Killer Bay

Temple of Doom

"Ah, Adalet, there you are," Andrea says as she stopped beside the Captain's desk, "I've got a question for you. How good are you with ancient relics? I mean besides Frank, that is!"

Adalet laughed, "depends on the type of relic, but I have experience with some. Why?"

"I'm asking because I've been getting reports that some archaeologist has been digging up the Rhine Canyon desert without permission!" she explained, "this guy's been blowing up dunes, smashing private property and digging trenches everywhere! It's like an infestation of moles out there!"

"Archaeology!" Amy gasps, overhearing the two talking, "I love that stuff! Ancient ruins, mummies, adventures! Wonder what they're looking for?"

"Why not ask the archaeologist himself!" Andrea suggested, "his name's Burt Montana. Rumour is he's looking for some lost temple..."

The rookie gasped even louder, "seriously?! THE Burt Montana! He's a world-famous archaeologist! I've read about him, he travels the world studying lost treasures and having adventures!"

"I've heard of him," Adalet says, "I think I almost met him in Egypt once..."

"Fame or not, this archaeologist's not above the law! Adalet, take Amy to the archaeological dig and talk to him! Make sure he stops destroying the desert without a permit!" the Chief ordered.

She salutes, "right away, Chief!"

"Awesome!" Amy bounded on the balls of her feet, "I can't wait to get to that archaeological dig, maybe we'll bring back some treasure!"

Andrea scratched the side of her head, "fine by me... Just don't bring back trouble!"

Adalet and Amy drove out to the dig site and found it to be void of life. This especially became true when they discovered the body of Burt Montana, strapped down in the starfish formation to a slanted wall of bricked stones. Looking beyond the sight, Adalet spotted some broken pieces of stone on one of the working tables. Meanwhile, Hunter found an old, faded scroll just feet from the body that she seemed quite interested in.

"Oh, God! That body you've found has been cut wide open and left to rot in the sun!" Amy gags as she watched files buzzing around the open chest cavity, "oh no! I recognize him now... the victim... That's Burt Montana! Who would murder a famous archaeologist?! Let's get his body to Roxie and find out!"

"I'll call her," Adalet says as she finds the coroner's number in her phone.

"Good job sweeping the scene for clues, Adalet. Could this ancient scroll be a lead? Can you retrieve what was on it?" she asks, looking at the clues on the worker's table, "what about those broken bits of stone? You think they'll tell us something? Let's put it back together and find out if-"

"Is it safe to come out now?"

Amy and Adalet whipped their heads around at the sound of a meek voice speaking. A skinny, sunburnt redheaded man was peering around from behind the stack of crates. Who looked frightened, staring at Burt's body with a fearful expression.

"Who the heck are you?!" Amy exclaimed before she could stop herself.

The man moved out from behind the crates, "I'm Louis Scripps, Burt Montana's assistant! I heard screaming... What's going on?"

"Sorry to say this, but your boss is dead," Adalet reported the obvious, "what are you doing here?"

"I can't believe my boss is dead!" Louis cries, tears running down his brunt cheeks, "we've been through so much together, canoeing down the Amazon, hiking in the Himalayas. He saved my life so many times!"