Deciding that the Greek island of Santorini was the perfect place to convalesce, Howard's yacht was moored inside the half-moon-shaped carter inlet of the enormous caldera.

Howard and Professor Spencer figured they could motor to Olympia later in the day, but Jarvis assured them otherwise. Though Miss Carter would disagree, he did not see how she could possibly heal that fast to be of any help. And honestly, he was still not in tip-top form either.

Regardless of his well-intentioned plans, an obstinate Peggy staggered from her stateroom for breakfast that morning. Jarvis swore it was only due to her indomitable will that she even made it to the upper decks to join them.

Afterward, Peggy reclined on one of the padded lounge chairs in the sun. She was covered in a robe that hid her less than appealing decoupage of colorful bruises from any discerning gaze. Though she couldn't get anywhere fast, she was still game to go on their next outing that afternoon.

But Jarvis held his guns, insisting she needed to continue recuperating for at least 24 hours. And when Peggy bristled at being treated this way, he proved his point by leaving her tea or snacks just out of arms reach.

Though not appreciating the mollycoddling, an exhausted Peggy reluctantly acquiesced that perhaps she would need a bit more time mending to be of any use on their next stop.

When the Press saw her hobbling around on the top deck, they had a field day speculating that it was all due to Howard's prowess.

Peggy was horrified when Howard played the part of an energetic Lothario for their benefit. His grin was huge, and Peggy vowed that she would box his ears when she was feeling better.

Once Howard had gotten bored playing this game, he puffed on cigars and drank a few tumblers of whiskey. After the umpteenth hour of tedium, a tipsy Howard stumbled down to his lab to tinker.

Surprisingly the usual 'laid back' Professor Spencer seemed to want to get underway pronto. The Epigraphist declined quickly when Jarvis told him that he would have to investigate the Temple of Zeus without his or Peggy's aid.

Peggy assured the irritated Professor that she would be ready to go on their excursion by tomorrow. So it was decided that they would travel to Olympia that night under cover of darkness.

A grumbling Professor Spencer marched back to his quarters, stating that he would work on that odd ancient written language. Regardless of his assertions, Peggy wondered if the man would ever figure out those strange curved-shaped hatch marks.

Then, accepting they were not going anywhere, Peggy finally allowed herself to relax and enjoy the sun's natural healing properties. Later that evening was one of the best sleeps she had had in months.

Peggy knew that by sunrise, she would be ready for anything.

Just before dawn, the yacht closed in on their next destination.

It took her a bit, but Peggy met the others in Howard's cramped lab. She swore it would have more room if the inventor hadn't crammed so much stuff into it. And it seemed more disorderly than usual, almost as if the copious items had somehow multiplied since the last time she had been down there.

Peggy's smile was a bit pinched when she greeted the others. It was apparent she was putting on a brave face when she sat gingerly on the stool provided. Her back and ribs still ached, but not as bad as when she had first woken up. Thankfully after a hot shower and then stretching for a half-hour, she felt better.

Frowning, Howard asked, "Are you sure you are up to this, pal?" Even she could hear the reluctance in his voice as if dreading what her answer might be. Though raised properly by his family, like anyone under a time limit, Howard Stark was impatient to begin.

Peggy gave him her most reassuring smile, "Yes, just a few bumps and bruises, Howard, nothing more to keep me sidelined. So gentlemen, what do you have for me?"

As Spencer fussed about getting his notes organized, Peggy rolled her shoulders in the hopes of loosening them up.

She then looked down and saw that most of the tabletop's clutter was pushed aside. A large topographic map was now lying there. It was of the western side of mainland Greece off the Peloponnese Coast. Further inland, a chess piece of a King had been placed where she supposed Olympia was situated.

Even by car, it would take some time to reach the Temple of Zeus. Studying the route to get there, Peggy noted that a long river flowed westward and that a large mountain was buttressing the northern end of the Wonder's location.

After clearing his throat, the Professor admitted sheepishly, "Sorry, but I still cannot decipher that obscure written language." He clocked their unsurprised reactions and added, "But since it is now confirmed that the Wonders are involved, I now know what this treasure is about."

He paused for dramatic effect, and Howard insisted, "Well, do go on. Don't leave us in suspense, Professor."

"Over the years, I have only read snippets throughout my studies regarding this and have added my own theories to it. I believe that by solving these puzzles, we will find out how to open the gates to heaven."

Frowning, Howard murmured, "I certainly wasn't expecting that answer."

Excited, Spencer explained, "Because the number seven is very prevalent throughout, it has to be intentional. First, by using the Seven Wonders, and then with the seven odd glyphs for the Pyramids and the seven-by-seven grid at the Lighthouse. I am sure we will find more connections to this the further we progress."

"Maybe, but what makes you think it is tied to the gates of heaven?"

"I think each Wonder is linked to one of the Seven Virtues. With Giza, you had Prudence to judge one's actions. For the Lighthouse, it was Temperance, the practice of restraint. And for Zeus, it will be Courage, the ability to confront one's fears."

Jarvis scoffed, "But those Virtues could work for any of the Wonders."

"Regardless of which links to what Wonder, I am sure that my Seven Virtues theory connects all this together," an irritated Spencer snapped. "You wanted to know what all these clues were about, the end goal, as it were. Well, I just gave you a good idea."

After a quiet sigh, Peggy answered, "Thank you, Professor Spencer. You raise some interesting points. So, what can you tell us about what we will face now?"

Somewhat mollified, Spencer tapped their destination with the eraser end of his pencil, "Alright, so this is the area where we are headed to."

The Professor then flipped through the pages of one of the historical books. He stopped at an artist's rendering of the massive seated statue of the God Zeus. Making sure that they could see it, he stated, "And this is what we are looking for."

As the three of them stared at the elegant illustration, Spencer proceeded to read off some of the specifics from his pristine notebook, "Like most of the Wonders, the statue was supposedly immense. Well over 43 feet tall and 22 feet wide. The God of Thunder could barely fit in the Temple dedicated to it."

His bouncing pencil stopped, and then he circled the entire statue with its leaded tip, "Apparently, most of the statue was covered in Chryselephantine. This is where the flesh of the sculpture was made from ivory, while its clothing on top of it was that of gold. These flattened panels were then secured onto a hollow wooden support structure."

With the pointed end of the pencil, he indicated each of the God's hands, "Supposedly resting on his right palm is a small statue of Nike, the Goddess of Victory. And grasped in his left hand was a long golden scepter with an eagle perched on the top."

While they considered the drawing, Spencer mentioned, "Strangely, no replica of the statue from that period has ever been found. The details of the sculpture's possible form are known only from ancient Greek descriptions or its representation on coins."

Taking their silence in stride, Spencer continued, "Thought to have been built around 435 BC, the great sculptor Phidias worked meticulously on it for over 12 years. Then a great earthquake in 170 BC took down the Temple and badly damaged the statue. It was repaired, but then—"

Peggy interrupted, "And then another earthquake occurred and nearly destroyed it again, just like most of the other Wonders. Don't you think there could be more going on here than just coincidence?"

Spencer shook his head. "My dear, as I have already explained, the area at the time was very seismic. Frankly, there is nothing as fanciful as some omnipotent being having the ability to destroy these clues," the Professor's smug grin had Peggy wanting to wipe it off with her fist.

Wistful, Howard crooned, "That would certainly be an amazing feat to create and control earthquakes, Peg."

Sneering, Spencer scoffed, "But such a preposterous suggestion. It is just like a woman to see a conspiracy where none could possibly exist. Okay, so then after causing an earthquake to knock them over, another group comes along to adapt them so others could continue looking for these clues?"

She countered, "Well, why can't it be both? Trust me. Weirder things have happened."

Peggy was met with silence. Snorting, she took in their incredulous looks, these men of science. If they had read some of the classified SSR files as she had, they would have realized that it was not just man but the unknown that also ruled the Earth.

Before she could smartly retort, Howard interrupted, "None of that matters now, Peg. Maybe you are right, or maybe Spencer is, but we can only go by what we already know. So you were saying, Professor?"

Biting her lip from frustration, Peggy then exhaled to relax.

After a nod of thanks to Howard, Spencer said, "Oh, yes, where was I? Hum, right, so a few centuries later, the political power changed in the Mediterranean. In 391 AD, the Roman emperor Theodosius I passed laws about practicing pagan rituals. As a result, this shrine and all the other Greek ones were considered off-limits to their followers. Though no one was allowed entry into the Temple, the Cult of Zeus undoubtedly continued to worship their God, but only in secret."

Grinning, Spencer continued, his cheeks pinking slightly, "Later, the Roman Emperor Caligula wanted all statues brought to him so as to have the heads replaced with his own. But before this could happen to this magnificent Zeus sculpture, Caligula was assassinated. When the news of his death reached those dismantling the massive statue, it was said that the giant effigy reacted most peculiarly. Supposedly it rumbled a laugh, moved about, and then a lightning bolt crashed down, scattering those trying to take it apart."

Jarvis scoffed, "That's not possible. How can a statue be alive?"

Rubbing his chin, an intrigued Howard wondered aloud, "Yeah, I bet those Zeus followers had it rigged to scare Caligula's workers off. Very clever. I wonder how they did it."

Peggy smirked at Howard's query, "So why do I get the feeling that you are holding something back, Professor."

Spencer exhaled, "Well, there could be some issues."

"Of course there is," she said over the loud groans from Howard and Jarvis. Sighing at the new normal, Peggy indicated for the Professor to continue.

Spencer cleared his throat, "According to the historical record, supposedly, the massive statue was later taken to Constantinople by the Greek art collector Lausus. It then became part of his private collection. But soon, a massive fire swept through the area in 475AD, and the statue was destroyed."

Jarvis countered, "But if the historical record stated that the statue was taken to Constantinople, why don't we start there instead of Olympia?"

Nodding, Spencer conceded, "That was something I considered." He registered their sour expressions and shrugged. "But also, there is a story that the statue never left the Temple in Olympia and was burned down earlier in 425AD. Regardless of these stories, remember that an ancient link predates all these Wonders' existence. We have already proven that the very ground they resided upon is what is important."

All three frowned at him, and Spencer's pencil nudged the chess piece, "This region in Olympia is considered sacred ground and not that location in Turkey. Before the Temple of Zeus was built, the area was originally an ancient religious site dedicated to the Earth's mother, Gaia. Later there was an old ash hill where Zeus was worshipped, thus predating the Temple by hundreds of years."

Peggy exhaled and said, "So the statue was either taken to Constantinople or burned down with the Temple in 425 AD."

Howard added, "Well if we don't find it at Olympia, we can simply head over to Istanbul. But I am with the Professor on this one. Besides, it makes no sense to place important clues where they could be so easily destroyed or stolen. Look at how the Lighthouse ruins had been changed. It was obviously adapted after it had fallen."

Spencer grinned, "Exactly. There are many mysteries involved regarding these Wonders, and we should not be discouraged by what the historical records states."

Nodding, Peggy said, "Well, we won't find out just by standing here." She slid off the stool slowly and said, "Shall we prepare, gentlemen?"

Grinning, they nodded in agreement, and then all began to gather up their gear.

Peggy had just finished getting ready when the yacht docked in Katakolon, Olympia.

Since this exploration was on land, Peggy had put on what she dubbed her adventure attire.

After tugging on her light green jodhpurs, she quickly pulled a white T-shirt over her head and winced. Then, mindful of her injuries, she cautiously shrugged into the billowy beige blouse that covered her pristine shirt. On top of that, she wore a brown vest with various survival provisions concealed throughout the multitude of pockets. This time, her combat knife was hooked to her side.

Last but not least, she checked her firearms. Satisfied that they were in proper working order, she tucked one into her vest's front pocket while the smaller caliber one was placed in a side pouch. She also added an extra clip for each one. It never failed to be overly equipped.

Dunning a pith helmet, she studied her reflection in the mirror. Though she came off looking like Jane Porter from one of those Tarzan pictures, unlike that heroine, she was ready to dole out some hurt if needed.

Before she disembarked from the yacht, the Steward James handed her a small crowbar. Having not forgotten her vow to bring one of these tools the next time they went anywhere, she grasped it firmly.

Peggy answered his raised eyebrow with a quirked grin, "I am told that the mosquitoes here can get quite nasty."

Worriedly, the usually suave Steward swiftly got out of her way.

A determined Peggy headed down the gangplank and met the men at the end of the small dock. They had just finished loading the trunk of the Packard that Howard had rented.

She studied the group and realized that Jarvis was the only one dressed similarly to her style. Howard and Professor Spencer wore loose shirts and drab cargo pants.

After tossing her crowbar in next to the various gadgets and massive amount of gear that the always overly prepared Howard had brought just in case, she rested her hands on her hips.

The SSR Agent then stated her usual inspirational words, "Right, shall we, gentlemen." With no other urgings necessary, the trunk was slammed shut, and they entered the vehicle.

Jarvis got behind the wheel while Professor Spencer sat next to him as the navigator. Peggy and Howard took the backseat.

As they drove away, they passed a few people who walked along the two-lane road. After a few miles, the car trip was already proving to be rather sedate. At first, Peggy continually kept an eye out for anyone following them, but the road was devoid of any suspicious vehicles.

Though it had been a sound idea to wait until the last minute to come here, Peggy still felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle. She shrugged off the feeling of trepidation and just chalked it up to her being hyper-vigilant 24/7.

With the coast clear, she settled back into her seat. Due to a lull in the action, she soon began to drift off. Peggy jerked her head up from its sudden drop and shook her head to wake herself up. After the second time this happened, Howard leaned over and whispered, "Peg, relax. I'll guard our backs."

She smiled in gratitude and allowed herself to rest her eyes. She always justified that this was a form of light sleeping, for part of her was always on alert. Alas, it was easy to go from resting one's eyes to dozing, especially when one still needed to fully heal.

Honestly, she hadn't felt this crummy since the Madame Masque escapade, where a rebar had impaled her! She hoped her body wasn't getting overly taxed from too many injuries over the years. Regrettably, she found that it took longer for her to bounce back nowadays.

With the drifting thought that she did not want to give up fieldwork for the safety of desk duty, she went from dozing to full-on slumber.

So she slept as they drove through the quaint small town of Pyrgos and past all the charming Greek-style homes.

Finally nearing their destination, Jarvis drove them across the bridge that went over the Kladeos River. From there, he took the turn onto the dirt road that led to Olympia. The entire drive from the docks to the ancient ruins was close to an hour. It was only when they drove over the deep ruts in the hardened ground that the jostling motion woke Peggy up.

Wiping the faint trail of drool from her cheek, she was chagrinned to find that she had slept the entire time against Howard's shoulder.

He only smiled at her, happy he could help his friend in some small way.

After parking near the field where the original Olympic Games had been held centuries ago, they exited the vehicle. As Peggy stretched out her back, she took in the scenery.

Around them, dried brush and wilted wildflowers grew everywhere, and flying insects flittered about.

The ancient Temple ruins were safely nestled between the rolling hills, and behind them stood a massive mountain. She saw a tree at the top and assumed it had to be huge if she could see it from where they were.

Spencer pointed at the immense mountain, "To the north of us is Mount Kronos, named after the Greek deity who was the King of the Titans." He sighed pleased and then nodded to the West, "And if you listen closely, you can hear the Kladeos, a tributary of the Alfeios River that we had crossed a while back."

All Peggy could hear were the birds chirping and the slight sound of wind rustling through the nearby tree's leaves. If they hadn't been under such time constraints, she would have suggested having a picnic in this idyllic countryside.

Instead of removing a basket of goodies, Howard took out a much more compact version of the scanner from the trunk. It seemed that his boast of using their field testing to make the high-resolution imagery device better was true. She was happy to see that her time convalescing had not been squandered by her brilliant friend.

Leaving the rest of their gear behind, Professor Spencer took the lead. Soon they were traipsing through the once walled-in area where the sacred temples had been located. Waving his hand around, he lectured, "This entire place is known as the Altis, a sanctuary to the devotees of Zeus."

The ruins were plentiful but other than strewn toppled stacks of stone columns or piles of rubble, there was nothing of note. Most of the smaller Temple's foundations were flush with the ground, where weeds poked out from the many cracks.

Ignoring all that, Spencer took them further in until they came across a huge raised concrete pad. The Professor nodded, "This is where the Temple of Zeus once stood." Like all the other Wonders, the foundation was massive in size.

Peggy speculated that perhaps the Greeks had feelings of inadequacy.

While they poked around, Spencer rambled off more facts, trying to get his companions as enthused as he was, "This shrine had a typical layout of a Greek Peripteral temple. That means that most of the supportive Doric-styled columns were placed around the perimeter of the structure. Due to housing a statue of such magnitude, this Temple was 68 feet tall, 95 feet wide, and 230 feet long. So we will have a lot to investigate."

Howard muttered something unpleasant as he continued to wave his compact scanner over the debris-lined foundation.

Hearing the millionaire inventors mumbled protests, Spencer rang out, "Not to worry, I am positive that what we seek will always be on sacred land. That is why I know that the next clue is here and not that place in Turkey."

"Whatever you say, Professor," but even Howard's normally infectious mood seemed subdued when taking in all they had to cover.

As they began to fan out, the four of them automatically paired up. Jarvis and Howard used the scanner on the south side of the ruins. While they did so, Peggy and the Professor hunted in the opposite direction to the north. Eventually, they would work their way from east to west and meet where the statue of Zeus once sat.

After some time searching, Peggy and Spencer did not find anything other than damaged stones. The SSR agent crouched by a toppled row of Doric column sections and ran her fingers along the pock-marked grooved edges of the quarried limestone. Staring at the flat pillar segments, they looked like large stone coins to her.

Dusting off her hands, Peggy rose and winced. Professor Spencer noticed her grimace and suggested, "Perhaps you would like to take a break, my dear?"

Peggy grinned and shook her head, "What, and miss out on all the fun? Trust me, Professor, I have been through worse."

He tutted his head, "I do not know what would cause you to choose such a profession. But it might be best if you took a less active role from now on."

"I know you think you mean well, Professor, but some views are best left unsaid." Peggy calmly stated, but there was an edge to her tone.

By the mild shake in his voice, the Professor seemed somewhat intimidated by her perceived warning, "I see. Well, perhaps it would be best if we split off. We'll cover more ground that way." Spencer forced a smile and then hurried away from her quickly.

With an exasperated sigh, Peggy continued to examine the remains of the once vast Temple of Zeus. Internally she knew she should have been more patient with the Professor, but all this stooping over made her still healing back ache. She could not help it if the situation made her a bit cranky.

An hour had passed by the time all four had convened at the back of the large foundation. And still, nothing had been found. It was difficult to feel hopeful when the only artifacts left were more strewn blocks and fallen Doric columns.

Professor Spencer nodded to himself, "This is where the giant statue of Zeus would be located."

They looked around, and as usual, nothing was out of the ordinary.

Ignoring their sighs of displeasure, Spencer walked to the back of the Temple's platform that faced east. It was a flat area of no significance. Kneeling over it, he began to brush away the dirt with his hand, and then he blew on it. Calling over, he asked, "Mr. Stark, if you would be so kind as to try your scanner over here."

"What is it, Professor?" Howard frowned as he joined the scholar. Curious, Peggy and Jarvis followed behind him.

Spencer excitedly explained, "This would be where the Opisthodomos once was." They dully stared at him, so he clarified quickly, "Sorry, it was a small, false porch that may contain the adyton, a treasure room. The devotees placed valuable dedications to the Gods inside. It was always located behind a God's effigy. If there was anything, perhaps it is here."

Peggy and Jarvis exchanged an exasperated look. They could have saved so much time had they started here in the first place. Those deadly robots could be on them at any second, and god knows who else. Surely being in the safety and comfort of a classroom hadn't dulled Spencer's reasoning, Peggy thought, perplexed.

Just as frustrated as the others were, Howard grunted his answer. Still, he aimed the scanner at the smooth stone foundation that Spencer pointed to.

"Ah, hah, and what is that?" The Professor had been looking over Howard's shoulder at the small screen. Howard noticed it too, and waved the scanner again at the area Spencer had indicated. It was too faint for the normal eye, but something had been carved into the foundation that only the scanner could pick up. It appeared to be a double image of lightning bolts.

Spencer looked at the markings and pursed his lips, "It is the symbol of Zeus. Just like the one we saw on his portrait at Pharos."

Deftly, he ran his fingers across the stone. After brushing away more dirt, he found a faint indent above it in the worn concrete. Grinning, he pushed against it, and they heard a faint click. Suddenly a panel slowly slid open in front of them. The once-covered entrance led down some steps to a hidden subterranean corridor.

The opening was not very big, and Peggy sneered at its cramped fit. First Giza, and now this, she thought, annoyed. She wondered about the height of the people they were dealing with. Already dreading what being hunched over would do to her injured back, she mentally prepared herself for another grueling trek.

Motioning her hand to Howard, he handed her a wrist light, and she flicked it on. Behind her, Jarvis activated another. Shining it into the darkened maw of the passageway, Peggy inspected the opening carefully. Since their time in Giza, she was wary of any concealed traps. She double-checked the entry, but it appeared clear.

After making sure that no one was nearby watching them, she entered.

The air smelled musty and old, but at least it was breathable. Peggy figured there must have been a natural way that it was replenishing the oxygen. After nearly drowning, she did not want to rely on an air tank if it could be helped.

Cautiously taking the well-worn stone stairs down, Peggy led the way, gun out. She doubted anyone was still down here, but one must be prepared for all contingencies.

Close on her heels, Howard stated, "Hey, Professor, is there any way to shut this opening so no one else comes across it?"

Leave it to Howard to be so possessive, Peggy mused, but he did have a good point.

Turning, she watched as Spencer studied the dirt walls and then found a lever by the entry. Pulling it down, the paneling slid closed.

Satisfied that their backs were now safe, Peggy continued on.

The smooth steps descended quite a ways, and her hand brushed the sides of the carved-out corridor. There were no support beams, so the dirt walls were surprisingly holding up well.

Finally, the stairs stopped. When looking ahead, Peggy noticed that the passageway seemed to angle downwards. She wondered just how deep underground they would end up going. Thankfully, she was finally able to straighten, and the SSR Agent sighed in relief.

Peggy heard the others shuffling behind her, and she strained to hear any noises echoing from the front. So far, it remained quiet.

As she led them forward, the corridor began to level out, and Peggy noticed that they had started to veer to the right.

Looking to her waist, Peggy checked the battered compass on top of her military knife. She saw that, indeed they had begun to turn north towards the immense mountain behind the Altis' enclosure.

Professor Spencer saw her compass and grinned, "We must be passing under the Temple of Hera, nearing the Hill of Kronos."

Howard asked, "Kronos was the God of time or something, right?"

Spencer supplied, "Actually, agriculture."

Either from nervousness or excitement, Spencer instantly slipped into full Professor mode, "Kronos was one of the Titans, sired by Heaven and Earth. He castrated his father, thus separating the two realms. Later, he had many children with his sister, Rhea, and one of their offspring was Zeus. Having heard the prophecy that his children would kill him, Kronos managed to devour all of them but for the God of Thunder and Lightning. His wife Rhea had tricked him, and instead of consuming Zeus, he had swallowed a stone. Zeus then fought him. And after slicing his father's skull open, he freed his siblings who were within. Then all of them worked together and vanquished their father."

"And I thought the bible was torrid," Jarvis mumbled.

Howard smirked, "So basically, we are nearing a mountain named after a God who swallowed his own children. Well, that doesn't sound foreboding at all."

Peggy brought them back on track, "Any idea who made this corridor and why, Professor?"

"Possibly the followers of Zeus hid here when the Roman Emperor Theodosius I men came in search of heretics. Remember, they feared they would be persecuted for following a false God. Maybe this leads to an underground church of theirs where they worshipped Zeus covertly."

Then the passageway must have opened ahead because their voices no longer bounced back. Even the light from their wrist units was swallowed up in the darkness. Cautiously they went to the end of the tunnel, unsure of what awaited them.

Suddenly, a large white eye stared back at them unblinking, and Peggy stifled a yell. The others gasped loudly. When the Professor went to run off, his flight was prevented when Peggy grabbed his arm, "No, Professor Spencer, wait."

With both lights shining across a chasm, they realized an ivory eye was staring back at them. Catching their breaths, they staggered forward in wonder at the sight seated before them.

They had found what they had been looking for, the magnificent statue of the Greek God Zeus.