“Hold still… gotcha!” Jo laughed, crouched low with her camera. Amos, their stoic German Shepherd / Labrador mix, was mid-yawn, his head tilted with that perfect blend of regal nobility and lazy indifference. The shutter clicked in rapid succession, capturing the fleeting moment.
Tengo, their scrappy terrier mix, darted into the frame, his tail wagging furiously as he circled Jo’s legs. “Amos…you are being upstaged,” Jo muttered, snapping another shot while ruffling Tengo’s ears.
Mira stepped into the living room, cradling a mug of coffee in one hand, her other hand trailing the edge of the couch as she moved toward Jo. She leaned down and pressed a light kiss to the top of Jo’s head, just where her knit beanie didn’t quite meet her hairline.
“Good morning,” Mira murmured, her voice still soft with the remnants of sleep. She straightened, smiling as Jo tilted her face up, flashing that easy grin that Mira had grown to love. The crisp autumn air wafted through the window, mingling with the faint smokiness of a woodstove in the distance. The bite of the season nudged her to wrap her hands tighter around her coffee mug.
“Think Amos is ready for his close-up?” Mira teased as she moved toward Amos and gave him a couple gentle rubs on his belly.
Jo glanced up, grinning. Mira had just stepped out of the shower, her damp hair twisted into a loose bun at the nape of her neck. She was dressed in a fitted olive-green T-shirt and loose gray joggers, the kind that brushed softly against her skin and retained just enough warmth for the season. Her movements were unhurried, deliberate, as if her morning routine anchored her in the day ahead.
In contrast, Jo thrived in motion. Despite coming home late the night before, she’d already been up with the sunrise, walking the dogs and gathering her thoughts in the brisk morning air. Her faded linen pants, loose and well-worn, swished softly as she moved, and the maroon, wide-necked shirt she’d pulled on was streaked with Tengo’s fur. A soft-knit beanie sat loosely on her head, framing her tousled, cropped hair. The faint earthy smell of damp grass clung to her, mixing with the musk of the dogs’ playful morning romp.
“Amos was born for the spotlight,” Jo shot back, snapping another photo as Tengo pawed at her knee, eager to get in on the action. “And Tengo here,” she added, ruffling the little guy’s ears, “is just waiting for his big break.”
Mira smiled as she sank onto the couch. Outside, the early sunlight filtered through the maple trees, casting golden patterns on the floor that danced when the breeze rustled the leaves. She took a sip of her coffee, savoring the nutty warmth against the coolness of the morning.
Watching Jo work was always a quiet kind of revelation. Jo had a rare gift—she could see and tell stories others missed, whether through her camera, her words, or her presence. She captured the softness of life’s fleeting moments: Amos’ sandy tan coat that fades into creamy white fur around his face and chest, the mischievous glint in Tengo’s eyes, the lazy sprawl of an old quilt tossed over the couch.
It was that same talent that made Jo so good at amplifying the voices of the marginalized. She could capture the soul of a protest in a single photograph or write a profile that made you feel like you’d known a stranger your entire life. Mira marveled at how Jo gave so much of herself to both her work and the world around her, even when…at times… it left her drained.
“You came in late,” Mira said after a sip of coffee, her voice light but probing while noting the faint shadows under Jo’s eyes. She hadn’t heard Jo come in; she must have slipped in quietly after covering the protest.
Jo shrugged, setting the camera down. “Yeah. The rally ran late. People didn’t want to leave—it was like they needed to hold onto each other for just a little longer.” She hesitated, rubbing Amos’s ears absently. “But the other side showed up too. Loud. Hostile. I got a few ‘watch yourself’ comments.”
Mira’s smile faded slightly. The rally-goers saw Jo as a voice for their cause, someone who brought their stories to life. But the climate had shifted sharply in the past few years. Political leaders and public figures were openly dismissing independent journalists as “un-American” or “enemy of the state”, inciting suspicion against anyone trying to document the unrest. Jo’s work had gone from difficult to dangerous.
Mira leaned forward. “You’re being careful, right?”
Jo gave her a small smile and a shrug. “Always. People say things all the time. Besides, I’ve always got Amos and Tengo for backup.”
Mira laughed, a bit of the tension easing, though the unease lingered. Jo rarely admitted to feeling unsettled, but Mira could sense the weight on her shoulders. Just then, her phone buzzed on the counter, flashing with an unfamiliar number. She raised an eyebrow, exchanging a curious look with Jo before answering.
“This is Mira Lawson.”
There was a pause, and her expression grew still, her fingers tightening slightly on the phone. “Oh, hi, Dr. Haddad,” she said, her tone shifting into a calm seriousness.
Dr. Samir Haddad. The name itself brought a rush of memories—lectures, late-night discussions, and endless hours studying ancient texts. Dr. Haddad was a senior archaeologist with the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, a man whose reputation in the field of Middle Eastern archaeology was beyond reproach. She’d first met him at an international conference nearly a decade ago, his presentations captivating the audience with his insight into ancient cultures. Over the years, they’d become more than just colleagues; he’d become a mentor of sorts, his attention to detail and respect for the past influencing her own work profoundly.
Though countries apart, they had collaborated across projects, their work intertwined by a shared commitment to preserving the integrity of historical findings. If he was calling her now, she knew it wasn’t casual. Dr. Haddad was exacting, cautious—if he was reaching out with news, it had to be serious.
As he continued his conversation, Dr. Haddad’s voice was slightly audible coming from Mira’s phone, but not loud enough for Jo to hear the entire conversation. Jo pressed Mira for details.
Mira glanced at Jo, whispering with a raised brow, “Syria?”
Jo’s eyebrows shot up. “Syria?”
Mira nodded, holding up a finger to keep Jo quiet. “Yes… artifacts?” she repeated, pacing slightly, her brow furrowing as she concentrated. Dr. Haddad’s voice carried a weight she hadn’t heard in years—a careful urgency that made her grip the phone tighter.
Jo’s eyes lit up with curiosity, and she mouthed,“Like… treasure?”with a glint of excitement, grabbing Amos’s leash from where it hung on the wall and swinging it like a whip.
Mira tried to keep her focus, holding back a faint smile as she continued to listen. “Urns? Writings?” Mira said into the phone, her voice growing more serious.“When would you need me there?” Mira asked, pacing slightly. The feel of the cool wood floor under her bare feet kept her grounded as she listened.
Jo whispered loudly, “When? When?”
Mira held up a finger to signal patience. “Yes, I’ll review the files… tonight,” she replied, her expression serious as she absorbed the sense of urgency. Mira hung up, her mind already racing with thoughts of the texts, the symbols, and the potential implications hidden within those ancient words. Dr. Haddad had quietly photographed some of the materials that shouldn’t be leaving the site and was sending them to her. He is not supposed to be sharing this, she thought, feeling the weight of the decision. For Dr. Haddad to reach out to her directly meant he saw something urgent, something that he wanted her to begin interpreting immediately, even at the risk of bending protocol.
Jo, bouncing on her toes, could barely contain her excitement. “Well, Dr. Lawson,” she began, tugging her worn beanie down over her eyes like a fedora. Once again, she took to Amos’s leash, swinging it in a wide arc like a makeshift whip. “Looks like we’re going on an adventure, Indiana Jones style! What did he say? Hidden treasure? Legendary lost civilizations? Cursed urns??”
“It’s not a movie, Jo,” Mira replied, teasingly rolling her eyes as she moved her way to the kitchen to refill her cup.
Following her, Jo tipped her beanie like an imaginary fedora. “You say that…”
Mira turned back, shaking her head with a small smile. “They’ve uncovered artifacts—urns, writings. Dr. Haddad wants me to analyze the cultural context. He said it’s… significant, and they need someone who can decode it, someone who understands the history and the culture. Apparently, the discovery was accidental—an oil crew drilling in northeastern Syria hit a pocket that led to a cavern. Inside, they found a series of chambers carved into the rock, lined with urns and what looks like ancient inscriptions. It’s all hush-hush, though. They’re sending me a few early images, but someone thought I’d better see them before access is… limited.
Jo’s grin widened. “This is exactly what you’re made for, Mira. Ancient artifacts, mysterious writings—you’ve spent years researching this stuff. This is your moment. And you know I’ll be with you. If there’s ancient history to uncover, there’s no way I’m missing it.”
Mira hesitated and glanced to the window. Outside, the leaves swirled in the breeze, their earthy scent filtering through the room. For a moment, she let her mind wander, caught between the excitement of discovery and the weight of what it might mean. What if this was bigger than she was ready for? Her gaze returned to Jo, who was now striking a dramatic pose, leash in hand, breaking through her thoughts. Trying to keep a straight face, Mira crossed her arms with a smirk. “Oh really?” she replied. “So now you’re coming as my fearless sidekick?”
“Sidekick? Please,” Jo said, puffing out her chest as she coiled Amos’s leash with exaggerated flair. “I’m the rogue adventurer who makes everything exciting. You’re the, uh, brilliant scholar who I save from all sorts of perilous situations.” She twirled the leash again, narrowly missing Amos, who looked on with his usual calm indifference.
Mira couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer. “Alright, Indiana Jo. How are we supposed to find ancient artifacts with a dog leash and a beanie hat?”
“Oh, ye of little faith,” Jo replied, tipping her cap like a true explorer. “I’ve got my camera, a head full of wit, and two fearless canine companions. What else do we need?”
“No Jo,” Mira sighed meeting Jo’s gaze. “No pets. This isn’t like our usual vacations. Syria’s not just another country—it’s a region in conflict. We’ll need to take precautions. There’s paperwork, travel advisories, and… a lot of risks.”
Jo’s smile faded slightly, though her eyes remained steady. “I know hun. But I’ll make sure everything is organized. I’ll call Theo to take care of the dogs. You just tell me what else we need to prepare.”
Mira nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. Of course Jo would already be thinking ahead.
Jo looked at Mira, her beanie still perched at a jaunty angle, the leash draped over her shoulder like a true adventurer’s whip. “So,” Jo said, her tone softening, “are we going to Syria?”
Mira looked around their small, well-worn space, a place of quiet warmth in a world that simmered with tension and mistrust. For a moment, she could almost forget the institutional fractures and society’s rising tensions in their world as she looked at Jo, feeling her steady presence.
“Well,” she said with a grin, “better start packing.”
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