He was due to meet up with some army guy, but had decided to swing by to look at the site first. He pushed open his door and stepped out. Down the road an SUV pulled in, and behind the wheel a big, older guy in a cap glared at him.

Matt nodded – the guy just kept glaring.

“Sheesh, welcome to Pleasantville.” Matt smiled and walked toward the barriers. He noticed the front flap of the dome billowing slightly and knew that meant negative air – a decontamination entrance. This was a big deal; something must have turned up in the sinkhole. He felt a prickle of apprehension on his neck.

Matt pushed aside one of the wooden barriers and flashed his friendliest smile at the closest guard. “Hi there.”

The man did little more than square his stance, but remained at ease. “Good morning, sir.”

Matt nodded. “I’m Matt Kearns, Professor Matt Kearns. I’m expected, well, not really, but I was sort of invited…”

“Sir, do you have an appointment?” The guy looked bored, but his eyes were stone chips in a granite-hard face.

“Yes and no; sort of. I was invited down, but not yet. Do you think I can speak to…?”

Suddenly, the entrance flap was thrown back and another soldier appeared – a woman. She looked briefly down at a clipboard, smiled and then stuck out a hand. “Professor Matthew Kearns; I’m glad you could make it.”

The two huge guards stepped aside like double doors being thrown open. Matt’s hand automatically came up to meet hers. “No problem. But I didn’t know I needed an appointment or that you were even here. What’s going on, and why are you guys, I mean the military, involved?”

“I’m so sorry, we’ve been trying to get hold of you, through your office, your home, text messages.” She shrugged.

Matt reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone – three new messages waiting for him. He read quickly, and then sighed. “Captain Kovitz? You’re the military guy?”

She nodded. “That’s me. But you can call me Tania. We’ve kinda been waiting for you. I work for the military’s Federal Archeology Division.”

Matt had never heard of a Federal Archeology Division, but he had always wondered how it was the army managed to turn up so quickly to Civil War sites to begin excavation. These guys obviously worked fast.

She smiled as he looked at her properly. The more he stared the more he liked what he saw – clear blue eyes and blond hair pulled back tight, with a spray of freckles across her nose. Even though she only seemed to be in her early thirties, about his age, she had lines around her mouth and eyes, signifying years of outdoor work.

“So, is there something of archeological value here?” He pointed to the dome. “And that looks like a contamination shroud.”

She continued smiling, not bothering to look over her shoulder. “It’s just to give us some space and privacy as we work. Remember, we haven’t yet found Mr and Mrs Anderson. If we do discover them, best not to have a news chopper broadcast it before we’ve had a chance to inform relatives.”