Josh Parker stepped over a rock, trying to keep his camera steady. He grunted in effort, then pushed himself harder up the steep mountain trail. He was not made for this. His palms were sweating as he was gripping the camera for dear life, his glasses were covered in dust, and he could barely breathe from the sustained hike. They had been at it for two days now, waking up at the crack of dawn, having a quick breakfast, then breaking camp and attacking the Egrisi Mountains again. “I deserve this. It’s my own fault I’m here. Stupid, stupid, stupid.” It had become a mantra in Josh’s head. He could think about nothing else. Not even about the advance payment Aileen Callas had transferred to his bank account, nor the double of that sum waiting for him at the end of this adventure.
“Hurry up, would you?”
Nadia was waiting for him up the hill, hands crossed over her generous chest. Her brows were furrowed, her sweaty blonde shoulder-length hair stuck to her forehead and cheeks, but she still managed to look gorgeous. Nadia Azarov – the sexy, curvy assistant who would never look at a lanky geek like Josh. He sighed and approached her with big, steady steps.
“I think this is a perfect place,” she said. “What do you say?”
Josh looked over the impressive landscape. This part of Georgia was a sight to behold, indeed. Not many tourists dared to trek in these mountains, but the lakes below were worth the effort. Or so Josh kept telling himself. He shrugged.
“Sure. It’s just as good as any.”
Nadia rolled her big, doll eyes, then walked ahead. Josh tried to keep up with her, at the same time angling the camera in such a way that he could catch both Nadia’s sexy back, and Aileen’s profile as she stopped to admire the view.
“Are you ready?” Nadia asked Aileen.
Aileen looked at her friend and assistant for a second, trying to figure out if she had the energy to do this now.
Josh stopped, planted his feet firmly on the ground, and positioned his camera to film Aileen’s pretty face. She was a tall, curvy brunette, with dark green eyes, and tanned skin. Her long, wavy hair was tied in a ponytail that reached the middle of her back. She was just as sweaty and tired as all of them, but she could clearly pull this off better. The truth was that none of them was used to this kind of physical effort, but while Josh was cursing the moment he had said “yes” to Aileen’s proposal, and Nadia was probably doing the same, although she was careful not to let it show, Aileen was motivated by something much more important than money.
“Yeah, it’s fine,” Aileen said.
Nadia pulled out the microphone she had with her. She hoped it would do its job well enough.
“Can you tell us where we are, Aileen?”
The brunette smiled at the camera. Josh could tell the last thing she wanted was to be interviewed again. They had done it for the past five days, when they started packing their equipment in Massachusetts, and she was fed up with it. On the other hand, she had been the one who insisted they made a documentary.
“I think Luka, our guide, can answer that question better than me.”
She turned around and called Luka. When the middle-aged man appeared beside her, Josh made sure to get a good close-up. He was thin, of medium height, but his body was strong and lean. There was not an ounce of fat on him, and the ripped muscles could be seen through his T-shirt and tight trekking pants. For a 50-year-old guy, the Georgian looked amazing. He answered Nadia’s question in a calm, soothing voice, dominated by a strong accent.
“Well, we’re in the Samegrelo Region, trekking through the Egrisi Mountain Range. As you know, we started in the Ganarjiis Mukhuri village two days ago, but we still have a lot of ground to cover.”
Aileen nodded.
Nadia stepped aside, trying to stay out of the camera frame so Josh could focus on her friend and the guide. She did her best to keep the microphone in front of Luka.
“It’s not an easy journey,” Aileen smiled.
Luka shook his head. “No, it’s not. In fact, not many people explore these parts of Western Georgia. You came in the right season. It’s a bit easier in August, but even so, many tourists prefer to get in the mountains by helicopter, do some camping, take some pictures, then head back to more welcoming parts.” The man chuckled. “Still, I think the view is worth it.” He motioned towards the lake lying between the mountains.
Josh made sure to follow his gesture with the camera and film the lake while the guide went on.
“The lakes in the Egrisi Mountains are formed by glaciers that eroded the rock only to melt and fill the space created.”
That made Josh remember how thirsty he was. He’d have to wait. He moved the camera back to Luka and Aileen.
“Thank you, Luka.”
The guide smiled and turned around. They had taken enough of a break.
Aileen motioned for Nadia and Josh to follow her. She started walking after the guide, doing her best to offer her profile to the camera.
“We’re close, aren’t we?” asked Nadia, still holding the microphone.
“I hope so.”
“Why are we here?”
It wasn’t the first time when Aileen was answering that question, but she thought Josh would probably edit the film later and choose the best parts.
“We’re here, in the western part of Georgia, which a long time ago was known under the name of Colchis, to prove that my theory about Jason and the Argonauts is true.”
“And what is that theory?”
Aileen smiled, lost in thought for a good moment. No matter how much she dreaded these short interviews for her documentary, she never got tired of telling this particular story.
“What our students learn at Harvard University, and all over the world, about the Greek myth of the Golden Fleece is wrong. First of all, we’re here to prove that it’s not just a myth. Yes, the Golden Fleece existed, Jason, his Argonauts, and Medea are real historical figures, and the Guardian is also real. Moreover, I believe that Jason never slain the Colchian Dragon and never got the Golden Fleece.”
“Wow! Your theory turns everything we know upside down,” said Nadia.
“It does, doesn’t it? I think it’s time to find out the truth.”
“So, what you’re saying is that you believe the Golden Fleece and its Guardian are still there? I mean… here, forgotten somewhere deep in these mountains?”
Aileen furrowed her dark, perfectly arched brows. It was always risky to answer that question truthfully, but she had come this far.
“As with any myth, we can’t know for sure how much of it is ad litteram, and how much is pure metaphor. The Golden Fleece can be any kind of treasure or artifact, and the Guardian can be anything. Honestly, I don’t expect to find a dragon.” She laughed. She wasn’t reckless enough to say she expected to find a dragon, in the heart of the mountains, in 2017. “The Guardian can be a statue of a dragon, or maybe some kind of puzzle we need to solve to be able to find the artifact. I don’t know. At this point, all I can do is speculate.”
“Thank you,” said Nadia.
She motioned for Josh to cut the film. It was enough, for now. Walking and talking at the same time was quite exhausting, and there was no reason for them to do it too often. Nadia was sure Josh would have enough material to work with.
Luka turned around to wait for them to catch up.
“Is it true?” he asked Aileen. “You really don’t expect to find a real dragon?”
Aileen laughed again.
“Seriously, Luka. It’s not funny.”
“Oh, but I am serious.”
The brunette stopped to catch her breath and study the man’s face for a moment. Nothing about his posture said he was making fun of her.
“You were born in the Mukhuri village, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“When we arrived, I got the impression that all the villagers are quite superstitious.”
The guide chuckled. Apparently, he found Aileen’s reasoning very amusing.
“You come looking for the Golden Fleece, and you’re saying I’m the one who’s being superstitious?”
Aileen shook her head.
“It’s one thing to study the myths of the ancient world, and another thing to take them for granted. I’ve been teaching Mythology and Folklore at Harvard for a couple of years, and I can make the difference between something real and a metaphor for something else. The Colchian Dragon can be nothing else but a metaphor.”
Luka shrugged and continued on his path. They were wasting too much time already, and arguing with Professor Aileen Callas was no use. He had learned that two days ago. She was one of those American academics who thought they knew it all just because they spent all their waking moments reading books and writing theses.
When the guide let the subject drop, Aileen bit the inside of her cheek and increased her pace. She wanted to tell him more about her theory, much more, but she didn’t believe it was the right time, yet. The second she started talking, Josh would turn on his camera, and Nadia would begin asking questions. Well, she couldn’t blame them. They were only doing their jobs. But, sometimes, she felt like screaming “time out!” and pulling them aside to tell them what she really thought about the Golden Fleece and the Guardian. However, doing that came with a risk: Josh, Nadia, and Luka would surely conclude she was crazy, and abandon the journey. She couldn’t afford to let that happen. It had been hard enough to convince Josh and Nadia to come along and help her on this mission. She couldn’t lose them now, not when she felt they were getting close. Very close.