Team QueSt: The Next Generation

Trouble in Paradise Part 3

	"What I don't understand," said Moniri, "is why they commissioned
an archaeologist to do a paleontologist's job."
	"Derrick McCleod is a big name here." answered Jonny.  "I looked
into it-- the museum did it as a publicity stunt, with Derrick's knowledge
in paleontology being secondary to archaeology, they needed to get more
people on the job, so they called us in.  With the famous names of McCleod
and Quest on the scene, the museum can publish this story everwhere and
really clean up."
	"Smart move." commented Moniri.  "However, their publicity stunt
is going to wreak havoc on Miana, and her marriage."
	"Why her marriage?" asked Jonny.
	"Duh!  Becase Miana's feelings for him resurfacing."
	Jonny's face fell.
	"But how?  She hates the guy!"
	"Something happened that changed her mind.  I could tell by the
way she ran out of here."
	"I hope you're wrong.  It'll destroy Hadji if you're right."
	"Well, Jonny, it's getting late.  I have to put the girls down and
check on Miana.  She hasn't left our room all day."
	"OK, Moniri.  'Night."
	The next day, Jonny and Miana met Derrick at the excavation next
to the lake.
	"These fossils we have been excavating are identical to the
remains the divers brought up." commented Derrick.
	Miana was distracted.
	"Miana?" said Derrick, touching her arm.
	"Hmm?"
	"Miana, the fossils..."
	"Yeah, these fossils and bones are that of a plesiosaur, a large
dinosaur-like creature that lived in the water, but buried its eggs on
land, like modern-day sea turtles.  You say the remains the divers brought
up..."
	"Are identical and are in cold storage in the lab.  Would you and
Jonny like to examine them?"
	"Definately!" exclaimed Jonny.
	Jonny and Derrick went to the lab, and Miana followed behind
listlessly.  Jonny stepped slightly ahead, and Derrick looked back at her
over his shoulder.
	They reached the lab and went on in.  Jonny's first trip there was
just a quick tour, which included just a peak into Derrick's office.
Miana had yet to even see the lab.  Derrick offered them a cup of coffee
first, so he escorted them into his office and invited them to take a
seat.  Derrick stepped out a minute, which gave Jonny a minute to snoop
around.  Jonny noticed a picture frame setting on the desk, so he turned
it around.  It was a picture of Miana and Derrick together, from a much
earlier time.  Miana had shorter hair and was much heavier, but Jonny
realized how good time had been to her, as she had lost weight and aged
very little, even over a span of twenty years.  Jonny saw a small box next
to the picture, which he picked up and opened.  It was a woman's wedding
band, which he assumed went with the engagement ring he have her so many
years before.  A shudder went through Jonny as he realized how much
Derrick still loved Miana, and how me would probably do everything he
could to get her back.
	"Jonny, what have you got?" asked Miana.
	Jonny handed her the box.
	"My God... it's the matching ring... he still has it after all
these years..."
	Jonny showed her the picture and noticed tears coming to her eyes.
He started to get nervous.
	"Miana, are you..."
	Just then, Derrick walked in, and saw Miana playing wiht the ring,
which was a modest gold band that she had next to her current wedding set
as she compared the two.
	"Not quite as elaborate as what a sultan could provide, but it
wasn't bad considering I was only eighteen."
	Derrick took the picture from Jonny and set it back on the desk.
	"You can keep the ring.  You probably got rid of the engagement
ring yeats aho, but that ring is yours.  I don't need it."
	Miana took the ring and put it on her right hand.
	"Actually, I still have it.  I forgot about it until now.  I
thought all I had left was the pendant..."
	"A-hem... the remains?" coughed Jonny.
	"Oh, yes.  This way, please."
	Derrick showed the the remains, and suggested that Jonny study
them for a while.  Jonny got so caught up in his work that he did not
notice Derrick walked out of the lab with Miana.  Miana was quiet as she
accompanied him.
	"Miana, what are you feeling?"
	"I don't know."
	"You're confused."
	"Confused?!?  What would I have to be confused about?" asked Miana
defensively.  "Hadji is my life!"
	Derrick grabbed her by the shoulders.
	"And you are mine!"
	Miana pulled away.
	"How could I?  You don't even know me!"  We've been apart for
twenty years!  We're different people-- you are in love with a memory!"
	"And you are starting to remember yourself."
	"How arrogant can you be to think that the minute I walked in
here, that I would just give up my life with Hadji to run off into the
setset with you?"
	"Miana, it's not my intention to do that.  On the other hand
though, you can't just dismiss what's happening between us."
	"You are impossible!   It's no wonder you never had anyone else!
How could anyone love someone who is in love with himself!"
	"I am not in love with myself-- I'm in love with you."
	Miana stood there, shaking her head.
	"How?  How could you be..."
	Derrick pulled her up to him, and put his hand on her temple.
	"Hadji is not the only one with gifts.  They were just starting to
surface when we met.  You don't have to be Eastern to have talents."
	Miana tried to keep her guard up, but the old familiarity
overruled, and she felt his mind merging with hers.

*******************************************************************************

	"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Hadji screamed, awakening to the recurring
nightmare he had had for the past week.
	Jessie popped her head into his tent, and immediately saw Hadji
drenched in a cold sweat and gasping for air.
	"The dream again?"
	"Yes.  I do not understand it.  It is as if another mind is
intruding... through Miana."
	"We really should've made the time to call them last week.  This
is too weird."
	"Why?" asked Hadji.
	Jessie proceeded to tell Hadji that it was not Miana she had
talked with previously, and proceeded to tell him all about her strange
conversation with Moniri.  Afterwards, she noticed Hadji look as if he
were in pain.
	"Hadji?"
	"This man... I saw him..." he gasped, "kissing... my... wife..."
	"Miana?  No... she'd never..."
	"DAMN THIS ASSIGNMENT!  By the time we get to Scotland, it could
be too late!"
	"Hadji, you don't know nything for sure..."
	"Jessie, this man has linked himself with my wife.  I feel that
they were together before, but Miana did not see fit to tell us.  I am
thinking at one time he caused her so much pain that she totally repressed
it."
	"What are you going to do?"
	"I have no choice.  We have to finish our work here.  Then we are
going, and in the meantime, I will pray that Narayana sees fit to preserve
my place in Miana's heart."

*******************************************************************************

	Even though the assignment was going well, things were strained
between Jonny and Derrick, with Miana and Moniri in the middle.  Jonny
watched helplessly as he watched things rekindle between Derrick and
Miana, and both he and Moniri were scared for Hadji and shocked and
confused about Miana.  Late night walks became the norm, and every night
when Miana came back, they noticed her avoiding his attempts to kiss her,
but they knew that wouldn't last.
	It was 2:00 am, and Jonny was peaking outside the trailer as
Derrick stood with Miana outside the door.
	"Miana, what are you feeling?"
	Tears came to her eyes.
	"You're right.  I am confused.  You are so different from Hadji,
but what we had... what we... what we have..."
	Derrick tipped her head up, and as their lips touched, Miana felt
a wave go through her, and Derrick pulled her up into his arms and kissed
her with a passion comparable to that which Hadji gave her.  Derrick had
his right hand on her temple, and as his kiss deepened, so did her link
to him, his link to her... and his unkknown link to Hadji.