by K. L. Nelson
And by the way, the man didn’t have an ounce of fat anywhere on him.
Soon the others caught up and joined them. “That was awesome!” Andrew exclaimed.
“Yeah, nice catch man,” Damien agreed.
“Well, you know,” Emmett replied modestly, “everyone gets lucky sometime.”
And weren’t they lucky he was with them, Skye thought. If he wasn’t, Lindsay would be on her way to the hospital. None of the guys on her team were so daring to do what Emmett had done. They were all a group of academics, not martial artists.
Though no one spoke, everyone was thinking the same thing: Who is this guy? As they drove home, the twins couldn’t decide whether they should be happy or terrified. Damien admired him and resolved to start working out. Lindsay thought she might be in love and was thinking about asking the professor if she was going to make a move and if not could she. Mert was planning his next Emmett debate with the team.
And Skye thought it was time Emmett leveled with her.
Now as they were all gathered around the table, each was wondering exactly how much trouble they were in for trusting this man. Skye in particular couldn’t help but think that she had grossly underestimated Emmett. Saving Lindsay from her fall required almost superhuman strength and agility. What kind of training had he been put through and why?
What is this firm Emmett works for, and why had it seen fit to send them a ninja in a business suit?
“I suggest that we keep this new discovery under wraps for the time being,” Emmett suggested, holding her gaze.
“What?” Skye replied. “Oh, you mean the stone.”
“Of course.” Emmett continued, “This project is too exposed. If the media gets hold of this there might be other disturbances.”
Skye nodded her head slowly, seeing his point. She wanted no more politics in their way than they already had. If the media got to know of this, they would announce it to the world and there would be pandemonium. Getting any research done would be nearly impossible with the whole world watching them. She looked at her team members one by one to see if they agreed with the suggestion.
Sebastian was sitting in front of her and he shrugged as if he couldn’t care one way or the other whether they told the world or not. Andrew gave a small nod of his head, staring at Emmett with a small frown on his face. Mert did not give any reaction when she looked at him; she guessed that he still smarted from Lindsay’s actions towards Emmett after he rescued her. Lindsay was the only one who eagerly bobbed her head when Skye looked at her. She would jump through hoops for Emmett right now.
“Very well. We will keep this under our hats,” she assured Emmett, her gaze coming to settle on his face.
“Then, I will leave you to your finding,” he said, excusing himself. He left the garage, but Skye was not far behind.
“Just a minute,” she called when they were out of earshot of the others.
“Yes?” Emmett replied turning to smile at the woman.
“Why the secrecy?” she asked, not allowing the smile to disarm her this time.
Emmett cocked his head. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“I mean the real reason,” she pressed. “Why are you so bent on keeping this under wraps?”
“Why, Miss McAlister,” Emmett responded, “are you implying I have an ulterior motive?”
“Stop playing games,” she said sternly. She knew Emmett Burke well enough to recognize he was oozing with ulterior motives.
And Emmett knew Skye well enough to realize it was only a matter of time before she figured everything out. “Alright look,” he said, taking her aside. “I work for the FBI…”
“Ha!” Skye burst out. “And the FBI is suddenly interested in archaeology?”
“Not hardly,” Emmett continued seriously, “but someone is and they’ve taken a keen interest in your project.”
Skye realized Emmett was staring her right in the eyes, and he wasn’t smiling. “Wait,” she said, pushing his hands off her shoulders. “You are an FBI agent? And some…what…some criminal is watching us? Why?”
“I don’t know yet,” Emmett replied seriously. He could see Skye wasn’t processing this well. “Look, if you don’t believe me just look at the thicket of trees to the north next time you’re at the site. He’s been there watching for weeks.”
Skye gasped. Now things started falling into place. “Why don’t you arrest him?” she asked.
“On what charge?” he replied. “He’d be back on the street in two minutes. Besides…” Emmett cut himself off, not knowing how much he should tell her. He trusted her; he’d vetted her and the entire team. But he wasn’t sure if sharing too much would put them all in danger.
“Besides what?” Skye pressed.
“Look, Skye. I may need your help. These guys don’t take no for an answer. They’re big and very elusive.”
“What guys?” Skye asked. “Who are you talking about?” She sounded as if she would take them on herself.
“Do you think the FBI is interested in this guy in the trees?” Emmett asked seriously. “We’re not in the business of putting henchmen in jail for a few months. The FBI has been after his organization for years, but we’ve always been three steps behind. Then you come along and suddenly their network lights up from L.A. to Chicago. I don’t know why, but someone is very interested in what you are digging up out here.”
“This doesn’t make any sense,” Skye said. “It’s just archaeology! We do it all the time.”
“Not to them,” Emmett assured. “They want to know what you’re up to, Skye. And trust me; they won’t stop until they find out.”
The professor sighed. “What do you need me for?”
Emmett shifted his weight. “Right now I need a decoy,” he explained. “I need your team out there digging every day keeping this guy occupied. If they find anything, have them cover it up and dig somewhere else. And when you’re not at the site I need you studying that stone. I need to find out why they’re so interested in this project.”
A look of terror shot over Skye’s face. “Emmett what is buried out there?”
Emmett knew exactly what she was talking about. The criminals may have concealed something in the ground, a stash of some kind or perhaps a body. But the agent already had that covered. “I don’t think they’re nervous about you finding something they’ve buried. I’ve been watching them. They haven’t become jittery at any particular point in your excavation. You guys have been all over that site.” Emmett took a breath and continued, “No, it’s gotta be something about that stone. That’s what has piqued their interest.”
“Alright, we’ll do our best to help,” Skye said, still not quite believing this was happening. She thought for a moment and then looked up. “And Emmett, I need you to do something for me.”
“What is it?” he asked.
Skye’s hand shot up and struck Emmett’s face cleanly.
“Don’t ever lie to me again,” she said.
Emmett stood watching the woman walk away. Slowly his look of bewilderment gave way to a smile.
“Skye McAlister,” he said under his breath, “you are one in a million.”
The world is an interesting place; so many things are happening at once when you think about it. And some of those things, one might say, are of ill repute. All the time culture seems to be striving for a new low. And just when you think we’d hit rock bottom something else comes along. It seems those who have taken it upon themselves to disseminate information to the masses are constantly on the lookout for some quirk to trumpet as if they’d found a new normal.
Skye always thought archaeology was the antithesis of that. Archaeology is pure. It looks objectively at the past and strives for understanding; not of some abstract ideology but simply of what was. It doesn’t rely on spin, it relies on fact. And it couches what we are in the context of where we came from. Perhaps that is the surest compass of all.
It peeved Skye that the world of high crime was striving to
make inroads into her world. It seemed Emmett Burke the FBI agent was there to make sure that didn’t happen. He’d better succeed. If not, she would.
“I would like to thank each one of you for a job well done,” Professor McAlister addressed the team inside. “Thanks to your perseverance and determination, we were able to make an amazing discovery that is destined to change history. I am fortunate to have each one of you on my team.” Her words were passionate and rang true as she looked squarely at each of them.
Skye and the team were physically drained after working through the night. Though she longed to spend some time analyzing the writing on the stone, she knew she would not be able to focus without some sleep. And she needed time to process what she was going to do about this strange new development. She wanted to bring her team up to speed on everything, but it had to be done the right way. They hadn’t signed up for this. Most of all, she had to sit down with Emmett and find out everything he knew. She had to make a plan with him.
Like everyone on the team, Skye was asleep when her head hit the pillow.
McAfee’s Diner
9:41 pm
“He was holding a gun?” Lindsay asked, her eyes as round as saucers.
Mert tisked. “Not holding it, Lindsay. It was strapped to his ankle,” he corrected.
Lindsay rolled her eyes. “But that’s what I meant,” she said sweetly.
“There is a difference between the two but seeing as you were saved by the man, you might not see it.” Mert was still seething about her rather long hug with Emmett. Lindsay was ridiculously pleased that Mert was dissatisfied with the hug. She had done it quite deliberately. It served him right for letting another man come to her rescue.
“So what was the idea you said you had?” Sebastian asked, trying to prevent the argument that was coming.
After a long nap earlier that morning, the team had awakened before the professor and went out to eat. Mert had recommended McAfee’s Diner and thought it was an ideal venue to spring his plan on the others. The diner itself was small but there was a large canopy in front which served as the eating area. The team of budding archaeologists had slid two tables together and huddled in to hear Mert’s big idea.
“I think we should search Emmett’s house,” Mert disclosed.
Suddenly everyone leaned back. Eyes began to roll.
“Are you crazy?” Lindsay asked in disbelief. “We are not cops, and did you see that security system?”
But Mert was only grinning. The mere thought of what he said excited him.
“Why would we want to do that?” Sebastian asked.
“Good question,” Mert beamed, basking in the attention. “Because I think he is hiding something. He is not at all what he says he is.”
“Of course, he isn’t. We figured that out a long time ago,” Lindsay huffed sarcastically. “But his firm helped us with the authorities and made our problems go away, remember?”
“Did he really?” Mert jeered.
“You think he and his firm are responsible for the troubles in the first place,” Damien surmised flatly. The way he phrased it as a statement and not a question made Mert grow defensive.
“Think about it; what kind of firm has that much power? His firm must have started the whole show in the first place and then helped us to gain our trust.” Mert rushed over his words, anxious for the others to believe him.
“Let’s say all this is true. Couldn’t he really be one of the good guys?” Sebastian asked.
“He was carrying a gun on him,” Mert said, emphasizing the ‘carrying’ to taunt Lindsay.
Andrew buried his face in his hands. “So, you think by searching his house we can find out who he really is?” he asked.
“Bingo!” he said, slapping him on the back. “You are the man.”
The rest were looking at him as if they were not certain of his sanity.
“And how do you suppose we get him out of the house to do it?” Lindsay asked, still scornful of the suggestion.
“Tomorrow night, after everyone’s off work…” Mert leaned forward even more and held his hands up while explaining his plan. He was quite proud of it. “We will find a way to keep him busy with Skye and go for it. We will do it fast. He won’t know anything at all.”
They sat listening to Mert for the next ten minutes as he detailed every step of his plan. There were several times he thought he was losing them, so he called upon all his powers of persuasion to get them on board.
As he always did, Mert was exaggerating the case by a large margin. They all knew it. Not one of them thought Mert’s plan was either plausible or well advised. But they let him talk. And when he wrapped it up, he leaned back and asked, “Who’s in?”
The young team looked at each other and shrugged.
“Sure,” Sebastian said.
“Let’s do it,” Lindsay agreed.
They were all in.
Mert almost fell off his chair. He couldn’t believe he’d done it. But it wasn’t his skill at debate or his expertise at masterminding a plan that had convinced them. They were just restless. They’d just spent an entire summer in a foreign country doing nothing but digging dirt. The discovery they’d made the previous night had given them a taste of excitement, and now they wanted more. This kind of thing may just be the cure for a positively dull year.
Little thought had been given to what they would do with any information they found on Emmett. Mert hadn’t planned that far ahead. Several times Andrew had wanted to ask, “Then what?” But he held his tongue. No one really cared anyway. This was going to be fun.
And who knows? They might just find something.
Tintbay Garden
10:53 pm
Emmett entered his house and dropped on the sofa. Finally Skye knew the truth. He was not so concerned with her knowing about the investigation, but of him. Of all the work he did for the Bureau, undercover work was his least favorite. Oh sure, it was fun getting into character and deceiving the bad guys. But there was always collateral damage, innocent bystanders who had to be kept in the dark to pull it off. They didn’t deserve that. Now that Skye knew who he really was, it was like a weight being lifted off his soul. In time Skye would forgive. The slap to the face was a good sign. Now he could earn her trust. He could prove himself. When she needed him, he would be there.
Emmett took his phone from his pocket and pressed one button. It connected him directly to his supervisor at D.C. via an encrypted signal. It was as secure as the massive FBI resources could make it.
“Maddox,” a voice said.
“It’s Burke,” Emmett said. “The team found something today. I brought the professor in. She’s examining it to see if there’s anything there.”
“Good,” Maddox replied. “Maybe now they’ll make a move. Staring each other down is getting old. The professor’s okay?”
“She’s fine,” Emmett replied. “She’s ready to take ‘em on herself. You’d like her,” he said with a smile.
Failure is not an option at the FBI. Cases that drag on for years waste taxpayer dollars and give criminals impunity. There is tremendous pressure to break up crime rings and put bad guys in prison in a timely manner, and this case was starting to make the Bureau look bad. Maddox would not stand for that.
There was a brief pause. Emmett knew his supervisor was thinking. “Tell ya what,” Maddox said, “let’s keep an eye on this archaeologist. I have a feeling we’ll be able to use her as this thing unfolds.”
“Already on it chief,” Emmett replied crossing his legs and putting one hand behind his head.
Maddox was looking at her picture as they spoke. She was striking. “Yeah,” he said flatly. “Just remember what they say about business and pleasure.”
“You underestimate me,” Emmett replied.
“No Emmett,” the supervisor replied, “I really don’t think I do.”
Chapter Eight
Skye sat next to Emmett in the movie theatre as the previews rolled. There was nothing o
f interest to her as far as coming attractions; the same old stories remade with improved special effects to wow audiences. Skye wondered how Hollywood had been able to thrive for years without having to come up with a single new idea.
What Skye really wanted to know was why she and Emmett were there in the first place. Mert and the others had acquired movie tickets and then made other plans, or so they claimed. They insisted she and Emmett use the tickets so they would not go to waste. Why would they set her and Emmett up like this? It wasn’t like them. They both knew something was up.
Just then, Emmett’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He was surprised to find someone had entered his house. His concern was alleviated however when he saw what the security cameras were capturing.
“See anyone you know?” he asked, showing Skye his phone.
The professor was incensed. “What are they doing?” she asked in amazement. “They have clearly lost their minds. I apologize for this Emmett. I will be having a little chat with them when we get back. Heads are going to roll, I promise you.”
Emmett laughed as one of them knocked over a lamp. “I may have a better idea,” he suggested. “What do you say we give them a night they’ll never forget? We will have to catch the fourth sequel of ‘The Super Amazing Flash Bang’ some other time though.”
“Believe me,” she replied, “that will not be a problem. What do you have in mind?”
Emmett looked up just as the title of the movie appeared on the screen. “Hmm,” he said with a smile. “I think I have just the thing.”
Emmett’s house
7:29 pm
“Quiet, Lindsay!” Mert whispered in the dark. “You’re going to wake the dead!” The team crept through the house searching for clues. None of them knew exactly what they were looking for, but Mert assured them they would know when they found it. At least that was how it worked in the cop shows he watched. “Search everywhere,” he told them, “…anything that will tell us who this guy really is.”