Part 8 (1/2)

17.

None of us speak, we just stare. About 50 feet in front of us is a sloping ramp that has been dug and cleared to allow the monstrous excavation equipment in. The slanted entry into the cleared pit is roughly 10 feet below us and it is huge. The new site is now an expanse of leveled sand about the size of an Olympic sized pool-around 80 feet in width and twice that in length.

At the heart of the pit is a gleaming stone slab, which is the size of a basketball court-about 90 by 50. Except, it's not stone. It's a darker shade of gold or maybe a bronze color, I think. But, there is more than just the color of the stone or metal or whatever the h.e.l.l it is that has everyone's attention. There is writing all over it, all the ancient languages of the world.

Just like the photo Omar sent Dad, I think.

Instead of coming up with something groundbreaking or halfway intelligent, all I say is, ”Um...” I mean honestly, what other reaction could I come up with to what I'm seeing? But, I don't feel so bad since I'm the only one who has said anything at this point, even if it was just an incoherent mumble. It's so quiet that you could probably hear a camel fart, even the wind has ominously died down some.

”Is that gold?” I look over to see that it was Kane who spoke up. He is looking at my father for an answer.

”No, it is not,” A voice to our left breaks the unnerving silence, catching our attention. A female voice laced with a European accent. ”We actually have no idea what it is. Yet.”

She steps out from the shadow of the tent next to the one we're in, out into the sun. It's then I get a look at her, or should I say I get to ogle her. She is absolutely stunning and tall for the average woman. She stands just under six-foot and is very how should I say...curvy. She's basically Scarlett Johansson with UFC Champion Ronda Rousey's muscle tone.

”We are currently a.n.a.lyzing different types of stone and metal and still have found nothing,” says the newcomer in what I now recognize as a crisp Swedish accent. ”If this current search brings up nil, we may be at a stalling point we cannot afford.”

”You have no idea,” Kane says under his breath.

The Swede is about to inquire about his comment but I don't let her, a realization popping into my head.

”Orichalc.u.m,” I say.

Everyone's eyes turn to me.

”Ori-what-now?” Kane asks scratching his head.

I blink, take a breath, and come out of my stupor, ”I think its orichalc.u.m. In many Atlantean legends orichalc.u.m is as valuable as gold. It's even more valuable to some because of its supposed bronze-alloy make up, which would have been great for making weapons and armor.”

”Bronze you say?” Our new lady friend continues. ”No wonder we couldn't detect anything. We haven't been using the correct procedures to a.n.a.lyze that particular metal. We have been focusing on gold so far.”

”Nicole, could you please let the rest of the team know we are here and then rejoin us below?” He asks and motions to the pit.

Nicole? Well at least our mystery guest has a name.

”Yes sir, Dr. Boyd. Anything else?”

”No, Ms. Andersson. Thank you.”

She turns on-a-heel and marches away towards another tent around to the left of the excavation, shouting orders all the way to her destination.

Again, no one speaks, so I get to break the silence for a second time.

”So, who's she?” I ask.

”She is your father's a.s.sistant and also his project leader,” Omar says with a look of annoyance. ”Nicole Andersson is Dr. Boyd's right hand man, or should I say, woman.” He annunciates it as WO-man trying to be funny. He fails miserably.

”Not used to being bossed around by a female, are you there Jafar?” Kane says, digging into Omar. Referring to him as Aladdin's nemesis from the famous Disney movie, may not be such a good move considering the ease in which Omar gets worked up. That doesn't mean I'm not laughing on the inside though.

The joke must be enough because Omar huffs and puffs, but senses he's outmatched. He then turns and heads back into the tent we just exited, slamming the flap. Can you slam a tent flap?

”That's enough, Mr. Kane,” Dad says disapprovingly. ”We still need him and his local connections here cooperating regardless of what you think of him.”

Kane glances over at me and we share an inward giggle.

”On another subject, Mr. Kane, could you please join Ms. Andersson and go over with her the site's security and make sure it's up to your standards?”

This gets the big man's attention. Regardless of how nonchalant his att.i.tude is, he is a professional at what he does. Kane just nods and purposefully heads off in the direction Nicole did.

This leaves just me and my father, alone. He turns and see's that I'm now a little uncomfortable with the current state of things. My dad and I don't really get a lot of alone time together. It's never been a calming experience in the past. We fight over the stupidest things when it's just the two of us.

”Shall we, Harrison?” he motions with his hand towards the slab of orichalc.u.m, getting my attention, erasing the awkwardness.

I smile, ”Yes, we shall.”

We head down towards the ori-what-now, as Kane so eloquently called it.

Could this be just another tomb or possibly a treasure trove of sorts? No. It all seems a little off. We've done those things. This just feels different. I can almost feel some sort of presence in the air. Or make that two presences. I can sense what feels like a game of tug-o-war going on in my body. Like my soul is being pulled in two different directions.

I glance at Dad and see him walking towards the discovery. Nothing seems to be bothering him. Or at least he isn't letting on to it. I'm not sure.

All I know is that this is going to be a find like none we've ever well...found. An experience we will never forget for sure. We walk towards the center portion, stepping onto the bronze-alloy based metal, which gives me s.h.i.+vers up my back.

We get to the exact middle and stop. I look down and see an odd combination of symbol and language intertwined together. There's a Latin inscription framed by a Greek omega.

I step into the horseshoed character reading the text, ”Liberate te ex inferis-”

”Save yourself from h.e.l.l,” Dad says translating it aloud as I do.

We meet eye-to-eye in confusion and- Then I get another strange tingle up my spine and a feeling of slight nausea in my gut as a new sensation overtakes my body, one of falling. I look down and see nothing but darkness beneath my feet.

18.

I'm weightless-on second thought-I'm not weightless, I'm not moving at all! I'm being suspended above the ma.s.sive hole beneath me. My senses come back to life, the feeling of falling subsiding, and I snap back to reality, and back into my precarious situation.

My wrist feels like a vise has clamped down on to it as I now dangle over lord knows how deep of a void by just a sweaty set of fingers. Looking up, I see my father's red, straining face. I can also feel his arm trembling and his grip weakening. Not good.

”Hang on, son! Kane! Anybody, please! Help!” Dad shouts out behind him trying to get someone's attention. The strain and fear in his voice making it plainly obvious to those who heard that he isn't fooling around. From my point of view I can see his reddening face and clenched jaw, both a telling sign that he's doing everything he can to prevent me from disappearing into the ominous black below.