Tomb of the Lost

Chapter THIRTY ONE



THE IONIAN SEA



The diver lifted her left hand again to check the time on her watch. Five minutes left, five minutes before they’d need to surface.

Natalie Feltham, Marine Archaeologist of the Oceanic Archaeology Institute, glanced across at her two colleagues, George Roussos, a Greek, and Jack Dobson, a fellow Englishman. She got their attention and they both gave her the thumbs up.

They were diving off an ancient wreck near the Greek island of Zakynthos. The timbers of the ship had vanished over the two thousand years that it had lain in the sixty feet of water on the ocean floor. All that was left were Amphorae of various sizes, plates and cups. Nothing of value but exciting for the group of tourists they were accompanying. Each guest diver was now prepared by the three to begin the one minute ascent to the boat above. Once they were all in a ring Natalie led them slowly up. Her head broke the surface of the water and she lifted her facemask.

Alex Lafitte, the only Frenchman in the group was waiting on the diving platform for their return. He smiled down at Natalie as he extended his hand to her. She grabbed it and he lifted her from the water. She sat down to take off her equipment as Alex helped Jack next. Jack quickly removed his Scuba tanks, let them bump gently to the deck, and began helping the tourists out one by one.

Soon they were all seated and Natalie took the clipboard with the passenger list and did the head count. She recounted, then happy with the result she ticked the sheet and signed it. She replaced the clipboard and nodded to Tom White the third Englishman on board. He pushed a button on the control panel and the electronic anchor began winding in. Once it was secured Tom started the twin engines and pushed forward on the throttle and the fifty foot Endeavour III moved away from the buoy marking the wreck.

Natalie stood in front of the group.

“Did everyone have a good time today?” she asked, turning her head from side to side so that everyone could hear her clearly.

There was a chorus of yes’s and general agreement.

“Did you all manage to take your photographs?”

Again the same response.

“Excellent. That’s what we like to hear. On behalf of the crew I’d like to thank you all so much for coming with us today and thanks to our crew members, George, Jack, Alex and Tom,” she said clapping, leading the applause.

“And let’s hear it for our lovely group leader Natalie,” George said.

“Thank you,” she said smiling at George “Now as we make our way back to Zante we’ll be doing the drinks bill so if you could all come up one at a time and pay me it would be appreciated. Once again thank you and it’ll take us about forty minutes to get back to Zante town so it’ll give you a last chance to enjoy the views, take some pictures or just do a little sun bathing.”

The tourists applauded once more and Natalie took a towel from her bag and dried her long blonde hair with it. It was four o’clock in the afternoon, the first week of May and the wind was cooling. Natalie looked down at her skin as it goose pimpled. She rubbed her arms with the towel until hey disappeared. The first tourist came up to pay his bill wearing a bum bag. Most of the group were English, Americans, Germans, two Dutch Doctors, an Italian and a Spaniard. The Dutch Doctors were husband and wife.

“Did you enjoy yourselves today?” Natalie asked them as they came up to pay for two colas and two lemonades.

“Yes very much,” the husband answered “We learned to Scuba dive last year on holiday in the Dominican Republic. They had a diving school in the hotel and we were bored one afternoon and they were offering a first lesson free and we thought ’Well why not’.”

Natalie nodded and smiled as she took their fifty Euro note and fished through her bum bag for change.

“Have you ever dived in the Caribbean?” Inga, the wife asked.

“Sure to have,” her husband, Ruud added.

“Yes of course many times,” Natalie answered “I’ve dived all over the world.”

“Oh you’re so lucky,“ from Inga “To have a job like this. Taking tourists out to wrecks. Do you do those shark dives also?”

“Sometimes. Not often and only for the more experienced students. I’m actually a marine Archaeologist.”

“Really? Now that is interesting,” from Ruud.

“It’s quite boring actually. Spending all day at the bottom of the sea, sometimes finding nothing for hours. It’s like a needle in a haystack out there unless the wrecks appear on charts.”

“It must be exciting when you make a discovery though.”

“Yes of course. Archaeology is my field. I used to work in Egypt for the institute and then a vacancy came up for the Marine field and like you I thought well why not.”

Inga was smiling at the glamorous woman before her, listening to her, wishing she could be just like her. Inga looked at her long, blonde hair.

“You have such beautiful hair. How do you keep it so nice with all this sea water?”

“Conditioner. Lots and lots of conditioner,” Natalie replied making her guests laugh.

“So why are you out here taking tourists to wrecks and not excavating?”

“Money,” came the answer “The institute has very limited income, very little funding. We rely very much on private sponsors. Doing these trips or tours if you like bring in quite a bit of income for the institute.”

Inga gave a small yawn.

“There I’m boring you with my work,” Natalie said smiling past them at the next customer waiting to pay. The husband and wife politely moved out of the way. The next customer was English and when Natalie turned her back for a minute to get change he was looking her up and down and making suggestive faces to his friends who were laughing. Inga watched the man with distaste, wishing she could push him over the side. Inga and Ruud went back to their seats.

“Attractive woman,” he said carefully.

“Yes she’s absolutely stunning isn’t she. Did you see the way they were looking at her?”

“She’s probably used to it.”

“No woman likes to be leered at no matter how beautiful she is.”

“I do it over you Inga van Bergen.”

“That’s different. Ruud van Bergen. I love you.”



When the Endeavour III docked Natalie threw the securing lines to George who dashed past her and jumped onto the jetty. He began wrapping the rope around a dockside cleat as Tom reversed the boat into place. The tourists all standing in a line ready to leave. The gangway was lowered so that George could come back on board. Now the five of them took up positions to either side of the gang plank. Firstly as a politeness to wish their guests a safe journey to wherever they were going next and secondly in the hope that it might encourage them to leave tips.

The van Bergens shook Natalie’s hand and Ruud squeezed a fifty Euro note into her hand.

“A small donation for you,” he said beaming.

“Thank you very much. Tott Siens.”

“You speak Dutch?”

“No just Tott Siens I’m afraid.”

“Oh well it was very nice meeting you. Thank you for today. Good bye.”

“Good bye and you.”

Now it was the turn of the three English lads. The first two brushed past Natalie but the one who’d paid for the drinks paused long enough to slip a ten dollar bill into her hand. The other two chuckling at the American note.

“So what are you doing tonight then darling?”

Natalie was a bit taken aback at his bluntness.





“I…Erm…will be….Erm….studying at home tonight.”

George was listening but his smile had vanished as he continued shaking hands with the guests.

“What all on your own?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“A pretty girl like you.”

“Yes,” Natalie replied trying to keep a friendly face. ’Here we go again! As soon as there’s a group of three or more they’ve always got to prove to themselves what men they are and try to pull‘ She’d heard it all before. All the corny chat up lines.

“What a waste.”

Natalie shrugged. Trying to act innocent.

“I mean me and the lads are thinking of going to a bar tonight. The ace of spades if you want to come. And you never know,” he said raising his sunglasses to make eye contact with her “If you play your cards right….”

Natalie gave a false smile.

“Thank you but I really need to study.”

“Look at what you’re missing,” he said gesturing towards his friends. George decided to step in and rescue.

“Thank you. Thank you for coming,” he said “Do you need a lift home?” he asked her.

“No. No. I’m fine thank you George.”

The three lads walked off while looking back at her.

“Frigid bitch!”

Natalie and George heard the comment.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes of course.”

“Perhaps the grease ball is banging her,” one of the three said.

“Just ignore them Natalie. If I had known they were looking at you like that I would have given them their money back and thrown them off the boat.”

“Thank you George,” she kissed him on the cheek and disappeared below deck. She reappeared a minute later wearing a pair of jeans and a pink vest. George saw her and was unable to hide his attraction for her. Natalie knew of his feelings for her, which was why he felt protective towards her but it never interfered with their business. She threw her bag over her shoulder, jumped ashore and strode towards her car. Alex was carrying scuba tanks off the boat for refilling. He stopped to watch her bottom wiggling and her big breasts jiggling.

“That’s much woman,” Alex said.

George glared at him.

“Don’t you start!”



Natalie drew her car up to a stop outside her apartment. She applied the parking brake and got out, leaning back in to retrieve the brown paper bag containing the groceries she had bought on the way home. She climbed the steps and opened her front door, closing it with her foot. She put the paper bag on the worktop, threw her keys into her bag and leaving this with the groceries she went into the bathroom and turned on the shower and quickly undressing, stepped in. After letting the water cascade down her face and body, she washed and stepped back into the living room with a towel wrapped around her and grabbed another for her hair. She sat on her sofa and pushed play on her answer phone. The first message was from an old friend at school. The second was a reminder from Tom to lend him some CD’s. She’d asked him to ring and leave a message because she knew she’d forget. It was Friday and the Endeavour crew always met for drinks on a Friday night in town at their favourite bar ‘Zeus’. Natalie smiled at the “Please don’t forget, I know what you’re like.”

She got up, went across to her CD collection, ran her index finger down the spines and eventually found the three she was looking for. She put them next to her bag.

“There now I won’t forget,” she said to her answer phone as the next message kicked in.

“Hi Nat. It’s dad. Just to let you know mum and I have got a flight for the second of June….” Natalie laughed as she heard her mum’s voice in the background “Tony are you leaving a message on her answer phone, hang up and try again later. Don’t ruin the surprise.”

“Better go babe. Your mum’s saying I should wait until we can speak….”

There were some muffled sounds, it sounded like someone taking the telephone receiver from someone else, a bit of a scuffle and then the line went dead.

“Oh dad,” she laughed “You should know better than to argue with mum.”

Her heart was full of happiness as she thought of her parents. Both teachers, mum, Rose, at school. Dad, Tony, a college lecturer. The messages ended and feeling her eyes getting heavy she decided to close them for a few minutes just to rest them, not sleep. She flicked the switch down so the answer phone would cut in after only two rings. Laying her head down she soon drifted off into a deep sleep. Her mobile phone ringing incessantly woke her. To begin with it was part of her dream, the ring tone a favourite Madonna song. She fumbled for the phone, turned its display to her face, saw it was Jack and pressed the green button to answer.

“Jack,” her throat was dry. Her brain not functioning due to the sudden waking.

“Natalie where are you? Are you all right?”

“Yes I’m fine. I’m at home….What time is it?” she blinked at the windows. It was twilight outside.

“It’s a quarter to nine Nat. We’re all here already.”

She ran her fingers through her still drying hair.

“I….I….must have dozed off!”

“Do you want one of us to come and get you?”

“What? No I’ll um, I’ll get a taxi.”

“Are you sure. It’s no problem for someone to come and get you. We’ve all had a drink but it’ll be O.K. Maybe we could all come.”

“No Jack. Really it’s all right. I’ll um….just give me twenty minutes O.K. I’ll be there.”

“O.K Nat. I’ll tell the others not to order any food just yet. We’ll wait ’til you get here.”

The line went dead. She pushed the red button on the Nokia to make sure the call had ended. Then rubbed her face. She went through her phone book until she found ’Yanos’ and pressed the green button. He answered within three rings.

“Natalie my darling how are you,” he asked in his heavy accent.

“Yanos can you pick me up at my place and take me to ’Zeus’”

“Yes my darling. I’ll be with you in fifteen minutes.”

“Can you not make it any sooner Yanos? I’m sorry but I’m late.”

“Yes my sweet. I’ll try to make it to you in ten.”

“Thank you. Yanos. Thank you.”

She rang off and went into her bedroom to get dressed. A quick spray of deodorant and perfume. Quickly applied some eye shadow and lipstick. Her favourite drop earrings, checked her reflection in the mirror and was just putting on her shoes when the doorbell rang.

“Is that you Yanos?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll just be a minute.”

“O.K.”

Yanos stood looking at the door for a moment, then turned to watch two pretty girls walking past his silver Mercedes. Tourists, probably English he guessed judging by their white mini-skirts, white legs and white high heels. They each carried a small bag. One of them saw him looking and nudged her friend.

Yanos was a good looking Greek of twenty eight, tall, athletic, dark curly hair, lots of stubble, his sunglasses perched on top of his head. He called out to them and they giggled and leaned into each other as they walked. A bit further on they both glanced back over their shoulders at him. He was still watching them but this time stayed quiet. He turned to the door again.

“I’ll wait in the car,” he called out. He went down the steps, got into the drivers seat and lit a Marlboro.

Natalie rushed through to the kitchen, grabbed her phone, rummaged through her bag for her keys and went to the door, she waved at Yanos in his taxi, slammed the front door, pushed it gently to make sure it was closed and then hurried down the steps. What she hadn’t seen before she left was the red flashing light on her answer phone signalling she’d had a new message while she’d been in the bedroom blow drying her hair.



Yanos drew his Mercedes to a halt outside the bar ‘Zeus’

“Do you want me to pick you up later?”

“I don’t know. I might get a lift from one of the others. I’ll give you a call.”

She gave Yanos a ten Euro note and he gave her five change instead of three. She walked past a group of young men and women smoking. The men leaning on their mopeds. One of their group came out carrying six bottles of beer and distributed them. Inside the bar it was busy. The music playing were this summer’s hits, a mixture of English and American artistes. There was a constant clack of pool balls as both tables were being played at the same time. A group of young British tourists were shouting and laughing over a table football game. A waitress rushed past carrying a tray of food. Natalie stood looking this way and that. Suddenly she spotted her friends and headed over to them. They all stood to greet her. Tom and Jack were with two girls, both holiday reps, working out on the island for the summer. Their holiday company one of two who used Natalie’s group for excursions. Both girls were very pretty. The attraction between, Tom, Jack and the reps was plain to see. They both mouthed ‘Hiya’s’ as Natalie reached the table. By the looks of the table the beer had been flowing.

“Ah thanks for joining us,” Tom said jokingly “Perhaps now we can eat. I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m starving.”

He picked up a menu and held it between himself and Sarah. When the waiter came round to take their order Natalie was last.

“I’ll have Lamb Kleftiko please.”

The waiter beamed and took the menus away.

“Is that nice?” Louise, the other rep asked.

Natalie was just taking a swig of her drink. She released the straw.

“Kleftiko?”

Louise nodded.

“It’s beautiful. The best Kleftiko in all of Zakynthos. The lamb kind of melts in your mouth. I’ll let you try some of mine when it arrives.”

“Do we have a big group tomorrow Natalie?” Alex asked.

“Twenty two,” she looked at the empties on the table “I don’t mean to be a killjoy but you’d better not get too drunk.”

George was the only one of the group sitting quietly staring into his glass. Natalie guessed at what was wrong with him but asked anyway.

“Have you heard from your wife George?”

He turned a dark eye to her.

“Yes.”

The others were trying not to smirk. George and his wife Rosa’s fights were legendary. They lived on the neighbouring island of Kefalonia and George hadn’t been home for two weeks.

“She’s accusing me of cheating on her. Of having affairs which is keeping me away from home. I tell her that I’m always working hard to provide for her and the little one. She says if it wasn’t for little Costas she would kill herself for the misery I cause her. Then the line went dead. So I ring back and she no answer. So I ring and ring and ring and when she answers she crying, so I tell her I love her which is why I’m never home and she doesn’t believe me.”

“George take tomorrow off. Take a few days. Take the speedboat tomorrow and spend some time at home.”

“I can’t afford to take time off. I can’t afford to lose the money.”

“I’ll pay you. Don’t worry, no one will have a problem with it,” she said looking at each individual in turn. No one raised an objection. George had tears in his eyes.

“We have a big group tomorrow. It’s not fair on the others.”

“We’ll manage,” Natalie said knowing they would be stretched without a third diver. The others would understand. George was looking at his colleagues.

“I can’t Natalie. It wouldn’t be right.”

“George look at me,” she held his gaze “I’m your boss and that is an order. I’m telling you to take time off. You’re no good to anyone in this state, especially yourself. Get some rest, you’re tired and I won’t have you diving while you’re like this. Do you understand?”

George smiled at her.

“Yes Natalie thank you. I’ll do as you say.”

She looked at the others for reassurance. None of them dared to object.

“Now,” she said “When the food arrives would anyone like a drink? The next round is on me.”



Natalie waved once more from the top of the steps as Alex and Tom sped away in their open top Jeep. Once inside her door she kicked her shoes off and got herself a glass of water from the kitchen and went into the lounge. She threw herself down onto the sofa and picked up the T.V. remote and pushed the power button. The television came on and she pushed the correct number for satellite. She flicked through half a dozen channels or so and not finding anything of interest she turned it all off again. Glancing at the clock she saw it was just after 1a.m. Tired, she got up, emptied her glass in one gulp and refilled it to take it to bed. On her way past the telephone answering machine she saw the red light flashing. Glancing down at the little digital screen she saw a two. Two new messages. Despite her tiredness she pushed the play button. First came the bleep, then in an excited voice.

“Hi Natalie it’s Jim Hutchinson. If you’re there can you please pick up. Something very exciting has occurred. You’re not going to want to miss this. Call me as soon as you hear this. Bye.”

“End of message,” the machine said “Next new message.”

“Natalie it’s Jim again. Did you get my previous message? Can you please call me. I’ll be in my office until at least ten tonight. If not can you please call me at home. Don’t worry about what time you get this. Please call it’s urgent. I’ve tried your mobile.”

“End of messages. To delete all messages, press delete.”

She played them through again. There was an urgency in his voice she’d never heard before.

Jim Hutchinson, was an American by birth but had lived in England most of his life. He was the head of the small research company that employed Natalie and her crew, the Oceanic Archaeology Institute, otherwise known as OAI. He was fifty eight, tall with a neatly trimmed beard, typical university lecturer in his corduroy suits with elbow patches.

She took her Nokia out of her bag. Three missed calls. She hadn’t heard the mobile ringing in her bag on the floor in the bar. She brought up the number for the Institute, then remembering the time, she found Jim’s home number and yawning pressed the green button. After six rings a sleepy female voice answered.

“Hello.”

‘Jim’s wife,’ Natalie thought ‘I bet I’ve woken her.’

“Hello Carol It’s Natalie Feltham.”

“Oh hi Natalie.”

“Carol I’m sorry it’s late. Did I wake you?”

“Yes you did. What time is it?”

“It’s a quarter past one. I’m sorry but Jim left a message for me to ring as soon as I could and I’ve only just got his message.”

“He’s not here Natalie. He rang at about ten thirty to say he wasn’t coming home. He was waiting for a call from you. If you ring his office he’s staying there tonight.”

“OK I’ll ring the Institute. Once again sorry for disturbing you Carol.”

“That’s all right. Goodbye Natalie.”

“Bye,” Natalie rang off. She felt bad about having woken Carol, Jim’s long time suffering wife. He, like all Archaeologists she knew, spending more time in the field than with his wife. Natalie selected Jim Hutchinson from her mobile’s phone book and rang. The telephone ringing woke him with a start. He had been asleep on a couch in his office at the headquarters of the OAI in Alexandria, Egypt. He pushed the blanket that was covering him off and sprang up to answer the phone.

“Hutchinson,“ he called into the mouthpiece.

“Jim it’s Natalie Feltham.”

“Excellent. Natalie thank you for ringing. You’re never going to believe what’s happened.”

Natalie knew of Hutchinson’s enthusiasm for his work. It was, in the institute, legendary.

“I’m fine thank you Jim, how are you.”

“What! Oh I’m sorry, how are you? Natalie I’m so excited about this.”

“Jim it’s nearly half past one in the morning. Can this not wait. What could possibly be so important?”

Hutchinson paused to compose himself.

“How about the location of the tomb of Alexander the Great.”

There was a long silence, it lasted for nearly half a minute.

“Natalie are you still there?”

“Yes of course Jim. Just letting it sink in. You’ve actually found it? In Alexandria?”

“What? Oh no. Not here. It’s not as simple as that. Um listen, are you at home?”

“Yes,” she replied all tiredness now forgotten as the impact of what she’d just been told finally hit her.

“Let me ring you back,” he said “You might want to get yourself some coffee. I need one.”

Natalie got up and quickly went to the loo and on the way back fetched herself a can of Red Bull. Hutchinson on the other hand poured himself some strong black coffee. He then dialled Natalie’s apartment in Tsilivi. He felt an overwhelming excitement fill him as he thought about what he was going to tell her.

“Hi Jim.”

“Now the tomb or rather his sarcophagus was apparently discovered by a German team of archaeologists during World War II in Tunisia.”

“Why haven’t we heard of this before?”

“They were all killed in the battle for Gabes. The sarcophagus was loaded onto a freighter and, well, apparently the Captain of the freighter panicked and left with hardly anyone on board. The freighter didn’t get very far before it was sunk in an air raid.”

“So how has this story come about. I don’t understand why this is the first anyone has heard of it.”

“Because only two survivors knew about it, a German Colonel and an English engineer. The story has been revealed by the Englishman who has recently died. His grandson is a reporter for the British magazine ’The Country’, Peter Dennis. Have you heard of him?”

Natalie hadn’t.

“He’s also a writer, books, history mainly and he has this magazine column. I‘ve e-mailed him many times but never received a reply.”

Natalie’s head was buzzing.

“So what does that have to do with us?”

“The search for Alexander is the dream of every Archaeologist Natalie. Even Carter dreamed of finding him after Tutankhamun. I’m putting up the money for the expedition and I want you to head it.”

Her heart almost skipped a beat.

“Jim are you serious?”

“You should know me. I never joke about my work. I am deadly serious. I know it’s short notice but I need you and your team in Tunis on the next available flight. I’ll meet you there.”

“Jim I’m….I’m tired. I need some time to think. And plus there are the excursions. We’re fully booked for the next two weeks.”

“We’ll have to refund Natalie. This is an opportunity in life we cannot miss. Just imagine it! The sarcophagus of Alexander the Great! Restored to its rightful place in the first city he ever founded and you Natalie….You can do it!”

They talked for over an hour and by the end of it all she was hooked.

“I’ll ring you as soon as I reach Tunis and get us a hotel organised. I’ll give you the details of the operation then.”

“Very well Jim. I’ll see you in Tunisia.”

“A.S.A.P. Natalie. This will make you and your people famous.”

“That’s the one thing I’ve always managed to avoid. Is there anything else for now?”

“Yes. Don’t tell your team, just that it’s important but no details OK. That’s all for now,” Hutchinson went to put the receiver down then brought it back to his ear.

“Nat are you still there?”

“Yes.”

“I’m counting on you.”

“That’s precisely what I feared.”

The line went dead. She picked her mobile up, selected G from the phonebook and pressed green. She didn’t want to do this but had no choice. A sleepy voice at the other end answered.

“George it’s me, listen, I’m really sorry to have to do this to you but something just came up.”