Too Young (The Jewel Project #1)

Chapter 29.1 - Temple 101

Chapter twenty nine

Temple 101

Sam read the document, a smile spreading on his face. He'd missed doing this. It was easier to search for holes when he'd taken a break. Everything seemed to be fine. He stuffed the document in his survival kit and took out the map.

He felt great, clean and properly bandaged. Jerry had insisted on treating every minor wound and for the first time, Sam hadn't minded the fussing. He'd missed Jerry. He'd missed everyone.

Including Harry who had to stay out of the temple. But, as expected, his friend had given him hell for ordering him around, and Sam wasn't sure he'd listen.

Sam took out his research files and browsed through them, searching for the Xerox copies of the pages containing the legend of the temples. He knew the folder containing them, but couldn't find it. After fruitlessly searching for ten minutes, he admitted it must be through Alice's stuff.

Sam exited his tent and shaded his eyes from the light. Alice chatted to Tina nearby.

"Hey, Alice," he called, striding towards them. "I'm missing one of my folders. Do you have it?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Why would I have it?"

Sam stopped in mid-step. "Is it just me, or were you supposed to be my assistant?"

"I was your assistant." Alice shook her head as though Sam should catch up already. "Jimmy and I've been together for a while. I'm your brother's girlfriend, not your lap dog."

Sam clenched his fists, biting back a string of obscenities. How did he ever think Alice was nice? "You know what you are? Fired, that's what," he said in a forcedly calm voice.

Alice's eyes widened. She swelled and put her hands on her hips. "You can't fire me. I work for your father, not for you."

Sam let out a humorless laugh. "As soon as he finds out about you and Jimmy, Dad will surely fire you. I was going to stick up for you, but I've changed my mind." He turned his back on her and walked towards the temple.

"Come on, everybody," he called. "Grab your stuff. It's time to go."

"Hey, Sam, look what I found." Harry rushed towards him, holding a laptop under one arm and a bag full of batteries.

Sam stared at him and a light bulb turned on inside his head. He couldn't believe Steve had left these behind, but he was grateful. "Didn't you find a little satellite dish?"

"Yeah, though I have no idea what that one's for," Harrison's words poured out in an ecstatic avalanche. He loved computers.

Sam tried to keep his face straight. "Internet, silly. Get that dish and connect to the agency's satellite."

Harry's eyes were as big as saucers. "They have a satellite?"

"They apparently do." Sam fumbled with the zipper of his backpack. "I want you to hack into it and send them our status. Maybe even ask if they can come get us."

"Yes, of course. But..." Harry's face fell. "That could take a couple of hours. Are you willing to wait?"

"I won't be waiting. I'll be in there." Sam pointed to the temple, holding his breath.

Harry's face turned beet red. "You want to keep me out."

Yes, captain obvious. "Come on, Harry, I really need you to do this. I'd have someone else do it, but no one's any good at this stuff." Sam put his hands together in mock prayer. He hoped Harry's obsession with computers and his subtle buttering up would do the trick.