Prologue

Whoever is reading this must know the truth, the most awful truth. My name is Jacob Connors and I have quite an incredible tale to tell. Myself and a group of friends went on a long journey. We thought we were looking for buried treasure and adventure, but what we found instead…was a nightmare. The world must know what lies beneath it’s very feet. Keep an open mind and believe. Believe because you must, you must believe. This is my story…

----------------------------------------------------------------

South Korea

July 1953

The camp was dark and the moonlight spilled over the many green tents that spread across the base. The hour was late with the only sound coming from the tents was the snores of their exhausted occupants. But in the midst of the darkness a small fire flickered in brilliance against the night. Three soldiers sat around the flaming beacon. Three men sat and threw idle words around, two African American and one Hispanic, their faces reflecting the grunge and exhaustion of war.

“So Chavez, what are your plans when we finally get back to the states?” asked one of the black soldiers named Randall Chambers.

The other black soldier, brother of Randall, one John Chambers just smirked “Yea Chavy…you gonna marry one of them fine Latin women on Puerto Rico? Raise you a nice family in the sugar cane fields.”

Both Chambers brothers begin to laugh aloud as the joke seemed to be a direct slander against the other man’s Hispanic heritage.

With an annoyed grin on his face, Jerry Chavez hurls a small piece of wood at John “Screw you Chambers. What are you two gonna do, move back to the Congo and lead your Zulu tribe?”

Randall begins to laugh even more at the insult “Damn, Johnny this boy is sensitive. But seriously man, what you got planned?”

Chavez just gazes into the fire, his brilliant hazel eyes reflecting it’s luminosity “I don’t know, hell I’m only twenty years old. I have plenty of time to figure things out.”

Than another man walks out of the darkness, the slight clang of his dog tags echoing as he walks. As the man steps into the light of the fire, he drops a small duffel near the three men. This is Lieutenant Jacob Connors.

“Evening lieutenant.” says Chavez as the three men scramble to their feet and salute.

Connors lets out a wheezy chuckle “At ease you bunch of jack asses.”

The other three just laugh and plop back onto the ground in relief. Connors had known these men for the three years the war had been going on. He was appointed as leader of their platoon at the very start of the fighting. To him these men were like family. Connors just sits by his fellow soldiers and stokes the fire.

“So fellas, what’s on the grill tonight? Wait, lemme guess, your taking more pot shots at Chavez.” says Connors.

Chavez leans back and shoots Connors his middle finger with a wide grin on his face “You know where can go Connors.”

“Hey watch it soldier, your talkin to a superior officer.” says Connors jokingly.

“So what brings you over here to us colored folk? We were just talkin about what our plans were when we, ya know get back to the states. So what’s in store for you lieutenant?” asks John.

Connors just shakes his head “Don’t remind me will ya. My parents expect me to come back a war hero or something. You have no idea what it’s like living with them.”

“Oh sure, you got it really bad. Little rich boy from Boston, born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Hell at least you got something to come back to. But what do we get. Ya know sometimes I kind of wish I wasn’t comin back. I mean this war has been the highlight of my entire life, to this point. “ says Chavez.

“ Say I just thought of something. There’s no reason we can’t stay in contact after the war right. I’ll make you guys a promise, after all this I’ll find you guys and we’ll go on the adventure of a lifetime. Maybe see the world or something, huh?” says Connors with glee in his eyes.

John and Randall just stretch out and chuckle to one another “Sure lieutenant, sure. We’ll I’m hittin the sack, night all.” says John.

After John and Randall enter their tent, Chavez just looks at Connors “So what you have in mind Connors, maybe a treasure hunt?”

“I don’t know, but whatever it is, I promise it’ll be big. You’ll see, this isn’t the end.” says Connors.

Chavez just nods his head “Well here’s hoping.” as he extends his hand to Connors.

Connors smiles and firmly shakes the man’s hand, vowing to himself that we would see his friends once again, and that the four of them would embark on an adventure of a lifetime.