𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀 ━ jason x reader.

Seven

[Temple, Iraq. Thursday,
May 30, 2003.]

𝚃𝙴𝙼𝙿𝙻𝙴
𝟷𝟿:𝟷𝟺 𝙷𝚁𝚂
𝙳𝙴𝙿𝚃𝙷: 𝟷𝟺𝟺 𝙵𝚃.

Rappelling down into the temple's main hall, Eric and Rachel King are left wondering what they have found. Eric is the first one to make contact with the temple's ground and waited patiently waited for his significant other. "Unbelievable!" Rachel seethed when she joined her husband's side.

"We're not the first ones here," The lieutenant colonel notes, as there is a camp and laments that are ever so slightly illuminated by the flare that was thrown down the shaft moments prior. "Damn it! All this crap must be what Caelus detected." Eric groans, his weapon silo hypothesis now being trashed.

"I'm sorry, Eric. For real. You put everything into this research." Rachel apologized and took a step closer to him to further show her sympathy. She acknowledged that he meant well and only wanted what was best for his project and his team. "More than you'll ever know..." Eric trailed off. He was bummed out, to say the least.

"You can't blame yourself."

"I've messed up." Eric took responsibility for the imperfections of his creation. "I should have triple-checked the data, exhausted every possibility," he went off on a brief tangent as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "But I was so sure this was it-"

"I understand what it meant to you, Eric." Rachel tried her best to comfort the man before her. "I'm so sorry." He remained persistent in his apologies.

"We've both made mistakes," Rachel says, solemnly, to put in perspective that he is only human after all and is bound to make errors when it came to his work. At her words, Eric soon calmed down and looked over her shoulder upon hearing clicking sounds in the distance, "The hell is that?"

"Subsidence? From the aftershocks?" Rachel suggests, raising a brow and looking around the spacious and dark room. "Looks like archaeological gear. Somebody was studying this ruin..." she added, thoughtfully.

"Hey, we could use those lamps." Eric points out. "The light could guide the marines to us."

It didn't take long for the two to find a generator, "Do you think that still works?" Rachel inquired as she stared up at the blond. 

After a brief examination, Eric sighs, "It'll work. Just needs gas. We need to find some." With that, the couple begins to explore the temple.

Rachel was able to spot the archaeologists' camp from the darkness but decided to search around the vast room in search of more clues and equipment. She was able to find: dynamite strapped to every pillar, a dynamite detonator but it appears to have been sabotaged, a Cuneiform Tablet, a Curse of Akkad note, multiple blocked passageways, a Vickers gun, a duct tape, a document on creature features, the first part of Randolph Hodgson's journal, photo of the expedition members, and Aline's letter to Randolph Hodgson.

Outside of the tent, Rachel King spotted a pair of gasoline cans. "Eric, come give me a hand with these cans." It didn't take long for the Lieutenant Colonel to assist his wife.

"About time we had a little luck." As he uttered this, the pair couldn't help but smile — relieved — as they advanced towards the generator.

"How's the leg holding up?"

"Leg? Oh, you mean the prosthesis? I lost my leg back on the highway." He reminds her in a semi-sarcastic tone. "Don't. I still feel guilty." The weight of her being responsible was slowly eating away at Rachel, consuming her whole.