Lost Sols 1: Ancient Treasure (2 page)

Maria did find something new as well.
She found an artifact of some kind. It's something she would have wanted you to know about. I don’t know where it is.” Dalton said. “She left it to me in her will. I just got it today. Do you know what it is?” he asked. “I’m glad it’s in safe hands. We discussed the artifact at length. Neither of us could get it open and we don’t know what it’s made out of. While we were at the Ark Pyramid she told me about finally finding the location of the Prime Pyramid. The week before she arrived at the Ark Pyramid she had visited the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. She had finally been granted permission to view the papyrus scroll which had been found in Khay’s tomb. While we are at the Ark it was all she could talk about. She couldn’t wait to try and find the Prime Pyramid. I miss her so much. She was a wonderful woman and a saint.” Dalton said. “I miss her to. It’s going to be a hard adjustment for both of us. She left me a letter. I’m planning on continuing her work. The location she identified is not far from here.” Vincent replied.

Vincent had his own opinion about the Prime Pyramid and was curious to know what
Dalton thought about it. “You worked with my grandmother for a long time, what do you think about her theory as it relates to the Prime Pyramid?” Dalton took a few moments to get his thoughts together. “When I first met Maria I was completely skeptical and to be honest I thought she was a nut job. I started to become a believer when she showed me her research. She took the time to carefully explain how all the pieces fit together. She had always believed the secret lied with Khay. The hieroglyphs clearly indicated Khay was removing and relocating artifacts and gold which was acquired during the reign of Ramesses. As one of the officers to Ramesses the Great, Khay would have had access to the entire New Kingdom whenever he wanted it. The hieroglyphs showed Khay relocated a great deal of treasure. Perhaps the meaning of his name was accurate. He surely seems to have been “chosen of Ra”. There seems to be more questions about Khay then there are answers. It’s obvious he was able to transport his acquisitions long distances. He was either not of this world or he had access to advanced technology. I’m guessing he had access to technology. The analysis of the body in the burial chamber indicates he was a normal human. He had to have been in contact with an advanced species.” Dalton said.

“What do you believe is the purpose of the Ark Pyramid?” Vincent asked. “I believe the secret to the Ark Pyramid has to do with the salt content in
Lake Vida. Old Earth microbes in the lake were reanimated after three thousand years of dormancy prior to the discovery of the pyramid. The chemistry of the lake itself appears artificial and specifically designed to preserve biological material. It’s my guess the pyramid was constructed in order to preserve the biological material within. The lake was designed for a purpose. Before the pyramid was even discovered the lake was considered the perfect time capsule for preserving DNA. I know one of the biologists who has access to the samples. His name is Anthony. The last time I checked he was still working on the samples. I asked him to contact me when there are results. This discovery will be ground breaking and could reshape biology as we know it.” Dalton said.

“If security was so tight how did she get the artifact out?" Vincent asked.
"Your grandmother was a very resourceful lady. That's a question you probably don't want the answer to." Dalton replied. “You’re right about that. How do you feel about a trip to Rimrock Lake?” Vincent asked. “I think it’s time to continue the work Maria started.” Dalton replied.

As Vincent gathered up camping gear he wondered what waited for them at
Old Snowy Mountain. He was used to conducting field work but not climbing mountains. It was no Mount Everest but Goat Rocks still reached almost eight thousand feet into the sky. This was not a simple hill he was going to climb. Luckily it was summer so he wouldn’t have to deal with extremely cold weather and snow. He hoped they wouldn’t need to travel across the glaciers. He thought he could handle climbing, but had no idea how to negotiate his way across a glacier. In addition to climbing, the two of them would have to hike in seven miles from the Snowgrass Flats area. He was bringing his camping gear, warm clothing, the artifact, and the journal. Dalton said he would bring any climbing gear they would need. Dalton was an experienced climber and would be able teach a rookie. On his way to pick up Dalton he wondered who Jonah White was and why his grandmother believed it was so important to talk to the man. What secrets did he have? The drive from Seattle to Rimrock Lake would take about three hours and they would have plenty of time to talk about what awaited them, and why they might need to speak to Jonah.

Vincent picked up
Dalton bright and early at five thirty and they began their journey to Old Snowy Mountain. The excitement and nervous energy put Vincent on edge as he wondered what might, or might not be found. "Dalton, if I understand this right we are going to find chambers filled with ancient artifacts and treasure?" he asked. "Your grandmother believed everything Khay removed during the age of the New Kingdom was relocated to the Prime Pyramid. She believed the location of the Prime Pyramid is Old Snowy Mountain. According to your grandmother that is exactly what we should expect to find." Dalton replied. "From my experience, things don’t always work out the way you think they will. In all honesty, I have no idea what we’ll find. It would be nice if Maria was right about this. Have you heard anything from your biologist friend Tony yet?" Vincent asked. "Not yet, I would imagine the security will still be extremely tight. He’ll need to find a way to contact me which won’t raise suspicion from his watchers. He knows not to put himself in any danger and will contact me when he can." Dalton replied.

"Why would aliens place a pyramid on top of a mountain?
All of the other pyramids we've found are located near the surface of the earth or under it." Vincent asked. "I think it's safe to say we've found the majority of the pyramids, tombs, and monuments which can be easily found on earth. I believe this pyramid was meant to remain hidden. It's not easy to access, and for half the year it's virtually inaccessible due to extreme weather conditions. In summer it’s relatively safe. For the rest of the year, it’s a deathtrap." Dalton replied.

"How difficult is it going to be to reach the summit of the mountain?" Vincent asked.
"As far as mountaineering goes it doesn't appear difficult at all. I've researched the climb and we shouldn't even need any additional equipment. I'm bringing some along to be safe, but I really doubt if we'll need it." Dalton replied.

In her office Monique watched the blip on her screen slowly move out of the
Seattle area to the southeast. The tracking unit on Vincent's car apparently hadn't been detected. Monique believed Vincent knew more then he told her, and now that he was with Dalton she was sure of it. Whatever information the two of them possessed needed to be uncovered. She would find out what Maria had been hiding.

The agency received virtually no information from the
Ark due to the implosion. Only a few cylinders of biological material were recovered and those were being analyzed. If there was any additional information recovered by Maria or Dalton she was determined to get it. Access to the Ark was proving to be impossible. Prior to the construction of the dome midget submarines were sent down to explore the area. Every time the subs were within a hundred yards of the Ark they suffered mysterious electrical malfunctions. The dome had to be built exceptionally large to avoid being within the electrical dead zone. Since the implosion the agency tried on three separate occasions with the midget subs with the same frustrating electrical failures. Without the dome the ark was inaccessible and any secrets or advanced technology remained hidden. She was ambitious, and hoped to impress her bosses by learning the secrets of the pyramid.

Monique had mixed feelings about the ruthless nature of her boss.
He was a short, bald, and egotistical man who was determined to get results no matter the cost. Individual video reviews were conducted on each agent and scientist who was in the Ark Pyramid. Once it was revealed Maria was in possession of an artifact from the Ark, her boss Benjamin Carson was determined to retrieve it as quickly as possible. Prior to leaving the Antarctic all the scientists were questioned about what they had seen on the Ark. Monique interviewed Maria and didn't receive any useful information at all. She was sure Maria was hiding something, she just didn't know what. The video evidence was uncovered after Maria had left the Antarctic. If the agency had reviewed the video before she left they would have had the artifact by now. All the scientists should have been detained until the reviews were done. Not doing so was proving costly and time consuming.

Monique believed shooting down Maria's plane was a bit extreme and unnecessary.
She questioned the order when it was issued by Benjamin. It was a heartless act. With some time, she would have located and retrieved the artifact. The entire operation was classified as a black project and Benjamin wasn't accountable to anyone. Monique couldn't help but think how senseless and unnecessary the death of Maria was. The artifact wasn't even found in the wreckage and the pilot had disappeared from the hospital. The artifact was still missing and there was another loose end as they hadn't found the missing pilot yet. She decided it was time to pay a visit to Vincent and Dalton. She continued to watch the tracking signal. The signal stopped in the mountains at Rimrock Lake.

It was a busy weekend for Jonah White. The campground at the lake was always busy on the Fourth of July. He’d been running the campground and cafe for almost twenty years. He had just finished his breakfast when just after nine two men walked into the campground office. “Do you need to rent a spot?” He asked. “No thank you sir. I’m Vincent Moretti and this is Dalton Webb. I believe you spoke with my grandmother Maria recently.” Vincent said. “Your grandmother? Oh yes, Maria she sounds like a nice woman. My name is Jonah by the way. How is she?” he replied. “I guess you haven’t heard. She passed away in a plane crash on her way
here.” Vincent said. “Oh my God! I wondered why I hadn’t heard from her again. I’m very sorry to hear that. I never met her but she seemed like a nice person on the phone.” Jonah said. “Jonah, my grandmother left instructions for me to find you if something happened to her. I don’t know why. How are you involved in what my grandmother was doing?” Vincent asked. “How about we go down by the water and talk? It’s quieter down there and we won’t be interrupted.” Jonah said.

“Do you know where the term flying saucer came from?” Jonah said. Vincent thought this was a strange way to start a conversation and shook his head no. “The term was first used in newspapers on June twenty sixth 1947. It was two days after Kenneth Arnold saw multiple objects which he believed were extraterrestrial in origin. He was flying from Chehalis to
Yakima. The major newspapers of the day took his story seriously and he wasn’t considered some crackpot. At the time it was considered genuine and accurate. He was a respected businessman and pilot, and had no reason for making something like that up. The UFO sighting by Kenneth Arnold was the first legitimate UFO sighting in modern times. He saw these objects right here in Washington all the way from Mount Baker to Mount Adams. He also saw multiple ships which were hovering at or near the surface of Old Snowy Mountain. He did the math and calculated nothing man made could move as fast as the ships did at the time. He never told the papers about the objects he saw at Old Snowy Mountain. I think seeing those ships hovering really frightened him. He only told people toward the end of his days. When I was young, I mowed his lawn. He was too old to do it at the time. He’d offer me something to drink and tell me his stories. It was great for a kid. I was able to take a break, and an old man was able to tell tales from his past.

He was well respected in the community, and known as someone who would help anyone who came to him with a problem. When he told me about Goat Rocks I could tell it was something he truly believed in. He was emotional just talking about it. He didn’t enjoy the attention the newspaper stories generated and wanted to live a quiet life. It’s not like today when somebody reports a UFO every time there’s anything at all in the air. This was legitimate news and that’s how it was reported at the time.” Jonah said. He brought out a photo album which was filled with newspaper clippings of the day and showed them how the i
ncident was reported.

“How did my gra
ndmother find you?” Vincent asked. “She told me she was researching any UFO sightings in the area and knew Kenneth was someone I had known. After his death, I wrote an editorial in the local paper about what he had told me. He made maps about where the ships were hovering. I didn’t share it with the paper. It was something he was very secretive about. I tried to respect his privacy and what he would have wanted to share. He didn’t want his family bothered anymore. He was very interested in knowing where exactly the ships were hovering and had made a few trips to the mountain to investigate.” Jonah said.

“Where did Kenneth say the ships were hovering exactly?”
Dalton asked. “He said they were hovering on the south side of the mountain. Why did your grandmother become interested in the mountain?” Jonah asked. “She uncovered clues which led her to believe there is an artificial structure at the mountain. Unfortunately her research brought her to the attention of our government and she was being watched. We believe the government is interested in us now. We are going to the mountain to continue her work.” Vincent said. “I don’t like our government. Those fools think they need to have their noses in everything. Good luck at the mountain. You’re grandmother knew something was there, and now she’s dead. Traveling by plane is supposed to be safer then riding in cars you know. Be careful, and watch your asses.” Jonah said.

It was noon when Vincent and
Dalton arrived at Snowgrass Flats. They had hours of hiking and climbing ahead of them. There was a strange silence between them as they tried to process what Jonah had said. As they began their hike Dalton wanted to hear what Vincent thought. “What do you think of his story?” Vincent thought about it for a moment. “He really seems to believe what he was told. I was vaguely familiar with the Kenneth Arnold story but didn’t know much in the way of details. I know there were also corroborating reports at the time which adds credibility to the story. In a couple of hours we we’ll know if the story was true or not I guess. I know the incident with the Mount Rainier sighting came within just a few weeks of the Roswell crash.” Vincent said. “Let’s pick up the pace and get our asses to the mountain. We have work to do.” Dalton replied.

Monique arrived at
Rimrock Lake at four in the afternoon. According to GPS tracking, Vincent and Dalton had spent about two hours at the campground. She went to the café and ordered a burger for lunch. When the waitress brought her the burger she showed her pictures of Vincent and Dalton and asked if she’d seen them. The waitress said she had seen the owner Jonah speaking with the men and he could be found in the campground office. Monique finished her lunch and went to the office.

“Hello, are you Jonah?” asked Monique. “Yes, I’m Jonah would you like to rent a spot?” Jonah replied. “No, I understand you were speaking with a couple of friends of mine today. I was wondering if you know where they went?” Monique asked. As a rule Jonah made it his policy not to trust most people and didn’t see a reason to change his ways now. Especially after
what Vincent had told him about the government involvement with Maria. “I don’t know where they went. They had some food, went for a swim, and left as far as I know. If you are their friend shouldn’t you have a better idea of where they’re at?” Jonah asked. “I lost my cell phone and haven’t been able to get in touch with them. The waitress said she saw you talking to them for awhile. What did you talk about?” Jonah was now sure this was a government spook. “They were asking about the lake and what camping spots were available, and then they left. I can rent you a spot if you need one otherwise I’m quite busy and have work to do.” Jonah said. “Thank you for the offer but I’m going to move on. I’m sure I’ll catch up with them. Thank you for your time and happy Fourth of July.” Monique wasn’t a big fan of camping. She would do it if it was necessary but she preferred a warm bed in a heated hotel room. It was time to go find Vincent and Dalton.

“What do you think?”
Dalton asked. The two men had arrived at the base of Old Snowy Mountain and were looking up at the south side of the mountain. “I don’t see anything obvious. The mountain itself has the general shape of a pyramid if you look closely but I don’t see anything which would indicate an entrance anywhere.” Vincent said. Vincent and Dalton began their ascent up the south side of the mountain looking for anything which would give them a clue to where an entrance might be. It was a large area to search. They decided to split up. After an hour of searching neither one of them had seen anything which looked promising. Vincent opened his backpack hoping binoculars might be of some help. As he was looking for the binoculars he happened across the orb. It looked like it was slightly lighter in color. It now looked dark grey. “Dalton come here and look at this.” he said. Vincent showed the orb to Dalton. “Look, it’s lighter in color then it was before.” Vincent said. “Let’s keep it out and see if there are any other changes.” Dalton said. They started walking further to the east and saw the orb was getting darker. “It was dark to begin with so I’m guessing the lighter it gets the closer we might be.” Vincent turned around and headed back toward the northwest with Dalton following. The orb was slowly getting lighter in color as Vincent walked forward. When he came up against a large rock face the orb was nearly white. “Now what? I’m not seeing anything helpful here.” Dalton said. “Let’s look along the entire face and see if we find anything.” Vincent replied. Vincent went to the right and Dalton went to the left.