Chapter 1
It hadn't taken the team long to decide to hop on the next flight to Africa. With a new sighting of the Nandi Bear, how could they resist.
The flight was just as long as ever but Josh found a way to entertain himself. Pouring over previous sightings and familiarizing himself with old eye witness testimony. The old familiar 'Bing' of the "It's ok to take you electronics out to play with on the plane now" went off just above Josh's head.
"Josh, Here." Ryder flopped into the seat next to him, unaware that she had sat on top of some of his papers. Josh looked up from the documents in his hands and found that Ryder had rested a portable DVD player on his lap.
"It's a report of a local news crew about the sighting."
Seeing the report just made his blood rush; Josh just couldn't get to Africa fast enough.
"Is this the only news report we have?", Josh asked.
"Yeah. I wish I had more, but it was the only one that came in clear enough. I'm sorry Boss, I failed you." Ryder joked in her best impression of a super hero's side kick voice.
That always made Josh laugh. "Don't let it happen again." he grumbled as he shook his finger at her trying to look serious.
After a few minutes of chatting about the sighting, they focused again on the documents. Ryder and Josh eventually fell a sleep along with the rest of the team. It wouldn't be long before the red sunrise of Africa welcomed them back.
When the team landed they head straight for baggage claim. Josh couldn't believe it, but the first time in DT history all of their equipment managed to be collected without a single minute of frustrated waiting.
If Josh hadn't thought this was a stroke of luck, he would have thought that this trip wasn't going to be like the many others before it. Little did he know this trip would be one he would NEVER Forget.
Even the vehicle they acquired was better equipped this time. With the show bringing in the bigger ratings with every new episode, the producers were more willing to throw more funding into their expeditions.
Happy to have their new car, the team loaded all the boxes in the back and jumped into their seats. Josh at the wheel and Ryder with the map in the passengers seat; they hit the road into the wilds of Africa.
After several hours of driving, Ryder gasped.
"Josh! There's a village coming up in about 8 miles! We need to stop at the local market!"
"No, because when we stop we loose time." he snorted.
"But it's fun and their might be some people who can tell us about the new Nandi Bear sighting." Ryder teased.
Josh paused moment; Ryder knew exactly how to manipulate his love of the cryptic. "Who wants to stop at the local market?"
"ME!", the whole car shouted in unison.
Josh looked over at Ryder, "Oh you're good, lady."
Ryder mockingly batted her eyes at him; he just rolled his and smiled. He just couldn't believe how powerless he was against those puppies. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't resist those eyes.
The small market place was bustling with big action. The fresh African air flowed through the tents and the people; it was like being greeted by an old friend and Josh wouldn't want it any other way. The Sun, although viciously bright, brought life into everything below it. Josh could have taken in the peaceful beauty of the market forever; but he had a case to solve. For moment it was hard to fall away from his daydreaming, but he focused a game plan in a matter of nano seconds.
"Alright team, our job here is to get some interviews, maybe some eyewitness accounts, and maybe to find the strangest thing in the market place.", Josh couldn't help but instill a sense of playful competition into this friends "And...GO!"
The team scattered and began their hunt. Josh and Ryder stood their chuckling; the team looked like Ping-Pong balls bouncing off the market tents.
"I'll never get tired of that." Ryder whipped the sweat from her brow and onto her pants.
Josh looked at her with a laugh still in his throat, "I bet I find the cannibal fork before you do."
Ryder poked him in the chest, "You're on."
And with that they raced through the market like five year old kids. Josh grabbed the back of Ryder's tank top in a sad attempt to slow her own; but as small as she looked she was able to pull Josh a couple of feet before he let go. Josh realized his little tricks could do nothing to stop the force that was Ryder, which meant he had to work twice as hard to beat her at this game. But even if he didn't win, he'd find someway to best her...in a friendly way of course.
In the end Ryder found the fork while Josh came back with a fake shrunken head.
"I win!" Ryder waved the fork in the air as she made her way towards him with the biggest smile on her face.
"Man, Ryder.", pretending to be disappointed, Josh put his hands on his hips, "I guess I can't win against your superb scavenger hunting skills. I guess it's time for you're winnings."
"But we didn't bet on anything."her smile faded, Josh was up to some odd trick and she knew it.
"It's a surprise." He walked behind her and covered her eyes, "Trust me."
"Josh, too many sentences have started with 'Trust me' and you always get us into trouble." Ryder could do nothing but trust her friend and wave her hands back and forth in front of her hoping that Josh didn't walk her into the back end of an elephant.
Josh walked her steadily through the market and all she could hear were the snickering of her team mates behind them. Josh was up to something and she wound up on the business end of it; how she'll never know. Ryder had come to learn that working with Josh was always a surprise and never easy.
Slowly they came to a stop.
"Ladies, could we have your lovely assistance? My friend he is in dire need." Ryder could hear Josh getting her into more trouble. Josh lifted his hands and she couldn't believe where she was standing.
Josh must have found this little seamstress tent while "looking" for the fork. It was covered with bright reds, greens, yellows, and oranges; all which were used to make all kinds of dresses and gowns for the woman of the local village.
Before Ryder could object four little ladies collected her from the team.
"Josh!" Ryder shouted in protest.
"Have fun Ryder! Don't worry you're in good hands, I think.",Josh waved to her as she vanished behind a red curtain for her fitting.
"Alright, team, who's up for some beer?" Josh raised his hand in example and the rest of the team followed suit. They marched to a hut, that passed as a pub, across from the seamstress tent and waited for the big reveal.
