“Skilled laborers built the pyramids.  Not slaves.  Every block is so well crafted and arranged, not to mention that the structures were so well designed and planned out that the pharaohs would have had to use artisans—and a lot of them.  People who knew what they were doing as a trade.

“On top of that, their living quarters have also recently been discovered not far away.  Remnants of small communities have been found with evidence of families, suggesting more of a regular job than a slave project.”

“A regular job?” said Rickards.  “As in, ‘Bye, honey, I’m off to the pyramid.’”

Angela had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing again.  “Yes.  Something like that.”

“Maybe the Flintstones weren’t all that far off the mark then.”

“Stop it,” she said, punching his arm.  After her smile faded, she tilted her head.  “Anyway, I guess the excitement is just overwhelming my fear of traveling this time.  Besides, no one knows we’re coming.  Unlike last time.”

“Let’s hope so.”

“What about you?”

He looked at her.  “What about me what?”

“What are you afraid of?” she asked.

He shook his head.  “Not a lot these days.”

“What about in Mexico?”

The question caught him off guard.  “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“I don’t… I’m not afraid of Mexico.”

“I didn’t say you were.  I said something in Mexico.”

Rickards remained staring at her, with a cynical expression but said nothing.

“If not fear, then something else.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re not going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“Seriously?  Multiple secret trips to Mexico after your wife died?  You’re telling me there’s not a deeper reason there?”

He turned forward, glaring at the seat in front of him.

“Fine,” she relented.  “Don’t tell me.”

They fell quiet again for a long time before Angela changed the subject.  “Did you know that Egyptian culture may not have a beginning?”

Rickards didn’t answer at first until her words finally sank in.  “What was that?”

“I said the history of Egypt may not have a beginning.”

He squinted.  “I thought it was one of the oldest civilizations on the planet.  Aren’t their pyramids a couple thousand years old or something?”

Angela gave a wry grin.  “4,500 years.”

“Sounds pretty old to me.”

“That’s not what I said,” she replied.  “I said it may not have a beginning.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s called the Hypothetical Third Party theory, an idea put forth by a group of leading Egyptologists.  Because the archeological evidence of Egypt’s early history suggests that rather than develop slowly over time like most other civilizations, Ancient Egypt appears to have emerged all at once and fully formed.”