Nigel slowly opened his eyes. He tried to delay waking for as long as
possible. He could still see the images in his dream, its images clear and
vivid. Sydney and their children, two girls and one boy, playing on the
beach while he shot a video of his happy family. A wife and children - that
was his idea of a perfect life. Now if he could just convince Syd that they
could have it all: a long life together, children, excitement, relic hunts.
He crawled out of his sleeping bag and stood, stretching to relieve the
stiffness in his back and legs. Maybe he was asking too much, wanting that
kind of future with Syd, but one could always hope.
And as long as there was hope...
Sydney jerked awake with a cry. "Nigel!" Her voice was thick with anxiety.
Nigel covered the ground between them in a heartbeat and knelt beside her, concerned by the terror in her eyes. "I'm right here, Syd." He didn't know what concerned him more, the tone of her voice when she called his name or the fear that still painted her face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Sydney replied as she unzipped her sleeping bag. "Just a bad dream, nothing to worry about." She smiled at him, hoping he would buy her story, that her panic was nothing more the bad dream. If she could convince him, maybe she could convince herself, too.
Pushing aside his thoughts of domestic bliss, Nigel's immediate concern focused on Sydney. He knew there was more to it than just a bad dream, but he could tell that Sydney wasn't ready to talk about it. Maybe when all this was over she would confide in him.
Within twenty minutes everyone else was awake, too, and the camp was now busy with breakfast preparations and cleanup. Sydney saw an opportunity to get Nigel alone for a couple of minutes and told him what she had seen during the night. Both knew what lay ahead. If the map was legitimate, they would find the legendary mine before nightfall.
Nigel didn't know what was worse: something unexpected happening out of the blue, or knowing it in advance. He hoped the day would be like the others, but he had a ominous feeling that something bad was going to happen. Something very bad. He felt Sydney's hand on his arm, and as he returned her gaze, he was nearly swept away by the terrible sense he was never going to see her again.
Sydney saw the emotion in his eyes and wished she could erase it. She moved closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. "We will get through this. I just want you to be careful, and to remember one thing... that I love you."
"I love you too. Syd. I just have a bad feeling about today. I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to you." Before Nigel could say any more, Amy announced that breakfast was ready.
Sydney released his arm. "You watch my back, and I'll watch yours, and I promise you we will get through this and everything will be okay." She saw him nod as she said a silent prayer for it to be true
***
Nigel noticed that Sydney was sticking closer to him than ever. To everyone else, Sydney appeared calm, but Nigel knew appearances could be deceiving. Sydney never seemed nervous on any adventure they had shared before, and her change of mood frightened him most of all.
Why was this time different? Nigel found himself asking that same question over and over as they rode higher into the mountains.
By the time they stopped for lunch, Nigel was ready to crawl out of his skin. The feeling of foreboding increased with every moment that passed. The group had made good time, and if the map was correct, the mine should be close by.
The view was magnificent. Nigel saw that Amy, Andy, and Lee standing close to the cliff's edge, enjoying the unobstructed view of the valley below them. He only wished that he could enjoy it, too.
Nigel stayed with the horses. He was terrified by what he was feeling. Sydney had tried to talk to him when they stopped, but he had told her he needed to be by himself for a while. Nigel kept telling himself to relax, they had faced many dangers together and always landed on their feet.
But he found himself asking the same question, over and over again. Why was this time different?
Sydney found herself staring at her uneaten sandwich. How could she convince Nigel everything would be okay when she couldn't convince herself? She glanced over at him, watching his hands as they ran a brush over his horse. Every fiber of her being wanted to go to him, to comfort him, but she knew he needed to work this out for himself.
Zach couldn't miss the tension that flowed between Sydney and Nigel. He completely understood. He was having second thoughts of his own about this trip.
Zach kept a close eye on Amy, Andy and Lee, who seemed oblivious to the tension in the camp. Andy, as always, was taking pictures. He watched the trio as they headed further away from the camp.
"Don't wander off to far. We'll be heading out shortly." Zach called after them.
"We won't," Andy replied. "I just want to get a few more shots."
Zach watched them leave as he headed over to Sydney.
"Are you okay?" Zach asked, glancing down at Sydney. She was still sitting near the campfire, nursing a cup of coffee. "I couldn't help but notice the tension, and I can't say I blame you."
"I'm fine."
From the tone in Sydney's voice, Zach knew she wouldn't elaborate further. "I'm going to go keep an eye on our little photo shoot. I don't like the idea of those three being out of sight for too long."
"I second that thought."
Sydney scrambled to her feet as she watched Zach head out after the others. She didn't even realize she was heading towards the horses until she heard Lucy's soft snort of approval. The mare apparently was enjoying Nigel's ministrations as he scratched behind her ears.
So much for letting him work things out for himself.
"Where are those four off to?" Nigel asked as Sydney approached.
"Andy told Zach he wanted to take some pictures, and Zach's making sure that's all they do."
"You know, if the map is correct, the mine should be somewhere close to where they're heading"
"I know. That why I think we should go help Zach keep an eye on them."
Nigel moved closer to Sydney, his hand instinctively reaching for hers, but before they could touch, Zach came running back into the camp heading directly towards them.
Sydney noticed Zach was carrying Andy's camera.
"I don't know what happened! They were only out of my sight for a few minutes." Zach quickly caught his breath. "It's like they disappeared off the face the earth."
***
"Hurry up Mark! The others will be here soon." Amy impatiently watched as her brother finished tying up Lee.
She looked down at the unconscious man lying at her feet, smiling to herself. So far everything was working out perfectly. With her brother's help, she had no doubt they would be able to subdue two teachers and a tour guide.
Sydney and Nigel followed Zach back to the location where he had found Andy's camera. Four distinctive pairs of footprints marched further up the path.
"It looks like our shadow has decided to show himself - or herself." Nigel nervously looked around before settling his gaze on Zach. "Where do you suppose the others have been taken?"
"There is an old mine shaft up ahead." Zach noticed the quick look between Sydney and Nigel. "It was sealed off decades ago, but that didn't stop people from going in, to search for that damn gold! It the only place around here where they could have been taken."
"Is there anyway to approach the mine without being spotted?" Sydney asked as she reached into her bag.
"No. Once we round the bend up a head we'll be seen." Zach watched as Sydney placed an impressive-looking knife into a sheath in her boot. "Do you have any other goodies in that bag of yours?" Zach asked as he pulled out his own Bowie knife. He noticed that Nigel remained unarmed, but didn't say anything since the unusual duo seemed comfortable with it.
Nigel answered for Sydney, a knowing grin on his face. "You'd be surprised by what you can find in there."
And as long as there was hope...
Sydney jerked awake with a cry. "Nigel!" Her voice was thick with anxiety.
Nigel covered the ground between them in a heartbeat and knelt beside her, concerned by the terror in her eyes. "I'm right here, Syd." He didn't know what concerned him more, the tone of her voice when she called his name or the fear that still painted her face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Sydney replied as she unzipped her sleeping bag. "Just a bad dream, nothing to worry about." She smiled at him, hoping he would buy her story, that her panic was nothing more the bad dream. If she could convince him, maybe she could convince herself, too.
Pushing aside his thoughts of domestic bliss, Nigel's immediate concern focused on Sydney. He knew there was more to it than just a bad dream, but he could tell that Sydney wasn't ready to talk about it. Maybe when all this was over she would confide in him.
Within twenty minutes everyone else was awake, too, and the camp was now busy with breakfast preparations and cleanup. Sydney saw an opportunity to get Nigel alone for a couple of minutes and told him what she had seen during the night. Both knew what lay ahead. If the map was legitimate, they would find the legendary mine before nightfall.
Nigel didn't know what was worse: something unexpected happening out of the blue, or knowing it in advance. He hoped the day would be like the others, but he had a ominous feeling that something bad was going to happen. Something very bad. He felt Sydney's hand on his arm, and as he returned her gaze, he was nearly swept away by the terrible sense he was never going to see her again.
Sydney saw the emotion in his eyes and wished she could erase it. She moved closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. "We will get through this. I just want you to be careful, and to remember one thing... that I love you."
"I love you too. Syd. I just have a bad feeling about today. I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to you." Before Nigel could say any more, Amy announced that breakfast was ready.
Sydney released his arm. "You watch my back, and I'll watch yours, and I promise you we will get through this and everything will be okay." She saw him nod as she said a silent prayer for it to be true
***
Nigel noticed that Sydney was sticking closer to him than ever. To everyone else, Sydney appeared calm, but Nigel knew appearances could be deceiving. Sydney never seemed nervous on any adventure they had shared before, and her change of mood frightened him most of all.
Why was this time different? Nigel found himself asking that same question over and over as they rode higher into the mountains.
By the time they stopped for lunch, Nigel was ready to crawl out of his skin. The feeling of foreboding increased with every moment that passed. The group had made good time, and if the map was correct, the mine should be close by.
The view was magnificent. Nigel saw that Amy, Andy, and Lee standing close to the cliff's edge, enjoying the unobstructed view of the valley below them. He only wished that he could enjoy it, too.
Nigel stayed with the horses. He was terrified by what he was feeling. Sydney had tried to talk to him when they stopped, but he had told her he needed to be by himself for a while. Nigel kept telling himself to relax, they had faced many dangers together and always landed on their feet.
But he found himself asking the same question, over and over again. Why was this time different?
Sydney found herself staring at her uneaten sandwich. How could she convince Nigel everything would be okay when she couldn't convince herself? She glanced over at him, watching his hands as they ran a brush over his horse. Every fiber of her being wanted to go to him, to comfort him, but she knew he needed to work this out for himself.
Zach couldn't miss the tension that flowed between Sydney and Nigel. He completely understood. He was having second thoughts of his own about this trip.
Zach kept a close eye on Amy, Andy and Lee, who seemed oblivious to the tension in the camp. Andy, as always, was taking pictures. He watched the trio as they headed further away from the camp.
"Don't wander off to far. We'll be heading out shortly." Zach called after them.
"We won't," Andy replied. "I just want to get a few more shots."
Zach watched them leave as he headed over to Sydney.
"Are you okay?" Zach asked, glancing down at Sydney. She was still sitting near the campfire, nursing a cup of coffee. "I couldn't help but notice the tension, and I can't say I blame you."
"I'm fine."
From the tone in Sydney's voice, Zach knew she wouldn't elaborate further. "I'm going to go keep an eye on our little photo shoot. I don't like the idea of those three being out of sight for too long."
"I second that thought."
Sydney scrambled to her feet as she watched Zach head out after the others. She didn't even realize she was heading towards the horses until she heard Lucy's soft snort of approval. The mare apparently was enjoying Nigel's ministrations as he scratched behind her ears.
So much for letting him work things out for himself.
"Where are those four off to?" Nigel asked as Sydney approached.
"Andy told Zach he wanted to take some pictures, and Zach's making sure that's all they do."
"You know, if the map is correct, the mine should be somewhere close to where they're heading"
"I know. That why I think we should go help Zach keep an eye on them."
Nigel moved closer to Sydney, his hand instinctively reaching for hers, but before they could touch, Zach came running back into the camp heading directly towards them.
Sydney noticed Zach was carrying Andy's camera.
"I don't know what happened! They were only out of my sight for a few minutes." Zach quickly caught his breath. "It's like they disappeared off the face the earth."
***
"Hurry up Mark! The others will be here soon." Amy impatiently watched as her brother finished tying up Lee.
She looked down at the unconscious man lying at her feet, smiling to herself. So far everything was working out perfectly. With her brother's help, she had no doubt they would be able to subdue two teachers and a tour guide.
Sydney and Nigel followed Zach back to the location where he had found Andy's camera. Four distinctive pairs of footprints marched further up the path.
"It looks like our shadow has decided to show himself - or herself." Nigel nervously looked around before settling his gaze on Zach. "Where do you suppose the others have been taken?"
"There is an old mine shaft up ahead." Zach noticed the quick look between Sydney and Nigel. "It was sealed off decades ago, but that didn't stop people from going in, to search for that damn gold! It the only place around here where they could have been taken."
"Is there anyway to approach the mine without being spotted?" Sydney asked as she reached into her bag.
"No. Once we round the bend up a head we'll be seen." Zach watched as Sydney placed an impressive-looking knife into a sheath in her boot. "Do you have any other goodies in that bag of yours?" Zach asked as he pulled out his own Bowie knife. He noticed that Nigel remained unarmed, but didn't say anything since the unusual duo seemed comfortable with it.
Nigel answered for Sydney, a knowing grin on his face. "You'd be surprised by what you can find in there."