(The plains near Themiskyra, Northern Anatolia, 1243 BCE)

It was a late winter afternoon, when Penthesilea, now age twenty-one, began the long journey back to the encampment with her half sister whom they called "Hippolyte-the-younger." They were caught in a storm returning from an all day hunting trip and were unlucky since morning not finding any game due to the heavy weather. Crossing the windy plains in what is now western Turkey, they were experienced in such matters of the hunt since their early teens. Soon, however, it would be dark in this wilderness and they both considered the great distance they must cover to be back safely with their clan, the Daughter's of Moon.

Penthesilea by now had a sleek but powerful body. She had been highly trained for endurance most of her life, as well as the tactics of hunting and warfare. They were ingrained in all of the females of her society and by her age natural to all the young women. Her sister Hippolyte, age seventeen, was also physically fit and capable with her weapons of bringing down the largest of the animals which roamed these wilds. These were chiefly jackals roaming in packs, deer, the aggressive wild boar, and an occasional lion.

The two women passed through a shallow stream with their horses and began a steady gallop to carry them up to a ridge for an overlook of their position. Suddenly a large female boar shot out of the brush to the right of them, turning and running at full speed. The heavy headwind of the storm made it difficult for the horses to keep their speed as the chase led upward to the top of the flat mesa. As the boar made a radical turn to out-maneuver her assailants, Hippolyte broke away from a parallel position and sped off to anticipate where the animal was leading. As Penthesilea kept close to the chase, both women readied their spears, as it was the chosen weapon for the tough-skinned boar. They both began to close in on their prey from different directions.

Clearly challenging Hippolyte, the boar accelerated in its run toward her and Penthesilea prepared to make the first throw. Jumping off her horse as the animal approached and readying her spear to impale the charging beast in its frontal attack, Hippolyte planted the shaft of her weapon firmly against the earth and readied herself for the impact. Penthesilea feared her younger sibling would not be able to place the spear lethally at the animal's throat from her downhill position. Hippolyte, herself sensing this disadvantage decided to throw her weapon instead. Riding up close behind them, Penthesilea watched Hyppolte's throw which sent the sharp javelin glancing with power off the beast's hard head, grazing one of its eyes. This miscalculation left her sister in harms way of the large pig's sharp outer tusks and deadly hooves as it adjusted its path and violently turned on her.

As the muscular animal lunged for her sister amid a loud squeal, Penthesilea let fly her own javelin with great force intended to intersect with the beast in its attack. A powerful gust of wind hit the shaft of the spear in flight, grossly altering its trajectory by an arm's length. It sailed with great speed and force just to the right of the boar's vulnerable neck and tragically struck Hippolyte directly in the chest.

As her sister collapsed onto the ground with the long iron-tipped spear firmly logged within her, Penthesilea dove off her horse, double-bladed axe in hand. She landed upon the charging animal, breaking its momentum with the iron weapon. She sliced deeply into the boar's spine, paralyzing it, and then repeating to wield the symmetrical blades in a series of violent strokes until the incapacitated animal-its throat cut and one leg practically severed, rolled bleeding away from them into the brush. Wailing into the wind, Penthesilea dropped the labrys to kneal down and pick up her dying sister in her arms. She laid her in a clearing and removed the spear with some difficulty. Pressing her fingers deeply into the wound to try and stop the bleeding, she held her tightly against her own body until the girl's breathing could no longer be felt or heard. She kept her in this embrace under a tree all night and until the young Amazon's body was as cold as the earth beneath them.

It was a search party of the 'Daughters of the Moon' who located them the next day, fearing they had been attacked. Penthesilea was speechless and non-responsive to women's attempts to communicate with her. Eventually she had to be restrained by the others to give up her sister's body. Refusing to leave the place Hippolyte had fallen, she had to be tied with ropes and carried on the horse of another to return to their camp a half day's ride back through the mountains. It would be several days before Penthesilea would accept any of the food or water her sisters offered in their attempts to revive her from her heartbreak and debilitating despair.

* * *

Descending the stairwell from the kitchen area to the AmericanSchool dorm rooms of Loring Hall, Nicasio wondered what present mood he would find Daniela in. He was by now becoming more perplexed with her, as well as everything else that was happening since their arrival in Greece three days earlier. He wondered just where their relationship was headed-or even how it might evolve since they arrived in this foreign land. Surely bringing their relationship back to its former condition, before the find of the tholos in California, seemed at present well out of Nicasio's own control.

Entering the room with his key, he could hear the shower running. He moved quietly across the sleeping quarters to the bathroom where the door was shut.

"Hey . . . any room for two of us in there?"

"No, lover boy. There's not."

"What?"

"I'm making more than a mess by myself. This crazy, no-shower-curtain-policy is hilarious! Besides . . . I like being alone in here . . . thank you very much."

There was a pause.

"Just give me a minute, OK?"

Nicasio resigned himself to carrying out the conversation on both sides of the closed door. Suddenly he heard the water shut off and Daniela's feet splashing on the drenched floor. The door opened slightly and she stuck only her head out into the room.

"So . . . Mr. Popular. What was all that about now? You seem to be pretty interested in little Miss 'I-don't-know-where-Las-Vegas-is' Stacie . . . from Missouri."

"Oh, her. . ."

"Yup. . . Her."

"She was just being friendly, Dani. Midwesterners are like that."

"Mmmm hmmm . . . so I could see."

She retracted her head back into the small room and Nicasio could hear her drying off and moving about.

"Hey, come on, Daniela. She's nothing special, you know. And besides . . . she probably just didn't understand we're a couple. She's obviously just lonely over here."

"Pretty obviously lonely, I'd say."

"Angelina! Do you honestly think I'd go for something like that?"

"Don't know. You tell me."

She was still behind the door and Nicasio could hear her portable hair drier. He was annoyed that he now had to shout over the sound.

"So can I come in now and show you how much more attractive I find you than . . . Miss Stacie from St Louis?"

Her head popped out again.

"Nope. Not necessary."

"Dani . . .?"

The door flew open and Daniela walked out with a small white towel wrapped tightly around her body. Another was wrapped around her still wet head.

"The shower's all yours, lover boy . . . enjoy it."

He could see she was smiling slightly as she passed between him and the doorway. Daniela was working hard to keep a contrived and dispassionate cool.

"You are being a real devil, now Dani."

"Am I?"

She walked over to her suitcase and took out a toiletry bag. While sitting on the bed she proceeded to open a small bottle of red nail polish. She freed one of her legs seductively from the towel, and began painting her toenails with great concentration.

"OK, Daniela. You win. But look, there's something really important we have to discuss about tonight at the reception."

"What are you talking about now?"

"Tonight. We're all invited to a reception, right? Over at the Gennadius Library? I'm sure Theo mentioned it to you."

"Briefly, but not . . ."

"It's to celebrate some new funding. For the AmericanSchool. There'll be the whole Classical Studies community from Athens there. Greek as well as British and American researchers."

"OK . . ."

And you have to get some critical information for us."

"Oh. I do?"

"Exactly. See . . . as our resident researcher of Amazons here . . . it would be logical for you to want to know these certain facts . . . anyway."

"Certain facts? I'm not following you, Nicasio. As usual, I'm in the dark about such things. Remember? What was that phone call from the professor all about, anyway?"

Professor Simons? Yes. Let me explain."

"Please do."

Daniela didn't look up. She instead deftly finished painting her toenails on one foot and made the transition to the other, flashing her smooth legs out of the confines of the towel in the process.

"So . . . about ten years ago that . . . multinational group of women. The ones researching Amazons? They converged over here to the Blagen. You know that."

"Yes. I think I've heard this part before, Nicasio. Tell me something I don't know."

"Alright. So there was this University of Athens professor . . . somewhat of an authority on your subject. She was heavily involved with this group both here in Greece and abroad. And one of those places abroad included StanfordUniversity.

"Oh. So we have a little school rivalry here, do we?"

"It's more than that, Dani. This lecturer and writer about myth and history was quite well known internationally at the time for her work on Amazons."

"Alright then. I'm impressed."

"You see her work contributed to the theory that Amazons actually existed. That they were historically involved with past events. Not just mythological . . . as the world has known them."

"Hmm . . . well I'd actually love to meet this woman, then. You suppose she speaks English?"

"She does. And apparently quite well. Her work stems in part from some research our Cal archaeologists had done in the 1990's and afterwards on nomadic tribes in the area. . . horse cultures to the north of Greece and eastward."

"OK? So is that where the Amazons came from?"

Nicasio could see it was now difficult for Daniela to go on masking her interest.

"WellCal's research with a few Russian archaeologists opened some real doors there . . . proving the existence at least of female warriors in the past. And oin that very area. Women who fought on horseback. It also coincided pretty well with the correct time and location which the Amazon legends refer to."

"Wow. I like that!"

"So it turns out . . . this female professor here in Athens was doing some pretty intense work with her team . . . secretly south of the Black Sea. Where Turkey is today. And it's there where the story gets far more interesting."

"More interesting?"

"Yeah. Some of the women in that group start disappearing . . . including their leader, Dr. Nefeli Vasiliou. . . our mysterious and now non-existent Greek professor."

"OK Nicasio . . . I actually do find this all pretty cool. So why didn't you tell me all this before?"

He was silent and Daniela was now looking up at him attentively. Obviously tuned-in for more of the briefing.

"Well." She added quickly, glancing down at the deft ornamentation painted on her second set of toes. "After just two days of looking over those images in art . . . I have no doubts believing the Amazons really existed."

"OK. That's good. So what we need now, fellow detective is the current whereabouts of this lost researcher. Who, by the way, is most probably still in Greece."

Daniela returned the cap to the nail polish. She then brought her two naked feet together for the final critical juxtaposition before staring up at him directly.

"So what exactly are we calling . . . disappeared, Nicasio?"

"Professor Simons figures she's still operating over here at a secret location. This is according to her continuing communiqués with the States. She's purposely staying off the radar screen for some reason. And she's not alone in this."

"Operating? This is all starting to sound like some crazy spy novel."

"Well check this out. At least one other of those original researchers went missing about the same time. During a dig In Turkey. First they thought she was kidnapped. Maybe murdered. But because they never located her body, and the case is still officially unresolved . . ."

"OK. So why does the professor think they're hiding, Nicasio?"

"We don't know exactly. But the professor is thought to be linked directly to Stanford and to our excavation at Big Sur. She also has to be in direct connection with someone on the UC Board of Regents, according to Dr. Simons. That was the group which ordered our work secure until we know what we're dealing with down there.

"Yeah? Well that's pretty interesting."

"And very suspicious. How a woman from Stanford would even know about the find and our work there down there. Unless she. . ."

"Was already aware of it . . ."

"Exactly."

"But look. Maybe these women just want to be left alone. Retire and study something wonderful. You know. On their own . . . away from the whole university thing. Away from men!" She smiled seemingly to herself.

"These women we're talking about, Dani, weren't old enough to retire a decade ago. It was early in all their careers to disappear completely. They were top researchers. And there're no official records of them now. It's all just too strange."

"OK, OK. So where do I come in to all this, Nicasio?"

"Tonight at the Blegan someone at that reception will remember this professor. And remember her work here if asked. They'll possibly even know where she can be found today. Nefeli Vasiliou wrote some of the most prominent and recent work on the Amazons before she mysteriously left the planet."

"I really want to meet this woman."

"She was just too well known here. Among the Classical Studies community in Greece for someone not to know something of her whereabouts. Tonight at the reception . . . you're going to find that out."

"Right. And how am I supposed to do that, Nicasio?"

"Look Dani. You've obviously made some . . . close connection with Theofilos here. He's practically eating out of your hand, if you haven't noticed."

She smiled self-consciously.

"OK. . . I see now. I knew this was coming. You seem to think I might have something with him. Don't you, Nicasio?"

"Daniela . . . from his part . . . it's pretty obvious. He's definitely attracted to you. Come on, you're a beautiful woman . . . I'm sure you picked up on his attention the moment we met him."

"He's just an obvious, stupid guy when it comes to that. You all are, Nicasio."

"Alright. . . So let's use it."

"What?"

"Tonight we're all invited to this social gathering over at the Gennadius Library. Someone in that hall will know what became of Dr. Nefeli Vasiliou. Maybe even where she's staying. Theophilos would certainly respond to those questions if you asked him. I'm sure of it, Daniela."

"I don't know. . ."

"The mystery of what's sitting down there on a cliff at Big Sur . . . and how much of it's connected to group of female researchers . . . depends on us finding out more about this woman, Daniela. She's the person at the center of all this. You can just ask him about Professor Nefeli Vasiliou. It's simple."

"And so . . . you're serious? You really want me to smooze up to Theo tonight? For this information? Like some kind of female spy. . . in a movie, Nicasio?"

"Exactly."

She laughed out loud. It was a nervous laugh.

"So how am I supposed to do that? Assuming I would even agree to do it?"

"Dani, it's very easy. When you talk to him this evening, give him a little . . . not a lot . . . of your charm. Then, when he is in a talkative mood . . . just ask the right questions about this professor. As it relates to your study of Amazons. You get it?"

"Right. Which are?"

"Well, for starters . . . 'Where can I find this lecturer who wrote so much about my subject? Dr. Nefeli Vasiliou. Is she still in Greece?' It's that easy. You do have an academic interest in her subject here, remember? And it's actually pretty real now . . . isn't it?"

"Yes . . . I suppose it is. But maybe not so academic . . ."

"Well you possibly could have read about her already. Right? Via your searching the library? Just tell Theo how interested you are in meeting her. Like you told me. Find out what she's currently doing . . . All this relates to your own study of Amazon art. You see?"

"But. . ."

"But what, Daniela? It all hinges on the Amazons and you. Maybe he'll tell you what he knows about her . . . her work ten years ago . . . maybe where she stays. He may even introduce you to someone tonight who does know her well . . . It really is up to you to find out more. OK?"

"Damn! I can't believe what you're asking me to do, Nicasio. Like I'm some kind of under cover agent or something?"

"Relax, Dani. Just be sociable with him. Ask some logical questions. About your interest in those women warriors you now cherish. But mainly 'Where can I find Dr. Vasiliou today? What has she been doing these past ten years?"

Daniela's expression had turned from coolly playful to a look of her old anxious self.

"You know me, Nicasio . . . being that social . . . alone with strangers was never . . ."

He could see in her face now an old vulnerability.

". . . You know I've never liked these types of things . . ."

"Yes but you've shown me . . . you're changing now Daniela. And I see you really have. I noticed you haven't even called your parents since we've arrived in Europe."

She looked down again at her feet.

"Yes. And I told them I wouldn't . . . I just left a message that we were safely in Athens. Said I'll call them whenever."

She quickly became silent, putting the little bottle of red paint deep into the bag.

Nicasio smiled affectionately.

"Come on, Dr. Collins . . . didn't you agree to be a part of the research team here? It's just critically important now that we get more details about this woman. Dani, it may turn out to be the only reason we came here."

She suddenly stood up and walked over to her suit case. She boldly dropped the towel to the floor which had been wrapped around her. While unflinchingly nude she proceeded to flip selectively through her folded clothes.

"You were planning on going with me this evening . . . weren't you, Dani?"

"Why do you think I painted my toenails, Dr. Carvajal?"

He smiled again.

"OK, Nicasio. I'll find out what I can about this Nefeli Vas. . ."

"Dr Nefeli Vasiliou."

As in a sort of truce, or a reassuring sign of at least her temporary cooperation, Daniela looked up and smiled back with a look of detached concentration. Nicasio found this difficult to interpret, but nonetheless refreshing. As he walked over to where she stood nakedly, she quickly held up her index finger, freezing him in his path at any attempt to touch her. Wagging her finger in a menacing way, only confirmed that she was still in no mood for unconditional reconciliation-nor any carnal corroboration in their efforts.

* * *