Audentis Fortuna Iuvat

I looked down at the pile of clothes Mark handed me in disgust. "Are you serious?"

He grinned. "Put them on, I've got my own set. I'll meet you at the bridge in ten." He told me before jogging away.

I turned away with melodramatic noise that was somewhere between a groan and a sigh in search of a bathroom where I could get dressed. I had fully intended to wear a ratty camp shirt and jeans on the mission and though I suppose it was meant to be undercover Mark's clothes were by far the more suspicious of the two. He'd given me a huge floppy hat stacked with flowers so bright they could have easily been called fluorescent, aviator sunglasses that were sure to cover half my face and an ugly green T-shirt with 'Mt Tam, California' printed on it.

I threw on the T-shirt quickly along with the sunglasses and shoved the hat in a rubbish bin on my way to the bridge. I wanted to look like a tourist, not a botanical garden.

I arrived at the bridge well before him and was waiting for what seemed like an eternity of impatience until he finally showed up. But I assure you his appearance made it well worth the wait, though it was a little hard to describe. First you have to imagine this tall, fit man in his twenties with a large ego and every bit of dignity in the world. Then put him in those ugly knee-length beige shorts that you see on middle aged men and a bright pink T-shirt at least two sizes too big. Then as if that wasn't enough, put him in a yellow cap, white sunglasses and finally carrying a man purse. I mean, satchel. Of course, satchel.

"Why aren't you wearing your hat?" He asked me, looking as serious as a man in pink could.

I would say that I replied with a sassy comeback but honestly I was too busy cracking up to gather enough air for a response.

"It's not that funny." He told me.

"It really is!" I managed to gasp out at last. I pulled off his hat and glasses and shoved them into the purse which I slung over my shoulder. "I think you forgot that we're meant to look like casual tourists, not the cover image for 'What Not To Wear This Season (Or Ever)'"

"Actually Catie gave me those clothes for us." He told me as we began our trek to the car dealership where we had rented a car from.

"Aw." I giggled and he shot me a look of utter confusion. "I think she meant it as a joke." I told him.

He frowned to himself but didn't reply, making the long walk rather uncomfortable and extremely awkward. When we finally reached the small rundown garage and paid for the car with the money Catie had given Mark the sun was well above the horizon and I was silently thanking Catie for the sunglasses, however much of a cruel joke they may have been.

"You're driving." I told Mark, tossing him the keys and ducking into the passenger side.

"But I don't have a full license." He said, settling in front of the wheel.

I shrugged. "I don't even have my learners. Don't worry, I won't turn you in!"

He laughed and cranked up the radio, pulling out onto the already buzzing highway. "At least it's not too long a drive."

Famous last words.

Many, many hours later sweating in the metal box of the car, desperate from the sheer lack of air conditioning we drove into the looming shadow of Mt Tamalpais. Mark found a road leading up the mountain and about another hour of perspiration later we pulled into a gravelly parking lot above the scattered clouds.

I ducked out the door and breathed in a deep lungful of even more baking air and sighed it back out again. "Man I hate summer." I muttered.

Mark got out and locked the car. "Let's get exploring then, shall we?" He asked.

"We shall!" I grinned.

We followed the path higher up the peak and unfortunately closer towards the burning sun. Of course, the sun was always burning but this time it felt like it was searing into the very surface of my skin.

At the very top of the hill, the odd adventurous tourist or hiker stood admiring the view, standing unawares with their backs to a huge black temple-like structure.

It was a massive stone structure of honestly totally magnificent architecture, all soaring arches and pillars. Almost a shame is was completely black and had the general aura of impending death.

I looked to Mark. "What is that?"

"That," he answered grimly, "is exactly what we were afraid of."

Notes