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4 |Pico Island, Azores Present Day
Command Sergeant Major Burt “Big Dog” Dawson stood staring out at the ocean, his eyes hunting for his friends. It had been almost half an hour since the earthquake, and though the damage appeared minor at the beach they had been enjoying, he had no clue what had happened underwater.
Sergeant Leon “Atlas” James jogged up, his massive frame glistening from the sun they had been enjoying. “No joy, BD. The dive shop said there’s nothing we can do but wait. They had planned on a deep dive, so the fact we haven’t seen them yet could be a good thing. If they panicked and tried to get to the surface quickly, they’d have the bends and could drown or die. He said it would take at least—”
Dawson cut him off as a sigh of relief escaped at the sight of their comrades in arms emerging from the water, Niner with a shit-eating grin, something gripped in his hand. The two slowly plodded toward them, their fins still on. Niner came to a stop in front of them and shoved the large…fork?...in the sand.
“I think I just discovered Atlantis.”
Atlas eyed him. “I was looking for my fork. What are you doing with it?”
Niner tilted his head, giving him a look. “It’s a trident, silly. Don’t you know your comic books?”
Atlas took a deep breath, expanding his already massive frame. “I played with GI Joe when I was a kid.”
“Yeah, well I’m Korean. Who do you think taught him the Kung Fu grip?”
Jimmy’s eyes narrowed. “Umm, isn’t Kung Fu Chinese?”
Niner shrugged. “What do I know? They make everything in China these days.” He raised the trident from the ground then shoved it back in with a thud. “I am now the greatest archaeologist known to man.” He looked about. “Where’s my press?”
Dawson shook his head. “You two do know there was just an earthquake here.”
Niner paused for a moment, his eyes surveying the area quickly before apparently deciding his inappropriate behavior could continue. “How do you think we found it? One minute it wasn’t there, then a few minutes of rumbling, and voila, ancient city!”
Dawson paused for a moment as he processed what Niner was saying. “Wait a minute, you’re actually serious, aren’t you?”
Niner’s eyes narrowed. “Umm, you do realize that this isn’t a piece of the big man’s kit, right? He was joking.”
Dawson reached forward and rubbed at some of the sea that had made its life on the surface of the object, revealing what to him appeared to be gold. He grasped it and lifted. “Jeez, that’s heavy.”
“Exactly. Just like gold. And it’s all mine.”
Atlas grunted. “The government might have something to say about that. And if they don’t, I still say it’s my fork.”
Dawson looked around them, the panic of earlier having settled down. “I think we should get this thing out of sight before it draws attention.”
Niner hugged it, then gave it a little kiss. “Don’t you worry, Forky, I won’t let anyone take you from me.”
Jimmy raised a tentative hand. “Umm, if I find a sock on the door to our room, can I bunk with one of you guys?”
Dawson and Atlas both answered in unison. “No!”
Dawson started heading for their vehicle. “You know who we should let know about this?”
Niner frowned. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Just give me a few minutes alone with it, though. I want to be able to say that for one brief moment in time, I was actually rich.”