Fireworks: Riley by Liliana Hart

touching the squares.
    “Oh, my God,” she whispered once they were inside.
    “You can say that again.”
    The room was a treasure trove of priceless artifacts and gold. So much gold that the light from the flashlight reflected off its surface and glared into their faces. The temptation to look at every piece and touch was overwhelming. He knew without a doubt he’d never be a part of a find like this for the rest of his life. It was a possibility this was the last find of this magnitude for all eternity. But his life with Maggie was the priority. There was nothing worth the risk of losing that.
    “Do you know what it looks like?” Maggie asked, standing perfectly still. They both knew that sometimes the interior rooms could be booby-trapped as well.
    “I’m hoping we’ll know it when we see it.”
    He looked around the room to see if anything looked off or out of place, and it was then he noticed the small pedestal against the far corner. On top of the pedestal was a golden statue unlike any he’d ever seen before. It was an obvious likeness of both Ramses and Nefertari, and golden tears trailed down their unsmiling faces. Though the busts of their heads were separated, a long boat sat on their heads—a funeral barge that the Egyptians used to transport goods into the afterlife—connected them together.
    And inside the barge was a small book, no larger than the size of his hands resting side by side. It was really quite beautiful. The outside was made of pure gold and encrusted with all facets of precious gems.
    “It’s beautiful,” Maggie said.
    “And deadly.” Riley took a soft cloth from the inside of his pocket and wrapped it gently. And then he held his breath as he lifted it from the pedestal. It was so small there was no need to put it inside the backpack he’d brought. Instead he slipped it inside the pocket of his cargo pants.
    “Let’s get out of here. We can look at it later.”
    Maggie let out a long breath and they made their way back toward the outer room, careful to step over the squares on the way out. Riley pulled the door closed behind them and all at once the squares in the floor rose back to floor level and the squares he’d pressed on the platform rose back to their standing position.
    “You sure know how to show a girl a good time, Dr. MacKenzie.”
    “You ain’t seen nothing yet, Dr. Lawrence.”
     
     
     

CHAPTER FIVE
     
     
    They worked tirelessly for the rest of the day in Sector C, transporting inferior pots, jewelry and artifacts from the room and bringing them out to the covered area where Sam and Jay diligently cataloged and inspected each item.
    By the time the sun went down, there was no sign of Dr. Bekhit or word from anyone about Walker, and Riley was starting to wonder if the next time they’d see anyone was when the deadline was up and soldiers came back to dispose of their bodies.
    It was dangerous to take off on foot with limited supplies, but he’d rather take his chances with the desert than someone holding a weapon. There was time enough to make a decision. At least for the night they’d be safe. And they’d be alerted to anyone approaching the area since the desert was so quiet at night.
    They were all exhausted, and after a light supper of cheese and bread from their supplies, they all went to their respective tents for the evening.
    “Do you think one of us should try to make it into the city tomorrow? Even if they don’t bring a car back?” Sam asked, holding the flap of his tent open.
    Riley could tell by the look on the man’s face that his gut was screaming just as loud as Riley’s that something wasn’t quite right about the situation.
    “Let’s give it until morning and reevaluate. And then yeah, we do what we gotta do.”
    Sam nodded. “That’s what I figured you’d say. I’m with you, MacKenzie. To the end.” And with that Sam disappeared inside his tent.
    Riley’s tent was set up on the opposite side of the camp, away from the