Julio carried several bags of groceries as he walked back towards the main square, close to an alley where the truck was parked. Although he had to make a few trips to and from the marketplace, he bought a bag of coconuts from a man he met on the way. The vendor had noticed a potential customer staring at him as he wielded a machete and cut open several coconuts in half so his wife could remove the flesh without breaking a sweat.
Watching from the sidelines of the small rudimentary food stand the couple had set up, Julio could observe how the vendor swiftly cut out thick acute triangles from the top of several coconuts and decorated them with colorful straws before placing them side by side on the edge of the counter as a clever strategy to entice any passersby. Julio went to grab one and was soon transfixed by the talented display of skills in front of him.
Moved by the look of bewilderment from his customer, the man motioned for him to get even closer and perhaps learn a bit about his trade. Julio sipped the delicious water that seemed to quench his thirst, quickly reanimating him with electrolytes while the vendor enthusiastically continued to work and his wife scrapped off the white flesh from dozens of coconuts they had cut open throughout the day.
"Most people who purchase coconut water don't know what to do with the rest and they just throw it away." Said the man, rolling his eyes in contempt and yet thankful that he could take advantage of other people's mistakes.
"I collect the discarded fruits and with the help of my wife, we make juice out of them and later sell it as an alternative to cow's milk." Said the man pointing to several bottles arranged on a shelf waiting to be filled.
Julio took notice and gave him a thumb up, not knowing what else to say. He paid the man and thanked him once again as he walked away.
As Vincent made his way back to meet up with his friend, he found himself distracted by the surroundings, how polite the locals appeared with one another and overall, how strange everything seemed; at one point even shifting his body when he thought someone yelled something in a foreign language he almost did not recognize.
As he got closer to where he was supposed to meet Julio, his thirst intensified and the tropical fruit held by his friend seemed refreshing enough for him to pick up the pace.
"Where did you get that?"
"Is it any good? I'm actually parched."
"It's so refreshing that I bought us a few actually, so we won't dehydrate." Replied Julio, handing his friend another one he was hiding behind his back.
Vincent just nodded, concentrating as he sucked on the straw and absorbed all the essential potassium concentrate.
"Did you get what you came for?" Asked Julio as he rearranged and secured the purchases he made.
"Oh! Absolutely! And you won't believe what I found!" Said Vincent with a tone of intrigue and a smirk not even the coconut in front of him could hide.
"I can't wait to hear all about it. I got us all the supplies we need and bought food for tonight; two rotisserie chickens!"
"Mm, yeah you read my mind!"
"I was going to mention we got one after seeing a man set up a series of meats skewered on a spit."
"Did you also buy sides with it?" Asked Vincent, attempting to inspect the bag of goods that sat next to him and its aroma enticed his senses.
"Of course, man!"
"They had rice, potatoes and plantain. The potatoes are marinated with all the drippings from the chicken!"
"What else did you get?"
"No more than the bare essentials; beer, wine, chorizos, bread and a few fireworks." Replied his friend with a mischievous look on his face followed by a wink.
"Did you happen to get any veggies? I'm not a meat & potato kind of guy you know!"
"Hahaha! I got your veggies too! Don't be a cry baby!"
"What about the twins? Were you able to get a hold of Mariana to let her know we were coming?"
"I sure did, and although I thought I had worked my magic so the four of us could go camping for one night, the only reason they agreed was because Camila insisted that you had to be there. I have a feeling she really wants to see you!"
"However, they also need to be in Cordova for a gig the next day but at least we'll get to spend some time with them."
Vincent nodded as he adjusted his seat and secured the new load before they got back on the road.
"So, tell me! How did it go?" Asked Julio as he switched gears and the engine forced greater torque into its wheels.
"It went better than expected but I will have to take a closer look at all the contents later on. The lighting in that house wasn't all that good and although she gave me a flashlight, I just didn't feel relaxed enough to go over every item." Said Vincent while thinking about the comment regarding Camilla's desire to see him.
"I also wanted to avoid any chances of remorse from her. She practically didn't know what she was selling. To any treasure hunter such as myself, that would have been detrimental to my quest."
"What do you mean she didn't know what she was selling? Sounds like you found something interesting!"
Vincent unzipped his backpack and pulled out the wooden box, carefully revealing the contents for his friend to see. As he focused on the road and took one quick glance at Vincent's lap, the truck swerved right, a clear sign that what Vincent held in his hands effectively took Julio by surprise.
"Holy shit, what?!"
"You found that?!" Asked Julio not realizing he was shouting with excitement.
Vincent couldn't contain his shit eating grin and just remained silent.
"What kind of gun is that? It actually looks familiar but I'm not sure why."
"It does because it's the same gun that was used as inspiration for Han Solo's blaster." Replied Vincent thinking about the shootout at the cantina where Greedo died.
"Shit you're right! Wait, who is Han Solo again?" Said Julio jokingly but unsure all the same.
"Don't even go there!" Said Vincent, loudly and in clear defiance of his friend's insolence.
"This pistol is known as a Mauser C-96. It's German made and straight from the First World War."
"There are a few other models similar to this one but this type is quite rare!" Replied Vincent, secretly contemplating with joy the incredible purchase he made.
"Shit! You think we can try it out?" Asked Julio with a playful tone, his hand extended like a gangster about to pull an imaginary trigger in midair.
"I don't think so, although I would love to don't get me wrong. It does not appear to have ever been used because all the other accessories appear to be in pristine condition. Besides, its value would be greater if we don't play with it." Said Vincent in a firm tone as he closed the lid and secured the clasp before he placed it back in his bag.
"Yeah, I guess you're right, although I truly hate it when you ARE right!" Blurted Julio with a hint of resignation, disappointed he wouldn't get his way.
"Look, once we set up camp, maybe we can take a closer look and see if it was ever discharged and then go from there." Offered Vincent as consolation, although his true intentions appeared masked as a distraction.
Although Vincent had given his friend some false hope in regards to playing target practice later on, he knew better than to put his foot down too early, knowing very well how his friend would react otherwise due in part to always being cosseted by family and just about everyone around.
It was late afternoon when the truck approached the far side of the lake and reached a small town near an inlet peppered with reeds and several pools where fishermen could be seen farming different types of fish.
"Vinny! Keep your eyes open for a big sign in the shape of an arrow. Mariana asked me to meet them at the corner of a place called San Bernardo Hotel."
Vincent scanned his surrounding and could feel his palms getting clammy from anxiety and the anticipation of seeing her again.
"The girls didn't want us to get them from their house because apparently her father doesn't want them camping with us. He's definitely weird and gets jealous according to what Mariana tried to explain after the last time I called her and received a death threat from him instead.
"That happened to you as well? The last time I called Camila's phone, her father answered for her and also warned me to not call his daughter anymore! In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if that's the reason why they haven't yet moved away." Said Vincent letting out a big sigh, his eyes nervously shooting glances left to right in search of the arrow sign.
"Well, unfortunately it's the society we live in and maybe even why a lot of the countries in this continent haven't progressed socially. It's also the Catholic Church that has a huge influence over how we are supposed to behave, regardless of how sophisticated some of us may be. Either way I don't really care." Said Julio in solidarity.
Vincent caught the shape of a yellow arrow about a block away, prompting him to shout in excitement, his arm pointing towards the location up ahead.
His last memory of Camila had not failed him. As soon as they pulled into the corner of the hotel, both friends were dumb struck by how gorgeous their two female friends were. Mariana stood tall with dirty blonde hair, jean shorts and a black tank top. Camila on the other hand had always been a brunette and was dressed in a long floral skirt, a white sleeveless shirt, almost see-through, revealing a lacy neon pink bra underneath.
"Hey!" Both women shouted happily, their arms extended outwards in preparation for a warm embrace as both friends got off the truck to greet them.
"You guys look so good! Look at you Vince! You've gotten cuter and bigger since the last time we met!" Said Mariana unaware she was practically flirting with him.
Mariana's comment made Camila blush, quickly firing back with her own remark.
"Hey now, back off! Vincent is all mine!"
"Wait a second! What do you mean by cuter?" Julio interrupted sarcastically and with a jealous tone.
"Babe, you've always been hot, you know that! It's just that Vincent has changed since the last time we were all together is all." Said Mariana, while running her hands over Julio's pecks; reassuring him by whispering dirty things only he could hear, resulting in a wicked grin all across his face.
Vincent had to admit he had never felt so good from such a compliment.
"You girls ready? Drop your gear in the back and let's get out of here!" Charged Julio but Vincent continued holding onto Camila; the perfume she wore was so enchanting that he could barely think of letting her go.
Although it was a tight fit inside the truck, no one seemed to mind, except for the intensifying hunger produced by the sweet smoky aroma coming from the two rotisserie chickens waiting to be devoured. They drove towards the outskirts of the valley, to a spot Mariana had recommended and would only take a few minutes to reach. The right amount of distance between not too hungry and almost starving, thought Julio as he stepped on the gas and mocked the famous words Bruce Banner would say before turning into The Hulk, "You wouldn't like me when I'm hungry!"
The area they reached turned out to be just as both sisters described along the way; a combination of grassy landscapes shielded by apple trees, flowers in mid bloom and a shallow but crystalline river where early settlers prospecting for placer gold would spend hours swirling pans of free gold particles from loose sediment.
Quickly unpacking the necessary gear, they scrambled in pairs to set up camp and get everything ready to eat before it got dark. The weather however was on their side; not a cloud in sight although it was close to 8pm, meaning there would still be enough sunlight for a little longer just as local owls and other nocturnal animals woke up to play. Mariana offered to set up the tents, giving her sister enough time to excuse herself and take Vincent for a walk into the woods in search of some tinder they could burn or take advantage of the natural foliage and use it as camouflage.
"My sister was right you know!" Unsure of what she meant, Vincent turned his head towards her, just in time for his eyes to catch the corner of her lips, widening into the smile he fell in love with.
"You've grown. You're not as skinny and your physique has changed; your arms and shoulders gained mass, like you've been working out. Are you still as geeky as I remember?" Camila enquired while flirting with his eyes.
Vincent could not help but blush, something Camila noticed right away and let out a subtle, "aww!"
"You're so sweet. I've really missed you Vinny and was hoping you had kept in touch more often." Said Camila sheepishly, unsure of what his response would be.
"I know. I had every intention of reaching out to you but I wasn't sure you actually felt this way. The last time we were together you were practically dating someone else." Said Vincent as he gathered dry loose branches and brown leaves in bunches.
Camila felt like explaining herself but instead zoomed in towards him, towards his lips and stole a kiss.
"How about now…do you still have doubts?" Asked Camila, although she didn't need a response and kissed him once again, interrupting whatever he wanted to say.
Vincent could barely react. Camila's lips had activated a release of dopamine and all he could think about was the way in which her tongue caressed his.
The feelings he felt for her long ago were always present, but now, knowing that she felt the same way also gave Vincent the confidence to pull her closer, bringing time to a halt while nothing else seemed to matter anymore.
"Hey love birds! Control yourselves and bring that wood already! And I don't mean the one in your pants Vinny!" Yelled Julio, amusing himself as he teased them from a distance.
"Grow up already!" Muttered Vincent under his breath in disappointment of his friend's immaturity.
"Oh, shut up! Besides, his wood is all I need anyways!" Shouted Camila in retaliation followed by a chuckle only she and Vincent enjoyed.
Vincent laughed freely and without reservations, while Julio on the other hand did not expect the comeback and quickly bit his tongue in response.
He gazed at her and could not resist kissing her once again, rewarding her loyalty and witty assertion.
Luckily the tents Julio had in the truck were the type that required little to no assembly at all. They were modern in that all that was necessary was to pull a few levers in order to release a pop-up mechanism that would spring open the portable shelters in a matter of seconds.
Julio along with the help of both women prepared a salad and drank some wine while they giggled about whatever nonsense he shared with them; that sort of thing being his specialty.
Meanwhile, Vincent took care of the fire and once it was lit and slowly doubled in size, he transferred several embers onto a portable grill that would warm up the food that would soon be ravaged.
As dusk began to fall, any lingering light would soon dissipate, revealing a grand and vast night sky displaying the galaxy in full bloom and miraculous wonderment.
"Here, let's place these cushions around the fire so we can all sit comfortably. I also brought these and will put them in our tents in case the terrain is uneven or it dampens with tomorrow's fog." Said Julio, as he passed around a few cushions and foam mattresses he carried under his arms.
"Great idea but I prefer to lie on grass. I'm a country girl and I like it rough!" Said Mariana while letting out a hysterical laugh.
With everyone gathered around the fire, Vincent could not help but notice the similarities between Mariana and that of his friend. She seemed like the female version of Julio, only smarter and more attractive, possibly the reason why they also got along so well.
Both sisters handed out some cutlery while Vincent distributed random cuts of chicken and their accompaniments and Julio went around pouring wine for everyone.
They ate in silence while the fire slowly came to life, creating just the right ambiance under the stars. As each one finished eating and drank their wine, they contemplated silently at the magic of fire, how it took a life of its own and crackled as tiny pockets of vapor exerted enough pressure, giving way for the wood to snap and pop.
"So, I heard you just graduated with a PhD? Are you now considered a professor? Do you plan on teaching locally or are you heading to a major university?" Enquired Mariana enthusiastically as she poked scattered embers back into the heart of the smoldering fire using a stick she found nearby.
"What is your field?" Asked Camila, trying to sound more interested than her sister should be.
"It's not a PhD but rather a master's in International Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs. I'm taking some time off for the time being before I decide what's next. My field is mostly Peace and Conflict Studies." Said Vincent replying to both women but quickly turning to Mariana to say,
"I think I need to settle in first and see what opportunities arise, although I'm very interested in working for the UN." Replied Vincent, but wondering if her question was a disguise or something Camila was avoiding to ask herself.
"What about your grandfather? How is he doing these days? Does he still have the shop?" Enquired Camila, diverting the conversation towards a subject she could control without having to push away negative thoughts her anxiety produced when Vincent described his future plans and implied going away again.
"Well, I haven't seen him yet since my return but I think he's doing well. He still does run the shop but isn't as engaged as he used to be. His mind is beginning to show signs of aging but overall, his health is great for his age. He actually turns 86 in a few days." Replied Vincent as he went around gathering everyone's plates and cutlery.
"Oh wow! He definitely does not look his age. He must have superior genes. Probably something he passed down to you as well." Said Mariana with a candid wink.
"I sure hope so!" Replied Vincent with a smirk in return.
"In fact, that's another reason why we came here, Vinny just picked up a very special gift for him." Uttered Julio while circling the fire, feeding it thicker pieces of bark and other pieces of wood.
"What do you mean? What did you get him?" Inquired Camila unsure of what Julio meant.
Vincent hesitated at first, unsure of how to proceed or how much information he would reveal, but figured he could trust his circle of friends.
"Not sure I mentioned before about my grandfather's fascination with Nazi relics but I recently acquired several items to add to his collection." Replied Vincent, hoping his response would not freak them out.
"Nazi relics?" Asked Mariana unsure if what she heard was correct.
"You mean as in souvenirs of war?" Inquired her sister also confused by the term and wondered if both words meant the same thing.
"Not the best description but I guess you could also call them trophies." Said Julio in an attempt to sound knowledgeable but glancing at his friend in search of his approval.
"Yes, exactly that. Trophies, relics, anything that associates with that time period and the war. In this case, the Second World War. Anyways, I went through a lot of trouble searching for anything from that era that also belonged to the Third Reich. Just as I was about to give up, about a month ago a woman contacted me unexpectedly and offered me a trunk for sale that belonged to her late family. Not sure how she got my email, although I might have shared my contact info on a forum that deals with antiques and other collectibles."
"I mean, the trunk itself could be a gift of its own but you won't believe the stuff I found in there or the connection of the person that those items belonged to!"
"What do you mean exactly?" Probed Julio without mentioning the item he'd seen earlier in the hope his friend would reveal more than he would let on.
"Well, the first item I found was a panzer helmet with what appears to be the double SS or lightning bolts that represent the paramilitary squad appointed by Hitler himself. This division was also responsible for the Final Solution, the genocide of 6 million Jews that took place in different concentration and extermination camps throughout Germany." Said Vincent quietly, organizing his thoughts.
"Jesus Christ Vince! And you went out of your way to acquire those items?! Don't you think that's a bit sinister?" Exclaimed Camila while looking straight at him in disbelief, worried about his intentions.
"Sinister? No not at all. Besides, you're just reacting after I mentioned the holocaust. Purchasing those items raises a few eyebrows but try to look at it from a historical point of view. All those artifacts carry proof that the events actually took place. It also serves as a historical precedent and a reminder that nationalism could lead to other dangerous ideologies, such as religious fanaticism. Also, let's not pretend we live in a pleasant world. The way I see it, there are far more insidious situations taking place as we speak. Take for instance human and sex trafficking, organ harvesting, the CIA funding clandestine projects with drug money, wars for oil, famine in Africa, pirates taking over vessels, I mean the list goes on."
"For instance, the current situation with Israel and Palestine is a strong example of what happens when a militarized country borders a peaceful nation. In my opinion what Israel is doing to Palestine is gradual genocide, pure and simple. Ironic how the oppressed has now become the oppressor." Said Vincent attempting to regain control of the conversation.
"I see what you mean. In fact, it would almost seem that we don't actually learn from others' mistakes and better the world. Instead, the powers that be use that valuable information in order to improve the way in which superpowers approach future conflicts, all based on their own interests, masking the outcome with the term "history" in order to justify a past tense without mentioning the events that got us there to begin with." Said Mariana out of the blue, squeezing Julio's thigh in an attempt to warn him of his interruptions.
Camila felt the sudden tension in the air and broke the awkwardness by fetching some more wine and taking the time to stretch out her legs.
Julio handed her the bottle and asked Vincent to finish recounting the story behind the items he'd found, hoping this time he would also mention or pass around the cool looking pistol he had seen earlier.
"How can I put this so you will all understand? Let's pretend for a second that Indiana Jones was sitting here with us, would you question his methods as to how he would go about acquiring the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy Grail?" Asked Vincent inquisitively, wondering what his friends would say.
"Oh, come on!" Julio fired back unexpectedly, and a reaction which took everyone by surprise.
"Babe, let him speak!
"The Nazi memorabilia you are talking about doesn't pale in comparison to either of the items Indiana Jones would go after." Said Julio arrogantly and clearly in an effort to get on Vincent's nerves.
"Ok fine, you got a point…but what about archeologists? Are they to be considered grave robbers if they open a sarcophagus in order to study its contents?" Everyone's wheels seemed to be turning as they listened closely to what Vincent was suggesting and the logic in some of it.
"Let's not forget that this is the process by which historians and archaeologists discovered and documented among other things the true origins behind several historical events that took place long ago. Even in a professional setting such as that, items have mysteriously gone missing only to end up as someone else's private art collection. However, in the majority of cases these relics do end up in the right setting, such as museums."
"But you said you would be giving these items to your grandfather as a gift, for his private collection even. What sort of sick statement is that?" Joked Julio using a passive aggressive tone that now bordered on insult.
"Look. I never said I would give him the helmet. I'm just telling you about some of the items that I found in the trunk. I didn't have much time to look at all the stuff carefully but as soon as I saw what was inside, I knew I had to purchase the whole thing. Even looking at this from an antique point of view, regardless of what happens I'm sure my grandfather will know exactly what to do with all of it. And that was essentially what I wanted to share with him, as a gift." Added Vincent as he poured himself some more wine as a distraction.
"Well, I hope those items do end up in the proper hands. Stuff like that just gives me the creeps!" Said Mariana while she tried to get Julio to snuggle her and that way deter any future comments.
"Let me remind you that Argentina has its own nefarious history. Mothers of Plaza de Mayo came about after more than fifteen thousand people went missing during Videla's dictatorship in the late 1970's. Prior to all this and following the Second World War, Argentina harbored Nazi war criminals, as well as some of our neighboring countries, such as Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and other places in Europe such as Russia, England, Denmark, Switzerland and even the United States."
"In fact, this morning we were in the city of Bariloche and the whole place looks like little Switzerland for Christ sakes! They even speak German and frown at you if you dare speak to locals in Spanish!"
"Wait, how was the United States involved in harboring Nazis? I mean, didn't they lead the allied resistance?" Asked Julio incredulously, throwing his arms in the air in disbelief of what he had just heard.
"Are you being serious babe?" Mariana shot back pinching his rib cage.
"Soon after the war ended there was an intelligence race between other nations to acquire Nazi technology. The US employed some of the best scientists found in Germany in exchange for a new life and the certainty that they would also evade the Nuremberg Trials. The wealth of information that was provided influenced various fields of science such as space travel, nuclear research, biology, physiology, fuck, you name it." Said Mariana in a confident tone but surprised she had used foul language.
"Wow! Not just a pretty face!" Said Julio, surprised by Mariana's contribution.
"In fact, in a twisted turn of events, all the rockets used during the Apollo Space Program had the same color scheme used on Dr. Braun's V2 rockets. Some say it was a pattern used to identify if the rocket rolled during flight, while others think it was a sick way of paying tribute to the German scientists who helped launch the American Space Program." Added Vincent while he locked eyes with Mariana and shared a moment of mutual intellect.
"Since we are already on the subject and the conversation can't get any creepier…" said Camila with a tipsy tone, taking a few sporadic pauses as she spoke.
"I... I do have to admit that from the point of view of a graphics designer, the style and design used throughout the Nazi branding campaign, such as their graphic symbolism… well, it looked really nice. I think Goebbels would have been an amazing designer had he not focused his intellect on the Nazi effort."
Vincent laughed a bit but brushed the comment aside.
Camila shrugged her shoulders in clear defiance of her own opinion and excused herself for a few minutes in search of a tall bush where she could hide and go pee. Julio on the other hand also took the hint and followed behind, except he went into his tent in search of several joints he had rolled the night before, using a special cherry flavored rolling paper that had been quite popular due to the sweet taste it left on one's lips.
Sitting back down by the fire next to Mariana's warm laughter and seductive beauty, he pulled out a lighter and asked out loud if anybody wanted to take a hit. Without missing a beat, Mariana took the joint from Julio's lips, kissing him once in return before she lit the pointy end, instantly releasing a sweet aroma of skunk weed into the night.
"Mm I love this flavor, is it cherry?" Asked Mariana as she licked her bottom lip and held the joint between her fingers like a cigarette.
"You mean artificial cherry! Real cherries don't actually taste like that. I mean, it would be fantastic but if that were the case then candies would not be as exciting. Fruits are not always perfect and their flavor varies both in acidity and sweetness." Her sister pointed out somewhat sarcastically.
"And what do candies have to do with it?" Asked Julio sounding really confused.
"Well. Everything! You see, once scientists figured out how to synthesize different flavors, the candy making industry blew up and because of that, food engineers can now tweak compounds that mimic everything from bacon to cherry cola, essentially tricking us into believing that certain things are just the way scientists want us to think they are." Replied Camila while her fingers gently ran through Vincent's hair, admiring the few graying hairs she never noticed before.
"I also think we live in a world where we sometimes don't know what's real anymore." Said Julio trying to add his two cents to a conversation he barely understood.
"I know what you mean. When I was a kid, I once tried eating a purple marker thinking it was a grape." Said Mariana, joking at the expense of Julio's contribution.
"Or, do you mean...like the matrix?" Mariana kept on teasing.
"No! Not like the matrix, that's not even real! I am actually being serious you know!?" Demanded Julio but gave Mariana a weird look as he tried tickling her, causing her to spill some wine after she squirmed in self-defense.
"I think I know what you mean, although, your point of view is a byproduct of an aggressive marketing agenda that is designed, among other things, to program the masses and mostly for the benefit of consumption." Said Camila unexpectedly, inducing Vincent to notice her differently.
"Oh my! And here I thought you were just a runway model! Please continue!" Blurted Julio while failing to keep his guard up from the light jabs to his midsection Mariana thought he deserved.
"Listen! We both model because of how easy it is and the handsome paychecks but as you can see, we both have higher aspirations. In less than a year I'll be able to call myself a lawyer!" Camila grinned far and wide on her deserved sense of accomplishment.
And just like that, while everyone seemed distracted by their own personal conflicts, out of nowhere and in a blink of an eye, a streak of bright greenish light made its way across the sky and disappeared instantly, just as quickly as it appeared.
"Wow!! Did you see that?" Everyone exclaimed almost in unison while looking at each other in disbelief.
"That must be the brightest shooting star I've ever witnessed!" Mentioned Julio amazed, his head rotating in all directions, in search for more like it.
"The ability to see meteors is extremely common around these areas. We barely have any light pollution and the deeper you go into the forest, the better the view becomes. In fact, during the winter you can almost see the entire galaxy." Said Camila, also tilting her head backwards, her eyes in search of something equally bright and mysterious.
"I often wonder of the possibilities...and if humanity will ever find extraterrestrial life elsewhere." Said Camila, her body now flat on the ground, insinuating that Vincent do the same.
"And you had to ask that knowing Vince is here!? He basically believes every episode of the
X-Files is a documentary!" Joked Julio sarcastically and louder than he intended.
"What? Why? What's wrong with believing?" Asked Camila not understanding what Julio meant.
"Well, Vincent here believes aliens have already found us and might already be engaging with humanity and not the other way around! Don't you Vince?"
Vincent wished he could avoid being ridiculed but felt his friends would have the last laugh if he didn't explain his beliefs, no matter how strange they seemed.
"Well… obviously I don't think that. It's not the way he makes out to be but I do have certain inclinations on the subject and only because it is not entirely unreasonable to think that we are not always told the truth about every event that takes place in this world." Said Vincent, hesitant of what would happen if he continued giving Julio the ammunition to mock his thoughts and predilections.
"Like what exactly? I'm sure NASA or SETI would reveal such a discovery!" Said Camila while she took another long drag, followed by coughing fits that motivated her to run for water so she could put out the fire in her lungs.
"I am not so sure about that. Just as the US did with the acquisition of German technology after the Second World War, an event implicating alien technology would imply greater efforts to secure such valuable information. One good example would be the famous 1947 crash of a UFO in Roswell, New Mexico."
"I think I read something about it when I was younger. Was it not just Russian spy balloons or something of the sort?" Said Mariana incredulous to what she might learn next.
"Well, the interesting thing about that incident is found in the press releases of that time and corroborated by the US military. The initial news confirmed the recovery of a flying saucer, only to have that information retracted the next day with an excuse that the wreckage was none other than a military weather balloon. In order to support those claims, samples of a material similar to tin foil and other scraps were shown to the media for dissemination."
"So, what happened to the flying saucer?" Inquired Mariana, worried she would sound naïve.
"There was no flying sa…!" Blurted Julio, unable to finish his sentence and continue causing a stir. Mariana's arms shot up, covering Julio's mouth with both hands so his friend could speak.
"Well, this is where it gets Interesting. According to some, a retrieval team took the saucer to a secret installation in Groom Lake, a black site better known today as the infamous Area 51. Its rumored to be a secret underground facility owned by the US Air Force, where allegedly the saucer was reverse engineered in order to understand how its propulsion systems worked."
"Where did you get all that information? I mean, how do you know it's not all made up?" Asked Camila, her voice riddled with uncertainty.
Vincent shrugged and sighed, almost reluctant to continue until Camila sat down but encouraged him to keep talking, pressing her index finger into her lips as a sign of warning for Julio to keep still.
"What do you do when mainstream information is not available? You resort to books, magazines and the internet. Although these events took place a very long time ago and I don't think anyone has solid proof. Except for the Roswell Daily Record newspaper article that was later rescinded."
"What I do believe is that a lot of the newer technology we have seen in the last fifty years has connections to either the incident in question or something that happened during the Gemini Space Program. Perhaps a first contact event took place and those involved brokered a deal where alien technology was traded in exchange of something else."
"Now, I know I probably sound insane, but there is a famous interview caught on video of a man who claimed to have worked on one of these saucers and was commissioned by the US government to reverse engineer the craft in order to better understand how it could traverse at such high speeds. In the video, the man known as Robert Lazar talks in great length about a type of fuel used to manipulate gravitational waves, which in a sense, allowed the craft to distort the fabric of space-time."
"Now, this interview was conducted in the 1980´s and the fuel in question according to Lazar is an isotope known as Element 115. However, such element did not exist at the time. After his claims went public, he obviously received a lot of ridicule, lost his credibility, his security clearance, along with his job and all of his academic credentials were wiped clean. Lazar claims to have graduated from MIT but no records can be found, even though there are documents that support his employment at Los Alamos National Laboratory, which is the same lab where Oppenheimer developed the atomic bomb. So how could someone who did not go to MIT acquire a job at such an important installation?"
Before Julio could spew more nonsense, Mariana intervened, distracting him by speaking in hushed tones.
"About 14 years later, in 2003, Russian and American scientists successfully synthesized Element 115 in a laboratory for the very first time. It was then officially recognized as a new addition in the periodic table of chemical elements. Once the story made the news, Lazar's claims no longer sounded farfetched. It basically vindicated him." Said Vincent with a smug, surprised that both female friends were genuinely interested in his claims.
Everyone just stared at each other, wondering if the wealth of information Vincent had just spouted was real or an excerpt from one of Asimov's novels.
"Wait! So, I'm confused!"
"What could E.T.s possibly need from us that they don't already have?" Asked Mariana, curious to know what it all meant.
Before Vincent could answer her question, Julio could no longer contain himself and interrupted them by saying, "Man! Are you guys really that high from smoking just one joint? I hope you won't keep boring us with your alien conspiracy theories." Said Julio, producing an exaggerated high pitch voice and attempting to imitate a being from another world.
"Well, if it bores you perhaps it means you're not a free thinker and trust me I get it. You come from a religious background, where according to Jesus, man was created in his own image. So, if little green blobs suddenly descend from the sky, what does that say about your creator or your religion for that matter." Vincent fired back raising his tone.
"Actually, on that note, I once saw a documentary on mysterious aliens of Egypt. I think it was called Stargate!" Said Julio, his feet now in midair as he laughed his ass off at the expense of his friend's conviction.
"Go ahead and laugh but to my credit, to this very day we have no idea how they were built, nor could we replicate such a feat of engineering." Vincent fired back, struggling to collect himself.
"You mean the Stargate or the pyramids?" Joked Julio once again, this time exuding sarcasm.
Vincent did not look his way and instead rolled his eyes in contempt.
"Oh, come on! They were built by hordes of slaves at the behest of Cleopatra, over many years. Everyone knows this!" Julio exploded as he inched closer to a red-hot ember in order to light a second spliff.
"I'm sorry but you are wrong again. There is a general acceptance that we are closer in time to the period of Cleopatra's existence than we are to the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Therefore, what that means is that Cleopatra died about two thousand years ago, in the thirtieth century BC. The Great Pyramid of Giza reached completion sometime in the twenty fourth century BC. The difference is more than twenty-five hundred years, suggesting that the Great Pyramid is much older. And since we are already on the subject, the Great Pyramid is not four sided as previously thought. Thanks to satellite imagery it has recently been discovered that each of the four sides are actually concave, which splits each face of the pyramid in half, thus revealing eight sides in total. In my opinion, the mathematical precision to achieve that is beyond anyone's understanding." Said Vincent getting up and retreating to nearby bushes where he could relieve himself from the tension Julio had created and to release the built-up urge to pee.
"So, changing the subject a bit, what else did you mean by the other items you said you found inside that trunk?" Enquired Mariana, trying her best to change the mood and steer the conversation.
"Well, let me show you." Said Vincent in return, fetching the box he had shown to his friend earlier.
Vincent placed the box on Mariana's lap and pointed towards the small clasp that secured the lid. As soon as she opened it, a look of surprise took over her face and let out a gasp in astonishment.
"This thing was in there?" Said Mariana in disbelief.
"Do you mind if I hold it? She asked but did not wait for a response and took it out of the box.
"I think it's brand new but also hasn't been maintained in so long that I wouldn't dare use it. Said Vincent, motioning Julio to go ahead and also take a closer look if he wanted to.
"It's heavier than I expected." Said Julio with an infectious grin, barely containing the excitement he felt the first time around.
"I had little time to inspect all the items I found in there but I suspect that the woman's father in-law was a German SS officer and the items in question were his. I'm still confused as to why she chose to sell them but then again who cares." Said Vincent, placing the gun back in the box, hesitant as to whether he should inspect the rest of the items he had with him.
"That's insane! Do you realize what you've just discovered? I think Interpol or the Israeli government would be interested in what you just described!" Said Mariana in a serious tone, alerting Vincent of the sheer magnitude in his revelation.
"You're absolutely right. Although that did occur to me earlier today, I was hoping my grandfather could be the one to address that with the corresponding authorities. He was an avid follower of the Nazi Hunters campaign when I was young, so I'm sure he would know who to contact these days." Replied Vincent, wondering if Interpol would even care to this day.
Camila yawned but failed at pretending it was the result of drinking too much red wine.
"Well, that's our cue. I think it's time we go to sleep." Said Mariana as she got up and hastily tried pulling Julio to his feet.
Camila took the hint and did the same. Vincent locked eyes with her and both couples disappeared inside their tents. Once comfortable lying next to each other, Vincent's mind raced with a million thoughts. Neither had been this intimate in so long and the feeling made Vincent somewhat uneasy. Luckily for him, Camila took the initiative and gently caressed his face, her soft hand brushing against his stubble, pulling him closer towards her warm lips. As they kissed and allowed their bodies to get closer to one another, they let go of their inhibitions, allowing their souls to fuse under the stars, while several streaks of light continuously lit up the night sky.
At some point during dawn Vincent woke up earlier than the rest with a sudden urge to release a buildup of liquid waste. Outside, the air was cold and the surrounding forest nearly blanketed by thick fog. He hurried back to the tent and quietly slid back next to her, and although his mind was already awake and could not fall back asleep, he lay on his left side and ogled her while she slept; understanding finally what J. D. Salinger meant when he described beauty before his eyes holding the universe together.
As the fog began to lift, birds nearby chirped, fluttered and carried on with their routine. The first bits of sunlight would soon warm up the air and with little effort the weather would be pleasant again. Camila awoke, turning her head towards Vincent, extending her arm as she woke, holding him tight and as close to her warm body as she could. They both stayed like that for a bit longer, staring at each other while they caressed, kissed and enjoyed the intensity of their vibration.