The military convoy arrived at the dig site just after noon, announced by the distant rumble of engines echoing through the valley.
Martha looked up from the excavation grid she'd been studying, shading her eyes against the sun.
A line of vehicles was descending the access road—military trucks, troop transports, and one sleek command vehicle that moved with smoothness.
"We have company," Kiera observed, setting down her equipment.
"Military. That's unusual."
"Not really," Martha said, though her stomach tightened with apprehension.
"This is a government-supervised dig. They probably want to verify we're doing what we're supposed to be doing."
She glanced toward where Sofia and Dane were working at the western excavation point. They'd been using false names since arriving—Sofia was "Ria Merchants," a graduate student in geology, and Dane was "Thomas Grey," a retired surveyor volunteering his expertise.
She caught Sofia's eye and gave a subtle head shake.
