Fossils, Artifacts, The Thrill of Adventure.

It all started in a bar in Jakarta. I was a 21 year old, just out of college, an archaeologist trying to prove a name for herself.

Then he walked over to me across the green, shadowy bar, flashed a beautiful pair of Prussian blue eyes at me. "Can I buy you a drink?" he asked me, his voice was soft yet still masculine, he made me feel...odd, I couldn't quite explain it.

I was tempted to show him my knife and tell him to bugger off, but there was just something about him.

I did anyway, lifting my jacket to reveal the large knife on my belt. "You sure you want to do this?" I asked, feigning the confidence I usually felt when telling boys to bugger off.

"I'll take that as a yes," he replied, a twinkle in those beautiful blue eyes. With a jolt I realized that we were flirting. I'd never flirted before. This was new.

"What are you drinking?" he asked, smiling.

"Guinness," I answered. "But if you're trying to get me drunk, it won't work. I hold my liquor like a sailor."

He gave me a charming smile, "Michael," he offered, extending his hand.

"Fi," I responded.

He really was gorgeous, about 6 ft tall, stark black hair in a cut that must have been expensive when he got it, but now was several months grown in. He was about the same age as me and, like me, dressed like an adventurer: light cargos, a blue seersucker-shirt and an olive canvas jacket.





"So, what brings you to Jakarta?" he inquired, taking a sip of his drink.

"I'm an archaeologist," I answered. "There's a huge black-market here in antiquities. I'm here hoping to find something and make a name for myself."

"You're a treasure hunter," he smiled, the twinkle in his eyes returning. The top button was undone on his shirt and I could see inside it. He caught me looking, but glazed over it. "I am too."

"Really?" I prompted.

"Yes," he answered. "Archaeology major, University of Arizona."

"Me too! I'm surprised we didn't meet." I replied excitedly.



It was three AM before we stopped talking and left the bar, exchanging phone numbers and addresses and promising to meet the next day.

I pecked him on the cheek and danced off home.





My phone rang in my green painted bungalow style apartment on the second floor over a restaurant. Birds were already chirping outside, I opened my eyes in the green halflight from where I was sprawled mostly on my stomach on my bed to see that the clock said it was five am and then dragged myself across the room to answer it.

"Hello," I said into the phone groggily.

"Fi, it's Michael, from last night," said the voice on the other end of the line. "I got a lead for a site out in the jungle, but it's being looted tomorrow, so if we want it we have to go now."

"Give me five minutes," I said.

I pulled on some cargos and a blouse and was just finishing shaving and putting on deodorant when I heard a long jeep horn honk, knowing it was him I grabbed my gear bag and ran down the flight of stairs and out front.





The ride though the jungle was long and hot, but when we got there...

Large stone rubble that was recognizable even to someone who wasn't an archaeologist as magnificent, stretching on what could have been for miles under the jungle earth.

"Michael, this place is amazing!" I said, walking over ruins. "How'd you find this place?"

"Oh, a contact, he owns a tropical fish store. I'll introduce you if you like," he replied casually.

"Hey! What are you two doing there?" snapped a voice behind us. We turned to see a bunch of locals, clearly looters, pointing AK47s at us.

"Take them to the boss," said the leader. "He'll know what to do." Two others grabbed us and then cuffed our hands together across one of the beams in the back of a large canvas-backed truck.

But as the truck drove away I smiled. Handcuffed together in the back of a truck, this was definitely the guy for me.