Pandora's Box: Land of Strife: Pandora's Box Series, Book 1

by S. Y. Lee

  He looked across the table, down at the far end at Eva, to find her looking back. At his end of the table, their fathers were deeply engaged in a conversation about the upcoming presidential elections and the candidate that they were going to vote for. It wasn’t the woman whose face was emblazoned on Eva’s shirt. In fact, David Lynch had already contributed a large sum to the other candidate’s campaign, and had even offered his services as an attorney to the renowned Wall Street banker.

  At the opposite end of the table, Eva’s end, their mothers were discussing the furniture and art around them. Leo and Eva ate in silence, neither being acknowledged by their parents nor included in their conversations, gobbling down their food as quickly as possible.

  When lunch was over, the adults left for an art exhibition in town. Eva and Leo had no desire to accompany them, not that an invitation had been extended.

  After a tour of the house, they wound up in the den, sitting on a large, weathered leather couch in front of the big screen television that occupied more than half of the wall it was mounted on. Eva picked the channel, and they watch re-runs of some old comedies.

  Later, as the sky began to darken outside, their parents still hadn’t returned. Eventually, even television couldn’t curb their boredom and they started chatting about college life. There wasn’t much for Leo to say about his journalism studies, but once he got started on his Greek mythology class, he went on and on, telling stories that Eva had never heard before. Even he was surprised by his own enthusiasm.

  After spending the day together, Eva found that they had a lot in common. Both indulged themselves in reading, and were happy to keep to themselves although they could adapt to social situations as needed. As she had guessed, Leo was a natural athlete. He ran track in high school, played lacrosse, and was briefly on the college soccer team. To the dismay of his teammates and coaches, he never stuck to a sport for long, always growing bored and distracted by the next challenge.

  By the time of the dinner bell, both teenagers were feeling comfortable in each other’s company. This fortnight might not be that bad, Eva thought.

  Chapter 6

  London

  Lex Huffington was sitting in his study, staring at the letter on his desk. It was from Steven Wells, Chief Executive Officer of Settler Electronics, one of the world’s leading computing technology companies. Wells had funded, and even directed, several of Huffington’s expeditions in the past, showing interest particularly in Greek history and mythology.

  This time, Wells was promising a five-million-dollar grant if Lex went on this latest assignment. In the terms laid out by Wells, Lex would be working with another archaeologist on this dig and he would have to leave in a week to go to Greece. There was no mention of the identity of the other archaeologist, nor what they would be looking for. As the letter went on to elaborate, Wells would be dispatching his personal assistant, Jessica Miles, to meet Lex at the site and brief him on the dig.

  Lex didn’t like Wells very much, but his financial backing was always welcomed. Truthfully, archaeology depended on the wallets of people like Wells to keep going. The reason for his trepidations was Jessica Miles. Whenever she was sent into the field with him, it meant that Wells had a personal agenda that Lex wouldn’t be made privy to. Still, Wells had backed Lex in his search for the golden head of the statue of King Nebuchadnezzar the Second. It had proved to be his greatest find yet, and he owed much of his current fame to that discovery. He owed much to Wells.

  Lex looked around his lavish study, which was decorated with antiques and relics from around the world. He loved living here in his residence in London but he was seldom around to enjoy it. At forty, he considered himself successful and rich, but he had nobody to share it with. His parents had died in a tragic plane accident when he was five and left him a vast inheritance. His uncle became his guardian, but he too died shortly after Lex’s eighteenth birthday, succumbing to lung cancer from years of smoking.

  Such was his success as an archaeologist, that Time magazine had dubbed him the real Indiana Jones. Of course, his chiseled good looks also contributed to the reputation. He had often fancied a young Harrison Ford auditioning for the role of Lex Huffington. He was popular with the opposite sex, but his unrelenting commitment to the pursuit of fame resulted in him never having any time for serious relationships.

  Lately, he had been thinking about settling down a lot, but he couldn’t fathom himself slowing down in his field of work. As much as Lex had achieved, he wasn’t unanimously recognized as the foremost archaeologist around. There was another person who shared equal footing on the title, and he strongly desired to be number one.

  He read the letter again. It was too good an opportunity to turn down. He had no idea what he was getting into, but Wells always seemed to come by unique information on artifacts and sites that others spent years, if not decades, searching for. Lex had asked about his methods the last time they had met in person, but his query was waved off dismissively.

  Greece always had something to offer him. The last time he was there, he unearthed an ancient piece of armor which dated back to around the thirteenth to twelfth B.C., the estimated time of the Trojan Wars. It was crafted from a tremendously durable alloy that was believed to be from a meteorite. Lex hypothesized that it was worn by Achilles the hero, but it couldn’t be ascertained. A rival had even written a paper arguing why it couldn’t be Achilles’ armor. The piece now sat in the private collection of the rich billionaire in a secure location somewhere, only made available to renowned researchers for documentation purposes. Even Lex didn’t know where Wells kept his treasures.

  Greece was a romantic place for archaeologists where Lex dreamt of making the next big find. Something grand and mythical hopefully. The more improbable the find, the more recognition he would receive. He had convinced himself after weighing the pros and cons, and so it was decided.

  Lex picked up the telephone and called Wells’ assistant to formally accept the offer. As usual, she was on top of everything, having already scheduled his plane tickets and procured the crew and equipment needed for the excavation. She had fully expected him to say yes, and it annoyed him that Wells knew how to manipulate his feelings.

  When Lex tried to inquire for more details, she only said that it would be worth his while and that he couldn’t afford to miss it for anything in the world.

  That was enough for now. It was time to pack.

  Chapter 7

  Thessaloniki, Greece

  Richard Baker stepped out of Thessaloniki International Airport, taking in the fresh air after his lengthy trans-Atlantic flight. He looked around for someone who might be picking him up. He had no idea what or who he was looking for.

  “Professor Baker?”

  He spun around and was greeted by a young woman in cargo pants and a green button-down shirt. She looked like a catalogue model in an outdoor magazine. Judging from the crispness of her clothes, she’d probably just picked the outfit out of one a few days ago. He held out his hand awkwardly.

  “Yes. And you are?”

  “Mister Wells’ personal assistant, Jessica Miles. We spoke on the phone. Your transport is over here, please come with me,” she pointed at a black limousine curbside. The windows were tinted black.

  Richard hadn’t expected to be welcomed in such a manner. A week ago, he had received a letter from Steven Wells, who offered a five-million-dollar grant should he agree to be a part of this excavation. Wells’ interest in archaeology was well-known in Richard’s field, but this was the first time he had been approached by the eccentric billionaire. The letter offered little detail as to what the trip was going to be about, but Wells had promised it would be a significant find if they were successful. Even if it didn’t work out, the grant would certainly help fund Richard’s future campaigns.

  He didn’t specialize in ancient Greek archaeology, but two years ago, he had led an excavation in Greece that produced a pair of bronze clappers, among several other discoverie
s. It was dated to around the fourteenth to twelfth century B.C. and was extremely heavy. Though his team at that time couldn’t be certain of its history, some had speculated that they had found the bronze clappers that Heracles, or Hercules, had used to chase the Stymphalian birds away during his heroic twelve labors. Richard had his doubts about the theory, and the item was dutifully handed over to the Greek government to be housed in a museum somewhere.

  Nevertheless, the unexpected find had opened Richard’s eyes to the endless possibilities in Greece. Perhaps he would get lucky again. The money, of course, was a huge boost. No archaeologist would say no to a five-million-dollar grant.

  As the driver picked up his luggage, Richard got into the back of the roomy vehicle with Jessica. She sat opposite him and began thumbing through papers in the folder she held.

  “Miss Miles, where are we going? Isn’t there supposed to be another archaeologist joining us?” Richard asked after a while. She hadn’t spoken a word since the limousine left the airport.

  Jessica didn’t respond immediately, continuing to sort her papers and rearrange them until she was satisfied. When she was done, she looked up and handed Richard the thin manila folder.

  “Have a look at these papers. They entail the terms and agreements of this endeavor, so please go through them thoroughly. Sign at the end if you understand and agree,” she said. “Oh, and the other archaeologist is already here. He’s at the hotel right now. You’ll be able to link up there with him and the crew that we have employed. You’re the last person to arrive.”

  Confused, Richard tried to inquire further. “What is this? Who is this…”

  But he could see that Jessica had already moved on from the subject. She had whipped out her phone and appeared to be responding to emails. Richard was perturbed by the young woman’s manner, and it was no comfort that she had just handed him some legal documents to sign.

  *

  The ride to the hotel seemed to take an eternity. Richard had read through the documents from Jessica twice. It reiterated that Wells was funding this excavation and the artifacts retrieved would be placed on display in one of his own private museums in New York. Richard wondered if the Greek government would have a say in the matter, but Wells was well-connected. He had probably paid someone off, or was planning to once they found what they were looking for. Included in the folder were profiles of the people that were on the dig crew, minus the other archaeologist. The longer Richard went without knowing who it was, the more nervous he became.

  He was impressed by the crew that had been assembled as such short notice. He had worked with several of them, and knew the reputation of the others. All were consummate professionals that Wells had somehow brought together, no doubt with the lure of financial incentives.

  When the limousine pulled up in front of the hotel, Jessica said, “We’ll just be joining up with the rest of the team and switching vehicles. We’re moving out immediately and won’t be staying at the hotel. Come now, let’s meet your team.”

  Richard followed Jessica out of the car, noting the quiet lobby of the hotel. There was no bellboy, so the driver carried his bags as they walked in. There weren’t too many customers to be seen for a hotel that he presumed would be packed during this time of the year. He wanted to ask why, but decided against it.

  Seated in the far corner of the lobby was a group of people with their bags and gear at their side, all packed and ready to go. As they approached, he recognized a couple of familiar faces from the folder. Leaning against a wall was Walter Timmons, a tall and burly man who looked like a bouncer. He used to be a U.S. Marine and now worked as a professional security adviser for expedition and excavation teams all over the world. In other words, he was an expensive bodyguard. They had worked together on a few occasions, when Richard’s work had brought him to conflict zones, but never in a country like Greece. Walter nodded his recognition to Richard, who suddenly felt more uncomfortable.

  Seated in front of Walter was Natalie Elfman, an expert on Greek history and artifacts. Richard had enlisted her help two years ago in the discovery of the bronze clappers, and was greatly impressed by her knowledge. He had been skeptical at first because she was only twenty-five years old at that time, but she had come at the recommendation of a highly-respected professor who had worked with her in Greece. She waved enthusiastically at him.

  The rest of the crew set aside what they were doing when they saw the newcomers. Jessica was about to introduce him to the group, when Richard noticed another familiar face amongst their midst.

  “Lex Huffington? What are you doing here?” he exclaimed, unable to restrain his bewilderment.

  The Englishman was just as surprised. “I could ask you the same question! What business would you have here other than digging up bronze toys? Clearly this is some mistake.”

  “Oh, I don’t think there are any extraterrestrial armors lying around on these grounds, are there?” Richard retorted.

  “That reminds me, I have a score to settle with you! That paper was uncalled for!”

  Lex was off his chair, standing face to face with his rival, each trying to stare the other down. Nobody else knew what to say or do, as the tension continued to build. Abruptly, Jessica squeezed herself between the two men who were both a head taller than she was, and gave each of them a frosty glare, as though she was a headmistress separating a couple of delinquent students.

  Richard started to speak first. “You’ve got to be kidding, Miss Miles. I’m not collaborating with this obnoxious man who calls himself the real Indiana Jones! Surely you only need one of us to—”

  “Excuse me! But it was Time magazine that called me that! And you’re very correct when you say that only one of us is—” Lex countered, but stopped in mid-sentence when he saw Jessica’s hand in his face. Again, both men fell silent.

  Jessica stepped back and cleared her throat. “Now, if you two grown, learned men will start behaving like adults, I have something important to tell both of you. Mister Wells is certain that this dig is of utmost importance and that it is vital that the two of you collaborate to find what we are looking for. The grant that had been promised to you has also been promised to your counterpart. Both of you can choose either to succeed together, or fail together. If either of you wants to walk away, do so right now, and we’ll call it all off.”

  Neither man said anything, aware of the many eyes on them right then. The jobs of every member of the crew hinged on their decision, and they certainly couldn’t afford to compensate them for missing out on a fat pay check.

  “Good. As for what we are looking for, it’s unsafe to talk about it within these premises. I’ll brief both of you on the journey there. Now, pick up your bags and let’s get going. We want to be able to set up base before dusk,” Jessica said firmly. She adjusted her glasses, turned around and headed for the entrance, confident that everyone would fall in line behind her.

  Walter already had his bags in his hands as he barked out orders to the team. “Alright ladies and gentlemen, you heard the lady! Let’s move out! You all load into the three vans with me!” Turning to Richard and Lex, he said, “You two geniuses go in the jeep with Miss Miles! Let’s go!”

  Richard gathered his belongings and let out a long sigh. He hoped this would be worth all the trouble of having to put up with Lex and Jessica. Even Walter was starting to get on his nerves. He hurried after the group, with Lex bringing up the rear a few steps behind.

  Lex felt exactly the same way, if not worse. He thought he would be heading this dig, yet now he had to share leadership with the one person in the world he was competing against. He certainly wasn’t going to let Richard get all the credit if this panned out well, but sharing the spotlight might be an even crueler punishment.

  Clenching his teeth, he muttered, “This had better be worth it.”

  While the rest of the team loaded up three white vans, Richard and Lex jumped into the front vehicle waiting outside with Jessica. She sat in the front of the o
pen jeep with the driver, who was Greek and didn’t speak a word of English. Much to the surprise of both men, she spoke fluent Greek as she gave the driver directions to the location they had discussed earlier.

  Lex was the first of the archaeologists to speak up. “So, are you going to tell us anything at all? Do you want us to wear blindfolds to safeguard the location of this excavation?”

  Richard smirked. By now, he knew better than to question or mock their chaperone. She turned her head to the side just enough to glare at Lex out of the corner of her eye, and resumed speaking to the driver when the message had been received. Lex folded his arms across his chest like a petulant child.

  Richard chuckled and patted his companion on the shoulder. “Well there’s a thing or two you could learn from Indiana Jones about women isn’t there? Looks like we’re just going to have to wait and see.”

  His words only made Lex sulk even more. He was used to being in control, and even though he had worked for Wells before, never had he been subjected to such secrecy or hand-holding. Normally, Jessica was a difficult person to get along with. Today, she was impossible. Whatever it was that they were looking for, Lex was certain now that its value couldn’t be measured.

  *

  About an hour later, the motorcade stopped at a gas station to refuel and for the crew to stretch their legs. As Richard and Lex were about to get off, Jessica held them back. She unbuckled her safety belt, got out from her seat and sat on the dashboard, legs crossed, facing them.

  “Listen closely. I won’t repeat myself when the driver gets back,” she began, tipping the glasses resting on her nose. “We are headed to Litochoro—”

  “Ah! The village at the foot of Mount Olympus! A splendid lo—” Lex started to say, but he was cut off by Jessica.