anything else, there’s only one thing to do, and that’s to address the problem head on.
It was late afternoon and my mom and I were back on the sidewalk trying to hail a cab when I finally worked up the nerve to voice my feelings.
“I want to rejoin the fellowship,” I said.
My mom looked at me and I could see what she was thinking. It was in her eyes. She was thinking that I was crazy. She was thinking that I’d probably just end up dropping out again when things got tough. She was thinking that I was setting myself up for another failure.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “Dr. Aziz said it’s only going to get more difficult for the fellows. The complex outside Alexandria is much more elaborate and built much deeper into the earth.”
“I know, Mom. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but I have no choice. I haven’t stopped thinking about this since I left Luxor. I let Wyatt down. I let Dr. Aziz and the other fellows down. I can’t live with that. I have to overcome my fears. I know I can do it. I’ve done it before.”
“Well, Gannon, this is your call. You know your dad and I will support whatever decision you make.”
“I’ve already made it, mom.”
Tomorrow, I’m taking the first train to Alexandria and rejoining the expedition.
WYATT
FEBRUARY 28, 4:49 PM
TOMB COMPLEX
22° CELSIUS, 72° FAHRENHEIT
SKIES CLEAR, WIND CALM
At first, I thought I was seeing some kind of mirage. An optical illusion among the waves of heat. But, it wasn’t a mirage. It was Gannon!
In typical grand fashion, he came riding up on the back of a camel, his desert scarf trailing off in the wind. The camel topped the dune and lumbered into camp. The man captaining the camel was wrapped in a long white robe and a kaf-fiyeh, a swath of material worn over the head. This man, I assumed, was a Bedouin, one of the nomadic tribesmen of the desert. He barked some orders and the camel knelt down, first on its front knees, then back, before coming to rest on its belly. Gannon slid off and paid the man his fare.
“Shokran, Abdulla,” Gannon said, bowing his head.
Abdulla bowed in return.
“Well, look what the camel dragged in,” I said.
Gannon turned to me and opened his arms to the desert.
“Call me, Gannon of Arabia!” he said, and flipped his scarf back around his neck.
I laughed.
“You have something against taxis?” I asked.
“Why take a taxi when you can take a camel?”
“You sure know how to make an entrance. I’ll give you that.”
“So, bring me up to speed. What’s going on with the dig? Things look promising?”
“When Dr. Aziz arrived the excavation kicked into high gear. We’ve already managed to clear away lots of sand in the two areas where he thinks there might be a chamber. We haven’t found anything yet, but he’s pretty sure we will. It’s just a matter of time.”
“So,” Gannon said, “this is really happening, isn’t it?”
“It is. And here’s the best part. Not only are we part of the dig, we’re on the front lines. If there’s a find, we’re going to be right there. You made a great choice coming back. This fellowship is incredible!”
I held a pickaxe in my hand.
“Dr. Aziz lets you walk around with that thing?” Gannon asked, pointing.
“I told you. We’re on the front lines.”
“I might have to question Dr. Aziz’s judgment on that one.”
Gannon hopped up on a flat stone and surveyed the complex. The uniformed men caught his attention.
“Who are all the guys with guns?” Gannon asked.
“The Egyptian military police. They’re here to protect the site.”
Gannon stared at the policeman nearest us. Like all the other military police, he wore a black suit, black boots with white gaiters and a red beret. Each member of the police squad carried an AK-47 submachine gun and had a pistol on their hip.
“That’s some serious protection,” Gannon said. “You think it’s totally necessary?”
“I guess so. Who knows what kind of treasure might
It was late afternoon and my mom and I were back on the sidewalk trying to hail a cab when I finally worked up the nerve to voice my feelings.
“I want to rejoin the fellowship,” I said.
My mom looked at me and I could see what she was thinking. It was in her eyes. She was thinking that I was crazy. She was thinking that I’d probably just end up dropping out again when things got tough. She was thinking that I was setting myself up for another failure.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “Dr. Aziz said it’s only going to get more difficult for the fellows. The complex outside Alexandria is much more elaborate and built much deeper into the earth.”
“I know, Mom. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but I have no choice. I haven’t stopped thinking about this since I left Luxor. I let Wyatt down. I let Dr. Aziz and the other fellows down. I can’t live with that. I have to overcome my fears. I know I can do it. I’ve done it before.”
“Well, Gannon, this is your call. You know your dad and I will support whatever decision you make.”
“I’ve already made it, mom.”
Tomorrow, I’m taking the first train to Alexandria and rejoining the expedition.
WYATT
FEBRUARY 28, 4:49 PM
TOMB COMPLEX
22° CELSIUS, 72° FAHRENHEIT
SKIES CLEAR, WIND CALM
At first, I thought I was seeing some kind of mirage. An optical illusion among the waves of heat. But, it wasn’t a mirage. It was Gannon!
In typical grand fashion, he came riding up on the back of a camel, his desert scarf trailing off in the wind. The camel topped the dune and lumbered into camp. The man captaining the camel was wrapped in a long white robe and a kaf-fiyeh, a swath of material worn over the head. This man, I assumed, was a Bedouin, one of the nomadic tribesmen of the desert. He barked some orders and the camel knelt down, first on its front knees, then back, before coming to rest on its belly. Gannon slid off and paid the man his fare.
“Shokran, Abdulla,” Gannon said, bowing his head.
Abdulla bowed in return.
“Well, look what the camel dragged in,” I said.
Gannon turned to me and opened his arms to the desert.
“Call me, Gannon of Arabia!” he said, and flipped his scarf back around his neck.
I laughed.
“You have something against taxis?” I asked.
“Why take a taxi when you can take a camel?”
“You sure know how to make an entrance. I’ll give you that.”
“So, bring me up to speed. What’s going on with the dig? Things look promising?”
“When Dr. Aziz arrived the excavation kicked into high gear. We’ve already managed to clear away lots of sand in the two areas where he thinks there might be a chamber. We haven’t found anything yet, but he’s pretty sure we will. It’s just a matter of time.”
“So,” Gannon said, “this is really happening, isn’t it?”
“It is. And here’s the best part. Not only are we part of the dig, we’re on the front lines. If there’s a find, we’re going to be right there. You made a great choice coming back. This fellowship is incredible!”
I held a pickaxe in my hand.
“Dr. Aziz lets you walk around with that thing?” Gannon asked, pointing.
“I told you. We’re on the front lines.”
“I might have to question Dr. Aziz’s judgment on that one.”
Gannon hopped up on a flat stone and surveyed the complex. The uniformed men caught his attention.
“Who are all the guys with guns?” Gannon asked.
“The Egyptian military police. They’re here to protect the site.”
Gannon stared at the policeman nearest us. Like all the other military police, he wore a black suit, black boots with white gaiters and a red beret. Each member of the police squad carried an AK-47 submachine gun and had a pistol on their hip.
“That’s some serious protection,” Gannon said. “You think it’s totally necessary?”
“I guess so. Who knows what kind of treasure might
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