To make her previous excuse more convincing, Bella stayed at the hotel for two more days.
Two days later, having "recovered" as team leader, their archaeological expedition received a U.S. military escort to the Sea of Galilee.
They departed from Tel Aviv by boat, heading straight to Haifa.
Then they took jeeps to Tiberias, a city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
This city couldn't compare to Tel Aviv, but it had hotels and the occasional tourist.
At the hotel, Bella met with several U.S. soldiers to confirm their route.
She circled several spots on the map—the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, near the Golan Heights. "Here, here, and here. These are our primary survey areas. They're all wilderness mountains, relatively safe. If we don't find ancient ruins, we'll continue northeast into the Golan Heights."
Sam Wilson grimaced at her words. You've got guts, lady. "Deeper into the Golan Heights?" He figured these privileged kids charging into an active war zone wouldn't surprise him one bit.
Bella saw the difficulty in his and the other three soldiers' expressions. "Don't worry, I've done extensive preliminary work. In the Nicene Creed, there's a passage that says..."
Sam quickly interrupted. "Ma'am, you don't need to explain the Bible to us. We're not that devout!"
Even without deep faith, he still couldn't say he didn't believe in God. That was a matter of principle.
After final preparations in Tiberias—leaving unnecessary items at the hotel and taking only essential supplies, weapons, and ammunition—they boarded motorboats heading for the eastern mountains of the Sea of Galilee.
Impressive stamina! Once they entered the mountains, Sam discovered these privileged kids' formidable capabilities.
Bella carried loads of archaeological equipment—a portable XRF analyzer, thermoluminescence dosimeter, camera, various brushes, plaster for stabilization—and walked at the front of the group with Sam.
Barbara, Heather, and Sam Winchester held the middle position, also carrying piles of instruments for testing soil, air, and everything else. Sam Winchester, the team's only male member, was used like a pack mule. Besides carrying a tent that packed up to a person's height, he also shouldered four shovels.
According to Bella's thinking, since the Winchester brothers had this unique digging skill, it would be a waste not to use it. All four shovels were for Sam—she worried he might not enjoy himself enough...
The remaining three U.S. soldiers positioned themselves on the left, right, and rear as security.
Though Sam Winchester was determined to study law and completely sever ties with his family's past, he'd grown up immersed in it. His knowledge of Christianity far exceeded average people's, and he could discuss various legends and allusions endlessly.
Heather had been a well-behaved kid originally, but after meeting Bella and her boyfriend Max, her occult knowledge had skyrocketed.
Now she could chat enthusiastically about the seventy-two demons.
These kids are way too superstitious! Listening from a distance, Sam Wilson felt pessimistic about America's education system. How could there be demon gods in reality? If there were, they'd be captured and dissected in laboratories!
They searched the first designated area for two days with no results.
The cave only contained animal droppings and traces of human activity. No murals, no ancient markings or carvings.
The four U.S. soldiers protected the team as they knocked around here, dug a hole there, carefully searching for two days. They couldn't say they missed nothing—at least they'd checked every visible corner.
No ancient Christian ruins existed here like Bella claimed.
"Then we'll move to the next area. The cave cluster about three kilometers northeast."
The second search location yielded nothing. Then the third. The fourth.
As they penetrated deeper into the border region, small-scale firefights became inevitable. This area wasn't peaceful—guerrilla groups, mercenaries, scattered military units, failed coup participants, locally organized militias, all sorts of armed groups everywhere.
Never mind outsiders like Bella's team—sometimes even locals couldn't figure out which faction these people belonged to.
They avoided when possible. When unavoidable, they paid passage fees, which could count as necessary project expenses.
Some armed groups, seeing they were Americans rather than Israelis, didn't want trouble. They'd just haggle over the toll, then wave them through. But if they were stubborn—the type who leered at women—Bella's team wouldn't be polite.
"Watch left!" Bella shoved Sam aside and fired, killing a bandit.
Sam couldn't figure out why she always emphasized that phrase, but with Bella's assistance, their small squad frequently eliminated enemies without injuries. Their combat record was exceptional.
"You should consider using a shield and pistol combination. Haven't you noticed you've got a natural talent for shield work?" Bella casually suggested.
Really? Sam was convinced by her earnest "I'm well-educated and wouldn't lie to you" expression. He decided to find a shield and practice when he had time.
The archaeological expedition spent half a month wandering the mountains. Sam Winchester had already dug countless holes, but his technique was indeed skillful. He wielded that shovel with impressive momentum, doing the work of three men.
Bella didn't make him do all the heavy lifting alone. Occasionally she'd dig too, though her efficiency couldn't match Sam's.
"Hey! Everyone over here!" Heather's luck remained consistently good. In the cave cluster Bella had designated as their final search location, she discovered marks on a stone wall—very ancient marks.
Faint and blurry, but recognizable as Hebrew for "forward." The surface was rough and uneven, as if weathered by extremely long periods. Without purposefully searching, you'd never recognize it as writing.
Bella used a brush to clear the dirt around the inscription, then carefully scraped away grime with a wooden blade.
Stepping back, she examined it carefully. Definitely Hebrew for "forward." The word was complex—definitely not naturally formed.
"Collect materials!" At her command, the three teammates photographed from different angles. Barbara even pulled out a video camera to record this historic moment.
Sam and the four U.S. soldiers were excited too. Though this operation had been dangerous and exhausting, everyone knew this archaeology related to ancient Christianity. Seeing a breakthrough, they felt warmth in their hearts. They were even preparing for interviews back home! We get a piece of the credit too, right?