[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[GENTLE MUSIC]
[EXCLAIMS SOFTLY]
(QUIETLY) Wow.
Margot, these are awesome.
I'm guessing they're a few hundred years old and so
well-preserved.
Well, that's because they've been
kept by Carissa Hollingston for over 70 years.
We're so lucky that she left them to us in her will.
She was such a generous benefactor.
Oh, she also left us her journal that she kept when she
found them as a young woman.
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
Did she find these in Zion National Park?
How did you know?
Well, these symbols are classic Anasazi Native craft
back when they lived in the area around the park.
Do you know what the symbols mean?
Not yet, but answering those questions
is my favorite part of the job.
And if I know you, you won't stop until you do.
Well, I'll take a look, do some research,
let you know what I find.
We can also schedule a presentation
with the museum board, give them a look at our latest donation.
We also need to tell someone from the Anasazi tribe,
let them know what we have.
Hopefully they will loan them to us for an exhibit.
That would be a great way to get people to appreciate
the history and the culture, just as long
as the vases go back to the people who made them.
Well, keep me posted.
OK.
[ROUSING MUSIC]
[PENSIVE MUSIC]
Oh, mom.
You would have loved these.
What do you know?
Right.
Margot?
I found something.
I figured out what I was missing.
Lauren.
You haven't met Grady Hollingston, Carissa
Hollingston's grandnephew.
This is Lauren Collins.
She is one of our assistant curators,
and she's been studying the vases
that your great-aunt donated.
Hm.
It's lovely to meet you.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
Mrs. Hollingston, was a wonderful and generous lady.
Yeah.
To a fault, I'm afraid.
I'm sorry?
Grady has just informed me that he intends
to contest Carissa's will.
In particular, the donation of the wedding vases.
What?
Why?
Those relics have been in the family for almost 70 years.
Carissa had no right to give them away,
not even to a museum.
But isn't that the whole point?
After 70 years, to share them with the rest of the world?
Tell me, Lauren, does donating an extremely valuable set
of relics sound like the decision of a rational mind?
Do you?
There was nothing wrong with her mind when she died.
Well, it's for the court to decide.
And the value of the vases on the antiquities market?
That, of course, has nothing to do with this.
I'm not the bad guy here, Margot.
You know, if you found those vases today,
the Anasazi Nation would have first claim.
Yes.
I know.
I also know those laws are not retroactive.
You'll be hearing from our lawyer.
[PENSIVE MUSIC]
Can he do it?
Can he take them back?
Honestly, I don't know, Lauren.
This isn't right.
Wait, when you found me in the lobby
there was something that you wanted to tell me.
Well, it might not matter now.
Well, even so.
I was doing research, trying to make sense of this feeling
like I was missing something, that these things don't work
the way they're supposed to.
What do you mean?
OK.
See the artwork between the first and the second?
They're continuous.
Side by side, they form an unbroken design.
But the artwork between the second and the third, it
just doesn't line up.
Well, maybe it's not supposed to.
Well, why would such a careful craftsperson
go through all the trouble of making the first two perfect
and not the second and the third?
I'm sorry.
What am I missing here.
The same thing I've been missing.
The same thing everyone's been missing for the last 70 years.
There's another vase.
A fourth vase?
Well, this is the fourth.
The third vase is still out there.
And I have a pretty good idea where to find it.
Lauren, even if it did exist after all these years,
how could you possibly know where to look?
Remember Mrs. Hollingston's journal?
She wrote about her trip to Zion that summer,
everything from what she saw, what she heard, what she wore.
And where she went in the park.
Right down to the morning that she found the vases.
Margot, if we could find the last one,
complete the set, that might help the museum's case so
that Grady doesn't take them back.
Well, it's definitely worth a try.
But Grady's challenging the will.
And by the time I got board's approval to finance a search,
it would be too late.
Maybe you don't need their approval.
Not if I go.
On my own.
You haven't been back to Zion in years,
not since your mother passed away.
I spent so much time exploring the park growing up.
Studying about the history, learning
about the culture with my mom.
Zion was her favorite place.
How could I keep such an important part
of the story away from the rest of the world again?
Maybe forever this time.
She'd be so proud of you.
She'll be even more proud if I find it.
[EXCITING MUSIC]
Welcome.
Hi there.
First time at the park?
Oh, no.
I used to come here a lot, but it's been quite a while.
You stay away too long, it's easy to forget
why they named this place Zion.
Mm.
"Sanctuary."
You have been here before.
Milly Tillane, head ranger.
Lauren Collins.
Oh, sure.
From the Natural History Museum in Denver.
We've been expecting you, Lauren.
All right, I already booked you into a cabin.
Yes, I got the email.
Good.
And I've assigned one of my rangers to be your guide.
Oh, that won't be necessary.
You did say it's been a while.
It's easy to get turned around in those canyons.
I'm sure I'll find my way.
All right, then.
Just be sure to take a map along.
GPS won't do you any good up there.
OK, I'll do that.
Thank you so much.
Mm-hmm.
[BIRDS CHIRPING TRILLING]
Oh.
Margot, it's even more beautiful than I remembered.
Have you started searching for the vase yet?
Not yet.
It's a little late to head up.
But I'm going to look around, get my bearings.
OK.
Well, don't forget to update me with any developments.
I will.
You, too.
Bye.
[KEYPAD BEEPS]
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
[SOFT MUSIC]
I miss you.
Oh, come on.
Oh, boy.
That's definitely not the way.
What?
This isn't supposed to be here.
Hello?
Anybody?
[SIGHS]
Great.
The sun is setting.
Come on.
Lost?
[GASPS]
Reception's pretty spotty in the park.
Hey.
Hi.
Hello.
Of course you wouldn't need it if you stayed on the main trail
like you're supposed to.
Oh, I was on a trail.
I just decided to take another trail for a better view.
So you're not lost?
Well, maybe.
Yeah, a little.
But I'm ready to go now if you are.
All right, then, Miss Collins.
Let's get you going before you catch a chill.
Wait.
How do you know my name?
Milly at the visitor center said you checked in
and that you claimed to know your way around.
It's usually how people get lost.
But how did you find me?
I've been keeping an eye on you.
Ever since you drifted pretty far off the main trail,
thought I'd better come check on you.
I used to be better at this.
Sorry.
I'm sure you have more important things to do?
Actually, no.
I'll be your guide while you're here in the park.
Oh.
At least you picked a good spot to get lost.
Yeah.
Wow.
Well, it's getting late.
Better get back before it gets too dark.
Yeah.
After you.
[LAUGHS]
(QUIETLY) Wow.
[GENTLE MUSIC]
[INSECTS CHIRPING]
[RANGER EXHALES DEEPLY]
[LAUREN PUFFS]
Thanks for coming to find me.
I'm so sorry.
I didn't even ask you your name.
Adam.
Adam Proudstar.
Yeah.
Name tag.
Proudstar.
Are you part of the Anasazi tribe?
That's right.
Oh, I've been doing my research on Anasazi people.
In fact, that's why I'm here, my research.
[CHUCKLES]
Mm-hmm.
[WOLF HOWLS]
Is that-- I didn't know there were any wolves in Zion.
You're right.
They don't usually come this far south.
Fella's lost, trying to find his pack.
A long way from home.
Yes, he is.
Well, thanks again.
Sure.
Good night.
Good night, Miss Collins.
[INSECTS CHIRPING]
[ROUSING MUSIC]
And when I looked more closely, I realized one of them
was missing.
These are beautiful.
Well, they've been privately owned for over 70 years.
She found them on a family camping trip in Zion
when she was just a little girl.
Back when people took whatever they wanted.
Called them souvenirs.
Well, that's why Mrs. Hollingston
wanted to set things right, by giving back
what her family took.
So she donated the vases.
To the Denver Museum?
So you think they left one behind?
See how the artwork is continuous?
But this one is different.
It doesn't flow.
I see why the museum sent you.
Completing a set like this would be quite a coup.
Well, I want to authenticate the vases
as relics of the Anasazi tribe.
That might help us find the missing vase.
The Proudstar family goes way back in these parts.
Anything you want to know, Adam's your man.
I'll leave you to it.
Our Native American collection is
one of the best in the country.
I've seen it.
You have?
What'd you think?
What I think is that your museum usually
sends out a whole team of field researchers for something
like this.
Why send just one curator who gets
herself turned around a mile from her cabin door?
I didn't get turned around.
OK, Miss Collins.
It sounds like you won't be needing me after all.
My name is Lauren.
And what is it with you?
It's like you have no interest in finding the vase.
And you still haven't answered my question.
I only discovered this a few days ago.
My boss wants to bring it to the museum board right away,
and so there's no time to get funding for a whole team.
So they sent you?
Well, I spent a lot of time here growing up, and I volunteered.
Volunteered.
So you're doing this on your own?
Technically, you could say that, but they know I'm here.
And I had a bunch of vacation days,
anyway, and it's a beautiful drive.
So why not?
This really matters to you?
Well, yeah.
They're landmarks.
Excuse me?
On the vases.
The symbols are landmarks in the park.
Landmarks.
That is a mountain.
Mount Kinesava.
How do you know that?
Well, you see the markings that look like lightning?
And Anasazi legend Kinesava was a moody god.
He'd send down lightning and start fires high up
in the mountains.
This is a waterfall, right?
You see the peak jutting above the water?
We call that the Mountain of Mystery.
I remember that.
That's north, right near the Narrows Canyon.
You have been here before.
Mm-hmm.
And let's see this one.
It's got to be Tabernacle Dome.
It's the only formation in the park that looks like this.
OK.
So Mount Kinesava, Mountain of Mystery, Tabernacle Dome.
Assuming that the artwork is similar on the missing
vase, that would mean the landscape is in here somewhere.
Maybe so.
But how would you narrow that down?
Way ahead of you, ranger.
"June 14, 1956, the park is more beautiful than I ever imagined.
Father says people have been living here
for hundreds of years, and if we look closely enough,
we might even find some artifacts."
So Carissa Hollingston wrote this?
She kept a journal of her visit to the park.
She would have been 14, 15.
"We got up early to watch the sun rise over the park.
I would have loved to have stayed longer,
but our guide said that we had a long way before we
got to the hidden passage.
Hidden passage?
I've never heard of anything like that.
Did she call it by any other name?
No, not that I could find.
A lot of passages in Zion.
Well, she describes everywhere she went, everything she saw.
It's like a map.
[CHUCKLES]
Well, a map gives you directions so you know where you're going.
This is going to lead you to the middle of nowhere.
She names all the places.
You know the park.
So by process of elimination, you can figure it out.
[CHUCKLES]
Figure it out?
Zion National Park is 229 square miles
of steep cliffs, narrow canyons, and dense forest.
People get lost and hurt out here all the time.
And don't even get me started on the bears, mountain lions,
and rattlesnakes.
This isn't the type of place you just figure it out.
[SCOFFS]
[CELLPHONE RINGING]
My phone.
Like I said, spotty.
[CHUCKLES]
Hold that thought.
[CELLPHONE CONTINUES RINGING]
Margot.
Well, I heard from Grady Hollilngston's attorney,
just like he promised.
That didn't take long.
Well, the judge has agreed to consider
his appeal of Carissa's will.
How long till the judge decides?
Pfft.
If I know Grady, he'll move this thing along as fast as he can.
So if you're going to find that vase, do it soon.
Because we are going to need all the ammunition that we
can get to prove to the judge that Grady
has no right to those vases.
I understand.
I'll talk to you soon.
[KEYPAD BEEPS]
[EXHALES DEEPLY]
Everything OK?
Yeah.
Just my boss, checking on what's going on.
What'd you tell her?
That everything's peachy and that tomorrow I'm
going to go look for the vase.
Did you not hear anything I just said?
Yeah, yeah.
Lions and tigers and bears.
I get it.
Look, if you're scared, you don't need to come.
What?
No.
Who said anything about me being--
OK.
No, we're not going to do this, all right?
We're going to stay on point here.
OK, here's the point.
I knew the dangers and the risks when I came out here,
but I came anyway.
Because sometimes people want to take things
that don't belong to them, and if you can do something
about it, you should.
So I'm going, with or without you.
[PENSIVE MUSIC]
You know I can't let you go in there alone.
Hmm.
Part of my job is to keep people safe
while they're inside the park.
That includes you.
Mm-hmm.
What are those?
Oh, those are photos.
You've seen them.
No.
These.
I always like to take a lot of photos, closer up,
different angles.
What?
In Anasazi tradition, vessels like these
were made to show the spiritual connection between husband
and wife.
And they were given to the couple on their wedding day,
right?
Each of these designs were made to depict
something specific, something important from their lives.
Like a mountain.
Yeah, but more than that.
A really good artisan would put designs within the designs.
Hmm.
I never heard that.
Because it's not something you see every day.
It's pretty special when you do.
So am I going to have to twist your arm?
[CHUCKLES]
Here.
Look close.
That's Kokopelli.
Whoa.
I can't believe I missed that.
What is that, a flute?
Yeah.
He's also called Gray Flute.
He represents fertility and birth.
He's kind of like the Casanova of the cliff dwellers.
Hmm.
Probably played for the happy couple for their first dance.
[CHUCKLES] Yeah, something like that.
[CHUCKLES]
What about this one.
This one is corn.
Represents growth.
Hmm.
And that?
This is the stairway to heaven, to remind them
that their souls are bound together for eternity.
So birth, growth, eternity.
What are we missing?
What's on the missing vase?
You're not going to change your mind about this, are you?
Not a chance.
[CHUCKLES]
There's somebody I think you should meet.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
When's the last time you were here?
It's been a while.
Why'd you wait so long?
How much farther?
We're almost there.
When are you going to do about the Wi-Fi around here?
The day I can pry that thing away from you
to appreciate what's right in front of your face.
So then never?
Lauren, this is my younger brother, Tate.
He has been known to tumble into canyons
trying to get reception.
One time.
OK, twice.
Both were very important business calls.
Oh, I'm sure.
Tate, this is Lauren Collins.
She's from the Natural History Museum in Denver.
Hey, it's nice to meet you.
You, too.
I gather, since you're riding around with my big brother,
you're doing some kind of research?
Yes, I am.
Ah, well, this guy, anything you want
to know about the park, our people, their traditions,
he's your man.
Well, actually, I came here to talk to you.
Not unless you're looking to do some long-term investments
in your future financial security.
Uh, no.
Then I'm pretty sure I'm not the reason you're here.
Which way did she go?
The usual place.
Can't miss her.
Come on.
It's not far.
You're not coming?
Me?
No.
No, it's way more fun to have Adam come back
and see me on my phone.
Drives him up a wall.
[CHUCKLES]
OK.
We'll see you.
[SOFT MUSIC]
Who are we looking for?
You'll see.
How's the search today, Grandmother?
It's a good day, querido
Lauren, meet my grandmother.
Grew up in these canyons.
She knows them better than anyone.
Grandmother, this is Lauren.
She's from the city.
She wants to know what you're doing.
Collecting leaves.
To weave a new basket.
Oh, wow.
That's going to be beautiful.
Did you weave your collecting basket, too?
My mother did.
Well, I'm here because I'm very interested in your culture
and traditions.
I want to show you something and ask you some questions.
I heard the wolf call yesterday.
You are both far from home.
Oh.
Well, no, I'm from Denver, so not that far.
Come to dinner.
Ask your questions.
I'll ride home with Tate.
[SOFT MUSIC]
Dinner?
She likes you.
All due respect to your grandmother, she's very sweet,
but I don't have time for dinner.
Well, you've never had her three sisters soup.
Well--
[CHUCKLES]
So what's your plan?
Strap on a backpack and start walking?
Of course not.
But I need to do this.
What are you not telling me?
What?
Nothing.
You have your job.
I have mine.
I need to do this for my job.
OK.
Well, while we're on the subject of doing my job,
it's not like the old days.
You want to hunt for relics, you gotta get approval
from the National Park Service.
I know.
I'm waiting for them to get back to me.
Which can take a couple days or a few months.
I'll talk to Milly, see if she can speed things up.
Really?
Thanks.
In the meantime, the way I see it, you have a choice.
You can either go back to your cabin, stare at maps
like you know what you're doing--
Or hear what Grandmother has to say.
And her soup really will change your life.
What time's dinner?
This is delicious, Mrs. Proudstar.
I've never tasted anything like it.
When Grandmother was growing up, they
could make a whole meal just from what they collected out
there.
Personally, I prefer to pick my vegetables from a store shelf.
Yeah, you never were much for getting your hands dirty.
That's the difference between us, brother.
You like to forge, and I like to order in.
Except for a home-cooked meal with my grandmother, of course.
There's more to your roots than food, querido.
But the food's my favorite part.
She's right.
You forget our traditions, you forget a part of yourself.
Don't worry, I haven't forgotten.
And if I have, I always have you to remind me.
These two-- same house, same parents.
Like wind and water.
I'm guessing this has been going on for quite a while.
Just since he started talking.
Although I'm pretty sure our folks had an idea about him
from the day he was born.
All right.
Do you know what "Tate" means in Paiute?
What?
"He who talks too much."
[CHUCKLES]
Every time, he's got to tell that.
[BOTH CHUCKLING]
Why do they call it three sisters soup?
The three sisters are corn, squash, and beans.
In the springtime, they're planted side by side
to help each other grow.
In the soup, the three come together to help each other.
And Grandmother adds wild onions to make them stronger.
Well, I've studied Anasazi culture for years.
There's still so much I don't know.
You heard the wolf.
You're both looking for something.
Well, I don't know about him, but I wanted to show you this.
Years ago, these vases were found in the park.
I think there's another one out there, and I want to find it.
But I'm not sure exactly where to look.
These were made a long time ago, in the old way.
Yeah, Adam showed me the hidden designs, said
that made them very special.
Go to her.
You should ask her about what you read in Carissa's journal.
Have you heard of a hidden passage through the mountains?
Yes.
The lost village.
My father told stories of this.
I have never been that deep in the wild.
Did your father say how far it was?
Three sunsets.
Three days.
Three days west.
Take this.
He will be your spirit guide.
Your protector.
What?
For the journey.
No.
Mrs. Proudstar--
Keep him close.
Thank you.
[GENTLE MUSIC]
Do you think she's right about the vase?
Where we could find it?
One thing I know about Grandmother,
she's seldom wrong.
I don't want you to feel like you're being roped into this.
I can figure something else out.
Are you kidding?
You know what my grandmother would do to me
if something happened to you?
[CHUCKLES]
Well, we can't have that now, can we?
Besides, I have to admit, I am a little curious.
You don't say.
Well, don't get too excited.
No, I'm talking about this hidden passage of yours.
If it is real, and I haven't seen it,
well, I'm a park ranger.
I should have a look.
Hm.
What did she mean about the wolf,
that I'm a long way from home?
She does that sometimes.
She'll say something that seems like it's out of the blue,
but the way she looks at you, it's like she really knows.
Does she?
I guess that's for you to decide.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Night.
The thing is, Lauren, I mean what I said.
She's seldom wrong.
[GENTLE MUSIC]
OK.
[EXHALES DEEPLY]
Today was my second day in Zion, and everything
made me think of you.
It's weighing on me being back here alone.
[SOFT MUSIC]
[BIRDS CHIRPING, INSECTS TRILLING]
[KNOCKING]
Lauren?
[INSECTS CHIRPING, TRILLING]
Good morning.
Morning.
I didn't take you for an early riser.
I'm not, usually.
But Carissa wrote in her journal about the sunrise
over the park, and I wanted to see it for myself.
And?
Oh, there's some colors I don't think I've ever seen before.
And to think I was worried you might wander off again.
Ah, not a chance.
I learned my lesson.
That's good to know, especially since we will be spending
a lot more time together.
If we can get the permit.
Milly wants to talk to us.
Did she get the OK?
That's what she wants to talk about.
Well, what are we waiting for?
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
I had to call in some favors and cut through a lot of red tape,
but I got you cleared.
Thank you, Milly.
I gotta tell you, where you two are headed,
though, it's a pretty big haystack.
We can narrow it down a bit.
East of the Cougar Mountains, south of the Red Fork.
How do you know that?
His grandmother told us a story she
heard when she was a child, about a hidden canyon where
a craftsperson lived.
I got nothing but respect for Kaya Proudstar.
These stories, they get passed down.
You don't know what's real and what's legend.
Well, that's why I want to go, to find out.
[SIGHS]
That's rough country out there.
Adam, I'd feel better if you take that satellite phone.
Sure.
We can order some pizza.
[CHUCKLES]
Save me a slice.
Bye.
It's three days in, three days out, with no marked paths
to speak of, which means we're going
have to find our own way, with an elevation
of up to 7,000 feet or so.
The phone is just so Milly doesn't worry.
If anything goes wrong out there,
help's a long way off, which means we're on our own.
And we don't even know if we're going to find anything.
How soon can we leave?
How soon can you pack?
Yeah, Margot, we're on our way now.
I just wanted to let you know that I'm
going to be out of cell range for about a week or so.
A week?
Where are you going?
The dark side of the moon?
[CHUCKLES]
Well, it's three days each way, plus whatever time
we need to search.
That's a long walk, kiddo.
Yeah.
The Uber service here is terrible.
Listen, don't take this wrong, and I really
appreciate what you're doing, but are you sure
this is a good idea, Lauren?
Well, finding the last vase is the best chance
we have of keeping all four together.
That's not what I mean.
I know what my mom would do.
Yeah.
She'd be right there with you.
But she would also tell you that you
don't have to do this for her.
I'm doing this for those vases, Margot.
And for me.
[SIGHS]
All right.
Just be careful.
And check in whenever you can.
I will.
[CAR HORN HONKS]
Oh, Adam's here.
I gotta go.
Wait, who's Adam?
He's the ranger I told you about.
He's going to be my guide.
On a first-name basis.
Sounds promising.
Are we talking a grizzly Adams type here or more of "I
love man in uniform" type of thing?
I miss you, Margot.
Bye.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
I was chatting with my boss.
Everything OK?
Yeah.
Do we need to go over my handy checklist
for six days in the backcountry?
Warm coat for the cold nights.
Sunscreen for the hot days, and plenty of clean socks
for in between.
And you're sure you've got enough to eat?
Your bag looks kind of light.
Oh, yeah.
I can live on power bars for weeks.
Well, then, we're wasting daylight.
Oh, I forgot something.
[CURIOUS MUSIC]
Spirit guide.
Let's go.
That way.
Yeah.
[EXHALES DEEPLY]
[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC]
You good?
Right behind you.
I have to admit, Grady, you are the last person
I'd expect to see today, at least not until the judge made
a ruling on Carissa's will.
You know, Margot, I remember all the times my great-aunt Carissa
brought me here as a boy.
We'd spend hours looking at the exhibits.
Even then, I could tell how much this place meant to her.
Bored me to tears, but she liked it for some reason.
Don't tell me you've gone all sentimental
and changed your mind about the vases.
[CHUCKLES]
No.
But I do want to reach some kind of peaceful resolution.
What do you have in mind?
First, let's get that assistant, the one who
knows so much about the vases.
You mean Lauren?
She clearly has strong feelings on the subject.
She might have ideas how we can resolve this.
I'm afraid Lauren's out of town right now on a special project.
What sort of project?
Just museum stuff.
You know, the kind that bores you to tears.
[CHUCKLES]
Fair point.
Well, maybe when she gets back, it's not too late.
Thanks for dropping by, Grady.
Always a pleasure.
Well, Dr. Sandler, you were right.
They're definitely up to something.
Let me guess.
Someone on the staff is away, working on a project?
That assistant of hers.
Do you believe me now, that there's a fourth vase?
Well, there could be a hundred other vases.
I just don't understand why I should care.
If the museum finds a fourth vase,
they can petition the National Park Service
to allow them to exhibit it.
And if they can prove it belongs with your aunt's set,
and worse, if they can authenticate the tribal origin,
it will really complicate matters with the judge.
And with the bequeathing in my aunt's will,
won't have a leg to stand on.
To the right collector, Mr. Hollingston,
those vases are extremely valuable.
You made your point.
You're the expert, Doctor.
What do we do?
I've been going through your aunt's journal.
I have a pretty good idea where that assistant is going.
"Today was my first look at the Towers of the Virgin.
Father explained that they're made of sunstone,
and they each have a name.
The Sundial, the Witch Head, the--"
Broken Tooth, Rotten Tooth, and the Altar of Sacrifice.
You brought your laptop?
I knew Carissa's journal would come in handy.
So you'd rather trust a screen to be your guide?
Look, I know your brother said that you have
a thing with technology, but--
I have a thing about not seeing what's right in front of you.
What is that supposed to mean?
Oh.
[CHUCKLES]
Right.
You might be on to something.
Mm.
I just want to help.
That day will come.
OK.
According to the map, there's supposed
to be an archaeological excavation east of here.
From about a year ago.
I thought the park had to keep the site undisturbed to help
preserve the relics.
Well, unless there's danger of flooding or erosion,
the best way to protect the relics is to move them.
What did they find?
Arrowheads, pottery, bunch of day-to-day stuff.
But the best part was discovering a granary
with perfectly preserved corncobs.
Over 700 years old.
That must have been something.
Yeah.
You can see them for yourself at the Anasazi Tribal
Museum, where they belong.
Which also goes for anything else that's found in Zion.
Adam, our museum only wants to preserve the vase
to keep them safe for future generations.
And who better to keep them safe than the people who made them?
I couldn't agree more.
Then why do I still feel like there's something
you're not telling me?
Or it could be that I'm more interested in finding the vase
than I am talking about it.
Right.
But--
Oh, here we go again.
It's getting late.
We should find a place to camp for the night.
OK.
[INSECTS CHIRPING]
[FIRE CRACKLING]
So beautiful.
You don't see stars like this in the city.
Mm.
Well, there's the North Star, right there.
It's the brightest in the sky.
Here.
You see it?
Yeah.
It doesn't move.
With the North Star, you can always find your way home.
Do you like living in the city?
It's fine.
I like what I do for work at the museum.
But this is where you belong?
What do you mean?
I can see it in your eyes.
The way you look at the stars.
The way you smile at these canyons and valleys.
The way you feel the Earth move around you.
You're searching for something you lost.
Something you need to find.
You sound like your grandmother now.
Yeah, she's a wise woman.
That's why she gave you the kachina doll,
to help guide you.
I'm tired.
I'm going to hit the hay.
Good night.
Night.
[INSECTS CHIRPING]
[SOFT MUSIC]
Well, we made it through the night safely,
and I woke up early this morning just
in time to catch the sunrise.
This early riser thing's getting to be a habit with you.
Hey.
Hi, good morning.
Good morning.
I just can't get enough of these sunrises.
They're crazy.
Yeah.
They never get old.
Lauren, listen, what I said last night,
stuff about you and the rest of it, I'm sorry.
It's none of my business.
I spent a little too much time with my grandmother growing up,
and some of her old ways kind of rubbed off on me.
So I promise to lay off the words of wisdom from here
on out.
Sounds good.
In the meantime, still got a long way to go.
Yeah.
Any wise words for sore feet?
Mmm.
You can carry a piece of prickly pear in each of your hands
as you walk.
Seriously, that'll help?
No.
But the thorns will help you forget about your feet.
[GROANS]
Come on.
[EXCITING MUSIC]
Did you know this entire park was created from rain?
Thousands of years of water and erosion.
Oh.
And see the shapes?
Oh, wow.
Yeah.
Beautiful.
Mm-hmm.
Hey, hey, don't get too close.
You don't want to fall in.
Yeah.
Don't worry.
It's a lot deeper than it looks.
Oh.
Suddenly he's a comedian.
[LAUGHS]
How are you holding up?
So far, so good.
All right.
Careful right here.
It's a little steep.
Oh.
Ah.
Oh, I think I just twisted my ankle.
Oh.
[GRUNTS]
Oh.
If you did that, we're done.
That's exactly what my mom said when I twisted
my ankle roller-skating.
Oh.
That feels nice, actually.
I'm a ranger.
I'm trained to do this.
It's a good thing you came, then.
How's your ankle feeling now?
I think it's going to be OK.
You've got the magic touch.
No roller-skating for at least a week.
Adam, thank you.
Grandmother would say it was your spirit guide that made
sure I was there to catch you.
Well, then, I should probably keep both of you around.
[HELICOPTER ROTOR WHIRRING]
You hear that?
Yeah, what is that?
It's a helicopter.
They're flying pretty low.
It's like they're coming into the park.
I better check in, make sure there's not an emergency.
They may need my help.
Yeah.
It was a last-minute thing.
Adam came in yesterday.
Nature photographer wanted to do a quick flyover.
That was a little low for a flyover.
I just want to call in and make sure everything was OK.
Yeah, I'll check in with them.
These pilots get excited, forget about the rules.
How are things with you?
Good.
According to Grandmother, we should be in the search area
by tomorrow afternoon.
Well, good luck.
And be careful.
Thanks, Milly.
Does that happen a lot?
Helicopter?
Rarely.
You ready to try that ankle out?
Yeah.
All right.
[FEEL-GOOD MUSIC]
This is cool are, huh?
Really cool.
This looks like a great place to camp for the night.
Yeah.
How much further tomorrow?
Seven, maybe eight miles.
Funny.
That used to sound like a lot.
[CHUCKLES]
I'll get a fire started for dinner.
OK.
I'll find some firewood.
OK.
Adam?
[RATTLESNAKE RATTLING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Don't move.
[RATTLING CONTINUES]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Oh.
[LAUREN YELPS]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
Oh.
We should probably find another place to camp for the night.
Yeah.
Yea, I think that's a great idea.
Yeah.
[UPLIFTING MUSIC]
[FIRE CRACKLING]
Man, did you see that thing?
It was the size of a Buick.
I'm impressed.
What made you think to throw your coat on it?
What about you?
You just went and snagged it and launched it.
Who does that?
You were like-- and I mean this--
you were like Batman.
Batwoman.
Ah, Batwoman.
Mm-hmm.
Well, thank you, Batwoman.
You're welcome.
[CHUCKLES]
So do you get up to Denver a lot?
Not too often.
Park keeps me pretty busy.
Yeah.
Just because you said you came to visit the museum.
That was my girlfriend's idea.
Oh.
Which was shortly before we broke up.
Oh.
How about you?
Oh, I tend to get caught up in my work, which tends to put
a damper on that kind of thing.
Well, if you didn't get so caught up in your work, then
you probably wouldn't be here.
So it's good.
Yeah..
North Star.
Yeah.
Good eye.
[SOFT INTENSE MUSIC]
Adam, did you know that this was here?
I doubt anyone's seen this for a very long time.
Oh, wow.
This way?
Yeah.
Look at these formations.
It's beautiful.
Look.
No way.
It's the corn symbol that's on the second vase.
Yeah.
Protected from the sun and the wind
all these years like the day it was carved.
It could have even been the same craftsperson.
You know what this means.
We're getting close.
[SQUEALS]
Wow.
This is just like--
I mean--
[SQUEALS]
Couldn't even have said it better myself.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
Before we go--
Ah.
Quick one.
Hey, not just me, ranger.
Come on.
OK, OK.
OK.
All right.
Say "paleolithic petroglyph."
[PHONE CAMERA CLICKS]
Oh, yeah.
That's a good one.
[BOTH LAUGH]
Great.
Grandmother said there was a labyrinth through the mountain
to get to the cave dwellings.
That matches what Carissa wrote about the secret passage
into their hidden village.
Exactly.
But before we do this, before we go in there, I gotta know.
Know what?
Why do you care so much?
I told you, it's my job.
You drive all the way down here, pay your own way,
jump through all these hoops just for a chance
to hike three days each way in some
of the roughest country in the Southwest
to find something that may not even be there,
and it's just a job?
My mother loved this park.
To her it was the most beautiful place on Earth.
She would come here to learn about Zion
and the people who lived here for hundreds of years.
And she'd tell you.
She did more than just that.
It was a part of me the way it was a part of her.
That's why you work at the museum.
Yeah.
When I went to college, I knew I wanted
to study how to help protect Zion and the Anasazi
culture and traditions.
Just the way she wanted.
And that's why I care so much.
And she always loved a good mystery.
So why'd you stay away so long?
It was hard to come back after I lost her.
I'm sorry.
Adam.
Oh, it's our old friend.
Kokopelli.
There's got to be more.
Oh, are you seeing this?
[LAUREN GASPS]
The stairway to heaven.
OK, so we saw birth, growth, eternity.
Maybe the fourth symbol is here, the one
that's on the missing vase.
Yeah.
Maybe there's more through there.
There's got to be something.
Adam.
This is it.
This is the labyrinth that will lead us
to where the tribe built their homes, where
the craftsperson lived.
And where Carissa found the vases.
The hidden passage, still here after all these years.
Like a time capsule.
[CHUCKLES] Yeah.
Do you realize that we are the first people here since Carissa
found those vases?
Oh, my gosh.
Hey, hey.
Do you hear that?
[CHATTER]
It sounds like voices.
Who could it be?
I don't know I'm going to find out.
[CHATTER CONTINUES]
Excuse me.
Hey, this is a restricted area.
Excuse us.
[MAN L LAUGHS]
Hello, Lauren.
Grady.
You two know each other?
Yeah.
Adam, this is Grady Hollingston.
Grady, this is Adam Proudstar, with National Park Service.
Nice to meet you.
You make good time.
We didn't expect you to make it so fast.
What are you talking about?
Being a park ranger, I bet you know these canyons
like the back of your hand.
Personally, I'm not much for hiking.
Oh, that was your helicopter.
Guilty as charged.
Speaking of which, we need to get going.
Oh.
Well, better luck next time.
Lauren, what's going on here?
I will handle this.
Handle what?
Look, I will explain later.
I think I have the right to know.
And I will tell you, but right now, I need to stop them.
Lauren.
[SOFT TENSE MUSIC]
Hey!
Hold on.
What are you doing here?
Lauren, you know very well what we're doing here.
Do I?
I wouldn't have suspected there was a fourth vase if you hadn't
made such a fuss about me taking back what's rightfully mine.
Taking what back?
Lauren?
Grady is Carissa's great-nephew.
He's challenging her will about giving the vases to the museum.
And this is the first I'm hearing about this?
Well, I didn't know he would show up with his lawyer.
Well, Dr. Sandler is not my lawyer.
No, he's with the Atlantic Museum of Natural History.
He specializes in North American Native culture.
He saw the vases, came to the same conclusion you did.
And with that design in the Anasazi culture,
there had to be another one.
It was just a question of where to look.
Thanks to Lauren, it didn't take long to figure it out.
You told them where we were going?
Of course not.
I didn't know where we were going.
Oh, you didn't have to.
Well, you suddenly took off.
Obviously there was only one place
you could have found a clue.
Carissa's journal.
And you're not the only one who had a copy.
[SCOFFS]
You found the vase.
And it's perfect.
You know you can't take it with you.
Why not?
I told you why back at the Denver Museum.
The Anasazi have first claim over any artifact
found on their land.
And as soon as they make that claim
through all the government channels and courtrooms
and boardrooms, they can have it.
That could take years.
And in the meantime, you steal another souvenir
for your collection.
Oh, I'll decide what to do with it once the judge grants
me the other three.
Grady, please don't do this.
This belongs to the Anasazi Nation.
So you're saying once you've found the fourth vase,
you were going to give them all back?
Of course.
And you weren't going to borrow them?
Hm?
Use them to promote the Denver Museum's
Native American collection for how long?
That's not my decision.
Of course not.
We should get going.
The helicopter's this way.
You know, Lauren, there's one more seat.
Save you the walk.
Yeah, I think that's a good idea.
You should just go back with them.
[SCOFFS]
I won't let you do this.
[HELICOPTER ROTOR WHIRRING]
Adam!
Adam, wait.
Let me explain.
I get it, Lauren.
This has always been about your job, about the Denver Museum.
No, I meant what I said.
This is important to me.
But not important enough to tell me about Hollingston?
I didn't know he would be here.
And if I would have known he was after the vases, too,
maybe I could have done something to stop him.
I'm sorry, Adam, OK?
You're right, I should have told you.
But I came here because I thought
it was the best way to prevent Grady from getting the vases,
the best way to get the vases back to where they belong.
It's too late for that now, anyway.
My people will never get those vases back.
No, I--
[PANTING]
Gah.
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC]
I should have told Adam about Grady's lawsuit,
but I never expected him to actually show up here and steal
the vase.
Adam will never trust me now.
[BIRDS AND INSECTS CHIRPING]
[SOFT MUSIC]
[KNOCKING AT DOOR]
Lauren.
Welcome.
Come in.
Thank you.
Please have a seat.
OK.
It really is beautiful.
I will teach you.
I'd like that.
But I came here to say goodbye.
I'm going back to Denver.
Adam told me you found the canyon where my people once
lived.
We did.
And I couldn't have done it without your help.
So thank you.
But things didn't work out the way we hoped.
The vase was there.
Then Adam told you the rest, that someone else found it
first?
He told me.
There's nothing more I can do here, but at the museum,
maybe I can find a way to get the vase back.
That's why I have to go.
Is this the only reason you must leave?
Six days alone with someone out there in God's country,
you really get to know them.
Your grandson is pretty special.
So are you.
But the way I lost the vase, it's my fault.
That's why I have to go.
I'd give you this back.
No.
Keep it.
No, I can't.
It belongs to you, your family.
It's part of your history.
A little while longer.
Why?
Your journey isn't over.
[SOFT MUSIC]
Back to work, I see.
Yeah, a week away.
There's a lot to catch up on around here.
Milly told me where to find you.
I wanted to let you know I stopped by to say goodbye
to your grandmother.
That's nice.
You were right about her.
She's a very wise woman.
I should get back to work.
Yeah.
No, I should hit the road.
I just wanted to say goodbye, tell you
how sorry I am that things didn't work out.
Same here.
You take care, Lauren.
You, too.
And just so we're clear, yes, I work at the Denver Museum,
and I have a responsibility.
Lauren--
But if we found the vase first, yes, Margot
would want to borrow it to help with fundraising, but--
But what?
But if I had the vase right now, all four of them,
in this exact moment, there is nothing
that would make me happier than to give them back.
Because that's what my mother would have wanted.
Your mother?
I told you how much she loved the park.
All the time we spent here, the two of us,
and every time, we would talk about the next time.
There was always a next time.
And what happened?
One day, she called me and told me
that she was planning her next trip, an area of the park
that we never explored before.
I had to work, so I told her, next time.
And she went on her own?
Yeah, and she came back fine.
She had so many great stories.
She was excited and so full of life.
And then the next day, she just--
she didn't wake up.
[SIGHS]
That's why you stayed away.
How could there be a next time without her?
I'm so sorry.
When I saw the vases and I realized
that there was one out here, I knew what she would do,
and I could feel it.
And I knew that if I could find it, even if she wasn't here,
that could be our next time.
It just didn't work out that way.
Her love for this place, her spirit,
that's what brought you back here, not the vase.
And whether you found it or not, it doesn't matter,
as long as you can feel her here, in this place
she loves so much.
And in here, your heart, where she will always
be close to you.
I have to go.
Lauren.
I need to make this right.
For her.
You're a long way from home.
[CELLPHONE CHIMING]
Hi, Margot.
Sorry I didn't get back to you.
Are you all right?
I'm fine.
It's just-- there's a lot going on right now.
So I gather.
You heard from Grady?
There was some cryptic email about how you two crossed paths
in some canyon.
A little short on details.
Yeah, he got there before me.
He has the vase, Margot.
I'm so sorry.
Don't apologize.
You did everything you could.
Yeah, it wasn't enough.
There will be other relics, Lauren, and other Gradys
to try to take them.
We live to fight another day.
We can't just walk away.
There's got to be something more we can do.
Oh, sure.
We just have to find the genuine, undisputable rightful
owner of the vases.
What do you mean?
That was a joke, kiddo.
They're hundreds of years old, which if you do the math,
the owner is long gone.
But what about the descendants?
What about them?
The vases were made in a small village where there aren't
a lot of people, and the Anasazi have a long oral tradition
of keeping track of their family line.
Wait, you're serious.
If we could trace the bloodline back to the village,
find a direct descendant, someone
who could claim the vases as their inheritance--
Well, that would make them the legal owner,
and Grady would have to give back the vases.
Is this even possible, after all these years?
I have to stay here a few days, if you don't mind.
All right, but don't take long.
Because Grady also mentioned that the judge is almost ready
to make his ruling.
And one more thing, Margot.
What?
If we can trace the bloodline, find a direct connection,
the vases need to go back to the family.
Absolutely.
Well, we'll be in touch.
See you, kiddo.
Bye.
Adam.
Lauren?
I figured it out.
All we have to do is find a connection
between the vases and the Anasazi family who made them.
And they'll have a legal claim.
It only makes sense, right?
If they hadn't been lost all these years,
they would have stayed with the family
and been handed down from generation to generation.
You know, when you left, I thought
those vases were gone forever.
Six days on the trail with you.
Should have known you'd never give up.
[CHUCKLES]
Thanks for giving us another chance to get them back.
Remember when I had my laptop and I wanted to help,
and you said, that day will come.
Well, today is the day, ranger, so where do we start?
I know going back that far won't be easy.
Well, whatever we do, Grady says the judge
is going to make a ruling on the will very soon, so--
We have to dig deeper into those digital files.
I'm calling in digital reinforcements.
We need to trace the lineage.
A reference of the races.
Maybe a drawing of the symbols?
Are you finding anything?
Not really.
Hey, look what I found.
Not everything has been digitized.
There are at least 10 more boxes of files where these came from.
Oh, we're going to need some help.
I gotta get back to the visitor center.
Good luck.
Thanks.
Oh, you clearly have me confused with somebody else.
OK?
I don't do paper.
Hey, we have a chance to get back a piece of our history.
We need your help.
OK, I don't know anything about this stuff.
Yes, you do.
That's Mount Kinesava, right?
What about this one?
That little guy?
Kokopelli?
See?
You were listening.
You didn't give me much of a choice.
So you'll help us?
[INAUDIBLE] say we should spend more time together.
Yes.
That's one first.
Ha, ha.
I knew we could count on you.
All right.
Let's get started.
Thank you.
Listen, all I'm saying is that these guys
must have been hardcore.
Did you know the only way to access those cliff dwellings
was by rope or rock-climbing?
And some of those things were two or three stories high.
It's good to learn about these things.
I just wish we made a little more progress today.
Well, all we need is one clear link to those vases.
That way we can really prove who they belong to.
Let's start back at the museum early tomorrow?
If it's there, we'll find it.
Yup.
That's tomorrow.
Now we eat.
[GENTLE MUSIC]
[INSECTS CHIRPING]
[KNOCKING]
You're early.
What's wrong?
I'll tell you in the car.
Come on.
OK.
I'm sure she's fine, Adam.
She probably got turned around.
Grandmother doesn't get lost.
I still can't find her.
She's not in her usual place.
Call Milly.
Tell her to get a search team out here right away.
We'll keep looking.
I gotta get reception.
Grandmother?
Mrs. Proudstar?
Grandmother?
Hello?
Grandmother?
Mrs. Proudstar!
I don't see her.
There's footprints.
Did you lose a footprint?
[ADAM EXHALES DEEPLY]
You had us worried, Grandmother.
We didn't know where you were.
I knew where I was.
What are you doing up there, Mrs. Proudstar?
Remembering.
You couldn't have remembered from down here?
I wanted you to have a better perspective.
[GENTLE MUSIC]
Adam.
Birth, growth, love, eternity.
That's what we've been missing.
How did you know this was here?
This is a picture of my father and me when I was very young.
That was the day my grandfather took me for the first time
to see the drawings our family had made.
And our family carved those symbols into the wall?
My grandfather told me the stories of the old ways.
Oh.
What did he say?
He wrote it down so I would never forget.
Grandmother, why have you never showed me this before?
You never asked before.
[CHUCKLES]
What's it say?
It's a story of our family.
"In a time before memory, after the ancient ones
found the good land, our families
listened to the earth, the rain, and the sun
to learn their secrets.
The sun enlightened us and guided our way.
The rain gave us life.
The earth provided the land for our crops,
the caves for our homes, and the clay for our pottery,
to make the pots and the bowls to carry our food and water,
to make the lamps to light the darkness.
They spoke to us through the soil and the water and the fire
to show us how to join them together as one,
and in joining, to make them stronger.
Until one day, the chief asked that they
make four vases for his daughter's wedding,
with the symbols to always remind them of the bond
they shared--
birth, growth, love, and eternity.
And it is said that the four vases were the most
beautiful they had ever made."
[APPLAUSE]
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming
today to celebrate the return of a very important part
of Native American history.
The Anasazi Tribal Museum and the Denver Museum of Natural
History is happy to present for the first time in a very long
time an authentic set of four, one-of-a-kind Anasazi wedding
vases.
[CHEERS, APPLAUSE]
Grandmother, will you do the honors?
[GENTLE MUSIC]
Your journey is over.
You are home.
[APPLAUSE]
We really appreciate your support.
That's what I do.
We did it.
Mm-hmm.
We really did it.
My gosh.
[APPLAUSE CONTINUES]
For a while there, I didn't think
a happy ending was possible.
But once I proved myself to Adam,
we focused on the undeniable love
that had developed between us throughout our beautiful
journey in Zion National Park.
I could get used to this.
I'm counting on it.
[MAJESTIC MUSIC]
[HAPPY MUSIC]
[AUDIO LOGO]