Madeleine

The One Where The Camp Burns (Like Eliza Hamilton's Letters to her Husband.)

"Yeah, I know, but it just isn't making any sense," he said. Milo grabbed a spoon and pointed it at a page, moving the book so they could all see what he was pointing at. "You see, the Shepard seems to be leading up to something. He calls it the Heart of Atlantis. It could be the power source the legend refers to, but then it - it cuts off."

He flipped a page, as if the group would be able to see for them selves, but none if them could tell what either page was about. "Its almost like a page has been ripped out."

"Hey, kid," Vinny spoke up, "Relax.
We don't get paid overtime."

"I know, I know, sometimes I get a little carried away," he said, closing the book and putting it by his feet where they could all see it, just in case. "But, hey, that's what this is all about, right? Discovery, teamwork, adventure!"

"Unless, you're in it for the money?" Madeleine asked.

"Money." Audrey replied.

"Money." Mole admitted.

"Money." Mrs. Packard said dryly.

"Money." Sweet stated.

"I'm gonna say...money." Vinny admitted.

"Guess I set myself up for that one," he said, referring to them all saying money. He rubbed the back of his neck and Sweet instantly perked up as he moved behind Milo, examining his actions.

"What? Theres something wrong with your neck?" He asked. Milo nodded, moving his head around in an attempt to get the crick out of it. "Oh, yeah, yeah. I must've hurt it back-"

He was cut off as Sweet grabbed his head and moved it, he gave him a straight back before moving his head again, receiving several cracks before he let go. "Better?" He went back to his seat.

"Yeah - how'd you learn how to do that?"

"An Arapaho medicine man."

"Get out of here."

"Born and raised with 'em," Sweet smiled. "My father was an army medic." He brought out a photo from his pocket to show to Milo. "He settled down in Kansas territory after he met my mother." He put the photo back.

"No kidding," Milo said, completely invested in the story.

"Nope," Sweet said, putting his hand down his shirt before pulling out an odd necklace. "I gotta sheepskin fron Howard U and a bear skin from "I gotta sheepskin fron Howard U and a bear skin from Ol' Iron Cloud. Halfway through high school I was drafted. Went from one day studying gross anatomy in the classroom to the next, sowing up rough ridders up
San Juan Hill."

"Main course," Cookie chimed in.
He was met with a unison of objections.

"I couldn't eat another bite," said
Vinny.

"Thanks anyway but I'm watching my weight," Audrey said.

"No no no. Don't make me. Don't ask." Sweet protested.

"Ha ha ha. Don't you worry, it'll keep and keep and keep," Cookie wheeled his pot away, not even offended in the slightest about the rejection of his food.

"Thank God I lost my sense of taste years ago," Mrs. Packard grumbled, taking a drag of her cigarette before putting it out into her untouched meal.

They all shared a look before throwing the leftovers into the fire.
Except from Mole, who only waved an empty tray over the fire. The fire disappeared in a mini atomic bomb explosion.

After the long day (or whatever time it was) the crew began setting up their tents. "Aren't you going to pitch up your tent?" asked Vinny when he noticed Milo's failed attempt. "Uh, I did," Milo said as he tied a rope around the stick. Vinny tossed his sleeping bag into Milo's arms and set up the tent for the linguist and his sister.