Peter. Kaci started pacing, waiting for the argument to commence. Harrison turned to face her.
"Is this going to cause a problem?" He asked.
"Only if you make it one," snapped Kaci. "As far as I'm concerned it's all history."
"If it makes it any easier I'm sorry," Harrison said. "I didn't realise how serious you were."
"Serious?" Kaci's anger flared. "I left my husband for you and you just walked away," she shouted. "I'm glad Maria left you." She took satisfaction from the hurt on his face.
"I couldn't leave the kids." Harrison remained cool.
"Well, with Maria gone you'll get to spend time with them now." As soon as it had passed her lips Kaci saw the pain on Harrison's face and she saw the truth.
Harrison tried to bite back on the tears he'd thought had dried up forever but they threatened to return with a vengeance. Kaci's attack had slashed at the protective barrier he thought he'd put up around his emotions.
"I'll get another pilot," he yelled at her.
"I'm so sorry, Kyle." Kaci tried to put her arms around Harrison, but he pushed her away.
"I'll never hold them again," he cried. "I'll never get to say goodbye." Harrison finally gave in to Kaci and the tears, allowing her to hold him as they poured down his cheeks.
"I'm so sorry." Kaci squeezed him tightly.
"It's not your fault," Harrison hugged her back, comforted by the sense of closeness he hadn't felt in so long.
"And you don't need another pilot." Kaci pushed Harrison away and stared at him. "You need me."
Ten
The van had been modified to seat twelve and six of those seats were taken up by Adrian Chappell and his team. The remaining seats were stacked with equipment and food to last them a week. Chappell was growing impatient and had announced, the night before, that they would be returning to the site and staying there until the work was done or funding ran out.
What he hadn't told them was that the money had already dried up and they would be working for free if they didn't figure out the importance of their discovery.
Chappell wasn't willing to face that option. He knew in his gut that what they'd found was something so mind blowing it would change the history books. And he would be the man behind it; he would be remembered as the man who rewrote the past. All those who had pointed fingers at him and his theories would be more than just surprised when Adrian Chappell returned on the scene.
His nerves were showing and since the evening before he'd managed to bite away at every fingernail, something he'd not done since his years as university student. With the nails now gone he was gnawing at the skin. No one else seemed to notice and he cast his gaze around the team he'd brought in upon discovering the manuscript.
He could still remember his excitement when he'd uncovered it amongst his Grandparents belongings, the pure exhilaration at knowing what he held in his hands had never been seen by an academic before. He'd reeled at the questions that had flooded his thoughts, carefully paging through the bound pages with gloved hands.
Chappell hadn't believed half of it, but after extensive research and secretive testing he couldn't deny what sat in his possession. Forget the Dead Sea Scrolls and wipe your arse on the Gospel of Judas. Chappell had the origins of the Gods in his very hands and he planned to unearth them.
Not that he could have done much about it at the time. Circumstances were strange and Chappell had to keep his whereabouts private. The phone call had changed all that.
"I know what you have," The voice had declared. "Work with me."
* * *
Most of the team had taken some persuading, not believing the call had come from Chappell, they all knew
"Is this going to cause a problem?" He asked.
"Only if you make it one," snapped Kaci. "As far as I'm concerned it's all history."
"If it makes it any easier I'm sorry," Harrison said. "I didn't realise how serious you were."
"Serious?" Kaci's anger flared. "I left my husband for you and you just walked away," she shouted. "I'm glad Maria left you." She took satisfaction from the hurt on his face.
"I couldn't leave the kids." Harrison remained cool.
"Well, with Maria gone you'll get to spend time with them now." As soon as it had passed her lips Kaci saw the pain on Harrison's face and she saw the truth.
Harrison tried to bite back on the tears he'd thought had dried up forever but they threatened to return with a vengeance. Kaci's attack had slashed at the protective barrier he thought he'd put up around his emotions.
"I'll get another pilot," he yelled at her.
"I'm so sorry, Kyle." Kaci tried to put her arms around Harrison, but he pushed her away.
"I'll never hold them again," he cried. "I'll never get to say goodbye." Harrison finally gave in to Kaci and the tears, allowing her to hold him as they poured down his cheeks.
"I'm so sorry." Kaci squeezed him tightly.
"It's not your fault," Harrison hugged her back, comforted by the sense of closeness he hadn't felt in so long.
"And you don't need another pilot." Kaci pushed Harrison away and stared at him. "You need me."
Ten
The van had been modified to seat twelve and six of those seats were taken up by Adrian Chappell and his team. The remaining seats were stacked with equipment and food to last them a week. Chappell was growing impatient and had announced, the night before, that they would be returning to the site and staying there until the work was done or funding ran out.
What he hadn't told them was that the money had already dried up and they would be working for free if they didn't figure out the importance of their discovery.
Chappell wasn't willing to face that option. He knew in his gut that what they'd found was something so mind blowing it would change the history books. And he would be the man behind it; he would be remembered as the man who rewrote the past. All those who had pointed fingers at him and his theories would be more than just surprised when Adrian Chappell returned on the scene.
His nerves were showing and since the evening before he'd managed to bite away at every fingernail, something he'd not done since his years as university student. With the nails now gone he was gnawing at the skin. No one else seemed to notice and he cast his gaze around the team he'd brought in upon discovering the manuscript.
He could still remember his excitement when he'd uncovered it amongst his Grandparents belongings, the pure exhilaration at knowing what he held in his hands had never been seen by an academic before. He'd reeled at the questions that had flooded his thoughts, carefully paging through the bound pages with gloved hands.
Chappell hadn't believed half of it, but after extensive research and secretive testing he couldn't deny what sat in his possession. Forget the Dead Sea Scrolls and wipe your arse on the Gospel of Judas. Chappell had the origins of the Gods in his very hands and he planned to unearth them.
Not that he could have done much about it at the time. Circumstances were strange and Chappell had to keep his whereabouts private. The phone call had changed all that.
"I know what you have," The voice had declared. "Work with me."
* * *
Most of the team had taken some persuading, not believing the call had come from Chappell, they all knew
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