, Javi, this is your show. Where do we go from here?” Jack asked.

  “Well, first things first. I’ll need a drink of water. After that, I’d like to get some readings on the soil,” he responded.

  Jack pulled off his pack and set it down on the dirt and gravel summit. Reaching in, he pulled out a water bottle and handed it to Javier. Immediately, he gulped the water, trying to satisfy his thirst.

  Jack was about to protest, but reconsidered. He knew Javier needed to water to maintain his stamina. If he needed to, he would share his rations with Javier in order to reach their goal.

  Javier placed the cap on the bottle and stood. Looking at Jack, he said, “Ok, how about that soil kit?”

  “One soil kit, coming up,” Jack responded.

  As Jack searched for the kit, Javier pulled a shovel from the side of Jack’s pack and began to dig a small hole. Struggling with the rocky topsoil, he dropped the shovel and pulled out a pick ax. With a few well-placed swings, he began to clear away several inches at a time.

  “Great work,” Darrien said, encouragingly.

  “Just like old times,” he said with a smile. “You know, when I was your age… and many pounds lighter, I could do this all day long.”

  “I believe you could,” Darrien said, politely.

  Looking over to Jack, Javier said, “I’m really getting to like this guy.”

  With a simple nod from Jack, Darrien smiled in relief.

  With a few more swings of the pick, Javier laid it down and rested a moment.

  “Ok, I’m going to show you how to analyze the soil,” he said to both Jack and Darrien.

  Grabbing a trowel from the backpack, he bent down at the one-foot deep ditch, and scooped out a small amount of soil.

  “Let’s have a look. Jack, can you hand me that chart?” he asked.

  Handing a small notebook to Javier, Jack said, “Tell me some good news, Professor.”

  Javier opened the small book of colored samples and matched the soil on the chart with the color palette in the notebook. With a simple nod, he stood and showed his findings.

  “This notebook is called a Munsell Color Chart. It basically determines the color of the soil. Once we have that information, we can then make some assumptions on its composition and origin,” Javier explained.

  “Ah, I think I get it. If it matches the color of the sand from the ocean floor, we can assume that the tsunami deposited that sand up here and therefore prove we’re looking in the right place,” Jack said proudly, trying to second guess Javier’s next statement.

  “That’s logical thinking Jack, but not quite correct. Most of the debris would come not from the ocean, but from the land we’re standing on. As the tsunami came ashore and picked up soils and other materials, it would have carried them far inland. So, we’re not comparing ocean sand to hilltop soil. What we’re looking for is much simpler and less specific.”

  He paused as he looked at the chart, the continued:

  “So, what I’m trying to do is narrow our search by ruling out the locations that couldn’t have been hit by the tsunami. If all the soil samples are similar in this region, one might conclude that either all the soil was the same to begin with, or a tsunami washed through and deposited similar materials up high. But, if we analyze the soil and it’s far different, there would be a high probability that a tsunami never affected this area.”

  “And if a tsunami never reached this area, then there couldn’t possibly be a pyramid buried underneath this location,” Jack blurted out.

  “Correct, Jack,” Javier said.

  “So, a few samples will tell you if a pyramid is buried underneath us?” Darrien asked.

  “Unfortunately, no. The soil collection is just a piece of the puzzle. We need other pieces of that puzzle to make a clear case about the location of the pyramid,” Javier replied.

  “What other pieces of the puzzle do you speak of,” Darrien asked, now very interested.

  “In Jack’s very heavy pack, you’ll find a bunch of equipment we’ll use to look beneath the surface of the soil. We’ll be using Ground Penetrating Radar, a device that sends out a high-frequency signal into the soil and records the data that is reflected back, basically giving us a picture of what lies beneath the surface up to a depth of forty-five feet. We’ll also be using an Electromagnetic Conductivity Meter and Electrical Resistance meter, two devices that measure electrical resistance in the ground to give us another way to examine the lands substructure. And to a lesser extent, we’ll be using a Magnetometer, which is basically a sophisticated metal detector. In addition to that, we have another soil test we’ll do that will help to give us a better understanding of the composition of the soil.”

  As Darrien nodded in understanding, Javier continued his explanation:

  “When we’ve collected all the data from these tests, we’ll then have a better understanding of what we’re looking at. With a high degree of accuracy, we’ll then be able to pinpoint where or even if we should start digging.”<
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  “In short… we have a hell of a lot of work to do today,” Jack said to no one in particular.

  “And not nearly enough time to do it all in,” Javier added.

  “So what’s the plan?” Jack asked.

  “We’ll start at the top and work our way lower. I’d like to be done by the 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, the light finally began to fade. With their last task complete, Jack and Darrien hurried back up the hill to Javier’s location. Rounding a bluff, Jack spotted movement on the other side. Moving slowly, step by step, Javier struggled to haul the enormous pack down the mountain.

  “Javi, what the hell are you doing?” Jack called out, as he rushed to meet him.

  Javier slowed to a stop. Immediately, he dropped the heavy pack and panted uncontrollably. Completely drenched in sweat, his face blazed red from heat and exhaustion.

  “Javi, you don’t look well. Drink some of this,” Jack said, now handing him his water bottle.

  Without a word, Javier took the bottle and gulped the warm stale water. Racing to hydrate his overexerted body, excess water poured from his mouth and drained down the front of his shirt and pants. Moments later, the bottle was empty.

  “More… do you have any more?” he asked, still out of breath.

  Darrien stepped forward and handed his bottle to Javier. Instantly, he gulped the contents between breaths. Feeling some relief, his breathing slowed and he felt rested enough to speak.

  “Did you get the data?” he asked, ignoring his dangerous heath state.

  “Javi, you can’t push yourself like this. You could easily have had heatstroke or worse, a heart attack,” Jack scolded. “Why didn’t you call me?”

  “Sorry, I finished my work and didn’t want to interrupt yours just to come back up and collect the equipment, so I decided to haul it down myself,” Javier explained. “I guess I didn’t realize how strained I was until I saw you.”

  “For a minute there, I thought we were going to have to carry you out on a stretcher,” Jack continued.

  “For a minute there, I thought the same thing.”

  “So did you get the data?” Javier asked once more.

  “Yes… I did,” Jack said, his voice now turning dark.

  “What did you find?” Javier asked.

  “I’m sorry Javi, the lower we went on the mountain, the more the soil changed in color. I don’t think the tsunami reached this height in elevation,” Jack said, sadly.

  Javier nodded and replied, “I don’t think so either, Jack. I spent all day analyzing the sites up there using every piece of equipment in your pack. I even tried using your homemade radar platform. By the way, I’m sorry, Jack, but I don’t think it’s working,” Javier added, trying to let down Jack delicately, then continued, “all I found was a lot of dirt and a few really big boulders… certainly nothing that would convince me there’s a pyramid beneath it all.”

  “I’m sorry, Javi,” Jack said, with deep sympathy.

  “It’s ok, Jack. I kind of figured we weren’t going to hit it on the first try anyway,” Javier replied. Staring past Jack, he became suddenly began pensive, adding, “Still… I was hoping.”

  “Where to next?” Darrien asked, breaking Javier’s stare.

  “Home. It’s been very long day. I think we all need some sleep.” Jack suggested, now yawning.

  “And a bit of luck,” Javier added, his tone turning grave once more.

  “We don’t need luck, Javi. We’re smart and we’re determined. We’ll find it,” Jack responded with unshakeable resolve.

  Javier smiled a bit, then added, “Smart and determined are great qualities, but I won’t turn my nose up at a bit luck either.”

  Jack smiled knowingly as he bent down to load his pack on his back.

  Chapter 10

  Jack heard the piercing sound of his alarm, abruptly pulling him from his sleep. In reflex, he flung his arm over to the nightstand and pressed the "off" button on the clock. Bringing his wrist back to his face, he checked the time through th
e narrow slits between his eyelids.

  “Four-thirty… ugh,” Jack moaned, letting his arm flop down on the bed next to him.

  He lay for a moment and closed his eyes, his mind drifting to Serena. He felt warm as he remembered her touch on his hand and smiled as he replayed their kiss over and over. As he continued think about their memories together, sadness swept his body. Suddenly, he sprang upright.

  “Bastards!” he blurted out angrily.

  Quickly, he showered and dressed, trying to get a jump on the start of the day. As he entered the main living area in the small home, all the lights were on and the smell of coffee wafted through the room. Spread out over the old couch and worn coffee table were reams of data, photos, and computer equipment and in the center of it all, sat Javier.

  “My God, Javi. You’re running yourself into the ground. Did you get any sleep at all last night?”

  “Morning Jack,” Javier responded, completely ignoring Jack’s scolding. “After reviewing the data we collected yesterday, I’m thinking we should pick one of the targets closer to Kapsali’s shoreline. Maybe the tsunami wasn’t as big as we thought. If that’s the case, it wouldn’t have traveled as far inland as we predicted.”

  “Hmm, sounds logical, although that means the pyramid would have to be a lot smaller than five hundred feet tall.”

  “Five hundred feet tall was just the high end of the range, Jack. It could easily be a lot smaller, which would make its location closer to shore more convincing.”

  “I suspect it might also rule out some of the higher mountains in that area, narrowing our search,” Jack said, encouragingly.

  “Absolutely. I’ve crossed three locations off our list in the Kapsali region,” Javier replied, his tone turning upbeat.