The Ford Journals 1.7.2

Episode 7.2: Staying Ahead

THE CLUE: THE WATCHFUL EYE

The chamber beneath Petra had been silent, untouched by time. Without Salim—there’s no way we would have found it.

But the inscription wasn’t just a relic. It was a message.

And next to it—so faint it almost blended into the sandstone—was something that confirmed it was meant for us.

The emblem.

The same one from Costa Rica. The one that had started all of this.

Bash caught the look on my face. “Ford?”

“It’s the same one.”

“The same what?”

I turned to him. “The emblem. The one from Costa Rica. The one that is the reason I met you in the lobby bar of that hotel, the reason I met Elise. The reason we’re in any of this shit.”

Bash blinked, suddenly more alert. “Okay. So we didn’t just stumble into a random piece of history. This was meant for us.”

I nodded. That nod I promise you said more than 1,000 words.

We were exactly where we were supposed to be.

SOLVING THE CLUE

I ran my fingers along the inscription. “A watchful eye above the water…Sounds like something literal. A landmark?”

I though about it. The watchful eye…and then Bash interjected almost immediately. “Malta!”

I raised an eyebrow. “How sure?”

“Fort St. Angelo.” He gestured to the insciption. “It’s been a military stronghold for centuries, but it’s not an active base.”

It sank in for me. “Ah! A fortress without an army!”

Bash snapped his fingers. “Bingo! And the watchful eye above the water—Malta’s symbol. The Eye of Osiris.”

I nodded. “Great job Bash.”

Bash whistled. “Damn though. I was kinda hoping it’d be somewhere tropical this time. I have this horrible farmers tan on my left kneecap.”

I shook my head with a smirk. “Whatever you say Bash…”

We gave the most sincere thank you to Salim for all his help, and that we were indebted to him. We wouldn’t forget him, ever.

A FAMILIAR FACE IN THE LOBBY

The next morning, we packed our bags and were headed to the lobby to checkout and head on our way.

I knew before I even noticed.

The energy in the lobby shifted. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand-up. I then heard out of of my left ear. “Ford?!”

I turned, and muttered to Bash, “Be cool.”

She smiled: “Fancy seeing you here. Did you change teams?” She said glancing at Bash.

I kept my expression neutral. “Elise.”

She tilted her head. “You look surprised.”

“Should I not be?”

Bash looked at me with crossed arms. “Not me. I called it two days ago. You didn’t believe me.”

I shrugged. And she turned her attention to Bash. “And you are?”

“Sebastian Quinn. But you can call me Bash. Everyone does.”

She raised an brow. “And who exactly is everyone?”

Bash grinned. “Currently, just Ford. But I’m working on world domination.”

I cleared my throat. “What are you doing hear Elise.”

“You said you would call me if you solved it, I did the next day and came back to your hotel to tell you, and the front desk said you had already checked out.”

I wasn’t buying it, but Bash straight-up laughed. “Right. Just like you happened to check into our hotel right after we left?”

Elise’s smirk didn’t falter. “That was pure luck.”

Bash scoffed. “No. Winning the lottery is luck. This? This is strategy.”

Elise tilted her head, studying Ford. “So, where to next?'“

I didn’t flinch. “Haven’t decided.”

She smiled at that. Too much. Like she didn’t believe me.

“You always were terrible at lying.”

I held her gaze, and said nothing.

Elise’s smirk lingered. Then she stepped back, letting us pass. “Good luck, Ford and nice meeting you Sebastian.” She said while winking at Bash.

Bash yelled out as she was walking away. “It’s Bash, but call me whatever you want!”

Bash watched her leave and then turned to me. “So…should I be worried that I kinda have a crush her?”

I didn’t respond. I just smirked, shook my head, and kept walking.

Bash called after me.

“Wait. Are we the bad guys or good guys in this story?”

ON THE HORIZON…

Always seeking the extraordinary,