The wake was sparsely attended so I knew at that moment the funeral in the morning would only be a formality. Hardly anyone here remembered him. It had been almost forty years since he escaped from sticksville Indiana to make his name in the scientific community. He was famous in the ivory towers across the globe, renowned for his contributions in the field of archeology. It was just that no one knew him in his hometown.

His ex's and friends were scattered across the country and they weren't very close anyway. They were no children, his coworkers and colleagues morphing into a family of sorts.

I was half a world away when I heard the news. Excavating the tomb of a high priest on the banks of the Tigris River was important but paled in comparison to what this man had done for me.

He was my mentor, my friend and, more importantly, had opened my eyes to the untold story of mankind's history. There existed only a handful of us, scattered across the globe, who fully understood the truth. It was a dangerous theory, one capable of wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting minds of modern day man.

Thanks to him I was now part of that exclusive clique, whether I wanted to be or not.

My life had changed forever in the space of but a few days at that dig in the cradle of civilization… "If the truth be told, I think your theory is full of shit. And for that matter so do most of our esteemed colleagues."

I didn't bother to look at him as I spoke. At this point in our discussion it was more pleasant to stare into the teeth of a persistent sandstorm.

Outside, the unrepentant winds ripped at our flimsy tent, rattling the canvas like a sovereign banner. The sand, billions of microscopic projectiles, was even less forgiving. On exposed skin its touch was no less than a third degree burn. Even 'protected' inside the tent, the damn stuff was everywhere. In clothes and hair, inside the mouth and between teeth… Christ, at times like this I hated this place!

After two days I didn't think it could get any worse. But that was before Jason got into the scotch and revived a stale argument.

I turned around just as he raised a half full glass and pointed at me.

"If the truth be told…" His bearded face broke into a smile. "It bothers you more because you're actually thinking about it!"

I zipped up the door of the tent and sank into the nearest chair.

"That's crap."

"Ha! You were curious about it when you were my student but now you're starting to accept it as true." He waved down my feeble protest. "Don't even bother. I know you've meticulously gone over my papers, looking for holes or inaccuracies. Just as with the rest of our scientific peers (the last was said with a sneer), you haven't been able to find fault with the logic or historical facts. But unlike my old 'friends' you're too smart to fall back on old and disproved theorems as the basis for derision and ridicule."

I grunted something under my breath and tried to avoid his gaze.

It wasn't fair. With those steely gray eyes and equally gray hair, he could assume the superior, fatherly look.

Then again, after thirty years in this line of work, he had inherited the right. Despite his eccentricities, Jason was a leader in his field and the main reason I had conducted my doctorate studies under his tutelage. When I completed those years of schooling I had accepted a job as one of his team. I felt a stab of pride because, after all, I was good too and he knew it.

Archeology. Specifically early Egyptian Archeology. It had attracted me since my childhood years. I've no idea why. For some obscure reason I liked it and, ironically, it liked me, a Midwestern kid from half a world away. The names, events, and stories from 5000 years ago just seemed to stick in my brain. By the time I was twelve I could recite the linage of Egyptian Rulers from the Dynastic Period the same way my classmates quoted statistics about their favorite quarterback.

Since joining the professor I had participated in four separate digs, two in Central America, one in South America and this one in the southern part of what was the ancient Mesopotamia Empire. The published papers had met with considerable success, the finds filling in small holes in our understanding of human history. Then again, he hadn't included any references to his well-known theories.

The scotch swirled in his glass. "Come on lad, you can admit this much. It is compelling."

I shifted uncomfortably in the seat. There was no escape. The same sandstorm that prevented us from continuing the dig these past two days also prevented me from escaping this mental torture.

"The only thing I'll admit to you is the fact this damn storm is driving me nuts! We're losing time and money."

He waved a dismissive hand. "Relax youngster. Sandstorms this time of year are short lived. We'll have enough resources to finish."

I couldn't argue with that. He was leagues ahead of me as far as running expeditions.

That wasn't the reason I was here.

Although most experienced archeologists could organize and manage a dig, it took a different talent entirely to 'find' the ancient sites. These 'hot spots' as students referred to them, untapped reservoirs of archeological wealth, were what created the icons in the field. Jason had been an icon for years now but recognized in his student an ability that superceded his own.

Besides, he also had the name to pull funding out of the stoic business types and without them all of the team would be out looking for jobs.

Archeologists needed benefactors to survive.

"What about the locals? Won't they move on?"

"Not likely. This part of the desert is exceeding poor. They'll be back knocking on our door before the sand settles."

I nodded. No matter the location of the dig, the locals were needed to perform much of the labor work. Once properly trained they could take over any number of tasks, freeing the professor or myself for more intricate tasks such as dating recovered items or mapping out more promising areas to explore.

Most of the planning prior to a dig came from detailed bookwork. Reviewing ancient manuscripts and writings, searching for geological clues in an attempt to pinpoint a tiny village or settlement that hopefully had survived millennium of adverse weather conditions. Often times it came down to guesswork. One could call it educated guesswork, but it was still an expensive roll of the dice. It helped when one of the team had a talent for that sort of thing.

"Are you sure you won't join me for a drink?" Now those gray eyes mocked me. He already knew the answer.

"I can't drink hard stuff." I confessed. Memories from my freshman year still made my stomach twitch. "Now if we had brought along some beer…"

"Tsk tsk. You know we only have so much room and carrying a 2-4 of beer along isn't exactly a priority."

"And a forty of scotch is?"

The smile returned. "It is when it's part of the medical supplies."

I couldn't suppress a groan.

Jason's gaze turned pensive. "Do you remember the images we saw on the temple walls in Tulum?"

"The ones above the sacrificial pit?"

"That's it. The sketches were similar to others in the city. In fact, if you read comparable papers, they're similar to those found in other cities within a 500 mile radius."

I wasn't sure what he was getting at. In the background the wind was fading away.

"We took some pictures." I recalled. "Although no one has done a detailed analysis…"

No one had because the pervading theory over the past number of decades was that any images found inside Mayan Temples was presumed to be that of one of their gods. Jason however had other ideas… My old professor put the glass down as he leaned forward. "I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of examining some of those photographs after we got back."

I must have looked surprised because Jason laughed. "Now I grant you the images are worn and indistinct…"

I snorted. "Do you think? It's only been a thousand years!"

His grin turned into a reproachful glare. "I was able to perform some important measurements, of the trunks, appendages and so on."

I wasn't able to follow the logic. "But what can that tell us? The sizes of the images varied…"

"I know. I know. They're different in each case but there is an angle no one has considered. In each case the 'relative' measurements are exactly the same. And that's not all. The numbers we found on that continent are mimicked on this one."

I hesitated, suddenly unsure of myself. "That doesn't prove anything. There are a million reasons…"

"Oh cut the crap!"

The abruptness of his response caught me off guard. He usually never swore.

"You and I both know that in order to see that kind of uniformity, in that period, without computers and fine tools, they had to have something as a reference."

"You're not saying there was a 'god' present?"

"No, not a god in our sense."

He let the silence linger as he slowly sipped from the glass.

I sighed. "If you're going to start up about extraterrestrials again…"

'Here it comes…' I thought.

He spread his arms wide. "What other explanation is there? The same images found in temples separated by half a world and by thousands of years? Unless there was some Egyptian colonies founded we didn't know about…"

I couldn't contain a laugh. A quick glance outside confirmed my suspicions. The sandstorm was finally dying out.

"Well, we'll work on that colony theory in the morning. Right now I'm going to catch some zees."

He toasted me with his glass as I made my way into the sleeping bag.

I spent most of the morning hours reviewing the placements of the test sites. Once more my old professor had been proved correct. The locals reappeared at first light and the work was rejoined.

Stepping into the wide shadow of the pergola lowered the temperature a good 10 degrees, to somewhere just above 110. Of the truth be told I didn't mind it all that much (I wouldn't be able to do the job otherwise) but I still needed a break from the direct sunlight once in a while.

It was second nature for the locals. Most didn't even wear hats. I peeled mine off and squeezed out the sweatband before taking a deep swig from my bottle. Even lukewarm, the water felt great as it caressed the back of my throat.

The map was taped to the top of the table and revealed the surrounding area in as much detail as was known about this no man's land.

I felt a presence at my elbow.

"Having second thoughts?"

I smiled. At every dig it was the same question.

"No Professor. All the clues point to this section of the old wadi. The only detail I'm still concerned about is which side of the old riverbed did they decide to call home. One would expect the west side like the other settlements of this period but…"

The gray eyes sparkled. "But you have another 'feeling'."

I shrugged. "Some of the comments from the few documents we do have suggest something different. It seemed to fit with the east bank… for some reason."

Jason nodded slowly. He usually let me have my way. I had been right too many times in the past. We both took a moment to stare at the faint outlines of the ancient waterway. Barely recognizable as anything unusual in a sea of sand, it came to life under the discriminating eye of a 21st century satellite. Experts in the field suggested it dried up over 2000 years ago.

Breaking the silence I gestured to the test sites on the map.

"Each one is at least 200 yards wide and separated by half a mile. All together we've got over two miles covered." It had been my idea to incorporate these 'skip' digs in our initial search pattern.

"Do you think that's enough? I could put together a fourth crew."

The unspoken down side was understood. More men meant more resources. More resources meant less time on the dig.

I shook my head. "Let's stick with the plan. I got a good feeling about this one."

He laughed and slapped me on the shoulder. "Whatever you say my young friend. Maybe we'll find Temples from both Abydes and Suggasa."

A whistle escaped my lips. "That would make for a great paper wouldn't it?"

"Allow me to retire and you to spend the rest of your career on the lecture circuit."

I arched an eyebrow. "That sounds great but I don't know what I would do with a regular bath."

He snorted. "Try that excuse again after another 35 years lad. It doesn't get any easier."

I understood too well what he meant and my smile disappeared. The long tedious days that make up most excavations are occasionally interrupted by minutes of frenzied activity. It was like a fix and one powerful enough to bring us back time after time. I'm the first to admit it; I'm an archeological junkie.

And to find that next fix we suffered the sand, the heat and God knows what else. Jason had been through three marriages already.

This time we were in search of the Early Dynastic Period, the earliest phase of the Ancient Egyptian Empire. Unlike later periods relatively little is known about this epoch. Beginning about 3000 BC, it seems like a giant black hole in human history. We do know its capital was Memphis and seemed to initiate a period of gradual expansion. Not much is recorded about the various rulers or its culture.

It's a bit of a risk trying for something Mother Nature may have destroyed millennium past but that's the challenge. Besides I really did have a good feeling about this one.

The breathless approach of a familiar face interrupted our silence.

"Professor, Mike… found something… site B… stairs…"

Jason and I exchanged a knowing look exactly one second before my pulse began to quicken. The rush was starting.

I thrust my water bottle towards the grad student. "Take a drink and catch your breath Wilbur." I ordered. "Then start at the beginning."

We waited as he complied. It was understandable seeing it was his first expedition. To actually find something in the middle of a desert… "Ok, you're talking about the second site?"

He nodded and wiped the drops off his chin.

"Right at the edge of the wadi. When the locals called me over I thought it was just another big rock. But after we got down to the third step…"

Jason was instantly incredulous. "You waited? Are you crazy?"

Wilbur seemed to wilt. "I, er, didn't want to bother you in case it turned out to be nothing…"

"Ah! Come on!" He shoved Wilbur to one side as he stormed ahead. "Damn students…"

I just smiled and patted him on the arm. "Let's go."

Eventually he would learn. You never left locals alone on a site especially if there were relics about. Relics have a certain value and our 'employees' recognized that fact. No wonder items tend to disappear if left alone too long. The stairs were nothing to worry about. It was anything else that might be lying around.

It took twenty minutes at a fast walk to reach the site. Once we arrived Jason didn't hesitate as he elbowed his way through the small knot of onlookers. We followed in his wake until we stood before a set of stone stairs that descended into the sand. The rough outline of an arch of some sort was discernable in the sand wall above the stairs.

"Christ Mike! This is something!"

I stepped forward to get a closer look. "It seems to be an entranceway…"

"Probably to a temple or public building. Ordinary homes wouldn't rate this type of entry."

He was right of course. I just wish he wouldn't get my hopes up so early in the process.

I grabbed a brush and began cleaning one of the sides of the archway. Jason started on the other while Wilbur worked with the locals on the stairs. I realized I had forgotten my hat back on the map table but there wasn't a chance in hell I was going back for it now. The addict was enjoying his high.

It was a little before sunset when we finally laid down our tools. I had to make a conscious effort to breathe as I examined the intricate pattern on the archway.

"Don't tell me you don't recognize it."

"Of course I do." I snapped. "What I don't understand is the significance."

"What's to understand?" Jason stepped forward. "Both sides are identical. Our familiar god-like images are on top, ABOVE sketches of what are presumably local leaders. Dear god man, do you realize what this is telling us?"

I nodded slowly. It meant that whatever these images represented, they were perceived as more important than the rulers of the time. In the hierarchal ranking of Ancient Egypt it meant everything. Lives and families were often sacrificed to achieve higher social standing. So to have supposedly fictitious figures ranked higher than the local aristocrats was… "You notice the shapes of these 'gods'?"

"Yes, they are similar to the ones in the Mayan Temple."

"And others." He added. "I know you're still skeptical so I'll make you a deal."

"A deal?"

"We'll let Wilbur continue working on the steps while you take a few minutes to measure each image. When you're finished we'll compare your numbers to my measurements and see if they jive.

"Uh huh."

"Then maybe you'll believe."

"I'll do it but I'm not promising anything."

"Ok. I'll be in the tent."

I withdrew my tape measure. "I'll be there in an hour."

"Thank God this stuff is soft." Wilbur muttered for the hundredth time.

I grunted something in response, my attention focused on filling the nearest wheelbarrow with another load of sand. Nearby a half dozen locals were doing the same thing with two other homemade wheelbarrows.

My shovel was proving to be too narrow for this type of job as the damn sand kept sliding off the sides. Its primary use was for chipping away at adherent mud or earth. Hell, it would probably be more effective at shoveling snow!

Despite my mental protests we really were making significant progress. The sand that filled the chamber at the bottom of the stairs could have hardened into sandstone over the years. That would have required years of painstaking work. Instead progress was steady and methodical. If one didn't mind the 120 degree heat.

The dark spots materializing in front of my eyes just meant I was going to pass out, not die.

"Hey Mike, you got a second?"

The voice, echoing down the stairs, was a welcome distraction.

"Coming." I handed the poor excuse for an instrument to Wilbur and watched the grimace appear before bouncing up the stairs.

I found Jason studying the maps under the hastily erected tent cover.

After the discovery of the ancient structure we had quickly moved our base camp to the new 'command post'. Now everything we owned concerning the Early Dynastic Period was within arms reach. Several volumes of text were spread out across the table.

"A little light reading professor?" I joked.

He looked up, bemused. "Levity? And I thought the manual work would cure you of that affliction."

"I was beginning to feel it." I admitted, reaching for a bottle of water. "Any indication in the books how deep it may go?" With the entire structure buried under the sand we had no idea on its size.

He leaned back and rubbed his eyes. "I've been trying to gather clues for the last few hours but," He shrugged. "What we seem to be uncovering appears to be unique among the structures of this period."

I finished a deep drink. "But the material and engravings…"

He waved a hand. "No, the building material is the same as are the pictures... sort of."

"Huh?"

"Well for one thing there are more of them, of the images I mean. And placing them at the apex of the social pecking order is damn unusual." He paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "It's clear this place is not a temple or residence of some prominent citizen as we postulated last night."

"Why not?"

He gestured to the stairs. "You're at the base of 13 steps. First of all no city dweller builds half his house underground. Second, have you found any separations or partitions yet? Except for the main chamber, has there been any rooms, hallways or anything that resembles a kitchen?"

I hesitated and then shook my head. "Maybe they were eroded by the sand."

His gray eyes sparkled. "You don't believe that."

Now I shrugged. Trying to compete with his experience was like fighting one of those sandstorms.

"We both know the sand blew in and effectively insulated the place these past millennia. No, what we find down there will be exactly the same as the day it was abandoned."

"So why not a temple or public building?"

"How far are we in, 10 or 12 feet?"

"Probably pushing 15 by now."

"So we've cleared an area 15 feet deep and 10 feet wide, right to the walls. Thank goodness the ceiling is only 6 feet high or we'd need a backhoe to get it all out. As it is, it's going to be over a ton of sand."

I groaned.

"Have you ever seen a public place that was only 10 feet wide?" He picked up one of the reference books. "I'm still looking for similar reports but thus far it's one of a kind."

"So have you formulated a new theory?"

He averted his eyes and for a fraction of a second I thought I read self-doubt in his expression.

"I'm not sure." He said finally. "What we find over the next few days will hopefully provide some clues."

I excused myself and headed back into the structure. In a way I was glad he didn't comment any further on the images. As we dove deeper into the mysterious building, the sketches of the god like creatures were becoming more numerous and complex, even to the point of shunting all other pictures to the periphery. It was kind of creepy.

I didn't make any effort to measure them. I already knew the answer.

Last night Jason had provided numbers that precisely mirrored my own. It was unbelievable and yet, the math from two different continents, separated by an ocean and several thousand years, was exactly the same.

I shivered.

"How far does it go?"

We stood at the bottom of the stairs and used the beams of our flashlights to play over the rising sand at the far end. Jason and I stood in front while Wilbur and Stephanie, a meek, acne encrusted doctoral student, were a few steps back holding the kerosene lamps.

"Just over 30 feet." If nothing else, the locals were hard workers. In just over 48 hours we had hauled out over two tons of sand.

"And where does it start to split?"

I flicked my light over each side. "Both walls came to an abrupt end at the 29 foot mark." As I explained to them over supper, it was like we were excavating along a road and suddenly came to a four way stop. The road turned right and left (or in this case east and west).

"We started digging out both sides but ran out of sunlight before we got more than a few feet. I plan to pick it up in the AM." It was understood the 'road' on the opposite side would echo this one.

"Hmmm. And no more artifacts?"

"Just the pieces of sand encrusted material I sent up earlier. I'm afraid it's too badly degraded to analyze here. We'll have to take it back to the university lab."

Jason bent down and grabbed a handful of sand. In the pale glow of the kerosene lamp it looked like water flowing out of his palm.

"Concentrate your efforts on the western side. I think you will find that part much more revealing."

"How's that?"

"Just a hunch." He dropped the remaining sand and turned to go. "I'll see everyone in the morning."

Once again the professor was right. The western opening turned out to be just that, an opening. But not just on the inside. The wall abruptly ended, providing a 17-foot long exit to the outside.

The eastern 'road' was looking more and more like a corridor similar to the one we had excavated, especially after several hours of uninterrupted work. Sand, sand, and more sand.

Towards the juncture in the center, the walls were covered in wild frescos. Bizarre scenes of mythological creatures locked in combat ran from one fresco to the next creating an uninterrupted panorama. Unicorns, strange man-beasts and all manner of monsters were faded but still frozen in time.

And what was more unusual were the twin black marks on the floor in the exact center of the junction, close to the opening.

I shook my head. It was getting harder and harder to make sense of it all much less form a cohesive theory. The details were so unlike anything I had studied.

A sigh escaped my lips. It was time to have a word with the professor.

"What's the deal here?"

From his scrunched position between a set of trunks, texts scattered around him like fall leaves, Jason raised his eyes over the top of his reading glasses.

"Deal? I wasn't aware we were playing cards."

"You know what I mean. With every wheelbarrow of sand we remove I'm getting more confused. This building, whatever it is, is unlike anything I've read about from this era." I threw up my hands in sudden exasperation. "I've tossed around a hundred different scenarios in my head these past two days and damned if I can put two and two together. Usually we stumble across something important, a tomb, a pyramid or even some fossils. Sure the details have to be flushed out, but everyone intuitively understands the basics of what they're dealing with. Here we haven't got a frigging clue!"

I didn't realize I was pacing until I stopped talking.

Jason was looking at me with a strange glint in his eye. He slowly put down the book.

"Why don't you pinpoint for me 'exactly' what's bothering you. Let's talk details for a minute."

That sounded good to me. "Ok, lets start with this one. Why are these god like pictures at the top of the pecking order, compared to the random dispersement at every other temple on the planet?" I couldn't keep a trace of sarcasm out of my voice.

"Perhaps because this place," He gestured vaguely around. "Held a special position in the eyes of the local population. Would you accept the premise that this attraction was devoted to these… gods?"

I paused in my pacing. How could I dispute that?

"What about the purpose of the building? You said it wasn't a temple."

"I did. Though we cannot deny the symmetry we're uncovering, the three long corridors converging on the center space and the wide entranceway. All of this in keeping with a Holy Site… of sorts."

"And the sheer number of images? Especially as they get closer to the entrance. Then there are the frescos…"

Jason inclined his head marginally. "Logically the center would be the most sacred area. It only makes sense that the representations on the walls would reflect that fact. The frescos are… something else."

The way his voice trailed off sounded warning bells in my brain. I didn't know if I wanted to push it further.

But my curiosity was not to be denied.

"How did you know the western side would be the one that produced an entrance?"

A wry smile slowly spread across his face. He knew what self doubts I was experiencing.

"In those days an opening on that side would overlook the river as well as a wide expanse of grass and fertile plains. To a person standing in the entrance, it would be a magnificent view, especially at sunset." He paused for just a fraction of a second.

"For anyone attempting to enter, they would have an unobstructed approach."

"Unobstructed approach? What the hell does that mean?"

The smile matured as he struggled to his feet.

"Come with me for a second. I want to show you something."

Confused, I followed Jason to the back corner of the tent where we stored the scraps of artifacts. It was a rather meager collection for such a large building.

"Before I show you this I want you to understand that similar 'items' have been discovered at various sites in Central America and in Mesopotamia." He raised a hand before I could interrupt. "You won't find any mention of this in the journals because they were intentionally omitted."

"What? Why would… How do you know this?"

He chuckled. "Because there is still an old boys network that passes along 'unofficial' findings. You can't convey gut feelings, rumors, speculations or other unscientific thoughts through a scientific journal. Let's just say whisperings of similar objects have been out there for years."

My mind was racing. "But they're just pieces of sand encrusted junk."

"Junk eh?" He pulled one piece from the pile and rubbed a layer of sand off.

"See this?"

He tossed it to me for a closer look. I recognized the sand and something else, something redder than the grains of sun bleached dirt.

"Rust?"

Jason laughed. "That's right. Rust. And when we take the rest of these 'artifacts' back to the lab, do you know what they are going to say? Their report, quick and concise, is going to confirm it is rust… from a medal they can't identify. The blame will be placed on the elements for degrading the metal."

He bent down and deliberately chose another artifact.

My thoughts were in total chaos as he passed it to me.

"Look close. I've scrubbed off a spot in the middle. The damn thing is metal and yet it's as clear as water." He watched as I examined the piece. "No, it's not an illusion, nor is it some form of copper, a metal that actually existed at this point in human development. It does rust and," He grabbed it at both ends and slammed it across his knee. "It definitely is some type of metal." The damned thing bent like a piece of aluminum siding.

"Christ!" I breathed. "We've got to publish this."

Jason barked a laugh. "Publish what exactly? That we found splinters of a weird metal inside a 5000 year old Egyptian home? Yes Victoria there are extraterrestrials."

The last word stopped me in my tracks.

His gaze captured mine. The smile froze.

"It's scary isn't it? But that's what we are talking about."

I slowly sunk to my knees under the sudden weight. The two artifacts fell from my hands.

"Are you prepared to make this public lad?" He asked quietly as the realization grabbed hold. "Are you prepared for the firestorm that will follow… before they label you a shyster? For that will be the title you inherit for the rest of your academic life, as you struggle for pennies from every loonytoon and eccentric widow. Because after you declare yourself no reputable person will come within a mile of your lectures."

A moment of silence.

"They're not ready." I whispered. "The world is not ready."

Jason laid a fatherly hand on my shoulder. "Unfortunately you're right. This is not the time. Why do you think I fill your ears with my 'wild' theories my young colleague rather than my papers? You have great potential lad but not if you declare yourself."

Other questions flashed across my mind.

"So you think they were here, the extraterrestrials I mean?"

He nodded slowly, evaluating me. "I think this building served as a base for a time. It allowed them the opportunity to live among the populace and even interact with them."

"So this structure was their home?"

"Probably built by the locals."

I was suddenly hit by a wave of insight. "You think they entered the building by the western entrance, the one by the water!"

The smile brightened. "Smart lad."

"But the entrance is too small for any type of ship…"

He waited to see if I would make the next jump in logic.

I didn't.

"Think outside the box, Mike. The drawings and pictures tell us a lot about these 'guests'. What do you see when you look at them?"

"Uh, they're roughly humanoid with two upper limbs and two rather elongated lower limbs. The head is proportionate but never detailed."

"What about the size lad?"

"The size?" I hadn't considered that aspect before. "It's, ah, about one to two feet in height and usually has a width of about…" I stopped, my eyes going wide.

His gray eyes sparkled. "The very notion kind of grabs you don't it?"

I shook my head. "My God! If they were that small, any ship would be…"

"Small enough to slip in though the west entrance." He finished the sentence with a trace of pride. "The stairs were for the locals."

"The frescos?"

Jason shrugged. "Scenes from their home world? From the past? Who knows?"

"What about that black stain on the floor?"

He looked up, a surprised expression replacing the smile. "You don't see the link? That was the final clue for me." He hesitated. "Any propulsion system must emit heat. What you're seeing are burn marks produced during lift off and landing."

"From a spaceship?" Full comprehension was still slow in gaining hold.

Jason didn't bother to answer. He picked up the artifacts and placed them back in the pile before handing me a bottle of water.

I took a seat in the nearest chair and slammed down a drink. I really wasn't thirsty but I needed something to do.

"Why don't you all just do it together?" I asked suddenly.

"Do what?"

"Why don't all of you 'old boys' go public together? I agree, independently no one would believe you. United, with a collection of artifacts, it would be impossible to ignore."

Jason shook his head sadly. "You don't understand. They wouldn't ignore us Mike. People say they want to discover another race, another 'friend' in the cosmos but deep down they really don't want to."

"Why not?"

"Because they're afraid. Afraid of the unknown, afraid of not being special anymore. No, they wouldn't accept the evidence I'm afraid even if the top scientists in the world lined up and swore on a stack of bibles. Somebody would label it a conspiracy and it would die a slow, bloody death. Just like the rumors that still swirl around JFK's demise."

The expression on his face was that of regret. "What we need to push this 'theory' over the top is something special, it's what we in the field call an archeological smoking gun. Some indisputable piece of out-of-this-world technology that would convince even the most ardent nay-sayers. That's what we 'old boys' have been looking for these past decades. That's when we'll step out and challenge the world. And not a second beforehand." The smile returned. "Because we do have careers to maintain lad and mouths to feed. And none of us can effectively dig up old artifacts from the inside of a loony bin!"

I found myself laughing with him and it served as sort of an emotional catharsis.

After a few more minutes I quietly stood and left to rejoin the men. To this day I remember leaving Jason in the shadow of the tent, his eyes fixed on the pile of artifacts, his mind a million miles away.

I knelt at the pew in front of the casket and said a quiet prayer. Jason looked old. Though we stayed in contact by e-mail I hadn't seen him since his retirement two years ago. He knew how I felt when he made his announcement and encouraged me to carry on with the work we both loved. We had made a good team but I was doing well on my own and time heals all wounds.

I found it just two weeks ago in that high priest's temple. After we carted off a couple of tons of sand I caught a glimpse of something jammed inside a small crack in the wall. Nobody noticed as I slipped it into my pocket. The plan was to secret it back to the US and surprise Jason right here in hicksville. In my mind's eye I could see the smile blossom on his face.

The smoking gun.

Unfortunately he didn't live long enough to see it.

No one knew about my discovery. I hid it from the rest of my team, figuring my old mentor should be the first. Besides he would know what to do with the thing. I frankly didn't have a clue.

I subtly withdrew a small envelope from the breast pocket of my suit. Glancing around, I could see the few visitors were engrossed in conversation at the back of the room. No one was paying me any attention.

I opened the envelope and poured the item into my palm. About the size of my thumbnail, it looked like a remote control for a Barbie set.

Only it wasn't.

The building in which it was discovered was approximately 4000 years old. There was at least a 1000 years difference between that structure and the one Jason and I unearthed at the bank of the wadi. The implications are mind blowing.

I held the smoking gun in the palm of my hand.

"What do I do now professor?" I whispered.

I wished I could see the twinkle in his eye one more time; watch the glow of satisfaction at the realization of his life's work.

Alas it was not to be.

Our current technology didn't have the tools to properly examine such an intricate piece, with each dial and button smaller than the head of a pin. The power source, whatever that was, had long since died. I tried to x-ray it, a friend owed me a favor, but the beams couldn't penetrate the exterior.

I dropped the tiny controller into the envelope and sealed it.

As of this moment there were 37 wars going on in the world. Famine had a firm grip over huge swathes of Africa and the space station was in danger of falling into the atmosphere due to lack of funding.

No, the world was not yet ready.

I tucked the envelope into a hidden fold at the bottom of the casket. It seemed the appropriate thing to do.

I nodded to the other visitors as I left the funeral parlor.

The snow was falling softly, layering my rent-a-car in a delicate blanket. As my feet crunched through the whiteness I couldn't help but wonder if they were still here, watching.