Tomb of Zeus (Atlantis) Read online

  “You must remember, these temporary permits are highly unusual. This typically isn’t done, even for projects such as these. There are those at the D.O.T that are sticklers for procedure and would just as soon prohibit any further permits, if they thought they weren’t necessary.”

  “So what defines “necessary” in these matters?” Javi asked.

  “Very simply… results. Without good results, I’m afraid your case will weaken and quite possibly be cancelled.”

  “Miss Galanos, what exactly is your background… what I mean to say is, has your tenure at the Department been only administrative or do you have field experience too,” Javi asked.

  “Administrative only,” Helena responded, becoming slightly defensive.

  “With all due respect, I hope you understand that excavating finds like these could take years. It’s doubtful we’ll see much results in three months. In fact, the Poseidon search has been ongoing for years and we’re still finding new and exciting breakthroughs. To limit us to three month searches, contingent upon finding important discoveries, seems awfully absurd don’t you think?” Javi retorted, now growing visibly anxious.

  “Mr. Arista, I can appreciate your position and your passion to change my mind, but my hands are tied. More powerful people than me will be reviewing your progress in three months. Even if I approve you for another three-month permit, they could easily overrule me and cancel the project.”

  “So that’s it then. You’re basically saying we either produce something or we’re fired, right?” Jack asked bluntly.

  “I’m sorry Jack, but that’s just the way this works,” she responded sympathetically.

  Javier glanced at his watch.

  “Well, I guess we better get started then,” he said in resignation.

  “Yes, we better,” Helena quickly responded.

  Duni looked at both Jack and Javi. He saw the same expression on each of their faces.

  “What do you mean, ‘we’?” he asked suspiciously.

  “My job requires me to monitor your progress, so I’ll be joining you during the excavation,” she replied. “Don’t look at this as a negative. Think of it as a positive: you gained another archeologist free of charge.”

  “I guess we could always use someone to get us coffee,” Jack joked, elbowing Javi for greater effect.

  Helena glared at both Jack and Javi. She felt insulted, much the same way Karl Sita and Christian Laikos made her feel. She considered verbally accosting them, but picked a more effective method to make her point. She took a deep breath and exhaled aloud.

  “Hmm, I’m glad this assignment will be cancelled in three months. It’ll be nice to move onto something more challenging.”

  Her comment was subtle, yet pointed. All three men understood its meaning explicitly.

  “Miss Galanos, Jack was only joking. Of course we’ll put your skills to good use, isn’t that right Jack?” Javi said, now glaring in his direction.

  “Of course,” Jack replied simply, taking the not-so-subtle hint.

  “Well then, now that we have an understanding, now we can get to work,” she shot back.

  ----- ----- ----- -----

  Two hours later…

  The entrance to the pyramid held a large corridor that lead inside toward its center. Thirty feet in, the floor rose in elevation, then leveled out to a flat landing guarded by two bronze statues formed in the likeness of ancient Atlantean warriors. On the right side of the landing, a narrower corridor continued on in a maze of inclines and turns that eventually led to Poseidon’s burial chamber higher up inside the pyramid. On the left side of the landing, an imposing wall stood menacingly as a warning to all that entered…

  Jack, Javi, Duni and Helena stood on the landing thirty feet inside the pyramid and read the inscriptions on the wall. Written in ancient hieroglyphics, Javi used a small handbook with the symbol’s translations to decipher the message.

  “Cursed is he that enters,” he read aloud.

  “Are you sure it’s safe to be in here?” Helena asked.

  “In this spot, yes,” Jack reassured. “We’ve already cleared away all the booby traps a couple years ago.”

  “So where does it get unsafe?” she asked nervously.

  Javi pointed to the wall as if pointing through it.

  “This massive wall is actually a door. Although it’s nearly undetectable, using various instruments, we were able to determine that another corridor exits just beyond it, similar to the one behind us. These messages cursing all who enter are directed at anyone who finds a way past it,” he informed.

  “In other words, beyond this door, things get scary,” Jack added.

  “So, how do we get past the door? I don’t see any handles or levers,” she asked.

  “The Atlanteans were a race far beyond their time,” Javi started.

  “Yeah, I know,” Helena cut in cryptically.

  “They were masters at leverage and mechanisms,” Javi continued. “All throughout this pyramid, the methods for operating the doors and walls have been quite genius. With each barrier we’ve encountered, the panel or tile to move the obstruction was always hidden in plain sight.”

  “So what you’re saying is, we’re staring at the lock right now?” Helena asked.

  “Absolutely,” Javi replied. Pointing to the wall, he said, “See if you can find the mechanism that opens the door.”

  With bright lights shining on the wall, she studied it closely. Moments later, she scowled in defeat

  “I don’t see anything that looks suspicious. Just a bunch of hieroglyphics,” she said in frustration.

  “What’s funny is even if you understood what those symbols mean, you’d still probably not be able to figure it out,” Jack added.

  Javi stepped forward and pointed to a round symbol with intricate engravings inside it.

  “This symbol is part of the sentence I just read: ‘Cursed is he that enters’. The round symbol is translated as ‘enter’. It’s not obvious, but if you look very close, you’ll see that there’s a deep line that encircles it. A year ago, while we were reexamining the pyramid with ultrasound, this wall proved most intriguing. It appears there is some kind of mechanism built inside it.”

  Javi reached into a nearby backpack and pulled out a photo. He held it up to the round symbol in front of him.

  “This photo is the ultrasonic image of this wall. If you look close, you can see the shaded contents of some kind of mechanism inside it. That mechanism lies directly behind the symbol that stands for ‘enter’. Hence, those that understood the double meaning of the word ‘enter’, would know right where to push to open the wall.”

  “Wow, that’s amazing. Have you opened it yet?” she asked.

  “Not yet, but now that we have renewed permits, that’ll be our first action,” Javi replied.

  “So who’s going to be the guinea pig?” Duni joked.

  “I think Jack should have the honors, after all, with him, none of us would be here right now,” Javi offered.

  “Great… send me into the lion’s den,” Jack joked.

  “Actually, Jack’s right. Although we’ve examined the wall thoroughly, we really don’t know what lies beyond it. I think it would be prudent if we all stand far away while he activates the mechanisms,” Javi suggested.

  Helena looked nervously to the three men, then stepped away. Moments later, Duni followed.

  “Jack, no heroics, huh? Just push the button and get the heck out of there, ok?” Javi asked.

  “You don’t have to ask me twice,” he said with a nervous smirk.

  As Javi joined the other two near the entrance to the pyramid, Jack took a deep breath and laid his hand on the round symbol.

  “Here goes nothing,” he shouted down the corridor.

  He pushed hard on the symbol until it was sunken into the wall several inches. Immediately, he heard a hissing sound, like that of sifting sand. A foreboding feeling swept his body. He spun on his heels and darted for the th
ree standing at the entrance. Two steps into his run, a loud crash sounded just behind him. The ground shook and a cloud of dust obscured his vision. He continued his run, instinctively moving away from the danger. As he broke into the clear, he rushed to the safety of the entrance.

  “Holy Shit! What the hell was that?” Helena shouted in frightened tone.

  “That, my dear, was the massive wall, hoping to make good on its promise to bring death to all that entered,” Javi replied. Turning to Jack, he continued, “Took your sweet ole time getting’ outta there, didn’t you? You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

  “Sorry. I guess my reflexes are slowing in my old age,” he joked.

  “Man, for a minute there, I thought you were a goner… flattened like a pancake,” Duni said with a smile, slapping Jack on the back.

  “For a minute there, I thought I was a goner too,” Jack responded emphatically, then added “Man, I’m getting too old for this kind of crap.”

  As the three waited for the dust to clear, Javi speculated on their next move.

  “I think it’s time to bring in Bill,” he said blandly.

  “I agree. No sense taking chances,” Duni responded.

  Helena looked puzzled.

  “Who’s Bill?” she asked.

  “Not who, but what. Bill is what we named our remotely operated vehicle, or ROV for short,” Duni answered. “We use ole Bill to enter areas of danger. Better to kill Bill than one of us,” he joked.

  “But even with the ROV doing advanced searches of the area, there’s still huge risks involved. Although the cameras on it send back feedback in great detail, they don’t pick up hidden dangers that can only be discovered with human presence,” Javi explained. “For instance, when we first searched the pyramid, even though we used the ROV to scout the corridors, we still ran into booby traps that were set off by the heavy weight of man. In fact, I almost died during one such search,” he said in ominous tone.

  “Still want to join us inside?” Jack teased Helena.

  “Unless there’re man-eating spiders in there, nothing’s going to keep me away… I hate spiders,” Helena confided, mildly embarrassed. “Besides, I have the great Jack Roberts to protect me,” she flirted, rubbing his arm seductively.

  Jack’s heart surged. His love for Serena was suddenly displaced by his desire for the attractive girl now showing him attention. He looked toward Javi, who was now grinning ear to ear.

  “What’re you looking at?” he blurted to Javi, joking and feeling mildly self-conscious.

  “She has a point,” Javi said, raising his eyebrows knowingly when no one was looking.

  Now feeling openly self-conscious, Jack blurted, “Enough of this nonsense, time to hang it out on the hairy edge. Let’s just have a look down that corridor, shall we?”

  He darted into the pyramid toward the far wall.

  “Jack, wait! Don’t be foolish. Wait for the ROV to get here,” Javi shouted.

  In seconds, Jack was at the fallen wall. He looked down at it and noticed more hieroglyphics on its backside. With flashlight in hand, he peered around the corner and looked down the newly open corridor.

  “Jack, come back. Javi’s right. Let’s wait for Bill. It’ll be here shortly,” Duni shouted, now growing nervous.

  “It’s OK guys. I don’t see anything suspicious: no pitfalls, or spikes… not even a single man-eating spider,” he teased loudly.

  Helena smirked toward Javi.

  “Well, that’s a relief,” she joked.

  “Yeah, I heard they could be quite vicious when they’re hungry,” Javi responded dryly.

  Cautiously, the three made their way toward Jack. As they reached the fallen wall, Duni shined his flashlight on the hieroglyphics.

  “Hmm, apparently the Atlanteans were expecting a death at this point. Check out the message: “Further tragedy will befall those who dare to trespass.”

  “Further tragedy… yes, apparently they were expecting someone to die,” Javi responded. “Let’s make sure we disappoint them, shall we Jack?”

  “But the dark mysterious cave-like corridor looks so inviting. Surely it must be safe,” Jack responded with deep sarcasm.

  Javi only scowled back at him.

  As the four stared into the blackness of the newly opened hallway, being the first to view it in over seven thousand years piqued their imaginations.

  “Man, just think… the last time this saw daylight, Poseidon was still alive,” Helena said aloud. “Gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.”

  “What makes you think he was still alive at that point?” Javi counted.

  “Simple” she responded. “Poseidon must have buried his brother in the lessor desirable location, saving the more respectful location up higher for himself. If Poseidon had died first, I’m betting Zeus would’ve been buried up high and we’d now be searching for Poseidon’s burial chamber instead.”

  “Makes sense, I guess,” Jack responded, unsure of the logic. “Won’t be too long before we find out, though.”

  “It’s a shame. Zeus should’ve been buried at the top,” she added.

  “Why’s that?” Javi asked, puzzled by her statement.

  “Zeus was way more important,” she responded, her tone resolute.

  “Why would you say that? I don’t recall reading that one was any more important than the other,” Javi replied.

  “He just was,” Helena said bluntly.

  She turned to Javi and stared coldly. He could tell this was a sensitive topic for her and he chose to let it go.

  Moments later, several men arrived, wheeling in a cart of equipment. In the middle of it all was the ROV.

  ----- ----- ----- -----

  Two hours later…

  “Jack, adjust the top camera a little to the right,” Duni said, while staring at a computer monitor.

  Jack rotated the camera slightly, then nodded.

  “Looks perfect. I think we’re ready to go,” he responded.

  “So what’s the plan,” Helena asked eagerly.

  “We basically roll until we hit something,” Duni replied. “Hopefully, we’ll roll right into Zeus’ burial chamber.”

  “How exciting,” she responded, hardly able to contain her enthusiasm.

  Moments later, all four huddled around Duni as he piloted the ROV by remote control. Moving the joy stick forward, he watched the computer screen as the ROV’s cameras sent back images of its movements. Slowly, it entered the darken corridor, illuminated only by the ROV’s exterior lighting systems.

  Fifteen feet in, the floor inclined downward. Although the lights shined brightly, the cameras could only see a distance of fifteen feet ahead of the ROV. Beyond that distance, the image’s resolution became dark and distorted.

  While Duni moved the ROV slowly down the incline, Javi operated the independent cameras, rotating them to view the walls and floors, as well as sighting their forward progress. Every couple of feet, Duni would stop, allow Javi to scan the area, then continue on. Nearly thirty minutes into their run, a darkened figure began to take shape.

  “What is that? Javi, can you focus another camera out front?” Duni asked.

  “I’m on it,” he responded instantly.

  The ROV inched forward. All eyes were glued to the screen.

  “There’s definitely something there, guys,” Jack said, tempering his excitement.

  “Oh my God. I think it’s starting to shine,” Helena blurted loudly.

  Two feet more, the two forward cameras became more detailed.

  “I think we have a statue,” Javi shouted excitedly.

  “No doubt about it. The legs are distinctive… and it’s big, at least six feet high,” Jack added.

  Duni stopped the ROV. Javi began another routine scan of the area.

  “What are you guys doing?” Helena shouted in frustration.

  “Clearing the area. Making sure there aren’t any traps. We can’t let our excitement sacrifice safety,” Javi replied, still concentratin
g on the images of the walls and floors.

  “Looks clear. Ready to proceed,” Duni said.

  “Moving forward,” Javi replied.

  As the ROV continued on, the statue’s shape and detail came into full view. All stared in awe at its significance.

  “I don’t believe it. It’s Zeus!” Jack shouted aloud. “It’s a golden statue of Zeus.”

  “And he’s holding his scepter!” Helena shouted, her voice quivering with excitement.

  Helena momentarily lost herself in the sight of such brilliance. She jumped up and down with zeal, and hugged Jack. Jack’s heart beat faster with the feel of her warm touch. With two pairs of eyes on him, he felt self-conscious once more.

  “I see you found someone to share your enthusiasm Jack,” Javi teased.

  Although Duni felt somewhat envious, he joined in on the fun.

  “I’m can be enthusiastic too, Helena,” he said.

  Still holding Jack, she looked back at Duni and Javi and smiled.

  “Sorry guys, it’s not every day one gets to see something like this,” she responded.

  She turned toward Jack, smiled seductively, then let go, turning back to the image on screen.

  Jack stared at her with intrigue. Although his heart still longed for Serena Arista, he couldn’t help but feel attracted to the beautiful woman who was now showing him interest. He secretly examined her shape and wondered, as the three watched the computer screen with fascination. As she turned back to him, she caught his eyes on her, instantly causing his face to turn a brilliant shade of red. She smirked at his response, but kept their interlude private.

  Turning her attention back to the statue, she said, “This proves it. Zeus must be buried here. Why else would they place his statue along the way to his chamber?”

  “I believe you’re right, Helena,” Javi said. “All the pieces of the puzzle clearly point to that conclusion.”

  “Moving forward,” Duni announced.

  All eyes were now glued to the screen. Several feet more, the ROV transitioned to a flattened area and stopped directly in front of the statue. The intricacy of the carved gold was impressive. Helena studied the scepter clasped in Zeus’ hand. She remarked at its design.