“I heard there’s this really nice hotel, do you think that’s where we’re staying?” Xander looked up at his much taller brother, Alex.

“Aunt Carrie said we’ll be staying at a private cabin beside the beach. After all, this isn’t really a vacation,” Alex responded, his dark, round eyes showing no sign of enthusiasm. He was right, of course. The Hollowlands family and the Songbird family were adventurers. It was the family business.

In 1873, James Hollowlands and William Songbird met while excavating an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh's tomb and their families have been partners ever since.

“But we will get some vacation time. We always do on these expeditions,” Xavier Songbird spoke up, his voice mimicking that of the bird he was named after. His light brown hair was slicked back to keep it from his saturated green eyes, as usual.

“That’s true. Hey, maybe there’ll be some nice Brazi-” Alex started, interrupted by his Aunt Carrie.

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Alex Hollowlands!” She hissed, her silver hair spiky.
“Anyway, did anyone tell you boys what we’re doing in South America?” Erin Songbird asked the trio, her dyed beach blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. Behind her, the private jets’ left wing poked out from the window. “We’re going after a rock that’s been said to have mystical powers. Apollo’s Eye, it’s called. The only thing we know about it is that it’s somewhere in South America, and that it caused the uprising of a supposed civilization. There’s a tribe in Brazil who talk of this civilization as if they’re terrified of it. It’s been said that the Apollo’s Eye gave a group of people mystical powers and made them bloodthirsty. Of course, I don’t believe this. That’s simply preposterous.”
“We’re going after… a rock. Mom, that’s not what we do,” Xavier furrowed his brows, looking at Erin.

“We’re going to see if the legend is real, and if the ‘rock’ really holds some sort of magic, which is extremely doubtful, Xavier,” Erin reminded her son. The truth was, Erin had a hunch about someone she knew. Her grandfather left for South America before she was born, and never came back. She felt as if her grandfather was still alive, and simply waiting for her. The Apollo’s Eye might be able to show the way to him.

“Okay then,” Xavier shrugged, turning to face the window. Outside, a storm was brewing, which worried him greatly.

“Hey, we’re not flying into the storm. I don’t think Mr. White would do something like that. If he was to kill us off, he would do it in a much cooler way,” Xander said, as if he read Xavier’s mind. The little comment earned a laugh from everyone but Erin.

“Erin, lighten up. You’re never like this!” Carrie Hollowlands poked her friend on the cheek. Carrie and Erin were destined to be friends because of the families they were born in to. They had their differences, though. Carrie was strict, but she could be fun. Erin wasn’t nearly as strict with her son, and her idea of ‘fun’ was a dig through an abandoned warehouse. But Carrie was right - Erin usually had a smile plastered on her pale face that reached up to her eyes.

“What? Oh. I’m just tired, that’s all,” Erin told her close friend, a weary smile appearing.

“Everything’s going to be fine, Blondie. It’s not like the plane’s going to crash with the clever Arnaud White flying it!” Carrie rolled her navy eyes. She held a grudge against Mr. White - when they were 15, Arnaud had vandalized her house.

But Carrie spoke too soon. A blinding light shot through the sky, hitting the plane directly, turning all power off, including the engines.