He put his pen down and held up a hand to the pilot, leaving the office and walking back to the Kodiak.  When he reached it, he slowly circled the aircraft, carefully examining it and paying special attention to the condition of both the engine and propeller.  It had dents and dings along its body but nothing to indicate excessive mechanical or metal fatigue where it mattered.

When he turned, he found the pilot watching him, impatient but seemingly unworried.  Without speaking, the man held up his hands in a familiar gesture.

Do you want to go or not?

The Quest Kodiak was a STOL utility aircraft which stood for Short Takeoff and Landing.  With increased lift requiring less runway, its tradeoff was speed, particularly given its design that was also commonly used as a seaplane.  In this instance, however, their version was built for hard landings.  Anything from runways to dirt roads.  Even sandy terrain.  And it was significantly more comfortable than they were expecting, given its limit of only ten passengers.  One by one, they climbed in and sat down, with Rickards, the largest, shoulder to shoulder with the pilot.

The plane’s engine and prop started smoothly, providing Rickards a hint of solace in light of their rash decision—but not enough to keep him from watching the pilot very closely.

Once onto the runway, they turned south and into a non-existent breeze and idled up while the pilot spoke unintelligibly into his headset’s microphone.

Finally, the engine grew louder and began pulling them forward, gaining traction and then speed before leaving the ground with a short thundering roar.

Once airborne, much of the vibration subsided, allowing Angela and Townsend an enjoyable, distracting view through their side windows as the ground fell away.

In the distance, less than ten miles away, the shapes of the giant pyramids were easily visible above the mass of city streets and buildings surrounding them.

Angela couldn’t look away.  Instead, she gazed at the giant monuments in pure awe.  She heard Townsend’s voice from inside her headset. He sat next to her and was peering over her shoulder.

“Magnificent, aren’t they?  They never get less amazing no matter how many times you see them.”

She nodded with a wide grin.  “All that remains of the Ancient Seven Wonders.”

“Something tells me they will remain for a long time to come.”  He turned and glanced out his window before returning to hers.  “I can see why Tesla was so fascinated.”

Angela peered at him over her shoulder.  “What?”

“Nikola Tesla.  The great inventor.”

“I know who he is.  I didn’t know he was interested in the Pyramids.”

Townsend nodded as the plane leveled off and headed northeast.  “Obsessed is more like it.  He was convinced they were built for a completely different reason—to harness and transmit energy.  Huge amounts of it.”

“Really?”