**Ch 3: Team A Group

After the forever-hours flight, I finally made it to Egypt. Once I grabbed my only two bags. I found a handsome man, holding up a sign once I exit the airport. I read "Excavation Team A group of twenty." I'm sure this was me, I smiled and went up to the group of seventeen, waiting by this attractive man.

He cocked his head, "Are you part of the "Team A excavation group?" He asked me suspiciously.

"Yes, that would be me," I replied, slightly nervous.

"Hold the sign for me," he demanded, passing the sign over to this tall man next to his right. "May I have your paperwork?" he asked, giving me this strange look as if he didn't believe me.

Nevertheless, I didn't argue. I set my stuff down and pulled the paperwork out of the sleeve from my purse, and handed them to him. Weirdly, he took them from me quite rudely, I reckoned.

"Ms. Perkins," he muttered as he shuffled through the papers in his hands like a madman.

"Yes, that would be me," I affirmed, biting my tongue from lashing out at him.

"Indeed, I was expecting Mr. Collin to hire someone who has experience in the field. I wasn't expecting a young trainee girl like you," he worded, ignorantly before firmly handing me back my papers while everybody else remained quiet.

"I was told this was to be my first field experience to be supervised under a—"

"Under a Mr. Stewart," he absurdly finished my sentence. "I strictly remember telling your professor, I didn't want any students on this expedition. However, seeing how you are here, I can't go against Mr. Collin's orders. So you can call me Tom. I'll be your supervisor and secondary boss."

I held myself from wanting to roll my eyes at him. After that rude introduction, we waited for the last two team members. Once they found us, we left the airport and drove off with our tour guides to the hotel we'll be staying in.

Once arriving at the hotel, I saw the building was a high-class luxury star hotel. Mr. Collin surely went all out to make sure his employees were well cared for. He had hired multiple groups of archeologists to work in this evacuation. And we all have the same mission, which is to locate the Pharaoh. It kind of makes you wonder why Mr. Collin seems so interested in finding this Pharaoh.

"Everybody from my group, please do your check-in at the front lobby desk," Tom directed after we had walked into the front lobby.

Our "Team A group" got in line behind "Team J." As I glanced around I noticed I'm the youngest one hired. Everybody else were between their thirties and fifties. Maybe that's why Tom wasn't happy about Mr. Collin hiring me.

"Your room number will be 808, Ms. Perkins," said the kind older lady from behind the front desk.

"Thank you," I smiled, taking my key card.

Then I stepped out of the way, heading toward Tom and the other members of our team. Once everyone was set, we followed Tom inside the elevator and took the long ride up. Ding! Upon hearing that the door slid open and we all got out to find our rooms.

"Everyone, take ten minutes to get yourself situated. Soon a text will be sent through your phones to meet me in room 805. We'll discuss the rules and other important materials about the excavation. Is that understood?" Tom announced, and most of us confirmed with a "yes" that we understood.

Thereafter, we went about our business. Everyone's rooms were in the same general hall.

Yes, here it is, room 808. I slid my key card and inside I went. My eyes were dazzled by how glorious the room looked. First, walking in was a neatly set living room filled with your latest fashion luxury style furniture. The couch was red and gold with maroon-colored pillows. Then it has two matching soft cushioned chairs angled on each end of the couch. Set between both end chairs and the couch were two small round black end tables to set a drink on. On my left was a small kitchen and an island bar to sit at. Across from the entrance was a balcony view, fully furnished. Lastly, on the left was the single bedroom.

I went inside and found the master bed was on the left wall from walking inside. The bathroom was straight across from the bed. Overall, I must say the place was lovely.

I dropped my two bags on the floor, then I took my phone out of my jeans. Honestly, I was afraid to turn it on.

That pain to witness Orlando with another woman hurt badly. If it were up to me, I'd throw this phone away and restart my life over again. It wouldn't be the first time I had to reset my life for a clean slate.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do that because I needed to obey Tom's seemingly strict instructions. It was bad enough that I had a gut feeling that Tom didn't like me much. I'm sure if he could, he'd probably pawn me off on some other team.

Rather than deal with the consequences from Tom. I turned my phone on.

Bing! Bing! Bing! I swear my phone rang over a million missed calls, voicemails, and texts from Orlando.

"Baby, please don't do this."

"Please, let me explain."

"This is all a misunderstanding, please hear me out."

"Baby, please, I love you!"

Orlando's texts just went on and on, but after reading those meaningless, "I love you" words, I blocked his number.

After being with him for five years and knowing him for seven, he should know I am used to being on my own. Cutting anybody out of my life came all too easy for me. I suppose being an orphan has its advantages since it made me a loner.

Most women would probably crawl back to hear their ex's excuse. However, I might be young, but I am no stupid girl to be fooled into such nonsense. From my perspective, I know what I saw, so there wasn't any need to explain.

Once I blocked him, I didn't bother reading the remaining forty texts and voicemails he sent me. Mainly because I didn't want to hear his voice. The thought of hearing the memory of his voice in my mind drew tears to my eyes. So I couldn't bear the pain of actually hearing him pleading desperately to speak with me.

After I wiped a few tears from my eyelids, I sat at the bedside to skim through the other messages on my phone. I saw Crystal contacted me to ask if I was ok and whatnot. She asked me to contact her once I got settled in.

"I'm good," I typed before I sent the message.

"Can we talk about what happened at the club?" Crystal immediately texted me a response.

"Nope! Now, quit mentioning this, or else I'll write you off as I did with your cousin, Orlando," and then I hit send.

Yeah, Crystal and Orlando were cousins. We are all within the same age group.

"Ok. Just let me say you should first hear him out," Crystal texted.

Upon reading that, I didn't even bother to reply.

So I scrolled past it with my thumb and found that Zach, Crystal's boyfriend had texted me. "Hey, babyface, let us know when you made it there safely. Oh, and next time you want to key Orlando's mustang, tell me because I'll draw a childish-looking Tinkerbell on the hood."

I couldn't help, but laugh at what he sent. He knew his friend Orlando all too well. Orlando hated Tinkerbell.

"Sounds like a date, and yes, I am safe," I texted him a reply.

Zach was like the big brother I never had.

"Glad to hear it," was his response, but I didn't message back.

Instead, I kept checking my messages to notice my Professor texted me. "I hope you made it to Egypt safely, Ms. Perkins."

"I've safely arrived. Thank you again, Professor," I replied to his message.

Bing!

"Would everyone finish up what you are doing, and come to my room 805 for our first meeting," texted Tom.

Well, I guess that would be my cue to head there.

"Victoria…" this creepy feminine voice whispered as I opened my door. I looked around nervously, but saw nothing. No one else but me was in this room, so I ignored it and left.

~~~

WHIP!

"These are the areas undergoing excavation as of right now," Tom specified as he whipped his pointer stick on the wall projector screen like hitting a horse's rear end. "Now, I assume you all have read the satellite images and even looked over each marked area thoroughly. As, I am sure most of you should know how to properly read satellite imagery."

Mostly, everyone gestured a head motion to answer.

Then, Tom cycled his pointer stick, eyeing me as if he assumed I'm the only one who couldn't read satellite images, "If not, the shaded areas show they could be some sort of hidden chamber or channel. Possibly, it could be an artifact of great importance. Mr. Collin, has emailed me and the other Team leaders that he wants those areas checked thoroughly. We are to be sure to mark it as nothing once we discover what it is. Lastly, I'm sure you all know how to use excavating tools. Right, Ms. Perkins?"