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CHAPTER 1 1970 A.D.–Mayan archaeological site
Sweat pooled between Raina Cotterell's breasts, then trickled down to the waistband of her faded jeans. The heat was a minor annoyance compared to the swarms of mosquitoes regrouping for yet another attack. By that time she hoped to be safely tucked beneath the netting in her tent, letting the night sounds of the Yucatan sing her to sleep.
In an effort to get some relief from the humidity, she leaned back on her heels and tied the edges of her shirt beneath her breasts. One spear from the insect devils would force her to pull it back in place–until then, she opted for the slight coolness provided.
With a flick of her fingers she released a cascade of gold hair from the confines of a barrette. She fluffed it to cool her head, then gathered the mass once more to secure it atop her head. It was a foolish vanity considering her profession, but she couldn't make herself cut it. Just because she spent half a year researching Mayan ruins didn't mean she had to look the part the remainder of the year. No concessions; she wanted the best of both worlds.
She inhaled the scent of the jungle–sharp, pungent, heavy. The perfect blend of vegetation, soil, and moisture. The smell of life.
Stretching the kinks from her back, she looked up the towering ceiba trees to the azure sky above. A sky that matched her eyes…or so she'd been told. A sky that had seen those who walked here centuries before. Who were these Mayans who had lived over a thousand years before? What had they thought and felt? If she closed her eyes and let her mind wander, she could actually put herself intheir footsteps.
Contact with pockets of Mayan descendants only whetted her appetite. Through these small remnants of the ancient civilization her archaeological team learned of customs. And when they were lucky enough to find an elder, they could tap into the language used long ago and passed from one to another. Like Grandpa Chapa who had joined the expedition again this season. The man was a wealth of knowledge, even if his stories of visits from the ancients was a little farfetched.
Raina longed for a discovery that would answer her questions. True, she had made quite a few minor finds, but nothing major. Nothing that would rock the archaeological world and make her peers take notice. Little discoveries only made her hunger for more tangible ones.
She picked up her brush and returned to her task. Something was beneath the pile of debris–she was certain of it and was determined to prove it. She needed this unlikely find to bolster her confidence and reaffirm her decision to enter the field of archaeology. The inconvenience of living in the jungle was insignificant compared to the reward of piecing together history. Who cared that water was at a premium? That the mosquitoes threatened to carry you away or eat you alive? That the heat smothered both day and night? She was reaching across time, touching objects that had once belonged to a mysterious people. Nothing could spoil that soul-hugging satisfaction. Nothing, that is, except…
"Are you still working on that stupid pile of dirt? Leave it be and come look at a real find."
Before she could protest, Burke O'Neill grabbed her upper arm and hauled her to her feet. To look at him one would have thought he was on the wrong end of this archaeological puzzle. With his dark features, he could have easily passed as one of the people he researched. If any doubted his skill as a scientist, though, Burke was quick to set them straight. He was as good-looking as a man could be, but his ego destroyed any attraction gleaned from that asset. At the blink of an eye he would rattle off the tombs he had unearthed, the artifacts recovered, and the awards he expected to receive as a result. He'd been everywhere, done everything, and done it better than anyone else. If anyone doubted, all they had to do was ask him. Sadly, his obnoxious behavior overrode any notoriety his discoveries might receive. And Burke was too self-absorbed to see that.
Raina pulled away from his grasp to dust off her jeans. "Not now. I'm nearly finished. Only a few more hours and I'll have it uncovered. I won't sleep unless it's done."
Burke shooed his hands toward her project. "Aw, leave it. It's nothing. I have much more experience in this business than you. Why won't you listen to me?"
She held his gaze with an icy stare until he broke the contact. "I have a right to my own accolades and failures, Burke. Please allow me that much."
He shrugged off her words as he would a pesky insect. "Have it your way. But first, come see this. You just might get a kick out of it." He took a step backward and jerked his head toward the courtyard. "Come on, it's…" A sneeze swallowed his sentence, followed in quick succession by six more.
Raina yanked the packet of tissues from her roomy back pocket and slapped it into his open palm. "Why don't you take something for that? It'll take less than a minute for me to prepare a tea."
"Forget it. You're not pouring that hippie garbage down me."
"Herbal medicines have been used for centuries. They are totally natural and very healthful."
"I said forget it."
"Then see the site doctor. You're sick more than anyone I know. You may be coming down with the Asian flu. You should have seen to it before we left the States."
"It's just a cold, and as I recall, I was too busy bailing you out of jail. I swear, Raina, the people you associate with."
"As I recall, I didn't ask for your help. Anyway, it was a peaceful sit-in. We did nothing wrong."
"When are you going to realize that demonstrating against the war will do nothing? War is war." He snapped a finger at her. "That's what's been around for centuries. It's the nature of man. Why, I'd be willing to bet your gentle Mayans were as warlike as they come."
Copyright © 2006 by Catherine Snodgrass.
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