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ian and Mesoameri…can civilizations ever unearthed。 But he also knew that the only way he could convince other archaeologists that the object was real was to somehow 〃repeat the experiment。〃 In other words； unearth a similar object buried at around the same time at the same site…probably over a burial chamber similar to the one the farmer discovered forty years before。 So when Sebastian De Rosa learned that the Mexican government was preparing to build on the land around the Temple of the Sun； he appealed to the president of Mexico for the time and the funds to search for just such an artifact。
For a year and a half Sebastian De Rosa and his team had been hunting and had e up empty…handed。 Now their time had run out。
〃Professor！ Professor！〃
Sebastian looked up； glad for the distraction。 Marco； a worker hired locally； was waving a long sheet of puter paper over his head。 Marco's job was to scan the ground with a metal detector mounted on a long pole。 The data collected by that device was fed to a laptop puter manned by Thomas； an archaeologist Sebastian had trained himself and a digital imaging specialist whose job it was to interpret the vague； shifting forms that appeared on his monitor。
〃Over here！〃 Sebastian called to Marco。
Breathless； Marco crossed the excavation site； and； with a Cheshire cat grin； he thrust the puter printout into the archaeologist's hand。
〃We found it！〃 Marco declared as Sebastian examined the image on the printout。
〃Where？〃
Around the Temple of the Sun a series of deep； long trenches had been excavated by Sebastian's team。 The main trench was close to six feet deep。 Marco pointed in the direction of that main trench； and Sebastian took off in a run； legs and arms pumping。
By the time Sebastian arrived； the diggers had already abandoned the pit and stood on the edge watching； curious to see what all the excitement was about。 Only Thomas remained at the bottom of the deep trench； waiting for Dr。 De Rosa to arrive。 Sebastian leaped into the middle of the pit and paused to study the digital image on the puter sheet once again。 The printout indicated that a solid object…round and possibly metal…was buried just beneath the earth under his feet。
Dropping to his knees； Sebastian fingered the rich； black soil。 Marco leaped into the trench to kneel next to the archaeologist。 Around them； work ceased as rumors of a major find raced through the site。
〃It's right here；〃 Marco said； patting the ground with the flat of his hand。 〃Thomas says it could be metal of some kind。〃
Sebastian looked up at Thomas。 The puter expert leaned against the wall of the trench； arms folded； his open laptop perched on a wooden crate。
〃What do you think？〃
Thomas pondered the question。 〃It's too small to be the chamber。〃
Sebastian waved the ment away。 〃Of course it's not the chamber；〃 he cried。 〃It's a burial offering。 The Teotihuacans would bury a hundred or so gifts around the burial chamber。 Obsidian blades； pyrite mirrors； shells 。。。 we must be right on top of it。〃
As Sebastian crouched over the spot where the object was buried； Thomas placed a small brush and an archaeological probe into his hands。
〃You do the honors；〃 Thomas said； stepping back。
As a crowd gathered around the pit； chattering in Spanish； English and French； a tall； mustached man in a dark suit moved unnoticed to the front of the group； where he watched Dr。 De Rosa。
Sebastian began by carefully pushing the dirt aside with his bare hands。 Then he positioned the archaeological probe and gently thrust its sharp tip into the soil； slowly piercing the crust until the long metal spike was nearly buried。 Dr。 De Rosa felt nothing on the first attempt； so he drew the probe out and tried again。
It wasn't until his fourth attempt that Sebastian struck pay dirt。 Almost as soon as the tip disappeared in the soil； it touched something hard。 The artifact was buried less than an inch below the surface。 Dr。 De Rosa immediately withdrew the probe and set it aside。
〃He's found something；〃 someone in the crowd whispered。
Sebastian cautiously pushed the dirt away with the brush until he could just make out the rough outline of the object。 It was small； about the size of a coin。 And round like a coin； too。
〃What is it？〃 Marco asked。
Dr。 De Rosa did not reply。 Instead； he dug his fingers deep into the soil around the object until his fingers closed on the thing。 Sebastian held his breath as he lifted the artifact out of the ground。
〃Professor？〃 Thomas whispered breathlessly。
Finally； soil fell away and the object was revealed。 Sebastian let out the breath no one knew he was holding。 Eyes strained； but Dr。 De Rosa still crouched over the artifact； shielding the thing he had unearthed。 When he looked up； Dr。 De Rosa found a host of eager； expectant faces surrounding him。 He stood； still concealing the mystery in his hand。
Finally； without fanfare； Dr。 De Rosa presented the artifact to his audience。
They saw a glint of blue； and a familiar white swirl； and some characters etched onto a circular； rusted surface。 There were murmurs。 Then gasps of surprise。 Finally； Sebastian held the object high enough so that everyone could get a look at the only significant discovery his expedition had made during eighteen months of grueling； backbreaking work…
A rusty metal cap from a cola bottle。
〃Vintage nineteen…fifties； I'd say；〃 a slightly accented voice announced。
Sebastian looked up to see Mexico's minister of the interior； Juan Ramirez； staring down at him。
〃Minister； I…〃
But the bureaucrat cut Sebastian off。 〃According to you； the Teotihuacans' final gift to their dead king was a Pepsi？〃
〃Give me one more month；〃 Sebastian said； still clutching the bottle cap。
Frowning； Minister Ramirez shook his head。
〃Can't do it； Sebastian。 Department of the Interior needed results six months ago。 We're putting in another team。〃
As the sun set； the Mexican afternoon grew slightly cooler； down from 107 degrees to a pleasant 99。 Sebastian De Rosa was in his tent； packing； when Thomas arrived。
〃How bad？〃
〃We lost half the crew；〃 Thomas said； frowning。
〃Bobby leave？〃
〃Yeah。 And Joe。 And Caroline。 Nick。 Jerry and all of Jerry's crew。〃
Sebastian took the news hard。 He slumped down on his cot； his shoulders sagging。 〃Thomas； the burial chamber is here。 I know it。〃 His fingers made a fist。 〃We're going to find it…and a link to the Egyptian culture。〃
〃I know it； too；〃 the younger man replied； pushing the blond hair from his face。 〃But without a crew and a new permit to dig； we're out of business。〃
Sebastian stared at Thomas a moment； then got back on his feet。 With renewed determination； he threw more things into his pack。
〃Hold the rest of the team together for two days。 I'll go to Mexico City 。。。 talk to the suits。 I'll get our dig back。〃
〃I might be able to help you acplish that； Professor。〃
The voice was a stranger's； deep and with a precise British accent。 Sebastian and Thomas turned to find a tall black man standing at the door to the tent。 De Rosa estimated the man to be well over six and a half feet tall； and the perfectly tailored London business suit did little to hide his broa